by Leon Logos
“Father, it’s four in the morning,” spoke the eldest-looking female. “Why did you summon us so late in the night?”
“You speak as if your presence here is an inconvenience to your schedules,” said Alistair crossly. “Not one of you appears weary to me. I can easily guess you’ve all haven’t been in bed.”
“Fair point,” spoke the boy. “Who’s this girl?”
“This is Serenity Carlisle—” Alistair began but could not finish.
At the word “Carlisle,” the reaction was both immediate and powerful. Three of the four newcomers sprang up to their feet, one of them drawing out a golden pistol. Serenity threw up her hands in alarm. Luckily, Alistair interceded.
“Stand down! This is the child I’ve spoken about!” Alistair snapped peremptorily.
Some of their vehement glowers remained, but they all calmed themselves, sinking back into their seats. One of them inquired, not too sure about what Alistair meant.
“The stolen child?” another girl asked.
Alistair nodded.
“We should begin the assimilation process, then,” said Dorian.
“Once we divulge the truth, yes.”
“Is this about my father?” Serenity asked, leaning forward.
“This is about yourself,” replied Alistair. “Though your father does play a key role in your story. After all, he is the one that took you.”
“‘Stole’ is more like it,” Dorian scoffed.
“Took me from who? From where?”
“You don’t have any memory of your parents?” asked Alistair.
“No…for as long as I can remember, I’ve been with Gunther and my brothers. Anything before that, I don’t even know.”
“Memory consolidation, drug-induced amnesia, who knows what the bastard did to you?” Dorian said critically.
“Your parents were two people who were very precious to me,” said Alistair solemnly. “And they were also two people taken from me. By Gunther Carlisle, the devilish man that unfortunately raised you.”
“T-they’re dead?” she asked, choking up.
Her heart was inexplicably heavy at the realization of this news; she had never known her parents, and she had always regarded them as nonexistent, abstract, and fantasy. Gunther had been the only parent she had. A father that ruled with an iron fist, upholding that he was the only parent she would get.
“Such a tragedy,” Alistair sighed. “My dear brother and sister-in-law.”
“Wait…what?” she asked, repeating these words over and over in her mind.
She must’ve misheard him. But the broad smile that Alistair’s lips curved into plainly said otherwise.
“It’s ludicrous that it has taken over fifteen years for this to be revealed, but as your paternal uncle, it’s my honor. Welcome home, Miss Aurelian.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Her life normally entailed shocking experiences. This experience was particularly stupefying. It was like somebody had rewritten her past, or had given her a brand-new identity.
“Stop it…” she mumbled, shaking her head. “That’s insane.”
“The truth often is,” said Alistair gravely. “Of course, I understand it’s difficult to accept and believe. But now you know why you aren’t dead. You’re one of us, child. You’re my niece.”
“H-how?!” she stuttered. “I don’t get it! Why is Gunther my father, then?”
“He is not your father,” Alistair affirmed. “Your father was Sebastian Aurelian, a virtuous and nobleman!”
“I don’t even know what he looks like or who he is!”
“When you were no more than two years old, your parents were slain, and you were taken.”
“But why did Gunther take me? And why does he hate you?”
“He used to be affiliated with us, you know? But then he turned against us, all for the love of a woman, and a desire for vengeance.”
“No, that can’t be right,” she said, shaking her head. “Gunther doesn’t love. He can’t feel something like that.”
“The man is a human being, as much as you consider him to be a beast,” said Alistair. “All you need to know is that one summer day, he stormed the camp you and your parents were located in. He, and some mercenaries he hired, set the whole place ablaze, killing everybody but you.”
“Killed them all out of spite and revenge,” Dorian nodded. “But why he took you in and raised you, I haven’t the faintest id—”
“He did that out of spite, too,” Alistair explained. “Taking a valuable member of the Aurelian family, and converting her into a Carlisle, was the ultimate disrespect. He besmirched us. It certainly ticked me off at the time.”
“Then I can only assume he kept her for so long just for leverage.”
“He had some ulterior motive, that’s for sure,” Alistair nodded.
“But who were the Carlisles? A family like the Aurelians?” she asked.
“Essentially, yes. Like I said before, the Carlisles were affiliated with us. But once Gunther turned on us, they did as well. The Carlisles were not wealthy and powerful like us. They were purely inferior to us in every aspect, not to mention submissive and few in number.”
“I still don’t get it. Why did he kill my parents and kidnap me?” she asked, frustrated at her failure to comprehend.
“We just explained it,” said Alistair patiently. “Vengeance. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m glad he kept you alive; that way, we were certain to take you back. It just took quite a while, unfortunately.”
“Here’s my question,” interjected one of the girls, who looked to be the second oldest. “Why make such an effort to retrieve her anyway?”
“My brother appointed me as the godfather,” Alistair replied. “Your uncle would’ve wanted me to take her under my wing. I am fulfilling his wishes. It’s the least I can do.”
“Are you all my cousins?” Serenity asked, appraising the others.
“Ah, this leads to introductions!” Dorian exclaimed. “Starting from Lily.”
