Arcane Guardians

Chapter 2 - Order Must Be Restored

ALMYRA GIOVANNI

“The Young Master Creed Giovanni is here to see you.” She blurted out and I did not see it but I knew Ivan and I must have raised our eyebrows at the same time because why was the heir of Giovanni suddenly seeking me out?

“He refused to say anything aside from how he needed to speak to you right now.”

What does he need now?

“Fine. Let him in.” I said.

He walked in with his cloak flaring behind him. The excalibur sword was strapped to his waist and the glimmering Giovanni Crest adorned his wrist.

He also wore a silver band on his ring finger that shined as the light hit it—a reminder of the tragedy that had fallen upon him.

Jasper Creed Giovanni was most certainly not a friend. He was an…acquaintance. Except for some certain interactions during our first year in the Academy, he and I have never really spoken outside of school or on official matters. Sure, he and I have been frequently paired to spar together because of how we both excelled in our studies and training, but aside from that…nothing. So I did not understand why he would seek me out like this.

Regardless, I was a leader now and I had to act as such.

“Young Master.” I stood up to greet him. “What brings you here?”

“Madame Almyra,” He said and extended a hand with the palm facing upwards.

Huh?

I just stared at his hand, taken aback.

When Amara cleared her throat, I looked at her to see her bring her hand up and subtly kiss her knuckles.

Oh!

It was customary for Bone Family members of the same generation to greet each other with a woman bowing her head and a man bowing waist deep to kiss the woman’s knuckles.

But…

I hesitantly placed my hand on his palm and slightly bowed my head. I could not stop the shiver that subtly ran through me the moment his lips touched my skin.

We sat down together and it was very silent, but he was too agitated for any awkwardness to be present.

“I’m sorry for dropping by so suddenly, Madame Almyra, I know you must be busy right now but I felt like this was a conversation that could not wait.” He said and I was once more taken aback at the way he was speaking.

I did not know what conversation we could possibly need to have unless his father sent him to talk about clan matters.

“It’s not a problem. What’s up?”

He opened his mouth but closed it again immediately. His eyes snapped to Ivan and Amara’s direction. “I think it's best to have this conversation in private?”

I looked at Amara and Ivan, then shrugged and nodded to the door, silently telling them to get out. Amara looked reluctant and I believe she may not have left if it was not for Ivan who basically dragged her out of the room.

When they closed the door behind them, I returned my focus to Creed and waited for him to speak.

“What is it?” I impatiently asked after he remained silent.

Suddenly, he looked very unsure of what he was doing but then he sat up straight and finally spoke, “I have a proposition that can help solve your problem about your Aunt.”

He was in the meeting so I was not surprised that he knew about it.

I leaned back on the chair, folded my arms together, and crossed my legs as I defiantly said “I can handle my own Aunt.”

“I know that.” He breathed out, sounding as patient as he can be. “But to be quite frank, I am sure you do not need people trying to depose you right now especially as you are the only Alderian Bone Blood left.”

“Are you here to propose a solution or to anger me?”

He bit his lip before muttering an apology, so I sighed and gave him a chance to speak, “What is it? This solution you are offering?”

When Amara first informed me that Creed was here, I did not know what to expect but it sure as hell was not what came out of his mouth next.

“We should get married.”

For a second there I thought he was gonna burst out laughing. But he remained silent and looked at me dead in the eye, waiting for a response.

Again, despite having moved in the same circles since we were kids, Creed and I were barely friends.

So what the hell was this?

The 7 of us who were instated as heirs together mingled and interacted, but when it comes to friendship, we broke into groups.

Him and Kaden Mirovia of the Water Users.

Kevin Trovian of the Earth Benders, Elisha Arvanee of the Historians, and Alice Astoria of the Inventors.

Then there’s me and Eric Mendelia of the Healers.

Eventually, when he and Alice became betrothed, the five of them started to hangout together but for some reason, Eric and I were contented living our own lives with Akira Tanaka, a friend of ours from the Mirovia Clan.

My first interaction with him that was not due to being stuck or forced together happened when I was 11. It was the first day in the Academy. I had lost control during the testing where instructors checked how much grasp we had over our powers. The accident made students either afraid of me or bully me. I was an heir. I was supposed to already have good control over my powers. But fire is always the hardest one to control and it was not my fault.

