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*beeeeeeeeep*

"Recording log!"

"Week 1"
"Tuesday"
"0615 hrs."
"Fruchiel's Cathedral"
"Gargan Forest"

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Hearing faint bird chirps and the gentle wind breeze outside, a black ponytailed girl in her 20s wakes up from inside the living room of the Cathedral. Her eyes wander around for a moment to see sun rays illuminating broken windows and going through broken gaps in the walls of the room. Being half-awaked, she sits up and sees her other peasant neighbors with now new and clean bandages and needles injected into their hands into a strange plastic bag hanging near them, as they comfortably sleep on bed sheets across the room. She also inspects herself and also sees she got the same treatment as the rest. After remembering what happened last night inside her village - Arksonville, she is now wide awake and confusedly looked around to know where she is. When she then looks around the room, there she sees four men standing across the room donning strange green bulky clothing and black armaments on their hands, looking at her. 

"Wh-Who are you people?" she said, a little nervous about the four strange men. One of them then starts approaching her as he holsters his weapon on his back.

"How are you feeling? Are you doing well?" the strange man as he puts his left hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. The ponytailed girl was a little shocked as she bends back a little seemingly to avoid his hand, but the man ensures that everything was now alright.

"Don't worry. You guys are alright now. Now it seems that you have a little cold yet. Better get some additional rest." the strange man said as he observed the girl's temperature. After that, he removes his left hand and exits the room to call for someone.

"Ms. Angel. One of the patients is now finally awake." a faint voice from the strange man outside of the room as he called the recipient.

Moments later, the strange man came back, but then she notices white feathers gliding through the air at a doorway after the strange man entered the room. Seconds later, a female in white robes shining in a bright yellow light appears that made her cover her eyes with her arm. 

???: "Oh. You're awake." the female spoke to her. The ponytailed girl then looks through and saw an angel-like female, holding a tray full of cooked meat steaks. The girl can't believe what she was seeing and asked the angel with curiosity.

"Uh-uhm. A-Are you the one that saved us?" the ponytailed asked while bending her knees towards the angel. The angel then puts off the tray on a table and smiles. She then makes a praying gesture and closes her eyes.

???: "Save, is maybe the wrong word. It might be fate or destiny, that outshines your dilemmas in the hopelessness of the dark."

The ponytailed girl looks at the angel with confusion as she continues to bend her knees showing some sort of respect and gratitude. But then in the distance, she began hearing faint thump rotor noises as it slowly gets louder, and looks at an open window.

???: "Hehe, so that's why- ." the angel stopped as she too also began hearing the same faint thumps at the distance. Her face then shows little irritation while still in the praying gesture and smiles as she complains about the faint noises.

???: "Tsk. And just about where I go to the best part. Thanks, Harvey." the angel complained. She then grabs the tray with the cooked meats and starts distributing the meals to each of the sleeping peasants.

"Wh-What is that noise? It feels like it's going closer." the ponytailed asked the angel as she looks back at her.

???: "Ahh. Don't worry. They are friends from other places. Hehe. It looks like they have a new vehicle with them." the angel replied as she puts a plate near a sleeping peasant. With that, the thump noises now get louder and louder and almost all of the sleeping peasants wake up because of it. In confusion, they all started to get scared as they look at the four strange men and at each other wondering what just happened to them. But as they saw an angel near them, somehow, they can feel a calm and gentle aura coming from her.

"Glen! Herman! I'm glad you're fine!" the ponytailed girl happily shouts at them seeing they are all now fine and well. Glenn is a blonde hair man also in his 20s, while Herman is a muscular man in his 30s.

"Isabella! And an angel?! OH, LORD!" Herman and Glenn also noticed the angel and also bent their knees toward her. 

"A-AN ANGEL!"

"THANK YOU, GOD!"

"OH, THE LORD DIDN'T LEAVE US!"

As the other peasants kneel and bow to the angel as she distributes the cooked meals.

???: "Your gratitudes are hereby accepted and welcomed, dear ones. Now, be prepared to thank the one the truly saved your lives last night." the angel said with a smile as she grabs the now-empty tray and exits out of the leaving room. The peasants were now left wondering what situation are they in now. They all wondered about the strange tubes that were injected into their hands that were attached to a strange transparent pocket bag hanging on their near walls. They touch and inspect their hands and feet with new and improved bandages as well. 

Strong winds now began flowing through the tattered curtains of the windows and windows began moving as a loud and powerful vehicle was now hovering closer to the Cathedral. Inside the living room, the ponytailed girl and the peasants look out the windows as they cover their faces with their arms and hands as the strong wind gush flows inside the room.

"THAT VEHICLE IS FLYING!" Isabella shouted. 

