Ascension - (Alarian Warriors)

She was hesitant at first, interacting with strangers wasn’t something she wanted to do, but training with the elves would mean a lot of physical contact.

She wasn’t afraid of how they saw her, but rather what seeing her meant to their future. She would have to live a lie, a world of fake smiles and fake promises to get what she wanted.

She cursed Erosvent for having so many people here. He had told her he called this place a Sanctuary, it was a safe haven for unnatural or supernatural beings. A shelter for all, it was just like him trying to protect others.

She didn’t know how she had managed to make it this far through the structure, but as her hand rested on the flat of the glass door. An old feeling called to her. It was a strange wild sensation of freedom, of longing. The urge to step outside rose higher and higher within, she pushed the door open.

The greenhouse opened into a garden outside of the Sanctuary, she’d heard about them from Emerald. Elaina had been taking the elf down to them during the day. It seemed only right seeing the beaming smile of the elf’s face as she blabbed on about nature and its healing properties.

Outside, the smells hit her first, moist grass so clean and fresh. A genuine smile spread across her face as a light breeze caressed her skin. Her hair was caught in the light wind, and she noticed just how long it had grown over the years. It easily reached past her knees.

Her feet moved on their own wanting more, the bliss of feeling something other than stone beneath her feet. Her bare feet brushed against the soft blades of grass sending a wonderful sensation through her entire body. She enjoyed the feeling, but also couldn’t embrace that feeling of joy, her guard remained.

She watched as the wind played with the plants, leaves rustled, and she heard an owl hoot as insects buzzed. Her heart was racing, was this adrenaline? It had been so long since she’d felt anything but fear and sadness.

Looking to the sky she watched the stars flicker and shine. It was stunning. The sounds of laughter caught her attention, snapping her back to reality. She wasn’t alone out here and that was the point. She had to interact with others, which was her goal for the day.

She pulled her hair back over her face and wrapped her arms around her body. The wind suddenly seemed cold and uninviting. It was amazing how quickly the atmosphere could change. The sounds were carefree, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would even laugh like that again.

Curiosity and the drive to face her fears pushed her forward, she began walking her way down a grassy trail, that led deeper into the garden. Where were the sounds coming from? Her goal her motivation to follow the light joyful sounds.

She knew she was close when the laughter reached its loudest. She stood behind a hedge that was far taller than herself and peered her head around the side. A group of children sat in a circle around Vincent. He was back already. Had she been in the greenhouse for that long? Or perhaps had not left yet. Probably too late to head out now. He’d likely go in the morning when the trails were easier to see.

The little faces were alight with joy, she noticed the children were of different species. Many of which she had never seen before. She watched as he continued to perform ‘magic’ tricks for them.

Aveyon immediately felt someone approach her from behind. Her body stiffened, and she spun around in a defensive stance only to see Erosvent smiling down at her. She shook her head shooing his outstretched hand that was inches away from her shoulder.

He mouthed a sorry, as she glared at him. She placed her hand over her heart and took a step backwards creating more distance between them. “Eros don’t scare me like that!”

He laughed lightly. “Sorry, sorry, couldn’t help it, Princess.” He couldn’t hide the joy of her using his nickname. It had been the one she’d given him when she was a child after all.

“I don’t want you to call me that, not anymore. We’ve been through this; I’m not deserving of such a title. I am no more than they are.” She nodded to the laughing children.

“Ah, but what you don’t understand is that you being alive, offers all beings alike a chance to hope, a chance for change, would you deny them that hope?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

Aveyon stared at him blankly for a moment. What was she meant to do in this situation? “I-I see your point.” It’s not that she felt uncomfortable being called Princess but rather she felt she could no longer live up to the title.

“Every chance he gets he’s out here with them.” He tilted his head toward Vincent and the children, changing the subject.

“It brings back memories of when I was younger, the children of Alarious used to do the same.” She commented.

“That’s what amazes me so much, it’s like Vincent was an Alarian. Like he lived that life but at the same time, I know that’s impossible.” Erosvent frowned and shook his head. “Sorry for thinking out loud.” He added.

“I understand, I would like to know how Vincent was created and what happened to Anzel. But I fear you already know the answer. Vincent is his own being, regardless of whether they share the same appearance, I don’t have enough training with souls to tell if they share the same one though.” The words escaped her before she knew what she was saying.

He nodded feeling a little ashamed. “What do you mean about his soul?”

Aveyon looked up at Eros and sighed. “I don’t know when the cycle of rebirth was broken, it must have been while I was in captivity.” She responded, she only knew this as she’d watched a birth for the first time in captivity. “There is no way a child could be reborn with Anzel’s soul, correct?” She paused.

Erosvent nodded. “He was created a man, he doesn’t age. And I discovered him during the time of your imprisonment. I would surmise it was around the time of the cycle breaking.”

