Monthly Bushiroad (December 2014 Issue)[]
He is an elite knight of "Royal Paladin", the First Regular Army of the Holy Nation. Despite being born as a layman in the border area where the legend of "Gablade the Divine Knight" was left, his supreme swordsmanship and passion are well recognized, and he has served the nation as a formal knight since his young age. After then, he achieved many victories and becomes a knight praised for his top-level martial skills. When he heard that dangers were approaching the boundary, he invited the knights who shared the same hometown with him, as well as a bunch of traveling companions, and initiated the Expedition to patrol the border. He has vowed, to protect the nation as well as his hometown. Like the great paladin who had spent his life to protect this land.
Divine Swordsman of the Shiny Star[]
"Altmile" was born in a town standing in the desert area on the eastern border of the "United Sanctuary", close to the barrens of "Dragon Empire", the militant empire lead by the dragons. He grew up while hearing the legacy of a hero. The hero's name is "Gablade the Divine Knight", a great knight who fought bravely to protect the desert town from the invasion from the dragons.
Recently, the desert area where his hometown stands is threatened by the invasion from the Dragon Empire. Altmile and his comrades in the Expedition marched towards their hometown, and fight bravely to protect their hometown like Gablade did. And... in midst of war, Altmile and his comrades contacted the "hero", surpassing time.
Monthly Bushiroad Short Novel (November 2014 Issue)[]
The New Generation[]
"Wh, What is that?"
"Fall back! Fall back---!"
The borderline of "United Sanctuary" and "Dragon Empire", partially deserted, had been a battlefield mixed with smells of blood and iron until a moment before.
"What, how can it be"
The mixed force of holy knights and gold knights had been under constant disadvantage against the ever-reinforcing Empire.
"That, that knight is"
This time the situation was especially terrible. The worst case that the town was invaded had stuck to the imagination of knights.
But "that" appeared.
Emerged on the battlefield from nowhere was the knight on an iron horse, a bizarre aura released. He watched the surprised forces from both sides carefully, and beat down any and every soldier of the Empire, forcing them to retreat.
"The shrouded divine knight..."
Everyone had their tongues lost and their bodies stunned except one, "Altmile" the commander of the expedition. With an astonished face, he spoke out the silently-standing knight's name.
"Gablade..."
The holy nation, United Sanctuary. It is the sacred country which holds more dear of order and peace than any other nations on Cray. Though minuscule when compared to the previous wars, the land was in fact being invaded by Dragon Empire.
"The smells of desert apples...Mister Al. We are approaching the town."
"Felax, what is your nose made of?"
"Can't you smell it, Mister Livarot?"
"(action of smelling)...I smell only the sand."
"Oh you can't smell it too, Milli-sir?"
In peace times, the expeditionary missions and the patrolling of areas except the capital are carried out by "Gold Paladin" the Second Regular Army. However, the increasingly ferocious invasion on the borderline has forced the "Royal Paladin" to rally and mobilize their elites to the borderline.
"Normally we can't smell that. Better than High Dogs' is the nose of Senior Felax."
"What's that, Sici-sir?"
"It's Sicilus! Can you please stop calling me by that strange title?"
"But Milli-sir like that."
At the very beginning when the proposal of the expedition was raised, a knight volunteered himself to the expectedly harsh journey which the destination is further from the capital than any other places of the nation.
"Everyone, enough with the chatter. We can see it now."
Pointing at the town gate through the sandstorm, the knight standing in the front spoke to his teammates.
"The hometown we miss a lot."
Altmile, the knight of blue heavens who leads the Border Patrol Expedition. In order to save his hometown from harm, he moves.
The arrival of the expedition eased the pressure of guarding the town, and brought temporary peace to the borderline. But that was just nothing flat. The Empire, knowing the reinforcement of the defending forces, bolstered its forces with soldiers more than the original advancing troops. As a result, they were becoming more and more disadvantaged, and it was expected that they could not hold on until the next reinforcement comes.
And, it comes to the start of our story.
"Unbelievable...! You are, the heroes in the legends, lived in millenia before."
Exposing his doubts, Altmile questioned the knight on the iron horse. He grew up while hearing the legends of Gablade the Divine Knight in this town. To Altmile, he is greater and nobler even than the heroes famous in the capital.
"Knights."
Slowly, yet heavily enough to shake the very core of bodies, the sound echoed from inside of the iron mask.
"Protect the things you trust."
"Please wait! I---"
As Altmile stretched his arm as if forcing his limb to its limits, nothing was there. Not the colossal iron horse, nor the legendary knight.
"A-Alt, what was that?"
"I don't know, but..."
(We are saved from the danger, for sure.)
"Rivalro, call on a full retreat. Fortify our defenses again. Although our enemies suffered a lot, we are not any better."
"Understood. I'll relay the orders swiftly."
"I'm counting on you. By the way, summon Kunron from the barracks."