During lunch time, a few kids kept bumping into me and whispering “freak”. I could barely defend myself because I was putting all my energy into controlling my flowers. At some point, a Trovian bumped so hard into me and sent my tray flying to my face.

Until it suddenly stopped a mere inches away and the tray was suddenly on top of the Earth Bender, all the food spilling onto him.

I did not understand what happened until the boy seated to the table beside us spoke.

“Oops. Sorry. I lost control. That tends to happen when annoying people are within the vicinity.” The boy said and went back to eating like nothing happened.

That was Creed.

Like I said, we weren’t friends even at that time so the fact that he stood up for me meant a lot to me.

It happened again when we were fitting for our training gears.

There was this Mendelian girl who spoke out, “Careful not to set your gears on fire people.”

Not even a second later and the jacket she was holding flew more than a hundred feet high and came crashing down her face just as quick.

Creed did it by just staring at the girl from where he was seated.

I didn’t know why he kept defending me nor did I ever ask but that was the start of my attraction to him.

At first, it was just a silly crush. He was undeniably a graceful and handsome boy and did great in both combat and elemental training. He was also kind and always smiled at people. At some point, I hoped that the silly crush would go away but as I grew older, I started becoming more conscious around him. I strived to be better so I would be put at the same level as him. I always gave my best when we were paired for sparring to show him he never needs to go easy on me.

A twisted part of me craved some sort of validation from Creed because of how he stood up for me but what I earned instead was the respect and fear of the people. Eventually, I surpassed him and the gap between the two of us seemed to widen. How there never seemed to be a moment for us to actually talk made me believe it was fate’s way of saying whatever I felt for him was hopeless. When his engagement to Alice was announced right after we graduated, I took that as the final sign to bury every feeling or whatsoever I had for him.

Because I was Almyra Dionne Alderian, heir to the Alderian Clan, the most formidable Guardian of my generation and I most definitely do not go after boys.

To have him here right now, asking me to marry him, stirred up all the feelings I buried.

There was this momentary delight that flared up within me but it was immediately replaced with sadness and then anger, then nothing. Nothing at all.

Because I knew that Alice was the girl HE chose because he loved her and not because of his parents while I am the girl he is going to right now because he has no choice at all. Worse than that, he is choosing me because he knew a union between the two of us will not only secure his future position as the Giovanni leader but as well the position that Giovanni holds as the head of the bone families.

Not moving an inch from my seat, I stared directly into his eyes. “Like you said, Young Master, I am busy right now and have no time for jokes.”

“I am not joking, Almyra. It’s perfect! Don’t you see? If we get married, my mother could be the regent leader of the Alderians and your Aunt will back surely back off and—

“And those who threaten your clan’s position will also back off.” I finished for him, getting what he was saying.

“Yes!”

The fierce determination in his eyes broke my heart. He was so driven to do this for all the wrong reasons. Or I guess…for all the right reasons.

“It is a situation that will benefit the both of us. We don’t have to really do married couple stuff considering we are both still young. I know you don’t like me in that way anyway and…I just lost Alice.” He went on like what he was saying was the ultimate truth and made perfect sense. I guess in some ways, it did.

But…

“Shouldn’t that be the very reason you need not to get married?” I cut him off.

He looked down for a moment and I saw him try to compose himself before meeting my eyes again, but I saw nothing but the terrible misery weighing down on him.

It was at that moment that I knew—I knew I was going to do something stupid.

“Alice is dead. The living must go on. Order must be restored and you of all people should know that after everything that has happened, the clans and Bone System cannot fall apart.” He said sounding every bit of the Giovanni heir that he is.

“Order must be restored.” I said, nodding slowly.

And sacrifices must be made.

Turning to look out the windows because I could not stand staring into his eyes anymore, I spoke the words I knew I would someday regret, “Fine, let’s get married.”

I heard him sigh in relief. However, I felt like a huge rock had settled on my chest.

He pulled something out of his pocket and when he put a blue velvet box on the table, I wanted to laugh and slap him at the same time because there was no way he had chosen a ring for me before coming here. Can't he show me a bit of f*****g respect?

I am already set to become the shadow of the girl he had loved for years. There is no way I will wear a ring meant for Alice too.

