Tales Of A Prince: Heavens divide

We came home from a mission to see an awful sight. We witnessed Mancana HQ in flames. It seemed to be some kind of bombing. Lorna acted swiftly "Everyone, I want you to come with me and find information, we will enter the building and engage. This is now an alert status. Be careful and watch your back" and so we did. We approached the front door and entered the lobby to see corpses, we heard a survivor yell to us and we rushed to him "What happened here?" asked Lorna. The man told us that two bombs had been set off in the building and not long after an army of suits of armour came into the building and went through the defences. "Suits of armour? That's our prototype weaponry, Could it be we been betrayed?" puzzled Lorna. The man sighed "It's a war zone, my prince you best escape from here" I was not having that so I told him "No, my people are in danger and they need my help" the man smiled at me as I said those words. Lorna got to us to attention "Alright now, we are going to split up, Miina, find any survivors and help them, Sky enters the west, and I'll go east. Tristan, stay on this floor and help out. You've been trained for this kind of situation. Best of luck to you all"
And so that was it, I stumbled onto a corridor and seen a battle with the suits of armour. I engaged and helped the other soldiers. One of them noticed me "Highness! It's bad! They entered the R&D department and are making their way through the laboratory; I believe they want our research experiments"

I slashed a couple of the suits and broke them down. They were empty and no people were inside them. "What's our enemy?" I demanded to know, one soldier answered me. "They are suits of armour that was supposed to be next generation equipment. R&D developed it months ago and they are ready mass-produced. They are unmanned and seem to be controlled by a strong form of magic"
I decided, "We make our way into the lab and protect the others, how's the armoury?"
A female security guard answered me "We still got plenty of weaponry and they have not by passed the security"
We utilised military tactics and commenced the operation.  Bomb bags were exploding and the place was piled with rubble. The flames crept in as I heard a man yell "We need a medic here!"

A young man tapped my soldier and saluted me "You majesty, KOA squad 5 and 3 is approaching the facility for our back-up" and just after he said that, more screaming and explosions erupted. This was horrid! This was the thing my father wanted me to face, to battle for our people. This was war! I struck down more suits of armour, but this was not an easy task, my sword was dull and any moment it would eventually break. "I need a new weapon now!" I commanded and quickly I was handed two blades. We broke through the suits and destroyed them. Divide and conquer is the motto. "Doing good men, Keep up the good work!" I yelled with zeal. As I battled I gave the soldiers few words for morale. "Give them all; show them what Mancana are made off!"

A soldier came towards me and spoke words that warmed my heart "We're with you until the end your highness" By now we entered the first level of the laboratory. We disposed of the enemy units swiftly and it became quieter. "Your majesty, it looks like the enemy number has depleted in this area, permission to move on?" spoke an officer. I ordered some soldiers to stay in the nearby area to hold the fort. The other soldiers would go to the other side of the facility. "Who's the commander of this assault on us?!" I demanded to know the answer. A random officer appeared and said they seen an Arel with black and white wings. Lord Mio! It had to be those two who we met on that island. The suits of armour controlled by magic made sense but why all this? What was it for?
As I mentioned, it became quieter and the threat decreased. I went deeper into the laboratory. Opened up the huge doors that lead into level three, By now I tried desperately to search for survivors however I only seen corpses. I still searched and walked into the experiment room, looking around only seeing corpses until I noticed a familiar face.

He was a young man, wearing a long brown duster coat with armaments that resembled a Mancana solider. His hair was no longer tied up in dread locks but straight and flowing down from his back.  
"Gaku? I thought you died!" I exclaimed at him. He noticed me and smiled "No, Benji appeared to had taken pity on me and so he let me live" I became slightly puzzled so I told him "I heard what happened and Regal told me about the Arel, actually we went out of our way and seen it with our own eyes. I understand how traumatic that must be for you"
Gaku looked at me with sadness "Regal told you? I don't think you do know my pain prince, but you should now understand why I'm here and what is happening". Something was troubling me. Gaku who was supposed to be killed yet now stood before me. "We have come together to have our revenge, some of us surviving Arel will destroy the horror of your father's kingdom.  With the syndicate we'll have our uprising".
"Syndicate?" I questioned.
"Almost let it slip" he smirked.
I drew my sword and asked in fear "What is it you want? Why come to this trouble, do you wish to steal from the laboratories?"
Gaku chuckled "No, I can't tell you my true reason for being here but you like to think this was supposed to be an assault on the R&D department don't you? I'll give you a hint prince; this was just a little diversion, what is the most dangerous asset to possess in a war but is not a weapon?"

