Velvet Abyss

Mirai

An overwhelming sense of shame fell upon him as he followed at his Mistress’s heals up a grassy knoll beneath a cloudless azure sky and beneath a blistering sun. His missing limbs where a stanch reminder of his own uselessness.

“Have a seat Mirai” Mei ordered sinking into her chair.

“Licorice Red, Now.” Mei snapped her fingers.

A handful of maids sprang into action not wishing to incur her wrath especially when she’s likely in the foulest of moods, we lost an entire platoon and one of our most capable warriors under his watch, if she wished to splatter him and paint the glass with his innards than he would willing accept his fate.

“I’m infuriated, care to hazard a guess as to why, Mirai?”

“I’m sorry it’s my fault, Mistress.”

“Go on” Mei sipper her tea.

“Because of my hubris, my uselessness as a Captain led to the death of an entire platoon of loyal soldiers, worse still Botan one of our strongest was slain protecting me and now I can’t even hold a blade, I’m worse than a Lackless, I’m garbage and should be disposed of just the same, and to make my failure complete I lost my most cherished possession the blade you gifted to me.”

“That was quite the sterling speech, perhaps politics is more your forte.” Mei japed

Mei arose abruptly and stepped towards Mirai bringing him into a tight embrace, gently gliding her fingers through his dishevelled raven hair, Caughtoff guard Mirai let out a soft yelp before feeling a sense of ease flood his aching body.

“You’ve misconstrued my intentions, Mirai.”

“For my anger is not directed towards you, but myself.” “This outcome wasn’t a result of your ability, it occurred due to my carelessness as supreme commander of the Midori Division.”

“I underestimated our enemy, A mistake I won’t repeat.”

“I’m sorry Mirai.”

“Mistress” Mirai whimpered

“I’m leaving front line duties to Vanica and the other platoon captains, Meanwhile we’ll be taking an impromptu detour to Tsuroka.

He was taken aback by the kindness of the Princess before their fateful encounter he had heard fearsome stories about the kingdom’s Rupture Princess, The Red Demon of Hyogo, a fiend that roved the battle field leaving trails of carnage and death in her wake.

And while he can’t deny her power is terrifying and she does get her hands dirty she’s a far cry from the monster the stories painted, her heart beats, her body feels warm and shes loves tea parties. He couldn’t begin to guess why she had taken an interest in him but she had his loyalty till the bitter end.

“What’s Tsuroka?”

“I forgot your from the empire originally right so you wouldn’t know, Tsuroka is the third largest city in Hyogo and the heart of the Flanade Church.”

“Why are we traveling all that way Mistress?”

“Oh that’s easy to see my big bro about those missing arms of yours.”

“Now enough banter,drink your tea before it cools.”

Mistress lifted the cup to his lips allowing him to drink and savor the scrumptious taste of licorice red, she repeated this process until the last delectable drops where gulped down. She than snapped her fingers again and a maid appeared holding a turquoise crystal.

“Wait isn’t that a?”

“Reisen Crystal, precisely.”

“This bad boy can teleport people anywhere the caster has been to at least once before, we’ll be heading straight to the front door of the churches headquarters.”

“The Sacred Tower, Nero Kastala!”

“Now than let’s be off.”

Mistress shattered the crystal in her hand and in an instant the two of them were enveloped in a vibrant turquoise light, his body felt light and his vision fell to a searing white and before he could blink again the sound and smells of a bustling city had overpowered his senses

“I’ll never get used to that.” Mei sighed.

“Let’s go see my big bro, Don’t fall behind Mirai.”

“Yes, My Mistress.”