This is my first post on this forum, since I prefer to read the boards and rarely participate. As I have been watching anime and reading manga for a very long time, LNs seemed to be the next natural thing. Reading is a pleasure of great value for me, and LNs seemed to click (and Baka Tsuki made it all available). I was able to find the similarities of LNs to manga irresistable. I wasn't (and I still am not) able to draw manga, but I could write.
Finally I have found a platform that allowed me to form my ideas into words and images.
I'm in no means a professional, but writing is a very important aspect of my life.
So, I'm very glad to be able to introduce you to Dead::Zone - Synthesis, the LN series I've been writing.
Currently it's 15 Chapters long, but I'm struggling with translating it to English, a slow process for me. An EPUB and MOBI version of the first chapters will be available at the end of this post.
Story Synopsis:
Spoiler! :
-Heiki is everything. Heiki is what is responsible for all the interactions around you. It is what empowers humans to make their dreams come true.
In this world, nothing may be magical, in the mythological sense of the word, but everything is. All the things that our mind can conceive can, also, come true. This is a reality.
-Everything around you is made out of tiny particles. These are what consist the air, the wood and stone. It is what your body is made of and the reason your thoughts are the way they are.
These particles are called atoms. The atoms are, in that sense, what holds and transfers power in our world. Our mind has the potential to control those atoms at will. Humans are able to feel the existence of these atoms if they concentrate enough.
Katsuo, a young man, born and raised by his grandma, Nana, in the State of Fuki, is nothing more than a slave. A boy without a future, working day and night, on a junkyard of unimaginable size, a remnant of an endless war. A war that drove both his parents away from him.
In the age of 16, he will be given the chance to unlock his Heiki and embark on a journey to acquire the answers he seeks. He will make enemies of the most notorious of villains, but also many close friends, as he discovers that power can be used to reshape this ‘broken world’, which is ruled by god-like forces, synthesized by the so called Institutions: The Impars, the Holy Roman Catholic Church of the Great Lord and many more.
In this world, nothing may be magical, in the mythological sense of the word, but everything is. All the things that our mind can conceive can, also, come true. This is a reality.
-Everything around you is made out of tiny particles. These are what consist the air, the wood and stone. It is what your body is made of and the reason your thoughts are the way they are.
These particles are called atoms. The atoms are, in that sense, what holds and transfers power in our world. Our mind has the potential to control those atoms at will. Humans are able to feel the existence of these atoms if they concentrate enough.
Katsuo, a young man, born and raised by his grandma, Nana, in the State of Fuki, is nothing more than a slave. A boy without a future, working day and night, on a junkyard of unimaginable size, a remnant of an endless war. A war that drove both his parents away from him.
In the age of 16, he will be given the chance to unlock his Heiki and embark on a journey to acquire the answers he seeks. He will make enemies of the most notorious of villains, but also many close friends, as he discovers that power can be used to reshape this ‘broken world’, which is ruled by god-like forces, synthesized by the so called Institutions: The Impars, the Holy Roman Catholic Church of the Great Lord and many more.
Also, please bear with me, as I'm not an native English speaker and the only one to proof-read my texts, is me.
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Prelude:
Spoiler! :
Pangea. A location divided in 5 Regions. Doseki, Shageki, Suuiki, Uindo and in the middle; Fuzen split into the States of Shin and Fuki, both submerged in the Warai Desert.
An enigmatic place, hiding unexpected surprises inside of it. An area destroyed, razed, filled with remains from the succeeding wars. Divided by the borders of the two regions that consist the State of Shin and the State of Fuki. A location filled with mysteries that attract the world's best warriors, who will, here, try to prove their worth. The Legend says that only the one of most value will reach the Desert's Centre. He will gain immense wealth and power beyond any imagination.
He will be the strongest of the strong and to him may Immortality be granted.
An enigmatic place, hiding unexpected surprises inside of it. An area destroyed, razed, filled with remains from the succeeding wars. Divided by the borders of the two regions that consist the State of Shin and the State of Fuki. A location filled with mysteries that attract the world's best warriors, who will, here, try to prove their worth. The Legend says that only the one of most value will reach the Desert's Centre. He will gain immense wealth and power beyond any imagination.
