Manifest War: The Weapons Within

Morning in Volaire came and the gentle breeze flowed through an open window at Castle de Belouis. A girl laying in bed felt the cool and delightful air tickle her arms gently. She stretched and happily hugged her softer than usual pillow, snuggling her head in its fluffiness. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately didn't recognize the location.

Sarah jolted up in bed with a very confused expression on her face. She scanned the room and took notice of the lavish tapestries, expensive furniture, pristine marble floors, and bedding fit for royalty. Sarah brushed her hand on the light blue, soft and silky bed sheets before looking down at her chest. On her was an expensive nightgown made from the finest fabrics she had ever seen, accenting perfectly against her caramel colored skin.

'Where the hell am I and how did I get here?'

She moved the sheets aside and just as her feet hit the floor, someone began knocking on the door. Quickly, she slid back in bed and pulled the sheets up.

“Uh.. Yes? W-Who’s there?”

Sarah's tone was filled with concern as she hid part of her head behind the covers. The door opened and in walked a maid carrying some fresh linen.

“Good morning, My Lady. I have brought a change of clothes for you. Would you like me to run you a bath as well?” She said with a smile, bowing her head respectfully.

Sarah, with the look of absolute bewilderment, was speechless.

“Uhh.. First off, where am I? And secondly, why am I being treated so well?” Sarah asked, scared that this might be some kind of sick grooming process she had unfortunately fallen into. The maid nodded and kindly reassured her.

“Ah pardon me, it seems you have not been briefed yet. You are currently residing in Castle de Belouis, home of the royal Belouis family in Volaire. Her Majesty has requested that you all be treated with great care. If you have any other questions I am more than happy to answer anything within my capacity to answer.”

Taking in all this information and wondering how she got from Olun to Volaire in a single night, Sarah intently stared at the maid. A thought then quickly came to her and she jumped up, desperately wanting an answer.

“Oh! What about my friends!? A girl named Carmen, had brown hair, green eyes and a Siestian boy named Rivell? Are they okay? Are they here?”

The maid smiled and gave Sarah an encouraging reply.

“Yes, they're here. I'll be happy to take you to them once you get dressed.”

She laid down the clothing on the bed and bowed her head once again. Sarah quickly stepped out of bed and put on the new outfit. It was light and sturdy, fitting her perfectly and matching her previous colored aesthetic of black and teal.

“Woah, this is cleaaan. Where did this come from?” Sarah asked the maid as she spun around, admiring herself in the mirror.

“Her Majesty had them rush made for you all. The clothes you arrived in were severely damaged and needed to be thrown out unfortunately.”

“Ah, I see... Hate to say, but uh.. Tell Her Majesty I said thanks.”

Sarah felt a bit annoyed that she had to show a person of nobility any level of gratitude. Once she was fully freshened up, the maid escorted Sarah out of the room and down the hall.

Castle de Belouis shined in all its white marble glory as they walked its massive halls. Most people would be dumbstruck by the lavish display of royalty before them, but Sarah simply turned her nose up at the sight of everything.

'Gah, must these people waste their money on such useless things? Could probably feed an entire city with the amount of money that went into this place.'

Sarah wasn't impressed at all by what she saw, growing more irritated with every hallway they traversed.

“Bunch of greedy show offs.”

They arrived at the infirmary and she noticed Rivell sitting next to a large bluish, black pod-like device.

“Rivell!” Sarah yelled, excited to see her friend and a familiar face.

They hugged each other briefly and Sarah looked around the room, curious about something.

“So, where’s Carmen? I don’t see her.”

Rivell’s expression shifted as he pointed to the pod next to them.

“She’s in there... The doctor said Carmen’s in a slight coma right now.” Rivell said with a saddened tone.

Sarah approached the pod and looked into the glass opening at the top. However, to her surprise, she didn’t fully recognize the girl inside. Gone was the brown hair, darker skin, and light freckles. Instead, the girl had long silver hair, paler skin, and a smooth face without freckles.

“Uhhhh.. What happened to her?” Sarah asked, feeling incredibly confused by what she saw.

In that same moment, the duo heard an unfamiliar voice approach behind them.

“Nothing happened to her, you’re just seeing Carmen’s true appearance for the first time.”

They quickly turned around and saw a beautiful, young, and fair looking female with short silver hair. Her red eyes, while kind, pierced their souls with how vivid they were. It was Queen Azhane Belouis standing before them.

“Ah! Welcome Your Majesty!” The maid exclaimed while bowing her head with great haste.

