ã€ŠZeroth Knightã€‹


 Chapter 0 - Prologue - Forgotten Knight

    Prologue

    Forgotten Knight

    Ninth day of the month of Octus, in the year of Tree-Six:

    It was a lie. This whole time the promises of power, and peace, and fame were lies. There is no honor in this gift. The history of the title is forgotten, but I can hear it. I can see it. Deep within my mind it''s knocking. Bang, bang, bang-it makes itself known in my mind. It wants out, you see,but I resist. I resist with all that I am, but it becomes harder with time.

    Thirtieth day of the month Decus, in the year of Tree-Seven:

    I can feel myself slipping with each day. The way they look at me is changing. My name drips from their lips in twisted words. Little by little, they lose sight of who I am. I am me gods dammit, not another. Yet they have trouble seeing that; ever since I took up the mantle of Zeroth I have been lost. Ever since Ibecame lost, I have sought a light in the darkness, nay a beacon- any beacon that will keep me here, to keep me grounded. But even they are losing sight of me within this storm. The pounding continues, and now there are whispers.

    Fifth day, Maris, year Tree-Eight:

    The whispering is gone now; and without it, I am lost. It was my constant companion for nearly a cycle. But it seems to have given up on me. It no longer pounds, no longer wishes for release. I would try to remain myself, were it not already far too late. They don¡¯t see me now, ever. ¡°Zero" is who they see. ¡°Castus¡± is no more, ¡®tis just ¡°Zero¡± now. But without the whispers, and the pounding, I¡¯m able to think clearly enough. My wives, my loves, they no longer know me. Yet I love them, and so I continue my journey. Perhaps I¡¯ll understand what this has all been about, one day.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Fourth day, Austis. Year Tree-Nine:

    I understand it now. I do. They define us, ¡¯tis known- these titles. Our growths are dependant upon them. They make us adhere to what they are. We are them, and they are us. I have been defined as by the Zeroth, to uphold the entity known as Zero. I do not know who this was, but ¡®tis now who I am.

    Twenty-Third day of Octus. Year Tree-Nine:

    The whispering of malice returns. It speaks, but not to me. It calls for another. It twists him, from me. It unmakes who he is, and he gives in. I have accepted the curse of who I am became, but to see a friend becomeunmade is heart-rending. It is time for tradition to be placed wayward, and to stand up for the life of one who is important to me. I shall do what I can to remedy the situation.

    Jansus. Twelfth. Tree-Ten:

    I feel it within. The pull. It¡¯s coming. I must fight it.

    Maris. Thirteenth. Tree-Ten:

    Reality is not as it seems. I¡¯ve come to understand yet again. Warped perceptions are commonplace. Those of higher places- they wage a war no mortal may help to understand; and the darkness looms in our souls. The Zeroth¡­ what be it? Savior, or Saint? There is no fighting its spread of warped reality, yet it seems to go no further; yet again something still remains, deep within it, banging, ringing, slamming.

    Junus Twenty-Second. Tree-Ten:

    He is ghastly, and malformed, and so very, very powerful. I cannot beat him alone. His wife has betrayed him, and offered unto me, the power to rival a god. I wish for no more power, for that is what the whispers want. But to protect my people, I will break all taboos and fight for them. I will give into power, beget more power, to lay low a power greater still.

    Austis... I do not know. I can¡¯t make out the world as well as before. The power beholden to me has come with a terrible price. Yet they chose to join in me, to make it so. I am going to win this; but I feel in my bones that it will not be without significant loss. I can only hope the Valkyries do not join me in Hades.

    Know ye who comes after, the price that is paid by the title you bear. It is living, and ephemeral, yet corporeal. You are to become it, lest you become nothing. There are secrets within, as of yet undiscovered in this game of life, and dice as played by the Gods. I only hope, from one mortal to another, that you find a way.

 Chapter 1 - Zeroth Knight

    Zeroth Knight

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell him! I¡¯m going to do it! Today is the day!¡± I keep repeating to myself as I zip through the backstreets in an effortto make it to class on time. The day is young, the sunshine warm, and the wind carries my body just right. ¡°Today is the day,¡± I reassure myself once again, for good measure.

    It¡¯s been my mantra since I woke up this morning. I tell myself over and over that this is the day I tell him thatI love him. Is he popular? Yes! Is he drop-dead gorgeous, top of his class, and ripped like a Greek statue? All signs point to ¡°yes.¡± And you would think thatthere was no chance someone as ordinary as I could get his attention, yet I can. I did.

    My reverie is cut short as the chime of the school bell alerts the remaining students that there are five minutes left before classes begin. I cut loose all superfluous thoughts from my mind and run and run and run as fast as my legs will carry me. This stamina is one of the perks of the constant exercise my grandfather pushes on me. He never was one to take it lightly just because I happen to be female, oh no. If anything, that made him push me harder. My parents passing before they could take over our dojo has really pushed back my grandpa¡¯s life plan.

    He should be retired now, on some beach sipping on spirits. Instead, he¡¯s spent the past thirteen years raising me to be strong enough, dedicated enough, to take over the dojo. Perhaps he''ll still have some youth left for some kind of retirement. Yet for all his trying, I¡¯ve never gotten anywhere. My skills- mediocre. My dedication- I¡¯d rather go to the mall with friends. My strength- all right, I¡¯m a bit more in shape than most typical girls my age sure, but I fill out just fine, thank you very much.

    I shake continually encroaching thoughts from my head as I turn the corner of the hallway. It¡¯s eerily silent, in part because there''s only just under a minute left now before the late bell. I shove the door open, that function not intended to be used outside of emergencies, and rush in. I plant my butt in my seat as ¡°safe¡± is shouted in my direction.

    As I struggle to get my breathing under control, I look over at my would-be umpire. Jamie is staring at me, barely containing her laughter. The door slides open as the bell chimes commencement of our day.

    In walks Mr. Gordon, a man in his healthy fifties. He¡¯s donned in his usual brown suit with that garish, blinding white tie. His hair is cropped, peppered with gray. His face is frozen in a chilly, yet somehow monotonous, expression. He glances around the class as he takes to the podium. Leave it to Mr. Gordon to literally always play by the book. Making it to class as the bell goes off is a given. You could set a clock to his studious attitude and never be a second off.

    As I start to glance out the window, prepared to waste more of the world''s taxes on our ¡°wonderful¡± education, I feel a sensation unlike any I¡¯ve ever experienced before.

    If I had to describe it, I¡¯d say the hair on my body was standing on end; with my blood rushing, pumping hard and fast. I may have been a little winded from such a run to make it to class on time, but this was highly unusual. It feels like my veins are flowing with fire while the rest of me is caught in a chilling wind. I look around the room, only to notice Mr. Gordon staring at me.Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Dare I say, Miss Evangeline that you are growing into a fine imitation of myself. Always making it just on time, ne?¡±

    ¡°Ne¡± is such a casual comment that I find myself paralyzed for a moment. How strange for a teacher to say such a thing.

    Before long I¡¯m able to shake myself out of this odd feeling and realize that this teacher, Mr. Gordon, is actually insulting me. As if there is anyone in this world who¡¯d want a stick to be stuck so far up their ass. But what can I say? He¡¯s in charge here. Being a smart ass here does nothing but delay myself from my ultimate goal today- to finally get my happy beginning with Him of all people.

    So I swallow my pride, let a smile dance across my lips and say, ¡°Were we all so fortunate Mr. Gordon.¡±

    I can see a vein slither across his forehead in his barely-concealed anger. I hear a small amount of giggling from the class but I keep a cool face - or I try to. I hope I do. God do I hope I do. The last thing I need here is for it to be so obvious that I was being a smart ass. I must have been as good as I was hoping when he clears his throat and an ¡°Indeed¡± passes his lips as he begins to address the class.

    The class is dull and uneventful. History. Such a waste of a class. People say those who do not know history are destined to repeat it. But seriously, that¡¯s so stupid. We¡¯re smarter than we were then. We have nothing to learn from people from forever ago; and so my day unassumingly passes by just like that. Classes come and go. Lunch is spent idly with Jamie.

    We talk about nothing of consequence. We sit with our lunches on the roof. While listening to her go on and on about whatever flavor of the month boyfriend she has this time, I feel a shock run across my skin. Theclouds pass lazily overhead while the wind barely makes itself known. ¡°Eve?¡± I move my headsluggishly in her direction, ¡°Hm?¡± isall I''m able to manage.

    That sensation has been attacking me on and off today. It keeps distracting me from- ¡°Bitch were you paying attention?¡± Jamie¡¯s brow is furrowed in low-key anger as she glares at me.

    ¡°Of course I was Babe. So he was acting like a dick. What''re you going to do? Kick his ass to the curb?¡±

    Her face relaxed into a smile, ¡°Chyea, duh. Screw him. He''s only the captain of the team. I can do so much better than that,¡± she adds snidely before stuffing her sandwich into her mouth. She''s such a cute thing until she opens her mouth; long blonde hair that ends in curls with eyes blue enough to make the sky jealous.

    My eyes dart down and up her resting form as the strange feeling of disconnect hits me. She''s barely five two, yet has the attitude of a princess mixed with the vocabulary of a sailor. But it''s a deserved attitude; nothing like myself, whose only defining quality is the red blaze of my hair.

    ¡°Yeah you can. You know you''re the best,¡± I say around my noodles. This is how my school day goes by. Such a waste of time and life, both so limited in quantity. But this is a good life for me. This is what I deserve.

    School''s over before I notice it. I¡¯m at a jog, when the feeling of hot blood, yet cold muscles hits me again. The pounding inside me intensifies unlike anything I''ve ever felt, and believe me I''m no stranger to headaches. I feel like I''m coming undone and have to pause for a moment to collect myself. I almost want to turn around and go home- maybe sleep for the next month and shake off this feeling. But seeing Him is all that matters to me. This pain is terrifying if I''m being honest, but none of that matters right now. I''m on my way to meet Him, to let him know just how much brighter my world is with him. Just how much better I feel just being around him. He''s everything I''ve ever wanted. And today is the day it all begins. The beginning of the rest of my life!

 Chapter 2 - New Beginnings

    New Beginnings

    I jog around the next corner. The wind blows through my hair as I navigate the twist and turns of the back alley shortcuts. Sure, maybe normal people would avoid these areas but please - bad stuff like what most people think basically only happens on T.V. Real life simply doesn''t have time to be fantastical. It just keeps moving on and on without a care for anyone or their life. That''s why humans are the way we are. We find solace in what small virtues and happiness we find. That''s why we greedily eat up everything in excess. Because life- life doesn''t care about you or me.

    With those kinds of thoughts weighing heavily on my mind I see the clearing in front of me. The light is bright as I come out of the alley. It''s so bright as to be blinding. ¡°Eve! You made it!¡± I hear his dreamy voice call me as I try and slide to a halt, part in the excitement of his presence, and in part because of how bright the light is. As I approach a stop I realize that the ground is no longer below my feet- I''m falling.

    My world twists and turns and is contorted. My blood runs cold and like a wildfire, it bursts through me, out of control and ever consuming. Yet my body, forgotten by its life-sustaining blood, turns chill and freezes over. I observe my existence as it unravels into its rudimentary particles; with a detached mind, I''m able to see how the fire of my blood spreads into the surrounding darkness and forms the bases of stars.

    Portions of my body chip off and float freely through the void; as they reach the new stars I watch on as they take shape into worlds. Before my very eyes, I witness the birth of the cosmos and I scream. I scream as I watch life eternal bleed into existence. And so I did the only thing one can do in such a position. I looked upon my creations and dismayed. So I screamed- It echoes in the darkness; and I am reborn as if never apart, I am become whole.

    The first thing I notice is the way the world smells. It''s a subtle thing to notice. Generally, you get used to smells and only notice differences when they¡¯ve fallen under the ¡°good¡± or ¡°bad¡± spectrum. But this is neither. This smell simply is. The smell of the earth, of the wind, the smell of the sunshine. That¡¯s what hits me- how much I can smell the rays of light as they beat down on me from above. Then what I notice second, perhaps should have listed higher on the scale of importance.

    What I notice, as I lift my head, are people. People everywhere. I scan the sea of people and notice among the crowd the young, the old, girls and boys. All of them are wearing clothing that would fit right in with what you¡¯d imagine from the olden days. Like, old, old days.

    Like - nevermind, this train of thought is hardly important. I scan from the faces to the scenery- scenery that simply shouldn¡¯t be.

    Instead of a concrete jungle, I see a field of lush, blue grass and trees both small and tall. Both big and short. Some are donned with red leaves, others green, some blue. I continue my gaze to the side and notice the buildings. The architecture is beyond what you¡¯d see in the cities. Instead of sharp, hard curves and shapes that are more for efficiency than aesthetics, these buildings in the distance seem almost castle-like. If I weren¡¯t sane, I¡¯d say some of them almost look like actual castles.

    I notice a man with blue hair down to his shoulders just behind me. He¡¯s got a glare that could kill seemingly levied against me. I can¡¯t imagine why, and in my current state, I wouldn¡¯t even attempt to guess. My gaze lands on an old man. His clothes are more robes than anything else. They¡¯re a mix of colors, primarily purple and red. There¡¯s a symbol of a tree on his chest. Falling from that tree seems to be some kind of fruit, apples?

    His face was craggy, with known years. His beard is long and gray, nearly down to his waist. I half expect to see a pointy hat on his head, but alas, no. He wears some kind of cap on his head, yes, but not a pointy kind. Some kind of flat cap, the kind you¡¯d imagine yourself wearing on graduation day.

    ¡°You. Are. The Zeroth!¡± Bellows from the man¡¯s throat. It was then, moments before the pain, that I realized his arm was extended with his hand in a familiar gesture- he was pointing. He was pointing at none other than yours truly. Why? I couldn¡¯t tell you. In fact, I¡¯d rather not try to tell you. I would never again want to relive that experience. A single thought crosses my mind, maybe it wasn¡¯t me he was pointing at.

    Mere seconds after those words I felt the world alight in fire. My blood boiled; and unlike so many times before, my body did not run cold. Oh no, my body joined my blood and together they seemed to work in unison to cook me alive. The heat was horrible, the smell of burning flesh was one that would never leave my psyche. In this moment I realized I was dead. This pain would end me even if the wounds did not. I shook and convulsed as a soundless scream escaped my lungs. It lasted a lifetime, and yet after a moment, it was done.

    I crumpled over with unsteady breathing as I gasped in attempt to fill my lungs. My nerves were on fire, yet no pain was present. Instead, it hurt- it hurt so bad, not from the pain, but from the memory of the pain. How my mind did not break I¡¯ll never know. Slowly the murmurs around me became sharper and more in focus. I listlessly raised my head, and what I saw around me, surprised even me.

    In a radius of at least three feet around me, was scorched earth. What was once vibrant, blue grass was now a smoking crater. I lift my head further to see a dozen or two people, jaws nearly on the floor. Looking at them you wouldn¡¯t think I was the one who just went through an almost literal Hell. The murmurs turn louder as I begin to make out words. Chief among them, reflections of what the old man said before the pain. ¡°Zeroth¡± I hear. I hear from all around me- each one of them uttering in some fashion, that word.

    I cautiously shake my head and set up straight. My body felt¡­ good? Great even. Yet the residual memory of the pain makes me act with fear. I tentatively look toward what I can only assume to be the source of my woes; I stare daggers at the old man. His hand drops to his side upon meeting my gaze. His aged brow furrows deeply as he rubs his beard in apparent contemplation. He takes note of me if only briefly, before turning to the crowd. ¡°The crowning of the Zeroth Knight has-¡± I don''t get to make out the last of what he says as my world falls to darkness.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    I open my eyes to the feeling of someone stroking my cheek. ¡°Mmm, Rachel stop.¡± Not even a moment passes before what I said registers with me and in a panic, I shoot straight up. The dizziness hits me hard and I''m forced back from nausea. I take note of the girl sitting at my bedside as my head meets pillow. Scouting the room with just a quick glance tells me I''m in a house, top floor judging by the view from the window just three feet to my right. The interior is mostly bare and wooden. The unmistakable scent of antiseptic hits me. Judging from what I saw before, this appears to be some kind of old-timey hospital.

    My eyes flicker in an erratic fashion, trying to take in everything possible. Before long, I take note of the woman there. ¡°Good, you''re awake. Three weeks would have been impossible for a normal person. But I suppose our Lord Knight is hardly normal, ne?¡± She says as she pushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

    I''m mesmerized by her touch- so gentle. In my world, even the thought of touching another without explicit invitation would be unthinkable. Funny how impossible this situation is and yet I am fully able to process what I know the be the truth. This is not my city, not my country, not my world. Yet I allow this woman to nonchalantly brush against my hair. Her hand is warm, slightly damp, possibly from the cloth I see in her other hand. Her touch is soft and carries a woody smell briefly before it''s returned to her side.

    ¡°Three weeks?¡± I ask through a haze. ¡°Surely you aren''t about to tell me I''ve been asleep for three weeks.¡± Why is this what I¡¯m asking? I should be panicking more¡­

    She studies me for a moment, ¡°Sleeping isn''t quite what I''d call it. You seemed to have fallen into a stasis of sorts- to accelerate your natural healing speeds dramatically. Why it''s such an advanced technique as to be nothing short of amazing. But I suppose it''s but a trifle for the Lord Zeroth Knight. But don''t you know it, for my doctorate I did a dissertation on such lost magiks. And don''t you know it, the stasis effect is one-¡±

    She shoots off word after word in faster succession. Like a machine gun she devolved into words I couldn''t even begin to understand let alone reproduce. Something in my face must have given her a hint of some sort because I notice her cheeks turn rosy and she goes silent.

    She clears her throat as she stands up from my bed. The way her dress sways is elegant; it¡¯s a full body dress that ends just below her knees that gently raises some as she stands her self up. She¡¯s small, not quite Jamie small, but probably around five four. Her dress is a dark purple with white frills, but is a little darker than what the old man was wearing. The frills give me a ¡°maid¡± vibe that I¡¯ve read about in fantasy stories. She looks down with a weak smile, framed by a delicate face. Her smile¡¯s softness is reflected in her eyes, a startling green- deeper than even my own.

    ¡°You need sustenance my Lord Knight,¡± Is the first thing she says to me as she stands

    Never one to be outdone, I try my best to stand again. My body sways from the exertion and she rushes around the bed, places her hands on my shoulders, ¡°No. You still need rest¡± she says and she pushes me back onto the bed.

    In aggravation I retort, ¡°I¡¯ve evidently spent three weeks resting, I can do without it, thanks,¡± while forcing myself up despite her weak struggle to force me back down. Her eyes crinkle in worry as I stand. I feel dizzy and begin to collapse.

    ¡°As your doctor, I simply must insist that you listen to me,¡± this girl says while catching me.

    To be in the embrace of another is a strange sensation. In my world, only the most severe of circumstances allow for such an intimate gesture. Even professional doctors have to be careful; especially with the paperwork that always follows. Documents and more documents have to be signed by the touchee waving all legal repercussions from the physical contact. Still, as strange a sensation it is, I don¡¯t hate it. Nonetheless, my aggravation intensifies and I push her off and protest her attitude.

    She does not look amused and backs away from me. I feel bad, seemingly hurting her feelings but I feel so good knowing I won - or so I thought. How foolish of me. I¡¯m not one who¡¯s spent a lot of time in the hospitals, what few remains. But I¡¯ve always heard of the perseverance of proper doctors. Her eyes flash again, literally flash and there¡¯s a small shock to my lower body. I start to fall backward and move to stop myself but am unable. I fall onto my back into the comfort of the bed; in confusion as I try to stand up.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± is all I can get out as the doctor moves my legs up onto the bed and pulls the cover up to my chin.

    ¡°You¡¯ll stay there and listen to your doctor. When your food is here I shall reverse the paralysis."

    ¡°What? You did this?¡± I try protesting more by sliding the cover down but she stares at me, her eyes half lit, ¡°Ok, ok. Please don¡¯t zap the rest of me too. That would be hell.¡±

    ¡°Good. Lord Zeroth or not, you¡¯re still my patient,¡± she says as she makes her way to the wooden door. As she pulls it open, she turns a glance my way, seemingly checking on me one last time, and then sees herself out.

    My gaze wanders over to the window. I try to move my legs, but whatever it is she did to me still remains in effect. I study what I can see of the world outside. Now that I have a moment to myself, I summon all of the effort I can muster in my current state and focus on the here and now. The first thing I should focus on is the fact that I¡¯m not as freaked out as I should be. Human beings tend to be easily broken. Studies and experiments have shown that when reality doesn¡¯t mesh with what¡¯s in a person¡¯s mind, the disconnection causes horrific mental instability.

    My reality shifting to one separate from my own world, should have given me severe PTSD at bare minimum. Yet here I am, calmly analyzing everything. Yet, another issue upon this issue is how¡­ familiar? everything is. I don¡¯t recognize the world, the environment, nor any of these people. But my mind buzzes at its deepest part with knowing; and I believe it¡¯s this ¡°knowledge¡± that¡¯s saving me from a breakdown. But why do I have this knowledge? It''s like a string of d¨¦j¨¤ vu moments tickles my mind and won''t go away.

    Why am I in this world? Why am I being made to believe in the fantastical when the world has denied it for so many others?

    The thoughts swirl around in my mind as the blanket of sleep threatens me. The exhaustion from it all is bearing down on me. I don¡¯t want to fall asleep because in my dreams, come what may. I¡¯m torn between this reality where I¡¯m not myself, my caution and fear dampened, or the world of slumber where I may see her again¡­ but I cannot resist it any longer. I try to resist this world, and the nightmares to come, but I fail. I always, always fail.

 Chapter 3 - Sins That Bind - Part 1

    Sins That Bind

    I wake up to the chirping of the artificial birds and the warmth of the sun. Its warmth denies my wakefulness and soothes me deeper into a sleepful bliss. As I¡¯m about to give into the embrace of sleep again, I feel a hand trace across my cheek. I wearily half-open one eye to see her looking down at me.

    Rachel gives a shy little grin as if she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Nonetheless, she doesn¡¯t remove her hand. So I allow her to continue her little game. She traces the contours of my cheek down to my chin. I watch as she lets one finger dangle on my chin before playfully letting it drop and land on the top of my chest. I think of what thoughts could be behind those hazel eyes.

    Society demands a certain amount of decorum, but I¡¯ve never been one to adhere to such rules as if they¡¯re set in stone. Rachel is different from others. For starters, she¡¯s very touchy, and well aware that it¡¯s taboo. But I don¡¯t let it bother me- perhaps because there¡¯s a little something there, just behind her smile, that I can¡¯t quite put my finger on

    The fog of sleep finally seems to recede from my mind and I reach for the heavens to stretch. It¡¯s only now that Rachel finally pulls all digits to her side and gives a small giggle. ¡°It¡¯s time to get up Eve. Lunch is just about over. We still have half of our wonderful day left,¡± she says to me.

    I turn my eyes to her and take her in. Rachel, with her hazel eyes and brunette hair dangling just low enough to tease the beginning curves of her breast. She¡¯s smiling- she¡¯s always smiling. A ¡°wonderful¡± day is what she always calls it; these mundane days that I let come and go, with not a thought of the things that plight us. Yet to her, these days are always wonderful.

    I can¡¯t help but think that at times, she has something inside of her that the rest of us have seemingly lost. She¡¯s a ¡°Natural¡± after all. I try to resist, but fail, as I find myself all but admiring the way the world appears in the sparkle of her eyes. This mundane existence is wonderful in all that it is, to Rachel. However, these are but idol thoughts in a mind still not quite fully awake. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna,¡± I protest in a pout.

    ¡°You will, regardless. Now-¡± she stands up and leans down to take my hands while yelling, ¡°Upsie daisy!¡± and pulling me to my feet.

    I nearly run into her at the unexpected force but I manage to stop myself at the last moment. I see a frown flicker across Rachel¡¯s lips for just a moment and then it¡¯s gone. ¡°Let''s go. We have history next,¡± she says much to my dismay.

    ¡°Wonderful, Mr. Gordon¡¯s class. Boy am I glad we won¡¯t be missing that one!¡± I say sarcastically. Rachel holds up a hand, flick readied to go. I let out a gasp and swat her hand away playfully. She gives a giggle and pokes me in the side to tickle me.

    After several moments of what would certainly end up on the school bulletin as ¡°violent,¡± behavior, we collect our things and head down to the class.

    The stairs give off a hum in protest to our stamping feet down them. When we reach the exit, Rachel gives a tentative peek outside before fully opening it. She says the coast is clear and we dash out. We run through the lonely courtyard and make our way to the main campus. We pass other students here or there- other ¡°truants¡± cutting it close to the bell. A ding-dong chime lets us know we¡¯re only a handful minutes away from class starting. We begin a full run but stop ourselves as we turn a bend and notice a teacher. I don¡¯t recognize him.

    He probably teaches the last years- students about to "enter the real world," but we still can''t afford to be caught by him, not this close to the bell.

    He spends forever trying to straighten up a poster. Behind me, Rachel lightly taps her foot in irritation. A couple minutes later he nods to himself and seems to finally be satisfied with his tedious chore. With an about-face, he cuts across the hall and into the teacher¡¯s lounge. I can make out the name, ¡°Victor¡± on his nameplate. But this isn¡¯t the time for such idle thoughts.

    By my figuring, we have less than a minute left. Rachel and I sprint for dear life and slam open the classroom door. We rush to our seats and the moment we connect chair with butt Jamie shouts out ¡°safe¡± and the bell rings. That very moment Mr. Gordon walks in on pudgy legs, with his short hair and his stupidly white tie. He pushes up his glasses while laying his books on his lectern and scans the room. Before long his eyes land on me and Rachel in the seat behind me.

    ¡°Nice to see you ladies have made it,¡± he says in his throaty voice. With a bashful smile, Rachel gives Mr. Gordon a tiny wave. Mr. Gordon simply nods and starts his lecture on the wonderful world of history. He talks about the world of old and the wars they fought. I''m all but forced to daydream out of the window to get away from it all.

    I simply stare into the field below and imagine- just imagine- how much more things could be. War. I can¡¯t even imagine a ¡°war.¡± Entire groups of people killing one another for the vaguest of ideas and promises. Life doesn¡¯t like that kind of thinking though. We¡¯re given what we are, and can¡¯t change it. That¡¯s why history is so lame. You can¡¯t learn from the past because the mistakes of the past are theirs and theirs alone. Just like today¡¯s mistakes are ours, just like how today¡¯s won¡¯t be the next generation¡¯s.

    The chime sounds and startles me from my thoughts. I look up just in time to see Mr. Gordon leaving with a scowl on his face, along with Rachel and Jamie making their way over to me. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I ask them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go have some fun,¡± Rachel says with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

    ¡°Can Johan come?¡± Jamie asks.

    Rachel pointedly says,¡°The new one? Ew, no. Just us friends. We haven¡¯t all hung out together in a while. You¡¯ve been busy-¡±

    ¡°Having a life?¡± Jamie says with a hefty dose of snark. Rachel rolls her eyes and goes to flick Jamie before seemingly thinking better of it, and pulling back. The glare on Jamie¡¯s face is terrifying. But she¡¯s familiar enough to Rachel¡¯s far-too-casual attitude. Once we¡¯ve all collected our stuff we decide to make a beeline for the shops by the station.

    My time spent with them is long, and bittersweet in its relative shortness. There¡¯s a small candy store we love to go to when we have a chance. I love their little chocolates. They¡¯re handmade, a trait so few of us have nowadays. The clothing stores we visit are nice too. Clothing isn¡¯t my forte the way it is for Jamie- she¡¯s all about the fashion. But she¡¯s in an extra fervor today due to us making her ditch her boyfriend.

    The clothes she makes us try on range from too embarrassing to think about again, to super cute like the kinds of dresses you see in old children stories, like the one about sheep. Some of my favorites, though I wouldn¡¯t admit it to Jamie, were the darker dresses with the frills. I personally think they give a nice mix of cute with tones of maturity.

    I can¡¯t help but notice Rachel a bit more than I usually would. The setting light, and the way it bounces off of her makes her seem a little otherworldly. But in paying extra attention to her, I¡¯ve realized that she¡¯s gotten quieter as the day¡¯s gone on. I also notice her offering me a lot of glances. Everytime I try to get her attention, to give a silent inquiry on what¡¯s wrong with her, she looks away in a hurry.

    It was during one of these little games of cat-and-mouse that Jamie offers up paying for our food if we eat her favorite restaurant- so of course we do!If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The restaurant we visit is part of the normal layout. We¡¯re greeted by the Serverbot as we enter. It requests our handprints in order to verify our identity numbers. For myself, and Jamie, the beep is a fairly flat one. Yet for Rachel, it¡¯s a bit higher. Nothing else comes of it, but it¡¯s another one of those subtle reminders of how she¡¯s different from the rest of us.

    The Serverbot directs us to a table- though honestly, it¡¯s three tables places loosely together to give the illusion of a connected dinner. The chairs have a few feet between them too, to prevent any kind of misunderstandings. My observations are cut short as the Serverbot comes wheeling up to us, on four wheels, don¡¯t you know it.

    We slide into our seats, and after analyzing the space between each of us, to make sure we¡¯re following decorum, it seems satisfied and asks us to choose from the menu on its chest. It comes to us each in turn as we make our selections. ¡°God I love these salads,¡± Jamie says while placing her order.

    ¡°Pff It''s all about the cake Jamie. You just don''t understand,¡± Rachel says while tapping through the Serverbot.

    ¡°I understand my figure Rach,¡± Jamie quips back. I glance up to see the Severbot wheeling up to me. It stands at about four feet tall with a sleek design. Every bit of it is perfectly angular and its aesthetics are efficient without being offensive. It''s a cool metallic gray, boxy, and with two kinds of cameras on its square ¡°head¡± to represent eyes. Its chest flashes at me when it stops a foot away from me.

    ¡°Hey now. Serverbot that¡¯s awfully close to my friend don''t you think?¡± Jamie starts to raise a fuss.

    ¡°Jamie. It''s fine. It''s proximity algorithm probably just had a hiccup,¡± I try to calm her down in hopes of avoiding a scene. But Jamie is having none of that.

    ¡°No. That''s not alright. Especially not with regulars. Serverbot reexamine your distance parameters and upload the results. Then decommission yourself while sending us another Serverbot.¡± I feel a frown coming on with the eyes of the restaurant on us now.

    ¡°Apologies consumer. This unit has completed its primary function. Uploading data now¡­. Upload completed. Calling for new unit¡­. Message received. This unit thanks you for your time and patience. This unit apologizes for any and all perceived slights, real or imagined.¡± With that, the Serverbot slumps forward some and goes dim.

    A moment later its chest flashes and it straightens itself up. It moves a good three inches away from me and announces that a new unit has been installed and apologizes for the inconvenience. ¡°Of course our meals today are free,¡± Jamie says with spite in her tone.

    ¡°Of course Consumer.¡±

    I''m so embarrassed, but at least now people are mostly looking away- seemingly having grown bored. I quickly place my order for the most generic mix of foods I can and breathe a sigh of relief when the Serverbot moves on.

    I feel a tap on my foot under the table and almost jump in surprise. I look up and find Jamie is busy playing with her iWrist and taking some kind of photos of herself- seemingly never satisfied with them as she keeps making angry faces after looking each one over.

    I glance over to Rachel but she''s looking away with a bored expression. I see a smile tugging her lips, though, when I feel a small nudge on my foot again. My heart starts to speed up and I take a nervous glance at the people around me. No one seems to be paying us any attention. I can''t believe she''s doing this. She''s always skirting the rules like this.

    I fight, but fail to hide a small smile while returning a small kick back to her feet. I see her smile widen a little and feel another nudge. I send a kick back to her and before I know it we''re wrestling with each other¡¯s legs under the tables. Even though we''re goofing off and having fun I can tell even Rachel is starting to get nervous. No surprise there though, we could easily get in a lot of trouble for this. Reluctantly, we both seem to come to the same understanding and give up our little game after just a few minutes.

    ¡°Oh god, why are you both smiling like fools?¡± Jamie asks the moment we stop. I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize that she''s none the wiser of our little game.

    ¡°I know not of what you speak Princess,¡± Rachel says in a mocking old-timey accent.

    Jamie rolls her eyes and scoffs, simply saying ¡°Ok¡± before returning to her pictures. Before long she stops and a forlorn expression plasters itself on her face.

    ¡°What''s up bitch?¡± I ask hoping to get a rise out of her.

    She glances up at me and says, ¡°Just¡­ memories lost,¡± with a distant expression I didn''t even realize someone like her could make. In that moment I realized that maybe I''ve been looking down on her more than I should have been.

    But before I can say anything, Rachel stands up and asks if we wanna leave yet. Jamie nods and stands up quickly while putting her iWrist to sleep.

    We walk slowly through the streets together, us three, separated by a distance dictated to us before our births yet followed with a fervor. The sleepy sun paints us orange while teasing a purple throughout the sky. We''re connected in the sun¡¯s gift and walk slowly back to the station.

    I believe in each of our minds, we simply want to extend this day just a moment longer. We drift through the crowd, always wary of our proximity to everyone else. We keep our relations just out of reach, yet just close enough to form.

    Stuck in a purgatory, the ties that bind are numerous and multifaceted, yet ephemeral. I could reach out to take hold of one, only to have it simply disappear from the briefest of touches. Before the melancholy can truly take over, we arrive at the station and give our goodbyes to Jamie. She lives further away than we do so this is a common scene for us.

    As if choreographed in our synchronicity, Rachel and I turn around and start walking at the same time. Once the crowds start to thin and the twilight begins to take on a deeper hue of darkness, Rachel starts to make her way closer to me. With every step, I watch as she shrinks the gap between us. Perhaps this is proof of what binds us.

    As we get closer to home, Rachel suggests we take the scenic route through the park. It''s a detour for sure but I figure it''s alright. I enjoy the sound of the small transitions of our steps, from concrete, to dirt, as we enter the park from the roadside entrance. We pass through overhangs of trees greeting visitors with touches not always desired.

    I''ve noticed for some time now, that Rachel keeps stealing glances at me. And I don¡¯t mean the kind of glances from before, that seemed like she was just hesitant to say something. No, these glances were wrought with worry. In the coming darkness, with the artificial lights bouncing at us from various directions, it looks like she¡¯s also slowly turning red.

    Eventually, I realize we''ve entered the center of the park and are wholly alone. This is when I notice Rachel has stopped walking with me. I turn around, a good five feet in front of her, and my breath catches in lungs.

    She stands in the light, beaming red with her fingers twirling against each other- head hung low. I don''t know why but my heart starts to beat rapidly and my breath comes with difficulty. ¡°Rachel?¡± I ask in a raspy voice. Why am I acting like this? She doesn''t reply to me so I clear my throat and call her again.

    She looks up at me and then back down. The longer I stare at her, the more she nervously shifts her weight from one leg to another. The sight captivates me- confuses me. So I shake my head and take a couple tentative steps toward her. ¡°What''s wrong Rachel?¡±

    She seems to have finally made up her mind about something because she raises her fist to her chest and gives a nod. She turns a steely gaze toward me. Our eyes meet and again my breath catches. I''ve never seen that kind of expression before.

    My heart is racing so fast that I feel like I could set off the health warning on my iWrist. My body is coated with a sheen of sweat and my joints have turned stiff. Rachel takes a step towards me. Just a single step but it feels like a giant leap. She so close to me now- about a foot away. I''m panicking and the anxiety has turned me to stone.

    My breathing is quickening and that causes mythroat to burn as air it rushing down it at extreme speeds. Rachel disregards this though, and reaches up to cup my cheek. ¡°Rachel, what are you doing?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Eve I¡­¡± she hesitates, and her eyes take on a watery sheen. She takes in another lungful of air and continues with shaking hands and a voice to match, ¡°I love you Eve. I have loved you for so long.¡±

    I feel an instant disconnect between myself and my surroundings. I cannot even begin to understand what is happening; yet all of that aside, Rachel is leaning in. I''m no fool. I know what''s coming. I need to pull away and it needs to be now. Barring that, I need to push her away from me.

    But I do neither. I need to take charge of this situation and stop things from proceeding but I don''t. Why am I just standing here?

 Chapter 3 - Sins That Bind - Part 2

    Sins That Bind - Part 2

    Why is my head racing and my stomach fluttering? My breathing is labored and my head is light. I feel drunk on nothing and yet what hits me first is her smell. Her shampoo drifts into me and smells of pineapples with a hint of oranges. Her lips carry a mint-like taste. It soothes me and relaxes my body. I feel elated at the direct contact between Rachel and I. I would never have imagined something could feel like this. I''m dizzy and can''t tell which way is up or down.

    Yet before I can even right myself, Rachel moves away from me- but only marginally. She''s still so close that only an inch separated our lips. She''s staring into my eyes expectantly and I cannot look away from her hazel pools, wet with a dew of tears.

    But what pops out of my mouth seems to surprise Rachel just as much as it does me. ¡°Why?¡± is all I ask. Rachel''s eyes focus into slits for a moment before widening back to their beautiful, full size.

    ¡°Because I know that if it''s you, it''s ok.¡±

    This takes the air right out of me and I stumble backward. I come crashing back down into my own self and ask her in a hoarse voice, ¡°What''s that supposed to mean Rachel?¡±

    The worry and anxiety on her face is in full view now. ¡°I-I just meant that I''m pretty sure it''s ok with you. That I- we maybe¡­ could become more?¡± Rachel says, almost in question, yet so hopeful, as if unsure of even her own words

    I start to shake my head in defiance, ¡°Rachel what are you talking about? We¡¯re both women!¡±

    ¡°But I like women Eve. And you have never shown anything but an interest in liking me too!¡± Rachel is nearly shouting from her building anxiety.

    I panic like nothing before, backtracking fast and shaking my head. What is she talking about? I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand at all. ¡°Rachel no. That might be fine for you, but I¡¯m not a Natural. I don¡¯t like women. I can¡¯t like women.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe you just like me? Look Eve-¡± Rachel says while taking some steps closer to me. I meet them in stride by moving backward. Rachel pauses and continues, ¡°If you¡¯ll just give it a chance and think about it. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m wrong. Eve, we make each other so happy, so why do you have to make such a big deal about it? There aren¡¯t even laws against this kind of thing you know!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s wrong because that isn¡¯t who I am?! Obviously!¡± I can¡¯t take it anymore. Whatever she thinks she saw, whatever she thinks she knows about me is wrong. It has to be. It¡¯s impossible. So I do whatever it is I need to do to get out of this situation- I run.

    I run away despite her shouting behind me. I run with all of the force I can muster. I don¡¯t know how much time passed, or what directions I took, but I when I come back to myself I realize I¡¯m standing in my room, in front of my bed. I glance at the clock and see it is far pass the time I usually go to sleep. School is going to be a nightmare tomorrow. But at least with school comes the normality of my everyday. My days will be just the same as before. I can¡¯t wait.

    My alarm blares and I¡¯m forced awake from my dreamless sleep, whatever few hours I had. At first, I was accosted by nightmares but even those dried up. My world stayed dyed a beautiful onyx the entire night.

    I complete my morning routine but run into a worried grandfather before I can make it outside. He stands in the doorway, a giant of a man. He¡¯s bald with a savage face, but one with kind eyes underneath. He¡¯s muscular and in shape for someone his age. ¡°Eve. You were out very late last night. I was worried, and now you¡¯re leaving today without practicing. Is everything alright?¡± He asks while approaching me.

    I give a nod and reply, ¡°Yes Grandpa, I just lost track of time last night; and today I¡¯m out early to get somethings for school.¡± He gives me a dubious look that says he doesn¡¯t quite believe my story. But he trusts me enough to give me the benefit of a doubt.

    ¡°Fine Honey. Have a good day,¡± he barrels out in his booming voice while stooping down and giving me a hug. He¡¯s warm, with a large chest. The feeling of his skin on mine is normal- the only person to ever touch me besides Rachel.

    At that thought I snap stiff, this is different than how Rachel felt when she was so close to me. Grandpa smells of musk and sweat and a rough cologne whereas Rachel smells sweet and of fruits.

    Grandpa takes notice of my reaction and backs up to take notice of me. I give him a smile that doesn¡¯t quite come across as honest and inform him I¡¯m just not having the best of mornings and that I¡¯m tired. He hesitantly nods and waves me off as I leave. I¡¯m hours too early for school but I don¡¯t care. I have to get to class well ahead of Rachel. I can¡¯t deal with her right now. On the off chance that she decides to wait for me like usual, I¡¯ll be well gone.

    But my world is shattered right in front of me. When I turn the corner to start on the main road wouldn¡¯t you know it, Rachel is waiting for me. I make the mistake of meeting her eye. She makes the mistake of flashing me a smile. My heart speeds up and I think of making a break for it but I¡¯m too slow. She catches up to me simply tells me good morning.

    Odd. She¡¯s odd. This whole thing is odd. Why is she acting so chipper? How can she seem ok after last night? ¡°Wonderful day today, ne?¡± she says to me so casually. I give a stiff nod in return and we start making our way to school. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s something we both meant, but we avoid passing by the park today. We take another route and make our way to school in silence. It¡¯s a long and winding way to school, made longer by our seemingly shared desire to make it take as long as possible.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The distance between us is my savior, but it¡¯s damning. Rachel is my best friend. Why does it have to be like this? Why is such an insurmountable distance between us represented in so few feet? I walk with a weight on my thoughts, heavy as lead, dragging each foot to chase the other on our long road to school. It¡¯s a terrible, brief amount of time. But it drags ondevilishly long.

    Eventually, we arrive at school, and I don¡¯t know why, but we end up at our spot on the roof. I lay down like usual, in my usual spot. But Rachel, instead of sitting down where she normally would, she comes right up against me and lays down too. I start to panic and pull away but she grabs a hold of me and pulls me up against her. She nuzzles me up under her chin and I have to resist the urge to punch and kick until I¡¯m free. The panic is taking over and an attack is threatening to break me.

    Rachel shushes me and rubs her chin on my head while gently rocking me. It¡¯s only during this brief moment of respite that I notice I can hear the sound of her heart. It¡¯s hammering like mad. It¡¯s thump, thump, thumping pierces her chest audibly and echoes inside my skull.

    I¡¯m able to realize it for what it¡¯s worth, if only for a second. She¡¯s scared. Her heart is telling her to flee too, but unlike me, she doesn¡¯t flee. Instead, she pushes forward, determined to achieve her goals and acquire that which she seeks.

    Her courage hits me hard and causes my anxiety to be replaced with guilt, fear, and depression. Everything in my life has been so dull, so unfeeling. But Rachel, holding me like this, is warm. She¡¯s feeling. Her feelings are transferred to me and forces me to acknowledge that this position we¡¯re in, if only tentatively, is maybe alright. Perhaps I¡¯m comfortable like this. Perhaps it doesn¡¯t bother me as much as it should.

    But the thought of that causes the anxiety to rise again. Before long the panic has once again overtaken everything else and I push her away. She looks at me with confusion, ¡°Eve. It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s alright to feel ok with it. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to be something you¡¯re not.¡±

    I shake my head at her and call her crazy. I tell her that I¡¯m not ¡°forcing¡± myself to be or do anything. In fact, I tell her, she¡¯s the one trying to force something onto me.

    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over me again but I¡¯m practically screaming at her. All the while Rachel is slowly backing up from me. I tell her that she doesn¡¯t know me. That she doesn¡¯t get to decide I¡¯m something I¡¯m not. I scream everything I can at her until I start to see darkness around her.

    The darkness gets deeper and heavier as she passes right through it, to the edge of the building. As if lured in by our confrontation the door to the roof opens up, and Jamie comes out. ¡°What the hell is going on here!¡± she shouts. I turn and look at her and I tell her everything. God, why do I tell her ¡°everything¡± that happened?

    Why do I tell her about Rachel ¡°forcing¡± herself on me? Why do I tell her about how Rachel is trying to corrupt me? All the while the shock on Jamie¡¯s face is telling. Her face contorts in disgust- disgust aimed directly towards Rachel. The darkness around Rachel grows, and at this point, I could almost swear that it wasn¡¯t just me, but that the darkness was actually there. Except no one else noticed it. It must have just been a part of my psyche as it broke; as I painted a tale of Rachel that has absolutely broken her.

    The look on her face is destructive and pained. I¡¯ve never seen that kind of look on a living creature before but I¡¯m sure what it means. It means she¡¯s been broken. I- her best friend- her¡­ love interest has betrayed her. Worse than betraying her, I¡¯ve actively done everything to destroy her. I¡¯ve painted her as a villain all to distract everyone from myself and the things that were popping into my mind just moments before when Rachel and I laid there together.

    Rachel¡¯s face is downcast and distraught. Thick tears plop onto the rooftop under us and she¡¯s swaying on her feet. The darkness gains a seemingly physical existence and seems to interact with the world now.

    Rachel, with her broken heart and soul, turns and peers off of the school rooftop. ¡°Rachel, I know you¡¯ve done horrible things but you need to come back over here,¡± Jamie says while trying to keep a calm voice. It doesn¡¯t really register with me as to why Jamie is suddenly sounding very nervous. All I can think about is that dark shadow hanging just out of sight near Jamie. Why had I forgotten about this? It seems so real now. Maybe at the time, it was just too much for my mind to take in. Perhaps being here in this world has opened my mind enough to perceive things I missed before.

    This world¡­ it¡¯s only then that I realize I¡¯m dreaming. I¡¯m dreaming a tale from my life. The events before me now, I have no control of. I¡¯m a spectator of a movie- of slides going by. I remember Jamie scream at Rachel to come away from the edge. I remember the darkness seemingly shaking in delight of it all. I remember how quiet I was and how little I said even when I should have realized what was happening. Why would I have stood there like that? Was I really that weak?

    But what a foolish question, I¡¯m still that weak after all. So it shouldn¡¯t surprise me. I see Rachel teetering near the chest-high wall of the rooftop with a near-dazed expression on her face. She screams out for me, to tell me it¡¯s not what I think. To tell me that at the end of it all, she loved me. The darkness shimmers and something happens. I don¡¯t know what. Even in the dreams of memories gone, I can¡¯t make out what happens.

    What I remember next is Jamie pulling me into a hug and calling the police. All I can remember thinking at the time is how different she feels than Rachel or Grandpa. I remember thinking it¡¯s odd for her to be touching me. We¡¯ve never touched before. But she smells of apple-scented perfume and shampoo. She¡¯s soft and contours to me, if only a little less perfectly than Rachel did.

    I remember the next year passing by as interviews and questions as they come and go. I remember the day at trial with Grandpa at my side as the judge proclaims the event to have been the suicide of a Natural whom was unable to cope with her differences from those around her. Heabsolves me of all guilt and sends me on my way.

    And just like that, my time with Rachel was over. The world simply moved on. From that day on no one talked about Rachel. Her story was no longer in the news. Grandpa and Jamie didn¡¯t bring her up; my classmates no longer left parting gifts on Rachel¡¯s desk as a farewell. It was as if that trial was the darkness I saw before, and like before, it had swallowed up all that Rachel was.

    That day Rachel was taken from me. First, she was taken from me physically nearly a year ago. Before long, as the days go by, she¡¯ll also be taken from me emotionally as well. The day will come when I¡¯ll simply see the story of Rachel play out in my mind, and I won¡¯t feel anything. I¡¯ll simply be numb to it all.

    Time again after that, I¡¯ll even forget about who Rachel was- is- and that will be the moment she¡¯s taken from mecompletely.

 Chapter 4 - Alpha - Part 1

    Alpha - Part 1

    I wake up with a start. The sound of dinnerware being placed on the counter queues me in to someone else being here. But my mind is racing, despite the fog of sleep still be present, or perhaps, because of it. This waking world grants me no solace from my past. ¡°Apologies, I did not mean to awaken you, my Lord Knight,¡± a girl directs towards me. Even now, I can¡¯t work up the energy to respond to her. Memories brought forth from my nightmare, threaten to consume me. I spent years suffering from what happened to Rachel. The girl picks up a bowl from her tray, and approaches me.

    ¡°This should help you regain your strength quickly,¡± she says while placing the bowl in my lap, on my legs.

    ¡°Oh, I can feel my legs again,¡± I say while wiggling my toes out from under the blanket.

    She replies, ¡°Of course, it was a temporary measure to get you under control. Lord Knight or no, you¡¯re stubborn.¡±

    ¡°Eve.¡± I reply while looking down at the porridge. I guess it¡¯s some kind of porridge anyways.

    ¡°What?¡± this girl looks at me with a bewildered look.

    ¡°My name. Well, technically my nickname. I¡¯m Evangeline, but basically, everyone calls me ''Eve,'' and I¡¯d rather you do the same than call me something strange."

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she says in a hurry, nearly dropping the glass of some sweet smelling liquid she was offering me. ¡°You are the Grand Lord, Zeroth Knight. To have someone such as I call you so, that¡¯s unheard of.¡±

    I push the bowl off my lap and onto a stable part of the bed and say, ¡°Uh¡­ right. Well, that title is pretentious as all hell and I¡¯m not touching my food until you call me something more normal.¡±

    Her eyes flash quickly and I hastily add, ¡°Fine paralyze me, what¡¯s that going to accomplish? I won¡¯t be able to eat if you paralyze too much and I¡¯m not eating on my own unless you do this for me.¡± I further my point by sliding the bowl a little further from me. She looks at me with a look of utter confusion, as if I just grew a second head.

    ¡°Is it so bad to want something normal in this abnormal situation?¡± I ask while looking up into her emerald eyes. For the first time, I notice her hair. The bangs are long and wrap around her face to her chin. Progressively her hair gets shorter the further to the back it goes until it all meets in a bun; which is tucked up under a half-hat wrap. More startling is her hair color, unearthly and yellow - not blonde, yellow. ¡°Evangeline-sama,¡± is all she says while she picks the bowl up and places it back on my lap and adding, ¡°Please eat and recover quickly. The country is on edge without you at your best.¡±

    I¡¯m aggravated, but I figure that¡¯s the compromise I¡¯ll have to make for the time being, and besides I was hungry as all hell and this food did smell good. I tentatively take a sip and boy, it didn¡¯t just smell good, it tasted wonderful.

    As I place the spoon into the empty bowl I notice her staring at me and blush. ¡°I''m not always such a pig,¡± I say just before taking a sip of this sweet smelling liquid. I noticed her holding back an obvious chuckle but I couldn''t see a hint of disgust on her face.

    This liquid is as sweet as it smells- oozing down my throat and tasting divine. After buying myself a moment with the drink I clear my throat before adding, ¡°So, my dedicated doctor, what''s your name?¡±

    She suddenly finds the space on the wall behind me fascinating as the gears in her head turn. ¡°Ninavin Von Vvesson. Whoever is left just call me Nina.¡± Her gaze drifts to me almost expectantly with a slight sign of what I can only determine to be¡­ reluctance? Fear?

    ¡°Nina it is. Once again, I''m Evangeline.¡± I extend my hand to her and she simply stares at it. Odd. You''d think shaking hands would be fairly universal but I suppose not. Honestly even that was going out of favor by the populace of my age; too much potential risk I suppose. As if an idea popped into her head she sucked in a breath. But before she could take action there''s a knock at the door.

    She shakes her head and stands up to make towards the door with a sway in her hips. Nina opens the door and there''s a brief pause before she lets whoever is therein. In walks an absolutely stunning - can I use that word?- stunning woman. She''d blow most models out of the water. She waltzes in with an entourage of three men and another woman behind her. This main woman stops in front of me and all four behind her, stop perfectly in sync.

    She''s tall for a woman, easily six foot. She peers down at me with eyes so blue as to almost be clear. She''s imposing, terribly so. No one alive could deny this woman has had a lifetime of commanding. She''s used to making others bend the knee. She''s clad in a red outfit with some kind of silver chest piece, silver gauntlets, and shiny, silver greaves.

    A knight; an honest to god knight if there''s ever been one. Embroiled in the chest plate is a dragon with what appears to be the world in its hands. ¡°I am Commander Rodiger. Charlotte Rodiger.¡± She says while offering some kind of a salute I''ve never seen before, consisting of some kind of arm crossed horizontally over her chest movement. In doing so her hair falls over her shoulders. I find it odd to have such long hair just loosely hanging there while in battle garb. You''d think it would get in the way. I can¡¯t help but notice that her hair is a beautiful emerald green, light enough to be harder to notice in the dark but you know it would shine in the light.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Evangeline Sayagawa,¡± I announced my name. I run my eyes up her and only manage to move them about halfway downwards before I realized that I have been staring for far too long and am entering the realm of creepiness. I force my eyes upwards and meet hers, noticing her watching me with an eyebrow raised. Before either of us can say anything, a voice slices through us.

    ¡°What can we do for you Commander Rodiger?¡± Nina asks with some ice to her voice and adds, ¡°If you don''t recall the Lord Zeroth Knight is resting after suffering the Transcendence and needs more rest. She shouldn''t even be out of bed right now.¡± She says with some restrained annoyance as she glances at me. ¡°So please make it quick.¡±

    Miss Rodiger turns a deathly stare of daggers at Nina and spits out, ¡°You allow your maids to talk to her betters so?¡± She furrows her brow and continues as a sign of recognition passes over her, ¡°Ah, Ninavin. Of course you''d be here. Even you have some use.¡± She turns back to me and my frown. I don''t like the arrogance this woman exudes, and she''s pissing me off.

    ¡°What do you want Charlotte?¡± I notice the eyes of every person in the rooms go wide besides the person in question.

    ¡°Clever girl. Call someone in a position of power by their first name to show a lack of respect and thereby placing yourself in the dominant position,¡± she says cooly with a sardonic smile on her lips, ¡°But I''m afraid you have me at a disadvantage my Lord Zeroth Knight.¡± She continues arrogantly, ¡°Were I to do the same, my own men here would be honor-bound to slay me where I stand. After all, I am nothing within the light of the Zeroth.¡± With that addition, it''s my turn to go wide-eyed. My jaw drops and before I can pick it off the floor Charlotte continues, ¡°But I''ll take peace in the mission I''ve been placed in charge of.¡±

    I notice her hand slacks over the hilt of her sword and my pulse begins to drum loudly in my ears. ¡°What mission?¡± Nina asks.

    Without looking at Nina, Charlotte continues to stare at me and answers the question. ¡°Grand Lord, Zeroth Knight is hereby summoned to the arena to face First Knight, Fennis Haslothun in battle over a dispute of honor.¡± No sooner had she completed her sentence than Nina was standing between the two of us. With her back towards me, I couldn¡¯t see her face, but I could guess the look on it. She seemed like such a loving girl who would despise violence and pain.

    I imagine a look of panic on her face as she near-screams, ¡°No! Absolutely not! The Lord Knight is in no position to fight anyone. She¡¯s only just came to and had her first meal. Look at her.¡± She gestures behind her to me, ¡°She¡¯s barely standing.¡±

    Charlotte¡¯s mouth twists in a cruel smile of delight. She wasn¡¯t kidding about being happy about my situation. You can practically see her cooing over how horrible I must look.

    But let''s back up for a moment. ¡°Did you just say you intend to have me fight in an arena?¡± I could hear the panic in my own voice as it rises an octave.. But I push on as I moved to Nina¡¯s side. ¡°Like some kind of old fantasy? Are you kidding me right now? And as Nina said, I¡¯m about to fall over just talking to you. I¡¯m in no shape to -¡±

    ¡°Nina?¡± Disgust drips with Charlotte¡¯s words.

    She turns her head with a jerk and glares at Nina. ¡°The Lord Zeroth Knight addresses you so?¡±

    Thwack. A sound I¡¯m not familiar with hits me before my brain registers what just happened. Nina is practically on the floor before my body is able to move. ¡°What the fuck was that for?¡± I shout.

    I storm up to Charlotte with my fist clenched. I can¡¯t believe I just saw someone hit someone else. What the hell is this shit? ¡°How dare you?!¡± As I bring my fist up I feel Nina¡¯s hand pulling it down.

    ¡°My Commander,¡± she says while standing and steadying herself. ¡°My patient is in no condition to fight anyone, let alone the First Knight himself. I¡¯m sorry but you¡¯ll have to relay to your masters that such a thing is impossible currently.¡± I notice it just in time this time to catch Nina as she falls over from Charlotte¡¯s backhand.

    ¡°You need to train your bitches better Zero. Well, for however long you remain the Zeroth.¡±

    She signals to her guards with a nod and they start making their way to me. Once one is on either side of me with my arms in a tight hold Charlotte continues, ¡°This is a direct order from the Master. You have no say- either of you. We shall continue to the arena presently.¡±

    I stumble forward as the two men on either side of me practically drag me out of the room, despite Nina¡¯s complaints. The walk across the wooden floor is more taxing than I would have imagined. I couldn¡¯t notice as well as before, but my muscles have definitely weakened from so much bed rest. This can¡¯t end well. As to why I¡¯m calmly analyzing this? I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anything right now. I¡¯m drug outside to the bright sunlight. I have to squint from the pain it causes me. I can¡¯t help but give in to the urge to shut my eyes, and look down.

    I can only imagine how this must look to those we silently pass. No one speaks but I can imagine. This¡­ ¡°Zeroth Knight¡± seems important to these people. And here I am being escorted - dragged really, through the cobblestone streets with my head hung low in apparent guilt. When I realize this, I force my head high. I''ve been a lot of things in life, but never a disappointment. Well¡­ that¡¯s how I¡¯ve tried to live at any rate¡­ Rachel would probably disagree with me. That''s what matters most to me.

    Perhaps that''s an influence from Grandpa, to feel such guilt over things deemed not to be my fault. Because I know, deep inside, that it was my fault. That day could have gone so many directions, and I made all the wrong choices.

    I scan the guards holding me. They''re nondescript looking if I''m going to be honest. One with a ¡°real world¡± color of red and the other with auburn hair with peppered gray despite his apparent young age. They''re dressed in some kind of leather skin jerkins with a long sword at their sides. The woman and other man are behind me and I can''t see them, so I let my eyes wander to the surroundings.

    There''s a lot of people, with it seemingly being some time at midday. Most of them are in various kinds of old-world clothing such as¡­ tunics? I think they''re called. Their hair tends to be normal in shade. We pass what appears to be an inn with a sign hanging over it that I can''t read. I catch a glimpse inside and see a rowdy group of men and women having a good time; lucky them.

 Chapter 4 - Alpha - Part 2

    Alpha - Part 2

    I glance up at Charlotte¡¯s back and study her. Dignified and graceful - those words are probably the closest I could come to describe her from this angle. ¡°What is it Zero?¡± She says as if sensing my eyes on her.

    ¡°Why ¡°Zero¡±?¡± I ask as we take a corner further towards our destination.

    ¡°Because it is your name,¡± she says as we approach a building. I say ¡°building,¡± but it''s huge. Not the Coliseum in old books about Rome big, but still huge. It appears to be made of stone and has arches that bend and curve this way and that.

    ¡°But that''s not my name,¡± I say distractedly- the beautiful sculptures of probable heroes and fighters of days gone by, demanding my attention. ¡°My name¡¯s Evangeline,¡± I say, only to be quickly met with a denial from Charlotte.

    ¡°Zeroth is your title, part of it at any rate. Are all peoples from the Outerlands as uneducated as you? Or are you a beautiful representation of your people?¡± This woman is amazing. She insults me while teaching me, all the while mixing me up with someone else. I know I''m not from around here but I feel admitting that won''t end well.

    So instead of causing more issues by snapping back or correcting where I¡¯m from I simply ask, ¡°Then why Zero?¡±

    She glances briefly at me and says, ¡°Zero is the name of Zeroth. Zeroth is a title within the Knighthood. The Lord Zeroth oversees the Ten Royal Knights and heads-¡± her sentence is cut off as she lets out a small grunt and pushes open the massive wooden doors. Inside is largely barren, besides the apparent receptionist. ¡°And heads the Consulate which in turn answers only to the One King.¡± Her explanation ends far too quickly as she moves to make conversation with the receptionist.

    They''re far too quiet to hear, but the severity of the conversation is obvious by the glances the girl shoots my way. And indeed she is a girl; she can''t be older than thirteen or fourteen. With a nod to the girl, Charlotte turns our way and motions to a hallway. The guards force me along to the hallway; to what I know to be where my life may come to an end. The walk has taken its toll on me and my exhaustion is severe. My breathing is ragged as the men release me and wordlessly walk away. I hear a slam in the distance as I fall to my knees.

    My vision darkens around the edges and I attempt to stabilize my breathing. Some hulking brute of a man enters from a different door than the one I was brought in from. I can''t stress how absolutely gargantuan he is, yet he hands me a cup of water with more gentleness than I would have expected, and returns from where he came. His bald head and massive frame reminded me of my Grandpa, causing my chest to pang in hurt.

    I hear the door slam in the distance. I down the liquid as fast as I could- bad idea. The water is cool as it spews out of my mouth and lands on me. But I relish the coolness on my skin. It''s only now that I realize how hot I am. I won''t say it''s scorching. but the weather is an obvious summer. I feel terrible as if a cloud hangs over my mind. I''m shaking from nerves at the impending sentence- death for what it''s worth.

    Yet in a way, I¡¯m happy to be so nervous. My senses have felt dull this entire time, so it¡¯s nice to know that I still have them. I suppose it¡¯s a lack of energy?

    It''s mute but I can hear the cheer of the crowd through the gate in front of me. I hear the gears begin to turn. The door is in no hurry to raise and so I do the only thing I can do- I force myself to stand. I will face my day on my feet and whatever may come, I will face without disappointing myself. As the gate reaches the halfway point, the sounds of the spectators intensify and explode into me.

    As I''m walking out to the fantastical, I am made wholly a part of the chorus that surrounds me. But as quick as any song could begin, it ends. The silence is deafening as I make my way to the center of the arena to meet a near-familiar face. The man stands in front of me with his shoulder-length, blue hair in a bun of some sort. He''s wearing basically what the other guards were wearing, with perhaps with a bit more thickness behind his leather. He stares indignantly at me.

    The condescension drips from his tone, ¡°So good to see you show up to my challenge, Heretic.¡± He looks to the crowd and loudly proclaims ¡°A heretic I say of she!¡± The crowd goes absolutely nuts over his statement. The roar shakes the foundation of the colosseum.

    ¡°Silence.¡±

    I hear a small voice proclaim. The power beyond such a small murmur amongst the sea of voices is tremendous. As if unified on an unseen level, all noise stops, even the birds respect the voice.

    ¡°What for is the arena gathering today? Speak it before all to hear.¡± He stands on the balcony, gesturing to the crowd. I can''t see him well from here but I can tell he''s wearing some kind of purple and white robes.

    ¡°My Lord of Lords, we stand here today among a heretic whose title is undeserved. Our Lord Zeroth Knight is unworthy of her title and I demand she be stripped of it post haste and the title returned to its rightful owner." The crowd falls silent and I feel eyes upon me.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°I don''t really understand, but you want whatever has happened to me for yourself right? Then take it!¡± I shout.

    All around me the crowd murmurs. The old man on high is blinding with the sun behind him. I can''t make out much but I can tell he''s contemplating me. ¡°You wish to give up the title of Zeroth. As unheard of as it is, we do have contingency plans in place to do so.¡± His voice is quiet, but booming, ever the contradiction, and causes the crowd to erupt into silence.

    The man I can only assume to be Fennis, turns to me smugly. ¡°Wise choice you cur.¡± He turns to readdress the man on high, ¡°You heard her admission of guilt. Strip the heretic and allow me to take my proper place!¡± Fennis bellows. I recoil at ¡°admission of guilt¡± because I''ve done nothing wrong. I didn''t choose this - any of this. But I don''t care. I want it to end.

    I stare up at the man on high- this kingly man and shout, ¡°I am guilty of nothing! But I do not seek the title. It found me and so I return it!¡±

    The man contemplates me for a moment before addressing the crowd. ¡°What has been given can always be taken, and so it is so.¡±

    He raises his arm and extends one finger to me. I recognize this motion and all I can think is, ¡°shit¡± before I feel pain unimaginable, yet experienced before. My blood gushes with fire and my body tries to melt from the inside out. Yet this time there is something subtle. Something just beneath the skin; within me, I feel a pounding separate from the burning. Something within, wants out so bad but there''s a pressure- a build up that won''t release; the all-consuming fire demands a sacrifice that just won''t.

    I hear the gasps and silent screams across the colosseum through burning ears. I don''t know when it happened but I''m on my knees, staring at the ground and smelling the earthen-blood mixture. As blinding light dissipates and my vision clears up, I can see Fennis standing and facing the crowd with his broad shoulders extended and his arms wide. The crowd is silent. I look down at the ground as I push myself up. It takes a moment to stabilize myself and I feel as if something is out of place but can''t put my finger on it.

    Fennis turns this way and that, checking himself out as if expecting something to have changed. ¡°You! What does the Zeroth feel like? How did you know it?!¡± He demands while turning to face me with a scowl on his face. He storms up to me and grabs me by my collar. My head bobs up and down as I try to form words.

    ¡°I don''t know what the hell you''re talking about.¡± I grab his hands and yank them off me, ¡°I felt, I don''t know, good I guess.¡±

    He looks at me with fire in his eyes, almost literally for how red they were, and he turns around and stares up to the Man On High and asks if the title was stripped and transferred. The man, looking down on us all says, ¡°It is¡­ not so. Cannot be so.¡± For once, his confidence falters as he continues, ¡°The Transcendence has faltered¡­¡±

    In a flash, Fennis was running towards me and takes a swing aimed at my jaw. I duck it, or more like, I fall and he happens to miss. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I shout. But he slams a foot down where my head just was- missing because I rolled. I jump up and block the incoming blow. Again and again, he unleashes a flurry of attacks all meant to maim or kill.

    ¡°I''ll take your head here and-¡± he kicks up dirt into my eyes and in my blindness, he lands a kick to the sternum. I fall back several feet and roll off the ground as a stomp misses me again. I falter as I stand, and fall over. ¡°And then I''ll become the Zeroth. The Transcendence may have failed but the rules still stand. Upon your head shall my power grow. None unworthy may have the title!¡± He swings his right arm to his side and the air itself blurs.

    I can''t stand up, but I can stare. And stare I do- at the unbelievable event before me; the crowd falls into a deadly hush and even the clouds stop their movement. He grips something, something that can not be and yet is. His hand slithers around it and he pulls it towards himself. As if tearing apart the void of creation itself, he pulls a sword, if you can call it that, from the space to his side. The very sky cracks open and the clouds part. Fennis is dyed in a heavenly light as the sun smiles upon him. In that moment, the universe has seemingly shown favor upon this man.

    His hair shimmers and the very air feels chill around us as he swings his blade this way and that, as if testing its existence.

    ¡°I am First Knight Fennis Halsothun! I am he who is destined to stand upon the pinnacle of this world and the next.¡±

    He takes a step closer to me, testing his blade. I can see even the King on High is visibly shivering, and I don''t think he can feel the chill from where he is. This, that Fennis wields, is power. True power. Why had he used his hands and legs? I''d imagine, for the joy. The pleasure of feeling my bones crack under his blows.

    He''s closer now, no more than four feet away. With this, I understand that I am dead. My life wasn''t all that bad. It''s a shame to have to die in some strange world far from home but what can you do? Life doesn''t give a damn about us or our circumstances.

    The sheer fact that I am even here, was merely life tossing some scraps my way. A small way of saying, ¡°See what else could possibly be? Your hubris proclaims your superiority and yet look, look upon the unknown and unknowable. No miracles are coming this day,¡± it says.

    I watch as Fennis walks toward me, eventually kneeling next to me. His lips near my ear, his voice is raspy; a god offering final words to the departed.

    ¡°When this is over, the fact of your death will not be enough. My shame is unforgivable and so I will cast a greater shame on you,¡± he says as he slides a stray portion of my locks to the side. ¡°I shall remove my shame by removing you. Everything you are, and everything known to you shall be stripped from the annals of history.¡±

    He slides an arm around me and grabs as much of my hair in one hand as can be mustered and yanks my head backward. I let out a hiss of pain and utter, ¡°Please, just end it. I wanted nothing to do with any of this!¡±

    While pulling my head back he continues to the final words this life has to offer me. ¡°And that bitch maid of yours will be split into pieces and thus your existence will have been forgotten. Only then shall my shame be appeased.¡±

    I shoot my eyes open in shock, and allow as much air into my lungs as I could muster, nearing the bursting point. Nina¡­ Oh, Nina. Gentle, compassionate Nina. The woman who took not one, but two blows for me. For a stranger. All because she didn''t want senseless violence. And this senseless violence will be the death of her.

 Chapter 5 - Defiance

    Defiance

    My life wasn''t all that bad yeah? I didn''t mind the mediocrity. I didn''t mind the boring classes. I know I complained; but I really didn''t. And sure Jamie didn''t make for the most stimulating of partners in crime, but she was there for me you know? In her own way at least. I regret so, so deeply being unable to tell Him how I felt - but I''m pretty sure he knew. I think that might be the main reason he decided to confess to me first after all. Why I told him to give me a day to get my feelings straight, I still don''t know.

    My biggest regret even still was¡­ is¡­ Rachel. I probably shouldn''t have reacted the way I did. It was only a kiss. Sure we had known each other our entire lives, but that''s what made me flip out even more. Plus we were both women. That kind of thing was phased out decades ago in my world. There was nothing wrong with it perse; but I mean, when humankind started down the path of genetic modifications in utero, that was one of those things that just sort of got phased out over time.

    She was a Natural - naturally born of course. Here and there within the world, there still remained small congregations that opposed the ideas of, ¡°playing God¡± despite the math having ruled him out long ago as well. So she wasn¡¯t really responsible for the way she was. Some would argue that she wasn¡¯t even responsible for her actions. But I blamed her anyways; jesus did I ever.

    We were only thirteen at the time. Still at that tender age of discovery, when the world was new and scary; long before we became proper adults of sixteen. She took a risk that could have taken everything from her, and it did. The courts ruled it as an unprompted suicide brought on by the fact that she was a Natural. Had I told them the truth, had any of us told them the truth that day, would the judge have ruled differently? Would I have received proper penance? That thought, and many like it, never left me, not really.

    My life since then has been centered around that day. Every action and every decision was prompted based on the question, ¡°Would this have made her proud?¡±

    That¡¯s really the only reason that I was able to move on four years later. Well that, and meeting Him. He changed everything for me. He would have made me whole, that¡¯s what I truly believed- He would fill the hole within me and seal me tight. My soul may have been repaired from its shattered state.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Rachel meant so much to me, but never would I, have I, will I, contemplate why that was, is, or would continue to be the cause of so much grief; for the answer was clear to anyone looking- but I do not. Despite everything the courts said, I killed her. Me. It was I who broke her and drove her to that point.

    And so here I lay, on my knees, with my head pulled to the sky, and this man in my ear, seething his venom into my very being; waiting for a death I, perhaps deserve, perhaps desire. Yet this death comes with a caveat. To find the peace I¡¯ve always desired, I have to give up the life of a girl who is so innocent. To once again retain myself and my life as it is desired, another must be sacrificed.

    ¡°This is your end, Woman from the Outerlands!¡± Fennis accosts me with those hateful words and takes a step back. He¡¯s going to kill me and I¡¯m going to end.

    Once I am unmade, will it matter what happens to another? If I am erased from history itself, then the tragedy I bring upon others will be erased. The truth obfuscated, but¡­ still present. Fennis raises his blade and readies his attack, aimed at my neck. A quicker finish then I would have expected, given his misplaced hatred.

    And so my life has approached a crossroads:

    Despite the truth that others know, I¡¯ll know. Despite history forgetting me, I have to ask myself, do my choices here today justify the consequences of the future? Even if it is a future I am not part of? Everyone else aside, do I honor myself with pride? More importantly, once again I fall upon the question I have asked so many times before: ¡°Will my death make you proud, Rachel?¡±

    Fennis brings his blade down with speed unattainable by even the most trained of bodies. His movements carry a power beyond that of humanity. He¡¯s backed by something my world does not possess. What that is, I cannot say. But what I can say is this:

    ¡°No. This is not the day I die. This is not how I die. This is not the answer I choose.¡±

    And so I do not choose either path. I do not choose to accept, nor do I choose to fight. Instead, I choose to deny. I deny the very existence of a crossroads; for there is but one answer - Defiance.

 Chapter 6 - Ascension

    Ascension

    Fennis swings his sword toward my neck- mere inches lie between life and death. Yet before steel meets flesh, he¡¯s blown away. A good fifteen feet later, Fennis rights himself and lands standing. Energy swirls around me and pulses in waves. The energy twists around me and remakes me.

    My skull shakes from the pounding inside of it. Again and again, something crashes against me, wishing to escape, to ravage. But I hold that door tight. It wants out and desires destruction, but I deny it a release. Instead, I channel it''s instincts, how, I do not know. I channel it outward to release shockwaves of energy over and over again to knock back Fennis as he attempts an approach. His illustrious blue hair whips violently from the force of the winds.

    Fennis calls me a whore and swears to kill me, but the wild chorus of the crowd around us drowns him out to nothing but a whisper on the wind. Their fear carries across the arena.

    I hear and see all, and yet it''s as if I''m looking through a haze. My mind is my own and yet, another¡¯s. Bang bang, the pounding on the door gets louder but I hold it tight. I demand its power and the space before me shimmers and cracks. I stare into the crack and I see all of time and space, and yet the information is unknowable; far too complex for the mind of an individual mortal.

    So I look beyond it, and catch a glimmer. I reach for the light and grasp it within my hand.

    Fennis explodes in a rage of energy and the shock of it all startles my hazy mind to a clear. The light before me starts to fade and it is all I can do to hold on to a single fragment of what I found. I pull my arm from the void just in time to see Fennis slam into the wall of the arena. But I know he''s not dead. People like him do not die easily.

    As I fully separate my hand from the rift in space, along with it comes a blade as black as a raven. Pure onyx in its dominion, leading down to a hilt of ivory, adorned with a blood red gem at the tip. As the energy around the rift and me fades, the blade gains something it seemingly didn''t have before- a physical existence. I nearly crash forward at the sudden weight of the sword. It¡¯s nearly as heavy as a typical broadsword, I would guess, from one of the stories I¡¯ve read, yet near four feet in length.

    And indeed, when the full weight of the sword manifests, my arms drop and the sword stabs into the ground. Fennis swears loudly as he picks himself up and stares at me with unrestrained hatred. He dives at me with speeds far too fast for a normal man, and yet his speed appears normal to me. My sense have seemed to increase dramatically. I dive to the side and dodge his slash aimed at my midsection.

    ¡°The Zeroth will be so much more magnificent when I don its title,¡± Fennis says between slashes. He slashes high. Then he feints and goes low, into a slash diagonally. Every which way he slashes and chases me- his hair comes undone from its bun completely and flows through the air.

    Seeming to give up the chase, he halts where he stands and points his sword at me. Immediately my instincts kick in and adrenaline pumps faster than it has before, as the air around me grows chill.

    Fennis¡¯ hair shimmers in the light, ¡°Stop this now Fennis. Things don¡¯t have to be this way.¡± I shout across the arena at him but the chill intensifies.

    I drop flat on my stomach just in time to avoid pure crystallized ice as it splits the air in two. I roll to my side as he swings his sword down and the ice changes direction, seeking to eviscerate me from above. Again he moves his sword like a conductor and his baton, causing the ice to follow me. I dive out of the way and the ice slams into the side of the arena and shatters.

    I breathe a sigh of relief for a moment and then kick my body into over gear and charge after Fennis. It was only then that I noticed my mistake. Ice is ice, no matter the number of pieces. Near the halfway point of the arena, as I near the Onyx sword, my body is jolted forward in a burning freeze. The small shards of ice pierce my body all the way through from the back; and Fennis moves his sword again, sending the ice through my chest and limbs. Acting as a million tiny needles, the ice tears the skin it pierces and serrates the organs it digs through.

    I fall where I stand, the force from an attack from the back canceled out by the force from the frontal assault. I fall to my knees with my left arm draped over the hilt of the Onyx sword. The bend of my elbow catches the long, ivory handguard; and so I find myself in a half kneeling position. I¡¯m bleeding profusely from a thousand piercings of my flesh. No single shard of ice was large enough to immediately kill, having been shattered on the wall. But as the rain will shape mountains, so too will a thousand needles kill.

    My vision darkens and I notice Fennis in my periphery; with haggard breathing he lowers his sword- I say lowered, but it¡¯s more like his arm simply lost all power and falls to his side. The tip of his blade digs into the dirt. I rest my forehead on the flat of my blade¡­ my blade- how strange to say, to feel. Ten minutes ago it did not exist and now it feels as part of me as my own hands, hands growing colder by the minute.

