by Arantes
But as she was about to confess her undying love, he said, “Yeah I figured you’d say something like that. I’ll tell Axil to tell Natalia that.”
“Natalia, who’s Natalia?” asked Sonia with a slight sense of relief.
He explained to her how Axil was in love with his friend Natalia. Her heart slowly started beating normally again. But this had shown her that the thought of him being with someone else was too much for her to handle. So what, he was one of the Kings of Awakenings, he was Albedo, not Dawson, to her. So Axil is in love with a human huh, what a guy.
“Have you heard anything about Aleister?” asked Albedo. He wanted to go after Aleister after their last encounter. This power that he felt was strong; with it he could use it to stop Purebloods like Vincent and Aleister. I’m coming for you, Aleister. That power that you have shown me, I’m going to use it to destroy you.
“Don’t worry about him, when the time comes, we will get him,” said Sonia. She smiled and he smiled back at her, “Well, I have our next mission, and I think we’re all going to like this one.”
Sonia read the mission to him; it was in a place called Blue-Mountain. He wondered where Blue-Mountain was located and what the mission was about. Sonia laughed, “No! Blue Mountain is a place where King Victor sends us after a long mission. The place is located up on top of the mountain by west Inferno. All the food you can eat, facials, pedicure, and manicure!!! Just thinking about it, I can’t wait!”
He was still confused about the mission, “So we are going on a vacation for a mission?” he had never been on a vacation before, except the time he went fishing with his dad. They had to sleep outside, it was cold and he’d hated it.
“I promise, you’re going to love it, you just wait and see!”
At that moment Albedo had an idea, “I got it!” with a smile, “Is it possible to bring someone else on this trip?”
Sonia knew he wanted to tell Axil to ask Natalia to come with them. “Well I don’t know, no human had ever been there before. And you have to be a member of King Victor’s army.” He pleaded until she agreed, then she realized how Angelione will handle this news. She could hear him now, “What were you thinking bringing a human with us. This is a place for vampires and Purebloods not humans”
“Wait did you say all the food we can eat?” said Albedo.
***
Albedo left the house and rushed back to the market, leaving Sonia upstairs by herself. When he got there he told Axil about the mission, and how he should ask Natalia to go with them.
“I don’t know. We don’t really know one another that well.”
Albedo continued to hound him to ask her. “I promise you, if you don’t go after her, someone else will. Love is defined by actions not words.”
“Who have you been talking to?” Axil knew he was right, she was beautiful and he thought she was the perfect woman. “I suppose you’re right, someone like her must get guys asking her all the time.” He had made the decision to go ask her, but neither knew where she lived.
“How could you not know where she lives? She knows where you live. Not to mention you brought her home that night, how can you forget so quickly?”
He laughed and wondered why he’d forget that quickly. To his defense, it was nighttime and he was worrying about the Xs. “I know, let’s go ask Jarvis, he’s good at finding people.”
Axil had met Jarvis before, he used to train Angelione when Axil first got to the organization. I haven’t seen master Jarvis for so long.
As they continued to make their way to master Jarvis’s house, Sonia appeared. She did not look too happy. She hated the fact that Albedo left in such a hurry. She had her fist ready to pound him in the head. That should make her feel better. “You ran off and left me there by myself you jerk!”
“Sonia, I was going to come back,” said Albedo with an innocent face as he slowly backed away from her.
She looked at these two clueless men who have no idea how to talk to a woman and said, “You two idiots are hopeless, you know that? Neither one of you have any respect for a lady,” said Sonia furiously. “Come on bird brains, I’ll teach you how to talk to a lady.”
Neither Albedo nor Axil has ever asked a woman on a date before, so they gladly accepted Sonia’s offer. Albedo took them to master Jarvis. It never once crossed his mind to ask Natalia where she lived, or remember. Sometimes he really is a bird brain. Maybe if he ate less his brain my start remembering stuff. They made it to Jarvis’s house and greeted his wife. She told them he was in the back and the three went there to see him.
