Chapter 3
"I can't get over how you look just like Elizabeth." Arnette said as she set a bowl of salad on the table and took her seat.
"Where's the serving tray? I thought it…nevermind, found it!" Varen yelled from the kitchen.
"That's what everyone tells me." Attia laughed making her long blonde hair bounce with her movements. They were all seated around the table waiting for Varen who brought out a large plate upon which a pile of sliced meat lay. All four of the younger girls' eyes opened wider, their mouths opening slightly.
"Wow…" Melissa said wiping her mouth.
"We have a full house tonight so we figured something a little special would be nice." Arnette said.
"Are you all staying the night?" Varen asked. Skylar's eyes lit up looking at him expectantly.
"Can they?" She asked excitedly and he shrugged looking at Arnette for a possible argument. She gave the same gesture which made Skylar turn her head towards her friends who equally took on looks of excitement.
"Just make sure your parents don't mind, that's all." Arnette said and the girls cheered. They passed the food around the table filling their plates and pouring glasses of water.
"Sir, next week is volt weapon trials right?" Tina asked. Varen nodded while he chewed and took a drink of water.
"Yes, that's correct. After your first month acclimating to your stigmata you will begin making the attempts." He said.
"And if successful we'll know how to use it? No matter what it is?" Attia further questioned.
"You'll understand the base concept of how to use it. Proper stance, application, and form comes from practice." He explained.
"Do many succeed on their first try?" Melissa now asked and Varen looked at Arnette. She thought for a moment before answering.
"First attempts I would say are maybe twenty percent successful. It takes time and practice to learn how to pass energy through your stigmata and call a volt weapon forth. Once you have the hang of it though, it becomes second nature allowing you to perform it instantaneously." The redhead Pandora answered. The girls' eyes shone hearing her answer.
"You lead the initial attempts, right dad?" Skylar asked and he nodded again.
"Yeah, Elizabeth usually wants me there. I don't mind, it's nice to get out and about." He said.
"Will you be showing us how to do it by calling yours?" Melissa asked anxiously. Varen forced a smile and shook his head.
"I don't have one. Never have, but to answer your question, no I will not. I haven't held a volt weapon in over twenty years. I have no intention of starting now." He answered and Arnette smiled wistfully as if remembering something from long ago.
"Would it be ok if I asked why?" Melissa continued. Arnette looked Varen in the eyes and he took a deep breath letting it out. Melissa was always curious and inquisitive. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge and her particular knowledge of choice was history. The very same thing Varen enjoyed most of all. Coupled with the fact that Melissa had a very disarming smile and he could never say no to the girl.
"I don't think I ever heard this either." Skylar said also sounding quite interested. That put Varen over the edge and he took one last look around the table at the girls waiting in anticipation before he relented.
"I only used a volt weapon for a little over a year. Shortly before the civil war came to an end I found out that the weapon I used was never even mine to begin with." Varen explained.
"It was your sister's right?" Melissa asked nearly falling off her seat as she was sitting so far on the edge of it. Varen nodded and continued.
"Very good, yes, it belonged to my sister Rin. She died before she could come to West Genetics, but unknown to either of us at the time she was a Novaborn. So, she had a weapon even though she had never called it.
I can't be completely certain, but being a male Novaborn it seems that I can wield the weapons of Pandora who have placed enough trust in me to allow it. I don't know if that is something specific to me or male Novaborn in general, but since I am the only one we may never know. Regardless, I cannot summon my own weapon. I can only call on the weapons entrusted to me."
"Like my mom's?" Attia asked and Varen thought for a few moments.
"Can't say for certain, but I think so. I never called Elizabeth's, but I'm confident we trusted in one another more than enough that I could if I needed to." He answered.
"Like Anti-Nova…" Melissa trailed off and Arnette's head turned towards the girl quickly.
"How…" Arnette began to ask, but fell silent.
"Anti-Nova isn't common knowledge Ms. Albright. I'll give you credit where credit is due and say I'm a bit impressed at the amount of knowledge you have on Pandora history. Especially only a month into your first year." Varen said with a grin. Melissa sat back shyly and folded her hands.
"Sorry, I just like to read a lot and am a little obsessed with Pandora before the war. The strongest Pandora to ever exist fought back then and nothing excites me more than to learn more about them." The girl said.
