So, this is a rather unusual AU. The basic premise is: What if the power of the Society of Light had a much larger scope than it did in the anime?
This won't be a long fic. 3-4 chapters at the most. And since this takes place in America, the dub names are used for the sake of consistency.
Let's see how this goes.
~~~HERESY OF THE HIEROPHANT~~~
Part I~Strength of Temperance
At exactly midnight Eastern time, all television screens across the nation tuned into one channel. The results of the election were hardly surprising, for over ninety percent of the population had expressed their desire to see Sartorius Kumar return to office. It was at midnight, that the National Choir began their broadcasted hymn, "Ode to the Light." The monotony of their words of white purity reached the ears of every person listening to the recording.
"And once again, Sartorius, the Lord of the Light himself has once again enthralled the hearts of the American population!" declared the reporter, smiling and gesticulating in an overenthusiastic manner. Her white blazer and skirt ensemble seemed to unnaturally sparkle.
"Honestly, we could expect nothing less from the man who completely changed the nation by storm," the commentator beside her pointed out, dressed in an identical outfit to her coworker. "It's been nearly a decade since he stepped into office, and he's managed to increase the quality of life in America by over 150%!"
"If only everyone in the country could open their eyes and marvel at this man's accomplishments."
"Oh don't worry about it, Jasmine! It's only a matter of time before those unfortunate beings finally see the Light-"
*CLICK*
Watching too much news tends to become irritating, he decided. He got up from his couch and made his way over to his shelf of various CD's and DVD's. He rummaged through his collection in concentration, trying to find something interesting to watch. Even though it was nearly pitch black in his apartment after he had switched off the TV, he could still recognize the cases of the discs simply by touching them. He considered it to be his sixth sense; the fact that the majority of his collection was porn notwithstanding.
He settled with some dusty old video tucked in the corner of the shelf. He sighed in resignation when he made out the title. It wasn't as if he expected something new to appear. After all, it was pretty difficult to find good porn these days, considering it had been made illegal. Such 'sordid acts' were considered to be an 'obstruction' to the way of the Light and therefore a 'vessel for darkness and debauchery'. Well,the last part held a slight grain of truth to it. Still, he was confused as to how x-rated entertainment obstructed the government(if anything, he imagined it gave them incentive to get the job done).
As he inserted the feature into his VCR(yes, the video was that old, since few people wished to produce it illegally, even if they had the opportunity to make an ample amount of money), his thoughts glazed over to his sister. Alexis was undoubtedly toasting Sartorius and his greatness at the victory party along with his other close followers. He heard she had given a speech earlier today regarding his campaign, he didn't even bother watching. It hurt too much to witness his sister acting like a sycophantic zombie.
No, Atticus reminded himself: it wasn't really his sister anymore. The girl whom he knew and loved was lost, to put it mildly. He stared at the TV screen absentmindedly. The plotless sex failed to relax him. It all became pointless. Bodies gyrating against one another, the sweet sounds of love emitting from their lips, all of it was fake. Fake, just like the sincerity of the government. Fake like Alexis had become.
In a sudden burst of anger, Atticus slammed down the remote, the living room becoming shrouded in darkness once more. As always, the love felt stale and unsatisfying. What was the world coming to?
~~~SCENE~~~
She found herself at the edge of the lake; it became a regular occurrence as of recently. A nighttime breeze wafted through the air, yet the scenery passed for dawn rather than dusk. The white sky illuminated the area, but strangely there was no sun, as if the light lacked a source. Rather, it was a part of a void.
She gazed upon her reflection. Evidently the water was quite clean, since everything looked so clear. The water was like glass with the clarity it possessed. She always liked that about this lake. She relished the transparency, everything was so obvious and sincere. She had no reason to fear dark secrets lurking underneath.