“Master Jarvis, I would like you to meet Axil and Sonia,” said Albedo.
“You know you’re supposed to call me Jarvis, young lad!”
Albedo had forgotten again, that he hated to be called master.
“Master Jarvis! It’s been a long time,” said Sonia.
“You guys know each other,” asked Albedo.
“Well of course I know him, after all he used to train me when I was younger. But that was a very long time ago,” said Sonia. He also helped me locate Vincent with his Elder when he penetrated Inferno, but I don’t think I need to tell him that.
“I see you’re as beautiful as ever Sonia! Sorry I haven’t come to the castle as much as I should, but lately I’ve been going there for council meetings only,” said Jarvis. So I’m guessing she didn’t tell him I helped her catch Vincent.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m just glad to see you,” said Sonia. “Albedo, Jarvis used to work for King Victor, now he’s a member of the council, alongside his brother Viper, who runs the Black Knight Division.” She looked at Albedo and now understood how he had gotten so strong; training with Jarvis will do that to you. “I didn’t know he was your trainer when I was gone. This man is legendary; he was the one who trained Dragan and turned him into a powerful weapon for this Kingdom.”
“Dragan,” wondered Albedo, “whose Dragan, and what’s the Black Knight Division?”
Jarvis was about to tell him Dragan was his father, but Sonia gave him a look telling him not to.
“He’s just a warrior who used to work for us. The Black Knights are a different organization in Atnius, I’ll tell you about them one day,” said Sonia.
Albedo had no idea how famous his master was. There was a lot he still didn’t know. He had never heard of the council, this Black Knight organization until recently, he thought King Victor made his decisions without being authorized. He was honored to have been trained by Jarvis.
Jarvis laughed, “That was a long time ago, a very long time ago. So tell me, what brings you young lads out here?”
Albedo explained how he was looking for Natalia.
“What happened, young lad, I thought I showed you how to find energy? Don’t tell me you forgot all of our training.”
He had not forgotten the training; unlike vampires or Purebloods, all humans have very similar energy. Only a small trace distinguishes them from one another, without truly mastering the power of the Elder, finding a human using it is hard.
Jarvis agreed to help him find her. “You finally decided to ask her on a date then young lad?”
Sonia’s face changed, as did Axil’s.
“It’s not for me, it’s for my friend Axil. I think he’s in love with her,” said Albedo quickly and waved his hands with a smile.
“I’m not in love with her, I just... just look for her ok,” said Axil who looked annoyed.
Sonia looked at him. If he’s trying to hide his feeling, he sure did a bad job.
“Young Axil, look how much you’ve grown, you’re almost as strong as Victor.”
“Master Jarvis, it’s been too long.”
“You guys know each other too?” asked Albedo.
“Well of course, I was his master’s master. So tell me, how’s Dante doing?”
“He’s doing fine.”
Jarvis looked at Albedo now, “All right young lad, let us get started.”
Jarvis and Albedo were about to s
tart until Albedo realized something. “Wait,” said Albedo. “I think I remember where she lives now.”
“You sure, Albedo? You’re here so you might as well try and sense her to be sure, you might forget again a few minutes from now,” said Axil.
“No I got it,” he said with confidence.
“It appears you didn’t need me after all young lad,” said Jarvis. He turned his attention to Sonia now. He took her aside for a private conversation. “The boy has grown up since I first met him. I remember when Dragan and his wife brought him to us. His killer-lust is getting stronger inside of him and I feel his Reawakening wants to feed from it.”
Sonia wasn’t surprised he knew of this information. “Do the other members of the council know?”
“The only people who know are the ones closest to the king. If news of this magnitude reached them, I don’t know what would happen really,” said Jarvis. “Sonia, keep an eye on the young lad for me. I’m afraid there’s darkness in his heart that he’s going to have to face one day.”
