True My Heart

A story arc involving the Pillar Flona Midsummers, he life, death, and legacy. It also briefly includes the events of the First Core War.

Characters

 * Flona Midsummers - The newly appointed owner of the Ruby gemstone in The 12 Pillars. She has the title of the Flaming Jewel.
 * Shirogane Renatus - A Merihim Vampire Highborn.
 * Ignatius Theophorus - A pacifist teacher in the Saint Church, he is a mentor to Flona.
 * Gardenia Hennesy - The newly appointed owner of the Garnet gemstone in The 12 Pillars. She has the title of the Reflecting Twilight.
 * Midori Cell - The newly appointed owner of the Blue Topaz gemstone in The 12 Pillars. She has the title of the Crystal Edge.
 * Nana Alcor - The newly appointed owner of the Yellow Topaz gemstone in The 12 Pillars. She has the title of the Piercing Beacon.
 * Marcosius - Has the title of Cataclysm's Fang.
 * Oliffen Valsley - Leader of the Bell Union
 * Vier - The 23rd Angel.
 * Tithel - The 24th Angel.
 * Rappelz - The 25th Angel. she is noted for defeating and mortally wounding the Pillar Nana Alcor.

Prologue
It is the 15th year following the end of the Sixth Faceless War, many Pillars were lost in the war and there stands only 5 left that are combat ready. The hectic situation of the world has led to the rise of many powerful generals vying for power in the world's governments. In Carnelia the new Arch Diviner to replace Sasaline Hecate, who was lost in the Sixth Faceless War is still ongoing. The Eastern Kingdoms band together and open many Pillar Schools to teach the populace the use of military gemstones and to find the remaining Pillars. Because of all of this taxes have risen and public tensions have reached an all time high.

A Flaming Jewel
A Pillar is not always chosen in the most practical way, though there are schools setup in Carnelia so that students can familiarize themselves with gemstones in case they are picked to be one, but an origin gemstone always carefully picks it's master. Flona, she was from an early age, a girl with a great sense of responsibility. Though she suffered a lack of real parentage, having been an orphan since early on, she never let herself show the insecurities that lie inside of her to anyone, she kept to herself, and her peers thought of her as the mature one amongst them. During her time in Mulberry Academy, she was chosen by the origin ruby gemstone. Her mentor at the time Ignatius Theophorus was an advocate of pacifism, he foresaw the rising tensions of the world and knew that the tenuous peace would not last forever. It was in Mulberry that Flona first met Shiro, though she would not recall this meeting until her death. Legends state that his encounter with Flona was love at first site for Shiro, the truth of which has never been made known. Though it is a fact that Shiro did not know Flona was the bearer of the origin ruby at the time. A few years after the incident, the world plunged into a world wide conflict, The 12 Pillars dispersed to quell the events, only three remained in Carnelia, which became the center of a heated conflict when Marcosius, a general in Carnelia, raised the flag of rebellion, Oliffen Valsley took this opportunity to start a revolution, backed by Marcosius, and formed the Bell Union.

The Martyrdom of Ignatius
Ignatius Theophorus regrettably takes up his cane once more, as he is called to lead the confused scattered forces of the Saint Church, he practices a pacifist method. This strikes a temporary peace between the two forces, but aggressors within the Bell Union assassinate him, his death is the signal for the start of the First Core War. Flona and three other Pillars remain in Carnelia during the start of the conflict, they decide to take out Oliffen Valsley the Bell Union leader. However, unbeknown to them a Merihim Emperor and three Angels have secretly joined the conflict.

The Fall of a Pillar
During the assassination attempt by the Pillars, the three Angels inter-vein The four Pillars though newly appointed are able to defeat Tithel and Vier before Shiro appears, he easily defeats and scatters the Pillars. The hotheaded Rappelz pursues Nana Alcor and manages to mortally wound her. Flona arrives in time to witness the ordeal and though angry, calmly engages Rappelz. She is able to rip off one of Rappelz wings before Shiro arrives to defeat her. A mentally and physically worn Flona arrives at the Hall of Pillars to meet with Midori and Gardenia, they all witness the Yellow Topaz materialize in the hall. Though bitter, none of them are in any condition to settle things, because of the heavy injuries they have all sustained. Over two-thirds of Carnelia has fallen to the Bell Union, the Pillars are spread across the world, the Arch Diviner has yet to be found, and the three remaining Pillars are not only heavily injured but newly appointed. The Saint Church struggles to defend the remaining lands of northern Carnelia. The Bell Union lays siege to the capital of Antioch.

