...Chapter One: Stains On the Family Tree...
My tiny bare feet pattered in the dirt, a smudge on my cheek and my white dress fluttering about my knees. A laugh left me as the wind whipped through my hair, blowing the reddish-blonde strands out like a halo and almost untying the white ribbon bow on top of my head. I was only seven, and childish innocence was my friend. I giggled again as I skidded to a stop to pluck a sprig of freesia from a planter. My mother's favorite. That done, I began to run through the gardens again, the flowers held close to my chest and a bright smile on my face, a twinkle in my eyes.
The wind died down a bit and I could hear the water falling into the fountains around me. I left the dirt and found a stone paved path leading to the front of the manor. It was summer in the crown city, and the air was filled with the sounds of the nearby sea and people on the streets talking and laughing. I followed the path, well known to me, to the back door, open to allow in the fresh air.
I was probably leaving dirty footprints on the marble floor of the main level of my family's manor, but the thought didn't bother my young mind. Instead, I giggled again as I passed a rather indignant maid. "Azrael, where are your shoes?" she called after me, but I just sped up until I was in the foyer. My father was exiting the front door, his hands folded behind his back.
"Papa!" I yelled, following him outside again. He didn't turn around, and I slowed as I heard a car door slam. Confused, I looked around the door frame, gasping at the sight. My mother sat in the family's convertible, glaring at my father. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into a severe chignon, and her heart-shaped face, normally stunning, was twisted into a grimace as my father approached. A servant was loading bags into the back, and I recognized the luggage as my mother's.
My father still stood on the steps, and I timidly asked, "Papa? What's going on? When's Mama coming back?" I jumped as the trunk of the car closed with a metallic slam.
"She's not," he stated, turning on his heel and striding back into the manor without a glance my way.
I gasped again, this time in fear, and began running to the car, just as it began to turn out to the street. The freesia fell out of my grasp, and I tripped over my own feet as tears sprung into my eyes. I could feel the skin on my knees split, and that added onto the pain I was in as I watched the license plate disappear. I struggled for air through my crying, and sat helpless on the driveway. I could hear the click of heels nearing, and glanced up at my sisters, Adelia and Adelphia, the twins. They were three years older, smart, beautiful, and well-mannered. Everything a noble family could want of its daughters, and the exact opposite of me.
"I hope you know it's your fault," said Adelia, a cruel smile on her face. So much like our mother's.
"If only you had been a boy," continued Adelphia, an equally malicious, taunting smirk marring her delicate features.
"Wh-what? No!" I yelled, stumbling to my feet. They kept smiling, and their faces became more and more cruel. "No!"
"No!" I yelled, a loud thump going through the spacious room as I fell to the floor in a tangle of sheets. I groaned and used the edge of the bed to pull myself to my feet, rubbing the last images of the nightmare away with the traces of sleep. My feet stuck to the floor as I walked to the bathroom. Why my ancestors choose stone and hardwood for all the rooms in the manor, I would never know. Why my parents chose to keep it was equally baffling.
My eyes fell on the black and grey uniform waiting for me on a stand near my bathroom door, and I snorted. Today was the beginning of the end of my life; the final trials to enter the advanced courses of the Lucis military academy. I pushed the cream-painted door open, then stretched my arms over my head to loosen my tense back and shoulders. My gaze then fell on the mirror, and my reflection. I stepped up to the vanity, leaning my whole weight on it as I studied myself.
A heart-shaped face, pale green eyes, high cheek bones, a long and thin nose with a rounded end, a narrow chin, and a cupid's bow mouth, all surrounded by a shock of shoulder length, curly strawberry blonde hair. I might have been cute, pretty maybe, if it wasn't for my nose being too thin for how long it was, the smattering of freckles across it and my cheeks, and the too defined widow's peak. I had my mother's bone structure, but my father's features, and it was an odd mix. And I wasn't very tall, and had more muscle than a sixteen year old lady should.
Oh, well. Screw the world, I liked how I looked. Shrugging, I smiled and tugged off my nightclothes, turning the shower to the right temperature and stepping in. I didn't take long, and toweled off as fast as possible before putting on my uniform. Loose black pants with ties at the knees, a grey tank top and black jacket that only went to my sternum, and had ties at the elbows before flaring out to allow my hands full movement. The sleeves ended about an inch and a half before my wrists. And finally, the black riding-style boots laced up to my knees. I'd get my utility belt and weapons at the academy, since students below silver level (I was still bronze) weren't allowed to take anything deadlier than a dull pencil home.
