A New Life

by Payton Cavallo

  Ailbe’s bladed tail whipped around, and Aethel had little time to react before it slammed into her gut. Aethel gasped as she felt the pain from the woman’s tail, the sharp object having slammed into her gut leaving a nasty hole as Ailbe pulled it out with a sickening squelch.

  Aethel nearly collapsed in agony, but she stayed on her feet. She could not afford to fall here, too much was on the line for her to give in to something so arbitrary as agony now. Aethel held a hand over the wound as she tried to stem the bleeding.

  “Your resistance is pathetic Aethel. You have no means of defending yourself outside of those runes of yours, and even then, they are subpar to most offensive magic you could cast with an amulet glove, which you don’t have.” Ailbe said. “Just give up.”

  “Never!” Aethel said, tossing down one of her blood runes and jumping backwards, quickly hiding behind another counter as it detonated. Once again, it did little to Ailbe as she calmly walked forward.

  “Enough of this dreadful affair Aethel. This is little more than a childish tantrum from someone who knows that their end is near.” Ailbe said. “I thought of you as my friend Aethel, someone who would understand, but I guess I sincerely misjudged you. However, I do not blame you, for you cannot see the world like I see it. Still, you did spurn my offer and that really pissed me off.”

  Ailbe walked forward, getting ever closer and closer to Aethel. “So I guess I’m just going to have to teach you some manners. I won’t kill you, no. You’re too valuable now for me to do that. Instead, you’ll join me willingly…once I have your son back in my care.”

  ‘I will never let that happen! Never!’ Aethel thought as she looked around her environment, but she didn’t have much time to do so as Ailbe stabbed her in the gut once again, forcing the tall woman to kneel.

  Ailbe grabbed her hair and pulled her around so Ailbe could look her in the eye and then she slammed her knee into Aethel’s face, the woman gasping as she felt a tooth fly out. Ailbe did it again and again, Aethel’s nose breaking and more teeth flying out of her mouth as the noblewoman gave her back all the pain she had felt when Aethel had burned her face.

  It seemed like hours went by for Aethel before the noblewoman let go of her hair, allowing her to plop down onto the ground, her face a bloody mess. Aethel spit out some blood as she lay on the ground, groaning in agony.

  Ailbe smiled as she looked down upon the scene, before she noticed another rune on one of her metal pieces, different from the rest. She bent down to pick it up, holding it in her hands before she felt her body freeze up from the neck down. “Ah, some sort of paralyzing rune. A clever trick, but I doubt it’ll hold me for long.” Ailbe said, her eyes watching Aethel shakily stand as she desperately tried to get away.

  “You’re merely delaying the inevitable dear.” A hint of mock pity was in Ailbe’s tone, as if was doing it for Aethel’s own good. Ailbe felt her limbs begin to unfreeze as she stalked forward, Aethel trying desperately to get away from her. Several red tentacles extended from underneath Ailbe’s skin and it took Aethel a moment to register that it was the woman’s veins, pulsating as if they were hungry for her blood.

  “Enough of this charade. There is little you can do against me now that I’ve become perfect. I’ll simply suck out enough blood to keep you alive. And then, once you start to see things my way, I’ll help you achieve perfection as well.” Ailbe said. Ailbe’s freakish veins launched forward, intent on sucking out Aethel’s blood, but the tall woman veered out of the way, barely managing to get out of the way of the woman’s veins.

  They danced around the room, Aethel dodging and Ailbe continuously trying to pierce her with her veins, though Aethel knew that Ailbe was just toying with her, enjoying seeing her struggle. Aethel was exhausted, as the blood loss and wounds were getting to her. She knew that the noblewoman would outlast her, her enhanced body seeming to never tire, but she didn’t know any way out of this situation. She couldn’t create many more blood runes without tearing open her veins and increasing her blood loss and… Aethel’s eyes widened slightly as a plan filled her mind. It would be risky, but it was the only way she could get of this situation.

  She stood still and her body went rigid as, finally, Ailbe’s veins had hit their mark. Aethel gasped as she felt the foreign objects penetrate her skin, a sickening smile appearing on Ailbe’s face as she had finally caught the woman.