She frowned. “So, he could have Anzel’s soul.” Pondering allowed, she added. “Vincent’s body has been created unnaturally, it’s possible that Anzel’s soul could have been a part of the spell, that’s my only conclusion for his appearance.”

The information shocked Erosvent. “For that to happen, Vincent would have been created at the point of Anzel’s death...”

She nodded and could tell he didn’t want to believe it. “I am only speculating here, but yes it seems even in death Anzel could not rest.” She felt she should feel sad for Anzel, was she broken?

She frowned, not understanding her emotions or lack thereof. She knew that if she had been on Alarious and witnessed such a thing she would have been a mess. Had she changed that much?

“It is nice, however, to see you outside.” He told her changing the subject, the gloom was getting to him.

“It is my way of getting stronger, I am glad I did it.” She looked at the small gathering. “The children, where are their families, are they here as well?” she asked curious.

Though they looked like children, as they were not human, she knew they aged slower than most races. The Alarians were different. They aged as humans did until receiving an aura. These children would have been born just before the cycle of rebirth had broken. Probably the last children to have been born. It made sense that they were cherished and looked after.

He shook his head with a grim look on his face. “Most of them are half-breeds, abandoned by their parents.” He sighed and moved into the small clearing, taking a seat on a bench just inside the hedge wall. He patted the spot next to him.

She was hesitant to sit by him but soon gave in, it was hard not to watch the children for a little longer. She noticed a small girl with black hair sitting at the far side of the clearing. She was hugging her knees to her chest and watching the others as she sat almost motionless on the bench.

Erosvent continued to explain. “We managed to find some children about two weeks ago, they were being sold as slaves and unfortunately the little one over there, the one that’s on her own, hasn’t adjusted as well as the others.” He saddened. “With her being so young she is having a hard time trusting anyone at all, at least she has started eating now.”

Aveyon couldn’t understand the reasoning behind what she did. Perhaps sympathy? Or she was simply trying to move onward from her own scars? She stood and walked right to the little girl.

She only looked around the age of ten but being an elf, she would be a lot older than that. She indeed had the scars of a tortured girl. The girl looked up and began to shake as Aveyon stood in front of her, though Aveyon was of a small stature she did tower over the frail thing.

She tilted her head, she didn’t feel sorry for the girl, or angry. So why was she here? The feeling of fear that the girl gave off as their eyes met sent Aveyon to her knees before the child, her gaze now looking up at the girl.

Perhaps this angle was better for the child? Aveyon smiled sadly and held out her hand's wrist up for her to see. Showing scarred flesh of her own. “I am not going to hurt you, I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

The girl blinked and looked at the limbs before her. Her own shaking hands reached out and rested beside Aveyon’s. It was like the girl was inspecting them, comparing them. The marks she bore were from struggling while having one’s wrists bond likely with rope, struggling so hard that the binds would cut through the wrists in little to no time at all.

The girl visibly swallowed a lump in her throat, the shaking hadn’t stopped altogether but it wasn’t as violent.

“You... You’re the same as me.” The child’s words were shaky but clear, how could a small child have gone through the same as her? As Emerald? What had this world truly become? The girl wore a long-sleeved top and long pants to cover as many of her scars as she could.

“That is right little one, you are not alone, and we are all here to help you through this.” Was she saying that to the child or more to herself?

Not something she should be saying considering her heart was so cold, broken, and unfeeling.

The girl seemed to snap, tears began running down her cheeks, and she clearly needed someone who understood her pain.

Aveyon saw herself in the girl’s breakdown, of course, she had always had Emerald through it all. But this child had no one. She suddenly realized; the child would be the same age as Emerald's Son.

What if Emerald’s own son was going through something like this right now? He had been sold soon after he was born, the thought sparked an anger in her that she only felt for the revenge of her father.

Aveyon lightly took hold of the girl’s hands. She ran her fingers along the small, raised markings on the skin of her wrist.

“Someone told me to think of them as stripes, perhaps tiger stripes? From this point forward, they only make you stronger. They show others that you lived through it all. You have a strong will to fight just like a tigress would.” Aveyon mimicked the words Vincent had spoken to her but added her own twist.

The girl’s eyes widened as if something in her seemed to click like something made sense. Aveyon gasped as the girl jumped from the bench and hugged her tight, she thought she may fall over backwards.

That was not the reaction she had anticipated, was that how she was meant to act with Vincent when he had said that? No, probably not.

She felt the girl sobbing into her dress and she awkwardly wrapped her arms around her frail body. The small child’s touch wasn’t repulsive, but she still felt uncomfortable. Still kneeling beside the girl on the ground she forced a smile as the embrace ended.

“What is your name?” she asked.

The girl smiled weakly back before answering. “I’m Riku.”

“It is lovely to meet you Riku.” She replied as she thought to herself; Step one, put on a front to make people believe you are okay and learn to pretend. Complete.

Only how many more steps to go? How long before she could feel normal again? Before she could function as a normal person?

Normal was irrelevant, she just needed the strength to face her father.