"My S.I.O.M mentors taught me Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern sword techniques, techniques from many different cultures and societies of old and new!" Ember informed her siblings as they sat on the roof, while she paced back and forth in front of a rack of swords from Long to short, great to bad.
Artus was filled with excitement as he had his eyes on the biggest sword she had, "Can I get that Claymore?" He asked her, letting out his excitement, "Of course you'd want that one." She replied before she let out a small chuckle and a tiny smug smile, she then turned to Lyle and asked what sword he'd want.
Lyle looked around while he remained seated then he saw it, "That longsword!" He answered his sister as he pointed to a longsword that was actually pretty small for a longsword...
"I know you two too well." Ember commented as she threw him his sword like she did for Artus before him.
She, herself, grabbed the sword type she uses regularly since it's one she's the MOST comfortable with but she has no intention at fighting her brothers like she'd wanna win, because then she'd win effortlessly or at least she think so…
"Alright, who'll spearhead?" Ember asked as she took up her stance filled with vim, "Funny saying for going first but if that's what you mean, I'll... Spearhead!" Artus answered as he got on his feet and held his hulking Claymore tightly in a stance she taught him sometime ago.
"Annnnd... GO!" Lyle yelled as he paused between the And, and Go.
Artus swung his Claymore like a baseball bat, he swung horizontally to the left, their blades scraped as Ember used her lissome, nimbleness to dodge and finish him... Striking him in the chest.
"Whaaat??" Artus complained, "No fair, Lady!" Artus complained further...
"That was fun, you're so slow I get to use quixotic techniques and movements against you!" Ember replied as she relished in her victory, however, she believed there's no glory to be had in defeating Artus who doesn't get swords at all aside from what she had taught him... She wanted Lyle who had her teachings and some others.
Lyle's not nearly as skilled as his sister when it came to his swordsmanship, however, he possesses enough skill and knowledge to win a great amount of any duels he may get into with even the best experts the world has to offer.
Ember pointed her blade at Lyle, "I heard you ranked pretty high in S.I.O.M's sword classes, is this true?" She asked, filling with more vim than her assured victory against Artus, "Top 10 in the regular classes, I guess, yeah." Lyle answered his sister as he got up and readied his longsword stance, "Then you should show me how well you've taken in the lessons!" She replied...
"Hey, are you teaching us or just using us for win kicks?" Artus questioned from out of the blue, "Both, Art..." Lyle answered for his sister, Artus was confused, he felt bothered and this news brought his shared competitive nature out, "C'MON, NOW YOU GOTTA BEAT MISS ADVANCED!" Artus yelled insistently to his brother as he remained seated with his Claymore like he was proud of it just existing.
Lyle turned from Artus and began facing Ember, staring back at her with fierce eyes now like she had given him.
"Why don't the new kids team up and fight the oldest?" Said a man the Trio heard from out of nowhere.
The Trio's quick reflexes turned their attention on this unfamiliar voice quicker than they would fight.
The Trio turned around to their right and espied a man who wore body armor similar to what they wore everyday clad in their violet shading for most of his suit with hints of black and grey in certain areas, except it was more shinobi-inspired... and less bulky and less protective but it looked more comfortable and like he could move around much more efficiently.
"OOF, Are you a ninja, like in the comic books dude??!" Artus asked as he was a fan of ninjas, "You could call me that if you'd like but..." Nathaniel answered Artus, before appearing behind him suddenly, "I'm not exactly one!" He finished as he scared Artus so much, he tactically backrolled away when he realized he was behind him.
Ember got surprised a tad bit, but Lyle kept his cool and wasn't impressed.
"Huh, that usually scares everyone but those stodgy Gen-Preserver dudes." Nathaniel stated as he was baffled by Lyle's vigilance.
"You suddenly felt too entrancing to me and my mind blurred everything out then I felt bleary, what?" Lyle voiced as he still had a bit of a headache, "That was the first trick my dad ever taught me, to put it simply, it was a Kiyaeal advantage, I felt like your cynosure, right?" Nathaniel replied and asked...