"ARRGH!! THE NOISE! IT'S DEAFENING!" Glenn also shouted as he began covering his ears.

The other sleeping peasants then also began waking up due to the deafening thump noises outside. Until they saw a hovering green vehicle outside of the window slowly descending down on an open field outside. They all watch it with extreme awe and shock as they also see distinguishable people inside the said vehicle.

"WHAT?! THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE IN THERE! WHAT'S HAPPENING?" a peasant also shouted.

"IS THIS SOME SORT OF NEW MAGIC?!" a female peasant shouted.

A man with the same green attire stands firmly outside the open field and starts to make hand gestures and arm movements as he guides the descending vehicle to the ground. With now close to the ground, the strange vehicle's rear opens up, and the whole vehicle touches and lands on the ground. What follows are also people coming out of the said vehicle with their outfits almost the same as the four strange men around them. Some of the strange men inside the Cathedral

"A-ARE THEY ONE OF YOURS?!" Herman shouted at a strange man looking outside of the window also observing the arrival of the flying vehicle. The other strange men also look outside as they observe the vehicle now turning its rotors off.

"HM? YES. THEY ARE WITH SIR HARVEY!" the strange man replied to Herman.

"S-SIR HARVEY?!" Herman asked dumbfounded. He now thinks that Harvey was their boss or the head of their group. The spinning rotors now start to stop as the people inside shuts down their engines. After a couple of handshakes outside, the men that came outside of the vehicle now make their way inside the Cathedral. Inside of the living room, the peasants can now hear the men mumbled voices greeting the arrivals.

"Good to see you guys alive and well." 

"That's a nice-looking bird, Sir Harvey!"

"When we will also get to ride that bird?"

"Eh probably when you guys are now afraid of heights!" a man joked. All of them laugh because of it. The peasants meanwhile look at the doorway where the mumbled voices are coming from. When seconds later, the new arrivals start to show up at the doorway. The arrivals also noticed the awakened peasants as they wander their gazes to the doorway.

"Oh hey. The patients were now awake, Sir Harvey!" a man donning a dark green suit and armored vest and helmet with a black tube attached to it, and another black rifle slung on his chest.

"Really?" the man replied. Seconds later, that man also finally shows up and also sees the awoken peasants. His attire is the same as the previous man, but he took off his helmet and grabs it as he entered the Cathedral.

"How are you guys feeling? My name's Harvey, by the way." he said with a gentle smile on his face as other men from his group also starts to appear in the doorway behind him. The peasants look at each other with confusion, when Herman speaks to Harvey.

"Si-Sir Harvey?" he spoke to him. Harvey looks at him and nods.

"Yes. Do you guys remember what happened last night?" Harvey asked them. As the peasants recall their memories, they also began remembering what happened in Arksonville. The treacherous and inhuman events that happened. Some of them began crying because of it. Isabella and Glenn began tearing up as they remember their family and friends. Seeing the sad atmosphere inside the room, Harvey felt guilty and sorry that he asked the question.

"Oh uhm. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. But it's alright now. We've finally eradicated them inside your village." Harvey smiled gently at them. The peasants look at him with shock. 

"EH?!"

"WHA-WHAT?!"

"A-ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THEY ARE HIGH-TALENTED MAGIC USERS! HOW DID YOU PEOPLE BEAT THEM?!"

Harvey and his team look at each other with unsure expressions on their face. One of his elements shrugs his shoulders as he looks at Harvey. Another one points his slung rifle, indicating their magic-casted bullets. Noticing this, Harvey explains the detail with little confidence. 

"Haha. Erh I dunno. Probably because of this?" Harvey replied to the peasants as he grabs his slung rifle on his chest. The peasants look at his rifle with amazement and curiosity wondering what kind of weapon or magic are they using.

"They kind of look like crossbows." Isabella said while looking at all of their rifles.

"Well, yeah. They are almost the same in terms of usage. But this one just uses an advanced mechanism or something. I-It's complicated haha." Harvey awkwardly laughed. When suddenly, the angel in the white robes makes an entrance and appears behind Harvey and his group.

???: "Took you long enough. I hope you had a great time using my magic cast out there!" the angel said with a smug face and crossed arms. Harvey and his units look at her, then avert their gazes quickly.

"Anyways, that's probably the reason." Harvey replied back to the peasants ignoring the angel.

???: "Hey..." the angel complained. The peasants then wonder what kind of relationship Harvey has with the angel.

"I-I'm sorry for asking. But, are you also an angel, Sir Harvey?" a female peasant asked him. The angel almost showed her laughter and covers her mouth. Harvey glances back at the angel with annoyance then sighs as he explains it to the peasants.

