VI - Nostalgia
He was trapped. The remnants of the house pressing him against the ground. Shadows surrounded him. Touma tried to breathe, but his mouth and nose were filled with ash, with a metallic taste of gunpowder and blood. Somehow, he found the strength to push himself, to emerge from the shadows and debris.
What he saw was hell. Fire. Flames consuming the entire village. There were no screams anymore, there was no one left alive. Right in front of him, witnesses to the destruction, two figures observed everything. A man and a woman. Marked in blue. Touma felt a new fire awakening within him, a force that helped him stand up. The man, the one from the church. The one who destroyed his village, the one who killed everyone. He lunged toward the figure, reaching out with his hands, and...
Touma's eyes shot open, feeling a scream about to escape his throat. His heart pounded forcefully, causing his head to throb as if it were about to split in two, while the images of the dream faded from his mind. He was so lost in his memories that he didn't notice anything until a few seconds later when he tried to move.
A faint metallic tinkling accompanied his movement, and he felt the cold dead weight of chains around his arms. 'What the heck?' Touma thought, pausing to examine his situation, trying to reason despite the headache. He was seated on a firmly anchored metal chair. Several chains held him tightly all over his body. Moreover, he was wearing a strange black suit. Touma tried to free himself, but his efforts were in vain.
"Where am I?" the young man said out loud, scanning the room. The building was made of wood but looked neglected, covered in a thick layer of dust. The only window was broken, and it seemed like no one had lived or visited there in years. The door was in front of him, closed, and he saw no trace of his belongings or his travel companions.
The memory of Lily and Isis made him jump and struggle against his restraints again. Where were they? How had he ended up there? Who had tied him up and why? The boy's mind was a whirlwind of questions as he wrestled with his chains.
Before Touma could think of anything else, the door swung open abruptly, and the sound made him look up. A man dressed in black entered, holding a heavy-caliber gun, and eyeing him warily. He wasn't the same person he saw at the church; he didn't have the marks and looked older, his eyes were gray, not red, although they were equally intense. Touma had to avert his gaze.
"You're awake," the man said from the doorway, holstering the gun. In his other hand, he held a glass with a clear liquid that foamed. "I imagine you don't feel well. Here, this will alleviate the headache."
The boy was wary, but his throat was dry, and indeed his head was aching. So, when the stranger approached him with the glass, he drank, recognizing the bitter taste of medicine and feeling relief almost immediately. Touma swallowed it all and relaxed a bit as his head stopped throbbing at last.
"Who are you?" Touma asked.
"My name is Frank Castle," he replied.
Clearly, he wasn't much of a talker. Touma frowned; the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall where from. This Frank fellow didn't seem friendly, though much less hostile than the stranger at the church. And he didn't have the marks. Touma decided to trust that last part at least.
"Where are my friends?" he asked quickly.
"They're sleeping," Castle replied, staring at him for a few more seconds before continuing. "If I wanted to harm them, or you, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You can relax."
"... I understand," the young man said, cautiously. He was right, but then why was he tied up? Touma didn't want to lose his calmness again. He needed answers. Besides, he didn't feel capable of fighting this man as he did with the other stranger at the church.
"It's better that they're not here. You, kid, are in a compromising situation" Castle said, crossing his arms. "You've become a poison. A poison that can destroy the world. Right now, you're a danger, and if you want to know why, you'll have to listen to me."
Touma looked at the guy as if he had gone crazy, and then he remembered where he had heard the name Frank Castle before. The Punisher, the killer of criminals. How did he not realize it earlier? A sense of fear seized him. It wasn't just the reputation of that man, but the possibility that he was telling the truth. How serious could this matter be if someone like Punisher was involved? Carefully, Touma nodded, willing to hear what he had to say.
"You have been afflicted with a disease called Eclipse," Castle continued. "A kind of virus for creating living weapons. Once it's in your system, you become stronger, more resilient. You can heal from almost anything. But all infected suffer from a kind of homicidal impulse. I don't know if it's psychological or physiological, I just know that it turns them all into killers. If this impulse is not followed, the infected person dies."
Touma was taken aback, realizing that he would have to kill to survive. He opened his mouth to deny it, but no words came out. The image of the man from the church flashed back into his mind. Yes, he was capable of killing. In fact, he was certain that he had tried to. When he fought against the stranger, consumed by hatred and anger, Touma wasn't seeking to defeat or injure him; he wanted to see him dead. The realization struck him, and he clenched his jaw tightly, the echoes of those emotions resurfacing in his mind.
"You've realized it, haven't you?" Punisher's voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. "The bloodlust, the desire for destruction. Those are common symptoms in any Eclipse Driver. No matter how much you fight, in the end, you will always succumb to this need. If you don't, your self-destruct system will activate. But even if you were to overcome those impulses and kill, eventually the Eclipse's regenerative system will go out of control, and you'll turn into a mass of flesh." Punisher placed a hand over his chest and touched the cross that hanged there, several screens appeared before him. Touma could see shapes that reminded him of the fleshy masses in the suspension tubes at the base where he rescued Lily. "Anyone with the virus's mark is already infected, and you, kid, have them all over your body."
The man took out a mirror and showed it to Touma. The young man looked at his reflection and saw his face, but with the red marks across his left cheek and neck. When he looked down, he noticed that he also had them on his arms and abdomen.
"If you're still sane at this moment, it's because of this." Castle pulled out a syringe and showed it to him. "When you went berserk in the forest, I used a dose. These are tranquilizers, enough to put a dragon into a coma, and I've been administering more since then. It's not a cure; we're only delaying the inevitable."
He was condemned, and he didn't need to be told to understand it. Now he understood what had happened, even without asking. Touma must have lost control after collapsing, and Punisher stopped him before he killed anyone.
He almost felt like laughing. He had embarked on a journey to find answers to his past and start a new future, but the latter seemed to crumble before his eyes. And the past, on the other hand, found a way to haunt him. A fleeting image of Veyron Hückebein flashed through his mind, and Touma felt the rage building inside him. No, he couldn't give up until he resolved that matter, even if it was the last thing he did. Disease or not. But there was one thing he didn't understand.
"If everything is true, why didn't you kill me?" Touma asked, his gaze fixed on the ground.
"Only the guilty die," Punisher replied. "Besides, you're more valuable to me alive than dead."
A gleam illuminated the room, and Touma looked up wearily. In Castle's hands was the peculiar black book that had been appearing whenever he used his new gunblade.