Lyle looked off in the distance saying no further words while feeling strong dizziness, with his arms crossed, he decided to wait for this guy to leave so he could win against Ember.
"Wait a moment, you said your father taught you that, errrm??" Ember asked Nathaniel while having an idea of who he meant, Nathaniel turned his attention from Lyle to Ember, "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Nathaniel Detayvern and Yep, I meant as in Josue Detayvern." He answered her, she tried to hold it in, but she bursted with excitement.
"Wait a teensy second, I have so many questions, could you please answer them??" Ember bursted out with excitement and with hope that he's not going to be secretive like his partners, "I'm as stoked to share everything I know as you are to learn about it to be honest, ask me anything, I love some good QnA." Nathaniel informed Ember before she got closer to ask him.
Artus seen his brother distancing himself again, "Bro, is there anything you wanna talk about over here, cuz It sorta look like there is..." Artus asked as he came over to him to check on his brother, "I'm fine, dude." Lyle answered his brother in his usual sangfroid tone, "One day, I'll figure you out, man, then we'll have a talk worth 10 years of words that are unsaid..." Artus assertively told him in a way that let Lyle know he meant it sincerely, before he walked back to Nathaniel and Ember.
"Are you part of the Gen-preservers?" Ember questioned first, "Me, part of them?" Nathaniel asked, baffled, "Nope, they wish I were in their little gang!" Nathaniel answered her as he continued to laugh at that idea.
"How old is Josue?" She questioned next, "however old being born in the 1700s would make ya nowadays." He answered sincerely not knowing how old he is exactly.
Artus and Ember's mouth basically dropped hearing the range of how old he could be, "How is that possible??" Ember wondered with amazement, Nathaniel smiled and chuckled, "I can tell you guys any and everything about this place, except for stuff like that!" Nathaniel responded...
"Yet!"
Artus and Ember gasped together after hearing him say the "yet" part, "I'm my dad's successor, he's been tutoring and preparing me to take over for him... Ever since I met him, but he goes a little extra on the political lessons." Nathaniel informed the Trio, "So, it's safe to assume you're the oldest then?" Ember asked him.
"Pretty possibly one of the oldest men in the world, but nope, youngest of the old man's recruits but I consider myself the oldest since he found me first, before any of them." Nathaniel answered smugly.
"Wow, elaborate further!" Ember yelled, amazed by what she was hearing from Nathaniel's mouth.
"Decades and decades ago, with the great powers Josue built up centuries before, he set out to throw a coup. He hired mercenaries, assassins, but most of all, those he trusted to help him with this overthrow. That day he was successful, but it was a total massacre, those who still aligned themselves loyally to the evil who ran the city, had to be gotten rid of... So, his men did just that. In the crossfire, however, innocents were massacred as well and in the aftermath... He found me. He adopted me, trained me, and now he's guiding me where I want to be..." Nathaniel enlightened the Duo, Lyle wasn't listening, he instead was bobbing his head listening to his favorite rap music.
Ember was staring blankly almost like she wanted to cry hearing that origin but couldn't at all, Artus was teary eyed then hugged Nathaniel abruptly.
"Yeah, yeah, ya big teddy bear!" Nathaniel abruptly yelled out as he patted Artus' back, "Anyway, those bore preservers were testing your regular skills, lemme see your teamwork, think of this as an actual battle, not sparring." Nathaniel apprised the Trio, Lyle opened his eyes and saw Artus and Ember getting into a stance so he deduced some things here and there, then he joined in too.
"Glad you decided to join in too!" Nathaniel commented, Lyle didn't utter a single word as he kept his eyes trained on him while in his boxing stance, "Okay... So, all 3 of you come at me all at once, no holding back at all!" Nathaniel abruptly yelled out as he got in his own stance.
The Trio each looked at one another then all of them sprinted and charged at him, on their way to him, Artus and Ember poofed up their weapons, Artus his usual 2 pistols and Ember her signature Katana while Lyle kept his bare fists as he charged his way.
