*cry*

[therealkaichan]

Chapter Eleven

Silence


There was silence today. She couldn’t listen to the voices, nor to the sound of the water.

Only silence, and the warm feeling. Silence and the floating sensation. Silence and more silence.

She couldn’t open her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy and she didn’t feel like moving at all.

And among the silence, one voice.

“She should be ready now. It is time.”


Kana almost woke up with a start. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, and she could barely focus her thoughts.

That voice. She remembered that voice...

Where had she heard it? Not long ago, right? It hadn’t been long ago. She noticed that she was scratching her right wrist again, but it somehow the horrible feeling helped her to focus in that voice. Where had she heard it lately?

Where...?


She got up, and dressed. She wanted to let Kael know about this as soon as possible, before the fresh memories started fading.

With the Order number, the Serpent Lady didn’t say a word and Kana was in the office with that voice pretty fresh in her head.

“Kael...!”
“Hello, please take a seat.”
“I had this strange strange dream! There was no sound at all, but I heard a voice. I’m sure it’s a voice I heard not too long ago too!” She blurted everything up without stopping for air, and Kael sighed.
“I don’t think it will come back if you talk faster, would it?”
“Yeah... I’m sorry.” Kana chuckled a little.
“So, can you please try a calmer version?”
“Okay. I had another dream, it was the same as always, but this time it had no sound. The only thing I heard was someone saying that it was time and that someone should be ready... Not sure if it was about me. I do know that I know that voice... And that I think I heard it not long ago.”
“But you can’t recall whose it is, right?”
“Yeah... But I’ll keep it on my mind. As soon as I know I’ll let you know too.”
“That is good.”
“Ah... By the way.”
“Yes?”
“Is it fine if I go visit Alyssa? I know she’s still asleep, but I’d like to see her anyway.”
“It’s fine as long as you respect visit hours. Try not to do anything rash.”
“Okay. Thanks.”

Kana got up from the chair, somewhere in her mind realizing that she spent an awful time in there between detention and reporting, and walked towards the door.
“I’ll be really careful, so don’t worry.” She added as she left. Kael just smiled.



She went to class, mostly to avoid giving trouble to anyone and to be as subtle as she could about her new self appointed duty of finding the killer in the school. Hans seemed to have noticed something, which was expected, but he didn’t say a word about it, which wasn’t as expected.

In the afternoon, she took the chance to visit Alyssa in the medical wing of the main building.

She didn’t look bad or anything. More like she kind of looked like nothing, since her expression was neutral and she looked as if she were sleeping the most boring sleep ever. At least she didn’t look bad, which she probably would once she woke up. It was some sort of sick consolation.

“Hey Alyssa.” She said. Of course there was no response, but she didn’t expect one either. “I just came to check on you. The doctors say it was the shock, but I dunno. You never seemed to be an easy one to shock... Still that isn’t what I was going to tell you. I just wanted you to know that I’ll be working on finding out what happened from now on. Uh... I don’t know if you would worry about me, but if you would, then don’t. I’ll have my asshole partner backing me up, and he may be horrible as a person, but he’s an okay partner so it will be fine.”

There was a long silence. Alyssa seemed to be in the exact same state as she was when she had started to talk, so at least she wasn’t breaking anything. It was okay though. She would wake for sure when she felt better.

“Just keep on sleeping. I’m sure Aileen would have wanted you to get better quick.”

Having said all the things she felt she had to say, Kana finally stepped back and out of the room.



During three days she tried to get any information, and during those three days, the clues became colder and colder. The doctors said that Aileen hadn’t suffered that much. That whoever had killed her, seemed to be someone with an excelent control of their magic energy and that it seemed to have been used to stop her nervous centres from actually feeling any pain. The magic signature, however, was totally unknown. They said that even then, magic hadn’t been what killed her.
She had been bled out. Her body had been white as snow when they found her. It simply wasn’t normal.

It was a small consolation, knowing that she hadn’t been in pain, but at the same time it was scary to think that maybe at some point she realized exactly what was happening. It was unsettling to even think about it.

“Kana!” Dominic had barely managed to get used to calling her by name, but he was doing just fine.
“Yes?”
“She’s awake! Miss Ivers is awake!”
“Really?! Let’s go...!”

Before Dominic even had any time to say another word, Kana was already off and running to the medical wing. He sighed. Four days of working with her and he was already getting used to her impulsiveness.

Kana arrived to the medical wing in record time, and almost tripped one of the nurses.
“I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine...” The elderly nurse smiled a little. “You are one of private Ivers’ friends, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, something like that... I was told she had awakened?”
“That’s right. She’s asking to talk to some Ahlgren person... Would you know that person by any chance?”
“Ah... That’s me.”
“Oh really? Well, if you just let me check an identification, I’ll be glad to let you trough.”
“Thank you!” Kana was quick to produce her ID from her pocket and the elderly lady took a moment to review and make sure everything was fine.
“You can go in, my girl.”

