Pride x Familiar

by Albert Ruckholdt

  I struggled to control myself. “Prissila had more courage than you.”

  “Prissila Ventiss is a fool. Don’t compare the two of us. And mind your tone with me.”

  I stared at her, then bowed to her. “If you’ll excuse me. I have places to be.”

  “Caprice, sit down. I have more to tell you. Stop being childish.”

  “Childish?” I clenched my hands, feeling my tendons pop. “They’re taking away the person I care about and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “Does Caelum feel the same way about you?”

  My heart felt like it was abruptly squeezed. “Does it matter?”

  “Yes. Absolutely.”

  I felt myself glare at her. “I have no need to answer that question. And besides, how can I find out his feelings if he’s no longer a Lanfear. He’s not even part of the team. He’s become an outsider.”

  Arisa glanced away. “He’s become much more than that.”

  “What?”

  “Caprice…sit down.”

  I refused to move.

  Arisa sighed in defeat in the face of my stubbornness. “Caprice…there’s something you don’t know. When Crimson Crescent attacked the academy, Caelum was taken to a confined area deep under the school grounds. This was done by an operative working for Crimson Crescent. There, Caelum encountered an ancient Artifact called the Vault. Crimson Crescent breached Galatea Academy’s computer network in order to access this Artifact.”

  “You mean the black box in the school’s network.”

  “Yes. The sealed off section contained command codes that allowed access to the underground network of tunnels leading to the Vault. Without those codes, Crimson Crescent would not be able to open the stone chamber that housed the Vault. I learnt all of this recently, and to be honest it came from an unlikely source.”

  “Which source?”

  “Commander Selena Alucard Raynar. Simone’s mother.”

  “Why would she tell you this? Why tell you now?”

  “Professional courtesy. That was her answer when I asked her the same question.” Arisa looked uncomfortable, as though struggling to hide a secret. “And she told me about your mother.”

  I swallowed hard. “My mother….”

  Arisa nodded. “She told me of your mother’s defection to Crimson Crescent. She told me it happened when Crescent came to save Celica Desanto over a year and a half ago. Nineteen months, to be more exact.”

  Arisa picked up her tea cup, but on second thought she put it back down.

  “Your mother left with Celica, and joined Crimson Crescent. But she left you her Artifact, the Valkyrie Armor. Your mother was a Lanfear, and so it was sent to my Pride. She did this without Selena Alucard’s knowledge. She also addressed me in a letter, asking me to keep the Valkyrie Armor safe for you. Your mother was certain you would Awaken as a Familiar. For that reason, my family chose to keep a close eye on you. When it was clear you would Awaken just like your mother did twenty years ago, we decided to assume guardianship over you, and we gave you her Artifact.”

  Arisa leaned forward.

  “Caprice, we didn’t know your mother had defected. We assumed she had died upon returning from a mission, and when Selena Alucard confirmed her death nineteen months ago, we had no reason to doubt it. After all, Selena was her commanding officer.”

  I struggled with my distrust. “So you weren’t keeping it a secret from me?”

  “No. Selena Alucard revealed the truth to me now, because there was no point keeping it a secret from us anymore.”

  I stared at her, finding everything I was told hard to accept. Even when I’d seen the proof in front of my eyes – the fact that my mother was alive – I was still surrounded by so many lies and half-truths that I no longer knew what to think.

  My trust in people and their words was at an all-time low.

  I wanted to believe Arisa, but it was a struggle to do so.

  I watched her lean back in her chair.

  Arisa spoke softly. “Selena also told me about Celica’s betrayal. This is something you need to know as well. You need to understand the circumstances behind it, because you will need to keep a close eye on Caelum.”

  “Why?”

  “Because even if Caelum is an outsider and not part of your team, he’s become a person of great interest to the Prides, and I mean all the Prides.”

  I leaned forward. “Why?”

  “Because Caelum Desanto entered the Vault.” Arisa tapped her teacup. “He went into the Artifact, and Simone Alucard pulled him out.”

  I had trouble picturing what Arisa was telling me.

  Arisa pressed on, despite seeing my confusion. “Caprice, the Caelum Desanto that came out of the Vault, is not the same young man you know. He’s not the Caelum that you care about.”

  I felt my stomach clench painfully. “What—what do you mean by that? What happened to him?”

  Arisa grew quiet and very still for a long, long moment.

  “Caprice, sit down and let me explain….”

  #

  (Maya)

  School Week Five.

  Sunday morning.

  The training instructors had given us the day off.

  I decided to make use of it.

  I arrived at the apartment complex in Island One, Habitat One an hour before midday.

  I rode the lift up to the fortieth floor.

  From there it was a short walk down plush interior corridors to the apartment.

  I read the sign beside the door, then depressed the button for the electronic bell.

  Closing my eyes, I used my Fragment to sense the interior layout of the apartment. I felt someone approach the door from inside, and it opened a short while later.

  They didn’t bother asking who I was since they could see me through the security holovid.

  Jaxon Deneve stared at me with a bemused expression. He was barefoot, dressed in tracksuit pants and a loose t-shirt. His long hair was a mess and he looked as though he’d woken up recently.

