The Creatures Series

Seventh Mist

Seventh MistCreatures of the Mist

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##### Seventh Mist #####

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Where will my bloodlines go when the afterlife comes for me?

I sigh at him. "Okay, what do you want this time?"

He smiles an evil smile, another something that he learned from me other than the locking move. "Nothing much," he mutters, moving his lower body so that his body is pressed to me completely. "One thing makes me curious, though. What's a Sorcier?"

I blink at him. That's all?

"It's an organization of wizards. The members are ought to resolve missions all around this country in order to balance peace among creatures and keep humans from finding out about our existence. Some might prefers to work alone, but they usually go to mission in groups, though. The Sorcier Building is located in New York."

"I heard that someone named Link Noirmelns own it." It doesn't come out as a question.

"He's the current leader."

"And he's your...." He trails off.

"Cousin. Our parents are siblings."

"Siblings?" He arches an eyebrow.

"Our family has the culture of intermarriage to keep the powers stronger."

"So, are you engaged to one of your cousins?"

"I was engaged to Link befo—"

"What happened? Things didn't work out? He cheated on you?"

"No. I just wasn't ready."

"Marrying him?"

"Marrying anyone."

"Why?"

"The thought of breeding disgusts me."

"You mean having s— Ouch!" I step on his shoes.

"Language," I warn him.

"But that's not even a curse," he protests.

"Some people think it's inappropriate to say it and I'm one of them."

He stares at me intensely before continuing. "How about heritage? You're strong. Won't they want you to be the next successor?"

"I refused that, too," I reply as if I'm not aware of how many advantages I'd lost.

"Why?"

"What's with all the questions?" I ask back.

"I'm just curious, like I said. You never really tell me much about yourself, you know that?"

"I'm aware. I just think that that does not matter."

"Well, it does to me. You're my teacher, so of course I would like to know at least a thing or two about you. From you, not from my research."

"Research? How far have you found out?"

"I know that you're the daughter of the Noirmelns' clan, the ruler of darkness. And the fact that you were once in an organization called Sorcier, but you’re no longer there. I don't know why, though. But other than the things you've explained just now, I don't know much else. Oh, wait, I have a question for you. How do you know about the wizard prince?"

Now is my turn to blink at him. He knows about Lulu? How? It's a secret the fact that he's the leader of my Court. How else can Trace relate me to him? But it's impossible to find out about my existence in the Court circle. I'm about to open my mouth when he beats me to it.

"Lelouch. How do you know him?"

"Where did you get this information?"

"It doesn't matter. Now answer the question or else." Trace tries to put an expression that looks like his threatening mood. But there's nothing menacing about him pouting like a stubborn child.

But I don't think there's any harm in telling him. He won't get off me if I don't give him what he wants, anyway. He's very persistent—an interrogation method that he learned from me.

"He was a close friend of mine."

"Was?"

"We had a disagreement. A big one."

"So you two never talked since? Wouldn't that be a waste, though? He's a prince. A rich and handsome one, to top it all."

"I told you, I'm not interested in romance."

"Wow. Whoever gave you the trauma in a relationship must had given you the whole fear out of it," he mutters under his breath.

"You do realize that I can hear you, right?"

Trace ignores that question and on to the next one. "Have you ever tried to reconnect with him?"

"He proposed to me," I let that one slip.

"What? You guys went that far? So, what happened after that?"

"I refused, of course. Now that you already got everything you want, why don't you let me go? It's already dark now, so why don't we head back? You need your rest, anyway. Tomorrow's going to be another training."

"Ow, another one?" He complains while letting me slip from his locking hold.

"The last one of mastering your control in papers’ lesson, I promise."

"And then get on to my next training? What's next? The woods? The shadow? Light? Mist? Come on, I need a rest. Not just for one night. You've been very strict ever since you took me in. I'm grateful, but I also need a vacation."

I think about what he just said for a minute.

"Okay."

"Okay?" He raises one of his eyebrows, cracking his lips with a little bit of surprise.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere I want?" He looks at me at my approval. I nod at him. "Then, I want to visit—"

"My house? Of all the places you can go for vacation?" I ask again for the hundredth time. We're walking inside the outermost layer of the forest that circles the Noirmelns' castle. "It's not too late if you want to turn back, though. They won't notice that we're her yet." I turn to him.

"But I always wonder what kind of family that raised my Magistress. Can't this apprentice know just a little bit more of her origin, and moreover since my clan also came from here?" He begs me. It's rare for Trace to be this...demanding, in the childish way of his. He never begs, though. Always come straight to the point. And I mostly give him what he wants.