“I will master Jarvis.” I know about the darkness you speak of, his killer-lust. I saw it in Aleister’s eyes. She looked at Albedo laughing with Axil. I’ll be damned if I let it control you Albedo.
They walked over to Natalia’s house at last. It was a fairly big size house. There was a big backyard and the house sat outside of town, no neighbors around, not far from that lake the Xs and Albedo fought. It was painted in white, with a hint of blue. There was a window on the right side of it, and a white curtain that blocked the inside view.
“This is it Axil, this is where she lives.”
“How could you forget a place like this Albedo,” said Sonia.
Axil was feeling nervous; he had no idea what to say to her. Sonia was on his right, Albedo on his left. A Pureblood and a human falling in love, Axil often wondered how it would work.
“Well what are you waiting for? Go and tell her how you feel.” Sonia could see that Axil was very apprehensive. Boy these two are pathetic! With a hand on her head, “Here’s what you say to her, don’t ask her to the vacation for your first date, like he suggested---” pointing to Albedo, “--- Take her somewhere romantic, where you can be alone, a vacation together is too soon.”
Axil agreed he wasn’t going to ask her to go with them, listening to Sonia instead. What does Albedo know; she was the opposite sex and knew more than he did. He knocked on the door and her father answered. He was a frail old man, with a bad back and knee. He walked with a limp and had a cane to stand on. Natalia had devoted her life to taking care of him. “I’m sorry to bother you sir. I was hoping that Natalia was home?”
Natalia came to the door now. She instantly spotted Albedo outside, standing alongside a beautiful woman. That must be Sonia, she’s beautiful. “Hi Axil, is everything all right?” said Natalia looking confused.
Axil’s throat was getting dry; sweat began falling down his forehead. His hands were shaking but fortunately not enough for her to see. His heart was beating faster now. It was now or never, her father was standing next to her, making him even more nervous. Alright Axil, get it together. How many times has Dante set you up on one of those blind dates? Only to hate having saying yes to do it in the first place, but today you’re standing in front of a woman, a beautiful one too, so act like a man. “I was hoping, no wondering, if you wanted to go and eat with me sometime?” he looked her in the eyes.
She could see how much he liked her, and she herself had liked him. “I would love to!”
Axil wanted to scream, but managed to stay calm.
“And also, if you wanted to come on a vacation with us?!” screamed Albedo smiling.
Sonia looked at Albedo and shook her head.
Natalia thought it was a random question to ask, but it sounded fun. “I would love to, but I’m very busy.” A vacation? That does sound good, but who will take care of my father when I’m gone? Her father put a hand on her shoulder and nodded his head with a smile. He felt she needed a break from taking care of him. She was skeptical but said, “If I can find someone to take care of my father. I’ll go with you guys.”
Axil walked away feeling like he was the luckiest man in the world. He stopped himself from smiling, keeping his coolness under control. His cheeks wanted to spread out as he fought to keep them attached. Hurting him to smile, he fought against it.
“See, that wasn’t too bad, was it?”
Albedo did not understand the nervousness he was going through. How could he? He had never asked a woman on a date before.
“Now let’s go home and eat, I’m hungry.”
Axil started to laugh, taking the nervousness out of him, Albedo was always hungry. He was a skinny young man when Sonia first met him, and now he had muscles like Dante. Not as much as Axil had, but enough for him to be satisfied. Albedo took them back home; there they ate a fine meal. Sonia thought about Natalia, how beautiful she was, she could see why Axil liked her so much. But really though she was just glad Albedo wasn’t the one in love with her.
After a fine meal at the house, it was getting late outside so Albedo took them to the beach with him after a long meal. The same beach where he’d met Jarvis, and the same beach he would often sit alone and watch the sun and moon. Sonia had not been thinking about him being one of the Kings of Awakenings. Her mind was at peace around him. They were the only three there. They could hear the birds and waves, and smell the scent of the water. There was a fire in the middle of them as they sat in a circle roasting marshmallows and chocolate with a stick. Sonia sat there and drank her warm tea, which always brought joy to her. She had offered them some of her tea, but they declined. She reached in her bag full of sweets and started eating. Albedo and Axil asked her if they could have some and she refused. They declined the tea so they weren’t getting any sweets.
