5 Blessing
-- A secret room on the outskirts of Nowhere. --
Light filtering through the stained glass window cast a mosaic of light on the stone floor and the metallic curves that made up the ceiling reflected the light, adding to the complexity of the pattern.
In the centre of the room was a large sword that was balancing vertically on its hilt. It's strangely plain blade emitted a faint glow, and to the trained eye the area around it was giving off waves of this golden light.
Atop the point of the blade was a mysterious teenage boy, it was unclear whether his body was actually touching the weapon or not, but he seemed to be in deep thought as his eyes where shut and his limbs in a meditative position. He was poised as gracefully as a ballerina, with only one foot on the blade and the rest of his body elegantly stretched out as if he was searching for something in the surrounding air.
His face was partially obscured by his dark, dishevelled locks which hung messily over his eyes, curling slightly at the ends. He was wearing clothes that seemed as if they could have been regal once but, after regular use and many stains, were no longer in an acceptable state. However the boy didn't seem bothered by this since his pale lips betrayed the hint of a smile.
Suddenly a pocket on the side of his jacket buzzed, he sighed and reached into it, pulling out a Link and throwing it into the air in front of him with a light flick of his wrist. It hovered there silently before the top slid open and a silver light projected a holographic image of a man with a long beard and a wizened face.
"Alec, His Highness requests your presence immediately, it seems to be vitally important so I would advise that you use the method of transport we discussed before."
Alec sighed and leapt off the sword, landing softly with his robes fluttering around him like waves. He grabbed his blade by the hilt and slung it across his back, strangely it appeared to shrink slightly to compliment his height and not scrape along the floor as he walked. His steps were so smooth and it almost seemed as if he was floating as he glided over to a seemingly insignificant wall.
Using the tip of his boot he kicked 3 unmarked areas and, with a soft swoosh, a panel in the wall slid open to reveal a tiny screen which proceeded to scan his eyes. He blinked twice and a circle of electric blue light appeared above his head. 3 pulses of light surrounded him and he disappeared into the nothingness.
-- A mansion in the shadow of the 6 spires of Senma --
The man from the hologram paced in front of an ornately decorated display, numerous weapons and armour adorned the wall, embossed in various shades of gold and silver and all strongly producing the silver glow of Ma.
His face suddenly lit up as he saw a familiar face walking towards him from the other end of the corridor. He rushed forwards to greet him, some of the joy falling from his expression as he remembered the situation they were in.
"Alec I'm so glad to see you, we shall talk later, but His Highness awaits."
"As you wish master, i'll see what this matter is all about before I consult you, the Prince is never so rushed with meetings so it must be very important."
The bearded man furrowed his brow, it seemed that this matter wasn't quite so simple, nodding in acknowledgement, Alec passed through a doorway that hadn't previously existed on the unmarked expanse of the corridor.
The room beyond wasn't extravagant at all, with a simple desk piled high with papers and a roaring fire place that didn't entirely seem real. The firelight cast a warm glow on the face of the Prince who sat upon an unpainted chair, his eyes were a deep emerald green, shining like tiny jewels set in a face of soft white silk.
When he saw Alec his eyes lit up, further accentuating the sharp lines of his face, he was a regal kind of pretty, everything you would expect of fairy tale-like royalty. However that stopped momentarily below his nose, where his mouth should have been there was only a mess of scars, burns and slashes alike. Although his status could have easily fixed such a wound the Prince had kept it, the reason behind it known only to a select few, rendering him unable to smile, laugh or cry.
An object similar to a Link rested upon his forehead and when he titled his head a mechanical voice without a hint of emotion sounded from within.
"Alec, my friend, I have something that I must tell you. Something I believe will change this world forever."
The Prince rose from his chair and reaching over to the desk he retrieved a wooden box, completely out of place in this world of metal and magic, nevertheless he placed his finger on the lock, a soft click, and the box slowly opened. Inside was a silver flower with 13 petals, glimmering slightly in the dim light and in full bloom. Looking straight at Alec the Prince's eyes smiled, the kind of smile that haunts your dreams at night, and with a voice full of wonder and resentment he whispered.
"Ma's blessing has bloomed"
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-- Senma --
Kayla awoke with a jolt, her body twisted at an uncomfortable angle on her sheets, with her arms lying motionless beside her. She had a splitting headache and the skin where her flesh turned to metal burned slightly, itching and raw.
She shook her head, trying to remember the events leading up to this moment. All she could recall was that she had been reading the book about the Smith's Spirit, but everything after that was blurry. She had a vague memory of a blinding silver light before her memory went blank.
She shifted to make herself more comfortable but her eyes rested on something that hadn't been there previously. An insect-bird was resting on the tiny desk, but somehow it didn't feel like the others she had seen before, it felt ancient and powerful, out of place in the dusty room.
It called to her in her mind, a strange pull that she didn't recognise; when suddenly it turned its face towards her, its glass eyes unseeing, and screamed...
