Volume One | Chapter - Revelation Part One

As the Nebula Cruiser Platform neared the shores of Fukuoka, a line of Type 10 Main Battle Tanks was lined up on the road stretching across part of the shore looking towards the target.

The tank commander shouted into his headset, "Fire!", in unison, the column of main battle tanks fired a barrage of APCR rounds towards the Nebula Cruiser Platform.

They continued their barrage as the target neared the shoreline.

"Our fucking shells, aren't doing shit to it!" one of the crew members on the gunner controls spurted out, the tank commander looked through the scope, as he zoomed in he could see some of the shells exploding not even inflicting a scratch as others just pinged off its outer shell.

"Keep firing!" the tank commander ordered, as sweat started to drip down his forehead, he continued to watch the scene play itself out before him through the scope.

Outside of the tank, multiple JSDF soldiers were ordering civilians to evacuate the area, the screams of everyday normal people could be heard as they rushed down the streets pushing and shoving one another to the side.

As the soldiers continued to direct people they were unaware of the multiple Nebula Pincer emerging over the sea wall.

Before they even realised it was too late, the soldiers closest to the sea wall had already been slaughtered superheated cut marks covered their bodies, the remaining soldiers focused their efforts on protecting the civilians however it had little effect as they too were quickly slaughtered.

As the tank commanders tank along with the rest of the column continued firing at their target.

They were unaware of the oncoming threat before anything could be done, the crew could hear the sound screeching metal as the turret of the tank was slowly but violently being torn off.

Above them, they could see a Nebula Pincer aiming its plasma beams at them.

The tank commanders eyes widen in fear, as he soon realised it was the end for them.

The Nebula Pincer fired its plasma beams into the hull of the main battle tank vaporizing the crew.

It threw the hull to the side as its sharp pincer legs vibrated the ground, as it gained speed rushing down one the many streets of Fukuoka.

At the shoreline, all that was left were the burned out carcasses of JSDF military vehicles as they continued to burn.

Along with the lifeless bodies of soldiers and civilians as pools of blood surrounding them, some them missing their limbs.

***

Sachika rushed into the deployment centre, there she saw Hibiki securing her body armour along with many other girls doing the same thing.

Sachika was huffing and puffing, she literally sprinted the entire way here without stopping, which was a good few hundred metres.

The building wasn't brightly coloured and detailed like the campus and teaching areas, this one was dark in colour with grey walls and flooring, black lockers along with pale grey seating areas in the middle of those rows of lockers.

Hibiki smirked upon seeing Sachika, "And now you know why the instructor tells us not to slack off in physical training"

Sachika gradually getting her breath back, she hunched over hands on her knees.

A few seconds went by when she produced the middle finger directing it at Hibiki they both laughed it off.

The red light that had been flashing above the door suddenly changed to a still green signalling the order for the Familiars to deploy.

The duo of friends friendly banter between one another quickly dissolved as all their attention reverted to getting their kit on and ready. It wasn't long before Sachika had fitted her body armour securely.

Lifting her arms up she called out, "Essence Armament activate" upon that command digitized armour of pale grey colour formed up her legs and arms as if producing a layer of new outer skin, between them were blue energy currents.

Shortly after that her bladed gauntlets formed over her forearms.

She looked to her friend Hibiki who was swinging a staff like a weapon in her hand. Both ends of the staff were thicker than the staff itself, along with the edges which were multiple short sharp spikes.

"Ready?" Sachika asked.

Upon hearing her friends question Hibiki slammed one end of the staff against the concrete ground, "As ready as I'll ever be!" she announced sounding a bit too enthusiastic for Sachika's liking.

Even some of the girls surrounding them had a similar outlook like Sachika did towards Hibiki's attitude.

They followed suit with the rest of the Familiars, heading towards their deployment zones as ordered by the academy's command centre.

As they moved out something came across Hibiki's mind, "Did you talk to Aiko?" she asked directing the question towards Sachika.

In response Sachika flustered, "H-H-How did you..." her mind paused for a moment "...it doesn't matter!" she replied hurriedly.

Hibiki just smirked, "Well make sure you do after this, okay?"

At first Sachika didn't respond, instead, she tried to push any thoughts of Aiko out of her head.

What mattered at the moment was the mission and not her personal problems that she was trying to deal with.

***

Within the command centre of Essentia Japan Academy, Mistress Daiki stood there in her business like uniform staring at the screens showing security footage within Fukuoka of the massacre that occurred when the Nebula appeared.

She gritted her teeth at the thought of Nebula deceiving them.

Before she sat multiple personnel majority of them female giving continuous updates on the Nebula's activities using satellite scanning to track their movements.

"Mistress, a dozen Nebula is heading straight for the academy!" one of the female personnel announced as a holographic screen before they showed a dozen red dots, with Nebula written in small writing above moving rapidly across the screen.

Mistress Daiki's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing those words, "Can you ascertain what type of Nebula?" she asked.

"Going by their speed, I'd say Nebula Pincer" the girl responded.

The Mistress grabbed a headset from the desk in front of her placing it on her head, once fixed in the place she tapped it a few times to make sure she was getting a reception on her end.

"Put me through to the Familiar's in the deployment zones!" she ordered with authority.

In unison, the personnel responded, "Yes ma'am!"

***

As Sachika and Hibiki arrived at their designated deployment zone along with the other girls. They were met by the unexpected sight of Chi-Sun standing there before them. She waved the two of them over.

"Chi-Sun, what are you doing here?" Sachika asked she was rather confused at this point as to why Chi-Sun was here with them.

