Chapter 01 Part 2
Shop: ‘Grimoire Atelier’ 7th January 2013 – 15:45
In this modern city of Cebu also called as the “heart of the city”, 8 kingdoms stood. These are kingdoms created by those who share the same ideals, congregate and realize there very ideals. These same kingdoms are secret societies that only those who believed in its existence can see. A -- UTOPIA in this overcrowded city whose people have long forgotten to dream…
These Kingdoms that stood proud and tall in the night are realized with the power of the Dream Drive System (DDS). Each has its own distinction, each has its own goal, and each has its own ideals. Although they all converge and congregate, true unison has yet to be realized, and because of that, skirmishes just like tonight can hardly be avoided… no, you might even say that it was necessary… not only does this kind of skirmishes prove the kingdoms strength, it also proved whose ideals were strongly manifested. This was the world the people who longed for it, lived in. but of course the world they have created is nothing but a mere illusion.
And since they are kingdoms made by illusions and are at constant battle with other kingdoms, its inhabitant had to protect their identities in a way by means of wearing masks. These masks protect the one living in the darkness (for the ones living in the kingdoms the real world was here in the world created by illusions, and the one in the we live in during the day was darkness). By doing this when they resume their so called ‘dark identity’, their family or friends who are not part of the kingdom will be safe from any assault. By removing ones mask, you have risked your family and friends to be involved in a battle you do not wish for them to be involved.
“Do you understand Kia?” the Team leader of the Border Patrol Knights, Ace gave his newly acquired subordinate, Kia a full course of the basic knowledge of their current world. Since, they have only been with his unit for a month.
The short busty haired with the pair of light-brown eye girl could only seat silently in the chair inside the ‘Grimoire Atelier’, Ace’s shop where the border patrol hosted their usual meetings. Ace who sensed that the girl named Kia has repented her actions, patted the girl’s head which instantly gave her energy and recovered her mood. (Girls are indeed amazing creature)
“But it’s still amazing that I can hold on a sword made from nothing… no, I even slashed someone with this.” Gerard, another member of the Border Patrol who was eyeing his own weapon, an ornamented one-handed sword, directed his amazement to his senior.
The DDS is a system that creates illusion… no, since these images are properly conceived by the five general senses it can be discerned to be called REAL ILLUSION. These real illusions are the walls and framework that build the existence of the UTOPIA now known as the KINGDOMS. Tools, weapons, magic, servants, monsters, wounds and even death can be reproduced by the DDS. But of course your body has not been altered in anyway… like for example ‘eating’ real food is still a necessity and a must for its inhabitants, even if you continue to deprive your self of physical food by just deceiving the brain into thinking that you have eaten, will toll the body and eventually a physical death would be inevitable.
And in order for the DDS to work, one must have the crest of each of the kingdoms and a transmitter.
“Hmmm, so that is what the DEVICE is for...” Kia took a device which took on a form of an ordinary cellphone in her pouch and examines it like a child who has found a new toy.
The device that Kia was examining was an item in the 8 Kingdoms, which let its inhabitants access the DDS and store or summon their weapons and other effects, like casting magic and summon creatures to fight in their stead. It was a generic item which is possessed by any member of the 8 kingdoms. It can also be said that the Device acts as a transmitter for DDS main system, which is, for the lack of information, well hidden.
Ace who is leader and a veteran knight to the kingdom of Albion explained these facts to his newly found members, Kia and Gerard who enlisted just recently.
Ace, who judged from his own personality, was sure he could not handle them (especially the age gap, teenagers were a bit too rash for him), but the two were self-proficient so he did not need to tell them anything until there was a need to. He was really glad that Kia and Gerard were assigned to him as his subordinates.
“So have you gotten used to life, in Albion and other things?” Ace asked the two a simple enough question in a familiar and refreshing tone.
The two looked at each other with interested faces, and answered him with enthusiasm, where the “Yes” and “of course” overlapped with each other, made the young team leader smile again.
“Ok you two we’ll guard the border again tonight.”
“Yes sir!” and “Okay”, the two overlapped their voices with extreme enthusiasm.
Ace was amazed that the two could never synchronize with each other, but Ace never retorted about it, Albion’s ideal was individuality; every man’s uniqueness was their strength.
The “Land Born by Magic and its Kingdom Built by its Great Swords”, the Kingdom of Albion is one of the 8 Kingdoms that controls the night, of the 8, it has the smallest fighting force counting only 87 retainers. But even with its small number of fighting force, it has been hailed as the strongest when it comes to strength. The 13 houses of knights are its protectors and each of their heirs is strong, seconded only by their king, Arthur Pendragon. But even with that strength, Albion still stayed neutral and has not even once encroached any of the other kingdoms, nor do they entice war.
Was Albion’s lack for lust to invade other kingdoms because they lack hostility or is it because they lack ambition? No one could tell, but to Ace it was enough that he could live in a world free from the limits of the darkness he once lived in. Even if that world could only exist in the night, a world made by fragments of the unconscious, a world of illusions.
Ace’s life was that of any normal person, he works to obtain money needed to pay for his and his family needs … his income coming from the proceeds from his own shop: the ‘Grimoire Atelier’ was enough for that. There was nothing more he could ask… unlike many who wished to become rich and live life with luxury, Ace had only one wish… to realize his own ideals… to live in a world away from the darkness of being a mere existence, away from a world which has lost it means to dream…
When this ideal world was presented to him by those ‘two’, he found himself doing something he has not done in his entire life… to endeavor… to put everything he has, to do his best and help these ‘two’ realize the world they… no, he himself wished.
“…here is the world you longed for… it still has a long way to go, but…” Ace stretched his gaze towards the unimaginable sky from the window as he rests his head on his hands.
*Tingling… The sound of the chimes on the doors brought Ace back to reality.
“Welcome to the ‘Grimoire Atelier’, where you can get everything from anything.” Ace welcomes his guest as he removes himself from the window.
“You…!”