"It's a Lost Logia, known as the Bible of the Silver Cross," Punisher explained in response to Touma's unspoken question. "It's connected to the Eclipse. However, only the registered user can access it. I tried hacking it, but it resisted."
Touma remained silent. He had no idea how to control the Silver Cross or the enigmatic gun.
"I don't see where I fit into all of this," Touma said. "What does it have to do with me?"
"The Silver Cross is crucial for controlling the virus," Punisher replied. "Eclipse creates powerful yet uncontrollable soldiers. The only ones who can resist the disease's influence are the Hückebein, a family of hired mercenaries. You fought against one of them in Mihena's church."
"Are they infected as well?"
"Every single one of them. Their marks are blue and seemingly stable, posing no risk of succumbing to their regenerative abilities," Frank held the black book. "Replicating their stable infection was thought to be impossible, but this Lost Logia is the key. And you, becoming its master, makes you just as valuable."
Punisher turned around, making his way back to the door.
"For now, you'll remain here. I can't afford to set you free," he said without glancing back. "But you can keep this. I have no use for it, and it's rightfully yours."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object wrapped in tape. Untying the package, he tossed it in Touma's direction. The object halted just before hitting his head, and Touma couldn't help but feel relieved when he saw what it was.
"Steed! I'm glad you're safe."
"Hello, Touma. It's good to see you again."
After checking on the boy, he went to look for the girls. Both were still sleeping in the living room. The girl with long hair rested on one of the large sofas, while the other had curled up in an armchair, letting her blanket fall to the floor. Frank approached and picked up the blanket, covering the girl again without saying a word.
He left, the dust muffling the sound of his footsteps on the old floorboards. The house had seen better days, none of the windows had intact glass, parts of the roof had caved in on the second floor, the place was filled with dust and cobwebs, and it had no electricity, water, or heating. But it was dry, secluded, and for now, it was the only refuge he had. The problem were the ghosts of the past.
The dream had returned. This beautiful and peaceful planet was cruel, and the house was like a twisted reflection. Punisher knew he had to cling to reality, to practical problems. He couldn't afford the alternative. He reached the kitchen and opened the door.
It was like a flash of light. The room before his eyes was intact, clean. The soft afternoon sun streamed through the door that led outside. He even caught the scent of freshly baked bread. He heard the laughter of young children, and then a voice calling his name from behind. With his heart in his throat, Castle turned in that instant, the illusion shattered as if someone had shattered a mirror.
The house was once more the abandoned ruin, and he stood in front of a dirty kitchen filled with dried leaves, with a door hanging on a weak hinge that led to a misty morning.
"My Lord?" His Device spoke, startling Frank.
He realized that he must have been standing in the doorway for several minutes, as the sunlight was now more intense. Castle released his grip on the door handle, his hand numb from the force with which he had been holding it. It wasn't the first time something like that happened, but never before had he experience such a vivid memory. For a terrifying and beautiful second, Castle was certain that when he turned around, he would find someone there.
Ignoring that, he entered the kitchen and crouched down to find the hidden access plate. He remembered exactly where it was: five steps from the sink, then to the left and one towards the door. He crouched down and placed his hand on the floor. The plate responded to his touch, and with a brief flash of light, the illusion hiding the cellar hatch disappeared, creating a gust of air that dispersed the leaves and dust on the ground.
It was a simple spell, designed to isolate what lay on the other side. Originally, it had been a pantry, but the space could hold many things. Punisher jumped inside. The containers were there, right where he had left them years ago. Why did he thought it a good idea? Back then, he had been more impulsive, more foolish. The first one contained cash. Worthless. The second had weapons, but nothing of heavy enough caliber for the mission. The third one was the one he needed. He took it and left, closing, and restoring the illusion of the trapdoor behind him. There was work to be done.
A small glimmer from Soulbreaker indicated an incoming transmission. He activated the communication, and a screen appeared in front of his eyes with the label 'Audio Only.'
"Microchip" Castle said as he opened the container on the table. "How are you making this call? I thought the Bureau close the planet."
"Hello to you too, Frank" Microchip's voice came through static. "Yes, that's what they did. Let's just say I managed to sneak in at the last minute."
"Good, we need to replace the equipment. Most of the weapons I tested won't work" Punisher said, scattering the components from the container. "Bullets, plasma, lasers… they may do the job against regular infected, but even a plasma cannon failed against one of the Hückebein."
"Yes, I heard you've been busy. I don't know what we can do. I was hoping your heavy equipment could solve it."
"Think of something quickly. We're running out of time" Castle replied curtly.
"Is something wrong, Frank?" Micro asked, sounding concerned.
"No" he said, maybe a bit too quickly. His mind drifted to what he experienced when he entered there, but he cut off that train of thought before it went too far. "Nothing is wrong"
"If you say so..." Microchip said. A growl from Castle interrupted him.
"Did you call for something specific, or are you just looking to annoy me?"
Micro would normally have said something more about Punisher's attitude, he was smart enough to realize he wasn't in the mood for that chat right now.
"I did some research on the kids you took. Here's what I found."
The data came through his Device, and Punisher paused his work to look at it. The boy's name was Touma Avenir: parents deceased, no other living relatives. The legal guardian was Genja Nakajima, that was interesting. The studies, residence, and other information were quite generic until he stumbled upon the details about his past. There was an incident in Vaizen, a mining town devastated seven years ago, and Touma was the only survivor. Now he understood why the boy took everything so calmly.
"See if you can dig deeper into that mine incident, Micro" Punisher said aloud.
"It was classified as an accident. Although I have reports that someone intervened to have the case investigated further, but the case was closed years ago."
"Call it a hunch. Investigate as much as you can," he looked at the other profile and noticed one was missing. "What about the other girl? Lily, I believe."
"Yes, I think we have a problem with her" Microchip said "As you suspected, she's connected to the Eclipse issue, but it's a bit more complicated than that."
"Explain."
"I was able to review more of the encrypted data you recovered at the airport. The girl is a Reactor, a type of Device that functions as a power amplifier for the Eclipse Driver and the Divisor. Usually, they are inorganic objects, even implanted in the users' blood, but it seems these people were able to create a series called Strosek using the Silver Cross Bible. The girl you have with you is the fourth one that has been produced."
"But she look very human" Punisher commented "How does that work?"