How stupid was he?

I leaned forward and slid the box back to him. “I am still a woman, Creed Giovanni, one with feelings. Return here tomorrow with your parents.” I told him then stood up, pretending to look for something in the drawer behind me.

“Okayyy?” He said, as if in confusion. “We’ll be here at lunch time.”

I nodded, not bothering to turn around as I listened to his leaving footsteps and waited for the door to close.

When it did, I dropped back on my sit and my hands automatically formed a fist.

When my hands began to tremble, I finally let the tears flow. As I swallowed and felt my throat tighten, I gasped for breath.

It’s like everything that has happened over the past months is finally catching up to me.

How did things come to be like this?

How?

As I looked around the room and my eyes found a family picture near the fireplace, I was reminded of all the work I had to do.

I quickly wiped my tears and cleared my throat. I went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face before returning to my desk and opening a bottled water. I downed it one go.

Creed was at least right about one thing. A union between the two of us will keep Aunt Sheryl off my back. Once Madame Giovanni begins her regency, I will also have the time to prepare myself to be the leader that Alderian deserves. The Giovanni Clan’s backing will be very beneficial to me.

Next.

I called Ivan, asked him to come back to the office and sent Amara a text to also come here once she gets back.

“As soon as I return from the hospital tonight, we will be traveling to Rome then Verona but we’ll have to be back before lunch tomorrow.” I told him.

I started to squirm when he did not say anything and just stared at me. “Are you okay Almyra?”

“Oh,” I blinked at his question. “Umm, yes, of course.”

He looked like he did not believe me but he chose not to push and I have never been more grateful to have a Keeper like him.“Are we taking an equitaire? Or the gateway?” He asked and placed one arm to rest over the edge of my table. His crest was broken.

“The gateway,” I answered and gave him the card needed to open the room to the gateway of headquarters which allows us to transport to any headquarters under our clan’s control within a minute. “Get that thing fixed before we leave.”

A knock came from the door and Amara’s head peeked in. “You called?”

“Come sit,” I waved her over to us. “What did Mr. Herrero say?”

“Oh, he said he’ll send you two separate financial summaries for tonight. One for the central house and one for the Alderians who need help. I also already posted the sign up list for those who needs accommodation.” She answered me while pouring a cup of coffee for three of us in to-go cups.

“That’s good. I will also send you the list of unidentified bodies and the objects found with them. Spread it by tonight and ask anyone who thinks they might know someone on the list to submit the name of the dead. They will be called to verify afterwards.” I told her and while working on the computer to send her the list already. “Then get the names of anyone who requests to see the bodies and tell them to come here tomorrow afternoon.”

She was nodding while sipping her coffee and I noticed the voice recording was activated on her crest. “Is that all?”

“Yes.” I said and stood up after shutting down the computer. “I need to go check on Eric now. He still hasn’t sent word about how Kira is doing.”

They followed me to the door with Ivan holding my coffee on one hand as I put on my jacket. “Ivan and I will be leaving for Italy tonight but we will be back before lunchtime tomorrow. I need to check on Rome and Verona myself.”

Just as Ivan and I were about to exit through the door, I finally told her. “And prepare to receive Creed and his parents tomorrow.

“What? Why”

I turned to look at her with one of my hands already on the doorknob. “Creed and I are getting married.”

Then I shut the door on her shocked face and pushed Ivan to walk faster in front of me.

“Wha—what do you mean you are getting married?!” Ivan exclaimed and rushed to keep up with me.

“Oh you know, when I decide to commit myself to someone else. It usually involves marriage rites where I wear a white dre—

“Almyra!” He raised his voice and grabbed my arm to stop us both in the middle of the street.

“Ivan,” I sighed and could not help but close my eyes as I removed my arm from his hold. “Order must be restored within our clan. Sacrifices must be made for the good of the many.”

He still looked to be in disbelief. In the short time he has served as my Keeper, we have formed a brother-sister bond that I have always wanted to have with someone. Very much like Amara and the twins did when they were alive, he knew so much about me.

I forced a smile on my face and nudged him to keep walking. “Everything is gonna be alright, Ivan. We all know he is a good guy.”

“A good guy does not necessarily make a good husband.”

