Love or Duty

Chapter Four

Vivian, Levi, Hannah, and Greg spent the last 5 hours working over their presentation slides and going through all possible questions their monster Professor could ask.

"You think we got his?" Asked Hannah, clearly exhausted from the long day.

"Babe, we got this down." Responded Greg leaning back for a stretch.

Vivian nodded in agreement, "I think we are ready."

Levi responded with a silent sigh and closed his eyes for a break.

Hannah stood up and closed the laptop, "Well, let's get going then; class is gonna start in 20 minutes."

Everyone started to get up and pack their bags to leave the library conference room. Vivian whispers to Hannah, "I'm just gonna pop down to the ladies; you take the boys over first and set up?"

Hannah gave her a wave and said, "don't worry, no-one is will escape me today." Looking at Levi with a grin.

"Greg, honey," Hannah said in a seductive tone, "could you make sure Mr Levi is by your side until we get to class?"

Greg replied, "Sure, Babe." 

Then turning to Levi, "you are not bailing on us today," he warned, holding him captive with one arm, "we are walking like this the whole way."

Levi pleaded to Hannah with his eyes.

"Sorry dude, we can't forgive what you did the last three times," said Hannah said, looking at Levi before turning to Vivian, "Go, we will see you soon."

Vivian nodded and gave a thumbs up to Greg and Levi, "See you at the classroom" before dashing off.

-

Vivian finished up in the bathroom; she was about to leave when something caused her to sneeze.

When she recovered she realised, she was no longer in the bathroom; Vivian started to panic. 

What is going on? How did I get here?

Darkness surrounded her. A wooden chair and a large mirror were the only things she could see. Otherwise, there were no walls, no doors, just aerie silence with no light. Vivian turned around franticly; with every step she took, she could hear it echo on tile floors along with her rapid breathing. It was so dark, and it scared her.

The mirror was familiar to her, and she did not want to get any closer. She started backing away from the mirror in a straight line, hoping she would find her exit. Vivian was confident she would eventually find her way out if she kept walking straight; until she walked into the chair and knocked it over. She ended up with her back facing the mirror, the place where she did not want to be.

Turning towards the mirror, she gasped at what she saw. It was her dream from last night. She watched the woman and man cry with their backs against each other. Vivian instinctively reached to touch the mirror, but before her fingers met the wooden frame, a voice spoke to her, and a tall, dark hooded figure emerged from the mirror.

"Hello, Princess," it said, causing Vivian to retract her hand from the mirror.

"Hello?" Vivan replied, frightened by how loud the voice was.

"Did she promise you that it won't happen again?"

How did it know? Vivian thought

The voice continued, "She was the one that caused it. You know that, right?"

Vivian held her hand over her ears; the voice was too loud.

"She lied to you. Don't believe that lying witch."

Vivian fell on her knees and started rocking back and forth with her hand over her ears.

"If you come with me now, I can guarantee you; this will not happen."

The dark figure held out his hand. "After all, I love you the most," it said.

It continued to speak, "He is lying to you too; in the end, no matter how much he says he loves you now, it's all lies."

"I will be waiting for you, my love," it said before Vivian closed her eyes as if it would help her block out its voice.

Vivian, where are you?

Vivian! Are you alright, can you hear me?

Vivian heard Sebastian's voice call out to her. She opened her eyes to see Sebastian's worried face. The hooded figure was gone, and there was light again.

---

After dropping Vivian and Levi off at the university library, Sebastian contemplated going home first or heading to Azure Sky directly. Either way, he would be going to meet Philip at Azure Sky later today.

Thinking about what happened this morning with Sarah, he knew her time of awakening was approaching. Based on the literature he studied at the Sanctuary, the Light Goddess will awaken when she turned 16. But she was already showing some signs of dominance like this morning.

Sebastian sighed; he wasn't sure whether the goddess in was showing, or she was simply a spoilt brat that gets her way all the time. But this morning, when she ordered him to not sleep with Vivian again, he felt something.

He then remembered Michael shouting through the dining hall door this morning; he decided to wait at Azure Sky for Philip instead. 

-

Azure Sky was situated in the heart of the Swallow Business District. Men and women in business attire were rushing back and forth on the busy street. Sebastian decided to wait for Philip to arrive outside the entrance rather than going in to wait. People started staring as they rush past him. It wasn't every day when you see a handsome, well-built man in a simple red t-shirt and grey sweatpants on these streets.

He was enjoying the sun and eating his store brought breakfast when Philips car arrives at Azure Sky. Thomas steps out from the front passenger seat, nods at Sebastian before opening the back passenger door for Philip to exit.

Philip wasn't surprised to see Sebastian waiting, but he was annoyed he didn't dress appropriately.

