Twenty nine years. With the life expectancy of Mid Childa, most would view that age to be barely midlife. Indeed, at such at age, most would be busy working hard, raising families, and seeking to better themselves. It was a time to not only behave like an adult, but also teaching the next generation how to do the same. It became her dream to be a teacher, to pass down wisdom and spurn creativity. Before she became twenty, she achieved that dream. Together, with her beloved friends and family, she lived a wonderful life. So why did she, of all people, have to die?
The doctors had said only a few years would be lost as a result of her pushing her body beyond her limits. Years ago, just after that terrible injury, she cleared her debt with hard work and willpower. We all thought she would live well into the future, that despite the scars, she would be fine.
Takamachi Nanoha, Captain, Senior Combat Instructor for the TSAB Armed Forces (among other positions), died at the age of twenty nine. Cause of death: catastrophic organ failure. The doctors were wrong: it was not years, but decades. She was survived by her daughter, Takamachi Vivio, age sixteen.
The memory of her mother’s funeral was still vibrant in her mind, haunting both her dreams and waking moments. Some thought her strong enough to continue working through it all. She still went to class, still trained hard at the gym, and still proved to be every bit the daughter of Takamachi. In reality, she was weak, unable to heal completely from the tragedy. This would probably explain why she was currently standing in front of an ancient device, two years later.
“Discovered in zero-zero-fifty-one of the Mid Childan calender, scientists of all sorts have been unable to completely unravel what this thing does,” a friendly voice recited from behind her. “There is, of course, an underlying fear that this will just blow up and destroy existence as we know it.”
“That’s what they think of everything categorized as ‘Lost Logia,’ Yuuno-san,” Vivio turned around to see an old family friend, as well as her current guardian. Yuuno Scrya looked well, all things considered. He too was devastated at Nanoha’s death, burying himself in work to escape the pain. He, along with a certain Enforcer and a high-ranking officer in the Bureau, were the most affected by the tragedy. He looked like he had aged ten years in two.
“Yes, well, it’s for good reason. Even a single Jewel Seed could cause a dimensional catastrophe, let alone a collection of them.”
“Instead they were used to power Gadget Drones.”
“Curious, I’ll admit, but it nevertheless made those things dangerous to encounter, especially in an AMF field,” Yuuno shrugged, stepping up to the device. “Something this big is bound to have the potential to do something amazing or catastrophic. It’s up to me to find out.”
Amazingly, perhaps ironically, the death of his closest friend brought about a change within him. From bookworm to field agent, Yuuno had returned to the field. To his name, he had discovered remnants of three lost civilizations, no less than four ancient grimoires and tomes, and a number of priceless (and powerful) artifacts. And the Infinite Library was still rather clean and tidy.
“Apparently, it’s called ‘Njama Kifaa’ by the locals, and your guess is as good as mine as to what that means,” the former librarian shrugged.
It was a strange looking thing, but then again, many ‘lost technologies’ were. At least it lacked anything crystals, which someone in the past must have had some fetish for. The device was the size of a large van, with an indecipherable console-like thing facing the two explorers. All sorts of modern devices and scanners were set up around it, none of which gave any sort of useful data.
Really, it looked like a giant computer like those used on Earth in the 1990s. Heck, even the console-like thing looked like a keyboard. So Vivio poked a button.
[Line of Ancients detected.]
And that was when everything blew up. Figuratively. Lights all over lit up; sounds and noises filled the cavern. A screen sprang to life on the machine, unknown and lost words streaming by at a rapid rate. Vivio, staring at all the chaos, could only hear a whisper in her head.
[Genetic markers - Approved. Welcome, you who hold the blood of Kings]
What in the world was going on...?
[Child of Kings, what is thy desire?]
“Vivio, what did you do?!”
“I don’t know! It just started up and--- I can hear something in my head! I don’t know what it is!”
[You have awakened me. Know that I but a simple interface of the Akashic.]
“Wait. It says... it’s an interface? An interface with something called the Akashic.”
“The Akashic? As in the Akashic Records? The Mind of God?!” Yuuno managed to look worried, amazed, and utterly shocked all at once. Such an amazing, terrifying discovery. A record of all existence and power, the holy grail of knowledge, to borrow an Earth saying..
Vivio, on the other hand, stared at the strange machine.
[I know what you seek: a mother lost. Do you wish to save her?]
Her breath caught in her throat. How long had she lay sleepless in bed, her mind filled with impossible wishes and hopes. Yet, here, right in front of her, a possibility? Reason and emotion clashed terribly within her, but Vivio could not stop the words from slipping through her lips.
“Yes.”
[This wish, I can grant. Prepare yourself.]
The machine began to hum ominously as motes of light began to swirl around the girl. This was decidedly disturbing for Yuuno. “Vivio, what’s going on? Talk to me, please!”
Vivio, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, standing still as the orbits of light spun faster around her. “It said it would grant my wish. It’s taking me to Mama, to a time where I can save her.”
“Don’t be foolish! We don’t even know what this thing can actually do! The costs of this ‘wish’ could be enormous!” Yuuno struggled to get closer, but some strange barrier kept him back. No matter how hard he pushed, he could not step up. Magic failed him, leaving the man to stare helplessly as Vivio was taken from him, just as suddenly as Nanoha was.
“Yuuno-san... I’m going. Don’t worry about me, and...” Vivio gave Yuuno a sad smile. “I’m sorry.”
And in a flash of blinding light, she was gone.
---
Vivio could feel the sarcastic side of her grow stronger.
Well, here she was. Uminari City. Springtime. 2005.
And completely naked.
A fine start.
---
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“This church is for lost souls and stray dogs. Which one are you?”
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