Chapter 15: Interragation

Aven, Ruth, and Lumina, are seen standing outside the palace and within a large open area.

Alecia is seen walking standing within the entrance of the palace.

Aven gives a gentle smile.

"Well, if it isn't Alecia herself." He said with a joyful tone, which urges Ruth to glare at him.

"Hey there!" Alecia calls out with a wave and walks towards them.

"Glad to see you're safe." Aven said with a calm tone, and turns his gaze to her bloodied arm.

"Your arm is wounded I see."

"Oh, yes." Alecia said, moving her hand over her arm, which causes her face to twitch.

"Let me see." Aven said gesturing his hand out, and gently holds her arm.

"I'll fix this." He closes his eyes and just then, transparent blue flames begins to emit from his body, only for it to flow out along her arm. The wound begins to ignite in blue flames, until it slowly closes up.

Ruth watches with calm expression on her face, but Lumina; she watches and marvels at what she's seeing.

The flames disappear along with the wound. Aven opens his eyes, and looks at Alecia.

"How's that?" he said, with a calm tone in his voice.

"No more pain." Alecia said, looking at her own arm, now only with a bloodied sleeve that's cut open.

"How did... You?" Lumina said, slowly edging her hand towards Alecia's arm, but Ruth pulls her hand away and looks at her daughter with a stern look.

"Strange, all this time I've known you, this is the only time I healed you?" Aven said.

"I didn't really think about it." Alecia said, with her eyes averted from him.

"So..." Lumina said with a blank stare, which urges Alecia to flick her gaze at her.

"You are mother's sister?"

"Lumina..." Ruth said, with an irritated tone in her voice.

"Don't be rude."

Lumina looks at her mother with a gasp, and gives a downcast look.

"Sorry, mother." She said, closing her eyes.

Alecia looks down at her, and looks at Ruth with a calm expression on her face.

"Alecia..." Ruth said, gently placing her hand on her daughter's back, and looks at Alecia.

"Meet my daughter... Lumina."

Alecia gives a slight smile while looking at Lumina.

"Hey, Lumina." She said, gesturing her hand to her.

Lumina looks up at her mother with a questionable look on her face, only to recieve a nod from her.

She looks at Alecia once more, she takes her hand and shakes.

Lumina averts her gaze from Alecia, and lets go of her hand.

Aven stares at Alecia for a moment, only to see in his mind's eye, how he remembers her long ago; how her hair use to be black, with it was slightly shorter, only for it to fade, for him to see Alecia as she is now. Dark circles are seen under her eyes.

"Alecia..." he said, with a curious look on his face. She flicks her gaze at him.

"Don't you think you need to rest? You look tired." He frowns with a worrisome look

"I'm fine!" She said in haste, with a glare at him, which urges Aven to slowly move his chin up with a puzzled look on his face.

Alecia sighs with a downcast look.

"Sorry..." she holds her own forehead and closes her eyes.

"These past few days.... I didn't get much sleep." After a moment feels a hand rest on her shoulder. She opens her eyes to see that it's Aven's hand.

"Then it's best that you do, alright." He said, amd smiles gently at her, only for her to smile back.

Alecia turns her gaze to Ruth, only to notice a slight glare from her.

"You remember what I said to you." Ruth, said with a calm look on her face.

"I have a place for you to sleep."

"Thank you Ruth." Alecia said, smiling at her.

"You'll stay here for the night." Ruth said, with a strict tone in her voice.

"After tonight, I want you gone, understood." Ruth turns around, and starts walking away.

"What...?" Alecia said, with a her widened look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you understand?" Ruth said, looking over her shoulder at her.

"You don't belong here. After tonight, you must go back to where you came from." She continues walking.

"Come, Lumina."

Lumina, looks behind herself, and looks up at Alecia once more.

"Excuse me." Lumina said, and follows her mother towards the statue, where candles are seen at the bade of it.

With a stunned look on her face, Alecia continues to stare at her sister.

"Ruth...?" she whispered, and perks up her face, as her eyelids start to glisten.

"Alecia." Aven said, which urges her to look at him as a tear falls down her cheek.

"Try not to take her mood towards you, personally."

"Aven, I tried." Alecia said, looking ahead of herself.

"I tried to reconcile with her..." she closes her eyes as a few more tears from down her cheek.

"It only made her resent me even more."

"Just give it some time, Alecia." He said, turning his attention to her.

"She may be angry at you now, but deep down she still, and will always love you."

"I wish that were true." She said, opening her glistening blue eyes.

"What do you mean?" he said, with a frownful look.

"Of course she does."

"That's not what I'm saying." She said, still gazing ahead.

"What if I don't have that time?"

"What?"

"Nothing..." she shakes her head, and turns around, only to proceed towards the palace, while Aven watches with puzzled look in his eyes. "Goodnight, Aven."

"Goodnight, Alecia." He said with a calm tone, and looks ahead once more.

Moments later, and away from the palace...