"Erh haha. I'm sorry, but no. I'm not an angel. I'm also just an ordinary human like the rest of you. But, I came from another world." Harvey replied. The peasants can't believe his answer. They began whispering at each other because of it. Until Isabella raises her hand to Harvey.

"Yes"? as Harvey noticed her.

"Sir Harvey. Are these strange tools and new things also come from you?" she asked.

"Yes. I happen to have medical knowledge and expertise. Glad to see you guys are doing well right now." Harvey replied with a smile. Realizing that Harvey was the one that treated them, Isabella and the others also bend their knees and bow to Harvey in gratitude.

"Thank you, Sir Harvey!" 

"Thank you so much!"

Harvey then feels a little embarrassed but also happy at the same time as the peasants thanked him. He blushed a little and his units clapped at him cheerfully. This makes Harvey even more embarrassed and tries to stop them.

"Okay okay! I-I get it! It's now fine! Alright?" Harvey said with an awkward smile. As the moment come to a halt, one of the peasants then also asks the angel in the back.

"Oh yeah, Ms. Angel. How come we didn't know your name?" he asked. The angel noticed him and decides to introduce herself to the peasants.

"Oh yeah! My name is Fruchiel at your service" the angel said bowing down. But then suddenly, the peasants began to feel horror and nervousness as they heard her name.

"Fru-Fruchiel?! Th-that angel?!" a female peasant said while in extreme shock.

"N-No! It can't be!" another peasant mumbled. Fruchiel and Harvey began to wonder what is happening.

"I-Is there something wrong?" Harvey worryingly asked the peasants. But the peasants also took a horrified face at Harvey, knowing that he is also with the said angel.

"S-Sir Harvey. Yo-You aren't going to use us in some experiments, right?! W-We don't have any magical attributes!" Glenn asked Harvey with a nervous tone. Because of this, Harvey and Fruchiel are also shocked about what they had just heard from him.

"Experiments? What are you talking about?!" Harvey asked back to Glenn. He then looks back at Fruchiel and decides to confront her.

"What's the meaning of this?" Harvey asked Fruchiel with a menacing and angry tone. Fruchiel takes a step back because she is taken also by surprise and shock.

"I-I-I DON'T KNOW EITHER! I SWEAR! I'M NOT JOKING THIS TIME!" she said while tears began flowing out of her eyes. Harvey then goes back to the peasants and asked them what is this all about while ensuring that they will not cause harm to them.

"Don't worry. We will not hurt you. Why did you suddenly get afraid of us when Fruchiel introduced herself?" Harvey gently asked the peasants. The peasants look at each other until Isabella stands up while clenching her fists.

"I-It's because she's....she's an angel of destruction..." she said while holding back her anger. Harvey, his team, and Fruchiel were taken by surprise and are shocked. Harvey shouts at Fruchiel with an aggressive tone.

"FRUCHIEL?! YOU BETTER EXPLAIN YOURSELF RIGHT NOW!" Harvey shouted at her, at the same time, his units began pointing their rifles toward her, encircling her. This time, Fruchiel then decides to give up and tells the whole story about her captivity in the past.

"Remember that I was used while I'm still inside the black bracelet, right? So, when corrupted people began using me, they also praised and used my name as a taunt and to scare their enemies. Words like "By the power of the Fruchiel of Destruction!" and "May the Angel of Destruction Fruchiel will destroy your dreams!"..... " she explained while tears began flowing out of her eyes with deep sadness.

"Because I'm an angel that wants all of the magic matter to be removed in this world for the greater cause, they instead twisted that story to make it seem like I wanted to do that in order to steal their magical attributes to make me even more powerful. Instead, those traitors and snakes abused and stole theirs." she added.

Harvey takes a step back as she looks at her with worry.

"A-Are you serious?" he asked her. Fruchiel then looks at him with anger with tears in her eyes.

"DO YOU THINK I WANTED ALL OF THAT? DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S NOT PAINFUL FOR ME WHEN I SEE MY PEOPLE FALL INTO THEIR HANDS?! DO YOU THINK IT'S NOT PAINFUL FOR ME WHEN THEY EVEN REGARDED ME AS A DEMON NOW?! HUH?!" she screamed at him and runs outside of the room pushing the units blocking her way.

Harvey was surprised by this and shouts at her.

"FRUCHIEL! Fuck......" he whispered to himself with annoyance. The atmosphere inside the room is now very gloomy and full of sadness. Harvey then looks back at the peasants with worry as well.

"I see. For the record, this isn't your fault, alright? Nobody in this room is at fault. We are not also forcing you people, to stay here. You guys are free to leave anytime." he said with a bit of temper as he also leave the room alone to search for Fruchiel while the peasants are left in the room thinking about their decision in the future as some of the units stayed and go outside the Cathedral to resume their security duty while also thinking what happened.

