Chapter 1: Escape

The year is 2439.

The world is constantly changing into a state of total distrust, and a mysterious evil lurks about the land of Meridia.

In the sky, a giant air-fortress hovers above the clouds.

It's a prison ship, with approximately 200 aboard, excluding the pilots and the guard-bots.

Inside the ship, a certain person is locked in both prison and thought, pondering on the future that befalls him.

"How much longer until we reach our destination, Alcatraz Six?" The commander asked.

"We'll be there shortly in two hours, sir." One of the pilots responded.

"Good." The commander replied.

Meanwhile, inside another room, the captain sits in the ready room with a mysterious figure.

"So as you can see, we are proceeding as planned." The captain said. "I'm aware of why you're here. For that special prisoner of yours, yes?"

"Right." Replied the mysterious figure coolly.

He had only concealed himself with only a stare. "He evaded us long enough. He stole goods to give back to his home. Like a regular robin hood. The charade ends today. I intend…the UWK intends to keep it that way."

"Yes. We'll be there in time for tomorrow's execution." The captain said inventively.

Inside the cells, we go back to that "certain person". He lies next to the window, looking at the moon with blank eyes. He recalls the memories of his childhood, the time he was with someone he looked up to.

"I must leave to take care of an important matter. I'm afraid I can't bring you with me. It's something that can't be explained well."

This was 5 years ago.

"In due time, I'll tell you everything you'll ask."

"About what?" The young boy wondered.

"I did train like you asked me to. I'm wondering…when will you come back?"

"…. Not for a while. I may not see you again. You must train to be stronger than…"

"Than who?"

"…Than you claim to be. I hope you'll understand someday…"

"In one hour, we'll arrive shortly to Alcatraz Six.", The Captain announced.

"Hmm." The person soon looked out the window…

"Hey, you're supposed to participate in the cell check. Get up, newcomer." The guard next to the cell barked.

"I'm tired." The prisoner responded, half-sarcasticly. "Give it a rest."

"That can be arranged." The guard replied coolly.

He shocked the prisoner with an electric baton, bringing the prisoner to near-grasps of air.

"That'll teach you to be a smart-ass, scum. We don't tolerate particular humans who align themselves with elves, either! Those self-righteous freaks are more like the Vladrians! Those things can go to hell for all I ca…"

Then the prisoner kicked the guard's baton away from him, and kicked him in the cheap spot.

"…! Well then, you…"

The guard then knocked the prisoner with the hilt. "…Rat!! Let's amp up the frequency! I wanted to see how your bones looked like up close…!"

Before either person made a move…the wall lit up. "…The hel…"

The wall instantly exploded! It knocked out the guard. Through the smoke…a sprite came in the distance…

"No way! Aria…?"

"Hey! Long time, no see Esaka!"

It was the mystical sprite, Aria. She was dressed in elven clothing, with her hair in an enchanting color in a mix of azure and blue, as well as alluring light purple eyes. The sprite has four glowing wings on her back, and has a mysterious power according to the environment she's at. A friend the prisoner, Esaka, knew in the past.

"Soooo…Looks like finding you were easier than I thought!"

"I had the prick!" Esaka complained.

"Your welcome!" Aria cheerfully replied. "You look like hell."

"Thanks."

"Can we go now? We don't have a lot of time." Aria warned. "I'll fill you in on why I made a dramatic entrance. Let's go!"

The two ran out, as the guard, now knowing he won't have any children in the near future, reached for his speaker.

"…Prisoner…escap…"

The speaker was grabbed instantly.

"I almost forgot." Esaka whacked the guard on the head with the speaker, breaking both the head and the device.

"Now let's go!" The duo ran off into the corridors of the ship.

"Sir, we have a breaching in the lower decks. Deck C!" One of the helmsmen said.

"That's where our recent catch is! Check surveillance!" The captain frantically replied.

"We lost surveillance…"

Coming out of the ready room was the concealing figure. "So, how's our prisoner?"

"Uh, the situation's being handled." The captain replied.

"Hunh. Report for any changes." The figure left the bridge. "So, we'll finally meet once more…Esaka."