Laughing at my own joke, I hurried to brush my mess of hair while it was still wet and manageable. I'd heard from some of my friends that hair wasn't normally like that, but mine was easier to style while it was weighed down by water. Nodding to my reflection, I finally pushed open my bedroom door, smiling and waving to the maid passing my door on her way to Adelphia's room.
"Good morning, Miss Azrael! Excited for today?" she asked, smiling back.
I laughed as I started down the spiral staircase, "More than I can explain!" She laughed as well, and I was left with the sound of my boot heels on the metal stairs. Sunlight filtered in through soaring floor-to-ceiling window, the top of which were stained glass, and it sparkled off the crystal chandeliers and silver picture frames, most of which held paintings as old as the house, somehow kept in good condition and the images were still clear.
I jogged through the lowest level to the dining hall, as resplendent as the rest of the house. Unlike much of Insomnia, the D'Agostino estate was in pale cream and white. I slowed as I saw my father sitting at the head of the overly long dining table that could easily seat twenty people. And it used to, before my family began to have mostly girls. No, don't think about that, Azrael. Don't drive yourself insane with guilt. I shook my head and forced a smile on my face.
"Good morning, father. I hope you slept well," I said with a bow of my head.
"Hmph." I flinched at his disinterested tone. "I see you're ready for the trials." Of course that's all he's interested in. I must keep the family tradition, after all.
"Of course, father." I felt my smile fall as I pulled out my designated spot, the farthest from my father, and sat down. I said nothing more as my sisters, chatting happily in their twin-speak, stepped through the entry way. My fists clenched when my father stood and walked over to them, embracing them both. And of course they got to wear full length skirts and fancy jewelry.
"My darlings!" he crowed, leading them past me and to their seat, one on either side of him. "Come, you must tell me about your schedule for today, I want to be at all of your debates."
"Yes, daddy!" they sang in unison, the servants running to pull out and push in their chairs for them. I cleared my throat and wrung my hands as I worked up the courage to speak again.
"Uh, father?" I flinched again when his icy green eyes snapped over to me. "My testing begins at twelve thirty. I was... Hoping you could be there?"
His glare lessened for a moment, and I sat straighter with hope budding in my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Your sister's have priority today."
All energy left me, and I slumped against the high back of my chair. "Right. How could I forget?" I asked no one, and I looked back up just in time to catch Adelia's sympathetic frown. Adelphia was glaring at our father.
"Actually, daddy, that's our lunch break, and we were planning on peaking in on the trials," Adelia began.
"And we heard Julianus was going to be there as a judge," Adelphia finished, as always. I smiled at them gratefully, and they smiled back. They looked so much like our mother with their platinum blonde hair pulled into high buns it was painful. And the memory of them blaming me for her leaving in my nightmare was still fresh. I glanced back down at my hands to fight the tears forming again.
But the mention of my cousin got my father's attention. Julianus was the pride and joy of our family at the moment, and had recently been promoted to the Infiltration Squadron, second only to the palace guard. Staggering for a low-ranking house like ours, and what I had to aim for in order to be seen as worth the family name.
"Well... If you insist." My father looked like this was the very last thing he wanted to do, but if it was for his darling daughters and to see his nephew, he'd probably agree to go cliff-diving.
Some time later, I ran through the crowds of students in the underbelly of the coliseum. The ceiling soared high above us, supported by columns and arches, and the floor were scuffed marble. All students were wearing similar uniforms as me. Our uniforms were tailored to our skill set, and it was easy to pick out who did what by the modifications. Mages wore suits if they were male, and blazers and pencil skirts if female. Mages were always kept out of the front lines, so they were judged on magic ability alone. Summoners wore similar t-shirts and jeans. Hand-to-hand combatants wore fingerless gloves, high-necked shirts, and somewhat loose cargo pants.
Then there were the sword wielders like me. I used a mix of a broadsword and throwing knives, but since there wasn't a class for them specifically, I was lumped with them. As I found my place in line, a murmur of excitement drew my eyes to the entryway I had just passed through, and the sight that met me nearly made me trip over my own feet. My cousin was walking through the arched door. Tall, pale blond hair, acid green eyes, and in armor. He was hard to miss, but it was who he followed that made my heart skip a beat.
The royal family had come to watch.
Great.
"Right this way, Your Majesty, Your Highness." Julianus bowed slightly as they passed, followed closely by three teens and a smattering of guards. "And friends," he joked as the prince's friends passed him, and Prompto and Gladiolus smiled at him. Ignis remained professional, which was difficult for an eighteen year old. But he was the oldest of the group and had to act it, especially with the normal antics of the blond gunner.
