Ayuka's Distant Past - Part 1

Tim's crewmates have yet to arrive at Urban Craftsman Island. Tim walked outside of the room and to the forecastle deck. He jumped on top of the bowsprit and sat, cross-legged, with a smile.

Kou, Yumiko, and Ralphie were nearby. They were surprised at how calm he was. "Huh, I'm surprised, Tim. You haven't asked for food for a whole day. I guess we can call it an improvement."

Tim looked at Ralphie with a smile, taking in the cool breeze of the wind. "Yeah, I know. I've just been thinking about something." Yumiko seemed interested as Kou did too. "Huh? What's the thought about?" Yumiko questioned and leaned her arms onto the edge.

"Eh, I've just been reminding myself of Ayuka's past." Usually, Tim would think about food, but his changed condition soon interested others. "Huh. Now that you mention it, we never really heard what happened to her in the past. Maybe you could gift us with a short tale?"

Tim looked behind him over his shoulder, confused. "I think we'd love to get to know her more." Stated Kou with a chuckle. Tim looked at Ayuka sitting on the stairs, coming in the view of a flying paper; dragged by the wind currents.

Her white, long hair swayed in the wind as her eyes followed the paper.

~ Nineteen years ago, in 2003, Holy Arches - a paper dragged by the windy currents slowly floated down into Zero's hand. She looked at it and read it. "Your majesty, Zero. We'd like to announce to you that your daughter woke up from her deep sleep."

Zero looked behind her as she saw the 'Holy Knights' kneel before her. "Thank you for the information. I'll go check on her right away." They understood, stood up and bowed forward, then walked away.

Zero looked back into the paper and asked herself, "Just where are you, Incedis? Your daughter hasn't seen her father, not even as a baby. I hope you'll soon come back." Zero placed the paper on the table and walked outside her room in her white dress. 'Holy Knights' and the 'Holy Guards' greeted her with a noble approach and bowed as she passed.

As she reached the end of the corridor, two guards stepped aside and opened the door for her. "Young Ayuka is waiting for you inside, your majesty." She thanked them and entered Ayuka's room, and looked into the bed. She was crying out loud and still felt tired.

"Don't worry, Ayuka. Everything's okay. You're mother's right here with you." She gently picked up Ayuka's tiny body and sighed. "I hope you'll see your father soon."

Five years, in 2008, Holy Arches.

Two 'Holy Knights' entered the room where Zero waited for them. "Excuse us, we heard your daughter is ready to be taken on planet Earth. Would you mind escorting us and showing us where she is?" at that moment, the wall burst open and collapsed to the ground. Ayuka, as a toddler, jumped from behind the wall and started to kick and punch while releasing a white mist.

"I'm the next 'Holy Light'!" she fooled around and even startled the knights for a moment as she stepped before them. Sweat slowly dripped down their foreheads until Ayuka immediately kicked at them.

Seven years later, in 2015, Planet Earth.

Ayuka punched in front of her up at the ceiling and elevated an ice spike before her. She was attacked by one of the guards, training that kicked at her. She immediately defended herself by using her limb and then froze him on the spot.

The ring resounded, and she immediately cocked her head to the side with a serious face and crossed her arms in front. "You've gotta be kidding me? How much longer are you going to make me battle these fools? I've-" she stuttered for a moment, "I've beat their ass about hundred times!" she called as she waved her hand forward.

The elders who were training her looked at her, unimpressed. "We were ordered to train you until you've mastered your ice abilities. You still need practice, Ayuka." She looked at them, disturbed, and rolled her eyes.

"Oh? Y'know, I feel like I've already mastered everything that involves these damn abilities. Why don't you just let me go out into the city and give me some free time? Training over and over and over again starts to get exhausting. You don't even give me one day free!"

"A 'Holy Light' herself barely gets any break. You should understand that by now." Explained the man. "Yeah, I don't think so. All I see my mother doing is sitting around in the 'Holy Arches' and watching over the city. I haven't seen her do anything else, and now I'm stuck here on this planet instead of living inside that palace."

Her complaints quickly irritated the elders and changed their minds. "Fine, go get your free time. I guess your training has paid off."

Ayuka shared a smug smile and saluted them. "Sure will! Thanks, coach, or whatever the heck you are!" she sprinted outside the room, downstairs, and outside into the city.

One year later, in 2016, Holy Arches.

"Your majesty, you really want us to erase your daughter's knowledge about her being born by you as well as the future's 'Holy Light'?" Zero walked through the corridor, followed by her guards.

"Didn't I make myself clear the first time? I've told you that I don't want my daughter to do this high-responsibility job. I want my daughter to have a normal life just like the mortals below the 'Holy Arches'. I want her to marry a normal human and not somebody whose blood has some specialty to it."

"But, your majesty. Her marrying a mere mortal would be a disgrace to her importance and the 'Holy Arches'." Zero stopped and immediately looked at them with an intimidating expression.

"Have I permitted you to complain about my decisions? I've told you once, I don't need to tell you twice. My daughter will live out the rest of her life on planet Earth and find a mortal husband for her when she grows up."

The guards sighed but dared not to question her choices. "We understand," they knelt, "we'll deploy the 'Holy Knight' to erase her memory."

"Good. Once you erase her memories tell her that she was born to a human mother. You have no permission to tell her even a single detail about me and the 'Holy Arches'. If you dare to disobey my orders, you and those of whom you've sent down on planet Earth will be dealt with and by me personally. Now move."

Zero walked inside the throne room, furious and frightened by the guardians that stood inside. The 'Holy Guards' she left behind sighed but obeyed her orders and immediately transported the 'Holy Knights' to Ayuka's location.

Ayuka had a break from training and dropped her hair as she was preparing to go to bed, since the time of day cycles between day and night, unlike in the 'Holy Arches'.

She entered her bedroom and was immediately greeted by very familiar faces. "W-What the-" she claimed, "Holy Knights? What are you-" before she could finish, the 'Holy Knights' reached for her forehead and in that instant, her whole body froze.

Her face became lifeless and the memories she kept in her head beforehand would soon be erased, as well as her memory of her true mother and her special powers.

She fell unconscious and the 'Holy Knights' picked her up. "I think the current safest area for her would be inside the 'Spiritual Realm'. That's where she'll be retrained as a warrior, yet have no memories involving the 'Holy Arches'."

Both of the 'Holy Knights' agreed and immediately disappeared with Ayuka into the 'Spiritual Realm'. ~

To be continued...