Then, the lake took on a new form. Suddenly she couldn't make out her face, the water contorted itself into a disgusting slime. The darkness swirled in pools beneath her, taking on a life of its own. She tried to move away, but something blocked her, freezing her body into place. A strange feeling arose inside her. At first, she felt frightened, but surprisingly, the appearance of the darkness felt, somewhat comforting. She ran her hand through the water. Anticipating some sticky slime, a soothing stream met her fingers instead.
Then, from underneath, she heard a faint voice, she almost missed it. The voice called out again. It called out her name. Who could it be? No one she recognized, but something in her gut told her she should know it. She should have known it for a long time.
"You are confused, it's natural. You must understand..."
She wasn't sure of anything right now, especially of what this person wanted her for. She hated this feeling, of being unaware of what was happening to her.
"You can't see right now, it's all become a haze to you. I want to help you!"
Help her? She could see perfectly fine, so her eyesight wasn't the problem. Now the voice carried a distinctly male tone. She knew whom it belonged to, she was sure of that now, yet her mind still couldn't place the name. She placed her foot into the lake, the coldness rushing to her toes.
"You must wake up, otherwise you won't understand. The way you are now, it's impossible for you to understand."
Now she was halfway into the water, black liquid coursing through her skin. It was true, she didn't understand. The feelings she felt were not toxic. She still couldn't make out any reflection, but a newfound hope possessed her, beckoning her to find the answers. The water peaked to her shoulders. Maybe, if she completely submerged herself...
"I wish you could understand. Please, wake up! You can't go on like this. You're the only one, Alexis..."
It was as if a cord violently struck in her heart. She was filled with a strange elation. She reached her arms forward, preparing herself for the plunge. It was ridiculous how long she had been unaware of it. That voice, it's so impossible, but now I know! Is that you-?!
Suddenly the darkness evaporated into an immense sunlight, jolting Alexis awake. The glare of the New York skyline pierced into her vision. She really needed to remember to close the curtains at night. Rubbing her eyes, she tiredly lifted herself from the bed. It was always like this after that dream, the feeling that she had never fallen asleep in the first place. And always that dream. Following the same path, only to cut off abruptly at the critical moment. As soon as her eyes opened, her mind lost all recollection of what happened in that dream. The person speaking to her, who was that, anyway?
How ridiculous, she decided. Why bother obsessing over a dream, when reality was infinitely superior? The white coating her entire room reaffirmed that. Everything had its own immaculate place, adorned with the utmost purity. Such characteristics were part of the ideal world envisioned by Sartorius.
Noting the time on her bedside clock, Alexis quickly got dressed in her trademark outfit: a white sleeveless top, with a matching skirt and high heel boots, then hurried to make her way down to the auditorium. Sartorius never took kindly to anyone tardy to his speeches.
As usual, the elevator took eons to reach the ground floor, but that was to be expected when the headquarters of the Society was situated at one of the tallest buildings in the city. There were many cries of outrage when Sartorius had taken over the Empire State Building to house his disciples, accusing him of defiling historical landmarks. But alas, those complaints along with others were reminiscent of his first term, after which they slowly washed away into virtual nonexistence.
The elevator came to a stop, but not at the desired destination. The number '66' illuminated the floor panel. Oh please, Sartorius, I've always been your loyal follower, so I beg of you, spare me this-
"Good morning, Alexis! Aren't you looking wonderful today?"
Just my luck, isn't it.
"Hello Chazz," she greeted noncommittally as the man made his way towards her, the hem of his white coat sweeping behind him along with the closing doors.
"Wow, is it just me, or is your skin paler than usual?" he winced slightly noticing her glare. "N-not that it's bad or anything! White is definitely your color, I'd say!"
Alexis smiled coldly. "Well then, in your case, I'd say black suits you better than white. I wonder, what would Sartorius think about that?"
Chazz laughed sheepishly, frantically running his hand through his untamed raven hair. "You're funny, Alexis. You know my loyalty will always lie with the White, I can't help it if my genetic traits tell me otherwise. Still, I take that as a compliment?"
