GRANCREST RPG Shunsaku Yano/Team Barrelroll RECORD OF GRANCREST WAR: PROLOGUE Solemn music echoed repeatedly throughout the massive auditorium. At its front stood a towering stage and a staircase by which to ascend to it, and from that staircase to the wide open doors of the hall's entrance stretched a carpet of deep crimson. Set into the center of the wall at the rear of the stage was a podium upon which rested a transparent sphere, inside of which ceaselessly shifting forms of light and darkness intertwined with each other. Known as the Chaos Globe, it served as a representation of a world in constant flux, a symbol of the long age of Chaos that had persisted ever since Order was lost from the world. Beneath the Chaos Globe stood two men dressed in extravagant clothes. One was the archduke of the Fantasia Union, Sylvester Doucel, and the other the archduke of the Factory Alliance, Matthias Kreische. "I never believed the day would come when I would see you anywhere save for the battlefield," said the Archduke Doucel, wearing a subdued expression. "In this age of Chaos, I have learned never to let anything surprise me, but I must admit that I too had never expected something like this," the Archduke Kreische replied. The land had been split in half by the two great powers, the Fantasia Union and the Factory Alliance, and until recently it had been rumored that they were heading towards a massive war for total supremacy of the continent. However, a sudden shift in fortunes had changed all of that and brought the two men to where they both now stood. Just as the music echoing through the hall took a more jovial turn, the resounding ring of a bell announced the time. Its tolling should have been audible not only in the great hall of the magic city of Aeram, but in towns and villages in every corner of the continent, ringing in an era of peace across the land and blessing the marriage of the two youths who would be wed that day. Dressed in immaculate clothes of white, a young man and woman entered the great hall to a roar of applause from all those gathered within. The young man was Sylvester's successor, Alexis Doucel, and the woman Matthias's eldest daughter, Marine Kreische. They proceeded down the hall towards the Chaos Globe, prepared to exchange their wedding vows under the watch of their fathers. If the two were able to produce an heir, the two noble families' titles would be merged, and it was believed by many that their combined strength would be worthy of receiving the Grancrest. It would be the birth of the first emperor in the long history of the peerage system. The continent would be at last united and the wars of ranking fought by the lords would be brought to an end. It would be the beginning of an age of Order that had been long wished for. The revival of the Grancrest would wipe Chaos from the planet and restore peace to the land. Siluka Meletes, a student of the Aeram Academy enrolled in its program of summoning arts, knew that what she was witnessing was an historic moment, but she was not moved. Clad in a crisp new Academy uniform, her usually neglected blond hair was worn up and she had even applied a light makeup. Her mind was clouded with thoughts of her impending graduation exam, and in truth she would rather have been in the laboratory practicing her conjuration spells than attending such a boring ceremony. However, she had been chosen by Headmaster Sembrose to represent the student body and deliver a congratulatory address. Hours of her time were being wasted all for a speech that would take no more than a few minutes. Stifling a yawn as she simply wished the ceremony would end, she offered a halfhearted applause as the bride and groom passed by her. A chill ran down Siluka's spine. It was a feeling that she knew well, but this time it was different, stronger than she had ever felt before. The Chaos level around her was rising. Usually that meant that some sort of disaster was about to occur. Where is it? she thought. Her gaze shot around the great hall. During a convergence, a Chaos core was supposed to form somewhere. Siluka focused not only her vision, but her other senses as well. Noticing the fluctuations of Chaos required the use of all five senses. She noticed it first before anyone else. "Impossible." The word slipped from her lips involuntarily. The core was forming directly next to the Chaos Globe. It was a black sphere that looked like shadow given form, slowly growing larger like a spreading stain. Directly beneath it, awaiting the bride and groom's arrival on the stage, stood the two archdukes. The Chaos Globe which stood behind them began to violently shake and flicker, and Siluka could barely make out the forms of light and darkness encased within. "Just how much Chaos is there...?" Watching even as the convergence continued, all she could feel was terror. Rolling up the sleeves of her uniform she drew the takt—a magic wand—that she held concealed within them. She leapt towards the red carpet, her arms outstretched, throwing herself in the path of the bride and groom. "Please pardon my insolence, but I must ask that you go no further," Siluka called out with a bow. "And who are you?" asked the young man, a puzzled expression on his face. "Just what do you think you are doing?" the young woman questioned her even more harshly. "The explanations can wait," replied Siluka as she turned towards the stage. Her actions had sent the entire hall into an uproar, but she paid them no heed. "I need to disperse the Chaos while it's still forming." It was the only thing she cared about. If she could not, it would mean a major disaster. "What are you doing?" "Siluka! Get back here now!" The voices of her instructors shouted out to her one after the other, but she ignored their warnings and dashed towards the stage. "You're in danger! Get off the stage immediately!" Siluka called out to Archduke Doucel and Archduke Kreische. "Are you mad? Don't you realize this is a sacred ceremony?" Archduke Doucel shouted angrily. "Somebody stop this woman!" yelled the Archduke Kreische as he glanced around him. "Get away from there, quickly!" Siluka screamed without thinking. At this rate I won't be able to stop it. She pointed her takt directly at the Chaos core. This is the first time I've ever experienced Chaos this dense, but I have to try to disperse it. She steeled herself and started to wave her takt. "Miss, please stop," she thought she heard a voice say. Just then someone grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her back. Siluka grunted. A moment earlier she had noticed no one approaching. Whoever it was had appeared there suddenly. An artist! The word came her in a flash. Artists were individuals who took Chaos into their bodies, forming patterns—"Art"—that appeared on the surface of their skin and giving them superhuman physical ability. While the church denounced them as wicked, their powers had many uses. There were many lords who employed artists as mercenaries and spies. "Let go of me! I won't be able to make it in time!" Siluka wrenched her body as hard as she could but was unable to break free. "I'll be happy to listen to what you think you're accomplishing with your outburst later. But now you mustn't interrupt the ceremony," the man whispered to her as he dragged her off the stage. "No, you can't!" she gasped helplessly. The Chaos convergence was already under way. It was strong enough now that everyone present could feel it. A horrible stench wafted through the air as a dark mist began to swirl and coalesce. An eerie sound echoed through the hall, and a strange heat brought sweat the skin. The convergence had progressed too far for anyone to halt it. All Siluka could do now was pray that whatever disaster it brought forth would not harm anyone. But her prayers were not answered. What appeared was worse than anyone could have imagined. A girl attired in black clothes with wings like those of a bat sprouting from her back burst forth from the mist. Her hands were wrapped around the hilt of a large black sword. "A demon lord of Diabolos," Siluka whispered, shocked. In the distant past the Chaos level had been much higher than it was now, and some drawings from that age had managed to survive. An extremely high Chaos level was needed to bring forth a demon lord, and slaying one was a feat greater than killing ten dragons. As far as she knew, no one had ever been able to defeat one. She could not think of a worse disaster to have befallen those gathered. "How could this much Chaos... here... now?" She could not even finish her sentence. It was true that, within the Magic City of Aeram, the level of Chaos was higher than outside. But it was not high enough that a demon lord should have been able to appear there. Not that it was impossible—the Chaos level was always fluctuating—but the chance of something like this happening was practically zero.