Sarah and Rivell caught on quickly, prostrating themselves as well.

“Please, please, on your feet. It feels weird seeing kids bowing to me.” Azhane said with a kind smile and soft chuckle.

They nodded and rapidly got off the floor, admiring the queen once more.

'Holy cow, I’d heard rumors about the Queen of Volaire being super young, but I didn’t think she would be like this.'

Sarah couldn't believe what she was seeing. Rivell blushed as he stared at the Queen, bewitched by the bangs covering her right eye and her cherry colored lips.

“I hope the accommodations for you all have met expectations.” Azhane asked softly.

“Oh yes! They’ve more than met them! Thanks so much for your hospitality, Your Highness!” Rivell quickly responded, happy to be talking to someone of such stature and beauty.

“Good, good. It was the least I could do for my dear baby sisters’ travel companions.”

As soon as Azhane said these words, shock and confusion hit them in the face like a brick. Sarah and Rivell glanced at each other with wide eyed wonder.

“Uhh, ahem, did you say ‘sister’, Your Highness???” Rivell quietly asked with an expression of both perplexity and concern.

“Yes, my sister, Carmen Belouis.”

“Sooo… We’ve been traveling with the princess of Volaire for three months??” Sarah asked, trying to understand the situation. Azhane simply nodded, not seeing what the big deal was.

“We gave her an illusory charm so no one would realize who she was. It was the best way to keep her safe from any one potentially targeting an heir to our nation. A simple precaution, if you will.”

Azhane went over all the details as plainly as possible. Even though everything made perfect sense to the duo, the situation didn’t sit quite right with Sarah. Before the conversation could continue, Nadine walked in and spoke with the Queen.

“My Lady, the members of Six have arrived.” She said, bowing her head. Azhane thanked her for the information before turning to Sarah and Rivell.

“Please, make yourselves at home. My castle is your castle, so don’t hesitate to ask for anything you might need. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Azhane’s tone curiously shifted dark as she finished her sentence and she swiftly exited the infirmary with Nadine.

“Woah!!! Sarah, can you believe it!?!” Rivell shouted, excited and amazed at their current circumstances.

Sarah instead looked slightly annoyed and bothered, not really reacting to Rivell’s question.

“Yeah… Seems kind of nuts to me…” She said coldly while walking towards the door, clearly not in a good mood.

“I’m going to go for a walk… Need to clear my head a bit.”

Rivell looked sad as Sarah left the room, wondering what was going on with her. He sat back down next to the pod, feeling unsure of what to do.

Outside of the throne room walked Asiah of Three, making her way to the large entrance with a quickened pace. She rounded the corner and saw Felicity Lumae, aka Felicity of Six, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, waiting for everyone else to arrive. Her body looked slender as her all black uniform and short skirt accented with the white marble walls.

On Felicity’s hip were two katanas resting in their sheaths, reaching past her exposed knees. One of the handles was a faded red color with white accents, while the other was a black and tightly wrapped fabric. Despite her fairly small stature, Felicity’s presence demanded clear respect.

“Ah, Felicity, long time no see.” Asiah said with a fairly kind tone.

Felicity looked over and smiled, accepting the greeting. She shifted her weight on the wall and made room for Asiah to join, readjusting her long dark blue ponytail in the process.

“Hello to you too, Asiah. Hmm, where’s that oversized cat of yours?” She curiously asked with a slight chuckle, playfully looking around.

Asiah rolled her eyes as she leaned next to her.

“One, She’s a liger and two, Vera’s resting inside me for the moment. Her presence isn’t necessary for this meeting.”

Before Felicity could respond to Asiah’s annoyed reply, Ka-leel of Four and Graymoor of Two entered the hall and approached the group, greeting their fellow comrades.

Ka-leel Markell, the forth ranked member of Six, had a smile filled with infinite amounts of charm as he waved, feeling glad to be among his peers. Once they joined the others, he reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a yellow rubber band. It rested comfortably in his rigid, black hands until he proceeded to reach behind his head.

“So glad to see you guys, but uhh.. Do you all know why the Queen has requested all of us to be here? As far as I know, this has never happened before.” Ka-leel wondered as he adjusted the band in his hair, wrapping his black dreadlocks tightly.

“I’m not sure, but I imagine it must be something serious. I could hear the anger in her voice when she summoned me.” Graymoor replied with his usual deep voice.

“Ooooh the Queen summoned you personally? Since when did you get such special treatment?”