"Her nature is similar to that of a Unison Device. In practical terms, she is a living being, capable of feeling and acting like anyone else. The only difference is that her function is to serve as a link between the user and the Silver Cross. Perhaps her creators anticipated that controlling the Lost Logia would not be easy and planned to use her as an emergency measure."
"Could they control the Silver Cross together?" Frank asked, thinking of Touma. If something like that was possible, maybe... he frowned. It wasn't his problem. Did the girl make him feel guilty?
"No, not in her current state. From what you've told me, Strosek suffers from damage to her main functions and memory. Otherwise, the boy wouldn't be in his current situation. If she could recover, maybe... but if not…"
"Then the only option is to kill him" Punisher said, reflecting.
"Wait!" Micro exclaimed, raising his voice "We can still do something. If we manage to repair Strosek, then we might prevent him from going insane. He still has a chance."
"One in a million. What do you know about Reactors?"
"Nothing. But, as you know, I am an expert on Lost Logias and even Unison Devices. Just let me try. What do you have to lose? Maybe we could separate him from the Silver Cross, and you could take that thing as we initially planned."
"You sound very optimistic. What if you're wrong?"
"In that case, nothing changes, right?"
This felt wrong. Punisher had a sense that everything was off ever since he didn't pull the trigger. This wasn't his job, his mission. Getting involved, helping victims, saving lives. Castle wasn't naive. He didn't think of himself as an avenging angel or a hero. He wasn't even an admirable person. He was a murder, a soldier. He knew how to kill, destroy, break things. And what set him apart was that his targets were those who deserved to die. But here he was, trying to save a boy he didn't know, and why? Punisher couldn't answer that, so he responded to Microchip instead.
"Fine. We'll give it a shot. When?"
"I'll see when I can slip past the patrols and reach you" Microchip said with palpable relief "Expect to hear from me before tonight... By the way, are you sure you're okay with all this, Frank? I mean, I know that..."
"Then you know we're not having this conversation" Castle interrupted, cutting off the transmission.
Silence hung heavily in the room, and he forced himself to continue with his work. He could only hope the ghosts had nothing to do with accepting Micro's idea. Only the guilty died. The innocent... they deserved something better.
Nanoha suppressed a yawn as she walked through the corridors of the Wolfram ship, the new headquarters of Special Duty Six. Despite the urgency of the situation, fatigue was starting to take its toll. Neither she nor the others had been able to get much sleep in the past 48 hours.
Their deployment had been swift, but they were too slow. By the time Fate, Vita, and herself reached Ruwella, it was too late. They not only lost track of the suspects, including the thief and a member of the Hückebein family, but they also found Signum and Agito gravely injured. Signum was particularly affected, although someone had provided her with first aid to prevent preventing her bleeding to death. She had to be urgently transported to Vaizen for treatment.
It was a devastating blow for everyone. Nanoha had never imagined that Signum would be defeated by anyone, let alone in such a manner, even against an Eclipse Driver. But if it was hard for her, it was even more difficult for Fate and Hayate. Fate held Signum in high regard, admiring her strength and determination. Seeing the Belkan warrior on the brink of death had deeply affected her. Hayate and the family of her family were also incredibly worried about Signum, throwing themselves into their work to cope with the situation.
Hayate had ordered a complete planetary lockdown of Ruwella. The Administrated World #23 was only one-third the size of Mid-Childa, consisting of small islands and two large land masses. At that moment, the Wolfram ship hovered above one of the largest islands where all the incidents had occurred. With assistance from the local police, the TSAB had sealed off all transportation methods. The Special Duty Six had been divided into two teams: Fate, Teana, and Erio would track down the Hückebein and any remaining leads on the Eclipse virus on the planet, while Nanoha, Vita, and Subaru would search for the Bible of the Silver Cross and Touma.
Everyone was eager to find answers, and as a result, they had barely slept since the alert was raised two nights ago. Nanoha also wanted answers, but she had a hunch and saught to confirm it. So, that morning, she decided to stay behind while the others continued the search.
"Good morning, Yuuno-kun," Nanoha greeted as she entered the ship's data room.
Yuuno was so engrossed in the screens in front of him that he didn't hear the door open, and he jumped when he heard the Instructor's voice.
"G-Good morning, Nanoha," he stammered, spinning his chair around to face her. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with the others."
"I plan to join them shortly. I just wanted to check something," Nanoha said, approaching the terminal that Yuuno was using. "What are you working on?"
Hayate had brought Yuuno on board as an advisor for Section Six, with the intention that he would search the Infinite Library's archives for any information on the Eclipse or the Silver Cross. However, with the capture and recovery of certain data units from the clandestine laboratory in the ruins of Ruwella, his work expanded to examining the evidence. Not wanting to risk such sensitive information, it meant the librarian had to leave his usual tasks and join them on the field. Nanoha was pleased; it meant they could see each other more often. After all, if it weren't for Yuuno, she wouldn't even be there at all.
"I'm not doing too much," Yuuno replied. "Just reviewing some of the data. The encryption level is quite high, so it will take me some time. Plus, not all the information is useful to us. Here's what I've managed to decipher."
Nanoha looked at the screen, but the contents were incomprehensible to her. She wasn't a specialist, and the various diagrams, figures, and schematics confused her.
"It seems complicated," she admitted, scratching her cheek.
"It is, don't worry if you don't understand it. I barely do either."
"In that case, I won't bother you any longer," Nanoha said. "I was just looking for information. I won't distract you."
"You're not a distraction," Yuuno assured her, adjusting his glasses. "If you need help, just let me know."
"I will, thank you."
Nanoha smiled and sat at another terminal. There was a reason why the search was proving difficult: Frank Castle. The analysis of the scene where Signum and Agito fought revealed the bodies of four Eclipse Drivers with mass weapon injuries. Furthermore, the fact that someone had bandaged and aided Signum led them all to one conclusion: Punisher was at the scene, and he currently had the thief and the Lost Logia in his possession.
Why? Nanoha couldn't fathom it. Subaru feared that his objective was to kill Touma, but Fate had pointed out that in that case, Touma's body would have been found at the scene. It wasn't a reassuring thought, although it did give them hope.
However, Punisher complicated the situation. The man had evaded capture for years. Even in a situation like this, finding him would require time, a luxury they didn't have. Nanoha wasn't an expert in tracking people; that was Fate's area of expertise. However, she had to cover the Hückebein angle, and without Signum, they now had fewer investigators. Still, Nanoha suspected that if she could find Castle, she might be able to locate Touma. And for that, she needed to know her target.
