NOVEL SIMPLE B1 | Intermission 2
Back in the Val Planetary Council Chamber
Right when Ashley left
The White Enforcer falls to her knees after seeing her daughter’s booth disappear. Likely implying that she’s left the council chamber.
And she’s not the only one as she barely sees her husband coming to a slow stop before falling to his knees as well. Not having even reached the booth yet.
Both of them ignore the other council members as they feel their emotions flooding them.
None… none of this should’ve happened…
Catherine Sinclair has always had one plan in mind. Ever since they had their first children. No, even before that.
Her main plan, her endgame result, was to build a world where her and her husband’s children could be safe. And she felt assured of that plan when their first child was born with her own ability.
But when their second child, one born in a pair of twins, was born without any ability?
Things changed.
She saw her plan, her goal moving further and further away from her grasp. From her reach.
So she started working even harder towards that goal.
And harder.
And harder. To the degree that she began to lose sight of herself.
They became so focused on growing their power, their family, and their position, that they forgot to actually spend time with their family.
Forgot to be a family.
They pushed their children to the brink without realizing it.
And there’s nothing Catherine regrets more.
She raises her head to see the other council members all looking confused at her and her husband, both of whom are on their knees near but not at where their daughter’s booth was. But then they quickly go to other booths to avoid them, as they always do when it comes to their family relationships.
Catherine turns her gaze towards her other children.
Blake, who was always with Ashley no matter where they were. The two of them practically tied at the hip, always protecting each other. Even wearing the same things and having matching hairstyles all the way through the first few years of elementary school. Until he could no longer get away with it.
An act that Catherine and her husband later realized was Blake’s attempt to make it difficult for them to realize which one was which.
To realize which one had no ability.
Because he believed they hated her for that fact.
Then there’s Elizabeth, who Catherine made the second largest regretful choice of her life towards. When she tried to train her as well as she could to make her powerful enough that no one would ever be able to touch her.
And Seth, who Elizabeth took away, believing Sebastian would make the same mistake Catherine once did.
So many regrets.
Catherine looks down at her hands, away from her children who are all grouping together and talking with other council members.
Yet no way to undo them…
Back in the Val Planetary Council Chamber
While Ashley is inside of the Official System Event
“-and with the new technology within the Spires, I’m sure we can further grow the capital’s influence within the Valanth,” one of the bottom layer Spire Lords says to Blake and his siblings as the three each focus on different Spire Lords and Ladies.
“You’re right about that, but we also need to be wary of Gates appearing outside of cities,” Blake says without a hint of hesitation as he holds his hands leisurely in his pockets and narrows his eyes at the Lord. “Otherwise these Gates will break, and our world will end up flooded with a monster problem.”
“Of course, Successor Blake,” the Lord says, giving a slight nod of his head in respect for Blake’s words. No doubt a sense of false respect, because Blake knows that several of these Lords and Ladies simply care about their own territory and no one else’s. “I will excuse myself now.”
Blake barely takes notice of his leave, instead glancing at his parents. Both of whom have recovered by now and are also discussing with others. Their little masks of calm having returned to their places by now.
“Sickening, isn’t it?” Liz says, making Blake turn to his older sister by four years. Although at this point she looks around eight years older than him in terms of appearance, simply because of his Successorship. “How fast they return to their usual cold mask.”
“Don’t know,” Blake says, not bothering with sending another look to his so-called parents. “I’d have to care about them to feel sickened by it.”
“It’s best to just ignore them,” Seth says while turning to the two with his hands placed on his hips. “Life is easier that way.”
Blake opens his System Hub menu and navigates to the spectating section, only to look at his follow list and find his twin in an event. A sight that makes a smile bloom on his face.
“Something happen with Ashley?” Elizabeth asks, making him glance up at her in surprise. “You only smile when something related to her just happened.”
He looks back down at the screen as he answers, “She’s in her tenth Official System Event right now.”
“Oh, really?” his eldest sister mutters before he sees her opening up her own menus. And she’s not the only one as his younger brother does the same.
Then they all watch as she faces off against a woman with water magic.
The first thing the woman does is cover the entire battlefield in water, soaking everything including the two of them. No doubt in an attempt to nullify Ashley’s lightning magic, since if she used it now, she’d be electrocuting herself as well.
After that, the woman proceeds to form bullets of water that she sends straight at Ashley.
But the three siblings just watch as Ashley wordlessly and without any emotions visible in her gaze uses a fire spell that heats up her body and clothes at a rapid pace to near-instantly dry them off while she flies off the ground. Then she follows it up with a barrier of lightning, shocking many of those watching due to the unexpected rune, before following it up with a blast of lightning that flies all around her and latches onto the soaked platform she is no longer on.
Riding straight up to and frying the woman standing on it.
“She’s grown strong,” Blake says, a smile ever present on his face. Meanwhile the three siblings walk over to Blake’s booth before turning on the privacy shield to make it so that no one can interrupt them. “So much stronger.”
“Yeah,” Liz says, sounding like she’s nearly crying. But Blake doesn’t look away from the screen, even as his twin sister is teleported back to her own platform.
None of them say anything about what they’re witnessing. About Ashley using powers despite supposedly not having an ability.
Because they all know it’s not for them to speak about.
It’s Ashley’s secrets. Not theirs.
Although Blake already has a pretty good idea of what her skill is, simply because of Etheria’s meddling.
“Is that what you call a teacher trying to help her student rekindle his bond with his twin sister?” Etheria’s voice echoes in his head, making him narrow his eyes ever so slightly.
Says the person who didn’t even realize she was my twin until a few hours ago, when Chaos threw it in your face.
His teacher, or rather, Primordial, doesn’t say anything for several seconds before muttering, “Do you treat all of your teachers this way?”
Only meddling ones.
The Primordial of Magic doesn’t say anything in return, meanwhile Blake’s focus quickly zeroes in on the screen again when Ashley returns to the battlefield for the second time in a row. Although whether it’s because she was challenged or she challenged someone else, he isn’t sure.
He understands the trouble she’s having though either way. Since he’s also a Successor, making people target him nearly as much as they target her.
On that note, he glances at the number in the corner of his interface showcasing his total followers. A number in the six digits, which is far higher than anyone else he knows.
Other than most likely his twin sister.
He glances at the other side of the top layer of the chamber, where the Successor of Order is discussing matters with other council members.
And him.
He returns his focus to the screen again when a loud cry of pain echoes from it. And what he finds is the opponent facing Ashley this time having been impaled by her feathers without being able to do much in return. No doubt not having expected that attack.
Just like the man who she killed in the meeting earlier.
“She’s changed so much…” Liz mutters, but Blake doesn’t say a word.
She really hasn’t changed at all. You just didn’t know her enough to realize.
If Blake’s being honest with himself, he was surprised when she left her booth and killed the man. Not only because it revealed one of her skills she was no doubt hiding – which is likely why she’s not hiding it anymore, since it’s already been revealed – but because the man in question was a top enforcer. His root skill let him create storms filled with lightning and ice that were powerful enough to destroy a building. Albeit also draining on mana.
“She only succeeded as she did because she caught him off guard,” Etheria agrees.
Blake continues watching the livestream as his twin is teleported back to her platform, leaving all of the other participants shocked once more.
A reaction that Blake is pretty sure has become commonplace amongst Ashley’s events.
Especially with her constantly showing new powers.
I wonder how much longer she’ll be able to hide her skill?