Alexis sighed, closing her eyes, gladly anticipating the end of their descent. Was there really no one else getting on right now? "Whatever, Chazz. Why don't we focus on the more important topics at hand?"
"What are you so stressed out about? Sartorius had obtained a nearly flawless victory last night, so it's clear that the Light is still going on strong across the country!"
Once again, she had to sigh. "Seriously, you act like a typical fanboy, showering constant praise while overlooking any flaws. The Light is powerful, there's no denying that, but it still hasn't captivated the entire population."
"Ah, well that's just a small bump in the road, Alexis!" Chazz pointed out. "It won't be long before the Light rules over all, and your brother will see it for all its worth!" His onyx eyes glinted with some unbridled enthusiasm.
The mention of her brother sent an uncomfortable chill down her spine. A while had passed since they had spoken. Needless to say, it didn't go very well. Atticus was a fool, that aspect of his had never changed. He simply refused to understand the reasons for the actions she took, and she couldn't help that.
"What Atticus thinks has got nothing to do with me," she bit back, clenching her fists. "I'm my own person, got that?"
Chazz gulped. "Hey, easy, easy, I didn't mean for you to get upset," he carefully backed away, pressing his back onto the elevator doors. "I just wanted to make you feel better, that's a-WAAAH!"
Right then, by some miraculous intervention, the elevators doors swiftly slid open, knocking Chazz flat onto the floor.
Alexis calmly stepped over his twitching body, his arms and legs sprawling all over the place. "Idiot." she muttered as she made her way towards the congregation.
Grandiose wasn't exactly the most accurate term to describe the auditorium. A better word would be generically immaculate, with its pure white walls and carpeting. Leather white chairs formed a semicircle of multiple rows, all facing a podium bearing the emblem of the Society of Light: the Herald of Glorious Light. Not a hint of any other color was in sight. All the people in identical uniforms mechanically motioned themselves to their seats. Alexis strode diligently, passing the various figures of white on white. Along the way she was greeted courteously by several Society members, to whom she responded politely yet tersely. Some she could tell were sincere in their intentions, while others were merely brownnosers hoping she might put in a good word for them to Sartorius. Holding the position of one of Sartorius' second-in-commands was not without a few irritants.
She reached her seat in the front row, mere inches away from the podium. Unlike the other rows, there were only three available spots to be taken. A fellow member had already taken his place.
"So, it looks as if Sartorius will have more in store for the future of America."
Alexis looked at him reproachfully. "As if you had any doubt, Bastion. You should know by now that this was all orchestrated by the hands of fate."
Her comment caused Bastion to lower his eyes. "Yes, I'm aware of that. Destiny allows him to succeed." Despite the firmness of his tone, a part of his phrase sounded tentative.
"Don't tell me you're still stuck on the notion that something as sacred as the laws of fate can be controlled?" Alexis said in disbelief.
He shook his head. "I have no doubt in my beliefs, Alexis. I'm not the same man I once was."
"No, you definitely aren't." However she could still sense his uncertainty. Only natural considering he had only become a member a short while ago. But he will learn eventually. For many it took time to adjust once they were initiated into the Society, and after a period of time they embodied the ideal qualities of the Light. For her, her duty as a Society member had become so brilliantly fulfilling, she had forgotten what it had been like when she first joined. That was all in the past, which she didn't care much about anymore.
"So did Chazz oversleep again?" Bastion inquired.
Her brow visibly twitched. "Let's just say he fell into some trouble on the way."
Bastion looked at her warily. "You know, I'm not even going to ask."
"Excuse me! Move on out of the way, the Chazz is coming through!" He paraded himself expeditiously through the wave of the crowd, shoving anyone too slow to back away to the side.
Alexis groaned. "I guess it was too much to hope for at least some piece and quiet, huh?"