  “It is regrettable that you would choose to disobey me Aethel, but I believe that you will reconsider your stance once you too achieve perfection.” The blood was pumped from Aethel back into Ailbe. “You need not worry about Craeft…your son will be joining you very…soo…s…what is happening to me? I can’t move anything from my neck down! I can’t even move my cells to make new parts!” Ailbe screamed out, her voice filled with terror. “Wait, this is similar to that rune! But I thought you needed the metal for it to work! All the explosives you tossed around did!” Aethel allowed a small grin to cross her broken face.

  “Yeah, that’s right. I did need something to attach them too, but…” Small lines and circles were snaking across Ailbe’s body, the symbol of her paralysis runes spreading all over her body, “since you absorbed my blood, it’s already found something to attach to. You.”

  “N-no! This can’t be happening! I’m perfect!” Ailbe cried out in desperation. Her eyes looked around the room, looking for any way out of this situation. Panic began to settle in as she realized she had gone from the hunter to the hunted.

  “You are not perfect. No matter how you change your outside, your inside is the same as always, rotten to the core.” Aethel said. Her hand glowed with power as she manipulated the magic that was in her blood, that was inside Ailbe, towards one specific goal. A detonation. “I must admit, I never really managed to get this one hundred percent right, as I’m used to sticking with the far easier Exploder runes, but for you, I believe I need something special.” The lines on Ailbe’s body began to spiral till they formed a massive circle on her chest, three dots within, and lines spread across her entire body. It was one of her own creation, one she was very proud of. Her Merezin Mines.

  “W-wait we can-“ Ailbe said before Aethel cut her off. She had had enough of the woman’s vile words.

  “No. Enjoy writhing in the Abyss.” Aethel snapped her fingers, and Ailbe was absolutely obliterated, an enormous explosion destroying her entire body. The explosion was far more powerful than she had thought, however, and Aethel was sent flying back and slammed into a nearby counter, her spine making a sickening crack as it hit it hard. Combined with her previous injuries, all Aethel could do was sit there in a daze, the shockwave causing her to wave in and out consciousness.

  Aethel took notice of her surroundings beginning to ignite, the flames and chemicals from Ailbe’s experiments beginning to burn. But there was little she could do except lie there and wait for the end. A sense of calm overtook her as she felt the oppressive heat, the flames slowly crawling along the wall as if they were taking their time to get to her.

  She couldn’t help lament the fact that she would never get to see those she who were precious to her again. “Craeft…Mona…Rayan…I’m sorry.” Aethel said as her eyes slowly closed.

  The last thing she felt before unconsciousness overtook her was a pair of strong hands grabbing her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Aethel groaned as white light filled her vision. Her eyes adjusted quickly to see the white walls around her. ‘I’m in the hospital.’ She thought. ‘I am really starting to hate this place.’

  Her eyes glanced to her right and she noticed Craeft and Mona standing beside her, looking eager to speak with her. Rayan was there as well, clothed in a blue hospital gown. Then she looked to her left and tried not to flinch.

  There was a short man clad in a red uniform, a leather vest over a short sleeved red shirt and pants, with a crop of brown hair peeking out from under the badge adorned cap on his head. He was certainly an enforcer, those who kept the law within the Ascean Empire.<
br />
  And if Aethel had felt a hint of fear in her heart at seeing the man, she felt nothing but terror at the person beside him.

  Clad in golden mithril armor, the magical metal hugging tightly to her body, was none other than an Ascean Knight Master, a rank above even the regular knights. Her armor bore many cuts and dents, each telling a story that led Aethel to believe that this one was probably a Master, and the sheer amount of decorations that her armor bore led credence to that theory. The bottom half of her face was uncovered, revealing fair skin and bright red lips, while the top was covered by a slick black visor that hid her face.

  Despite the feeling of horror flowing through Aethel’s heart at the thought of being imprisoned, she didn’t let it show on her face.

  Craeft didn’t seem to care whether they were in the room or not as he flung himself onto her and hugged her with all his strength. “Mom!”

