—Aleph Arknite's Point of View—
I was on my way to the Palace of the Greats, the main headquarters of our faction, the master-bearers. The ride was slow, but it didn't matter, I had nothing to do right now.
I had lied to the Drakewill family so I could carry out an investigation on my own.
—That boy… Kael, what kind of person doesn't have a "world" to explore?
—Excuse me? Did you say something?
Looks like I was thinking out loud.
—It's nothing.
—Alright then… excuse me, but can I ask you a question?
—Sure, go ahead.
—Are you Master Aleph, from the famous Arknite family of master-bearers?
Seems like my family name follows me everywhere, even though I left them behind years ago.
—That's right. Is there a problem?
—No, not at all. It's just that a member of your family saved my wife and son in the past. I was curious if you knew her.
I didn't know many of them, honestly I wasn't interested. They were egotistical, greedy, and arrogant, even if they didn't show it. Status and power mattered more to them than anything else. If the truth ever came out, all their control would fall apart and they'd go back to what they were before: peasants. But that's not important right now. I'll keep the conversation going normally.
—I haven't seen them for a long time because of work and other matters, but if you tell me her name, maybe I'll remember. From how you said it, it sounds like she was a woman.
—Ah, yes. Her name was Gabriela, I didn't know her age back then, but she seemed quite young. By the way, this happened 25 years ago, when the interspecies war was still in one of its hardest moments.
Hearing the name "Gabriela" made my heart skip a beat. A wave of emotions washed over me — mostly anger and sadness.
Gabriela was my mother's name.
I tried to regain my composure and answer as properly as possible. Good thing the driver couldn't see me.
How do I look right now? What kind of face do I have?
—Of course I know her… She was my mother.
—Wow! Really? It's an honor to meet the son of the person who saved my family. How is she? Could you send her my regards, if it's not too much trouble, of course?
—Thank you, I really appreciate it… but she's dead. She died in the war, to be exact.
—Oh… I'm sorry. That was insensitive of me. I shouldn't have said anything… I truly didn't know.
—It's okay, thank you.
The rest of the ride was a bit awkward after that conversation. But I was just furious. My mother died in the war, that's true, but it was all my uncle Tristan Arknite's fault.
He knew my mother didn't have an offensive bond, yet he pulled strings to have my grandfather send her to the battlefield. Her own father sent his daughter to death. And why? Tristan wanted to be the next head of the family, but everything pointed to my mother being the one. She not only achieved more feats and recognition than my uncle, but she was also well-loved in the family. And by tradition, the headship passes to the children. That meant that when my mother was gone, I would be next. But from the start, Tristan hated both me and my mother. I don't know why. My mother always told me it wasn't important, that I shouldn't worry. But… how far did that take us? I left the family, and she died. Not how we hoped, but in the harsh and merciless battlefield. She hated that more than anything.
It was unnecessary to face the creatures who lent us their wisdom and power.
We used their own strength against them.
My mother was seriously wounded fighting an armored wolf. These beasts have a special connection to metal and minerals, which lets them create armor around themselves, sometimes as strong as titanium. Since she lacked enough physical strength and didn't have a bond to boost it, she couldn't do anything against the wolf. The beast tore her stomach with its claws, but didn't devour her. It just left.
In the end, one of my uncle's soldiers found her. He took her to a doctor, but it was too late. The wound was deep and she had lost too much blood. When the news reached my grandfather, he broke down.
And I… was at home, waiting for her arrival, with that big smile on my face and her fiery red hair, all messy and disheveled, but always happy.
When I found out she died, I couldn't believe it. I wanted to think it was a lie or some cruel joke, but the truth was different. Many times I tried to run away from the Arknite mansion, where I ended up after she left. I wanted to go look for her, at her favorite restaurant, the park she always took me to… the battlefield where I knew she died. But I didn't want to accept it.
Her funeral was like any other family member's, even though she had been better than any of them. Didn't she deserve something bigger? Something better?
That made me so angry that as soon as it ended, I left. I locked myself in my room. I didn't want to talk or see anyone.
A couple days later, I was walking to my room when I heard my grandfather talking to someone. His voice was loud and harsh. That piqued my curiosity, so I peeked through his door without him noticing… or so I hoped. Inside were him and Tristan. I couldn't hear much, and it seemed like the conversation was ending. They stood up from their chairs around a small table and hugged. Grandfather looked weak, vulnerable. Tristan, on the other hand, seemed indifferent, like what had happened didn't matter. That made me furious. I wanted to go in, but I held back.
My mother had told me anger is the worst way to vent. Before Tristan left the room, I backed away and hid. The door opened, but no one came out. A moment later, I just heard Tristan say:
—I won't disappoint you, Father. As the next head of the family, I won't let something like this happen again. I promise you. Rest well. Until tomorrow.
So that was it. That's what I thought then. His own family killed her. And it wasn't a coincidence that one of his soldiers found her. Was everything planned from the start? Why did it have to be her?
Why? Why? Why?
—Master!...
Had I done something they didn't like? Or was it just whim? Whose whim? Grandfather's? Tristan's? No… it can't be…
—Master Aleph!
The driver's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I snapped back to reality.
—Sorry. Looks like I'm more tired than I thought and I dozed off a bit.
—Don't worry, Master. We've arrived at the palace.
I stood up and got out of the carriage.
—Thank you very much, Edison. Here.
I handed him a small pouch of silver coins.
—It's not necessary, Master Aleph. Just bringing you is enough for me.
—I wouldn't feel comfortable if you didn't accept my gift.
—Alright, thank you, Master. I'll return the favor someday!
—No need, thank you.
—Goodbye, Master!
—I sighed deeply. Now it was time to report everything that happened today.
I pressed my head with both hands until it hurt a bit.
I had never met a kid like him. What will become of this Kael in the future?
That as a master excites me… but it also makes me doubt a few things.
Maybe I should ask him directly… yeah, maybe that's best.
—Alright… let's go see the High Master.