Author's Note:
Things have been pretty slow over here as of late, both writing and internet. :( I hate my internet connection with a passion. That's the reason I made all of you wait, that and the reason I'll explain in the end note.
This chapter sheds a ton of light upon one of my characters. I know you guys are eager to know more about this person, so have fun reading the shocking reveal!
Enjoy!
The group hiked back to the colony from the Ether Swamp. After Teanna mended Rhodri's broken conduction cable, the whole party crashed for much needed sleep. Teanna retreated to her room while Reyn stole the couch. Mogigi and Rhodri settled onto chairs and Pate retired to the guest room. The next day was well underway by the time they awoke.
Slowly the house stirred to life. Teanna disappeared into the lab to run a checkup on her leg. Rhodri left to make sure his own home was in order. Mogigi busily wrote in his notebook, obviously inspired by last night's happenings. Reyn decided to check up on Pate. It had been a few hours since everyone had woken up, and Reyn couldn't help but to worry about the High Entia.
Reyn hesitated to knock, in case Pate was still sleeping. He lightly rapped on the door and pushed it open. Sure enough, Pate was asleep. One arm hung off the bed, a sketchbook hanging dangerously in his fingertips. Reyn quietly closed the door behind him and slowly went forward. He took the sketchbook from Pate's fingers so it wouldn't fall.
He couldn't sleep…no wonder he's still out. Reyn frowned and looked down at the open book in his hands. His eyes widened and his stomach twisted in disgust. The image unnerved him. A High Entia lay twisted and broken, blood pooling around her. Every horrifying detail was perfectly captured, down to the shiny white bone. The woman's eyes were open wide and her expression pained. She was dead.
Reyn quickly thumbed back through the pages. Beautiful landscapes and wildlife mixed in with the disturbing pictures of dead High Entia and the warped figures of half turned Telethia. Images of the Telethia Laboratory were dark and haunting. Reyn immediately recognized Lorithia as he skimmed over the pictures. The drawings of the dead High Entia came with a matching image, one in which the person was alive and full of life.
A shaking hand placed itself over the pages, putting an end to Reyn's searching. Brown eyes shot up to look at Pate. Pate's silver gaze remained down at the sketchbook.
"How…how much did you…see?" A shadow passed over those frail features.
"Enough. Pate those are your nightmares, aren't they?"
Pate's jaw tightened and his whole body stiffened. He took the book from Reyn's hands and closed it. Pate laid it on his lap and clasped his hands over the cover.
"…yes." He breathed the word, his eyes refusing to look at Reyn.
"Who were those people?"
Silence fell between them. Pate shifted uncomfortably underneath Reyn's steady gaze. He nibbled on his lip. Reyn patiently waited for Pate to speak, but as the silence grew longer he wondered if he shouldn't have pressed the question.
"D-do you, um, know what the-the Bionite Order did?"
"I'm not too sure, but I know they tried to kill me more than once." Reyn said after a moment of intense thought. Pate flinched at the words.
"I-I'm sorry…"
"You don't have to apologize."
Pate shook his head, a strand of hair falling in his face. He spoke quietly again and Reyn strained to hear him.
"I…I was…a member. Th-those people…Those High Entia…I…" Tears formed in Pate's eyes and he shook his head, trying to clear them away. He squeezed his eyes shut.
"Pate, you didn't-!" Desperation rung clearly through Reyn's voice.
"I-I didn't have a choice!" Pate put his face in his hands and more words came spilling out along with the tears…
Silently, Pate moved through the darkness of night. The mask on his face constricted his breath making the air hot and unbearable. He longed to take it off only after wearing it for a short period of time. The woman at his side remained quiet as they went. Pate glanced over at her, nervousness filling him. This was his first mission for the Order, if he failed, he'd never become a full fledged member. The task however was less than desirable… Pate shook his head slightly, not wishing to think too hard on the sin he was about to commit. He had never believed that the half blooded High Entia were abominations, he always thought of them as people. That belief he had kept to himself, his parents already hated him enough, with all his 'accidents'. He was from a pure blooded line and his family took great pride in it. They looked down on the half bloods, a practice Pate had always hated. Now, the only way to retrieve any sort of honor for his family was to become an upstanding member of the Bionite Order.
"We're here, the target is inside." The voice of Tyrea drew Pate from his rapid thoughts. He nodded because he couldn't will himself to speak. Tyrea easily opened the window as if it was a common action for her. She motioned Pate inside. He slipped into the dark room and Tyrea followed. He saw a light on in another room and hesitantly moved towards it.
The woman he had been tasked to kill sat reading. A small smiled was on her face as she enjoyed her book. Pate pitied her obliviousness. The pace of his heartbeat rapidly increased and he could feel it pounding against his ribcage. He gripped his lance tightly and glanced back at Tyrea. She motioned him forward. Pate nodded and tentatively stepped into the room.
A single swing of his lance knocked the woman from her chair. She cried out in pain and alarm. Horrified, she stared up at Pate from the floor. Immediately she began to beg for mercy. Her blood was already beginning to soak into her clothing.