The duo continued to run out of the airship.

"I know where the escape pods are. It's down by a couple of floors!" Esaka suggested.

They run and reach down to the floors.

"ESCAPEE ALERT! ESCAPEE ALERT! ALL SECURITY, PREPARE TO APPRENHEND! REPEATING! ALL SECURITY, PREPARE TO APPRENHEND!"

"So much for a flashy escape…" Aria moaned.

"I know…" Esaka responded. "But first things first…"

They entered the confiscation room, but were guarded by five robotic knights.

"I sure hate inconvenience." The prisoner sighed.

Two of them went after Esaka, and pulled out their electric sabers.

"Robots...they always have the good stuff." Esaka mused.

One of the robots went after the prisoner in an attempt to stun him, but the prisoner quickly backflipped out of the way, and swept the machine off its feet. He followed his attack by grabbing the saber from the robot by twisting its wrist, breaking off its hand, ending it a quick stab to its metallic chest.

The other robotic knight, with the rest of the robots, came in pursuit.

Esaka grabbed the saber from the first robot, but he was cornered by the group. Each tried take a stab at him (no pun intended), but the prisoner quickly jumped off of one of the robot's shoulder's, causing the attacker to accidently slash its head off. Esaka went in a circle to slash the backs off of the other remaining three. He left behind only a pile of heaping metal.

"Now to get to my stuff..." Esaka looked for his cell number in the storage lockers.

He spotted it; cell number #256. He opened the locker.

Esaka spotted a sealed box, and grabbed a covered cross-blade. He then grabbed out of the box, a black and white suit of armor. In the back of the suit, was an special inhibitor. He quickly changed his apperance.

Aria was already jamming the camera's with her wings, which produced static for cover.

"I've got my things. Thanks for the cover." Esaka said.

"Don't worry about it. We'll give thanks after we…I swear, I can't tell if you're happy to see that sword or me…"

She sighed as Esaka happily admired his blade, forgetting how sweet it was to swing it.

"Let's go." Esaka said.

"Right behind you."

The duo soon reached the hangers in the last floor of the prison ship.

In the distance, they saw numerous air-fighters and smaller airships.

"Wait a minute…" Esaka felt a strange presence. "This aura…I haven't felt this much since…"

"The time you took over my training?"

The duo looked up…a figure stepped out of the shadows on top of a platform.

An elven person. He jumped down in front of the prisoner and the sprite.

"It's certainly been a while, human."

"Rekin…! After a whole year…I never thought you would be in league with…them." Esaka said, noticing Rekin's uniform.

"It's...something you wouldn't understand. This was my chioce. My only chioce." Rekin mused.

"Understand what? After Master left, you went against his wishes…to serve as a tool for them! He sacrificed everything to protect and care for both of us! How could you…? " Esaka glared.

"Let's not get beside ourselves here, Esaka. The roles been reversed. You don't even have a right to judge. You are the wrong one, and I advise you return to your cell." Rekin replied coldly.

"…Just so I could die, huh? I can't believe you changed." Esaka went towards the escape pods.

Suddenly Rekin was in front of them.

"Step out of my way…" Esaka unsheathed his cross-blade. "…I don't want to hurt you, even if you had hurt me."

"I've sworn my service. It's in the past, Esaka. Let that die. This is the here and now…"

Rekin pulled out his hilt, and mystical energies came from it.

"Please, Rekin! We just want to leave…" Aria explained.

"Stay out of this, fairy…"

"Sprite!" Aria yelled, out of complete irritation.

"You're not to be involved. I'll show you mercy if you leave out of Esaka's affairs." Rekin smugly suggested.

"Hey."

Rekin looked back at Esaka.

"This doesn't involve her. We have a score to settle."

Rekin smiled. "Damn. If only you weren't in the way…"

Both enemies went into their fighting stances, and both of their auras encircled them...preparing for battle. Esaka brought out his covered weapon: The Cross Blade. Rekin's blade turned into a fierce red color.

Rekin went for the first strike, swinging his energy blade tip directly to Esaka. Esaka blocked the attack with his handguard, and went back to counter Rekin's attack by striking him in his sides with the sword's hilt.