  He gave me a guarded smile. “What brings you around?”

  “Can we talk?”

  “Hmm…that depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On why you’re here.”

  I arched my eyebrows at him. “Deneve, I didn’t come here to confess to you, so don’t get your hopes up.”

  He regarded me silently for a long while. “Damn.” Then he shrugged and opened the door a fair bit wider. “Fine, come in.”

  I stepped through the doorway. “Sorry for the intrusion.”

  I took off my shoes and placed them beside the shoe rack near the door.

  Jaxon closed the door and locked it behind me.

  I followed him down the wide corridor, and then into the living area.

  To the left lay a spacious kitchen.

  A corridor to the right led toward other rooms, possibly the bedrooms and bathrooms, maybe even a laundry.

  Beside Jaxon and I, my Fragment sensed no one else in the apartment.

  Jaxon asked, “Want something to drink?”

  “Water, please.”

  “Okay dokay.”

  I sat down in one of the living room’s sofas, a crescent shaped three-seater, and looked about. One living room wall was glass from floor to ceiling. A sliding door led out to an expansive balcony looking out into the habitat.

  The whole apartment felt too big for just one person.

  “Jaxon, do you live here alone?”

  “Yep.”

  What? With space at a premium in some habitats, he had an apartment this size all to himself.

  He added, “I have a sister, but she went to live in the academy dorms this year.”

  I frowned inwardly.

  I knew he wasn’t an only child, which was the reason I’d come to see him today. But I didn’t know he had a sister.

  He brought me a tall glass of chilled water. He even dropped a straw in it, and a thin slice of lemon. Then he sat down on the sofa opposite
me.

  I regarded him. “You have a sister?”

  “She’s a Familiar. She awoke last year. However, she has no interest in Fragments and they have no interest in her. Nonetheless she was transferred to Phelan Academy in Island Two. She moved into their dorms because she had no intention of making the hard slog from here to there.”

  “Why Phelan? Why not Arcala Academy here in Island One?”

  “Her friends awoke as Aventis and went to attend Phelan.”

  “Oh…how convenient…or inconvenient?”

  Jaxon shrugged lightly. “They’re not bad girls. My sister’s in good hands. Besides, there are quite a number of Familiars at Phelan Academy. She’ll make other friends.”

  I sipped the water. Damn, it really was chilled. The glass was frosted.

  After taking another sip, I asked, “Didn’t you transfer from Phelan?”

  “I did.”

  “What’s it like…?”

  “More Familiars attend Phelan than Galatea. You could say it’s less lonely, less cold. Galatea’s less forgiving.”

  I almost frowned at him. Well, he was right in that regard. Galatea was a rather cold place for us Familiars.

  I sipped some more water. “What about your parents? Where are they?”

  “Didn’t you check my file before coming here?”

  “Your file is classified.”

  “Ah…I see….” He sagged back into the sofa. “My parents are Familiars. They work out there in the Nebula. They do work for the Aventis. Special work. That’s all I’ll say.”

  “Are they members of Artemis and Paladin?”

  He nodded shallowly. “I was trained by them in hand-to-hand combat for many, many years. Then half a year ago they were sent into the Nebula. I have no idea why or for what purpose, though it probably has something to do with Crescent.” He cocked his head to a side. “Is that what you came to discuss?”

  “No.”

  “You’re wondering about my brother, aren’t you?”

  I sipped the water again, then set the glass down on the coffee table that stood at my feet. “Yes, I came to ask you about Rylan Deneve.”

  Jaxon sighed faintly. “I was wondering when you would ask about him….”

  That day when Crimson Crescent invaded Galatea Academy and caused so much strife, Jaxon and I encountered four of their members in the high-school library. The fight didn’t go my way, but Jaxon held his own against two of Crescent’s Familiars, while I struggled against just one of them. In the end, we could do nothing to stop Crimson Crescent’s network hacker. In the end, the difference between them and us – or rather, between myself and them – was simply too great to overcome.

  When the fight ended, I was shocked to learn one of the two Familiars he fought against was his brother.

  He sagged even further into the sofa. “Rylan is my elder brother by three years. He’s better than I am in every way, yet I never felt envious of him. If anything, he helped motivate me. I really looked up to him.”

  “How did he end up with Crescent?”

  “I don’t know. He left the Family two years ago. Said he was going to find the Artifact, the Kaiser’s Blessing on his own. That Artifact has been in our family for generations, at least, that’s what I was told. It was lost around thirty years ago. I don’t know how, but somehow it ended up in the Lanfear’s possession.” He rubbed his eyes. “What’s really strange is that it was locked down. It wasn’t bonded to anyone. It was just completely locked down so the researchers mistook it for a Fragment rather than an Artifact.”

  He looked away for a while.

  When he looked back at me, Jaxon had an odd expression on his face.

  It was somewhere between envy and gratitude.

  “I should thank Desanto.”

  This time I gave into a frown. “Why?”

  “Something he did while bonded to the Kaiser’s Blessing unlocked part of its systemry. I think it was during that incident at the amusement park that was all over the cynet. If he hadn’t unlocked it, no one would have known it was the Kaiser’s Blessing.”

