Chapter 16: Starting Point
"You'll advance to the rank of knight in a few months, after the required training. When you're done, you'll have to choose a Vanguard team to work in," Bastian explained from behind his desk as he skimmed through a set of files Ophilia had handed him a minute ago. "Ah, but be careful not to choose one without my input. There's quite a lot of teams that will only hinder your growth in the short and long run. It's all about synergy, you see."
"Wait, what? Just like that?" Arbus muttered in confusion.
"Yes, just like that. Why are you so surprised?"
"Well, like you said, the council is almost never willing to let you get your way. Especially when it comes to me. Earlier, you made it sound like you'd need at least a few more months to convince them."
Bastian leaned back, his fingers casually tapping against his armrest. "You're right, they usually wouldn't. Which is why I decided to gain the upper hand by having a few conversations before the meeting was even held."
Arbus's brow raised, his head tilting to the side slightly. "You... bribed them? Seriously? With what?"
Bastian glanced at Arbus with an indignant expression. "Bribe? I don't remember saying anything like that. It was a simple request for a favor in exchange for a future one. It's not nice of you to use such crude wording before a Sentinel."
Arbus stared at him blankly, not saying anything in response.
"Anyways, they accepted, thankfully. I won't say who, but they'll be more willing to support me in the future whenever you're involved in the conversation. It's hard to go back when you've already thrown your eggs into one basket, y'know?" he said with a pleased smile.
Arbus gave a small smile of his own. "Thank you, Sentinel. I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. I shouldn't have blamed you for my situation when you're only trying to help me."
Bastian finally pulled out the files he felt the best about and displayed them on the desk in front of Arbus. "Don't mention it. Your complaints were valid as well."
Arbus scanned through the images in the folders Bastian showed him. They seemed to be renegade bases of some kind. The region around them was drastically different from each other, so Arbus guessed they were on different planets.
"And, like I told you six years ago, I'm not simply helping you out of a sense of altruism. Just like you, I'm filled with hate for the Second Chance group and their minions. And yet, there's little I can do about it for the foreseeable future unless they come knocking at my doorstep." A self-deprecating smile crossed his lips. "Even then, it seems I was too late to do anything, either."
He sighed, turning back to Arbus. "I'm helping you because I believe in your immense potential."
"Because of my father's ability that I inherited," Arbus said, already knowing what he was referring to.
"Precisely," Bastian confirmed. "A soul ability that powerful is a rarity for most humans, believe it or not. Let alone a half-human."
"You understand why your father was captured all those years ago, right?" Bastian asked with narrowed eyes.
Arbus's expression twisted. "Because he's immortal and the Renegades couldn't kill him."
"That's correct. Someone as powerful as the Emperor himself was present that day on Tarok. Even with his negation, your father managed to get out of the situation alive. That shouldn't have been possible."
Arbus could still remember that day as clearly as yesterday. A day that had started off with his father—Joren Kaelen—taking him hunting again despite his discomfort and making him understand something he referred to as the circle of life, quickly devolved into a nightmare when those first pillars of green smoke rose above the treeline.
His father immediately realized they were coming from Hai, and they both rushed over to the scene of the chaos. Another human was attacking the village like a maniac, the Tarokian warriors at the scene unable to do anything against his power. He was demanding Joren, somehow already knowing he was hiding there.
The look in his father's eyes when he took off his disguise bracelet and gave it to Arbus was something he never forgot.
After that, everything went by in a hazy blur for him. He remembered his father beating the other human, and then multiple Head Commanders descending a few minutes later. He remembered finally losing consciousness when the Emperor himself—the ruler of the entire universe for the past ten thousand years—arrived on Tarok.
When he woke up, his father was gone. Most of the Head Commanders were gone. He heard whispered conversations about him and his family and felt the gazes directed at him. His entire life had changed in one day.
"Your ability is far weaker, just like the Sword Saint's ability was in comparison to his father," Bastian continued. "At least, at the start. When you eventually gain a Heart Shard, I believe the potential synergy between the soul energy within you and the heart energy could lead to wonders."
He gestured to the images. "Now, pick one of the following."
"What are these, exactly?" Arbus asked as he went over them again.
"These are training facilities. You'll be spending the next few months in one of them. So I advise you to pick the one most to your liking."
Arbus's brow furrowed. "Do I really need this, though? I've seen the knights stationed at Terytl-B and can one hundred percent say I'm stronger than most of them were."
"I'm sure Trip's torturous methods gave you more training than you'd need to be a knight. But this is about protocol," Bastian shook his head. "Just one of the many reasons I dislike it. It's so inefficient and so slow."
"I agree," Arbus grumbled. He took another look at the images. One of them was surrounded by lava from all sides.
'Most likely Aka,' he thought, remembering the planet that possessed two different oceans: one water, and the other steaming hot lava that never cooled. 'Pass.'
The second one was Ot, a planet in the Shadora Collection of planets shrouded by eternal darkness, like all the others. An unnatural effect brought on by the two rulers and Head Commanders Bel and Zub. 'Also pass.'
