Ephemeral

Chapter 1

YEAR 5009 - DAY 156

REEVES

"Do I really have to go?"

That was the fifth time she asked. The 15-years-old girl sat beside me but not once has she looked over. Her face was glued to the window since we've left the orphanage, just watching the rapidly passing scenery. I discretely observe her profile, the way she sat still, not once breaking her posture, and how her hands clench and unclench subtly on her lap.

Looking at her, I couldn't help but be amused. She had been like this for the past few hours, avoiding my eyes, and repeating the same question like an impatient mechanical child. Thankfully, part of my job is to ignore those questions and just keep her in my line of sight.

Finally, after 9 years, I have you in my hold...

Mania, the Seraph Blade...

Or what I would like to call her.

Speaking of a mechanical child, maybe they made her into one. After all, the organization can be quite unpredictable with their experiments.

Unpredictable is a big understatement. Extreme is more likely.

Experiment, that's right. She's one of Perdere's guinea pigs. Although she was born as a normal human child, she's probably lost her humanity growing up with needles and inhumane treatment.

How unfortunate.

Envision this, after being born against your will, you will then continue to live as someone's guinea pig for their own advantage.

Isn't that unfair?

I clearly understand how she feels about this... or maybe not. After all, she doesn't have any emotions to deal with.

They made her the perfect weapon against the world.

The heartless Seraph Blade.

Nevertheless, the car ride went smoothly, maybe we'll arrive within an hour but seating in the backseat with her made me realize some things.

One, she doesn't mind people invading her personal space. Take for example when the staff back at Perdere led her to the car, mind you, their hand was on her back, and she carried on without a fuss. Two, she does mind people invading her personal space. I can't even move an inch from where I sat, my back is too stiff for staying in the same position for hours just because one look from me and I swear she's become tenser than iron bars and might start slashing throats any second.

She might be lacking the capability to feel anger but she sure is fast to feel minor movements that I was doing since the car started.

Even so, she is still somewhat normal despite everything that she's been through. She looks like a human— an above the average in that matter.

My thoughts were interrupted when she turned her head in front just as the afternoon rays glared through the window and bathed her profile in golden rays. It made her look ethereal... and somewhat distant.

One thing that I surely love about this organization is their taste for aesthetics, I mean look at her.

When they decided to enroll her in Grace East Academy, she seemed to be fine with it. Not until the car left the organization. She would constantly ask why she's doing this or if she has to kill someone.

I smirked.

It was amusing to hear from someone who looks so angelic words similar to "death," it feels ghastly and holy at the same time.

I was never able to answer her questions because every time I'd look at her, she'd avert her eyes at the car's window and act like I never existed in the first place.

I can't comprehend her incentive for doing so, but she's still doing it.

After a while, she sighed and glanced at me, her head leaned forward on the glass like a depressed ostrich. My eyes twitched but I kept my gaze forward. When she realized I'm not going to fall to her repeated tricks, she scrunched her face and turned her head away from me.

I was given the chance to look at her soft platinum hair. I wanted to reach and caress it but she tensed and her gazes turned sharp as if warning me to keep my hand off her. I chuckled and slid my hands down on the pocket of my coat.

She sure is vigilant, I did not even move a finger while thinking about that, yet she felt my desire.

Ah.

Soft platinum hair that compliments her small, innocent face and skin so fair that contrasts her dead eyes that could seep your very soul with their lifelessness, a deadly combination. Perhaps, the drug had changed her features. All traces of semblance with him can't be found in just one sweep of a gaze, but upon closer inspection, tiny familiar detail about her eyes is quite similar to that man. The eye curves. Which wasn't much but other than that, there's nothing else to find. If you ask me, she most resembles a hollow statue of an avenging angel, especially when wearing that cold gaze.

I wonder if they will ever be warm.

"Is this really necessary?" she asked again.

Not wanting to torment her further, I answered, "It would seem so, Miss Mania," I plastered a gentle smile on my face. Finally, she looked over and I was suddenly attacked with ice-cold daggers.

"You can talk," she said, a trace of impatience visible in her voice.

Oh, so she doesn't like to get ignored.

I thought for a moment before I gave her my deeply thought out reply, "Yes."

"Then, tell me why do I need to go to that Academy? Am I going to murder everyone in there?" She asked, her eyes painted in seriousness not a single piece of a hoax on her words.

