Avalon:Volume 0 Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - ???

The dimly-lit room erupted from a tiny hole to fill my vision, and the hum of mechanical rotors resounded from the shadowy corners of the ceiling as thin rays of targeting lasers homed in upon us from heavily armed auto-turrets.

Teleportation was bad enough. But to find myself on the wrong end of a barrel half the times I teleport was even worse...

"Stand down!" A crisp voice called out from behind us.

I spun around and met eye to eye with a young lady no older than twenty in appearance (probably just under thirty in actuality) standing before the passage to an equally dim hallway. She was around one-sixty-nine (~5' 7") in height and average of build, clad in white archaic plate armor with a golden cross pattee engraved across the chest. A white tunic laid under her armor, billowing out below her cuirass like a skirt and reaching down to her greaves-protected knees. Framed by hazelnut hair that was pinned back on one side and cascaded elegantly down her shoulders, her facial features were soft, cute to the point of being almost childish, yet her wary rose-colored eyes examined me like a hawk before turning towards Shirayuki, still stern but softening considerably to match as she gave a perfect salute.

"Miko-Hime Shirayuki, Jiguang Shitai, welcome to Château de Falaise. May I see your ide---eeek!"

Her face flushed scarlet as her entire body jolted.

"Still want the ID Linnaea? or can we skip the formalities?"

Linnaea glared daggers at Shirayuki, who smiled back innocently, whimsical light dancing in her eyes.

"I told you to stop harassing people through their auras!"

"Not everyone, just you~" Shirayuki said like it's the most natural thing in the world.

"W-what is that suppose to make me!"

"A sensitive soul who's fun to tease~"

"I am not here for your enjoyment!"

"Relax, I'm just helping you loosen up a bit. You were making me feel like some political emissary."

Linnaea's lips quivered once more before she sighed in resignation. As Shirayuki stepped up and patted her on the spaulders, a smile finally tugged at the edges of her mouth. It was awkward, yet it still fit her far more naturally than her strict look.

"I was under the impression that diplomacy was exactly what you came here to do."

Shirayuki tilted her head and shrugged.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that --- and thanks for setting this up on short notice under such circumstances; knew I could count on you~"

"T-thank you, but I am just doing my job."

Linnaea's response was stiff, but even its formality couldn't hide her bashfulness as her cheeks deepened and her eyes averting away, albeit just barely.

Shirayuki's knowing grin spoke louder than words: this was exactly the response she sought.

(Knight of noble upbringing, meet the party tease... oh wait you're already close friends, boring.)

"Oh, and you can just call her Aurora, it's far more comfortable than your German-ese anyway~"

To be fair, Linnaea's attempt at Chinese had been fairly decent, despite her obvious German accent. But she nevertheless agreed and nodded apologetically to Aurora.

Abbess (direct translation of Shitai) Han Rong, style name Jiguang, was the leader of the more canonical Buddhist nuns within the Eclipse, which made up roughly half of their personnel. Because Chinese names, and especially hers, were notoriously difficult to pronounce for most people who grew up on English as the primary language, many simply called her Aurora, a literal translation of her style name.

It was a rather appropriate name too, as Aurora's cream-color hair was almost white. Its length flowed past her thin waist, which only added to her white robes, wispy figure, and pale, beautiful complexion --- she would almost look like a snow spirit had not for the red hakama skirt. Aurora was also the tallest here at one-seventy-four (~5'9"), and although her expression always had a serene and pleasant smile on, she never opened her eyes and rarely spoke unless asked.

It was interesting how her mainstream Buddhists and Shirayuki's Shintoists (who also practice some Buddhism) could coexist so easily within a single pseudo-religious organization --- a sign of tolerance not usually found within Western faiths. Although when I asked why the nuns adopted the Japanese miko attire, Aurora simply responded that 'shaving one's head is too unfashionable for recruitment'.

"...And forgive me, but whom would you be?" Linnaea's examining eyes pulled me back to the present.

Shirayuki had asked me to wear my old uniform instead of the Eclipse's robes, although she insisted on dyeing the blouse and skirt (magically of course) from white lines on black to black on white.

I was still trying to decide how to identify myself, other than just by name, when Shirayuki interjected to help.

"Kannon Reginbrandt. Bit complicated, but you can take my word that she has important information for Sidika."

Linnaea wasn't quite satisfied, but she nodded in acceptance anyways.

"In that case, please follow me."

As she turned around and headed into the hall, passing by two other auxilia and another knight of the cross just outside, my eyes were drawn to the apparatus on her back. It was a golden cross, the size of a large kite shield, with black trimmed edges and a black eagle crest in the center. The way she wore it was tilted, with a saber handle lodged into the top of the cross, which protruded out from above her right shoulder for easy reach. Two lines of runic writing were engraved in different languages just above the eagle crest.

