by P. A. Peña
“And what about Aurelia?” Virgil said rubbing his wrists. “Aren’t you going to get rid of hers?”
“Given the circumstances, it would be in everyone’s best interest her shackles remain on.”
Virgil shot a glance at Paisley. “Is that so? Tell me, why she isn’t shackled then? If we’re concerned about safety here, little miss princess over there should be sporting some iron.”
“Are you kidding me?” Paisley protested. “I’m lucky to be alive right now.”
“It’s fine,” Aurelia said, nudging Virgil’s arm. “I don’t mind the cuffs if they make Paisley feel safe.”
Paisley rolled her eyes.
“If we’re done with the chitchat,” Roxanne said, “let’s get this hearing underway. Our workload is extensive enough as it is.”
“Tell us exactly what happened,” Cordelia said. “We’ll start with you, Paisley.”
“Well, Aurelia and I were having a disagreement and—”
“You call that a disagreement?” Virgil interrupted.
“Allow her to finish giving her statement,” Roxanne said.
“I would if she wasn’t full of shit.”
“That has yet to be determined. You’ll each have a chance to give us your account of what transpired.”
Virgil sat back in his chair in a frustrated silence. As Paisley gave her testimony of the event, he fought back the overwhelming desire to speak out. Every snide comment did nothing but pour gasoline on the fire raging inside of him. When it finally came time to give his testimony, Virgil tried his best to refute Paisley’s claims. Perhaps it would have been better if Aurelia had tried to defend herself a bit more. Of course, Aurelia being Aurelia, she was a lot more concerned with everyone else rather than her own well-being.
Roxanne turned to Paisley. “Well, I’m certainly sorry you were injured—”
“Injured?” Paisley exclaimed. “I nearly lost my life!”
Roxanne waved her hand, and a sheet of metal wrapped around Paisley’s mouth, muffling her words. “As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, I am truly sorry you were injured. However, you brought that suffering down upon yourself.” Roxanne’s eyes were cold and as sharp as steel as she stared at Paisley. “If it were me in that courtyard, there wouldn’t have been a force in this world that could keep me from sinking my fangs into you. I believe we all know how best to proceed. Virgil, given your role in this event, you won’t be punished. Although I would like to remind you that you are still just a probationary Crusader. Your act to intervene and keep people from getting hurt was indeed a noble effort, but at your level of development, it was foolish. In the future, you are to seek out a licensed Crusader to deal with the situation.”
“Are you serious?” Virgil said. “Do you really expect me to have left them there to go get one of you?”
“Yes,” Roxanne said bluntly. “You are an incredible sorcerer and are extremely talented, but a professional Crusader would have been able to subdue Aurelia without taking nearly as much damage as you did.”
Virgil opened his mouth to speak, but Clayton beat him to it. “We shouldn’t be so hard on him.”
The room fell silent in shock. For a second, Virgil was sure he had misheard him.
“I spoke with Virgil during the recess,” Clayton continued. “I asked him to tend to Aurelia, as I felt he was the best man for the task. Frankly, I believe he did an excellent job.” He turned his attention to Paisley, giving her a menacing scowl. “After all, the only thing seriously hurt here is Miss Alderidge’s pride.”
Cordellia smiled as she turned to Clayton. “That isn’t like you.”
Clayton folded his arms as he leaned back in his chair. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about. I gave a subordinate an order. Same as I’ve always done.”
“W-well,” Roxanne began, clearly flustered, “just try to be more cautious next time, Virgil. We’d hate for anyone to be injured.” She looked at Paisley and then Aurelia. “As for you two, I’m afraid both of you will be expelled from the Crusader’s Exam effective immediately. Per expulsion rules, you will be barred from reapplying for the exam for no less than five years provided you have a willing sponsor.”
“Wait a minute,” Virgil said as he perked up in his chair. “You’re expelling Aurelia too?”
“That is correct,” Roxanne confirmed.