Felicity's cheeky smirk intensified as she questioned Graymoor. Unsurprisingly, he found her question to be quite annoying. Graymoor quickly shot an irritated expression, glaring sharply at her.

“Aww, you seem upset. Did I touch a nerve?” She softly chuckled at his clear level of uncomfortability, poking fun at him.

“No, I just find your words annoying at times. Do not concern yourself with my business.”

“Tsk. Don’t think for one second you can order me around. I’ll concern myself with whatever I want.”

Felicity angrily stepped forward as she placed her hand on top of the handle of her katana blade. Graymoor stepped up as well, readying himself for an altercation. Asiah and Ka-leel looked on with annoyed faces, feeling tired of dealing with this situation every time these two got together.

“You would think with them both being Blade Monarchs, they would have more respect for one another. But, it seems like the complete opposite.” Ka-leel of Four remarked, shaking his head at their antics.

“Yeah… It’s like watching children bicker back and forth. No idea why they find each other so annoying..” Asiah replied, wanting the tension between her peers to quell.

The pressure in the air grew thick between Graymoor and Felicity as they glared at each other menacingly. However, this moment was short lived as an oh so familiar voice knocked them back to reality.

“Will you idiots calm down, we don’t have time for games this morning…” Zalthia said as she walked towards the group with Jordan of Five following close.

Graymoor and Felicity immediately backed down and got on one knee, bowing their heads to Zalthia as she approached. Asiah, Ka-leel, and Jordan joined the two as well, showing great respect to their leader.

“We apologize for our unsightly behavior, Lady Zalthia. Please forgive this blunder.” Felicity quickly stated, feeling embarrassed by her actions.

“Don’t let it happen again. I have enough problems as it is. I don't need my subordinates fighting each other for pointless reasons, understood?”

Zalthia's typical condescending and annoyed tone rippled through the hall.

“YES MA’AM!” They all shouted in unison before standing up and getting in a line behind Zalthia.

The throne room was quiet as Azhane took her seat, crossing her legs and glaring menacingly. A horn blared and a guard shouted out, “Welcome The Six, Queen Azhane Belouis’ loyal guard!” The large double doors opened and six individuals walked into the room, standing single file. Their all black uniforms, while consistent in style, had various aspects to them that were unique to each member.

At the front, leading the group, was Zalthia of One (Upper Sapphire Class - 12,700rlvl). Behind her followed the other members. Graymoor of Two (Middle Sapphire Class - 12,400rlvl), Asiah of Three (Middle Sapphire Class - 12,300rlvl), Ka-leel of Four (Middle Sapphire Class - 12,100rlvl), Jordan of Five (Middle Sapphire Class - 11,950rlvl), and lastly Felicity of Six (Middle Sapphire Class - 11,900rlvl).

The aura given off from all these immensely powerful Vestas filled the room with great pressure. The atmosphere was tense as this moment was unprecedented. Never before had all Six members been called and present at the same time. Typically, one or two members would be assigned a mission or task to handle as that would be more than enough to take care of it.

However, today was different and the members of Six could immediately sense the change in Azhane’s mood. The Six approached the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne and swiftly knelt down, bowing their heads to the Queen. After their respectful display, Zalthia lifted her head and began to speak.

“Your Majesty, we, your swords are here at your request. We shall obey whatever it is you command.”

The room was quiet and cold until Azhane broke the silence.

“Good. I am pleased by your quick arrival. Zalthia, please brief the others of the current situation.” Azhane coldly replied, not wanting to waste any more time.

Zalthia nodded as she stood up, walking to the front of the group. Everyone raised their heads and patiently waited for her to speak. She told them of what had happened the previous night and about the two mercenaries that ambushed Carmen. She described the sorry state they put Carmen in, getting very specific and detailed.

Just as Zalthia was about to continue her debriefing, she suddenly stopped talking and slowly looked behind her, feeling an ungodly amount of Core Energy building up. She saw Azhane staring off into the distance, her red eyes burning holes into the wall as she gripped the armrest of her throne tightly. Having to hear the details about what happened to her baby sister again, pushed Azhane into a deep rage.

The pressure from her power made even the Sapphire Class members of Six sweat and flinch, fearing for what was to come. Azhane then quietly and deeply said, “Find the cretins that dared put their hands on Carmen.” Her tone clearly indicated that she was filled with great anger, no longer sounding like the kind and gentle person they were accustomed to.

“Bring them to me alive… Do not disappoint me..” Azhane ordered with godly authority and great irritation.

“Yes, Your Highness!!”

