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ARK The Bane Of Spectres
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ARK Bearer Of Curse
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***
They lived in the same manor but Lucian still managed to avoid her for the past week. Just when Irina thought she's finally living a normal life, away from anything paranormal, fate once again played with her.
She got mixed feelings, surely she's annoyed and probably angry, but what's that comfort she's feeling, was she actually happy seeing him? It's her first time seeing him not wearing his hoodie jacket. He's fashioning a white polo with its sleeves folded to his elbow which defined his shoulders and biceps. It showed his toned forearms with tribal tattoos.
"Irina! Are you okay?", Mary whispered.
"Uhm, yeah. Why?"
"You're staring at him. Told youuu, he's hot!"
"No, I'm not!", she nervously protested.
"Yeah? So, you're just pulling your hair and twirling it with your finger because you're not giving a sign?"
"I'm definitely not giving a sign!", she denied, almost shouting.
Lucian did look handsome today. In fact, he had always been, except he always had a ragged look. Today, he looked totally different. He didn't have his grim demeanor. He's oozing with professionalism. She couldn't admit that Mary was right, but that's not entirely her reason for staring.
"I believe introduction is in order. I'm Lucian Vigil, I moonlight here as a professor and I'm a consultant of the National Bureau. That's why I told you to throw your book. I'm going to teach you the practical method in real life.", he said while fixing his collar that gave a mixed cool and hot vibe.
"As for this class, I read your files and all of you have been on the same classes for a year, so let's not waste more time with introduction.", he paused, looking around the whole class. "Except for one file that I only received this morning. Will you do the honor, Ms. Kaspian?", he looked at her.
She expected something like this would happen. She stood and faced the class. "I'm Irina Kaspian, a transferee. Pleased to make your acquaintance!", she greeted with a forced smile.
Soft whispers filled the room.
"Is that her?"
"Maybe, she looks beautiful and rich."
"But why would she transfer here?"
"Guys! Quiet, the teacher is looking at us."
This was what she's trying to avoid. As if reading her mind, Lucian spoke up.
"For the spirit of fairness and transparency to avoid any preferential treatment, Irina Kaspian is the daughter of Defense Minister, Alexander Kaspian. Her father is an old friend of my father, former bishop Marcus Vigil. The Minister wanted her to exercise independence. That's why I can assure you, even if she lives with us, I will never be lenient on her."
That probably came out wrong. The class fell silent. She felt her face turning red.
"You live together?!", it was Mary who broke the silence with her deafening scream.
***
After class.
"Hey! Wait!", Irina shouted at Lucian who's walking on a fast pace. The last time they spoke, she was shouting at him, now there she was, doing it again. Only this time, she was really angry. "I said wait!"
Lucian abruptly stopped to face her. "What is it now?", he calmly asked.
"Don't act like you don't know why I'm mad!", she said, clenching her first. "Why did you tell them who I am?"
"I already said it. Transparency and fairness."
"But you know I'm keeping a low profile! It's enough that they're on me because of my last name. Now you made it worse by confirming my identity."
"So what? They are your classmates. Do you suspect them to harm you?"
She was frozen with the question. Had she really become cynical, or just paranoid?
"I- I don't know. I just want to live a normal life.", she stuttered.
"Normal, huh. And enlisting in ARK will help you achieve that how?", he asked with a condescending tone.
Of course, Eve would have told him that. Still, he overstepped in revealing her identity.
"You think too much of trivial matter. Will they treat you normally. Will they befriend you without a hidden agenda. Will they harm you. If you can't move past those thoughts and accept the life you will have for who you are, do you think living another life in the shadows of ARK is what you really want?", he challenged.
"I don't know. But at least I wouldn't be powerless if I become strong like you. I just want to have the strength to face my fears. I'm tired of getting hurt and of people getting hurt protecting me. Is it selfish of me to want that?", she replied with a heavy heart.
Lucian smiled at her. Oddly enough, it didn't feel insulting. Something told her that his smile was genuine. She just didn't know why. Like entering a trance, she's no longer angry. Is he hypnotizing me or something, she thought.