He will be the strongest of the strong and to him may Immortality be granted.
Spoiler! :
The sun was blood red, just like it was on most parts of the Desert. It was hiding behind the dirty clouds, that, being so dark coloured, looked portentous to anyone who hadn't got used to them. Few where the people who could directly see the sun's rays in a regular basis. A soft breeze raised some dust that hid the sight of a distant, purple coloured cloud. Some hopeless vultures flew afar.
The silence cracked from the slow steps the young man's flip flops took, inside the yellow sand. As he climbed the sanddune his white hair started to gradually appear. His dark skin was the next thing to be revealed, with his eyes following. Their extraordinary cobalt blue colour, brought an special antithesis, when compared to his face. The young man's brightness seemed to sparkle. He wasn't more than sixteen years old, with a regular height. He had a small scarf wrapped around his neck, colored to match the white of his hair, his woolen sweatshirt and his corresponding shorts. In his back a small backpack, made of cloths, hung.
His pace was slow and steady. His look was calm, but tension was hiding underneath it. His one arm seemed to be helplessly suspended as he walked. It was painted in blood, which originated from a wound that he had on his shoulder. The small streams stained the woolen cloth on its inside and outside. Some drops fell from his tired fingers every time he made a step. He climbed to the top of the dune and stopped for a moment.
In front of him the desert extended as far as the eye could see . Some sun rays, coming from afar, had pierced through the clouds and were hitting the sand. There probably was a lot of time until sundown. He observed a set of house detritus that seemed close to him. The walls were standing, filthy, being slowly destroyed by the sand. Who knew how long ago this village, the young man was now watching closely, was ruined. His eyes tightened. Thin smoke was coming from behind the devastated houses. Is there someone else here? he thought to himself.
The smoke was so flimsy and was desolated soon enough, that he wasn't able to notice it, until he climbed the steep dune. His eyes looked the debris for more leads. He couldn't find anything but he felt as if someone was near, monitoring him. He descended with slow steps, until he reached an abandoned stone-made road that was covered my knolls of sand. Following this path, he arrived at a completely levelled village with only its small fountain remaining intact, in the middle of a round plaza. The young man passed by it, ignoring the small scorpion that strolled on it, making a delicate sound with its feet, the only to accompany the one of the air running through the wreckages and the one the young man's steps made.
Behind a building and in the shadows, a figure was hiding, seeming as if it held the wall, trying to follow the boy's moves. Similar shadows where all over the city. The young man continued to walk until he reached the center of the plaza. He, then, looked around him, crossing his legs on top of the dusty stone tiles, holding his wounded arm. He looked at the floor and concentrated on the droplets that fell from his fingers. His shoulder was burning and the cloth there was torn revealing his ripped skin.
Suddenly a stampede seemed to occur around him. From the empty windows, barrels of automatic guns, pointing at him, appeared. Soldiers with gray uniforms, holding weapons, surrounded him. In their faces, disgusting smiles where seamed,as some of them poured out a sardonic laughter.
"Your money, kid" someone shouted.
"Yeah, you're helpless"
The young man left his arm, raising his eyes. A powerful wind seemed to be released from them as a series of black circles were engraved around them. Some of the soldiers gulped and stepped back.
"He's just a kid. We'll tear you apart" shouted someone laughing.
"Just a kid, huh?' a deep and playful female voice sounded.
Behind the soldiers that had surrounded him, a woman of medium stature presented herself. She was wearing a khaki-blue military trenchcoat that on top of it had the stars of a Kapitan. She had short squared white hair and wore a big eccentric pair of sunglasses with orange lenses. Her lips were vermilion and were smiling.
"Indeed, what business does a kid have in this hellhole? What's your name?"
«Katsuo. Zen Katsuo.» said the young man, looking at her strongly.
"What do you want in our town, Zen Katsuo?" she asked seriously.
"I want to go to Amber City. Someone is waiting for me there."
"Oh, I see" said the woman with an understanding look.. Her expression changed immediately,though, and her eyes became as slim as a serpent's. A large smile etched he face. "In that case you should have someone with you, in case someone tries to hurt you. You know, this is a very dangerous part of the Desert. Especially if you carry so valuable objects, like the one around your neck."