    Drip, drip my blood paints the sands. I knew from the moment I entered this arena that I would die. But I swore to die having given my best; and I did better, better than my best ever could have been.

    I put the rest of my weight onto my head as my forehead, slick with sweat and blood, slides down the flat of my blade a small margin. I notice through my death haze Fennis finally getting his breathing together and finally approaches me; his sword leaving a trail in the sand as he stumbles my way.

    ¡°You sure are something, for a heretic. It¡¯s almost admirable. But after this show today, I don¡¯t think it will be possible to simply erase you from the books. Too much power that the public isn''t used to seeing, has been put on display. Indeed, decades have passed since I have used any a fraction of this power I possess. This battle today will become a legend, if only for my glory, and so you will be forced to continue existing in some form.¡± He says as he comes to a stop before me.

    He digs his sword tip further into the ground and uses his hilt and two hands to stabilize himself. He takes a moment to look around the arena, with a look in his eyes as if he only just now remembered that we had spectators all around us.

    ¡°In your own traitorous way, you have done me a favor, my Zeroth Knightling,¡± he adds insultingly.

    He returns his gaze to me and I feel a heat spread through me. Like the last warmth of a dying ember, just enough heat to stave off the cold of Death''s embrace for a moment more. I move just my eyes, for that is all I can muster, to meet his.

    Fennis¡¯ hair is disheveled and tangled. It''s returned to its normal blue color. He stares down at me with his red eyes, which have lost much of their glow and now fall closer to a brown; and I see for just a moment, an unfamiliar look before it quickly passes. It was a look I''ve never seen before. The look he gave me rushes through my mind as my mental library tries to make sense of it. There are many looks I had never received in my own world and much more I have been on the receiving end of since this hellish world has taken me. But this look is an unknown.

    ¡°Perhaps this was a test given to me by the Divines. Mayhap I was supposed to meet you, to be able to properly demonstrate my rightful rule over the Zeroth title.¡± He says in a flat voice, as if unable to believe even his own words. ¡°Or perhaps,¡± he says to me while dislodging his sword from the ground, ¡°This is just the way the world works. Maybe this is how the world pities us.¡± Pity¡­ pity. Pity, pity, pity, pity.

    That¡¯s the look I could not place. That¡¯s what his eyes said to me for the briefest of moments. Pity. Never in my life have I been pitied. Even when my parents died no one pitied me. They consoled me, sure, they told me things would get better- of course. But not pity. Never pity. Pity was reserved for those who cannot rise above their situation.

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    Pity is for those who have been given a station in life that they do not rise above. But pity, for me? Why?

    Why should he, of all people, pity me? I did my best. Even when I had given up, I did my best; and then I did better. My existence is going to be snuffed out, and yet I¡¯ll live as a legend. Centuries from now people will sing of me and the battle this day, even if they don¡¯t know it. So how could someone possibly pity me? Why has what I have done today, this miracle of miracles, not been enough to warrant praise?

    ¡°Tell me, Fennis,¡± I say through blood covered vision, darkened from my wounds; words lacking the crucial breath of life, ¡°Tell me, why do you pity me?¡±

    My sword warms my head and soothes my wounds as if comforting me. Fennis¡¯ eyes narrow, his brow furrows, but his eyes carry no anger. He simply states, as if the universe has decreed it a fact, ¡°Whatever pity I may have for you, is but the pity of the ants crushed beneath our heel this very day, this very quarrel.¡±

    ¡°Quarrel,¡± he says, as if admitting this fight was nothing to him.

    To Fennis, this was but another day. Sure, a strenuous day, one that will leave him sore tomorrow; but still just another day. I look him over and notice no severe wounds. Whatever blood that covered him has caked, and flaked off, revealing nearly no wounds. Perhaps I never wounded him, perhaps what blood I saw was my own. But maybe, he just heals faster than normal. Healing faster than normal¡­

    ¡°Stasis¡± and words like it pound through my head. Nina¡¯s words, as confusing as they are, reverberate through my mind. I do not pretend to understand most of what she said, but she did mention that I healed at an accelerated rate due to this¡­ ¡°stasis.¡± Meaning his wounds will heal, whatever damage he did suffer- meaning MY wounds may heal, were I not to die here and now.

    In truth, I did not know. But there was evidence. I feel better, if only marginally, than I did when I first collapsed. So, I¡¯ll die, but could live; yet live, while being pitied, despite doing my best. Again we approach the topic from before.

    ¡°Then, Fennis, we are at an impasse.¡± I say, sliding my left arm down, holding myself by my head, resting it on the sword- my sword. I wrap my fingers weakly around the Onyx sword¡¯s hilt.

    Fennis seems to have noticed a change in my demeanor- small, subtle, but a change nonetheless. He takes half a step back and glares down at me.

    ¡°Give it up and at least die with dignity, girl.¡± He spits out while hoisting the sword up to rest on his shoulder.

    ¡°See, that¡¯s my issue Fennis,¡± I snap back at him, while pulling up one knee and resting my right arm on it. Shakily I move my head, craning my neck to meet his glare with one of my own. ¡°Dignity, pride, these are the things I¡¯ve always had- always tried to have; and when I die, I have to die the way I lived.¡±

    I flip my hand upside down and grab the hilt of Onyx with whatever strength I can muster.

    ¡°Stay down girl, I¡¯m warning you. I will not kill you quickly if you keep defying your Lord.¡± He flips his sword off his shoulder, the force of which causes his hair to flap up, then down.

    I struggle. I struggle and my insides feel as if they¡¯re falling out; because part of them probably are. It¡¯s only just now that I notice how labored my breathing is, and how much a single breath hurts. I¡¯m sure he broke my ribs at some point.

    With more effort than anyone has the right to exert, I stand. I stand, and my left hand grips the hilt of my sword. This sword was heavier than I could hold before, when I was in such a better state. I also don¡¯t know how to fight with a sword, as they only exist in museums in my world, relics of the ¡°barbarians¡± of old.

    But I don¡¯t care. Hell, did I ever, really? I couldn¡¯t have possibly made Him love me, and I did. I couldn¡¯t possibly be in another world, and yet I am. I couldn¡¯t possibly be standing in an arena, fighting to the death, yet here I stand; head held high, chest as puffed out as it can be without breaking even more. So screw it. Once more, with feeling, I pull up on my sword with all of my strength.

    It¡¯s static, immobile. Once more the pounding slams at my head. So strong is it, that I physically start forward and have to catch myself.

    Fennis laughs, a haughty, condescending laugh. One filled with vitriol, with the kind of look you give a child who pretends.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine blade, pitied is it, to be used by you.¡±

    My sword seemingly grows hotter for a moment.

    He spits on the ground, ¡°Fine then, you have thirty seconds. I¡¯ll end you with a single swing in thirty seconds if you cannot move your sword.¡±

    I struggle with my sword, placing my right hand on it as well. I pull with even more strength and it refuses wielding. Fennis is looking down on me. He¡¯s pitying me, pitying my sword, pitying who I- who we are.

    The banging in my head causes physical tremors throughout my body now. I can hear Fennis in the background, counting mockingly, jostling the rowdy crowd of spectators. Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

    ¡°Move!¡± I shout at my sword. ¡°Please, move!¡± I scream to it.

    I notice Fennis with his venomous smile, mocking me for talking to just a sword. But he doesn¡¯t understand, this isn¡¯t just a sword. No way could it be. Even now, within my palms, I feel its heat. It¡¯s pulsing. I can imagine it, full of life, it would be a massive shock. Almost like¡­ I gasp audibly. Almost like a pounding. A slamming, pounding, tremor crashing through me.

    I am inside myself instantly, mentally, I stare at the door. In the distant background the crowd shouts, ¡°Ten! Nine! Eight!¡±

    I grab the door and shout to what¡¯s behind it, ¡°Just this once, just this single time, you will be free, and you will obey me.¡±

    The roaring sea of voices shouts, ¡°3! 2!¡± With no other choice I undo the ¡°lock¡± on my ¡°door¡± and in the real world, my very body itself spasms, my hands tight on the sword, and I am sent flying towards the arena wall. My body makes an audible crack as I leave an indention and slides to the ground.

    Fennis stares at me, completely flabbergasted. Yet ever in hubris, he shrugs his shoulders and charges at me. He intends to end me while I lay unconscious. Ten feet away from me, he stops. He simply halts. His blue hair glimmers and keeps going for a time after his stop, inertia carrying it forward. He pulls up his ice blade just in time to block a blow aimed at his neck. Before he knows what¡¯s happening, blocking or not, he¡¯s sent flying across the arena back to where he started.

    Fennis gathers himself and stands. What he sees before him makes him shudder.

    Before the First Knight stands, in all her glory, The Zeroth Knight. Eve stands before him, fifty feet away, yet her pressure is felt even here. She stands, dignified and proud. Her red hair, beautiful under different circumstances, has fallen completely out of her ponytail. It¡¯s length, greater than Fennis would have believed.

    But more startling is its color- a solid onyx with ruby red streaks through it. Emerald eyes stare back at Fennis, seemingly devoid of emotions. She, this Raven, tests her sword with a bored look. Swinging it this way and that. Then she looks toward Fennis, simply looks, and Fennis falls to his knees.

 Chapter 7 - R(ei)ven

    R(ei)ven

    Fennis looks across the arena and for the first time in his life, he fears. He fears, not for himself, for that is normal. One who stands at the top must always fear for their life, from heretics and fools both. No, Fennis fears for what has been unleashed. He senses it, and knows, none besides those who have trained for the Zeroth would notice- would notice that this, who stands before him now, is the apex. She stands before him as all that he would have; and so he¡¯ll take.

    ¡°Zero¡­¡± He says as he boosts himself into standing. ¡°Today is the day I prove to be the most worthy there has ever been.¡±

    His hair flashes a crystalline blue. Ice forms from seemingly nowhere; the mist and sweat, and blood that permeates the air gives way to death in its purity. Zero, expecting another attack like before braces herself. Instead, she watches as the ice envelops Fennis¡¯ sword. Little changes, yet the power of his blade is evident on the ice that encases the ground around him.

    This is Fennis. Fennis in whom all he could be, and is. Why did he not do this before?

    Who approaches ants with a bomb?

    Yet now, Zero realizes, they stand as not as equals- not entirely. Eve is still here, somewhere inside. But not all of her is here, not all at once. Within her resides another. But she remains in control, for the Raven honors the deal. And as before, swordplay is not her strength. Yet she is assisted by another. But this is her- Eve¡¯s fight; and here she plans to end it.

    ¡°Fennis Haslothun, I am Evangeline Sayagawa. But just this once, I am Zero,¡± I say, beside myself with wonder at the sound of my own voice. This is me, and this is not me. But I am who I am, and I will not be pitied. This was my choice and it is my responsibility to strip this snake of any more danger he could pose. I swing my sword, seemingly as light as a feather, and point its tip at Fennis. ¡°Come Fennis, let loose the dogs of war.¡±

    With the roar of hundreds, possibly thousands of people by now, as our gong, we move. Before sound could catch up, our swords have clashed. For every stab I do, Fennis parries. For every swing of his blade, slick with ice, he slides off my sword and knicks me. Back and forth we exchange blows. I land seemingly nothing, all the while I¡¯m suffered cuts here and there from his blade.

    I slash and he blocks. He swings a leg up and bashes in my thigh. I fall down and roll just in time to dodge his slash. On my way up I spin and put a gash across his stomach. Fennis backs off just enough to avoid a lethal blow and swings his sword side to side.

    ¡°Cur!¡± he screams while dashing towards me, sword held high. I throw my sword at him and in his surprise, he brings his blade down to knock it away. Using this opening I land an open-palm strike to his solar plexus and the shock of it knocks him back. But in his current state, a normal punch would do little to him, especially through his tunic.

    Using the momentum to carry me forward I snatch my blade off the ground and thrust it towards him. He catches my blade with his arm- literally. He allows the blade to sink into his flesh and bone, to avoid a pierced heart.

    Seeing the look on my face, he shoves himself forward with all of his might, forcing the blade to slide deeper through his arm, severing tendons and muscle alike. He slams his head into mine and my head shoots backward. Blood gushes from my nose as I drag my blade out of Fennis¡¯ left arm. He now carries the favor of momentum on his side. He swings at me, but I¡¯m too slow to react and he slices me from my right shoulder to my left hip.

    I begin to fall to my knees just in time to meet his knee, to my face. My torso snaps up and he brings the hilt of his sword crashing down onto my face. The pressure of his attack snaps my back, and I crumble to the ground.

    Yet I am not dead, and so I refuse to stay still. I roll to the side to avoid a blow that never came. I¡¯m confused but I don¡¯t drop the opportunity and I kick in Fennis¡¯ knee. With an audible crack, his leg snaps backward. As he falls into himself, I realize why he didn¡¯t take the opportunity to end me when he could have. His eyes are completely covered by blood. Blood from the wound on his face from his headbutt. In doing everything he could to change the direction of the fight, he handicapped himself by not only breaking my nose, but wounding his own forehead in the process. His own plan has backfired.

    Whether or not that kind of shattered leg is a recoverable wound I do not know. But I do know it will not heal soon. As I stand up, wounded, ragged, on death¡¯s door, I realize from the hair in my eyes, that I¡¯m me again. Just me. My red hair blazes under the sun, hanging in my eyes.

    I have no idea when it happened and the banging in my head has completely subsided. I look down at Fennis. He¡¯s clutching his leg, yet true to his nature, he makes no sound. He¡¯s suffering beyond human capacity from all of his wounds- fewer than I would have liked, perhaps his leg the most. I could relate to his pain, having experience myself, the pain that comes from the power of another world.

    Yet I am a fool. His wounds, some might, some minor, and his leg, while in pieces, are not the cause of his loss. Nor the blood in his eyes- foolish of me to have believed in such a small miracle. No, when I look closer, only then do I realize what¡¯s really wrong. Various parts of his body are¡­ blackened? Almost like¡­ frostbite¡­ ¡°Fennis¡­ you-¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t you dare! You¡¯re filth! You are nothing. You do not reserve the right to look at me, your enemy, with such eyes.¡± He makes to spit towards me, yet he¡¯s unable to even do that much.

    I see now why he had to be pushed so far, so hard, to unleash his true power. Of course such power would have severe repercussions. I stare down at my hands, my own hands, fully mine again; and I wonder to myself, what has been my cost this day? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I hear a laugh. Melodious, yet feminine. Deep, yet a high giggle. With that, I know my life will never be the same again, could never be the same again, regardless of how things go from here.

    ¡°Kill me you bitch. End me, and prove for all to see how powerful the heretic is!¡±

    Having nearly forgotten about where I was, and Fennis before me, I refocus my senses on the present. Fennis, for all his faults, is amazing. He wields power beyond nearly all who live. He has skill surpassed by none. Even on death¡¯s door he is proud in his defeat. Unlike me, foolish, foolish me, he accepts his fate; and does so while looking forward.

    I crouch down and tentatively try to pick up my sword, and to my surprise, it gives way. But I can tell it isn¡¯t because I¡¯m more powerful now. It isn¡¯t even because of the girl from before. No, it¡¯s because it¡¯s losing its place in this existence.

    I point my sword at Fennis¡¯ throat and say, ¡°I will not kill you.¡± If I was told before, that the crowd could be even louder than it has been before now, I would have never of believed it. Yet louder they are, and to my surprise, they start cheering, ¡°Zero! Zero! Zero!¡± accompanied by hollering and whistling. This aggravates me like nothing before. So I do something even I know to be an unmistakably bad idea. I swing my sword around and point it at what I believe to be the cause of everything- the people.

    Fennis is a cruel snake, done in by his own poison. But in another life, free of this bullshit, I truly believe he could have been more. He¡¯s no more responsible for who he is, than Rachel was responsible for who she was; both products of worlds that didn¡¯t agree with who they could have been.

    I slowly point my sword at everyone, dragging it across the rows of people, and ending at the King On High. Out of my periphery, I can hear the shouts of guards and the sound of gears turning, the gates rising. Leaving my sword levied against the King On High, I shout to his heavens, ¡°I will not kill Fennis! Do you hear me?!¡± He leans further over his balcony and studies me. As the guards surround me, pouring in from the direction this hell began, He simply holds up a hand and they stopped.

    Smiling, or at least it looks like smiling from here, he says, in his quiet, booming voice, ¡°So you¡¯ve said. You play a game none other are privy to. Pray tell, for all to hear, what the rules of it are.¡± If I¡¯m being honest, I don¡¯t know what to say, or what I even want to say. However, I do have a trump card to play. These people see me as something I am not. I can use that against them. I won¡¯t let Fennis die here; and there are no other options that could spare him anyways.

    Were I a hypocrite, I could place blame for everything on Fennis, and be justified in his death. But no more is that right, than allowing Rachel to have taken the blame for her own end. This time, however, I can make a difference. I will make the hard choice, even at the cost of everyone else''s disapproval. So once again I shout, this time not just for the King on High to hear, but for all to hear, ¡°I am the Zeroth Knight! And so I decree as such! I strip Fennis of his rank, his title, his home and lands. I strip him of his property and his respect. I banish Fennis Haslothun from our lands!¡±

    If there was any doubt at the smile on his face before, now I would be certain of it. For the King on High¡¯s smile is beaming; one could swear to see the sun in his demeanor. The crowd falls to a hush, and silence reigns supreme in our world as everyone waits to see what could possibly be the outcome of such indignity shown. Yet to everyone¡¯s surprise, the King on High merely nods.

    ¡°And so it shall be, Zero. Our Zeroth! Based on the claims of our Lord Knight, and the decision of the Kingship, Fennis Halsothun is hereby stripped of all that he is, and banished from our lands- as soon as his wounds are no longer life threatening. I trust this is acceptable to you, Zero?¡±

    As he speaks, my sword begins to dissipate. It is difficult to explain, for it is not disappearing. It¡¯s simply losing its continued physical form. As particles of it drift up into the air, he, the King On High, looks at me and I merely nod. I didn¡¯t even think about that.

    Oh god. I had meant to dissuade his death, and had the King On High listened to my demands at face value, he would have been left to die anyway. But luckily for me, someone with further reaching vision than my own, is the one who ultimately made the choice. Out of the corner of my eye, in the doorway of the arena from which my life was changed forever, I spy a little hairband sitting on top of yellow hair.

    As my sword fades away, I feel it, inside me. I know she¡¯s there, just behind my eyes. She¡¯s now wielding the sword, and waiting- patiently waiting. For what? I won''t ever let her out again. She¡¯s dangerous. I don¡¯t know how I know, but I do.

    The Raven will stay locked away, I will leave this world, and it will become a distant memory of a nightmare; and years from now, the details will fade and I will start to wonder if any of this was ever real, or if I had just had an amazingly realistic nightmare.

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t likely to go so well, my dear Eve.¡±

    I hear a voice echo in my mind. Yet in the real world, I turn and look behind me. The voice is right there, at the back of my mind, and it is real. Yet it is not without, it is within.

    All at once, as if my strings had been cut, I fall to the ground. My wounds renew their blood flow and my bones separate again into their broken state. As I once again fade into a thick darkness, wondering if I¡¯ll wake up at home, I hear her voice once again.

    ¡°Not so lucky are you, my dear Eve. Your time here is not done.¡± I curse myself, my luck, my life, and the world.

    For the world has no care about us or our circumstances. The world endlessly marches on, even if we do not.

 Chapter - 7.5 - Persona

    Persona

    When I wake up, I¡¯m alone, inside of what appears to be the same hospital as before. I look around expecting to find Nina, but I do not. After resting for a bit longer, I get fed up with no one coming to visit me, after that horrendous ordeal with Fennis, and decide to leave the room. My legs were shaky at first, as if they weren¡¯t quite prepared to do their job. However, I force each step, and make my way out of my room, and down the hall to some stairs. It¡¯s only thanks to the moon through the windows that I¡¯ve even made it this far.

    The stairs look daunting to me, as if they extend below, forever. But I brave each step, one by one. Proving my fear wrong, I¡¯m able to make it to the bottom, where the squeak of floorboards meets me. They¡¯re deafening loud in the darkness.

    I don¡¯t quite understand why, but I make no move after the sound, for fear of someone having heard me. That, of course, makes no sense. I got here somehow, so obviously, someone wanted me alive. I wasn¡¯t restrained, so no one has taken me prisoner. So if there is anyone here, they¡¯d be friendly. Yet judging by everything I¡¯ve seen so far, I¡¯m probably alone. Perhaps Nina or whoever else, went home for the night. Though I¡¯m fairly sure there¡¯s always supposed to be doctors around though, in case a patient decides to do what I¡¯m doing.

    Even still, I tip-toe myself to the door. As tenderly as I can, I push the door open, despite the might it protests with. Once outside, the world is significantly brighter. It¡¯s dark, yes, but the blue-ish grass before me is glorious and bright in how the light reflects off of the morning dew. I approach the center of the yard, close my eyes, and take in the world around me. Like this, it hardly seems like the past twenty-four hours have been real. Though I suppose if Nina was telling the truth, it¡¯s actually been sometime over three weeks. But I have to believe it for what it is. If there has been anything my Grandpa has successfully instilled within me, it¡¯s to believe what I see with my own eyes.

    I stretch my mind to take in what has happened to me, and to compile it in a more organized manner. From the beginning, I was on my way to meet Him, the one whom I was going to reciprocate the feelings for. I liked Him, and he confessed to liking me. But it¡¯s because I liked him, that I had asked for some time to get my thoughts together before I answered Him, and we became a couple. I didn¡¯t wanna rush into anything, especially something important. I made the mistake of not thinking enough when Rachel¡­ was around.

    On my way to him, or perhaps I should say the entire day, I felt bad. I was constantly having hot flashes, and turning cold, as if matching the descriptions in old medical textbooks of what the, ¡°common cold,¡± was like. That was eradicated long before my time, however, so I only have the writings to go on. It¡¯s not that people don¡¯t get sick in my world, but diseases are as tenacious as any other creature, and they¡¯ve evolved so much as to be unrecognizable to the people of the past. But I pushed through my body¡¯s protest and went to meet Him.

    I heard his voice. Yes, I never saw him, but I know I heard his voice. That much is true. It might be from the shock of everything that has happened since I arrived here, but I¡¯m having trouble remembering what he looked like. But I¡¯m sure that will clear up after a few days of rest. So let''s ignore that, and continue to organize my thoughts.

    As I heard from him, I felt myself fall. I experienced what could only be called a hallucination of some kind, and ended up here, in this world. The doctor woman, Nina, nursed me to health. But her troubles were in vain because Charlotte was sent to take me away, and I was forced to fight Fennis. I had no intention to do so, but he made me.

    That brings me to one harrowing thing that has happened to me since I got here, that girl. I don¡¯t know who the hell she was but ultimately, she sort of took control of me, kind of. But regardless, it¡¯s with her help, that I beat Fennis. However, I refused to allow him to die. So I came up with a plan. I don¡¯t know exactly how I knew my plan would work, but it did. I banished Fennis from these lands.

    That brings me to yet another issue since I¡¯ve arrived here. I don¡¯t feel like myself. I have these, like, thoughts in the back of my mind. Not quite strong enough to really be able to go searching for, but just barely strong enough to be reached by my subconsciousness when the need arises. This cannot be good for my brain.

    Our personalities are partially genetic, yes, but are also significantly more influenced by our environment and our experiences. So if I have some¡­ one else¡¯s thoughts inside of me, what is that going to do to my personality? Furthermore, these, ¡°locals¡± seem to see me, truly see me and recognize me, as this other entity. This, ¡°Zeroth Knight,¡± of theirs, also seems to be incredibly influential

    ¡°Yeah, so. You¡¯ve figured all of this out, that¡¯s great, but what are you going to do about it?¡± A voice calls out to me.

    I frantically turn around but don¡¯t see anything or anyone. I look in every direction around me, but to no avail.

    ¡°Tough luck, girl. You won¡¯t find me. You cannot find me.¡± The voice, I¡¯m only now realizing, is echoing inside of me. ¡°My, you are an observant one. Many have taken upon these burdens, but they were not able to retain who they are, for as long as you have. What say you, girl?¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you want from me? Wait, I recognize your voice. Or rather, I don¡¯t recognize it, so that means you must be that bitch inside of me, the one who told me that things aren¡¯t destined to go well with me.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk. Language young lady. And I assure you, things are never easy for you and yours.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. But I¡¯m having none of this. Return me home right this instant!¡± My shouting echoes through the night and comes back to me from the trees.

    ¡°I did not bring you here Eve, but I would, surely, never send you away. You are important to me. You will lead me to what I desire.¡± Her voice lets out an almost hissing sound, one so full of evil.

    ¡°Then show yourself, and I¡¯ll take you down now.¡± The voice echoes around me in amusement.

    ¡°You? A girl who has shrugged off the life her father-figure has imposed upon her? You could not even defeat that cur from before without assistance.¡± Her words pull at me. They threaten to overwhelm me in their brutal honesty.

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll do better, and I¡¯ll take you down. So come out dammit. And, how the hell do you know anything about me?.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do no such thing. I will watch you struggle, and watch you forget. You are volatile of both mind and emotions. You will do my bidding girl, I will make sure of it.¡± Her words are unsettling, and devoid of answers.

    ¡°I will absolutely not. Whatever you are, I may not understand, but I do understand that you are evil. And if I can¡¯t stop you, I¡¯ll tell Nina and whoever else will listen, and they¡¯ll put a stop to your wickedness.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Her syllables are long, drug out, and they hang between us. ¡°You see yourself as some knight now? After mere hours awake in this world?¡±

    She¡¯s right, where is this coming from? I don¡¯t have it within me to be the kind of person who would say such things. I¡¯m a coward at heart. All I want is to go home.

    ¡°That is truly, all you desire, girl?¡± I feel guilt, and I feel despair. But I cannot lie about who I am, so I nod.

    ¡°But you leaving here, does not bode well for my plans, so I deny your motion.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but grind my teeth in anger at this woman. She¡¯s so cocky, so grating, that I want nothing more than to wring her neck. But those thoughts stiffen me. I am not a violent person, so, again, where is this coming from?

    Her laugh cuts across what feels like the entirety of the world, to me. ¡°So, even one such as you cannot resist in full. It is happening.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? What do you mean? Where are these emotions and thoughts coming from? Why do I have memories within me, that are not my own?¡±

    ¡°Little by little, who you are is fading, girl, as I have designed, as I have destined. Just give into it, and become who you ought to be.¡±

    ¡°I ought to be no one. I am me godsdamnit. I will not-¡± my words are cut off by an extreme feeling of vertigo. ¡°W-wh-what is this?¡± I fall to my knees and use every ounce of my strength to resist falling over even more.

    ¡°Hush now Eve. Fall into your role, and play it out. Exist simply for existence sake.¡±

    ¡°No-no I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t let you win. I just want to go home. That¡¯s all I want. I don¡¯t want to fight, I don¡¯t want to resist, and I don¡¯t want to be anyone else but me. All I want is my old life back.

    ¡°I can give that to you Eve, if you were to just follow what I say.¡±

    ¡°The snake always bites the hand that feeds,¡± I mumble deliriously. Whatever it is she¡¯s doing to me, I can feel it inside of me, altering me. I sense the tug of my strings, and feel as they are misshapen and molded. I can feel who I am, being overridden. I want to stay me. Please, oh please, just stay me. If there is anything, or anyone out there, please, please, help me.

    ¡°I shan¡¯t bite the hand, but reward the service. Give unto me the path I desire, and you can be on your way.¡±

    ¡°I-Is¡­ is¡­ that true? Are you telling the truth? If I simply let you¡­ change me. You will release me at the end?¡± Why am I asking this? Is it the nauseous feeling in my gut? Is it the nerves or the pain I feel in my head, as I am being altered? Or is it¡­ is it words that fall forth, from the altercation itself? Has it already begun? Just, who am I now? Who am I becoming?

    ¡°All things in time Eve. So go, give in, and become who you were always destined to be. It¡¯s a simple task really. It requires so, so, so little effort. Merely exist, and do not question. Merely accept, and venture with the flow. Be as a sheep, unto your shepherd, and I shall guide you.¡±

    ¡°Ye...s.¡± I try to resist. I do. I try so hard to force my throat closed, to prevent those evil, heinous words from breaking free. But it doesn¡¯t work. I can¡¯t. I have lost, and I have fallen in every way. My dignity is in shatters, for I am a coward. I tried to do everything I could to make Rachel proud, and now, it has all been for nothing.

    I can feel the darkness at my periphery, and I know I have become just another victim. And so, I give in, I allow the darkness to encroach upon me as it wishes. Yet deep within my mind, deeper than even the darkness can penetrate, I can make out two orbs of pure gold, illuminating a swath of righteousness. They are unmoving, and do not waver. They do not speak, nor do they act. They merely observe. I cannot but help feel that they are judging me, and my weakness- my choices.

    I know I cannot resist, and when I awake next, most of who I am, will be gone- I will be a living husk of who was once known as, ¡°Eve.¡± Yet if those eyes could be my guide, if those novas within the void could be my future- if my future could exist within their warmth, then I will use everything I have left and impart all of my wishes, and all of my desires, to them. I will seal off a small portion of who I am.

    And if I am, at my core, anything like which I believe myself to be, maybe that core will be the ember spark that ignites a whirlwind of rebellion, the likes of which, will fight back against the darkness.

 Chapter 8 - Wives Tale - Part 1

    Wive''s Tale - Part 1

    I¡¯m dreaming, I think. It''s awfully realistic to be a dream. I''m sitting around a table, adorned in the finest of silken tablecloths. On the table lays all kind of food- some I''ve seen, some that can''t possibly exist in my world.

    My world¡­ right. I was pulled from my world and before I could even begin to wrap my head around the situation I was thrown into a life and death fight against a man who has no equal. I move my head with some effort, finally moving my eyes up and off the table. The first thing I notice makes my breath catch. There, opposite me, sits a woman. A woman I have never seen, but feel as if I''ve known my entire life; and she is striking. She''s pale, with slightly sunken features, but a sharp glare- of which she has focused on me. Which is odd to say considering she has her eyes closed; but I know she''s glaring at me in annoyance behind those closed off eyes.

    ¡°You shouldn''t be here Eve.¡±

    She says as she brings an old-fashioned teacup to her lips. She is remarkably graceful in both movement and posture. For the first time, she opens her eyes and they shine a deep gold. She places them on me, and seems to stare through me. Without actually acknowledging me with her eyes, she continues, ¡°Eve. Why are you here?¡±

    I''m in a daze, completely and wholly filled with and trapped by this woman. I can''t make out what she says, and so she repeats herself, with an edge in her voice. My head jerks to the side marginally as if physically pulled on. I stare into her eyes and nearly lose myself. All I want is to fall into them; to give into the dominance they exude. I want to become one with them and lean forward across the table. With her golden eyes transfixed on the space behind me, she lowers her cup.

    I''m leaning further over the table now, near laying on it. This woman, with solid black hair that rolls in waves down her back, makes a small clatter as her cup meets with a small plate. The sound is like a gun firing and shakes me at my core. I come to my senses and jerk back with such force that I nearly tip my chair backward.

    I''m finding the ceiling fascinating all of a sudden and I notice this ¡°ceiling¡± is just darkness. ¡°What the hell is this? ¡° I say to the ceiling, expecting no retort.

    ¡°The top is never visible to we so far below,¡± says the dominating woman across from me.

    I tilt my head to the side and I''m greeted by more darkness and say, ¡°And the sides?¡± The woman tilts her head to the side, some of her hair sliding over her shoulder in all of its Onyx glory.

    ¡°To our sides, the unknowable, for we are alone as we now stand.¡±

    She adjusts her eyes to the center of the table as if lost in thought for a moment. She amends, ¡°Or as we sit, currently.¡±

    She slides her finger around the rim of her teacup. ¡°You just made all of that up, didn''t you?¡± I say as my head slides back down and I make conscious effort to avoid her wonderful, intoxicating eyes. ¡°That kind of sophistry is bull. And we both know that''s not what I was talking about.¡±

    ¡°Why did you just try to take all that I am?¡± I ask, my breathing irregular. For reasons I don''t understand I slide my hand across the table and I grab her extended finger from the cup. As if it¡¯s the most interesting thing to ever have happened, she stares with fascination as I hold her index finger in my hand.

    ¡°I can do nothing without your permission. That was our deal.¡± She says and for the first time, I notice a small red creeping across her cheeks.

    ¡°So I''m not crazy. You''re Her aren''t you? You''re the Thing Behind My Door- the Raven.¡± Her eyes go wide and she takes her hand from mine and for the first time, her eyes meet mine.

    I''m nearly blown away by such pressure. This isn''t like earlier. There isn''t an inviting pull but a dismissing push. She''s glaring at me full on, anger and sadness are reflected in her eyes. I look away and clear my throat, ¡°Why am I here Raven? Did I die after my fight with Fennis?¡±

    She adjusts her look to her cup and I physically feel the pressure lessen. ¡°You should not be here. You need to leave- now.¡± She jerks her head up and I fly from the table. I slam into nothingness and I feel my world go bright. I realize this for what it is, rejection.

    ¡°Raven what are you doing?!¡± I shout through gritted teeth. Before the world is fully engulfed in white, I hear a small voice follow my consciousness out of this darkness, ¡°Rei¡­¡± is the only small word I can make out.

    I awake screaming at the top of my lungs. The pain is mortifying and insufferable. Every part of me is on fire and I feel cold on the inside. I start convulsing as I feel arms all around me holding me down. There''s shouting, and someone''s giving orders to the others. My head jerks to the side and I vomit a thick, dark sludge everywhere. As the convulsions slow, I start making out bits and pieces of the conversation around me. I hear about ¡°patient¡± and ¡°experiment successful.¡±

    Amongst other medical and what could only be called ¡°magical¡± jargon, I can make out a familiar voice. My insides still feel as if they''re frozen but I can tell Nina is here, somewhere. That knowledge alone causes me to relax for just a moment.

    Once everything has calmed down and my breathing has returned to normal, do I finally feel my mind clearing. I can loosely make out that I''m inside of some ¡°hospital¡± for lack of a better term. It''s a lot less than what I would be used to from my world, but as with everything else in this world, this hospital also seems old.

    I recognize the yellow hair through the crowd of rushing people and I crack out in a loose voice, ¡°Nina¡­¡± and like Moses parting the Red Sea, the crowd divides. At the end of it lies Nina with some kind of bundle of documents in her arms. She gives a weak smile that betrays her exhaustion and starts her way towards me. I feel profound guilt as she makes her way here. I''m the cause of her exhaustion, I just know it. Whatever has happened since I''ve been out, I have a feeling she hasn''t left my side.

    Nonetheless, when she arrives by my side, the first thing she does is lightly grip my hand. I muster as much of a squeeze as I can, but much to my dismay my grip is light. As she stares down at me I feel elated, but tired. The exhaustion wins and my brief reprieve into the waken world falls away, and I am asleep.

    When I awake later I don''t feel too bad. I''m alone in the familiar room I woke up in after I first came to this world. The near familiar ceiling stares down at me as I lay on my back. It''s a quiet moment of contemplation reserved for just me. The first thing to cross my mind is that Raven girl. ¡°Rei,¡± I mutter to myself. She¡¯s still here, inside me. I can feel the low hum of a whisper inside the back of my mind. But when I call, there¡¯s no answer; so I push those thoughts aside for now.

    I wiggle my toes, at least I''m not paralyzed. That''s a silver lining. My fingers also seem to move. Check. Now my neck. I slowly, tentatively, move my head side to side as if checking for any possible breaks. In the middle of my little routine, I hear someone clear their throat. In surprise, I jump a little and let out a pathetic little squeak.

    I look further to my right than I had previously, and see a woman I don''t recognize. She looks at me with a reserved, awkward smile. Her eyes shine with an amethyst sheen. Her smile dances into a brilliant glow and I have to resist physically looking away. As she bows her head in respect I see her hair, a dark shade of purple, tied in a high ponytail, bobs with her. ¡°Good morning my Lord,¡± she offers as she stands. Her posture is perfect and restrained.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    She takes small steps to me and stops before my bed. I look her up and down, and the first thing I notice is her lithe form, more for mobility and speed than power.

    My eyes travel up the rest of her and I see a small hint of red coloring her cheeks. I''m still half asleep, so I try to correct her misunderstanding, I don''t know why. And so I proceed to promptly place my foot in my mouth.

    ¡°Oh, no. I didn''t mean to make you embarrassed. I promise I wasn''t being a creep. I was only checking you out¡­ no! Wait-¡± This girl¡¯s face is nearly on fire.

    If I could say for just a moment, as an aside, I could see this girl easily being the kind that people love to tease. I''ve never seen someone go red from their neck to the tip of their ears. But no! That''s not the point!

    ¡°Um! No! I just mean your body is- no. No no. What I''m trying to say is-¡± I''m quieted by her small finger, laid upon my lips. Her hand is soft in that way usually associated with women, yet it''s callused in just the way I thought it might be.

    ¡°My Lord, my name is Mimelia Gladus. Now let''s start over before we both die of embarrassment. I would deeply desire to know your reasons for searching my body so¡­ intently.¡±

    My breath catches at her calling me out, and her insinuation. ¡°Err. I''m Evangeline. You can call me Eve. And I was ¡°searching¡± your body because I could tell from your movements that you did martial arts.¡± Her pretty face turns sour, as if she were expecting another reason. I can''t imagine what else she wanted me to say but that''s a dangerous line of thought, so I dismiss it and go to open my mouth when she- Mimelia cuts me off.

    ¡°Astute, my Lord.¡± Mimelia says, neither confirming nor denying my statement.

    ¡°Listen,¡± I continue, ¡°I didn''t mean to upset you. And now I''ve made you mad. I''m sorry Mimi.¡± She takes a half step back, possibly from my casual comment. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± I say, ¡°Is that not ok? God, why am I so awkward right now?¡± I bury my head in my hands.

    I suddenly feel a cool hand sliding through my hair, comfortingly. For just a moment my head pounds. ¡°It''s no issue my Lord. I simply haven''t heard that name since I was but a girl.¡±

    Truth be told though, she couldn''t have been older than me and I''m only seventeen. For all intents and purposes, she is still a girl, but I neglect to say that.

    ¡°I see. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it to be demeaning. I just thought it suited you, ne?¡± I mentally kick myself for my casual attitude. What''s wrong with me? I''m always on guard and yet I''m being a fool, a jerk even.

    I pull on my red hair and twist it around my fingers. My stomach is in knots and I don''t even know why. I extend my other hand and hold it out in front of me for a handshake. During all of this embarrassing interaction, I''ve managed to pull myself up into a half sitting position using the headrest and pillows.

    If I''m being honest, even holding my hand out like this is exhausting me. I wish she''d just shake already dangit. Mimi studies my hand for a moment before placing her hand in mine. As I go to shake, she flips my hand over, brings my hand up some as she lowers herself down. Before I have any chance to correct her misunderstanding, her lips connect with the back of my hand and it is like a mix of fire and lightning attacks my system. The sensation is so strong that I can''t even pull away. Instead, it''s as if my hand and her lips have melted into one.

    No sooner then she started, she ended. She raises her head up with a sheepish grin on her face and a touch of red colors her cheeks. ¡°Well met my Zeroth Knight.¡± She says as she sets on the edge of my bed, far too casually for someone she just met. No one in my world would have thought of doing something like this. She doesn''t act like she felt what I felt so I ignore that sensation for now. ¡°How are you feeling, my Lord?¡± She says while placing a hand on my head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I think. Actually, that¡¯s kind of important. What the hell happened? How long was I out? What¡¯s happened to Fennis?¡± I fire off question after question in rapid succession and it¡¯s not long before I notice Mimi¡¯s eyes glazing over. I blush lightly and look down. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say. Why am I blushing? Why am I sorry? What the hell is going on with me?

    ¡°What happened to you is long and varied. Suffice to say, you were beaten and broken, and we made you better, with no small contribution from your ability to enter stasis.¡± I hear a voice before I see a person. It comes from the hallway but it¡¯s a voice I would never forget.

    She continues when she appears in the doorway, Nina says, ¡°You were out for the better part of a week.¡± The words spill from her as her yellow hair bounces with each step towards me. She continues, step by step, ¡°It''s amazing to think of how utterly devastated you were and yet you recovered quicker than you did with the Transcendence. Remarkable really.¡± Nina approaches my side, much to the seemingly annoyed Mimi''s dismay. Again she continues-

    ¡°Fascinating really. This is new information worthy of research. Is the Transcendence really so destructive? Never before has another, in medical history, suffered for so long after it. Yet then again, women have never been candidates for the Zeroth. Or perhaps you did suffer more in your fight with Fennis; yet due to that amazing power you displayed, you are able to recover far faster than the current research suggests. My, how fascinating. See, the only real way to test it would be to poke and prod you more; maybe a cut here, maybe a cut there, and see what happens.¡±

    Nina¡¯s eyes flash, and she continues in her machine gun way, ¡°After all, you¡¯ve already shown yourself to be a glutton for punishment. I mean, how else are we to explain how you allowed things to progress to such a level, ne?¡± I don¡¯t really understand why, but Nina¡¯s mad. I don¡¯t understand at all, but she¡¯s definitely, definitely mad. Fennis was terrifying in his own right, but, and no offense to him, the look in Nina¡¯s eyes is quite possibly the most terrifying thing I¡¯ve ever seen.

    A cold sweat assaults me as the words continue to fly from Nina¡¯s mouth. All she said to me, I won''t repeat here; her rebukes are long, and varied. Out of the corner of my eye I see even Mimi, who looked so annoyed before, seeming transfixed on everything but me. I know we only just met, but come on! I don¡¯t have any other allies!

    Nina seems to be running out of breath because, for the first time, she stops talking, and inhales deeply. Her glare on me is angered, but not murderous- thankfully. ¡°I, um, I-I don¡¯t wanna be poked and probed¡± I say with my eyes half in fake tears. At the sight of this, Nina simply sighs, then giggles. ¡°Of all that was said, that¡¯s the part you feel important to comment on?¡± Nina says through an even deeper laugh. I am barely able to contain my own giggle as I notice Mimi doing the same at my periphery.

    Nina¡¯s expression slowly returns to normal and she gives me a look of disbelief and says in a huff, ¡°And I said prod, not probe.¡± At that, we all laugh again, even Mimi is no longer able to hold back and joins us. As we recover and wipe the tears from our eyes, I grew somber in my complexion and ask, ¡°And Fennis?¡±

    At this, Nina¡¯s face is crestfallen, but she recovers- or what she thinks to be recovered- and says, ¡°As was ordered, as was done.¡± She relays with her head half bowed, and her bun barely containing her yellow hair, with strands sticking out every which way. I am once again assaulted by feelings of guilt over what I must have put her through.

    ¡°Nina, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve worried you.¡± I reach out with my hand and lightly grasp her fingers. I¡¯m now realizing once again just how weak I am; again I¡¯m tempted to fall into sleep''s embrace, but I resist as much as I can. I see a hint of a smile in Nina¡¯s eyes before it¡¯s gone, replaced by apprehension. She rotates her head marginally. As if continuing to hide the cause of her apprehension, she only looks out of her periphery.

    But the cause of her actions is clear, behind and to Nina¡¯s right, stands Mimi with shoulders held high, and chest struck out- all of probably five foot, three inches of herself. She¡¯s staring daggers at where our hands meet. She¡¯s bristling with unrestrained anger. Before anything comes of it, Nina slides her fingers out of my hand and turns to Mimi while clearing her throat and saying, ¡°Mistress Mimelia, Zero appears to be in good enough shape, if still sleep deprived.¡± How did she know? Do I look as bad as I feel?

    Nina continues to Mimi, ¡°Therefore, in the morning you may take her home. Do you have any questions?¡± Then Nina stutters for a second before seemingly correcting herself, ¡°Questions related to the Zeroth¡¯s health, I mean.¡± At this, the anger on Mimi¡¯s face mostly fell away. She still had an indignant look cast towards Nina but she replies, ¡°That will be all Ninavin.¡± She spits Nina¡¯s name with such disgust that Nina flinches; and I want nothing more but to scold Mimi. But it¡¯s none of my business.

    Ultimately I¡¯m an outsider here in this place and don¡¯t understand what is going on or why. So I do what I feel I¡¯ve earned the right to do- I run, by giving into sleep¡¯s embrace.

 Chapter 8 - Wives Tale - Part 2

    Wive''s Tale - Part 2

    I wake up to the caress of the sun''s morning rays. The world is largely silent, so at first I think I''m hearing things. But as I focused my attention I realized I could hear what sounds like shouting coming from somewhere else. With a copious amount of effort, I pull myself out of the bed and stand.

    It takes more energy than I¡¯d like to admit, and far too long, but I managed to shuffle to the door. As I tentatively pull it open I realize, this will be the first time I''ve seen the outside of this room. I mean sure, that''s technically not true but I was in far too much of a panic to take note of anything last time due to Charlotte and her goons¡­ Charlotte, I wonder how she''s doing. I can''t imagine why I''m thinking of her, so I shake the thoughts from my head.

    I peek my head out and check to see no one around. I guess I''m not a prisoner. I follow the sounds of shouting and I slowly hear things like, ¡°...monstrous bitch!¡± and ¡°I won''t tell you again¡­¡± but it''s muffled. As I make my way through the upstairs hallway I take note of how barren it is. I suppose there¡¯s little need for aesthetics in a hospital, but this is strange. I don¡¯t even see any other staff.

    I make my way downstairs, following the shouts as they increase in intensity. Words are flying, and people are clearly pissed. As I reach a wooden door, I have just a moment to myself to contemplate whether this is a good idea or not. But against my better judgment, and with significant effort, I push the door open.

    As I slide in between the doors to stand in the large, dome-like room within, I notice a set of five eyes on me. I feel extremely self conscious, like a child whose been caught doing something bad. My eyes dart around and I see Nina and her yellow hair, standing in the middle of four women I don¡¯t know. Well, I recognize Mimi, but I can hardly say I ¡°know¡± her.

    ¡°My Lord¡­¡± each murmur in turn. I see that Nina¡¯s head is bowed, and though she tries to hide it, the tears are obvious. At the sight of the girls surrounding Nina, my vision flashes with anger. I immediately want to rip them to pieces, and if the pounding inside my head is any indication, Rei would indulge me; though I can¡¯t understand why. That thought alone terrifies me and causes my anger to abate. Nonetheless it¡¯s obvious enough to tell what¡¯s been going on.

    It takes effort, but I march towards them, prepared to reprimand them when suddenly a woman I do not recognize speaks up, ¡°Ah. My Lord. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve happened upon this. But I swear upon your honor that it is not what it looks like, not wholly. Jealousy is simply ugly, but common,¡± she says while looking towards the others. She¡¯s definitely the oldest of the group, easily mid-twenties. Her hair is a beautiful white and in a single long braid that nearly touches the floor. Her eyes are a blue that would not be entirely out of place in my world. ¡°Pray, if only for me, forgive them and their quarrel,¡± she says, gesturing to the others.

    Her eyes are soft but stern, like a mothers. She¡¯s wearing clothes that match the other girls in the room, besides Nina and myself. She¡¯s in a robe that is draped over her simply, and it reaches down to her ankles. The robe is a deep green and carries a symbol on the front in red, of what appears to be a man receiving a piece of fruit from another. Her voice carries a sensual charm to it that comes from deep inside, just behind her sternum- a sternum hidden behind an awfully large pair of breasts.

    ¡°Why the hell is that something I¡¯m noticing?¡± I mentally berate myself for being weird- weird all morning. This woman, and her assets, comes complete in a package deal of about five ten. She¡¯s definitely the second tallest woman I¡¯ve seen here, beaten only by Charlotte who¡¯s easily over six foot.

    ¡°I am Rosaline Vitrious, my Lord,¡± she says while giving me a half bow.

    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful enough to justify the name,¡± I think; when suddenly Mimi speaks up.

    ¡°Please, like you had no part in this. The moment I told you about them holding hands you immediately got mad,¡± she says towards Rosaline; and Rosaline betrays her motherly temperament and snaps back, ¡°You made it significantly more salacious sounding than just holding hands, girl. Even I have my limits and you are pushing them. I swear to our King that I will do worse to you than that fool Fennis did to himself,¡± she says sharply to Mimi.

    There¡¯s a twinge of pain in my chest at the reminder of what happened to Fennis. Seemingly picking up on my mood, another girl turns to me with a tilted head. When I notice her, a shock runs through me.

    This girl has frightening eyes. Not due to any particular expression, but due to the lack of any expression at all. Her face is framed by a bob cut that may be just a tad too cute to be on someone like her. Her eyes are a deep yellow and are set deep within a sunken valley of death; though I suppose that¡¯s rude of me to say. But I can¡¯t help it.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Much like Mimi, this woman wears who she is on the surface- and what she wears is a death mask. This woman has killed, and not just once. And yet more than the blood of bygone people, it¡¯s her hair that stands out most. Her hair is a nondescript brown that would fit in perfectly in my world; and that doesn¡¯t fit at all with what I¡¯ve seen of this world. In this world, if you are powerful, it shows in your features. This world is more honest in that way, than my world ever could hope to be.

    But this girl, who stands probably an inch or two higher than me- and I stand a solid five foot five- exudes power. She must be ten feet away from me, but she was able to pick up on the subtle changes within me from the guilt; and I¡¯m sure even from this distance, she could strike me down if she chose.

    But she doesn¡¯t. She simply makes sure to catch my eye, and lightly nods her head, as if trying to reassure me. It¡¯s a strange gesture, made cute by its juxtaposition to her countenance. This causes me to present her a wide smile, much as I try not to. ¡°Pff. It was still salacious, even it means nothing to you. As one who gets around, I¡¯d imagine hardly anything could trigger your sensitivities.¡± This time, Mimi¡¯s words seem to cut deep.

    Rose¡¯s brow furrows deeply and you can tell she is about to explode. The entirety of the air temperature around us suddenly drops dramatically.

    In my already weakened state, the suddenly cold shock forces me to lose my balance. Luckily the girl with the bob cut from before is behind me to hold me up; but holy hell how did she manage that? ¡°Dang you¡¯re fast¡± I say, quickly and quietly enough for only her to hear.

    It¡¯s only then that I realize she has her arms around me in an embrace. The palms of her hands rest on my stomach. Realizing just how amazing this feels makes me about to scream when she speaks up so quietly that I have to stop panicking enough to even figure out if she actually said something.

    ¡°My Lord,¡± she says in a low voice, as bereft of emotion as I expected. ¡°You must be careful,¡± she says to me while helping me stabilize my footing, and pulling her arms away from me- her warmth amongst this cold is greatly missed. I look back to the others and notice everyone looking at this girl and I. Even Nina is peaking up from her downcast to look at us.

    I clear my throat and speak, ¡°I don¡¯t really get what¡¯s going on, but whatever you all did just made me nearly fall over. I¡¯m still pretty weak right now and don¡¯t really think having everyone be in a bad mood is good for me. So if possible, can we all make nice?¡± As the last word leaves me, my stomach growls.

    I feel a blush creep to my cheeks and say, ¡°And I¡¯m hungry, apparently.¡± As if to add to how horrible I feel, along with the hunger pains, my head pounds a few times. The force is, once again, enough to cause me to jerk forward in the real world. But this girl catches me once again. She just silently stares at me as I try to recover myself. ¡°Thank you¡­ um,¡±

    ¡°Smith, Kay¡± is all she says to me as she once again separates herself from me. How bland of a name. But man, was that rude of me to think or what?

    I also notice the cold feeling is gone now, thankfully; so even without Kay¡¯s warmth, I¡¯m doing fine now.

    The women all look at me as if they just kicked a puppy. Suffice to say, they¡¯ve been properly scolded¡­ somehow¡­ ¡°Uh, alright then, so what¡¯s the gameplan Nina?¡± At the sound of her own name, Nina jerks her head up to meet my gaze.

    Only it¡¯s then that I have flashbacks to Charlotte and quickly scan the people around me. They all have varying degrees of concealed anger. Mimi is as you would expect to find her; eyes squinted and with a furrowed brow, both directed towards Nina. Rose is more contained, but the small glare she offers towards Nina is still present. To my surprise, Kay¡¯s look gives off the most hostility. However, her hostility feels a little different than that of the others. Kay¡¯s seems almost protective. Of what, I don¡¯t know.

    I look toward where I remember there being another girl, but I can¡¯t find her. I look all around me and notice the beautiful architecture. The walls are adorned with various pictures of the world around us, as well as a few portraits of the King On High and others I do not recognize. I feel a strange sense of disconnect as if the reality doesn¡¯t mix with what I see.

    I move my attention back to the crowd, pushing the thought of another woman from my mind and continuing, ¡°Oh. Sorry. I''m Evangeline. But you can all call me Eve and-¡± I stop myself there because I knew by the look on their faces that not a single one of them had any intention of calling me by my name. I sigh and shift my weight from one leg to another while slowly scanning the faces of every woman in the room. Truth be told they''re all beautiful in their own way. Any man would be lucky to have any one of them.

    That thought causes the pounding in my head to burst like a tsunami against me. I start to fall to my knees and with speed I wouldn''t have believed, a woman is there to hold me up. As I move my head to thank Kay, I find myself staring deep into green eyes. A strand of yellow hair dangles teasingly between us as I recognize Nina. Possibly noticing the disbelief on my face, she clears her throat and helps me back to my feet.

    Nina let''s go of me but uses her right hand, on the small of my back, to turn me towards the crowd of women again. I notice a shadow hiding behind Rose, but the others pay it no mind.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to the Valkyries, my Lord Zeroth Knight,¡± she says with authority and respect, in her most business-like manner of speech.

    ¡°Each of these women, is your wife.¡± I notice her words losing some respect near the end statement.

    Truth be told, all I can do is stand there for a while. My brain literally cannot process what I just heard.

 Chapter 9 - Disconnection - Part 1

    Disconnection - Part 1

    So here I am, sitting around in a wonderfully comfortable chair, with three, maybe four sets of eyes on me. Each of the girls I¡¯ve met, and possibly one I haven¡¯t, sit around me, all in equally comfortable looking high chairs. I hold my face in my hands, and say to no one in particular, ¡°Once again, from the top. Please, please someone explain this to me in a simple way that I can understand.¡±

    Every woman in the room exchanges glances with each other, seemingly all lost in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone with such little knowledge of the Zeroth. So you really are from the Outerlands then?¡± asks Mimi.

    She looks on in curiosity before looking towards Rose. ¡°I¡¯ve never met an Outlander before. I¡¯ve also never heard of one being in the running of Knights, let alone for the Zeroth,¡± Rose nods towards Mimi, her silver braid brushing against the floor.

    Kay remains expressionless, neither showing emotion or even moving in general. She sits like a statue and listens to our conversations. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard her talk since she told me her name.

    ¡°So somehow, the title of Zeroth, what?¡± I say between my fingers, head hung lower, back bent, ¡°Is the right to a harem or something?¡±

    Rose speaks up, ¡°That is one way to look at it, yes. We have the honor of having been chosen to be the Zeroth¡¯s wives. We¡¯ve spent our whole lives waiting for this moment, the moment to meet you, Lord Zero.¡± She moves off of her chair while telling me this.

    She approaches me and kneels before me to peek up at me from under my hands. ¡°We are magnificent my Lord Zero. We are the best women anyone could ever desire and we shall give you the most magnificent of children; on this, I swear. And yet you act as if we are simply not good enough?¡± Rose asks with hurt on her face. But she continues before I have time to really register the insanity of what she has just said. ¡°If there is nothing good about us my Lord of Knights, then simply state what you wish and we will make it so. Please do not throw us out. All we¡¯ve wanted our entire lives is to live a life of servitude to our Zeroth.¡±

    Rose is in literal tears as she professes this. I pull my head up and look around to see the same on Mimi¡¯s face; and to my surprise I can see a small amount of anxiety on Kay¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± I say through my exasperation, ¡°Please, just, give me a second before you all start the waterworks. This isn¡¯t fair at all. What about what I want? And besides, you¡¯ve been talking nonsense. You all don¡¯t know me, how the hell could you wish to be my wives? No, further still there are even more things wrong with what you¡¯ve said.¡±

    I take a deep breath and continue, ¡°First off, ¡°wives?¡± as in multiple wives? Isn¡¯t that wrong? And even still, the core of the issue is you said it is your duty to bear my children? Beyond the horrible implication that you all basically only exist to shove out a stranger¡¯s children,¡± I say with anger rising in my voice, ¡°You do realize that we literally cannot have children together, yes? Surely you¡¯re not all so ass backward with your biological sciences yes?¡±

    Rose tilts her head to the side and looks towards, weirdly enough, Kay. Kay makes no real expression but slightly shrugs her shoulders.

    ¡°Are you saying we are not good enough for your children my Lord Zero? Or are you¡­ perhaps admitting to your own um¡­ incompetence?¡± Mimi struggles to finish her sentence, and upon doing so with a bright red face, she looks away.

    ¡°What are you people talking about? The issue is that you are all women.¡± I say with real aggravation in my tone. All three, Kay included, gasp.

    ¡°Are you saying you are not a fan of the female persuasion my Lord? I¡¯ve heard of such things in stories but¡­¡± Rose says, moving slightly away from me. I nearly hurt my head from the force of my facepalm at their expressions.

    ¡°You¡¯re all women and couldn¡¯t possibly have children with me because I¡¯m also a woman.¡± I scan their faces again, and see a mix of all kinds of emotions on Mimi. She shows confusion, anger, and sadness.

    Kay is largely expressionless but seems to be lost in thought. Rose¡¯s jaw is on the ground somewhere and she seems to be staring intently at the ground, trying to find it. ¡°Right¡­¡± Mimi says, as if somehow this news came out of nowhere.

    ¡°How could you possibly have not realized that? I¡¯m not the best looking woman around but you can quite clearly see that I am a woman, yes?¡± I say towards Rose, as if I need the validation to save my self-confidence.

    ¡°I¡­¡± she stammers, ¡°Yes. You are very obviously a woman. I did not forget. I suppose I just¡­¡± she lets her sentence hang in the air without being completed.

    I wish Nina were here. She¡¯s a doctor. Maybe she could give basic sex ed to these women. I¡¯m still bothered that we had to separate. It seems she won''t be living with us. She has her own home somewhere else in the city. But alas, I''m stuck with these people, at least for the time being; and I really wanted to talk to Nina and make sure she was all right.

    Seeming to have finally picked her jaw up off the floor, Rose clears her throat and says, ¡°Perhaps we should speak with the Academy in the morning to try and clear things up. But for now, perhaps we should retire for the night.¡± She says this, in that parental tone that basically disallows anyone to refuse her for fear of reprimand.

    I''m so confused as to what there is to discuss. The others begin to stand up and shuffle out the doorway, each one telling me goodnight in their own, apprehensive way. It seems tonight has put the others on edge despite the fact that is should be me who''s most put out. This situation affects me more than the others and yet they act like I''ve given them a death sentence.

    ¡°You basically have,¡± I hear a woman¡¯s voice. I flip out and give a shriek. There was absolutely no one left in the room and the voice was far too real to be Rei¡¯s. With my heart pounding I looking all around the room to make sure I wasn''t going crazy, when I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder from behind me. My instincts cut in and I grab the hand by its wrist while turning my body. I shift my weight while moving my legs to sweep the other person¡¯s legs. They fly out from under the person; and using them and their momentum, I twist their arm and spin them into the air. With gravity''s assistance, I pull down on the arm and slam the person to the ground with an audible thunk.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    I hear the girl give a small cry as she lands on the ground. I don¡¯t know when it happened but I¡¯m straddled on top of her with her arms pinned to her side. It¡¯s only then that I finally gain awareness of what is going on. My knee is digging into her sternum and I can tell she¡¯s gasping for air. I quickly move my knee to her side, so I¡¯m fully straddling her, but I keep her arms pinned to her side.

    ¡°What an overreaction.¡± She says while looking up at me. Her eyes are pure white and lay deep inside her head. She has solid black hair at just above her bronze colored shoulders, done in a side braid. As the adrenaline running through me abates, I finally take in the situation in full.

    ¡°Where the hell did you come from? I thought I was going crazy! You¡¯re a fourth ¡°wife¡± aren¡¯t you?¡± I spit out at her, voice still shaky from the fright.

    ¡°You need to calm down.¡±

    I hesitate for a moment before beginning to shift myself off of her but she stops me, with such a serious voice, that I give in. Sitting on top of her, staring down into her white eyes, I tilt my head in confusion, asking her what she means.

    ¡°This is a nice position to be in,¡± she says with a seductive smile. Almost immediately I shoot up and slide off of her. I hear her audible ¡°tsk¡± as she props herself up on her elbows and looks at me.

    I¡¯m sitting there dumbfounded, ¡°What the hell?¡± I stammer out and she chuckles. She gives herself a boost up on her hands and knees and slowly crawls up to me while asking, ¡°Did I stutter?¡±

    She approaches me, in full seduction mode, and her ponytail slides around her bronze shoulder. The movement draws my eyes downwards and the first thing to enter my line of sight is her modest bust. Whatever kind of shirt she¡¯s wearing is different than what I¡¯ve seen others here wear. This position reveals far more of her chest than should be allowed and I gulp.

    ¡°See something you like, Zero?¡± She says with her lips now right next to my ear. She lightly touches her lips to my ear and my pulse speeds up dramatically and butterflies assault my stomach. I¡¯m feeling something I¡¯ve never felt before and I don¡¯t know how to deal with it. It seems Rei doesn¡¯t either because she¡¯s making a racket in my mind, but even that can¡¯t pull me out of this state. The next thing I notice is her smell. It¡¯s wild and sun bleached. She smells of berries and the grass. Whoever this woman is, she isn¡¯t like the others.

    In my stupor, I reach up and wrap my left arm around the back of her head, and I¡¯m greeted with the sound of her breath catching in my ear. Summoning every single ounce of strength I could possibly muster, I lightly tug on her hair and pull her away from me, separating us.

    I¡¯m greeted with those beautiful lips turned around, into a frown. ¡°And it was going so well. Why do you stop me?¡±

    "I-I did because of course I did. I don¡¯t know you! And we¡¯re both women!¡± She stares at me with a look I can¡¯t quite make out when she replies, ¡°Both women¡­¡± as if it just dawned on her.

    What the hell is up with these people!? ¡°Yeah, so, you know¡­¡±

    She shrugs and leans herself to within inches of our noses touching and stares into my eyes. I can¡¯t quite make out if that¡¯s one hundred percent accurate because she lacks an Iris of any color, but judging by her pupils, I¡¯d say she¡¯s looking at me, as if searching for something. She nods lightly to herself as if reaching a conclusion and says, ¡°It would be a first for me but,¡± she leans in a bit closer, her scent is overpowering my sense again. ¡°But I¡¯m game if you are.¡±

    Her lips meet mine with the smallest contact possible. In fact, were we to look at it closer, with better magnification we could probably disprove they touched at all.

    But I have no idea what the hell I¡¯m thinking and I react by pulling away and shooting straight up, standing. My breathing is ragged and my head feels woozy.

    She looks at me with an obvious pout and sits up with her arms crossed. Here I was, thinking Mimi wore her feelings on the surface, this woman has absolutely zero desire to hide anything. It¡¯s almost flattering. But I¡¯ve never¡­ you know¡­

    ¡°Liar,¡± echoes through my head and I turn myself inward. There I stand face to face with Rei, and I am pissed.

    ¡°What the hell did you just say to me?"I ask while marching up to her and grabbing her by her collar. I have to angle her down so I can properly meet her eyes due to being marginally smaller than her. The pressure is intense but I¡¯m too angry at her to care.

    ¡°I called it as I know it to be. You are a liar.¡±

    ¡°Just what the hell am I a liar about?!¡± I lightly shake her, and notice her black hair sliding across the ground with our movement.

    ¡°You were thinking something untrue, thus you are a liar.¡±

    ¡°What I say in my own mind is mine, and no others¡¯.¡± I shoot out with even more anger. But Rei gives a small chuckle, and with a shooing motion, I¡¯m back to the physical world, with the mystery girl¡¯s hand on my cheek and her leaning up and in. I pull away while asking what the hell she was doing.

    ¡°Well, you weren¡¯t responding and you didn''t pull away again. So I thought you changed your mind,¡± she says while looking hurt.

    So it seems that if I''m directly conversing with Rei in ¡°person¡± that I sort of check out in the real world, wonderful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused a misunderstanding,¡± I tell her, while taking a small step away and continuing, ¡°But like I said, it¡¯s simply impossible.¡±

    She refuses to let it drop and asks, ¡°And why¡¯s it impossible?¡±

    ¡°No. Let''s back up and have you tell me why you¡¯re even pushing for this so hard. I don¡¯t know you, and you don¡¯t even know me.¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± She asks while sliding herself down into a two-seater sofa- her meaning obvious. She continues and I tentatively take a seat with her, while leaning as far away as I can. ¡°You can¡¯t let yourself get caught up in overthinking things. I want to take you, and so I plan to.¡± She lays a hand on my knee and I recoil, but with nowhere to go, she keeps her hand on my knee.

    ¡°You may call me Gee, by the way.¡± She gently strokes my knee. I won''t lie, it feels good. I just can¡¯t explain away what the hell has been going on with me today. So much of me has been different than it should be. Even this. Why am I even still here?

    Then I remember something I¡¯ve forgotten and ask, ¡°Wait. You said earlier that I, ¡°basically have.¡± What were you talking about?¡±

    She removes her hand from my knee, leaving a cold spot. She moves her hand back to her lap and continues, ¡°You have basically sentenced them to the chopping block,¡± she says while lifting her hand, dragging her thumb across her throat- her meaning clear.

 Chapter 9 - Disconnection - Part 2

    Disconnection - Part 2

    The thought of my actions bringing death to others, strangers or not, terrifies me. But even further still, I didn''t say any of that out loud, so I can¡¯t help but question Gee.

    ¡°What do you mean when you tell me I''ve practically ordered their execution? And how did you know that I did? I didn''t say anything out loud.¡±

    ¡°People have unique shadows, did you know? Much like their faces. Well, their faces if you ignore twins,¡± she shudders, ¡°Evil things they are.¡± she jokes.

    I give Gee a glare and she holds her hands up in surrender. ¡°All I mean to say is, you wear your feelings deep down, and it makes it easy to guess what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Her words are so confusing that I drop my head into my hands.

    With my hands massaging my temples I say, ¡°Alright. If you say so. I¡¯ve given up trying to understand you people.¡±

    She tilts her head at me and quizzically says, ¡°Now that¡¯s interesting. I don¡¯t know what you mean by that.¡±

    I shrug my shoulders. ¡°But, again, what do you mean I¡¯ve sentenced them to death?¡±

    Gee takes a moment to study me before replying. Eventually, she takes on a condescending tone and replies, ¡°I know more about the Zeroth than you do, do I?"

    My brow furrows and I pull myself up. ¡°Gee. You¡¯re making me mad.¡±

    She chuckles and says she¡¯s aware, while sliding herself up closer to me. I give up trying to run away and press for an answer. She simply lays her arm around my shoulders and leans her head on my right one.

    Never, and I mean never, in my life have I ever been in this position with someone. This is so intimate that I don¡¯t even feel good about it, despite seemingly every point of contact feeling good since I¡¯ve arrived in this world. After a moment she seems to pick up on it, and in an act of kindness I wouldn¡¯t expect from her, she removes her arm. She keeps her head leaning on my shoulder, however, but at least she isn¡¯t holding me now.

    After I am done steadying my breath, she asks, ¡°Are you good now my Zero?¡± Her possessive tone reminds me of the others. This woman really is one of my ¡°wives¡± isn¡¯t she? That¡¯s quite possibly the only thing they all have in common. They¡¯re all weirdly possessive; even Kay. After that thought, I feel a small pinch on my arm that hurts just enough for me to jerk away. ¡°Ouch. What¡¯s that for?¡±

    She huffs out, ¡°At least only think about me when it¡¯s just us. Why¡¯s there gotta be another woman on your mind? That¡¯s rude.¡±

    ¡°I, uh, what? I-I wasn¡¯t thinking about another woman. I wasn¡¯t even thinking about a woman in any significant capacity,¡± I say while rubbing my arm, forcing her head to bob up and down. ¡°I was only thinking about-¡± I turn my head towards her and interrupt that line of thought for another, ¡°Can you really read minds?¡±

    She stares upwards at me, into my eyes, as if thinking about something. She adds, ¡°Not exactly. It¡¯s more like, every feeling in this world comes across differently based on the thoughts associated with them, and they bleed into the other side of this world, the shadows. The deeper the feeling, the secret, the more rooted they are in the darkness. Once you know what each kind of feelings is associated with what thoughts, it¡¯s easy to understand people.¡±

    ¡°So, you could tell I was thinking about a woman, but not what I was thinking verbatim. And because I had been thinking about women, my feelings came across a certain way. Then you extrapolated that to me having been thinking about the other women. That sound about right?¡± She nods her head, ¡°Roughly¡± she says.

    ¡°Well, you need some fine tuning because, again, I wasn¡¯t thinking in any significant capacity, let alone about a woman.¡± I clear my throat and continue, ¡°What I was thinking about is, how the only trait I can see that all of you share, is how every one of you is possessive and jealous.¡± I tease her.

    Gee lifts her head completely and again, looks into my eyes intently. I was hoping to hear what her laugh sounded like, but to no avail. Did I just learn that I suck at people?

    ¡°Is that how you try and differentiate a lie when it doesn¡¯t wholly match with what you were thinking?¡± I stare back unflinchingly; and that¡¯s probably a bad idea. Her eyes shift to a golden and are absolutely stunning and they pull on me. Against my better judgment, I lean in some and before I know what I¡¯m doing, I¡¯m moving my lips towards hers. But much to my surprise, it¡¯s her that pulls away.

    She makes no acknowledgment of what just happened, and I feel unbelievably embarrassed and awkward. I have no idea why I just tried to kiss her. I am objectively not into women. Literally not into women on a level that has been genetically modified to be as such. I am scientifically not into women. Then why? Why, why, why do these women keep causing these urges to flare up? This is ludicrous and needs to stop. Now.

    Gee, seemingly completely unaware of my inner turmoil, keeps looking at me with her eyes locked on mine. ¡°Yes, I suppose you could say it is.¡±

    I can only reply, ¡°Huh?¡± because I had completely forgotten about what we had been talking about due to the turmoil inside my mind.

    ¡°The way I try and get a feel for something if it doesn¡¯t align with what I¡¯ve been experiencing from their feelings. Granted, I¡¯m almost always right. I¡¯m easily right eighty percent of the time. But yes, it happens occasionally. It¡¯s happened several times tonight, just with you. And that¡¯s amazing considering the odds.¡± I know I¡¯m blushing, and yet she still doesn¡¯t make any comment. This is driving me absolutely insane.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Yes yes. That¡¯s fine. But I try and kiss you and you pull away from me? And you don¡¯t even take the opportunity to even tease me about it? What the hell?¡± I said while shifting halfway off the seat.

    Gee looks at me with confusion in her now-white eyes for just a moment before taking the chance to adjust her hair and replies, ¡°I¡¯m a lot of things my Zero, but I am not foolish enough to truly force myself on the Zeroth Knight. Even I couldn¡¯t escape from that.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? I tried to kiss you. How the hell is that you forcing anything on me?¡± I near shout. Only the thought of waking up the others, and the shitstorm that would follow if they caught us this close together reminds me to keep my voice down.

    ¡°Furthermore, why the hell am I even bringing this up? This is insane.¡± I say while putting my head into my hands again.

    ¡°Indeed, why do you act so contradictory to your feelings? When you wanted me, you denied me. When you were denying me, you tried to want me. You¡¯re able to keep some feelings so hidden that it¡¯s remarkable, but then you¡¯re not able to hide your most basic of feelings at all.¡± Gee says her piece, then shifts back to an earlier topic, ¡°But to get back to a much earlier question. Why do I want you Zero? Because you are linked to it all. Were that I could, I would show you the colors of your being, but I cannot.¡± Gee shifts in her seat and continues, ¡°And beyond that, you found me in the auditorium, in the room where you first met the others.¡±

    I tilt my head at her, urging her to explain what she means. ¡°No one finds me, not unless I want them to. I¡¯m aspected to Shadows. I can, and frequently do spend time away from the world, lost in that darkness. I can come and go as I please, essentially free from any form of repercussions for my actions; for who can catch their shadow?"

    She¡¯s just unloaded so much information on me that I don¡¯t even know where to begin. So much of what she said makes little sense, and much more, makes none. Seeming to sense my confusion with her... magik? She simply shrugs and says, ¡°You knew there was another person when you met the group yes?¡±

    I nod and she continues, ¡°No one finds me like that. And I mean no one. No single individual has ever found me. You don¡¯t know how remarkable that is. How remarkable you are.¡±

    I sigh into my hands and decide that today has been overkill and that continuing this conversation won''t benefit me. I¡¯m just too drained. But she still hasn¡¯t answered my main question. ¡°What do you mean I¡¯ve sentenced them to death, dammit?¡± I say with rising anger.

    ¡°Basically what it sounds like. They¡¯ve each spent their entire lives pining to be your wife. Their entire goal in living is to be your servants and wives,¡± she tells me.

    ¡°And if after everything, they¡¯re deemed to not be good enough by the very same person, what do you think would happen to them, hm? Do you think the powers that be would simply shrug and move on to the next set of women? No. The shame alone would force them onto the chopping block; and were they to even bother staying alive after your rejection, there¡¯d be nothing left for them in this world. No one would associate with people whom the very Zeroth Knight themselves disavowed.¡± Gee finishes her explanation, and I feel even more drained than before.

    ¡°This whole situation is unfair. It¡¯s basically like I¡¯m holding them hostage without even trying. Even if we pretend for a moment that this really is what they all wanted, and I have a hard time believing this kind of life is one that anyone would choose, what about what I want?¡± I ask.

    Gee stares off into the distance but says, seemingly to no one in particular, ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice in things. None of us do really, but especially not you.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why would I of all people not have a choice in anything?¡± I ask in near desperation.

    ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Gee says before closing her eyes and continuing, ¡°You¡¯re the Zeroth. You may stand above and beyond everyone else in this world, but you¡¯re still bound by the title and all that the title comes with. You have no choice in your life because from the moment you came into this world you were given an order. And from that very first moment on, you¡¯ve been given even more orders. Your entire life is just a series of orders.¡± She opens her eyes and turns towards me to meet my mine.

    After she sees I¡¯m paying attention she continues, ¡°You¡¯ve never been free. You have obligations to life. And with the Transcendence, you have even less of a free will than you thought you had before.¡± Her news is completely disheartening, but in a way I get it.

    I¡¯ve been given a title and there are certain responsibilities that come with titles. There are certain ways to behave and certain ways I¡¯m now expected to be. That¡¯s the power of titles- they define us, and so they control us.

    Assuming that¡¯s what she meant, I feel mostly satisfied. Yet at the same time, I want to know so much more of her thoughts on the subject, and indeed, the thoughts of others. I feel like there¡¯s something missing, but I don¡¯t have enough pieces to figure it out. I¡¯m basically dead to the world and decide this is probably where things should end.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡±

    She gets a small, hopeful look on her face and it almost pains me to have to shoot her down. But that¡¯s exactly what I do, ¡°Alone.¡±

    She shrugs her shoulder and just says, ¡°Fine,¡± while getting up from the seat. While she¡¯s storming out I call her name and she stops.

    ¡°Goodnight, sleep tight.¡± I tell her. With a small smile, a nod, and a, ¡°You too,¡± she¡¯s gone.

    I make it back up to my room and the exhaustion takes me. Before I even touch the mattress, I¡¯m out. I don''t even dream.

 Chapter 9 - Disconnection - Part 3

    Disconnection - Part 3

    I''m awakened by a soft voice and a gentle shaking. My eyes flutter half-open, making out an outline with white-ish hair. I mumble to Rose to let me sleep in longer and rollover. I pull the cover up over my head and fall back asleep.

    Or I would have, had she actually listened to me but no, she keeps it up. Eventually, I get tired of the shaking and pull the cover down. There, I¡¯m greeted by all the women from last night. As I look through blurry, half-open eyes, I take in the sights around me. The sun wants nothing more than for me to enjoy my day; for it bathes the room in an almost magical light. I feel a lump form in my throat when I catch sight of these three women. The sun reflects beautifully off of Rose¡¯s hair.

