Chapter 8: A surprise vacation
1538 Words
"The train stopped... I guess D'artenge gave us time to rest. Come one, Gradnare, I believe you packed your suitcase."
"Yes, Professor. And I see, you put up the disguise."
"I would say it is another husk."
But what waits for Thomas and his children is a different thing. The moment they leave the train, in front of them is a different station, the sun above them shines bright and, not to mention the cooling breeze. D'artenge gives them a surprise with a vacation, but Thomas knows this is an old trick. He is going to ask them to do something when the vacation is over, but he should enjoy this. After all, he had just fought against one of the most deadly families in the West. And now, nothing beats a vacation in the South, sunshine, beautiful beaches and, not to mention the cuisine, this is the vacation that is worth waiting for.
"So, what do you think?"
"Am I getting this wrong or are we supposed to have a vacation until the end of this year?"
"Don't be so stiff, my friend. Your class finished their program, right? Every student on the train finished their designated program, so there is no need to keep them in the academy."
"Then shouldn't you stay at the academy to run it?"
"Don't worry, I have a puppet for that purpose. How about relaxing a little bit and living your life? You are a famous veteran after all."
Before Thomas can protest, he is dragged away by the children. And looking at what was in front of his eyes, Thomas had to ask what his friend did to get all of this. D'artenge always has his way around money, but owning a private resort that he only visits two times a year is a little bit excessive in Thomas's opinion. And even when Thomas wants to judge D'artenge for being excessive, he also understands their past. He isn't wrong to indulge, after everything he has been through and even when D'artenge is excessive, Thomas also has a part of responsibility when he can provide a little bit more for his family, even after taking Charlotte's experiment.
The breeze from the sea, the shade provided by the nearby palm tree, if he hadn't been to the North when he was younger, this could be a place for his retirement. Watching his children playing with the waves and running around on the sand really made him feel relief, but some strange thoughts appeared in Thomas's mind. Where were the children from the West? They should be in the same resort, but with more than ninety children, D'artenge will have a field day managing those little devils. But Thomas doesn't care about that long enough, because he knows dream and nightmare will come to find him and even when that can no longer scare him, preparation is still needed.
"I need my rest, so can you just disappear like you never existed?"
It was never a problem for him to begin with, but Thomas wanted everything in his control. His dream came to him and went like his nightmare. But there is one thing that doesn't wait for him is an incident. Packing ninety elite children from the West, maybe this is D'artenge's plan so they can eliminate each other in the most gruelsome way, because even when his eyes are closed, Thomas can sense even the smallest movement on the sand and there is one that is small and slow. Some foolish kids approach him with unclear intentions, a little bit of scorn, a simple poison in the drink and that kid thinks that is enough. Raising his knife and Thomas thought it was quite cute to think a talentless child would try to murder him. He could try but he didn't know Thomas had everything calculated.
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"Do it, coward."
The child, under provocation, stabbed the blade into the sleeping professor and ran away from the scene before anyone could see him. Their leader thinks it is a great idea to finish the job of his family when they can clearly see a sigil with the image of a flame lily in his hand. The Medictus child was useless and now, it's his time to act and finish the job when an assassin with a specialty in poison can't. He questioned his father when the family decided to target a nameless professor, but his father just asked him to finish the job and nothing else.
The child sees the blood pouring out from the professor and that is enough. He leaves with his henchman and that should be everything. His family has enough money, so when everything is found, he could just pay his way to get out of this mess. The child doesn't care about anything else. The moment he gets rid of this problem, that is the moment he can have everything he desires, but what is his desire when he is nothing but a tool to his clan? A golden child with wisdom and knowledge so they can restore their place in the family and that is what he thinks.
"All of these are so meaningless."
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"Sir, are you alright?"
"Well, I got stabbed a lot during the war so don't worry about it and continue the fun. Gradnare, can you get my suitcase?"
"Of course, sir."
Thomas doesn't mind that much when a child decides to stab him. Charlotte's experiment doesn't come with pierce resistance. It would be quite a shame for a talent for someone who is so smart as his sister. Charlotte and D'artenge made this body so it can't be destroyed by something like a stab directly toward the heart. The knife and the wound are nothing more but illusions and this time, the kid just played the wrong move.
"Well, look at who just revealed themselves."
And now, Thomas has them in his sight, but that is not what D'artenge wants. Different from the Medictus family, that boy's family still has their uses and there is no need to waste such resources. But D'artenge must find a way to convince Thomas because he knows in a duel between two of them, there is no chance for D'artenge to win. The Medictus family is nothing more than an empty barrel, but this one is a different case because they are donors to the academy and they bribed D'artenge enough so he could continue his research on a new body for Killian.
"What is it, D'artenge?"
"I will only ask you this time, do not kill those two."
"And the reason for that?"
"I am using their money for your father's resurrection and to fund the academy."
But both D'artenge and Thomas know what that means. The only solution when there is a clashing idea is a battle and that is the only solution between them. Thomas prepares the blade as D'artenge prepares his gloves. But both of them know they need to hold back, they want their idea to win, but killing the one they respect is not the outcome they desire. D'argente was the first to strike. A poisonous cloud blew directly at Thomas. D'artenge wants to finish everything quickly, so he goes for the second choice, which is a non-lethal neurotoxin, and knowing Thomas's power, D'artenge knows that is the only way he can defeat the one who transcends time.
But D'artenge is also aware, this is not as easy as it looks. This is the fight between two veterans of the great war and Thomas is the hero. What D'artenge does is delay and weaken him enough so Thomas can be ended but just a single stab. But that is D'artenge's wishful outcome and right now, even when Thomas is weakened, D'artenge still needs to pay close attention to every stab so he doesn't end up like that student and those assassins.
"I must say, I am impressed, you still have your strategy and you know what to do in order to win. But remember D'artenge. I am also adaptive. So, if you want to win, determination will be required."
"Charlotte, isn't it?"
"No, she has nothing to do with this, this is my own research. Remember, even when you are headmaster, you are still a researcher and we search for knowledge."
"You are wrong, Thomas. Knowledge is no longer required for me. I suffered in the past and now, giving them a quick release is not a solution. I want them to watch in hopeless as I take everything they have. So will you do one thing and follow my script?"
D'artenge switched to a different pair of gloves and this one was the one Thomas had never seen before and this time, Thomas needed something new from his suitcase. But something new is something Thomas always prepares, even when he has to go against his friend. The clock hand blade shifted into its original form, the creation of Solos and Hugo. The amulet is the key and this is something that brings Thomas so much pain, however, but this is the only way to prove his ideal.
"Let's see who is the first to fall, you or me."
- Writer