"Good morning," Sebastian said as he came out to great Philip.

Philip replied, "morning Sebastian."

You left the house early," Philip then stated.

"Yes, I dropped off Vivian at University this morning and came here", answered Sebastian.

"Don't you have other things to do besides dropping her off ?" Philip said angrily

Sebastian never understood the hostility between Philip and his granddaughter.

"Not this morning, "Sebastian stated.

"Sarah is your priority. Not her. "Philip said. "You said so yourself when we first met. We must continue our plans. If I knew she would be a distraction, I would have sent her away."

Sebastian shook his head. "We are ahead of schedule. The 12 of us have reunited and already training suitable candidates for bronze and silver guardians."

Thomas then reminded the two of them, "perhaps we continue this inside?"

Philip and Sebastian went inside the building, not saying another word to each other until they exited the elevator to Philip's office on the top floor.

Philip sat down at his desk and motioned to Sebastian to take a seat. While Thomas went to get refreshments for the two men.

"The orphanage has been a great disguise to find our candidates." Said Sebastian 

"Yes, it has", Philip agreed within Sebastian. 

"it provides the boys a place to live a train in preparation for the war," said Sebastian 

"You say on her 16th birthday she will awaken?" Asked Philip. 

"That's correct", explained Sebastian. "But whether our enemy strikes before or after her awakening is unknown."

"They already tried to attack when she was a baby. Sanctuary was compromised. I was lucky to meet you when I did. I would not have survived otherwise." continued Sebastian.

"How did you think they entered Sanctuary 8 years ago?" asked Philip.

"I'm still trying to figure that part out. Whoever it was, I fear they are still among us." disclosed Sebastian.

"If they had gotten Sarah, what would have happened?" queried Philip.

"The world will be plagued with darkness and war while we wait for the next reincarnation to appear," stated Sebastian.

Philip shook his head. Not that it mattered to him, his world was already dark the day his son died.

-

Late afternoon as Sebastian and Philip ended discussions, Sebastian mobile phone rang.

Levi's name appeared on the caller ID.

"Sebastian, I can't find Vivian," uttered Levi. His voice sounded terrified of what Sebastian was going to say next.

"What do you mean you can't find her? I thought you were with her the day preparing for the presentation," said Sebastian in a raised voice.

"That's correct. We had finalised the presentation when she needed to use the bathroom as we were leaving the library," explained Levi. He then continued, "Greg and Hannah dragged me to the lecture room first. Sebastian, but she didn't turn up. "

"Have you checked everywhere?" asked Sebastian sounded exasperated.

"Yes, I went back to the library to search for her. I searched all the buildings between our lecture room and the library. I've alerted campus police as well." ensured Levi.

"I don't know what else to do," Levi added.

"I'm on my way now. Keep searching!" ordered Sebastian.

"Yes, I will," said Levi.

As Sebastian was on the phone with Levi, Philip overheard Sebastian's distressed tone.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Vivian is missing," Sebastian stated with gritted teeth. He did not want to talk to Philip right now. He had to go to University.

Philip didn't show any sign of worry on his face. He stated with a blank look, "She probably went home without telling anybody. Girls and their mood swing, it's pretty common."

"I don't know what you have against your granddaughter," said Sebastian getting unhinged.

"She killed my son. That what she did." roared Philip, getting worked up.

Sebastian looked shocked; he did not expect this response at all.  

"Your son died in a car accident. Vivian was just a child. If it were anybody's fault, it would have been the speeding driver in the other car!" Sebastian counted back.

"If he never met that stupid woman and got her pregnant with that mentally unstable child. My son would not be driving on that road to start with," shouted Philip. "he would not have that house. The other car wouldn't have the opportunity to cause the crash!"

Sebastian and Thomas were speechless after hearing the outburst from Philp. Sebastian didn't want to say anything else he might regret, so he grabbed his phone, keys and wallet and left the office.

After a few moments, Thomas patted Philip on the shoulder and assured Philip, "Vivian didn't cause the death of master Daniel."

"It's my fault I insisted he returned immediately." Said Philip with sadness. "If Daniel focused on his work rather than that girl, I wouldn't have argued with him before he died."

"Master Daniel was a great man," assured Thomas, "If anything, his love for his family is what made Azure Sky so successful in the first place."

"I can not let Vivian fall in love with Sebastian." explained Philip, "he will break her heart as soon as Sarah awakens. He won't be able to be there for her anymore when that day comes."

"Is that why you want to keep Sebastian and Vivian apart?" questioned Thomas.

"Yes. Vivian has already lost so much. If her heart gets broken again, I don't think she would survive it." Philip said, thinking about the past.

"What happened to Vivian that I don't know about?" asked Thomas.

Philip did not say. He only looked out the window with tears in his eyes.