Chapter 15 To be Undeniable
The trip back to the HoS was an uncomfortable experience. Between waiting for the Golden Express to come back to the Capital and the silence they shared underneath the cathedral, they were all silently replaying moments from what they saw. From those things regenerating and cloning themselves to Ezekiel's lightning strikes or even to Lin Hua's fighting style...it was something the others would never believe.
Saphy and Ester sat at the edge of the platform, Saphy kicking her legs as she stared at the railway track. Kris stood behind them in his own little world as well, the wind blowing his long hair every which way, a candy stick magically in his mouth. Unfortunately, it was his last one. The third-year student, Eli, fiddled with a gold coin, flipping the Lerian currency in the air as he kicked one leg against the wall. So many questions floated around, yet no one felt like talking.
Before even arriving at the Cathedral, they spotted the last remaining Zero Stars on their way to get their fittings for the Banquet, the fourth floorers. The Express had just left with the third floorers, meaning it would take a while for the express to come back around. Ester swore she spotted Se'raf, and even with her intent staring, they acted like she was a stranger. There were still things she wanted to ask them...but their mysterious nature made their presence terrifying.
Ester stared out to the left side of where the express comes, the moonlight illuminating the massive silhouette of the mountain the HoS was built on. She was still trying to wrap her head around her life. The murder, the imprisonment, the revelation of her freedom, now..? She was staring out a passageway where the majority couldn't even hope to be. Not to say a murderer. She let out a huge sigh, swatting at the hair blowing in her face.
She noticed Saphy open her mouth, pause, then shut it before turning to face her.
"Do you...Do you think Lin Hua was a bit cruel to those things?"
Ester looked at her, puzzled. "...What do you mean?"
Saphy grimaced, weighing Ester's reply against her own. She glanced back at Elijah, who was still fiddling with the coin.
"Uh, Mister Eli," she said. He looked up with a nod. "Could you have taken care of those monsters by yourself?"
He thought about it. "I'm not sure…" he said. "Whether it's one or even a hundred of those things, it wouldn't've made a difference." He shrugged. "But from what you told me, the regenerative aspect would've given me most trouble."
"...So Lin Hua fighting it was the best possible outcome," Kris muttered to himself.
They let the truth hang in the air. Until Saphy's eyes lit up.
"Wait...So who would win out of the two of you?" she asked eagerly. "You're both third years, right?"
Eli smirked, turning his head away as soon as he heard the question.
"In terms of raw power...?" he said. "She wouldn't even come close to beating me."
"...What about her Flo beast conjure, Utahime?" Kris turned to face him.
"Then I lose." He sighed. "But...the match would be over way before that."
For Ester, it was hard to believe what she was hearing. To her, Lin Hua stood on a mountain peak that seemed almost impossible to reach. From the aura to the power she displayed. She craved it all. The way Elijah talked...it was as if he didn't even consider her as a "threat." As if he, too, stood on a mountain peak, one that completely dwarfed hers.
"...With or without your dragon?" Ester muttered to herself.
Hearing this, he burst out laughing, finding her question hilarious, filling the station with his bellows. Ester's cheeks flushed.
"My-My dragon would be overkill!" He wiped his eye. "I wasn't even thinking of fighting with him."
Ester didn't have a response. Even though she felt Lin Hua demonstrated unimaginable ability, this guy, Elijah, had an air to him. She couldn't even deny his claims as she had never seen him fight. But something told her to believe what he was saying. Kris was lost in thought, pondering, his arms crossed, the candy stick swishing around his mouth.
"...Your Flo beast...it's contracted?" Kris asked.
He turned to face him with a quick nod. "S'right," he said. "Known Kilisk since he was a hatchling...since I was a kid."
"You could conjure a Flo beast since you were a kid?!" Saphy swivelled her body.
"What? No…" Elijah scoffed, putting a hand on his head. "Y'know there's different types of Flo beast bonds right?"