Taboo
Flona decides to try and experiment, she forces the ownerless Yellow Topaz to temporarily merge with her Ruby, this causes a surge of power in her. She heads out and is able to repel the Bell Union's invasion. During the repulsion she faces again with Shiro, whom she is able to push back, though not quite yet defeat. While recovering after the siege, Flona notices that her injuries are beginning to recover much more slowly, she doesn't give it much of a thought, and refocuses her efforts on defeating Shiro.

Wilting Blossoms
On a routine reconassance mission into Union territory, Flona and Gardenia are ambushed by the Angels Tithel and Vier. The two Angels are testing a new Anti-Matter weapon, not fully recovered from her last mission, Flona is unable to avoid the weapon, however at the last moment, Gardenia uses her limiter release, Hallowed Fathom, which begins to absorb the weapon. "Gardenia! What do you think you're doing?!?" - Flona "Don't worry about me, I've always been on the sidelines all of my life, so just once let me take the center stage, It's all I can do."- Gardenia "You... are you crazy or something!?! Stop talking nonsense!" -Flona "Flona, you were always like an older sister to me, I know there's a much larger fate awaiting you, you shouldn't be the one to die today."- Gardenia (The collision between the Anti-matter weapon and the Limiter Release releases a surge of energy, the land is engulfed in light, everything is sent recoiling.) Afterwords a terribly injured and bleeding Gardenia is approached by Shiro, "So you're the last one to see me off at the end, huh? Just my luck, if i could get up right now I'd stab this weapon of mine through your chest, but i guess either way, it';s the end for me." She coughs up blood. Sullenly Shiro responds, "You don't have much time, is there any last request you'd like to make?" "I'd like to see the flowers back in my hometown, but I guess that's impossible now." "Just close your eyes and rest." Shiro places his hand on her forehead. "You know, you're not as bad as the rumors say." Gardenia remarks as she passes away. "If only you all knew." Elsewhere Gardenia's gemstone materializes in the Hall of Pillars.

To no end... I cannot even imagine
Inside the Hall of Pillars, Flona readies herself to do a temporary combination of her two gemstones with Gardenia's Garnet. However, Midori catches her and tells her that it's taboo to do such a thing, before realizing she had already temporarily merged Nana's Yellow Topaz.

The Alabaster Oath
Shiro falls on his back, defeated. A badly injured Flona holds her broken arm, "Looks like I win," she smiles. "'The one who wins can do whatever they want with the other.' It's not a condition you should be giving to a woman you love. Just three promises will do: 1. Stop feeding on the mortals, 2. Don't trouble the world anymore, and 3. the next Pillar, who will be taking my gemstone, please train her as much as you can, for the sake of my love. The last battle was rough, but it was fun." She tosses him a red stone and heads off. "Wait!" Shiro calls out softly. "No, I can't wait.." She hesitates, "The fate of the world is still dependent on me, (a tear streaks down her cheek) this is probably the last time we will ever see each other, farewell, Alabaster Highborn, I hope you will always stay the you that you are now."

What's in a name?
Not long after their last meeting, Flona's gemstone materializes in the Hall of Pillars, signifying her death. Shirogane who had no other name took upon himself the name Renatus, which means, "One who is reborn." in the ancient language.

A Promise between You and Me
Contrary to the various rumors that were spread, Shiro did keep his promise and managed to impart all of his skills and knowledge into the next Ruby Pillar, though at the end of it, he had become nothing more than a skeletal husk with a soul. His soul finally moved on after Pepper Eisler, the heir to the Ruby origin stone, was fully initiated into The 12 Pillars.