The Tales of Enth-Realm : Rise of the Machinist

Three : The Lightning Within

FLASHBACK: CRUSTALLIA
SOUTHSIDE VILLAGE :
EON 1009 - HELIOS 45

"Take a good deep breath."

Aiiana slowly inhales the mild, sweet air of independence.

"So how do you feel?" Meijin asks.

"Better!" Aiiana replies as she exhales.

"Good! Now forget about your hatred towards your mother and just understand her."

"Maybe, or not."

"No, you have to," Meijin responds.

"Don't worry I can handle this," Aiiana says as she gives one soft punch to his childhood friend.

"Well, okay. Just fix it early. We don't know if how long will this peace be ours." Meijin says as he looks away further down the hill.

"Sure." Aiiana gives a little smile and points forward to the sky. "Do you see it."

"See what, the clouds?"

"Yes, I want to reach that someday."

"I hope so. We are still young, 8 eons old. For now, we can't but I promise you, we will fly someday."

Aiiana finds hope within his best friend as he looks at him standing up tall.

"I won't forget that. You promised, so I'll hold on to it. And if you don't, I'll break some of your ribs." Aiiana smiles like a mean child trying to do something naughty.

"Don't worry, trust me. No bones are going to be broken," Meijin replies as he looks toward Aiiana, proud and hopeful.

Meijin is so determined to make that wish come true that something unexpected caught Aiiana's attention.

"Jin, your eyes!" Aiiana quickly lends him her pocket mirror.

To his surprise of her reaction, the boy quickly looks at his eyes.

"Oh no, your playing tricks at me again, and I fell for it."

"No, I promise. I saw something in your eyes flashed like a light. Orange light. Or was it gold?"

"Nothing, I see nothing. But I do believe you. Let's just consider that as a sign that your wish is my command. But, not this time." Meijin declares.

Aiiana just nods and smiles.

It is a fine afternoon, the two just sits their boredom out under the shades of an Oaken Tree.

"Hey, I hid something on another side of this hill. Do you want to see it?" Meijin asks.

"Sure! What is it?"

"Something weird and magical to the eye. Wait here, I'll be back in minutes."

Meijin hurries his way to the place where he buried something. He is excited to show it to Aiiana, so he snappily digs the peat soil.

"Bingo, there is it."

He is about to dig deeper to pull out the treasure box but something catches his eyes. Purple flashing of light dominates the atmosphere and it's coming behind the hill, at their village.

He ignores the box, cover it again, and hurries his way back to where his friend is.

"Aiiana, what's happening?"

"Meijin our home."

Meijin is horrified by the scenario below. As the purplish light fades. Their whole town is whipped out in an instant.

Only a large crater is left out of the peaceful village of the Southside.

"Meijin, what happened. Where is our town," The terrified Aiiana asks?