Chi-Sun smiled, "Well I thought I could give you ladies a helping hand, as I'm still able to fight at the moment!"

"But, shouldn't you be going to the shelters along with the other refugees from your academy?" Sachika questioned.

Placing a hand upon her forehead, Chi-Sun shook her head gently from side to side, "Well the reason why they're going to the shelters are, that most of them are injured..." Chi-Sun turned her head in the direction of Fukuoka "...plus I got a personal grudge to settle with these things!" at that comment Chi-Sun gripped her Essence Weapon tighter with a look of pure determination across her face.

"All Familiar's and Coordinators at the deployment zones listen up..." Sachika touched her earpiece as she heard Mistress Daiki addressing them "...as of this moment we have confirmed a large body of Nebula heading straight to your positions we have to ascertain they're Nebula Pincer, but be prepared for the unexpected"

The connection was quickly cut, everyone there knew to some degree what to expect as they all had either learned thoroughly about their enemy or had actually fought them in clean-up operations around the world.

It wasn't long before they could all hear the distance rumbling of pincer legs. As the students waited the sound started to grow louder until it became coherently clear.

"Coordinators! Commence Essence Shard barrage!" shouted a fourth-year squad leader. Upon hearing the command all the Coordinators put either their left or right hand out in front of them, around their hands started to form a dust that swirled and twisted.

Essence Shard allowed Coordinators to control the matter of Essence particles being emanated from their Familiar partners. This allowed them to create projectiles of two types from armour-piercing and high explosive giving the Coordinators significant ranged capabilities.

It a matter of milliseconds crystal like jagged spikes formed around their hands. They immediately launched them towards the enemy.

In the distance, you could see the spectacle of explosive lights as some of the shards exploded on impact.

As the noise of explosive firepower died down the surrounding landscape was eerily quiet, all they could hear was the gently blow the wind as fires crackled in the distance from the aftermath of that explosive opening.

"I don't like this" Hibiki muttered, and as if jinxing them a sudden cluster of purple plasma beams emanated from the dark in front of them aimed straight at the students.

In the distance, the ongoing fires revealed the silhouettes of dozens of Nebula Pincer as they scurried out of hiding firing at the students.

The plasma beams simmered through the air detonating in various areas, as Sachika dropped to the floor ducking from the incoming fire.

Looking up she could see a fellow Familiar in a heap on the floor screaming in blood-curdling pain after having her right hip vaporized by a plasma beam.

The students began their counter attack as a flurry of long and short ranged attacks were commenced against their enemies.

Sachika with newfound determination to eliminated the enemy as her body dashed towards a Nebula Pincer.

Bringing back her right arm she readied it for an attack. However as she neared the target the Nebula Pincer formed a parry with its two carapace pincers deflecting Sachika's attack, and in turn sending her flying into the ground before it.

Losing her breathe upon impact with the ground, Sachika coughed as she tried to catch her breath.

The Nebula Pincer moved slowly over her, it's carapace opening to reveal the slimy liquids and the bright red internal muscle fibres as its tendrils extended out of it.

Closing her eyes, Sachika held her arms up in defence in an attempt to fruitlessly fend off against the creature. Without realising it, Hibiki had flanked the Nebula pincer striking her polearm upon the creatures head instantly disabling it.

Hibiki had used the ability Essence Cloak allowing her to turn her body into semi-manifestation of Essence particles allowing her to pass through or soar through the air with ease.

Opening her eyes Sachika saw Hibiki on top of the Nebula Pincer. Hibiki somersaulting off the top of it landed in front of Sachika extending her hand to her.

Without hesitation, Sachika grasps onto her friend's hand as Hibiki pulls her up.

"You now owe me one" Hibiki announces winking at Sachika.

As for Sachika, she huffed, "Yeah, I know" sounding rather irritated at the thought of it.

Looking around she spots her next target, she once again disappearing in a flash as her body moved at the speed of lightning, Sachika drop kicked another Nebula Pincer onto the carapace's head sending the creature crashing into the ground as grass and dirt-spattered upwards on impact.

Sachika then finished it off by punching down onto its core with her bladed gauntlet.

It wasn't long before Sachika returned to hunting down more targets. Hibiki exasperating at the thought of Sachika feeling at home in this situation, and it was because of that stubborn attitude of her friend that got her previous Coordinator killed.

Floating in what seemed like a black abyss of water completely naked, Aiko was scared, am I dreaming or is this all real? She had no idea what was happening, after seeing scenes of death and destruction being played out before her she was near physically sick after some of the things she witnessed.

***

In the distance Aiko could see a pulsing blue hue of light, seeing it she decided to swim towards it.

As she got there, she could see a large metallic object attached to a wall, with a viewing port on the large object.

Upon closer inspection when looking through the porthole she could see a girl sound asleep.

"Aiko I'm so glad you're okay"

When she heard the voice, Aiko spun around to see a human figure floating towards her, however their skin, although human-like, had an eerie blue effect across multiple areas of her body, moving casually. Looking at the body Aiko could clearly tell it was a woman.

"W-Who..." before Aiko could finish the mysterious woman clasped Aiko's face in both of her hands, and with a gentle smile, she leaned forward placing a soft kiss upon her forehead.

"Remember, that your gifts along with your sisters' gifts were born from my embodiment, in hope that you can protect and guide those that don't have them" the woman stated simply.

What does she mean? Born from her embodiment?, the woman pushed her gently away as Aiko gracefully descended further into the black abyss.

She didn't know what she was experiencing, and she had so many questions asked, Aiko suddenly started to descend faster.

Reaching out towards the mysterious woman, she shouted "Wait!" as she began to fall into a deep sleep.