Chapter Seven: Escape
Clovos and Diamond waited in the control room of the airship, both growing increasingly annoyed. Diamond frowned at Clovos. "Well?" She asked, "Where is he?"
Clovos shrugged. "He took the interrogation into his own hands. You know his methods differ from ours."
"He's been gone long enough, surely," Diamond said.
As if on que, Alex warped into the room. He was perfectly calm and collected, as always. He smiled at his associates. "Hello."
Clovos frowned, "Well? What did you find out?"
Alex chuckled. It sounded almost... nervous. Diamond raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Arcanus? You seem... off."
Alex frowned. "Off, Diamond? I'm merely excited to tell you I think I'm on the verge of a breakthrough. The boy's almost ready to give in and tell me anything I want to know." It was a blatant lie, but Alex wasn't about to admit the truth to them. "Since when do you have the authority to tell me that I'm off, anyway?" His voice was on the verge of anger.
Diamond and Clovos both shied back a bit. They knew how powerful Alex was. Even the High Empyror held him in high regard. "S-Sorry," Diamond said, bowing her head. Her silvery-blue hair fell over her pale, angular face.
Clovos frowned, "Well, Arcanus? What did he say?"
Alex smiled. "Oh. Right. I believe it must be related to... his Psynergy... somehow..."
Diamond met his eye. "You don't sound too sure."
Alex shrugged. "We'll have to continue interrogations in the morning. However," here he glanced at Clovos disapprovingly, "I do not want anyone to resort to brute force. That won't get us anywhere."
Clovos huffed, and Diamond shook her head at him. "I'll question him tomorrow, then. We need answers."
Alex frowned. "Fair enough, if you'll allow me to question him with you. Good night." With that, he warped away.
Diamond frowned at Clovos, who ran a hand through his short maroon hair as he glanced in a mirror. He'd have a scar on his left cheek where the boy had cut him. "He does seem a bit off," He agreed.
"But we don't have the authority to say so," Diamond sighed, grimacing.
Clovos grinned evilly. "No. Not now."
Diamond shot him a confused look, and then smiled with understanding.
...
Amiti awoke from troubled sleep when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Immediately, he was on edge, expecting Alex. Instead, it was a woman with waist-length silvery-blue hair and clothes in a silver and black color scheme. A long, thin sword was strapped to her waist.
Amiti raised an eyebrow and said, "Let me guess... Clovos's partner?"
"Clever," Diamond said, smiling sardonically as she pulled him out harshly. "If it weren't for Arcanus warning me against using force, I'd slap you. I don't like sarcasm. I get enough of that from him."
Amiti sighed. He decided to keep quiet for the time being. It wasn't because he wanted to appease Diamond... It was because he didn't want to be compared to Alex.
Alex was waiting in the interrogation room. Amiti froze when he saw him. Diamond pushed him on in, frowning. "What did you do to him, Arcanus?"
Alex shrugged and smiled at her, but it was different from his usual smirk. It was more uneasy, lacking the arrogant confidence he usually beamed. Almost... queasy, even. "I merely spoke with him. You'd be surprised what discussion can uncover." Hastily, he went on, "Anyway, boy, we've got to learn what power it is you possess that gives you sight others do not have." He stressed the word boy almost too much.
Amiti didn't meet his eyes. "I don't know. I'm just an ordinary Adept." The way he looked down, it was obvious he was hiding something.
Alex shook his head, "Ordinary Adept is an oxymoron. And you know you're lying as well as I do. You do have a special power, don't you?"
Amiti bowed his head, his hair falling over his eyes. "Only Insight... But that's nothing."
"Insight?" Diamond asked, sharing a glance with Alex. "That sounds promising, Arcanus."
Alex smirked, "It does, Diamond." He turned to Amiti and met his eyes. Amiti shivered before he dropped his gaze, looking down in disgust. Alex frowned slightly and averted his gaze as well. "Tell us more, boy."
Amiti begrudgingly replied, "Insight is a Psynergy bestowed upon the Adept chosen by the Insight Glass. The Glass was a treasure kept safe in Ayuthay since the fall of the ancients. When we found it, it chose me. But... All Insight allows me to do is see what people are feeling, or what sort of power we need to find our way. I really don't think it would allow me to..."
Alex shook his head. "Enough. Psynergy works in mysterious ways. It is definitely possible that Insight is what allows you to see. In fact, it is the most obvious and logical conclusion. I'm sure it's correct." He was not at all sure, in truth, because it was so obvious. Alex never trusted the obvious. "Diamond?" He asked, turning to her.
"Yes?" She frowned.
"I would like to further question the prisoner alone, if you would leave us."