"Can't do too much about it, I'm afraid. As long as he works alongside us, we won't ever really be rid of him."
"Yeah, but still..." It wasn't that Chazz was particularly dumb or anything. On the contrary, he has proven himself on several occasions capable of forming intelligent ideas. He had an ability to think outside the box that other Society members lacked. Unfortunately, even the cleverest man deteriorated into a fool when in love, and in Chazz's case, he became a total moron.
"So Alexis, how's it hanging? Might I say, you're looking fine this lovely morning," said Chazz, attempting to sound suave as he slid into his seat beside her.
Her gaze shifted onto his. "Had a nice trip, Chazz? I'm surprised you managed to recover so quickly!"
His face heated up in embarrassment. "Ah, well it's nothing that the Chazz can't handle! I'm tougher than the strongest-"
Alexis turned the other way. "So Bastion, nice weather we're having today."
Chazz almost fell on his back. Once again, I've made myself out to be an idiot in front of her.
At that moment, a halo of light illuminated the auditorium, causing utter silence to encumber the room. From the rear corner, a door creaked open. Out came a man most peculiar looking. His long, violet hair nearly swept the floor, carrying with it a degree of elegance and providing an intense contrast to the white of his cloak and skin. Multiple piercings studded his face, magnifying his deep purple irises, seemingly possessing a strong spiritual power.
"Greetings, my loyal subjects," Everyone simultaneously rose from their seats, bowing deeply to their leader. "And may the Light always shine with you."
"We've congregated here, not just in celebration, but in love as well. The American people have once again seen what the Light can do, and instead of turning away from it, they passionately embrace it. After eight, long years, this country has transformed from a deranged haven of darkness into a beacon of pure light! Destiny has shone its path onto America, and by following it, we are led to the way of love!"
Sartorius elongated his arms to the audience, as if beckoning them to take his hand in camaraderie. His followers stared at him monotonously, though in actuality they were hanging onto his every word. The embodiment of destiny itself could not be left ignored.
"Despite our intentions, we still have a long way to go in order to veer the rest of society onto our path of destiny," he said almost regretfully, "for there remain forces working against us and our ideals! They staunchly deny the laws of fate, choosing their own course of life, under the impression that they are capable of such a thing! They, the people of the Anti-Light, have become the bane of this country's existence, and risk demolishing it for their own gain!"
The audience cried out in protest, expressing the vigilant anger for their leader, who remained calm for the sake of civility. His internalized anger was something unsuitable to be seen in public.
"But this is nothing to fear, for these unfortunate beings are only temporarily led astray. In my new term, I will personally ensure that America is fully led onto its proper path, the path of Light and Love! And together, we shall march towards tomorrow, where the brilliance of a light-encompassing future awaits us!"
A thunderous applause erupted through the crowd, as they relished the holy word of their master. They clapped enthusiastically yet with an inherent mechanism. Their mind wasn't guiding them for these actions, another force was at work. A force they liked to portray as the inner workings of fate. They believed, that was all that mattered, Sartorius realized, as he gazed upon the people. The pawns continued to advance across the chessboard, ignorant of the outside forces reeling them forward. The Light; ultimately paradoxical. Deception under the guise of illumination. It wouldn't be long before the idea of truth was eliminated.
~~~SCENE~~~
Punctuality had never been Jaden's strong point. Still, the fact that he was over an hour late to the rendezvous at the best arcade in the city was perplexing to Syrus Truesdale.
"Really, and to think I spent all that money on these day passes," he grumbled to himself, clutching tightly the aforementioned scraps of paper. Jaden could have had the foresight to warn him before Syrus made himself look like an loser by sitting in the restaurant all by himself.
Casually he sucked the straw of his vanilla-strawberry milkshake, trying to ignore the surrounding sounds of boisterous kids and their families. Even on a weekday the number of people in the arcades was bursting at the seams. Here in the city outskirts, the threat of arcades and other forms of entertainment shutting down was minimal, but this one just happened to be a popular hotspot.