As the Trio attacked him, they all realized unlike the Gen-preservers who immediately got out a special ability... Nathaniel fought them on his own for a while, he had all the agility of Ember, strength of Artus and hand to hand skill that Lyle has...
While Artus stood in the back shooting and missing bullets shots thanks to Nathaniel dodging, Ember and Lyle were rushing him down with their tenacious attacks, Nathaniel was releasing an invisible pink line with his hands as he moved, invisible to even Artus' eyes.
Ember was so close to slashing him until she was caught by one of these pink lines and became frozen in place, like a spider's web, Lyle thought when he realized this.
"I see the issue here, you guys fight with no Team chemistry, I'm not a professional on team chemistry myself but I get dispatched to fight huge chunks of monsters who do have it sometimes and you guys aren't even close to their level. While most of these chunks aren't even close to your intelligence!" Nathaniel voiced as the battle paused.
"What is this? What'd you do to Ember?" Lyle asked as he stood with great posture yet still battle ready as well, "Another one trick pony ability, of course, especially against even a duo let alone a team since it shatters with the slightest touch to it!" Nathaniel replied
"Heck, Artus blasts any part of the pink!" Nathaniel yelled out to Artus, who blasted a single shot into it and it completely crumbled to bits, Ember was free to move again.
Ember cleaned the pink gunk his ability left behind off of herself before she attempted to get in her slash that she would've got earlier on him, Nathaniel with ease, quickly got in a stance and redirected her blade sending her flying away instead...
"You guys need to get coordinated because a battle might come up where you guys need it, you never know what's gonna pop up that'll take this whole Trio or Gen-oath." Nathaniel told the Trio, "Why are monsters even popping up? I've looked online and this doesn't really happen anywhere else." Ember asked and stated, "I have absolutely no idea, my dad doesn't tell me everything just yet, but I don't even think he knows, and I wouldn't get curious either." Nathaniel replied before he swiped his hand across the pink gunk and it all disappeared.
Lyle's eyes widened a little bit, as did Artus' and Ember's eyes when they seen it all gone instantly.
All of the pink chunks of glass turned to goo, now turned into seemingly nothing.
"Now that we've gotten your biggest issue out of the way, why don't we all get back to enjoying some classic conversation?" Nathaniel asked, "Tell me about yourselves or ask about the city, because I'm guessing the others came and fought you guys then left as quick as they came." Said Nathaniel as he sat down on the edge with the others following after him.
Lyle was the only one who didn't go and sit, then thought of a question he'd like to know...
"The others made what they thought clear, why do you care about us or wanna know about us deeper when all you need to know about us, is in an easily accessed file somewhere like the others can get?" Lyle asked and stated curiously as he went to sit with his siblings.
Nathaniel looked down at the folks walking by and gave a noticeable optimistic smile.
"Because doing what you're about to embark into can get lonely even if you have 2 other friends or siblings to cling onto, plus why be work associates when you can easily be great friends, if you gotta work together that can help everyone get stuff done more efficiently, know what I mean?" He answered and asked rhetorically.
Lyle sat with one knee up on the roof to help cover his slightly smiling face, but Aetus was too busy asking questions and Ember was too distracted trying to think of a really good one to ask him.
"How much can you lift?" Artus asked, "On my best day physically, maybe about 5 tons alone but with my Telekinesis, 10 semi-trucks but maybe more?" Nathaniel answered best to his knowledge.
"What's Conyrol's real name?"
"I don't know, I thought it was Conyrol?"
"Who'd win, Josue or the entire city?"
"Josue, undoubtedly, even holding back!"
"Who'd win, You or the entire city?"
"I guess I would?"
"Enough with these stupid questions, Arty!" Ember blurted out as she had her question picked, "What was the day of the coup like?" She asked directly after yelling what she had before...
Nathaniel's eyes widened, he wasn't expecting to be asked that question but more so wasn't prepared for the visions of the day stirring so deeply.