Damn, I wonder how many dozens of drugs Perdere pushed down her throat to completely be vague of emotions... and memory. I bet she doesn't even remember what happened five years ago.

I let out a dense sigh and sweep back my hair.

The organization that I mentioned is an orphanage that took this girl when she lost her parents. It has been 20 years since The Rhapsody happened but I guess some parents still don't learn.

This is fun.

"Forgive me Miss Mania, but I am only here to assist you. Regarding the details you ask for, I'm yet to be informed."

She leaned her head sideways, and I glanced at her, our eyes meeting for the first time since we left the place, still cold as ever.

"Lies," she replied calmly... or maybe not. I expect as much.

"I do not have any intention to deceit you, angel."

Her names suit her. Mania. Angel. If only I could call her darling.

"Don't call me that," she said, her eyes blazing with discontent.

Is that a challenge?

"Don't you want to be an angel, Miss Mania?"

"What?"

The atmosphere inside the car immediately turns noxious as she buries her stares into my soul, feeding my demon with satisfaction. I can feel her intent to kill even when I am a foot away from her. I loosened my tie and let out a chuckle.

"If you insist."

I moved towards her, making a show of courtesy, bowing slightly with my right hand on my chest while the other behind, closing my eyes for a beat before dragging it back to her. But she's already returned to the window.

How cold.

Is that how much she loathes that word?

I wonder why.

"Tell me the details," she said, after a minute of deadly silence inside the moving car.

"Of course, Miss Mania," I replied and relayed to her what I was told, "From this day henceforth you are enrolled in Grace East Academy and I am your appointed guardian under the guise of siblings, specifically a fraternal twin on record, per orders of the organization. Your birth date was altered, from the 335th day of Year 4993 to the 8th day of the same year, therefore changing your age from 15 to 16 years old. We'd be sharing the same birth date, Miss Mania, I hope you won't mind."

She said nothing, only resting her head on the headrest, and closed her eyes.

No feedback? Did she even hear me? Should I read it again? She keeps asking why, but does she not want to ask why I suddenly became her sibling? On paper, of course.

After a while, her breathing evened out. She fell asleep.

I never thought she can trust me to the point she'd fall asleep beside me... or maybe not, who knows if she's only trying to check if I'll s***h her throat while she's sleeping then cut my head off after confirming her theories.

Too early to die.

I chuckled at the thought which caught the attention of the chauffeur. At the rear-view mirror, I flashed him a polite smile but he quickly averted his gaze. His sweaty eyes fixed towards the road.

Oh, did I scare him?

Maybe the glass that separated him from us wasn't enough for him not to feel the deadly aura that surrounds her even when she's asleep.

-

"Sir, we've arrived," the chauffeur announced, all professional as a tall man hurriedly opened the door.

The anticipation was burning within every inch of my body and I'm itching for the action to set ablaze. We have arrived at the starting point and I can't wait to see this unravel. The higher-ups weren't exaggerating when they said the academy was lavish. It had impressive white steel gates and a wide pavement that led to the entrance.

My attention diverted to the sound of the car door slamming close. Our little angel sighed after she surveyed the surroundings.

"Welcome to your new school. This is where we're going to stay, Miss Mania."

Mania threw me icy glares, looking less pleased but stayed silent as she leaned back to examine the school.

"It's huge," she finally said. I can't help but smile at her unexcited tone.

"It is."

She didn't mention it anymore, just looked at the entrance and whispered, "I want to rest."

"Surely," I signaled the men who were silently waiting at the sides. I can't help but be charmed by how the organization is overprotective when it comes to her. I knew there'd be security but I didn't expect to be greeted with 20 men who are all intimidating and armed.

Company policy.

I scratched the side of my lips to control myself from the glee that's bubbling. This is what I'm waiting for, since the beginning I was dying to witness this and now that the time has come I can't wait to pull the trigger and let everything fall into chaos.

So much for controlling everything.

You did well Perdere. I applaud you for your excellent work.

However...

I drag my gaze back at her.

"If you have anything that you need please don't hesitate to call me, I will be right next to you," I mentioned but she only walks past me, ignoring me once again.