Exasperated, Syrus threw a few wads of cash down on the table before making his way outside. No doubt Jaden was being held up in a duel. He seemed to be a magnet for those sorts of things. It also didn't help that his job at the card shop allowed him to partake in such opportunities almost every chance he gets. For Jaden, that was practically all he could ever ask for in the perfect job.
The phone in his pocket began to vibrate loudly. What a surprise, it still wasn't Jaden. "What's up, Hassleberry?"
"Syrus! Listen man, you gotta get down here as fast as you can! Literally! We've got a major situation right now, and I'm really freaking out!"
He barely understood the words through his friend's hysteria. "Whoa, just calm down for a moment, Hassleberry. Breathe. Now what on earth is going on?"
"It's Jaden, he's, he's-!" By now, Hassleberry was on the verge of tears.
Syrus felt his heart sink. "...What about him?"
He received silence at the end of the receiver.
"HASSLEBERRY! Talk to me damn it!" Any more of this torture, and he himself would have to undergo a nervous breakdown.
"J-just get over to the hospital by the card shop, pronto! He needs you!"
Right then the line had been disconnected.
Syrus roughly bit his lip to prevent himself from fully breaking down. All around him, people milled about back and forth, to and from work, completely in tune with themselves whilst ignoring the rest of the world. None of them bothered to bat an eye at his pained expression.
No, he resolved, shaking his head. He would not collapse like this. He would not allow himself to do so. Jaden was in serious trouble, and the possibility still loomed...no, he couldn't think in those terms. He had to find a way to get to the hospital. At a time like this, he desperately wished he possessed a driver's license. Taking the subway or bus was out of the question. No other choice remained. He dialed a number he was supposed to know by heart; he was surprised that it was still listed.
"...Syrus?"
"Look, I didn't think I'd be calling you in this situation, but I need your help!"
"Can you calm down, I don't have time for this-"
Syrus bawled his fists in frustration. "Jaden's in the hospital!"
Though he was unable to see any facial expression, the tone on the other end betrayed the shock it possessed. "What? How could this have happened?"
Syrus shut his eyes. This was becoming too much for him to handle. "That's just it, I don't know! But right now, I have no way of getting to him!"
"Say no more, where are you?"
Despite the current crisis, Syrus released some of the anxiety pent up inside him. Glancing at the street sign above him, he dictated the address of the arcade. "Thank you, Zane. Now please, hurry!"
~~~SCENE~~~
Zane had never been the most precautious of drivers. Rather, he simply was indifferent as to whether or not he was actually abiding by the regulations. Joining the Underground only reinforced his constantly suppressed road rage.
"Big bro, if you go any faster by the time we arrive, we'll have to be admitted into the hospital ourselves!"
"And if you keep yelling at me Syrus, I'll be sure to swerve this car into a ditch. How would you like that?" he bit back, not really in the mood for complaints. He continued to steer the wheel aggressively, the wheels of his black Porsche screeching past numerous traffic signals. "We're not far now," he stated.
"I still can't believe Jaden ended up in the hospital! Who would have thought!" exclaimed Syrus.
"The idea occurred to me once or twice," Zane admitted with a tinge of regret, noting the pointed glare his brother gave him. "What? You know the guy always manages to find a way to screw himself over."
Syrus grew agitated at his brother's callousness. "Aren't you even the slightest bit concerned? This is Jaden's life we're talking about here!"
He wasn't wrong about that, Zane thought bitterly. He had never been the closest of friends with Jaden, hell, they were never actual friends to begin with. Yet his reaction had been alarming when he had heard of Jaden's condition. The kid might have been a total moron in most aspects of life, but even Zane couldn't deny that he had an innate talent as a duelist. After facing him in a match, a newfound respect had emerged for the HERO user.