The Instructor typed in some commands and leaned back to read. As soon as the Special Duty Six learned about Punisher's involvement in the case, they requested the Central Office to transmit all the data from his file. Nanoha's eyes widened at the enormous amount of information. It was so extensive that it had its own separate database to be stored.
Nanoha opened some of the initial records, mostly about Punisher's victims or crime scenes where his involvement was suspected. The impact was much stronger than she had anticipated. She felt a surge of anger and indignation coursing through her body as she read about the various cases: In one Punisher had set his victim on fire while they were still alive; he shot another so many times that the upper half of their body disappeared; he even disfigured the face of one of his few surviving victims, melting magical crystals onto their skin... Nanoha had to look away from the images.
"Everything alright, Master?" Raising Heart asked.
"Yes, Raising Heart. Everything is fine," Nanoha quickly responded, trying to calm herself. Her Device shimmered on her chest, as if providing her encouragement, and she grasped it with her hand. She glanced briefly at Yuuno, but he seemed immersed in his work again.
Taking a deep breath, Nanoha reopened the records. She had heard about the brutality which Frank Castle used to 'punish' his victims, but seeing it was something different. While many died from quick and clean wounds, others suffered fates so gruesome that the mere thought made her shudder.
What she saw in those files was the portrait of a monster, a violent and sadistic killer without any compassion. But if he was as brutal as he appeared in those records, why didn't he kill Touma right then and there?
The data was not revealing anything new to her. Perhaps the Enforcers office, which had reviewed these files, could draw useful conclusions, but she couldn't. All she saw was the result of cold and calculated violence. Nanoha left the section and returned to Castle's profile, where his personal information was stored.
· Name: François Castiglione/Frank Castle (Legally changed)
· Known Alias: Punisher
· Family: Maria Castle (wife, deceased), Lisa Castle (daughter, deceased), Davis Castle (son, deceased)
There it was. Everything had started with the death of his family. Nanoha looked at the names and imagined how that man must have felt. She tried to put herself in his shoes and think about what she would do. She also had important people in her life. Fate and Vivio meant everything to her. If someone took them away forever, what would she do?
She was no stranger to the pain of seeing her loved ones suffer and being unable to help them. She had fought to reach Fate when they first met, and then she had to fight to save Vivio from her captors. In those cases, the only thing on her mind had been to retrieve them or reach them. She never considered hurting the ones responsible, but... the image of Precia Testarossa came to her mind. That woman who had tormented Fate, forced her to commit crimes in her name, beaten her almost to death, and then discarded her as if she were nothing.
Nanoha felt a terrible anger whenever she remembered Precia Testarossa, and it was only her love and respect for Fate that held her back. Perhaps, in a way, she could understand Precia, who had lost her own daughter and became like that because of the pain. And what about Quattro? The woman who had controlled her own daughter and forced her to fight against her will, causing her both physical and emotional suffering. But Nanoha knew that she never... not even in her angriest or most desperate moments, had considered killing someone. Of course, even in those situations, she always had the confidence that she could do something to retrieve her loved ones.
Frank Castle hadn't had that opportunity. His family died. Perhaps that justified his anger and desire for revenge, but what justified the carnage he carried out? An idea spark in her head and she quickly typed away. If she wanted to understand this person, she couldn't rely on understanding Punisher. She needed to comprehend Frank Castle, the TSAB agent, the father of two children, and husband. Nanoha started searching through the oldest files, the ones that spoke of Castle as an Enforcer.
"Well?" Isis asked, arms folded "Can we see him now? You promised you would stop giving him that crap."
"I ran out; it's different."
"How much longer did you plan on keeping him unconscious, old man?"
"The rest of his natural life, if I had my way" Frank Castle replied "If you are so insistent, go ahead. But I won't release him."
"Fine. Let's go, Lily" Isis took the other girl's hand and proceeded past him.
Isis had to concede that their current 'freedom' was due to that man, but the circumstances were far from ideal. After that crazy battle, they'd spent the night fleeing, carrying Touma on their shoulders, and only due to Punisher's intervention were they able to evade the authorities and navigate in the darkness to this house. Isis shuddered to think what might have happen should the one-eyed woman or the TSAB caught them.
Touma had been unconscious the entire time. At first, Castle had him sedated and isolated in a room. Lily barely managed to persuaded him to let them care for him and, the previous night, he'd insisted on chaining him to a chair. Isis was wary of the old man, yet her options were limited. If Touma lost control once more, he could injure Lily or attract unwanted attention. Not to mention the latter was deeply troubled. Isis attempted to lift her spirits, though her efforts appeared futile. She did her best to vanish those somber thoughts from her mind.
"Isis! Lily!" Touma said with a mixture of surprise and joy. "I'm so glad to see you're okay."
"Touma!" Lily passed in front of her friend and threw herself into the boy's neck, nearly causing him to fall if not for the chains which tinkled softly as a result.
"At least you're back to normal," Isis said relieved, seeing her friend acting like himself, albeit dressed in that strange outfit. She took a step forward and held Lily by the shoulders. "It's alright, Lily. Touma is in one piece, but I don't think he'll stay that way if you continue squeezing him like that."
"I'm sorry!" Lily said, releasing him.
"It's okay," the young man reassured, smiling softly.
"Touma, I..." Lily began.
"No," he interrupted, shaking his head. "I know what you're going to say, but I don't want to hear it. None of this is your fault, Lily. To be honest, I should be the one apologizing. I've caused both of you so much trouble. Especially you, Isis. In the end, we ended up dragging you around in to this complicated situation."
"Hey, that's what friends are for," Isis replied, trying to sound cheerful, but failing to make the smile reach her eyes.
Lily sat down on the floor, facing Touma, and Isis joined her, placing a hand on her shoulder. The truth was the young seamstress agreed with the boy. None of this was Lily's fault, but rather the fault of the people who had experimented on her. Undoubtedly, that Veyron and the woman called Cypha were involved with the laboratory personnel.
"Well, these last few days have certainly not been boring," commented Steed, appearing behind its master.
"Ah, it's you, little one. Where have you been hiding?" Isis asked, noticing his absence for the first time.
"In a place that was too narrow and dark for my liking."
"Sure," Isis ignored the Device and turned back to Touma. "And how are you feeling?"
