"I suspect your name is Akali?" David snapped his attention towards the teenager immediately.
"Yes … that is correct," the raven-haired girl replied after a short pause, hesitant about how to approach the strange artificial construct.
"How thrilling," the construct responded. "Shall we begin the trials, then?" he questioned, apparently seeing this situation as a mere repetition of the past.
"What are the rules of this trial?" Akali inquired, eager to verify whether Mister Winsome had been honest with them.
"I will ask you five questions," the AI retorted swiftly as if pleased with the question. "Some of them might check your general knowledge, while the others may be much more personal. If you pass this verification, I will ask you for a sample of your blood."
"Has anyone made it that far?"
"No," David replied casually. If he had a form, it was probable he would shrug nonchalantly.
"Let's begin," the dark-haired teen said, making up her mind.
As ridiculous as the concept of these trials seemed, it made her uncomfortable by putting additional pressure on her. As if someone had descended the world's weight onto her shoulders, Akali struggled wordlessly, trying to keep this conflict within her consciousness's boundaries. However, how long it would last remained to be seen.
"Let's begin," she repeated, feeling her mouth drying up.
"Splendid," the AI construct commented.
"The time of the Elves is over; my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone?"
"Could you name the source of this quote?" David asked. "The more details you can provide, the better."
"You are asking for the context?"
"Atta girl," the AI commented, apparently pleased.
"Fine," the teenager retorted, pausing briefly. "The quote comes from the Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring screen adaptation. As a context … these words are spoken by Elrond, the Half-elf and Lord of Rivendell, during his conversation with one of Istari, Gandalf the Grey. It took place before the council that would decide the Ring's future," she added, relatively content with her answer. "The meaning behind these words can be translated in a few ways. However, the most logical implies what will happen with Middle-Earth when the firstborns inevitably leave it. The Elves took a great responsibility upon themselves to be its guardians, yet with each year, more and more would sail into the distance to see Valinor. As the shadows of the Dark Lord once again clouded the skies, they were at their weakest, incapable of fulfilling their vows."
"It is a detailed and correct answer," David deemed immediately. "Would you like to dwell on this topic, or should we go straight to the next question?"
Evelynn kept all her thoughts to herself. Even though a part of her urged her to step forward and stop the trial. As a matter of fact, it was extremely difficult to pinpoint where this feeling came from. Perhaps she feared that the AI construct would inevitably reveal some unsettling pieces of information regarding the past of Winter's family. Or … perhaps she felt like a victim of this story for the very first time since she had adopted the girl. The diva was no saint that much anyone could figure after first glance. No, as much as she wanted to come clean before her precious protégé, she simply could not. There were many pieces of her life that the dark-haired girl was hardly ready to face. Not to mention her greatest sin in the making, one that she deluded herself into believing that it was no sin at all.
Funnily enough, the longer the conversation between Akali and the so-called "David" lasted, the more comfortable the teen became. Although it undoubtedly warmed her heart and temporarily pushed her fears away, she began sweating intensively, balling her palms into fists unwittingly.
The siren slapped herself in the depths of her mind when a trivial realisation crossed her mind. Given the sudden rush of unwanted feelings and ideas surging throughout her, it was blatantly obvious that her discontent was put into a visible act. Considering Jeff Winsome stood no further than a few steps behind her, he must have most, if not all, of her struggle, yet thankfully, the businessman remained silent, apparently preoccupied with the trial. No … it would be a lie once again. Even though he gave no indication of noticing her rather unwanted and frankly inappropriate state, it would not be very smart to believe it was true. Mister Winsome might look like a really nice guy, but considering the power he held, his hands were undoubtedly stained with some dirt.
"I saw everything," Jeff said, closing the gap between them.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Mister Winsome," Eve lied smoothly, trying to act offended.
"Please, let us drop this game," the man commented, lowering his voice. "The last minute, you kept glancing at me, trying to guess whether your discontent was noticed," he added. "So, it was only logical for me to clear that uncertainty between us. I saw everything: the way you clenched your fists, the small grimaces occasionally tainting your young face, your parted lips uttering forming sentences wordlessly, everything. I can not really say what stirred all of this inside you, but perhaps you could use advice from a man as old as me. Try to pay more attention to your body language," he continued calmly. "Even though I have no intention of abusing the pieces of information, you unwittingly gave me … not everyone will play as fairly as me. Knowledge is power; please try to remember it," he added, pushing himself towards the teenager.
It was such a shame that the lawyer could not find joy in seeing her protégé conversing. Perhaps for the first time, she saw her comfortable and absorbed in a conversation with someone other than her. Even though she heard each word both parties formed, the meaning behind them remained clouded and hardly registered in the depths of her overly complicated and conflicted mind. As through a mist, the magenta-haired beauty remembered Akali mentioning her adoration towards Tolkien's work, especially The Lord of the Rings. It was such a shame that she found herself incapable of utilising these pieces of information to build bridges between them and enforce their relationship. Perhaps the problem was that the closer she got to Akali, the more her sin became apparent and sinister. In that very moment, the so-called "living goddess" wished nothing more than to start anew, to discard her past, and start like a new book with a blank page ready to be filled with the author's imagination constructs. She cast down her sight, not capable of dealing with all these feelings surging within her.