Those words made me pause for a moment.

“It’s good that I do not need him to be my husband then. I just need the political backing he can provide.”

Then I walked in front of him to show that this conversation was over because it had to be.

I did NOT need him questioning my decisions like this right now.

Once we arrived at St. Raphael’s, a Healer pointed us to Eric’s location.

“He hasn’t left Miss Tanaka’s side since last night. He said he’ll go home once she wakes up.” The Healer told us as she walked with us to the left wing of the temporary ER.

“Kira still hasn’t woken up?”

The Healer slowly shook her head and opened the door. “But the head in charge of her said they will try to wake her up by tomorrow if she still won’t wake on her own.”

I nodded and gave her my thanks before entering the room with Ivan behind me.

I immediately saw my pale and seemingly lifeless friend lying down on the bed.

Kira was in a tactical training when the alarm was raised in the city. The training center was bombed in a matter of minutes after. They said she was lucky to be in one piece, more so to have been found by a Healer immediately.

Eric stood up when he saw us. There were dark circles around his eyes and I saw one hand attached to Kira’s through which he was giving her some energy. “Almyra. Ivan.”

“Young Master,” Ivan greeted him back.

I sat down on the stool across him, on the other side of Kira’s bed and held her free hand. “I heard they are gonna try to force her to wake up by tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Eric answered me, plopping back down to his chair and sighing heavily. “We’ve been waiting for her to wake up since yesterday but nothing has happened. Although she has normal brain activity so we are taking that as a good sign.”

I nodded and caressed Kira’s hand. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner.”

“Don’t be a fool, Almyra.” Eric quickly shot back. “Of course we understand. I cannot imagine what you must be going through right now.”

I gave him what must have been a wobbly smile because worry quickly filled his eyes but I shook my head to show that I did not want to talk about it. “The council meeting this morning was chaotic. Everyone’s emotions are still running high. I thought Master Trovian was gonna rip Master Astoria’s head off.”

Because he was only an heir, Eric was allowed to miss the meeting, especially since he was a Healer and their clan needed all hands on deck with the situation.

He snickered, looking down for a moment. “I can imagine.”

“Aunt Sheryl also publicly questioned my position,” I added after a second. “Basically saying I am too young and emotional right now to be a competent leader.”

“What?!” He exclaimed, eyes going wide. “That little bitchy witch! Surely no one supported her?”

I smirked at his remark. Both he and Kira has always been very vocal about calling my Aunt every insulting word there is in every possible way.

“Well, Master Astoria did but the others backed me.”

“As they should! What could be Master Astoria thinking to actually support the she-devil?!”

I shrugged, “Who knows? It does not matter really. I have found a way to solve the problem.”

He raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

I bit my lip and told him what has been hovering over my mind since we entered the room. “I am gonna marry Creed Giovanni.”

If there are people left whose opinions greatly mattered to me, it’s Amara, Ivan, Eric, and Kira.

He did not react they way I expected but it was very Eric of him.

“Oh,”

“What do you mean ‘oh’?!” It was Ivan who butted in. “Tell her what a horrible decision it is!”

Eric simply pursed his lips and shook his head. “It makes perfect sense tho.”

“I do not care about how much it makes perfect sense!” Ivan said, dragging a stool near us and plopping down so ungracefully. “Almyra does not need such thing after everything that has happened already.”

I was touched with how much Ivan cared but he did not understand the real reason I was doing this.

Eric and I looked at each other and I knew that he understood.

Duty must come above all else.

Yes, maybe a part of me wanted to marry Creed because of this ridiculous attraction I have had for him for so long and cannot seem to shake off. Maybe a part of me hopes he will someday like me too but that’s just the dumb part of me.

The rational part of me is doing this because marrying Creed will secure the future of my clan. It will prevent people like Aunt Sheryl from seizing control over Alderian. I know the only reason why the Firestarters were willing to accept my emergency installation because I have had a good track in my Academy and post-graduation trainings. They also had huge respect for my parents because our family has always given the best service to our people.

The Arcanian hierarchy may be something like a monarchy but the Bone Families are easily replaceable. The Mendelians are the prime example. There was a huge power struggle within their clan during 2001. Before Eric’s family, the Servini family held the council seat of the Healers.