"A little tired, but I'm fine," he replied. "By the way, what happened? The last thing I remember is losing consciousness at sunset."
Lily and Isis exchanged a glance, and the latter began explaining everything that had happened. Isis omitted the part about him attacking Lily or fighting Castle. She wasn't sure yet about what he knew or how to approach the topic. Isis suspected that Touma would need help, but unfortunately, the only ones capable of providing it would be the TSAB, and given the current situation, it was unlikely that anyone would lend them a hand, especially considering who they had ended up associating with.
"You've been through a lot, and all because of me," Touma commented after listening. The boy averted his gaze. "I'm really sorry about all of this."
"This is not your fault," said Isis. "And neither is it yours, Lily," she added when she noticed the other girl wanted to say something. "The only thing that matters is that we got out of that situation, and now we need to figure out what to do next."
Isis stood up and walked toward the door, peering through the keyhole. She saw nothing on the other side and couldn't sense any magic being used. That didn't mean they were enjoying complete privacy, but it was better than nothing. She turned around and approached Touma, motioning for the others to come closer too.
"What I mean is, we can't stay with the old man," Isis whispered. "We need a plan to get out of here."
"Where would we go?" Steed asked.
"Anywhere but here," she replied. "We can look for an interdimensional communicator and call that Su-chan you told us about, Touma. With her help, we might be able to do something."
"That's a good idea," Touma acknowledged. "In that case, you should take Steed and Lily. You shouldn't have any problems if it's just the three of you."
"What?!" Lily looked at him, puzzled. "What are you talking about? We can't leave you here!"
"You would travel better without me. It's me they're after, right?" Touma said, calmly. "If you're not with me, they'll leave you alone. And if you manage to speak with Su-chan, Steed can convince her to help you."
"What about you?" Isis interrupted. "Are you planning to stay with the old man? You know who he is, right? Then you know what he's going to do to you. You can't trust someone like that."
"He explained everything to me," Touma said, still with that calm tone. "It's best if we part ways here, don't you think? Sooner or later, it would all end up the same."
"You can't just give up!" exclaimed Isis, raising her voice more than she intended.
"What else can I do?" he asked. It wasn't a complaint but a sincere question, and Isis found herself without an answer."
"I don't know, ok? but is this really fine with you?" Isis asked, standing up. "What about Lily? You said you wanted to help her. And what about Su-chan? Don't you want to see her again? How can you just forget about all that and give up? We can still do something, leave that crazy old man and those deranged people to kill each other while we search for a solution. I'm sure it's possible."
"This is the solution," Touma replied, this time with greater determination. "If what Castle-san told me is true, then I have no other choice." He looked at Lily, who seemed on the verge of tears. "I don't want you to feel guilty about anything. This is what I choose. If I stay, I can resolve that search I told you about and finally lay my past to rest. You can go on without me."
"You want to throw away your future for the sake of your past?!" Isis finally exploded, completely forgetting to lower her voice. "Fine! But don't count on me."
She turned around and stormed out of the room, unable to stay there for another minute. She didn't pay attention to where she was walking, seeking a place, any place, to be alone because she couldn't bear it anymore. She ran down the hallway, passing the living room and finding another room with no way out. She slammed her fist into the wood forcefully in frustration. The wall splintered upon impact, creating a small cloud of dust.
"You're a fool, Touma! A fool!" Isis muttered. Her eyes burned, and she hurriedly rubbed them. She wanted to blame it on the dust, but she knew it wasn't true, not by a long shot.
Shattered hope felt terrible. Isis had held onto faith, despite Frank Castle's words. She thought they could find a solution, but Touma gave up. She could see it, hear it. Isis hit the wall again. What was the point of saving Lily then? Why had Touma pushed so hard to move forward if he was now going to throw in the towel? If she were in his place, she wouldn't give up, she would search for a way out, anything. Why couldn't Touma see it? It was obvious he had a place to return to. Every time he spoke about Su-chan and his family, his face lit up noticeably. He had a home and a family waiting for him. What was the point of giving up?
"An Eclipse-infected individual cannot live without killing," Punisher's words echoed in her head. "Once someone falls victim to the infection, there is no cure. They will succumb to the bloodlust of the virus."
Isis cursed internally. She had spoken with Punisher the previous night after Lily fell asleep, but she didn't believe him, couldn't believe him. She wished to strangle the old man, although that desire quickly faded. As much as it hurt, it wasn't his fault. Touma had to know it. And he had accepted it and embraced it with a strength of character that surprised her. Upon further reflection, Isis thought it must be incredibly difficult for him, yet he had made a decision and planned to act accordingly.
She sank to the floor. There was nothing to be done. That was the conclusion Touma had reached, and it was the one she was reaching as well. Isis felt tears streaming down her cheeks now. She didn't want to lose the person she had accepted as a friend, neither of them, but there was nothing she could do.
The departure of Isis was a hard blow for both of them. Lily did her best not to show discouragement, trying to smile. Her friend's words, filled with frustration and sadness, hung in the air, but if Touma was okay, she could try to move forward.
"I think I made her mad at me" Touma said with a bit of melancholy. Lily stayed by his side, sitting next to him, and resting her head on his leg.
"She'll calm down" Lily said. Both fell silent, perhaps trying to convince themselves that she was right.
Lily closed her eyes. Isis and Touma insisted that none of this was her fault, but she couldn't help but feel responsible for her their situation. Just like all those people in the laboratory who died when the scientists forced them to come in contact with her. She only brought misfortune. Some scientists said she was 'defective,' something related to damaged memories due to a 'fault in the electromechanical microfabrication of her memory banks'. That simply meant she was broken and useless, yet they still decided to use her. In the end, her creators only saw her as a failed experiment. Could they have been right?
For a moment, she remembered the swordswoman and her companion. Lily had felt something strange that night when Touma lost control. Seeing how that warrior merged with her friend, something inside her told her that was the answer, as if she were on the verge of a discovery. Lily felt that there was something she had to do, something related to Touma and the Bible of the Silver Cross, but the detail eluded her. Every time she thought she could grasp it, her head would start to ache, and the idea would fade away.
She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, Steed was informing her that it was time for lunch. Lily blinked, surprised. Touma was still asleep, breathing peacefully with his head tilted. At least now he didn't seem to have a fever or nightmares. Lily smiled and stood up. She felt strong enough to walk short distances. She should look for something to eat and perhaps take the opportunity to find Isis and try to make amends.