"Helfen, Wehren, Heilen."

My focused curiosity read them over the channel as we followed Linnaea.

"Help, Defend, Heal," Shirayuki answered, "German motto of the Teutonic Knights of Old Terra."

"What about Etiamsi omnes, ego non?"

"Latin for 'even if all others, I will not' --- the need for independent moral judgment. You can tell the Order of the Golden Cross takes great pride in their history, which can be traced wayyyy--way back to the Medieval Ages of Old Terra, supposedly having joined the crusading Teutonics to avoid prosecution."

"In Avalonian history they're known for the so-called 'Bureaucratic Inquisition'. Meant well, but was too weak and broke their coffers for a while instead. They defected in whole during the revolution and mostly avoided the purges afterward. But even now they're still the weakest of the main Knightly Orders."

I would be lying if I claimed to have gotten over my contempt for Shirayuki, but she has been tremendously helpful and friendly to me despite my more... uncooperative attitudes.

"Wouldn't that kind of historical consistency give them a decent reputation?" It was closer to the other way around based on my reading... even if they were 1st District documents.

"Text history is easily changed and most people won't dig far. The Seventh Cross didn't help either, even if they pretended it was a rogue branch."

"Pretended?"

"Horseradish for public deniability. They're sanctioned; we're walking right behind one~"

"You mean she's a terrorist?" I blurted out, mentally (and thankfully).

"Kannon, I would advise against using that word so casually~" Aurora's voice was as friendly as ever, but the overwhelming pressure behind it effortlessly sent a shiver up my spine.

"Yes Ma'am."

Even though I couldn't see her face since she walked in front of me and Aurora, I could feel Shirayuki chuckling silently before continuing on:

"Few know with all the record cover-ups, but Linnaea Tesarik is both a Seventh Cross ops leader and the daughter of Cross Knights Grand Master Atanas Guderian. With that kind of connection you can be sure of where the leadership stands."

Since she knew such sensitive information...

"Are you allies?"

"Not quite, but close enough. Though this was from that one time when I got Parzival drunk~ ah, that would be Holy Judgment Parzival Staufen, one of the two Seventh Cross Komturs." Shirayuki proudly explained.

As we chatted over the Comm Ring, Linnaea led us through several downward corridors and three blast doors before arriving in an underground bunker room. The last set of reinforced gates opened to reveal a strangely contrasting room; its exposed ceramacrete walls and floor were bared like an unfurnished basement, but a richly decorated rug filled most of the room. The round table and chairs sitting on top, while simple in materials, were meticulously detailed. It was as though everything was made by a poor artist who lacked materials but invested creative aspiration in abundance.

Only one person sat on the table, and I immediately recognized the soft black curls and crimson-red eyes as the image of Marshal Sidika. Despite being well into her thirties, which meant she was probably over a hundred years of actual age, Sidika Krivoshein had a firm figure that would easily pass for a model was she somewhat taller. Her deep eyes, soft nose, and fair lips formed a perfect mixture between Northern European and Middle-Eastern traits, and the large red garnet that decorated her elegant hair bun accentuated her grace and beauty, as though a dark red rose in full bloom. A devilish smile which seemed to perpetuate as her natural expression only made her more enticing.

Two auxilia guards and another knight stood by the walls, flanking her from opposite corners of the hexagon room, their expressions quickly switching to unreadable upon the door's opening. The fifth and last person was leaning back against a chair before he quickly swiveled around and smoothed out his uniform to perfection with a single passing tug.

Short, neatly-trimmed golden hair, emerald-green eyes brimming with energy, and a boyishly handsome face; Kayeten Hans-Rudel looked far better in person than on hologram, with the tall and firm build of an old Terra Scandinavian that was just the right compromise between strength and grace. His smile felt unrestrained and infectious, despite being quickly summoned over the still fading light of worried concern in his eyes. Like Arkadi, he looked just under twenty years of age, and probably less than thirty in reality.

"Star-Marshal Sidika Krivoshein, Colonel Kayeten Hans-Rudel, may I introduce Miko-Hime Shirayuki Kaguya, Jiguang Shitai Han Rong, and Kannon Reginbrandt of the Priestesses of the Eclipse," Linnaea gave the formal introduction with a bow that would have impressed even the most professional majordomo before she stepped aside.

In complete contrast, Kayeten bounced off the table before striding over to shake Shirayuki's hand with gleeful excitement.

( not done )

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