"You'll be late for your next class. Agent Rosario has orders to pick you up after school, just standard protocol, only for the first few days, so don't think that your freedom is being taken. Also, old man Marcus expects you to be more polite to the agent this time. I'll see you in the manor. We'll prepare for your ARK trials.", Lucian ended the conversation and walked away. Irina was left there, astounded with the last thing he said, but certainly feeling better.
***
That night at the manor.
Irina had already welcomed Evangelyn, and Lucian just arrived. The only room where they could talk about ARK was in Marcus' office. They could no longer stay in the kitchen, not with the other students running around the manor. Well, not literally, but they didn't seem to sleep.
She and Eve had just been gossiping. Lucian was right, Eve was just an ordinary girl. She had a prejudice about them being Hunters, Rangers, or whatever, to be grim and scary who only had fun with fighting the paranormal.
"Judging from your conversation just now, I assume you haven't prepped her yet?", Lucian asked Evangelyn who just replied with a grin, which annoyed him a bit. He clicked his tongue.
"What? We can't bond like sisters, huh?", Eve reacted.
"That's not what I said." he replied. "Irina."
She leaned forward. It's what she had been waiting for, a chance to have the strength to protect herself, and hopefully others, too. Aside from that, something that she wouldn't admit, she felt that whatever Lucian and Eve had in their "friendship", it was somewhere she could finally belong.
Lucian shifted his seat to face her and continued. "We only have five days to make a fighter out of you. Too bad, the annual Trials will be on Sunday. I suppose you don't want to wait another year. If you fail this, there's no retake."
She swallowed between her breath. It didn't matter what she wanted, she had to prove herself first. It was expected. Doubts started to creep on her chest.
"Do you remember what I said to you in the hospital?", he asked.
A vague memory crossed her mind which gradually became clear. "The part where you said I wouldn't remember?", she asked. Lucian nodded.
"I really thought what you said was weird but I get it. I was supposed to not remember, yet I did. I'm guessing there's a catch.", she continued.
"The catch is you will now always run into Nightmares. Or fall into Umbra. That's why I agreed when Eve suggested that we enlist you.", he explained.
That made her a bit confident. She smiled and look at Eve who blinked and gave her a thumbs up.
"That's right, and like he said, you have to train and prove your value to the Alliance or you can't be with us. You could still get in, maybe if you become a researcher, or a person with global influence, you can even have a seat in the council." Eve said in between laughter. "But I'm sure you wouldn't like that", she said and signed for Lucian to do away with the rest.
"So there. You will have two separate trainings. Starting tomorrow after your classes, Agent Rosario will bring you to Eve's house. He was told you will have a "sisterly bonding".", he said with sarcasm looking at Eve who just kept her smile. "Eve will help you train to harness your spirit energy. That will help you discover your natural affinity and with luck, learn some spells on your own."
It probably shouldn't excite her but she couldn't help feeling that way. Living a normal life? Now, that's just an impossible dream.
Lucian intently stared at her as if feeling her excitement. She cleared her throat. "Right, I got it.", she assured.
"You'll only have 3 hours with Eve. Agent Rosario has to bring you back before dark. We couldn't have Eve accompany or tail you going home. It would just raise suspicion. Now once you get back here, you'll train with me. I'll give you the details tomorrow before we start.", he concluded. He was preparing to get up to leave the room when Irina spoke up.
"Thank you", she paused and switched her glances to Eve and Lucian "for believing in me. I'll listen to your every word and work hard so I can pass the Trials.", she promised.
"Not yet. Evangelyn and I don't have the authority to recommend you for enlistment. Only a Ranger or Knight squad captain can do that, which is why we're training you for five days, to prove yourself to the captain.", Lucian said.
"If neither of you was the captain, then who?", she asked.
Evangelyn leaned closer to her and answered softly, "You already met him once. Siegfried Keymer."
***
Today had been exhausting, maybe not physically. She let her body fall to the soft mattress of her bed. Bed at last! Her hand touched something cold. It was her phone.
It felt like her heart jump to her mouth. With her trembling hands as she read the message, her phone dropped.
"...this Sunday, see ya. :)"