“I’m sorry,” Virgil said shaking his head. “Perhaps I missed it, but I fail to see why Aurelia’s being let go.”
“The condition for allowing me to take the exam was that I keep my demonic aura in check,” Aurelia explained. Her voice was shaking, just barely above a whisper, and tears ran her cheeks.
“It is quite unusual for someone of Aurelia’s heritage to take the Crusader’s Exam,” Roxanne added. “Not all demons are evil and will go on to commit heinous acts, but there is no denying the propensity of demon-kind to be seduced by evil intentions. Let us not forget the Blood War waged upon us by the demon lords of old. That being said, we live in far more progressive times. The Alliance deemed it satisfactory to allow Aurelia to take the exam so long as she swore to keep her demonic aura in check.”
Virgil’s face burned with anger, and he clenched his fist. “So, you knew. You knew she’s half-demon, and you made her perform the ritual in front of everyone anyway.”
“We considered having Aurelia perform the crystal divination ritual separately from everyone else,” Clayton began, “but we decided against it. We felt doing so would alienate Aurelia, and thus, defeat the purpose of allowing her to take the exam in the first place.”
Virgil ground his teeth. “Well even so, what happened isn’t Aurelia’s fault, and if you couldn’t tell, she’s beating herself up for it enough as it is.”
“That may be,” Roxanne replied. “But it doesn’t negate the damage she caused. I’m afraid we have no choice.”
“Don’t give me that. You always have a choice. You have all the control here. You get to say who comes and who goes. Who is worthy of being a Crusader and who isn’t. You don’t have to expel anyone here. You shouldn’t expel anyone here.”
“I agree with Virgil,” Cordellia said. “We could simply put this behind us. I’m sure everyone here has learned a valuable lesson.”
Roxanne exhaled. “The situation is unfortunate, but—”
“I don’t know,” Clayton said. “We mustn’t forget, Aurelia is an omni-mage. There can only ever be five living at once, and it would serve the Alliance well to have such a powerful sorcerer on hand.”
There it was again. Virgil knew he could count on Cordellia to back him up, but Clayton? Just where was this coming from? The two men locked eyes briefly, before quickly turning away.
“You don’t think I know that?” Roxanne’s eye twitched. “I hate the decision we have to make, but rules are rules.”
“Look,” Cordellia said. “Why don’t we shelve this conversation until another time? We do still have the mentorships to discuss, and the tension in the room is getting pretty thick.”
Clayton folded his arms and shook his head. “No. We need to nip this matter in the bud as soon as possible.”
“Agreed,” Roxanne said as she summoned a white void in the room. “I believe we have everything we need from you three. You’ll find that this void will take you each to your respective rooms. You can expect a definitive answer from us tomorrow when we discuss the mentorships.”
Chapter 38
Virgil collapsed onto his bed. His mind was exhausted, and he wholeheartedly welcomed the relaxation a night’s rest would afford him. He lay there for what seemed like days, but he simply couldn’t find the path to dreamland. Counting sheep. Studying the stone tiles in the ceiling. Holding his breath. Nothing helped.
Several times, he came close, but each time his mind finally drifted off, it snapped back to the same sick and twisted thought. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Olivia. Her body lying in the open field. Her entrails spread out around the dirt.
Her dull, lifeless stare. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake those images.
A knock echoed on Virgil’s door, and he perked up. “Just a minute,” he said, dragging himself out of bed.
He opened the door to find Aurelia standing in the hallway. She was alone. Her eyes were red and watery. She must have been crying for hours.
“Can I come in?” she asked, rubbing her arm.
Virgil gestured her inside. “Of course. What’s wrong?”
Aurelia took a seat on Virgil’s bed. “I don’t really want to talk about it. I just. I need a place to lie down in peace.”
“Sure, sure. You go ahead and take the bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“What? No.” Aurelia stood up. “I don’t want to kick you out of your bed.”