Some soldiers burst into laughing. Katsuo stepped back, holding the hidden, under his scarf, medallion that hung around his neck.
How did she notice it? he thought frowned.
"If you're wondering how I did it, let's say it's a natural talent of mine. "That's enough talk, though" she said extending her hand towards Katsuo "Give it to me."
He stepped back again, leaving his wounded arm. He put his body in battle position.
The smile disappeared from the face of the woman.
"You won't have a second chance..." she said looking at him wickedly.
He tightened his fists and sprung with his one foot towards her. His body darted with precision, as he aimed for her chest. A bang was heard and something like a thin white beam, pierced through Katsuo's belly. Everything around him turned red. He fell to the ground, with a small stream of blood pouring from his mouth, groaning.
In the woman's hand was a small revolver, whose barrel was fuming.
"Tsk. I hate to kill the weak." She approached Katsuo and kicked him so he won't lose his consciousness and to make him look at her. He could barely open his eyes. "Oi, kid, you awake? Good." She snatched the medallion from his neck, breaking the small chain that was holding it, in the process. He eyes shone; "An Epigrapher! Hey, kid! Whom did you steal this from?"
Katsuo coughed and spit blood.
"I didn't steal it. It's mine."
"Yeah, I'm sure of it. Whichever the case, this stone will keep us happy for many months to come. Hear that, you incompetent rats? We just got ritch." The men around her cheered, mocking the young man, who was lying in the sand without hope, at the same time. "I must admit I didn't think we were that lucky."
The woman in the horrible smile approached him and pointed her gun to his head. "Thanks anyway." she whispered as the shadows in her eyes seemed to dance in the tempo of madness. "Bye now." and her finger went to the trigger.
This time no bang was heard. The air, now, seemed to be torn up and a blue glow illuminated the square. The radiance went through the woman's body. She retained the same expression for the next moments, staying completely still.
"What?" she said whispering.
She released the gun from her palm as blood spout from her chest, as if a sharp blade pierced her. Her body seemed to be in great stress and her neck was stretching to reach her back. Her mouth was open, even if she was muted from the nightmarish pain. She fell to her knees.
Her men stood stunned. Some of them pointed their guns to the young man, ready to pull the trigger.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Kapitan, Kapitan! We need a medic!" they screamed.
Suddenly silence seemed to fall. Everybody focused on the unnatural blows of the wind.
"W-What is going?!" somebody yelled.
A blue beam appeared immediately afterward, and thrusted, almost instantly the soldier that were standing around. Calmness fell for some moments, until blood started to gush in jets from the bodies of the soldiers, that appeared to be viciously cut. Some of them have been hit only at the chest. Others have also lost their arms, when the light beamed through them. "What...is going...on?" whispered one of the soldiers falling down.
Now, everyone had collapsed to the ground, with their bodies producing irregular twitches. In the town's entrance a shiny figure appeared, walking slowly, having the dark sun at its back.
The silence cracked from the slow steps the young man's flip flops took, inside the yellow sand. As he climbed the sanddune his white hair started to gradually appear. His dark skin was the next thing to be revealed, with his eyes following. Their extraordinary cobalt blue colour, brought an special antithesis, when compared to his face. The young man's brightness seemed to sparkle. He wasn't more than sixteen years old, with a regular height. He had a small scarf wrapped around his neck, colored to match the white of his hair, his woolen sweatshirt and his corresponding shorts. In his back a small backpack, made of cloths, hung.
His pace was slow and steady. His look was calm, but tension was hiding underneath it. His one arm seemed to be helplessly suspended as he walked. It was painted in blood, which originated from a wound that he had on his shoulder. The small streams stained the woolen cloth on its inside and outside. Some drops fell from his tired fingers every time he made a step. He climbed to the top of the dune and stopped for a moment.
In front of him the desert extended as far as the eye could see . Some sun rays, coming from afar, had pierced through the clouds and were hitting the sand. There probably was a lot of time until sundown. He observed a set of house detritus that seemed close to him. The walls were standing, filthy, being slowly destroyed by the sand. Who knew how long ago this village, the young man was now watching closely, was ruined. His eyes tightened. Thin smoke was coming from behind the devastated houses. Is there someone else here? he thought to himself.