Gaku walked past me but I stood against him. "I do not wish to fight you prince… you might be better off as an ally" he spoke to me as an enemy with his cold blue eyes glancing at me "If you point your sword at me, expect to kill or die" suddenly a smoke canister exploded, I stumbled on the floor and coughed, my vision blinded. By now as the smoke cleared and Gaku had already vanished. I pondered what he meant. What is the most dangerous asset in a war but not a weapon? Then it suddenly hit me. Intelligence, information is crucial in a war, to know your enemies and what their benefits and weaknesses are.  They came for the archive data room! They want all the archive files of our military personal and facilities! I eventually had to move out and go to the other side of the building. I encountered more soldiers and I ordered them to head for the archive room with me, they told me it was under heavy attack but it was now secured, it appeared the enemy had already gotten what they wanted but now it was the time to catch them before they escaped.

As I moved forward to aid me in my search I fought another group of armoured suits by now I had a couple of bruises and bled shallowly but still had the stamina to fight. I made my wall into the second hall and heard battle cries of a woman; I turned to notice Lady Lorna and two other warriors in combat. It was none other than the black and white winged Arel Lord Mio!  The two warriors quickly fell before Mio's blade only for Lorna to attack him alone! I rushed to aid Lorna until suddenly she yelped in pain! Mio had successfully stabbed, no… impaled her with his sword. She fell to the ground! I ran out him with such rage that he was not expecting me. He was already harmed during his last battle yet he maintained his stamina, he was still an Arel after all. The other soldiers came to aid me! With his flash reflexes he took out a bomb bag and kicked it into them! The blast sent my men flying however he had already turned his back on me and thus I stabbed him! He moaned and turned around to strike me! I blocked it with my blade! We countered each other's attacks. I remember what he taught me. As we exchanged blows as our metal collided, he spoke to me "You're doing well prince yet this battle may be in your favour but I tell you it is surely not". The thought of Lorna bleeding upon the floor made my blood boil, I was enraged! I shouted at the top of my lungs until my voice cracked. I swung my blade with such force it rebounded Mio's sword! Thus an opening for the killing stroke! I finally stabbed him his chest!

He shouted in agony! He looked at me and rattled in pain as he gritted his fanged teeth. I huffed at him as he bled upon me. His eyes out of focus and tinged with sadness "Congratulations prince…I guess I must now… consider you a king but… the blood in your veins is not as strong as… your successor… you're not worthy…"

I pulled my sword out of his chest cavity and thus he fell before me upon his knees, blood gushing out of his mouth. He raised his head to the heavens and shouted "I'm sorry mistress, fight without me!" He then turned towards me shaking in pain, a sinister smile speeded across his face and he cackled "Long live the Arel" then he slowly slumped to the floor towards his death.

A couple of warriors were on the floor in the area surrounding me, writhing in pain and badly injured yet I ignored their pleas for help and rushed to Lorna. She rested on the floor as red blood seeped out of her and onto the cold marble ground. Her lush and beautiful lips covered in crimson blood. Her eyes in teary pain, thank goodness she was still alive!