“Hi, I’m Lily!” said a little girl exuberantly. She was undoubtedly the youngest. “I’m ten!”
Serenity waved halfheartedly, smothering a smile; this vivacious little girl was downright adorable, and she didn’t seem to have a morsel of ill intent or antagonism within her. The innocence was practically tangible.
“I’m Destiny,” said the oldest-looking girl.
She had long ginger hair and a fierce gaze, making her appear intimidating as well as beautiful. “I’m the eldest. So naturally, I’m the one with authority.”
“Lyla,” said the last girl, in apathy.
She had black shoulder-length hair that was currently fashioned in a pony-tail. Her expression was dull, and her demeanor was overall gloomy. Lyla reminded her of Kyler. “Touch my things, and you die.”
Next was the boy.
“I’m Sixto,” said the boy confidently.
He looked to be her age. Sixto had short brown hair, and there was a prominent scar under his left eye.
“I’m not exactly your cousin by blood; Uncle Alistair took me in when I was two because my parents died. I became an Aurelian right after.”
“Nevertheless, meet your true family,” said Alistair. “Not those friends you’ve been forced to live with. You will find felicity here—trust me.”
Serenity took a deep breath, taking it all in. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure whether to be elated or despondent at all this news. It was too much to contemplate and accept at once. This was essentially a family reunion. If this were to be her new life, it would take considerable time to acclimate. The Aurelians were a family she had forever believed to be wicked.
“My father—I mean, Gunther—he always told me that you guys were monsters,” she said uncertainly.
“And did you believe him?” Alistair asked passively.
“Well—I’m not sure. I thought it was ironic for him to be calling anyone a monster. I’ve hated him my whole life—so much that I never thought eve
n to direct my hatred towards you all—you people that I’ve always been expected to kill, harm, and despise…”
“You would be right,” Dorian asserted. “Gunther Carlisle is the monster. The spawn of Satan, if you will.”
“W-wait a minute,” Serenity said, a thought occurring to her. “If your goal was to capture me alive and bring me home, then why have Aurelians tried to kill me my whole life? Just recently, Tony Abraham—”
“Allow me to explain,” Alistair cut her off. “Only a few of us were aware of your identity. Our family is massive—you will come to realize that. I couldn’t disclose the information openly, so it had to be kept quiet. I may be a family head, but the general sentiment of the family is to eradicate everything ‘Carlisle.’ That includes yourself. If I were to reveal who you were, it would’ve put you in even more peril.”
“Does that make sense? If I’m one of you guys, wouldn’t they want to get me here too? Wasn’t my father respected in the family?”
“You were raised by Gunther, that would’ve been of no consequence,” said Alistair dismissively. “If I may add, the Aurelian Family has other enemies besides your father. Enemies that detest us as much as the Carlisles; they would’ve strived to eliminate you in particular if they were to learn.”
“Did those assassins know? The guys in the masks and hoods?”
“Venators,” Alistair nodded. “I confided in them, yes. They, I can trust. As for the Abrahams, they were merely an affiliate family of ours. That frivolous brat, Tony, was operating of his own volition. We were unaware of his plans and intentions. If we had known, we would’ve disposed of him.”
Serenity was unsure of whether to believe this excuse. It was full of flaws and loopholes; she figured Alistair wasn’t fully intent on acquiring her alive, not stressing on whether she lived or died. She could’ve easily perished from one of the numerous experiences with Aurelians throughout her lifetime. Survival was fortuitous, solely due to luck. Or maybe cowardice, hiding behind the brothers every time and letting them do all the work. She turned back to Alistair, thinking of another question.
“How large exactly are the Aurelians?”
“In numbers, we reach to the thousands,” said Dorian. “Keep in mind, the majority of us Aurelians are not blood-related. Pure-blooded Aurelians are scarce in number; they include myself, Alistair, your cousins, and a couple of others. But we are all more than a family; we are a fraternity. A fellowship.”
“Our numbers extend beyond the borders of this country,” Alistair added. “We’re a global family. We’ve propagated globally.”
“Were both my parents pure-blooded? Well, I’m assuming at least one of them was,” she said.
“Your father was, your mother was not.”
“What were my parents like?”
“We’ll discuss that another day,” said Alistair. “For now, I just wanted to educate you on the basics. You asked earlier if we owned this estate. Yes, we do, and many other residences around the world. But here is our headquarters. Our main residence. Our wealth was incrementally attained and accumulated through several centuries.”
“How did you attain it?”
“Business,” said Alistair tersely. “Any more questions?”
She nodded, having a plethora of them ready to be fired.
“When’s my birthday?”
“You don’t know your own birthday?” Lyla scoffed wryly. “My fath—I mean, Gunther told me my birthday was on January 1st. I always believed that to be true, but now, I’m not so sure.”
“Strange,” said Alistair quizzically. “That is, indeed, your birthday. I would’ve thought Gunther would’ve given you a fake birthday, but I guess there was no reason to. But the name, ‘Serenity,’ is also your true name. Yet he decided to keep that for you as well?”
“My birthday was just last week,” Lily piped. “We had a huge party!”
“Over three hundred people for a stupid tenth birthday party,” Lyla scowled.