Once again, unwittingly to her, she teared up a little. A few crystal-like droplets rolled out of her puffy eyes, staining her porcelain skin.
Nonetheless, it was hardly about her. No … all of this … all of this was for Akali. No matter how much it would pain her, her protégé needed to rediscover herself and find out about many things Evelynn had been aware of or at least speculated for a while. Slowly, she averted her gaze off the floor, focusing on the raven-haired teen. She pulled her trembling and seemingly fragile left hand towards her ample breasts, keeping it above her unexpectedly rapidly beating heart. What should she do – was the question repeatedly exploding within the depths of her mind?
"That was an interesting exchange," the AI construct commented after a few moments of conversing. "However, it is high time we resumed your trial. Would you not say so?" he questioned rhetorically.
"I guess so," Akali retorted, sheepishly scratching her nape. "I enjoyed our conversation," she added after a brief pause, blushing slightly.
"Likewise, Akali," David agreed. "The next question will test your mathematical skills. It might not be overly difficult, but make no mistake, it will take a moment of consideration to answer," he instructed the teen.
"I am ready."
Without as much as a word, the artificial construct projected an integral equation on the nearby wall. Its length surprised the teen immediately, starting a racing process within her mind. She was looking for clues, known patterns, and reduction formulas. There must have been something to simplify this equation.
"Can I have something to write down my thoughts and possible solution, or am I expected to provide it straight away?" Akali questioned, alternating between the projection and the panel she subconsciously associated with the construct.
"I do not think you could provide the right answer without splitting this integral into smaller, more manageable pieces," David commented. "Feel free to use the tablet or, if you are more old-fashioned, a notebook. Jeff will provide you with either."
"A notebook will be sufficient … thank you," the raven-haired girl retorted, flashing a small smile even though she knew it was pointless. "Is there a time limit?"
"No," the AI construct said casually. "It is a task that either you know how to approach, or no matter how much time I would offer you, you would not solve," he explained.
Within seconds, Akali had everything she needed, slowly and cautiously copying the equation, circling fragments that caught her attention at a glance. At first, all of this felt extremely convoluted and unnecessarily complicated. However, after a minute or so, she finally found what she was looking for. A partial pattern that would trivialise the whole task. With that in mind, the process of deconstruction finally began and slowly started to take a more manageable shape. Though, after the initial euphoria dropped down a little, she realised that all of this was a trap masterfully set for people like her. Even though it caused a wave of searingly heated irritation and frustration to spread throughout her rapidly, she fully embraced the challenge. With her tongue occasionally poking through slightly parted lips, her mind was preoccupied with the task at hand. Frankly, it had been a while since she had been pushed this far, forced to connect small pieces into the final solution. The thrill was intoxicating, urging her to go on and do her best. After all, she did not want all of this to finish prematurely. She did not care whether she was the long-lost daughter the AI construct and Mister Winsome had been looking for years. It was a heat of a moment to some extent; all that mattered was the intoxicating challenge and everything associated with it.
Finally, after a while, she provided the surprisingly short answer, simultaneously eager and dreading for it to be verified.
"You did well," David finally broke the silence. "I certainly do not know whether you are my creator's daughter. But … you are very special in your own unique way. I believe it would only be fair for this trial to step up. The next question will be personal," the construct said.
"I am ready," Akali's voice sounded hollow, but she did not stutter.
Then, something rather unexpected happened as David projected a tall man's silhouette onto the nearest wall. Akali gasped immediately, recognising the strong jawline, the short jet-black hair, the small, slightly broken nose covered with stitches, the thin, whitened lines, the remnants of the past scars, and these predatory eyes. She got lost, staring at their unusual colour, a mix of ash and silver. The only noticeable difference between this iteration and the one from her visions lay in the facial hair. She remembered him cleanly shaved, whilst this version had a stubble.
"This one will be a riddle," the teen's father's manifestation said. "I have searched this world far and wide, looking for powers few can name. I have delved into the long-forgotten caverns, seeking the knowledge that should have remained lost. My entire life was devoted to a greater purpose, to something many feared. Yet, at some point, I have found a new reason to live. This devotion became my drive. Till the day I die, I will remember that day as a vivid memory, bringing a much-needed smile to my face in a time of need. What day was it?" David finished, his gaze fixed on the dark-haired teen.
"I need some time to think it through," Akali retorted, taken aback by the strange combination of words that the riddle consisted of.
She approached this trial in the same manner as the previous one, starting with writing down the whole riddle, not putting as much as an ounce of faith in her memory. Considering its length, each sentence must have had a certain role to play in the greater scope. No … it would be too foolish to believe that. The whole riddle was split into three parts: the past, the realisation, and the premise. The first one told a vague story of sacrifice and power with a severe negative effect on the person. The second one consisted of a single sentence: finding a new way of life. The last one related to the overall effect this new-founded drive had on the person. However, it seemed that it would all come down to a much trickier question: who changed that person's life? Well, there might be a few acceptable answers to that question, solely depending on the context. For some, it might have been a moment they found their partners or their love was reciprocated. That being said, some would mark their firstborn's birthday as a day their life changed.