"It's okay Lady Lorna, I'm here, take it easy and rest!"
"Tristan? I don't know what to say or do" She whispered at me

I heard the clacking of footsteps, it was Sky, and he quickly went to the injured warriors and healed them.
"Hey, take it easy. You've had worse right?" I asked her as I stroked her head.
Tears erupted from her eyes "I'm sorry my prince, I believe I'm… I want to fight... But it hurts so much…" I told her to shush and be silent; she must close her eyes and rest.
She gave of a grimace and whispered "Prince… Tristan listen to me... the blade broke through my armour… I've been lung punctured…"
Just one second of an instant, my denial cracked. I wept into tears and began to sob.
Sky walked up to us and was ready to use his healing alchemy but Lorna shook her head and said "Sky, it's too late, I've lost too much blood, healing me now would only ease the pain"
Sky with a look I've never seen before upon his face, touched Lorna's ribs and a warm glow of red light came from his hands. Lorna smiled in pleasure "That's better… kind of feels good"

We stood in silence as she lay upon the crimson puddle. Lorna began to laugh and then started coughing up blood. Her bloodstained lips gave of a gorgeous smile.

She smiles "It's funny but all I'm thinking of is Rundra, I loved him so much and the thought that I can see him…"
Sky asked "Rundra, he brayed us didn't he?"
Lorna gleefully smiled "No he didn't. Never did. I've always loved him yet hated him for it" she wept in tears of happiness rather than sorrow.
I interjected "its okay I know, he was an agent that worked for us and went into enemy lines. The only thing was we had to kill him to protect our nation and make sure his cover was not blown. None of the knights would kill him so my father sent Regal"
She nodded and spoke "Rundra was an Arel… but still within the war he chose his own friends over his own people, to us, he was family. Until his dyeing breath… he fought for our kingdom. For me…  Rundra always wanted peace. After his death, I find out that I became pregnant and had his child… but because it was his child and of the war, I was ordered to terminate my unborn child… I couldn't do it, not even for Aizen.  So I gave my child up and made him live a life of peace where there is no war but it is not simple…. I prayed he would never be killed and live in a world of freedom. Eventually without knowing it too late… I finally met my baby who grew up…. He became such a beautiful man but without a father he is reckless and afraid"
She turned towards me and smiled with tears "My prince, always fight with a solid heart. Have a reason to fight. Let it be an ideal, moral or a person. Stop the war; make the sins of the past wash away. Have children and create a better future. Give the Arel freedom…"
She looked at Sky with compassionate eyes and said something that was important to him, perhaps something he needed to hear. "Sky, protect the prince with your entire body and soul then more so. Sky, Galag told me Kellick's last words were about you..."
Sky while standing with silent tears upon his cheeks asked with a broken voice "What were they?"
She answered with the greatest smile I ever witnessed "When he seen you fell... You didn't truly fall from heaven…. You're a blessing from the sky"
She coughed up more blood. Sky said his final words to her "thank you captain! You were the best!"
I cried "You were the best teacher, the greatest woman I've ever known" She smiled in glee and said her final words "I'm glad, I've finally became a woman in front of you two… I am always a woman first... Before a warrior… I thought of you as children and I as your mother… thank you for giving me… making me feel like a mother…"
Her face slowly calmed down, she was silent yet still smiling with glee and her eyes softly closed. Even though I loved her, I knew I could never be with her the way I would have dreamed…  now I realised it was a childish crush but I did indeed loved her, I loved her as if she was a mother, a sister, a warrior and above all a woman.
Sky wiped his tears and said in the manliest tone I've heard him speak "We can't mourn for her yet, we got a job to do. The place is still under attack" I nodded in silence pleased at his words. He carried on "She taught us to be warriors, now it's the time to do so and right now we need a leader. That's you prince. I'm going to head on and heal anymore survivors. You better watch yourself and escape; I hear the terrorist are going to bomb the place"