She hadn’t even finished talking, and Kana was already in the room. She was still the same girl as ever.

“Alyssa...!”
“Ahlgren is that you...?” Her voice came as barely a whisper, and Kana moved quickly so Alyssa could see her.
“Yeah. Are you okay?”
“As... As much as I can be, I guess.” She trailed off and for a moment both were in a really awkward silence.
“The nurse said you wanted to talk to me?” Kana said, and Alyssa was thankful for the topic change.
“Yes. I... I... Something really strange happened.”
“Do you feel okay so as to talk about it? Don’t you want to wait?”
“N-No! I want to talk now so shut up...!”
“Got it.” Kana looked for a chair and quickly brought it closer to the bed, so she could sit. “Go ahead then.”
“I... He said she was still here.”
“Who did...?”
“He said that Aileen was still here, but I though it was a lie! She was behind him! I was sure he had done it... I was so sure and I wanted to kill him because she was my little sister...!” Her tone was going up, and the beeping of the machines was getting louder as well.
“Alyssa, who was it?”
“The priest!”
“Attis...? Did he?”
“No. I know he didn’t... And he wasn’t lying. She was there.” She stopped to catch her breath, and the machines slowly quieted down as well.
“Stay calm.”
“I... I don’t know who it was. I used to, but somehow I forgot. Aileen showed me his face.”
“Then...?”
“I’m awake now... And he will come for me too. Because I saw the things Aileen saw, even if I can’t remember them.”
“They... Killed her because she had found too much, didn’t they?”
“Yes. It was one of the Director’s men... I know that.”
“If you saw the man again, would you be able to tell it was him?”
“I remember his face, yes.”
“I see...”
“I’m fine. I’ll be the decoy.”
“No. I wasn’t even going to think that. We can’t risk you as well.”
“She was my sister! That man killed my sister! I want to kill him!”
“Alyssa...”
“You know how I feel. So help me.”
“I will... But we should wait until you are feeling a little better at least... We can’t do something like this without good planning.”
“Just... Don’t tell anyone. Maybe Essen... But nobody else.”
“Okay. I’ll ask for someone to put a guard here anyway... Maybe they won’t be able to do anything, but it’s a good prevention while you recover.”
“Yes... I’m... Still really tired.”
“Then rest. We’ll get this solved.”

They both fell silent, and Alyssa closed her eyes. It took about half an hour for her to fall asleep, and now the only noise in the room were the machines and the breathing of both girls.



A week went by. Things hadn’t changed much. Kana had talked to Hans about Alyssa, and they had agreed on taking care of things.
Kana was a little surprised on how agreeable Hans had been lately, but then again considering what he had told her, she really shouldn’t feel that way. It was after all, him preserving the thing that he considered ‘fun’. Fortunately, by then Kana had grown more than used to Hans, and as long as he was on her side, she really didn’t care if he did it for the most inappropriately selfish reason in the universe.

Alyssa was better too. She could now keep a conversation without much trouble, and could even though all of her magic centers seemed to be blocked, she was physically recovered.

This was when they chose to let word about her recovery go out.

If the same person came to get her, then it would be great, but even a different person would be useful in their own way. It was, after all, a perfect source of information, right?

The plan was simple. In the days, they would leave Alyssa to the guards, and in the night, both Hans and Kana would take turns to sleep. That would make sure that she was kept safe. Whoever attacked was more prone to do it in the night rather than in daylight where the medical wing was full of people.

There was nothing the first night, nor the second.


The third night, during Kana’s turn to keep guard, she felt something strange in the air, and yet familiar at the same time. The lights suddenly turned off, and the door opened. Whoever it was, they had no reservations at all about making noise.

Then again, Kaba had already figured out that the familiar air was most likely magic.

“Hey. If it isn’t my favorite natural disaster, little Katherine, I should’ve expected you here.” Said a voice. Kana knew that voice perfectly.
“Adir...” She was quick to stand, and even quicker to take on a fighting stance.
"I have mixed feelings." He said, smiling and putting his hands on his pockets. “Killing the little songbird was okay, because she was a spy anyway. But you? It kinda sucks.”
“Why would you even want to do that anyway?”
“It’s work. Work as always.”
“You told me you didn’t join the military to kill people.”
“And I didn’t. It’s a disgusting side effect to war.”
“We aren’t in any war!”
“That’s where you are wrong.”

There was a moment of silence. Kana didn’t get why nobody was waking up, but then again it was most likely due to the magic in the air. It left the question of why she was unaffected, but she wouldn’t think of that until this was over.