She left the room and headed towards the living room. There was no sign of her friend or the man, Frank Castle. Lily was relieved about the latter. Although he had helped them, that person sent chills down her spine. Fortunately, she didn't have to encounter him alone, but he always seemed to be nearby. His cold eyes, icy tone, and the way he looked at Touma, it all rubbed her the wrong way. Frank Castle had the exact same gaze as the scientists in the laboratory, devoid of any emotion, which made her tremble.
She shook her head. It wasn't the time to think about that. She considered using her telepathy, but that would wake Touma up, and she didn't want to disturb Isis in that way. She thought she heard a noise upstairs. The house they were in had two floors; Lily hadn't explored it, but if Isis wanted to be alone, she would probably go upstairs. Looking around, she headed to the main hallway and went up, reaching the second floor.
As with the ground floor, the sense of abandonment was evident. It was an area of rooms with several doors along the corridor. Two doors were fallen, stuck on their hinges, with the rooms behind them engulfed in darkness and a damp smell. Two more doors were closed, but the last one at the end was wide open, with the collapsed roof allowing ample light to flood the interior. Lily advanced to the end of the hallway and stepped into that room.
The place was filled with dried leaves and weathered furniture, including an old bed that had collapsed under the weight of the ceiling. Apart from that, she saw no one. As she turned to leave, she noticed a glimmering beneath the bed and paused, curiosity piqued. She crouched down and examined a gap between the wood, where she noticed a metallic shine. Something was trapped there. She hesitated for a moment but eventually extended her hand, reaching through the hole and feeling around. Her fingers touched a solid object, and she pulled it to free it, causing a small noise.
It was a polished wooden box, covered in dust and dirt. Lily gave it a little shake. On the top, there were the letters 'L' and 'C'. It had once been locked, but the rust had caused the lock to fall off, making the box easy to open. She did so. Inside the container, there were only several papers that seemed to be letters or drawings, and a few books. On the cover of the first one, it said 'Hansel and Gretel'. She opened the first page and found a short dedication: 'Happy Birthday, Lisa. With Love, Mom and Dad.' She set the book aside.
Beneath it, there was an old photograph, now grayed with age. Lily took the small piece of paper and removed it from the box. The photo showed a family. There were two young children, a boy and a girl, both clinging to the legs of a woman who smiled at the camera and held them by their shoulders. Behind her, slightly to the side, there was a man who also smiled. Lily's eyes widened when she recognized the man in the photo. It was Frank Castle.
The same person who had tried to kill Touma, who made her tremble whenever he entered a room, who seemed incapable of smiling... was there, with an expression so foreign on his face that he was almost unrecognizable. Lily continued examining the photo. What could have happened? She remembered that fleeting glimpse of sadness she thought she had perceived in that person's eyes. It had been so brief that she thought it was just her imagination, but now... A noise at the door made her look up.
"It's you. What are you doing here?" Frank Castle asked, appearing in the doorway. His figure filling the entrance. His gray eyes fixed on the small box Lily had on her lap, and his gaze darkened. "Where did you find that?"
His tone became demanding, filled with an intensity that made Lily recoil. She pointed under the bed, unable to say anything. He looked at her, his breathing becoming more erratic. He moved closer and reached out his hand. Lily trembled, but he simply knelt in front of her and took the book she had retrieved from the box, holding it as if it were a treasure. His gloved fingers caressed the cover.
"This was her favorite," he said. His voice was soft, devoid of emotions now, as if he were speaking to himself. "I used to read it to her every night..."
The facade had crumbled. The cold and sharp man Lily knew was no longer there. For a moment, he appeared incredibly frail to her. While Castle stared at the book without paying attention to her, she noticed her fear towards him starting to diminish. He was so lost in his memories that she thought it would be best to leave him alone with his thoughts, but Lily wanted to know. She looked at the photograph and, making a decision, she handed it to him. Castle turned and took the photo, setting the book aside.
"Who are they?" Lily asked.
No progress. Nanoha had to admit that her search was proving fruitless. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. Yuuno had stepped out for a moment, and she was tempted to let out her frustration with a growl. She was no closer to her objective than when she had started, despite the hours she had invested. All the reports in the file, whether written about Punisher or those he wrote when he was an agent, were exactly the same: concise, short, technical, and impersonal. She couldn't understand a person in this way.
The psychological report was more interesting but lacked sufficient details. It had been conducted many years ago when Frank Castle was first captured. It described him as impulsive, aggressive, and violent. Nanoha doubted that those characteristics could apply to someone who had been evading the law for 20 years. The truth was she had no idea how to proceed. Maybe she just had a moment of weakness because she was about to return to the field after such a long time? Nanoha hated to think that she might be delaying the fulfillment of her duty, even unconsciously. But as a child, she sometimes avoided tasks she hated by keeping herself busy with other things.
"Fate would tell me that I never really take a break, huh, Raising Heart?" Nanoha said aloud, smiling at the thought of her wife. The Device on her chest emitted a gentle glow in response.
No, it wasn't that she was afraid to spring into action. What concerned her were the people involved. Nanoha had no qualms about using force when necessary. Sometimes people wouldn't listen to reason. But resorting to violence the way Punisher did... it was something she couldn't understand. And if possible, she wanted to prevent more deaths in the future. The Instructor returned to the file and decided to review one more section: Frank Castle's belongings, the ones he had in his office. Due to his situation, the man never returned to work, and his personal items were labeled and archived as evidence in the case. The list was short: office supplies, some miscellaneous papers, his work computer, and a few photos.
The archival images displayed the latter. The initial ones were family pictures, a photo of his wife, and others of his children, but the last one was different. The photo depicted a group of cadets at their graduation class from the TSAB academy, dressed in the old TSAB uniform. It was a diverse but small group, 5 men and 6 women. Frank Castle was the cadet on the far left, almost unrecognizable except for his gray eyes. Standing beside him was his instructor or the commanding officer, and Nanoha was surprised to see a young Gil Graham.
The former Admiral, merely a Captain in the photo, couldn't have been older than 40. His hair, which Nanoha knew as almost white-gray, was still a light brown, and his face was devoid of the wrinkles and age marks she knew so well. She would have never expected Punisher to be one of Graham's students, but then... as she scrutinized the rest of the group with suspicion, realizing then that she recognized another cadet. The one standing right next to Frank Castle, a boy with dark blue hair and bright blue eyes, identical to those of his son. The only difference was that smile, an expression Nanoha rarely saw on Chrono's face at that age. Yet, there was no doubt, the cadet was Clyde Harlaown, her friend's father. Punisher had been Clyde's classmate and Graham's student. Nanoha touched her Device.