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After a short walk to find Fruchiel in the midst of broken hallways and rooms, he finally finds her, sitting alone, crying in front of a broken statue resembling her. The morning sun rays illuminate the entire room through the broken roof and ceilings, with a wide ray directly shining into the broken statue. Fruchiel can be seen crouched down and crying with her back facing Harvey. Her sobs echoed through the room with the footsteps of Harvey approaching her.

"Fru-Fruchiel. I-I'm sorry." Harvey apologized with a face of regret. He then goes to a row of broken marble chairs and sits on one of them, facing her.

"When I was still a kid, my grandfather told me a story that stuck with me even up to this day. He told his story when he was also a soldier before. The story of his regret and redemption." his voice echoed inside the room. Fruchiel's sobs began to lessen as she seemingly wants to hear Harvey's story.

"Because of his cowardice, his friends and brothers-in-arms got killed in front of him. But it's not that he could do anything to prevent it. No. But, it's the fact that he just left them out there, selfishly. I know that when you're life is in danger, you can't help but save yourself. I can understand that." Harvey stopped and looks above the broken ceiling with tattered paintings of angels in the clouds.

"But when he sees his friends, dead on the ground, that's when it hits him. He just doesn't leave them behind literally. He also just leave their brotherhood. Things like trusting each other and that. It's very hard to accept when you did nothing, than you did your best together with them in that situation. It also gets stuck within you as you grow up." Harvey said as he lays back on the chair while still looking above. Fruchiel then looks back at Harvey, still in tears.

"And*sniff* your point?" she said while sniffing up. Harvey looks at her for a short moment then looks above again and chuckles.

"My point..." Harvey stopped as he looked at her. He then stands up and walks towards Fruchiel with a little grin while grabbing a near-empty rifle mag inside of his vest.

"...is that, don't rush things..." he added as he unloads a single cartridge inside the rifle mag. With a single rifle cartridge at hand, he then crouched and presents it to her.

"...and don't let it get to ya. Even if you can't do that much, start off with small steps." he showed the rifle cartridge to her, hinting at her Null-Spell in that cartridge. Looking at the cartridge, Fruchiel chuckles with humor as if she didn't cry a while ago, but with still little tear droplets on her eyes.

"Hahaha. What the heck is that supposed to mean?" she said as she grabbed the cartridge in Harvey's hand. Harvey then also chuckled and stands up.

"Hahaha. Nothing." Harvey replied. Fruchiel then holds and stares at the rifle cartridge with now a sense of hope setting on her face. She tightly holds it in a praying gesture and bows it down in front of him.

"Hey..Harvey..." she whispered. 

"Yes, Fruchiel.?"

Fruchiel lifts up her head with now a smile on her face.

"Thank you..." 

Harvey contently smiles and welcomes her. But then...

*pssssh!* 

They are interrupted by a radio transmission from Harvey's radio attached to his vest. Fruchiel is also surprised about this and stands up, still holding the cartridge in her hands.

"Sir Harvey. This is Able One-Actual. There are unknown armed people approaching Site CHARLIE. How copy? Over." as he whispered to the radio. Harvey then pushed a button on the radio to call back.

"Roger. Are you compromised?"

"Negative, sir. " he continued whispering.

"Alright. Just continue observing them and have the other Able Units go into their defensive positions inside here. How copy?"

"Copy that, sir. Out."

*pssssh!* 

Now the transmission was ended, Harvey and Fruchiel then look at each other with thought. Then, they laugh at the same time, brushing off their solemn atmosphere earlier.

"Haha. That's that, I guess." Harvey laughed as he now began walking out of the room. But then, Fruchiel calls at him.

"Hey Harvey!"

Harvey stops and turns around. 

"Yeah?"

Fruchiel then tosses the rifle cartridge back at Harvey and smiles at him with determination. Harvey then caught the cartridge and looks back at her.

"You're gonna need that." 

Harvey smiles as he raises his right arm waving back at her while walking out of the room.

"Hehe. See ya later after I'm done with this thing!" Harvey's footsteps echo inside the room. After he exits the room, Fruchiel looks up back at her broken statue.

"....hehe. He really reminds me of you...." she said with a content smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While outside, Harvey ordered the HOTEL Operators to join him once again to meet up with the unknown people approaching them.

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Soul Energy :

[ Level 1 ]

 

Soul Count :

[ 33 ]

 

Spawn Count:

[ 50 ]

+ 40 Infantry Units

+ 10 Special Forces

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UPCOMING NEXT CHAPTER:

Chapter 06 – Give or Take