After reaching the dorm that was arranged for her with the men trailing behind us, she went straight to her bedroom. She didn't even stop to appreciate the interior decor of the place.

The dorm at this academy is immense. This just can't be called a dorm; this can be compared to 5-star hotels, which was probably too much for a university; though it makes sense when it's owned by and filled with elites...

Or maybe bastards of the elites, or useless generation of the privileged, the garbage of the high society; I snickered.

You'd think the parents love their children as much to send them to such a school but in reality, this is like a nursing home where they send off children they've neglected and don't want to deal with.

So much for parental care.

Hundreds of thousands of years had passed since the human race started to build a family which they can call their own but still, look at these rejects of the so-called the most intelligent creature that ever lived in this world scramming all over this small space.

An academy built to custody worthless children of the worthy parents— though the tuition might be too much for these worthless kids.

How amusing.

Minutes had passed since she left for her bath but she never went out of her room so I decided to visit her inside her. When I entered her room, she was lying down on the king-sized bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The window beside her was wide open, while the ac was on full blast.

Why is she doing this?

She looked up to me when she felt my presence but went back to her own business, which was staring at the ceiling, and ignored me, again.

"Miss Mania? Would you like me to close the windows for you?"

She let out a disapproving grunt and moved her eyes to me.

"No, get out."

What a f*****g brat.

"I am an enthusiast of environmental issues, Miss Mania. You are violating my values as of the moment."

"The hell I care about your values. Do you want to die?"

"No."

"Your existence is violating my values as of the moment, shall I throw you out of the window?"

I did not respond, utterly out of words of how much a brat she can be. Am I seriously going to babysit this motherfucker? However, I can't help but let out an amused smile reason for her to throw me icy stares again.

"Aren't you interesting, Miss Mania?"

"No, why? Is that violating your values as of the moment?"

"Somewhat."

"Then go kill yourself because I don't have any plan to kill myself as of the moment."

"As of the moment? I am quite fascinated by that phrase. Are you emphasizing that you'll kill yourself later?"

"Somewhat."

"How unfortunate, I cannot let that happen."

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it, then?"

"I'll keep an eye on you, and by that, I mean even when you're taking a bath."

She sat down, competing with me through not breaking the eye contact that she's been avoiding when we were still inside the car.

"I just had my bath, though," she replied and pointed at her robe. My eyes moved to what she's wearing until I let out a laugh that made her scrunch her nose, baffled by my actions.

"Are you implying that you'll let me inside when you're taking a bath?"

"Precisely," she answered her face impassive. The smile that I plastered slowly disappeared when I apprehended that this girl is void of any emotion and that includes shame or embarrassment.

What the actual f**k?

That isn't exciting at all. How am I supposed to enjoy this when she'll always just throw me a cold gaze and an unresponsive emotion no matter what I'll do.

"No, Miss Mania. You should not let me."

Her head tilted sideward, confused by what I said.

"Why? Isn't that what you're here for? To look after me?"

"You knew?"

"They told me; also, they mentioned that I should prohibit myself from going against everything that you'll say."

"Have you realized that you answered me most disrespectfully just a minute ago?"

"Was that about your value? That is your value; it has nothing to do with your mission. I don't care about your right and wrong. If you think going inside the bathroom while I'm taking a bath is unethical, then it is your choice whether to violate your ethics or adhere to them. That has nothing to do with me, at the least of my concern, of course."

I remained silent for a second before licking my lips and grinned.

"You, of all people, are aware of that. I don't know your reasons for bringing that up," she continued and lay down.

"If we are going to talk about values and beliefs, you aren't supposed to be here doing missions for other people. You have the face to declare that I'm bluntly violating your value when you kill people yourself. They have their own values too, they value their own life but you violated it."

I tried eliminating the stupid grin that I have on my face but no matter how much I bit on them, I can't help but smile broadly.

"Interesting," I murmured and dragged the chair near her desk and sat on it. I rested my head on the back of the chair and looked at her from head to toe. "Is that the reason why you're letting me enter your room without your permission?"

"Maybe."

"Then, Mania, are you telling me that you don't have your own value or belief? How about morals?"

Her dead eyes gazed at me and it never faltered when she answered me,

"No."

"What is your purpose of living, then?"

She went silent, her eyes slowly leaving mine as she glances at every object that catches her attention. She would then press her lips together and close her eyes.