Saphy and Ester exchanged a look and Kris just nodded. "Synchrites manipulate an invisible mist of energy, Flo," He paused. "Sometimes Flo can condense itself so much, it forms these things, pure Flo born creatures. And from that Synchrites are able to bond with those creatures."
"Oh…" Saphy continued, turning back to him. "...And you have one of those?"
Eli nodded thoughtfully. "I guess you could say he was a gift."
Ester turned her gaze toward him, a thought burning in her head. A gift? She knew that in Geneeva, Flo beasts were sometimes sold and traded...but it was a luxury only reserved for the super wealthy. It also dawned on her, his accent. A mix between eloquent and condescending.
"...You're from Leria," Ester said.
He paused before turning to her, the gold coin still twiddling in his fingers. "What gave it away?" She didn't answer.
"Can a Synchrite have both types of Flo beast bonds?" Saphy asked, raising her hand and looking around at whoever would answer her question.
"That's impossible," Kris glanced back at Eli. "...Isn't it?"
"Nah, it's possible," he snorted. "Cos my auntie can."
The Zero Stars couldn't tell if he was being serious or telling a terrible joke.
"…Auntie?" they repeated.
"Don't tell me you haven't seen her…" Eli sighed. "She's an Instructor."
Their eyes widened at the sudden revelation.
"Your auntie is Instructor Lillia?!" Saphy repeated.
He shrugged, leaving them all in shock...Except for Kris, who just seemed to accept it easier than Saphy and Ester, like something made sense.
"She has three to be precise."
"THREE?!" Now even Kris lost his composure.
"I've never heard of Synchrites having more than one Flo beast...but Three? That's…"
"Yeah…" He chuckled. "She's terrifying."
They let the sudden revelation fill the silence, the night sky occasionally allowing a cool breeze to wander into the underground station, until they heard the wail in the distance. They turned toward the sound and saw a silhouette emerge from the clouds. The Golden Express had arrived.
Ester sat staring out of the Express's window, barely able to make out shapes and outlines of the scenery behind the glass. It had taken only two trips with the Express and it was already her favourite perk of being a Synchrite...that or the HoS library. Saphy sat across from Ester, watching the clouds as she listlessly twiddled with her coat sleeves. Kris sat next to Ester on the booth, tapping his finger methodically on the table, the bronze glow of a Flo lamp illuminating above them. Eli sat in a separate booth, one in front of them, both arms spread across it in a relaxed fashion.
"Mmm," Saphy let out a deep stretch. "I'm kinda bored…" She turned to face Kris. "Hey Kris...do you still have your playing cards?"
Kris appeared not to hear her, still deep in his own world. He remained oblivious. "...Kris?" Still nothing. Saphy glanced from him to Ester with a confused, worried look. Even Eli slightly cocked his head. Ever since Ezekiel's sacrifice, he had been acting different...or was this how he truly was? Ester nudged him and he jolted, looking at her with a surprised expression until she gestured to Saphy.
"...Do you still have your playing cards?"
His eyes narrowed as he scrambled in his interior coat pocket. "Here." He pulled out the cards, which were in a small rectangular box. "But why?"
Saphy smiled, turning her head. "Mister Eli?" She said. He responded with a grunt. "Would you like to play a card game with us?"
He thought about it. "...Sure, why not." He waved from his side of the booth.
"Let's continue where we left off," she said. Eli turned around and propped himself so he could watch. Kris shuffled the deck and they all picked a card. 1- Ester, 5- Saphy, 6-Kris, and 9-Eli.
"Okay," he sighed, one hand on his chin. "What would you like to know?"
Almost immediately, Saphy's hand shot in the air. "Ooh! Ooh!" She was practically shaking. He gestured for her to go ahead. "Why is your hair blue?"
Ester was surprised. She didn't even think of that question. While it was strange, Ester didn't really pursue the reasoning...not until Saphy brought it up again. She was interested to hear his answer.