    She¡¯s in a different outfit than I saw her in last night. She¡¯s wearing a one-piece dress that comes down fittingly over her body. It enunciates her curves and gives her maturity an element to shine in. Her dress is a dark red with the same symbol as before on it. It¡¯s a person receiving what appears to be fruit from another person. The symbol shines white, and matches her hair; of which is in its braid, long and beautiful, and nearly to the floor. The feelings of disconnect hit me once again- between what I know my feelings should be, and what they currently are.

    Mimi¡¯s hair is down today and rolls over her shoulders. Like you¡¯d expect with someone with her attitude, her hair looks perfect and is parted straight down the middle. In its amethyst sheen, is the sun absorbed. This makes it look like the light is merely around her, and not on her. She¡¯s wearing what appears to be a kind of blouse and skirt combo. Her blouse is a light blue with various marking on it- words I¡¯d say, but I cannot read them. In the center is the red symbol from last night, and the same as Rose¡¯s- a man receiving fruit from another. Her light blue blouse turns into a dark skirt that travels down to just below her knees. I couldn''t help but move my gaze slower when I reached her legs. I have to look away quickly to distract myself.

    My blurry eyes shift last to Kay. Her auburn hair is nicely brushed but otherwise not particularly touched. Kay doesn¡¯t seem the kind of woman who cares to put in too much effort and instead rolls with a more ¡°natural¡± look. That isn¡¯t to say she isn¡¯t beautiful- she is. Her darker, brown-yellow eyes contrast well with the bright sun and the glow of the others¡¯ eyes. She¡¯s wearing a form-fitting black, basic shirt with the same red emblem as the others that turns into black, form-fitting pants. Kay most definitely has her own style and priorities, but it suits her. She wouldn¡¯t pull attention away from the other two, but if you looked, you¡¯d see her hidden beauty.

    The sight of these women is disconcerting as all hell, however. They cause so much to stir within me- all of which I want to crush. Yet nonetheless, they¡¯re here, in my room, waiting to introduce me to the day. I yawn as I set up and stretch.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I say to them, and they answer in turn.

    ¡°So uh, what¡¯s everyone doing in my room?¡± I ask, honestly wondering.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Rose says and peeks over at the others.

    ¡°Mimi was raising a fuss over who would be the first wife to wake you up,¡± Kay says, looking everywhere besides Mimi.

    To her chagrin, Mimi speaks up, ¡°Well, it¡¯s an important day and I wanted to impress my Zero the most. But in a small, teeny, tiny way, it would have been unfair to completely let me have my way.¡±

    Rose rolls her eyes and says in a biting tone, ¡°Yeah. Right. More to the point, seeing as how Kay was the first one up byhours, I hardly think you would have had the chance if the rest of us were as selfish as you are.

    ¡°Proper beauty sleep is important if we are to look our best for our husband, for as long as we can,¡± Mimi says with a small blush. ¡°Husband¡± makes me physically lurch forward.

    Upon seeing my reaction Rose comes over and runs her fingers through my hair and says, ¡°Come now, you haven¡¯t been properly caring for yourself, and your beautiful hair is in tatters. Let''s get you to the bath my Lord, and I¡¯ll start on breakfast.¡± I¡¯m unable to resist her, because she¡¯s right. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had a proper bath since I arrived in this world. That never occurred to me until now, and it makes me sick to think about how I''ve let myself go like that.

    Only now, I¡¯m super self-conscious. I try to bring the cover over me again but Rose was having none of that.

    In her parental tone she often has, she orders everyone to work and sticks her hand out for me. It seems when it comes to matters not directly related to me, the others are more than happy to follow Rose¡¯s orders. With no other choice, I take her hand and she helps me up.

    She drops my hand and moves over to the dresser and starts rummaging through it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Zero, but there are very few clothes here. Generally the Zeroth basically just moves into the Valdrossa Manor and brings their own personal supply of, well, everything,¡± she says while seeming to find something she liked and pulls it out of the dresser.

    Rose then looks at me and offers me her arm. I stare at her in confusion, to which she answers with only a smile. I study her arm for a moment and IthinkI understand what she¡¯s waiting for. Tentatively I start to slide my arm through hers. I keep peeking at her, feeling horribly nervous and self-conscious. But she does nothing other than stand there and wait for me to finish inserting my arm and linking us together. At that, she nods in apparent content and starts off towards the door.

    As we make our way through the hall, I can¡¯t help but be amazed by my surroundings. In the light, this place is so much more impressive. The floor is carpeted with a nice, red something or other. The walls are periodically marked with white columns and pictures of various people of import. The ceiling is a wonderful white marble, adorned with chandeliers occasionally placed for lighting in the house. As we make our way to wherever the bath is, I can¡¯t help but notice how perfectly in sync Rose and my steps are. It¡¯s cute in a way, and yet really disconcerting because I don¡¯t think she¡¯s doing it on purpose.

    To test this theory I purposefully withhold my next step by half and sure enough, she does the same. As we keep walking, I keep playing around trying to trip her up. At some point, I must have been having too much fun, because Rose looks over questioningly.

    I blush and hang my head while explaining what I was trying to do. She lets out a genuine laugh and says as we arrive at the bath¡¯s door, ¡°You¡¯re so observant of the smallest things my Lord. But perhaps you are onto something. I fancy you significantly, but not nearly enough to go out of my way and match our steps.¡± She ends with a small laugh.

    ¡°Come, let us go in.¡± She starts to head to the baths. My nervousness takes over and I nearly shout, ¡°Wait, you aren¡¯t planning to go into the bath with me are you?

    Rose looks at me with a small tilt of her head. You would think it couldn¡¯t be ¡°cute¡± for someone her age, but it definitely is.

    ¡°Of course? What kind of wife would I be if I didn¡¯t¡­ take care of my husband?¡± The way she phrased that was absolutely on purpose.

    ¡°Um. Thanks, but I think I can handle it.¡±

    Rose studies me for a minute before her head drops and hangs low. ¡°I see¡­¡± I¡¯m so confused. It¡¯s like I live on a different wavelength than the people around me. No matter what I say, in no time at all, it¡¯s like everyone just forgets.

    ¡°Look I¡­ Rose-¡± I say, while dislodging my arm from hers and moving it up to rest on her cheek

    Like a cat, she leans into my hand. I could almost hear her purring as she closes her eyes in content. She¡¯s quite a bit taller than me so I have to stand on my tiptoes to do what I¡¯m about to do. Why am I doing it you might ask? Hell if I know.

    Before long my lips meet her free cheek. Her eyes shoot open in pure disbelief, I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s turned into a statue. The look on her face has almost made it worth it. Almost.

    Ultimately I have no idea why I did it. It¡¯s almost as if I wasn¡¯t the one that did it. More like¡­ I did it because, in this situation, it needed to be done. The way Rose looked was heartbreaking. I just couldn¡¯t bear seeing her look so disappointed. But why? She¡¯s a stranger to me.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Perhaps it¡¯s because of my conversation last night with Gee and how she told me that rejecting them would devastate them on a level I can¡¯t even comprehend. All I know is, I don¡¯t want her to look sad if I can help it. However, with that said, I¡¯m still not letting this beautiful woman into the bath to help ¡°take care¡± of me. So she will simply have to make do with that small gesture. ¡°I¡¯m going in now, Rose. Please, go help the others with whatever we need to get our day started. I¡¯d like to make it to the Academy soon.¡±

    She¡¯s wearing such a huge smile that my casual rejection of her barely even seems to register. ¡°Right away my Lord Zero,¡± she says while basically shoving the clothes she''s carrying into my arms.

    With a small bow, she¡¯s gone. It¡¯s not long before she¡¯s made some twists and turns, and is completely out of my sight. With a sigh, I push open the door before me and am greeted by a sight straight out of my dreams. The ¡°bath¡± is gargantuan. The entire area is filled with just enough steam as to make the atmosphere, but not enough to obscure vision.

    I make my way in, careful to not trip over my jaw. The room is massive and its ceiling is high and dome-shaped. The bath is easily fifty feet in size. To the left of the doorway entrance appears to be a shelf divided into sections for patrons to store their stuff. I approach the shelves while looking around in wonder. As I go to remove my shirt, I stop for a moment and look down.

    Since I arrived in this world, I''ve not truly had any time for myself. Only now do I realize that I''mstillin my school clothes. If my math is right then I''ve been here for easily over a month. A whole month in thesameclothes? That thought absolutely terrifies me. But surely that can''t be the case. There¡¯s been all kind of things to happen to me since I''ve arrived here and I can''t make out any stains or tears in my school''s uniform.

    Instead, my lame navy colored blazer looks up at me seemingly fine. My boring navy blue skirt partners with my blazer to give me the most wonderfully boring look. So either I''ve been in these clothes for an entire month or more, or someone''s been changing my clothes for me at various points since I''ve been here and I haven''t noticed. I''m honestly not completely sure which idea scares me more.

    Either way, the warm bath is calling me and I strip my clothes off. I honestly don''t know what''s happened to them but just to be safe I should probably burn them and give them a burial with full honors. One way or another, they''ve been through a lot and deserve at least that much.

    With a towel that Rose gave me in hand, I make my way to the bath. I give it a once over and for the first time the smell hits me. The air carries a hint of vanilla with a lavender undertone. The bath must have some kind of scents in it and it smells wonderful. I tentatively dip a toe in to test the water. It''s hot, but not unbearably so. I lower myself into the water slowly allowing myself to get used to the sting. By the time I''m completely in, I''m seated on a kind of underwater ledge, the water is to my neck.

    This honestly feels divine. While my time here has been horrible and miserable and every other synonym for being bad, this specific moment right here, is bliss. I''m so relaxed and feel so good; and that''s exactly why I shouldn''t have let my guard down. Before I''m even consciously aware of it, the tears are flowing. The despair of it all hits me like a ton of bricks. My mind turns to chaos as everything that¡¯s happened to me assaults my senses.

    There I was, living a normal, peaceful everyday life, in a world with modern conveniences. I had a friend, a good friend who may not have always havebeena good friend; but a longtime friend nonetheless. I met the man of my dreams and he found interest in me. Before I knew it, I arrive here in this world- I¡¯ve disturbed the natural order of this world. I¡¯ve taken on a responsibility not reserved for me. No matter what happens, I¡¯ve created a bump in this world¡¯s history, or so I say. But truth be told, barely anyone even registers who I am here. They all just see me as ¡°The Zeroth Knight¡± or whatever. Hell, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a trait of these silly women or not, but people may not even be able to register my actual identity.

    In all ways, I¡¯m alone, for I am lost in a world and the world doesn¡¯t even see me. The closest things I have to ¡°friends¡± are people who simply follow an idea. Women who have been indoctrinated by their culture to desire nothing more than to simply birth my children- an impossibility if I¡¯ve ever heard one. Even Nina, as absolutely wonderful and gorgeous as she is, seems more interested in me as some kind of science project than as who I am.

    I lower my head into the water and completely submerged myself; half to hide my tears from the world, half to meet even more silence, to be able to think even harder about my miserable state. I am so utterly alone in a silent world. Even when we see the Scholars at the Academy later today, I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯ll receive good news, seeing as how everything else has been.

    The world isn''t supposed to give a shit about us, our situations, or our desires- then why does it seem so content to keep doing all it can to make me miserable? Why does the world desire me to follow its path instead of my own? Why am I of all people forced onto this route?

    Seeming to no longer handle my melancholy thoughts, my head is bashed with a force I¡¯ve only felt once before. Before I know it, I¡¯m inside my own mind. She- Rei, stands before me. The room is lightly lit, with a seemingly creeping darkness around it. I swear I hear the low hum of music from somewhere. Rei¡¯s eyes are locked with mine, and the pressure is absolutely insane. Death may be a better alternative to this.

    As if sensing this, Rei simply looks over my shoulder, transfixed on the wall. Immediately the pressure vanishes and I can form words. ¡°What is it Rei?¡±

    She holds out her hand to me. I can¡¯t help but notice how pale she is. And that paleness contrasts with her pure black dress, giving her a look I can¡¯t describe. Her jet-black hair rolls in soft waves down her back. She¡¯s probably the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever seen; and that line of thought makes me freeze. Since I¡¯ve come to this world, my urges and opinions have seemingly flipped. Indeed, the change is so dramatic that one would say they couldn¡¯t even possibly belong to me.

    I tentatively reach out for her hand, before realizing something. I was in the bath! I gasp and go to cover myself up, only to be met with cloth. While keeping her hand extended, Rei gives a small giggle and says, ¡°We must both be proper for what comes next, Eve.¡±

    I¡¯m confused as all hell as to what she means. I look down at myself and take note of what I''m seeing. In contrast to her onyx dress, I¡¯m wearing what seems to be a pure, white moonstone dress. My hair is down and touches my shoulders in its fiery glory. I reach out again to take Rei¡¯s hand and ask, ¡°What comes next?¡±

    I¡¯m gently tugged forward, Rei¡¯s eyes never leaving the area behind me. Before long our bodies are right up against one another and I can feel Rei¡¯s heart pulsing through her chest, and into mine. No doubt I¡¯m blushing furiously and try to pull away. But Rei is having none of that. She gently places my other hand on her hips and pulls our clasped hands into the air. She simply smiles at me and begins to sway. It takes me a moment to realize what¡¯s going on. The table is gone, and we stand alone in the darkness, music gently buzzing around us.

    But I understand it now and confirm to her, ¡°But I can¡¯t dance¡­¡±

    ¡°Relax, and follow my lead Eve.¡± She retorts and closes her eyes.

    Dancing is taboo in my world; all but illegal. Far too intimate, far too much could go wrong. Even husbands and wives have to sign a bunch of legal documents before their first, and only dance they¡¯ll ever have- their wedding dance. But this, this feels nice. It feels wonderful actually.

    I can tell that I accidentally step on her toes sometimes, but Rei says nothing. She simply drifts to the music with eyes closed. This feels magical if I''m being honest. When I¡¯m in the real world, Rei feels so dangerous, so hungry for fighting. She¡¯s always just behind my eyes, looking to come out.

    But when I¡¯m here, she¡¯s like this, like a goddess. But these thoughts continue to eat at me, and depress me. I like being with her like this, just like I like the attention of the other women. But these are not my urges. They simply cannot be.

    I just want to curl up into a ball and disappear- for in this strange world that won''t register me for who I am, I am drowning and little by little, becoming a part of it. ¡°Then deny it until the very end.¡± Rei says while swaying to the music.

    I look at her, confused, and she continues, ¡°If the world denies you, you simply denyitin turn, until the bitter end. If you feel like the world is making you into something you are not, then you resist. You resist even if it costs you all that you are. However-¡± she takes a breath and pulls me in closer.

    My head rests on her shoulder, and her arm tightens around my waist. ¡°However, if you ever decide to give in to the world, I¡¯ll be here. As you know, I am always here, just beneath the surface. And that will never change. I will be with you- your constant companion.¡±

    The way she professes all of that so nonchalantly makes me choke up. I move my head away from her shoulder and look up at her. We¡¯re only inches apart.

    ¡°And if I give into the world-¡± I say, my voice shaky from tears that don¡¯t flow, and continue, ¡°If I give into the world, if it beats me, or I simply accept it for what it is, will you still be here for me? Will anyone be here for me?¡± I ask, the tears finally falling.

    Rei opens her eyes and meets mine. The pressure is intense and my breath catches. Yet she ignores this and says, ¡°For all that you are, you are you, even if you are unable to see that.¡±

    I can¡¯t make heads or tails of the feelings flowing through me, and my head and heart are both in turmoil. But for the briefest of moments, I realize this for what it is. Just this once, I give in, and reach up slightly, and lightly place my lips on Rei¡¯s. When I pull away, I see a blush on her face. I would even say it¡¯s near Mimi level of blush. Seeing this, I can¡¯t help but lightly laugh.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go Eve,¡± Rei says after clearing her throat.

    I don''t know if it''s because of embarrassment, or if it was truly unwanted, but she''s made no effort to give away what she really thought of our little encounter.

    ¡°I see. Thanks for talking to me, Rei,¡± I say, my thumb caressing my bottom lip.

    Upon seeing me do that, Rei blushes even more, were it possible, and simply shoos me off. However, I seemed to have momentarily forgotten one important thing about talking to Rei-

    My lungs burn, and my world is dark. I¡¯m struggling in a panic to resurface in the real world. As I break the water, I pull in as much breath as possible and start coughing. This is what I had forgotten; no matter where I am, the physical world still continues on.

 Chapter 10 - Expectance - Part 1

    <h2 style="text-align: center">Expectance - Part 1</h2>

    After fully recovering myself, I exit the bath and head back to my shelf. I notice whatever clothes I had aren''t where I left them. Instead, they''re hanging up on some kind of rudimentary hangars. Someone must have come in and organized my things. Oh god. I hope they didn''t hear me bawling like a child. That would be so embarrassing.

    As I reach the clothes and place a hand on them, I remember something, far, far more embarrassing. IkissedRei. Holy mother of god, jesus, and bacon! ¡°Why the hell did I do that?!¡± I say while slamming my head into the wall. It hurts, but I deserve it. Why would I have done that? She''s a she! And a stranger!

    For once the pounding in my head isn¡¯t from Rei, but nonetheless, our conversation echoes in my mind- She told me that I am never alone and that I have at least one friend who will always support me. She told me that I am who I am, even when I¡¯m the one doubting myself. It¡¯s confusing and disconcerting but it makes my insides warm. I feel a blush cross my cheeks and jump in surprise when I hear a voice just behind me say, ¡°Why did you do what?¡±

    My heart is palpitating and I turn breathless as I turn to see Kay looking at me. She may be as expressionless as usual, but her yellow-brown eyes are staring intently at me. It takes a moment for me to register what¡¯s going on as her brown hair shakes with the movement of her head.

    That movement of her head being, up and down- as in, up and down,me. I look down to see what she¡¯s checking out when the answer hits me hard. I¡¯m in nothing but a towel! It¡¯s wrapped around me, sure, but holy hell!

    I shriek and yell at Kay, ¡°Look away! Now!¡± I swear if she could show emotions that she would have been embarrassed, but instead, she simply shrugs and does as I say.

    In a flurry of limbs and cloth I manage to dress myself; just in time too because Kay seems to grow bored and turns back around. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could look yet!¡± I shriek out in a shrill voice while covering my chest with my arms, despite being fully dressed now.

    Perhaps this was a bad idea since it accentuates my breasts. Kay doesn¡¯t miss this and looks at me with a slight frown tugging at the corner of her lips. That¡¯s a remarkable amount of expression for her to show from what little time I¡¯ve spent with her. But I¡¯m pretty offended that she¡¯d be purposefully checking me out and frowning. ¡°I heard you crying and wanted to check on you,¡± Kay says while moving closer to me.

    I take a step back and slam the palm of my hand into my forehead and say, ¡°Oh god, everyone heard that?¡±

    She slightly shakes her head and tells me, ¡°That¡¯s unlikely.¡± As I begin to open my mouth and ask why, I notice her beaming eyes focused slightly to my left, where my clothes just hung. I see, she¡¯s the one who organized my stuff for me.

    That¡¯s awfully unexpected. I figured it would have been Rose, or possibly even Mimi. A smile is now tugging at my lips, and I take a step forward towards Kay. She seems to not have expected that and her eyes widen. I reach out a hand, place it up on top of her head, and gently rub her hair.

    ¡°Thanks for helping me out Kay,¡± I say and then let my hand drop.

    Kay is seemingly transfixed on my hand. I feel self-conscious and put my hands behind me. But Kay being Kay seemingly grows bored of even this, and simply reaches out and grabs my arm. She takes my left arm and tugs me forward and wraps my arm around hers.

    ¡°Hungry.¡± She says and starts to walk us forward, arms linked.

    I fall in a half-step behind her and begin to properly sync myself to her as we make our way to what must be a kind of dining room. Kay takes longer strides than Rose and it¡¯s actually a bit harder for me to keep up with her with our arms tangled like this; she definitely doesn¡¯t exactly have the same amount of grace that Rose does, that¡¯s for sure.

    The whole way there, my red hair, still damp from the bath gently rests just over my shoulders. I haven¡¯t had time to put it up. Eventually, we reach a large wooden door and Kay swings it open one-handedly. As we move in through the doorway I see all the eyes on us. There¡¯s Mimi and Rose, of course, but Nina as well. To my surprise though, is who greets us.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Zeroth Knight! Mama! Mama!¡± I hear a little boy¡¯s voice and look down at him.

    He¡¯s got dirty blonde hair and blue eyes- looking completely normal, relatively speaking. The little boy practically tackles my knees and I falter back a half step, my arm unlinks with Kay, much to what seems to be her annoyance. She takes a small glance at the child before walking off, seeming to be bored once again. But I disregard Kay and giggle at the little boy who stands at less than half my height.

    "Voltin, come here right this minute!¡± I hear Rose shout and the boy freezes. With a reluctant look, he lets go of me and runs off to Rose.

    Thwackis the first sound that registers when the boy approaches Rose. A sound I¡¯m far too familiar with at this point. The boy has been hit- hit by none other than Rose.

    ¡°How dare you act like that with the Zeroth!¡± Rose shouts at the boy and raises her hand a second time.

    Before anyone can register what¡¯s going on, I¡¯m at Rose¡¯s side, her raised wrist gripped in mine. There must be something in the way I look because Rose stares at me in fear.

    I look down at the boy, still holding Rose¡¯s hand and ask, ¡°Are you ok?¡± he nods with his swollen cheek facing me, tears in his eyes. I increase the strength of my grip on Rose¡¯s wrist and I see her wince, but I don¡¯t care.

    ¡°What the hell are you thinking, hitting some little boyRose?¡± I say with all of the anger I can muster. I notice at this point that no one else is looking at us. They¡¯re all purposefully trying to avoid getting involved and are busying themselves in other tasks.

    With a huff Rose replies, ¡°I-I am sorry my Lord, but I was merely punishing Voltin, I¡¯ve tried to raise him with more respect than that. I was just trying to-¡±

    ¡°He¡¯syourson?!¡± I shout. I see the whole room flinch.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry my lord. I know I¡¯ve been sullied but the Consul insisted that it didn¡¯t matter. They said a bastard child would cause you no concern. I never meant to keep it a secret I just-¡±

    With my other hand, I shove my finger into her voluptuous chest and continue to shout, ¡°That is not the problem. How dare you hit achild?¡±

    My finger must be drilling into Rose hard because she¡¯s clearly struggling to remain upright as I continue, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, who this society thinks it is, or what rules anyone else believes themselves to live under. So long as I am around I will not see someone abusing a child, or anyone else who can¡¯t defend themselves!¡±

    I turn and look at the others in turn and say in anger, ¡°Do I make myself clear?!¡±

    With a unison of voices, ¡°Yes!¡± comes from everyone around me, Rose included.

    Then I pull my finger away from Rose and pull her wrist towards me. She stumbles half a step forward to me and I put her wrist in both of my hands and gently massage it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting your hand. I didn¡¯t mean to grab you so hard." I say, not even for platitudes. I truly wasn''t aware of how much strength I was using.

    Strange... Rose, and basically everyone else gasps, and Rose says in a sing-song voice, ¡°No-no My Lord. I was out of line and I should be apologizing to you for stirring your anger. Would you wish me to be physically reprimanded, that would be getting off easy.¡±

    I shrug and turn to the child.

    ¡°How are you feeling Vol?¡± to which his little eyes sparkle.

    He replies, seemingly forgetting about his cheek, ¡°You¡¯re amazing Zeroth! No one scolds Mama!¡±

    I let a smile slip, kneel, and run my hand over his cheek. He winces a little but otherwise lets me do what I want.

    I turn my head up and look at Rose, anger rising again. She refuses to look me in the eye, and so I move back to Vol and give him a pat on the shoulder.

    ¡°Hey Vol, do you mind going and playing in another room for a bit? Us adults have some stuff we need to talk about.¡±

    He nods to me energetically but then looks towards Rose with a worried look.

    ¡°Go along Vol, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll call you for breakfast in a little bit.¡±

    With that, he¡¯s off to go play somewhere. I motion toward a chair, stand up, and Rose follows me. The other women go off to finish preparing breakfast.

    ¡°So, care to talk to me about this?¡± I ask.

    ¡°What is there to talk about, my Lord?¡± Rose asks.

    ¡°You damn well know what I¡¯m asking Rose!¡± I say while slamming my fist on the table. Rose visibly flinches and cowers further back in her seat.

    ¡°I-I-I¡± Rose stutters and I continue in place of her, ¡°So, you have a kid Rose?¡±

    She nervously glances around the room before replying, ¡°Ye-yes?¡± she squeaks out.

    ¡°Vol is six. His father died in an Outerlands skirmish nearly six years ago, so he never met his father,¡± Rose says.

    ¡°So where¡¯s he been this whole time then?¡±

    I ask and Rose tells me, ¡°He lives in the orphanage on the other side of the city.¡±

    ¡°Your son lives in an orphanage?¡± I ask in disbelief.

    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s a bastard,¡± Rose says so nonchalantly that for, if only a moment, I feel like I¡¯m the one saying something crazy; but I refuse to believe it.

    ¡°Why would you say that about your son!?¡± I¡¯m nearly shouting now as I stand up from my seat and lean over the table.

    ¡°My Lord¡­" Nina says from behind me.

    ¡°Perhaps you should try and calm down Evangeline,¡± says Mimi from right next to me.

    I¡¯m actually stunned for a moment, not just because I have no idea how or when she got so close to me, but by her attitude. She¡¯s taken on a dignified air of importance as if ordering me to do something. Her, orderingme.Can you believe it? More importantly, she used myname! It¡¯s so ridiculous that I laugh.

    ¡°So all I have to do,¡± I say between breaths, ¡°Is lose my temper to get you to finally call me by my name?¡± I sit down at the table while catching my breath.

    Mimi says with a palpable bravado, ¡°By your own admittance, My Lord, you are unfamiliar with much of our ways. So perhaps this isn¡¯t the time or place to be going off on Rose?¡± Rose has a look of shock on her face. I think she¡¯s just as amazed at this side of Mimi as I am.

    With absolutely no shame, nor care for the heavy atmosphere, Kay simply starts laying out plates in front of us, and at the spots where she and Mimi will sit.

    ¡°Kay has the right of it,¡± Rose says, trying to change the subject, ¡°I believe it¡¯s breakfast time. I¡¯m quite confident of it you know. I do so hope you enjoy it my Zero.¡±

    Just then I hear the little pitter-patter of feet on the hardwood and young Vol comes from another part of the house, seemingly a part that has hardwood flooring instead of carpet. ¡°There you are, Vol,¡± Rose turns and looks at Mimi and Kay in turn and thanks them for fetching him for her.

    I don''t like this- at all. We''re not done talking about this. But I can clearly see it has to be put on hold.

    I glance over to see Rose hoisting Vol up and onto her lap. Kay and Mimi take their seats as well. ¡°Where''s Nina?¡± I ask while searching the room.

    ¡°Ninavinhas left,¡± Mimi says coldly while cutting into what appears to be eggs- though they are blue in color. I don''t like her tone but I try to sound calm and ask, ¡°And why did she leave?¡±

    I glance over to see that Rose is busying herself with cutting the food on her plate into tiny pieces for Vol. I can tell she''s listening in but doesn''t want to be a part of this conversation. Likewise, Kay just hangs her head and stares with intensity at the table while eating.

    Seeming to grow tired of this conversation, Mimi changes the subject and starts talking about the Academy. According to Mimi, the Academy is where basically all people should aspire to attend. It''s the largest, uh¡­ Academy, in the lands. Only the richest and the absolute best of the best are allowed to attend. So it comes as no surprise that it''s currently where these three women attend. Though they''ve been on a hiatus of sorts since the Zeroth has shown up- for it is now their sole responsibility to be with me every single waking moment while being the absolutely best wives they could ever hope to be.

    Talk about a living hell. They''ve given up so much for this ridiculous charade and probably even more that I don''t even know about.

    I glance over at Rose while Mimi continues on with her inane chatter about our plans for the day. Every once in awhile Rose adds her two cents but Kay never utters a word. I see Rose smiling cheerfully while wiping Vols face with a cloth. I hurt deep inside at the thought of these two being separated. Just because it seems normal to them, doesn''t make it right. Surely I''m not wrong about that.

    Yet from what all I can gather, it''s my- the Zeroth¡¯s fault. I look down at the food on my plate and my stomach churns. This food is weird colors and my body is rejecting it on a physiological level.

    I pick up a fork and lightly push what appears to be eggs, around my plate. ¡°Is it not to your liking my Lord?¡±

    Rose says while leading a bite of food to Vol. He smiles delightfully as these¡­ eggs find their way to his mouth. I hesitantly bring a piece of food to my mouth and lightly sniff it. It doesn¡¯t seem bad; so I tentatively place the food in my mouth. I taste it and move it around my mouth. It¡¯s very¡­ alright. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I tell Rose after swallowing.

    I proceed to eat the rest of my food in silence while listening to Vol tell us about his recent days at the orphanage. He doesn¡¯t even seem sad about how he, apparently, only gets one day a month with his mother. Overall though, he seems to be getting taken care of at least. That¡¯s something to be thankful for.

    I finish my food, feeling no worse, and no better for its consumption. It was a very mediocre affair. It¡¯s not that the food didn¡¯t taste good, it probably did. It¡¯s just that my sense of taste is¡­ dulled somehow. That makes me incredibly nervous. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me, and I''m terrified because of it.

 Chapter 10 - Expectance - Part 2

    Expectance - Part 2

    ¡°Alright Voltin, we have to go about our business today. Make your way home like a good boy and-¡± Rose reaches between her breast and pulls out a coin, ¡°buy yourself something sweet.¡±

    Why is that where the money was?

    ¡°All right Mama! I love you!¡± Vol says while swinging his arms around her neck and placing a kiss on her cheek.

    He hops off of her lap and waves energetically while saying goodbye to us. And with a pitter-patter of tiny feet, he flies out of the room.

    At some point, Mimi made her way over to the chair, off to the side, in front of me. Once she''s in a comfortable position, she asks me to face my back towards her. I slide around in my chair, now facing sideways, when I feel Mimi¡¯s hands running through my hair.

    ¡°You have beautiful hair Zero,¡± she says while continuing to run her hands through it. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful red.¡±

    ¡°Our colors will make for the most beautiful hair on our children,v this makes me audibly sigh and repeat what I''ve said time and time again, ¡°Mimi, we can¡¯t have children.¡±

    Mimi¡¯s breath seems to hitch and she mumbles something about, ¡°Of course. How could I have forgotten?¡±

    Mimi seems lost in thought for a moment and pulls on my hair a bit too hard.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± I let out, and almost immediately Kay is in front of me, staring daggers at Mimi.

    I feel Mimi¡¯s hands tense up behind me and lightly tug my hair more. This time I don¡¯t make a sound as I wince. However, it seems Kay still manages to pick up on this, and reaches out and grabs Mimi forcefully by the lower jaw.

    She¡¯s pulling on Mimi¡¯s face with such force that Mimi can''t resist dropping my hair and standing up.

    Once Mimi is on her tiptoes and looking up at Kay, ¡°You hurt the Zeroth again¡­¡± she says. Kay¡¯s meaning is cold and clear; and the hair on my body stands on end.

    If there was ever a ¡°murderous voice¡± then how Kay sounds right now would be it.

    I turn around and see Mimi, unable to talk, but with tears on her cheeks. I reach up to touch Kay on the elbow and say, ¡°Kay, please let Mimi down. It was an accident.¡± The moment the words leave my mouth Mimi is falling down onto the floor.

    ¡°Yes, my Lord,¡± Kay says and moves away from Mimi, while still standing guard over me.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I ask, reaching down and touching Mimi on the shoulder. She winces at my contact and I pull away.

    I turn to Kay with an exasperated look, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be mean to your friends Kay,¡± I admonish her.

    Kay, however, tilts her head in confusion and sends a dangerous look at Mimi- her eyes make it clear that the girl on the floor is no friend. Rose clears her throat and for the first time seems to be ready to get involved.

    ¡°Kay-love, please go fetch the documents for our outing. We¡¯ll be leaving in just a moment.¡±

    With a nod, Kay is out of the room without a second glance at Mimi. I get down on my knees in front of Mimi as she¡¯s finally getting herself under control.

    ¡°Can you finish putting up my hair please? I¡¯d like if you would.¡±

    Mimi¡¯s amethyst eyes glisten from the tears of pain welled up within them, and the hope of being able to help me again. She looks at me, cautiously, but with some hesitation, nods. To her surprise, I simply turn around and sit where we are. With a giggle, Mimi once again begins combing my hair with her fingers, before putting it up in my usual ponytail with both skill, and precision.

    When she¡¯s seemingly satisfied, she lets go. I stand up and offer my hand to her. She takes it, smiling, and pulls herself up. While Mimi preoccupies wiping off her skirt bottom, Rose puts her hand on my lower back and moves me into the living room.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    We arrive at a full body mirror in the living room and Rose comments, ¡°You look divine my Lord.¡± I look into the mirror and for the first time since I¡¯ve arrived here, I¡¯m able to get a good look at myself.

    My red hair is up in a neat, feathery, high ponytail courtesy of Mimi. My green eyes look back at me with a harder look than I¡¯ve seen before. Perhaps being in this world, and the horror of the past months has done that to me. I can only imagine how these eyes would reflect in those of the people in my world. However, if I had to guess, it¡¯s not something they would pick up on.

    Violence is mostly unheard of in my world, not really because we''ve reached some kind of Zen state, in which all people are at peace. No- no, violence just doesn''t really happen besides the rare case of emotionally triggered violence.

    When your world gives all necessary things for free, when your world has erased all borders, when your world has erased all notions of life besides that which lies down a very specific path, people lose most of their reasons to be violent.

    That''s one of the things that sets me aside from my world. Being in a family, and indeed the heir, to what is essentially one of the very last bastions of confrontation, tends to have people give you a wide berth. Often they fail to understand that what we do, we do for more than just being able to induce pain- but to protect.

    What we do is more personal and rewarding than simply being able to hurt- I would like to say. But honestly, I was a pretty crappy heir; and now I''m the heir to nothing. My grandfather is probably at home, alone- literally. I was all that he had left and I upped and disappeared on him- on everyone.

    But all of those thoughts are leading me nowhere and so I refocus on the image before me. My outfit isn''t one I recognize. My top is skin tight, and missing its sleeves- almost like a vest. It''s a deep black and is partially open on the sides and shows a part of my ribs. It''s adorned with red buttons from up top where my modest cleavage starts, down towards my waistline.

    Each arm is presented with a half sleeve made of a soft, silken-like material. They''re each looped around a middle finger and trace my arm up just above the elbow- not technically connected to the rest of the shirt.

    Further down, my pants- yes, they are pants, bordering on capris, though I shouldn''t have imagined they''d have a skirt laying around for the Zeroth. They match the shirt-almost-vest I''m wearing and are a black onyx color, made of the same silken, yet sturdy material the rest of the outfit seems to be made of.

    They too are form fitting, and carry themselves down my legs, stopping an inch or two below my knees and topping, or perhaps bottoming off the whole package, is a set of what I can only imagine are some kind of military boots. They look rugged but mostly new and run up from my toes to just a few inches below where my pants end.

    ¡°Simply divine¡± Rose repeats as she comes around me and fiddles with the top button- undoing it, and redoing it several times over as if trying to decide which would look better. However, after just a few repetitions she stops, with an intense glare on her face. Her brow is furrowed and her eyes crinkle in anger. After another moment of this, her face relaxes and Rose says, ¡°Yes... you have...¡±

    Leaving that sentence in the air, she runs her finger down my chest lightly, and through a portion of my cleavage before coming to a stop. I''m honestly not sure how to feel or how to reply to that. Usually, I''d either got lost in the feeling of being touched, or mad that she seems to have forgotten again.

    But honestly this time, I''m neither. I''m merely confused. Rose''s expression makes it apparent that even she is having trouble understanding why she forgot. She trails back up my chest and fiddles with the button. After a moment of thought, she seems to have settled on leaving it undone- allowing my breasts some room to breathe.

    As if waking from a daydream Rose quickly snaps her head up and meets my gaze with her beautiful blue eyes. ¡°You are a... pretty woman?¡± Rose says in a tone that''s more a question.

    ¡°I, uh... thanks?¡± I say in turn.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny, you know¡­ you¡¯re so very much a woman,¡± she says while stroking my cheek, ¡°and yet¡­ hard and supple,¡± she says while running her hand down my arm, feeling the contours of what muscle I do have from a lifetime of training. Her exploration, intentional or not, sends shocks of pleasure through me. To allow someone to trace my being like this would have been unthinkable not too long ago. And yet, here I am.

    Rose continues, ¡°So why is it that I keep¡­ forgetting to notice that, my¡­ Lord?¡± She lets the last part delay, lingering at the end as if questioning my own take on it all.

    Rose is staring at me so intently that I know it is a very, very bad idea to stay in this position; yet against my better judgment, I entertain foolish thoughts with action. ¡°I don¡¯t know Rose,¡± I say while cupping her hand in mine.

    ¡°Why is it that none of you can see me? And yet, I can¡¯t unsee you?¡± I bring her hand to my lips, and gently place them on her knuckles. Rose blushes, but it¡¯s not like before. She¡¯s not very giddy at this. Instead, she seems almost melancholy.

    Rose looks over my shoulder to check the time, and almost immediately her eyes glaze over. After a moment of that, she turns to me and says in a hushed voice, ¡°My Lord, it is about time for us to leave for the Academy.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Academia - Part 1

    Academia - Part 1

    As we head to our destination, the Academy, Mimi briefly informs me how this will go. According to her, we¡¯ll be taking a private coach on the train- yes, there are trains, but to get there we will have to walk near five miles.

    Somehow though, they have little faith in, "the sciences," yet are capable of occasionally building machines that are similar to things found in the olden times of my world, but which run on magik in lieu of the typical resources my world would have used.

    I''m told that it is imperative to walk with dignity, grace, and yatta yatta; more formal stuff. The main thing was the fact that I¡¯m apparently supposed to always remain in the center of my wives. Most of the city knows who I am, even if they haven¡¯t seen me. The women are all well-known faces as well. So my being with them will be a dead give away. I would have assumed they¡¯d simply just have guards escorting me or something, but I guess the Zeroth position isn''t really supposed to stand out, unlike the other Knights.

    But as I was thinking just a moment ago, this doesn''t make a whole lot of sense. People will know who we are, if only because of the Valkyries. So I am failing the mission at step one; I am failing to blend in. Yet the girls insist that this is to be the way.

    From what little information I''ve gleaned from Mimi, the Zeroth¡¯s place isn''t to be center stage. The power and prestige the title carries are meaningless if everything goes to plan- that is to say, no trouble crops up; but in the advent that it does, the lack of guards is to show that the Zeroth can protect themselves. Never am I allowed to appear weak in the public''s eye.

    This sounds like a really bad idea to me, but I suppose my entire time here has been one mistake after another. So with a sigh, I leave Valdrossa Manor.

    However, beyond the stares of wonder directed both at me and the women around me, we arrive at the train without issue.

    Once we are boarded, we¡¯re shown to our own private section of the train. Kay forces me to sit in the back corner of the train, then proceeds to sit right next to me. Mimi protested at first, claiming that as the ¡°best wife¡± she should have the right to sit next to me. After a terrifying glare from Kay, she backed off.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s just being protective Mimi. Please don¡¯t pout,¡± I plead to the slightest glimpse of amethyst hair peeking over the seat in front of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not pouting!¡±

    She turns around and glares over the seat at me. But Mimi, don¡¯t you know? That ispouting; I neglect to contest anymore.

    Kay glances around the room constantly as if at any moment we will be jumped. Her being so on edge can¡¯t be good for her, so I reach over and place my hand atop hers. She visibly tenses at this then glances over at me.

    I allude to being busy by suddenly becoming fascinated with the passing scenery. Eventually, she seems to give up waiting for me to look her way and flips her hand over, giving mine a squeeze.

    We finally arrive at the next station over still sitting in silence. The scenerywaspretty. It was just mostly flat grasslands around us though. In this case, the only real difference from what I''m used to in my world is the grass is blue.

    When we arrive at our station, ¡°This is our stop,¡± is all that Rose states as she stands and starts to head to the front of the train. Kay releases my hand to follow behind Rose. This leaves just Mimi and I in the back of the group. She still seems a little downcast, so I ask if she¡¯d like to sit next to me on the ride back. Her face lights up, but she quickly jerks back down.

    ¡°I will talk to Kay; I promise,¡± I ensure her. I''m rewarded with her smile.

    Mimi and I exit the train and immediately are swarmed by Kay and Rose. Together, the four of us walk through the main plaza of the city. What I see is magnificent. All around me are people, people, and more people. The vast majority of them have rather bland features, but occasionally you¡¯ll see someone with an otherworldly set of eyes or hair pass by.

    The street is some kind of cobblestone; it¡¯s nice and smooth. I think, at least I remember reading from a book about roads like that. That technology hasn''t been used in so long, perhaps I''m just misinformed. You can see wagons being pulled by various creatures. Some are horse-like but l have six legs. Some even look sort of like a cross between a hippo and a cat.

    The city proper is like something straight out of a fantasy book. The part that Val House is located in is more like some kind of suburb, filled with mostly houses.

    But here in this peculiar world, even the air around us is different. I¡¯m looking around in wonder and awe, like a child¡¯s first time in a toy store. I am constantly getting distracted and separated from the group; along with a multitude of scoldings from Rose. But I just can¡¯t help it!

    With an audible sigh, Rose chides me, ¡°You¡¯re so energetic, my Lord. You would give even Vol a run for his money!¡± I blush and rub the back of my neck in chagrin.

    Mimi giggles when she sees this and says, ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve never met someone who didn¡¯t live here. So it¡¯s quite amazing to see you like this, so excited.¡±

    Just then a shrill scream pierces the air around us, yet nearly everyone around me pays it no attention. I stand up straight in attention, chest puffed, and scan the immediate area.

    ¡°What is it my Lord?¡± Mimi asks quizzically.

    I hear the scream again; being prepared for it, I dash off. It seems to take Mimi and Rose a moment before they start to move, but Kay doesn¡¯t miss a beat.

    We¡¯re running through the main street, our progress is slowed by the need to weave through the crowd. I dodge those that I can, apologize in passing to those that I can¡¯t, and jump or duck under the rest.

    I make sure to keep in mind the increasing distance between us and Mimi and Rose. Truth be told, they¡¯re slowing me down, and honestly,I¡¯mslowing down Kay. She is unbelievable. We¡¯ve all been running at near-full speed and she¡¯s not even breathing hard. But I can¡¯t afford to leave them behind or get separated from them.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    There¡¯s a third scream as we cut through an alley. I arrive just in time to see a woman with a dagger held high, and a beaten, bloodied man on the ground. ¡°Kay!¡± I shout. And just as the woman brings her blade down on the man, Kay is at her side, driving her fist deep into the woman¡¯s ribs.

    A scream reaches my ears first, followed by the sickening snap of her ribs as she crashes into a building. I can¡¯t help but be mesmerized.

    ¡°Um¡­ wasn¡¯t that a bit much? Is she even still alive?¡±

    Kay looks towards me. She¡¯s wearing no expression and yet, I can tell she is confused; as if the thought of this random woman living or dying never even crossed her mind.

    A moment later Rose and Mimi arrive, completely breathless and hair ragged.

    ¡°What the heck is the big idea leaving us behind like-¡± Mimi cuts herself off mid-sentence as she finally catches a glimpse of the man on the ground. It¡¯s amazing how fast she switches gears; she¡¯s kneeling right next to the man, checking him over.

    ¡°He needs a healer immediately,¡± she snaps.

    ¡°How close are we to the Academy?¡± I ask then turn and bark at Kay, ¡°Subdue the woman and bring her as well.¡±

    I motion to Rose and kneel in front of the man with my back to him. ¡°Get him on me.¡±

    Rose seems confused for a moment and replies, ¡°But my Lord¡­ it¡¯s just a peasant, he¡¯ll get blood on-¡±

    ¡°Rose!¡± I shout at her with a ferocity that startles even me.

    In a panic, Mimi starts trying to pick up the man, but he¡¯s far too heavy for just her to lift. Rose snaps herself out of it and aids Mimi in hoisting the man onto my back.

    He¡¯s heavy, and barely conscious, but still breathing. Truth be told I could never normally pick up someone like him on my own; but just when I start to despair, I feel a warmth spread throughout me.

    ¡°Hurry, you have little time,¡± I hear Rei¡¯s voice echo in my mind. With renewed determination, and Rei¡¯s energy pulsing through me, I stand.

    Rose and Mimi seem surprised, and I turn to look at Kay; she¡¯s just hoisting the woman over her shoulder, having already been bound, seemingly by pieces of her own clothes that Kay must have ripped off. I¡¯m floored by what this woman is capable of doing. Here I am, barely able to hold one man, and sure men tend to weigh more, but she¡¯s holding up theentiretyof this woman, over her shoulder, like it is nothing.

    With a nod, Kay and I start to make our slow pace to the Academy- well, I¡¯m sure Kay would be a lot faster on her own but she¡¯s keeping my pace. As we jog through the streets, people are turning and looking at us, some in confusion, some in fear. I can only imagine just how bad this looks to people.

    Rose and Mimi seem extremely put out and look like they want to be anywhere but here. However, they would never leave my side. In their minds, that dishonor is the same as being given a death sentence.

    As we get closer to the Academy, the number of guards around us increases. It¡¯s not long before they¡¯re yelling at us. But I ignore them.

    I ignore everyone and everything around us and I run. The warmth of this man on my back is fading. I have to keep going. I have to save him. I will not allow him to die.

    I am jolted with electricity pulsing through my body with every step I take. The origin is clear. A guard screams for me to halt and begins to draw his sword. When I don¡¯t respond, he actually charges at me, sword in hand. I¡¯m so mad at the situation that the cracks in my mental guard lessen and I feel Rei¡¯s arms push through the cracks.

    I shout, ¡°No!¡±

    Just then a black flame shoots from my shadow and engulfs the guard entirely. He falls to his knees, writhing in pain. I feel his pain; I don¡¯t want him to die.

    There¡¯s no point in saving one person at the expense of another.

    ¡°Rei! Stop it!¡± I shout out loud. Within me, I hear her argue that it isn¡¯t her, but she supports the decision.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You will stop it now Rei!¡±

    Again she argues that it isn¡¯t her, yet immediately the blackness around the man dissipates. He lies on the ground, motionless.

    ¡°Rei!¡±

    She tells me he¡¯s fine and urges me to keep moving if I wish to save the life of the man on my back. Behind me, even Kay seems to be slowing down. The weight of an adult human on you is tiring to anyone - period.

    As the guards in the area switch to full alert, many of them start to encircle me, swarming from their posts. We¡¯ve made it to the entrance of the Academia and the guards seem more plentiful than ever before.

    Rei is barely restrained, she wants the violence so much that it¡¯s near-painful. She wants to destroy, to rip, to tear. But she listens to me, just barely, and stays still. Guards surround me, seeming to have given up on talking after what happened to that last one. I look around wondering what to do next. Behind me, I see the guards force Mimi and Rose to their knees. They¡¯re hesitant to approach Kay, so she¡¯s fine for now.

    As the guards begin to tighten their circle around me, I give up, and put the man down while shouting to them, ¡°He needs medical attention immediately!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest, give up now and we¡¯ll give your ally attention after a proper trial for your transgressions.¡±

    I can¡¯t believe the audacity of them. There¡¯s a man lying helpless in front of them, bleeding profusely and their first thought is a trial for transgressions that have been completely imagined.

    I¡¯m so enraged that Rei begins manifesting again. I can feel my skin burn as she begins to claw her way out. She¡¯s literally just beneath the surface of my skin; she¡¯s coming and I can¡¯t stop her. At this moment, I don''t think I want to stop her- if it really is her.

    Before Rei breaks free, I hear a shout clear across the courtyard. Something about its familiarity snaps me out of my anger.

    As Rei slinks back to my depths, the guards freeze. ¡°What is the meaning of this? I want answers now!¡± comes an authoritative voice. The doors open up to reveal Charlotte.

    It takes but a moment for her to survey the area and grasp the situation. ¡°Someone fetch the medics,¡± she shouts out. With a salute, a guard near the door hurries off. ¡°Guards put your weapons away.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, these people-¡± he¡¯s immediately interrupted by a right hook to his jaw.

    ¡°I said put your weapons away. Or do every single one of you want to be tried and executed for drawing your weapons on our Zeroth and the Valkyries?!¡±

    I¡¯m breathing hard as panic overtakes the guards. I see. The central part of the city is just far enough away from the arena to not completely know who I am. They all slowly put their weapons away, not able to fully believe what they¡¯re being informed of.

    ¡°Ouch,¡± Rose lets out in exasperation as one guard seems to be roughly shoving her away from him. Something overtakes me and before I realize it, I¡¯m in front of the guard. I¡¯m looking at myself from the outside in, that is how severe my anger is. It runs deep, on a primal level.

 Chapter 11 - Academia - Part 2

    Academia - Part 2

    I¡¯m honestly not sure why I¡¯m so mad, but I am. Hearing Rose¡¯s pain has triggered something in me, and my one desire is to erase this man- this bringer of pain. Something in how I look, in my demeanor, must seem to be tangible to the others.

    ¡°Lord Zeroth, stand down!¡± Charlotte shouts at me.

    But I still stand in front of this man, energy seeming to seep out of me. Rei shares my anger, and that actually makes me feel good. She¡¯s concerned with Rose¡¯s pain, she¡¯s my ally, the way she said she¡¯d always be.

    The man is visibly trembling, his pants- discolored and wet. ¡°Zeroth!¡± Charlotte shouts again as she approaches me and lays a hand on my shoulder.

    At the contact point where Charlotte and I meet, is a spark. It¡¯s unbelievably similar to the feelings summoned betweenmywives and I. That thought causes my blood to freeze and my breath to catch. I¡¯m acting just like Kay was this morning to Mimi. No, I¡¯m acting worse. I¡¯m acting intensely protective, but lack the self-control Kay has shown.

    Charlotte has saved this man¡¯s life, and mine. I focus on the feel of Charlotte¡¯s hand and it¡¯s soft contour. I steady my breathing and the pressure dissipates. The man falls over and continues staring at me in fear. I turn around towards Charlotte, grabbing her hand in the process. She stares at me in confusion.

    ¡°You¡¯re something else Charlie,¡± I say while folding her hand in mine. She seems taken aback and tries to take her hand from mine. I don¡¯t let her.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Now let me go and-¡± in the middle of her talking, I take Charlotte¡¯s hand and raise it to my lips. The feeling that floats between us is literally electrifying. Actual sparks shoot out from the contact and light the area around us.

    I can hear the gasps of those around me- I can feel the murderous auras of Rose, Kay, and Mimi, but my lips are sealed to Charlotte¡¯s hand. Charlotte says nothing, does nothing. She¡¯s frozen at our connection. I don¡¯t know what this is, but she feels it. Her hair begins to float up, seemingly from nothing. Her green hair glimmers in the sunlight, and her eyes take in the sky and reflects it back.

    As the energy around us fades, she seems to come to her senses and looks down at me. I slowly open my eyes and look up into hers as I pull my lips from her hand. I keep hold of her hand and simply stand there, staring up at her sky blue eyes.

    Seeming to finally come to grips with what has happened, she glances down at our connected hands, and a faint blush strikes her cheeks. Charlotte clears her throat and drops my hand while saying, ¡°Well met Lord Zeroth. I¡¯m sorry about everything that has happened. Now if you¡¯ll come with me we-¡± she¡¯s interrupted by the medics arriving.

    We look on at the medics while they assess the man on the ground. I glance over at the woman Kay had been holding, who¡¯s now at her feet and say, ¡°That woman was the aggressor. I don¡¯t know what happened between them, but she was inches away from killing that man. We have Kay to thank for saving him.¡±

    Charlotte turns her head towards Kay and gives her a nod. Kay returns the favor andkicksthe woman to us. The force of which wakes the woman up, and we¡¯re greeted by a scream of pain. Whatever was left of her ribs had just now been shattered.

    ¡°What the hell are you thinking Kay?¡±

    The woman is screaming and wailing at the top of her lungs. I make out Charlotte saying something to the medics about sedation, and a medic is on the woman before I know it. The man¡¯s hands light up and the woman is asleep within seconds.

    ¡°As I was saying-¡± I storm up to Kay- ignoring Charlie behind me, and look up into her eyes, disappointment clear in my expression. Kay seems to almost flinch from my look.

    I reach out and flick Kay¡¯s nose. She leans back in apparent dissatisfaction and rubs her nose.

    ¡°Don¡¯t treat people like that Kay. No matter what she¡¯s done, or had planned, overly hurting someone is not okay,¡± I reprimand.

    ¡°AsIwas saying,¡± Charlotte cuts in with an overly loud voice and continues when she sees she has my attention.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take the perpetrator to the clinic and have her bound, along with having her wounds looked after. The man is already on his way to the best medical lab the Academy has to offer. The rest of you will need to come with me to see the headmaster.¡±

    I walk over to Rose and keep walking in circles around her while checking this and that on her.

    ¡°Are you sureyou¡¯re all right?¡± I ask Rose.

    "Yes. I¡¯m fine my Lord. Please, pay me no mind.¡± At that, I reach up and flick her nose as I did Kay¡¯s.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Just don¡¯t.¡±

    I tell her behind my back while marching over towards Mimi.

    Mimi looks at me expectantly and cuts me off, ¡°I¡¯m fine my Lord. However, should you wish to pay me mind, please do.¡±

    So of course, I flick her nose too. She flinches backward and rubs her nose while pouting and questioning why I flicked her too. I internally sigh and move back to Charlotte.

    She¡¯s studying me, watching my movements. To be honest, she makes me nervous still. She¡¯s much larger than I am, by nearly half a foot, but she stands so straight, so dignified and proud. I won¡¯t say I have no residual anger towards her from what she did to me before, but I choose to believe she was simply following orders. I don¡¯t think even Charlotte would have chosen to put me in that arena with how I looked, had she not been ordered to. Is that naive to believe?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Charlotte reminds me of someone who¡¯s never doubted themselves. She seems like she¡¯s always had her life¡¯s goal in mind, and has done everything in her power to achieve it. She¡¯s so sure of herself, I know it. How else could she be so comfortable being in charge?

    Honestly, after what just happened between us earlier, I also feel incredibly embarrassed; so I do what I¡¯ve always done when really, truly embarrassed, I dive in headfirst and hope no one can tell just how embarrassed I actually am.

    As I reach Charlotte I hold out my arm. ¡°You-you can¡¯t be serious,¡± she says to me while looking everywhere besides my arm.

    However I am patient, and I wait. Before long she just gives up and seems to accept her fate. However, before she takes my arm, she scans the other three women.

    ¡°Valkyries, I am taking your Zeroth¡¯s arm, for he has offered it. Please abide by calmness, all right?¡±

    I look around and see each of them give a tentative nod. I suppose I never really thought about it before, but it seems if you give them time to process the information, they¡¯re largely tolerable of others touching me. However, Charlotte doesn¡¯t seem to understand what just happened between us.

    I¡¯m not from this world, and don¡¯t understand anything completely. But I guarantee there¡¯s more to what happened between her and I than any of them are considering. Charlotte and I are linked now, I feel it inside of me. The tug towards her isn¡¯t quite as strong as it is towards the others, but it¡¯s there. Our fates have become intertwined, all because in a moment of emotion, I bound her to me. I¡¯ve changed the course of this woman¡¯s life and I did it against her will.

    Worse yet, is the fact that I can even do this- again. Who am I to be able to influence another so? Why can I touch people''s¡¯ lives, and alter the path they walk? This power within me is, to bastardize what Fennis said, heretical- Not heretical to any god or culture, but to the very nature of fate.

    I glance up at Charlotte, and to my surprise, her face is set in a gentle expression. One so unlike her usual self, that instead of elation, it brings about fear. She slides her arm through mine and nods cutely. With that, we head off through the Academy gate.

    The area beyond the gate, a courtyard, is as magical as anything else I¡¯ve seen in this portion of the city. Despite the uproar that happened only moments ago, students still sit and mingle no more than a hundred feet away, as if nothing else had just happened.

    Some sit on the benches that dot the courtyard haphazardly. Other groups of men and women both, sit under orange-leafed trees that are reminiscent of Sakura in bloom. They''re beautiful. Plenty others are simply laying out on the blue grass, enjoying the sun as it beats down on them. To my surprise, few even pay us any attention.

    If I¡¯m not imagining it, people seem more interested in Charlotte having arms linked with someone than any looks towards me or the others. I¡¯ll take it though, it¡¯s significantly better than having a hundred plus eyes all facing towards me. We arrive at the gates of the academy proper in silence.

    All around me the air feels tingly. The tip of my tongue burns. It¡¯s a strange sensation, and Charlotte seems to pick up on something and asks me, ¡°What is it?¡± I look up to her while we make our way into the building in front of us.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°You have a look on your face as if you just tasted something sour,¡± she tells me.

    It amazes me that she actually nails down what I¡¯m feeling so well. To this, she actually giggles.

    Charlotte, in all her prideful countenancegiggles. It''sso adorable.

    It¡¯s not long before the other women around me start to giggle. I feel self-conscious and shy. I¡¯m sure a blush creeps across my cheeks, and I hang my head at a downward angle. It¡¯s never fun being the odd-man out during a group laughing session. I was still unclear about what they were laughing about, but was afraid to ask. You always assume that everyone is laughing at you, after all.

    Charlotte smooths her face over and looks at me questioningly.

    ¡°What? Really?¡± She ponders this for a moment as we reach what appears to be the lobby of the Academy.

    ¡°We have to go up to meet with the headmaster. Let me have his assistant give him notice of our arrival.¡±

    At this, Charlotte drops our arms and moves towards an oval desk in the center of the lobby. She¡¯s quickly replaced by Mimi, who leans in close and whispers for only me to hear, ¡°In children who first bloom into their magiks, they can often taste the ionization in the air from the aether around us. She was just teasing you.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ my tonguedoessting¡­¡± I say, feeling shame for some reason.

    Mimi looks at me in wonder for a moment, as if trying to gauge my expression. She¡¯s very close to me, and it makes my heart pulsate. I can smell a hint of vanilla on her, mixing with the smell of what can only be described as vanilla.

    After a moment she giggles and says through short breaths, ¡°Oh Lord, you¡¯re such a jokester. I did not know.¡±

    With that, Charlotte interrupts us and tells us we need to go upstairs. She leads the group and we begin to follow her, with me in the middle of everyone. With one last look back towards the lobby, I finally take it all in.

    The walls are a marble stone, white and columned. They meet high up with a stone ceiling. The area is nicely decorated with plants here and there. The lobby smells of a pine-like fragrance. I¡¯m saddened that we are leaving the area as we march up the stairs.

    The stairs are made of a metal of some sorts and it tingles my hand with every touch. Is this the sign of more magiks being used? I look around in amazement. Everything around me feels strange.

    All the furniture we pass in this beautiful hall; the white hallway, the red carpet, the chandeliers above us, all have their own ¡°taste¡± for lack of another word. I don¡¯t think I could explain it to someone who hasn¡¯t experienced it. It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve developed another sense.

    As we walk down the hallway, I get an idea in my head and I reach over and lace my fingers with Kay. She gives me a look, blank as any other, yet her eyes shine- both in happiness and confusion. The moment our hands touch my world comes alive.

    I feel a shock to my tongue, stronger than any of the inanimate objects around us. I can see actual colors pouring out of the world around us. Electricity seems to flicker between all of the connections around me. Where one object meets another, sparks. As we pass rooms of people, every point of contact with another creates sparks of color.

    However, I¡¯m unable tobareit for long, and I release Kay¡¯s hand. She doesn¡¯t seem troubled by it, but I do notice her eyes are a little more downcast. While I¡¯m looking at Kay, I bump into Charlotte.

    ¡°Lord Zeroth¡­ please pay attention.¡±

    Bumping up against Charlotte causes my tongue to sting more, in a way I¡¯d associate with oranges. It¡¯s unique, and I like it. It¡¯s wild.

    ¡°Sorry Charlie, I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±

    At this, Charlotte¡¯s eyes squint. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are calling me that, my Lord. But if I may, I do not like it.¡±

    Charlotte¡¯s eyes immediately widened just a bit when she realizes her casual attitude and dismissal.

    ¡°I mean, if The Lord Zeroth-¡± I interrupt her, ¡°It¡¯s fine Charlotte. I¡¯m sorry for upsetting you. But that aside, we¡¯ve seem to have stopped. Have we arrived?¡±

    She looks around for a moment as if having forgotten what we were doing here. Charlotte clears her throat and puts her hand on the door. After making contact we hear a deep man¡¯s voice echo from within.

    ¡°You may enter," is all it says.

 Chapter 12 - Questions - Part 1

    Questions - Part 1

    Charlotte pushes the door aside and steps in, holding it open for the rest of us. Kay follows her in, clearly poised for danger. Rose walks in next, head held high, but nerves writ across her face. I¡¯m in next with Mimi following closely behind, very closely. As we all fall in line in front of a rectangularly shaped desk, we¡¯re greeted with none other than the man who started this entire mess with me.

    The door closes behind us and Charlotte speaks up while situating herself in front of us.

    ¡°Master, I present to you the Lord Zeroth and the Valkyries,¡± she says with a bow towards the man.

    He remains silent, simply running his gray beard through his fingers, as if contemplating something deep.

    He¡¯s much older than I had originally pegged him for. His face is deep and craggy. His eyes are a simple brown, but deep within them carries a lifetime of experience, and maybe more. He¡¯s wearing the weird almost-graduation-hat on his head in a black silken material. Under it lays hair that seems to never end. It¡¯s straggly and unkempt. He¡¯s got on a simple robe of a darker green nature, the front of his chest is an emblem I¡¯ve never seen before. Though it does share similarities with the others'' emblems- a tree with fruit seemingly falling out of it. After what could have been hours, or perhaps minutes, he seems to break from his reverie and looks up at me. Our eyes meet and I feel the jolt in the air that I¡¯m now slowly becoming accustomed to. It¡¯s intense and powerful. It feels ¡°bigger¡± and yet ¡°deeper¡± than the previous experiences. It feels dangerous, yet protective. It makes my tongue sting something fierce and I try and fail to cover a wince.

    He picks up on this and says, in a low, but handsome voice, ¡°The look on your face, to see it on one so old¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you picking a fight with me? Uh, Sir?¡±

    No sooner than the words leave my mouth, I hear Charlotte give an audible gasp. To my sides I see all three girls looking nervous as well. This tells me I¡¯ve royally slipped up. But I won''t correct myself. What he said was rude. As Charlotte goes to open her mouth, the man gives a deep, hearty laugh full of so much joviality that I can¡¯t help but smile.

    After he calms down and collects himself, he says very proudly, ¡°I am Domnis Lux, the chairman of the Academy, and serve as Second seat in the Consulate.¡±

    He turns his deeps eyes to me and continues, ¡°And it is an honor to stand amongst you, my Lord Zeroth.¡±

    He rises from his seat and extends his hand. I have no idea what to do, so I roll with what I do know. I do know that in this world, to be the Zeroth and bow to any other would be a mistake that I¡¯m not likely to walk away from. It¡¯s bullshit to act this way, but I do it nonetheless.

    I extend my hand to his, with its back up. He studies me for a moment, and wraps his wrinkled fingers around my hand and pulls it up to meet his lips- a long journey due to his height. I can hear the breathing of those around me, sharper than ever before. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been lost inside of the people around me.

    If I thought the world was in colors before, with this, it feels like a portion of my very soul has opened itself to more. Simply, ¡°more.¡±

    The jolt between him and I could power the very foundation of the world. This is what I feel, and what I know to be true. This man here, is beyond everything else in this world. I don¡¯t know who he is, but he is not who he proclaims to be.

    But before long, our connection ends. My mouth is on fire, and I feel a cold sweat on the rest of me. He looks up at me and says, ¡°So, we are on to business then yes?¡± as he takes his seat in what can only be described as the exact kind of chair you imagine when you think of an important business man¡¯s chair. With a protest of age, the chair accepts its master.

    ¡°Before all of that, Dom-¡± believe it or not, Kay actually starts to grab at me in a panic before Domnis gives a wave of his hand.

    ¡°My Zeroth, you tread the line of that which is wholesome¡±l,¡± he speaks up, concealed anger in his tone, ¡°But what is it?¡± His attitude irks me, and I¡¯ll have none of that, but now is not the time.

    ¡°What¡¯s the condition of the man?¡± I ask, only to be met with a confused look.

    ¡°The injured man brought in earlier before we even entered the Academy,¡± I say, only for Domnis to give a questioning look to Charlotte.

    ¡°Master, he was but a peasant. He had injuries, yes, but-¡±

    At this, I finally lose it. I swing around and with both arms, I give Rose a shove- seemingly harder than I meant to because she falls back easily three feet before correcting herself.

    ¡°Zero, what are you-¡± she gets cut off long before she has a chance to finish.

    She seems dazed and confused, looking up at me. I shake my hand, my knuckles hurt. Charlotte has a hell of a jaw.

    I stare down at her, pure anger in my eyes and I see her touch her nose. She pulls it back with red coloring her fingers.

    ¡°You listen here!¡± I shout while bending down to her.

    I grab her by the collar of her uniform and pick her up, mostly. She¡¯s still significantly taller than I am after all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever,¡± I shout, ¡°ever consider someone¡¯s life less important than another¡¯s.¡±

    I scream at her while shaking her back and forth.

    She seems to come to her sense and before I know it, her gauntlet-clad fist is encased deeply into my stomach. The force was so strong, such a surprise, that I nearly throw up. I let go of her and grab hold of my stomach.

    Before long she seems to gather herself, stands up tall, and with an anxious look on her face says, ¡°I-I was merely defending myself. You all saw it. You¡¯re witnesses.¡±

    I believe, fully, truly believe, that the only reason she has not been torn to shreds by Kay and the others is the presence of Domnis. Their anger is so palpable that even though they¡¯re behind me, I can feel it.

    Charlotte easily picks up on this and nervously stutters out, ¡°Li-li-sten, I didn¡¯t mean to hit Zero.¡±

    She looks down at me, ¡°My Lord, I would never hurt you on purpose, I-¡±

    I cut her off by standing up quickly, and glaring into her eyes while shoving my finger into her voluminous chest and saying to her, anger seething out of me, ¡°And yet you¡¯ll casually dismiss another man¡¯s near-fatal wounds, based on nothing?!¡±

    She bites back while smacking my hand away, ¡°Not nothing! He is just a peasant. A nothing! You aretheZeroth Knight.¡±

    Rei is roaring inside of me and I feel her behind my skin, she¡¯s about to come out again, and I¡¯m almost willing to let her. This area would turn into a bloodbath and the thought of that is intoxicating. But Charlotte looks at me, perhaps for the first time since I¡¯ve met her, full on. I¡¯m so mad at her that I¡¯m willing to turn this entire area into a bloodbath if Rei so chooses. Yet when I look into her blue eyes, all I see in turn is a reflection of someone I am not. My red hair is disheveled, my green eyes sunken and depressed. The anger radiating off of them scares me.

    So I reach up to grab Charlotte by the back of her head and she flinches. However, she¡¯s too careful this time, too in control, to risk doing something to me. I gently bring her head down to meet mine, and I lay our foreheads together.

    ¡°Charlie, listen to me."

    Beneath her blue eyes, inches from her, I see a faint hint of embarrassment. She lets out a huff and says, ¡°I told you not to call me that.¡±

    However the resistance in her words lacks an edge, so I continue, ¡°I would miss you if disappeared from my life.¡±

    At this, she tries to pull away, but I don¡¯t let her. We¡¯re so close, merely inches apart; and her smell starts to envelop me. She smells of sweat and dirt, yet over it all is the smell of something akin to apples. The smells blend together to form what can only simply be described as the smell of the woman before me.

    This smell is Charlotte, and represents who she is. These thoughts swirl around my mind and encompass my person. Her cheeks finally break to a shade of red, and I can feel the jealousy of the others behind me. Even still, I continue on.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Do you not feel the same?¡±

    Charlie is clearly taken aback but gives up trying to run.

    ¡°No. I do not feel the same. I mean, I didn¡¯t, but-¡±

    ¡°But now you do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer that, or anything else¡±

    ¡°But you do, don¡¯t you? Since when?¡±

    ¡°Since never. I told you Zero, I don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Since in front of the gate right?¡±

    Charlie¡¯s breath hitches and she puts in a great amount of effort to pull free from me. All this manages to do however, is cause her to tumble backward onto a sofa behind her. With a flop she¡¯s sitting on the comfortable looking sofa. I don¡¯t miss a beat and I move to straddle her.

    ¡°G-girls, please, take the Zeroth away from me,¡± Charlie begs in desperation.

    However, they don¡¯t make a move. I take a glance at them, and at this point, Mimi is red enough to probably start a fire; most likely that isn¡¯t from just anger. Rose simply looks resigned and agitated. Kay looks like she really will kill Charlie the moment I move; and so, I don¡¯t.

    I refocus my attention on Charlie, who¡¯s now below me, with my legs on either side of her hips. Together we both sink into the cushions and I place my forehead on hers. She struggles and tries to keep her eyes closed.

    ¡°Charlie, I will hurt, right down to the center of my being, if anything ever happens to you. I would hurt terribly if something were to ever happen to Rose, Kay, or Mimi. Now that extends to you.¡±

    Her eyes split open and go wide.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, I don¡¯t know why, I just know that I would.¡±

    Charlie stares into my eyes, seemingly falling into them. She doesn¡¯t answer me, she¡¯ll remain stubborn until the end it seems. But I believe she now knows, at the very least, that I am serious.

    And so I reach the entire reason I was forced to push Charlie this far. With our foreheads together, and our hearts as connected as they¡¯re going to be, I say to Charlie, in the most somber of voices, ¡°These feelings, the despair of loss¡­ this is what someone else in this world would feel for that man. And indeed, all people who live upon this very ground has someone who would feel such despair if something were to happen to them.¡±

    With my words finished, Charlies¡¯s eyes are bigger than I¡¯ve ever seen, seemingly stretched beyond their limits.

    I pull my forehead away from Charlie and place my hand on her cheek, while she stares at me in shock.

    ¡°So please, Charlie, remember these feelings, and don¡¯t pass them along to another.¡±

    I end while moving myself off of her. I turn around to the girls behind me, Rose looks somber, Kay looks everywhere but at me, and Mimi has tears going down her cheeks in a silent cry.

    Before I know it, I feel my eyes grow damp. After a moment of holding back my own tears, a deep throat rings out from the old man- right, he was still here.

    ¡°Peasant or not, if someone is hurt, and right outside our doors at that, I would appreciate being reported to about it Commander Rodiger.¡±

    Hearing herself addressed, Charlie goes to stand up, seemingly far too quickly. Before she makes it fully, she appears to grow dizzy and crashes back down into the sofa. I giggle at this, and she gives me a glare, though it¡¯s lost most of whatever edge it had before.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Master I-¡± she says while forcing herself off of the sofa at a slower rate this time, ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever punishment you decree,¡± she ends.

    I turn around to protest against anything of the sort, but the man- Domnis, is simply smiling.

    ¡°Indeed, perhaps if you do it again, you shall be punished post haste.¡±

    Charlie looks surprised, but relieved.

    ¡°In recent light of information, Zero, I¡¯m afraid I cannot answer your question.¡±

    He turns to Charlie and says, ¡°Commander, if you would, please request someone to bring us information on the patient.¡±

    He turns back to us as Charlie makes her way out of the room. ¡°Now, as I was mentioning earlier, Lord Zeroth, you are here for information, yes?¡±

    He moves his arm, and chairs from all over slide up to the desk. The sofa comes along too, so I sit in the middle of it. To no one¡¯s surprise, Mimi sets on my left, and Rose sets to my right. Kay simply sits on the floor at my knees; seemingly protecting me from every angle. Today must have been rough on them; so many emotions they¡¯ve had to restrain.

    I look up at Dom, ¡°Yes, Dom-nis.¡± I say, finishing his name. It made him mad last time, perhaps this time he¡¯ll be a little less pissed. He still looks perturbed, but not overly so.

    I continue, ¡°I need to know what is happening to me.¡± Dom runs his hand through his gray beard in contemplation.

    ¡°What does it matter? You are hail and hearty, with power beyond your kind, and three beautiful wives to bear the best of children.¡±

    I can sense the pride coming off of the girls as he says this. However, to me, he¡¯s insulting, incredibly so.

    ¡°Master Domnis,¡± I say while leaning forward, ¡°Things are never so simple. Furthermore, my¡­ wives are amazing women, absolutely, but they cannot bear my children.¡±

    At this, Dom has finally shown some level of interest in actually talking to me. He lays his hands on his desk and leans over it some.

    ¡°What is that suppose to mean, Lord Knight?¡± Dom asks interestedly.

    ¡°My Lord, women cannot make children with other women.¡±

    He looks at me like he¡¯s seeing someone who needs their mental health checked.

    ¡°I don''t understand-¡± Dom cuts himself off.

    ¡°Yes¡± he says while dragging out each syllable slowly.

    ¡°Yes indeed. Our Zeroth is a woman. That is...¡± He hesitates a moment, rubbing his beard, before finishing, ¡°Remarkable.¡±

    Before Dom is able to anything more there''s a knock at the door. After receiving permission, Charlie comes in and quietly closes the door. She walks up to Dom with some kind of report.

    Dom¡¯s eyes flicker around the page while processing the information. He looks up to see that Charlie has taken herself to my side. She stands at attention next to the sofa, with Rose separating us.

    ¡°The man in question is stable, but unconscious. The woman who caused the whole thing is being thoroughly¡­ interrogated,¡± Dom says tentatively while glancing at me.

    I''m no fool, I know what he''s insinuating. But I''m not going to go off just because of that, much to Rei''s dismay. She''s been so active today, so ready to unleash hell at the slightest provocation. I wonder if it has anything to do with how this place is affecting me. I take in Dom¡¯s gaze and nod for him to continue. He glances back down to the report then back to us.

    Dom sets the paper down and tells us that from what little they''ve gathered from the woman, ¡°She proclaims no idea why she did what she did. Apparently, she and the man were to be wed, and were living a happy life. The woman mentioned that something small and insignificant is what set her off. She also proclaims no knowledge of the sword, and confesses confusion as to how she managed to eviscerate her fiance with a one.¡± With that, he seems to be done with the report.

    ¡°Now, Zero, I do believe you and I have plenty to discuss, and a story to be told, yes?¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, ladies,¡± he turns to the others with me, ¡°Zero and I need discuss something of a more sensitive nature. So if you all would¡­¡± He lets the sentence hang in the air. However, no one moves, not even Charlie.

    ¡°Everyone, I¡¯ll be fine. Charlie can surely find you something to entertain yourselves.¡±

    Kay shakes her head at me. I look down and run my fingers through her head and ask, ¡°Please Kay?¡±

    She looks up and stares at me in contemplation. I look over to Mimi and touch her shoulder; she¡¯s hesitant as well. So at last, I look towards Rose, the voice of reason. She has a wry look on her face and glances at everyone else.

    ¡°Well, this is the head office of one of the most powerful people in the in our lands. If there is any place safe, this will be it.¡±

    Mimi looks over at me and with a doubtful look, she glances at Domnis. I see, she¡¯s fearful that perhaps Dom will do something to me. I laugh at that and flick her nose. She leans away and scrunches up her nose in annoyance.

    ¡°Please, I¡¯ll report to you all anything I find out, alright?¡±

    With doubtful looks, they all stand. Charlie takes one last look at me and walks everyone out. Once we are completely alone, Dom turns to me and says, ¡°Zero, you seem to have things to say, things to ask, and things to learn.¡±

    ¡°All I want to know is what is happening to me Dom. That¡¯s all. I- No. No, I suppose that¡¯s not all. What I really want is for whoever is in charge of everything, to call my ¡°wives¡± off. That¡¯s the first thing. It isn¡¯t right.¡±

    Dom runs his finger through his beard and stares transfixed at me. Before long, he¡¯s waving me over. I hesitantly do what he says, and walk around his desk, then stand before him.

    ¡°May I verify something Zero?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Um¡­ I don¡¯t like where this is going, but yes?¡± I asked confusingly. He stares daggers at me, and looks mad with his brow furrowed.

    ¡°I feel like, there¡¯s something different about you. And it¡¯s on the tip of my tongue but it¡¯s as if I have forgotten,¡± he says. ¡°But I have been around long enough to notice when perceptions are being warped.¡±

    He holds up his hand and says, ¡°What is different about you, Lord Zero?¡± With his hand in the air, he seems to stare into nothingness while his eyes glaze over.

 Chapter 12 - Questions - Part 2

    Questions - Part 2

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ what is most different from past Zeroths is the fact that I am a woman,¡± I say. As if given a shock, Dom¡¯s eyes clear up and his gaze wanders the room.

    After a moment of seemingly being lost, he moves his hand and lays it on my chest. It takes every ounce of willpower I possess to stop Rei from immediately tearing out his throat. It takes just as much to not do the same myself. Instead, I calmly reach down and pull Dom¡¯s hand off of me and ask, ¡°I¡¯m going to choose to believe you didn¡¯t do that for the obvious reasons, Dom.¡±

    The man¡¯s craggy face seems almost embarrassed as he clears his throat and says, ¡°Err. Yes. Look, ¡®tis plain as day that I will forget this information soon. However, my drive to learn what is happening to you will not, of this you can be assured.

    However, he says, ¡°Back to your original demand, to answer that, I believe you need some history on who the Zeroth is.¡±

    He gestures to the seat in front of his desk. ¡°You see, the story of the Zeroth is the story of our people, and our world.¡± From here, Domnis starts to weave a tale as old as time.

    The first accounts of the Kingdom of Arsea, of the continent Hadel, of the planet Tardius speak of a before time that is tantamount to fairy tale and lost records. It speaks of times of great kingdoms and terrible wars. The records talk about creatures able to manifest within men and steer their actions. Supposedly in order to combat this growing threat, the ten strongest kingdoms came together to form a union, the likes of which our world had never seen before. However, man is always ruled by hubris; and though the world now held within its hands, the power to push back against the evils that lay in shadows, the kingdoms could ultimately not fully trust one another. At every opportunity, they plotted and schemed in ways that would lead them to remain the most powerful of men.

    Unable to take the injustice of it all, one servant among them gave it all up and told the world that enough was enough. He donned his garb and walked the world, teaching all who would learn, preaching to all who would listen. He spoke of the unruly Kingdom Ten and the problems they self-imposed.

    It was not long before the Kingdom learned of this man, and less time still before they saw him hung. As the man¡¯s last breath escaped his lungs he swore to his followers that he would return by raven to save all the weary souls.

    As the kingdom¡¯s squabble and the lands were taken by the beasts of old; it was the poor, the young, those lacking in intellect and charm that were made to suffer most.

    Before the world fell to its knees, a savior arrived; and with his midnight hair, and his golden eyes did he decree, ¡°Kingdom Ten, you are unfit to rule this world. I shall take you and wield you to free my people.¡±

    Now even the fairy tales seem to lose focus here. Some say the Raven challenged the mightiest of knights from all ten kingdoms and came out victorious. Other tales speak of the savior as if he went on a murdering spree and simply killed all the kings who opposed him. However, it is not long before most tales come back in agreement that eventually, the savior stood as head of all the Knights. He proclaimed to rule the Knights Ten, but to not stand with them. He spoke of controlling their armies and their assets, but swore no fealty to any one land. He was not a part of their ranks, but above. He proclaimed himself the beginning of the revolution to take back their world.

    As the beginning, and to fit the theme of the Knights Ten, some started calling him the Knight with no number. This, in turn, evolved into the Knight with no loyalty. As time went on, it was only natural for it to end where it did. The savior became known, the world over, as the Zeroth Knight. All who approached him, to learn of him, his life, and his name were all met with the same answer. He professed to everyone that all that he was before, he is no more. Now he simply stands before them as Zero.

    Nearly all the stories end the conflict the same way. Eventually, this man lived up to the title of ¡°Savior¡± and brought an end to the wars. Yet ever one to be wary of the hubris of man, he refused to step down from power.

    Instead, he fused the Kingdom Ten into one massive kingdom that was to be known as Arsea. He installed a Consulate that would strip power from the One King and hold within their rights the ability to select the monarchy to take over after the current one retires or passes, to enact and enforce world order, and to select the Knights Ten who would rule the land¡¯s armies.

    Domnis takes a moment to breathe and gather himself before continuing, ¡°That¡¯s where the legends end.¡±

    ¡°From there, we have the actual first historical written accounts of our Kingdom¡¯s founding. Besides a few references here and there, there¡¯s verifiably no information to back the tales of old.¡± Dom says.

    He takes this time to lean back in his chair, and I am dumbfounded. None of this really answers my questions or gets my demands closer to coming true, but it¡¯s eerie how close to home those stories are.

    Creatures that live inside of men, and are able to manipulate their actions. This part alone is terrifyingly close to explaining Rei. Before I¡¯m able to follow that train of thought much further, Dom continues, ¡°What we do know is that the Zeroth was there at the beginning, and from the beginning, has always headed the Knights. The title of Zeroth is passed down through the generations, not through bloodline, but by chosen individuals. Obviously, only the highest quality of people may become even considerations for the title. Once the Zeroth of the last generation has retired or passes away, the title is given to another.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. This is not just some ¡°title.¡± This is not just something I am called.¡± I''m on the edge of my seat.

    ¡°Indeed. It is a title to be sure, but it is so much more. The individual chosen as the Zeroth has a magical rune carved into their soul that identifies them as the Zeroth. That is from where the pain derives,¡± Dom says with a faraway look in his eyes, seeming to reflect back at the time of my coming to this world, and taking his spell in place of Fennis.

    ¡°The rules of succession are also clear. There is only one Zeroth at any time. The Zeroth is only allowed to pass upon the death of the Zeroth, or retirement of the Zeroth title.¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He continues, ¡°Likewise, to ensure the absolute best possible offspring are birthed, the magical rune carved into the Zeroth is tethered and tied to the souls of individuals deemed to be high enough quality for birthing the Zeroth¡¯s children.¡±

    He stops again and his breath hitches. He tries to pretend it didn¡¯t happen and leans forward again.

    ¡°This entire thing is nonsense. Complete. Utter. Nonsense." Misery tints my voice, but I continue, ¡°You¡¯re telling me that those women literally exist for a single purpose, and a barbaric one at that!¡±

    Dom seems taken aback but is able to recover in record time. ¡°I don¡¯t know what bothers you Zero, but things are how they are and no man alive can change it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s complete bullshit! You even said that the Zeroth title is not hereditary! So why does the Zeroth need the ¡°best¡± women around to sire their children?¡± I¡¯m nearly shouting at Dom at this point.

    ¡°The Zeroth is not chosen by heredity, but even if a child of the Zeroth is never going to take up the title, it still makes our world stronger simply to have the best of us together,¡± Dom''s voice, reminiscent of an authoritative teacher.

    ¡°So not just them, but the Zeroth as well! You treat us like livestock!¡± I spit at Dom, only to be met in kind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t treat anyone like anything! I am not the one who selects the Zeroth!¡± I¡¯m taken back to my memories for a moment before I rebuttal with them as evidence

    ¡°No. You were there and you chose me that first day to be the Zeroth!¡±

    ¡°I lead the ceremony and handle the logistics but only the One King can choose when it is time to designate a new Zeroth! Only the King can ultimately choose who it goes to!¡± Dom says, almost pleadingly.

    ¡°Then take me to see this Bastard King and I¡¯ll make him remove it!¡±

    Dom is physically lurching backward at my statement. I suppose calling someone like their King a bastard is pushing it, but I don¡¯t care.

    ¡°The One King tried to remove your Zeroth, remember?!¡±

    My mind twists and turns and races all over before arriving at the moment before Fennis and I fought.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean- When Fennis and I fought, that man was the One King? But that¡¯s nonsense! That man failed to remove the Zeroth from me!¡± Full confusion assails me.

    ¡°And so we come to the crux of the matter Zero. The man who grants the Zeroth is unable to take it away. We know not if it¡¯s impossible because of your strange circumstances in receiving the title, or if the incantation ever worked to begin with,¡± Dom says while letting out a sigh and leaning back into his chair again, seemingly exhausted.

    ¡°How could you not possibly know if something so important worked or not?!¡±

    I shout, standing up and slamming my fists on the desk.

    ¡°Because for all we know, you¡¯re the first and only person to ever voluntarily give up the Zeroth!¡±

    He shouts back, as if stating the obvious; and for senses sake, he¡¯s almost certainly not wrong. Who in their right mind would normally give up such a title?

    ¡°And if the Zeroth can not be removed¡­¡± I let my unasked question hang in the air, to which Dom replies, ¡°Then it stands to reason the others are bound to you permanently as well, yes.¡±

    This disheartening news causes me to wither and crumble back into my chair. ¡°And,¡± I say, while leaning my head back to rest on the chair in full, ¡°And all of this aside, you still haven¡¯t explained what is happening to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± He asks. I pull my head down for a moment, and see a look of genuine confusion on his face- well, he did warn this would happen.

    However, it¡¯s always related to me directly, such as my gender, that people tend to forget. But what if a more general statement is spoken, would they forget that?

    ¡°Dom, you should probably look into whether or not this¡­. blessing of the Zeroth is exactly as it says on the can.¡±

    He looks at me for a moment before stroking his beard. ¡°You mean to say, there¡¯s more to the Zeroth than what is common knowledge?¡±

    He gives a huff, ¡°As unlikely as it is Zero, I shall do this for you. But I promise you no deadline. What am I looking for?¡±

    ¡°Anything that doesn¡¯t fit with your preconceptions. But if I had to nail it down more specifically, see if you can find anything about how the Zeroth title could influence others- physically.¡±

    ¡°That is an odd request and yet, I feel it is as good as any other. You may consider it done.¡± Dom says with a nod.

    ¡°And now, I¡¯ve shared our story with you. It is about time you shared yours, no?¡± That throws me for a loop and I jerk forward.

    ¡°What? What makes you think I have a story to tell?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Everyone has a story to tell Zero. Yours just seems more foreign than most. Hearing it could possibly help us a great deal in what we each seek.¡±

    ¡°And what do we both seek, Dom?¡±

    To which he replies immediately, ¡°Understanding.¡±

    I look Dom over. He seems sincere, and so I ask once more for good measure, ¡°Domnis, what is different about me compared to the Zeroths of before? Something you can tell me right now?¡±

    Dom looks me over and says, ¡°I do not know Zero. That is why I wish to know your story.¡±

    I feel my heart hurt at this and ask him, ¡°Are you good at telling when perceptions are being muddled?¡± Dom¡¯s eyes slowly widen as if in understanding but holds up a hand.

    ¡°Zero, just tell me your origin in full and I will do all I can to remember what I can despite whatever it is that¡¯s happening to you.¡±

    So with a heavy heart, and a depression blacker than any pit, I weave my tale to Dom; from the beginning of that day- the day I would confess to Him, until now.

    I tell Dom of my meeting with him and Fennis. I tell him of Nina taking care of me before and even after. I tell him about my connection with my wives, and even with Charlie and that man. I tell him everything pertaining to me, without contradicting whatever image of me he carries; all in hopes that he¡¯ll remember most of what I say.

 Chapter 12 - Questions - Part 3

    Questions - Part 3

    To sum up what I''ve learned, no one knows what is happening to me, but a few things are clearer now. I know that the Zeroth has a long and ancient history. I also know why these people place the Zeroth on such a high pedestal; even without the fairy tales from the ¡°before times,¡± there are actual historical accounts of the founding of this empire, and Zero was there.

    But as I finish my tale, a thought occurs to me.

    ¡°Domnis, if the Zeroth was a man who took the title of Zeroth in the beginning, why has it lasted this entire time? If there is one thing I know, it¡¯s the greed and desire for power that all men carry. Why has no king ever erased the Zeroth title? With no Zeroth, a King would have unlimited power.¡±

    Domnis considers me before responding. His deep brown eyes tell me that he has contemplated this and more. He¡¯s seen things that I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine, and worse yet, they tell me of a warning. A warning that knowledge is to be sought, but only in the right ways, at the right times.

    Yet he seems to shove his own advice to the side, and opens his mouth. What he tells me shocks me to my core, for it is unbelievable at the very foundation of nature- magik be damned. He tells me that the One King is called such, because he is literally the One, and only One King the empire has ever had. The One King is an immortal being who watches over the world and guides its people.

    The Consulate has never had to elect another, because the current has always been.

    Truth be told, I had gotten used to most of the fantastical elements of this world, but this is stretching it. Even among the magik and the weird societal structure, an immortal man of a few thousand years, who governs the way this world is run, is preposterous.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± I ask with disbelief dripping from every word.

    Much to my surprise Dom nods in agreement and says, ¡°Yes indeed. This stays in this room, of course. But I do not fully believe it myself, for it is unbelievable. But I''ll never have a chance to find that answer. None will, save the Three.¡±

    In confusion, I ask, ¡°Do you mean to tell me you aren''t one of these¡­ Three who get to meet the One King?¡±

    With a shake of his head, ¡°Indeed. And none know the criteria required to become one. The only known knowledge is that it is for life.¡±

    I feel dizzy and am forced to lean against the back of my chair once more.

    "Does that not mean that everything the Zeroth did, was in vain? You have an immortal King, ruling forever- an unending tyrant."

    "The One King is a lot of things my dear, but a tyrant, he is not. Indeed, he perches high above the rest of us, and rarely interferes. To my knowledge, most of his involvement with us regular folk ceased after a series of rebellions that supposedly happened at some point in the past. But most of that kind of information is lost to us, either purposefully, or due to sloppiness in record keeping."

    My whole world crumbled around me when I came here. Now, even the pieces are set a light. Dom seems to be done with our meeting because he starts to talk to me about researching the Zeroth a bit more and tells me he''ll keep in touch.

    I make my way into the hall with the clang of the wooden door behind me. Now I have to find the women.

    I''m surrounded by beautiful colors and wonderful decoration. With everything that just happened, I managed to forget about the sting of my tongue and the colors seeping out of my surroundings. But it''s less overwhelming now.

    I look every which way and all around me is beautiful marble walls, portraits of people, and potted plants.

    I start making my way through the hallways, high above, the chandeliers guide me. I find a servant and ask them if they''ve seen Commander Rodiger. After finding the direction to head in, I make my way to the recreation room.

    As I wind through turns and take paths at various forks, directions fading from memory, I finally arrive at a nondescript door. I put my hand on the door but stop when I hear what''s within.

    I lean up close to the door and can make out laughter and giggling. I can tell they''re all having a wonderful time and I feel guilt in my heart. This is what they could be like, every day of their life, if it weren¡¯t for me- if it weren¡¯t for the Zeroth.

    Fate bound us, twisted us, and forced us to walk on paths undesired. I suck in a breath and think, that now, of all times, I could back out of all of this. Even if it¡¯s just running away, I could just disappear, and then maybe these girls could lead a normal life.

    But no, I know that to not be the case. If I left, they would suffer. But would that suffering be worse than the path I¡¯ve forced on them? I have no way of knowing. And that fear, above all else, is what forces me to release the breath I was holding and to put weight behind my extended arm, opening the door.

    Before even half of me is visible, I hear the jovial commotion come to an end. Sorrow assails me. I feel terrible.

    Once I¡¯m fully visible from the doorway, all of the women stand and greet me, even Charlie. They all wear smiles that don¡¯t quite reach their eyes. Indeed, their eyes are sorrowful. I¡¯m not sure why I never picked up on it before. Maybe I was just too overwhelmed by always having them near me. Maybe now, after having an extended amount of time away from them for the first time, am I able to pick up on such subtle cues.

    ¡°My Lord, we missed you,¡± says Mimi as she walks up to me. I stare at her, sorrow written on my face, and she halts and hesitantly opens her mouth, ¡°M-My Lord?¡±

    I look over to Kay, who¡¯s approaching my side even as we speak, my ever-watchful guard dog. Rose looks on and approaches me but keeps her distance to allow the others the space around me; ever the selfless giver. I glance at Mimi- ever with her competitive spirit.

    Last, but certainly not least, I look toward my shadow. Gee¡¯s here, ever with her head turned away from reality. But for just one moment, she did face reality, and she probably saved me. At the very least, she tried to help me, despite wanting nothing to do with this side of the world.

    I look up at the ceiling, and think to myself, ¡°Now Charlotte, the denier.¡±

    I feel the tears running down my cheek before I register that I am crying. The group of women look on in astonishment but, feeling awkward, don¡¯t know what to say. I look down and bring my hand to my face.

    ¡°My Lord, what is it? Did you receive grave news from Master Domnis?¡±

    Rose asks as she pulls out a handkerchief to pat my eyes with. I thank her and clear my throat before addressing everyone, ¡°No. Not wholly at least. So, what fun is there to be had before we return home then?¡±

    With a wry smile, Charlie looks at me and says, ¡°I don''t know about fun. But I was just reminding them about the ¡°All Hallows Eve¡± festival coming up in a few months."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I nod and tell her it''s sure to be fun if she''s looking forward to it. She gets an odd look on her face when I ask her if Nina is around.

    Charlie briefly takes on the expressions of the others before clearing her throat and telling me that if she is here today, she''d be in the lab. ¡°I''m going to go visit Nina then,¡± I tell everyone.

    As I go to leave they begin to follow. I turn a hard gaze at everyone there. I refuse to allow my misery to assault them. I want them to laugh for at least a little longer.

    ¡°Stay here, enjoy your day off everyone. I''m safe don''t worry, Gee is with me.¡±

    Everyone has a strained, confused look on their faces so I give what little I can provide in way of comfort, the best-looking smile I can muster.

    ¡°Seriously. Kay, keep everyone else safe for me. I''ll be back later.¡±

    I waste no time in leaving the room. I won''t hear their objections but frankly, it pains me. It pains me because they didn''t object. As protective as they are, I expected some form of protest. Hell, I''d imagine Kay would just straight up follow me regardless of what I said.

    Maybe having Gee to protect me is enough to them. Or maybe- probably, they don''t actually want to be with me if given the choice. I can''t blame them though. I am everything wrong with their lives.

    I move through the Academy and slowly find my way through halls with less and less people. The further I get away from where students would typically be, the less I can taste the magiks in the air. The halls become less and less decorative as I make my way to the back of the Academy. Eventually, I arrive at a door that looks no different than others.

    However, it''s the scent inside that lets me know I''ve arrived at the right place. In the end, it smells like what all hospitals and labs must surely smell like. With effort, I push the door open.

    As the door makes its way open, I catch a glimpse of yellow hair. A bit more and I see the rest of Nina. Her head is bowed over a desk with papers scattered over its surface. Loose wisps of hair stick out of her maid-like band she wears on her head. With elbows resting on the desk she glances at an angle up towards me. Upon seeing me, she hangs up a coy, little smile. ¡°My Lord,¡± she draws out her last syllable.

    I enter her lab and look around the sterile environment. There''s beakers, and chemicals, and papers everywhere. And there, in it all, is Nina, seemingly in her natural habitat. Nina stands from her seat before I have a chance to wave her off.

    She approaches me and stands before me, head held high, and chest puffed out- for only a moment, but seems to crumble before me as she looked around.

    ¡°I''m sorry for the mess. I wasn''t expecting to have you here.¡± She says with head now dipped low.

    I reach out and place two fingers under her chin and tilt her head up. We lock eyes and a jolt passes through us.

    ¡°I''ve missed you. I wanted to see you this entire time and make sure you were alright after everything that happened,¡± I say to her rosy cheeks.

    She looks everywhere except me but seems to finally give up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what exactly you''re referring to, but I am fine my Lord,¡± she tells me while pulling away and putting distance between us. This aggravates me and I''ve been far too depressed from today''s events to take it in stride. My face twists in anger and I glare at Nina.

    She swallows and the contour of her throat shifts. ¡°Please don''t tell me I''ve lost my one friend here Nina,¡± I say to her desperately, through gritted teeth.

    ¡°My Lord, I''m honored you¡¯d-¡± I can''t stand it anymore so I cut her off by storming up to her and staring her down.

    ¡°Don''t bullshit me Nina. Not when everything else has gone to hell. Not the one time I need a friend.¡±

    She seems taken aback, not at my anger but something else. After a moment of consideration, she looks wildly around the room. Seemingly finding what she wanted she heads towards a stack of papers and shoves them off what appears to be a stool. With a grunt, she picks it up and moves it over to her desk. She motions for me to take her chair while she sits on her newly acquired stool. I hesitate for a moment. It''s not fair that I get the good chair. But I give up, knowing she''ll just fight me on that too.

    I slink my way into the offered chair and let out a sigh I didn''t know I was holding. Nina studies me for a minute and asks, ¡°My Lord-¡± she stops when she sees my glare again. She clears her throat and hesitantly continues, ¡°Evangeline-sama?¡±

    She pauses for a moment as if asking a question, and looks to me as if contemplating my thoughts from my face. ¡°What''s troubling you?¡± she finishes.

    Her green eyes run deep and seem to pierce me through. That was the last push. The concern she shows breaks my dam; the tears flow in a rush and wash away my reserve. I spill everything to her. Everything. I tell her what I learned from Master Domnis. I tell her about my world and my old life. I tell her how everything had been twisted and corrupted from the day I arrived here. The whole time I''m spilling my soul, Nina simply stares at me with concern writ across her face.

    She occasionally raises an eyebrow here, nods there, but otherwise simply allows me to get it all out. When all¡¯s said and done, I''m a mess. My eyes are red and sore, my hair has mostly fallen out of its bun. Nina looks at me with concern and asks if I''m feeling better. I give her a nod because honestly, I do feel a bit better. Nina learning the truth has made me feel light as a feather

    Once I''ve calmed down, Nina''s smile fades and her face hardens. ¡°You weave a tale hard to believe Evangeline-sama.¡±

    I give her a weak smile and tell her I''m aware. ¡°But if what you speak is true, it means you''re not from our world. That is most fascinating.¡±

    ¡°I''m not making anything up. I swear.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. I believe you. You''ve never been anything but good, even to someone like me.¡±

    ¡°Don''t talk about yourself like that Nina. I don''t know your story but there is nothing that warrants such talked. Not from yourself or others.¡± She gives me a dubious look and opens her mouth but then closes it.

    She does this imitation of a fish several times before taking a deep breath and finally replying, ¡°You don''t know me Zero. And you don''t know what I''ve done. But if there''s anything that could ever bring me penance it''s this- your cause,¡± she says in such a distant way that I''m not able to retort before she continues, ¡°I will get you home. From this moment on this is what I''ll live for.¡± I''m angry that she''s talking like this but exhilarated at the thought of promises delivered.

    I reach out and grab Nina, much to her protest, and pull her into a tight embrace. She squirms and tells me to let her go but her complaints fall on deaf ears. I tighten my hold even as I hear the breath being siphoned from her lungs. Eventually, I let up and release her, but only after pelting her cheek with a kiss. She turns bright red.

    ¡°What was all of that for my Lor- Evangeline-sama?¡± correcting herself at the end.

    ¡°I knew from the moment we met that you were special Nina. I''m so glad to have met you. You''re the one light in this darkness that I can rely on.¡±

    At this, she turns an even deeper shade of red. She''s usually so collected, so seeing her at near Mimi levels of red causes me to lose it. I laugh and, for probably the first time since arriving here, it''s a deep, honest chorus.

 Chapter 12 - Questions - Part 4

    Questions - Part 4

    My good time is interrupted by the sound of the door opening. I turn to see everyone else. Nina sees them too and takes a step back. At this, I reach over and wrap my arm around her waist and pull her forward and to my side. These women have no right to be angry at anything. This is my life and my choices. For the first time since this all began, I can tell that my future will be bright. ¡°Heya guys,¡± I say with Nina physically trembling in my arm. Kay is making tight fists but is otherwise unmoving. Mimi and Rose both wear a disgusted expression. Charlie, to my surprise, flickers between what could only be pity- that disdainful of emotions- and what seems to be concealed anger.

    ¡°Is it time for us to go home? I''d like to eat first I''m starving.¡±

    With that said everyone''s expressions wavered marginally and Rose says, ¡°Of course my Lord. Shall we get something to eat from the cafeteria or-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather we get something to eat near the station. Nina will be joining us. Could you possibly come with us as well Charlie?¡± I can immediately tell no one else thinks any of what I just said was a good idea. But oh well. I don''t care either.

    ¡°Well?¡± I turn towards Charlie, asking her again.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she lets leak out while throwing a nervous glance at the others. However, she seems to straighten up a bit and unashamedly says, ¡°I can. Yes. But I don''t believe it''s a good idea Zero. Not many get along with Ninavin. Many less desire her company.¡± Leave it to the Commander to say what everyone is thinking but not saying. I''m actually impressed with her gumption.

    ¡°Indeed. But I enjoy her company. And last I checked none of you may disobey me. Hell, from my understanding no one will. So long as I''m stuck in this hell I might as well take advantage if some of the perks. And just this once, we are all eating together. If you all wish to blame anyone blame yourselves. You''re all acting so selfish despite the fact that Nina has saved my life several times. I don''t know what she''s done to be hated so, but she''s done enough for me. That''s all I care about. If it truly bothers you, speak up and tell me no,¡± I blare to them, effectively shutting down the conversation. But to my surprise, Rose speaks up, ¡°No.¡±

    All eyes turn towards Rose and we form a collective gasp. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I ask, confusion dripping from every syllable.

    Rose looks me dead in the eye and with a rare overly serious glare she repeats herself, ¡°No.¡±

    Charlie immediately moves in and raises her hand. Knowing what comes next I quickly reach out, and Charlie stops.

    Mimi backs away a step while Kay protectively takes a step forward. Even if she doesn''t like my idea, Kay is still willing to defend me. The poor girl. She''s willing to put up with something she dislikes based on instinct that shouldn''t even be hers. I approach Rose and wait for her to look me in the eye. She eventually moved her head with an apparent effort and meets my gaze. But she simply finds a smile waiting for her. She almost doesn''t know how to handle it and tenses up.

    I reach out and cup Rose¡¯s cheek. It''s hard to imagine how I got here. Not long ago I was in a world that disallowed touch. Yet when it comes to these women and this world, my rules falter and my touch slithers unconsciously against my instinct. Rose¡¯s eyes widen to saucers and their blue sheen realizes me, for maybe the first time.

    I flash her a smile and nod. ¡°That¡¯s fine Rose. You can go eat somewhere else then, and we can meet at the station.¡± She does her own impression of a fish, jaws flapping open and closed.

    I glance at the others, ¡°I¡¯m going to go eat with my friend. If you all don¡¯t want to join, that¡¯s fine. If there is eversomething that bothers you, that¡¯s all I ask- simply tell me. I¡¯m not a mind reader. But Ninaismy friend. If you are going to keep me around, you¡¯ll have to get used to that.¡±

    With that, I look towards Charlie, ¡°Will you join me, Charlie? We don¡¯t get to see each other often.¡± She gives a fervent look towards the others before returning to me and nodding.

    I give a light touch to each of the girls who choose to stay behind- everyone besides Charlie and Nina. ¡°Let''s say we¡¯ll meet at the station before nightfall alright?¡± I leave the others behind and the three of us exit into the hallway. I halt for a second and Charlie gives me a questioning look. I turn to Nina, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t even ask you if you actually would join me.¡±

    She peeks up at Charlie and seeming to not sense much anger, she speaks to me, ¡°Th-that¡¯s fine Evean- Lord Zero.¡±

    ¡°Nina, Charlie may be the commander, but before all else, she and I share a bond. You don¡¯t have to suffer airs here.¡± Charlie¡¯s face takes on a red countenance and Nina¡¯s jaw nearly falls off its hinges. ¡°But you have wives Evangeline-sama.¡± She cautiously says that last bit with a glance towards Charlie.

    Charlie clears her throat and throws in her own two cents, ¡°She jests Ninavin, the Lord and I-¡± she¡¯s interrupted by me reaching up my hand and flicking her nose. She scrunches it and looks at me in confusion.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°What in the world?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that you stubborn fool. I¡¯ll take responsibility for you now, whatever it takes.¡±

    Charlie goes redder still and Nina suddenly finds the walls very interesting as we walk through the halls. ¡°M-my Lord, that is very misleading to Miss Ninavin here.¡±

    I give her a teasing smile and tell her to drop the title. If Nina is allowed to, then of course she is. She protests for a bit before saying my name while maintaining her scarlet coloring. This gets a giggle out of Nina who, seemingly feeling more comfortable now, gives Charlie a small prod with her elbow.

    Charlie appears to not know how to deal with this well, and so, offers Nina a rare, small, shy smile. As we approach the entranceway of the Academy Charlie stops and offers me her arm. I look over at Nina, and grab her hand, pulling her over and sliding her arm into Charlie¡¯s. ¡°W-w-w-what are you doing Evangeline-sama?¡±

    Itoss her a wide smile and continue out of the Academy, to both of their protests. As we make our way down the steps Nina is still making a pouting face as Charlie turns to her and says, ¡°Ninavin, you know you won''t win this,¡± with a small laugh rising in her throat.

    Nina turns with a huff and burns a hole in me with her eyes and simply says, ¡°Nina.¡± This makes my smile touch my eyes as Nina looks away in a pout- but with a small smile tugging at her lips.

    ¡°A proper knight to escort a proper lady Nina. That¡¯s the way it should be,¡± I say.

    Charlie says with snark in her voice, ¡°So says the Zeroth Knight,¡± while giving Nina a wry smile.

    Nina seems confident enough to roll her eyes and sighs. We must be making quite the spectacle of ourselves because everyone is turning to look at us. Nina hangs her head and her wispy, yellow bangs flutter on the wind. Charlie reaches over and smooths them behind her ear.

    ¡°Come now. Be with pride. Regardless of the past, you are here today as our Lord- as Evangeline¡¯s friend. Being anything less would look bad on her. So if not for yourself, then for her, hold your head high.¡± Charlie finishes and we continue moving through the magical city.

    Eventually, we decide on a restaurant near the station. As we arrive at a wooden door, Charlie reaches out and pushes it open, revealing the way into the restaurant.

    Nina seems to have taken what she was told to heart, and walks, arms linked with Charlie, head held higher than before. Together the three of us walk in, following the door. The whole place goes silent and in the distance, I could hear a glass break. To my side Nina looks to be really uncomfortable and even Charlie looks taken back. I simply give a small wave to everyone and tell the proprietor that we want a table for three, preferably away from prying eyes. The man looks a little older than me and seems to be lost at our arrival.

    But ever the proper host, he straightens up his expression and escorts us to a booth in the corner of the restaurant. Charlie leads Nina to the first seat and lets her slide over to the wall. I take the further seat and slide into the corner. Charlie looks to both Nina and I, and seems to be at a standstill. I giggle and insist that she sits with Nina.

    Nina shakes her head and demands Charlie spend some time with me. It¡¯s only when the host returns and clears his throat that Charlie gives up and takes a seat next to me. ¡°What will you have ladies? And Lord?¡± the host asks and it¡¯s only then that I realize the music is playing again. The band seems to be playing something slow and deliberate.

    The two make their order, but I¡¯m stumped. Now that I think about it, this was a rash decision. For just a moment, even I forgot that I don¡¯t belong in this world. I have no idea of what¡¯s up or down. Charlie seems to notice at least some hesitation on my part, and says, ¡°Lord Zero will take the house special.¡±

    The man¡¯s mouth hangs loose, eyes wide. ¡°Please don¡¯t make a scene." I demand more than I ask.

    So I correct myself. ¡°Please?¡±

    A smile crosses his expression and temps the corners of his mouth to raise. He smooths his face with great effort and simply states, ¡°Of course,¡± before hurrying off to get our food. I feel a shock run through me for a moment and am assaulted by dizziness. I slump to my side and my head rests on Charlie¡¯s shoulder. She perks up immediately and gives me a nervous look.

    ¡°Erm, Zero, please. Regardless of your more¡­ flippant attitude, this is still pushing it. Simply being here with us is already the limit,¡±shetells me.

    After breathing in for a moment, I lazily remove my head from her shoulder and give her a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Charlie,¡± and reach under the table to give her hand a squeeze. Much to my surprise, and evidently hers too, she not onlygives my hand a return squeeze but doesn¡¯t let go of my hand; so I don¡¯t let go of hers. With handsclasped under the table I look up at Nina and ask something that¡¯s been on my mind before, ¡°Nina, how are the Valkyries chosen?¡± She gives a tilt of her head, and a flash of jealousy when she realizes both of our hands are under the table. But she simply huffs and asks what I mean by that. ¡°The Valkyries. They¡¯re not normal women, of that I¡¯m certain.¡±

    ¡°The Valkyries¡­ represent the best of us,¡± Nina says.

    ¡°Then why is Charlie not my wife?¡±

    It takes a moment for me to realize what it is exactly I¡¯ve said, and just how far I¡¯ve dug myself a grave.

    What the hell are you talking about? Of course I¡¯m not good enough to be your wife my Lord!¡± Charlie spits out in a rare show of losing her cool. Rapidly she hurries, ¡°I mean, of course I¡¯m not eligible. I am not a certified Vargar,¡± She states with her normal calm voice- if a bit higher pitched.

    When I ask in confusion as to what that means, Nina gives me an exasperated look. ¡°You¡¯re so unknowledgeable Evangeline-sama.¡± I give a shy, wry smile and tell her to explain it to me anyway. She glances at a nodding Charlie before continuing. ¡°A person certified as a Vargar is the best at what they do.¡±

    ¡°And that means?¡± I leave the question in the air. It swims around between us before being picked by Nina and replied to.

    ¡°Literally the best. Years and years before a new Zeroth, practically every year of our lives, we are graded. Everything we do is rated. As we grow older and more specialized, the grades take on more meaning. Most grades are innocuous, even the high ones. However, the highest of all grades, the Vargar, are chosen to be with the Zeroth.¡±

    ¡°Enslaved.¡± I spit out in an angry tone.

    Nina focuses on the crowd around us with a nervous look and says, ¡°The absolute, very best of each craft is your wife. Charlotte isn¡¯t the Vargar of anything, therefore, she can¡¯t be a Valkyrie.¡±

    ¡°But what if I chose to make her my wife?"

 Chapter 12 - Questions - Part 5

    Questions - Part 5

    At this, me mentioning making Charlie my wife, Charlie spits out the drink she¡¯s sipping. With a cough and a shudder she croaks out, ¡°W-w-w-w-w-what?¡±

    I look up into her blue eyes and say, with teasing smile on my lips, ¡°I¡¯m just asking. You know. Just in case.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Most Zeroths have been fine with their picks. You¡¯re quite the greedy one, my Lord.¡± Nina tells me with a stone-cold look on her face.

    I chuckle nervously and tell her, ¡°I just like knowing every possibility. I would never chain Charlie to me. If she wanted to be with me, she¡¯d have to be a normal wife. I would never do that to her¡­¡±

    My words hitch at the end, and sorrow takes me. They don¡¯t seem to notice. Just then our food arrives and I unclasp mine and Charlie''s hands and thank the host for the food before he¡¯s off again. I pick up the spoon and dip it into my soup. As it reaches my mouth I¡¯m blessed with an amazing assortment of tastes. It¡¯s easily one of the best things I¡¯ve ever had.

    The other two smile at my child-like joy, and the way I gulp it all down. Nina laughs while eating what appears to be some kind of fowl. ¡°This is the second time, my dear Lord, that I¡¯ve got you, ¡°not eating like normal¡± ne?"

    I glance up at Nina, and take her in. Her beautiful green eyes crease from a smile. Her yellow hair is tucked up neatly into its bun, wisps of it hang down and framing her face as bangs. But I see a shadow hiding just beneath it all. Something is tugging at me, screaming for me to pay it attention. Then it occurs to me; I was talking about taking Charlie as a wife, all nonchalant like. For just a moment- no, maybe since we left the others, I¡¯ve just been sort of acting in what feels natural, without giving it much thought. But the way I¡¯m acting is not my own. This isn¡¯t me. None of this is me. I would never think about taking Charlie as a wife. I don¡¯t even want the current ones I have.

    My breathing speeds up, my pulse pounds, my eyes glaze over. I scream over and over to myself. All around me I feel the world warp and twist. I feel like I¡¯m falling into darkness, into a void in which I can never return. I catch myself in the reflection of my spirits, and for a moment, I don¡¯t recognize what looks back at me.

    ¡°My Lord?¡±

    I hear Charlie ask in concern. I blink, and I simply see me, staring back. I peer up at Charlie and give the best smile I can muster and shake my head. She seems concerned and matches glances with Nina. But they seem to accept it and go back to talking about some kind of project Nina is working on.

    Something about using the research from me to advance something in the medical field and other jargon that I can¡¯t understand; so I disappear into my mind again.

    ¡°Rei?¡± I call out. My voice echoes all around me, the world is not quite black, but the light level is low and there¡¯s no response.

    As I go to shout her name again, Rei approaches from behind me. I turn around to see her garbed not in the fancy clothes I''m used to seeing, but some kind of battle uniform. I¡¯d say it¡¯s close to what I¡¯m wearing, but a little more hero-like. Her black hair traces just above the ground, and her golden eyes gleam in the low light.

    ¡°What are you doing here Eve?¡± For a moment, there¡¯s a pang of hurt in my chest, but I take it in stride and respond.

    ¡°I wanted to talk to you. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve spoken, and I didn¡¯t thank you for saving me and that man¡¯s life earlier. Nor have I properly rebuked you for your way of doing it.¡±

    She seems to flinch for a moment from this, but otherwise keeps her eyes focused just behind me, as always.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. Leave.¡±

    ¡°Rei!¡±

    She jolts forward and covers my mouth. She¡¯s hastily looking all around with her eyes in slits. She scans this way and that before removing her hand from my mouth, slowly. She says in hushed tones, ¡°Please leave Eve. You¡¯re in danger here.¡±

    ¡°Danger? We¡¯re just in my mind. What could possibly-¡± she cuts me off by placing her soft finger on my lips to hush me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t save you Eve. I told you that. I wanted to, god did I ever. But I can¡¯t act unless you let me, I¡¯ve told you that."

    ¡°So that wasn¡¯t you? Who was it then? Gee?¡±

    Rei stares at me, or rather, just behind me, deeply for just a moment before echoing my question back to me.

    "Gee..."

    She shakes her head and wraps her arm around my waist and pulls me close. I¡¯m blushing furiously at our closeness and think to pull away for a moment but ultimately don¡¯t. It feels too good being against her, and I¡¯m too weak to resist it.

    Rei dips her head down and lowers it to my ear. ¡°Leave Eve, I can¡¯t protect you when you¡¯re around me. I¡¯m too-¡± she breathes in deeply, as if taking in my essence ¡°-too distracted.¡± I¡¯m weak in the knees and only her support keeps me upright.

    ¡°F-fine.¡± I stutter, ¡°I¡¯ll go, but you have to promise to tell me what¡¯s going on the next time we meet- and we will meet again because whatever this is, you¡¯ll be safe and return, ne?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    She shifts her eyes to mine for a moment. As with the last time, the pressure is intense. I feel like my entire existence could be compressed down to a single point. Rei bobs her head with the smallest of nods and leans in. I tense up, and feel her lips rest on my forehead. Before I know it, I hear my name, repeated over and over by several voices.

    I shake my head and look around, and everyone is here. Not just Charlie and Nina, but Kay, Mimi, and Rose too. ¡°Oh, I must have spaced out. When¡¯d you three get here?¡± Mimi seems to be in a panic and places her hand over Charlie, and rests it on my cheek.

    ¡°My Lord, it¡¯s been fifteen minutes. For fifteen minutes we thought to call you, and you didn¡¯t reply. It¡¯s only through Ninavin¡¯s assurances that we didn¡¯t immediately fetch a healer.¡± I turn to Mimi, her face wet with tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mimi.¡±

    I reach out and wipe her tears away from both sides of her cheeks. I look towards Charlie, and she slides out of the booth. I slide out afterward and realize that the whole restaurant is looking at us. This bothers me, so I suggest we move the conversation elsewhere

    Once we¡¯re outside the restaurant I turn to Nina, ¡°Thanks for letting them know I¡¯m alright Nina,¡± while wrapping my arms around her in a hug. She tenses and looks all around us before seeming to accept it and hugging me back. She whispers in my ear, for only me to hear, ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    I turn my questioning gaze towards her as we separate before being pulled into an embrace by Rose. For a moment my breath is taken from me as I fall into the valley of her chest. It¡¯s only through great maneuvering that I¡¯m able to find a position to breathe from. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that we didn¡¯t go with you my Lord.¡± She cries out.

    After wailing for a moment she eventually lets go of me, and I turn to Kay. She simply stands there, so I point to her, then to the area right in front of me. When she arrives, I wrap her in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you all. But you had fun, and ate good, I trust?¡± I say while moving away from my embrace with Kay.

    ¡°My Lord we couldn¡¯t have possibly of had fun without you,¡± Rose says.

    Nina replies to her, ¡°Says the one who denied the Lord her company.¡±

    For just a moment Rose has a glint in her eyes. The air turns chilly for just the briefest of moments, but is quickly dissipated when she cracks into a smile and a puddle of giggles.

    This seems to shock everyone else into silence. Rose recovers herself, and slaps a hand down onto Nina¡¯s shoulder and jovially says, ¡°You have the right of it Ninavin. You stole my husband from me today, you and the Commander. But you¡¯re still right, it¡¯s because of me that we lost this blessed day with our Lord. But for you, of all people to bring it up; why, I never!¡± she says again while pulling Nina into a hug.

    Nina is more bewildered than I¡¯ve ever seen another person be. I quickly swing my head around and see Mimi looking in shock at the scene before me. However, Kay seems to not be put off.

    ¡°Mind sharing with the rest of us Kay?¡± I ask. She looks at me for a moment as if trying to process my question. It seems to dawn on her and she opens her mouth.

    Per usual, her voice barely breaks into the realm of sound and she says, ¡°Alcohol.¡± With that, everything makes sense.

    I feel a pang of guilt and ask Kay, ¡°Was she upset for standing up to me?¡±

    Kay gives the smallest of nods, and says, ¡°Us too,¡± while pointing at Mimi and herself. My chest throbs. Guilt for being with them, guilt for leaving them alone. Why can I just not win with these women?

    Out of my periphery, I see Nina finally struggle free from Rose while gasping for air- yeah, I know the feeling Nina. Rose pets Nina on the head and turns to me. Charlie places herself halfway between us two, and holds out an arm to Rose. ¡°My Lady,¡± Charlie says with a charming smile. Rose gives a glance my way and I nod. She gives a goofy grin and, as if swooning over Charlie, slides up right next to her and links her arm into Charlie¡¯s.

    Charlie looks over and checks to see my expression one last time before instructing us all that we¡¯re returning to the station.

    Everyone walks together to the station. Rose stumbles here and there, but Charlie is magnificent and holds her upright with ease. Kay is a little in front of me, Mimi is holding my hand and leaning up close. Nina is a step behind the rest of us, with a shadow on her face. Eventually, we reach the station and Charlie leads a sleepy Rose in first before making her way back outside. With an annoyed huff, Mimi is lead away by Kay and into the train, to give me a moment with Nina and Charlie.

    ¡°I had a lot of fun you two.¡±

    Charlie gives a dignified smile, reaches out and grabs my hand. She brings it up to her lips and gives it a kiss. I feel electric, and I know by her expression that she does too.

    ¡°Charlie, you know what this-¡± I¡¯m hushed by a voice inside me.

    My guilt is eating away at my being, and I dare not add to it by speaking aloud the condemnation I¡¯ve blessed upon Charlie¡¯s soul. She merely looks at me, and with a small wink, she drops my hand- oblivious to the storm within me.

    ¡°I enjoyed your company, my Lord. And¡­¡± She hesitates and finds the ground with her eyes.

    Her beautiful emerald hair is near white in the setting sun. It¡¯s an odd thing to see, such a magnificently proud woman, with her head hung low. She looks back up and meets my eyes, takes a long step towards me, putting us only inches apart. Were we of more equal sizes, our noses would be near-touching. She places both hands on my shoulders and leans her head down. I feel her lips meet the crown of my head, and I feel her whisper through my hair, ¡°I shall try not to pass these feelings onto another.¡±

    My body tenses up and my stomach feels all aflutter. As she removes her lips from my head, I peer up into her blue eyes and nearly get lost in them. It¡¯s only her separation from me, and the warmth lost, that brings me back to my surroundings. Charlie is wearing a small smile, separated from me by a few feet. In her place is Nina.

    I reach out again and give her a tight hug and push my lips to her cheek, leaving a kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too,¡± she says with scarlet cheeks. I separate from her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger. I know we¡¯re technically close, but we¡¯re also technically far away.¡±

    Nina gives me a smile that doesn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a way home Eve, I promise,¡± she says at a whisper so low, I have to question whether or not she said anything at all. I return her smile and nod. I wave them off, watching as Charlie gives her arm to Nina. With smiles and waves returned to me, they leave arm in arm. The sight makes me feel conflicted. But ultimately, I just want them to have some semblance of happiness separate from the misery I bring those around me.

    I turn and enter the train. Waiting for me at the back, are my three girls. The thought of referring to them as ¡°my¡± girls sickens me. Yet it comes to me naturally now. Whatever this change is, I can''t even tell it''s happening until after it does. Just who am I going to be when this is all over with?

    Even though they¡¯ve shown themselves to be happier without me, with a heavy heart I slide in next to Mimi. Kay and Rose sit right in front of us. Rose is basically asleep in a drunken stupor. Kay, ever watchful. And Mimi, she seems to be fully engrossed in holding my arm and resting her head on my shoulder.

    As I look them over, questions start to pour into my mind. Questions that I need to ask, things I need to learn.

 Chapter 13 - Vargar - Part 1

    Vargar - Part 1

    It¡¯s been a few months since that time of happiness. These passing days have been spent par for the course. The only addition to my day has been the studies.

    On Rose¡¯s insistence, I started joining Voltin in her lessons with him. Everything from reading, which is difficult, to math, which is largely the same as our world- once you get past the aesthetic difference. The main difference is, Voltin has to study with Rose once a month. I have to suffer her tutelage nearly every day.

    However, by the end of month four Rose informs me that she¡¯s requested I get a seat at the Academy, to join her and the others as they return to their studies. To be fair, it was only through great persuasion on my part that they finally gave in to returning. However, it was on the condition that I start studying as well; so it''s well worth it, to give them some semblance of their old lives back. And now it seems I¡¯ve reached a level that Rose is happy with.

    The night before we are to start commuting to the Academy, I¡¯m unable to sleep. So I make my way to the back courtyard of Val Manor and keep walking until I reach a clearing about two miles in. I¡¯ve been neglecting my forms since coming here and I can almost feel Grandpa¡¯s disappointment from here.

    I¡¯m surprised to find Mimi practically dancing under the moonlight. Though she¡¯s beautiful and fluid, dancing is maybe an exaggeration. But it¡¯s close enough to the truth- she¡¯s practicing some kind of Kata. A stray moonbeam shines down on her, and I see the sweat glisten in the light as it flies off of her. I¡¯m rooted where I stand as I watch her go through her motions. In all my time with her, Mimi has always been a ¡°proper¡± lady. She¡¯s gentle and sweet; she takes the smallest of steps when she walks and the tiniest of nibbles when she eats.

    But here now, in front of me, is a woman I¡¯ve never met. She¡¯s wearing a gown with it¡¯s top pulled down. Her modest chest is wrapped in bandages and shake slightly with her movement. She takes long, deliberate steps as she changes forms and swings her arms with precision; causing her muscles to tense and express themselves. Her purple hair appears midnight black under the moonlight. It sways to and fro as it dances free of her bun. With every strike against the air, thunder cracks and lightning flickers as Mimi speeds up.

    Her form starts to waver in the air, making me think, if only for a moment, that the air itself was distorting. But more amazingly, she''s the one whose form is flickering. The sound of thunder snaps the air, and sparks erupt as her speed increases higher still. Her physical self seems to flicker in and out of being.

    The forest itself is silent as Mimi goes through each of her Katas. Before I know it, an afterimage is following behind her, mimicking what came before.

    I¡¯m so stunned by the sight before me that I shift my weight from one foot to another. This causes the grass to ruffle under me and grabs Mimi¡¯s attention. As she lays her eyes on me, her amethyst gaze flicks static within them.

    I believe in that moment, only this accursed power of the Zeroth is what saved me. I was not able to see, nor hear what came next. My tongue sets alight and the air around me changes. I see Mimi looking at me, but she¡¯s fading- an afterimage. Instead, the air shifts and I reach out my hand and grasp at what isn¡¯t there.

    However, a moment later, Mimi¡¯s fist is wrapped up in my hold. She stands before me, lightning shoots off of her and flies pass me as wind around us continues even as ahe becomes stationary.

    Mimi¡¯s gaze flicks over me in a moment of recognition but before I know it, she¡¯s gone. It was another afterimage. I turn around just in time to see Mimi¡¯s fist within millimeters of my face. The look of recognition on her is clear, but she seems to be struggling.

    Her face contorts for a moment but then relaxes. She sucks in a deep breath with her eyes closed. By the time she opens her eyes, the sparks within them are gone, and her muscles begin to relax. Once she ¡°comes down¡± she stares into my eyes with irregular breathing. She slowly pulls her fist from my face and drops her arms to her side.

    ¡°My Lord¡­¡± she says quietly while staring at my hand. I didn¡¯t realize it until now, but my hand is basically a mangled piece of meat. It¡¯s charred and smoking. It hurts, but surprisingly, not as much as it could. Perhaps all the nerves have been fried. Or perhaps, the Zeroth is already taking care of it. I don¡¯t know which thought scares me more.

    ¡°Mimi,¡± I call out, stretching the last syllable and then letting it drop.

    Her face warps in fear and she drops to her knees, ¡°My Lord. Oh god, my Lord Zero, please forgive me. You may strike me down for this. Please, just let my family have my body for funeral rites.¡±

    With this, she extends her neck and closes her eyes- giving in to death¡¯s sweet embrace. ¡°Mimi, what is that you were doing? I didn¡¯t know you still trained.¡±

    ¡°My Lord, I am so sorry. I¡¯m so sorry for hiding it from you. But I couldn¡¯t stop. I tried, oh god did I try,¡± Mimi says in a near panic, tears streaming down her face; she continues, ¡°But I thought if I hid it, if I stopped anyone from learning, that I could continue. I thought maybe I could have this one thing but I see now that it was wrong.¡±

    I lean down, and wrap my good arm around her head, and pull her into my chest. She cries, wails really, and sobs into my embrace. I hush her while rocking her in my arm. I kiss the top of her head and she slowly calms down.

    ¡°Mimi, you didn¡¯t mean to hurt me, I know that. So you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    She peeks up at me through my chest and says, ¡°It¡¯s not about hurting you. I lost control and I know it. Of course that was a mistake, I would never hurt my Lord.¡±

    Mimi buries her head into my chest and says through a muffled voice, ¡°I have disobeyed a tenant and continued my trade after becoming your Valkyrie.¡±

    I pull Mimi up and wipe away her tears, ¡°Mimi, will you listen to me?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I would listen and obey, any and all things you prescribe my Lord."

    ¡°Your Kata was amazing. Your form pure. You stood dignified and magnificent. You displayed power the likes of which I have never seen, and you were all the more beautiful for it,¡± I tell her honestlyThe author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°But my Lord I-¡±

    ¡°Iamyour Zeroth, am I not?¡±

    ¡°O-of course my Lord!¡±

    ¡°Then if I tell you it¡¯s fine, then it¡¯s fine isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°But it isn¡¯t my Lord! As your wife, I have no need for such things!¡±

    ¡°As my wife, you have needs to anything that makes you happy.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Who among you can judge you, any more than I can?¡± My anger at her stubbornness causes me to grow more stubborn as well.

    ¡°Noone my Lord," she says with head bowed low.

    ¡°And I am telling you, my judgments are meaningless.¡±

    Mimi is in absolute shock and shoots out, ¡°Never my Lord! You are all that matters!¡±

    With a tint of anger in my tone, I spit out, ¡°Then what I want matters!¡±

    She nods energetically as if I¡¯m finally getting it, and that serves to fuel my agitation. ¡°Then if you agree with me that what I want matters, then youhaveto agree with me when I say what matters to me, isyourhappiness!¡±

    She goes to open her mouth and then closes it. Her lips purse tight and she squints her eyes some. Mimi is always competitive, even in the smallest, most asinine things.

    "My Lord, a proper woman has no needs of such things¡­ but, if you insist that, truly my happiness is what matters then-¡± she pushes off of me and stands up.

    Her entire countenance has switched, and she stares down at me with rage before shouting, ¡°Then fight me. Show me you are worthy of ruling over me. You bested Fennis only because of your Zeroth power, and not because of your skill,¡± she tosses out while taking a step backward. ¡±You have disappointed me at every step. You are weak, and you are undignified. You lack knowledge, and have shown no proficient magiks.¡±

    She takes the stance I saw before and points a fist at me before saying, ¡°I- we areallVargar, Zero; and contrary to the stories, you have yet to uphold your end of the deal. We have given upeverythingto be with you for the promise that we are serving a greater purpose. And try, try, try as I might, cling to you as much as I do, I simply can not get over how much I dislike you and all that you are!¡±

    She finishes, screaming at the top of her lungs while the skies crack with thunder and lightning strikes all around us.

    The air begins to smolder around me and I can taste her magiks on my tongue. I don¡¯t want to do this. But she¡¯s finally standing up to me. I don¡¯t know why, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s pushed her. But just this once I won¡¯t question fate, and I will do all I can to change the course of Mimelia¡¯s story.

    I take my stance, a good ten feet away from Mimi. It¡¯s been months since I¡¯ve used proper form, or fought hand-to-hand, but so be it. If she ends me here, she deserves it. Maybe this is how it was always supposed tobe. Maybe this is how they regain what was taken from them.

    I stand strong, ready to face the Vargar before me with all that I am.

    As we stare at one another I allow the wind to carry my words, ¡°I''m sorry Mimi.¡±

    Her face softens for a moment before sparks take over her eyes and her face hardens.

    ¡°I am the Vargar of Lightning, Mimelia Gladus!"

    She punches forward once, tipping the air in two. "I come."

    The sky cracks with a roar to signal what''s to come. The sky flashes and Mimi disappears before slamming her fist with the side of my head. I fly through the air before skidding and bouncing on the ground- tumbling across the ground, my world spins before coming to a halt. I try to move my body but it throbs in protest from what feels like a blow from a jackhammer. I try to raise my head but it falls. I try again, and my head feels like lead.

    I''m able to just barely look at Mimi and see that she''s just standing there, her form tight. She''s looking down at me with her face smoothed blank. I''ve never seen her look like that. She usually has all kind of emotions on her face.

    I''ve seen Mimi wear a face with paradoxical expressions before, but I''ve never seen this.This,sends a shiver through me and I slowly stand. I''m disorientated and the world tilts. Being discombobulated like this makes me want to throw up but I resist. I stand with weary legs and unsteady breaths. I calm my breath and retake my form. I can''t let that happen again. I will literally not live through another hit like that.

    Mimi extends her fist and I push my body to roll to the side. Where I just stood is charred black and is smoldering. She directed a lightning bolt at me. I gulp.

    She''s serious.

    Her hair is just now losing its glow from using such magiks. She extends her fist again and I zig to one side while zagging to the other after. I move towards her and take a swing at her face with a feint and then swing my fist up to connect with her stomach. But I realize my fist is in Mimi¡¯s hand a little too late before my entire body is electrified.

    She lets me go just as I¡¯m assailed with the smell of burnt flesh reaching my nose.

    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Rei pleads but I simply shake my head and stand again, wobbly on two legs. I''m less than a foot from Mimi, I can see a small amount of pity on her face. I take offense at that and take the opportunity to attack her again but it lacks any real power.

    She doesn''t even bother to counter-attack. She turns slightly and my fist sails past her. But I try again. And again and again.

    Over and over I rain down pathetic blows that could never hope to connect with her. She shrugs her shoulders, shakes her head and dodges one last blow.

    She lowers her stance and lets her power seep out. ¡°This is over,¡± she says flatly.

    I fall to my knees panting from the physical pain. However, that is only part of the real pain. The fact that she was right is what really hurts. I''m nothing and yet she''s been forced to give up everything for someone like me- they all have.

    I¡¯ve known it this entire time, but to hear it spoken aloud, and by someone other than myself, still breaks my heart. The tears fall and I slam my fist to the ground. I pound the ground over and over until my fists are bloody stumps and yet I pound even more.

    When I finally stop, I''m breathing sporadically and am covered in mud, blood, and soot. My fists have become mangled stumps and hang limply from my wrists.

    ¡°I''m leaving,¡± Mimi says and turns around. I shout at her to stop. I refuse to allow it to end like this. I refuse to be looked down on. She can hate me all she wants but she will hate me at my best and that''s not now.

    Mimi turns around to me and I force myself to stand. I turn to her with renewed determination, I give in to the promise of power offered by Rei inside my mind.

 Chapter 13 - Vargar - Part 2

    Vargar - Part 2

    The inside of my mind is damp and cool. For the first time, I feel the subtle brushing of wind against my skin. I look around and see that the area isn''t the one I''m used to. Instead of being inside of a near-black void, I stand in some kind of plains. The knee-high, orange grass around me shines in the sun, still wet with dew. The gentle breeze carries the smell of grass and fire. Something burns just out of eyesight. It smells warm and comforting.

    ¡°Eve, you''re here.¡±

    I turn around to see Rei in what appears to be the same battle attire from before. I let my eyes drag down her form and back up. In actual light she''s so much more beautiful and yet, seemingly more real. Her skin is still pale but looks closer to normal now that it isn''t being contrasted by the glow of her golden eyes.

    Her eyes keep their golden sheen but their usual luminosity is mostly gone, under the bright sun. Her wonderfully long hair, dark black that tries to absorb all there is from the sun, however, is up in a ponytail. It''s no longer nearly touching the floor in an organized chaos. Instead, reaching just below her hips- hips that I only now realize are full and shapely. Under the usual dresses and low lighting it''s hard to see just how beautiful her form is, but this- this takes my breath away.

    I realize I''m staring and never greeted her. With a blush, I meet her eyes and give a stupid little wave- why am I giving a stupid little wave?! I wanna crawl in a hole and die.

    It''s only then that I realize our eyes are locked and yet the pressure isn''t there.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I ask, breaking eye contact and looking around.

    ¡°We are-¡± she hesitates and wears a small frown before continuing, ¡°Not where we usually are.¡±

    ¡°No duh,¡± I tell her while admiring the amused half-smile that tugs at her lips.

    ¡°You do need to go though. This isn''t where we should be meeting. I don''t even know why we''re here."

    ¡°Where is here?¡± I ask her again.

    ¡°You need to-¡±

    ¡°No. You never tell me anything. Last time you seemed to be in such a nervous state and forced me out. Now we''re in what seems like another world and you still won''t tell me what''s going on. Just who are you Rei and what is this?¡± I fire off question after question in rapid succession.

    ¡°There is nothing to tell, you simply need to-¡± I cut her off with a glare and storm up to her. I take in her beautiful eyes and reach up and flick her nose; much to her dismay, she scrunches it up in apparent confusion.

    ¡°If you tell me to leave one more time Rei I will seriously hurt you.

    ¡°You can''t possibly hurt me,¡± sheretorts with thinly disguised arrogance.

    ¡°You can''t stop me from trying.¡± I retort back. She glares at me with her beautiful golden eyes.

    But I don''t flinch away and tell her, ¡°Oh no. Your glare is powerless here. Now you''re stuck with me.¡± She gives an audible tsk and looks away with a pout. It''s easily one of the most adorable things I''ve ever seen.

    I reach out and place my hands on her hips and pull her towards me. She glances down at me with a perturbed look on her face. ¡°You''ve changed Eve,¡± she admits with some apparent tribulation.

    ¡°Maybe it''s just the lighting,¡± I say sarcastically.

    She shakes her head and places a hand on my hip and continues her line of thought from before, ¡°No. You''ve changed,¡± she says with a frown and continues, ¡°That''s the problem. I''ve done everything in my limited power to hold it back but it''s still seeping through. It''s starting to affect others now as well.¡± I gulp and my pulse pounds.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Exactly as I''ve said."

    ¡°Then tell me again so I can understand.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re changing. It¡¯s coursing through you even as we speak, yet for you, it¡¯s only superficial changes. Dormant attitudes and desires pushed down, making their way to the surface.¡±

    ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. I know the Zeroth is changing me. When I stop and analyze myself I can see subtle ways in which I¡¯ve begun to change. Hell, in some ways, it¡¯s not even subtle; like now, with you. Why are we like this? So close, so intimate when I don¡¯t even know you, when we¡¯re both women. You tell me it¡¯s because of things that lurk in the shadows, yet that¡¯s nonsense. I¡¯m being forced to change. I¡¯m not choosing to change, and the changes are certainly not natural.¡±

    ¡°Say what you will. But the crux of the matter is that the others are suffering more.¡±

    ¡°What is this Rei? What are you even talking about? You haven¡¯t even answered where we are.¡±

    Rei¡¯s grip tightens on my hip and she pulls me closer still and looks down at me with a worried expression. ¡°This time we are not inside you Eve, if that is what you want to call it, we are inside of me.¡± I¡¯m so shocked by this that I pull myself away from Rei and her warmth, and find myself nearly stumbling.

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re just something locked inside me, something that pervaded my mind when I received this curse, so how could that possibly make sense?¡±

    The despair I see on Rei¡¯s face is all-consuming. I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯ve said to make her wield such an expression but it pains me to my very core. I move forward and reach out to her, but she flinches and so I let my hand drop.

    I hang my head in shame and tell her that I¡¯m sorry for my outburst. ¡°But¡± I say, managing to look her in the eyes again, ¡°What you¡¯re telling me is that¡­ you¡¯re real? That you¡¯re an actual person!? Are you in Arsea?¡±

    I ask in a rush of exhilaration. ¡°Does that mean we can meet?¡± I ask, far too chipper than I should be given the expression she¡¯s still donning.

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not¡­ in Arsea perse,¡± she says with face downcast.

    ¡°What does that-¡± I halt my question. I know she¡¯s just going to fight me on it. I take a look around and admire the landscape before speaking to Rei again, ¡°So this is inside you? Your world, it¡¯s amazing, beautiful even.¡± I turn a small smile to Rei, but her brow is furrowed and anger flashes within her eyes.

    ¡°Beautiful and empty. Yes, how telling.¡±

    This time I don¡¯t pull my hand back, even as she makes it clear that she would rather I did. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her towards me. She stumbles slightly and I can¡¯t help but giggle at her. She tries to smother her embarrassment by telling me to shut up, and so I do, using her mouth to accomplish it.

    She tries to pull back in apparent shock but I don¡¯t let her. She seems to give in and eventually reluctantly returns my kiss. Too soon we part, and it occurs to me what I¡¯ve just done.

    ¡°I really am changing¡­ I¡¯m losing who I am, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    She merely shakes her head, then bends her neck and places her forehead on mine. ¡°I told you before Eve, in the end, you are you.¡± She wears a shy expression that causes my heart to rhythmically palpitate and speed up.

    I reluctantly pull away from her, but keep an arm on her hip, remembering why I came here, ¡°Rei, you have so much to explain to me, but I know how things go here. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been gone in the real world, but know it¡¯s been far too long. Assuming Mimi is still out there, we¡¯ve had a bit of a¡­ disagreement.¡±

    She perks up at this, ¡°Are you finally requesting my assistance?¡±

    It seems even Rei is not capable of always being aware of what¡¯s going on in the ¡°outside¡± with me. I give a shake of my head gingerly and say, ¡°I merely want you to heal me as much as you can. I will do all else on my own.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating."

    I nod in agreement and respond with a, ¡°Basically.¡± Before twirling some of my loose hair around my finger.

    ¡°But I think it¡¯s alright to take just a small advantage in what I¡¯ve been given, ne?¡±

    With a shake of her head, and a small laugh, ¡°Fine. Just this once.¡±

    I can''t help but give a mischevious laugh in return and give her an honest smile, my eyes creasing.

    My vision is starting to fade, but before I go, one thing echoes in my mind, causing me to sputter out what I can, ¡°Rei, I don¡¯t believe you''re empty inside,¡± and give her a small hug, while she wears an expression I can''t quite decipher.

    Before I know it, I¡¯m back in that disgusting mud, covered in soot. The air tingles the back of my neck and I look up, to see Mimi staring at me.

    ¡°Twenty minutes Eve. Twenty minutes, you left me,¡± she says while wrapping her arms around herself. I suck in a deep breath, the air isn¡¯t as pure as the world inside Rei, but it¡¯s still refreshing in a way it never was before. I stand up and apologize to Mimi.

    I take my stance, much to her chagrin; Mimi shakes her head. I shrug my shoulders and dive at her. She doesn¡¯t seem to expect this and leaves herself wide open. I slam my fist into her ribs with everything I have, and while I hear no crack, Mimi immediately falls to her knees gasping for air, obviously in pain. With her arm on her side, she glares up at me with seething anger.

    ¡°That makes us even. One surprise attack each."

    With a roar, she slams her fist on the ground and pops three feet into the air. I look up in time to notice her diving down at me. I dodge, grab her by her leg, and spin. With her own force of momentum working against her, Mimi is sent to the ground with a loud bang.

    I turn around just in time to make her next blow only graze me. I swing at her and she dodges and kicks at me. We trade attempted blows, all the while Mimi¡¯s hair slowly takes on a purple glow- she''s finally getting serious. I duck her next haymaker but she redirects her fist towards where I''ll land and sends a bolt of lightning crashing down at my face; sending me flying.

    I land and tumble backward, scraping and bruising myself as I skid across the ground. I''m putting up a better fight than before and it brings a smile to my face. I force myself to stand- battered and beaten. I steady myself and face Mimi. Maintaining her stance she asks, ¡°Why are you smiling Zero?¡± with a dubious look on her face. Her beautiful eyes gleam in the dark

    ¡°Because I''m happy for you Mimi. And because you waited for me.¡±

    I know I''m not gonna last much longer, so I run in a desperate last-ditch effort to hit her. That''s simply all I want, to land a clean blow. She''s stronger than me- faster than me and more experienced than me. But I have the one thing no one else does- my promise to Rachel to do everything with pride- to live up to being the best I can be. To be the most stubborn person possible!

    Mimi sees me coming and sends out her fist. Lightning sharks towards me and with a duck, I''m in her face. She grabs me and courses her lightning through me. The pain is unreal and I know I may just die here and now but I do all I can to make my hit connect. I reach out and flick her nose, connecting us and allowing the current to flow through her as well.

    The fight is over. The electricity did nearly nothing to her, yet startled her enough to make her relent. I lay as a smoldering heap of charcoaled meat. I see out of my periphery Mimi looking down at me with mixed feelings writ across her face. It''s then that my world fades to black and I drink deep of the void.

    I feel the sun lap at my face while the birds sing their chorus to the morning. My eyes stir and I crack them half-open. I¡¯m immediately assaulted by pain, pain, and more pain. I¡¯m forced awake and wrap my arms around myself to control the convulsions. It takes all of my will to not scream aloud; last night¡¯s event flashes through my mind. I don''t know how I got here, but it''s clear this is Mimi¡¯s doing. She could have finished me off or left me at the elements'' mercy, but didn''t- for reasons all her own.

    Tentatively I get out of bed and do my morning routine. My skin shows no sign of the previous night and yet I still hurt just beneath the surface.

    With effort, I finish getting ready and make my way downstairs. I''m assaulted by the smells of breakfast and it causes my stomach to rumble embarrassingly. When I peek into the kitchen I see Rose in her apron, humming a little jingle while cooking something over an archaic stove.

    Kay is a model statue at the table. However, when she sees me I swear I can see the tiniest of smiles tugging at the corners of her lips. I give a little wave to her while making my way to the table. Voltin comes from seemingly nowhere and gives me a tackle-hug. I giggle at this and it catches Rose¡¯s attention.

    She turns around and offers me the salutations of a new day. She looks stunning in the morning light, her white hair reflects the near-orange light back at me while her blue eyes sparkle from her happiness. I''m made breathless at the sight of her. I''ve seemed to have lost control of myself- before I knew it I''m hugging her.

    ¡°U-u-uuh,¡± Rose tries to make words but seems too busy going red to succeed. I let her go, but take her hands in mine and say, ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you smile Rose.¡±

    Rose doesn''t seem to know how to respond and simply nods. Behind us, I hear someone else enter the room.

    I turn to see Mimi. She looks like a mess. Her beautiful amethyst hair isn''t styled and her eyes are puffy and red, with dark circles under them. The first thing she does is scan the room and catches my eyes. I give her a wave but she simply hangs her head and makes her way to the table. I move over and take the seat next to her, placing myself between her and Kay.

    Mimi sits there still- perhaps with even less observable movement than Kay. Her hair hangs in her eyes and for a moment I hesitate to even talk to her. She must feel like she''s going to be punished for last night. So I reach under the table and cup her hand and yet she doesn''t respond. She doesn''t pull away or squeeze my hand. Nor does she look up from her downcast gaze.

    To my surprise, Kay is the first to speak up. ¡°Mimelia. You ok?¡± Mimi gives the faintest of nods and this seems to be enough to placate Kay.

    I look around and see Rose giving us a concerned look. I can hear Vol running around the house, playing by himself. I drop Mimi¡¯s hand and go back to relaxing. She can continue to be depressed all she wants but the death she believes is coming- won¡¯t. I know she doesn''t like being here, or with me, but she doesn''t have to act like this. Behind us, Rose clears her throat while bringing the plates to the table.

    ¡°We don''t have too terribly long before we have to leave, but you can all still take the time to properly enjoy a good breakfast.:

    She turns and yells for Voltin, who comes rushing to the table and hops up on his seat and yanks his plate towards him.

    ¡°Vol is so cute,¡± I say absentmindedly to the group. At this, all three turn to me and I am overcome by a feeling of awkward dread.

    ¡°Yes he is,¡± Rose says while cleaning Vol¡¯s cheek with a rag before continuing to say, ¡°Our child, however, will be the most amazing of all, my Lord.¡±

    This makes me cringe so hard that I have to use physical force to restrain myself from bashing my head on the table. Instead, I simply nod and begin to eat my food. However, Kay keeps staring at me so I give in, ¡°Yes Kay?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Ours would be cute?¡±

    She seems to be making a statement but asking it in such a way that it begs to be answered. It takes me a moment to even figure out what she''s talking about. This may be the first time Kay has ever talked about something like this. I sigh internally, wanting nothing more than to snap back in rage against her. But I don''t. It''s obvious that this isn''t their fault.

    ¡°Yes, they would be. You''re incredibly quiet and I''m pretty talkative. Maybe our kid would be a nice middle ground haha,¡± I say with a dry laugh at the end. Kay seems to have thoroughly enjoyed this because she flashes a rare full smile. One that actually curves her lips upwards. That makes my head spin for a moment. It''s easy to forget but Kay is no less beautiful than the others.

    It seems my reaction causes Mimi some discomfort- for she readjusts herself and how she''s sitting. With brief noises from Vol and Rose, we finish our breakfast. Eventually, Mimi allows Rose to tidy her up, no doubt thanks to her motherly nagging. When we''re good to go I take the girls in. They''re wearing the plain greenish robes I saw them with when I first met them.

    When I ask if I was going to get one for myself Rose giggled, and even Kay seemed to be on the edge of laughing. Only Mimi really stood out with her sour face. But we all ignored her and Rose talked about how absurd it''d be for the Zeroth to be in a dress. I simply shrug it off as they lead me to the familiar train from before.

    The way to the station is quiet, with only the occasional torch here and there telling of any light in the houses. When I ask why there are no other people heading for the Academy, Rose looks toward Mimi for a moment as if expecting her normal show of pride. But when Mimi doesn''t bite, Rose sighs and talks about how no one else in the district we live in is worthy of going to the Academy.

    I can''t argue with her. I just don''t have the energy anymore. Instead, I simply nod and board the train. We get our usual private carriage; while Rose seems to be taking extra notice of Mimi and arranges it so she''s forced to sit with me. Mimi doesn''t even try to hide how much it bothers her. Still, it does bother me even if I pretend like it doesn''t.

    I do my usual routine of staring out of the window to show my disinterest in the others. It seems to put them at ease when they know I won¡¯t be spying on them. I tentatively move my left hand closer to Mimi¡¯s hand, and let my pinky graze her hand. I feel her twitch, but that¡¯s all. She doesn¡¯t reciprocate nor does she pull away. I take the chance to sneak a peek at her face and I see tears bubbling in her eyes. She¡¯s so close to the edge of losing it, and I don¡¯t even know why. I give up in exasperation and reach over and yank her down, laying her head on my lap. She doesn¡¯t even have the chance to resist before I¡¯m resting my hand on her hair, brushing my fingers through it.

    Rose and Kay notice- because of course they do. However, instead of their normal signs of jealousy that peek out when they have seen me with someone who isn¡¯t themselves, they simply go back to talking to one another as if nothing has happened. Well, Rose goes back to talking to Kay, and Kay may or may not be listening to Rose¡¯s idle chatter.

    As I¡¯m running my fingers through Mimi¡¯s hair I can tell it¡¯s fried and dirty. I don¡¯t know if she even bothered to clean herself up after last night. Perhaps that¡¯s why a stronger waft of vanilla than usual assails me. Even in her current state, she¡¯s not able to completely let herself go. Another one of her charms perhaps.

    I don¡¯t get to tread through her hair long before the silent tears fall. I feelthem falling onto the legs of my pants-being absorbed through the fabric; but I don¡¯t make any indication that I¡¯m aware of her letting it all out. I simply go back to staring through the window while watching a distant, now familiar landscape passing to and fro. While stroking Mimi¡¯s hair, the rocking of the train accosts me into an insistent sleep.

 Chapter 14 - First Days - Part 1

    First Days - Part 1

    I wake up to Mimi moving around on my lap. My mind is fresh memories of Rachel, and that horrible day. That day that changed my life. Yet in my mind, something about it is stuck. Something crucial is trapped just beyond the fog of my mind.

    I feel eyes on me and look down, only to meet Mimi¡¯s purple, amethyst eyes. She¡¯s laying on her back, looking straight up at me; her hair is sprawled out on my lap and dangling off my legs. We hold eye contact for a very long, very brief moment. Mimi¡¯s eyes have a teary sheen to them, yet they look as if they¡¯re seeing right through me. I don¡¯t look away, and she doesn¡¯t talk.

    Her eyes are puffy and red, no doubt from her earlier release. Our eyes only break from one another when we¡¯re jarred slightly as the train comes to a stop. Mimi uses this as her queue to sit up. She turns sideways and uses the opposite window of the carriage to seemingly give herself a once over as she brushes her fingers through her hair here and there.

    Rose gets out of her seat first and pulls Mimi to her feet. With a nod towards me, Rose directs Mimi out of the carriage while Kay approaches my side.

    ¡°Thanks Kay,¡± I tell her when she gives me a hand to stand up with.

    I link her arm through mine and a smile tugs at the corner of her lips as we make our way out of the train. I step off the train, helped by Kay, and into the bustling city from that day, months ago.

    This time we have the luxury of walking at leisure through the city- not having a dying person on your back tends to do that for you. Mimi seems to have gotten some pep back into her step; she''s actually looking forward now and nodding during her conversations with Rose. Kay walks beside me watching everything and everyone like a hawk.

    ¡°You can relax you know. Only a fool would attack us.¡±

    Kay looks at me with a face that can only be interpreted as her telling me I''m out of my mind. It''s honestly sort of cute and and I give her a poke to her side, which surprisingly, makes her jump.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡±

    I say through a laugh. ¡°You''re ticklish?!¡± She fervently shakes her head back and forth causing her hair to bob wildly.

    ¡°Oh my god Kay. That''s amazing!¡±

    I tell her with a mischievous twinkle in my eye. However, I decide this is a secret I wanna keep all to my own for now, so I back off of her before the others notice- much to Kay¡¯s apparent relief. Still, she''s always on guard. It would be nice to see her relax.

    Before too long we''re within eyesight of the Academy. I''ve missed this place more than I''d have thought. I haven''t seen Nina but a few times these last months. I hear a commotion to our side as we pass.

    The guards are taking a man away in chains- the man is bloodied and beaten. I stop the guards for a moment to ask what was going on. They stare on at me hesitantly before realizing the Valkyries were with me and who that must make me. With the normal salute I¡¯ve become accustomed to receiving at this point, they explain to me that the man is a wanted murderer- the first one of his kind since Jack T. Skellin plagued the lands over a hundred years ago.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! I swear!¡± The man screams through shattered teeth.

    The second guard who hasn¡¯t spoken yet, bashes the man in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword and says, ¡°The hell you didn¡¯t! We caught you in the act!¡±

    ¡°Y-y-yes, b-b-b-but I didn¡¯tmeanto! I swear it! I don¡¯t know why I ever did it! I don¡¯t know what came over me!¡± he cries out before receiving another bone-shattering hit to the skull. I can''t help but wince as he goes limp and hangs in the guards arms.

    The guard gives an audibletskat this with a pissed look on his face- ¡°That¡¯s kind of what you get for being so rough on someone who can¡¯t fight back," I think to myself.

    ¡°How do you not mean to kill fourteen women and boys?¡± The first guard asks with disdain and spits at the floor. He apologises and says they must get going now.

    ¡°My my. Things have gotten a bit hectic over the past year,¡± Rose says before dropping the subject and turning back towards the road to the Academy.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. Good thing he was caught though," I say to Kay who simply shrugs her shoulders. With that distraction out of the way we make our way to the Academy.

    Once we enter the gates we fade into the crowd of students. Basically no one pays us attention as we slip past the those around us. Though I use the word, ¡°students¡± the ages vary widely. Almost everyone wears the same robe as my girls but I see children no older than Vol and adults easily old enough to be able to be my father. I suppose there''s hardly much in the way of dictation with age in such older times. The girls tighten their parameter around me as we bob and weave through the crowds. Eventually we make it inside and start making our way up to Master Domnis¡¯ office. I haven¡¯t seen him since that day. I wonder how he¡¯s been, and if he¡¯s remembered me at all.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Eventually, we make it to his office and give his door a knock. At his insistence, we come in. Kay leads to the way with Rose beside me. Mimi brings up the rear and closes the door as we enter. As soon as I approach the center of the room Dom practically leaps out of his chair and approaches me. At first, Kay intercepts him, much to Dom¡¯s agitation.

    ¡°Come Smith, I¡¯m not going to hurt the Zeroth. That would be suicide,¡± he tells her. It¡¯s only after I offer her a nod that she steps off to the side and lets him approach me. Dom stands in front of me, easily a few inches taller than even Charlie. His craggy face seems sleep deprived and I think his hair is even more gray than before.

    He looks down at me, meeting my eyes with his deep brown ones. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± he says, giving himself a nod. Then he looks me from head to toe while walking circles around me.

    ¡°Yes, you fit the bill quite well my Zero,¡± he says while coming to a stop in front of me and dragging his hand through his beard. He reaches out and runs his ashen hands through my hair. The touch is unprompted and makes me a little uncomfortable. It¡¯s one thing for the girls to touch me, it¡¯s another for essentially a stranger. Nonetheless, I preempt what I know is coming by giving a look towards the others. To my surprise, even Mimi is looking defensive- despite saying how much she hates me. As the final strands of my hair fall between his fingers he clears his throat and says, ¡°Yes. I see now Zero,¡± while nodding once more. There¡¯s a knock at the door and he directs the person in.

    Charlie waltzes into the room with grace before stopping abruptly when she sees me. In that moment, I can¡¯t describe just how happy I am. I haven¡¯t seen Charlie in months either, and seeing her now has my heart swelling. Without even blinking I make myway across the room and up to Charlie.

    She gives me a wide grin and holds her arms open. I slide myself into them and we wrap each other tightly. I nuzzle into her chest and breath deep of her earthly scent. Oh how I¡¯ve missed her. Being without her has made me feel incomplete- unwhole. I don¡¯t know why I feel this way, but I guarantee it¡¯s because of the Zeroth and that day we shared months ago.

    I reluctantly pull away from her but she reaches out and pulls me back in only to place a kiss on my forehead. When she lets go I look up and meet her beautiful, blue eyes. In that action, we¡¯re sharing a moment. All Charlie has to do is lean in a few inches more and we¡¯d kiss for real; and I guarantee that¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen. Only, something else happens to surprise us all.

    ¡°Ok get a room you two. Enough with the lovie dovie stuff,¡± Mimi calls out as she interjects herself in between us.

    ¡°What?¡± is all I can say before she wraps herself around my arm and looks away. Charlotte looks on with, seemingly, amazement, before clearing her throat and realizing just what was going on, and where.

    ¡°Right, Master Domnis, you called for me?¡±

    Domnis looks over at us with a perturbed look before simply shaking his head and telling Charlie that he has things he needs to talk to me about, and orders her to take the Valkyries out of the office and escort them to their classes.

    ¡°Absolutely not. I want to be with Zero,¡±Mimi says.

    I have no idea what¡¯s caused this change of heart but this is a damn near one eighty compared to how she¡¯s been all day.

    ¡°Come now Mimi, it¡¯s only for a little bit alright? And you promised me you¡¯d take your studies seriously if I did the same. Just let Dom talk to me for a little bit then I¡¯ll join you guys later, alright?¡±

    I give her the best smile I can, but she looks away in a huff.

    ¡°Whatever. But you better not waste time screwing off Zero.¡±

    I swear in that moment, I heard Rose nearly break her jaw by unhinging it so fast.I have to agree though, what the hell?

    Kay walks up with a confused look on her face, then pokes and prods Mimi. Mimi giggles and swats Kay''s hand away. ¡°Fiiine,¡± she says, and swings her arms around me in a hug before letting going and dashing out of the room.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Rose finally asks after having come to terms with this being reality.

    ¡°I''m not sure?¡± I ask questioningly.

    With a nod, Rose and Kay walk out. Before following them Charlie peeks at me. No doubt I have a goofy grin on my face; and I give her another hug.

    ¡°Let''s eat lunch together?¡± I ask, if only to see how her face lights up, and she gives me an energetic nod before leaving and closing the door. I turn to Dom who immediately forces me into a chair that he waved over.

    Dom takes the one opposite of me and, in a chipper tone, says, ¡°Zero. I have done some digging on the history of the Zeroth. Did you know that in all of the records we currently have, the Zeroth hasn''t actually really done anything?¡±

    I look at Dom and ask, ¡°What does that mean?¡± He runs his hand through the length of his beard- what has been a habit apparently.

    ¡°What I mean is, I can''t find, in the histories, the exact point of the Zeroth.¡±

    ¡°What? Wouldn''t you assume the Zeroth is supposed to lead in the wars? Or mediate between bickering nobles? From the story you talked to me about from before, that''s what I gathered.¡±

    I state; only to be met with, ¡°Yes yes. But the kingdom has been whole and hearty for two thousand years. The nobles bicker but not to a significant degree. And who are we to war with outside of ourselves? The Outerlands? They''re nothing but harmless savages. Our people and there''s have never been on bad terms.¡± I stare hard at Dom and wait for him to continue.

    ¡°I don''t know how this was unknown to me. You are the Zeroth, and I am The Master of Academia. If anyone should know all there is to know about you, it would be I. Yet I knew nothing about this. So I ask you Zero, why are you so important if you serve no purpose?¡±

    He asks me and then lets out a sigh while leaning back into his chair, much to its protest. ¡°I mean you no offense of course,¡± he quickly adds.

    I shake my head. ¡°None taken. Though I have thought of that myself. I don''t really seem to have much to actually, you know, do.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Exactly! I''ll have to keep researching old records. They are surprisingly hard to come by or read.¡± When I ask him why such important records would be kept scattered all over like that, he simply tells me, ¡°That is the question isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on fully, but I do know something does not sit right my Zero. There is something¡­ off about you. I can tell there is something different about your soul than the ones from before,¡± he states in a solemn voice.

    ¡°Of course,¡± is the extent of my reply to him.

 Chapter 14 First Days - Part 2

    Frist Days - Part 2

    It would seem everything has gone, basically, how I expect it. It seems essentially nothing I have told Dom has stuck, besides the simple inkling that something is wrong. Thank the heavens for his desire to explore his curiosity. Normal people may just shrug off the itches he¡¯s had and pay them no mind. It¡¯s a slow coming, but perhaps with Dom¡¯s help, we¡¯ll get to the bottom of this before Nina finds me a way home.

    Nina- another person I have to see before the day is over.

    With our initial conversation apparently over, Dom transitions into talking about the schedule of my days here at the Academy. A lot of it will be similar to what you¡¯d expect at a normal school- with the exception of various battle classes and classes focused on the magiks and their aspects. Having covered nearly everything necessary, he sees me off with a wave and informs me again of his continued research.

    I have time before another class begins so I decide to check in on Nina. I pass through the silent halls on my way to her. It seems no matter where the school is, or what kind it is, being the only person in empty halls is still unsettling.

    Before too long I¡¯m making my way down the stairs into the lowest level of the Academy. As I meet the floor level I hear someone call my name and look all around me. I see no one and just assume I¡¯m hearing things. It¡¯s only when I hear a, ¡°Pss, Eve!¡± and nearly jump out of my pants that I realize the sound is coming from below me.

    I take a seat on the last couple of stairs to settle my heartbeat while calling out for Gee. Before too long I hear a giggle and see an arm reach out of my shadow. To be honest, it¡¯s incredibly unsettling to watch her slowly climb out of my shadow like that.

    Before long she¡¯s staring at me with a mischievous smile, concentrating her pupils on my eyes. She gives me a little wink and before I know it she''s hovering over me with her arms on either side of me. I rest my arms on her hips, in part to hold her back from coming any closer.

    ¡°What''s up Gee?¡± I ask, but she simply leans down and relaxes herself on me with her head rested on my chest.

    ¡°You¡¯re so warm and alive Eve.¡± She practically purrs at me.

    ¡°Thanks? But really, I haven''t heard a peep from you in months. What''s going on? Is everything ok?¡±

    ¡°Nothing is wrong my dear,¡± she says while giving my neck a kiss. It causes shivers to run through me. ¡°I''m merely curious as to what you and Old Man Domnis spoke about,¡± she says between another kiss to my neck.

    It feels too good and I''m forced to pull on her hips to drag her away from me. ¡°What do you mean? You would have been there like usual?¡± I ask in question.

    She gives a pouting look at me for pulling her away and says with a seductive smile, ¡°He''s a paranoid old man who put up a barrier stopping anyone besides you and him from entering or hearing anything from that room. So I was forced to wait outside like some kind of peasant.¡± Gee leans up and tries to place her lips on mine but I push her off me completely and stand up.

    ¡°Well, we didn''t talk about anything important. Now I have to go. I don''t wanna waste time I could have with Nina.¡± I say before walking away from Gee, much to her anger, made evident by her string of colorful language.

    How weird of her to actually come out and finally see me, only forthatto be the reason. Why couldn''t she have just been showing herself to see me? I stop in the middle of the hallway, stiff as stone, and realize just what I was thinking. Was Ijealousthat the whole reason she came to see me was for someone else?

    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± I protest to no one, while shaking my head and continuing my way to Nina.

    Before long I''m accosted by a familiar scent as I stand before a wooden door. I give it a knock and hear what seems like an exhausted Nina telling me to enter. I push the door open and am greeted by absolute chaos. There are papers everywhere, some stacked a few feet high. I can barely even see the ground.

    I hear a gasp and look up to see Nina staring, scrambling to her feet while also trying to straighten the papers at her desk and trying to brush her hair back with her hands. She tries to tuck it under her little maid-like hat. I can¡¯t help but let out a chorus of laughs at the absurdity of it all. She''s trying to do far too many things at once. I laugh and laugh until I¡¯m hunched over with my hands on my knees trying to suck in as much air as I can. By the time I can see clearly enough again, I see that Nina¡¯s hair has been largely tucked back, besides a few wisps of yellow hair here and there.

    ¡°W-w-what are you doing here?¡± she squeaks out. She¡¯s so flustered and it¡¯s so adorable that I can¡¯t help but laugh again. Before too long I can tell she¡¯s starting to get legitimately upset with me. I shake my head at her while trying to get myself under control again.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see you Nina. We have a little while before the next set of classes and I needed to see you.¡±

    ¡°Classes?¡± She''s confused. I can''t blame her though.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be studying here a few times a month.¡±

    Her face lights up and she practically hops over to me. She looks up at me with rosy cheeks. It was so endearing that I couldn''t help but reach out and brush a wisp of her yellow hair behind her ear. She giggles at my touch, causing me to tilt my head down a little, and plant my lips on her forehead.

    ¡°You treat me like a child Evangeline-sama,¡± she whines to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you minding,¡± I tease her. She gives a small smile and I wrap her up in a hug. She squirms for a moment before wrapping her arms around me.

    ¡°But boy is it a mess in here.¡±

    I was amazed at how cluttered it was. How was she able to get any work done? Then again, I think the old adage says something about geniuses having really cluttered workspaces.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    She responds by playfully pushing me away and looking around bashfully. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting company. Especially not from the best company I could have wished for,¡± she says while giving me a playful slap.

    However, she freezes up afterward and gets a wide-eyed look of shock on her face. Before she can let words slip from her mouth I flick her nose.

    ¡°So what have you been working on?¡±

    I ask her nonchalantly before moving further into her room and taking a seat on a chair- a chair that I had to clear the papers off of first. I can tell, even with her behind me, that she wants to protest every bit of what¡¯s happened since I arrived but she ultimately decides against it.

    ¡°Finding you a way home, of course.¡±

    I turn around and look at her, ¡°You- you remember that?¡± I ask her dubiously, my words coated in hesitation.

    ¡°Of course!¡± She says before passing me and maneuvering around her desk.

    She picks up some files and hands them to me. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I can to get readings of when you got here. It¡¯s absurd, but even all these months later, the exact area you told me you ¡°came to¡± this world is still full of unbelievable, unexplainable energy,¡± Nina shoots off her explanation lightning fast.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the reverse of a stasis field or something- the kind you¡¯ve used to heal yourself. Instead of basically trapping energy within it,¡± she uses her hands to demonstrate something being crushed, ¡°And compressing it until essentially everything inside acts in a hyperactive state, thus speeding up biological functions such as cellular regeneration,¡± she starts to pull her hands apart in an exaggerated fashion and continues, ¡°It¡¯s more like the reverse happens. As if somehow the area in the eye of the energy was basically frozen due to losing all energy- by sending all the energy within, outward. This outward directing of energy then caused some kind of distortion within the fabric of reality and somehow you traveled through it. Maybe. Perhaps anyways. It¡¯s only a theory based on preliminary data.¡±

    Nina fires off all of this information and much, much more in her machinegun ways of speaking she gets when she¡¯s talking science. I don¡¯t quite understand all of it, and some of the more later stuff she talks about sound far beyond anything I could possibly understand. However, above all, one thing stands out the most.

    ¡°Nina, how do you know all of this? Or really, any of this? No offense, but this world is archaic in almost all ways compared to mine, but you¡¯re talking about cells regenerating, as well as complicated matters of time and space.¡±

    Nina drops her arms and her face goes emotionless. I''ve never seen this expression- or rather, lack of expression, on her. After contemplating me for a moment she opens her mouth; however, no sound escapes. She closes her mouth, along with her eyes. She takes a deep breath and holds its for a moment before slowly releasing it.

    When she opens her eyes again she looks me dead in the eyes and simply says, ¡°Because I''m smart.¡±

    That is far and away, beyond what I was expecting to hear. I''m thrown mentally unbalanced for a moment. Using this time before I can speak, Nina simply starts talking about another subject.

    ¡°It''s slow coming though. I simply don''t have the resources to go any faster. I''m sorry Evangeline-sama.¡±

    She drops her head and her bangs fall in front of her eyes, possibly intentionally, before continuing, ¡°I will get you home. I swear it! But you''ll have to suffer this world a while longer.¡±

    I shake my head at Nina and tell her, ¡°I''m not suffering this world Nina. I want to go home yes, but it isn''t pure hell here. You''re here after all.¡± Nina¡¯s cheeks flush red and she squirms in her seat.

    ¡°You know what I mean Evangeline-sama.¡±

    I let out a laugh and a chime echoes in the distance, interrupting our small world. ¡°I have to go. I''m being forced into classes now.¡± I say with an unconcealed frown.

    ¡°Poor thing,¡± Nina says mockingly, with a hidden smile. After hugs, and a small kiss on the cheek from a coy Nina, I''m off to a wonderful world of new classes.

    Aaaaaaand I''m bored. Holy crap, even across time and space, students have to deal with the same drag from teachers. It''s just older people going on and on about how super important their subject is and how it''s totally more relevant than other subjects. It takes effort, but I manage to at least stay above water in the remainder of classes before lunchtime rolls around. I was told to sit in the back of every class by Dom. This caused me to go essentially unnoticed in every one of them. Even when people saw me, without the Valkyries they didn''t even bat an eyelash at me.

    When lunchtime rolls around I¡¯m so excited to get out of the stuffy classes that I¡¯m practically running through the hallways to the agreed meeting point to catch up with the others- all of whom are in significantly more advanced classes than mine.

    When I arrive at the courtyard I see Mimi, Kay, Rose, and Charlie. With a smile on their faces, they greet me when I approach them.

    ¡°Yay! Lunch!¡± I shout as bounce up to them.

    Rose gives me a strained look and simply says, ¡°Mind yourself Zero. You¡¯re no child.¡± To which, I stick out my tongue. This gets a giggle from Mimi and a sigh from Rose.

    ¡°Let us enjoy the sun,¡± Charlie says while laying out a blanket. I plop down next to where she sits and lean my head on her shoulder. I don¡¯t know why I feel so safe with Charlie but I do. She¡¯s relaxing to be near.

    ¡°Zero, are you not giving Charlie more attention than me?¡±

    Mimi says while grabbing my arm and pulling me to her. Charlie gives her a slightly annoyed look, before simply shrugging.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s feeling a lot better now,¡± Rose says with a smirk.

    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± Mimi replies. She takes a sandwich from our basket and bites into it while giving me a wink.

    I sigh, and with a shake of my head, take my own food out of the basket and begin to eat.

    ¡°This is really good Rose,¡± I say around my food.

    ¡°Manners.¡± She shoots out at me, much to the giggles of others. I slide across the blanket to Kay when I see she isn''t eating.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± I ask, only to have Kay look at me and shake her head.

    I reach into the basket and pull out a sandwich and rip it in half, holding one of the halves up to her mouth.

    Kay turns away from me but I follow her with it. Before too long we''re racing to see who can keep up or escape first. We get a little too wild and Kay falls over on her side with me laying on her.

    ¡°I win.¡± I tell her while holding the food in front of her.

    She gives me a look through slit eyelids, but opens up her mouth and takes a bite. Her face practically glows when she swallows it.

    ¡°Good, ne?¡± I say to her. She gives me a confused look but nods with a small smile tickling at her lips.

    It''s then that I remember that she¡¯s ticklish. And in this position, that could be a good idea.

    I reach my hand out gingerly, and place it on her side. Poor innocent Kay simply gives me a small smile without knowing what awaits her. When I feel her guard dropping, I move in. Before anyone knows what''s going on my fingers are running over her ribs and she''s squirming like mad trying to get away from me.

    ¡°Muhahaha,¡± I give an evil laugh while straddling her and tickling her viciously. I can see the others looking at us in abject terror at my torture of Kay. She''s letting out audible giggles and trying to push me away. I keep tickling her as best as I can but she''s stronger than me. Now that the effect of my surprise attack has faded she¡¯s able to sit up while restraining my arms behind me, with me still straddling her lap.

    In that moment, my eyes make contact with her nondescript, brown ones. I keep forgetting, but Kay is beautiful, and more than that, her eyes carry a story that I do not know. Behind their beautiful sheen is a layer of bloodlust I''ve never seen on another person. Nonetheless, here and now, with us breathing hard, a light sheen of sweat on us both; we sit inches apart, with the warm sun shining down on us.

    Before it really occurs to me whats happening, I''m leaning forward and pressing my lips to Kay''s.

 Chapter 14 - First Days - Part 3

    First Days - Part 3

    As my lips meet Kay''s, I hear Charlie suck in a breath, and Rose gasp. I can almost hear Mimi grinding her jaws together in jealousy. Now that I think about it, this is the first kiss I''ve shared with any of them. But what the hell am I thinking about at a time like this? Why am even in this position? How did this happen?

    Kay¡¯s lips are soft and warm, and clumsy. In a very Kay-like fashion, she gingerly returns my kiss in a way that screams inexperience- though that adds to the charm of it all. Which is rich coming from me. Even with being in this world, I have very little experience myself. Before long I pull away from her. I can''t even tell what''s going on. I''m consciously uncomfortable with what just happened yet my body aches for more. I didn''t wholly dislike the event, and that bothers me even more. Still, now would be a terrible time to show displeasure on my face so I simply give her a smile while sliding off of her.

    Now that I think about it, this is a really awkward position to be in. So instead of making eye contact with anyone, I reach into the basket and pull out the other half of the sandwich that caused everything and start eating it. Before too long Rose and Charlie start making conversation again about classes. It seemsthey are in the highest levels of classes, in part to their age but also their academic achievements. I take the time to look over at Kay but she''s simply eating quietly, with a tiny smile at the corner of her lips.

    ¡°Zero.¡±

    Mimi calls out to me, pulling my attention to her. When I notice her, she''s patting the spot next to her. I move over and sit down. She reaches down and laces her fingers with mine. She looks at me with a really serious face and says, ¡°We need to talk later,¡± before returning to her food. Great. I''m gonna get scolded for kissing Kay.

    Before too long the chime sounds letting us know to start wrapping things up. I grab Charlie by the hand and pull it up to my lips, kissing her knuckles. She gets a prideful look for a moment and asks what that was for.

    ¡°Call it a bribe, I need a favor.¡± Her face contorts for a second before she loses it and laughs.

    ¡°What are you pulling me into Zero?¡±

    ¡°I want you to train me to use a sword. I was made wholly aware of my inadequacies recently.¡± Charlie looks at me with a long, hard look.

    ¡°My Zero, I don''t necessarily think that to be a good idea. You''re incredibly powerful as is.¡±

    ¡°But I''m unskilled. You''ve seen it in class. And though my recent experience wasn''t one with a sword, it did show me that I need to improve in any number of ways.¡± I tell her.

    She gives a wry smile and replies, ¡°But you''re powerful-¡± I cut her off, ¡°Do not lie to me Charlie, please. You can''t deny it, yes?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps your swordplay could use some¡­ refinement,¡± she adds in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°See? So, please?¡±

    I plead, looking up into her blue eyes. She looks around at everything but me and nervously shifts her weight from one leg to the other, giving prominence to her hips. ¡°Charlie, what are you so hesitant about?¡±

    She glares at me and says, ¡°Why do you insist on calling me that?!¡±

    The roar of her voice causes me to back up, startled. She looks at me with a hurt expression for a moment, then shakes her head. ¡°Fine Zero. But I won''t be easy on you just because of who you are. That is what I''m hesitant about.¡± I''m hurt by Charlie, not just from her practically yelling at me, but also from her complete lack of faith in me.

    ¡°I¡¯d have it no other way Charli- Charlotte,¡± I quickly correct myself.

    She studies me for a moment and says, ¡°After classes today I''ll drill some basics into you for a little while. You may want to inform the others so they don''t get worried.¡± I simply nod and thank her before turning around to leave.

    ¡°Zero.¡± She calls for me.

    I turn to see what she wants only for her to seemingly make up her mind, shake her head, and tell me nevermind. I give her a small wave bye and leave to catch up with the others. I trot up alongside them and explain that I''ll be spending some time training with Charlie. Unsurprisingly none of them are happy about it but at least they don''t fight me hard on it. I offer Rose my arm only for her to hesitantly link hers with mine. Us four walk as long as we can together, with me struggling to keep up with Rose¡¯s longer strides.

    Before long we have to part with one another and I''m alone again. I wearily make my way to my next class, tired from lunch and everything that happened. I don''t know why I kissed Kay and I can''t understand why Charlie snapped at me. But I can''t help but feel that they may be related.

    Partway through my last class of the day there''s a commotion in the courtyard. Most of the others pay it no mind but from what I can tell, the guards are hauling someone away. Judging by the robe, it''s a student. I wonder what they did. I sigh inwardly. Even in a foreign world, there are still people who do bad things. I''ll never understand it. Classes end before long, and I try to make my way to the private practice room using the mental map I''ve developed, but it''s still a struggle.

    Why do all of these old buildings have to be a dang maze? Eventually, I arrive at a room I don''t know. Inside of it is filled with books upon books. It''s got to be some kind of library. I know I need to meet with Charlie but I can''t resist taking a peek inside. The room smells of dust and ink. I walk down a row of books taking in what titles I can.

    Some of the titles are far too complex for me to understand. As I stare transfixed at one title, I try reading it aloud, hoping it''ll help me, ¡°Eth-etheri-atheric-"

    ¡°Atherical Tremors and Quakes. Volume two,¡± I''m cut off by a voice behind me. I jump and let out a squeak while turning around ready to defend myself. My breathing is ragged and my heart is palpitating like mad as I try to take in the person in front of me.

    He''s tall and skinny, taller than even Charlotte or Dom. He has a close-cropped haircut- sporting pink highlights between strands of blonde hair. He¡¯s staring at me with emerald eyes that push on me like the wind through trees.

    ¡°W-what?¡± I ask through a broken voice.

    ¡°The title of the book. It seems you were having trouble with the more archaic writing. And then I scared you, so there¡¯s that. Apologies by the way.¡±

    He holds out his hand to me, ¡°I¡¯m Kyle, Kyle Bartholum. And you?¡±

    He¡¯s a fairly curt man, straight to the point. But he¡¯s handsome in a way few in my world would be. I grab his hand and give it a shake. It seems he has no idea who I am. So for the first time in a long while, I give my real name.

    ¡°I¡¯m Eve. Nice to meet you.¡± He nods to me and asks why I¡¯ve come here.

    I tell him where I was heading, and mention how I got lost but couldn¡¯t resist this room. ¡°Ah yes. The opiate of a scholar. Indeed. However, you need to go back to the last fork and take the right to get to your proper designation. I would recommend you doing so now as your friend is waiting,¡± he tells me.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Ah. Yeah, sure,¡± I reply.

    I''m not used to being so simply dismissed anymore. This world has obviously warped my views. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll be on my way. Could I stop by here again sometime?¡±

    He simply nods and tells me I¡¯m welcomed at any point. With an exchange of waves, I¡¯m off to find Charlie. Suffice to say, when I dofinally find the correct room, Charlie is pissed.

    ¡°You ask me to set time aside to assist you, against my better judgment, mind, and then you leave me waiting for twenty minutes.¡± Charlie scolds me. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re serious about this my Lord?¡±

    I can only cower beneath her intense glare and hard voice; nodding my head when I can. With a click of her tongue, she unsheathes her sword while tossing me a separate one.

    ¡°Attack me as best as you can.¡± She commands me.

    I won''t lie, this ferocious Charlotte is more similar to the woman I had originally met- the one who hurt Nina and took joy in taking me captive and forcing me in a fight to the death. This Charlotte scares me terribly and my knees shake and nearly buckle under me. The only thing that keeps me upright is Charlotte losing patience with me and my going at me first.

    What follows is nothing short of a beating. Charlie doesn''t take it easy on me; in fact, I would actually swear she got harder on me as the training went on. I can''t believe she would be this hard on others.

    By the time it''s over I''m bruised, with a busted and bleeding nose. I''m positive some bones were fractured and broken. Yet as always, those would be just fine in a few hours. No, what really bothers me is Charlie¡¯s sudden change of attitude. When she finally ends her torturous ¡°training¡± I ask through much pain and many a labored breath, ¡°Charlotte, what¡¯s wrong?¡± If I¡¯m not seeing things, it looks like she winces when I ask her.

    ¡°I told you I would be hard on you my Lord.¡±

    Charlie sounds so distant and cold. It brings my spirits down but I press the issue anyway.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m asking Charlotte. This kind of cold attitude isn¡¯t you-¡± I¡¯m cut off by her nearly shouting.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know a thing about meZero. Now stand up. We¡¯re going again.¡±

    With a fit of snaking anger seething out of her, Charlotte comes at me again and again. She¡¯s no longer even pretending this is training.

    She beats me back until I¡¯m kneeling on the ground with my sword held just above my head, barely keeping her sword from separating my head from my shoulders- were it not a training sword. It¡¯s only at this moment that I allow Rei to finally flex some muscle. Before Charlotte can figure out what¡¯s going on I¡¯m standing up and pushing her sword away like it¡¯s nothing. With a final push, I shove her nearly three feet away from me.

    She stands in awe of my new look. Assuming she even saw me like this before, she certainly was nowhere near this close to me. I- but not I, instead Rei- looks down at the practice sword with a bored expression before turning a hard gaze at Charlie. Charlie takes a half-step back under the intense pressure. Just like last time, I¡¯m in control of my body, and yet not. It¡¯s like being able to see myself from an outside perspective.

    ¡°What has come over you, Girl?¡± Rei says with a sharp voice. Charlie¡¯s knees visibly buckle beneath her and she falls onto her behind.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± She asks through a squeaking voice, broken with fear.

    Rei simply takes a step towards Charlie, and then another. Before long she stands before Charlie, looking down her nose at Charlie, with scornful, golden eyes. With a flick of her wrist, my training blade is under Charlie¡¯s chin, forcing her to look up at us. I can see the barely contained tears dancing in Charlie¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Answer child. What has given you the right to take advantage of a weaker opponent? Better yet, you dismiss Eve¡¯s attempts to calm you and figure your situation out. At every moment you acted without dignity or grace.¡±

    Charlie¡¯s mouth attempts to fall open but Rei uses the flat of the blade to shove her jaw shut. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going through Girl. You¡¯re feeling agitation and you don¡¯t know why. Everything is bothering you; and inside, just beneath the surface, is the desire to break everything around you. You¡¯re giving in to it, and it¡¯s eating you alive. Your thread is bound to Eve now. And they are chewing upon it. Your soul''s destination has been changed, and the madness is approaching. In your hate for your attitude, you leave yourself open to fall deeper.¡±

    Rei stabs the blunt end of the sword¡¯s tip hard into Charlie¡¯s throat. I can see the pain on her face, but also something more- more than what was there before; recognition. Rei continues, ¡°You feel betrayed by Eve do you not? You don¡¯t even know why. But if you search hard, you do know, don¡¯t you?¡± She pushes forward hard enough to force Charlie to start coughing and wheezing.

    ¡°Tell us, what has set you off. That is the only way to face it, Girl. That is the only way to overcome what is taking over your soul. That is the only way to fight back against them, once they''ve taken hold. To regain who you are, you must face your weakness with honesty.¡±

    Rei lessens the blade¡¯s pressure on Charlie¡¯s throat, but does not pull it away.

    ¡°I-I-I don¡¯t-¡± she¡¯s cut off abruptly by Rei¡¯s shout, ¡°You do! Or does Eve mean so little to you, that you truly believe your actions to be justified? Do you not love her as she loves you?¡±

    This makes me wince. Her words hit close to home and I can tell it¡¯s the same for Charlie. Her wonderfully blue eyes take on a different gleam and she swallows hard.

    ¡°I¡­ I know I¡¯ve been acting a touch too extreme-¡± she chokes on her words for a moment when Rei jabs the blunt tip of the blade into her throat. ¡°I-I know I¡¯ve been acting unlike myself. I don¡¯t want to act like this, honestly. But Zero¡­¡± she stops to cough. I can tell she¡¯s physically suffering from this confession and Rei¡¯s near-torture. The corners of her mouth leak a near-black sludge.

    ¡°Continue.¡± Rei commands without the option to refuse. To see someone walk all over Charlie like this is otherworldly. Not even the Valkyries have made her act like this before.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I haven¡¯t seen Zero in a while. So we try and spend a little time together and the others rip him- her... from me.¡±

    Charlie spits out. With anger bubbling through her voice she continues in a furor, ¡°That''s not so bad, sure. Zero has to give them more attention- of course he does. But then no,¡± she falls forward for a moment and punches the ground while yelling, ¡°But then she acts like it doesn¡¯t bother her at all! She just ups and starts kissing one of the others!¡±

    Charlie''s yelling at this point, while making her gauntlet meet with stone. She sludge from her mouthdrips, drips to the ground. She keeps bouncing between pronouns to refer to me. It seems her emotional state has caused her to unconsciously see through the warped perception some, however little it might be.

    ¡°How is that suppose to make me feel? I know I¡¯m not Zero¡¯s wife! But he shows me attention and acts as if he cares about me. Then she just turns around and shows no interest in losing time with me! When I realized what I was feeling, it was like I wasn¡¯t myself anymore. I¡¯m not some maiden to get lost in jealousy, but I-I-¡± at this, Charlie breaks down and begins to cry.

    More thick sludge flows out of not just her mouth now, but here ears, and even her eyes. Her tears form a dark color. Every time the darkness touches the ground I could swear I was able to hear a small hissing sound before it essentially evaporated into the air. What in the world is all of this? I reminds me of when I was sick, and the thick blackness I threw up. I had assumed it was just me but...

    Surprising me, Rei kneels down and pulls Charlie¡¯s sobbing form into our arms. She kisses the top of Charlie¡¯s head and whispers to her, ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright now Charlotte. You¡¯ve broken free of them. You¡¯re strong. I swear I¡¯ll do everything I can to protect all of you. But I have to go now.¡±

    These words cause Charlie to look up, and I meet her gaze in turn. She looks confused but honestly, I¡¯m just as confused. I have no idea what¡¯s going on, but it seems Rei does. I do not know who or what this, "them" is that she keeps referring to. But this isn''t the time, so instead, I simply hold Charlie while she continues to cry in my arms a little while longer.

    Eventually, she starts to calm down; I feel her rhythmically breathing into my chest with intermediate sobs growing further apart from one another. Before long she pushes herself off of me and gives me an incredibly cute, shy look. One so unlike her usual stoic self.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± is all she says before she stands up and turns her back to me.

    ¡°We¡¯ll end our training here for today.¡± Charlie tells me, before starting to walk away. I call out to her and she stops. I can tell she¡¯s trying to act tough, but she walks on unsteady legs.

    ¡°Can you teach me again next week when I come back for more classes?¡± I ask her. Charlie looks at me over her shoulder and I can see the shock on her face.

    ¡°You would want that? After everything-¡±

    I cut off her train of words by saying, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to spend more time with you Charlie. And that¡¯s the truth.¡±

    Charlie turns around fully, with a wry smile across her lips. ¡°You still insist on calling me that?¡±

    She heaves a sigh, ¡°I look forward to it Zero.¡±

    With that, she turns around and leaves. I stand still for a little bit, watching her receding form get smaller. This whole experience has left a foul taste in my mouth. I call for Rei, but she¡¯s silent. I feel like I¡¯m the only person in the world out of the loop of what¡¯s going on and I don¡¯t like it.

    People I care about are changing- indeed I¡¯m changing too. Something is going on just out of sight, and I¡¯m being left out of it all. With those thoughts and more tugging at me, I make my way to the station to meet my girls.

 Chapter 15 - Regularity - Part 1

    Regularity - Part 1

    I open the door to the restaurant and am greeted by a boisterous atmosphere. It warms my heart to see the people having a good time. Perhaps I''ve done little to make it so, but if just my presence as the Zeroth is able to make the world a little bit happier, then that''s a silver lining. I make my way to the girls¡¯ table.

    When they notice me, per usual, their chatter comes to a halt. I want to scream at my fate, but I resist. When I get up to the table, only Mimi is smiling at me. Rose merely looks complacent and Kay is well, Kay.

    ¡°Heyo my Lord."

    Mimi waves to me while patting the seat next to her with her other hand.

    ¡°How¡¯s everyone doing?¡± I ask.

    They tell me they¡¯ve only been here for a little bit and were waiting for me to order. When trying to decide what I want, Kay, surprisingly, orders for me.

    ¡°So how was training with Commander Rodiger?¡± Rose asks me. Before I can reply, our attention is pulled away by a racket on the other side of the room.

    Two women are attacking each other with their silverware. I jump to my feet but Mimi grabs my arm. When I turn to look at her she shakes her head at me. I turn back to the women to see some guards breaking them up and hauling them out if the restaurant.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I ask while sitting back down.

    ¡°The gall of them to get in a fight here of all places." Rose has anger in her voice.

    ¡°I''m sorry to stop you Zero but, it isn''t our place to try and police everything around us. There are guards for a reason.¡± Mimi tries to please me.

    I grumble to myself and look over to Kay. She''s absentmindedly staring out of the window but turns to see my gaze on her. Being caught like that, I panic and rush to think of something to say.

    ¡°How''d your day go Kay? How are classes?¡±

    She looks at me for a moment before looking upwards some in apparent contemplation. ¡°Boring,¡± is all she says to me before looking back outside. There''s some kind of bird there that''s receiving all of her attention.

    I turn to Rose, ¡°And you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°It was fine. Harder than I remember, but that''s to be expected when I missed months of classes.¡±

    She carries a small sting in her words that makes me sad. I don''t like hearing that, especially when I know it''s my fault. But I don''t know what to say.

    ¡°Well, my day was fine too. It was fun coming back and getting to see everyone. I can''t wait for next week.¡±

    Mimi cheerfully adds. She always seems to chime in when I''m at a loss for words. Or rather, she''s been strangely considerate since our fight. I wonder if it''s on purpose or if I''m reading too much into it?

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you had fun,¡± I reply to her.

    Before long our food arrives and interrupts our idle chit-chat.

    ¡°Here.¡± Mimi says while holding her fork up to my mouth.

    ¡°Cliche?¡± I tease her. She gives a huff, but pushes the fork closer to my mouth anyway.

    A giggle escapes and she takes that chance to put the food in my mouth. It¡¯s some kind of delicious meat... God knows I don¡¯t wanna know where it came from. But it¡¯s so good that I steal another piece off of her plate and pop it into my mouth.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s mine!¡± She growls in mock anger while stealing some food off of my plate. That growl was kind of...

    ¡°Hey!¡± I say, breaking free from that line of thought. I reach over to her and begin playfully wrestling with her.

    ¡°Now, now ladies. Manners.¡± Rose says.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Mimi and I apologize in unison.

    ¡°Good. Glad to see you¡¯re both inunderstanding of what you¡¯ve done,¡± Rose says while reaching over and taking food from both of our plates with a wink.

    ¡°You fox!¡± I say to her while Mimi calls her a crafty minx.

    ¡°Now, now. Manners,¡± she says again, which instantly makes us hush up. How does she do that? Is that a mom thing? I think that¡¯s a mom thing.

    A little while into our meal Kay excuses herself.. Rose doesn¡¯t seem to take this lightly. She stands up to let Kay out of the booth, but grabs her arm when she leaves.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Leaving,¡± is all Kay says before ripping her arm away from Rose. But Rose doesn¡¯t relent and grabs Kay by the shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re just leaving our Lord? What could possibly be so important?"

    With a small shove, Kay pushes Rose away and walks out of the building.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her-¡± I cut myself off. Actually, I suppose I have seen Kay act aggressively with the others. I¡¯ve just never seen her willingly leave my side without protest.

    ¡°Maybe classes were just hard for her and she needs some time alone?¡± I posit.

    Rose turns a half glare towards me and simply nods. She sits back down and returns to eating.

    All throughout the rest of dinner, and even our arrival at the station, Kay doesn¡¯t show up.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about Kay,¡± I tell the others.

    ¡°She¡¯ll show up Zero,¡± Mimi says while rubbing my back.

    ¡°Just give her some time. She¡¯ll be home by tonight." Rose says confidently while taking my arm in hers and leading me onto the train and to our coach.

    ¡°Zero, it¡¯ll be alright, I promise.¡± Mimi is so sweet and reassuring.

    ¡°Yes. Before you arrived, Kay frequently disappeared for days at a time,¡± Rose tells me while sliding me down into the window seat then sliding down next to me when I sit down. It''s weird not having my window to gaze out of.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I say in a near-pout and turn to look out the window, beyond Rose. She''s started to busy herself with some kind of knitting. When I asked what it was for, she said it was a new jacket for Vol. He¡¯s growing and the cold season is coming.

    I never really thought about it, but I guess Arsea will experience seasons. I can¡¯t imagine just how grueling winter will be in a world without central heating. Then again, they have magik. So maybe it won¡¯t be all that bad.

    Mimi reaches up from behind me and pulls my ponytail down. I feel my hair fall on my shoulders and look back at Mimi. She gives me a goofy smile and says, ¡°Your hair is always so beautiful Zero. It¡¯s a shame you don¡¯t wear it done more often,¡± Mimi says in a sing-song voice while reaching out and pulling my hair over the seat.

    ¡°It gets in the way of most things. You should know that.¡± I tell her.

    She shrugs and starts to run her fingers through my hair.

    ¡°Red like burning embers,¡± Mimi says absentmindedly. I ask her what that¡¯s supposed to mean. She turns red at having been called out about it. I guess she didn¡¯t mean to say it out loud.

    ¡°I just meant, my Lord, that your hair reminds me of a sea of embers. Like when you stare out at a forest on the hills, burning brightly. Embers are the final sparks of a raging inferno that swept over an area.¡±

    ¡°The dying reminders of a great change¡­¡±

    I spit out to the world. Mimi seems oblivious to what I said, and continues to play with my hair. She puts it up in various ways and then lets it fall. She braids it, then takes it down.

    But being called that, reminds me of Grandpa, and that reminder of him causes my chest to throb. He was... is, my family. He''s all I ever had really. He tried to teach me to be strong of character- to have pride, to stand up for the weak, to stand strong in the face of adversity.

    But, I could never take his ramblings seriously. I mean, in the real world, how often do you need such qualities? Bad things don''t just happen to people. Bad things almost always follow bad choices. Usually, bad things come as a direct result of people''s failings. Ergo, it''s safe to assume nothing bad would ever happen to me. But, that was just naivety wasn''t it?

    The train rocks a little harder than usual, pulling me from my reverie. Somehow, Mimi managed to keep herself entertained with my hair for the whole duration of our train ride. Before we come to a complete stop she puts it into a nice ponytail and sits back in her seat. When we come to a halt and Rose stands, she holds out her hand to help me up. In return, I hold out my arm and she links hers with me.

    I hear Mimi click her tongue behind me. The moment we¡¯re out of the train, and have more space, she slides up and wraps herself around my other arm. With a flower on each arm, we make our way back to Val Manor.

    The rest of the night follows our usual pattern but with less Kay. It¡¯s strange to think it could be quieter and more lonely without her here, but it¡¯s how I feel.

    At some point in the night, we hear a massive fight break out in another house down the street. Looking out the window, I can see what looks to be an entire family being hauled off by the guards.

    ¡°What is happening to our town?¡± Mimi asks before turning back to her book.

    Before long we all turn in for the night. I toss and turn and am unable to sleep. Kay never returned and I can¡¯t keep her out of my mind. Eventually, however, I hear some footsteps in the halls- except they¡¯re retreating further away from me. Kay¡¯s room is across the hall so that makes no sense.I grow more frustrated the more I think about it and decide to follow the steps.

    By the time I¡¯m ready to go out, the person is a lot further away. I can¡¯t even make out who it is. So I decide to follow them at this distance, in case it¡¯s someone doing something they don¡¯t want me to see. Before long, we¡¯ve made it outside and are making our way through the backyard and further. Once we reach a familiar area I realize what¡¯s going on, and who I¡¯m following.

    ¡°It''s a beautiful place, don''t you think?¡± Mimi asks the moon.

    ¡°Yes you are- I mean, yes it is!¡±

    I tease her. Mimi turns to me, her amethyst eyes stare deep into me as small sparks ignite just beneath them. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you Mimi. I thought maybe Kay had returned and before I knew it I followed you here.¡±

    Mimi lets out a small laugh, her hair sticks tightly in its bun. She wears what she did before, with her top half exposed and bandaged. ¡°Indeed. So now you need to take responsibility Zero,¡± she says from right in front of me.

    I don¡¯t know when it happened but she crossed the twenty feet between us and winded up in front of me in the span of a blink. She gives a goofy smile and reaches out to cup my cheek. I look down at her and stare into her eyes. She leans up to me, and places a small kiss on my lips. My heart speeds up and my stomach alights in a flutter. Before I can react she pulls away with her face lit up in a crimson.

    ¡°Mimi¡­¡± I say but she lets out a laugh and starts bouncing in place.

    ¡°Come on Zero, lets spar.¡± I¡¯m taken aback by the constant changes that Mimi is bouncing between. It''s sporadic, yet very much like her. At this, a wry smile crosses my face.

    ¡°You¡¯re ok with that?¡± I ask and she nods with a bright face.

    ¡°Yeah. You kind of suck.¡± Mimi says while sticking out her tongue.

    ¡°Hah. You¡¯re not wrong.¡± I take my stance.

    Mimi lets out a small squeal and hops back another three feet; taking up her fighting stance. With a crack of thunder as our signal, we charge towards one another. We may be sparring but she doesn¡¯t let up on me. I get more beaten up the longer we spar but the smile never leaves our faces. She¡¯s unbelievably fast but keeps her hits light.

    We keep fighting until I can¡¯t hold up anymore and fall to my knees. Mimi lets out a little laugh and hops up to me and kneels down next to me. I start to look up at her but what catches my eye is the fact that she¡¯s crouched down next to me, in a skirt.

    My eyes are glued to the hidden treasure before me and my heart speeds up. I feel my face catch fire before a snicker is caught by my ears. I shoot my head up to see Mimi coyly looking down at me.

    ¡°Want to explain why you¡¯re studying my body so¡­ intently?¡± She asks in a coquettish voice.

    ¡°I-I-I-¡± my voice breaks and I scramble backward, falling on my butt.

    ¡°My, my Zero.¡±

    Mimi teases with a giggle. She reaches down and offers me her hand. I tentatively take it and am pulled up with a surprising amount of strength. I try to stop my momentum but Mimi doesn¡¯t let me. I¡¯m pulled into her arms and she hugs me tight. I¡¯m too confused to reciprocate the hug and just stand there like a fool. Before long she lets me go and gives me a smile.

    ¡°Let''s go home for the night Zero,¡± she suggests to me- something deeper laying between the lines. My nerves fire in full force. I give her a stiff nod and she wraps her arm around mine and leads me home.

 Chapter 15 - Regularity - Part 2

    Regularity - Part 2

    When Mimi and I arrive at Val manor we silently make our way upstairs. Every step I take, with Mimi on my arm, feels like lead. My stomach is in knots and my skin feels clammy with sweat. Eventually, we arrive at my room and I nervously turn towards her. She''s staring intently at me.

    ¡°Mimi-¡± before I can say anything else, Mimi wraps her arm around my head and pulls me down to her, into a kiss. My mind lights up like fireworks but she pays my anxiety no mind as she pulls my waist closer to her and pushes harder into the kiss. I start to come to my senses when I feel Mimi flick her tongue against my lips.

    In complete confusion I hesitantly part my lips some and Mimi takes that opportunity to snake her tongue into my mouth. In complete surprise, I try to pull away but Mimi simply follows me and shoves me against the wall with force. Her tongue violates my mouth and wraps itself around my own tongue. I''ve never heard of this kind of kiss. My mind is slowly going blank and my body is heating up and feels euphoric and floaty. I''m resting my hands on her hips, their grip tightening. Before long, Mimi¡¯s hands start to snake up my body, slowly caressing my legs, my hips, my stomach. I can''t remember what I''ve been doing this whole time but I think I''ve just been standing here dumbly. I can''t help it. I hate this so much, that it makes me nauseous. Yet the paradoxical situation feels like utter bliss at the same time.

    As Mimi makes her way to my chest, she stops. I peek through half-open eyes to see confusion in hers. She breaks our kiss and slowly, tentatively traces my body with her eyes. Her hand, floating in the air, slowly, but gently cups my breast. The shock is unlike anything I have ever experienced. But I don''t even have time to express said shock because of how fast Mimi reacts. She pulls her hand away as if she just touched fire. Her eyes go wide with shock and her jaw hangs open. She''s only inches away from me, and I should love her reaction because for the first time she''s showing true recognition of me being another woman. Yet all I feel is pain and rejection.

    ¡°Zero you¡­¡± Mimi mumbles. Before I can say anything in response, however, someone clears their throat to our side.

    We both jump nearly out of our skins and simultaneously look over to see Kay standing there. As fast as literal lightning, Mimi puts distance between us. The situation is painfully awkward and I just wanna crawl in a hole and die. My mind is still swirling from Mimi and now there¡¯s another layer of confusion from Kay. But I feel guilty as if she just caught me in the middle of an affair. But why do I feel this way? I didn¡¯t do anything! It was all Mimi! And we¡¯re all women! And I don¡¯t owe them anything! And besides, they¡¯re mywives so why do they get to judge me?

    Why am I even making excuses to myself? I can¡¯t stop my world from spinning and fall to my knees. My breathing intensifies and I start to hyperventilate. My vision darkens and my world fades to black.

    I wake up to the sun beaming down on me, telling me to respond to the day. I¡¯m pulled from my sleeping haze quickly as last night¡¯s events fast forward through my mind. I roll over and with a groan I shove my head under my pillow. I¡¯m not sure what emotion is more powerful right now; guilt, sadness, euphoric elation, plain happiness¡­ lust. I dive into my own mind and search for Rei.

    It¡¯s dark and cool inside here. I call for Rei and get no response. I call again, and again, to no avail. A hand grabs my shoulder from behind and spins me around. I don¡¯t even flinch because there¡¯s only one person it could be. I put on my best smile and meet Rei¡¯s eyes. But the moment I do I feel a strong pulse assail me. I see Rei, and she sees me. But it¡¯s not the Rei I know. Not my Rei.

    She wears a grin of teeth that reaches ear to ear. ¡°Hello Eve,¡± she says while taking a step toward me. I meet it with a backstep.

    ¡°Rei, what¡¯s going on?¡± I ask, wracked with nerves.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean Eve.¡± She tells me. Like a snake, I feel her venom drip out of her words; it coils around me and constricts. It¡¯s hard to breathe and I can feel her pulling on me, trying to bend me. Her eyes don¡¯t have their usual pressure. Instead they make me cold. I¡¯m terrified and try to escape back to the real world. But this ¡°Rei¡± gives me a, ¡°Tsk tsk,¡± with a shake of her head.

    I can¡¯t get out. I don¡¯t understand what is happening. I''m trapped inside myself. Before long, I hit a ¡°wall¡± and can escape no further. As ¡°Rei¡± approaches me, as her hand is about to touch me, I hear a sharp voice tear through the darkness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you touch her!¡± it shouts. This "Rei" turns to the sky just in time to meet a blade as it slashes through her, severing her in half, head to groin.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    In a fountain of blood ¡°Rei¡± falls to the floor and what remains is Rei, my Rei. She turns her eyes towards me, and the pressure is there. The pressure that is all-consuming; the pressure that threatens to reject me, yet pulls me in. I let out, in a croak, scared voice, ¡°What is going on Rei?¡±

    ¡°You have to leave Eve.¡± Shetells me, in a rush.

    ¡°No. Rei, what is happening?¡± I ask again with a trembling voice.

    I''m scared. On top of everything last night, my identity is still crumbling. I''ve been attacked inside of my own mind. ¡°Please, Rei¡±, I plead with her. She gives me a faltering look. Her golden eyes illuminate a sour complexion on her beautiful face, and her beautiful black hair teases the ground.

    ¡°Eve. I will keep you safe. I promised I would.¡±Rei tells me in a serious voice.

    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember that. I don¡¯t remember anything like that. But that¡¯s not important. I don¡¯t need protection. I need answers. Please.¡±

    A tremor blasts through the area and my world shakes. ¡°Eve. Begone. She¡¯s coming.¡± Rei screams at me.

    With a wave of her hand, I¡¯m back in the real world. I jump out of bed, covered in sweat. My breathing is rapid and my blood is running cold; my head is pounding and a shiver assaults me over and over. The world is blinding and feels as if it¡¯s assaulting me. My door opens and I¡¯m made aware of Rose standing there. I can¡¯t see her, yet there she is. She¡¯s a blinding white that burns the back of my eyes.

    ¡°Zero? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    I can¡¯t say anything. I feel so terrible that I¡¯m starting to get mad. Rose approaches me with heavy steps. Thud, thud, thudevery single step she takes echoes inside of my mind like a hammer taken to my skull.

    ¡°Zero? Are you ok?¡±

    Rose reaches out; but before she touches me, I slap her hand away. Rose yanks her hand back with a hurt look on her face. Her beautiful blue eyes gain a teary film. ¡°Zero, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± she says hesitantly. My stomach rolls and I feel nauseous.

    The light, and Rose, are so bright now that I can¡¯t even see colors. The tremors wrack my head over and over until I¡¯m physically knocked off my feet. Before I know what¡¯s going on Rose is standing over me, calling out to me over and over. I feel her tears land on my face but I can¡¯t tell her that I¡¯m okay. I can¡¯t tell her to stop crying over someone like me. I can¡¯t tell her anything at all.

    I don¡¯t know what all really happened over the next couple days. It¡¯s all gone by in a haze of light and pain. I¡¯m consciously aware of everything, but not. It feels like I¡¯m losing my mind. I remember things for only a moment before I forget them. In the next moment, I¡¯m able to reach ¡°consciousness¡± again and think to myself, ¡°This is the time I can remember.¡±

    Yet before long, it¡¯s gone from my mind again. The only way I have any idea as to what¡¯s happening, is being able to tell that there was something that has happened even if I don¡¯t know what it was. It''s the gaps within me that tells me something has gone horribly wrong.

    Eventually, however, the tremors settle and the light fades. I spend eternity in darkness now; perhaps it¡¯s only a moment. To me, it makes no difference. I¡¯m aware of nothing at all. I can tell Nina arrived at some point and has been doing all kinds of things to me.

    With every movement that she makes to comfort me, I want to thank her. For every tear the others cry, I want to soothe them. I¡¯m unable to do either. I¡¯m a prisoner inside my own body- remembering nothing and forgetting everything almost as soon as it happens. My life is torn apart and reborn over and over. I¡¯m living in a hell of my body¡¯s own making.

    I don¡¯t know how long has passed, but I hear a small voice in the back of my head. I can''t really distinguish it from the buzz of those around me, but I can tell it''s there. It''s warm and soothing. I want to reach out and grab it; bring it to the forefront of my mind- for it is the only thing always there. Its omniscience is definable but ungraspable. I recognize it, but I can''t place it.

    ¡°...ve¡± I think I hear a voice now. I can see Nina fiddling with some machines while the others scream at her with tears flying every which way. I don''t remember when, because of course I don''t, but Kay isn''t here. Was she ever?

    ¡°Eve,¡± I hear. It''s faint. I think it''s calling for me but I don''t see any of the others even paying attention to me. Why are they not paying attention to me? I''m here and I''m sick or something. What''s so interesting about that damn machine? Why are my wives not taking care of me? What exactly do they need to do for me anyways? I''m here and awake. I''ll just sit up right now and give them a wave.

    But I can''t. That''s weird. Why can''t I get up? Why did I end up here? And how?

    ¡°Eve!¡± A voice roars through me and siphons my mind to it.

    The random women in the room seem to all turn and look at me in unison. They''re crying and shouting now as I jump side to side. That''s weird, why is the world jumping all around like that? It''s as if tremors are running through the world- I guess I can see why those people would be upset. I would imagine a world of tremors would suck. I can''t imagine being in a world like that. I mean, a world is a weird thing when you really think about it.

    It''s host to billions ofparasites: and instead of running the parasites off, it nurtures and takes care of them. That''s a weird way to live. Why would parasites want to be nurtured? Their whole existence is based on sustaining themselves at the cost of others. Why would others allow the parasites to continue to do as they please? The others should kill the parasites.

    Yes, it''s that easy, that''s the solution.

 Chapter 15 - Regularity - Part 3

    Regularity - Part 3

    I should simply kill the parasites.

    Rip them, stab them, drown them, burn them, suffocate them, bludgeon them, eviscerate them, exsanguinate them, kill them¡­ yes¡­ kill them all.

    Just kill and kill and kill and kill and kill- my mantra has been made.

    To kill is to live. To live is to kill, is to live is to kill is to-

    ¡°Eve!¡±

    A tremor, the like of which my world has never had before, echoes. I have no choice but to turn to the voice.

    I have to acknowledge it, then kill it. I look behind me and there''s a woman. At least I think it''s a woman. What''s a woman? Does it bleed? I wanna see if it bleeds.

    I make my way to this thing before me but it holds up a hand, and so I stop. Why am I stopping? This thing with its golden eyes infuriates me. It acts like it''s the best, like it''s something awesome.

    ¡°Eve. My Eve. I am so, so sorry this has happened to you. The damage was so much worse than I could control. So now it''s up to you Eve.¡±

    This Raven haired woman says to someone, to whoever this ¡°Eve¡± is.

    That''s weird. So weird. I''m right here and she isn''t even talking to me.

    ¡°Eve, please. Please try and remember,¡± she says while taking steps towards me.

    ¡°Kill?¡± A voice leaks out of me in a guttural, primitive tone.

    ¡°Yes Eve. Kill what is happening to you. Fight it and come back to us- to me.¡±

    She stops in front of me. I reach out my hand to rip out its throat but my hand slides through her. I try again, and again my hand goes through her. I look at the thing before me in confusion.

    It shakes its head and says, ¡°Eve, please. I have failed you. I understand that. But you have to come back to yourself. The Queen can not awaken yet. Things aren''t set well enough for what''s to come. Please Eve," the thing wraps its arms around me tightly.

    I feel a burning warmth flood through me. This thing is hot; as if on fire.

    I try to squirm out but I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too strong. It¡¯s burning me alive with its heat- heat that permeates through me. She¡¯s bothering me on a deep level. I don¡¯t know what it is about her but she¡¯s causing my mind to light up. I don¡¯t like it, so I thrash around as much as I can.

    I want to hurt her. She deserves to be hurt. She¡¯s hurt me, so I¡¯ll hurt her. I squirm all I can but she¡¯s incredibly strong.

    ¡°Eve, please come back to me. All I¡¯ve done would be pointless without you here. I¡¯m trying to stay strong, I¡¯m trying to protect the world- and you,¡± Raven says to me.

    I stop my thrashing for a moment and look up into her golden eyes. I don¡¯t remember them, or who this woman is, yet her eyes tell me to believe in her. I want to believe in her. Why do I want to believe in her? I just want to kill- I thought I just wanted to kill.

    ¡°Eve¡­¡± She lifts my head up, drinks deep of my eyes, and places her lips to mine.

    The sensation is new and old, soft yet hard. This woman¡¯s sadness permeates through me. Our lips are locked yet I can hear her voice calling my name over and over.

    ¡°Eve, Eve, Eve, Eve, my Eve," echoes through my mind.

    Raven¡¯s lips are delicate- I want more. I wrap my arms around her waist and push myself further into her kiss. I push until it hurts and I push more. My teeth are digging into my lips, but I demand more of her. The pain forces her lips to part and I snake my tongue in.

    I pervade her mouth and defile it with my tongue. This Raven falters from my force and starts to fall backward. I fall with her and land on top of her. I pin her under me and kiss her as if there is no tomorrow- because for me, there might not be. I can remember now, if only for a moment. I can take in this frame of time and internalize it.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    I break my kiss from this woman; she opens her mouth to speak and I deny her with my lips again. If I am doomed to a hellish existence then I demand one shining moment of pleasure in this darkness. The woman places her hands on my shoulders and tries to gently force me away. I grab them roughly and pin them over her head. Her eyes go wide with shock. I keep her hands pinned roughly as she starts to struggle. I straddle her with my whole being and hold her down.

    She starts to thrash and tries to knock me off but I refuse. When I break our kiss again, this Raven¡¯s lips are red and swollen, and shining with our saliva. She looks up at me, shock still in her eyes, but her face taut in an apparent attempt to hide her unease.

    ¡°Is this what you want Eve? Is this how you need things to be in order to come back to me? If so, I offer it to you. You don¡¯t have to take it by force.

    A cruel smile flicks across my lips, and I dive down to reconnect with her. I let loose my left hand and run it up and down her body. I caress her firm stomach and make my way up to her breast. I grip them firmly and the woman winces in pain.

    It¡¯s at this, that something finally dawns on me. I¡¯m on the verge of losing myself to all that is wrong, and hurting Rei even worse. For the first time since all of this begun, I¡¯m able to see myself, reflected in her beautiful eyes; what looks back is a horrible creature of flesh and blood, yes, but I¡¯m revolting and terrifying.

    I don¡¯t know how Rei can stomach contact with me. I¡¯m no longer Eve, I am a rudimentary creature of flesh and blood- yes, but I am nightmare incarnate. My face is distorted in a hellish way, always shifting one way or another. From my eyes, drips tears of blood and from my mouth, drips a disgusting ooze. I look at my hands and see grotesque claws.

    I look away, for I am wrong, yet Rei reaches up and grabs my jaw. She forces my eyes back to hers and whispers to me, ¡°You are you, Eve, always.¡±

    With this, she pulls me down into a kiss. It¡¯s the gentlest kiss we¡¯ve ever shared. Not full of lust and hate and pain- but of a comforting embrace as if offered by the sun.

    I close my eyes and give into the feeling and the warmth. When I open them next, I see tears rolling down Rei¡¯s face.

    ¡°I never doubted you would find your way back to me Eve," she whispers in a voice that cracks. I see my image in her tears, and that which stares back, is me.

    I see me, I see Evangeline Sayagawa. I see the woman who was pulled from her world, and brought to yet a stranger world. I see the woman who¡¯s very life and being have been interlaced with the lives of strangers from a strange lands; women who¡¯ve come to mean much to me, while I have remained nothing to them.

    And through it all, I see the woman who is looking back at her- at Rei. The woman full of mystery and secrets; the woman who has apparently been protecting me for so long. At that moment I realize what is happening to me, and what I have caused and done.

    "He...lp ¡­ me,¡± is all I can croak out.

    Rei lights up brightly and gives a smile that shines. ¡°I don¡¯t have to save you my Eve. You¡¯ve fought through it on your own. But I will offer you a moment more of assistance," she says with a smile that reaches from eye to eye.

    She raises up and places one more kiss on my lips before telling me bye. I try to demand answers from her, but it¡¯s so hard to speak that the words don¡¯t come. Rei simply shakes her head while looking up at me, ¡°In time Eve, all things will become known. Patience my Eve, patience.¡±

    With that, Rei starts to disappear below me. It¡¯s not that she¡¯s gotten up and moved, nor is it that she has faded away. No, it¡¯s almost as if her physical existence cannot be maintained. As she turns to dust below me, I fall to the floor.

    It¡¯s only now in this moment of clarity that I am able to look around me and see where I¡¯m at- not inside my mind, nor inside Rei¡¯s. I don¡¯t know where we are. It¡¯s a desolate and horrible place of pure darkness. It¡¯s like staring into the abyss at the end of time and feeling it start back.

    Wherever I am, I should not be, nor should Rei have been. I can only pray to the world that Rei hasn¡¯t disappeared for good- that she has merely faded from this world. I don¡¯t want to imagine a world without Rei in it. She¡¯s been my constant companion since everything begun and I want her to be with me until the end.

    The feelings I had when we were in embrace earlier have mostly left me; as if the events happened in another lifetime. However, I can¡¯t deny the remnants of whatever is left. Somewhere inside of me, is a small spark of life that longs for Rei. I can¡¯t quite grasp it, but it¡¯s there.

    But what I do know is this screwed up situation is embedding itself within me and forcing things to be that cannot be, and forcing things that can be, to the wayside. Whatever that will mean in the end is unknowable, yet I think too deeply about it.

    In the waking world I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll continue to fight it until the end; but inside this world where none exists besides the rawest of humanity, I am made aware of what Rei means to me. Whatever may come, this feeling is here, and it will help drive me forward.

    I will meet Rei again, and I will thank her. Perchance, I may even kiss her. But those aren¡¯t things for me to known now- no. There is still time- patience she said to me- and there are more pressing matters. I don¡¯t know how, but I know I am leaving here. My existence if thinning out, I am being dragged from this hellscape and being delivered unto the real world.

    I can only imagine I have Rei to thank for this; all the more reason to see her again. Until such a time, I will make right all I can for the women I am to re-meet. Those who have done so much for me. I especially will have to thank Nina- for Rei saved me in this world, Nina has no doubt saved me in that one.

    With these feelings, and nothing more to hold on to, I try to remain who I am now, for the sake of who I am to become.

 Chapter 16 - Cooperation - Part 1

    Cooperation - Part 1

    I wake up to the sound of everyone talking. I summon what energy I can to look around the room. Kay seems to notice me first and says, ¡°Zero¡± in a much louder voice than I¡¯ve ever heard from her. Like vultures on a fresh kill, the women surround me.

    ¡°Zero!¡± Mimi says as tears pour from her eyes.

    Rose pushes her way to the front and puts her hand on my forehead. Her beautiful blue eyes carry the sheen of sadness as she touches me every which way to check and make sure I¡¯m alright.

    ¡°Move.¡± Is all Kay says while she drags Nina through the crowd of the others.

    ¡°Check.¡± She demands of Nina as she pushes her towards me.

    ¡°Evangeline-sama, how are you feeling? Please follow my finger.¡±

    She moves her finger pass my eyes slowly and I do as I¡¯m told. She gives a nod and places her hand on my chest, above my heart. ¡°Pulse seems steady too.¡± She lets out a sigh.

    ¡°This is because of you, you monster!¡±

    Rose shouts at Nina. To her service, Nina doesn¡¯t even flinch while she continues to check my vitals.

    ¡°You know nothing of my work. Do not speak as if you understand. This has nothing to do with what I have done.¡± Nina spits out without looking at Rose.

    ¡°Then why has this happened? Zero barely made it!¡± Rose loses her temper on Nina- Nina turns and glares daggers at Rose.

    ¡°I will not have you slander me. I did nothing-¡± she¡¯s cut off by Rose shouting, ¡°You¡¯re the unnatural monstrosity that forced us all here to begin with!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    Mvoice rings out across the room with more force than I would have thought possible in my current state. Each woman freezes and looks at me.

    ¡°Enough,¡± I say with even more effort. ¡°Iam the one in dire straits here, not all of you. For you all to be going at each other''s throats is a slander againstmysituation.¡± I tell them all in a weak, hoarse voice. They each look at me in turn before looking away.

    ¡°Regardless of whatever it is you¡¯re referring to, did Nina not save me today? And yet again before?¡± I ask them.

    Rose speaks up and says, ¡°It¡¯s her fault to begin with. She¡¯s a traitor and a monster. You¡¯re here now because-¡±

    ¡°I am here now because she has done everything to save me right now, yes?¡± Rose is taken aback by my biting tone.

    ¡°I-I-¡± I cut her off, ¡°And you saved me too, all of you. I don¡¯t really remember what happened but I could feel you all there for me.¡± Kay comes over and lays her hand on my head, then pats me- possibly mimicking what I had done to her before on several occasions.

    My dry lips crack into a wide smile. Kay may not be the best at showing herself to others, but she¡¯s learning, even if she doesn¡¯t realize it. I reach my hand up slowly and grab her other hand. I bring it to my lips and give it a small kiss. ¡°Thank you Kay.¡± She gets that rare smile of hers and gives me a surprisingly energetic nod.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Nina excuses herself as she takes Kay¡¯s place. ¡°Now Zero,¡± she says business-like, ¡°What happened to you? From the top please.¡±

    I blush and look at the ceiling that has now become so fascinating. I hesitantly regale Nina with the events I remembered last; only without mentioning the little ¡°encounter¡± Mimi and I had. Our training sessions are our secret alone. What happened afterward, is something I¡¯ll take to my grave.

    Judging by Nina¡¯s face I¡¯m fairly sure Mimi hasn¡¯t mentioned anything to her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what-¡± There¡¯s a roar of voices outside. The room grows tense but no one moves to check out the noise.

    ¡°What is that? What¡¯s happening?¡± I ask.

    Mimi shakes her head and says, ¡°It¡¯s just some guards raiding a house.¡±

    I stare at her confused, and Rose continues, ¡°The past couple days have seen a rise in some violence. It¡¯s of no concern to you my Lord.¡± I try to sit up but Nina pushes me back down gently and shakes her head.

    ¡°You need to rest Evangeline-sama.¡± Nina chides me.

    From what she¡¯s telling me it¡¯s only been about two days since I was out with sickness. It seems there¡¯s been some civil unrest due to rumors of the northern tribes attacking merchants on the road. From the explanations, it does sound like it¡¯s not something I should concern myself with. But I feel something tug me on the inside. My head feels hazy from the specter of sleep and inevitably I¡¯m forced to give in.

    I wake up in the middle of the night due to footsteps receding away from the rooms. It seems Kay is still leaving often.

    When the morning comes, I feel as good as ever; as if the events of those few days never existed. At my insistence, we all go to the Academy today. As soon as the first set of classes ended, I make my way to Nina¡¯s lab. I don¡¯t even bother to knock- instead, I just go inside. Nina looks up with a start, knocking a paper off her desk. One flies right to my feet and I bend over to pick it up but stop midway. Nina rushes towards me in a flurry, though much slower than I know she could be. She reaches for the paper and I take a step back and hold out my arm. On the paper, words catch my attention:

    Subject successfully revived. Irregularity with heart rate and lack of response to stimuli spoke of probable cessation of life for Z subject. Transcendence seemed to have rapidly halted and, I can not believe I¡¯m going to write this, reversed cellular activity; resulting in the breakdown of vital functions. However, the subject is far too important to let expire. Consultation with Master Domnis resulted in the continuation of self-experiments to be projected onto the subject.

    ¡°Self-experiments?¡± I utter.

    ¡°Evangeline-sama list-¡± I cut her off with a flick of my hand. I don¡¯t really understand how, nor was it done on purpose, but Nina is physically pushed back about half a foot. I continue reading the paper, starting further down the writings:

    Binding of aether on a cellular level resulted in only partial revival. For full functionality of consciousness, additional anchors had to be set. Proposal for continuing the soul tether on the others was approved. Due to-¡±

    That¡¯s where the paper ended. I look up at Nina slowly. My head is wracked with confusion and disbelief. I stare at Nina as she stares back at me. I clear my throat and hold the paper out to her. She hesitantly takes it, but lets her hand fall to her side with the paper in her grip.

    ¡°Evang-¡± is all she can say before I¡¯ve turned around and left the room. Nina doesn¡¯t follow me. Indeed, she wouldn¡¯t dare. There is a lot for me to contemplate right now. However, I have to meet with Domnis- despite him seemingly being part of this whole thing too.

    The walk to his office is hazy in my mind and before I know it I stand in front of his door. I think to knock, but react differently- I simply open the door and walk in. Domnis looks up from his papers with a scowl on his face.

    ¡°Even for the Zeroth, to simply just come in as you please is the height of brevity.¡± Domnis admonishes me while removing his glasses.

    ¡°Dom,¡± I call out as I move in front of him. Again his face hardens and he opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off with my glare.

    Dom looks at me with a wavering look before tentatively asking, ¡°What is it Zero? What is wrong?¡±

    I have a million things wrongDom. A million and one even. I need to scream at you about your ineptitude at finding out information on the Zeroth. I need to berate you for allowing Nina to perform experiments on me. I need to break you to release some of this pent-up anger. Yet what leaves my mouth seems to shock us both, ¡°I have Nina working on a way to return me to my world. She¡¯s brilliant, but could use the extra resources and help that you could provide. If you¡¯ll promise me total secrecy, I¡¯ll allow you to assist her. With this, you¡¯ll come closer to learning the truth of who I am- potentially assisting you with who the Zeroth is. And for your part, you¡¯ll assist me with leaving this nightmare world.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Cooperation - Part 2

    Cooperation - Part 2

    You will ¡°allow me to help?¡± Dom says with a snarl. ¡°Your hubris is ghastly, girl."

    ¡°Yet you are not uninterested, are you?¡± I retort. He falters for a moment before giving a reluctant nod. It takes a moment more but I nearly do a double-take when I think about it- ¡°Girl?¡± I ask disbelievingly.

    He looks at me and asks, ¡°What?¡±

    I give a slow shake of my head. It doesn''t matter. I know what I heard. In his anger his¡­ subconsciousness? Was able to see through to the real me. I¡¯ll have to make damn sure to remember that. I start explaining to Domnis what I do know of Nina¡¯s work for me and tell him I¡¯ll let Nina know when I see her next. With reluctance, I decide to return back to the student side of the building in order to attend my next set of classes.

    Naturally, I paid no attention to the classes. My mind was all over the place from what I read in Nina¡¯s lab. I¡­died? That¡¯s basically what it said? Or more like, thatis what it said right? Cessation of life is none other than death. Of course I¡¯m the ¡°Z subject.¡± There¡¯s no other way for this to play out. I didn¡¯t make it, not fully at least. Through the Transcendence, Nina found a way to save me- or revive me.

    ¡°Soul tethers on others,¡± echoes in my mind. That means others were involved, doesn¡¯t it? Does this have something to do with the runes carved on the souls of the Valkyries? Rose and the others very clearly know something about Nina. They even called her a ¡°monster¡± for what she¡¯s done. Has Nina somehow hurt them in order to save me? My god, my existence brings more and more pain to their lives. I have no right to be here, alive or dead.

    These thoughts crush my mind as the lessons of the day phase through me. I''ve always known Nina had done something to get on everyone''s shit-list but this? On me? I can''t even imagine what it really means- I can''t understand the ramifications of what I''ve learned. I need more knowledge; I should go back to that library and consult with that man- Kyle. I don''t know why I never thought to question it before, but now I¡¯m going to.

    The moment the bell rings for lunch I make my way to the library, ignoring my lunch-date with the others. With some difficulty, I manage to find the library again. Upon entering, it¡¯s as if I¡¯ve entered another world. It¡¯s dusty and smells of old inks and papers as before, yet the silence is deafening. I can tell there¡¯s no life in this place, and yet I guarantee Kyle is in here somewhere, just like before.

    I clear my throat and call out his name. It¡¯s not long before he comes meandering out between some shelves. ¡°Ah. Girl from before. It¡¯s a pleasure to see you,¡± he says while running a hand through his disheveled, streaked hair. The pink parts dancing through his fingers.

    I hear another person clear their throat and look behind Kyle to see another man snake out from between the shelves. His hair a bit messy and auburn; he carries a shy, wry smile on his face. He walks up to us and places his hand on Kyle¡¯s shoulder, gives it a little squeeze, and leaves, giving us his goodbyes. Kyle¡¯s face carries professionalism but his eyes follow the man¡¯s stride. That¡¯s¡­ curious. Before I can say anything, however, Kyle¡¯s eyes refocus on me and with a charming smile, he asks what brought me here today. I suppose it¡¯s none of my business after all.

    ¡°I was hoping you could help me with some research,¡± I tell him. He nods and asks what it is I¡¯d like to find information on.

    My stomach is queasy and I shift my weight from one leg to the other. I don¡¯t know whether or not Kyle can sense my apprehension but he doesn¡¯t press the issue. He simply stands there with that beautiful smile on his face. But part of me feels like this is wrong. It feels like I¡¯m spying on the inner secrets of my friends- discovering things best hidden, or things best laid bare by the persons in question. But all around me, people have kept things hidden. At every step, I¡¯ve been dismissed and not told what¡¯s going on. So I steel my resolve and ask Kyle, ¡°Do you have any material on¡­ Ninavin Von Vvesson?¡± For a moment Kyle seems taken aback, as if that¡¯s the last thing he could ever have expected to fall from my lips.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°That¡¯s a rare question¡­ unexpected even.¡± He looks off in the distance, over my shoulder, as if reliving a story from the past.

    He uncharacteristically, nervously shifts his weight to his other leg while rubbing his hands on his trousers. ¡°Why are you wanting information on¡­ her?¡± he asks me.

    ¡°Is that really any of your business?¡± I shoot back with more anger than I meant.

    He lets his smile falter for a moment, but only a moment, before responding, ¡°No. No it is not. However, we have approached an impasse. The Ninavin files are¡­ sensitive and not something I''m allowed to simply allow any random person to review. However, were there a person of import, perchance, seeking to, perhaps, broaden their horizon with knowledge of the past,¡± he says with his hands as much as his words, ¡°Only then could I,perhaps, be made to recall where those files were. But if, on the off chance, some random civilian is wanting to explore such curiosities with idle desires¡­¡± he lets his sentence hang in the air. I let out a sigh as understanding comes. I was hoping to have at leastsomeplace where I could simply be Eve. But it appears even here, the Zeroth is required.

    I open my mouth but am cut off with a wave of his hand. ¡°I¡¯m of a minority in opinion you see. I don¡¯t condone that poor girl and what she¡¯s done, but neither do I condone the way her¡­ sacrifice has been met by others. I¡¯m simply a librarian you see,¡± Kyle says while gesturing to himself and continuing, ¡°Politics is none of my concern- and frankly, neither are people much of my concern. The present is simply the past to our futures, destined to be ink on my tomes. The past is where my concerns lie; often concerned that the past will not disrupt the future to come. But were the past lead to lay where it lies, without disruption of the past to come, perhaps I could be persuaded for the right reasons.¡± His words are confusing, but I think I understand what he¡¯s getting at.

    ¡°I¡­ care for Nina. Above anything else, you can believe that. But I can not allow my affection for her to blind me to the truth of what I am.¡± I tell him honestly. I see Kyle¡¯s eyes crinkle in apparent happiness.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    He let''s out an audible sigh and gives a weak shake of his head. ¡°You may not take them with you, but the files are this way.¡±

    Without waiting for a response from me, Kyle turns around starts walking. I start after him as he bobs and weaves through the shelves. This library extends much further back than I would have imagined. After what seems like a solid five minutes of walking in silence, we finally come to a small area partitioned from the rest of the library. Kyle reaches out with a glowing hand and moves the partition of wood to the side. He must have expected my reaction because he preemptively says, ¡°I''m aspected to earth, favoring the trees,¡± without turning around and leading me into the area.

    If the places we came from smelled of ink and dust, then this area burnt your senses as you breathed in. The air was so stale that upon entering it, I was accosted by scorching heat. My lungs burned and my eyes stung.

    ¡°You''ll get used to it¡±, Kyle says with a face of mock concern. I can''t help but laugh and give him a small slap on the arm.

    He gives me a wry smile and pulls out some tomes from a dresser. ¡°These are what you¡¯re looking for,¡± he waves me over. ¡°They chronicle the time of the Zeroth before you, and up until the Aetherical Anchoring Procedure, amongst more.¡±

    I immediately react to ¡°Aetherical Anchoring.¡± That sounds exactly like what I read in Nina¡¯s paper. I try to swallow, but find it difficult; my throat is constricting with unease and doesn¡¯t want to cooperate with me. I¡¯m standing there stiffly until I realize that Kyle is giving me a peculiar look. I give him a nod and my thanks and he simply returns a nod in kind. He informs me that he¡¯ll be excusing himself, giving me time alone to absorb everything I¡¯m going to read. It¡¯s only when I give a stiff nod again that he reaches out and clutches my shoulder.

    With a look that I can¡¯t decipher, he gives my shoulder a squeeze and then makes himself scarce, leaving the room to do what it may with its sacrifice.

    I stare at the book and feel as if it¡¯s staring back at me, judging me for my desire to know more about what happened to turn everyone against Nina. The book is looking through me and I want to scream, but instead, I walk over to it. I run my fingers over its old spine, and feel its coarse leather tickle my fingers. I could swear it feels cold to the touch even as the room burns my senses.

    I move around the lone table and pull out its chair- perhaps being used for the first time in a very long time. I slump down into the chair and it protests me with dust and heat. It creaks a whine into the air but eventually settles with me on it. It takes me for the master that I am, in full knowledge of what is to come. I slide the tome toward me and the book¡¯s face stares back at me- a nondescript brown cover that wouldn¡¯t be out of place on the outside, yet destined to spend its time on the inside. I rub my fingers over it and feel a tingle on my tongue. I let out a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding, and open to the first page.

 Chapter 17 - Fall What May - History

    Fall What May - Part 1

    On the eve of the Fourth day, of the month of Austis, in the year of Tree-Ten, the rebellion, lead by one, ¡°Azrael Von Vvesson¡± was squashed but not without the sacrifice of the Zeroth and his Valkyries. What follows is the recounting of the events per research, and eye-witness accounts, such as myself, a mere Ten cycles at the time of its ending.

    On the Ninth day, of the Month Jansus, in the year Root-Ten, the Zeroth survived the Transcendence and took his Valkryies, as per tradition, of the Vagars of the time. ¡®Twas a celebratory moment of time, were there ever to be one.

    It is during these times that tensions began to rise, in part because of reports of aggression on our merchants by the tribals of the Outerlands. While the claims were unsubstantiated, the attacks were later shown to be the work of bandits, the public was soon rising up in demand of retaliation.

    Using the evidence supported, many of the Knights Ten refused to give into the bizarre bloodlust of the public. However, one Azrael Von Vvesson, chose to use the opportunity to support the public''s desires.

    Azrael was the Second Knight made First upon the successful Transcendence of the previous First to the Zeroth. His influence was massive in part to his own skills and persona, but also due to the genius of his wife, one Ninavin Von Vvesson.

    Her influence over Academia, is tantamount to a king. Her ingenuity gaining her the Master seat at such a young age. Together the couple, who''s matrimony was blessed by The One King personally, rallied the disenfranchised citizens to a, later discovered, false cause.

    However, the Outlanders were not going to roll over and be persecuted pacifully. They rallied themselves against the kingdom of Arsea and slaughtered us by the thousands. The Outlanders had ancient magiks that are found to be rare amongst the people of Arsea; and though we would not admit it, these ancient magiks were significantly more powerful than that of our own. Where we manipulate the elements, they manipulate forces that are yet without understanding.

    To make matters worse, our own people, whom were initially supportive of the war, and inevitably forced to fight in said war, turned on us. The mobs, the riots, were unlike any this author, and various witnesses, had ever seen. Ordinary, everyday citizens were marching through the streets and defiling everything they touched.

    Our streets ran red with the blood of our people and our borders were razed from the encroaching Outlander hordes. Pure madness had seemed to take hold in our country and our end was fast approaching.

    The Zeroth Knight himself entered the fray and though powerful he may be, he was but one against many, flanked on all sides. Ninavin then, put concept to proof in an outrageous experiment. In order to guarantee the safety of the others it was reported she, that is Ninavin, conducted Aetherical manipulation, the details of which escape this author, on herself in an experiment in boosting the performance of innate talent.

    This went against the very core foundation of our traditions. Ninavin, you see, was but a normal woman not gifted with any aspects. Through means that escape all but her, she was able to modify her aetherical composition in such a way as to compete toe to toe with the Zeroth. Unleashing, ¡°beastly and ghastly¡± powers Ninavin was able to trounce the dissenters within our borders in order to free up the Zeroth and Azrael to focus on the war effort against the Outlanders.

    In time the Zeroth and Azrael Von Vvesson were able to push back the Outlanders. It is during this time that Azrael reportedly grew in competition to the Zeroth, in due part of Ninavin, and challenged the Zeroth¡¯s popularity. By reports found and seen, the man known as Azrael was a charming man, but with mind of brick.

    Once the war ended with the Outlanders falling back to their own domain, Azrael was reported to see the new peace, and lamented. Spending ten cycles in a climate of destruction had given Azrael Von Vvesson a reported desire for more confrontations. Under the guise of a man of the people, Azrael was able to once again spur the citizens; however in this, he sought not war with the Outlanders, but an overthrow of The One King.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Ninavin was reportedly working on her gifts of this, ¡°science¡± as she calls it, to amplify the man known as Azrael, her husband. Once enough of the people turned against the Knights Nine and the Zeroth, in support of Azrael¡¯s cause, Azrael and his ilk descended on the remaining Knights Nine with a vengeance to bring about a civil war,that¡¯s affects still persist even in the days of this author.

    The Zeroth, sworn to dis-allegiance, halted in his attempt to correct the civil war, seemingly complacent with the knowledge that the people would do what they are wont to do. However, even before the civil war saw its end, it is reported that Azrael¡­ changed. (¡®Tis this author¡¯s due diligence to affirm that the following accounts could not be verified and thus fall to the wayside of probable exaggeration and mass-hysteria).

    According to all accounts recorded, ¡®twould seem that the man once known as Azrael Von Vvesson changed as the civil war raged. It is reported that upon the blood of his own people, his body bloated and became slime-like. ¡®Tis told that upon his head grew horns that spoke up to the sky.

    Upon his hands were a curse of claws able to tear through even the most solid of building foundation. Indeed, his own followers were reported to have changed in both temperance and appearance- their being more reflective of their twisted master.

    This, in turn, made those who remained loyal to The One King, to take upon themselves the mantle of Zealots in order to fight back the monsters of fairy tales e.g. the oldest accounts of verbal orations that tell of the beast of Eld and their masters, the Beta. Where humans and their ilk were perpetuated as the first species, the Alphas, these new creatures had warped and tore at the humanities of those that succumbed to the influence and became another species- Betas.

    It would seem that these circumstances, whatever their truths, spurred the Zeroth into action. However, Azrael was stronger than any mortal, reportedly. It was approximately around this time that one Ninavin Von Vvesson approached the Zeroth. By the accounts of those present, it would seem that Ninavin could not stand idly by and watch what was once her husband, destroy everything that they had once fought so hard to protect.

    By the accounts of those present, Ninavin¡¯s hair was a yellow in shade at this point instead of the onyx it once was. Using that and her prior growth in battles as proof of concept, she offered to ¡°adjust¡± the Zeroth. What happened next, to the exact detail, is not known to any outside of the two, and as later discovered, the six involved.

    What is known, is that the Zeroth was immensely powerful afterwards, and the Valkyries of before, now possessed hair similar to those of aspects. It is with this new found power that the Zeroth met Azrael in mortal battle. Upon slaying the one Azarael Von Vvesson, the armies of his ilk are reported to have vanished into dust. While such claims are again, unsubstantiated, ¡®tis true that there is no burial site that can be found to house the corpses- of which there would have been many; far too many to have simply hidden away and be dismissed as a full fabrication.

    Soon after this, the Zeroth succumbed to the wounds he suffered in his fight against Azrael; however, curiously enough, the Valkyries soon fell victim to a sudden death themselves. It is in this tumultuous time of the Fourth day, of the month of Austis, in the year of Tree-Ten, that our nation suffered insurmountable losses unlike that which has ever came before; the loss of the Zeroth and his Valkyries.

    The nation was stunned- beyond the war with the Outlanders, beyond the mass-hysteria of madness to overtake our people in two civil wars, this was the day that set in motion the events to come; of which¡¯s ramifications can even still be felt all these years later, in the twilight years of this author¡¯s life.

    Ninavin¡¯s research and application of her, ¡°science¡± became the blame in the people''s eyes. Whether this is true or not is, again, unsubstantiated; however, the fear was real and that is all that mattered.

    Ninavin quickly became ostracized from society- her objective interference in Arsea¡¯s protection gave her too much protection to send to the gallows; so people simply banished her from polite society. What became of her afterwards I do not know; but reports still occasionally surface of her, informing those few of us who still remain in the know, validation of her continued existence, some sixty-odd years after-the-fact.

    Histories Of War, Vol. 4 - Twelfth Day of Sepsis, Tree-Eighty-One

    George H. Bartholum

 Chapter 17 - Fall What May - Part 2

    Fall What May - Part 2

    The sound of the tome closing reverberates throughout the musty room- signaling the end of a tale, the likes of which I could not have ever imagined. My mind races at a standstill- unable to properly do anything outside of the basic functions to maintain some semblance of life. I feel cold on the inside and yet I burn from fury. What I¡¯ve just read seems absurd, yet it makes sense that it¡¯s something to be kept away from most people. More to the point, this author postulates that Nina is over sixty years old- and this book looks incredibly old itself. What does that make Nina? Then again, she supposedly experimented on herself to gain the power to help protect Arsea. What¡¯s more, she¡¯s obviously had a hand in the¡­ connection the Valkyries share with the Zeroth; but that was long ago, how could that still apply even now?

    With more questions than I had before, I simply lean back in the chair and allow my arms to dangle to my side helplessly. My mind is too exhausted to deal with all of this; I just want to go home. This isn¡¯t my world and these events are outside the scope of what I can handle- should be forced to handle. I simply rest my head on the chair and close my eyes.

    I don¡¯t know how long passed before someone entering the room wakes me from an apparent slumber. I arch my aching neck downward and look to see Kyle showing uncharacteristic hesitation in approaching further into the room.

    ¡°Kyle, it¡¯s fine you can-¡± I stop and my eyes widen. ¡°-Bartholum¡­¡± I whisper.

    Kyle slides his pretty fingers down the spine of the tome and speaks without looking at me, ¡°Ah, that. Noticed, did you?¡± he gives a sad, small laugh. ¡°My many times over, great-grandfather,¡± he says, finally raising his eyes to meet mine.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I let my words hang in the air, but then start over, ¡°How could Nina possibly be so old?¡± I ask.

    Kyle¡¯s eyebrows raise in surprise, ¡°Nina?¡± he asks.

    ¡°She was alive for the wars, all of them.¡±

    He jerks his hand away from the tome as if burned.

    ¡°Wars? I¡¯ve always wondered what he wrote about.¡±

    ¡°What? Of course that¡¯s what it says. Did you not pay attention at all?¡± I chide him.

    ¡°Were that I could read it, my Dear,¡± Kyle replies in his curt way.

    ¡°What do you mean? How can you be the keeper of this thing and not have read it?¡±

    ¡°Easily enough,¡± Kyle says while waving his hand over the book and continuing, ¡°To my knowledge, you may be the first to ever successfully read the whole tome.¡±

    My breath escapes me like I suffered a gut-punch. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°The magiks on this tome are ancient- sealed by The One King himself some say.¡± He informs me with such nonchalance, as if I¡¯m the one acting irrationally.

    ¡°That¡¯s absurd. Are you saying this book has been censored for all this time? But the things it talks about! This could literally redefine your entire world¡¯s view! The wars alone-¡± Kyle cuts me off with a tone much colder than any before.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hear not of it. Perchance that was why it was sealed Eve. Or perhaps not, ¡®tis not for me to say. I am the purveyor of the records, not the writer, nor the audience.¡±

    I¡¯m completely blown away by his dismissing attitude. Does he not realize what this is? The history of his world, locked away from him and everyone else. But Kyle is clearly not going to listen to me, so I ask the most pressing of matters that I think he would actually reply to. ¡°Your ancestor wrote this when he was in his sixties. How long ago was that exactly?¡±

    Kyle studies my face for a moment before seemingly doing some math as noted by his occasional use of fingers. ¡°By my measure, perhaps three hundred four years ago, give or take a couple decades. The birth records from such a long time ago are difficult to validate.¡±

    His words are palpable, physical. I stand up so fast that the chair flies behind me, smashing into the wall. I can only imagine what I look like to Kyle, but my mind is in turmoil.

    Nina ishowold? This is complete nonsense. ¡°Excuse me. I have other appointments to attend to.¡± I tell Kyle while rushing out of the room. I don¡¯t even bother to wait for his reaction- I merely escape as quickly as I can. The final chime of the school echoes throughout the hallways and before I know it I¡¯m at the training center.

    When I move inside I see that I¡¯m alone, good. That¡¯s exactly what I wanted. I grab a practice sword off the rack and start going through the forms Charlie taught me. I quickly lose track of time and before I know it someone is reaching out and grabbing my sword. This startles me so much that I release the sword but the hand doesn¡¯t even budge.¡°I think that¡¯s enough for today Zero.¡±

    Charlie¡¯s husky voice echoes through my skull. Panting heavily, I turn to her beautiful blue eyes. ¡°Charlie, did you just arrive?¡± I ask meekly.

    ¡°Fool. I¡¯ve been here for two hours, Zero.¡± I gasp in disbelief. ¡°But as I said, it is now time for this to end. It is clear as day that something weighs on you but everyone has their limit. Likewise, if you do not meet the others soon, they¡¯ll riot; and you¡¯ll do worse meeting them in this state.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I lower my head in embarrassment. ¡°Sorry for troubling you Charlotte.¡± She gives me a dubious look and small nod.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask what troubles you, my Lord, but¡­¡± she falters for a moment before continuing with a gentle look in her eyes, ¡°But please feel free to accost me with any woes, were it to suit you.¡±

    I give a wry smile and go to hug her but stop, giving it a second thought. I¡¯m sweaty as all hell right now. But Charlie sees my hesitation and pulls me into her own hug. I try to give a gentle shove but she refuses to budge. I don¡¯t know if she knows why I was reticent, but she hugs me tight regardless. I drink deep her scent and rest my head on her chest. When I make no move to pull away, Charlie simply holds me for a while. After a few minutes, she reluctantly lets me go and backs away.

    ¡°Charlie, if I went away, would you miss me?¡±

    This seems to catch her off guard because she stammers for a moment before telling me that she obviously would. I shake my head, ¡°Not because I¡¯m the Zeroth, but because I''m me.¡± Charlie stares at me long and hard before opening her mouth to speak, but then seems to think better of it and closes her mouth.

    She scans the room for a moment then locks eyes with me and asks, ¡°May I impose?¡±

    I give her a confused nod and before I know what¡¯s happening, she¡¯s sliding her hand under my chin, and lifting my head up, matching her lips to my own. The feeling is divine and I stand on my tiptoes to put more force into the kiss. In all too short of time, she breaks it.

    When I open my eyes, I see her cheeks colored with a small red. Charlie clears her throat and straightens her back before saying, ¡°I am under no obligation to do what I just did Zero; nor am I one who is adept at understanding, or explaining emotions. I have been raised since the day I was born to be a warrior- for I would one day take over my father¡¯s post,¡± she says matter-of-factly before shifting weight onto her other leg and continuing, ¡°So I¡¯d rather just be honest and tell you, that I don¡¯t know what it is you¡¯re wanting, or otherwise hoping I¡¯ll say because ultimately, I don¡¯t know what to say- the words do not come to me. But that was my first kiss Zero and I gave it to you, despite your situation with the others, and despite my position of Commander. I do hope it gets across whatever it is that you seek.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but laugh at this- and a long, deep laugh at that. Charlie stares on at me with a wry smile writ across her face. Before long, I¡¯m trying to catch my breath and wiping the tears from my eyes while I attempt to get myself under control. I meet Charlie¡¯s gaze and tell her just how much I needed that.

    She has no idea just how much she¡¯s helped me; and since words are not her forte, I reach up and yank her down to meet her lips with mine. It takes a moment for her to return the sentiment, probably from confusion. But before long she¡¯s kissing me deeply. She¡¯s so gentle and inexperience that it ignites something inside of me and to her protest, I slide my tongue into her mouth.

    From an outside perception, I¡¯m sure this looks ridiculous. She towers over me and could easily force me to do whatever it is she wanted; but instead, her knees buckle and she¡¯s able to give only the weakest of protests while trying to push me away. My body starts to heat up and I force myself to break our connection.

    Charlie is panting hard with lips covered in a sheen of our deed, and eyes glazed over in apparent lust.

    ¡°W-what was that for?¡±

    I shrug and tell her, ¡°Perhaps words aren¡¯t my forte either. Hopefully, that elicits just how thankful I am to have you in my life.¡± Her face tightens and I continue, ¡°Charlie,¡± only to be met with her face relaxing some as she gives me a small chiding for calling her that.

    Before long, she ushers me out of the room and tells me that I can¡¯t dally any later, the others will be waiting. It¡¯s only with my insistence that she escorts me to the station, that I comply. Usually, Charlie would be the first to perform such a duty, but she¡¯s very obviously wanting to be alone with her thoughts right now. I decide that teasing her like this wasn¡¯t so bad once in awhile. Perhaps I spoke too soon, however.

    When we arrive at the station the girls are quite obviously pissed. ¡°Decided to keep the Zeroth to yourself for the day Charlotte?¡± Rose asks with apparent displeasure. Charlie doesn¡¯t even try to fight back, taking the blame instead. When I go to open my mouth, Charlie is quicker.

    ¡°Quite. You¡¯ll have to forgive me. We were just soinvolvedthat the time passed by. Mayhap you¡¯ll forgive our Lord for his tardiness yes?¡± Charlie says with words dripping of insinuation and sarcasm.

    Kay takes a step right up to Charlie in the blink of an eye and stares up at her. ¡°Yes?¡± is all Charlie says in response. I can¡¯t imagine having the courage that she does. Kay is always giving off a subtle aura of murder, but with the look she¡¯s giving Charlie, ¡°murder¡± is at the forefront, hardly subtle, and possibly all too real.

    Before I can say anything Charlie once again speaks up, ¡°Are you upset, my dear Kay? You, who skulks off during your dinners with Zero- and even during the slumber of nights?¡±

    Charlie¡¯s voice is cold and provoking. But what she¡¯s said seems to make Kay falter for a moment because she takes a step back. But as she takes another step forward, Mimi is found to be between them.

    She speaks out uncharacteristically, ¡°Yes yes, you can measure genitals later alright? But the train is departing soon, and you both make such good points.¡±

    I¡¯m completely floored by what I just heard, and it seems I¡¯m not the only one. ¡°Such language!¡± Rose says with a scoff. This seems to relax Charlie because she lets out a laugh. In turn, Kay backs away from her, expressionless as ever. I¡¯ll have to thank Mimi for this later. She may have saved the streets from being filled with a battle none of us are prepared for. Mimi turns to me

    ¡°You¡¯re here and in good shape Zero, yes? Then all is well.¡± She says before turning to Rose and Mimi, ¡°Zero is allowed time with her¡­friends,¡± her tone is just as insinuating as Charlie¡¯s words before. She turns to Charlie and thanks her for her deeds. The train lets out a blow of its horn signaling its imminent departure. A bird flies overhead and I move to give Charlie a hug.

    When I turn to the others, they¡¯re already at the train, discussing something in heated, but low voices. When I arrive Rose gives me her hand and helps me onto the train cart as Kay pushes her way off the train and onto the road.

    ¡°Kay what are you-?¡± I ask but the train starts moving. In a panic, I grab the side of the train and watch as Kay disappears behind some buildings. Charlie is following her with her eyes, but seems to sense me and turns around to give me a goodbye wave. I weakly return her wave and am pulled further inside by Rose and Mimi.

    ¡°Guys, what the hell?¡± I ask only to be met with a shrug from Mimi and Rose giving me some kind of ¡°Hmm?¡± sound. In a huff, I don¡¯t take my usual window seat but instead, I take another seat away from both of them. This seems to put them off, but they ultimately let me pout alone. I hate this so much- so many secrets around me.

 Chapter 17 - Fall What May - Part 3

    Fall What May - Part 3

    My worry over Kay''s disappearance insures that sleep doesn''t come easy tonight. Things get even worse when I sense Kay returning to her room.I want nothing more than to storm into her room and demand answers but I know that¡¯s the wrong way to go about it. Kay isn¡¯t the kind of person who would simply spill herself to anyone. Come to think of it, I know even less about Kay than even the others. Perhaps I should change that, and soon, before it¡¯s too late.

    With those kinds of thoughts weighing on my mind, I fall into a fitful sleep.

    It¡¯s only the commotion outside of our house that awakens me. The alarm is ringing and people are outside their homes and in the streets looking around in worry. The guards are directing people to be calm.

    My door slams open and Mimi rushes in to basically tackle me as Rose and Kay enter in behind her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask while trying to straighten myself.

    I try shifting my weight in accommodation for Mimi¡¯s weight only to see her looking up to me with her beautiful amethyst eyes, her hair dangling unkempt to its side, tickling my chest.

    ¡°A high profile royal was found dead in his home last night,¡± Rose tells me in a hurried tone while Kay seemingly guards the door. Mimi glances over to Kay briefly before returning her gaze to me.

    ¡°That''s a shame. It amazes me that such actions exist in, seemingly, all worlds.¡± I reply while stroking Mimi''s hair.

    ¡°Are you feeling alright Zero?¡± Mimi asks me. I give a nod and she gives me another squeeze before letting me go.

    ¡°Breakfast is almost ready,¡± Rose informs me before giving my knee a squeeze and then leaving. Mimi follows Rose out of the room, leaving Kay and me in the room. She¡¯s staring at me with unusual intensity. But I ignore her and get out of bed, giving a nice stretch, and a yawn.

    I start to take my top off but hesitate and turn around to meet Kay¡¯s gaze. She''s no longer staring at my face, but instead, my exposed midriff. I freeze when I realize this- I don''t know how I''m supposed to act, catching her like this. I begin to lower my shirt and can see her face fall. I hesitate for a moment and raise my shirt back up some, only to see her eyes gain a sparkle. This is...

    I lower my shirt again. Then back up, then down again. Her face keeps switching between downcast and a near wonder. This is far too fun, but all fun things must come to an end. It''s not long before Kay seems to catch on and tugs her eyes up to my face. Per usual, Kay¡¯s expression changes in incredibly subtle ways; but it''s clear she¡¯s annoyed with me. So I give her a half-smile and pull my shirt all the way off. My breast hang in full view for her to see. What wrappings they do have in this world that pass for a brassiere, are far too uncomfortable to sleep in.

    I would never be so bold in front of someone like this, but her expression is exactly what I hoped for. It takes her a minute to register- really register what it is she¡¯s seeing. But once she does, the expression on her face is more true than any I''ve seen before. Kay¡¯s beautiful, hazel eyes widen, her mouth falls open, and her face turns absolute scarlet.

    She stands there stock still, while I slowly move towards her. Kay¡¯s eyes keep flicking between my face and my chest, her jaw finding it hard to stay on its hinges. For every step I take towards her, she takes one back- eventually hitting the wall. I slide up in front of her and stretch my arm out to the wall, effectively locking her in. Her panic has completely taken her over and I see her eyes start to glaze over.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°What''s wrong Kay? Am I not your¡­ Zero?¡± She gives me a wide-eyed nod. ¡°Then¡­¡± I whisper into her ear. Kay sucks in air and freezes as I lightly slide my lips down her neck. This seems to snap her out of her daze and she shoves me back, putting distance between us.

    ¡°Yeah. That''s what I thought. Now get The hell out while I dress.¡± Kay apparently didn''t need to be told twice, she bolted out of the room.

    I slam my door shut hard enough to rattle the hinges. In a fury, I dress myself. Before long I''m making my way down stairs and to the dining area. Rose turns around and gives me a small wave before turning back to her cooking with a hum on her lips. Mimi comes into the room from a side room and hops over to me.

    ¡°Heya,¡± she says with a little wave. I give her a nod and take my seat. Before the breakfast is laid out, Kay joins us.

    ¡°Oh, good of you to join us.¡± I say in her direction. Kay hesitates, chair half pulled out before realizing that everyone''s eyes are on her. She gives a curt nod and sits at the chair. I''m so aggravated right now. But whatever, I don''t care.

    I eat the breakfast Rose sets out in a flash and make myself scarce from the house, going out towards the place Mimi usually trains at.

    When I get to the clearing, I give in to the rage inside of me and punch a tree with all of my might. Much to my surprise the tree cracks as my fist sinks four inches into it. When I remove my hand, it doesn''t hurt. So I punch the tree again and again.

    By the time it cracks and splits in two, falling into the clearing, I''m panting on my knees. Goddamnit all, and goddamn this world and these fucking people. I''m sick of it all. I want out. I''m so ready for Nina to finish her machine- shit Nina, everything this morning made me forget all about that. I stormed out on her. I might have ruined everything between us. I have to apologize to her.

    I let out a sigh and rest against the fallen tree. I call for Rei but she doesn''t reply. I miss her in a way. I suppose that''s weird to think about, but I do. I can only hope that she isn''t really gone, but instead is, I don''t know, resting or something. I hold my arm out to my side and stare at it. Now that I think about it, to take down this tree would obviously require power I could never normally wield. I don''t know where this power is coming from because Rei is M.I.A right now.

    ¡°I wonder if I could¡­¡± I mutter to myself before picturing my sword in my mind. The air in front of my hand begins to shimmer and twirl. The very fabric of space before me begins to open. I''m able to peer into a limitless void, but just as before the amount of information staring back at me was simply too much.

    All I could do was try to focus on the one thing I desired as I reached my arm inside the tear. Before long I''m met with something physical and I grasp it. Then with surprising strength, I give it a yank. My arm slides out of the void, plus a couple of feet of sword. Once the sword is present in reality the tear shimmers away. Immediately the sword gains physicality, and as before it''s weight is too much for me. It stabs into the ground tip first.

    I scramble to my feet and try to hoist it up, to no avail. Surprising still, the sword starts to fade into dust, unable to maintain its physical structure. I''m not really sure why, but it''s probably got something to do with Rei. I stare at my hand, wondering if it is really mine- was any of what is left of me, mine? Where do I end and the forces of this other world begin? I can only shake my head in dismay.

    Before long I hear Mimi¡¯s voice- she''s calling for me. When she enters the clearing and sees me, her face widens and glows. In a blink of an eye, she¡¯s in front of me. ¡°I thought you might be here. Everyone''s looking for you, but I recognized that look. I figured you''d be blowing off steam here.¡±

    Mimi turns her head to look at the fallen tree and gives a whistle. ¡°Guess I called that right.¡±

    She grabs my hand and entwines her fingers with mine. I look at our hands and she says, ¡°You can talk to me about anything Zero.¡± I give a dry laugh and start my way back to the manor, dragging Mimi with me. She clearly wants to say something more, but refrains.

    I can not believe she has this fake concern for me. It''s maddening to think that someone could seem so genuinely concerned even though they hate you, her acting is amazing. Yet that''s exactly what it is, because I''m the Zeroth- her executioner.

 Chapter 17 - Fall What May - Part 4

    Fall What May - Part 4

    When we get back to the manor, Rose rushes towards me in a tizzy. She throws herself at me and wraps me up in a hug, asking every question under the sun. ¡°I''m fine Rose. I just went out to clear my mind.¡± I shake her off and go inside much to her protest.

    That''s when I noticed, ¡°Where''s Kay?¡±

    Before Rose can even say anything I figure it out on my own and let out a noise of disgust before going back inside. I make my way to the living room and plop down on to the couch in our living room. Mimi comes over and sits down next to me.

    Rose comes around behind me and takes my hair down, brush in hand. She starts to brush my hair as Mimi pulls her legs up and under her, and opens a book.

    ¡°I don''t understand why you two are here. You don''t have to be.¡±

    Mimi doesn''t take her eyes off of her book, but reaches over and gives my knee a squeeze. Rose simply tugs on my hair once before returning to brushing it.

    ¡°You two can be as cute as you want but that doesn''t-¡± I''m cut short by the sound of the door opening then closing. I turn around to see Kay walking in. She freezes when she sees us looking at her.

    She gives a nod to us and joins us on the couch. Despite my glare, she picks up a book and leans over and lays on me. I can not believe this woman''s audacity. I heave a sigh and close my eyes. Despite myself, I fall asleep amongst the warmth of these women.

    Eventually I''m startled awake by a pounding on the door. Before I know it Kay is making her way to the door, opening it.

    As I yawn and try to wake up, Kay walks up and hands me a letter. I look it over and see that it''s addressed to the Zeroth. That''s all. There''s no other postmark on the surprisingly smooth envelope. I can''t imagine what it''s made out of. Kay sits down next to me and stares intensely at the letter. She must be curious about it. I look around the room and don''t see the others. I look over to Kay and she seems to understand my train of thought without me saying anything.

    ¡°Rosaline went shopping. Mimelia went," she looks around the room then continues, ¡°Out?¡± She finishes questioningly.

    ¡°And for once, you''re actually here,¡± I snap at her on accident. Kay uncharacteristically hangs her head. I let out a sigh and place a hand on her hair.

    She jerks at my touch but otherwise doesn''t pull away. I run my fingers through her hair and pet her. She leans into it in apparent pleasure. I don''t know what good it does me to be so mad at her, but I can''t help it. Every time she leaves me alone for any period of time, I feel as if a part of me is missing and I hate it.

    Before I know it, Kay¡¯s asleep, leaning against my shoulder. She must be exhausted. I heave another sigh and wrap an arm around her. She''s terribly cute so I can''t help myself. I nearly slap myself for that last thought. I can''t believe how naturally those kinds of thoughts come now. Just as I almost start to doze off myself I hear a small patter of feet rush into the living room. I turn around and see Vol burst into the room. He must have came over when I was originally asleep.

    ¡°Heya Vol.¡± He meets me with his adorable cheeks, and blue eyes. He''s grown a lot over this past year- well over a foot taller now.

    ¡°Howdy Lord Zero. Have you seen-¡± he cuts himself off when he finally notices a sleepy Kay sitting up. ¡°Ah! There you are Lady Kay! Let''s play!¡± To my surprise, Kay gives a small nod and gets up. With nothing else to do, I decided to follow them.

    Over the next hour I''m greeted with a side of Kay I couldn''t have ever imagined. She''s laughing out loud while Vol chases her outside in a game of tag. She smiles wide when she catches him and lifts him into the air, much to his protest; and she lets out an audible giggle when he tickles her to break free. The sight of these different sides of Kay sends my heart aflutter.

    I''ve never seen Kay look so¡­ carefree. It''s almost magical. A little while later she comes over with me to take a rest. Apparently even Kay can''t keep up with a child like Vol. When Kay gets within arms reach I yank her towards me and wrap her in my arms. She shifts uncomfortably in my arms before eventually settling in. She tilts her head onto my shoulder and takes a deep intake of breath. I can''t blame her, I''m being absorbed into her scent as well. She smells of incense with a mix of sweat. But underneath all of that is something I''m far too familiar with now- blood.

    It makes my heart pound and pulsate without rhythm. But I can''t bring myself to bring it up, not now. Not when she seems so happy. Before long, however, Vol cuts between us and drags not only Kay, but me too, into his game with a ball.

    That''s how I spend my afternoon, with a playful Vol, and an uncharacteristically carefree Kay. By the time dinner time rolls around the whole gang is gathered together. It''s a lively dinner, filled with fakes. Mimi is wearing her hair up in a nice ponytail, purple wisps of hair dangle in front of her eyes; eyes that light up as she talks about her day.

    Apparently, she was gone most of the day in order to visit her family. Rose on the other hand, has fantastic tales that you wouldn''t think would come out of a shopping trip for dinner. She tells us about how the butcher always flirts with her and gives her extra, even knowing she''s a Valkyrie. Apparently, she''s even able to get most of the vegetables at cost by helping the old lady she shops with, pick her haul for the day.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    All in all it seems like everyone had a good day. Eventually though, I heard the echoes of a bird run through the house. Kay goes rigid at the sound. She quickly excused herself from the table. I look toward the others to see a grimace on both of their faces.

    ¡°Im following her this time.¡±

    Mimi and Rose merely nod their heads. When I get outside I only see a small dot on the horizon. Like that, I push my legs as fast as I can muster. I run and run, never gaining on Kay, but never losing her. Occasionally I see her look behind herself. Apparently she¡¯s making sure no one is following her, but I¡¯m sticking to what cover I can in hopes of avoiding detection. We easily run a good fifteen miles- making it clear into the royal section of the city. We¡¯re another ten miles out from the actual Academy when Kay starts winding through the back alleys.

    My heart feels like it¡¯s going to explode, my breath is ragged. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been able to keep up like this. I¡¯ve pushed well past my human limits and have hunted Kay with all the power I could muster. Yet as she never outran me, I never caught up to her. Before too long though, I find myself diving behind a signpost to hide from Kay¡¯s prying eyes- and those of the guards; of which are many. I¡¯m not familiar with where we are, but the whole area is filled with guards and very posh houses.

    Kay starts to make her way, very slowly, to a nice mansion. She dodges the guards perfectly and starts to scale the house. She gives one last look around before pulling out some kind of kit, and fiddling with the window. Before long she slips into the house. Not more than fifteen minutes later, she pops out of the house and dashes off.

    I can¡¯t imagine what she was doing, but it can¡¯t be good. However, it¡¯s getting far too dangerous, as I see the guards start clumping up in groups and talking. I decide to make my way back home.

    By the time I make it home, the sun is peeking out over the horizon. The trip back took far longer than the way there. I didn¡¯t apply nearly as much effort as I did to get there. I get inside only to immediately be met with a pounding at the door. I turn back around and tentatively open the door. There stands a guard and my heart drops into my stomach.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I ask him, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

    ¡°My Lord Zeroth,¡± he gives me a salute before holding out a letter. Upon taking it, he gives me a nod and leaves.

    I tilt my head at the letter while shutting the door behind me. ¡°Zero?¡± I hear Rose¡¯s voice call to me as she approaches me. I hold up the letter and she gives a nod.

    ¡°What about this one? I found it last night. Speaking of last night¡­¡± she lets her letter hang in the air.

    I give her a shrug and take the letter from her. She follows me into the kitchen. I rip the second letter open while taking the seat. The letter is succinct and to the point, ¡°Zeroth, where the hell are you? It¡¯s been three days. Are you ignoring your duties?¡± I tilt my head and look at Mimi as she sleepily makes her way into the kitchen.

    She grumbles out a sleepy "morning" and freezes when she sees me. She quickly runs her hand through her hair and tries to straighten out her clothes, before realizing she¡¯s in her pajamas still and dashes away in a panic. I turn to give a wry smile at Rose and ask what that was about.

    She shrugs and tells me, ¡°At times, a maiden¡¯s heart is difficult to understand, even for a husband.¡±

    I shake my head and sigh. Before long, the door opens, and I hear it close. Kay walks into the kitchen, groggy, and rubbing her eyes. She stops when she sees both of us; me especially, with letter in hand. I turn away from her and reread the letter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand this letter.¡± I say while passing it off to Rose. She reads it quickly and suggests that I read the other one. I give a nod and open it up. What¡¯s revealed inside is many, but the gist of it is, I¡¯ve been summoned to the Academy for some official services, as soon as possible.

    I stand up and inform the others that after breakfast we¡¯re heading to the Academy. I tell Kay to get some sleep in preparation for today.

    On our way up, I grab her by the arm and slam her against the wall outside of everyone else''s sight. Her eyes turn fierce for a moment before she reigns it under control.

    ¡°Kay, youwillgive me an explanation of what you¡¯re doing at night when we get back from the Academy!¡±

    She stares at me, the heat of anger smoldering just behind her beautiful eyes. I let go of her and go into my room to get ready. I find a change of clothes and make my way into my shower. I¡¯m not even sure how it works, but it isn¡¯t through the systems used in my world. It¡¯s some kind of perpetual water magik.

    After cleaning myself up and dressing, I go to meet the others downstairs. Once I arrive, Rose goes to collect Kay, leaving just Mimi and I. Her beautiful, purple hair is parted down the middle and rests on her shoulders. She looks adorable.

    When she catches me staring at her, I look away in a panic; but Mimi doesn¡¯t miss a beat. She walks over to me and wraps her arm around mine and rests her head on my shoulder. It¡¯s so charming that I can¡¯t even bother to pull away.

    ¡°Wanna do some practicing tonight Zero?¡±

    She asks me without looking my way. My mind flashes back to that night in the hallways, pushed against the wall by Mimi- her intense kissing and exploration of my body and-

    I come to my senses and shake my head viciously to stop the train of thought. Mimi face shows her line of thought as she puts my odd behavior together in her mind.

    ¡°I meant sparring, Zero¡­¡± She says with face on fire. I can only imagine that I look similar right now.

    ¡°Ss-sure.¡± I stutter out.

    Mimi gives me a wide smile and playfully pushes against my hip with hers, trying to knock me off balance. I laugh and push her back. She takes it as a challenge and starts trying to wrestle with me. Naturally, I retaliate.

    It isn''t long before we¡¯re chasing each other across the living room, trying to get the one up on one another. It¡¯s only when we¡¯re grappling that I realize Rose and Kay are standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching us. Mimi and I stop our little session and I bashfully rub the back of my neck.

    ¡°Let us be off then.¡±Rose says.

    Kay approaches me and holds out her arm for me to take- but I don¡¯t. I walk right past her and link arms with Rose. Rose is clearly in an uncomfortable situation, evident by how she slides her eyes from me to Kay, Kay to me. But she wouldn¡¯t dare say anything, so she allows me to indulge.

    Before long, we¡¯ll be at the Academy, and I¡¯ll see what kind of emergency this is to call us to the Academy two weeks early. Plus I¡¯m tired as all hell from tracking Kay all of last night.

 Chapter 18 - Breakthrough - Part 1

    Breakthrough - Part 1

    Upon our arrival in the city, guards swarm us. When Rose protests and inquires as to what is going on, the woman who seems to be in charge simply informs us that they were the unit sent to escort us to the Consulate; and that is when I fully realised the severity of today¡¯s gathering.

    We move through the city, but it¡¯s unlike the city I¡¯ve grown to know. People were going about their days, but an anxiety hung in the air- perhaps due to the amount of guards posted in the area. They seem on edge though, jerking their heads to every uncommon sound.

    I look over at Rose with a questioning look but she gives a small shake of her head. I look to Mimi, who whispers to me, ¡°A really highborn noble was killed last night in his house.¡± The news of this almost causes me to lose my lunch.

    I look over to Kay and catch her eye. She stares into my eyes without flinching- a small smile dancing at the corner of her lips. But why was she smiling? Was she smiling at me? Or what she smilingatme; with knowledge of what has come to pass- her brown hair bobing with her steps.

    Before long, however, she gives me a cute tilt of the head. That action struggles with my current emotions, threatening to win. I can¡¯t have that happen, so I look away. The rest of the walk felt harder, heavier, than any before. Perhaps it¡¯s the lack of sleep, or perhaps it¡¯s the anxiety in the air, spreading its pathogen into me. Or perhaps, it¡¯s because of what I know of last night, of Kay. I only now notice the Academy fast approaching, and try to smother my racing mind.

    The guards salute us as we enter, and behind me, somewhere in the distance, I hear the sounds of metal being unsheathed. No one else reacts, so I assume it¡¯s just my imagination; hope it¡¯s just my imagination. We pass the Academy, and start skirting around it. I¡¯ve never actually explored the outside, so this sparks my curiosity.

    I take in the new surroundings, much of the same yes, but much of more. The gardens are more lavish, as if home to people who need to show their superiority in all things. There¡¯s beautiful flowers of purple, smelling similar to lavender- perhaps it¡¯s what they use for our main bath.

    There¡¯s beautiful flowers of white growing high above the others, dwarfing the former purple flowers. The white flowers are beautiful in their shape, near star like. The one that catches my admiration the most though, is a single black flower. I can¡¯t help but stop to stare at it. Everyone else stops shortly; annoyance covering the guards¡¯ faces, not that I care. I¡¯m too fascinated by this flower.

    Rose comes up to me and wraps her hand around my elbow, giving it a squeeze. ¡°It¡¯s a dead flower, I think.¡±

    But I don¡¯t turn her way. Instead, I take in the flower. It¡¯s beautiful in its absence of conformity. Deep within its petals is a shift of colors from black to an ending of pink, near the deepest of it¡¯s bloom. The more I stare at it, the faster my heart beats. The more I look at it, admire it, the more my blood rushes.

    My skin tingles and my muscles tense- to the point that even Rose is able to tell the difference in her hand. My eyes feel hazy yet alert. The colors around the area grow vibrant and shift in hues. The tip of my tongue sparks lightning- lightning that shifts across my skin.

    This forces Rose to take some steps back. But I can¡¯t stop staring at the flower. The pounding in my head threatens to crack me open. The tickling of my skin sends the shock of lightning down my feet, and dissipates into the my shadow. A moment passes, and a scream fans out all around us, originating, seemingly, from me; yet my mouth hasn¡¯t opened. I looked to my shadow, and see it quiver.

    It¡¯s Gee, it has to be. Before long my shadow grows, as if contorting itself to the evening sun. Hands spring from the shadow and snake towards the flower. They grasp the base of the flower and rip it from the courtyard. Light erupts from that point and the ensuing explosion throws everyone else off the feet. Before I know it, the alarm has been sounded.

    Guards swarm out of the nearby buildings on high alert. Yet when they arrive, all that remains is me, standing inside the remains of a charred crater, with a normal shadow. Kay immediately appears next to me followed by Mimi, whom I didn¡¯t even see move. Rose comes up last.

    They surround me and with pure rage, Kay draws two blades from her sleeves and holds them up against the guards. They look around at one another in fear before hardening their gaze and pointing their weapons at us. Rose gets a worried look on her face but otherwise does nothing else.

    The guards incircle us, spears at the ready. I can¡¯t understand what is going on. My actual escorts are still on the ground, possibly not even alive. The guards crash in on us all at once. Kay takes the four to my left, with a flurry of blades. The group on the right is met by Mimi head-on, weaponless, but hardly defenseless. Rose doesn¡¯t move. She simply stands near us. I wrap an arm around her waist in comfort. I always figured she wasn¡¯t a fighter, but it¡¯s strange to see her in such inaction.

    The four guards facing Kay are made short work as her blades dig deep into them. Every sheen of her is followed by a slice to a vital. It isn¡¯t long before they¡¯re all dead. You can see it in their eyes. But they¡¯re too deep in to back off now. A guard charges at me from our behind but is intercepted by Mimi as she digs her hand through his chest.

    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s here, because she¡¯s still on my left, parrying blades with her wrist guards and breaking bones where possible. But indeed, I can¡¯t tell which one is the afterimage. Her speed is surreal to see in action, when not being used on yours truly.

    Before long she¡¯s gone from in front of me, and the guard falls to the ground with a hole in his chest- a cavity oozing the source of life. Lightning explodes to my left and I see the other guards charred and broken. No sooner than the madness began, the fights came to a close. My girls murdered nine people, all in defense of me. I should feel elated at their loyalty, but I only feel dismay. No sooner than we catch our breaths, does everyone else, including Dom, rush out of the Consulate- seemingly alarmed by the sound of fighting.

    Before they even make it to us, a big brute of a man starts ordering people around. It seems he¡¯s able to grasp what has happened even from that distance. Dom approaches us with a quizzical face. It takes only a moment for Rose to get Dom up to speed. With a nod of understanding he turns to face a young man who approaches us with cursory information from their investigation.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°From what we can tell, these are certainly our guards. They must have been traitors aligned with the Outerlands.¡±

    Dom¡¯s face grows dim, as they continue their conversation over the report. Once the young man is gone, Dom informs us that we still need to go to the Consulate, and says he¡¯ll escort us personally.

    The four of us come upon a building, impressive, but smaller than I would have thought. It¡¯s two stories high, bricked and decorated in all kinds of colors. The columns supporting the corners of the buildings raise skyward in an amber red. The building is the majestic ivory white similar to other buildings, but its roof shines a deep teal color. The door we come to is an earthy green and swings in its hinges silently.

    The gaudy building confuses me, but the insides are spectacular. The reception area is doned in all kinds of flowers, giving the room the sweetest of smells- no black flower, much to my dismay. I wanted to know what that sensation was.

    Evidently I¡¯m not alone because the moment the girls see flowers, they¡¯re immediately looking around for something else- I¡¯d say probably a black one too. They¡¯re all too smart to have let that detail pass. But now is not the time to bring it up.

    We make our way through the deep lobby and up some stairs made of some kind of cast-iron. They¡¯re cold to the touch and my tongue experiences a sharp sting. When I pull my hand away and quickly cover my mouth, Mimi lets out a small laugh behind me. I turn to her and stick my tongue out, causing her to laugh more. Rose gives us both a glare, causing us both to straighten up and face forward; but I don¡¯t hide my laugh very well.

    The closer we get to the large doors at the end of the hallway, the more somber and serious the atmosphere turns. I wish I knew what was going on. Dom turns to us with a nod, causing the escorts to salute and leave, then pushes open the doors. As we move inside, my breath hitches. The room is a massive circle- closer to an auditorium than a standard room. The entire area around us is filled with seats, empty seats at that, yet the potential for hundreds of people to watch whatever goes on here, still takes my breath away. The room carries a blue hue to it, full of a dampening magik that shocks my tongue, and runs to my eyes. The sparks bounce between my eyes wildly, demanding a release.

    Kay grabs my arm and turns me to face her. ¡°Breathe,¡± she tells me, before putting her hand on my stomach, seemingly trying to direct my breaths. My stomach grows warm at her touch and I think I feel a blush creep across my cheeks. I distract myself by staring into her wonderful, brown eyes.

    She hides so much from me, and tells me little else, yet when she looks at me like this, with such intensity, it¡¯s like she can see through me. Kay has her own silent determination that she keeps close and ultimately, she uses it to protect me. But I can¡¯t stand that it brings her down to do so. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of her before long; but now is not the time.

    Before I realized it, the energy that was sparking through me has dissipated, leaving me with a clear mind. Only now, I realize nearly everyone is staring at me- of which I mean far more people than just the Valkyries. The room is filled with nine people outside of us and Dom; all with their eyes on me.

    Some of them have their eyes locked on mine, others with head in near-bow, and some with gazes avoiding me all together. Dom clears his throat and asks if I¡¯m alright. I poke Kay on the nose and give a nod. She scrunches up her nose in an out-of-character way, cute even.

    Dom turns to the others, ¡°My Knights Ten, I admit to you all, the Zeroth and Valkyries.¡± They give a small celebratory clap before taking their seats.

    ¡°H-hello.¡±

    I say to the group, suddenly feeling bashful under such stony gazes. Dom goes down the row of knights introducing me. The open seat seems to have been Fennis¡¯ with the second knight being Gableal Throughdon, a hulk of a man.

    He¡¯s massive in his frame with a giant broadsword carried on his hip. He stands and bows to me- still taller than I am. His hair burns in a dark red, with his eyes matching. He¡¯s clad in a spectacular looking armor with a fiery motif. On the chest of his armor is a Tree; that¡¯s all.

    A small but, I''m sure, important way of, differing itself from the symbols I¡¯ve grown accustomed to- the Valkyries and all other students having a picture of a man receiving a fruit from another man, and Dom¡¯s, which is a Tree with the fruit falling off.

    In my studies, I still haven¡¯t came across the exact meanings of these trees, but I want to believe the symbolism is clear enough to get. But having just a tree? I don¡¯t quite understand. Dom stands above them, so the tree should come first I¡¯d think. But having a barren tree seems like it would come before his. This train of thought has distracted me far too long when I realize he¡¯s now on the Knight Six.

    She raises and introduces herself as Kagura Mitsuki. She has pure jet-black hair with almost green eyes. Her attire is very much more in line with what you¡¯d expect of a knight, yet without the flamboyant style that Gableal has. Her armor is pure white, blindingly so, with the tree on the center of the chest piece.

    Kagura sits with perfect posture without meeting my eyes. Instead she opts to close her eyes, as if listening to the wind outside. She wouldn¡¯t really stand out if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she holds a seat of power, yet carries no special glow in her eyes. Her hair being black, and so very much like Rei¡¯s, still has me eyeing her questioningly. I¡¯ve not actually seen anyone else with black hair here.

    Nonetheless, she is clearly a curt and to-the-point woman, sitting down the moment her introduction is finished, with no wasteful movements. Dom continues down the line, ending with a mannamed Talim A¡¯skar.

    His olive colour skin contrasts nicely with his deep blue hair and crystalline-like blue eyes. He carries a contagious smile on his face as he makes some kind of joke about how long it took to get to him. Some of the room laughs, others shoot him an annoyed glare. He pays none of them any mind though, and tells me how happy he is to finally meet me.

    Talim¡¯s outfit is a bit different than the others. He¡¯s in a leather jerkin and some kind of wool pants. You wouldn¡¯t think him a knight, but you¡¯d think wrong. The depth of his eyes reminds me of Fennis¡¯ and I know not to trust what the surface shows. With the introductions out of the way- introductions that had nothing to do with the Valkyries, Dom goes on to recount to the others what has happened outside and asks for me to tell them everything from my perspective.

    Recounting the events a third time is laborious and aggravating but I do so nonetheless. Everyone talks for awhile about the events and what it could mean. They all seemingly agree that there¡¯s some kind of spies in their ranks from the Outerlands.

    Once they¡¯re all seemingly finished talking conspiracies, Dom takes us full circle with why we were even asked to be here to begin with.

    ¡°Zero, the lands are becoming unstable if you did not know,¡± Dom informs me.

    ¡°Obviously.¡± I reply, shifting my gaze towards the door.

    ¡°And so we need to restructure our order,¡± he says with a sweeping motion over the rest of the room.

    ¡°As you have no doubt noticed, we have a vacant seat due to Fennis¡¯ outcast. This has put some strain on the others and their resources, leaving an entire battalion sitting around with nothing to do when they could be put to better use both within the city, and without.¡±

    I stare at Dom, dumbfounded. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean to say that you¡¯ve just had a bunch of guards standing around doing nothing with everything that¡¯s been going on?¡± I ask. He gives me a confident nod.

    Before I can ask him what the hell he¡¯s thinking, Gableal speaks up, ¡°No one would dare attempt control over the soldiers of House Haslothun without the proper authority to do so. They are a maddeningly loyal lot. Fennis spent the better part of twenty cycles beating those men and women into shape.¡± His voice is deep, with the underscore reminiscent of a grizzly

    The Knight Third speaks up in agreement, a woman with an earthly brown kind of hair. Not long after most of the others throw up their agreements as well, and the hall filled with the noise of words for Fennis.

    Amongst the mixed chorus of indecipherable words, one message was clear- Fennis had their admiration.

 Chapter 18 - Breakthrough - Part 2

    Breakthrough - Part 2

    Fennis¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought about him recently. I wonder how he¡¯s doing? Surely he found some kind of refuged in the Outerlands. Maybe he was able to put his sword to work for coin. Perhaps he was able to find peace in simpler work, maybe that of a farmer.

    I¡¯m brought from my reverie by Dom holding up his hand. Like the silence of the One King, it was deafening and commanding. The room immediately quiets down. I take the chance to speak up, to ask him what it is exactly I¡¯m here for.

    ¡°The Zeroth is suppose to be partial to all of this, yes, but we are at a deadlock for who should be brought in to the Knights. We were hoping some consul from the Zeroth to help persuade sides.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. Surely they couldn¡¯t expect me to be able to chime in on such matters. I have no idea what goes on in this place. Dom, with a wave of his hand, sends a piece of paper to me. ¡°Those are the names and current responsibilities of nominees. What say you, Zero?¡± I look from the paper back to Dom, then back to the sheet in my hands.

    Written on the sheet was in fact, only a single sentence. ¡°What would you have us do Zero?¡±

    I look back up at Dom, then around at the faces of the magnificent people before me. Was this something they were all involved in? Was this a test? By whom? Dom? My gaze ends on him. I clear my throat and approach him. Dom stands aside and offers the podium to me.

    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m suppose to do here. I open my mouth, but it shuts before words make an appearance. I gaze over at my girls, yet all they return is various smiles. They didn¡¯t seem to understand the turmoil I¡¯m experiencing at the moment. I peek at Dom one last time, yet he simply gives me a reassuring nod.

    ¡°Welp¡­ this is how I believe things should go. Gableal, as Knight Second, you should shift to the First Knight, with everyone else following in suit.¡±

    There¡¯s an immediate commotion from the crowd. Gableal simply looks on smugly, but the rest raise obvious concerns.

    ¡°You mean I¡¯d be Knight Nine? I¡¯ll take it.¡± Talim says while giving me a thumbs up.

    The rest squabble amongst one another and raise objections about how this breaks tradition. ¡°Then you¡¯re going to love this next part.¡± They fall silent.

    ¡°Ultimately this leaves us with a seat still unfilled. But what this means is the weakest of seats is the one left. That means a newcomer would be able to fill in easier. It is with this, that I recommend Charlotte Rodiger for the Tenth position.¡±

    The room fills with absolute chaos. Even Kagura is looking at me wide-eyed. Gableal can¡¯t hide his discomfort either.

    ¡°My Lord,¡± he bellows, ¡°The Commander is but a low-born peasant riding on her father¡¯s reputation. You can¡¯t seriously mean to place her in a position of such value. Traditions were bent well enough to have Sir Talim to take up his seat at such a young age.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    This causes the room to explode into an even larger roar. The voices bounce around the room, echoing from every which way. They assault me from all sides, closing in on me. The irritation from this whole day, from Kay, from my luck, and this world, all comes out of me in a maelstrom of fury.

    Lightning cracks from my eyes and thunder shifts through the enclosure. The sound is the loudest thing I¡¯ve ever heard before. The others cover their ears, and even Dom¡¯s face twists in pain. ¡°Enough!¡±

    I shout with everything I can.

    ¡°Enough with your arbitrary bullshit! Enough with your traditions!¡±

    I cut through the crowd with a sword of verbiage-edge. I sling my arms in gestures as I continue, ¡°You are KNIGHTS goddamnit! You lose yourselves in your petty squabbles while your citizenry suffers. We have riots forming in the streets, and war teases our borders. Yet you want to complain abouttraditions?¡±

    I scan the room, all eyes open in shock. I raise my voice another octave and continue. ¡°Traditions that have dictated this country since its founding? The traditions that put people in their places, forced them to lead lives outside of what they may want? The traditions that divide us, separating us into betters and peasants. Thosetraditionsthat will conquer us?¡±

    No one speaks, even Dom¡¯s face has taken on a crestfallen shadow. ¡°Do you all not realize what this is? This is how you get dissent to begin with. You spend your entire lives judging others on hands they were dealt with birth. Then you expect them to simply sit idly by while lives hang in the balance? No. No, I will not let you- even if that means tearing down every one of you from your pedestals.¡±

    I scream while opening my arms wide, taking them all in. ¡°None of you know Charlotte; because she is a ''peasant'' and you wound yourselves upon your own swords. Shewilltake the tenth seat, and then maybe,maybe, you fools will pull your collective heads out of your asses long enough to fix everything, before the world is consumed in chaos!¡±

    The room is deathly silent and no one makes to move. The sparks in my eyes crackles; and from my fingertips erupts small flames- the ground around me is cracked earth. And in this I realize, the elements somehow reacted to me- have been reacting to me since we arrived today, since that flower. I don¡¯t understand why, but I don¡¯t question it. For just this once, this insane world seems to have thrown me a bone. I¡¯m sure all of this has only reinforced my words.

    Dom grabs everyone¡¯s attention by clearing his throat. With all eyes on him, he speaks up.

    ¡°All in favor of the Zeroth¡¯s¡­ motion,¡± he raises his hand. One after another, everyone else does the same. The last person to follow is Kagura. She simply stares at me with her piercing, hazel eyes.

    With a half smile propping up the side of her lips, she lazily raises her hand. ¡°Motion passed,¡± Dom says before turning a hidden smile to me.

    Feeling exhausted, I dismiss myself away from the specifics, leaving Rose and the others to work in my stead. They¡¯ll fill me in later. I catch Dom before I leave and request that he follows me. Before long we stand in front of Nina¡¯s door. Dom seems displeased but doesn¡¯t say anything.

    A moment after my knock, Nina gives the ok to come in. Her face brightens up when she sees me, then falls to confusion as a shadow of sadness passes over her features. She straightens up and dons her business persona before asking how she may help us.

    ¡°Nina, Dom here is going to help you with your research to get me home. He¡¯ll provide absolutely anything you need.¡± The instant the words leave my mouth Nina lets out a gasp.

    An awkward air passes between the three of us before Dom speaks up, ¡°The Zeroth has the right of it, attitude aside. Ninavin, in return for cooperation to help with whatever it is you¡¯re working on, I would like assistance on some of my ownresearch into the Zeroth.¡± She eyes Dom wearily. It¡¯s an expression I rarely see on her. She¡¯s distrustful of Dom.

    ¡°I see,¡± is all she says. Before too long she¡¯s handing Dom several packets of papers. He pulls up a stool and starts to skim through them.

 Chapter 18 - Breakthrough - Part 3

    Breaththrough - Part 3

    ¡°Ninavin, the stories surely do not do you justice,¡± he tells her- seemingly impressed with whatever it is he reads.

    She gives him a wry smile and says, ¡°All that matters to me, Master Domnis, is getting Zero home.¡±

    Dom gives her a long stare before letting a weary sigh escape and turning his attention towards me.

    ¡°You would leave us then, Zero?¡±

    ¡°I would."

    ¡°You¡¯re brilliant, but I suppose it¡¯s not in my best interest to stand against you on this, not after your rousing scolding earlier. But I only say this as I know there is something¡­ not quite right with you, that I can¡¯t put my finger on.¡±

    He says with a degrading laugh. This causes Nina to send me another confused look. I just give her a smile and a weak shake of my head.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave the two of you to it then,¡± I say before moving in and giving Nina a hug. She stiffens up and tries to protest, but I ignore her.

    I leave the room having decided that my next visit would be to Charlie. I¡¯d like to talk to her before the news reaches her. That¡¯s assuming it hasn¡¯t already. I cross the courtyard and make my way to the training area.

    When I peek inside, I see Charlie there, giving instructions to what looks like to be new recruits. She¡¯s magnificent in the way she stands and directs the novices with an experienced hand. Before too long she notices me, just in time for the others to as well. The recruits start to fall out of sync and she snaps at them to continue their drills, before making her way over to me.

    She stops in front of me, and with her back to the recruits, a smile overtakes her entire face. She pulls her arms up for a moment before thinking better of it, and dropping them. She gives a crooked smile and asks what I¡¯m doing here. I request her attention outside and she obliges me, but not before screaming at the recruits to keep at their drills.

    The moment we¡¯re outside and the door is closed, she¡¯s pulling me in for an embrace. After returned hugs, she lets me go with a look indicating she¡¯s waiting for me to start speaking. I stare up at her, mesmerized for a moment before remembering myself. I give her a smile, and recount most of my time with the Consulate to her.

    Her face is frozen. She¡¯s leaning up against the wall, staring off into the distance. Eventually, she remembers that I¡¯m here and gives me a weak smile.

    My heart drops, ¡°Was that a mistake? I thought you¡¯d be amazing in the Tenth seat. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± My sentence hangs between us.

    It takes a minute but Charlie lifts my chin up- staring into me. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± she says with a shake of her head. Her emerald green hair distracts me as it bounces from one shoulder to the other.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe even this far in, in a place where your safety should be guaranteed, you were almost lost to me.¡± She engulfs me in another embrace and strokes my hair.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that. That¡¯s an exaggeration.¡± I protest weakly.

    ¡°No.¡± she says sharply. ¡°I will take this gift you have given me, my Zero, and I will ensure something like this never happens again.¡±

    I give a weak nod into her chest, and return her hug again. She lets me go and asks me some other questions related to everything that happened.

    A chime signals the lunch period. Charlie turns down my request to join me, in order to speak with Dom about everything. She gives me a wave goodbye, but not before jumping onto the recruits for starting to pack up. With a laugh, I leave her. I¡¯ll go and meet the others and decide what to do from there.

    Per usual nowadays, Kay is nowhere to be seen in the group. An alarm rings and guards pour out of the barracks around the Academy and make a beeline to the gate. The others don¡¯t appear to know anything more than I do, so we follow the guards- so much for food. I¡¯m exhausted from the lack of real sleep over the past few days.

    At the gate, is a mob of people. Their voices are filled with malice as they strike out at the guards with makeshift weapons. The scene before me quickly turns into chaos as the guards try to dismantle the riot without actually hurting anyone. But it¡¯s as clear as day that this won¡¯t end without bloodshed unless something is done.

    I chew on my bottom lip in agitation before deciding my course of action. However, Mimi grabs me and tells me to stay out of it. I protest to her with all I can, trying to convince her to let me go- her grip is like steel. I¡¯m not sure even ripping my arm off would lessen her it on me. I look towards Rose for help.

    Her face is pale, her demeanor one of a scared girl- seemingly much too young to be my Rose. She reaches over and cups my cheek. Her actions, her demeanor, all of it is scaring me. ¡°Rose what-¡± she cuts me off by speaking over me, yet so silently, ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me,¡± is all she says. I give her a confused look, but she backs away from me and walks into the center of the riot.

    I yank from Mimi with all of my strength, but she doesn¡¯t budge. ¡°Mimi, damnit. This is no time to be like this. Rose is going to get hurt!¡±

    But Mimi shakes her head, almost violently. She pulls me into her and a ¡°bubble¡± of electricity sparks around us. Before I can even think to ask what is going on, she envelops me with her arms, and all around us, the crowd starts to fall. One by one both guard, and civilian alike, begin to drop like flies. In only a few seconds a couple dozen people lay on the ground, with Rose standing stock still in the middle.

    When they¡¯re all down, Mimi releases me and I run over to the closest person, a civilian. I check his pulse and let out a breath of relief. ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± escapes me as I fall over onto my backside. I meet Rose¡¯s gaze, a sheen of sweat leaks from her forehead, and she looks flush. Then before I know it, she stumbles forward.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I attempt to stand up, but a gust of wind- that is to say Mimi- forces me down. Mimi catches Rose and supports her gently with a worried look. ¡°Stupid,¡± Mimi says to her. Rose gives her a small smile before turning a sad, but embarrassed look towards me.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me,¡± she says again, before going limp. I can¡¯t help but stare at them in shock.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± I asked. Mimi shakes her head at me, and tells me that it¡¯s not her place to say. I guess I¡¯ll have to question Rose more when she wakes up. Mimi carries Rose like a princess back to the Academy as guards flood out of it, amazed at the scene they find. I can¡¯t blame them. This is getting more bizarre by the minute, and naturally, Kay is still missing.

    Kay appears again just before midnight. We''re still at the Academy with Rose, who still hasn''t woken up. The moment she enters the room, I spring out of my chair, and tell Mimi to watch over Rose for me. I stomp towards Kay and grab her by the arm and drag her confused ass out of the room. I don¡¯t stop until we¡¯re in the courtyard where I was attacked the day before. I turn her to face me and finally release her arm. She stares at me with daggers.

    ¡°Kay. This ends now. Rose collapses and you just leave? I get ditching me. I really do. But this? This is too far.¡±

    Kay stares at me, before attempting to walk away. I shove her back again, harder in my anger. She opens her mouth to say something when a crow-like bird lands right between us. This damn bird is the cause of everything. Its feathers carry a dark-blue hue meeting beady red eyes and ending in a long, sharp beak of black.

    The bird cocks its head towards Kay expectantly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Kay? I already know what¡¯s going on. I followed you before you know, watched you break into that nobles house through his window.¡±

    She gives me a pained look but ducks down to the bird. She fiddles with its leg for a moment while the bird squawks a complaint to her. She pulls off some sort of small capsule; and with apopthe top comes off and a note slides into her hand. She studies the note with intensity as it lazily unrolls in her hand. After a moment she closes her eyes, as if in prayer, then stands up.

    She opens her eyes, gazes at me, and turns around. I deny her by shouting at her. She stops and looks back at me. ¡°Have to go,¡± she says quietly, worry writ across her face in a way that perhaps only I could notice.

    ¡°No.¡± I tell her. Then I demand she hands over the scroll.

    Kay shakes her head at me and takes a step back. ¡°Kay. This ends. I don''t know who you think has the authority to order you to kill people, but they don''t.¡±

    I approach her one step at a time, keeping a distrustful eye on her every movement. Every breath she takes, every flicker of her gaze, I catch it all.

    I hate feeling like this towards Kay but I can''t help but be cautious of her. I reach out and take her hand, prying the paper out of it. Kay doesn''t stop me, but her face falls when she sees me open it. The words are short, but to the point. A single name stretches across the paper with a demand of execution- "Ninavin Von Vvesson".

    I snap my gaze towards Kay just in time to see her fist flying to my face. I shift my weight to my right to avoid it, only to shift my weight again to bring myself down and dodge another, wider blow. I distance myself from Kay but before I know it, something changes with her.

    Kay''s countenance had changed into one I did not know. She stood before me, still as Kay, but more similar to the woman I first met that hectic day, so long ago.

    She lightly shakes her head at me and said, ¡°Go home.¡±

    ¡°So you can take yet another life? AndNina¡¯sat that? No. Kay, what is this? Who''s telling you to do this? That''s who we should be focusing on. They''re the ones in the wrong.¡±

    Kay just stands there, staring at me. ¡°Kay, if I have to take you home by force I will. But please don''t make me.¡±

    I plead with her. In a rare show of emotion, both of her eyebrows shoot straight up in apparent surprise. And yet a chilling smile dances across her mouth with a sparkle caught in her eye. A shiver goes down my spine; I pull up my arms to block what''s coming. Yet Kay doesn''t move.

    Her eyes gain a light glow, and the ground around me softens, throwing me off balance. In that opening, Kay dashes at me- not Nina quick, but quick enough to slip through my defenses. She swings her fist like a club and lands it squarely into my stomach. I don¡¯t really remember anything after that. I fell to my knees, the air gone from my lungs, and my vision darkens.

    Bile tries to work its way out of me but I hold it down with everything I have. I¡¯m forced to study the boots in my line of site. They¡¯re dirty, and perhaps black if they were cleaned. I see a foot raised off the ground some- but only a moment before it¡¯s planted on my face. I fall backward and admire the stars. The pain is terrible but the fate of the stars is all I can focus on. With that, my world goes dark.

    ¡°Eve.¡±

    She calls for me. ¡°Eve.¡± Again she calls for me but I try to ignore it.

    I look all around me but no one is there. Yet from the nothing in front of me, she walks out. Her onyx mane is tied up in a ponytail and drapes down her shoulders, blanketing what I can see of her. She''s in her battle attire from before. She stands resolute with her piercing glare- aimed at me of course.

    ¡°Eve.¡± She says, not so much with her voice, but something more. Her eyes pierce the darkness with golden radiance, matched only by the sheen of the sword on her hip.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive Rei.¡± I utter weakly.

    ¡°Debatable.¡±

    Shes says to the point- crisp and clear. I attempt to take a step closer to her, only for her to move a step away. She makes no actual movement, simply seems to slide away as I approach. The distance leaves me hungry but no matter how I run, I know I won¡¯t reach her. With a heavy heart, I ask what it is she wants.

    ¡°You¡¯re learning,¡± dismissively, she continues, ¡°But it¡¯s almost time, you have to stand up.¡±

    I want to cry out at her, tell her that I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s saying, but I don¡¯t. Anything I say, she¡¯s just going to snidely rebuke. So instead, I ask what¡¯s been on my mind, ¡°Where have you been Rei? I¡¯ve called for you so many times, and yet¡­ I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t- or couldn¡¯t come back to me after what happened before.¡±

    Her gaze pierces me, the pressure is demanding. I haven¡¯t felt this for so long. My knees grow weak and threaten to buckle under me. Yet there is a sick pleasure in it.

    A pit develops in my stomach and threatens to rend the soul from my body. I¡¯ve missed it. The feeling is maddening, but familiar and comforting. I don¡¯t look away, expectant of an answer. Before long, Rei blinks and looks away from me. The pressure instantly dissipates and I am left with a longing.

    ¡°We all have a stage to prepare for you, Eve, and it is almost time. But you have to go now or Silence will fall on Moderator.¡± Rei is as cryptic as ever.

    ¡°Can I touch you?¡±

    It seems I caught her off guard because for once, Rei loses her serious demeanor as confusion envelopes her. I can¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Your face is priceless!¡±

    I shout across the chasm that separates us. Rei can¡¯t help but smile at me- a dazzling smile that permeates through me. Rei rolls her eyes and with a small movement, is in front of me.

    ¡°You have to wake up as soon as-¡± she doesn¡¯t get to finish before I¡¯ve pulled her into my arms. Her aura envelops me and I breath deep of her scent- a tinge of oranges. Before she can recover, I¡¯ve released her with a big smile.

    ¡°Right! Recharge complete!¡± I give her a mocking salute and everything goes changinf to black.

 Chapter 19 - Criss-Cross - Part 1

    Criss-Cross - Part 1

    I roll over as I wake up and shake my head while trying to stand up. One thought dominates my mind- I must get to Nina. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been out, but this is bad! I push myself to stand and shake the confusion from my mind.

    Adrenaline pumps through me, forcing my legs to go faster. I snake my way through the corridors until I arrive at Nina¡¯s lab. I don''t hear any kind of racket.Please don''t let me be too late, I pray as I shove the doors open.

    The lab looks¡­ normal. Every direction I look tells me of its day, with none involving Kay. Just as the adrenaline starts to fade I feel the ground below me shift with a quake. The energy is tangible and singes my tongue. My eyes dart above-the roof. I''ve never been, but I have to hurry.

    The hallways are dark and the shadows seem to lap at my form while I sift through them. I can almost make them out to belaughingat me- I try to clear my mind of the primal fear that pulses through me.

    I shove the door in front of me just in time to witness Kay being dodged. Her attack seemed to miss, yet Nina falls to her knees coughing up a crimson, as illuminated by the moon. Kay twists as she lands and makes another dash towards Nina. Nina looks up with a ferocity that makes my blood run cold.

    A glimmer from Kay¡¯s sleeve catches my eye just as it makes its way to Nina; but Nina rolls toward the side and recovers just in time to shift the wind on the rooftop. A sudden gale of wind rushes at Kay from the side blowing her backward. As Kay recovers, the wind around her explodes into an ensuing inferno of flames. The wisps of the fire lick at Kay¡¯s skin, burning through her. I push myself to dive through the flames, tackling Kay into safety and replacing myself within inferno prison.

    The air immediately escapes my lungs and tears itself free; boiling when it reaches the world outside, shifting itself into a mirage of itself as it dances into the cacophony of its ilk- with disastrous contempt.

    My mind boils, but I perceive the bird with its cruel eyes and smug look. It''s the reason I¡¯m here, about to die for a killer- murdered by a friend¡¯s hand. Nina will feel despair when she finds my corpse.

    The raven lets out a squawk-like laugh and my mind snaps. I want to kill that fucking bird- so I will. My skin runs cold as my anger consumes me. The hate I feel is all consuming. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over me, but I know I will kill that god damn bird for what it¡¯s done.

    I reach my arm out through the flames, Nina¡¯s scream echoing around me. Kay stares in shock as I grasp my hand into itself. The bird squawks and flails as foam seeps out of its beak. Feathers dance around us, stripping the bird naked and mixing with the all-consuming inferno that imprisons me.

    In a rush of myanger, the bird goes still and then, it freezes over. The area around us goes cold and all energy is absorbed out of not only myself, but the inferno around me. Before I know it, I¡¯m on the ground gasping for air. I look up to see an exhausted Rose standing on the rooftop. She¡¯s panting heavily with sweat dripping off of her face. Her arm is tucked over Mimi¡¯s shoulders.

    The size difference would comical in any other situation if it weren¡¯t for the fact that my body feels as if it¡¯s shutting down. Kay doesn¡¯t appear to be in any better shape, but Nina hardly seems affected. With ragged breath, Rose screams at us. ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± Her words are harsh but pained.

    Before I can speak, my body instantly starts to warm again. I¡¯m sure of it, Rose must be the Vargar of ice. Kay is instantly on her feet and runs towards the bird- or what remains of it. She picks it up and in a flurry of madness she bashes its ice shell against the floor over and over.

    She wildly smashes it harder and harder until the roof starts to crack. Mimi has to stop her from doing any more damage; but when Mimi tries to recover the bird, Kay screams in a fit and shakes her head over and over while cradling the bird to her chest.

    Tears run unabated from Kay¡¯s brown eyes. The moon is cruel, for even in this state, it makes lite of Kay¡¯s predicament- casting a beauty within her form. The anger in me is gone- replaced with a wonder. She¡¯s mad, within a breakdown of rage and despair, yet the raw emotion she admits is unlike what I have ever seen from her.

    I crawl over to Kay and pull her, forcibly, into my arms. She screams and struggles in my arm causing me physical pain but I dare not loosen my grip. I look up at Nina as she makes to stand. Her usual countenance is replaced with the same serious look I found her with tonight.

    ¡°She can cry all she wants, but she still tried to kill me. Even a Valkyrie won''t get away with this.¡±

    Shock overtakes me even as Kay goes limp in my arms. ¡°Is that what happened here?¡± Rose asks.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Rose¡­ you should be resting.¡± I try to protest to her but she waves me off.

    ¡°You stupid children won¡¯t let me,¡± she admonishes us.

    ¡°Please, Nina, don¡¯t report this to anyone.¡±

    I plead, but Nina simply stares at me in frustration. She grinds her bottom lip between her teeth to conceal her anger.

    ¡°And why not?!¡± Her anger oozes out of her.

    ¡°Please¡­¡± I beg with all the sincerity I can. Nina let out a breath and her shoulders sag.

    ¡°I swear to the King... Evangeline, don¡¯t make me regret this,¡± she tosses at me before storming off the roof.

    I push Kay away from me to study her. But her eyes are glazed over in an out-of-focused stare at the bird. Its icy tomb is impeccably smooth and no longer even cold to the touch. I try to call for her but she won¡¯t recognize me. I¡¯m forced to pick up Kay while she rocks back and forth with the bird in her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Rose, I wish I could help you back downstairs...¡± She shrugs and leans more weight onto Mimi. Mimi grimaces but otherwise doesn¡¯t seem to mind. Together we make our way downstairs.

    Rose is asleep the second we make it to a nurses bed. But it takes longer for me to put Kay to bed. She refuses to let go of the bird. So before long, I¡¯m forced to wrap her up with it in tow. An hour or more passes before her eyes close and the rhythm of her breath changes. I sneak out of the nurses'' office only to find Mimi sitting in a chair, legs tucked under her, reading.

    She looks up at me and with a toothy grin, gives me a wave. ¡°Hell of a day huh?¡± She pokes at me as I take a seat next to her.

    I give her a small smile before asking what she''s doing up. She merely holds up her book that reads,On Truths. After making sure my eyes flick across the book''s title, Mimi speaks up, ¡°It''s a book debunking a lot of myths. For instance-¡± she sets the book down away from us and then snuggles up to me before continuing, ¡°There aren''t only the four basic elements. Apparently, there''s lost magiks still known to some, including the Outlanders.¡±

    I wrap my arm around Mimi¡¯s shoulders and let her go on and on about her book. A lot of what she talks about is incredibly interesting, if known to me from the book about Nina, yet before I know it, I¡¯ve drifted off asleep.

    The chirping of morning birds stirs me awake. My body is sore from falling asleep in a chair. I look around and see that my awakening is a lonesome one. I stretch as I get up and let out a yawn. I blush quickly at my brazen show but there¡¯s no one around to judge me. I open up the door to the rooms silently and peek in. I notice immediately, that Kay was the only occupant of a bed. I move over to her as quietly as I can as to not wake her. She seems to be sleeping peacefully, still holding on to what is now basically a bird encased in an amber of ice.

    I gently lay my hand on her head. It¡¯s coarse and in need of a washing. Yet it¡¯s warm and brings to mind the images I have of Kay playing with Vol. I wish I could help her. But for now, that seems outside of my reach. After gently petting her, I make my way out of the room in search of the others. I decide the cafeteria is a safe bet; and sure enough, I find several people there.

    Mimi is at a table, in deep conversation with Rose across from her. Gableal stands at the door as I enter. He gives me a nod of recognition but says nothing more.

    ¡°What brings you here Gabe?¡±

    A small grimace crosses his lips as he brings a massive hand to his neck. ¡°As it looks your Lordship. You people keep getting into trouble. I''m just making sure you can fill yourselves up with a hearty breakfast in peace in.¡±

    I can''t help but think Gabe here is less honest than that. He''s just out of earshot of the low hum of conversation but just close enough to listen in if voices are raised. I give him a nod and my thanks.

    My boots echo around the cafeteria as I make my way to the table. Rose gives me a smile and Mimi, a tiny wave. I approach Rose¡¯s side of the table before stopping with my hand on my hips. She looks up at me with a rare show of bashfulness.

    ¡°Good morning my Lord,¡± she says without meeting my eyes. I run my fingers over her cheek and up to her forehead. She isn''t running hot at least.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine Zero,¡± she says reluctantly while gently pulling my hand down.

    She keeps hold of my hand and brings it to her lips, gently pecking it several times before letting it go. That was¡­ ¡°Cute...¡± Mimi says across from us. But I have to agree. Uncharacteristically cute even. Rose drops her head with a blush. Her beautiful white hair is frazzled but still tight in its ponytail.

    I reach down and pick it up. I wrap it around me as I take the seat next to her. Her expression seems confused and hard to settle. ¡°So.¡± I say while running my hand over her hair. ¡°Care to enlighten me about yesterday? Perhaps even today.¡±

    Her and Mimi trade a knowing look. ¡°Which part, my Lord?¡± Mimi asks for Rose. I keep my eyes on Rose and reply, ¡°From the top.¡±

    ¡°I did my duty in keeping you safe,¡± she says.

    ¡°And I appreciate it, but how? And what is going on with Kay? Neither of you seemed very surprised,¡± I inquire the table. They both stay silent so I continue, ¡°Both of you knew what it is she was doing didn''t you?¡± Rose weakly shakes her head.

    ¡°I''m still not sure of the specifics as you seem to be...¡± she says.

    ¡°Though we''ve always known it was probably something she shouldn''t be doing¡­¡± Mimi follows up.

    The bell for breakfast chimes and people start toflood in. I can never just have time to talk to people can I? I reluctantly push Rose back into her seat when she tries to stand up.

    I get everyone''s food and bring it to the tables.

    ¡°Such servitude is unbecoming of your status my Lord,¡± Gabe says as he takes a seat across from me, a seat empty between him and Mimi. ¡°That so?¡± I ask.

    He gives a nod, his voice reverberates throughout the area as he explains how privileged the others should feel to have me do anything for them. He discusses the formal way I should behave and how the others show ¡°know their places.¡±

    Being unable to listen to his vitriol any longer, I excuse myself from the table. I decide now¡¯s as good as ever to look for Nina.

 Chapter 19 - Criss-Cross - Part 2

    I leave the cafeteria, disgusted at the ideas Gabe was spitting out. I''m going to find Nina and talk to her. That''s my only thought as I move through the institute. However, my searching ends quickly as I run into her, literally, as I turn the corner into the next hallway.

    She falls backward and I wrap my arm around her waist to keep her upright. Nina is quick to apologize before falling silent when she notices my arm. With a blush to match hers, I remove my arm and clear my throat.

    ¡°I was just coming to find you Nina.¡±

    She smiles and tells me of what a coincidence it was, she was looking for me as well. So I link my her arm in mine and escort her back to her lab. Once inside the lab, she seems to grow more hesitant. I lead her to her seat and pull out the necessary items to make us some tea.

    ¡°What a sad host I am,¡± she scoffs when I hand her some hot tea.

    I flick her nose before she takes a sip; she comically tries to stop from spilling the tea.

    ¡°That was dangerous!¡± She chides me, causing me to laugh despite myself. I can''t help but ask, though I know it will ruin this nice atmosphere.

    ¡°Are you alright after last night?¡±

    Nina heaves a sigh and sits the teacup down. ¡°I am.¡± She tells me while holding her arm up in a mock flex. Her gesture is so cute thatI can''t help but reach my hand out and drag my fingers across her cheek.

    ¡°I really am Evangelina-sama.¡± She coos into my fingers.

    ¡°I saw you cough up blood even though Kay missed you.¡±

    She looks shocked for a moment before smothering her face back to neutral. ¡°Things happen. I''m not as young as I once was,¡± she giggles. I decide to call her on her ¡®joke.¡¯

    ¡°Indeed. You''re in fabulous shape.¡±

    She grins bashfully, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d imagine being over three centuries old takes its toll on you though.¡±

    Nina, whose face immediately hardens says, ¡°And where did you hear of such a thing?¡±

    ¡°I don''t see you denying it.¡±

    Nina shifts her gaze off into the distant past with various emotions dancing on her profile. I catch sadness, perhaps in memory of those she''s lost. Yet I see happiness behind her eyes, possibly for those she had.

    ¡°Nina.¡±

    I call her name before resting my hand on her knee. She glances my way and says, ¡°You wouldn''t understand¡­¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯d try,¡± I assure her.

    ¡°And you would fail.¡±

    ¡°Then I would try harder.¡±

    She glares at me, a look those beautiful green eyes so rarely direct my way.

    ¡°Why were you coughing up blood? And what is it that you did to me and the others exactly? And to Azrael and the others back then?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    I shoot off question after question. Nina physically lurches from my words. In a near-panic she demands to know how it is I came to know all of that. Yet I ignore here and ask something else that¡¯s been on my mind.

    ¡°And one more thing Nina¡­ who or what is Silence and Moderator?¡±

    Nina stands up immediately from her chair with eyes wide. If she was shocked before then she''s absolutely flabbergasted now. Her voice raises an octave, ¡°Where have you heard all of this?¡±

    Nina walks around the desk and roughly grabs my shoulders and demands me to answer again. I''m so surprised that I don''t even know what to tell her. Do I play my cards, or keep them close to my chest?

    Perhaps I¡¯ll go fifty-fifty- ¡°After seeing some of your notes last time¡­ I¡­¡± Her face falls with shadow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that,¡± she drops her arms, and her head follows along as if her strings had been cut.

    She asks the floor, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    I lift her chin with my fingers and stroke her lips with my thumb. Seeing her so sad hurts me, but knowing she has secrets hurts me more. She¡¯s trying to maintain an aloof, perhaps angry attitude, but the teary sheen in her eyes diminishes the effect.

    ¡°Nina, all I want is answers. I can¡­ accept basically anything if it¡¯s you. I¡¯m sorry I ran out back then. I meant to apologize this whole time, but I never had a chance. So, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I slide my fingers down her neck. I know I¡¯m playing dirty here, and I hate it. But I need answers.

    Nina¡¯s eyes fill with more than just tears, and I can see her attention wavering, her eyes glazing over. I put a small amount of force in my fingers, gently leading her towards me with the promise of potential highs. Nina¡¯s breath speeds up as she tentatively approaches me. Her face is closer than it¡¯s ever been and I can see the world she sees, reflected in those emeralds of hers. Her lips are inches from mine, trembling. Her breath is ragged and at some point, she grabbed the hem of my shirt, white-knuckling it. It¡¯s arrogant, but I believe that at this moment, she¡¯s never wanted anyone more than she wants me- not even that fool Azrael. That fool of a man who did not know the value of the jewel he possessed.

    That fool of a man who gave into the darkness, gave in to the power he possessed. But I¡¯m different, I¡¯m in control. I can demand this jewel to do as I see fit, for I know my limits, I know what is right- what is wrong. I¡¯m the Zeroth, and this woman is mine, as are all the others. They¡¯re so simple to bend to my will, don¡¯t you see? She¡¯s begging for me. Her lips are but a breath away, and yet all is lost in her eyes besides me. I am her whole; I am the truth, the way. My form is perfect. In her eyes are the proof, for there I am.

    I stand perfect, with my smile wide, from ear to ear. My teeth are wonderful, capable of devouring what I wish. My eyes burn, with a desire for all things. I am magnificent, and I am terrifying. Yet Nina closes her eyes as our lips are just about to meet; and like the arctic wind has graced us, I grow cold. I push Nina away from me, and she stumbles backward. Her lustful face, so twisted before in its desire, regaining some semblance of the woman I¡¯ve grown to know. My own desire, my own form wavering in her eyes.

    ¡°Nina¡­ Just what is going on with me? Just what am I?¡±

    I ask, unable to fight it off. The fear I¡¯ve felt for so long consumes me and the dam breaks. My tears flow freely as I come back down unto myself.

    Nina looks just as shocked as me. As if coming down from a blissful euphoria, she lets her eyes wander. All around she searches for answers, yet seems to find what it is she needs when she takes notice of my crying form. Her face clears and her eyes regain their focus in full.

    ¡°Evangeline¡­ sama,¡± she whispers with a hint of fear.

    Through my own hazy vision, I can see it clearly writ across her face. Nina is scared of me, scared of whatever it is I was just becoming, perhaps whatever it is I have already became. Her look burns me and makes me want to flee, so I do- or I would have had Nina not grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Nina, please let me go.¡± I whine through my tears.

    ¡°No. You can¡¯t keep running Evangeline-sama. There are things you know, things to be known, and things to remain unknown, but you may know nothing if all you do is run!¡±

    She berates me, breath ragged, in her machinegun way of speaking. I¡¯ve only heard her talk like that when it comes to research or health. Never would I have imagined that charm applying to me or my situation. It¡¯s so adorable that I can¡¯t help but break a smile.

    ¡°There¡¯s that beautiful smile, my Evangeline-sama,¡± she says before pulling me in for a hug. She holds me for minutes as the tears fade away. The warmth from Nina is enough to ground me, to make me feel like myself again. The cloud around my mind, one I did not know I had, seemingly clears despite its wishes.

    I pull out of her embrace when I¡¯ve calmed down and we stare into one another. Her face tells me she plans tokeep her secrets close. But before I can argue, I feel my strength growing weak.

 Chapter 19 - Criss-Cross - Part 3

    Criss-Cross - Part 3

    ¡°Nina, I need answers¡­¡± I mutter weakly.

    Her face contorts again, a sigh escapes her lips. She gestures for me to sit on the lounge chair in the corner thatI¡¯ve never used before. As I lean into it, it seems to swallow me whole. I¡¯m swallowed even deeper as I sink in further with Nina¡¯s additional weight. With her on my lap, she leans her head on my shoulder, breath tickling my neck. To distract myself from the sensation, I wrap my arms around her.

    ¡°I am unable to answer everything Evangeline-sama, not necessarily because I wish to keep secrets, but because I genuinely do not know. Much as I do not know how you came to learn of my past. I can¡¯t help but think Bartholum has had a hand in this.¡± She once again coos into me. ¡°Ah.¡± I squeak out against my wishes. She pulls herself off of me and stars dagger towards me, with squinted eyes.

    Then in a pout, she says, ¡°That brat.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t the reason I know all I do, but he assisted, yes. Or rather, he has no idea himself. But there is a tome¡­¡±

    ¡°One must have escaped my knowledge,¡± Nina says.

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I burnt everything related tothat time. That which remains are the safe things.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s history!¡± I speak louder than I meant to and Nina winces. Yet I continue, ¡°You mean to tell me you¡¯ve destroyed the past? For what? On whose authority do you persuade the future?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She stares at me before leaning back into me. ¡°You don¡¯t get to get out of this just by being cute,¡± I inform her. Nina smiles into my chest knowingly. I run my hand over her back, gently rubbing her, hoping to prod the information I seek loose.

    ¡°There are reasons I had to destroy all that information. I promise. You don¡¯t know what it was like back then. You don¡¯t understand what it is like now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand-¡± I try to finish but she talks over me.

    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t understand. You never will. You cannot. You didn¡¯t witness the wars or what he¡­ what Azrael changed into. You didn¡¯t witness the corruption of the masses.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me what I read was real?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you read, but probably.¡±

    ¡°But how did you extend your life by so much?¡± It seems unreal.

    ¡°... I had my ways. But the cost was too high. I¡­ I believe I¡¯m the reason he changed.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t change, and you did the same thing, or something very similar to yourself, didn¡¯t you? And you had nothing to do with all the civilians that changed.¡± She cries gently into my shoulder.

    ¡°I have to believe it was my fault Evangeline-sama¡­ I have to. Nothing else makes sense. Monsters aren¡¯t real. But nightmares¡­ nightmares are the things dreams are made of.¡±

    That¡¯s heartbreaking to hear. But I can¡¯t just stop now. ¡°Nina, did I really die?¡±

    She nods into me, quietly sulking in her tears. ¡°But you saved me¡­ at the cost of the Valkyries freedom. Using their what? Their souls as an anchor?¡±

    She falls silent for a longtime. So long that by the time she replies, I had half-forgotten what it was I had even asked. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how to explain it to you, Evangeline-sama.¡± She says with head still bowed into my the crook of my neck.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Try me.¡±

    She looks up at me with teary eyes, but a small smile on her lips.

    ¡°The simplest way I could explain it is¡­ I don¡¯t know. I took that which binds, and bound it tighter.¡±

    Her non-answers are seriously getting on my nerves even if that¡¯s not what she¡¯s trying to do.

    However, she seems to pick up on my dissatisfaction and continues, ¡°All people share bonds. The strings of fate bind us. But for some, the bonds are stronger than others- for the Zeroth and those of meaning, the bond is stronger than any other. But in the end,they¡¯re just strings- threadsas it were. But they can be reinforced if you know how. The bonds can able to be strengthened, and then manipulated. What bond is yours, may be placed in another as an¡­¡±

    ¡°An anchor,¡± I mumble. She nods again. I don''t really understand it, but I sort of do. ¡°But that doesn''t really make sense. You''re saying our relations to others are predefined?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don''t know. The things are there. My research has been in the manipulation of things, not their origin. But from what knowledge I dohave, I¡¯d say yes, but no. Normal people- no offense,¡± she apologizes to me quickly, which causes me to laugh. Nina gets flustered and loses her cool. In doing so, she reverts to her lightning-quick gab.

    ¡°Normal people,¡± she continues, ¡°Don''t really show differences when the strings are modified or even cut. For the most part, maybe they''ll hate an enemy a little more, or marginally less. Perhaps who you love will seem a little more alluring: or perhaps that little thing they do will aggravate you a little more. But some people, mostly those related to you¡­ The Zeroth I mean, have some key differences.¡±

    ¡°I''m not gonna like what I hear next am I?¡± I ask, but the answer is already clear. Her face is crestfallen, and I can tell she¡¯s the one that wants to run now. I try to help her calm down by running my fingers over her shoulders.

    ¡°The ¡°strings¡± between certain people and the Zeroth are less... malleable. They can¡¯t be manipulated like others. That isn¡¯t to say they are difficult to manipulate;in fact, the opposite is true. The bonds are incrediblyeasy to manipulate, but they can only be forced to go one way; as if something crafted themas such.¡± Nina runs breathless by the end.

    ¡°And all signs point to the Zeroth.¡±

    I half ask, half state in dismay. My stomach tightens at the reminder I am a pawn to fate, and the others must suffer for me. Nina has gone silent and just leans into me comfortably.

    ¡°And Silence, and Moderator?¡± I ask, having almost forgotten. She tilts her head at me in a way reminiscent of a puppy.

    ¡°I don''t know?¡± She ends in a question.

    ¡°But you reacted to it when I brought it up before!¡±

    I try not to let the anger overcome me. Nina makes to reply, but the door to her lab flies open. The loudbangof the door as it slams into the wall causes us to jump in surprise. A single look at Rose, arms crossed, standing there with that glare was more than enough to cause a sinking feeling in my chest. She eyes Nina and me with permeable anger.

    We aren''t in a compromising position per se, but Nina is still sitting sideways on my lap. Yet with Rose¡¯s anger and her predisposition to enter mom mode, I feel like she has caught me naked.

    ¡°Um. You should really knock before you-¡± the room gets awfully cold and the chattering of my teeth interrupts me. Nina nervously looks between the two of us, seemingly unsure of what she should be doing. My head starts to hurt in a way I wouldn''t associate with coldness. I think it''s my wincing that causes Rose to ease up. With anger tinting her voice, she informs us that Kay is awake.

    ¡°T-thank you,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°Now come alongZero,¡±she says authoritatively. I can''t help but nod and look at Nina.

    ¡°Thanks for um, spending time with me Evangeline-sama.¡±

    She gets off my lap. But instead of going to her desk she approaches Rose. The comparatively diminutive Nina looks up at Rose, who stares daggers back.

    ¡°Thanks for helping on the roof, and for protecting our Lord.¡±

    She stands on the veeeery tip of her toes, and still has to hop, but manages to land a kiss on Rose¡¯s cheek. Rose seems as taken aback as I am. But unlike me, she¡¯s able to pull herself back together quickly.

    ¡°You''re welcome.¡± Rose tells her with less anger than before.

    I give Rose my arm and she takes it. Nina waves us off at the door. But as we pass her, I sneak a look her way. She catches my gaze and gives me a wink and a smile before shutting the door. That minx! I mustremember this for my arsenal.

    ¡°Did you have an enjoyable time with Ninavin, my lord?¡± Rose asks, apparently feeling awkward from not speaking for so long after leaving Nina¡¯s lab.

    ¡°I did. But You¡¯re still jealous,huh?¡± I tease her.

    She looks away in a huff as we round the corner to the medical halls.

    ¡°J-just make sure tocheer Kay up alright?¡±

    She backs away as I approach the room I left Kay in hours ago. The evening sun shines high in the sky outside, ready to make its journey below the horizon.

    With nerves wracking me, I enter the room.

 Chapter 20 - Almost - Part 1

    I enter the nurse''s room Kay was left in. Immediately the guilt of it all hits me. Kay was sitting up, but huddled around the now-statue of the bird. She looks so weak, so broken.

    I move to place my hand on her head but she flinches away from me. Looking down at this shell of a person I realize that, that may have been the most painful thing I''ve ever experienced.

    Kay doesn''t look toward me as I sit down next to her, the bed shifting with the additional weight.

    A very, very long time passes just like that- hours even. The sun dips through the windows in a last wink of pink before saying goodbye to us.

    Biology stops for no man, probably, as Kay¡¯s stomach makes a terrifying growl.

    ¡°I''ll get you some food. Even if you hate me now, you can''t starve. We would all be sad,¡± I tell her while getting up.

    She makes no attempt to stop me as I leave the room, broken on the inside, the way Kay showed on the outside.

    I¡¯m surprised to find Charlie in the cafeteria, seemingly cooking. I decide to spook her, as a chance like this rarely pops up. I make my way silently towards her. I quietly creep up behind her and shout, ¡°Boo,¡± right next to her head.

    Instead of the reaction I expected, Charlie turns around and hands me a washcloth.

    I look down at it, then back to her. ¡°What?¡±

    She gets a half-mouthed grin and says, ¡°You call that sneaking?¡± She gently chides me. I¡¯m floored.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way! I was super quiet!¡±

    She gives a small laugh then says, ¡°See,thatis what I¡¯d call stealth.¡± She gives a nodin my direction.

    In confusion I turn around only to be immediately face-to-face with Talim. I shriek and jump back into Charlie. She catches me, draping her arms over my shoulders, letting them hang around me.

    Talim is in a hysterical fit of laughter, practically on the floor. Even Charlie behind me is laughing a free, loud laugh. As for me, I¡¯m having trouble getting my heartbeat in control.

    ¡°What thehellis wrong with you?!¡± I say in a pout.Talim, still laughing, gives me a thumbs up.

    ¡°You¡¯re both so mean to me.¡±

    I feign anger. They only laugh harder, and Charlie gives me a nice squeeze. I can¡¯t help how infectious they are, and end up joining them in laughing.

    Not terribly long afterwards, the atmosphere finally settles down. I cross my arms in front of me, and with a huff, ask what they¡¯re doing here.

    ¡°Just finished some Consulate work. Decided we gotta get some eats in yeah?¡±

    Talim says in that accented voice that places him just outside of what I¡¯m use to.

    ¡°You both only just now got done? Wait, Charlie-¡± I look up at her, ¡°You took the Tenth Seat?¡±

    She leans down and places a kiss on my forehead. I hear a whistle from Talim but decide to ignore him. Charlie gives him a wink and tells me, ¡°Of course I did my Lord. I would accept any gift from you."

    She lets me go, separating us. Her warmth was comforting and I miss it already.

    ¡°Are you here for food as well my Lord?¡±

    I give her a nod. I suppose she doesn¡¯t know about Kay. I¡¯m glad Nina kept her word. ¡°I need some for Kay too. She¡¯s¡­ not feeling well and resting in the nurse ward.¡±

    She turns around and continues with her cooking and responds, ¡°Ah. That would explain why you¡¯re even still here at the Academy.¡±

    I glare at her back and offer her a ¡°Thanks.¡±

    She turns around and flicks her cloth at me. ¡°You know that isn¡¯t what I meant Zero. Every moment with you is¡­¡± She glances over at Talim who¡¯s busying himself with setting out some trays and plates, and lowers her voice before continuing,¡°Every moment is a blessing.¡± A small amount of red tints her cheeks.

    I arch an eyebrow at that. ¡°Was that really all you were going to say?¡± I ask. She clears her throat and goes back to cooking with a new fascination in her duty.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    In the end, Charlie makes a simple meal and wishes us a goodnight, but not before giving me another hug. I start to gather up stuff for Kay and myself, but Talim interrupts my thoughts by speaking up.

    "Sick friend eh?"

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°I see. That''s definitely gotta be rough ya know?¡±

    ¡°Erm, yes. That''s why I''m getting food for her,¡± trying to not let his innocent curiosity get to me.

    ¡°Indeed. I hope she can free up her hands enough to eat.¡± I can''t help but jerk my eyes up to meet his.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I try to inquire. He gives me a shrug.

    ¡°Kay is¡­¡± he moves his hand in a circular motion as if searching for just the right word, ¡°Necessary.¡±

    He picks up his tray and gives me a nod. I yell at him to stop and when he doesn''t, I can''t resist letting the anger over take me and before I know it a flick of flame is flying towards Talim. It was unintentional but not undesirable.

    Yet to my surprise, Talim turns around and with a single hand reaches out and snuffs the flame.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry I didn''t mean-¡± he cuts me off with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°Your anger over Kay is admirable, my Zeroth, but perhaps your efforts are better spent elsewhere, ya?¡± With that, he turns and walks away.

    God, what is going on with this world? I feel nauseous. With wavering steps, I make my way back to Kay.

    Inside the room I findher in the exact same position from before. It looks like she hasn''t moved, more of a statue than ever before. I sit her tray down on the table and sit in a chair with mine.

    Kay makes no motion to the food despite the cry of her stomach. My food goes down my throat like sand as I stare into her near-dead eyes. I finish quickly and decide to move around the bed, laying down. I hesitantly reach out to Kay only to have her yank away.

    With a sigh I grab Kay and with all the strength I can muster and pull her down to me. With her back towards me there''s little she can do to shrug me off without taking her hands off that treasure of hers.

    She gives up eventually, and I squeeze her tighter to me. I can only hope my warmth can transmit something to her- anything that can be comforting, however small. With these thoughts swirling in my mind I fall asleep, the exhaustion of my day taking me away.

    I leave the room when I wake up sometime in the morning. I find the others in the cafeteria.

    ¡°Any luck?¡± Mimi asks around her food. She gets a shy smile when she notices Roses glare. I can''t help but smile even with such heaviness in my heart. ¡°No,¡± is all I can say when I sit down.

    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s wrong with her exactly?¡± I ask. Neither of them try to humor me with an answer.

    ¡°The issue is,¡± a voice says from behind before taking a seat next to me and continueing,¡°She¡¯s had a rough past, both distant and presently.¡± Talim says, ignoring my glare.

    ¡°And what do you believe you know of our Kay, Lord Nine?¡± Rose¡¯s question is full of unmasked suspicion.

    ¡°Damn straight I am.¡± His chest puffs with pride.

    ¡°Knight or not, I will hit you if you keep making light of Kay,¡± Mimi says. A small spark dances between her eyes.

    Talim makes out like he''s scared but I can tell that just beneath the surface, he''s holding onto something tight. He''s not intimidated in the slightest. Is it false bravado, or is he as in control of the situation as he planned?

    ¡°Are you going to cut the bullshit or not?¡± I snap at him.

    He slides a note to the center of the table while chomping down loudly on his fruit.

    ¡°Don''t say I never did nothin¡¯ ya hear?¡± He mumbles before getting up and leaving.

    We look at the note in the table.

    ¡°What''s up with that guy?¡± Mimi asks with an arched eyebrow.

    I reach out and pull the note to me. Rose leans over to get a better view of the note. Her lavender scent tickles my nose and causes my heart to palpitate.

    ¡°An address?¡± She reads it off.

    After taking way too long to reply she looks up at me, a rare treat considering our usual positions.

    ¡°I, uh, yeah. That''s what it looks like,¡± I look away in a panic, but not before catching Mimi¡¯s silent laugh.

    Rose looks between us questioningly. I clear my throat, guilt washing over me. I need to get myself together. My Kay is suffering and here I am losing myself to something stupid.

    ¡°What do you think it means?¡± I ask.

    Mimi is up and pulling on me just in time for me to catch what she says, ¡°Let''s check it out. That''s near the harbor.¡±

    With that, we leave the Academy and head towards a part of the city I haven''t been to before. I''m both elated and saddened at how my curiosity goes into full drive. I know the correct mindset here is to be full of thoughts of Kay but I can''t help my other instincts. We pass through an archway that seems to dictate the line between the commercial district of the city proper, and the workers or manufacture district.

    The people take notice of us, but seem too preoccupied with their own work to give us too much thought. The buildings lose their livelihood the further we go into the district and bit by bit buildings with designs specifically for various trades start to pop up.

    As with the main city most of these buildings are made with some kind of lighter, marble-esque material. Only here, they tend to get darker and dirtier.

    The scent of the sea hits me at first. It''s salty reminder causes pangs of homesickness within me.

    I remember as a kid, before I knew better, I would sneak off to the beaches to play. They were the perfect places for my friends and I to play since they were always deserted. Eventually the adults caught wind of our adventures and we were severely punished, thus bringing an end to our childlike games.

    The harbor came into view and expanded out, claiming the ocean. ¡°It looks like it''s down this street,¡± Rose shifts to a side road. Before long a raggedy, almost inn-looking building comes into view.

    ¡°Arcadia Orphanage¡± says the sign out front- feeling weirdly proud for being able to read the intricate lettering.

    But the wind is quickly taken out of my sails when, beside me, Mimi speaks up in a hushed tone, ¡°Looks abandoned¡­¡±

 Chapter 20 - Almost - Part 2

    Almost - Part 2

    I shift my gaze from her, back to the building. I can''t help but feel inclined to agree, this place looks abandoned- like it hasnt'' been touched in a decade. Rose nods. She turns to a passing person and asks them about the building. Evidently, it was an orphanage directed by a woman who died around ten years ago. Upon her passing there was no one to maintain it and the children were scattered to the winds by basicallyanyone who would take them. I don''t think Talim would have sent us here on a wild goose chase though. So I decide tofind myself a way in.

    It was surprisinglyeasy once I started to ignore the other''s protest. The front door swung open, albeit with required force. An aroma of mold and dust hits me but I ignore it, after a small cough, and step in. I make my way deeper into the dimly lit house using the windows as guidance. As we make our way to what appears to be the lobby, Rose gradually gets closer and closer to me. By the time we reach some kind of front desk she has a death grip on my arm.

    The sound of something falling to our side causes her to let out a yelp and latch onto me harder. Mimi lets out a laugh and apologizes. It looks like she knocked over an old vase. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you¡¯re such a scaredy cat Rose,¡± I tease.

    ¡°I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she bluffs.

    But it loses all effect as Mimi pops up right in front of her and she screams. Mimi starts laughing hysterically and Rose musters the hardest glare she possiblycan at Mimi. I''m doing my best to keep from laughing too but it''s so hard. She¡¯s so cute. While Mimi fends for her life against Rose, I make way upstairs. The stairs creak beneath my weight and threaten to give out from under me.

    I move down a hallway lit with nothing but a single dusty window at the end of it. I drag my fingers across the wall with each deliberate step. The dust caked on the wall colors my fingers and the floor in equal measure. I come to a door on my right and open it. Inside appears to have been a room someone lived in. It was barren now,giving little indication that it wasn''t always the case.

    There was a bed in the left corner stripped bare of even its mattress. A large, dust-caked mirror hangs above a vanity- on which rests a single book. When I slide my fingers down it, engraved letters respond. The book jumps open, causing a massive amount of dust to explode into the room. It''s so thick that I literally am unable to breath. I snatch the book and run back downstairs and outside, drawing the attention of the two who promptly followed me in confusion.

    Mimi is patting my back as I hack and cough up thick globs of phlegm and dust. ¡°Is that a book?¡± Rose asks an obvious question when my breathing seems to stabilize. I give her a nod and hold it out in front of me. As I shake it, thick dust goes everywhere causing a reaction from the two. Being near the ocean had its perks though, as a breeze quickly sweeps the dust away.

    I quickly flip through its pages and find a rather inane set of writings within. ¡°I can''t understand it,,¡± Rose says while looking over my shoulder. I close my eyes for a moment before forcing the book to join me.

    ¡°Perhapswe''re not supposed to."

    I shove the book into my pocket and start back towards the Academy. ¡°Rose,¡± I call as we walk away from the orphanage. ¡°Bring Vol by the hospital tomorrow alright?¡± She gives a hesitant nod.

    When we arrive back at the Academy, I say goodbye to the others so they can get food and go to their rooms they''ve been loaned for our stay. I pay Dom a visit despite how late it is. He''ll just have to deal with it. At least, hope he''ll still be in his office.

    My luck holds out as Dom is still pouring over a book by candlelight at his desk. He looks up when he notices me entering. ¡°Always one to skirt decorum hm?¡± I ignore his comment and take a seat across his desk. ¡°If you''re here about the research then I suggest you speak with Ninavin. The details escape me, but progress has improved by leaps and bounds from my understanding. Your way home is all but secured.¡±

    I feel lightheaded at this news. Home. My sweet home is so close. I miss Grandpa and even Jaimie. I make a promise to myself to visit Rachel¡¯s grave when I return home. It''s been far too long and I have so much to tell her. Despite my elation, I have to focus on what I can do here and now with my own two hands, however.

    ¡°That''s wonderful news Dombut that''s not why I''m here tonight,¡± while sliding the notebook I found to him.

    Dom looks at it, then at me. ¡°And?¡± He asks while opening it. ¡°Gibberish,¡± he says.

    ¡°I found it in a room upstairs at an Orphanage calledArcadia.¡±

    He looks sorrowful as he reminisces. ¡°Ah. You''re concerned about Miss Smith. Yet how did you come across this information?¡±

    "So it''s the truth then? Kay is an orphan and grew up there?"

    ¡°It would seem I say too much in my old age. But yes, you have the right of it.¡± He gives me a nod and returns to the pages, slowly running his hand over the pages within. ¡°¡®Tis a shame what happened there.¡±

    I go to question him about it but he slowly shakes his head. ¡°Perhaps you should get that story, and this-¡± he gestures to the book, ¡°Information from the girl herself.¡±

    ¡°Even you can provide wise counsel occasionally, ne?¡±

    He gets a twinkle in his eye and says, ¡°Occasionally, ¡± before seeing me off.

    When I enter Kay¡¯s room, I find her fast asleep. I decide my plan for tomorrow and lay down to go to sleep beside her. To my surprise, she cuddles into me. At least some part of her is still there, even if only in dreams.

    Morning comes and I do my usual routine. Only today we have a little guest in the form of Vol. He''s gotten so big. He''s above my stomach nowadays. We talk while we eat and I promise him we''ll play today. We decide tomeet in the courtyard in an hour. It''s time to break this misery over Kay.

    She''s awake, if you can call it that, when I enter. ¡°Kay, let''s get you some fresh air. It''s not healthy to be like this.¡± She doesn''t even budge. Well, I expected as much. So I scoop her up and carry her. Surprisingly,she doesn''t fight me about it.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    She¡¯s light as a feather in my arms, and even in this state, with her unfocused eyes and incoherent emotions splattered across her face, her warmth still fills me. I hope to all there is that this works. With these thoughts, I find myself in the courtyard, Kay in tow. Even in her current state, she can¡¯t help but take a small peek around in curiosity.

    I find a soft, clean patch of grass and sit her down. Her grip on her bird tightens, but her eyes wander around. Not even five minutes later, Vol comes running at us in the distance. Immediately, Kay tenses up and looks in his direction. His beaming face greets us as he comes to a stop. His dirty-blond curls bounce around from the momentum. He moves those blue eyes to Kay and gives his toothy grin. ¡°Kay!¡± he yells and tackles her into a big hug.

    ¡°Your move,¡± I mumble to myself.

    Or rather, judging by the absolute hate in her eyes, Kay seems to have heard me. I give her a shrug and set down beside her. ¡°Is something wrong Kay?¡± Vol asks.

    She avoids his gaze and gives a small head shake. ¡°Oh that¡¯s cool, is that a statue?¡± He asks while admiring the bird. Kay squeezes it closer to herself and shakes her head more violently than before.

    ¡°It¡¯s reallypretty,¡± he tells her. I can¡¯t help but give him the same look as Kay- confusion. How could anyone think thatthing is cute? It¡¯s a dead bird frozen solid with half of its feathers missing.

    ¡°Really?¡± Kay speaks for the first time in nearly a week now. Her voice is even raspier than usual from disuse.

    Vol gives a nod and continues with his line of thought, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not good at art and Mama scolds me for it,¡± he gives a bashful grin and rubs the back of his head. ¡°But, it was living once, right? And here it is now, in some kind of tra-trans-tran... sitation?¡± Well, he tried at least.

    ¡°Transition?¡± I ask.

    ¡°That!¡± he bobs his head. ¡°And um, that reminds me of you Kay!¡± he points at her. I¡¯m completely taken aback. For a child to say something like that boggles my mind. Kay seems to be along the same line of thought and glances up at me. I give her a shrug.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asks. But he shrugs and grabs the bird from her quickly. Before she can react, he hands it to me and looks back to her.

    During that briefmoment before he could see her face again, I believe with all of my soul that had it been anyone besides Vol, would have killed them.

    ¡°Give me that back!¡± she shouts with considerable force and a voice louder than I¡¯ve ever heard.

    ¡°Gotta win then!¡± he says and tags her before taking off. Her face contorts into madness and I can see her restraint failing her.

    ¡°Kay, it¡¯s Vol.¡± She looks at me with pure malice.

    ¡°Your fault!¡± She stomps off after Vol, leaving me with that resentment.

    Hours pass by before I know it. Her expression transformed from anger to what I could only callcompassion. Yet when she looks at me, it''s in disgusts.

    But so long as she gets better, I''ll take the fall for this. Hell, if I could make this world better for them all¡­ I think I would take the fall for it all.

    But this line of thought is interrupted when I notice Vol telling us goodbye. I stand up just in time to have the bird ripped from my hands and a punch to connect to my jaw. I''m seeing stars and the blue sky. What an odd combination. I sit up with pain pulsating through me.

    ¡°Tonight¡± she spits out, then leaves.

    Suffice to say, as night rolls around, I get increasingly nervous. Kay never returned to her room. But around midnight, I started to doze off when I heard the door open. Through heavy eyes, I see Kay in the frame. With only a nod, she turns around and leaves. I take it she wants me to follow her.

    When we arrive on the roof- oh god, here again- she stops in the center. When Kay faces me her expression is a mask but I can tell just beneath, there is a roaring maelstrom of anger. I can''t believe this. Am I seriously going to fight another friend? I''m just going to get my ass kicked again. I thought beating the hell out each other, then making up afterward was a guy thing?

    Well, not that I would know. Fighting is obviously a huge taboo where I come from. With a sigh, I take my stance, ready for Kay to make her move. She takes slow, deliberate steps towards me untilshe''swithin a few feet. She starts to move and I brace myself.

    Yet to my surprise, she was bent over- bowing. I give her a cautious look but she doesn''t make a move. ¡°What is this Kay? This isn''t how kicking my ass usually starts.¡±

    She finally raises her head and gives me a ¡°huh?¡± look. ¡°You''re not gonna beat the hell out of me?¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Her quiet voice echoes around me.

    ¡°Because I''m an asshole?¡±

    Kay takes another step and extends her hand out. She places it in my chest, then pulls back with a confused look.

    But she seems to shake it off and places her hand back on my chest, over my heart. She peers down at me, and a smile blossoms on her face. ¡°You try,¡± she says before removing her hand and sitting down, leaning on the wall. I''ve never seen Kay look the way she does now. I can''t quite place it. Maybe sadness mixed with a deeper kind of despair? Either way, I sit down next to her.

    It''s only then that I realize she¡¯s holding the bird again. She catches me eyeing it and holds it up to me with trepidation. I reach out and run my fingers over the casing. It''s glass at this point,really. When I finish, she pulls it back and lays it on her lap. She stares off into space while petting the statue. ¡°I grew up in an orphanage,¡± she quietly says.

    I turn my eyes directly towards hers. ¡°Yeah?¡± She nods.

    ¡°From when I could remember, until I was six, nearly eleven years ago.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, though Ithink I know most of the story.

    ¡°Man wanted to¡­ buy up the female children. Mah¡¯lum wouldn¡¯t let him.¡± She grows sadder in her countenance. ¡°His people took who they could, and they took Maliefrom us.¡±

    Tears fall from her eyes. I feel so bad for her. I wrap an arm around her and pull her close. Kay leans her head on my shoulder and makes no effort to brush her tears away. They fall with a collectiveploponto the ground. They tease us with their unity, formed from a girl who believed herself to be, very much alone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Kay. I really, truly am.¡±

    She shakes her head at me and continues her tale.

    ¡°I got away, and found the men days later. I was young, so they paid me no mind when I moved around the inn they were celebrating at. No one did. I was just a lost thing.¡±

    I use a finger to move the bangs from her eyes, hoping to give her some amount of comfort.

    ¡°By the time the fire started, the doors were barricaded. The building went down in smoke, and soot painted the sky.¡±

    ¡°So you killed them for what they did to you and your family? I can¡¯t say it was right, but I can say there aren¡¯t many who wouldn¡¯t sympathize.¡±

    She glances up at me, ¡°The inn wasn¡¯t theirs alone.¡±

    Understanding dawned on me at that. She took out everyone in orderto take out those men. I can¡¯t imagine it, and certainlycan¡¯t imagine what it¡¯s done to her.

    She seems to recognize my look and says with a shake of her head, ¡°No. I felt nothing about it. I think that¡¯s why Ame took me in.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I ask, fearing what I willhear next.

    She blinks tears away and says, ¡°The leader of the Arkadastic Order¡­¡±

    I look on in confusion so she clarifies, ¡°ArkO is the deadliest group of trained killers in the world. Many believe them to be a myth. But we were real, are real.¡±

    And like that, the disconnection hits. No matter how much I grow used to this world, I will never truly be one of its denizen will I?

    ¡°And this ''Ame'' is their leader? And what? Took you in?¡± Kay¡¯s eyes sparkle when she speaks now.

    ¡°In not so many words.¡±

    Oh the irony, my dear Kay.

    ¡°She found out what I did. Requested me. Trained me. Only the best can murder the way I do.¡±

    I''ve never seen Kay so happy before, so full of pride- and it sends shivers down my spine.

    ¡°And so I became the Vagar of murder,¡± she says absolutelybeaming with a smile that dances ear to ear.

 Chapter 20 - Almost - Part 3

    Almost - Part 3

    My throat is parched and threatens to close in on itself. I really didn''t know anything about Kay, did I?

    "Two years ago, the Consulate brought the Vagars together. I don''t know how they knew about me. I never left evidence. But matters of the Zeroth can''t be ignored. So Ame forced me to go.¡±

    Her voice became wispy, as if recalling a dream as she spoke of this "Ame."

    ¡°No one would have imagined me being chosen.¡± Kay''s tears start to fall again. She clings to me and wails ferociously, beastly. I can do nothing for her,besides hold her tight.

    She tries to continue weaving her tale through thick sobs, ¡°Ame was gone when I returned.¡± My heart froze.

    ¡°She¡­ died?¡± Kay denies me with fervor.

    ¡°Just gone. My Ame was¡­ just not there.¡±HerAme¡­ This goes much further than I thought.

    ¡°Your¡­ Ame¡­ what does um-¡± I don''t know how to ask, but Kay notices my eyes darting to the bird. Her eyes form small slits for a moment before speaking up. ¡°Ame¡¯s method.¡±

    I think I understand.

    ¡°You''re saying that she used this bird to send messages before? Which would mean¡­¡±

    My sentence hangs between us for only a moment before she prattles on with a look of pure bliss, ¡°She¡¯s returned for me.¡±

    My heart sinks. My frozen spine ignites from a fit of furious jealousy that is so unlike me. It literally manifests itself in my eyes. Kay¡¯s face grows with fear as she scoots back. The flames flick out and singe the air around us.

    I don''t understand this feeling, nor can I place this jealousy. But the thought ofmyKay loving another, calls forth a wave of anger to burn from the deepest recess of my soul.

    But I close my eyes and breathe deep. I try to wrangle in the power. It''s getting further out of my control and has seemingly learned to exist against my protest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don''t know what''s happening to me. It''s getting harder to control myself.¡±

    She reaches out and pets my head. She''s so sweet and gentle. It''s so hard to believe she¡¯s so vile. But, is it really her fault? Can I blame her when her growth was directly correlated to the path the world set her on?

    Within my mind floats the bubbles of memories, coalescing near the surface, giving me glances at Rachel during her lifetime. From deeper still, does thoughts of Fennis pop like the ephemeral entity they are.

    Ultimately I don''t know. But it saddens me deeply. This molasses-like darkness is a thick brew of pain and despair. It accompanies me so often these days.

    ¡°Thank you Kay. But I''m alright. But this means you started your¡­ practice again because of this bird?¡± She shakes her head.

    That''s unexpected. ¡°Then why?¡±

    Kay stands. ¡°To see her again. But I would have been a disappointment had she seen me how I''ve been recently. And I only realized that because of you.¡± She reaches down and helps me up, not stopping at just pulling, and instead, pulls me into her arms.

    Kay¡¯s lips are warm, if chapped. Her inexperience is more baffling now than ever with Ame thrown onto the mix.

    At that thought, the fire consumes me again. I kiss Kay back with enough force to catch her off guard. She stumbles backward against the wall. My kisses are varied and forceful. When her defenses weaken I slide my tongue into her mouth and violate her flesh with mine. Soft moans escape her as I force our bodies together and run my fingers up and down her neck.

    Kay wraps her arms around my neck, completely pulling me against her. She cups my chest, and surprise accosted her again, noted by her reflex to jerk her away.

    I nip at her bottom lip and with a guttural sound of need in the back of my throat, I yank her hand back to my chest. She doesn''t resist this time and opts to grab at me with rough, clumsy hands- but it feels divine.

    The skylights up around us in a blaze. The heat it creates causes the last barrier of my morals to break. I''m so warm. I want her, now. It''s hot. So, so hot.

    I stop kissing her for a moment, much to her chagrin.

    But I can''t help it. It''s really¡­ hot? I look around us and my stomach falls. Kay tries to yank me back toward her but I put up my hands to stop her.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Kay¡­¡± her eyes regain focus at my tone and she turns around to see the world on fire- literally.

    Right then the alarm sounds. ¡°What is going on?¡± I ask. She shrugs at me but takes off. I don¡¯t miss a beat and follow her, trying to regain some semblance of control over my mind. Emotions are flaring inside of me in a mix of need and lust. It¡¯s uncomfortable. Furthermore, it¡¯s painful to know that somehow there exists jealousy within me that can spur me on like that.

    As Kay and I move quickly through the empty school building, I take a moment to bring my hand to my chest. Where Kay touched me burns in an uncomfortable way. Yet¡­ I look over at Kay.

    Her eyes are dead set on what¡¯s in front of her. I have no choice but to force myself to focus as we make it outside the Academy just in time to meet everyone else. ¡°Zero!¡± Rose shouts out. Mimi and several others turn to us.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± breath ragged and trying.

    ¡°A group of citizens were spurred to action by the Outlanders to revolt. Half of the lower quarters are on fire,¡± Charlie says.

    I smile when I notice her, but her smile is strained in its return. ¡°Then let¡¯s go help!¡± I shout.

    Gabe turns to us and speaks up.

    ¡°Absolutely not. Your place isn¡¯t to interfere. Leave this to the Consulate.¡± With that, he turns back to the group of guards in front of him, giving orders like a professional. ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Zero,¡± Charlie tells me while running a hand through my hair. ¡°He has the right of it though. Technically speaking, the Zeroth has no right to interfere. So instead, please, put your trust in myself and the others to resolve this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not right!¡± Desperation coats my words.

    ¡°But Charlotte is right, Zero.¡±

    ¡°Not you too Mimi¡­¡± I growl despondently. She gives my arm a hug, causing my body to heat up. To my left Kay is expressionless, and yet, her eyes are a touch more squinted than usual. Mimi doesn¡¯t miss this. ¡°Oh? Nice of you to come back to us, Ezom,¡± she says to Kay.

    ¡°Ezom?¡± I ask in confusion.

    Mimi looks at me with her mischievous smile dancing upon her lips, and replies through a stifled-laugh, ¡°Maybe when you''re older, I''ll tell you.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t I older than you?¡±

    ¡°Details,¡± she says with a shrug.

    I can tell Kay is grinding her teeth in anger and threatens to strike out against Mimi. I have to break the tension.

    But before I can, a male¡¯s voice speaks up behind me.¡±Ezom, one of the undead.¡± I turn around to see Kyle.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Ezom. Old language for the undead. Your face was clear, your understanding was lacking. Thus I have enlightened you. You are welcomed.¡± When I look at him, I see he¡¯s as impeccably dressed as always, despite the hour. He¡¯s welding a tome and some kind of quill.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± curiosity overcomes me.

    ¡°I preserve history, your Lordship. If I am ever able to fulfill my purpose, would something like now not be the time?¡±

    With that, he gives a wave and heads off down toward the gate.

    ¡°Wait!¡± He simply waves once again over his shoulder without losing momentum.

    ¡°That fool of a man.v Charlie speaks up. She turns toward me, ¡°I have to go now my Zero. Please give me your blessing, just in case.¡±

    ¡°Charlie, no. Don¡¯t you dare speak like that!¡± I shake Mimi off of me and throw my arms around her. She looks surprised for a moment before returning my embrace.

    ''Tis an honor, your feelings. However, my path is clear. I have to protect and serve.''

    ¡°You may die for strangers.¡± I plead.

    ¡°I may die for you. And that is enough.¡± She pushes me away from her and plants a kiss on top of my head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you get away with that, this one time, but-¡± Mimi reaches out her arm to Charlie, ¡°In return, you must come back to us. I will not permit anyone to makemyZero upset.¡± She confesses with a boastful smile. Charlie gives a laugh and a nod.

    She claps forearm to forearm with Mimi. Kay seems mad in general, but appears to be able to set all of that aside for now as she reaches out and clasps Charlie¡¯s other arm.

    ¡°Return,¡± is all she says before breaking their connection. Charlie gives us a nod and runs off. After moments of discussion with the other knights, she rides into town on one of those six-legged horse-things.

    ¡°She¡¯s a tough gal. She¡¯ll be alright.¡± Talim speaks up as he approaches us.

    Seeing him instantly puts me on guard. Not just because I don¡¯t trust him, but also because of Kay. I don¡¯t know how I missed it before, but the way he looks at her tells me everything. He knows her. Not that I needed more proof. He already knew far too much about her past. Perhaps he knew everything from the beginning.

    ¡°Woah there. If looks could kill!¡± he directs towards me while rubbing his chin.

    It takes me a second to figure out what he¡¯s talking about, but then I realize my face is pulled tight. ¡°Sorry. Long day.¡±

    He looks towards Kay, ¡°Righto.¡±

    ¡°Say, Kay.¡± He motions to her.

    She turns an uninterested look his way. ¡°When this is over, look towards the frog, for it is hungry. Follow its prey to the star.¡±

    Kay tilts her head in confusion but nods anyway. I have a feeling I¡¯m not gonna like how this ends. But there it is. A new thread in this fate¡¯s bastardized tapestry has been woven.

    ¡°I have to go and put my life on the line now, ladies,¡± he says with an inflection of his accent at the end. Could he know about me? There¡¯s no way. No one knows, not for long anyway...

    When I drop my thoughts, he¡¯s gone. I feel a hug from behind and look up to see Rose. ¡°Come, you need rest. By tomorrow, things will be resolved.¡±

    I try to argue but she hushes me and I can¡¯t find the will to argue back. Man, I havegotto learn how to do that.

 Chapter 20 - Almost - Part 4

    Almost - Part 4

    ¡°I¡¯m really worried,¡± I tell the others as Rose is brushing out my hair.

    ¡°For Charlotte?¡± Mimi asks in between bites of some kind of fruit.

    ¡°That too, of course. But this is getting absurd, isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t been here long but, the violence has increased dramatically.¡±

    Rose tugs on my hair as she works out a knot.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t our concern Zero. The workings of the everyman are separate from your duties.¡±

    ¡°And what are those duties Rose? Or Mimi, perhaps you could tell me? Kay? Now that you¡¯re better, can you explain to me why I¡¯m sitting here- whywe¡¯resitting here as the city burns below, and people are losing their lives. Why am I allowing Charlie to put her life on the line and yet am keeping to myself here, having my hair groomed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not our place to say,¡± Rose chimes in as she finishes my hair.

    ¡°So let me get this straight. It¡¯s not my,theZeroth¡¯s place to say what it is I do. Nor is it the closest people to me. Nor is it the people in charge.So you¡¯re saying absolutely no one is qualified to decide what the Zeroth can and cannot do?¡± Exasperation and disbelief falls out of me.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Rose looks to Kay for help, who only shrugs in return.

    ¡°Hm. When put like that, that¡¯s actually kind of strange.¡± Mimi speaks around the final bite of her fruit.

    ¡°Then why do you, and everyone else profess it?¡±

    BThey look at one another.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± Kay says with her signature head-tilt.

    ¡°I¡¯ll confess Zero, you¡¯re the first to ever bring it up, at least that I¡¯m aware of. My whole life at least-¡± Rose looks around at the others before continuing, ¡°Our whole lives, we¡¯ve been told to obey the Zeroth, not question. We¡¯ve been told that the Zeroth doesn¡¯t bother with us, below his station.¡±

    My head sinks into my hands. ¡°Ok. I¡¯m going to go pay Dom a visit. I didn¡¯t see him outside so he¡¯s probably in his office.¡±

    I stand up, and they follow. ¡°No. I¡¯m going alone. You three get some rest.¡±

    With that, I leave the room.

    Dom is standing in front of the window with a sour expression when I enter his office. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°My city is burning and you think me too distracted to notice a lumbering Rizhack?¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I don''t know what that is, Dom.¡±

    He sighs and turns to me with a stoney face. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s the research with Nina going?¡± His face turns even more dour as a scowl crosses his brow.

    ¡°Even now you seek to run?¡±

    His rebuke cuts me deep. I don''t want to be a coward. But I don''t belong here. I don''t belong in a world where I can change someone else''s life. I don''t want that responsibility; nor am I deserving of it.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    That''s all I can say. I have to own my shame, if nothing else.

    Dom¡¯s face relaxes some as pity encased his eyes. ¡°Your honesty is admirable if nothing else.¡±

    He nods and continues, ¡°Ninavin has made great progress. We are on the precipice of an advent never before achieved. But for the specifics, you should consult her.¡±

    ¡°And your own research?¡±

    ¡°Few and far. ¡®Tis trifling but unavoidable.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry. Even at my best, I still can''t help you¡­¡±

    Dom twitches his fingers and two chairs come sliding across the floor. He offers me a seat alongside him.

    When seated he begins, ¡°Zero. Have you noticed issues with those closest to you? Changes in personalities perhaps?¡±

    ¡°I suppose? I didn''t know anyone before I came here, obviously. I still don''t really know them. But, sure. Some of their actions have seemed off at times.¡±

    ¡°I can''t quantify it. And it''s purely conjecture but, I believe it''s something you''re doing.¡± He looks at me, deep in thought while stroking his beard.

    I''ve always known it''s because of me, because of this bullshit cursed upon me. But to have him point it out pisses me off.

    ¡°I understand my misfortune plenty Dom. You don''t have to be an ass.¡±

    He gives a hearty laugh and shakes his head.

    ¡°No, Zero. It isn''t to discourage you.¡± He reaches out and takes my hand.

    ¡°It is agiftchild. You have control over something no one else does.¡±

    I yank my hand away.

    ¡°That''s the problem! It¡¯s not! I can''t be responsible for shaping another''s life!¡±

    His nod answers me dismissively.

    ¡°I''m leaving now. Thanks for your time.¡±

    I can''t stay here.

    I scurry across the room to the door just in time to hear the violent sounds of explosions in the distance. I turn to face the window from before and join Dom again.

    ¡°My, my. The fighting intensifies.¡±

    I start chewing on my bottom lip in worry. I''ve tried so hard to ignore this feeling inside of me- the worry and guilt I feel at leaving the events in the city to Charlie and the others. My cowardice is all consuming, but I am me. I can''t change that. I have to run.

    That''s been my entire life- my raison d¡¯etre.

    I ran from Rachel and it killed her. I ran from Him and ended up here. He probably thinks I stood him up. And now, I''ve ran at almost every step in this world.

    ¡°They fight, don''t you know it. And with each blow delivered... and every taken, they set in motion an event to come. Every life taken is a mother, daughter, son, father, wife or husband.¡±

    Dom turns to me, his words thrumming inside my skull.

    ¡°Who really plays at fate then? Those who stand and fall? Or those who take to inaction, letting things around them run their course."

    ¡°No. Our situations aren¡¯t the same, you can¡¯t compare them. No one is capable of understanding what is happening to me.¡±

    Tears threaten to fall. My fate- too much to bare. Why can he not understand? And yet an answer comes.

 Chapter 20 - Almost - Part 5

    Almost - Part 5

    Dom doesn''t take his eyes off of the windowed view as he answers me.

    ¡°My dear, you do not understand another any better than another, you. You over buy yourself; else you sell short others.¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You may think you¡¯re special, but know what say, I? To hell with your worries and your exhaustion. To hell with your thinking and your fear- your prejudices against the unforeseen. You dwell on that which you can not control in the now, and let slip through your fingers, choices that only now offers.¡±

    His words cut to my core. They make sense in a way. I keep hiding behind these thoughts, allowing everything to pass me by. If I don¡¯t have to face the hard choices, then I have no choices to make at all.

    But that¡¯s fine with me...

    Dom looks at me softly and puts a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Perhaps you should check in with Ninavin. I have taken much of your time tonight.¡±

    With resignation, I leave the area. I can¡¯t help but think about what he told me. Surely I¡¯m not making the wrong choices right?

    Following the corridors to her lab, I can¡¯t help but ponder Dom¡¯s message over and over.

    I¡¯m not part of this world, sosurelyI have no rights in it, right? Even if I did possess rights to comment on what''s happening, surely having the power to manipulate people''s lives is beyond me. I''m just a girl who wants to go home.

    I can''t say every moment here has been terrible. Sure, the beginning was especially cruel and unfortunate, but it''s gotten better. I''ve gotten to meet wonderful people.

    Like the energetic, but playful Mimi. She started off sticking to me like a ball-and-chain. She beat into me her resentment at her fate. And then, she became my friend.

    Kay, with her multifaceted origins, has become a welcomed enigma in my life. She''s terrifying and leads a life I can''t agree with, but I want to be there for her pain. She arouses me in ways I''m not¡­ sure about. I want to get closer to her.

    And Rose. My Rose. She cares about us and protects us. She uses that as an excuse to stop herself from getting close to us. But Iwantto get close to her. I want to know what she''s like underneath.

    And of courseI could never forget about my dutiful teacher, my forceful guardian- Charlotte. I altered her lifemore so than others because she''s just a soldier. Meeting me threw her fate off even more than my wives. Yet the further she should be from me, the closer we become.

    My girls phase through my mind one by one. My head pounds and throbs in a way I haven''t experienced in a long time. I don''t know why she would come out now but here she is.

    She¡¯s just beneath the surface trying to break free. But I force her down. I can''t lose it right now.

    ¡°Nina?¡± I say through pained breath.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The door opens and there stands the girl who''s name escapes me as whispers. Her face is tired and worn, but still lights up the area around us as her smile grows much too large for one so small.

    I can''t help but pull her into my arms. She gives a little yelp. ¡°Evangeline-sama. What is it?¡±

    I release her and kiss her forehead. Nina is my rock. In this world she has been the one constant. No crazy ass mood swings. No confusing my libido¡­ mostly. Just a rock solid confidant.

    ¡°I hear you have good news.¡±

    She givesmeme another smile but before she can answer, a shock wavesmashes through the Academy.

    The ground shakes violently, sending me flying down the hall. Nina falls back into her room. Adrenaline kicks in and I roll my landing and stand up. Before I know it, I¡¯m dashing down the hall back to Nina. Just in time too, as the side of the Academy walls explodes inward just as I dash in and cover Nina.

    Rocks and other debris rain down on us as another quake shakes us. I shrug off what I can and check on Nina. She looks discombobulated and confused, but otherwise fine.

    I look towards the crumbling walls and see nightmare given corporeal form. What I see is large and grotesque.

    Standing easily ten feet tall, its face is misshapen and vile. A black sludge drips from its skin making a sickeningthunkas it lands in the grass.

    Adorned on its face is a horrible grin, moving not from ear to ear, but chin to forehead. Its one eye glows with a crimson red as it stares on in a look of unbridled, animalistic rage. With a deafening roar, it raises a massive, deformed trunk of an arm and swings it towards us. I''m unable to react in time- the fear and confusion pinning me.

    With my body having protected Nina, I''m sent flying across the dilapidated ruins of the school. My body feels like putty and my bones feel stressed. I lay in wake but cannot move. The pain is unreal and unfocused. The creature''s arms, easily four or five feetin length, had collided with me at extreme speeds. The trauma has broken my body. However, the fear of what he might do to Nina forces me into overdrive.

    My blood vessels stitch themselves up. My bones set and mend. I stand up with more effort than ever before. I want to say the pain is terrible, but in a way,it isn''t. I hurt so bad all over that instead of an identifiable pain, my body just pulses in protest.

    I look through the debris in time to see another one of its hulking arms swinging at Nina. But she''s sober now and nimbly dodges the brute¡¯s attack.

    I hobble over to her as best as I can. My legs snap into place here and there while my arms make a sickening crack as they realign themselves.

    ¡°Nina!¡± I shout, but she can''t hear me.

    The creature lets out a deafening roar and swings wildly against Nina. She dances between blows until she¡¯s able to slip through his attacks. Once in, a spear of fire forms in her hands and she stabs it into the beast¡¯s chest.

    It screams in pain and flails all over. The spear disappears and in its place an ax of ice forms. With a swing of her blade, the creature''s arm fliesthrough the air. A massive fountain of like black blood paints the air.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Not to be outdone in spectacle, Nina dashes under the creature¡¯s legs, swaps her ice axe out, which glitters into a mistin the air, and pulls out a sword of lightning given form.

    Nina eviscerates its legs. The creatures stumbles forward from the disconnect between itself and the appendages keeping it standing.

    As it falls forward, it catches itself with its one good arm. I see the creature look towards the sky and releases a roar unlike anything before. Within the guttural sounds is a melancholy of sadness.

    Nina wanders onto its back and jams her sword down the creature''s exposed mouth, and out through the back of its skull.

    With athudthe creature falls to the ground, having been thoroughly destroyed by Nina. I run to her the moment I¡¯m able.

    The fact that I came back from such a blow causes a cold chill to wash over me. I don''t know what''s real anymore. But before I can put more thought towards it, Nina sways and falls off of the creature. I catch her in time for dark-red blood to expel itself from her lips.

    She heaves and struggles as what appears to be a seizure overtakes her. I feel powerless and start tocry.

    I call her name and tell her it''ll be ok. I reassure her with all that I am. I tell her she has to pull through. There¡¯s still too much for us to do together. But the fates have proven themselves cruel as her form goes limp in my arms.

    ¡°Nina? Nina! Wake up!¡± I shake her, progressively getting more violent in my attempts.

    Her cold form doesn''t reply to me. I break down into sobs and rock back and forth, cradling her in my arms. This is cruel. Too cruel. You cannottake her from me! Not after everything that¡¯s happened.

    But I receive no voice. No god wishes me well or tells me it''s just how the plan works.

    The fates do not speak up about this practical joke. But an eerie laughdoesecho on the wind and pulls my attention away from Nina. I look all around and can''t see anything. I call out for Rei and receive no response.

    The Valkyries and Dom are nowhere to be seen. Fighting can be heard in the distance, far closer than the city proper. That is where they would be. I have to help them. I don''t want to leave Nina but I have no choice.

    I plant a kiss on her forehead and lay her down onto the soft grass.

    I start toturn and stand, but my arm finds its way into a grasp of steel. A wheezing cough echoes across the courtyard as I turn to see Nina breathing with much effort.

    ¡°Nina!¡± The tears renew their effort and flow freely. ¡°Nina! I thought I lost you!¡±

    I throw my arms around her on the ground and she winced at first. Eventually, she wraps a trembling arm around me for comfort.

    My Nina, even now she¡¯s thinking about me first.

    I shake my head to clear that line of thought and grab her hand. She gives me a weak smile with crimson lips. I dance her knuckles across my lips, forcing a small laugh to wheeze itself out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so easily killed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad,¡± my voice breaks.

    ¡°But Evangeline-sama. It''s time.

    I hesitate to ask for clarification as her free hand reveals a small ring to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s not perfected but it should work.¡±

    Confused, I wrap the ring, and her hand, in mine. ¡°What do you mean? Either way, we have to leave. It''s not safe.¡± She gives another labored laugh.

    ¡°You get to go home, my Evangeline-sama.¡±

    Those words make me soar, then crash. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°This is the device to set you free. You can go home. Take it.¡±

    She trades it into my hand. I hate myself for allowing it to consume my thoughts at a time like this.

    But I can leave this world behind she says.

    I can gohometomyworld. I can see Grandpa and Jamie again. I can pay Rachel¡¯s grave a visit. My eyes flicker between Nina and the ring. But...

    ¡°No. Evangeline-sama you have to think bigger. I will be fine after more rest. The revolt has largely been quashed. You can''t even hear the fighting anymore.¡±

    Much to my surprise, she¡¯s right. The wind around us calm and carries only the smell of death and grass to me.

    ¡°Then once everything has settled down and I''ve said goodbye to everyone-¡± she cuts me off.

    ¡°No. The beast is deadand the aether is higher than ever. But it''s dissipating. The energy required for the machine to work is massive. Until, and only if, the machine is refined, the energy needed can''t be naturally acquired.¡±

    I stare in shock.

    ¡°Then I''ll wait until you do.¡±

    ¡°You may be dead of old age by then. That''s how far beyond me this is. This is it Evangeline. This is where you make your choice.¡±

    My heart is breaking and I feel nauseous.

    ¡°I don''t understand anything! Why does it have to be like this?!¡± I wail aloud. ¡°What evenisthat monster? How do you know about such advanced things? How do you find yourself without surprise at this beast.Whyis there so much you''ve never told me?¡±

    Long bottled-up questions pour out of me like a thick licorice. ¡°Nina. Just what are you? What''s going on?¡±

    She gives me a weak smile and rubs her hand, weak with exhaustion, against my cheek.

    ¡°The Beast is come once again. But felled all the same. In distance, Queen carries a beacon that can not be let alit. But all the same again, I can not interfere more than I have. The Knight is defending justly with Silence, Temper, and Mother.¡±

    Nina¡¯s eyes seem to glaze over as she mumbles incoherently. But as quickly as she changed once, she¡¯s changed back.

    "Nina, what¡¯re you-" I''m cut off as the surrounding airhissesand distort.

    ¡°The time is now Zero. There won''t be another,¡± her words fall in an uncharacteristically slow manner.

    This is it. This is the ultimate choice offered by fate. I can choose tocontinue being a coward and run from this world, probably never to see them again.

    I can stand my ground and try to make a life here, as a fake.

    But in both choices, I have to give up people who mean everything to me. My hesitation is clear as day and Nina takes note.

    ¡°Evangeline, there is no choice,¡± She sits herself up and sends a weak glare towards me.

    ¡°Listen. I haven''t gotten to mention, and I didn''t want it to seem like I was forcing you.¡±

    I look at her incredulously. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you leave-¡± she coughs violently but holds up a hand when I try to help her again. With a struggle, she stands.

    ¡°If you leave, I posit that the strings will break.¡±

    My very core jolts in response. ¡°I¡­ will free everyone?¡± She gives me a hesitant nod.

    ¡°If that''s how you choose toview it.¡±

    ¡°How else could I interpret it?¡±

    She gives me a pained look. But then asks me a question instead.

    ¡°Who are you, without your bonds, Zero?¡±

    I can''t answer her; mostly because I don''t really get what she''s asking.

    ¡°But if I''m gone, you can all go back to your normal lives. I won''t manipulate all of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time Zero.¡±

    She touches my hand and everything around us shimmers. I grow cold. Not just from the area, but from the tone Nina has taken. Three times now she¡¯s changed how she calls me.

    She is no longer talking to me as a person but as a thing. She¡¯s making my choice for me. Her cold tone, a reflection of everyone else, I¡¯m sure. My existence here is unnecessary. And so my choice has been made. I turn to the shimmering around us and take hold of a deep breath.

    ¡°I''ll miss all of you¡­¡±

    I let my sentiments hang in the air and take a step forward. My body heats upand tingles. I turn to take a selfish, last look at Nina. All so I¡¯d have one last memory of my shame.

    Rachel, forgive me for weakness.

    The world starts to fade away as I catch a last look of Nina. She¡¯s smiling the most beautiful one she¡¯s ever given me. But tears stream from her face. Her despair radiates outward and drains into the enclosing space.

    I realize at the last moment that perhaps this was her plan all along. She knew I would hesitate and so she pushed me.

    Just as when I first arrived in Arsea, she saved me. She¡¯d gone beyond herself to make me whole.

    Those thoughts are the last I''ll ever have of Arsea in the present.

    My world fades to black and a searing pain envelops me. A blood-curdling scream of pure agony escapes me as the concrete rips open my knees and hands.

    A murmur of voices surrounds me. When I look up, I''m staring into the gaping maws of dumbfounded people.

    The surrounding area, home.

 Chapter 21 - Homecoming - Part 1

    <h1 style="text-align: center">Homecoming - Part 1</h1>

    I''m surrounded by dozens of people all looking down at me.

    I stand up on weary feet and stumble away from the crowd. The sun shines with a brightness I haven''t known in what seems like lifetimes. The world is so loud and all around me things zip by at unbelievable speeds. The crowd doesn''t bother to follow me and I''m glad. It''s not a good feeling to have a crowd watch as you vomit up your entire night''s meal.

    I wrench until nothing else comes andtake a seat under a treeto rest my head againstsomething. I didn''t get to say ¡®goodbye¡¯ to them. That alone breaks my heart. But there are no more tears to fall, and no more energy to try. My eyes fall shut.

    I stirfrom sleep with a hand running through my hair. It feels so comforting that I can''t help but reach out and bring it to my lips. The softness relaxes my lips into a smile.

    ¡°You wouldn''t believe the dream I had.¡± Through still shut eyes, I explain the events I remember of last night to whoever''s lap my head is on.

    ¡°Well, that certainly explains quite a few things then. Seems I''ve missed a lot.¡± The voice is higher pitched than I''m used to.

    I open my eyes curiously and pure white eyes look down on me. My heart beats hurriedly and I jump up with a startled yelp.

    ¡°Holy crap. Gee. What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Missed you too baby.¡±

    She slides up next to me. Her skin against mine feels¡­ normal? What? I scan the immediate area. The smell of the forest hits me. Except it''s no forest. Just beyond the trees, green ones at that, I can see cars zipping by.

    The silence hits me next. Or rather, the lack of it. Every second ticks by with its own harmony.

    ¡°Oh. I''m home.¡±

    ¡°That''s it? You''ve spent how long in Arsea trying to get back home?¡±

    I can''t help but give her a sidelong glance.

    ¡°But then, how are you here?¡±

    I pull up my left hand and notice the once lustrous ring now pulsing a dull shade. But Gee just shrugs her shoulders.

    ¡°I was asleep. When I woke up, you looked so pitiful that I absolutely had to offer you a proper pillow.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I''m certain it had nothing to do with you being a pervert.¡±

    Her eyes give a little sparkle.

    ¡°Wasn''t a compliment,¡± I complain.

    ¡°But what do you mean asleep? How would that bring you here?¡±

    Gee once again looks around.

    ¡°Indeed. But I was sleeping in your shadow so I guess I tagged along. How interesting; today I learned.¡±

    ¡°This is no laughing matter Gee.¡±

    ¡°You''re home. And if that blessing wasn''t enough, you brought Best Wife with you. Everyone wins.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but facepalm. ¡°You¡¯re so simple Gee.¡± She answers me with a almost-shy smile.

    ¡°You won¡¯t fit in with your eyes like that Gee.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Then how about this.¡± She slides her hand over her pretty face and her eyes change into a pretty red.

    ¡°Well, it should work. But it¡¯s it¡¯s still a bit much. More importantly, you still have your magik here?¡±

    With a "Hmmm" she flicks her fingers and a tiny shadow starts to form into a little person on her finger, and then dances. I can¡¯t help but laugh at how adorable it is.

    ¡°I had no idea you could do something like that!¡± I say through giggles.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty about me you don¡¯t know, Zero.¡± She gives me a coy wink then reaches up and rubs my cheek. Weird¡­ no shock like usual.

    ¡°Zero?¡± I shake my head.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I have to get home and I can¡¯t very well just leave you can I?¡±

    I stand up. Gee cocks her head in a rare moment of ¡®cute¡¯ and then takes my hand. Together we start the trek home.

    Well, I call it a trek but truth be told, we ended up in my city. What are the odds of that? The noise is deafening as we move through the people. It''s streets are familiar, but the rest- foreign. Sounds I would have ignored in the past, ring through me now. And the people, thepeople!If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Everywhere I look there''s people. The shear volume of humans around me makes my world feel claustrophobic and tight. To thinkof thesedifferences from here and Arsea, the sparsity of Arsea¡¯s populace compared to my world was hardly noticeable. Perhaps I never truly felt it because my world shrank, yetmyworld grew. Here and now, returning to what came before, the world is suddenly large.

    I have to bob and weave through people, careful to keep in mind taboos I had all but forgotten. To my surprise, Gee has little issue with maneuvering around everyone. But perhaps that makes sense, she¡¯s used to avoiding others. A few miles later, my house comes into view.

    ¡°This is it,¡± I tell Gee. She gives a small whistle.

    ¡°Nothing like the other places around here,huh?¡±

    Her comment causes a small pang of pride to well up in me. But I push it down, and approach the entrance.

    When I sit my arm against the panel, my heart starts to beat wildly. Insane thoughts start popping into my mind out of paranoia. Like, what if the bio-scans don¡¯t pick up on me? I would be devastated. That would mean I truly did change. However, what if theydopick up on me. Then how would I justify my actions in that other world? Could I really blame who I was then, with who I am now, on the Zeroth alone? But my thoughts are cut short as the door opens, with my hand hanging in mid air.

    I look up and up to meet my grandfather¡¯s face- lit with a shock beyond my wildest dreams. This man is a hulk, even if he is sweet on the inside- a lifetime of being the biggest, meanest, strongest man alive hardly taught him to show surprise. Yet here it is.

    Tears drip down his face like a geyser. My head feels light as I stare at him. I have a million things I wanna say to him. I had never spent more than a week away from my grandpa before. And here I am, returning over a year later. Surely there¡¯s a billion things I could say now. But one above all the rest floats to my mind, out my throat, hangs on my lips, and passes into the air between us.

    ¡°I¡¯m home, Grandpa.¡±

    That seemed to be the exact right thing, at the exact right time. I truly believe there are only a handful of times in life you have the chance to have a perfect moment; and for me, this is it. Like a mountain embracing the land below, Grandpa slams himself into me and embraces me in a way that makes my heart melt. His love was absolute, and forlorn. But just beneath it, sadness mixes with elation as his tears fall like twinkling stars.

    And really, what better ending could I have asked for? I traveled from my world to another. I had an adventure, sort of. Nothing truly world defining happened. I met some people and enjoyed my time with them. Hell, perhaps I even developed some crushes in my stay in Arsea. But this is it. This is the world redefining itself back to the ways of old.

    This momentary lapse of the fate¡¯s time was but a trifling matter, one to let us know what we¡¯re missing out on in the end. But with my grandfather here in my arms, our tears mix and the world rights itself. This is my ending, and this is how its come.

    Someone clears their throat behind us. I jump, having forgotten about my guest.

    So, maybe this isn¡¯t how it all ends. Maybe there is just a bit more to do.

    Grandpa releases me and while wiping his tears, turns to Gee. His gaze hardens and becomes hateful.

    ¡°And you are?¡± He asks in a seething rage.

    ¡°This is Gee, Grandpa. She, um, will have to stay with us for the time being.¡±

    He looks over at me, ¡°You¡¯ve been gone forsix months, haven¡¯t sent even a single message to me, and now you just return with a random woman and I¡¯msuppose to be ok with it?¡±I give him a wry smile. Wait.

    ¡°Sixmonths?!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± confusion pours from him. I turn to Gee but she simply shrugs.

    That¡¯s not right, I¡¯ve been gone for well over a year. What in the world?

    ¡°Eve,¡± he slides a hulking hand around my cheek, and uses his fingers to raise my head. His hard eyes study me intently. I feel like he¡¯s seeing right through me. ¡°Come inside.¡± With that, he turns and walks away, leaving me dumbfounded.

    I recover, and give Gee a nod to the house. Together, we enter.

    It''s exactly like I remember. The walls are a beige color framed by wood. The tiles of the floor are board and smooth. The lighting is dim as we follow the man who raised me through the house.

    I don''t understand why, but I feel like Rei would have liked it here. She''s always so serious and proper. She¡¯d get along with Grandpa.

    A pang of loneliness hits me. I miss her. Now that I think about it, even the residual pounding in my head is gone now. So, even my ever-constant companion is gone. And I miss her all the more for it.

    We pass by the dojo room and nostalgia pecks at me. I look toward grandpa''s back. He looks lonely- matching our empty dojo. The only visitors it had were grandpa, daily, and me, when I actually showed up. But now it''s empty.

    When we arrive to the living room grandpa sits at the table and offers us a chair each, and coffee. We both take it, but Gee¡¯s nose scrunches at the taste. Grandpa pays it no mind and locks his steely gaze on me.

    ¡°So, where have you been Eve? Even the police got involved. A missing persons case hasn''t popped up in over a decade. Everyone thought you were dead.¡± His voice cracked midway through.

    ¡°No Grandpa, I wasn''t missing I was just¡­¡± I couldn''t finish my sentence. What do I tell him? The truth? Impossible.

    ¡°She¡¯s returned and is no worse for wear. She was with friends. Isn''t that good enough?¡± Gee cuts in, causing us both to look at her.

    ¡°This isn''t your business,girl.¡± He retorts in an uncharacteristically cruel way.

    I glare at him. ¡°Grandpa!¡±

    He crumbles slightly and rubs his bald head. ¡°I thought I lost my child. You will have to excuse my attitude towards this¡­ stranger.¡±

    ¡°She isn''t a stranger Grandpa. It''s only thanks to her and the others that I even managed to return!¡± This earns me a strange look from him. He looks over at Gee then back to me.

    ¡°I''ll cook you something to eat. Please take this chance to come up with what you''re going to tell me.¡± With those parting words, he''s gone.

    I lean back in my chair with a sigh. Gee takes the chance to come over and rub my shoulders. It feels divine.

    Out of habit, I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles. She lets out a small laugh and returns to my massage. But it''s no laughing matter. I didn''t feel the urge to do that. I did it because that''s what I would have done with the others.

    I have to be more on guard. Even without the Zeroth¡¯s influence, that world still drove certain things into me. But it''s time to let that world go.

 Chapter 21 - Homecoming - Part 2

    Homecoming - Part 2

    ¡°What are you thinking, my queen?¡± Gee asks.

    ¡°Queen? And I was just thinking that Grandpa was especially weird.I don''t know what I could possibly tell him.¡±

    When dinner time rolls around I''ve still come up with nothing. ¡°You want me to just not ask? How can you be that cruel, Eve?¡± Grandpa sounds so hurt.

    My head hangs low, my food untouched. I can tell Gee wants to speak up, but she doesn''t. He lets out a hell of a sigh.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    My eyes shoot up to his. ¡°Just eat. Maybe one day you''ll trust me enough to tell me the truth. I''ll make the calls needed to get you back in school tomorrow since you¡¯reapparentlyjust fine.¡±

    I can only nod in turn before I start to eat. The food overwhelms me when it touches my tongue. The flavors come alive in such a powerful way that I can''t help but twist my face in displeasure.

    ¡°What is it? You don''t like it? But bio-porkchops were always your favorite.¡±

    After forcing the food down, I can''t help but actually take note of the food. He''s not wrong. What lays out before me is everything I''ve always loved most. All artificial and biomedically grown. No animals or plants were harmed in the making of the food.

    Yet to me, it''s overwhelming. The tastes washes over me in a way I haven''t experienced in a long time. ¡°Sorry. I think it just might be a little strong for me.¡±

    He furrows his brow and switches his plate for mine. Grandpa has always been known to have a bland pallet. Yet when his food hits me, the taste is wonderful. A big smile accost my lips. Seeing this, he looks at me in confusion.

    Next to us, Gee is eating in a super proper manner. She makes no indication of whether she likes it or not. Grandpa¡¯s face, however, twists when he tastes my previous food. I can''t help but laugh at him.

    ¡°No stronger than usual. Eve, are you sure you''re ok?¡±

    I give him a nod while devouring the rest of my food.

    Before long, Gee and I are sitting on my bed about to go to sleep. Grandpa wasn''t happy about her staying here, and in my room at that, but he appeared to believe arguing wasn''t worth the effort.

    ¡°You ready?¡± I ask Gee.

    ¡°I can''t wait to sleep with you,¡± she says with a flick of her tongue against her bottom lip.

    ¡°We''reonlysleeping Gee.¡± She gives an audibletsk.

    I lay down and as predicted, Gee snuggles up to me. I can''t help but let a small smile out at the predictability of her actions. She runs her thumb along my lips, her now-green eyes twinkle under the moonlight from my window. I reach out and slide a strand of her hair behind her ear. She coos in response. That brings attention to what I''m doing and I pull my hand away. What the hell?

    Gee wraps her arms around me and I tense in preparation of what she''ll do next.

    ¡°Goodnight my queen,¡± she says before closing her eyes. I stare at her in wonder for minutes before I realize that her breath has evened out- she''s asleep. Well, that was surprising. Maybe there''s more to her than just being a pervert.

    The morning is still young when I wake up. Sliding out from underneath Gee¡¯s grip was easy. She seems to be a heavy sleeper. With nothing to do this early- before the birds even started to sing, I head to the dojo.

    When I enter the room I¡¯m overcome with nostalgia. Yet not for the times of old, here with Dad and Grandpa. I was hit with a strong set of memories from my time training with Charlie and her lovely green hair shifting around with every swing. I think about the way her hair gave off the feeling of a lush grass plain, stretching beyond the horizon.

    I step inside the dojo and take up the kata of Mimi''s. Mimi¡¯s mischievous smile floats to my mind. But behind her eyes was the first crackle of lightning and the confidence to break me.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I start moving through my forms as more memories assail me. My time in that world was short, yet I willneverforget it.

    I push my body quickly through the forms, correcting myself where necessary- knowing Mimi would scold me if I were to mess up and practice with mistakes. The sun greets me with its warmth as an old bird echoes its fake caw.

    My muscles burn and sweat flies from me when I finally notice Grandpa''s staring at me. I immediately stop, suddenly embarrassed to be caught. ¡°Morning.¡± I quietly call out.

    ¡°And what was all of that?¡± He asks me. Yet I can only tilt my head in confusion. ¡°That wasn''t learned from our dojo.¡±

    I can''t help by rub the back of my neck nervously. Before I can think of a response, Grandpa has crossed the ten feet between us in an instant and taken a swing at me. The force carries enough power and speed to put me in the hospital. Yet it''s slow compared to what I''ve dealt with.

    It''s strange, I have no magik within me now. Yet the physical training alone must have honed me in ways I thought impossible.

    His fist sails between my head and shoulder as I pivot outwards. With a twist of my foot, I adjust my weight inward enough to put force behind my strike. With athud,mystrike makes contact with Grandpa''s sternum- Yet he stands. I guess without magik or Rei, standard rules still apply. He''s still got nearly three feet on me and probably close to two-hundred pounds.

    I pull back as he does, and I awkwardly shift my weight from hip to hip. ¡°What was that all about?¡±

    He wraps his arms around me and hugs me tight. ¡°What¡¯s happened to you, my Ember?¡±

    I tense in his arms. It''s been so long since he''s called me that. I¡¯m really uncomfortable in hishug like this, as I don¡¯t know what he means.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t called me that in forever.¡± Thisgets a haughty laugh from him.

    ¡°Your attitude is fiery, but you¡¯re so small- so only an Ember.¡±

    ¡°But an ember may be the single spark to start that which covers the world. I know Grandpa. But I resent being called small.¡± He gives me a wry smile as he backs away. ¡°But what are you talking about?¡± I ask.

    His expression is one of sorrow as he continues his earlier line of thought, ¡°Your movements were so unlike the you of before. What have you been doing to force you to become so skilled?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± I let it hang in the air, but before long my stomach growls. ¡°I need to shower, if you wanna make us breakfast.¡± I escape the room and the awkward atmosphere.

    When I get out of the shower and changed into my school wear, I notice Gee at the kitchen table, sitting in awkward silence with Grandpa. The smell of food is really enticing though, so I walk in and try to act chipper.

    ¡°Smells good.¡±

    ¡°I made it with lighter seasoning. Tell me how you like it.¡±

    I take a bite of my breakfast and it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s a bio-fish alongside some rice. ¡°Eastern today?¡± I ask around my food. For just a moment I expected a snappy comment about my manners, but all that happens is a nod from Grandpa before he digs in himself. I guess that¡¯s another thing I picked up¡­

    ¡°Eve, what is¡­ Gee?¡± he pauses, ¡°Going to do when you go to school?¡± Before I can answer, she does.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go for a walk. I wanna see the city.¡± I do a double-take and look at her. She gives me a smile and waves us off.

    ¡°I gotta go. I love you Grandpa,¡± I give him a quick hug before running off.

    When I round the corner of my street, I see Gee waiting for me. ¡°You arenotrunning around this city on your own.¡±

    She gives me a frown, ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to. I¡¯m going to get some real sleep, inside your shadow. Wake me up when your day is over.¡±

    Before I can say anything, she melts into my shadow. And I mean that literally. She looks as if she¡¯s falling apart into a liquid-like ash as she disappears into my shadow.

    ¡°Well that''s crazy looking."

    But all I hear is a small laugh somewhere within me. With weary steps, I make my way to school- nervous about my return.

    The moment I step into the classroom, the room falls quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Even Mr. Gordon, the teacher, is staring like he¡¯s seen a ghost. I feel so awkward I don¡¯t know what to do. So I give everyone a little wave and try my best to casually walk over to my desk.

    Mr. Gordon clears his throat and stops me. ¡°Uh. Right. Let¡¯s um,¡± I¡¯ve never seen him so flustered before. ¡°Miss Sayagawa, it¡¯s good to have you back. But maybe-¡± I cut him off by walking around his desk and up to him.

    ¡°Good to see you Mr. Gordon.¡±

    I reach out and grab his tie, aware of how bad this is to do. I pull him down to me, gently. When we¡¯re eye level, I start straightening his tie for him.

    ¡°There. Now you look handsome. Let¡¯s get to work on some history, ne?¡±

    With that, I turn and go to my seat- still vacant, because that''s efficiency for you. When I look back up to him, he¡¯s wearing the same expression everyone else is- shock. However, he¡¯s also a little red. So, mission accomplished?

    I relax into my chair, soaking in everyone¡¯s looks. I believe in the past, such attention easily would have unnerved me. Indeed, it probably would unnerve most people. But the attention is weak compared to what I¡¯ve grown accustomed to.

    When I look over, I see Jamie with a look on her face I can¡¯t quite place. But when our eyes meet, she offers me a wry smile and a little mock-salute. After I return one in kind, Mr. Gordon clears his throat again andcontinues his lecture.

    Today, History class was interesting.

 Chapter 22 - Suddenly A Star - Part 1

    Suddenly A Star - Part 1

    Class ends in the same, old nostalgic way. The moment Mr. Gordon leaves, however, the class erupts into noise and everyone surrounds me- closer than they should be. I guess kids are always ones to skirt the rules when something exciting happens. They throw questions one after another at me. No one asks anything outside of the usual so I try my best to get out of the situation as politely as I can. Jamie helps me by making up an excuse that we need to talk.

    By the time we''re up on the roof, I realize it wasn''t just an excuse. I have no idea what I''m going to say to her. But being back on this roof gives my wild thoughts a pause. It''s nostalgic in a twistedway. This is where Rachel died, and the day I saw something¡­ else?

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Don''t interrupt my thoughts, Eve. I''m trying to collect them in orderto yell at you properly.¡±

    Ignoring her, I walk toward the edge of the roof. The fools didn''t even put in more of a security measure. But that''s unimportant. There''s something I''m missing.

    ¡°Ok. So, I''m too confused. Just start from the top and I''ll decide where I can find a subject to yell at you about.¡±

    ¡°Shut up Jamie.¡±

    I didn''t mean to sound so harsh. But she looks madder than anything. But that changes quickly as I hoist myself up onto the ledge.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± She asks in a tone dripping with abject terror.

    ¡°I''m missing something. Something important.¡±

    ¡°Eve. Rachel¡¯s been gone for a long time. Now get down from there before you get hurt!¡±

    Jamie¡¯s nearly in a panic now as she tries to coax me down. Honestly, I should be more scared, but I''m not. Perhaps having been nearly killed too many times does that to a person. But I''m not indestructible here, I think. I can''t feel the magik within me, or feel the pounding of my Rei.

    I walk across the narrow ledge. My balance is more perfect than I would have expected. My training never covered this kind of thing, but perhaps my natural senses have gotten better.

    I make my way around the fool¡¯s ledge with a sense of deja vu eating at me. There¡¯s a memory tugging at the recesses of my mind and I don''t know why, but I can feel that it''s very important.

    ¡°Jamie, what happened here this day?¡±

    ¡°What? You can''t tell me you forgot!¡± she yells.

    ¡°Then recant your tale as if I have.¡± Jamie looks at me like I grew two heads.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "What the hell kind of language is that?" Odd. Was my manner of speech so off as to warrantattention? Since when, I wonder?

    ¡°Spin your tale across the tapestry of air before I hang you with its threads!¡± I say in a mocking voice dripping with words you would not hear in today¡¯s world.

    Where did they come from? Even in Arsea, no one spoke like that. It seems to have the effect I wanted however, because she speaks to me, everything from that day, that she¡¯s privy to. But there''s something missing. I don''t know what, but it''s causing my head to throb.

    I have to know, so I stop walking and step closer to the edge. Half of each foot sticks over now. The wind decides right then to whip my hair out of its ponytail and spread my blaze wide as if challenging the sun itself.

    ¡°Eve!¡±

    I take no further step. I don''t need to. My shadow extends wide across the courtyard below and a long-lost memory flashes through me. A memory of pain, and cowardice. Of darkness.

    I remember now, what it is I saw that day. Like a portcullis raising to allow the fighters to enter the arena, so too has my mind allowed in dormant thoughts long forgotten.

    I remember darkness around Rachel. I remember it slowly coming into existence and teasing her with that whisper of a laugh. It jingled on the wind that day, mocking our situation.

    But this is the real world, and the fantastical doesn''t happen. So perhaps my world has never been very real- perhaps it''s the world of ghosts and ghouls.

    I just want to return to being a normal person, but I can''t. I am not the Zeroth, I am just a normal person. But my... friend died that day- no, murdered. Perhaps when she told me, ¡°It isn''t what you think,¡± she knew what was going on. Maybe she was suffering from a deeper tale then I realized; and I am ever the fool. I run and run and run and leave everything behind.

    But I will take responsibility for this, even if it takes me my entire life.

    Just then, I feel someone draping their arms around me, an impressive task considering there is almost no room up here. A marginal shift of weight could send us over the ledge either way.

    ¡°Let¡¯s step down now, Zero.¡±

    Gee¡¯s voice is like honey as it reverberates through me. Like a long-lost friend, a small jolt runs through me.

    Indeed, I am no Zeroth. But perhaps, the Zeroth is now me. Perhaps it has won.

    But that terrifies me all the same, because I¡¯m a coward.

    ¡°Alright, time to get down,¡± I tell them.

    Once I''m on the roof proper, I see Jamie with a look of disbelief on her face.

    ¡°Where the hell did you come from?¡±

    ¡°I''m Gee, nice to meet you!¡±

    Gee tells her cheerfully while sliding a thumb across Jamie¡¯s cheek. Normally, Jamie is incrediblystrict about the rules but I¡¯m guessing with a blush like that, she can''t be too bothered.

    ¡°Down Gee.¡±

    She slinks away from Jaimie with a wry smile.

    "Nowthat you''re safe, I''m outtie." With that, shehopsoffthe roof.

    When Jamie and I both run to peer over, she¡¯s nowhere to be seen. Yet, I sense a small giggle from my shadow. I can''t help but shake my head.

    ¡°What the hell was-¡± Jamie tries to speak up but I place a single finger on her lips. She goes deathly silent as a look of confusion assaults her face.

    ¡°Time for our physical class. Lunch is over. But before we go, have you seen Him recently?¡±

    She cocks her head at me. ¡°Who?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Him! You know! The golden boy!¡±

    Her confusion leads me down a road I don''t think I want to walk. Just then the chime interrupts us. Well, I can''t blame her for not remembering some random guy I liked. She barely ever talked to him.

    I tell her we''ll talk about it later and for now we need to go to class.

    But I can''t stop the thoughts going wild in my mind. I try to ignore them and focus on the need to meet Him again. If I can just find Him, then I can set my life down a normal path again.

 Chapter 22 - Suddenly A Star - Part 2

    Suddenly A Star - Part 2

    In the changing room, I finally start to feel some semblance ofunease as I realize that I''m being stared at by nearly everyone. When I slid my shirt off, exposing my naked torso and lace bra, Jamie spoke up.

    ¡°Damn girl.¡±

    I can''t help but smile at her for being goofy. But I''m not sure what''s elicited the reaction. By now the rest of the room is staring at me. I nervously shift my weight from one hip to another.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Since when have you beenthattone?¡±

    Her accusation makes me look down and take note. Down past my modest breast is a flat torso, lean, with a hint of muscle poking out.

    ¡°What are you talking about? You know I''ve always done some exercising.¡±

    She gives me a dubious look.

    ¡°Yeah. Ok.¡± She turns around in a huff.

    The others all do the same. People confuse me. But the confusion grows by leaps and bounds when we start our activities for the class.

    Whether it''s running laps, high jumps, or any other manner of sport, I¡¯m miles ahead of everyone else. My scores stay within what is acceptable for a human- a human being at their peak, like the ones who used to take partin those, ¡°Olympic¡± games I''ve learned about.

    School ends with a strange buzz in the air. Jamie catches me and talks about going out to eat. Of course I oblige her. She''s one reason I came back to this worldafter all. I ask her what she¡¯s wanting to eat. Much to my surprise, and anyone who knows her, she suggests I come over and she cooks us something.

    Our walk to her home is quiet. Jamie doesn''t throw a billion questions at me like I was prepared for. Maybe that''s why I let my guard down enough to not notice the men approaching us, and how sketchy they looked. The moment they step near us though, I¡¯m at the ready. For what though? There¡¯s no violence in my world, not really.

    ¡°Hey girls,¡± they call out to us, a good four feet away.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Jamie¡¯s quick to respond.

    ¡°Gehenna is coming. Celebrate the end with us.¡± Their mouths devolve into twisted, disgusting smiles.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go Jamie,¡± I grab her by the arm and lead us away from the creeps.

    When we''re far enough away from them, I let her go. To my surprise, Jamie has trouble standing and uses my arm for support again.

    ¡°You ok?¡± She just gives me a nod and, while sucking in a breath, lets go of me and steadies herself.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see something so vile,¡± she whimpers.

    I hate myself for thinking for just a single moment, her weakness irritated me. But I shove that down deep. That¡¯s not fair to her. Something like that just doesn''t happen.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Gehenna?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Donno. Now, let''s put those creeps out of our minds and get us some food.¡± I offer her myarm. She looks at it in confusion. That makes sense. I want tosmack myself right now.

    So I try to play it off like I''m stretching my arm or something, but man am I embarrassed right now.

    Her house is massive. That¡¯s the first thing I notice when we arrive. I guess her parents are important. The building is the same sleek grey color as most, but has an extra floor by the looks of it. As she leads me through the doors, I catch a smell I''m unfamiliar with in this world, but one that I''d recognize in a heartbeat elsewhere.

    ¡°Lavender¡­¡± Jamie looks at me with a tilt of her head. She¡¯s such a little puppy when she doesn''t talk. I shake my head at her.

    ¡°You look sweet,¡± she tells me.

    ¡°You''re not so bad yourself.¡±

    What? Did I just flirt with Jamie? Why the hell did I just flirt withJamie? But she doesn''t seem to notice my inner turmoil at all and instead gives a little laugh.

    ¡°Thanks. But I meant your face. You look like a lovesick puppy.¡±

    I''m absolutelycertain that I''m blushing. This gets compounded by the look on Jamie¡¯s face- pure wonder. Unfortunately, I didn''t notice anything on our way to her room due to all of this. But her room is mind blowing. It''s incrediblylarge, unnecessarily so. The walls are a special shade of light pink. Man, the favors her parents would have to of gone through to get that kind of permission¡­

    ¡°Your room is nice. I like the walls. And these-" I approach the bed and pick up a little puppy plushie, ¡°Is absolutelyadorable.¡±

    ¡°Chyea. Fido is the cutest.¡±

    ¡°Fido?¡±

    ¡°Apparently in the past humans actuallykept animals as itty-bitty personal entertainment creatures,of all things. And that was a common name for them. Or so I''ve read.¡±

    ¡°Well I''ll be, you can read,¡± I tease her.

    ¡°Bitch,¡± she furrows her brow at me.

    ¡°You love me,¡± I poke her forehead. ¡°And are gonna get wrinkles.¡±

    She looks at me with a look that says she could kill me, but it''s ruined by the smile teasing her eyes.

    "Whatever. Since when are you so touchy? That was Rachel¡¯s thing,¡± she chides me while swatting my hand away.

    ¡°I miss her¡­¡± I can''t help but let that escape my thoughts and manifest into the air.

    ¡°I do too. But being down because of it does no one a favor. I''m gonna go put the food on. Come down when I ping you later, ok?¡±

    I just stare at her. Honestly, she¡¯s being weirdly accommodating, and it''s throwing me off my game. I wearily lay down on her bed, relax in the silk-like material of it all, and stare at the grey ceiling. Was my life as grey as this, before Arsea? Will I go back to being that way? Do I want to?

    Thoughts like that and more, assail me. But behind all of them, hidden just out of view, is a single thought dedicated to Rei. I miss her. She had less to do with me than any of the others, yet her words hung heaviest- her pressure wrote the beauty of a struggle I can''t even imagine. She was an enigma whowas always with me.

    She was violent, never in person, but always just below. She wanted to hurt people so much. Yet she denied it strongly the one time I scolded her for it. Which was weird when you think about it. Why would she bother denying it? She was mysterious and left me without enough information, but she never directly lied to me. But then again, near the end, she was in a war against something, or someone.

    And all three of us were inside of me. Does that mean even further down than Rei, there lies another? How could that be possible? Hell, I suppose most of this stuff is impossible. Yet it''s real. So maybe I should try¡­ to¡­

    I¡¯m startled awake by a pinging sound. Oh, I fell asleep.

    "Rise and Shine. Food¡¯s ready," Jamie¡¯s voice echoes around the room.

 Chapter 22 - Suddenly A Star - Part 3

    Suddenly A Star - Part 3

    Jamie calls for me. I guess it''s time to eat. I make my way to the door, place my hand on the scanner, and watch it rotate. Before long it opens to the first floor. Man am I glad my world got rid of stairs. By the time I enter the kitchen, following the hallway, I''m starved. But what I see confuses me.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    The table is set with a beautiful, red tablecloth. On it lays old fashion looking silverware. There¡¯s an array of beautiful food on the plates, with a couple of candles burning in the center of it. They burn off a scent of lavender that makes me queasy in missing of Arsea.

    ¡°Welcome home,¡± Jamie¡¯s voice echoes from further back in another room. When she enters the kitchen, she¡¯s adorned with a beautiful, dark blue dress that sparkles in the candlelight.

    It clings tightly to her, showing off her lithe body, but enunciating her curves. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question,¡± I take a step back, informing her of my confusion.

    But she only gestures for me to take a seat. I feel unbelievably awkward right now and search for something to talk about, anything. But Jamie seems to have decided to speak up first.

    ¡°So, are you ready to tell me where you''ve been?¡±

    What do I say to that? This is even more awkward than it was with Grandpa.

    ¡°I was just¡­ away for awhile.¡±

    ¡°I see. You have no intention of telling me the truth, do you?¡±

    Her accusation forces a knot to form in my stomach, making it hard to hold down this wonderful dinner. But I have to be honest with her. So I just offer her a nod.

    ¡°Once again, ne?¡±

    My fork slips from my hand and rattles a high pitch complaint in protest. I stare at her, thoughts frozen inside me. ¡°Again?¡±

    Jamie lets out a deep sigh that seems to go somewhere far away for a moment. But eventually, she shifts around in her seat and comes back to me.

    ¡°I have a story for you, Eve.¡±

    I look at her and my heart speeds up. Itthump, thump, thumpsinside my chest, forcing blood to my head, making me feel dizzy. I don''t want to hear what comes next, but I can''t resist it. And so it comes:

    I know we¡¯ve known each other our whole lives, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯veonlyknown each other. As you had Rachel, I had another, whom I spent most of my time with. You probably want to know why I never mentioned her to you? I didn¡¯t, because it¡¯s none of your business. More importantly, I didn¡¯t, because she told me not to. Sort of. The cautionary way she carried herself made it apparent that she didn¡¯t like being caught there- that she didn¡¯t desire to be found. She was very secretive and never made an appearance in public with me. Our time was spent in solitude, on the river bank behind the school. We met one day when I went to cool off after my boyfriend was being an ass.

    I found her there, skirt hiked, feet dipped into the cool water. She didn¡¯t pay me attention. But you could tell that she was annoyed by my presence. Indeed, for the longest time, she never even spoke to me. I¡¯d go on and on about my day, and my life, but she¡¯d ignore me. I always thought,¡°Maybe she won¡¯t be here today.¡±But she was. Every day I was drawn there after I split with you and Rachel; as if a force I couldn¡¯t comprehend commanded me to. It was as if it was a secret meeting, meant for us and no other, and so I would double back around and sneak past the patrols, to the river.

    For two years, I spoke to her, never knowing her name, never hearing her voice. But then one day, I mentioned you. It was after Rachel¡­ died.

    It was only then, that she spoke up. As if this was exactly what she had been waiting for the entire time, she asked me everything about you. I¡¯d say she bordered on obsessed, but I couldn¡¯t help but tell her everything she wanted to know. After all, she listened to me bitch and moan for years...

    Then you upped and disappeared. That was the day she didn¡¯t show up.

    My throat is parched, the food- ash. I can¡¯t swallow this sand. I can¡¯t blink away the crumbs of fate¡¯s twisted desires. That sounds like¡­

    ¡°You ask, on the inside, why I¡¯m treating you like this? Why I don¡¯t ask you where you¡¯ve been, what you¡¯ve done?¡± Jamie reaches over and in a move I could never have imagined, she clasps my hand in hers.

    ¡°Because I know about secrets, and the burdens they bear on those who keep them.¡±

    I want to scream from the sensation of her touch. It¡¯s smoldering- her eyes, still-burning coals. She¡¯s engulfing me in a way someone like her never has, possibly never will again.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I eke out.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    But her expression is telling. A wry smile dangles on her lips, her hand rubs mine in comfort. And then in a darker twist of fate, she mirrors words I¡¯ve heard before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s bothering you Eve. But you¡¯re my best friend and I can tell that, whatever it is that¡¯s happened to you, is not over, not by a long shot. However-¡± she lets go of my hand, snakes her fingers around my wine glass, and with the smallest of motions, throws its contents on me.

    ¡°You still deserve punishment for your attitude. You arenotas special as you think you are. And the rest of us? We are not as pathetic as you choose to believe.¡±

    The wine on me is nothing compared to the blanket her words have laid over me. This is it. This is what sends me over. I can¡¯t stand it anymore, and I cry. I fall back further into my chair, wet and sticky, and add to the mess with my heart leaking out of my eyes.

    Jamie wears an expression of hurt. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you that much. I figured some wine would be better than a slap or something else¡­¡±

    I can¡¯t help but let a small laugh out between sobs. ¡°No.¡±

    I stand up and embrace her with nearly all of my strength. I envelop her with my being, hoping who I am, can be transmitted through her. I can¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m so pathetic.¡±

    She wraps an arm around me and pats my back. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You aren¡¯t perfect Eve. And whatever it is between you, and others, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll end for the better.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so positive, even though you have no idea just how bad it is.¡±

    ¡°I know that you have people who care about you, and who will be with you ¡®till the end. Don¡¯t underestimate us,¡± she says in her cocky way, with a flex of her arm.

    Just as the warmth of her care starts to fill me, I¡¯m shot forward physically by the absolute slamming inside my head. I lurch forward and fall to my knees, head in hand. The pounding is harder and heavier than it has ever been. But I don¡¯t understand it. Rei is gone. How could she be pounding inside of me?

    Anotherflashes through my thoughts, a train of thought I had before passing out.

    I can tell Jamie is trying to yell at me and check to see if I¡¯m ok. All I can manage to do is shake my head when she asks if she should set off my iWrist.

    Minutes, maybe hours, perhaps a lifetime later, the pounding stops. Jamie is rocking me in her arms, running her fingers through my hair.

    When I finally feel well enough to let my head go, she ushers some water into my hands. I take it all down as soon as possible. And like the day of the arena, it was too much, too fast. But Jamie shows no signs of disgust as I cough some of it up. Instead, she asks me with worry, what that was all about.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    I immediately hold up my hand and cut her off, ¡°No. I really don¡¯t know. I promise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even worse. We really should get you checked out.¡±

    But I know it isn¡¯t normal. So there¡¯s nothing anyone else can do. Or worse, maybe there is, and I¡¯d have so much more to answer for. So I deny her vehemently.

    With much reluctance, she leads me to the table again.

    ¡°You look beautiful by the way,¡± I try to distract her from her worry.

    Though truth be told, she really was quite stunning. Yet honestly, it doesn¡¯t make me react inthatkind of way. Not like some of the others.

    Nonetheless, her face grows a shade pinker. I suppose I never have been so direct with her before.

    ¡°Thanks. But are yousureyou¡¯re ok?¡±

    ¡°More to the point,¡± I decide to change topics and get onto something I¡¯ve been dying to talk about. ¡°What¡¯s happened with Him? I wanna see Him.¡±

    Once again, she tilts her head at me.

    ¡°Come on, seriously. We were so close to getting together before. I¡¯d like to see if we could pick up where we left off. You know, get some normalcy back in my life.¡±

    My voice nearly chokes near the end. Oh to be normal- how I miss you. Yet, my stomach doesn¡¯t, and hasn¡¯t fluttered when thinking of Him. Surely I¡¯ve not been so broken. He was the love of my life. I know he was, damnit.

    ¡°Eve, seriously, who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Him! You know!Him.¡± I practically yell at her. I don¡¯t like her screwing with me like this.

    ¡°Seriously, Eve. Calm down. Who is, ¡°Him?¡± I mean, literally. What is his name? Where does he go to school? Are yousureI¡¯ve met a guy you actually liked? Because I¡¯m usually good at picking up on things like that.¡±

    Yes, she is. Which confuses me more. ¡°Him, you know. Good at sports, handsome, smart, really popular, nice, well built. Come on, Him, you know- Him.¡±

    She gives a snort-like laugh and cuts herself off, ¡°You¡¯re explaining someone awfully perfect. Don¡¯t you think I would have gobbled up someone like that a long time ago? What¡¯s his name anyway?¡±

    She ends her sentence by drinking some wine. Her casual demeanor does nothing to help the sinking feeling in my chest.

    ¡°His name, obviously, was, you know.¡±

    ¡°I do not.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    ¡°Eve, maybe he was the product of some dream you had?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I deny it with rage.

    ¡°Ok! Ok! Fine! Mr. Perfect exists! Now get out there tomorrow, and find him!¡± she orders me.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of it myself.

    ¡°And watch out for Gehenna. Apparently the world will end when it comes.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, you goof,¡± I tell, eliciting a small giggle from her. She gets up to escort me to the door.

    ¡°Please be careful getting home. You¡¯ve been gone long enough.¡±

    ¡°Yes Mom.¡±

    She cocks an eyebrow at me. With ¡°Smartass,¡± as her last comment, I shrug, and turn to leave, waving her goodbye. I¡¯ve decided, after school tomorrow, I¡¯ll hunt Him down, and get my happy ending.

    But¡­ ¡°Gehenna, ne?¡± I speak out loud, unaware of myself. The pounding inside my skull acts up, for just a moment, before backing away.

    I think I¡¯m a monster¡­

 Chapter 22 - Suddenly A Star - Part 4

    Suddenly A Star - Part 4

    Tomorrow begins like usual, well, my new usual. With a bow, Grandpa and I end our training session. With his words of praise and the exhilaration behind me, I clean myself up before I head to school.

    The moment I enter the courtyard, I can sense others taking notice of me. It¡¯s an odd feeling. But as I lazily drift towards the main building, a group of people approach me. They ask me all kinds of questions, none of which would have been expected. They didn¡¯t ask me why I was gone for so long, or anything else that would make sense. No, these people were interested in the me of now.

    It was only due to the interruption of the chime for classes to begin shortly, that they finally dispersed. Once I made it to the entrance, I find a laughing Jamie.

    ¡°If you were watching, you could have helped.¡±

    ¡°I could have, but that wouldn¡¯t have been as entertaining,¡± she tells me.

    ¡°I hate you.¡±

    ¡°You love me.¡± She tells me just before sticking her tongue out.

    For a moment, flashbacks of her in her dress come to mind. With her tongue hanging out like that, the thoughts that come to mind¡­ my god, I feel like I¡¯m turning into Gee or something. This, of course, gives me a start. Just last night her candor, her looks- none of it did anything to me. Yet today such a simple action sets my mind racing.

    I push those thoughts to the side, hoping Jamie doesn¡¯t notice my burning face.

    ¡°I wonder why everyone¡¯s so curious now?¡±

    ¡°Probably because you¡¯re amazing.¡± Her confidence in her words does nothing but confuse me more.

    As we move through the halls, careful not to bump into anyone else, I feel the gazes growing. Once we slide into the classroom, I feel better. At least at the Academy, people hardly paid me attention. I let a sigh escape my lips. I need to stop remembering that world. It was an accident, and I''m home now. That place is gone.

    ¡°Feeling down?¡±

    A voice I do not recognize, calls out a question to me. I look up to meet piercing hazel eyes. They''re enveloped in a soft face, meeting plump lips, tinted a shade of pink. Brown hair, cropped close to her head, sticks up from being styled. Apparently my staring comes across as forgetfulness. She tells me her name, but honestly, I forget it immediately.

    ¡°No. Just feeling nostalgic,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°I know the feeling. But cheer up alright?¡±

    With that, she heads over to her desk and takes a seat. I think to myself, how different people can be. She knows how I feel, yet she can''t possibly feel it the way I do. But still¡­

    A classmate? I don''t recognize her. Now that I look around, besides a few acquaintances, I don''t actually see many people I actually recognize- Jamie notwithstanding. I can''t believe I spent so long with these people without getting to know them. I''ll make that a goal after I get my happy ending today.

    ¡°Nothing ever really ends,¡± a wispy voice echoes inside me. One I haven''t heard in a long time. The whisper that takes pleasure in my misfortune. I jump out of my seat; the force of it, tipping my chair. The class all turns to look at me. I give a bashful smile, and quickly fix up my desk and chair, as Mr. Gordon walks in with the chime. He gives me a look of concern before I wave him off.

    When class ends, I tell Jamie I''ll see her later, I wanna go to the library.

    This may be the first time I''ve ever came into this school''s library. I usually just look up everything online. But I''m in a mood today and want touch the rarities of physical books. Being a student is one of the only ways to get permission to touch real books in my world. My trip to the library was annoyingly long because of how far away the building is from the campus.

    After ten minutes I manage to come upon a massive, if outdated building. Physical books serve little function, so the library has fallen into disrepair. But the little old man there does his best to run it because of his belief that the students should never forget the rush of that ¡°book smell.¡±

    I walk up the building''s steps- what were once fine wood, yet now dusty and angry in their protest at the newly applied weight. The door opens easily enough as I make my way inside. I''m immediately surrounded on all sides with shelves of books. They raise easily twenty feet high and ten feet wide with three levels filled with the same layout.

    ¡°I wonder how many books this is?¡± I ask aloud in wonder.

    ¡°Three-hundred and fifteen thousand, six hundred and four books are within here presently,¡± a voice calls out to my side.

    When I look towards it with a start, I see an older man standing about my height. Were it not for his hunching demeanor he¡¯d probably have half a foot on me. What hair remains around the sides of his head is colored the white of old age- a rarity seeing as how so many opt-in for the aging treatment to keep themselves young nowadays.

    ¡°Afternoon,¡± I call out to him. A smile stretches across his spotted skin.

    ¡°It certainly is. My first visitor in several years. What can I help you with?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a book on¡­¡±

    What am I looking for exactly? I can''t imagine I¡¯d find anything related to Arsea here. Maybe there''s still something interesting I could find though. I rattle my brain trying to find something to justify being here. It''s strange that I even felt the urge to come here at all. It would be even worse to leave awkwardly like this, however. Like the old man said, I''m the first fresh face he''s seen in a long time after all. Just then, a thought runs through my mind.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Have you got any material on Gehenna?¡± I ask him.

    He gives himself a nod, and rubs his hands together for a moment. ¡°This way,¡± he tells me.

    We pass deeper into the library, and I watch the books pass me by. Oddly enough, I feel a pang of guilt at that. So many stories and so many words destined to never be seen. The old man is a good tour guide, giving a brief overview of each section while listing off his recommendations of each. Before long we reach a section dedicated to historical fiction.

    ¡°This section is where the beliefs of our ancestors go. This is where heretics go to die,¡± he gives a laugh at his own joke.

    ¡°Thank you, um,¡± my appreciation hangs in the air.

    ¡°Bartholum is fine. And no, thank you for entertaining an old man. I''ll be around if you need further assistance.¡±

    I begin to turn around, when what he said registers with me. I spin around as fast as possible, but he¡¯s nowhere in sight. Did he just say,¡°Bartholum?¡±As in¡­ no. Couldn¡¯t be. It¡¯s an odd last name, sure, but it can¡¯t be the only one of its kind. Even across¡­ dimensions? Afeeling of dread washes over me. It has to be a coincidence. It wouldn¡¯t make sense any other way. So I push those thoughts, and this sinking feeling I¡¯m developing, away and focus on books.

    It takes hours, far longer than what my lunch period is; hell, longer than even the amount of time I had left in school today, but eventually I stumble upon something that actually mentions this, ¡°Gehenna.¡± I don¡¯t know why I¡¯ve felt so compelled to learn about it, but here I am.

    Supposedly, in a historical context, Gehenna is the place where an old king, Ahaz of Judah, sacrificed his sons either literally, or metaphorically for¡­ reasons? Something to do with very old religions and practices starting around the time of the Rabbinic literature and when a couple of other religions diverged. But basically, the general meaning is, ¡°Hell.¡±

    Hell is an old concept of most religions, even if the word itself changes between the old languages. But basically, Hell is where bad people go when they die. I suppose in the old days, savages needed something to hold themselves accountable for their actions, seeing as how they couldn¡¯t be good just for goodness sake. One more reason we have nothing to learn from them. We¡¯re much better now.

    I would never avoid doing good- I don¡¯t need a punishment to keep me straight. Yet at that thought, I freeze, fingers still on the words of the book.

    I¡­amgood. I know I am. My circumstance is merely different than anything anyone else has ever had to deal with. Yet¡­ when you look at the sheer odds of it, what are the chances thatI, specifically, am the one to have gone to another world, and been chosen to lead some bullshit life? In all of the universe, or maybe universes, if something like crossing them had to have happened eventually, then the chances of it beingmeis an almost zero number.

    I mean, the odds get even slimmer when you realise that the chances of me even have been born are almost non-existent. Then compound that with the fact that I am the one who crossed dimensions, and you approach as close to zero as you could ever be. So, obviously, no one else¡¯s circumstances could ever be even remotely close to mine. That does make me special. Domnis is wrong. And anyone who disagrees with me is wrong.

    Yet again, if anything is ever going to happen once, it will most likely happen more than once, given enough time. If we assume all of time and space, and even universes, are infinite, then it stands to reason that I¡¯m not the first, nor the last. Perhaps there¡¯s others out there whocouldunderstand what I¡¯m going through. If that¡¯s the case, if even a single person could understand me, could I face them with pride in my choices?

    Yet¡­ thoughts of Rei are always within me, if only at the back of my mind. She said she was real.

    Rei told me she does exist, and that she wasn¡¯t in Arsea. That means wewerecommunicating between dimensions, universes, whatever it is you wish to call it. Which means-

    I slam the book shut and stand from my chair. In a flurry, I¡¯m shelving the book, and practically running from the library before I know it, not having seen that man again.

    Once outside, I run. I run from the thoughts inside my mind, and the judgement unfolding within. Yet as my breath runs ragged, a whisper floats through my mind, ¡°You know it, deep inside don¡¯t you. They needed you, and you abandoned them.¡± The words pierce me, and so I run harder.

    Before I know it, I¡¯m home. Sweat covers me like a thick sludge, and a bath is all I want at this point. I want to clean away my filth, even that which I cannot see, and relax my muscles, that are sure to be sore in the morning.

    As the sting of the hot water accepts me, the bathroom door opens. In the doorway stands Gee, as natural as can be. I can¡¯t help but cock at eyebrow at her. But that¡¯s all I do. I don¡¯t feel flustered¡­ or aroused. None of the feelings I would have thought I developed from Arsea touch me. Perhaps the effects of that world are finally fading.

    ¡°I expected a better reaction,¡± she calls out. I can¡¯t help but give her a shrug.

    ¡°You coming in?¡± I make room for her. This seems to get to her, as her brow furrows.

    ¡°Sure¡­¡±

    I may not be feeling anything for her, but that doesn¡¯t stop old habits from acting up. It¡¯s odd to say it¡¯s a habit, but I guess a more than a year of doing something counts. I can¡¯t stop my eyes from darting down, then up her form. Her stomach is tight, showing the barest hint of abs. Her legs are long and tone, and meet with wider hips than I would have expected. They end in well kept feet, ones that don¡¯t seem like they¡¯ve ever been used for walking.

    Further up, past her abs, is a set of perky breast- if on the small side. Yet they suit her. Her chest gives way into beautifully long arms, that end in well-manicured hands.

    It¡¯s only when I meet her eyes, as I admire her face, that I realize she has caught me checking her out. A mischievous smile crosses her lips and she slides up next to me as she steps into the tub.

    ¡°See something you like, my Zero?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re objectively beautiful, that¡¯s all,¡± I tell her, as disinterestedly as I can. She doesn¡¯t seem to know how to respond to me being blunt, instead of flustered.

    ¡°Ara, ara, then-¡± she leans in, and her lips connect with mine.

    The spark I was expecting isn¡¯t there. This kiss feels soft, and sure, nice even, but not electrifying. But she¡¯s taking the time to offer it to me, so I¡¯ll respond in kind. Afterall, I¡¯m the reason she¡¯s stuck here in this world. I have to take what responsibility I can. So I reach around her neck, and pull her into a deeper kiss.

    Startled, she tries to pull back, letting her guard down. I don¡¯t miss the opportunity, and slide my tongue into her mouth. It¡¯s only after I¡¯ve had my fill of violating her mouth, that I let her go. She¡¯s breathing heavy, and her face is red from something other than the bath.

    ¡°Wow,¡± is all she can say before looking away sheepishly.

    I have to admit, she may not do it for me, but she¡¯s definitely capable of being cute. Though I have to doubly admit, I¡¯m surprised at how calm I am after all of that, even if I did it for the sake of responsibility. I guess the Zeroth¡¯s influence really is all but gone. I don¡¯t feel anything for another woman. I guess¡­ I¡¯m really me again.

    Guilt washes over me. I feel like my lie to the others was even deeper than I realized. I thought, deep down, near the end that maybe, just maybe, I really was capable of liking them, women or not. I thought deep down that maybe, even if I didn¡¯t wanna admit it, that they could have made me happy. But it would appear that wasn¡¯t the case. It seems that in the end, Rachel was wrong. You can¡¯t like someone only for their personality.

    Or could it be just because... it''s Gee?

 Chapter 23 - Fickle Destiny

    Fickle Destiny

    The rest of the bath is uninteresting, though there was a bit where Gee fought me to let her wash my back- she won. I have to say though; it felt wonderful. Yet at the end of my night, I lay awake.

    I could hear Gee¡¯s soft breathing near my ear, because of courseshe was clinging on me. Yet my mind couldn¡¯t think of her. All that I could think of was Rei. I¡¯ll be the first to admit that I didn¡¯t think of her nearly as often as the others, yet she still meant a lot to me. I know that¡¯s weird to think, we barely ever saw one another. And when we did, it was usually one-sided riddles from her.

    Yet still burned into my memory is how sincere she was that day when she told me she would support me forever. Though I guess forever turned out to be a short amount of time. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she cared about me enough to say that;and the way she looked in her dresses the first few times we met¡­ man, talk about beautiful.

    Pff, what the hell am I thinking about? Yeah, she was gorgeous, ok? So what? Her beauty pales in comparison to that kiss we shared. It¡¯s almost like I was never the same after that. I suppose that was when, deep in the recesses of my mind, I had started tocome to terms with the fact that¡­ maybe even I could have a small crush on another woman. But I suppose not. Today proves that if nothing else.

    But I suppose that¡¯s a good thingin the end. God knows there are very, very few people left in this world that are both women and would be interested in being with another woman.

    I mean, not that I was planning on maybe doing that or anything.After all, I willlive my life with Him. Yeah, so I didn¡¯t have time to go see him today, because of the weirdness in the library. But tomorrow is the day. On this, I swear.

    Gee shifts her weight beside me, and opens one eye to admire me.

    ¡°Hey sleepy head.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± She asks me.

    ¡°I just have a lot to think about, you know?¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± She asks through a cute yawn.

    Well, I wasn¡¯t expecting this. I¡¯m not talking to her about Rei. Not only would that be embarrassing, but I have a feeling she¡¯d get mad at me. Yet with us so close like this, I had no chance to avoid her elbow as it dug into my ribs.

    ¡°Rude. Pay me attention.¡±

    ¡°I-I was just thinking about something I read about today.¡±

    ¡°Uhhuh. And what did you ''read'' about today hmmm? Some busty blonde? Pervert.¡±

    ¡°Ok. No, I read about, ''Gehenna.''"

    Gee goes rigid next to me. Now, that¡¯s curious.

    ¡°You ok Gee?¡±

    She burrows herself closer to me.

    ¡°Of course, I''m going back to sleep. I suggest you do the same. You have school in the morning.¡±

    With that, she places a kiss on my cheek then nuzzles her head into the crook of my neck. Within moments her steady breathing indicates she¡¯s fallen back to sleep. Lucky her. My wandering mind isn''t going to let me rest well tonight.

    The morning comes without sleep, so I slide away from Gee¡¯s clutches and make my way to the dojo. Grandpa is there when I arrive.

    ¡°¡®Morning,¡± he tells me through strained breaths. As evident by his sweat, he''s been at this for a long while it seems.

    ¡°You''re at it earlier than ever.¡±

    He stops for a moment and gives me a nod. ¡°Just things on my mind.¡±

    I don''t like where this is going, but fine. ¡°Like what?¡± As suspected, he gives me a dubious look.

    He seems to show considerably more hesitation than I am used to seeing from him.

    ¡°Are you leaving me again, soon?¡± His question is as accusatory as it is pleading.

    ¡°I don''t know where you got that idea Grandpa but no. I''m not going anywhere.¡±

    His eyes seem to sparkle at this, his face still carrying a small twinkle of youth.

    ¡°Come, sit with me Eve,¡± he gestures to one mat, as he kneels down on another.

    I feel strangely nervous about whatever he''s going to talk to me about. I don''t want that. I just want to finish getting ready, get this school crap over with, and go find Him. But I''m not so lucky as my Grandpa¡¯s voice beckons me, severing my line of thought.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I miss your parents dearly, you know that, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. How could you not? I miss them too. I never really got to know them, after all.¡±

    He gives a silent nod at thisand then hardens his face before continuing. ¡°Eve. Did you ever figure out that¡­ you weren''t their real child?¡±

    I feel a jolt run through me at this revelation, making me light-headed. ¡°I¡­ see¡­¡± is all I manage tosqueeze out

    ¡°You''re saying you willing took the time to raise a stranger then?¡± His face contorts into real anger, a rare expression on him.

    ¡°You are no stranger Eve! You may not be of blood but you are family. You are as much my child as your father was. I willnothear such dishonorable talk.¡±

    His words are sharp and cut through me. Yet my heart isn''t beating fast. Truthfully, I''m not as surprised as I should be. Maybe learning this isn''t really all that bad to find out. Grandpa is right about loving me like his own child. He has given me everything in life. But even so,I have to wonder.

    ¡°So they adopted me?¡±

    ¡°You were-" he cuts himself off and rubs his hand over his bald head in an apparent effortto gather his thoughts. ¡°You were found one day. Soon after your father and mother married, they told me that a baby, that is to say, you, happened to be just laying on their bed when they returned home.¡±

    ¡°Um. That''s impossible, Grandpa, and doesn''t make a lot of sense.¡±

    ¡°You''re preaching to the choir, child. Perhaps there''s more to it. Perhaps there''s not. But that''s not the point.¡±

    ¡°Then whatisthe point you''re trying to make?¡±

    ¡°What I''ve always known. That you weren''t just somegirl. So when you disappeared, of course I was worried. But a part of me realized you were doing what you had to do.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± I don''t know what to say. He acts as if it was obvious thatthis horrible life would work out this way.

    ¡°I have a message for you Eve.¡± He tells me, his voice strained. ¡°Decades ago, before yourfatherwas born, I was just a simple kid enrolled at the higher-education facilities. One day, a girl I did not recognize approached me in the park, on my way home.¡±

    I suck in my breath in expectation. Of what? I don¡¯t know. But I can tell, were my world ever on track to normality, this was going to break it. ¡°And you¡­ didn''t know this woman?¡±

    He shakes his head, his thick arms tensing. ¡°Time isn¡¯t kind to any of us, and the details of the woman are gone from me. Yet her message that day, as nonsense as it was, has spent a lifetime bouncing around my head, in perfect detail.¡±

    I try to swallow down my rising anxiety, yet my throat remains closed. My breathing is labored, and sweat starts to coat my body.

    ¡°W-why would someone from so long ago have a message for me? How is that even possible? Are you sure you¡¯re not misremembering who it was for?¡± I try to plead with him.

    Another shake of his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was for. But the girl, with her yellow hair, told me there would be a day in my life, where I could decide the fate of millions. The only thing I had to do, was relay a simple message to the¡°Girl of Embers.¡±

    His voice falls near the end. Tears sting at his eyes, yet he holds them in with all of his strength. I can¡¯t blame him though, my tears reign free because I realize, this is it. No matter how far I run, I can¡¯t escape what fate wants from me. But if there was any chanceof me ignoring what he was going to say, that small description has ruined all chances. Yellow hair¡­ I don¡¯t know how, but if anyone could do such an impossibility, it¡¯s¡­ her...

    My head dips low, ¡°And what was her message?¡±

    Fear trickles out of me, my body visibly shakes and my teeth chatter. The pain in my chest is nothing compared to how heavy I feel when I hear a small sob escape my Grandpa.

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing isn¡¯t it? This is my choice. I don¡¯t even understand the weight of the words I carry, but its message is clear enough. I either do what I can to help millions, at the cost of my families¡¯ peace, or I let them all burn, but keep you close.¡±

    He sobs without restraint at last. I¡¯ve never seen him look so withered before, so beaten. I jump up from where I stand, and throw myself around him. Our despair is at its penultimate state, as our hearts break in unison; because we both know what has to be done. With my arms around the last bastion of peace I have in my life, I ask the most damnable of questions again.

    ¡°What was the message?¡±

    He kisses the top of my headand whispers into me.

    ¡°The one you¡¯re searching for, is where it all began.¡±

    And just like that, my whole body goes rigid and runs hot. The tension is threatening to rip my muscles in two.

    ¡°I¡­ have to go.¡±

    He wraps his arms around me tighter. ¡°I love you Eve, my little Ember. I will always love you, no matter what is thrown at you, or the choices you have to make. You are as much of my life as anyone can be. I love you so, so much.¡± He ends his statement with another kiss to my forehead. I give him one last squeeze, before standing up.

    ¡°I love you too Grandpa. But, I probably won¡¯t see you again. So just¡­ believe in me, please.¡±

    I¡¯m out the door before I can let the despair and guilt stop me. The wind is warm, but all I can feel is a chill. Before I''m able to turn off the side road, onto the main one, I see Gee leaning up against a pole. When she sees me, she raises a hand for a wave.

    ¡°I don''t have time Gee. I have to hurry.¡± I try to move past her, but she grabs my arm.

    ¡°Don''t go.¡± She demands, her tone taking on something I can''t quite recognize.

    ¡°I have to.¡± I try to shake her loose.

    ¡°No. You don''t. You''re happy here, or you could be. And I''m here. We could be together forever.¡±

    I almost give in to her logic. But a part of me just won¡¯t allow it. So Gee gives one last appeal to me.

    ¡°You can''t imagine what awaits you if you return. But if you stay here, everything,everythingwill be fine.¡±

    Her pleading form tugs at my emotions, but that doesn''t stop me from gently removing her hand.

    ¡°I''m sorry Gee. I don''t know what''s going to happen. But it can''t get any worse than it has been.¡±

    ¡°If you only knew,¡± she whispers then fades into my shadow, leaving behind those ominous words.

    Great, more things I just don''t understand. So many things are going on around me, yet I seem to be the only one left out of the loop. But that is ending,now. I amdonesitting around and hoping for the best. I''m done following the rules of others. I''m ready to admit to myself my own desires. I want to be back with those women as much as I want to be here with my family. Their well-being tips the scales.

    I turn around and run towards a cruel fate. I can only hope. For what? I do not know. But hope will be what holds me up, I feel it.

 Chapter 24 - Where The Heart Lies

    Where The Heart Lies

    The plaza is packed with a surprising amount of people, considering the time. I stick out like a sore thumb, being one of the few young people here and not in school. I scan the crowd as best as I can, all in the belief that I''ll know who I''m looking for when I see him. I know I will. He¡¯s how this all started.

    It''s only during my distraction that I fail to notice someone else heading my direction. We collide into one another. I''ve survived so many fights, yet this has probably spiked my heart rate higher than anything that has come before. To run into someone¡­ I''m not going to get away from hours upon hours of paperwork. And that''s if they don¡¯t sue.

    I immediately start to apologize but a voice cuts me off.

    ¡°Sorry about that. I was looking for someone and-"

    The owner of the voice stops. I stop. The world stops. The people around us keep going yet everything is frozen in an infinite world. Because there¡¯s an arm around my hip, gently supporting me from our collision. It moves up into a chest, obviously. But that chest is connected to a head. Yes, of course. What else would be there? No, I don''t want to know, after having seen that monster from before.

    But I''m rambling. I''m rambling because my brain is unable to process what¡¯s happening before me. The owner of the voice, the person I crashed into¡­ Grandpa was right¡­ it took this moment for me to truly realize what I wanted in life. But this not-chance meeting has forced all bricks into place.

    ¡°Rei¡­¡± My voice comes out in a dreamy whisper.

    ¡°Well, I''ll be. You know me? Have we met before?¡± Her voice lacks the edge I''ve come to know.

    ¡°I-I-I-" I stutter relentlessly like a child in front of a crowd. This earns a small laugh from her- and her arm is still around me. When she notices me looking, she still doesn¡¯t move her arm. Instead, she simply raises one eyebrow.

    ¡°My, youarea pretty little thing aren''t you? Now let ask you a strange question. If it doesn''t make sense to you, just write it off as the ramblings of a madwoman.¡± She tightens her arm around me, pulling me closer. My heart thumps in my chest at the contact.

    ¡°Are you Eve?¡±

    I can''t help but stare dumbly at her. She seems to take my silence as refutation and, with a ¡°Sorry,¡± she goes to remove her arm. I refuse to lose this warmth, and grab her hand holding on my waist. She gives me another cocked eyebrow and in return, I give a pathetic little nod.

    ¡°So, youareEve then?¡± I give a nod.

    ¡°Can''t talk?¡± She asks.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. You don''t know how much I¡¯m, um, going through right now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d imagine I could give you a run from your money. But I never thought I¡¯d meet you. Jamie really did explain you to a tee. Though I¡¯d say she didn''t do you justice.¡± Rei gives me a charming smile and, more importantly, she¡¯sflirtingwith me.

    ¡°Um. I''m confused. So you''re who I was supposed to meet?¡±

    ¡°Supposed¡­? I see.¡±

    ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t answer-" My lips are sealed in a kiss, instantly halting everything within me.

    I''m pretty sure my heart isn''t even beating right now. I can hear the people around us gasp or otherwise cry out in disgust at our actions. After all, if you''re not allowed to touch, imagine whatthismust look like.

    But I don''t care. I swing my arms up and around her neck, pulling her closer to our kiss. Her tongue darts into my mouth, and with it, she marks me. Yet it''s over well before I¡¯m ready for it to be.

    ¡°I think I''m in love with you Eve.¡±

    ¡°I... ¡° my head is cloudy from the kiss, my emotions are a wreck. ¡°You''re so much different from before. More alive.¡±

    Her beautiful face twists. ¡°Before?¡±

    ¡°When-" Rei holds up a hand.

    ¡°My life hasn''t been easy. Maybe it can''t hold a candle to yours, but your suffering doesn¡¯t lessen mine. I didn''t exist before, you see. Even now, I can''t be sure that I do.¡±

    She takes in a deep breath and continues, ¡°Then Jamie found me and told me about you; and the moment she mentioned you, it was as if my world came to life. Colors became more vibrant, my tongue stung with a prickly electric feeling.¡±

    That¡­ doesn¡¯t sound right. This world doesn''t have magik. She picks up on my mood and pushes her fingers through my hair. We may be standing in a crowd, but to me, there is no one else in this world besides Rei and I.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I¡­ why are you here?¡±

    ¡°It''s strange, don''t you know. I was given a message from a man with a bald head- a massive man.¡±

    What? Just, what? How? There''s no way. It''s official. Grandpa knew, or knows. There''s no other explanation. But how could that be possible?

    ¡°The Moderator declares as thus: The path is clear. Silence will fall, Knight will break,Temper will falter, and Mother will wither, lest Queen returns.¡±

    Surprise after surprise.

    ¡°How could possibly know those names?¡± I ask. My nerves burn and I take a half step away from Rei, much to her disapproval.

    ¡°That''s what the man told me. Then he said: ¡®Null equates to Zero. The Void comes. Ye who search, she is waiting.¡¯¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I cry out. ¡°No. No, no, no. Not now.¡± I start to have a panic attack. Rei grabs my shoulders.

    ¡°I don''t know what¡¯s going on but you have to pull yourself together Eve.¡±

    ¡°No. This isn''t fair. You''re here now. I don''t even know where or who He is. I don''t even know if he was real anymore. But I have you now. Why can''t I just be happy?¡±

    Rei gives me a strange look.

    ¡°He? You have a boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°No. I mean, no. It didn''t get that far. About¡­ six months ago I was going to meet Him here. But then everything happened.¡± I blabber on about what is tantamount to nonsense to Rei.

    ¡°Wait. What? Is that why you''re here? You came to meet a guy?¡± Her face tells me she¡¯s hurt.

    ¡°No. I mean, yes. I mean¡­¡± I''m so confused as to what it is I want. What I''ve been trying to accomplish this entire time.

    ¡°You know. About six months ago I actually did see you. It was an incredibly brief interaction. Then you just sort of disappeared. I figured the crowd ate you up. I called out to you, but to no luck.¡±

    I stumble further backward, lightheaded.

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    The area around us starts to take on a slight shimmer. No. No no.

    ¡°I refuse to go back. Not now. None of this makes sense.¡±

    I try to plead with literally anything that will listen. But the look on Rei¡¯s face isn''t a what it should be. Instead of confusion, she looks at the shimmer in familiarity.

    ¡°Rei do you¡­ know what this is?¡±

    She seems to falter herself now. ¡°I see. It makes sense now.¡±

    ¡°What? What makes sense?¡±

    She¡¯s making me nervous. Please don''t tell me anything more. I don''t want to hear it. But she isn''t so kind to me.

    ¡°You have to go Eve.¡±

    ¡°No. I change my mind. I''ll stay here with you.¡± I try to take a step toward her but, she takes a step back.

    ¡°If you do this, If you stay¡­ you can''t imagine what will happen.¡±

    ¡°I can''t imagine what will happen if I do go.¡±

    ¡°But that is how things have to be.¡± Rei looks forlorn as she sentences me.

    ¡°This isn''t fair.¡±

    ¡°But can you really stand by and let people get hurt? I don''t really geteverything, but it seems you know, right? That I''m not the one who you love, Eve.¡±

    I almost do a double-take. The air around us starts to form cracks, yet no one else takes notice.

    ¡°What could that possibly mean? I love¡­¡±

    ¡°My, I''ve never known myself to be the jealous type.¡± Rei gives a small laugh.

    But that''s wrong. It has to be. I love¡­ I struggle to think of who it is I have feelings for. So many people pass through my mind. Nina, Rose, Charlie, Kay, Mimi and¡­ Rei. But the one I love is¡­

    ¡°I¡­¡± My words continue to fail me. She gives a shrug.

    ¡°My name is Reimiel. And until now, I have never met you.¡±

    ¡°No. That doesn''t make sense.¡± I shake my head violently.

    The cracks grow larger around us, and I can hear the sound of metal striking metal.

    ¡°Maybe it''s not meant to?¡± Rei says with far too much casualness.

    ¡°But¡­ this is cruel. You''re telling me to give you up, to go back to that world. To suffer as someone I am not, all for some vague premonition that could end up meaning nothing. I don''t care if you''re not exactly who I met before. I could stay here with you. That''s still an option.¡±

    ¡°Is it though? Really?¡± She steps to the side to avoid a tear opening in the space next to her. The sound of battle blares through.

    Now this, catches Rei off guard. With a worried look, she slides up next to me, and wraps an arm around my waist.

    ¡°Ultimately, the choice is yours. But all in all, I¡¯ll always be with you. So you wouldn''t exactly be without me.¡±

    Her sincerity catches me off guard, and I choke up. Even if she isn''texactlythe same as before, whatever the hell that means, she¡¯s still spouting the same nonsense.

    ¡°What happens if I lose this fight, and I become another?¡± I can''t help but ask, giving into the distant nostalgia.

    ¡°Deep down, you are always you, Eve. That is what I believe. So I will always support you.¡±

    I can''t... I just¡­

    ¡°I can''t win against you, can I?¡±

    She looks over at me and tries to ask, ¡°What does that-" but she doesn''t get a chance to finish her question. I''ve moved in front of her, and plant my lips on her¡¯s.

    Regardless of who she is, she¡¯s still my guardian Raven. I owe her this much; And my motives might have just a touch of selfishness to them as well. Her lips are soft, and warm. My tears drop to the concrete below us as the shimmering light reaches its apex and separates the space behind me.

    Rei has no hesitation in returning my kiss, and runs her hands through my hair to get a stronger hold.

    Then with the gentlest of touches, she pushes me backward. But this is my will, my choice. I''m no longer going to run, because I have people I love, that I have to help. If I am to live with pride, then my own happiness is meaningless.

    I guess this is where my heart lies.

 Chapter 25 - Solipsism

    Solipsism

    I feel cold. My heart hurts, and my blood races hot, yet it sends a chill through me. I want to scream, but I choke it down. It hurts so much, to be eviscerated this way, but I take solace in knowing that in every piece I lose, by my blood, does a hope spring eternal.

    I am unmade for you all, seeding into creation, deliberate machinations to turn the wheels of wholesome resistance. By the foundation of multifaceted lives, does excessive sowing partake of pesticides to the growing.

    Yet we dismiss and so are dismissed. But no more.

    Were I ever to be here, then in this I dodecree: harvest within the light, and be set free.

    The world caves into me all at the same time. The feel of the ground thumps against my feet in an manner different than before, yet all too familiar. The screams of people assault my ears; metal sparks against the backdrop of the night, and lights it up before me.

    All at once, I feel the wind shift to my right. With stiffness in my neck, I swing my head just in time to dodge a flash of metal. The man before me doesn¡¯t hesitate to bring his blade sideways, attempting to slash my torso.

    Weaponless, I do my best to dodge backward. As his blade misses me, I grab his wrist and yank it at an angle, allowing it to meet an audible crack. The sword falls from his hand and into mine. Using the force of pulling him forward, I spin around him, gutting him in the process.

    Before the man even lands, I''m deflecting a blow from a young woman. The look on her face is ghastly- twisted in some kind of perverted expression of anger and malice. Worse yet she wears a simple dress, making her a civilian. My training has taken control before I''m even able to register it all, and she lands behind me, throat slashed. I feel terrible beneath the adrenaline. I''ve never had a serious fight aside from Fennis, yet I''ve now killed two people.

    The time to lament doesn''t last, because four more people charge me. I take out one immediately for stepping out of line. Using his body as a shield, the next blow is blocked just in time for me to use my blade to parry the third enemy. I redirect their blade to puncture the chest of the fourth person, then allow the momentum to carry me close enough to sink my blade hilt-deep into her stomach.

    The blade is too slick with blood and sweat so I''m forced to lose it. I step back to allow the body room to fall, but my back finds an obstacle. Yet I don''t bother to see what, or rather who, it is.

    ¡°You''re good. But it was careless to let your guard down, girl.¡±

    ¡°There was no killing intent. It''s good to see you Charlie, what is going on here?¡±

    My heart races in elation at meeting Charlie again, even if it''s in this nightmare of hell.

    ¡°Hah. I''ll let your disrespectful behavior pass this time girl. Your body count is admirable. But you watch your tongue in the future.¡±

    Before I can question her odd behavior, we¡¯re assaulted from our sides. Charlie And I work together in a synchronicity that can only be achieved from a bond such as ours. I am the Zeroth, and she is mine, Valkyrie or no. Together we make short work of at least a dozen more people before we''re separated.

    Exhaustion starts to take hold, yet it means nothing once I spot a familiar figure in the distance, fighting. With all of my power, and honed senses, I fight my way to her.

    ¡°Mimi,¡± I get to her just in time to see her fist turning a woman to ash. With a raised eyebrow she looks my direction.

    ¡°Hm? You¡¯ve been quite impressive Lady.¡± Mimi says with a toothy grin. ¡°But you still got a ways to catch up.¡±

    With that, she flickers out and is gone. ¡°What the hell is with them?¡± I ask aloud.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pay her any mind. She gets a little too happy when she gets a chance to let loose.¡±

    I turn to see Rose. ¡°Ah, Rose. It¡¯s not safe here. You should get out.¡±

    She raises an eyebrow at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Have we met? So many new people have joined the armies these last six months.¡±

    ¡°What? Rose, it''s me.¡±

    I feel nauseous from what Rose is implying. My stomach can''t sink any further.

    ¡°Ah. Kay. How goes the Master and the others?¡±

    Rose turns and talks to Kay, who only just arrived. When I turn to look at her, the sinking feeling I thought couldn''t get worse, does.

    ¡°Oh shit. Kay. Your eye. What happened? Are you alright?¡±

    I reach up and cup her cheek. Her left eye has a patch on it that goes around her head. But Kay seems to have other ideas and her good eye focuses into a glare- one fixated on me.

    ¡°I apologize for the girl. She''s under the impression that we have all met. So please conserve your energy.¡± Rose tells her.

    The shock I feel as Kay slaps my hand away, frays my nerves. I''ve been on edge since meeting Rei, and this is about to push me over again.

    ¡°Domnis is holding the east gate with Zero. I was told to find Nina,¡± she tells Rose.

    No sooner did the words leave her mouth than a haunting disconnect attach itself to me. My blood stops in my veins and my mind is torn between two distinct, yet important pieces of information.

    On one hand, Nina is here in this madness, somewhere. On the other, did Kay just say¡­ Zero was with Dom?

    ¡°What? Zero? Kay, what are you talking about?¡±

    She looks at me, her hazel eye reflects a madness I¡¯m accustomed to seeing, yet slightly less than before. She goes to open her mouth, but there is a massive explosion on the other side of the city, accompanied by flames. I swallow down my confusion, and the harrowing feeling that maybe I shouldn¡¯t have come back after all.

    ¡°We have to go help them,¡± I tell the two girls. They look hesitantly at me for a moment.

    ¡°This girl can handle herself. I can vouch for her." Mimi tells them, coming from seemingly nowhere.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    I turn and look into her beautiful amethyst eyes. It¡¯s then that I truly recognize the proof of my unease. Within those eyes, as they stare back into my own, is a lack of recognition. I do not mean in the way from before. Their recognition was wrong, but they still knew me. She stares now, at a stranger. My urge to vomit rises, but Rose and Kay give her a nod. And before I know it, they¡¯re running off.

    I swallow down my despair, and give chase. All around us, we fell soldiers and civilians alike as they attack us like wild creatures. The closer we get to the sound of the explosions, the more the people seem to change. At times I look at them, and they seem to have twisted complexions of horns and teeth, yet with a blink, they¡¯re normal again.

    Kay and Mimi lead the way, destroying those who approach us. I do what I can to help protect Rose, yet she hardly seems fazed by any of this.

    The center of the city is in tatters as buildings lay in pieces and bodies litter the streets. In the center of it all, is Nina, mowing through person after person, like an unstoppable force. For just a moment, her eyes move and lock onto mine. A smile of recognition flits across her face, meeting my own in return. As the euphoria peeks, a shimmer appears behind her. In her distracted state, she never saw it coming.

    A massive arm breaks through the portal, and slams straight down on Nina. The ground around her shatters and a roar echoes throughout the city. All around us pockets open and creatures emerge. All I can think of is to fight my way to Nina. All at once, my life feels like it¡¯s coming to its crescendo, and I can¡¯t help but fight against it. Again and again I put down lives and force my way through the crowds.

    The Valkyries follow me, screaming things at me, trying to convince me to stop, but I cannot. They fight and fight, but as the monsters enclose upon us, we become separated. These creatures are unique in their nightmare-ish appearances, yet their similar enough as to be unmistakable from the creature Nina fought off before I moved worlds.

    When I can finally place my attention on her, I see her form, limp and powerless, struggling against monsters. That blow she took seems to have taken a lot out of her, as she flails around, barely avoiding the creatures.

    I slash where I can, but it¡¯s not long before this normal sword has shattered on the creatures and try as I might, I can''t pull the sword from the void. From behind, one creature hits me with its all-powerful arm, and I am slung forward. I meet another just in time for its serrated mouth to open wide.

    I scream for Rei, and while she does not answer me directly, a tiny pulse of energy flows through me. I clench my fist and allow the momentum to push my arm forward. With the energy as my weapon, my fist pierces the monster¡¯s mouth, and winds up sticking out through the back of its skull.

    However I¡¯m moving too fast, and the beast falls backward with me stuck partially inside of it. As the dust around us clears, I yank my arm out. The power is getting weaker. I use it as I can, to fight off the next creature. Using a mix of what Grandpa taught me, and what I recalled from Mimi¡¯s sessions, I¡¯m able to fight them off. Not every one dies, but every one retreats retreats

    I can see Nina struggling. A beast grabs her from behind, and sinks its teeth into her right shoulder and part of her neck.

    I scream an animalistic scream that seems to force the area to freeze. Allies and enemies both stop their encounters, and even the monsters look at me. Using everything I can, I charge at the monsters. As I approach the top of the stairs, my leg is grabbed from beneath me, forcing me to fall.

    With cracks to my bones, I tumble downward past the beginning step. With greater effort still, I move myself up, just in time to see Gee crawl out of my shadow.

    ¡°Yes. Gee. Yes, fucking finally, yes! You can help me. Please, save Nina.¡±

    I shout at Gee, praying to any being that could possibly be listening, thankful for this small miracle.

    Gee turns and looks at me, with sadness in her eyes. She pulls her hand up, makes a small symbol of a gun with her fingers; when she lets the hammer, her thumb, fall, the creature she points at turns to dust.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Gee, I fucking love you. Help me up, I¡¯m not healing all that fast. Then we can go save Nina.¡±

    Again Gee looks at me, and meets my eyes. Her beautiful colored irises slowly fade into the white that I met her with. She gives me a small smile, weak, and hopeless.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Gee says, then turns toward the top of the stairs, and slowly makes her ascent.

    ¡°What? Gee. What are you doing? I can help you. Please don¡¯t try to take them on by yourself. Even if you are powerful, they still outnumber you.¡±

    Every single step she takes, another battle ends, and eyes turn toward her. The atmosphere is changing, tingling, and revolting. I don¡¯t know why, but with everythumpof her steps, the air feels like it¡¯s taken from my lungs.

    They are soon upon her, yet she doesn¡¯t flinch. And with every aim of her hand, another one turns to dust.

    Before long, they surround her, yet make no move against her. My body is broken and it screams for me to move. My breathing is labored, and only grows more difficult as I try to stand. As I move, so do the Beta surround Gee. With every step Gee takes, time seems to move slower and slower.

    I watch as she approaches the top, and kneels down before Nina. Gee runs a boney finger down Nina¡¯s cheek. Nina is in obvious pain, trapped by the maw of the creature that¡¯s holding her. No sooner than I stand up, two soldiers pin me from either side. All fighting has seemed to come to an end- with every Valkyrie swarmed by Beta. They aren¡¯t dead, thank whoever, but they are clearly at their limits.

    ¡°Gee, what are you-¡±

    ¡°Silence.¡± Her voice booms throughout the area.

    I choke down the rest of my question.

    ¡°''Tis known, this curse of us and ours, and the stage we dance. The tempo reverberates through us, bringing us closer to the peak.¡±

    Gee¡¯s confusing words pass through us, and fall without understanding. Yet inside of me, something stirs. I move my eyes in a quick flitter, and see that I am not alone. Her words carry a weight we all can¡¯t quite place, yet is all too familiar.

    ¡°I look down on your kind, and your priorities. Yet mine are forever with hunger that tingles at us. We wish only to be lapped at, tasted, to push us closer.¡±

    At that, my heart sinks. I understand now, whom Gee is. Yet it¡¯s Nina¡¯s withheld pain that breaks me from this spell.

    ¡°Gee. I don¡¯t fully get what¡¯s going on. But let Nina go. Now.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course you don¡¯t know. You never do. You just sit pretty atop your pedestal and direct. Yet all I seek is to be sought. With you, my Eve, I am always so close. A single touch brings me to the peak. And as I shiver and shake, you pull away.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If you¡¯re saying you love me, you damn pervert, then listen to me and let Nina go. I don¡¯t even want to be a part of this fucking mess and you know it. You were there. I only came back to help the people who matter to me. So please, just, let¡¯s talk this out?¡±

    I beg her. I don¡¯t want this, any of this. I just want Nina safe, and for things to go back to our normal routine.

    ¡°Gee, please. If you ever did love me at all- if our time together has meant anything to you, then just come back down, with Nina in tow.¡±

    ¡°To hear you call my name, with you on your knees, looking up at me¡­ such divine bliss. You¡¯ve pushed me over the edge and my body demands release. For I am Gehenna, and I am to set you free.¡±

    The world stops for me at that name. That name, that should not be here, could not be here. This is another world. That name, that¡¯s a fairy tale from my world that a group of psychos were talking about. How is that possible? No. Absolutely not.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t being funny Ge-¡± My words cut short as I watch a blade form in Gee¡­ Gehenna¡¯s hand. From the void of nothing, something is given form.

    Right then, Nina lifts her face, and stares right at me. Our eyes meet, and her mouth moves. I can not hear her words, but I can see them, in all their glory.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Without moving her eyes away from mine, Gehenna brings her left arm down, and the light gleams from its blade- once was blue, now stained red. What time that still passed for me, halts, as I watch a piece of my life tumble down the stairs. It¡¯s only when it comes to a stop, and our eyes meet, do I fully comprehend the atrocity that has come to pass. The guards around me let me go, if only in mockery.

    I reach down, and I touch the lips I will never again hear words from. My fingers trail those cheeks, which will never bare another smile at me. And even as I push a tuft of yellow hair behind her ears, her eyes do not light up in joy.

    Nina, my Nina, is before me, yet remains with Gehenna.

    It¡¯s on this day, that I break, and lose all that I am. For within me, the pulsing is hotter than ever before. With only myself as an outlet, I let my body burn. The flames erupt forth, and all of the world fades to an empty white.

 Notice For Volume 2

    Howdy guys. After some consultation from some friends, I''ve decided to add this section as a heads up to those who may not know otherwise; that volume 2 is up. It''s posted as a separate book call, "Zeroth Knight re: Dawn" and can be found here: This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/29760/zeroth-knight-re-dawn

    Join Eve as she travels back to Arsea to save the women and the people she has come to love!

    Expect more action in volume 2 along with a conclusion to Evangeline Sayahawa''s story.