"Our parents? They really were as strong as the stories say?" Tina asked lifting her head from taking a bite.
"They were, and still are. Your mom was a self-sacrificing Pandora who never backed down. She was unrivaled in speed and even taught Arnette during the war." Varen replied to the teal haired girl who smiled widely.
"That's true. Cassie is a great Pandora." Arnette agreed.
"Dad? What's Anti-Nova?" Skylar asked bringing the topic back around to the very thing that had surprised him when Melissa mentioned it. Again, Arnette looked over at him silently waiting for him to answer.
"Just how much do you know? I'm curious now." Varen asked towards Melissa. She sat up straight and began thinking about all the details she knew.
"Well, it was the very first volt weapon. Maria Lancelot used it before the Pandora were created. After she died, her daughter inherited it and used it for a number of years. When she died the weapon disappeared with her. No one has seen it since." Melissa answered.
"You're close. The weapon was handed down from Maria to Chiffon. Chiffon was the last owner of Anti-Nova, but she wasn't the last to wield it. I was." Varen said making Melissa's eyes widen.
"Wait…that wasn't anywhere I read. I thought it was a lost relic?" The girl asked and Varen shook his head.
"I only used it once. Against Charon Fairchild at the end of the civil war. In the final moments against her Maria Lancelot entrusted the weapon to me and I used it to defeat her. This is also the answer to the question of why I will not wield another weapon. Anti-Nova is not a normal volt weapon. Using it causes great strain on the body and if you are not careful it can take control of you. From the moment I summoned my sister's weapon to the day I used Anti-Nova I spilled more human blood than Nova blood. After using that weapon I decided I was done." Varen explained.
"So, the weapon is lost?" Attia asked and Varen nodded.
"Maria trusted in me to use it in that moment, but I would never dare trying again. It never belonged to me. I don't even fully know if it ever truly belonged to Chiffon. It may very well still be owned by Maria." Varen answered.
"I thought volt weapons were unique to the user?" Tina asked.
"Typically you are correct. However, Novaborn weapons are different. They can be inherited from family members. Chiffon was Maria's daughter so it was logical that she inherits Anti-Nova. Chiffon, Charon, and Claire's deaths marked the end of their bloodline and what I assume means the end of Anti-Nova." Varen said.
"So, I could inherit Aunt Rin's?" Skylar asked.
"It's possible, yes. I've been thinking about that for a few months now. Nothing is guaranteed, but yes, you very well might inherit her sword." Varen answered.
"That's so cool!" Melissa shouted a hint of jealousy in her voice.
"Lucky!" Attia chimed in.
"Can we let the history lesson take a break for a little bit so we can eat now?" Arnette asked shaking her head. Varen chuckled and nodded.
"She's right, come on let's eat. There will be plenty of time for stories another night." He said.
Late into the night the girls were all laying on the floor of Skylar's room staring up at the ceiling. Varen and Arnette had gone to bed long ago, but the girls were finding it hard to fall asleep still too excited to be together for the night.
"Do you think it's true? What your dad said about Anti-Nova being lost?" Melissa asked breaking the silence.
"I don't know. If anyone knows it would be him, he was Chiffon's Limiter after all." Skylar answered.
"She died in Spireach right? Saving Ms. Evans?" Attia asked rolling over so she could see the others.
"Dad doesn't talk about her very much so I don't know many of the details aside from what's in books, but yeah." Skylar responded.
"Your mom said he lost his best friend up there. I can't imagine what that was like." Tina said sadly.
"I think she was more than just his friend. Probably why he doesn't talk about her very much. I've only caught bits and pieces, but I think they were in love. He still has her stigmata too." Skylar said.
"Think so? That's so sad." Attia replied somberly.
"He took my mom's stigmata after the war becoming an official pair, but Chiffon's stigmata remains on his back as well. I guess he didn't want to give it up. Even if it doesn't function he keeps it as a reminder of her." Skylar explained.
"Your mom's ok with that? I'd be jealous." Melissa said and Skylar laughed.
"My mom's not like that. Trust me her and dad are all over each other it's gross. Chiffon was one of her best friends too. I think my dad's just loyal to his friends and has a hard time letting go. My mom knows that so it doesn't bother her." Skylar answered.
"Your dad is so romantic." Tina said wistfully and caught a pillow to the face.
"I hate all of you." Skylar chided as the girls giggled.