"Ace Wilder, huh? The oldest son of August Rivera and Kristina Wilder… do you know anything about your father?"
Those words of an older man, the masculine tones that belonged to someone of elder age, shivers down his spine, it sent. That expression of his, sent a thrill of curiosity over this man's face, as he stood over the boy. It wasn't that of fear or anger, but that glaring look of determination in his eyes was fueled by nothing but pure, unbridled hatred. He'd never seen this before, no… no- he'd felt it before, back in that Old World,
"Don't mention their names… DON'T EVEN BRING THEM UP!" Ace cried with his vocals breaking, tears streaming down his cheeks, eyes closed as he held his chest, hunched over on his knees,
"They're not my parents… none of them even care. None of them would care, if I died, I'd I left, they don't even care about my sister. And she's… the best thing in my world!!"
Just after that sob, that yell to the heavens filled with sorrow, the older man stood still, unwavering from that single spot. Bending his knees, he reached the crouched height of the younger male, and placed but one hand on his spiky locks,
"I want you to know something, Ace. I know how it feels to have parents who don't care about you, more than anything, however, this isn't at all what this is. Please do me a favor, Ace," His head touched the floor, arms beside his skull, arching his back so he could bend over; now effectively bowing, "And come to work for ANZEN, under my instruction!"
What was this? An adult bending down, rendering himself powerless to a mere child, and one who didn't even possess that of an artifact's power too. Just a single being cowering in fear of the real world, and once touched with a glimpse of kindness, couldn't help himself.. what did he do to deserve this?
"My name is Alexander Amara, and I want to… give you a place you can belong!"
'The first time I met Mr. Amara; that was what he said. A 'place where I can belong'... that is what he desired to give me. Because he's a 'good person. And yet, that wasn't all he gave me. A home with my sister so we could stay together, without worry about anyone bothering us, provided food, allowances to buy the things we enjoyed. Through that simple kindness, I learned to care not only for others, like June, but for my happiness, and self-care. That… wouldn't have been possible if not for Alexander Amara. That man gave me a 'place to belong' and gave me the freedom to make choices for myself and no one else. If I dare to let this stabbing feeling of uselessness persist, no matter where he is and how he's doing, alive or dead, it would be a very insult to the legacy he left behind, with me at the forefront. Be grateful, you ol' geezer, I'm still 'ere, fighting for you. So, do me a favor, and don't die. Stay alive until I get there… please.'
And now, where Albany International used to stand, the car parked at the edge at the entrance to the airport. One heel stepping on the brakes as Ace stepped out the passenger seat, Katie followed soon after just out the backseat with June hopping out, raising her arms to the air and moaning tiredly,
"Ahhh, good nap… where are we again-?" Ignorantly asked the childish younger Wilder sister.
Just then, June perceived her whereabouts, leading Kate, pulling out luggage from the car with Kim helping her… to stare at the white-haired girl like a deer in headlights, paralyzed with nothing more to say. Turning away as if witnessing her lover with another, Kate immediately went to comfort her younger cousin, her arms wrapping around her, June whipped herself around and buried her face right in her chest,
"Please don't leave us… we'll miss you so much, we won't know what to do without you!" Cried the girl into her older relative's bust while Moon stroked the back of her head as if comforting a child,
"You don't have to worry about me leaving forever, it's only for a few months. After that, I'll be done and stronger, then I'll be back with you all like I never even left!" Kate watched as J's face slowly peeled itself back from the space she'd covered between the clothing she donned and her pale features, sniffling with tears reappearing at the corner of her eyes,
"You… you mean it?" June hopefully asked,
"Of course I do. I'll text you every day and even manage to take some time to video call you! It's a promise, alright?"
Kate stuck out her pinky, just begging to be tanned under the blazing sun, come next summer, and almost as she moved at the speed of light, June wrapped her pinky around her cousin's. The fronts of their thumbs touching together to mimic a kiss, both Katie and June, almost subconsciously made the sound of the extremities' lips 'touching',
"Mmmmmuahhhh!"
All culminating in the duo giggling together, enjoying this final moment between family before the laughter died down, and Katie could only pat her head gently… with her final words just being the kindest she could muster at this moment,
"I'll miss you,"
And just like that, before her mind wavered and she debated to stay here with the rest of her allies, she walked right past her, to where Ace stood with his hands in his pockets. His white hoodie kept in darkness while peelings of light leaked onto his attire, he pointed but one finger behind her, where Kima stood, holding up her suitcases,
"You just gonna abandon me without sayin' goodbye?!"
Katie made this quick, just throwing herself right onto Kima and ensnaring her with her skinny arms, the latter of the two couldn't help but chuckle at her weight; nothing but a fly. Leaning back so she could press her lips against her forehead, Moon stared into the purple eyes of the young woman; whose parting words differed from June's pleads to stay,
"Do me a favor, and get stronger than Ace. And when you come back, kick his ass for me, 'kay?"
Chortling suddenly at the joke she stated, Moon nodded, wiping away the liquid leaking out her eyes' edges, sniffling just as her cousin did before. Through a cracked voice, the best response she could muster was simply…
"Like I wasn't gonna do that already!"