"Raising Heart, could you please call Lindy-san?" the mage requested. It might be nothing, and she had to admit that calling someone to discuss the past was a bit abrupt, but this was the only lead she had.
"Connecting."
A screen materialized in front of her, and Lindy responded in mere moments.
"Nanoha-chan, what a pleasant surprise! How have you been?" Lindy said, smiling warmly. "It's been so long since we last spoke. I was beginning to think you had all forgotten about me."
Lindy portrayed exaggerated concern, burying her face in her hands, though her expression remained unchanged, and Nanoha couldn't help but smile at the theatrics. After all, she had known Lindy for years, admired her, and respected her almost as much as her own mother. Despite her occasional eccentricities, Nanoha had to admit that thanks to Lindy, she had come a long way. Not to mention all that Lindy had done for Fate, something she could never fully repay.
"I'm fine, and it's only been a few days. We saw each other last week, Lindy-san," Nanoha said, scratching her cheek. "Remember? I needed you to take care of Vivio. She's with you right now."
"Oh, right. My granddaughter is visiting, so I'm very happy" Lindy said as if she had just remembered, lowering her hands, and relaxing as if nothing had happened. "Although I'm afraid she's in class at the moment."
"I know, I'll try calling her later. But I wanted to talk to you," Nanoha said. Not wanting to be abrupt, she decided to approach the topic cautiously. "It's about Clyde-san, or rather, about his past. I think it might be related to the case."
"That's a somewhat bittersweet topic, but I always enjoy remembering my time with Clyde," Lindy said. Her expression became a bit distant but not unwilling. "Don't hesitate to ask, Nanoha. If I can help you in any way, I know it would make him happy, and me too. As long as his memory remains with us, he'll never truly be gone."
"Thank you, Lindy-san," Nanoha said, nodding. She just hoped her hunch was right. She didn't want to bring back any bad memories for Lindy without reason. "Frank Castle, or Punisher, as they call him. It seems that Clyde-san and he were students of Graham, from the same graduating class. I was wondering if they knew each other during their careers or if it was just a coincidence. Many of the files from that time are redacted."
Lindy became serious and remained silent for several seconds, furrowing her brow slightly. Finally, she let out a deep sigh.
"It doesn't surprise me" she said, lowering her gaze. "After what happened, the Bureau wanted to pretend that Castle was never an agent. Anything associated with him became problematic. So, they had to censor everything, erase the records. And those who knew him personally... we learned not to mention him. Clyde and Frank met when they were young, although they pursued different careers, one as an officer and the other as an investigator. I met him later when Clyde and I started dating."
"What can you tell me about him?" Nanoha asked, glad that her hunch had at least been right about that.
"I'm not sure how much I can help you, Nanoha-chan. Frank was complicated, even in those days," Lindy said, closing her eyes to recall. "He had a strong sense of justice, but he tended to see everything in black and white. He was demanding, mostly with himself. His colleagues respected him, but few appreciated him. He could be distant and sometimes very strict about protocols. Clyde used to say he had a soldier's mind. Although he set boundaries, lines that I never thought he would cross... when he met Maria, he changed a lot, and for the better. He laughed more, was much more relaxed, he even learned to play the guitar. I remember he had a favorite song that he was always playing, driving his comrades crazy with it."
That sounded impossible when reading the reports about Punisher and his actions, although it was comforting to know that beneath all that savagery, there was truly a person. Nanoha nodded slowly, processing that information.
"I admit it's hard to believe," Nanoha acknowledged. "I was hoping... I don't know, to be able to understand him better. The reports of his actions are difficult to read. It's hard for me to believe that someone like that exists."
"I understand. I didn't want to believe it either when it all started," Lindy said. "In retrospect, I think there was always something of Punisher in Frank, but if that's true, then I want to believe that there's still something of Frank in Punisher, even now. He wasn't a bad man, Nanoha-chan. And I know the kind of pain he experienced that day. Even if it's just a part of it. It doesn't excuse everything he's done, but I understand how it changed him so profoundly."
"Yes, grief can drive us to do strange things," murmured Nanoha, who had seen too much of it in her days. "It's just that Ruwella is so vast, I was hoping to find a clue..."
"Wait, did you say Ruwella?" Lindy asked, blinking briefly. "Are you referring to the cultural reserve, Administrative World #23?"
"Uh, yes, we're deployed in Ruwella at the moment, why?"
"It's just that I remember..." Lindy brought a finger to her chin as she pondered. "Yes, I remember Frank and Maria used to visit Ruwella. It was one of their favorite vacation spots, especially after Davis was born. They had a cabin on the planet."
"What?!" exclaimed Nanoha, almost shouting. Her hands returned to the controls of her terminal, typing rapidly in the archive, opening multiple screens, but she didn't see any property records under the Castle family's name in Ruwella. Fate would never have overlooked such an obvious detail. Startled by Nanoha's outburst, Lindy jumped, prompting Nanoha to apologize. "I'm sorry, I was checking the files and I haven't found anything about it."
"If I recall correctly, the property belonged to Maria's great-uncle," Lindy said "She would be listed as the heiress, with her single name, not the owner, so they wouldn't include it in the records. It's an easy detail to miss when they compiled the original file 20 years ago..."
"Thank you for your help, Lindy-san. Give my regards to Vivio," Nanoha interrupted, bowing and cutting off the communication, barely giving a surprised Lindy a chance to say anything. She felt bad, but she would have time to apologize later. "Raising Heart, I need your assistance. Send a request to the local police. I need the property records, location, and the name: Maria Falconio."
She also sent them her identification number to ensure they knew it was the same person. Nanoha closed her terminal and practically ran out of the room, nearly colliding with Yuuno, who was calmly returning. Nanoha quickly apologized without stopping. At this rate, she would have to say too many 'I'm sorrys' before this was over. She opened a communication window, addressing the bridge of the ship.
"This is Captain Takamachi, heading to the hangar, I'm going out," she reported swiftly. "I will transmit coordinates shortly."
Fortunately, the information she requested from the police reached Raising Heart. Only one result. She had a destination. She hurriedly reported the coordinates, and with a bright flash of pink light, Nanoha took off into the air, leaving behind a trail of rose-colored feathers.