“You guys even do birthday parties?” she said, in awe.
It was fascinating how much her previous image of the Aurelian family was shifting. From ruthless savages to family-orientated, generic, genial rich people. As of now, all the apprehension and fear she had been feeling before had abated. She was beginning to feel comfortable and even a bit excited, despite being in “enemy” territory. The wariness had vanished. These people were far from threatening or malicious. She and the brothers were deceived this whole time? But in a way, they were fighting for survival.
“You’ve never had a birthday party before?” Lily asked, her eyes registering curiosity.
“Some years I even forget it’s my birthday…” she admitted.
“I can’t wait to hear about how shitty your life was,” Lyla smirked.
“Maybe another time,” said Dorian. “Serenity, you must be tired.”
On the contrary, she was wide awake. There wasn’t an ounce of drowsiness present within her. Too many revelations of profound magnitude had been uncovered today. The conundrum of her origin was finally being solved, like a puzzle being put back together piece-by-piece. There was no way she could sleep now. Not yet, until everything was disclosed.
“No, I’m fine,” she said to Dorian.
“The Council may be disinclined to accept you into the family, but gradually, I guarantee you will be welcomed,” said Alistair optimistically.
“What ‘Council’?”
“The Aurelian Council, our board of leaders composed of the family heads and distinguished members,” explained Alistair. “I myself am a member of the Council, one of the highest-ranking. Your father was a member too. His role in the Council was pivotal.”
“So how exactly was Gunther connected to the Aurelians?”
“I’ve already explained that, refrain from asking about Gunther,” said Alistair sternly. “The mention of his name sends shivers down my spine.”
“S-sorry, I just—it feels like I’m in a dream, and I really want to accept that you’re not lying to me—but it’s hard,” she said candidly. “Frankly, I’m just really overwhelmed…and more confused.”
“There isn’t any reason for us to lie,” said Alistair, his tone sincere. “In time, you will acknowledge the truth. And I’m glad you don’t seem dissatisfied with it. I can only imagine how abjectly abysmal your life with Gunther was. You must’ve been treated poorly.”
Serenity nodded, considering this to be a major understatement. She was almost inclined to rant and vent out all her frustrations and grievances with her previous family. Not for sympathy, but to release the restrained sentiments that had been dormant inside her for so long. On a few particular occasions with the Carlisles, she had conveyed her genuine feelings towards the abuse through bitter outbursts. But that never worked out well, resulting in punishment. She had no voice with them; it was best for her to just shut up and keep her grouses to herself, locked away.
“Can you fight?” asked Sixto randomly.
“Um, me?”
“Yes, you.”
“I’ve had to learn,” she said, obscuring the truth. It was still quite embarrassing to admit that she was no true fighter, despite her lifetime of training.
“Yes, but are you good?” Sixto asked forthrightly.
“That is of no relevance, Sixto,” said Alistair. “Silence.”
“She must be,” said Destiny. “Say what you want about the Carlisles, but those guys know a thing or two about combat.”
“Actually, I’m pretty weak,” she confessed. “Um—I never really developed the same skill or had the aptitude for combat as the others. Honestly, I was pretty hopeless and a disappointment to Gunther.”
“Ridiculous,” Sixto said skeptically. “You must have some skill set.”
She gave an equivocal jerk of the head, concealing the reality that she didn’t possess any distinctive skill set. It never disturbed her that she was unlike the others (in terms of the killer instinct and all-around violence), but what beset her w
as the flak she received for it.
“Do you guys—I mean the Aurelians—are you expected to learn how to fight? To train and become killers—?”
“Kind of, but it’s not like we’re bloodthirsty savages,” replied Destiny. “Yeah, we’ve been training since we were kids. The family has our own militia, and we’re all expected to join. We’ve all joined, except for Lily and Lyla. They’re too young, and I doubt they want to.”
“Let me clarify,” Alistair said. “Not all Aurelians are expected to become soldiers. But a great deal of us intend to. The stronger our militia, the more powerful the family. Our training regimen is proper and sufficient. I can deduce that your training with the Carlisles was brutal.”
“Brutal, hellish, almost daily, and painful,” she added. “Seriously, they expected me to perform well all the time. But the training I was forced to undergo was beyond my limits and impossible!”
“You’re exaggerating probably,” Lyla said doubtfully.
“Am I?” Serenity said, irked. “Do you guys have to leopard-crawl five to ten yards across a path of jagged rocks? Do you guys have to run endless suicides with weighted vests on? Do you guys have to spar against people three times your strength and size? How about swim across frozen lakes in the winter? Or do push-ups or pull-ups until your arms are beyond fried—”
“All right, I get it,” Lyla cut her off. “You sure you’re not making this up? If not, how are you even alive…?”
“Our training is pretty damn difficult, don’t misunderstand,” said Destiny defensively. “It’s just that we train under rational and humane conditions. And we’re not forced to perform beyond our capacity, though we are supposed to progress through hard work and practice.”
“I’ve been doing those things since I was eight,” Serenity said, feeling flustered all of a sudden. “They just got harder as I got older.”
