[Nanya01]

Hey, I still write, you know.

ViVid

Revolution 1-15

Spoiler for Blood That Flows - Revolution 16:

Corona looked at the creature and grinned as she saw its water-like skin reflect and distort the light around it. "Wow... You're..."

"How is it that you were able to awaken me so easily?"

Corona pouted as she was interrupted. "Well, you're rude." She crossed her arms and huffed. "And my name's Corona. You're the creature of that armor, huh?"

"I am Zannafar..." The beast growled at her. "You somehow forced me awake. Oh well, I'll find out more when I devour you for your information."

Corona's red eyes widened and she grinned at the beast. "Go right ahead and try." She giggled as the thing growled and opened its mouth to bite her. Even as the mouth moved closer to her, she never stopped grinning. When the Zannafar stopped just a few inches from her face, the young girl could only giggle at it. "What's the matter?" She sing-songed, "don't you like the spell I put into you to keep you from hurting me?"

Zanafar pulled its head back and growled at Corona. "How?! I know for a fact that I'm immune to magic, so how are you doing this?!"

"Immune to magic?" Corona blinked several times. "But that's only magic outside of you, right? It doesn't do anything against magic inside of you, right?" The Zannafar growled at her and she just turned around and walked back to her golem, which picked her up. "So, tell me," she smiled as Balmung started to walk towards the North again, "how much do you hate me?" Zannafar growled at her some more. "Well then, don't you want to see if you can get rid of me?"

Zannafar growled as it got to its feet and followed after her. "This changes nothing. First chance I get, I'm going to kill you."

Corona just smiled at it. "You can eat all you want while we make our way there." When Zannafar growled at her, she giggled. "Silly puppy."

"I AM NOT A PUPPY!"

Corona frowned as her eyes glowed. "Bad dog." Zannafar's eyes widened as it found itself suddenly cowering for some unknown reason. "That spell I put in you... Yes, you're a good dog, aren't you?" Zannafar growled at her and she giggled again, her eyes going back to normal. "Come on, Zanny! Let's go find that other thing!"

(---)

"There." Lyos nodded to the clerk of the messenger office. "Make sure these get out."

"Of course." The woman smiled at him as she took the messages. "Our trained carrier pigeons will have them delivered in less than three days, no matter where on the continent."

Lyos nodded and walked out of the office. It was late in the afternoon, the sun was almost set and he could smell dinner being made. Still, even if the small village only had a few buildings, and most of them were rather simple structures made out of wood. It had all the definition of a frontier village that was small, hospitable and enjoyable to visit.

Still, as he looked around, Lyos wondered if this place would still be around in a few years.

"Oi! Lyos!" Turning, he saw Nove walking up to him with an annoyed expression on her face. "I've been calling you for a few minutes now."

"Sorry, got distracted." He chuckled at her disbelieving look. "I was just wondering about this town and what's going to happen to it."

Nove shrugged, it was human nature to migrate where the greatest chance to make it in life was at and leave the past behind. "That's all?"

"Well, that and wondering about my life. Living as a wandering hero for a good twelve years doesn't leave much time to do much else." Nove nodded and turned to walk away. "Don't you want to see it?"

"Huh?" The cyborg blinked as she turned around and looked at him. "See what?" Sighing as he just jerked his head towards a building, Nove gave up and started following him. "I swear, if this is just to show me something gross I'm going to kick his well-toned ass from here back to the old man's hut and then to the moon." Nove grumbled to herself as Lyos just smiled at her and jumped up on top of the small building.

Lyos smiled as she jumped up on the building with him. "Glad you joined me."

"And what am I..." Nove trailed off as Lyos pointed out to the horizon. Turning her head, she paused as she watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon. "...A sunset? What about it?"

"I like watching them." Lyos admitted to her as the air seemed to waver while the sun sank. "Mostly because it reminds me that I made it through another day."

"Didn't know you were sentimental."

Lyos laughed at that. "Nah, I just like the simple things, a nice place to sleep, money, food, the company of women..."

"Feh... I bet you've spent a lot of quality time with women, haven't you?" Nove sneered at him.

"If only." Lyos smirked at her. "Why? Jealous?"

Nove twitched and turned around to leave. "Why the hell would I get jealous over you? I hardly know you!"

Lyos sighed as she left and leaned back to look up into the sky. He wasn't trying to be a jerk to her, but he couldn't help but tease her a little bit. Considering his most common female companion was Nila, well, he barely got a conversation out of her and he really didn't like hanging out with guys too often, most of the male clients he had over the years tended to be more than a little annoying. "Man, I forgot what it was like to have people I could just talk to."

His eyes widened as he heard a scream from the other end of town. Getting up, he jumped off the roof, wondering what was going on.

(---)

Several minutes before...

Ixpellia took a few swings with the Blessed Blade and nodded to herself in satisfaction. The blade was heavier than her throwing knives, but not uncomfortably so in her hands. Nila had mentioned to her that it was originally more than twice its current size and mostly used for decorative purposes.

Even so, the sword felt like it was meant to be used.

Ixpellia looked up and smiled as she saw Arashi and Nila walking her way. "Hello." She blinked in confusion as Arashi was holding his arm. "What's wrong?"

"Ah, I hurt it when Nila was showing me this one spell of hers, slipped on some loose rocks and hit the ground." Arashi pouted as Nila chuckled behind him. "It still hurts!"

Ixpellia put her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing. "Well, it sounds like fun."

"Shall we?" Nila asked softly as she motioned towards the small hotel they were staying at. The two kids nodded and walked towards the building. Nila suddenly put her arm in front of the two, causing them to stop and wonder what was going on.

They got their answer when a black, thick fog suddenly covered the hotel.

"Dark Mist..." Nila muttered and looked upwards.

There, on the roof, dressed in dark colors that covered his body up to his eyeballs, was a tall, thin man. He had a black bandanna on his forehead, spiky blue hair and gloves that looked like claws.

"I'll deal with you after I'm done with your friends inside." His deep voice resonated as he jumped into the fog.

"Vivio! Einhart! Pokota!" Before she knew what she was doing, Ixpellia was rushing into the building as screams were heard from within.

The famous assassin Zuuma had finally made his move.