So Zane hit the brakes even harder, accelerating the car to a speed he hadn't thought was even possible. Breaking several laws hardly mattered to him; he did it practically every day. Jaden, if you don't give me that rematch, I won't forgive you!
Finally, the car skidded to a halt at their destination. They quickened their pace on foot, amidst all the doctors and patients wandering about.
"I'm sorry, but are you a relative of ? Because if not, then I'm afraid I cannot allow you to-"
Syrus slammed his fist down on the reception counter. "Damn it, he's my best friend! He's like a second brother to me, ever since we first met. He could be DYING in there for all we know, and you expect us to just sit here quietly?! I won't stand for this: I'm seeing him whether you like it or not!"
For a moment, those who witnessed his outburst merely gaped, unsure of an appropriate response. Zane was aware that his brother wasn't the weak and insecure kid everyone made him out to be. However, even he was appalled by the amount of resilience Syrus had exhibited.
Carefully, a startled nurse lifted a clipboard from the desk. "Um, why don't you two just follow me, alright?"
An astounding numbness overtook his body as soon as he saw what awaited him. Much to their relief, there appeared to be no fatal physical injuries. But this kid was not Jaden Yuki. In his place, a brittle shell of a boy lay on the bed, his body erect like a zombie. His normally amber eyes swirled in pools of murky brown. He lay unmoving, uncaring, as if he were anticipating something that would never come. Standing beside him were Hassleberry and Atticus, grimly gazing at the state of their friend.
"Jaden!" Syrus cried out, rushing to his friend's bedside. The brunet was unresponsive, almost comatose. "Please, don't be like this. Say something!"
"It's useless, Sy," said Atticus morosely. "The doctor told us he hasn't a word since he came here. Whatever happened, it made him too delirious."
"So what exactly happened?" asked Zane. No one seemed to know the answer, and in their current society, psychosis wasn't meant to be taken lightly.
Atticus widened his eyes when he took notice of Zane's presence. "I didn't expect to see you here, Zane. Not that it's a bad thing or anything, it's just, well it's been a while..."
"I haven't become completely heartless, Atticus." A shift in morals didn't necessarily imply a change in character. Severing the ties with his friends completely would be unlikely. It sounded ridiculously cliche, but their lives were all connected, one way or another.
Meanwhile, Hassleberry was slouching against the wall, struggling not to completely bawl his eyes out. "I was the one who found him," he whispered hoarsely, shutting his eyes to hold in his tears. "T-the card shop, all of it...everything was destroyed, with white splattered all over the place. Even the cards, all soaked in white!"
The other three males stood stupefied at his admission. None of them had fathomed that they would strike there of all places.
Syrus spoke up. "But, I don't get it. What reason would they have to go after Jaden?"
Zane harbored a guess as to what that reason might be, however he chose not to divulge it just yet. The possibility wasn't set in stone, but felt eerily familiar.
"There are more reasons for them to do this than you may think," said Atticus. "Jaden isn't anonymous amongst the members of the Society."
"Bastion, Chazz, or even..." Hassleberry refrained from finishing the thought, noting Atticus' distraught expression. "Those scum, to think they could turn their back on a friend like that! I'd sure like to knock some sense into them!" He leaped onto his feet with newly acquired adrenaline.
"Don't forget, they were his former friends," Zane pointed out superciliously. "Any sense of friendship they had was probably wiped from their minds. It's all in the name of their 'master.'"
Atticus bound his fists together with an uncharacteristically seething rage. "How dare Sartorius commit these actions," he uttered. "How can we keep allowing him to manipulate the people we care about? He has to be stopped, once and for all!"
"Atticus, don't say such things aloud," Zane berated. The walls were thin, and the facility was crawling with spies and lackeys. One carelessly voiced thought, and you may never be the same again. Comforting him wouldn't help much. It would scathe him. Atticus might feign an attempt at hope, but it was all for naught. Alexis might never come back, and he couldn't come to terms with that.