Without bothering to ask why, Rivalro rode away. Altmile, left alone, observed the proof of the sacred knight's emergence---the dead bodies of the invading soldiers, and gazed at the sky.
"I feel this abnormality as the omen of something great. We must let the capital know..."
The abnormal situation signifies the similar events occurred elsewhere in the world.
"After the borderline, here come the ruins. We are more of an investigating team than expedition."
“Stop grumbling Sici-sir. Except the castle-standing elites, everyone in the knightly order is something like that.”
"It's Sicilus. I know that, but..."
After that, the aberrant condition happening on Cray is titled "Interdimensional Crosstalk", and the phenomena that mysterious warriors being summoned with physical bodies are called "Stride".
"I don't care how you two think, but investigations are also missions. Do it with your hearts, you two."
"Investigation... I like it."
As the number of reports of "Stride" reached tens, a common point was discovered among all occurrences of this phenomenon. That is, "Stride" only happens on battlefields. Not a single case of "Stride" was reported in peaceful places.
"Yessir, Mister Livarot and Milli-sir are both too serious!"
"I am thought as the same type of guy with Senior Felax..."
And in combination with the reports is a piece of strange information. That is, the witness about a mysterious armed group near the origin of the occurrence of "Stride". Altmile is especially alerted by the armed group.
"But, about the mysterious armed group. Livarot, Kunron. What do you think?"
"I think it normally would be some petty villains chasing the event."
"Yeah, but they are appearing in many places of the world in such a short time. It seems more correct to consider them as part of a large organization."
Now, the expedition led by Altmile was going to investigate a certain place with the help of "Pale Moon", the only organisation in "Dark Zone" which the Sanctuary has connections to. The place is an ancient ruins which information said the armed group had been observed there, and the Expedition was ordered to investigate the place as they were closer to Dark Zone than those in the capital.
"Their target is not us, but these guys show up when 'Stride' occurs. As there isn't a case saying they attack someone actively."
"And there are reports saying that they use mystical armaments of which principles are unknown. In the past there were invaders coming from another world. This time..."
"A huge organisation, coming from somewhere not on this world, interested in 'Stride'..."
As they are approaching the ruins, a heavy shroud of mist surrounds them.
"I feel I have exaggerated the situation. By the way, the mist has become dens---"
Suddenly, Altmile couldn't hear the voice of Livarot.
"Livarot, what is it?"
Not only Livarot, the members of Expedition standing behind him have disappeared. Altmile could see nothing but the mist.
"What is this..."
The confused Altmile observed the mist just behind him was vanishing.
(I am lured...a trap? But---)
He has no choice but to follow. With suspicions in his mind, Altmile walked.
Altmile didn't know how far he has walked. He teased himself for thinking questions like how difficult a man is to judge the distance if the scenery remains unchanged.
As he heard a sound sweet to his ears, the mist leaves no trace any more. When he looked down, attracted by the sound, he saw stone stairs. Standing before him was the ancient ruins.
"I have been awaiting your arrival."
Turning to his back for the somehow ethereal voice, he saw a lady standing there.
"My name is Uluru. I have received orders to guide you."
Uluru followed by leaving the sentence "please come here", and entered the ancient ruins without waiting the reply. Altmile, judging that he couldn't afford thinking without doing, followed the lady without a single sentence.
The labyrinth-like ancient ruins. Without a source of light inside, only the archaic-styled lantern on Uluru's hand can shine forth the path.
(If I lose sight of her, everything is ended.)
"In the depths, our master is waiting for you."
"Who is this 'master'?"
"I cannot answer it now."
"Uluru---you can speak softer, can't you---?"
Perhaps it was too dark to discover, a white dracokid was hanging on the leg of Ululu. As he found out Altmile was watching him, he flew to sit on Altmile's shoulder.
"I am Luckypot Dracokid. Just call me Lucky."
"You aren't needed in this situation. Please return to the master."
"I describe things better than Uluru!"
"Negative. I describe things better."
"Away with that."
As the chat was becoming a fruitless argument, Altmile interrupted.
"You wanna know the thing titled 'Stride' by the residents of this world, aren't you?"
"As I suspected, you guys are related to that."
"That is our gmhuu---"
"...Soon we will reach the depths. At the will of our master, you may be able to learn the truth you seek. "
At the same moment that Lucky's mouth is shut and Uluru ended her speech, the space was suddenly opened in front of them. Altmile needed no explanation to understand that this is their destination. As they reached the depths, Lucky climbed on the leg of Uluru again.
"I have brought him, my master."
In front of Uluru who lowered her head, the being like a gargantuan statue moved. It looks alien, but its form is that of a dragon, a massive dragon.
"This is one of the masters of us 'Gear Chronicle', Lord Chronojet Dragon."
At a new time and a new space, a new story began.
Spreading conflicts and chaos, the new generation would unveil itself soon.