"It was a... slaughter!" He responded but stuttered as he did, "From my perspective?" He rhetorically asked as more memories flooded his brain, "I remember like it was yesterday, extraordinary memory can be a curse, I woke up in dust and rubble after my orphanage was burned to a crisp because of the absolute chaos, men and women were running and screaming and those were the only two things I could hear. The smell smelled like how a burned down orphanage would but the thing that freaked me out the most that day and I'd have to say in my entire life wasn't what would scare an average dude like an entire burned down orphanage falling on you while you were asleep or the men murdering innocents around you, it was the man that looked like he wanted to cry right in front of me, he knelt down and kindly held out his hand to me. I looked up and saw this guy flying above with an angry look in his eye then he shot weird colored energy at us, Josue stopped it with the palm of his hand. The kindest and most compassionate man there was the scariest part of that day, and shoot, I was right to think so, cuz I learned a bit later that he started it with an entire government!" Nathaniel had grief in his voice as he explained to the Trio, then bursted out with a chuckle at the end.
Lyle, Ember and Artus' eyes were locked on Nathaniel even after he was finished with the story, they looked fully immersed and Artus looked like he was in the feels.
"So, how did you guys meet the others?" Ember asked after further staring for 5 minutes straight.
"Thank you for saying 'you guys' because I don't know why but people seem to forget I was the first he took under his wing, the first sidekick if you will and I saw it all!" Nathaniel replied with true appreciation, "Anyhow, for years and years, he was happy with just one city he was trying to make right but, of course, the men behind governments can't just accept they lost control of something, so they sent soldiers to secure the next city over, gave the fools the best gear and weapons they had at the time, thinking Josue would be the greedy one. They played themselves cause Josue was content with one and achieved his dream but when he heard about the disgusting behavior, deeds and mess their soldiers were doing to the innocent lives over there, he was given the same reason to save that city, or more so liberate it. He saved a few other orphans like me and a ... Victim, and with more experience and power now, less loss, higher gain." Nathaniel answered her question with the same emotion in his voice.
"Victim of what?" Ember asked with slight curiosity, Nathaniel was looking at the sunset on top of their roof when she said that, when he heard, he felt too awkward to turn his head so only his eyes turned to look at her, "Did I say victim, nah, I don't have any clue why I said that, I mean we were all victims of something at one point so I guess I'm calling all of us Victims and... Orphans?" Nathaniel nervously replied after a chuckle and a shrug.
Artus' creative juices were refilled and a great question to ask popped up in his head, "Who'd win this battle, Superlative sentinel or Josue?" Artus asked with a smug grin on him.
Nathaniel paused for a moment and stared at Artus until he realized how amazing his question was, "That's actually a perfect question, since Superlative sentinel beats him in strength, he's got a lot of abilities too, flight, x-ray vision, super strength, superspeed, telekinesis, heat and frost breath, energy blasts, but no bias my money's on Josue since he has 100 different other ways he could deal with him." Nathaniel blurted out suddenly in an almost fanboyish tone.
"What's Josue's deeper story, why did he truly decide to take over the city?" Ember asked in her most serious manner, her eyes gazing into Nathaniel's without a blink, Nathaniel stared back unintentionally mimicking her.
"Only Josue himself can give you a legitimate answer on that, but I'm glad to have someone to finally listen to my theory. Based on what he's told me about himself, about his parents, he did it for his younger bro, and the dad he's never met too, the reason he was adopted kind of to begin with... he told me he and his brother were teens when they found some plans, some ideas in Their father's desk. These plans were dark, they were fiendish he said, they were the exact opposite of what he stands for now but he changed them with decades and decades of planning and he achieved his late adoptive father's endgame still, he had control over the city. Except, while he was learning what he left to take over the city, he learned "control" doesn't have an alignment, it's a neutral concept until whoever has it decides its side. In short, his adoptive daddio was a bad, bad dude but he personally credits him since without what he left behind, he couldn't have made his home a better home to make your own." Nathaniel answered with his own thoughts on the question asked...
