Morrie felt alive. She smiled till the sun began to set. She looked at the picture she had of Lucius and kisses it.
Three months had passed and he was still with Allison. She had wished he would have ended the relationship or that it never would have started to begin with. He was the perfect boy and she was a ungrateful self-centered prick.
Aurora and Kip were still together as well. But it was due to Aurora being one of if not the kindest person you would ever meet. Morrie now called Lucius by his true name but only when they were alone together which was almost never.
Morrie fell out of bed and rolled like a burrito to her kitchen. Lucius had come over the day before and cooked with her.
Evelynn was with him as always. Morrie grabbed her backpack and waited at the library. Atlas had let her borrow a book from the Archive. The Archive seemed to be intelligent but was extremely shy around anyone but Atlas. She had been on the same page for the passed month. She had learned things she once thought impossible. School seemed dull now that she understood such mind bending concepts.
“Hey” Said Lucius.
Evelynn looked absolutely stunning as always. She looked like a older Aurora.
“Good morning” Said Morrie standing up.
“Are you ready to go?” Asked Evelynn.
Morrie nodded. Evelynn had short cut jeans and a shirt that reached just above her belly button. They began the short walk to school. It was a boarding school for some and just a regular school for others. There stood Nero, Jay, Randolph and Dick. Nile had gotten arrested and would be their for a few years.
“Hey” Said Nero.
Nero had a new scar across his cheek. Someone had attempted to kidnap Penelope. He said it was worth. They had also jammed a knife through his arm. It was stunning to watch him pull it out and stab one of the kidnappers with it. He said that most pain no longer fazed him after what Lucius had done with the pill incident.
“Hey cutie” Said Dick.
“Hey” Said Dick.
They walked to class. They would change classes every three months. Morrie now sat in calculous. She understood it only because of what she had learned from the book Lucius had let her borrow. She had an A+ in an advanced placement mathematics class for the first time. Not the usual A minus. She finished her work before anyone else. She went back to learning from the book. She also enjoyed the stories. It spoke of Knights and Lords with power so vast they could destroy entire galaxies. But above them stood being like Elders and Primordials. God's were on par with high priest. But there were exceptions.
“Hey Morrie” Said Grinda.
“What” Replied Morrie.
“I heard you and Lucius kissed. Allison isn't going to be happy” Said Grinda.
“I don't care what you think you heard” Said Morrie turning back to her book.
She only wished they had. She ended the day by nearly vomiting as Allison kissed Lucius.
“Hey” Said Morrie. Allison had her hands wrapped around Lucius.
“Hi” He Replied.
“Hey peeps,” Said Hex out of nowhere. “By the way Lucius you're a great French kisser” she winked behind her glasses.
“By the way the day after tomorrow I do have a dentist appointment so you will have a day off from me” Said Evelynn.
“You're still joining me for dinner the day after tomorrow aren't you Lucius?” Said Hex.
Lucius nodded as he said “Absolutely”.
Allison gave a look of displeasure. She didn't enjoy the idea of leaving him with Hex. No one ever mentioned it but Hex was nearly as stunning as Athena. Granted that was before she dyed her hair. Athena had colored her hair a pitch black hue. Snow white would have been jealous. Even teacher made jokes about it.
She had worn red lipstick once and started a trend. Morrie cleared her throat and Lucius said “And I will show you that thing we talked about”.
Morrie wanted to see a knight face to face. Even if it was dead. She so only imagine what it would look like. And Lucius promised to show her a recording of a number of the archive.
“Well I don't know how I feel about leaving you two alone in your bedroom for hours at a time but you will have a new companion soon” Said Evelynn.
“What does that mean?” Asked Lucius
“Nothing. Now, come on let's go” Said Evelynn.
Morrie, Hex and Allison followed. Scarlet was at a mix martial arts class with Athena and Aurora. They walked down to Lucius’ room and found a large box.
He looked at it for a moment and said “Would one of you mind opening it”.
“I'll do it” Said Morrie.
She walked up to the box and removed the bow. The box fell open and a large ball of fur lay in the center. It seemed to stand and face Morrie.
“What is that” Said Morrie.
“I have no idea” Said Lucius.
The small black puff of fur looked up at Morrie.
“Is it a dog?” Asked Hex.
“How would you know?” Sneered Allison.
“Well thanks for asking. It's because I’ve been around bitches like you so long I can tell by the smell” Said Hex.
“Please be nice” Said Lucius.
“Only if you give me a hug” Said Hex.
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Lucius gave his half smile and she said “I know you're smiling”.
She spread her arms to be ready for the hug. Morrie envied this about Hex. Her uncanny ability to know everything around her. Lucius walked over and hugged her despite Allison's disapproval.
“How did you know?” Asked Lucius in a whisper just low enough for Alison not to hear.
“Because I know you love me”.
Morrie didn't understand how she could be so confident.
“What about the dog” Said Morrie.
“That no way to talk to Allison” Said Hex with a smile.
“Hey!” Yelled Allison.
“I mean the puppy” Morrie's voice now sound annoyed and sleepy.
The puppy was wagging it's tail so fast it looked like it was going to fly off. It then began to whimper. Morrie walked over to the fur ball and picked it up.
“You're a heavy puppy” Said Morrie.
It licked her face and she smiled.
“Let's go I still have to show you the battle between the Ark soldiers” Said Lucius.
“What are you going to name him?” Said Morrie.
She felt its soft fur brush her face as it attempted to eat her hair. It had a few teeth. Mostly small round teeth.
“I don't care,” Said Lucius. “It's just a dog”.
She watched him placed the transport markers on the floor. They waited a few seconds and she soon felt the world change.
“Welcome to the Archive’s Ark Citadel” Said Lucius.
As far as she could see their was massive buildings and dead cities. The sky was red and purple. The aurora borealis that stood in the sky danced. The different color had what looked like people fighting.
“Hex, I took the liberty of recording what this place looks like” Said Lucius.
“Thanks” Said Hex hugging him.
Morrie looked at the beautiful world and could not help but smile. She slowly placed the puppy down and tapped it's head.
“Let's go” Said Morrie.
The puppy did not walk but bounced and galloped. It seemed to be very fat. It had massive paws and bug eyes. They all walked to the largest of all the towers. Statues so tall that they held a strong gravitational pull of their own.
“Those are statues of the Lords” