Arinn Legia

  The silent sounds of Ayame`s slow steps couldn't escape my ears. She opened my door as our eyes met.

  "Are you ready, Lord Arinn?" She asked without any emotion behind her voice.

  I smirked at her:

  "Never been this ready." I said, walking towards her, my hands behind my back.

  Ayame stopped me when I tried to walk out. I raised a brow for her action.

  "Your robes are untied."

  "Oh?"

  I looked at my robes. It had mostly white and blue runes and lines here and there. It was a nice kimono to wear. Comfortable and easy to walk around. I let Ayame tie my robes. She was elegant as always. After she tied my robes I then walked out. Ayame walked just a little behind me.

  "How is Lilith holding up our guesses?" I asked bitterly.

  Ayame spoke in a sullen voice:

  "Lady Lilith is fine as it seems. She greeted Great House Vea two minutes earlier. "

  I disdainfully nodded my head. My dear twin sister, always wanting to stay in the background, yet always in the spotlight.

  "Which of the Great Houses have arrived?"

  Ayame`s hands were steady on her sides as she walked. My dear servant.

  "Great House Vea, Great House Pagina and Great House Fors have arrived. The other Great Houses are on their way to Magna Tempestas."

  A twitched smile rose in my lips:

  "Good. Then the Star Slayer will arrive late... good. I would personally want to greet the Great House Lyncesta myself."

  "As you wish, Lord Arinn."

  After walking through the festive corridors of Magna Tempestas we finally had arrived at our destination. The large gala doors were open wide. The highest place in all of Storm City, the Storm`s Eye. An entire floor dedicated to be used for political and tactical meetings. A council that binds all of the Great Houses together, even the Great House Armada. For a showcase and declaration of truce and absolute peace.

  "Tell Lilith that I have arrived."

  Ayame nodded:

  "As you say, Lord Arinn."

  After Ayame went inside the gala I waited for a minute then went inside myself. It had been five years since a meeting like this had happened. The gala was large and crowded even though there were just three Great Houses inside. The room was luxurious, had high quality white marble floor with golden lightning designs etched on them. The walls were also white marble and they had many runic designs. There were also relics on the walls that the Hunters gathered from the Pits. Paintings and pictures were hung on the walls. Pictures and Paintings of the Great House Legia members, from to the first Dream King, Metrophanes to its last members, that being me and Lilith. I walked around the gala and looked at those walls. And one of them caught my eye. The picture of the "The Exalted Dream Queen Kimono Harper Legia". The picture of my mother. I looked away not wanting to see her face anymore. I looked around the Awakened in the room. I knew all of them. Some of them were my age while some of them were far older.

  Most of them were walking around and speaking with other members. There was a stage in the high end of the room, there were also many tables for us to eat, drink and chat.

  I set my sights on one of the guests and walked towards them. He had long silver hair and solvent lavender eyes, he wore a white kimono with lavender lines on it.

  "The Heir of Great House Vea, Ivar, long time no see, old friend." I said, opening my arms.

  Ivar turned to me and smirked; he was just talking to his fiance, Lagertha. She had short brown hair, dark brown eyes, a cute face that could warm most men`s hearts and a slender figure that made her look beautiful.

  "Arinn..." Ivar muttered, reaching out a hand towards me to shake.

  I took the hand and looked at his eyes as he did the same thing for me. Our eyes locked and we stared at each`s soul. Our intense stare only broke when Lagertha spoke:

  "Uhh, can you tell me where the restroom is, Lord Arinn?" She asked.

  We stopped shaking hands and I without a breath told her where the restroom was.

  "Just in the corner. Turn left."

  "Thank you very much, Lord Arinn."

  Lagertha sweetly walked off to the restroom. Ivar`s eyes never left her.

  "You found yourself a cute one." I said, smirking.

  "Cut the crap and tell me what you want." He hissed as his gorgeous focus came back to me.

  I chuckled innocently:

  "Don`t be so rough. I was just saying."

  Ivar narrowed his eyes:

  "For Tarn`s sake you haven't changed a bit." He snorted.

  "You too. Are you still wetting the bed in your sleep?"

  Ivar`s face turned red and he looked away.

  "You should be lucky that I said it now. What you`ve do then if dear Lagertha heard it?"

  Ohhh, Ivar, he`s truly someone I despise. An Awakened who has no dreams. An Infuser who has no will.

  "Arinn!" A woman called out.

  I turned around to look just to see my twin sister and Unn A. Pagina. Unn, the eldest child of the Great House Pagina and to be engaged in a political marriage with the Heir of Great House Lyncesta, Lysander. Unn is an Infuser and she has black hair and bright yellow eyes. She is tall and muscular, her face sharp and smooth. She wore a nice blue dress. And next to her, Lilith wore a black crystal war-dress.

  I greeted her and she hugged me, an action that she does every time we meet. An act that always ends with me begging for breath.

  "It`s nice to see you... too, Unn." I said, while choking for breath.

  "No, no, no. You`ve been a bad boy the past year. You deserve this."

  When the right time comes, I will kill her. But now, I will just play along.

  Unn finally let me go as I dropped to a knee. My eyes danced to Lilith who looked unhappy as always.

  "Ayame told me that you wanted to welcome Great House Lyncesta yourself. Why?"

  I got up and shot a look at Unn who was giggling. She was just a musclehead in my eyes, that's all she is, all she`ll ever be.

  "There are some important manners that has to be addressed."

  Lilith raised a brow:

  "Like what? What are you planning?"

  I clasped my hands behind.

  "There are things that you need to know and things that you should not know, dear sister."

  Lilith furrowed her eyes but talked no more. Realizing I had no job left here I walked away, but before Unn gazed at me, her eyes filled with joy. I rolled my eyes and walked away as fast as I could.

  I walked around the gala to see who had arrived. Most of the Great Houses might think that there could be danger here, they`re not wrong of course. They are a danger to Great House Legia after all. Even though the servants at the gala doors and the guards on the city entrance checked for any hidden weapons, there are still the aetheric abilities and the Awakened Weapons. Still, considering that four marshals were outside the palace on guard, I don`t believe that any horrid intent can happen.

  When I spotted more old friends talking to each other, I quickly joined them. Ragnar Vae, Paul L. Fors and Leif Pagina.

  "Welcome you daft people." I said laughing.

  Ragnar eyed me. He had a broad tall body, waist-long silver hair with braids, azure eyes and wore a white royal suit. He was a dumbass though. An Ascender he is and will always remain as one. Dumb people like him don`t survive for long. I`m actually surprised how he even reached his thirties.

  "After all these years, you still have the same uppish face." Ragnar`s voice was as rough as a stone.

  "Don`t be so mad at the boy, Ragnar. He`s still just a boy." Leif Pagina said with a seductive voice.

  She was one of the most beautiful Awakened ever, an Infuser. She has long black hair with purple fidgets, gazing sharp lavender eyes. Her face is beautiful in every way, and under her skin-revealing dress is a tall hourglass body. Can`t believe I used a word like that.

  "Arinn, dear, where is your sister? You two should be representing your father while he`s absent. Why don—"

  "Don`t worry, Lady Leif. Lilith and I have no need to represent our father. The Dream King doesn't need a representative."

  "The boy has a point." Paul L. Fors said.

  He was the one I liked the most out of three. He just never questioned me. A true naive guy. He`s a Beckoner. He`s small chubby in body but has a fine face. His short hair is blue and so his eyes. Considering that aether helps the body get stronger and finer, its a query for me to ponder why he's body is so badly shaped. If I cared about him of course.

  "Your father wants a war after ending one just a couple of years back. He`s ushering us into a disaster with no end." Ragnar said.

  Leif slipped an arm to Ragnar`s shoulder.

  "I do agree with Ragnar on this. Taking a war on a region and taking war on an entire realm are two very different magniloquent acts. And does he even know the Warrior count of the Green Realm? Isn`t Fates Masterpiece alone a threat to him?"

  I raised my chin:

  "You think a single bolem whelp Awakened can be a threat to the Dream King or us? Don`t reduce your eminence in my eyes. Fates Masterpiece has no dominion here. He`s just a brat who got lucky. And he`s luck is running out."

  Leif narrowed her sharp eyes:

  "You`re so supercilious. Don`t confuse arrogance with confidence. Knowledge with ignorance."

  "You speak too much, Lady Leif. Maybe that's why Great House Pagina is in the state it is now. None of you know when to shut up. You don`t, your brother didn't and certainly not your father knew. So will you keep yapping or should I remind you why the Great House Pagina still stands?"

  A dark silence washed all of them. Ragnar growled; Paul took slow, pesky breaths, and Leif was quiet. I one by one looked at their deathdamn eyes. Gazing on their little, weak Will`s.

  "I will get going now. It was nice to talk to ya`ll."

  I walked away, my steps firm, my hands behind my back.

  "Lord Arinn." Ayame walked next to me.

  I smiled at my dear precious servant.

  "Yes."

  Ayame`s eyes were gazing towards the gala doors. I noticed it right away and looked at her, as I did she looked at me.

  "The Great House Sangius, Great House Minyas and Great House Lyncesta have arrived at the gala."

  My smile turned wicked:

  "Good. Thank you, Ayame." I said as we walked through a couple of Great House Fors members.

  They all looked the same in face, jaw, ears, eyes, nose, colors... The only differences were their body`s. Wonder how that works?

  I made my move. Father was going to arrive thirty minutes later. Meaning that there was still plenty of time for some gabfest. Now its the time to talk to the Heir of Great House Lyncesta, Lysander, the Star Slayer.

  "Lysander!" I called out to him smugly. "I haven't seen you since the battle between the Great House Lyncesta and Armada in the Wasteland."

  Lysander glanced at me, he too had a smug smile on his handsome face.

  The Star Slayer was tall even though we were at the same age. He had shoulder-length white hair and piercing golden-like eyes. Not true gold like Fates Masterpiece, it just looks like gold. Lysander had the body of a true prodigy. He was a Converter just at the age of seventeen. User of the Myth Branch of Eclipse. Lysander wore the lineal white robes of the Lyncesta Great House. It had purple runic patterns ingrafted on it. By all means did he look magnificent.

  "Hello, Arinn." Lysander said.

  His little sister Sylvara was standing next to him. She was still a Slumberer. She was just eight, can't blame her. Sylvara was short and small. She had a cute, gentle face, the same silver hair and golden-like eyes, her hair was tied into a ponytail and she wore the black robes of the Great House Lyncesta.

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  Lysander gazed at Ayame who was still standing next to me.

  "Hello to you too, Lady Ayame."

  Ayame bowed to Lysander.

  "It would be my honor to stand before you, Star Slayer."

  Lysander laughed and gestured his hand in air joyfully:

  "Come on, Ayame. Don't call me by that meaningless epithet. We`re all friends here, aren't we?"

  At his words Ayame stood straight, her chin still down. Even if Lysander said that there was no hierarchy, she still had to denote her respects towards him. An ideology that I defend with all my mighty heart.

  "'Friends'..." Ayame muttered under her breath.

  "Of course we are!" Sylvara suddenly charmed in. "I love new friends!"

  Lysander made somewhat a normal smile:

  "That`s what happens when you don`t go through any traumatic experience. My family worries that she has so much positivity that aether would never choose her to Awake."

  Sylvara pouted, her cheeks burning red.

  "No! I dare you. I will be Primus and then become an Ever. I will be the most powerful Awakened this world has ever seen before."

  Such big dreams from such a small child. I merely rolled my eyes. Lysander looked away from her bolem whelp sister. Under those gentle gazes and sweet, ensuring smiles, Lysander was more of a beast than he was men. He got the epithet "Star Slayer" by massacring an entire horde of Awakened Beasts when he was just sixteen. He was strong and all-mighty. The Prodigy of Stars. But in my eyes he`s just someone who was born lucky. For aether to choose one, first they must go through a traumatic experience. We don`t know why, no one knows but that's how all of us Awoke. Aether has its own consciousness that`s not a secret but why does it only Awaken those who shed tears for loss?

  "Where is your father?" Lysander asked.

  "He shall arrive soon. He`s waiting for all of the guests to gather." I relaxed: "Where is your father?"

  Lysander`s face turned more earnest:

  "He`s probably talking with the other lords." He looked around for a bit. "I don't see any members of Great House Harper, why?"

  He asked as if he didn't know the answer. I stood strong before him. This bastard semen that came from the ballsackles of Tarn thinked himself above me. He may have a better Will control than me but the only reason that I haven't reached Conversion is simply because I didn't want to. And if Lysander wants war then I would gladly give one to him. My mother may have been weak in thoughts but she was not weak in strength. She ruled the Storm City next to my father for almost a century.

  "You forget how our forefathers warred for generations. Killed the strong, ruled the weak. So tell me, Lysander. Are you strong because you were born talented? Or are you strong because you made yourself talented?"

  The three of them looked at me in confusion. Lysander was slowly dropping the mask he hid behind for so long.

  "You truly act like a true Legia. Like a true dictator." Lysander said as he looked dead in the eye.

  "Only the strong do survive in this false heaven. You will be not one of them, if you keep talking." I said, my voice as frigid as crimson ice.

  Lyncesta`s eyes lowered:

  "You too will die then."

  To his words Ayame stepped in. Standing between us, she spoke in not a sullen voice but a voice filled with anger.

  "If you touch him, you start another war."

  A soft chuckle escaped from Lysander`s royal mouth. And slowly that chuckle turned into a giggle and the giggle turned into a laugh. A long, mirthful laugh.

  "You sure are his dog, Ayame!"

  Everyone looked in our direction. The members of Great House Sangius narrowed their eyes. The members of Vea watched in silence. The ones of Pagina and Fors took an involuntary step back. Great House Minyas faltered. And the members of the Great House Lyncesta moved towards us and so did Lilith.

  Lysander`s father's eyes danced to us. Lucien Lyncesta, the Prime Lord of Great House Lyncesta. Father to Lysander and Sylvara Lyncesta, and my father`s treacherous former best friend.

  "Lysander! What is the meaning of this?" Lucien`s voice was derived with uncertainty. "Lysander! I`m talking to you, child." His golden-like eyes rose with fury.

  I took just one step towards the Star Slayer. While our smooth conversation happened Great House Hiems, Theara and Byrgers have just arrived. Their lords, ladies and heirs all gazed at us with confusion.

  I looked up at Lysander, my chin high, my body still and I released an aetheric intent of malice. A bluish aura surrounded me. The azura colored aetheric particles in the air gathered around me, bowing to me. With my sudden threat all of the Awakened`s inside leaked their own crushing aetheric presence. The gala floor was in the shades of each`s Awakened`s own aether color. Ayame stood next to me, releasing a bright color of white. We would win. There were four marshals outside, even if a threat to the all of Dream Realm happens right now, they would still be on guard, ready to strike on set.

  "Fall back, Lysander." I said. "You cannot win this, you will not win this."

  Shit Slayer`s eyes looked down on me:

  "And if I don't?"

  "Then you die."

  "Oh? Can you? Are you strong enough? No, you`re not."

  "Lysander, enough!" Lucien ordered. "End the conflict, now!"

  Lysander`s eyes gazed at his father for a split second, then back to me. His hands twitched, ready to summon his aetheric weapon. So was I. So was everyone else here.

  The Great Purple Awakening War happened between all of the different regions of the Dream Realm. A war amidst the twelve Great Houses. And if this standoff continued a new one would start and end in a blink of an eye.

  "Lysander Lyncesta, what is the meaning of this?" Lady of Great House Byrgers, Ravessa Byrgers asked, her jaw tightening.

  She was a woman of her age. Her face hard, her purple hair and white eyes grimmered through, most Awakened would fear to fight a Byrgers, their aether reserves are far greater than most of Awakened. Ravessa tightened her black, formal dress. A great Converter she is.

  "Don`t start a new war, boy." She raised the volume of her voice.

  She was wrong. A war would not start because of Lysander, it would start because of me.

  Next to Ravessa, her daughter, Maria stepped forward, for a moment I thought that she would join us in this aetheric clash. Maria had some physical features similar to her mother. The only difference was Maria`s gentle face and her rank, an Ascender.

  "Arinn, please don`t do this. Maybe Lysander won`t listen but you would."

  She is wrong. I will make Lysander listen.

  I ignored the voices around me as I ascended to the air, looking down on the Mighty Star Slayer of the Cursed Islands. The air pressure was thick and I pressed further.

  "Who are you to stare me down, Lyncesta? Do you forget who you stand before? I`m Arinn Legia, son of Orinn, son of Kimono, the Prince of Storm City, the Child Blessed by Heavens. And I remain where I stand."

  My eyes darted around the room. Ivar looked awfully happy, Unn was silent, Lilith was gazing at me with judgmental eyes.

  Lysander couldn't help himself but smirk viciously:

  "Don`t be so ahead of yourself you Infuser. You know the gap between our Awakenings."

  I narrowed my eyes:

  "And here I am, looking down on a Converter. You`re just an arrogant bolem semen."

  Lysander did not take my insult lightly, but he did not attack either, he just watched. His eyes gazed at my own. Tarn knows only what kind of thought he was thinking about in that dormant, large brain of his. After a minute had passed, the smirk in his face twitched into something more of a smile.

  "You are no god." He said as aether gathered around his right palm.

  I watched dormantly as he summoned his Awakened Weapon: Swing of Light. A white, long blade was forged in his right hand. The handle was gold and had white runic symbols on it.

  I smiled at his action and readied myself to summon my own Awakened Weapon.

  Aether danced around my hands, ready to summon my weapon, Land Storm. Our eyes met. My aether continued to clash with his but before this conflict could escalate any further an aetheric light flashed in the room. In the far end of the gala a man appeared. A man that forsaken love and rule. A man who would do anything to achieve his dream. It was my father and he was smiling absurdly.

  "Calm down everyone, please. No need for us to fray one another. We`re all comrades here."

  My father raised his voice, thundering us all. Every Great House present here, at the gala bare witnessed to the Dream King`s unbound power as my father unleashed an aetheric presence that devoured all of our aetheric auras.

  The smile in my father`s face fell, he became more serious, more devoid of life.

  All of the Great House Lords looked up at my father with dense eyes.

  "My dear fellow Awakened`s, please have a seat."

  Father gestured for us all to sit in the long, large tables around us. Those who were from the same Great House joined together and sat down. It was now that I finally let go of my wrath towards Lysander. All aetheric leaks faded. Just a minute ago all of us were ready to start a war, but now we were going to sit down and eat while my father made a speech about the hereafter. The servants of the Magna Tempestas aside from Ayame all served us dishes that looked luxurious and delicious. I sat on the table closest to my father. Lilith sat down just a seat away from me, she showed no emotion on her face, but her body told otherwise.

  "What are you planning, Legia!" Lucien screamed in fear.

  "Yes, what kind of insanity consumed you to remit us to war in an entirely different realm?" Lord of Great House Hiems, Bjarni Hiems asked.

  He was a tall and well-built man. His eyes and long hair were in shades of icy blue. A Converter who would do anything for own gains.

  "A war in the name of nothing!" Lady Sangius shouted.

  She was short compared to the other Ladies of the Great Houses. She had short, blood red hair and eroding crimson eyes, her face had scars here and there, her rank was an Infuser. A little humiliating compared to the other lords and ladies.

  But no matter what region of the Dream Realm the Great Houses came from, they all had one thing in common. All of them despised my father`s actions. But the all-mighty Dream King of the Storm City had no reasons to listen to their compliments. In the past my father had been many things, before the war he was the "Small Prince of Storms", then the "Student of Ages", when the war began he was a warrior of the Royal Holy Army then he became a slave, a captive. But when he saved himself in the mines of the Death Pits he became a marshal in the climax of the war. And finally, as the years passed he risen to the throne of the Storm City and with the end of the Great Purple Awakening War many called him the "Dream King of the Storm City, the Mightiest of Death".

  Father eyed all of us, not ignoring even the smallest of us. He took a deep breath and as he spoke lightning struck outside of Magna Tempestas.

  "My dear Awakened Warriors, we were at war for over a century. In this blood filled war over two billion Awakened, Slumberers and beasts died. I myself killed nearly a hundred million men myself. My hands were made for war, I can`t deny that. But also they were forged to build, to create. I lived for so long that I now realize how much this world is flawed. My only goal is to create a new world where there are only victors, joy, love and laughs. A world that is a paradise for us all. But for me to achieve this dream I must first get my hands dirty. I declared war on the Green Realm because I know that this is the only way that can unite us as one."

  My father looked straight towards me and Lilith and then continued:

  "Fates Masterpiece is a flaw that has no bounds. But he also holds the ought that I need. I purposely let him live so that he can get stronger, and with him getting stronger then the concept runes that he holds can also get stronger. Many of you do not ken Grey Nirmala, but I assure you that he`s a boy that will do anything for to achieve his own dreams and goals. He is a threat to us all."

  My father`s eyes gazed further from us. He looked down at us, I could feel his overwhelming gaze. Was he trying to intimate us all?

  "Some of you may ask what would`ve happened if Grey Nirmala, a People of Destruction never came to our forests. But there is no need to fad on such little, inessential thoughts. Even if I believe that a man writes his fate through blood and flesh that doesn`t mean that Fate can`t guide us."

  My father opened his arms wide and ascended from the ground:

  "Hell is empty and all the devils are here! So I ask, tell all who will hear! Heed my words! I am Orinn Legia, the Dream King of the Storm City and I seek your hand in this upcoming war! Awakened or not, men or women, old or young, it will not matter. Because today we can either continue to fight one another until one of us comes victorious and butcher the rest or we can stand here, all as one, even at our darkest hour. Let those long after us know that we did not falter nor yield, we are the Children of Death, Tarn`s aether runs through our veins. We will show all the other realms why we`re called the People of Death. Why we do reign supreme. I trust and dear for each one of you my fellow Awakened Warriors. For the brave and the awakened. We will win. Enough blood has spilled from our fathers and forefather, enough tears have fallen from our mother and their mothers. It's time for us to reclaim the former power of the Dream Realm. First Grey Nirmala then the rest will fall. Only after can we achieve absolute peace. Eternal paradise, a true Dream Realm. It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves!"

  Few of us screamed with fear, few of us cried in dread, most of us just watched in awe as my father declared his plan to us all.

  My father descended and his toes touched the ground once again.

  "Do not be afraid, for death comes for us all. Even for the best of us. Even for the strongest of us. Aether chose us for a reason that we yet cannot understand. But near we will. We will find our way in this life of hate and love."

  I smiled at my father`s words. Words that meant conquest and supereminence over lesser men. He was indeed the best of us. The Greatest the Dream Realm has ever seen.

  "You being fond of him this much disgusts me." Lilith said, her voice bitter.

  I gazed at my twin sister, she was angry I can tell that. My smile turned into a smug grin.

  "How can you say that to father? Do you believe you can achieve more?"

  Lilith simply shook her head and clicked her tongue:

  "He killed mother in cold blood." She said through clenched teeth."Looked down on her as if she was nothing but a small pebble on the road to be kicked away by him."

  "You talk like those little nefarious bolems of the Red Lotus Rebellion. It`s insulting, Lilith, get a hold of yourself."

  Lilith was heavier than usual. She was still.

  "You speak an infinite deal of nothing. Is your entire vocabulary composed of all of the meaninglessness of this rotten world?"

  "You have no honor." I said, my grin fell and my lips pressed into a thin line.

  My nostrils flared. As suddenly I felt like we were the only ones existing in the world. The voices of the others vanished and I saw not dishes and beverages between us, but a large wall made of bars that sting when I tried to reach my sister.

  "And you have no strength." She said flatly. "As long as we are ruled by him, we can never truly grow. For all in the future will bargain themselves to him. And this cycle of death will continue."

  Suddenly everything felt louder. And I hated it. How can my own twin sister say these words? She was nothing more than a mere traitor.

  "Do you actually believe in his promises of peace? He is ready to sacrifice us all for his own dreams. He wouldn't even blink to save himself. For to achieve his goals he would burn the world, all of the worlds. He sees us weak, fragile, maybe even subhuman."

  "You`re wrong!" I barked. "He protected us, loved us, cared for us from the moment we opened our eyes to this war filled world. He is our father."

  "And also our killer!" Lilith hissed and then stood up. "I won`t tolerate his lies any longer."

  I threw the chair from my ass and stood up quickly.

  "Think what you`re about to do, Lilith!" I roared.

  My voice echoed all around the gala and everyone, even the ones that were whimpering looked towards us. Father did too.

  "Can`t you be normal just for a second?! That's why mother is dead!"

  My words cut Lilith, and then I felt like I released something. I felt like the chains that binded her blazing heart broke. Lilith was going to attack. She summoned her Awakened Weapons: The Daggers of Requiem. The daggers danced around her firm hands. Just a moment later I summoned my own weapon: Land Storm. It was a crystalline, blue odachi. The handle was black with thunderic runes carved on it. I swung the blade and then leveled it towards Lilith.

  "Don`t Lilith." I begged.

  I did not want to fight my own twin sister. Someone in life that I cared about, something that was not found common. But she betrayed my trust just like that. She was wrong. She was the one that will not survive.

  "The Aether Princess" That's what most called her. Because she was a master in the arts of the King`s Dance. A conspicuous epithet for a conspicuous traitor.

  I lunged towards her, breaking the plates and crushing the food on them. I swung the blade towards her. Our weapons collided as a sound of cold metal roared in the air.

  We lunged back once then dashed forward once again. But this time before we could clash a golden light shimmered bright between us and threw us back to opposite directions.

  Lysander and Paul materialized behind me. All of the Awakened in the gala summoned their weapons. Even my father`s eyes widened in awe as the golden light dimmed and revealed someone that looked even more of a monster than an Awakened Beast. His golden eyes only wanted blood. His golden hair was all dirty and bloody. His armor was ripped apart. And the demonic masked in his face was half broken from the left. Showing an all wounded face. Fates Masterpiece was sitting on the table, leaking a vengeful intent. He slowly raised his right arm and his hand pointed to my father.

  "You`re next." He muttered.

  Then he vanished as fast as he came . He disappeared into thin air without leaving behind a single aetheric trace. My father looked at the table where there sat Fates Masterpiece just seconds ago. Father`s eyes went blood red. He released an aetheric presence that suffocated us all. I fell to my knees as the air felt like rock-solid. I tried to see something but all I saw was man falling to their knees. Lilith did, Lysander did, Paul did...

  Father walked through us as he stood before the table that was marked by Fates Masterpiece. His hand brushed the table. He took a deep breath then released it in a roar. His roar echoed in all of our ears. It rebounded in all the corners of the gala.

  I had never seen my father this angry before. In fact was he ever angry in any moment of my life but now? My father looked at Lilith and crooked a smile. A smile filled with hate. Lilith eyed father and as she did father emerged before her head.

  "Did you not think that I wouldn`t know about the little resistance you lead? At least try to be stealthy."

  Father placed a hand on Lilith`s shoulder and then squeezed it hard. Lilith`s face twitched in pain as she moaned in fear of death.

  "I`m not disappointed that you are against me. I`m disappointed because you believed that I wouldn't know. Now tell me Lilith, my dear beautiful daughter, what should I do with you?"

  His eyes left Lilith and gazed at me.

  "Your brother at least tries to be something."

  He again looked back at her:

  "But you, my girl, you`ve always been my favorite."

  My heart broke as well as my lungs. My eyes widened in fear. My own father had a favoritism between us, and he chose the one that hated him. How dare he! How... dare... he...? The blue aetheric mottes fell to the floor, just like my hopes of love did.

  "Both of you reminded me of your mother. But you were always her mirror. When I saw you, I felt like I saw your mother once again. It really was a lamentable act to kill her like that. Ripping her head off, and making her think that her babies were gonna die. I griefed for a really long time. But even the most painful tears are forgotten as time flows, eternally."

  He pulled his hand back from her shoulder. For most all I could see was a father and a daughter laughing and crying at the same time. But it was all a dream. As my father rolled his eyes and his wicked smile turned into a sad, flat one.

  "And it sure will be a grief to kill you too. Then it sure will be a joy to kill Grey Nirmala and his father and mother and sister and his little girlfriend."