"Is it my father being referred to in this riddle?" Akali questioned after a long pause. Her voice was quiet and steady yet noticeably filled with uncertainty. Her seemingly unwitting actions only further proved that speculation as her sight was glued to the floor, incoherent and absent, as if she tried to stare into a distance.
"Yes, this riddle is about your father," the AI construct replied slowly, apparently surprised by the question. "So … have you figured out the solution yet?"
"The answer is … my birthday," the brown-eyed girl whispered.
"Which is?"
"15th of June 2002," the teenager responded after a short pause and lifted her gaze to observe the artificial creation's reaction intently.
With each passing moment, Akali's heartbeat steadily raised. Perhaps there was more to say about her past than she had ever dared to dream about. However, she felt uncertain about all of this. On the one hand, she would finally learn something about her family, yet a piece of her kept buzzing and warning that she might dislike the truth. It could have been even worse, she realised. What if behind all these beautiful words she expected, a much sinister and dark story hides?
"It is a correct answer," David's words were barely distinguishable, as if coming from afar. "I have two more personal questions before we will test your blood," he added, flashing a broad smile.
"Ask," the dark-haired girl whispered, not trusting her voice to handle anything louder than this.
"As you might have realised, the projection I am using is based on Patrick Winter," David started, gesturing extensively. "Do tell me, is there anything feeling out of place with this form?"
"My father was always cleanly shaved," Akali commented immediately, not sure where all of this confidence, or perhaps bravado, came from.
"Perfect," the construct retorted, smiling once again. "Would you mind telling me more about your mother, then?"
"I do not remember much of her," the girl replied honestly. "However, I believe some people could have described me as her faithful copy. She was shorter than my dad, confident and bright," she added after a slight moment of hesitation.
"It is a rather vague answer," David remarked. "It could be used to describe many people; would you not agree with that?"
"When … when … they were alone, my mother – Mayym – often behaved like a big spoiled cat," Akali said in a whisper-like manner.
"Fair enough," the artificial intelligence commented, visibly pleased with the provided answer. "That would be all of the questions I prepared for you, or at least, for now. When we verify your blood, I would love to continue our discussion. Perhaps … we could omit some of these personal inquiries, instead focusing on who you are, Akali. How does it sound?"
Not trusting her voice, the teenager only nodded hesitantly. It would have been truly a story of her life to reach this far only to fail before the finish line. With everything she had in her, she uttered a silent prayer, begging for it not to be the end. Even though, initially, she had been very sceptical about all of this, the longer the whole process lasted, the more faith Akali put into that fragile idea.
Her legs felt heavy when she tried to force them to move towards the panel David had asked her to touch. It felt surreal. As if her muscles were turned into stones, preventing her from moving, she needed every ounce of her willpower to overrule these seemingly paralysed limbs. Step by step, she slowly pushed forward, incapable of shrugging off the feeling of uneasiness and overwhelming doom.
After a while, the girl finally pressed her right palm against the assigned panel's cold surface. At first, all she could sense was the bitter and itching cold rapidly spreading through her flesh. However, this state did not last all that long. In fact, it might have been very well only a moment before a needle extended from the panel, stinging her rather painfully. As its tip sunk into her flesh, Akali initially wanted to retreat, but she forced herself to stay still and endure the rather unpleasant sensation. Thankfully, as quickly as this experience started, it faded away, too.
The brown-eyed teen hesitantly pulled back her hand, absent-mindedly staring at the tiny dot marking the pierce and a thin blood trail that would soon inevitably cake up.
"Welcome home, Akali Winter," David said formally a few moments later. "I am sorry it took that long for us to find you. Had not my creator been dead, he would have been embarrassed of me."
Author's notes section:
Hey, I managed to conclude this chapter relatively quickly. After some thinking, I decided to focus on this story throughout the entirety of June. I believe ... I have mistreated this story for a while now, not putting much effort and time into making it what I had envisioned long ago. That being said, I will mainly focus on rewriting the old chapters, trying to uplift the overall quality and fix any plot holes I find along the way. I do not think it will be an easy task, though I think I kind of owe you for disregarding this piece for such a long time. What I can immediately point to as a potential problem are the overly sexualised scenes with little to no plot and consequences attached to them. I will try not to salvage the original content but to extend it and enrich it. However, as you might already noticed, my approach towards writing has changed drastically over the years, so I can not exactly promise anything. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter and whatever I come up next. From now on, the plot will only thicken. It is high time for some dirty secrets to be revealed and cards to be shown publicly.
Please note that the dialogues written in italics are thoughts.
As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)
Changelog:
[2024-06-04]: A preview was released.
[2024-06-09]: A major update applied, focused on concluding the chapter. The last revision is released as a final product.
References:
- NESTOR - Caroline
- NESTOR - Victorious
- NESTOR - On the run
- NESTOR - Teenage Rebel
- Visions of Atlantis - Monsters
- Visions of Atlantis - Armada
- Avenged Sevenfold - Coming Home
- Bon Jovi - Thank You For Loving Me
- J.R.R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings
End of the author's notes section.