“I used to be a hunter” Virgil laid down on the floor. “I’m used to sleeping outside on the ground. This is luxurious by comparison.”
“Virgil, I can’t just—”
Virgil waved his hand. “Yes, you can. Consider it my gift to you.”
“Fine,” Aurelia pouted. “If you insist on giving it to me, then I’ll gladly take it.” Virgil burst into a fit of laughter. “What?”
“Nothing.”
Aurelia giggled as she rolled her eyes and laid down. “Shut up. You knew what I meant.”
Virgil simmered down and wiped a lone tear from his eye. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you?” he asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate your company and all, but it isn’t really like you to be knocking at my door at this time of night.”
“It’s a long story.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I have time then.”
Aurelia turned on her side and looked at Virgil. “Do you really want to know?”
“No, I just love hearing the sound of your voice. Yes. I wanna know why my friend needs a peaceful place at, uh, what time is it?
“It’s three in the morning.”
“Shit, it’s really that late?”
“It is, and okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. I guess to give the full context, I have to start at the beginning. I was born Aurelia Alexandria Fairbanks.”
“Was it also a dark and stormy night?” Virgil asked.
Aurelia tossed a pillow over, hitting Virgil in the face. “As I was saying,” she continued, forcing down a grin, “my parents were once well-respected members of the Crusader’s Alliance. My mother was even a queen at one point.”
“Really? I don’t recall ever hearing much about the Fairbanks.”
“That’s because nobody ever talks about us. After what happened, we’ve pretty much been wiped from the history books.” Aurelia paused, and Virgil waited with bated breath for her to continue. She sighed. “My mother and father worked together on the same team. It’s how they met actually. The funny thing is they were actually talking about retiring from the Alliance. Logan was growing up, and they were missing so much of his early life. However, the Alliance needed them for one more mission. It was supposed to be simple—suppress a demon uprising in the Cario Mountains of the Amber Nation. It wouldn’t have been the first mission like that for them.”
“Sounds like things didn’t go too well.”
Aurelia shook her head. “My father nearly lost his life, and my mother, she was captured by the demons. They, they violated her in the worst possible way.”
Virgil was taken aback, trying his best to keep his composure. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” he said. “If you want to stop, I completely understand.”
“No. This is actually the first time I’ve ever told my story to anyone before. In a way it’s liberating.”
Virgil flashed a smile. “Well, I’m here to listen so long as you want to tell it.”
Aurelia nodded. “The Alliance rescued my mother after a few days, but that was more than enough time to break her. She never returned to the field. Neither did my father. A couple months after they retired, my mother realized she was pregnant. Given the time frame, there was no doubt. My mother was carrying a demon’s baby. The Alliance wanted her to abort me, but my mother believed that all life, no matter its origin, is sacred until the day it proves otherwise. She wanted me to have a chance at a normal life, and that desire ultimately proved to be her last.”
“You mean she didn’t make it?”
Aurelia nodded. “She died giving birth to me.”
“And what about the Alliance? What did they have to say about it?”
“They weren’t pleased with what happened, but they left us alone at least. It was my birth father who gave us trouble. He sent his minions after us. He believed that I was his property, and he intended to take me. We stayed on the move, Logan, my father, and I. We always managed to stay one step ahead of them. That is, until the night they found us.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not entirely certain. I was only eight at the time, so I don’t remember it all that well. Logan was thirteen, but with such a traumatic event, he only remembers bits and pieces of it. I remember my birth father finding us with his group of demons. I remember my father fighting hard to protect us, and ultimately failing. And I remember Logan having to step up and kill the demons.”
Virgil was taken aback once more, his eyes wide from shock. “He killed them?” he asked. “Demons? At thirteen?”
“He did,” Aurelia replied. “That was the same night he received his gift. We don’t know how it happened. His mana had never been too impressive, but that night, it just left. Suddenly, he had god-like strength. I don’t think even he knows the limit to it.” Aurelia frowned. “Logan saved me, but I know he beats himself up for not being able to protect our mother and father. It’s why he takes his promise so seriously.”