With a broad hallway, where the walls and ceiling is titanium. The hallway is lit by long lights that stretch along it. Guards, and workers are seen walking to and fro, as they pass each other.

Leah is seen walking along the pathway, without any armor worn, only a long sleeve top, and long pants. The top is clipped over on the left side of her torso, and still with the red fabric around her waist which hangs along her one leg.

She walks near a group of three individuals, two women and one man, who are seen standing near the one wall, with the man resting his back against it.

"Do you think they were after the empress?" The one woman said within the trio group.

"It could be." The man said.

"Or else why would they have come in the first place."

"I hope her daughter is alright." The other woman said.

"Me too." The man said.

"Hey, Leah." The one woman said, stepping forward to meet with her, only for Leah to stop and listen.

"What are your thoughts on the invasion?"

"That's what I'm going to find out." Leah, said and continues walking.

The woman watches Leah walk further away from them.

"Remember that woman they apprehended?" The man said, which urges the woman to look his way.

"She is probably part of the invasion."

"Interesting." The woman said, looking ahead once more.

"By the way." The woman said, looking at the young man.

"Want to talk about the money you owe me?"

"I'm broke." He said, closing his eyes, while having his arms crossed.

"How can you be broke!?" She raised her voice at him.

"Don't make a scene." He said, opening his eyes.

"Besides, I couldn't pay you even if I wanted to... Which I don't."

"Ugh, you're such an idiot, really." The angry woman said, and crosses her arms.

Few moments later...

Leah continues to walk through the hallway, only to reach a cell that is enclosed by a transparent energy field

The one guard is seen standing in front of it.

"I need a few moments with her." Leah said, only for the man to look her way.

"Alright." He said, stretching his arms, only to walk away.

"I need a break anyway." He said as he continues to walk down the passage .

Within the cell, Raine is seen sitting on the side of the bed with a gray sheet and blanket.

Leah slowly steps towards the cell with her curious gaze locked on Raine.

"Hello?" Leah said with a nervous tone.

Raine turns to her attention with a calm look on her face. She smiles gently.

"Hello, soldier." She said, and gives a slightly bigger smile.

Leah slightly raises her chin, and looks at the hallway on her left for a moment, and looks ahead at Raine once more.

"I've got a name." She said, crossing her arms.

"Of course." Raine said, slowly looking ahead of herself, and stares for a moment.

"Everyone has a name." She looks at Leah.

"So what do I call you, soldier?"

Leah frowns with a huff, and unfolds her arms.

"My name is Leah." She said with an irritated tone in her voice.

"Leah..." Raine said, with her voice trailing off. She looks down at her hands within her lap.

"It's strange to have names, isn't it?" She turns her attention to Leah, with her eyes fixed on hers.

"Stop it." Leah said, with a frownful look.

"Stop what?" Raine said, with a narrowed gaze.

"Remember, you came here, and I'm in this cell." She stands herself up, and faces her.

"What else could I do? Conversation is the best within the... circumstance I'm in." She looks around the cell, and steps back and forth for a while.

"You are not taking the situation you're in, seriously."

"Oh?" Raine said, holding her own arm.

"Why should I?" She turns to look at her reflection from the small mirror.

"You've broken our laws." Leah said, and scans her eyes across the cell before her, only to look at Raine, with a calm expression.

"Your freedom is at stake here, aren't you concerned about it?

"Does it make a difference if I am?" Raine said, looking at her with a smirk on her face and a sternful look in her eyes.

"You..." Leah said, shaking her head with a puzzled look on her face.

"Do you realize what penalties you might face?"

"Of course I do." Raine faces her.

"Whether it is a death penalty, you're referring to or not. I only have my life to lose, nothing else."

"So you're just going to accept death, then?"

Raine averts her gaze for a moment, and looks at Leah her .

"When there's nothing I can do to stop it, then yes." She said, her eyes flicker in thought.

"I guess there isn't anything we can do to stop it hey?" Raine said, slowly edging her fingers near the energy field, and stops inches away.

"I have a question." Leah said, crossing her arms while fixing her gaze on Raine's hand.

"Why did you come to this planet? What are you after?" She waits for her to answer, but no reply.

Leah sighs.

"Are you after the empress?

Raine's hand jerks away from the field, only to look at her.

"After the empress?" She narrows her gaze.

"No, that isn't why I came."

"Then what is it then?"

"Where is that white haired woman, by the way?" Raine said, with a curious look on her face.

"What?" Leah said, with a frownful look on her face.

"I'm the one asking the questions here."

"Alright." Raine said, and turns around and takes a seat on her bed once more, and looks down at the floor.

"So you're not going to answer my questions?" Leah said, with a puzzled look on her face.

"I have nothing much to say at the moment." Raine said, still having her gaze at the floor.

"As you wish." Leah said with a sigh, she turns and walks away from the cell.

"Oh, and Leah!" Raine said from the cell, which urges Leah to stop.

"I'm glad that I didn't kill you, it's been interesting, our little talk."

Leah's eyes slightly widen, only for her to frown and continues walking.