He tilted his head up, a sign he was thinking. "...Some Synchrites are able to manipulate the Flo around their bodies to enhance or change their physical properties." He ran a hand across his hair. "This can also be applied to hair colour."
Now things were interesting. Ester didn't know that. Saphy didn't. And Kris… still appeared not to be paying attention. From summoning beasts to restoring people to now even changing your hair colour...Ester couldn't help but smile at the thought. She looked up and found Saphy looking at her, apprehension in her eyes. Ester tried her best to wipe her face clean...maybe it was too late. She quickly glanced at Elijah.
"Is it hard to do?" Ester asked.
"Hmmm...not really," he said. "Just gotta know the basics...something you'll learn in the upcoming week."
The upcoming week couldn't come sooner. For some reason, Ester could hardly wait. They picked again.
"Three!" Saphy said.
"One..."Eli said.
"Two," Ester continued. They all looked at Kris, who stared at the card yet seemed to be looking right past it. Saphy snapped her fingers.
"Eirth to Kris!" He jolted, looking back at the card. "N-nine!"
They all looked at each other.
"You good over there, chief?" Eli nodded to him. Kris just put his head down and slowly nodded. Ester looked at Saphy and she gave her a shrug.
"Kris…" she said. "What is Ezekiel to you?"
The question had been swimming in Ester's mind this whole time. Kris always seemed like the more mature one between the both of them, the same monotone expression he wore since Saphy and Ester first met them. Until he saw Ezekiel...die. Kris thought about the question and wore a soft smile, as if reminiscing.
"He's my saviour." He admitted. "If not for him...I would've died like a dog…"
They waited for him to say more but Kris appeared in a reminiscent trance, staring at nothing. The cry of the Golden Express cut through the seemingly weird silence, and the holler of the conductor, an indication that they had arrived back in the "Holy lands."
"…This kid's weird, yo," Eli muttered. It probably didn't even matter, Kris probably didn't even hear him, yet the comment left a strange taste in Ester's mind. Was he wrong for acting the way he did after seeing his friend...his supposed saviour, die in front of him? She glanced at the worried Saphy. If that was her...if her friend, someone who accepted her, died, what would she do? She shook her head, trying to banish the thought. Wasn't this the reason why she wanted strength? So something like that would never happen again? To be strong enough so that no one could ever threaten her again.
To be Undeniable, she thought to herself as she stepped off the Golden Express.
They were led back through the cut and toward the gate, where another student, most likely a third year, stood guarding. She yawned, nodded to herself, then glanced in their direction. Her eyes lit up. Ester caught her breath. It was hard to imagine someone more beautiful than Lin Hua, but she was. Mature, with curly ginger hair, strands that tinted blonde. She had the kind of figure that made people stare, curves she clearly knew how to use. Maybe that was why Eli wore such a deep scowl when their eyes met. One hand in his pocket, the other scratching the back of his neck, he averted eye contact almost immediately. Yet her eyes lingered, her smile confident and playful.
Barely any words were spoken except Elijah's deep sigh as they passed her. For the rest of the Zero Stars, she gave them a smile warm enough to make their hearts skip.
"...She's gorgeous!" Saphy exclaimed, glancing back wide-eyed. "Is she a third year as well?"
Eli took a while to answer her question. "Vanessa Loqharte. One of the strongest students in the HoS."
Ester perked up. Beauty was one thing, but she was also one of the strongest? Even stronger than Lin Hua?
"Really?" she said, looking back. "What can she d-"
"We're almost there," Eli interrupted, his voice firm and irritated. Ester exchanged a look with Saphy as they silently followed. They could see the torches sputtering in the distance, lining the great steps.
Before they were able to get into the main building, they heard a cry of a familiar creature overhead.
With a THUD, Kilisk the iron dragon landed, a terrifying menace in the darkness. Even though the Zero Stars had seen him before, they still edged away. Eli just walked over and rubbed its chin. The dragon cooed softly.
