Enchanted Arms : An Outsider's Account

Chapter 0 : Prologue

Atsuma was asleep in class, in his usual red and black attire, as one would come to expect. A rather handsome boy in blue had been poking his left shoulder with a pencil, trying to wake him up, expecting Professor Kou to notice and call Atsuma up to make an example. A student behind Atsuma, wearing a yellow, black, and blue belly-button shirt, leaned over towards the student dressed in blue.

"Toya, sweetie, you know he isn't going to wake up just from that. You'd need an air-horn to wake that idiot up. Just let him have his punishment from Professor Kou." Toya looked at Makoto and frowned. "Nobody deserves that kind of a punishment, Makoto. I know you don't like the guy, but even you should know that's a little harsh for our little Atsuma."

Atsuma stirred in his sleep just in time for Professor Kou to catch him. "Ahem, Atsuma? Could you please come down to the front of the class? You can help me display the emergency self-defence systems a Golem is fitted with." Atsuma awoke, and realized where he was. "Uh, er, yes! I can do that." He paused, realizing he agreed to do something he wasn't actually sure what his part in would consist of. "So, uh, what do you want me to do?" The professor face-palmed.

"I just need you to fight the golems, Atsuma." the Professor sighed. Atsuma beamed. "Oh! I can do that!" he exclaimed, Toya chuckled, while the rest of the class scowled at him. A student piped up from the back of the class "Class is for learning, Atsuma! Take it seriously!" Toya stood.

"Professor, if it's quite alright with you, I'd like to assist Atsuma with a commentary, describing each Golem's self-defence systems." The student that had patronized Atsuma scowled and sat down, his comment not bothering Atsuma, as Toya had immediately lightened his mood. Professor Kou smiled. "Oh, yes, Toya. I was going to ask you to do this anyway."

Professor Kou had moved towards his desk, raising his hand to push a button, that after doing so would lower a floor panel supporting a Plant Golem. This was a low level Golem not expected to be difficult for Atsuma to dispatch, but expected to last long enough before being made inoperable to display it's combat abilities.

"You may begin, Atsuma." The Professor said dryly, as if surprised Atsuma didn't immediately charge in after the Golem at the mere sight of it. Atsuma nodded, and looked to Toya, who began commentating on the Golem's stance, strengths, and weaknesses.

After Atsuma had finished his 'punishment', he'd received a stern lecture about how it's harder for one to learn while sleeping. "...and that's why you need to stay awake in class, Atsuma. Alright, look. You've been in my hair long enough. Go off and eat your lunch." Atsuma nodded, and ran off to catch up with Toya and Makoto. "See ya, Kou!"

Leaving Atsuma alone to walk the halls was always a concern for Toya. Most students in the University despised Atsuma for his arm. It was dangerous. One touch and you could lose your ability to enchant forever, a terrible fate, feared by anyone. Toya, however, liked Atsuma, they were close. They got along, despite being polar opposites. Toya being the cold, calculating type and Atsuma being the brash, fierce type.

"Toya," Makoto called, endearingly, "Aren't you going to eat my lunch? I made it just for you." Toya looked at the pink, love themed food uncomfortably. "I, uh, I think we should wait for Atsuma, before we eat. It's the polite thing to do." Makoto pouted at this. "Oh, you. You're always being so nice to that idiot. He's done nothing for you but cause trouble. I don't know why you put up with him." Toya frowned.

"Atsuma's my friend, Makoto." He chuckled. "He might be a bit of an idiot, and quick to act, but he's fun to be around, and he's a good guy. If you gave him a chance I bet you'd get to like him too." Makoto smirked. "Ha, as if I'd ever like anyone but you, my dear.. sweet.. Toya..." Makoto began to lean in, to try and kiss Toya before Atsuma came bounding in with his tray.

"Ugh, Cafeteria food is so nasty..." Atsuma whined. He went to sit down, but he noticed the position Makoto was in overshadowing Toya. "Er, did I interrupt something?" He joked. Toya squirmed out of Makoto's death grip and onto the ground. "No!" He yelled, losing his composure, a rare occurrence. This shocked everyone in the cafeteria.

Makoto looked hurt, but quickly shrugged it off, saying "Oh, you, Toya. Always joking." He smiled, uncomfortably. Toya got off of the ground and dusted himself off. Looking to where Makoto's food was, he noticed an empty spot on the table. "Mmphf! It'ph pho gud!" Atsuma bellowed through a stuffed mouth. Makoto's mouth widened, as did Toya's.

"You idiot! I made that for Toya! Not you! Get your hands off of it!" Makoto scolded Atsuma, standing and taking a step towards Atsuma. "Yeah! That's my food!" Toya chimed in, realizing he'd soon have to eat cafeteria food. Atsuma swallowed, nearly choking, and coughed out "Well, you're the one that said--"

Atsuma paused, as if thinking, but then collapsed onto the ground, making sure not to spill any food and bellowed throughout the entire cafeteria "--No!" Again, the entire cafeteria gawked at the three, but then continued eating their lunch, as Atsuma getting out of control was a common sight. He then downed the rest of the lunch in one mouthful, so as to not allow Toya or Makoto to remove it from his grasp.

