CHAPTER 8, THE LINK

According to Lucia, there should be someone skilled in the Arsenal Department but... nearly everyone in the Arsenal Department is skilled otherwise they aren't allowed to help out with their work. So far we have six members that means we're half way there at least. As I rested on the sofa in the lounge area of the main building, I pounder on some things. Luca... mom... dad... ahh! If I keep at this I'll burst into tears, I need to find a way to distract myself from this. Maybe I'll go check out that new member Lucia talked about. "Yo, how are you doing?" Ray said patting my shoulder as he sat down on the same sofa.

"Nothing much." I answered him and let out a small yawn. He soon moves closer and places my head on his lap. These past fee days, I've noticed something. Being by his side, I feel a warmth I haven't felt since my brother died. I must've started to open myself to him even if it was just a bit since I'm willing to lower my huard around him. "Thanks."

"That's what older brothers are for." He said and I was reminded of Luca yet again. "Something wrong?"

"Ah, it's nothing." I told him. I'm starting to let him open the door to my heart haven't I?

"Licht, I'm your older brother now, tell me what's wrong." He said.

"I keep remembering my twin brother..." I told him, those eyes of his, they can make you feel at ease and open yourself to him so easily. "I wanted to do more work to make myself forget those horrible memoriess even for just a bit."

"Why not scout out more members for your Division? How many more do you need again?" He asked.

"Six more." I answered him. "There's you, me, Jade, Mizuki, Shin, Aria and Lucia."

"Add me, Yuri and Lia to that list." A man said, he is... Bell the Knight.

"Wait, you want to join my Division?" I asked him.

"Yeah. It was something like a joint decision between the three of us, our Department needs us to join a Division soon." He answered. "This is our chance."

"I see, welcome then. With you three, I only need three more." I answered him.

"I heard there's a person in the Strategy Department who has the Special Skill Judgement." He said. "There's also a person in the Engineering Department who is rather skilled in making things, why not look at them?"

"Okay then." I answered. "What do they look like?"

"They're all freshmen like you." He said. "They're suppose to be on patrol today... wait aren't you freshmen suppose to be on duty today?"

"Ahh! I completely slipped!" I exclaimed and got up from Ray's lap. "I'll go join them now!"

Running outside, I went to the coastline and as lick would have it, I ran into the three peole I was loking for. They're from the same exam venue as me if I'm not mistaken. "Excuse me." I called out to the three. The girl with knee long red hair was Alrescha Aurum. The boy was Arthur Reginlief and the other girl with blinde hair cut in a bobcut was Aurora Alpha.

"How can we help you?" Arthur asked me.

"I'm recruiting members for my Division, I was hoping you might want to join." I told them.

"Why not? It might be fun, right Alrescha-chan?" Aurora asked. "Who else is joining your Division?"

"The Swords and Lucia from the Research Department and Mizuki from the Journalist Department." I naswered her.

"Ehhh!? Will it be okay if we join such an unbelievable lineup?" Alrescha asked.

"Yeah." I answered. "Oh right, are you going on patrol?"

"Yes we are." Arthur answered. "Want to tag along?"

"Yeah." I answered.

We walked around the shores, looking around to make sure there aren't any stray Shadows around. Just then, Alrescha turned to the water. "Something wrong?" I asked.

"Shadows, a whole horde of them." She answered but I don't see anything. "My Special Ability is Keen Sight. No matter the distance I can focus in anything."

"I see, I'll alert the school then." I answered and went back to the tent.

I told the person in charge what was happening. He told me to return to the battle field while he alerted the school.

While we waited at the shores for them, Shin, Aria, Ray and Yuri were landing on the shores near us. Suddenly, I felt a murderous aura and when I turned my head to the sea I saw a bema of light firing straight our way. "Scutum!" I called my strongest shield to block the attack and thankfully my shield holds.

"A long distance attack?!" Aria exclaimed. "This could get dangerous."

"Careful, it's going to fire another round." Ray called out too us.

The figure frombthe waters began to come into sight as we dodge it's rounds of attacks. That is...! The Shadow is shaped like a giant turtle and it's back is lined with spikes and those spikes are missiles if I'm not mistaken. We all took to the battlefield, aiming our weapons at it, but it's shell is hard. I charged at it with my blade but as I landed the blow on the Shadow a large explosion occured. "Licht you okay?" Aria asked me when I dodge the explosion.

"I'm fine!" I answered her and just then, the Shadow's large shell suddenly shines and rays of light spread towards us. I dodge them and I charged at it with my sword buf just then, it opens it's mouth and a beam of light comes my way. The one who pushed me out of its way was... Ray! "Ray! Where are you?!" I called out to him but there was no answer. In the cliud dusts around me, I only saw the Shadow no one else.

I held my blade tughtly as a pain engulfed my chest and as if being consumed by my rage I lost control.

RAY'S POV

As I opened my eyes, I was in a differnet place, the others saved me from the attack it seems. I turned my attention to where they were looking and saw Licht.

What is going on right now? Licht... he suddenly stopped moving in front of the Shadow and his Etoiles has changed from a sword to a scythe. Just then, as the Shadow was about to attack him he blocked it with his scythe alone. What is happening, his Aura is changing yet again. He is charging at it with all he has. "Isn't that Berserk?" The new member he scouted, Arthur asked.

"It's different." Yuri answered. "Berserk... it drains the Aura of the user, but his Aura isn't dropping at all but rising."

"Anyways, we need to stop him!" I shouted and went to his direction.

This idiot what is he doing going wild. He isn't even dodging the attacks, he's deflecting them with his scythe. "Licht!" I called out to him, but he didn't answer. I tried getting closer but he attacked me as well.

"Ray you okay?" Aria called out to me.

"I'm fine." I answered her. But Licht, if he keeps this up... he'll destroy his body. Aira which flows within Light mist be released before the reach the limit. But his isn't going anywhere, they all just stagnate at his body.

I was about to redirect my attention to the Shadow when Licht is suddenly engulfed in a black light. He charges at the Shadow with his scythe and as if like cutting paper, he wasily cuts the Shadow in half. The Shadow disappeared in a black mist but Licht hasn't stopped at all.

"Licht! It's over calm down!" I called out to him he didn't even react to my voice.

He then tried to attack the others, they tried their best to dodge his attacks but he was too fast. As we tried to calm him down, someone shot him, but the bullet... it was destroyed by the black Aura pouring out from inside him. What is happening to him. I charged at him and hugged him, this was the only thing I could think of doing. "What are you doing, you idiot!?" I shouted.

Just then, I see a different scenery, in a place where black mist was, I aaw Licht holding his sword standing still. "Licht!" I called out to him.

"Ray? Ray!" He exclaimed and dropped his sword and came to me for a hug. "Ray! Ray! I thought... I thoigh you had died from the Shadows attack! Don't scare me like that, I thought... I lost my brother again!"

"I'm sorry." I told him as I dried his tears, he was afraid to lose me. He seems me as a brother too. "Come on, let's go back."

"Yeah!" He said and when I had come to Licht had dropped his weapon and was in my amrs passed out.

What was that? I looked at Ray who was now sleeping peacefully in my arms, whatever it was it helped me calm him down. That skill he used... that black Aura that engulfed him... I beed to know what they are. I'll ask Lucia later to research it.