The smoke was so flimsy and was desolated soon enough, that he wasn't able to notice it, until he climbed the steep dune. His eyes looked the debris for more leads. He couldn't find anything but he felt as if someone was near, monitoring him. He descended with slow steps, until he reached an abandoned stone-made road that was covered my knolls of sand. Following this path, he arrived at a completely levelled village with only its small fountain remaining intact, in the middle of a round plaza. The young man passed by it, ignoring the small scorpion that strolled on it, making a delicate sound with its feet, the only to accompany the one of the air running through the wreckages and the one the young man's steps made.
Behind a building and in the shadows, a figure was hiding, seeming as if it held the wall, trying to follow the boy's moves. Similar shadows where all over the city. The young man continued to walk until he reached the center of the plaza. He, then, looked around him, crossing his legs on top of the dusty stone tiles, holding his wounded arm. He looked at the floor and concentrated on the droplets that fell from his fingers. His shoulder was burning and the cloth there was torn revealing his ripped skin.
Suddenly a stampede seemed to occur around him. From the empty windows, barrels of automatic guns, pointing at him, appeared. Soldiers with gray uniforms, holding weapons, surrounded him. In their faces, disgusting smiles where seamed,as some of them poured out a sardonic laughter.
"Your money, kid" someone shouted.
"Yeah, you're helpless"
The young man left his arm, raising his eyes. A powerful wind seemed to be released from them as a series of black circles were engraved around them. Some of the soldiers gulped and stepped back.
"He's just a kid. We'll tear you apart" shouted someone laughing.
"Just a kid, huh?' a deep and playful female voice sounded.
Behind the soldiers that had surrounded him, a woman of medium stature presented herself. She was wearing a khaki-blue military trenchcoat that on top of it had the stars of a Kapitan. She had short squared white hair and wore a big eccentric pair of sunglasses with orange lenses. Her lips were vermilion and were smiling.
"Indeed, what business does a kid have in this hellhole? What's your name?"
«Katsuo. Zen Katsuo.» said the young man, looking at her strongly.
"What do you want in our town, Zen Katsuo?" she asked seriously.
"I want to go to Amber City. Someone is waiting for me there."
"Oh, I see" said the woman with an understanding look.. Her expression changed immediately,though, and her eyes became as slim as a serpent's. A large smile etched he face. "In that case you should have someone with you, in case someone tries to hurt you. You know, this is a very dangerous part of the Desert. Especially if you carry so valuable objects, like the one around your neck."
Some soldiers burst into laughing. Katsuo stepped back, holding the hidden, under his scarf, medallion that hung around his neck.
How did she notice it? he thought frowned.
"If you're wondering how I did it, let's say it's a natural talent of mine. "That's enough talk, though" she said extending her hand towards Katsuo "Give it to me."
He stepped back again, leaving his wounded arm. He put his body in battle position.
The smile disappeared from the face of the woman.
"You won't have a second chance..." she said looking at him wickedly.
He tightened his fists and sprung with his one foot towards her. His body darted with precision, as he aimed for her chest. A bang was heard and something like a thin white beam, pierced through Katsuo's belly. Everything around him turned red. He fell to the ground, with a small stream of blood pouring from his mouth, groaning.
In the woman's hand was a small revolver, whose barrel was fuming.
"Tsk. I hate to kill the weak." She approached Katsuo and kicked him so he won't lose his consciousness and to make him look at her. He could barely open his eyes. "Oi, kid, you awake? Good." She snatched the medallion from his neck, breaking the small chain that was holding it, in the process. He eyes shone; "An Epigrapher! Hey, kid! Whom did you steal this from?"
Katsuo coughed and spit blood.
"I didn't steal it. It's mine."
"Yeah, I'm sure of it. Whichever the case, this stone will keep us happy for many months to come. Hear that, you incompetent rats? We just got ritch." The men around her cheered, mocking the young man, who was lying in the sand without hope, at the same time. "I must admit I didn't think we were that lucky."
The woman in the horrible smile approached him and pointed her gun to his head. "Thanks anyway." she whispered as the shadows in her eyes seemed to dance in the tempo of madness. "Bye now." and her finger went to the trigger.
This time no bang was heard. The air, now, seemed to be torn up and a blue glow illuminated the square. The radiance went through the woman's body. She retained the same expression for the next moments, staying completely still.
"What?" she said whispering.
She released the gun from her palm as blood spout from her chest, as if a sharp blade pierced her. Her body seemed to be in great stress and her neck was stretching to reach her back. Her mouth was open, even if she was muted from the nightmarish pain. She fell to her knees.
Her men stood stunned. Some of them pointed their guns to the young man, ready to pull the trigger.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Kapitan, Kapitan! We need a medic!" they screamed.
Suddenly silence seemed to fall. Everybody focused on the unnatural blows of the wind.
"W-What is going?!" somebody yelled.
A blue beam appeared immediately afterward, and thrusted, almost instantly the soldier that were standing around. Calmness fell for some moments, until blood started to gush in jets from the bodies of the soldiers, that appeared to be viciously cut. Some of them have been hit only at the chest. Others have also lost their arms, when the light beamed through them. "What...is going...on?" whispered one of the soldiers falling down.
Now, everyone had collapsed to the ground, with their bodies producing irregular twitches. In the town's entrance a shiny figure appeared, walking slowly, having the dark sun at its back.
Spoiler! :
Katsuo tried to raise his body. It was impossible. The penetrating hit on his belly, felt like it was burning his entrails. He felt his power to vanish, slipping away. He looked at his hands, painted in blood, labouriously. His vision seemed to blur and his eyelids became heavier by the minute. The air seemed to accompany the horrible pain as a pointless melody without any interest, would. He turned his head to the sound of light steps. His eyes shut.
"Kapitan Izaz, can you hear me?" a metallic voice sounded.
The young man opened his eyes and saw the blurry figure close to him, as it was approaching the woman. She didn't answer and tried to crawl away from the plaza, bleeding and holding Katsuo's medallion in her hand. It was futile. The voice repeated:
"Kapitan Izaz?" The white glowing armor, that probably looked more like a metallic fitted uniform, approached her even more. The red light behind it, brought a special contrast, with the imperceptible azure light, that it seemed to radiate. The head of this form was covered by an equally fitting helmet that seemed to lack any opening that would allow vision, speech or even breathing. The form touched the crawling, gasping woman.
She turned like lighting and before the armor made any move, she pulled the trigger of the gun she was holding. It had the size of a revolver with the difference that instead of bullets it had a small rocket, of a twenty centimetres length, applied on top of it. The rocket, having a symmetrical red drop, a representation of a drop of blood, painted on its side, blasted off and hit the armor directly on the helmet. An unexpectedly large explosion, which catapulted both the woman and Katsuo away, followed. The silence that broke out afterward, was stopped only by the sound of the smoke and steam that poured out of the point the rocket had exploded.
Kapitan Izaz bursted in a chuckle, spitting blood. She then continued to drag her wounded body, away from the plaza, standing in her feet, after numerous tries.
"According to the law 202, versus deserters, Kapitan Izaz, a death penalty has been issued for you." said the armor, which had started to emerge from the smoke. She turned rapidly, with her eyes disclosing how much she was surprised. Wrinkles of fatigue and strain were engraved around her eyes as she screamed to the armor that was approaching her with a slow pace:
«How? This can't be true. That rocket can smash a whole train up!" the armor was now very close to her "What the poke! Get away from me!" Kapitan Izaz got another revolver from her trenchcoat and emptied the magazine on the white figure. Yellowish sparkles appeared following each bullet bouncing off it. The armor stood there and the shadow of this metallic structure covered her wounded wiggly body, on its whole. Her eyes betrayed her despair.
"L-Leave me. Leave me alone." she said in a voice of increasing silence, as the right hand of the armor started beaming a red glow.
"May Fuki be the Greatest of the Great." the metallic voice sounded and a moment afterward, with a speed that no human eye could observe, the armor turned its fist and brought it on Kapitan Izaz's face. A heavy layer of air and sand was raised and the groud shook as her head was destroyed. Not even a single note of despair was heard.
Katsuo opened his eyes once more, to notice the dust that was hiding the scene. This cloud of sand, rocked for some time under the wind's command and started to settle down. From within it a shadow emerged, only to become the shining white uniform, a moment later. Blood was dripping from its right hand and a small cord was hanging from the left. It stood there for a moment, observing Katsuo. He had raised his hand towards it. His eyes had a deep not just murderous, but of true hostility, look.
"Give...it...back..." he said in a hoarse voice as his body was constantly affected by spasms of suffering and exhaustion.
The armor looked at the medallion its hand was holding and back at the boy that was trying to get up, holding his wounds.
"It's...It's min..."
Katsuo tried to hold his eyes open, a futile attempt. He coughed, spitting warm blood He leaned a little towards his front then fell back and collapsed on a pile of rock debris. Everything died out, in a vortex of red light, as the sun passed by the clouds, acquiring an unfriendly and unrealistic shade. The armor's form, holding idly the medallion, in a pitch black background, was his last thought, before he completely lost his senses.
"Kapitan Izaz, can you hear me?" a metallic voice sounded.
The young man opened his eyes and saw the blurry figure close to him, as it was approaching the woman. She didn't answer and tried to crawl away from the plaza, bleeding and holding Katsuo's medallion in her hand. It was futile. The voice repeated:
"Kapitan Izaz?" The white glowing armor, that probably looked more like a metallic fitted uniform, approached her even more. The red light behind it, brought a special contrast, with the imperceptible azure light, that it seemed to radiate. The head of this form was covered by an equally fitting helmet that seemed to lack any opening that would allow vision, speech or even breathing. The form touched the crawling, gasping woman.
She turned like lighting and before the armor made any move, she pulled the trigger of the gun she was holding. It had the size of a revolver with the difference that instead of bullets it had a small rocket, of a twenty centimetres length, applied on top of it. The rocket, having a symmetrical red drop, a representation of a drop of blood, painted on its side, blasted off and hit the armor directly on the helmet. An unexpectedly large explosion, which catapulted both the woman and Katsuo away, followed. The silence that broke out afterward, was stopped only by the sound of the smoke and steam that poured out of the point the rocket had exploded.
Kapitan Izaz bursted in a chuckle, spitting blood. She then continued to drag her wounded body, away from the plaza, standing in her feet, after numerous tries.
"According to the law 202, versus deserters, Kapitan Izaz, a death penalty has been issued for you." said the armor, which had started to emerge from the smoke. She turned rapidly, with her eyes disclosing how much she was surprised. Wrinkles of fatigue and strain were engraved around her eyes as she screamed to the armor that was approaching her with a slow pace:
«How? This can't be true. That rocket can smash a whole train up!" the armor was now very close to her "What the poke! Get away from me!" Kapitan Izaz got another revolver from her trenchcoat and emptied the magazine on the white figure. Yellowish sparkles appeared following each bullet bouncing off it. The armor stood there and the shadow of this metallic structure covered her wounded wiggly body, on its whole. Her eyes betrayed her despair.
"L-Leave me. Leave me alone." she said in a voice of increasing silence, as the right hand of the armor started beaming a red glow.
"May Fuki be the Greatest of the Great." the metallic voice sounded and a moment afterward, with a speed that no human eye could observe, the armor turned its fist and brought it on Kapitan Izaz's face. A heavy layer of air and sand was raised and the groud shook as her head was destroyed. Not even a single note of despair was heard.
Katsuo opened his eyes once more, to notice the dust that was hiding the scene. This cloud of sand, rocked for some time under the wind's command and started to settle down. From within it a shadow emerged, only to become the shining white uniform, a moment later. Blood was dripping from its right hand and a small cord was hanging from the left. It stood there for a moment, observing Katsuo. He had raised his hand towards it. His eyes had a deep not just murderous, but of true hostility, look.
"Give...it...back..." he said in a hoarse voice as his body was constantly affected by spasms of suffering and exhaustion.
The armor looked at the medallion its hand was holding and back at the boy that was trying to get up, holding his wounds.
"It's...It's min..."
Katsuo tried to hold his eyes open, a futile attempt. He coughed, spitting warm blood He leaned a little towards his front then fell back and collapsed on a pile of rock debris. Everything died out, in a vortex of red light, as the sun passed by the clouds, acquiring an unfriendly and unrealistic shade. The armor's form, holding idly the medallion, in a pitch black background, was his last thought, before he completely lost his senses.