“We aren’t at war.” She said, punctuating every word.
“Yes, we are. You don’t understand it because you are just a student, but we have been at war for a while.”
“And that means you can do this crap without worrying?!”
“Who says I don't worry?”
“Your actions!”
“I can do my mourning once the mission is completed. If anything, I just spared her from what’s coming.”
“You... You aren’t making any sense. That’s not how you used to think.”
“You don’t get it. I exist for this, this is the only reason why I still live. This fate is the reason why I was born with so much power.”
“So you’ll be taking some fate like that?”
“No. I never said that. I’m fine with my fate. I actually like it, even if others don’t understand my actions right now.”
“I remember that... You used to say it a lot.”
“I don't care if others don’t understand me. I’m doing my best for those who deserve it. Right?”
“Yeah... You said that power should be used to beat up the bad guys. Was Aileen a bad guy?”
“No, she wasn’t. But she would become one unless I stopped her.”
“I don’t get it. What did she know?”
“I’m not telling. I swore silence. But...”
“But?”
“Hey, let me finish at least!” He chuckled. “But I can tell you who knows.”
“Then tell me!”
“Only if you win. I guess the one who loses gets to be the bad guy this time.”
“That’s okay.”

Both took their stances.

“In this dark fog, any strike you land will be truly harmful. Almost as if you were harnessing your magic. So fight for your life, Katherine. I will fight for mine.”
“This is stupid, Adir. Stop it.”
“But you know it’s not stupid. You know I wouldn’t do this without a good reason.”
“Yeah...”
“Then stop worrying, let’s speak in the only way we can truly speak, Kana.”


The fight went on for who knows how long. The dark fog, whatever it was, was as effective as Adir had claimed. Even the softest of blows became devastating, and there wasn’t a simple way to win the fight.

Kana could see his conviction on each strike, on each movement. In the same way he could see her determination on every hit. They hadn’t fought in a long time, the last time had been the month Adir graduated from the Academy, when he told Kana that her training was complete. That she was now ready to protect the ones she loved, and to use her strenght without fear.

Other than the sound of their heavy breathing there was nothing. Their steps, the hits, they were all completely silent. For Kana it was eerily reminiscent of her most recent dream, but that was a thought she preferred to push aside. She needed to think of the fight, to think of how each one of Adir’s movements was as unpredictable as hers were.

“Hey Kana...” He called out, still not losing his concentration in the fight.
“Yeah?”
“Let’s do it like we used to. One hit.”
“I like that. It feels nice...”
“I think the word you are looking for is nostalgic.”
“I guess that’s it.”

Both stopped, giving a few steps back.

They had done this so many times when they had been training. It was always how they solved their discussions. The one to get the best hit would win.

In this case, and with this fog... Probably the loser would have one of their chakras obstructed for a long while. But they didn’t mind. They never had, no matter the stakes.

“We’re the kind of people who will put everything on the line, aren’t we, Kana?”
“Yeah. That’s why we get called idealistic idiots all the time.”
“You are better at hiding it than me, at least.”
“I learned from your mistakes, if anything.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah. On three.”

One.

Two.

Three.



The silence was almost deafening. Kana felt dizzy, though it was expected. As he used to, Adir had gone for a low hit, while she went for a high one. Both had their advantages. A low hit had more possiblities of hitting, but would do less damage. A high one had less chances of landing but the damage could be deadly.

She leaned in the bed, and turned to see Adir. He didn’t look any better, and the strange fog was starting to falter now.

“I win.”
“I guess you do... Finally, huh, little Katherine?”
“Yeah... It took me a while to get how this works.”
“Sure did, but that’s your style. It’s not a bad thing.”
“So... Tell me.”
“Go to the Priest. He will point you out in the right direction...” Adir coughed at that. Kana had been really nice in blocking the most annoying chakra she could block, huh?
“And what about you?”
“I’ll leave with the fog. I’m useless with Vishuddha blocked anyway... So I guess this war is yours now.”
“I don’t get it. What war? There is nothing pointing to any kind of war except for that crazy man making an army and...”
“I said I wouldn’t talk. So either go for the kill, or deal with my silence.”
“I’ll go get you when this is done. And I’ll bash your head against every available surface until you admit you were an idiot.”
“It sounds like fun... I’ll be waiting, miss natural disaster.”
“Yeah, you better.”


The light came back, and with it Adir was gone.

All of this made no sense at all. What war? All of Adir’s nonsense didn’t seem to be anything like the things he used to say or think. He wasn’t that kind of person, he was usually very centered even if hitting things was his ideal of a cool day... So why?

At any rate, there was no time to think of that. If there was a ‘war’ then the more reason she had to go further into this, and to find answers as fast as possible.

By now two clues pointed to that Priest. Both Adir and Alyssa had implied he was involved somehow in this... So her next step was finding exactly how involved he was.




-------

Notes:

Adir: yoink!