  I looked down at the glass on the table. “Perhaps….”

  Jaxon leaned forward. “Who is Caelum Desanto?”

  I blinked. “So you’re curious as well.”

  Jaxon nodded slowly.

  I narrowed my eyes. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with Caprice Steiner.”

  “It might…have a lot to do with her.”

  “Oh, how so?”

  “Well, as Sun Tzu once said, ‘Know thy enemy and know thy self; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated’.”

  “I see. So you perceive Caelum Desanto as your enemy.”

  “At the very least my rival.”

  Did that make me a little jealous? Yes, it did, but I quashed it quickly. It wasn’t an ember I would allow to spark to a flame.

  I swallowed discretely. “Why Caprice Steiner?”

  He was quiet for a little while. “I just like her. I’ve always liked her, ever since I first met her nine years ago.”

  That surprised me and it showed on my face.

  Jaxon smiled. “You don’t know this but Caprice’s mother knew my parents quite well. And that’s how I met her. But after a while her mother stopped bringing Caprice around to my family’s home in Island One, Habitat Two. I don’t know what happened between my family and her, and unfortunately my parents have never given me an explanation. Maybe there was a difference of opinion. After all, my parents are loyal to the Raynar Pride, and we now know that Caprice’s mother defected to Crimson Crescent.”

  I glimpsed the shadow of shrug across his shoulders.

  His reasoning was sound, though it was still speculation.

  I felt that too much of what we knew was very well nothing more than speculation. That made me uneasy and unsure of where any of us stood in the grand scheme of things.

  I looked around me at the living room interior. “Then this apartment isn’t your home…?”

  “No, it isn’t. I moved here a year ago. It was all arranged by my parents and the Raynars.”

  He leaned forward a little more.

  “But Caprice aside, I really want to know who…or what…is Caelum Desanto.”

  “What do you mean by what?”

  “I told you didn’t I. He unlocked my Artifact, something nobody else had been able to do since it came into the Lanfear’s possession. I understand his predecessor took six months to manifest both shield-blades. But the Kaiser remained locked. It wasn’t until Desanto came along that its extra functions and its identity were revealed.” He smiled enigmatically. “Doesn’t that make you a little bit curious?”

  I sat back and regarded him as he studied me in mysterious silence.

  Then I gave him a single nod.

  “Yes, it does make me curious.”

  #

  (Haruka)

  School Week Five. Monday morning.

  Classes resumed in the fourth week of the school year, after Galatea was closed down during the third week of the school first semester.

  The week went by and there was no sign of Caelum.

  I overhead some of the senior high-school girls talking about Melanie Cardwell.

  She had vanished during the time Crimson Crescent had invaded the academy.

  There was a rumor going around that she was kidnapped by Crimson Crescent. But there was also a rumor being spread that Melanie had joined Crimson Crescent because she was a Familiar like them.

  I didn’t know what to say when asked what I thought.

  Alistair advised me not to say anything.

  Siobhan told me to play dumb.

  I decided to play innocent.

  But I overheard rumors surrounding Caelum as well. I heard talk that he was in league with Crimson Crescent. Other rumors said he’d been arrested as a spy for Crescent and was being held in a secret detention facility. When I was asked for my opinion, I stuck to the story Severin Kell had given me: because he was only a F
amiliar, Caelum was injured by the high gravity and had to be transferred to a medical facility that could treat his injuries.

  However, regardless of what Severin Kell told me to say, I made my decision to ask someone who might know the truth.

  Simone Alucard Raynar came to mind. I knew of her interest in Caelum, and I knew he was involved in helping the Student Council protect the academy, so I reasoned there was a strong association between the two. However, I didn’t feel comfortable approaching the Countess, nor did I feel I’d get a straight answer out of her. To me, and some of the other students, Simone Alucard was a perfect example of smoke and mirrors. What you saw was nothing more than a carefully presented illusion.

  So I fell upon my second option.

  First Semester Week Five. Monday morning.

  Before morning homeroom commenced, I gathered my resolve and approached Caprice Steiner, and asked to speak to her in confidence.

  We met after class in one of the gardens that bordered the northern courtyard.

  I asked her about Caelum.

  Caprice told me she didn’t know his whereabouts. Her Pride hadn’t told her anything about him. For all she knew, he could have been transferred to a sister academy.

  I didn’t believe her.

  I fixed a hard stare on her. “Severin Kell told me the two of you were working with other Familiars to protect this academy.”

  “We were working together. That’s not the case anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s not your concern.”

  “Caelum is my friend. I can be concerned, can’t I?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss him with you.”

  I grabbed her forcefully by her blazer. “You knew I wanted to talk about him. Why did you agree if you weren’t going to tell me anything?”

  Caprice’s face remained emotionless.

  Just like a machine, an automaton.

  No reaction. No feelings.

  I frowned. No, her eyes were different. I could see conflicted emotions behind them.

  I swallowed and asked, “What’s going on, Steiner? You know something about Caelum, don’t you?”

  “Even if I did, why would you expect me to tell you?”

  Without warning, Caprice pushed me away with a strength that overcame my own.

  I was surprised by her power, until I realized I’d been pushed away by an effect-field.