"None," she whispered.

"None? Then why did you look around your room? What was that for?"

She glanced at me again.

"I was looking for an answer."

"And you realize there was none?"

"Yes."

"If I'll have to kill you right now, are you going to stop me?"

"Is that why they sent me here? For you to kill me?"

"Close, but no. Why would Perdere spend millions just to dispose of you?" I asked her, she again closed her mouth, unable to answer. A grin again appeared on my face, unable to contain the entertainment that I am feeling.

"Come to think of it, Mania, do you remember anything 5 years ago?"

"5 years ago?"

"You're 15, well, disregarding the changes in your birth date that I disclosed to you hours ago. This simply means you are alive for 15 years. However, do you have any memories of you when you were 10?"

Mania stared at me like she just realized something she's been missing out on her whole life. Her mouth opened like she was about to say something but she looked away, looking more perplexed than ever. I chuckled and she glanced at me.

"You can't remember? Then, tell me what you've been up to these past five years. Were you killing people? Were you assassinating someone? Were you tormenting groups of people?"

She slowly shook her head.

"No, right? They were only teaching you what you need to learn about the world, our language, mathematics, physics, chemistry, philosophy, but why do you feel like you've always been killing people? Tell me, Mania, have you killed anyone? In your training? Weren't you only taught how to protect yourself from the bad guys? Why were you so resolved that this was a mission? That you were sent here to kill people? Tell me, Mania, do you know who you are?"

Mania pushed herself towards the headrest; her eyes wide open as her hands are firmly holding on the sheets of her bed. Her eyes glittered as tears threatened to fall from them. She blinked and she gasped when she felt hot liquids descending from her eyes. She reached for her cheeks and slowly wiped her tears. She began to chase her breathing as she stares at her soaked fingers.

"Oh? Was that the first time you ever felt that emotion? Did you feel scared, Mania? As I've thought, your weakness is oblivion, isn't it? You felt scared when you realized you never knew what was going on and blindingly following people around. Have you ever cried, Mania? What about when bruising your knees or wounding yourself when you were a little? Doesn't ring a bell?"

She covered her mouth before closing her eyes and repeatedly shaking her head as if pushing a repressed memory from her forgotten past.

How unfortunate.

What a pity.

"Mania—"

"No! I'm not! I'm not a murderer! I did not kill anyone!"

"My, my, aren't you innocent?"

"Where are my pills? I need my pills. Give me my medicines!" she started to thrash herself on her bed, rummaging the sheets looking for her medicines. I stared at her, still sitting on the chair. When she grasped the situation that I was still here, she jumped out of the bed, rushed to me, and grabbed me by the collar.

I grunted when she pulled me off the chair with her brute force. Well, isn't she pretty strong if she'll lose her composure?

"You have to stop depending on your medicine, you know? They'll kill you, and you know what's worst? It's not physically. They're stripping you away from your humanity, Mania. Do you want to be a monster?"

"I don't care! Give me my medicines!" she removed one of her hands on my collar and formed it into a fist, swinging it back to punch me but I quickly pulled a syringe out of my pocket and plunged it into her neck.

She groaned and touched the part of her neck where the syringe was seconds ago, she glimpsed at me, her clutch on my collar loosen as she fights for her consciousness.

"Let yourself sleep, angel," I murmured. Even with the losing consciousness and weakness that slowly eating her out, she still managed to give a disapproving look and replied with,

"Don't call me that," before completely losing awareness. I caught her even before she slumped on the floor. I carried her to her bed and laid her down, gently. I groaned and stretched my arms when I put her down. I let out a sigh and looked at her for the last time.

Well isn't she adorable when she's asleep? She should just stay asleep if she'll only pull me off the chair like that again. It was quite painful, damn it.

I looked over to the syringe lying on the floor and smirked.

Starting from now, you're not taking any pills from them, our little Mania.

***

POST NOTE!!!

Hello there!

After The Rhapsody, One-Regime, the ruling government that handles all three continents decided to change how days would be counted every year. This, they say is another way to move on from the tragic event that happened 20 years ago. Instead of using months and days of the week, the people of the new world would only count days in each year. As to be wary of the changing season each year, they would call it;

"Day 121, summer of year 5009"

Therefore, Year 5009 - Day 156.