"If you expect them to be so welcoming, then you better prepare yourself for the worst," I give him one last warning before we step into the territory.

"Aunt Arsene, welcome home!" My nephew, Raion, greets us on the front door with a big smile on his face. He has grown quite a lot since the last time we saw each other. I consider what word that I should say to him before saying it.

"You've grown taller," I comment. He surprises me with a hug, which I return anyway. We only met once, so it's kind of confusing by the way he hugs me so casually. It's only a few second before Raion notices the wizard behind me.

"Who's that?" He asks, pointing forward.

I half let him go and half facing Trace. I put my hand on one of his shoulders. "This is Trace Greymist, my apprentice. Trace, this is my nephew, Raion Noirmelns. Both of you are in the same age, by the way."

"He's a Greymist? Isn't that clan already extinct?" Raion sounds shocked, clearly debating with the knowledge he has.

"Almost. Trace is the only one from the clan that's left. I took him in when I found him living alone on his own," I explain. "Now, how's everything in the castle?"

"Fine, but kind of boring. My grandfather never lets me out from the castle even just for one step without his supervisor. The new books' delivery is also kind of late, so I have to wait for a few more weeks before they arrive."

"Well, I have a few books that I used to collect back when I still lived here. I'm sure they're still in place, so I might be able to borrow some to you. For now, let's get inside first."

The family members greet me so warmly, it suspects me. Usually, when they act so nice, it's because they want something. I also warned about this to Trace, so that he has a heads up before they do something to him that he might regret later on. I haven't see neither my parents nor the elders from the Noirmelns' kind, but I'm pretty sure that I'm going to meet them soon enough.

I show Raion my book collection. It's just under my bed. We have to climb down under, get my palm scanned by the magic spell that I put on the secret door, before entering my secret library.

"Wow, I though the rows of book on the fireplace was your collection. I didn't know you have an entirely different dimension for your personal library!" Raion has an adventure of his own soon enough after I tell him that he can as much time in this place and borrow as many as he wants. It doesn't take long for him to sink in his own excitement.

"Miss Arsene, your family would like to speak to you in the underground room," a maid knocks in my bedroom's door.

"I'll be there."

The underground section will be the place where the altar of all members’ fires burn to prove their existence, power and lifespan. There's no candle to burn, much because they don't need any. Each fire is for a certain member, and none will go out except if it’s naturally a cause of death. At the other side, the throne was specially built for the head of the clan, for the purposes of important gatherings and ceremonies. Once I get down there, I can my parents and the elders gathered together in one place, forming a circle and intentionally let the throne be the only thing that's empty and clear from any sight-blocking.

"Elders, mother, father," I greet first to be polite.

"Arsene," my mother greets. My father looks at me warmly. The rest only look at me with acknowledging small nods.

"What's the business?" I ask even though I know what this will be.

They all look at each others, but mother decides to speak for everyone. "The Blancorts have nominated their new clan leader, Arsene." There's a short pause after that. "They are going to hold the ceremony in three days. If we don't balance this out soon, we're going to be vulnerable for the Blancorts. They can attack us any moment with their new young clan leader led. But if you become our next leader, Arsene, we can be prepared much better in order to prevent them from attacking us. Who knows what kind of dirty trick they will us ─ ”

“Valline is not like that,” I cut her in. “I say think because I know him. We might have different thoughts about each other, the dispute between out clans, but he will not stand so low as playing dirty. So please be ease in this case.”

“ No, Arsene. You don ’ t understa ─ ”

“I perfectly understand. But if I become leader, what will be the difference? The dispute between two clans can only be resolved if both sides do want to end this. But learning from the history, it seems that both only want to destroy and overpowering the other. So what’s the point of accepting this inheritance, if I will only become the pawns of my subjects?”

After I speak, it ended by silent stares, and an unexpected clapping coming from a dark shadow from another stairs. Grandfather steps into the room, wearing his usual traditional Noirmelns ’ clothing ─ a prideful crown hat, one robe that covers from the circle of his waists to the bottom of his ankles, and a pair of shoes ─ all in black. Painted silver words are showering his hat and robe in ancient Noirmelns language. Everyone, even the elders, bow at once to him, including me.

“ Well done, my granddaughter. ” His tone holds proud and rhapsodic. “ You speak for everyone that is tired from this cold war, even braver than the time when I was chosen for this title as well. Which is why we all want you to inherit the crown ─ you ’ ll fit perfectly in it. ” He then spares his sights for the others. “ Can you please leave us alone? I would like to talk to my granddaughter for a moment. We have some catching up do to, too. After all, it has really been a while since both of us are home at the same time, ” he says to them politely, but none has the choice but to leave anyway.

So they leave.