“Did you guys hear? Dante is coming today.” Axil wanted to meet his new girlfriend. They had not seen Dante in a while; they were very excited at the prospect of seeing him.
“So he’s coming with Angelione? It’s going to be nice seeing them,” said Sonia.
After an hour passed, Angelione arrived with Dante. They were all happy to see each other, but Axil wondered where the new girlfriend Dante was bragging about was?
“Nice to see you guys,” said Dante.
“Where’s the new girlfriend you were bringing along?” asked Axil.
“Is that all you guys care about? You boys are hopeless,” said Sonia.
“It didn’t work out, it started out fine, but just like always, she changed,” said Dante.
Axil and Albedo started laughing, “No my friend, you just got bored again.”
Sonia wanted to smack him in his head. It’s typical of him, he changes woman like he changes his clothes.
Axil and Albedo were still laughing, and soon followed Sonia, even Angelione gave a chuckle or two.
“Are you sure you didn’t change on her?” asked Albedo.
Dante knew what they were laughing about, but acted as if he didn’t. “It’s not my fault the ladies love me, but I guess you guys can’t understand.” As Dante talked, he could see Albedo handing Axil some gold. They had bet how long Dante would stay with his new girlfriend. “You guys bet gold on me?!”
“If I’d known, I would have bet too,” said Angelione surprisingly.
Sonia found it childish for them to bet gold on how long their friend would stay with a girl.
“Now enough about me, I hear you finally have a date Axil, it’s about time,” said Dante. He’d wanted to see the guy on a real date for so long. Not one that he set up with one of his girls’ friends.
“Yeah with Natalia!” Said Axil.
“I knew you had it in you!” said Dante. Of course he had never expected Axil to build the nerve to ask her out on a date.
“I’m hungry,” said Albedo unexpectedly.
“You’re always hungry!” they all said simultaneously, and then laughed. They wondered where he put all the food he ate.
/> Angelione had been thinking about what the king had told him about Albedo, but avoided talking to Sonia about it. Today was a good day, and for once he wanted to watch what he said and not ruin it, not like he cared of course.
Chapter 22
The Vacation!
The day of the vacation had finally come. Albedo had been waiting for it for a long time. His mother was in his room helping him pack his bags. Sonia had left to get her own stuff. His mother was very excited about him leaving. The love she had for him overpowered the sins he’d committed in the past. She didn’t know who he was then, they only know the kind of person she turned him into. Her son.
“Are you ready for your big school vacation? Where are you guys going this year?” asked Cecelia as she helps him pack his bags.
“Hmm, somewhere in west Inferno,” he lied.
She all ready knew where he was going, Sonia had told her.
This was Albedo’s first vacation really, she figured he might be a little nervous. In actual fact he was not nervous at all, in fact he was very excited. He had grown so fast in her eyes. He had become a man and she felt that he was growing away from her. His destiny was calling him, and there was nothing she could do to keep life the way it was.
“Well, goodbye. I guess I’ll see you in a couple of days,” said Albedo as he finished packing.
His mother still saw him as her little boy, the same boy who she had to do everything for; the same boy who had nightmares all the time. The same one she would rush to his bedroom and comfort. That boy was slowly fading away in front of her eyes; there was nothing she could do.
She looked at him with joy and said, “Albedo, promise me one thing, that you will never change.” She had always feared that he might leave forever one day. What if his memories came back? Would he still be the boy she raised, or the one Aleister was trying to bring back? Inside of him, he was in a battle between himself, the old Albedo against the new Dawson he was turning into. Each fighting to take control, a fight he must win if he wants to remain himself.