Lucielle stepped into the warcamp after exiting the portal room behind her and breathed in the familiar scent that she longed for the past week.
She passes by many soldiers, occasionally nodding her head whenever greeting comes her way as usual. But today's gaze around her was little different from what it used to be, probably because of her suspension. She is pretty sure her father has covered up the 'reason' for the suspension. As long as none approaches her in curiosity, she was fine with the gaze.
She spotted both her squadmate standing near her tent as this is their gathering spot before the war starts.
"Well well, look who's here. I hope the suspension teaches you a lesson". Darren said with a fairly wide grin.
Lucielle met his gaze but said nothing which wipes the grin out of his face.
"Oh come on! You going to run off again aren't you".
"Just give me some time alright" she asked even though she knew 'some time' might not be the case.
"You-".
"Alright, stop darren. No point starting a conversation you can't win" Stelle interrupted.
"But-".
"We can join Karen's group again though" Stelle suggested.
And that made him stop in his track and he starts to caress his chin as if he making a very difficult decision in his life but both Lucielle and Stelle knows the outcome.
"Alright then, i guess there's no helping it".
He whistled as he walk away, probably toward karen's group.
"He was so easy to read" Stelle muttered as she looks at the retreating man with a smile.
"Did he ever said how he felt to karen?".
"Nope", Stelle shook her head , "Not going to happen anytime soon".
With a small smile Lucielle said, "Thanks for having my back".
Stelle raised her brow asking if she wanted to talk about it.
Lucielle sighed, "Just hold onto Darren for little while for me please".
"Captain's order?".
"A friend's request".
"Fine", stelle said in defeat, "but you also need to understand where he coming from".
Lucielle nod her head , "I know".
"Alright then, i will get back for now" said stelle as she about to leave.
"Let me accompany you, i have to meet karen for a bit" Lucielle said as she began to walk alongside Stelle.
Stelle raised her brow for a bit.
"Just don't seduce karen infront of Darren will you. He will freak out".
Lucielle widened her eye, baffled "wha-? Seduce? Me and karen? We are like cat and dog and you know it".
"Can't say the same for these…past months".
Lucielle sighed and shook her head.
"It's nothing like that. Our relationship is strictly business and for Aureon sake don't tell this to Darren. I can't answer another barrage of questions from him".
"Aye aye, caption".
They walked in silent for a while toward karen's squad, passing through many soldiers who running about with burst of energy performing various task.
"Did you see Selene?" , Lucielle started the conversation again.
"Yea, before coming to our meeting point".
"I see".
"…".
"…".
There was silent again between them. Selene was Stelle's twin sister who for unknown reason always hated Lucielle from their academy days. Lucielle tried to approach multiple time but selene refused to talk to her even once.
Lucielle always curious what make selene hate her so much. Stelle obviously knew something but refused to let the cat out of the bag. And things became even confusing when Stelle choose to join her squad out of nowhere which baffled Lucielle and starts a fight between the sisters. Lucielle accepted Stelle nonetheless though.
Lucielle notice kevin's squad while passing by. The white haired boy standing amidst multiple female squad members who fawn all over him. Lucielle always wondered what that man even possess to attract womans around him like this.
As if sensing a gaze, kevin turn and their eye met. A knowing smile appeared in his face and winked in her direction. Lucielle turned away , disgusted.
They finally reached karen's squad. She saw darren was sitting there on top a crate talking with some fellow warrior. Karen's squad has an overwhelming of 15 peoples.
Lucielle stopped and gesture stelle to join them while she started to walk along the squad to reach the end. There was a girl, with a short orange hair, leaning her back on some crate- yawning, clearly wasn't interested in what her squadmate was discussing. She is lazy, probably the reason why she choose such a huge squad.
"Karen", Lucielle called out.
Karen closed her and turns her head toward the sourse of the voice just to widen her eye. She rushes over, grab Lucielle's waist and drag her inside her own tent which is located nearby. Right after we entered, she glances one last time at exit before turning her head in Lucielle direction.
"Please tell me you just here to see an old friend and nothing else" she pleaded.
Lucielle scoffed, " old friend? That's rich coming from you. I'm here for the usual business".
Karen's hope was crushed.
"Oh, for vaelis sake. You just released from suspension and you starting this again? You lost your mind? Who are you tracking anyway? Some sort of nyxaran's bigshot? You going to get yourself killed sooner or later", Karen rambled.
Lucielle crossed her hand and sighed, "you give me what i want, and i give you 2 gold lux coin. That our deal".
"And what if i don't wanted to do this anymore? You going to blackmail me?".
"No. I never forced you once. I could find another celestemancer anyway. I choose you because I'm familiar with you."
"…".
"So what it would be?".
"…bitch" she muttered before closing her eyes to channel a small glowing light in her fingertip.
Lucielle extend her hand as she always does and awaits Karen. Karen is a Celestemancer, one of the rarer gift from Vaelis. They could bend light in various way to do their bidding but require exceptional mental strength. It can be a double edge sword that burn someone inside out if they are not aware of their limit. Cant kill them but the pain would remain.
"Connection established " Karen muttered as she opens her eye.
Karen tie something on lucielle fingertip that was not visible to even herself. Next karen placed a hand on Lucielle's forehead and channel her celestemancy into Lucielle for a few second.
As karen channels, Lucielle could see a glowing thread emerge from her fingertip, where karen had tied them which lead to outside of the tent into the battlefield.
"…All done" karen said in exhaustion.
"How long does it last?".
"One day only. You usually come a day before but now is already late. I have to preserve some energy for battlefield".
"Well, its not like you going to do something out there anyway" Lucielle made a sarcastic comment.
Karen glared and turn away to the exit.
"Im leaving, bitch", she disappeared.
Lucielle came out of karen's tent and glace at the Celestemancer's thread that connected between her and the cursed child somewhere in the battlefield. She were able to slap Karen's rune on his back on their fourth encounter for much easier tracking using the thread. Of course, he wouldn't notice it without a celesemancy blessing.
Despite all the warning, she still wanted to be out there. The battle she faced against him is the trill she longed for. She's addicted to it. No more ally would hold back against her because she is the commander's daughter and no more enemy would be too weak to fall in mere seconds. She finally found a worthy opponent.
As the first horn of the day sounded, Lucielle trudged outside the warcamp but did not follow any of the squads.
….
A person was watching, as Lucielle's figure was shrinking in the distance as she walks away toward the unknown.
It was Stelle.
Stelle's fiery red hair was gently swaying in the wind but her gaze fixed at the direction Lucielle disappeared.
"Im sorry Selene. I have to do this. There's no other choice" Stelle murmured before turning and join back on karen's squad.