"I know, Zane. I can't help how I feel."
"And because of the turmoil of your emotions, you are incapable of acting sensibly," Zane bit out. His words were harsh, not that he enjoyed it in the slightest. "No matter how hard you try, your sister won't be able to understand." The way she is right now, she's as good as dead.
Atticus breathed out a bitter laugh. "Heh, you always seem to know the right thing to say. Ever consider becoming a therapist?"
Zane rolled his eyes at the thought of undertaking such a ghastly profession. On a more somber note, he said, "It's not about me right now, we're here for Jaden right now."
"Yeah," Syrus agreed. "Now's not the time to be freaking out. All we can do is wait." And hope he doesn't meet a fate worse than death.
And so they did. Waiting impatiently for the doctor to deliver a diagnosis, the four duelists stood idly in contemplation. Even if the doctor had an intelligent and unbiased opinion, he could not entirely discern what had transpired at the card shop. Only Jaden himself managed to live through the horrors of that event.
~~~SCENE~~~
The lights of the city skyline shimmered against the backdrop of the clear night. The stunning quality of the panorama along with the opulent decoration were only a few of the glamorous aspects that the White Night had to offer. The crowd of white, lively yet dignified, embraced the elegance of the atmosphere as they entertained themselves with toasts and dancing.
"You know, I'm not really one for the nightlife scene, Aster."
The silver-haired man smirked at his dinner companion, straightening his tie. "Don't I know it. I'm always the one leaving the party before it's even begun; they're way too annoying for my liking. But this place, I feel, is the exception."
Alexis stared at the surroundings indifferently, resting her elbow on the glass table. "It's alright, I suppose." Trust Aster Phoenix to never go for anything less than classy. She had to admit, the view was unlike any other.
After the waiter delivered their respective meals, Aster decided to get right down to business. "The Yuki problem's been taking care of."
Alexis curved her lips upward, with a tinge of malice. "Sartorius will be pleased to hear that. He was becoming quite the hindrance to his plans."
"And those plans are..?" Aster pressed on.
She took a sip of her martini in response. "It's not something that concerns you," she said after she set down her glass. "If you were fated to know, you would."
"What, you couldn't have humored me a little there?"
"The expert of destiny didn't expect that? I'm shocked."
Even destiny could not predict the actions of the enigma known as the female brain, he resolved. Although Alexis was no ordinary woman, which made her even more difficult to decipher. Those cold copper eyes provided no transparency to any emotions within. Her stoic mask was even solider than that of the Kaiser. But anyway, the fact that Sartorius didn't wish to divulge his thoughts with Aster made him wary. Was he really so paranoid that he couldn't trust his own best friend?
And yet, whatever it was, Alexis knew about it. With Sartorius pulling her strings, she served no threat for him.
"Still, you're not the slightest bit concerned for Jaden? You were close once upon a time."
"I can't say I recall that," Alexis answered in a perfunctory manner. Smoothly she sliced a piece of her steak.
Aster chuckled, forming his palms into a triangle. "Of course you wouldn't. But none of it matters now. I've ensured that Jaden will be out of commission for a while. So he, nor anyone else for that matter, can overthrow the Society of Light."
Her hand curled the stem of her glass. "Care to drink to that?"
They clinked their glasses in unison, the metallic sound gracefully reverberating. The biggest threat to their cause so far had been successfully vanquished. Or so they presumed.
The club doors burst open with a loud thud. The bouncers guarding it turned to face the intruder, only to be swiftly pushed aside, knocked down like a pile of bowling pins.
"What the hell man, this is a private club!"
"A guy like him has no business in a place like this."
Ignoring the cries of protest, the black-clad man stepped towards the people he came to see.
Aster rose to his feet. "So glad you were able to make it, Hell Kaiser," he greeted nonchalantly.
"You invited him?! Why?" snarled Alexis, shooting an icy glare towards the man in question. "He's no ally of the Light."