"Finish her." Tyrea's muffled voice shattered Pate's obvious hesitation. Pate raised his lance, his heart crying out against the action. He closed his eyes as he brought the blade downwards. The sickening sound of death reached his ears. He could feel his lance ending the woman's life, the blade sinking into the flesh and knocking against bone. Blood splattered onto his black uniform. Silver eyes opened as he hurriedly pulled his lance back.
The image of the woman lying in the ever increasing pool of blood burned into Pate's memory. He felt his stomach turn and he bit back the urge to vomit. The sharp scent of blood dizzied him and caught inside his mask. He longed to rip the item from his face.
"Good, now we leave." Tyrea once again brought Pate out of his daze. He nodded and followed her out of the house. Tyrea dismissed him, saying that he had passed the first mission. Pate quickly returned home.
As soon as he crossed the threshold he tore the mask from his face. He breathed deeply; the fresh air was spoiled by the blood still on his clothes and lace. He hurried to clean the weapon and his stomach twisted sharply as he did so. He threw off the bloodstained items and rushed to the bathroom, loosing every last thing he had previously eaten.
Pate leaned against the sink and rinsed his mouth out. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror and marveled at the hot tears rolling down his face. When had those started? He wiped them away and turned his attention to his uniform. He gagged as he cleaned it off. He tossed it into his closet in disgust. He retrieved a fresh outfit and eagerly put it on. Just as Pate turned to leave his room his eyes alighted on his mask. Blood splattered the surface. He grimaced and decided to leave it. He'd had enough of death for one night.
He went towards the main living space, the area he knew his parents would be. He stepped into the brightly lit room. For the first time in a long time, the two greeted him warmly. The sight of their smiles warmed his heart. Pate smiled back.
"The Order already sent word, we're so happy for you." His mother spoke cheerily.
"I'm so proud of you Pate," Those words from his father meant more to Pate than anything. It was something that was never said.
"Come over here and give your mother a hug," His mother opened her arms wide and Pate rushed over to her. How long had it been since his mother had wanted to hug him? Too long, Pate realized. He didn't care, he finally had their love. He hugged his mother tightly, grateful for her compassion. His father came over and patted him on the shoulder, continuing to praise him.
This love bought with blood was all he'd ever known…
Pate cried into his hands and his body shook with the sobs. Deep regret weighed down his heart. Killing never felt right to him but the love his parents showed him mixed up his thoughts. He never knew what to feel, it was a strange jumble of good and bad, and it only confused him. After the fact, he wondered if being in the Order had actually been worth anything. His parents had ended up disowning him anyway and his entire world had been shattered by that one action. He no longer had anything more to work for, he had no reason to try and belong. Nothing mattered and soon after, he had been taken to the Telethia Laboratory… Love was something Pate had never experienced. Friendship was something Pate had never had. He'd been alone for so long.
The warm and comforting feeling of being taken into Reyn's arms surprised Pate. The Homs had sat down next to him and now held him close. Pate raised his head and stared up at him in shock.
Why would he comfort a monster like me?
"Pate…" Reyn started but his voice trailed off. "…I ain't good with words."
"R-Reyn," Pate dropped his eyes from the man's face and settled them on the floor. "If-if you hate me…just…just say it."
"Hate you? No." Reyn shifted the High Entia in his arms, forcing Pate to look at him. "Listen. You're no longer stuck in that world, you're free now. You don't have to do terrible things like that and you don't have to worry about Lorithia coming after you. You have to leave the past behind you. Pate, you gotta focus on the present."
Pate blushed darkly, hating the fact that Reyn focused on him so intently. Pate turned his head and silver eyes trailed away from brown ones.
"Look at me." Reyn's voice held a note of annoyance. He lifted a hand and turned Pate's face back toward him. He could feel the heat radiating from Pate's cheeks under his fingers. "You don't have to suffer alone anymore. Obviously this drawing thing ain't working. The next time you have a nightmare wake me up."
Tears rolled down Pate's cheeks for an entirely different reason. He quickly brought a hand up to wipe them away. A small smile worked its way onto his features the longer he saw Reyn's gentle expression.
"Th-thank you."
End Note:
I'm so ashamed and angry that I didn't have Rhodri's arts done for the battle in the Ether Swamp! I told myself I wasn't allowed to post another chapter until I had them finished. (The majority of them anyway, can't do damage calculations without the internet working. Meh meh meh meh.) I had such a problem with them because Rhodri is just so stubborn!
Rhodri: I would credit your fault to procrastination than to my obstinacy.
Oh quiet you! Do you see the things I have to deal with? Anyway, here are his stats.
Max HP 4,720
Max Physical Strength 250
Max Ether Strength 400
Max Agility 95
Okay, Rhodri tell us about your Talent Art.
Rhodri: Very well. Each of my auto-attacks adds 8% to the Talent Gauge. My whip is made purely of ether so my auto-attacks rely on my Ether Strength rather than my Physical Strength. Truth be told, my Physical Strength is highly irrelevant.
Talent Art:
Studied
After careful observation Rhodri is able to exploit a target's weakest point
Attribute: Ether
Target: Enemy
Range: Individual Target
Distance: Close
Damage: 1,812
Talent Gauge must be maxed
Effects:
Critical Hit Rate Up 100%
Daze hit: Instant Death 50%