Nathaniel left Artus and Ember talking amongst themselves after he noticed Lyle sitting by himself again with a face full of thoughts.
Lyle looked over and kept staring at him, Nathaniel formed a spacey green bubble around Both of them.
Lyle placed his right hand on one of his guns which was holstered on the opposite side of Nathaniel, He would have never seen it.
Nathaniel leaned against his bubble and smiled, "I just placed a soundproof forcefield around us, you look like a kid who likes to keep things to himself, which I can respect!" Nathaniel, as calm as ever, responded to Lyle's show of vigilance.
"Ember, I overheard Artus confessing to his friends online about using your toothbrush to clean a stray cat's nails!" Lyle yelled out to test the honesty of Nathaniel's words, the two made no reaction to what he said, "Ember would be furious if she knew that, so yeah, pretty soundless right?" Nathaniel replied to him.
"What would you know about any of us, besides what you'd find on a basic file?" Lyle questioned, "Huh?" Lyle finished.
"Actually, I know zero, zilch, nada about you guys personally, except that I'm glad you guys are here for this place and you call yourselves family but you don't even have a last name for yourselves?" Nathaniel replied with a calm tone.
"Last names are useless, as long as we have one name, that should be enough." Lyle responded in his usual low and calm tone.
"Now that, that's the definition of boring... "Enough", what would life be without total confidence and that person using it to achieve more?" Nathaniel said, "That's what I always say and what helps keep me going in this bizarre world!" Nathaniel finished.
Lyle remained silent through his speech and remained silent after it, staring off into the sunset.
"Listen, all I'm saying is last names represent the bond a family have and it's gone too long since this one had something like it, so, it's your choice, if you agree, it's a decision that could be made by the Trio but here's one that blends in with what I think all of you are to me and the gracious city already, Aluin!" Nathaniel speeches with excitement in his voice then suggested to Lyle while he sat Listening in his usual silence around new people.
Nathaniel then turned around and got off the spot of the edge of the roof he was sitting on next to Lyle and pulled out what looked like a very old and ancient book with a brink pink seal on it.
"I've seen distrust in others cripple lives, cripple relationships, cripple entire organizations that could've done good. All I'm saying is give us a chance to earn that trust and confidence. Ember and Artus were the hands that saved you from the abyss, I'm guessing, let the Gen-oath and the city be the wings that keep you soaring above it." Nathaniel speech further, with the last part forcing his eyes to open.
"That was--" Lyle said with a low tone with a certain look in his eye, "Cheesy... Yeah... Sorry about that, he had me practicing poetry and speaking from the heart, sometimes they blend like I'm from the 16th century." Nathaniel responded with an awkward tone as he cleared his throat.
Nathaniel turned around and vanished the soundless bubble he encased them in and walked up to Lyle's siblings with gifts for them.
The miniature book Lyle Saw earlier grew as he handed it to Ember, "Since you enjoy Being the knowledgeable one in the room, I thought you'd love this, my la fragilité le rappel or my weakness echo diary as I like to call my invention personally." said Nathaniel while Artus was in awe by the name, "Cool name, man!" He commented. "Thanks, I came up with it off the top of my head!" He replied to his comment.
"How's this work, though?" Ember asked, "Just when you Encounter a new creature, open the book and present it's pages to it, it should reveal in deep depth all of Its weaknesses and fears if it has any for later study, the first encounter shall be as Difficult as any but that should make the next easier." He informed her carefully.
"Ooh, how about me, what are ya gonna give me?" Artus asked as he tried to get Nathaniel's attention, "I'm gonna give ya something later that could get you out of a jam, something I know you'd appreciate nicely." Nathaniel replied with a smug smile while he crossed his arms.
A brief moment of silence followed as he thought about what Lyle might be interested in…
"I don't think Mr.stoicism would take anything from me or anyone, so, I gave him advice." He commented as he looked over at lyle still sitting on the edge of the roof alone and stuck by himself considering his unsolicted words of advice.
(TO BE CONTINUED!)