I eventually rose from the ground, turned to Sky and nodded to him. We finally looked at each other as soldiers, as comrades. Quickly Sky ran out of the room and headed for his mission. The entire place was seemed to be crashing down.  
Suddenly Sky ran into the hall and was followed by a large group of walking armour. I helped him. Our swords clashing and clanging upon the metal, Sky with his great abilities and me with a special alchemical bomb bag that stopped magic abilities, together we were doing well to defeat the enemy until a familiar voice came ringing in my ear.
"Cease and desist!" shouted the sorceress with green hair and a long black dress.  Her pallid complexion looked eerily beautiful.  The suits of armour stopped. Suddenly the air was thick and difficult to breath! My vision was in a haze and it was as if our bodies were moving slowly. "Illusions spell!" Sky gritted his teeth and it was a powerful one indeed.
The strange woman spoke in a calm and confident tone "I see my companion has fallen however his sacrifice will be a benefit us. This entire place will be reduced to rubble". She walked up to me and adoringly cupped my face. "We meet again Prince Tristan, you've grown so much, you are no longer the little boy I remember" my eyes widened and I asked quizzically "You know me?" She smiled and gave of a nice little laugh "I should know you… and you should know me but your father is a bad man. How many secrets has he kept from you? How many lies has he told you?"
Something was wrong, my father, I knew he had lies and his secrets but to keep them from me. What did he have to gain to hide such information? What was he hiding from me? The beautiful woman spoke "I chose the way of the Arel, to freedom while he walked the road of greed and power. This is wrong; don't you feel it to be wrong Tristan?"
Sky ran towards her to attack! Her silver staff turned into a naked woman of white skin and silver scales upon her body. Her red eyes showed no mercy. The woman with close combat and hand-to-hand skill floored Sky with immense speed! His face hit the floor! The sorceress walked up to Sky and touched his face as the eerie woman mounted Sky into a strangle hold. A moment had passed as Sky struggled from the naked woman's grip. The sorceress looked confused and slight fear came into her eyes, she touched Sky's face with her glove and caressed his neck and body with quick elegance. Perplexed she spoke "That's very strange indeed".
Sky chuckled "Well, it's nice to get touched up by some lovely women but I got a job to do" then quickly he yelled and shoots of red electricity came from his body. He got out of the naked woman's grip and was ready to attack again! "AARR--UUURGH!!" Sky stood there in pain as a sword stabbed him in the back, that sword was wielded by Gaku.

"I'm sorry my old comrade. A new era is beginning and we'll all die for it to come to fruition" He spoke to Sky with coldness in his voice. My eyes were wide in shock! Out of nowhere Gaku plunged a dagger into Sky's throat. It was over! Sky was now dead. Gaku pushed his now lifeless body to the ground. Perhaps it was my time to come so I thought to myself.
The sorceress approached me and held me in a comforting embrace.  She cupped my face again yet I was still in her spell, having difficulty to move or sense my surroundings. "Tristan, you do not remember me? Do you not recognise your own mother?"  Excitement came into her eyes as she smiled. "Mother!" I spoke. I have never seen my mother; she died in childbirth to me. I told her that and she shook her head in denial "All false my son! Come with us, there is much you need to know!"

I couldn't remember much about what happened next. The ceiling came down and I seen the open cloudy sky, in the air, I witnessed a floating, huge building over the HQ facility. I remember being lifted into the air as I collapsed from exhaustion. Floating in the air, I saw the corpses of my fallen comrades. I seen Lorna's body and remembered her last words to me, give the Arel freedom. More Mancana soldiers came rushing into the room but the building was collapsing and in flames. Then I saw a bloodstained Sky with red clenched teeth standing underneath me.
"TRISTAN!!" he shouted my name, he was still alive? I thought to myself. With his black leathered wings he jumped into the air to catch me until Gaku, who seemed to be above me, slashed him down. Sky fell harshly to the ground and I was going farther away. Even though I was going towards the sky, I never felt so apart from him…

"TRISTAN!!!" His scream echoed. With great admiration and determination, once again he flew into the air.  A bomb bag dropped onto him; a burst of blood followed from a hot explosion. Once again he fell. This time we were far away as we now made our escape. I looked at Sky as he collapsed onto the ground writhing in pain in the smoky environment, all the soldiers evacuated but he remained. He looked at me as if he failed me. Then he looked at someone else but I did not know who. He gritted his teeth and banged his fist onto the ground as he rolled onto the floor, screaming in rage. I was far away now and could not hear him as he called out to me, yet it appeared he was calling out to me something important.

Now this woman who claimed to be my mother would give me my answers and tell me my father's worse secrets. She'll tell me the reason for all the fighting. So little I knew that this was the beginning.