  “Craeft! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Aethel said, her voice filled with joy. She winced as she felt some pain lance up through her spine. “But could you calm down with the hugs a bit? Momma’s got a little bit of pain in her back.”

  “Sorry. I was just so worried about you cause the healer’s said you were all hurt and I couldn’t do anything and-“ Craeft talked so fast that Aethel was having a hard time keeping up. She let out a giggle as she hugged him, rubbing little circles on his back.

  “I’m fine Craeft, I’m fine. But you need to just be a bit more careful when you hug me next time, okay?” Aethel said.

  “Okay.” Craeft nodded, letting go of his mother as he got back off the bed and stood next to Mona.

  “Sorry about the pain, but the healers say that even with the potions they fed you, there was still a little bit of nerve damage.” Rayan said. “They said it should go away in a few days though. Hopefully.”

  Aethel smiled before a small cough interrupted their conversation. She turned towards the source and found the knight looking at her with a slight hint of annoyance. “Well, looks like you’re finally up after your three-day sleep.” The knight master said, the pitch-black glass that covered the top of her face lending the knight a slightly menacing aura. “Mrs. Aethel Proudhill, you and your friend caused quite a bit of trouble.”

  The blue eyes Aethel could see through the helmet glanced at Rayan for an instant, before returning back to her.

  “Both of you are responsible for the murder of one Ailbe Alcott.”

  “But she-“ Aethel started to say, but the knight master held her hand up.

  “I was not finished, Mrs. Proudhill.” The knight master said. Aethel felt tiny under the Knight’s cold gaze. “However, the circumstances behind her death are…exceptional. From the evidence I could gather that wasn’t burned by the roaring fire, and testimony from Mr. Welter here, who pulled you out of the fire by the way,” She nodded at Rayan, “I have come to the conclusion that her death was warranted. She clearly abused her position and disobeyed the laws of His Majesty, and had I known about it, I would have dispatched of her as quickly as I could.”

  Aethel felt herself relax slightly at the knight’s words. “So I’m not in trouble?” Aethel asked.

  “If it were under any other circumstances, you and Mr. Welter here would be executed and your children would be given over to the orphanages.” The Knight said. “However, Alcott clearly abused her power and went way over the line, both with her treatment of those beneath her rule and her betrayal of the Crown from her creation of that bio-weapon. From what our researchers have found, it has an incredibly high fatality rate, and you did the empire a favor by burning that place down. So, you and your friend will not be receiving a trial, and will be well compensated for your efforts.”

  “But,” The knight master said. “This is a one-time pardon. Should you do this again, unless under extraordinary circumstances, you will be thrown in prison and most likely executed via decapitation. It is the knight’s job to slay the lusus wherever we find them, but we also deal with government corruption. Any commoner should know this, and you,” The knight’s gaze landed on Rayan, “Mr. Welter, should certainly have reported this, especially with your past military experience.”

  “I apologize ma’am.” Rayan said as he saluted. “But I did not believe the local Enforcers would believe our claims, nor did I believe that they would be able to act in time.”

  “While it is a valid excuse, as Ms. Alcott had no previous criminal record and thus your claim would have been looked upon with suspicion, I would have you keep in mind that this will not be happening again. Do the both of you understand me?” Aethel and Rayan nodded. The knight seemed to relax ever so slightly.

  “Thank you. With the more morbid news out of the way however, I would like to say that I am surprised by your son. His potential with ice magic is rather stunning for one so young.” The knight master said. “Your son was rather eager to show me, and I must admit, it was impressive for someone his age.”

  “He’s been practicing for years now, ever since he saw an Ascean Knight slay a minor lusus.” Aethel replied. “He’s always wanted to join the Ascean Knighthood.”

  “Has he now?” Aethel could not see the woman’s face, but she could certainly hear the smile in her voice. “Then perhaps I will recommend him to the Order of the Masters. As one myself, I believe that offering him an invitation would certainly add another worthy member into the ranks of our squires. At the very least, even if he does not prove to be knight potential, the education he shall receive from our institution will ensure his talents do not go to waste.”