Makoto scowled, but Toya just stood, as if frozen in time, for a moment. Atsuma was slowly growing a worried expression, as it wasn't ordinary for Toya to do what Atsuma knew was about to happen. He laughed. Toya exploded like a chortle-bomb. The entire cafeteria gawked, and many of the girls, some who were members of Toya's fan club scowled at Atsuma, jealous of his special treatment.

Toya's laugh slowly faded, and most of the cafeteria went back to their individual conversations. The few who continued watching were those who had been scowling at Atsuma. It's a popular past-time, at the University, almost as popular as Golem-Battles.

Toya looked Atsuma in the eye. I don't think I need to remind you, Atsuma, but you still haven't fed your dog." Makoto sighed. "No pets allowed, Atsuma. When are you going to send that dog off somewhere else? Somewhere it belongs?" Atsuma sighed, disappointed with Makoto. "Makoto, Makoto, Makoto... don't you know? Cota's just another student at the University." He looked Makoto in the eyes, seriously. "You got that?"

Makoto sighed, and Toya shoved Atsuma's tray into his hands. "Go feed your dog. I think he went in that cave back there." Atsuma nodded and began to make his way into the cave, his friends behind him. It was a fairly linear path, and they'd been walking for nearly twenty minutes. Atsuma was getting worried.

"Guys, what if Cota's hurt or something? He should have smelled the food by now!" Atsuma's face paled. "What if he's..." Toya had put a hand on his shoulder, making Atsuma pause. "I'm sure your dog's alright. Let's just keep moving. Toya led the way.

After some time the cave had began to get colder. Atsuma was even more worried, and on top of that uncomfortable. He didn't like the cold. It was terribly uncomfortable for him to be in. "Toya.. I don't like this." Makoto had finally said something. For the past forty minutes that they had been in the cave, Makoto was silent, so Atsuma was surprised to hear him say something.

"Makoto, please don't make me tell Atsuma we're abandoning Cota." Toya whispered, to Makoto, assuming Makoto's complaint was concerning the dog. "Oh, no. I didn't mean the dog. I meant the cold. Hold me!" Makoto wrapped both of his arms against Toya, rubbing his cold abdomen on Toya's warm hand. "Ack! Makoto! Not now!" Toya argued, uncomfortably.

"This sight was amusing to Atsuma, and managed to lighten his mood. At least, it did until they came to the biggest room in the cave. "This is huge. And it's all covered in ice. Makoto! Try not to pull Toya down when you slip!" Atsuma joked. Makoto took this seriously and retorted angrily "I'm not you, Atsuma! I'd never do anything to cause Toya trouble. Not my dear, sweet Toya..." He blushed, and began to mumble words of passion to himself.

"Okay, okay, guys. Calm down. Look there, in the center. You see that giant icecube? There's something in there. Atsuma, don't touch it. It could be dangerous." Toya put on a serious look. Atsuma nodded, solemnly. He knew to always trust Toya's instinct. "You got it, Toya."

Right at that moment, the glacier began to glow, and a feminine and elegant voice emanated throughout Atsuma's ears. "Boy..." it said. "Did you guys hear that?!" Atsuma's face had gone pale, he seemed scared. "Toya!? Answer me! Did you hear that!?" He repeated himself. Makoto and Toya quirked their brows, simultaneously.

The voice began to speak again. "Boy... I am your queen. Your friend's.. future." Atsuma looked at Toya instinctually. Realizing what she meant, Atsuma's face went whiter. A deeper voice echoed within Atsuma's head. His right arm began to burn, and a different, distorted voice bellowed within his head. You are but a tool to my completion. If you wish for your pain to cease, place your arm on the glacier.

Toya put on a worried look, and Makoto began to worry for the idiot as well. "Atsuma! What's wrong?! Do you hear something?!" Toya's face paled when he saw the grimace of pain on Atsuma's face. He realized Atsuma had been holding his right arm for a few moments, now, and began to make conjectures as to what was happening.

"Atsuma!" Makoto yelled, coming to the same conclusion Toya had. "Don't touch the glacier! Don't!" Atsume looked up at Makoto, and his face shocked both Makoto and Toya. They'd seen the grimace, but the tears streaming down his eyes... Atsuma let out a blood curdling scream that could only barely be translated into a "I'm trying!"

His arm raised itself, and Atsuma screamed again, at the sudden movement. It had begun pulling itself towards the glacier. Stop fighting, you are but a tool to my completion. That voice returned. Atsuma could hardly think to ask the voice what it was and why it was so desperate to touch the ice, and why it made his arm sore.

Atsuma's heels were being slid across the ice, now, his arm pulling him towards the glacier. Toya and Makoto furrowed their brows, knowing they hadn't had enough strength to hold Atsuma back between the two of them, and on top of that not knowing if it'd be safe to even try. "Atsuma! You have to fight it!" Toya called, as he readied his spear. Makoto began preparing a shield for Toya to get behind, not knowing what could happen when Atsuma touches the ice sculpture.

That feminine voice began to laugh maniacally as Atsuma was moved towards the glacier. "Yes... yes! That's right, boy! Come to me and FREE ME!" she bellowed. "Atsuma kept screaming as his right hand got within centimeters of the glacier. He fought back with all his might, but he only wasted his energy.

He touched the glacier.

Author's Note :

If you're seeing this, thanks for reading! Sorry there weren't any ponies in this chapter! I just wanted to establish the characters and the world Atsuma comes from.

As always, any constructive criticism is going to be taken with open arms. I'm very excited for this story.