Genesis Reality II

Chapter XVII - Sunlight on the Darkest of Days

Rin awoke to the sight of Ashton sleeping in a chair just next to her.

The sunlight was intense and shined directly onto Rin. Her face glimmered in the sun, her eyes sparkled with particles of light.

The long white curtains swayed back and forth, in a dance only objects of that kind can create.

Rin turned to her right to see Vincent resting and breathing slowly.

"...Ashton?" Rin called out, quietly and with a crack in her voice.

Ashton's eyes slowly opened and turned to Rin's gentle smile.

"Rin, you're awake. How do you feel?" Ashton asked, leaning in towards Rin while grabbing her hand.

"I feel... strange. But I'm happy," Rin said as she closed her eyes.

The wind outside picked up slightly, making the curtains dance gently.

"Are you hurting? Do you need me to get the nurse?" Ashton asked, trying to be calm about Rin waking up.

"No no, I'm perfectly fine... Just exhausted. Maybe you should let everyone know though," Rin explained as Vincent began waking up.

Ashton called in the nurse, which led to everyone else entering the room.

"Welcome back..." Rosalia said as she began crying tears of joy.

She moved through the small crowd of people to Rin's left side and kneeled on the ground.

"Where's Axel?" Rin asked, noticing that he was absent from the crowd.

Annabelle choked up at the sound of his name and turned away.

Everyone got flustered and tried to look away.

"Axel... went missing while you were asleep. He's been under mind control as of late..." Mai explained as Mizore comforted Annabelle in the background.

"...What else has happened while I was gone?" Rin asked as she clenched her fists and firmly grasped the bedsheets.

"...We'll explain in just a moment. I'm going to need everyone to leave except for the conscript and the nurses." Rosalia explained.

- - -

A nurse began testing Rin's blood pressure as everyone sat around her and Vincent's bed.

"We have come across a new threat to Crescent City and... well the whole country. A new force that has advanced technology, known as Incendium, has surfaced by destroying towns and cities claiming them as their own," Rosalia explain while the nurses continued gathering data on Rin, "They attacked us as a way to distract us from something greater they were plotting, which was to kidnap Axel and use him,"

Commanders Quain and Eunha entered the room while discreetly opening and closing the door.

"I see the Princess has awoken just in time for such conference. A shame it has to be in the medical center," Eunha explained as he and Quain sat down.

"A new army? And Axel is being brainwashed by them?" Rin asked, too weak to display any real emotions.

"The conscript traveled across the country to their base, hoping to gather intel," Rosalia said as Taurus coughed quietly behind her.

 "All we were able to distinguish was that Axel became brainwashed, Caleb is the leader, and they've been working with Lucifer," Mizore explained, crossing her arms and looking down at her feet.

"We were unable to stop them because they were simply just too powerful. The Elite Malus were a tough bunch... but we somehow made it through," Vincent explained.

"Now that we know about this, I have sent an army out to Garza, where Incendium currently resides," Rosalia explained.

"We're in the middle of a civil war?" Rin said as she began to stretch.

"Not only that, but a massive number of demons have been seen spawning outside of Crescent City, leading people to believe that Lucifer will reign next," Quain explained.

Rosalia slowly turned to the commanders, with a look of pure shock on her face.

"Th- this soon? I have not received word from the Gods on a new election," Rosalia explained, debunking any possible rumor.

"Theorists believe it is the second coming of Satan, as to why there is no news on you dethroning," Eunha explained, reading lists off of his checkboard.

"I will release an official statement once things get cleared up. If it is the second coming of Satan, the Gods would be going against the book, no?" Rosalia asked.

"And if that's the case, we could always do it again..." Taurus said, trying to sound determined.

"But we have Incendium to worry about..." Vincent explained, removing the blanket from on top of him.

"This is just a mess..." Mizore complained, walking away to look out the window onto the city.

The city was busy. Cars going left and right, most entering the city.

"If we have to... we'll set out on another journey to Garza and-" Taurus explained, getting interrupted by Rin.

"No. You've done enough... I can't let my friends constantly get hurt because of me," Rin explained.

"Rin, we're the Conscript... This is our job," Mizore explained, turning back around to see Rin trying to stand.

Rosalia gently put her hand on Rin's back, "I don't think you can stand yet sweetie."

"You don't deserve to go through so much. Let me travel to Garza..." Rin explained.

"Are you crazy? You are in no condition to travel across the country and fight," Ashton explained.

"Ashton. you could come with me..." Rin explained.

"You will not be leaving this castle. I don't care if it is your duty anymore... You are not ready..." Rosalia explained.

"I was ready to go against the Satan a year ago!" Rin exclaimed, getting her energy back up.

Everyone turned to her in shock, worried that she would overdo it.

"Please relax," One of the nurses said as she put her hand on Rin's shoulder.

Rosalia stood up and walked towards the door.

"If you ever try to leave..." Rosalia stopped before opening the doors, "You don't know how bad the world has gotten while you were asleep..." Rosalia explained as she walked out of the room, leaving Rin to stare into the hallway.

"Don't worry Rin... If you want to go when you're healed... we'll be by your side," Vincent said as he grabbed Rin's hand.

Mizore opened the curtains and let in an excruciating amount of light.

Rin smiled at Vincent as the sunlight hit half of their faces.