"Who are they?"
"They are my family," Frank said after a moment, looking at the photo. "My wife, Maria, and my children, Lisa and Davis."
He caressed the faces in the picture. The house was filled with ghosts, but now that he had this memory from the past in front of him, he could no longer feel them. Castle had gone upstairs to finish his preparations, leaving everything ready in case of an emergency. He had nothing that could help him in that moment.
"Where are they now?" the girl asked.
"They died. A long time ago," he simply replied. He continued speaking, perhaps out of fear of what would happen if he stayed silent. "I remember when we took this photo. It was right here, in Ruwella. My wife liked coming here when we had vacations from work. The children liked coming too. They used to wake up early and run around the garden and the surroundings."
"And you? Did you like coming here?"
That voice was like having a specter whispering inside your head. Although it was a good question. He let go of the photograph.
"I don't know," he said honestly. He wanted to think that he did, that he was happy in that picture, but now that he thought about it, the ghosts, the memories, they were all of his family. If he tried to remember something about himself... his mind went blank.
Had he been a good husband? A good father? Those doubts had kept him awake many nights, and that's why he was always searching for new targets, more work. Punisher couldn't stop, couldn't rest. His past was like a bright sphere in the midst of a sea of darkness, tempting but impossible to focus on without being blinded. Fury was an escape, a way to avoid the truth. Because deep down, his past frightened him.
"Castle-san?" the girl's voice sounded in his mind again, and he realized that his right fist was clenched. He relaxed his hand. She looked at him with concern, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," he lied, standing up. It seem everyone was asking him that lately.
Lily gathered his daughter's memories and put them back in the box. They both fell silent for a moment.
"I know it's not good to ask, but..." Lily began.
"Don't," he interrupted, raising his voice. She seemed to shrink back at his tone, but she didn't back down. Frank softened his voice. "The past is dead. If you want to know, search on the extranet."
"Then why does it still affect you?" Lily retorted, holding the box as evidence. "I can't remember anything. But Touma and you, Castle-san, both have a past that still defines you. It can't be dead if you keep it alive."
Punisher was momentarily at a loss for words. He couldn't deny what she said, and he didn't know how to confront it. Usually, he felt anger whenever someone was foolish enough to mention his family. People trying to sympathize or idiots looking to provoke him. In both cases, they only earned his disdain. Today, strangely, he only felt tired. As if all the years were weighing on him at once.
"You have no idea what happened," Frank said, shaking his head. He began to speak, as it didn't matter anymore. "It was at a park. We went out for a family outing. Maria thought it would be fun, the kids wanted to go to the fair. The place was crowded, full of lights and noises, too many people. Lisa wanted to go on the carousel, I went up with her, Maria was waiting with Davis by the side. When we got off... it started then. I saw the first bullet before I heard the shots. Then I felt the impacts. I heard the children scream, Maria, then everything went black. Criminals had used the carnival as a cover to conduct their business, something went wrong, and they fought, they didn't care about the bystanders. The children died on the spot. Maria died later. I survived. There was no justice, not in the system, so I took care of it. I killed everyone involved, those who fired the guns, those who gave the orders, their bosses… That's what happened."
He didn't say that killing those guys didn't bring him peace. On the contrary, it gave him a war. Punisher was a soldier in an endless war, and it wouldn't end until the enemy was annihilated, or he died. Maybe that way he could drown out those memories. He had said all that without emotion, like reciting a story he knew by heart.
"I'm so sorry, Castle-san," Lily said, bringing her hands to her mouth. "I… I don't know many things. I can't understand what it's like to suffer that way, but I'm sorry..."
"My family deserves your compassion," he replied. "They are the ones who suffered."
Lily vigorously shook her head, denying it. She took a few steps closer to him and handed him the wooden box, looking him in the eyes. Hers were moist, as if she was on the verge of tears, but she also displayed a determination and resolution similar to what he had seen in the forest when they first met.
"That's not true!" the girl said, passionately. "I may not understand a loss of that magnitude. I only have Touma and Isis, but I know that if either of them were gone, I would suffer. Your family matters to you too, that's why you suffer from not having them by your side. Denying that is denying what you felt for them."
Castle remained silent, but he took the box. Maria had given it to Lisa as a gift, and the girl had used it to store her little treasures. Frank knew that she had been sad when she forgot it here, and he promised her they would come back for it as soon as they could.
"I don't deny what I felt for them," he finally said.
Before either of them could add anything else, Soulbreaker interjected.
"My Lord, I have detected a strong magical signal coming this way."
Veyron Hückebein looked at his sister Curren, not quite understanding what he had just heard. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Cypha and Fortis had the same puzzled expression. He decided to make sure.
"So... you're saying you don't care?" he asked.
"But of course not," Curren replied, smiling sweetly at him. "Mistakes happen, Cypha and you have nothing to worry about."
Curren was the leader of the family, a young woman with a rather harmless appearance, dark blue hair, and black eyes. She liked to dress in short and revealing clothes, like now with shorts and a shirt with a wide neckline. Sitting on a couch in front of her three siblings, she seemed disinterestedly reading something on her knees.
"I don't think it's that simple..." Fortis began.
"I already said is fine" Curren interrupted, still with that sweet voice. "In the end, nothing has been lost. And we are ready to correct your little mistakes. We'll settle our unfinished business in Ruwella and at the same time retrieve the Silver Cross. Isn't it great?"
Veyron thought about responding but decided to stay silent and not tempt his luck. The door of the room opened, and a small green and yellow flash crossed the room in a second. Veyron sighed as he felt a small body collide with his knees. Stella smiled at him, giving him a hug.
"It seems you're up to date," Arnage said as she entered right behind. "Has Curren finished scolding you?"
"Something like that," Veyron replied curtly.
"I think I'm done with them," Curren said, addressing Arnage. "We're ready to go. You will take the main force and ensure that all loose ends with the TSAB are silenced. Fortis, you're in charge, and I expect a good outcome."
"And what will you do?" Veyron asked.
"I will retrieve the Bible of the Silver Cross" his sister replied, closing her book and standing up. "And perhaps I can bring a new member to our family."
"The brat? If the Eclipse doesn't finish him, I doubt he'll want anything to do with us."
"There are bonds stronger than blood, Veyron," Curren replied, shaking her head. She looked at her book. It was white with a silver cross on the cover. "And they irresistibly draw us to our people."