"Heya, Julianus. Whatcha been up to?" asked said blond gunner as they trailed behind the royals. The prince, Noctis, glanced back once with a polite nod of acknowledgment.
"Eh, not much." Julianus smiled warmly at the younger teens. "Just helping my younger cousin prep for the trails."
"D'Agostino, you know that's against the laws of the trials," snapped his superior officer. She glared at him with her arms crossed and he could swear her hair was curling in a wind that had not been there before.
"Yes, ma'am, I am well aware. But can you tell me, looking me in the eyes, that those here from higher ranking houses than my own haven't had private tutors for years?" The superior officer, Bellona Nerio, floundered for words for a moment, then went back to glaring at Julianus. They finally neared the instructors, who were chatting in whispers. Their conversation went silent when they saw who accompanied Julianus and Bellona. "Besides, ma'am, she's only had about two months of private teaching. And I can tell you she could be one of the best this country has seen."
"I'll take your word for it," Bellona said drily, then called to the students, making many of them flinch, "Welcome! I would hope you all know at least who I am, and what division I work for, so I won't waste your time with introductions. I would also hope you know what today entails. We wish you luck."
"Thank you, ma'am," said one of the instructors, flipping the cover sheet off a clipboard, on which the names and ranks of all the students was written on. "We will begin in reverse alphabetical order." And so it began. A name would be called, a student stepped forward and bowed, their ranking was read, and they would return to line. It was tedious and boring, and Julianus struggled to not roll his eyes. Some things never changed, and this had been the same system used when he had been in school nearly four years ago.
And after what seemed like hours, a familiar name was called, and he perked up. "D'Agostino, Azrael!" His little cousin stepped forward from near the back of the crowd of students, and her belt jingled slightly from the four daggers on it, two on each hip. A sword was strapped to her back, with the hilt over her left shoulder, and thin silver chains glimmered at her wrists.
As she neared the front, a round of snickers filled the room. "She's so tiny!" said one of the hand-to-hand students.
"How did she even make it this far?" a mage asked her neighbor.
Julianus chuckled, as did a few of the sword wielding students, drawing the confused gazes of most of the students. The male instructor continued with an exasperated tone, "D'Agostino, Azrael, sixteen. Bronze class, sword wielder with electric based powers. Tier," and here he faltered again, staring confusedly at the chart. The muttering of the students picked up again, this time quickly dying away. The instructor cleared his throat and finished, "Tier zero."
A general chorus of "What?" filled the space, and Azrael's lip curled in annoyance. Looking to Julianus' group near the door, she bowed again, deeper this time, and turned on her heel to return to her place in line. The other students cleared a path for her, staring in astonishment. How could a girl who was only sixteen and no more than 5'4" be a tier zero?
"Keep an eye on her," the king whispered to Bellona, to which she nodded silently, her expression one of extreme concentration. The king waved to his guards and began to walk back to the doorway, no doubt to the royal box at the top of the coliseum. Before they could get there, another name was called, and the sounds of metal scraping stone bounced of the walls. Two voices shouted at each other, and the royal party turned back to see the two instructors running towards two male students as the rest of the class backed away in fear.
Before the instructors could reach the brawling students, a crackle of ozone filled the air, and one of them was on the ground, nursing a bloody nose. The other still standing had a split lip, and he stared at a small hand just barely held three inches from his face, the rings on the pointer and ring finger sparking and arcing with electricity.
"Get back in line, Marcus. You can't afford another infraction," Azrael said, her jade-colored eyes like chips of ice. The named student stared at her fist, then back away slowly, picking up his dropped sword and re-sheathing it before finding his place again. Azrael did the same.
The king smiled, laughing before saying, "Keep a very close eye on her."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Bellona agreed, smiling for the first time. Julianus couldn't fight his own grin, and he waved goodbye to the four teens as he jogged over to the instructors. "Good day, Instructor Caito, Instructor Donati." They both rolled their eyes at him.
"You're late," said Donati, her tone one of annoyance.
"Something came up." Julianus laughed at her expression. She got annoyed too easily.
"There always is," Caito sighed in resignation, already used to the older D'Agostino's antics. He quickly finished up the roll, then turned to the other two, "Well, let's get this show rolling, huh?"
Thank you all for reading this far. I swear this is only the tip of the iceberg, and that the canon characters will show up more and more as time goes on. If you have any questions, please message me or leave it in a review. Azrael's complete profile is available on my Tumblr, to which there is a link on my profile. It's a role play blog, but I will answer any questions you have for me there as well.
Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I claim to own any part of the Final Fantasy series.