Rekin slid back a bit, and looked directly at Esaka.

"You haven't gotten sloppy, human."

Rekin jumped back and swung his energy blade to send out a double crescent projectile attack. Esaka blocked it, but saw Rekin in front of him. Rekin attacked Esaka with a palm strike to the chest, pushing Esaka to the ground. Esaka quickly got back on his feet.

"I could say the same to you."

Both opponents tried to outsmart one another with each other's attacks. Each of them blocked the others parry, and it was reaching an irritating stalemate for the two rivals.

Aria suddenly decided to charge up for her attack. Her wings glowed to an intensity of strength...

"I can't let this continue. We can't afford to stay." Aria said through her thoughts.

"Yeah, but we have to go." Esaka answered back in a telepathic fashion.

Both men stopped attacking and did a stare-off.

"I see your obvious attack pattern. Something must be up." Rekin mockingly said.

"That's the smartest thing you've said all night." Esaka replied.

Aria used the electricity from the hanger in order to conduct a bright energy from her body.

Esaka quickly went into one of the airships. Rekin was too distracted from the light.

"The score isn't settled yet, Rekin. Someday…you'll know your true side."

They left the ship through the opening on the floor used for air-fighters.

Rekin opened his eyes, only not to see the escapee. Soon, reinforcements came to the hanger bay.

"Not yet. I'll have you soon enough."

Outside, the escape ship moved farther away from the ship. They weren't anywhere near to Alcatraz Six, not that it helped much. In fact, nobody knew where they were.

"Alright…" Aria was a little worn out.

"Try to rest. You need it." Esaka suggested.

"…The reason I came to get you was that your mentor is still alive." Esaka's eyes widened

"I didn't think to hear from him again since that day..."

"He wanted you to go to the east…to Orion."

"Orion? I wonder what for." Esaka pondered.

"Beats me. I barely remember…I'm so tired…" Aria moaned.

"Well, at least we're out of…"

Suddenly, the escape ship was hit. "Damn! The engines!"

In the distance, some air-fighters came towards the escape ship.

"We spotted an unauthorized ship! Preparing to intercept." One of the pilots' exclaimed.

"Acknowledged."

"Crap. I'll try to fly us in a different spot!"

The ship was slowly losing power, and soon went from below the clouds into an uncharted forest.

"I'll try…one last trick." Aria struggled.

"Fire!" The air-fighter's fired their salvos.

The blasts suddenly stopped, and burst into a fiery explosion towards the ships. It also blew the escape ship out of the way.

"We're going to crash! Hang on!"

And there was silence.

Then, it was suddenly morning.

The sun was up, and inside was this deep, deep forest.

It was bristling, yet enchanting.

And there was a crashed ship in the distance.

"Hey…hey…" Esaka tried to get Aria up. "Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

He suddenly stopped. "Her aura…she's alive…but for how long?"

He got out of the ship, and wanted to search for a town so he can go back for her.

"She took quite a beating last night. And…" He had the memory of seeing Rekin.

"…Him. A year's disappearance and this is where he is. Yet I noticed he doesn't seem to fit in. What happened to him…?"

Then, as he was walking around in the forest, he stopped instantly.

"…Wait a minute." He turned around and saw a figure in the distance, walking a little erect.

"Hey! Hello! Do you where the next town…"

The figure finally stepped out, and was carrying…a farmer's head.

His mouth was covered with blood.

Then, different kinds of creatures stepped out from the bushes.

"…Is?"

The creatures had their weapons out. The human figure dropped the head and grabbed an entire bark. Each gave out a chilling, resounding groan. The knight was instantly surrounded on all sides.

Esaka came to the realization that he's far from home.

"What an awkward moment…"

Chapter 1 End

Author notes: For old/new readers, this is an updated version of this chapter. Since there were errors that had to be corrected (And mabye more if possible), I wanted to take this chapter back for some minor touches (Thanks to the advice of Shang). Hopefully this chapter is improved, and if there's anything more that must be fixed, please let me know! The revised second chapter will be up soon, so I ask that you please be patient. Thank you and sorry for the hiatus