In an instant, the members of Six dashed out of the throne room, magically disappearing.

Zalthia stuck around and walked up the steps to her troubled sister.

“We'll find them Azhane, don’t worry. Just calm down.”

She tried to reassure her, but her words provided very little faith. Azhane sighed and gazed at Zalthia with a tired expression.

“I know, I know. I just find it so irritating. If anything were to happen to any of you guys, I couldn’t live with myself. Especially after Mother and Father’s passing. You four are the closest family I've got left and I’ll be damned if any insects try to mess with you all.” She replied with intense determination.

“If anyone threatens your lives, I will personally see that they are made an example of and erased from this world.”

Azhane stood from the throne and walked towards the exit, clearly still in a terrible mood. Zalthia looked on silently as the Queen left, not sure how to digest such a bold statement.

“I really didn’t think I’d be dealing with something like this so soon. Please, don’t do anything stupid…”

She muttered under her breath, knowing fully well what Azhane was capable of. She exited the throne room and went to check in on Carmen’s progress. As she strolled through the halls, Zalthia saw Sarah looking out of a window, lost in her thoughts.

“Got a lot on your mind, huh kid?” Zalthia asked with a smile.

Sarah looked over her shoulder and immediately recognized the face standing before her.

“Ah, uh, yeah!” Sarah squealed nervously.

'Holy Cow, Zalthia the freaking Scarlet Reaper is right here in front of me!!'

“Why are you so nervous? You can relax around me.” Zalthia responded with a soft laugh, trying her best to make Sarah feel more comfortable.

“Ah, right, sorry. It’s just that I’m a big fan of you and heard all kinds of crazy stories about your adventures. You’re a legend!” Sarah exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement.

“Happy to hear that you think so highly of me, I'm flattered.”

The two began to have a chat and Zalthia brought up the topic of Carmen. Sarah quickly told her how she felt about the whole situation, unloading all her pent up thoughts.

“If I’m being honest… I feel pretty slighted. I mean, we were friends right? We traveled together this whole time, fought together, and shared meals. How come she hid such a MAJOR detail about herself?” Sarah asked with an annoyed tone.

Zalthia stepped next to her and looked out the window as well.

“Maybe she was scared about what you all might think. People, especially friends, change up quite a bit once they're in the presence of royalty.”

“But I feel like she should have trusted us. It’s not like we-”

Sarah stopped mid-sentence as though fully realizing something. After a brief pause, she forcefully palmed her forehead while sighing. Zalthia glanced over with slight confusion.

“What?” She asked. Sarah shook her head and seemed disappointed in herself.

“It’s probably… Because of me.. Throughout this entire journey, I’ve said such mean and hurtful things about people of royalty. I pretty much lumped her in with all the other corrupt nobles out there. There’s no way she would want to reveal that kind of secret, knowing how much I hate people like that. Man, I feel like such a jerk…”

Sarah looked down at the ground in a dejected manner. Zalthia put her hand on Sarah’s shoulder and smiled.

“I don’t think she would take any of that personally, it’s not in her character to do so. She probably just didn’t want to be treated any differently. You see, Carmen has been confined to this castle for most of her life and having friends to spend time with was a rare occurrence. So, you can imagine that she would not want to do anything that would change how you all felt about her.” Zalthia said softly, reassuring her.

Sarah began to understand what Zalthia was saying and felt better about the current situation. After their brief conversation, Zalthia curiously looked at Sarah.

“So.. Why do you hate nobility so much? Just wondering.”

Sarah proceeded to tell her the whole story about her life in the Arista Empire and all the turmoil her family had to endure.

“I just can’t forgive their actions towards my family.” She said, gripping her fist tightly.

“I see. Yeah, I don’t blame you. That bitch of an Empress in Arista gets on my nerves too. Runs her country like an absolute joke.” Zalthia responded, crossing her arms and nodding in agreement.

'My dislike towards royals may never change, but.. The Belouis family seems pretty alright in my book so far.'

With Sarah now in better spirits, Zalthia backed away from the window and gave her another smile.

“Well, I've got some things to take care of. Watch after Carmen for me while I’m away, I’m sure she’ll be glad to see you when she wakes up.”

Sarah returned the smile and now felt glad to finally have her head cleared. Zalthia waved as she walked off down the hall, the steps from her boots echoing against the walls.

“She’s so freaking cool!! I wish she were my sister.” Sarah said to herself, unable to contain her childlike behavior.

Sarah sprinted back to the infirmary to spend time with Carmen and Rivell, hoping she would wake up soon.