The command we hold is there because our people accept and follow it. Not because they are forced to but because they want to. We can be replaced anytime there is dissatisfaction. That is why there is a challenge system and the Eight Causes for Dethronement.

We stayed in Kira’s room for another hour before we left to check on the wounded Alderians. There were too many of them but thankfully and in some miraculous way, all of them are for sure recovery already.

When I went to meet up with the other leaders, I sent Ivan back home to prepare for our trip. I was the last one to arrive but it was still 10 minutes before the agreed time so it was okay.

I stayed at the back of the line the whole time. Master Adrian Mirovia occasionally fell back to walk with me and started some small conversations but I think he could feel how reluctant I was to talk because he left me alone after hearing too many one to two words responses.

He was trying, I’d give him that.

The Mirovians, Mendelians, and Trovians were especially close to my parents. Master Adrian is even my godfather and he is often in our house but that does not mean I’m close with him.

I am thankful tho because he and his wife has shown steady support and given me as much guidance as I would welcome since the war ended.

When Master Christopher and I’d eyes met, he owed his head to me in acknowledgement that felt different than before.

As soon as we got to the third row of dead bodies, I knew something was wrong and no way did the others not notice it.

“Can you sense that?” Master Adrian asked me, his eyes closed and brows furrowed in concentration with both hands clasped together at his back.

“Yes,” I said and looked at where he was looking.

He abruptly stopped, turned right and walked directly to one body. He placed a hand on top of the corpse’s head but after a few seconds wherein his brows furrowed, his hand fell back to his side. “Can you check if he’s yours?”

I took his position and tried to feel for any remnants of the dead’s energy. I sent my power to search every corner of the body but couldn’t grasp on anything. I tried to pull on its brain and heart but still could not feel anything. The strangest thing tho is that the emptiness inside him is not normal.

“There’s NOTHING inside of him.” I gasped out loud as I opened my eyes.

“This one too.” Master Dimitri called out and point to a body he was standing near too.

“And this.” Master Owen called out next.

Madame Pauline approached us quickly and did an incantation over the body. I noticed Master Marcus Arvanee of the Historians clan quickly scribbling on his tablet.

Madame Pauline gasped for breathe as she stepped back from the body. I reached out to steady her when I saw her knees shake. She mumbled her thanks and walked to the body Master Dimitri pointed then to the one near Master Owen’s.

When she opened her eyes after checking on the last body, there was a dread in them that was not there before.

“There is a void of darkness inside of them.” She said.

We were all confused with what she said.

“What do you mean, Pauline?” It was Master Christopher who asked and approached her.

“I have only ever seen this happen once. During the Battle of the Kai Fortress in Japan, when a Guardian’s soul was sucked by a wraith while she was still alive.”

“What?” We all said at the same time because what she said was not possible.

“How is that possible?” Master Dimitri voiced out what we were all thinking.

I did not even know that there is truth to the rumors wraiths could suck souls.

Wraiths are the bloodthirsty and mindless followers of the Reapers of Ares. They feed on the negative emotions of humans, guardians, and reapers. It makes them stronger and more...solid from their ghost forms. They mostly have human features except for their fingers that are sharper than a hawk’s talons, teeth that’s almost knife-like, and all black eyes that makes them creepy as f**k. However, they are not the wisest creatures. They are only driven by their desire to destroy and kill, not their brains. That’s why it makes them the ideal puppets to Reapers.

There was this myth that was spread during my time in the Academy that wraiths could suck the soul out of a human’s body. No instructor ever confirmed if it was true so I never really believed on it…until today.

“It can happen when a wraith preys upon an unconscious but alive Guardian.” Madame Pauline went on to explain and turned around the head of the dead body to show us a small smoke-like tattoo behind her ear. “We discovered that it leaves a mark like this when a soul is sucked out of one’s body.”

I made a face at the thought because f**k, “So what happens to a body whose soul has been sucked out?”

And when she met my eyes, I felt the coldness seep through me from around the room.

“They slowly turn into wraiths but one that starts off with a solid body until they fade out of existence and they die without the chance of ever going to hell or heaven.”

“Then,” I hear how Master Adrian swallowed as he asked the morbid question. “Where do they go?”

“Nowhere. They really just fade out of existence.”

Oh.