Chapter 8, Beginning of Something

My vision feels hazy but I can make out William, Liam and Alistar's faces. My hand reaches out for them and William's hand takes mine.

"Y-you'll be fine... just hang on." His voice was unsteady. My head was on Alistar's lap and I can vaguely feel the sensation of Zhen healing my wound.

"O-okay..." My voice isn't very reliable either. Fear getting the better of me.

"D-done!" Zhen exclaimed. "I'm done."

"Thanks." I said as I sat up and checked the now rip on my right shirt side. "Hmmm... this was my favourite blazer too."

"How're you feeling?" William asked.

"Much better now." I answered and stood up. "What happened?"

"We're sorry... we couldn't catch up to them." Reinhardt said as he jumped in from the window. "They were very fast."

"It's fine." William said.

Just as we were thinking we were out of the woods a Temperance occurred and we know a Chimera has appeared.

"It's just Gemini. Leave them to us." Lina said.

"I'll go as well." Alistar said but I stopped him.

"None of you should go." I said. "There's something wrong here. Gemini don't appear in groups."

"His right. This is strange, there are two of them." May said. "What's going on here?"

"Let's go anyway." William said. "We'll get nowhere if we just stand here."

"Okay then." Lina said.

They all head off and I join May who heads off to help with the wounded. Apparently May isn't suited for combat she's more of a healer.

While we help deal with the wounded, the battle starts to intensify, the sound reaches our camp so loudly. Even I don't know what causes these loud booms and explosion. I can hear shouts and gunfire, clashes of metal and sounds I can't even describe. While I'm treating an injured person the sounds of the fighting suddenly stops and the gong rings.

After I finished treating the man, I go out to see the damage that has been left. A gigantic crater has been carved into the wall of the mountain near the sea. Fire and debris now litter the ground. I vaguely make out the figures of the others returning. I help them and I see that they've been careful at least. I treat their few wounds and as the others hand out food May and I join them and eat as well.

"The battle lasted an hour and a half and the damage is rather large." Liam said. "No casualties were reported though."

"That's good." Andrew said.

As we ate, I felt a chill down my back and the world suddenly turned dark and I saw something... two men... a distance from where are now, aiming a gun. Alistar being shot again. I snap back into reality and immediately do the only thing I know I can do. Push Alistar out of the way and take the full blunt of the attack.

"Arata!!!" The others come running as I fall into Alistar's arms.

"Arata!! Hang in there!!" Zhen said.

"Q-quick... a... a-another one... i-is about... to... a-attack..." I said as I struggled to breath. "I-I don't... t-think... I-I'll... m-make it... o-out of... t-this one...!"

"Arata!!" Alistar holds my hand. "W-why of earth?!"

"It's... t-the only... thing... I-I can... do... after a-all." I answered as blood came out my mouth. "S-sorry."

"Don't talk..." William said. "Just hang in there."

The wound is only getting worse, I can tell by how cold my body is getting that I've lost a lot of blood already. Even with Zhen and May healing me. I vaguely have the feeling that I won't be able to make it out of this one.

"P-please... don't..." Alistar said as his tears dripped down his face. "I... I-I can't... lose s-someone... important... to me... again!"

My hands find his and he kisses the back of my hand and as tears drip down his face with the last bit of my strength I manage to say my last words.

"Move... Forward." I said before my eyes feel heavy and I'm certain that I'll die. But I didn't, instead of death's cold embrace I felt life's warm embrace engulf me.

"I'm not... going to lose... someone I love... ever again!!" Alistar's voice shouted and when I managed to open my eyes a golden light had engulfed both of us. The same from the time with William and Liam.

I feel my wounds slowly heal and I see the small scratches on his face heal as well. By the time the light clears, the wounds on my body and his are gone.

"Arata!!" William and Liam hugged me tightly.

"How're you feeling?" Ethan asked as tears dropped down his face.

"All better now." I answered and Alistar suddenly disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Alexis asked.

"To apprehend the ones that attacked us." I answered with a smile. I can feel it, Alistar's sense of justice. His reason for fighting.

In an instant he is back with him two man tied up in ropes. But even after their taken away he takes a good look around and asks if I have any more visions before he relaxes. He feels like William whenever I get hurt, always worrying, always protecting, always there by my side never relaxing till I'm safe.

"I'm fine now." I reassured him. "So, what do we do with them?"

"We'll take them for questioning." Hiro said as he came closer, the hatred in his eyes burning for the two men. "We'll deal with them personally."

"Thanks." William said.

As we packed our things and headed back I saw the crest on Alistar's right back hand. It had three kites.

"Alistar, your Title, did it change?" I asked and he nodded.

"It's become Brave of the Sacred Sword." He said.

"Three Titles have been changed." Reinhardt said. "It's clear now that it is your doing, Arata. Whatever your Title is, it seems to change a person's title."

"Not just that, it seems to enhance it as well." Liam said. "I feel stronger but the strain on my body has become weaker."

"What does it mean I wonder?" I said and suddenly I got another vision.

This time it's Reinhardt. It's strange though. All I see is a scar on his chest and that's it. I come back to reality. I wonder what that was.

As my mind wandered, I noticed that the sun had set completely. As I stood in the scarlet rays of the setting sun, I felt that something was about to begin. What it is, I have no idea but there is definitely something.