Zane looked at her impassively. "You must be so thrilled, Phoenix," he said, turning to face his rival.
"Aw, you're admiring my work? I knew you couldn't hate me for long."
Zane scoffed. "Please, that would take time and energy; you're not worth it."
"Yet, you actually came here," Aster smiled coyly. "So it appears I'm not that irrelevant."
"Let's cut the bullshit. What do you want from Jaden?"
"Do you really think we'd tell you?" Alexis replied tauntingly, her tone mismatching the indifference imprinted upon her face. "But to put it in simple terms, he has something that belongs to the Society. And we wish to reclaim it."
Coming from Alexis, her words and expression were coldly foreign. Far from the caliber of the girl he had known from childhood.
But it wasn't as if he had remained unchanged either. "Don't misunderstand, I'm not here out of concern for Jaden's well being. I just wanted clarification. Thanks, Aster."
Aster raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Zane formed a ghost of a smirk. "You'll get it eventually." With that, he turned on his heel and left.
"Honestly, that guy is just too much," Aster said indignantly. "I could use another drink, how about you, Ale-huh?" She had already gotten up from her seat.
"Thanks for the meal," she called out absentmindedly, her body monotonously moving towards the exit.
He groaned. "Wonderful." Flaky and frustrating. Women never failed to disappoint.
She silently berated herself for following. She barely knew the guy, for crying out loud! And frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to do so. A walking antithesis of the principles the Society upheld, and yet, she was intrigued.
The more dirt I can get from him, the easier it'll be to take care of him later.
Zane ceased his walking as they reached a dark corridor. "Are you upset that I hounded on your boyfriend?"
She placed her hands on her hips. Did he think of her as some kind of ornament? "He's of no concern to me. If Aster wasn't a fool, he wouldn't have left you go unscathed."
Even with his back towards her, she could plainly feel his smirk. "As always, you never back down without a fight. You haven't changed much, Alexis."
She gritted her teeth. Mocking her now, was he? "You don't know me, nor of my personality."
Arching his head back, teal blue met dark amber. Alexis flinched at the piercing glare he projected.
"Don't you get tired of dreaming the same useless dream?"
She stood puzzled momentarily, unsure of how to respond. "I have no need for conjuring false realities." Funny, she didn't peg him to be an introspective guy. Just what was he implying?
"Forget it," he said. His tone almost felt somber. She laughed mentally. She'd go insane if she tried to overanalyze this guy.
He turned to press the elevator button, which was then obstructed by a hand. "Tell me," she chose her words deliberately. "Does this, satisfy you? This existence of yours."
Zane looked uninterested. "Do you care?"
She let out a bitter, unfeeling laugh. "No. I don't like it. Not at all." An unusually sorrowful look glazed her eyes. Then it vanished. An unwanted feeling had arose, but was then eradicated.
Recollecting her thoughts, she tilted her head towards his. "You can hide in the dark all you want, Zane. But just remember: there's no place on the earth where the light doesn't shine."
It wouldn't be long now, Zane thought as her footsteps faded away. They think they've won, too bad they didn't grasp the true meaning of victory. The Society was on the verge of collapse. And so are you, Alexis. I know that now for certain.
Looks like your hopes weren't completely futile, Atticus, he thought dryly, stepping into the dark and decrepit alleys of the city. She acted tough, but her reaction proved otherwise. Some uncertainty plagued her thoughts. But it wasn't his problem. He didn't think of her that way, he told himself. Not anymore.
An abrupt movement skirted from behind. Throwing his head back, he only saw darkness. He barely had time to react before he felt chilling metal pressed onto the back of his head. No one could be that quick, to be able to outpace him. No one normal, that is. Then he heard a voice all too familiar. Figures, it all made perfect sense.
"Didn't expect to see me again, did you? For both our sakes, let's have a more pleasant encounter, shall we?"
~~~END OF PART I~~~