Taking the luggage from Kim's hands, Katie was gifted with a peck on the back of her head and a whisper to be safe, as she ventured off to walk inside with her ginger cousin by her side. June and Kima waved off to her as she vanished within the contents of the airport's vicinity, and unfortunately, without the strength needed to turn back, Katie moved forward to start her training in another place. Before that, there was a short journey needed until they reached her destination, and during that adventure, there was the talk between Ace and Katie discussing the future of not only this world, but of the world, they left behind,
"Sir Griffith… said THAT?"
Baffled out of her mind regarding this new revelation, her darkened azure pupils darted from side to side, confined within the chambers of her snowy eyeball; contemplating the authenticity of this statement.
"Hard to believe, I know. Truth be told, when I first heard it, it was difficult to conceal my emotions," Ace explained carelessly, letting his teeth sink into the wiener between the buns of the hot dog he so elegantly enjoyed,
"When'd you learn about this?" Katie inquired, conspicuously tasting the meat pushing it into her gaped mouth,
"When you decided to leave," He replied nonchalantly, wiping his palms against one another, a bellow burst out his throat with a fist pushing against his chest,
"That was like two weeks ago, why'd chu wait?" This time, her speech was muffled by the fragments of meat and bread bouncing around her mouth's pink insides,
"Wanted to wait and see what he'd do. I think he overheard us though since he hasn't done shit. I'm assuming this is better than your assassination, however, I doubt he knows you're returning after you're done in Asia," Ace deduced with a finger against his temples, eyelids hiding the coloration of his scarlet sight, Katie solemnly wiped her lips with her sleeve and let out a gentle exhalation,
"Are you sure this is a good idea? What if something happens and I die over there then none of you even get told about it ?" Kate worriedly rubbed her arms, to which Ace couldn't help but smile at the hypothetical, one hand on her shoulder,
"Do you underestimate yourself so much? Trust me, with the power you hold, and the power you WILL hold… I do not doubt that, eventually, you will gain the will to surpass me. Out of the four in this world, I trust the most, I have more faith in you than anyone. Do your best, Katie,"
As her hand tightened the strap spread across her shoulder, a shaky inhalation sent chills throughout her skin, feeling the goosebumps emerge from the depths. Ace, with his hands in his pockets, seemed puzzled at the way his cousin spun around on her soles. Gazing into his scarlet eyes that reflected the coloration of her orbs, Kate couldn't help but destroy the containment her excitement was entrapped within. Slender limbs differing from the brawny build he'd honed his exterior to as they snuck around his waist, her white face, minuscule in comparison to his towering frame as she inched it just a bit higher. The tips of her toes aiding her but momentarily, Ace squished her cheeks together and gave a loving pat just on the head with a smile. A smile as bright as the morning sun lighting ablaze the sides of the world after emerging from below the horizon previously laid in the unlimited darkness of the perpetual night, one that laid here to believe in that ignorant lie…
That he was the light in the darkness of her heart that dispelled her soul's corruption, and as she turned her head inside the booth leading to the plane's interior, that look in her eyes was nothing more than plain joy. And yet, even now, the tears streamed down her cheeks after her eyes leaked, as if it were second nature at this point, despite that joyful experience surging through her veins and processed by her brain, she sobbed.
Thus, as she vanished behind the corners of those narrow corridors, Ace had turned away with one step pushing forward sending resounding shockwaves through the embers of time. Kate's acceptance had driven her to search for her true power in another place while Ace's desire, a heart moving with flames crackling in each direction with no intention of fading, had kept him limping toward that end goal. Infiltration and eradication of a demonic species lurking in the shadows…
November was just two months away. Meaning, the question he'd asked himself remained to this day… How much does one truly take until they reach the pinnacle of their mortal capabilities? From then on, as the fall's rain declared its reign over the capital, June couldn't help but cover her head and whimper at the sound of thunder; booming throughout the air. The prologue to disaster as the seeds of a tragedy began to bloom from their implantation, while one man with two of Baphomet's sigils engraved on his hands' backs crouched idly on a rooftop overlooking the Evolutionary Capital, the steps of a subordinate awakened him,
"We have allocated the traitor, sire," One man with a darker complexion, dreads taking up his hairstyle yet shorter than the usual lengthiness of it; highlights dyed to a blonde shade, all bowing to the Leader who just began to turn around after adjusting his posture, standing upright on two feet,
"I assume he's been taken care of?"
"You assume correctly, my liege. Miriam has taken to it without your command… and disposed of the ignorant peasant,"
And just then, with bodies laid in puddles of blood scattered about, Lady Silk's stomach slashed open as she hung from her webs stuck to corners of the ceiling… there that one girl stood. Legs crossed, blood on her face, dirt splattered onto her attire, all the while her violin played as the butt lodged itself into her neck. As the beginning notes to Beethoven's 5th Symphony were covered on the strings of the instrument as opposed to the keys on a piano, there her legs cradled the decapitated head of but one Hanniel Griffith.
To Be Continued.