“And what promise is that?”
“With my father’s dying breath, he held both of our hands. He made me promise to always be the ray of sunshine my mother wanted me to be. And Logan, he made him promise to always protect me.”
“Okay.” Virgil nodded. “That certainly explains a lot, but how does that relate to now?”
“Logan is convinced that joining the Crusaders was a bad idea. He believes my demon aura would have never been released if we hadn’t come here.”
Virgil rolled his eyes and sighed. “Okay. Logan convinces himself about a lot of things. That doesn’t make him right about everything.”
“I know. I know. Logan can be so frustrating, and I just. I just don’t feel like arguing with him anymore. Really, I feel like if he can’t learn to loosen up, then it may be time for us to spend some time apart.”
“I can understand that. I’d hate to see you two split, but perhaps it would be best if you went your separate ways. At least for a little while. You need space to be your own person. Shit, so does Logan. Time apart might be just what both of you need.”
The room fell silent as Virgil waited for Aurelia to reply. After a moment, he spoke up. “You still there?”
“Y-yeah,” Aurelia stuttered, her face flustered. “I was just, I got lost in thought, is all.” She turned her back to Virgil. “We should get some sleep.”
Virgil yawned. “You’re right about that.”
He closed his eyes, attempting to lull himself to sleep. While Olivia didn’t come to mind, there was something else gnawing away at him. He tried to ignore it, but every time he tucked it away, it bubbled back up to the surface. After several minutes of wrestling with himself, Virgil finally spoke. “Aurelia,” he said softly. “Are you still awake?”
“Yeah,” she replied as she rolled back over.
“I know you probably want to team up for our mentorship—”
“That’s assuming I’m even still here tomorrow.”
“They’d be crazy to let someone as wonderful as you go.” Aurelia didn’t respond, instead flashing a smile. “But for the mentorship, I’d like to work alone. It’s nothing against you. I just. I need to—”
“Virgil, it’s fine. It’s not like I�
��m your girlfriend or anything.”
Virgil exhaled, relief washing over him. “Okay. Thank you for understanding.”
“Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Promise me you’ll stay safe, and you’ll call me when you find her. You shouldn’t have to face Cecelia alone.”
Aurelia reached down, and they held hands.
“I promise.”
Chapter 39
The following morning, the Crusaders gathered in the banquet hall. Per usual, it was noisy with conversations and clinks of dinnerware. After making their plates, Virgil and Aurelia sat down together eating what would be their final meal in Akata Castle. It wasn’t long before Logan joined them. He didn’t say much, leaving most of the conversation to Aurelia and Virgil. It was hard to tell whether he was still angry, or just his usual untalkative self. At any rate, their table seemed to garner the attention of the other Crusaders. The trio tried their best to ignore it, but it was clear that everyone had their eyes on the demon in their midst.
“Damn, I’m gonna miss this,” Virgil said, the taste of buttery eggs dancing across his palette.
Aurelia giggled. “Take it easy. They’re just eggs.”
“You lie. These eggs are divine. The gods themselves couldn’t have cooked up a better meal.”
Aurelia scoffed. “I admit, the food’s been pretty good, but the chefs here got nothing on me.”
Virgil tilted his head. “You can cook?”
“Cook? No. More like create culinary masterpieces.”
“Right.” Virgil chuckled. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“I’m serious. Ask Logan. He’ll tell you.”
Virgil turned to Logan. “Yeah, right. Like he’s a reliable source.” Logan flashed a smile before taking a sip of his coffee. “Well, look at that. Someone’s actually in a good mood today.”
“It’s a beautiful day,” Logan replied as he set his cup back down on the table.
Aurelia nudged Virgil’s arm. “Don’t change the subject.”
“Are you still on about that? I’m sorry, but I just can’t picture you in the kitchen.”