VI
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Arc VI Chapter 26
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Anno Imperii 08.08.1936
“As Karfreit has amply shown, the advantages the offensive bestows upon the attacker should never be underestimated. It is because history has taught us that both initiative and surprise reign supreme on the battlefield. As counterintuitive as it might seem, the strengths of the defensive can be at times deceiving, misleading. No matter how skilled the defender, no matter how, no matter how well prepared his dispositions, no matter how hostile the terrain might be, a skilful attacker will always find a way. Because it will always be the attacker to choose the time and place, never the defender. It will be the attacker to dictate the pace ...” Father spoke, but Aurora did not ... listen. Sitting in Father’s office on his divan, her head remained lowered, her gaze downcast, her mood depressed.
“Aurora ...”
She did not care. She could not care.
“Aurora ...”
Her usual enthusiasm had been lost. Her usual interest had waned. The usefulness of Father’s lessons was not put into question, but they had lost their lustre in sight of recent revelations. Instead, there were other questions that required her attention.
“Aurora!”
“...” Aurora raised her head, gazing right into Father’s eyes. He seemed somewhat displeased. “Are you even listening, Aurora?”
“... ... ...” Aurora shook her little fluffy head. She was not. And they both knew so.
“... ... ...” Father did not respond, his face stern and his stoic indifference absolute. It was hard to tell whether he was irritated or merely disappointed in her. Or perhaps both. Or was he choosing to ignore her? “Your recent changes in behaviour ... They did not escape me, Aurora. It is quite unlike you ... ... ... Something is bothering you, is it not?”
“...” Aurora nodded affirmatively.
“...” Father scrutinised her intently, his arms folded behind his back. Nevertheless, his expression had softened considerably. His eyes betrayed glimmers of sympathy and concern. Father cared. Or, at least, she hoped so. “Tell me, child, what is it?”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“...” Aurora, however, averted her eyes, avoiding his inquisitive gaze. Her hands fidgeted nervously. “There is ... There is ... There is something I wish to ask, Father.”
Father simply nodded. “I am listening.”
Her fidgeting intensified. Aurora was rubbing her tiny hands. “Do you think ... Do you think I am a monster?”
For a moment, Father’s ever confident smile faltered. “Of course not. You are my cute, precious little daughter. The cutest and most precious of them all. But why would you even entertain such frivolous thoughts?”
Although his response pleased Aurora, his words did little to dispel her doubts. “It is what people say behind my back, behind closed doors. I know what they say about me, Father. I can see it in their eyes. They think I am a monster, do they not?”
“...” Father merely smiled in response. “You should not concern yourself with the opinions of lesser minds, Aurora. In their ignorance, they speak what they think they know. The fact is that they fear what they do not understand. They fear your magic. They fear your aura. They fear your true strength.”
“...” Aurora fell silent. Strength. Magic. Fear. Was this all she was? “But what if it is true? What if what they are saying is true?”
“...” Father furrowed an eyebrow, his doubt patent. “According to whom?”
“...” Aurora paused for a moment, her next words carefully chosen. “A little girl. An artificial soul encased in an artificial vessel. Absolute perfection given human form. A weapon forged for a single purpose. That was what he said. Was it not, Father?”
...
...
...
Absolute silence reigned. Not a single word was spoken. Not a single sound uttered. There was just silence.
“... ... ...” Father retained his usual calm composure, but the subtle hints of unease did not escape her. “I suppose that you have been eavesdropping, have you not?”
“...” Aurora merely nodded, moving her little head. “So it is true?”
...
...
...
“... ... ...” Father did not respond, which was confirmation enough. What went unsaid did not need to be said.
At last, a heavy, drawn out sigh escaped him. “I guess, that after all these years, the time has come. I think ... that you deserve a few answers.”
“...” Aurora tilted her head. What was that supposed to mean?
Father returned behind his desk. His deft hand opened a drawer to procure a stack of documents, a set of files. He approached her again, standing before her. Father deposited the files on the table in front of her, right within reach. It was an old folder. A thick folder. A heavy folder, easily more than a few thousand pages.
Aurora looked up. “What is this?”
“Your answers”, Father replied. “The ones that you need. As well as the ones that you deserve. Even so ...”
Father stepped closer, one more step. He stopped, kneeling down before her until he reached her height. He was close. His face right in front of her. His purple eyes greeted her. A faint smile flashed across his face, his lips curling up ever so slightly with joy. He was content. He was happy.
“Father ...” Aurora hesitated. Father did not.
He pulled her closer, ever closer, his arms shielding her small figure from the cold, hostile world. His embrace was warm, so very warm. It was a hug. A tight hug. A hug from the heart. It was the hug that she had longed for so long.
Father whispered. His voice was soft and gentle, filled with a warmth. “Know that I will always love you.” His hug tightened. “You are so much more than just a mere weapon. You are my most precious.”
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1st Aqua Solar XI AAC 753
Little Aurora jolted up, her breath ragged and shallow. Her hands were shaking. Her fingers trembled. Her heart thundering in her chest. Her throat tight. Her tongue strangled. Her eyes wide and the sweat of anxiety slowly trickling down her forehead. The adrenaline of battle still surging through her veins.
“It ... It ... It was just a dream.” Little Aurora pressed her hands against her chest, trying to calm herself. Her gaze fell on the one beside her, her kindred soul. Curled up in her nest of blankets, the other Aurora was slumbering innocently, relishing the sleep of the just. Her chest rose and fell under her soft, rhythmic breath. Her lips remained sealed, adorned by a faint smile. Her fluffy hair overflew in abundance, single loose strands caressing her round cheeks. Yet her appearance belied what lay hidden to the naked eye.
The moon stood high and the darkness of the night had not yet faded, but the memories of the past did not leave little Aurora, burned forever into her mind. Unable to forget what she had seen. What she heard. What she had felt tonight. Now little Aurora finally understood.
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