Diamond shot him an incredulous look. They had their information, why would he need to stay? Then she turned to Amiti. He was still trembling and avoiding Alex with his stare. Diamond shrugged, and said, "Fine."
He'd gotten some useful information out of the boy already. Whatever else he wanted... She had to oblige. Remembering Clovos's words, she smiled once she had turned and left. Yes. She had to oblige... For now.
Let him do as he wished.
…
With Diamond gone, it was only the two of them again. Amiti didn't want to be there. He didn't want to answer Alex's questions. He felt ill and frightened, and terribly sad. This was the man his mother had loved so dearly? This was the man who had broken her heart?
"Look at me, Amiti," Alex said.
Amiti was afraid to look, afraid of what he'd see. But he had to look. He wanted to, as much as he hated to admit it. Wanted to know if what he'd seen there before was really there. He met Alex's gaze without wavering. What he saw was a carefully crafted mask, one that revealed nothing.
Alex nodded once, slightly, and went on carefully. "You realize, I'm sure, what I said before was a lie. I do not think it is Insight that grants your ability... I have no idea what kind of power you have." He hesitated, then added, "...What power you have inherited from me. But regardless... I can't have you here."
Alex raised a hand, and Amiti felt his bonds break. He rubbed his wrists, frowning. There had to be a catch. There always was.
Alex looked away, shaking his head. "I know you must hate me, Amiti. And you have every right. I took your mother's honor, even it it was her will, which I never should have done. Not only that, I left her carrying my child. And," Alex said, spreading his arms, "I broke her heart. Wouldn't be the first time. I don't deserve forgiveness. I'm not asking you for it."
Amiti looked at Alex in confusion. Was there really a hint of pain in the man's voice, or was that just his imagination playing tricks on him? Alex seemed pretty calm on the outside, anyway.
Alex let his arms fall. "I'm letting you go. Now. Escape while you can, before Diamond or Clovos comes looking. I... I'll think of something to tell them. I'll make something up. I can't let them find out who you really are."
Amiti frowned. "What about the other two? Takeru and Eos?"
Alex sighed. "Can't make this easy for me, can you?" He shook his head. "Fine. I'll let them go, too. I've been meaning to get rid of them anyway. I hate unnecessary baggage. They're useless to us." He went to the door and left without once looking back. Amiti followed him.
On the way to the cells, Alex spoke to Amiti in low tones. "I'll free them without letting them see me. It would probably be in your best interest to let them believe it was your doing."
Amiti looked at him in anger. "I don't like this," He said. "I don't like lies."
Alex stopped dead and spun around. "No, I don't suppose you would. Who can blame you? But sometimes lies are necessary. Feel free to tell your friends the truth. See if they still trust you. I've already made up my mind, Amiti. I'm letting you go free." Here his eye narrowed and he frowned. Amiti shivered. Here it was, the catch. "...Just this once." His voice was quiet, sinister. "That's it. Don't get caught again. I won't help you next time. Should we meet again... Even in battle... I will not hesitate, nor will I hold back. Nothing, no one—not even my son—will stand in my way. Not this time. Do you understand?"
Amiti nodded.
"Good," Alex said, then he walked on.
Outside the cells, Alex shot Amiti a look that said remember, before he raised his hand again, one last time. Amiti heard the unmistakable clinking sound of metal on metal as the other prisoner's bonds broke free. He peered through the slot in the doorway in time to see Takeru and Eos share a confused glance. When he turned to look at Alex again, he was already gone.
Amiti wasn't sure if he were happy about that... or sad.
He opened the door and went in. Takeru grinned. "Amiti! You got away! Was it you that freed us?"
"It's a long story," he said, which was true enough. "I'll fill you in some time. Let's get out of here first."
Takeru and Eos nodded. They weren't about to argue when they had so little time.
…
Amiti had been worried about getting off the airship, but when they got to the hangar he realized he shouldn't have been. Alex had set that up, too, having let one glider mechanism ready to go. Leave it to Alex to cover all bases, including his own. Especially his own. He strapped the glider on to the three of them and jumped out of the airship and into the sky.
He closed his eyes as he fell, letting the wind rush through his hair and clear his mind of all thoughts, save one.
It feels so good to be free.
...
Author: Sorry this chapter took a little while. It's a bit longer than usual, though. I was trying to keep everyone in character, which is especially hard with Alex. (Considering we really don't know what his intentions are at all it's all just guessing anyway.)
Oh, and Alex as Amiti's dad is officially confirmed. That's right, I said officially. If you don't believe me, go to Golden Sun Universe (the new one) and go to Amiti's page. It has proof.
I'm so happy about that!
Anne Iriel Devay: Glad you started reading it:) Hope you continue to enjoy it!
silver eyeshine: Thanks for being so enthusiastic! Here's a new chapter:)