His gaze finally fell on one that caught his interest. The snowstorm planet, Tomber. A planet that fell under the jurisdiction of the deceased Head Commander, Wing. It was currently considered a free planet, mainly due to how undesirable it actually was because of the puppy population.
"How's the facility on Tomber?" Arbus asked as he glanced at Bastian.
"Tomber, huh... Well, that place is a bit complicated. It's a great facility if you're looking for a challenge. But it's also the most dangerous."
"Because of the puppies?"
He nodded. "Their numbers only seem to be increasing at breakneck speeds. At this rate, one of the Head Commanders will need to be dispatched to clean up the place again."
"Well, if it's dangerous, then it's just what I need. If I have to go through this training, then I'd prefer it be on a planet where I can push myself even more," Arbus said.
"...I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Bastian chuckled.
He gathered the files and handed them back to Ophilia, who silently grabbed them and left the room.
"I don't want to bring up the matter we've already discussed in detail prior. You already understand what you have to do," Bastian said with a serious expression. "I'm hoping you can get through this training as quickly as possible. Because we don't have as much time as I thought we did."
Arbus's brows pulled together in a frown. "What happened?"
"It's not something I can discuss with you. Not with the current you, anyway," he sighed, pointing a finger upward. "It's information only shared among the very top brass of the Renegades, you see. Even I can't break that rule."
Arbus's mind raced as he tried to figure out what the Sentinel was trying to tell him without actually telling him anything.
"Don't think about it too deeply for now," Bastian said with a dismissive wave. "I believe that's everything I wanted to discuss with you. I think it's about time you head back."
Both of them glanced towards the study's door as Ophilia silently entered again.
Arbus glanced toward her, then back at Bastian with a complicated expression. "Back to where? I don't have anywhere to go." And there was naturally no chance of him returning to Terytl-B any time soon.
"Your home on KT. I'm sure your master had someone keep it in one piece for you while you were away," Bastian replied.
Arbus's eyes dulled as he thought of the refugee civilization on one of Tarok's moons, KT. It was one of the many places survivors from star systems destroyed by the Reincarnators usually ended up. He had lived there for the past six years with his mentor Trip, his grandfather's closest friend.
He also recalled the refugees on the moon who despised him because of his human appearance.
"In a few weeks, after you're sufficiently prepared and recovered, a transport will arrive to take you directly to Tomber," Bastian continued. "I'd honestly rather send you to one for specialized training, but that would be a whole new can of crawlers to open. And I think I've pushed my luck with the council far enough. Ophilia has already prepared a transport to take you there. Let's meet again after you're done, Arbus."
Arbus remained silent for a few moments, then stood, bowing slightly to Bastian before walking toward the entrance.
Then, he came to a halt as a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He glanced back at Bastian with a complicated expression. "There's one last thing I want to ask you. If you don't mind."
Bastian's brow raised slightly. "Of course, anything."
Arbus considered his words for several moments. "How... are my parents doing?"
Bastian didn't say anything for a while as he stared at Arbus. Eventually, he let out a long sigh. "That's a complicated question," he replied thoughtfully. "Your mother, well, I suppose she's doing fine. She's securely locked up on Tarok as punishment for her deeds. You can thank your grandfather for that. He'd thrown away his pride and knelt before the Emperor for weeks on end with his head bowed, begging for his daughter to be spared so he could keep her imprisoned for the rest of her life."
" That would usually mean nothing to the Emperor," Bastian continued. "Anyone willingly, and sometimes unwillingly, colluding with a Reincarnator is put to death. But for some reason, he felt lenient enough to let her live."
Arbus's gaze trembled as he let out the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding. It felt like a weight he'd been carrying for years had suddenly lifted off his shoulders. No one had told him anything about his mother before today. He hadn't brought it up last time with Bastian because he had been terrified to overstep with a Sentinel despite Bastian's urging. Even his master refused to tell him anything. A sense of genuine relief washed over him.
A moment later, Bastian continued on. "As for your father... Well, no one knows for sure. Usually, any Reincarnator caught would be interrogated and executed. But Joren Kaelen cannot be killed. From the rumors I've gotten through the grapevine, he is most likely being held in the Emperor's castle, far beyond this galaxy, at the borders of the human empire and the free universe.
"It is quite a surprising rumor, considering the Emperor would usually never concern himself with a task like that before. Not when the Pinnacles exist," he added meaningfully. "Still, if that is the case, then he should be doing somewhat fine as well."
Arbus remained still as his gaze grew distant. His love for his father was the most contradictory emotion he'd ever felt. Especially after everything he had been through and seen humans do. He hated humans and the Primordial so much. And yet, at the same time, he wanted his father back with all his heart.
Eventually, Arbus turned to Bastian as he nodded gratefully. "Thank you. For everything, Bastian."
"You're welcome, Arbus." Bastian replied with a smile as he watched Arbus walk out the door with Ophilia guiding him. After he heard the sound of the lift at the very end of the floor, his smile suddenly faded.