  “T-thank you!” Aethel said, her voice colored with joy. She had always worried about where she would send her son after primary schooling, but now she had an opening into one of the greatest institutions of learning in the Ascean Empire. If Craeft could get into that, his future would be assured, whether it be as an Ascean Knight or any other profession.

  “Don’t mention it.” The knight master waved her off as she began walking towards the room. “My name is Knight Master Riona. I shall be sending you a letter shortly for Craeft’s admittance, if this all pan’s out.” She nodded her head towards the enforcer. “You coming?” The enforcer nodded before following her out of the room, leaving the four alone.

  Silence pervaded the room for a moment, before Aethel let a smile slide across her face. “Well, that was certainly some good news. Thought I was about to go to prison for a moment there.” She groaned as she got off the bed and stood up, aches and pains racking her body, but she wouldn’t let that overcome her. Not now when her son was safe. She held her arms out and he hugged her once more.

  “I was scared mom. Ms. Alcott’s home was awful but,” Craeft puffed his chest out and a small bit of mirth filled Aethel’s heart, “I didn’t let that stop me. I helped break Rayan out and saved the day.” Craeft said. “But I wasn’t alone. Mona was with me.” He pointed towards the pink haired girl. Mona gave her a small smile, the shy girl waving at Aethel. “And she helped me out. I don’t think I would’ve gotten out of there without her.”

  Aethel smiled down as her son spoke about the pink haired girl, but a frown soon appeared on her face as she thought about Mona. Without Ms. Alcott, Mona had no place to live, and she was far too young to live on her own. Her eyes glanced between the two, before she sighed. It would certainly put a hamper on her budget, but she had taken a liking to the pinkette from the week she had spent being her mother, and she would hate to see her have to go to an orphanage. “Mona, you don’t have any place to go, right?”

  “No…” The pinkette mumbled out, her eyes cast downward upon the floor. “I don’t have any living relatives, so I’ll probably go to the local orphanage.”

  “Well, how would you like to stay with me?” Aethel asked. “You were practically part of the family anyway when Ailbe dropped you off for a whole week.”

  “But don’t you have money troubles? I mean, I wouldn’t like to impose but…” Mona started to say, before Aethel cut her off.

  “Don’t worr
y about the money, that’s what I’ve got to worry about. Besides, the compensation should handle it, and if not, well, I’ll just take on a few more clients.” Aethel said. She had thought about her money situation as well, but Craeft said she had helped him escape from those hellish laboratories. Even if she had to take on ten more clients, Mona deserved a place to stay, one that would treat her with the love she had been denied from her mother. And Aethel would gladly give it to her.

  “T-thank you.” Mona said, her eyes watery as she hugged Aethel.

  “Cool! Now we can play together all the time!” Craeft said, a big smile across his face at the fact that his friend would be living with them. Mona let out a laugh as she let go of Aethel and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

  The two began to chat earnestly, a small smile spreading across Aethel’s face at the scene. “Hey Aethel, you mind if we talk?” Rayan said, and she nodded.

  They moved towards the wall furthest from the bed where a window was, painting the room with the sun’s warm rays.

  Rayan sighed as he ran his hands through his red hair. “Are you ok?”

  “You mean after all that we went through?” Aethel asked, and Rayan nodded his head. “Yeah. I’m still a little…jumpy after the whole mansion incident. Are you alright as well? I mean, with Gawain and your mother…” Aethel trailed off.

  “I’ve gotten used to death in my time in the military.” Rayan frowned. “It still hurts though, but I’ll get over it. Not much I can do about in anyway considering the shape their bodies were in, and that was before the mansion burned down.”

  “I’m sorry Rayan.” Aethel said. “No one should have to lose their family.”

  “No. They shouldn’t.” Rayan said solemnly. It was silent between the two for a few moments before Rayan spoke up again. “Is that why you looked so scared of the Knight and her pal?”

  “I was terrified when I woke up and saw the Enforcer and the Knight as I thought they were going to hall me off to prison and put Craeft into an orphanage.” Aethel said.