"You did good," he whispered, stroking the terrifying beast gently. He turned to the Zero Stars. "Alright, you guys can go eat if you're hungry," he said. "But you should all be back in your dorms before midnight. Tomorrow is a busy day….A morning assembly and then a banquet…" He smiled. "How fun."
He turned to leave with Kilisk before Kris spoke up. "Uhm." Eli stopped and turned around. "Can I go see him?"
Eli let out a soft sigh and then the slightest semblance of a smile. "...Tomorrow." Kris understood, giving a slow, understanding nod. Saphy squeezed his arm. "Also...you will all probably have to write a statement at some point...so heads up."
"T-thank you!" Saphy called as he left. He just raised his hand. Ester couldn't help but quietly wave him off, even though he would never see it. Somehow, she felt she could trust him.
She turned to Kris and Saphy. "...What do we do now?"
Saphy grabbed both their hands. "We eat." She declared. "I'm starving, Kris needs a distraction, and you…" her eyes softened. "You need one as well…"
Ester wanted to protest. But Saphy was right. She was always right about these things.
Ester barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it. The marketplace. The regenerating monsters. Ezekiel's lightning. Lin Hua's massacre. The way power looked. Her mind raced.
Morning came and they were rushed to the dining hall, where they groggily ate their breakfast. Ester was so tired she didn't even notice her bedhead until Saphy sheepishly pointed it out. Kris joined them, deep bags under his eyes, his words slow and heavy.
After breakfast they were given a quick assembly by Markos. He talked about the Banquet and how it would begin in the evening, about behaviour and how their suits and dresses would be arriving later in the day. Someone asked about the incident in the marketplace. He said something about it being mentioned at the Banquet, but it was such a blur, Ester was fighting the urge not to fall asleep. They were dismissed and told they could do whatever they wanted until later in the day.
Kris was the first to leave, saying he was going to visit Zeek. They offered to join him, but he shook his head, they might not even be allowed in. Saphy pulled him into a hug. "Make sure he doesn't miss the Banquet," she whispered. He let out a playful smirk before heading to the medical wing of the HoS. Then it was just the two of them. Ester suggested something that even surprised Saphy. "Wanna go for a run?"
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"Wait…" I accidentally blurted out, interrupting her. I apologised, forgetting she didn't like being interrupted, until she accepted it. "...You suggesting to go for a run seems a bit…?"
"Random?" she offered. "Hm...Perhaps...but I wanted to rouse myself."
I paused when she said this. She could've just as easily gone back to sleep, right? Since they could do whatever they wanted till the afternoon. "...Is that really the only reason?"
She turned her head toward me as she sat on her stone. Her veil rippled and pulsed, her true emotions hidden behind a poker face. I gulped.
"...I suppose not," she finally said.
"What happened after?"
"Everything leading to the Banquet is a haze," she replied. "From the run, to the baths, even my attempts to teach Saphy the fundamentals of reading…" Her voice wavered. "Had it not been for you...these memories...those small moments...I fear I would have forgotten..."
I stifled a choke in my throat. Wishing to be undeniable...then ending up in a place like this for over four hundred years? Nothing but her thoughts and this cave to keep her company...You're too cruel, fate, I thought to myself. I made silent resolve there and then, I would free her from this prison. Somehow I would.
"I'm sure you remember your Banquet dress, right?" I tried.
Her poker face cracked, a soft smile forming under the veil. "A black fitted top over a full skirt with fitted sleeves…" she reminisced. "It was quite lovely."
"I'm sure you gathered all the attention there…" I chuckled.
She paused, smiling even more now, as if she knew something I didn't. "At that time, I had no wish to be seen," she snorted. "Fortunately for me, Arthur claimed most eyes."
I leaned closer, my brow furrowing. "Arthur Ren...he was there..? You finally met him?"
"He was there," she replied. "Along with his cousin, Lucius."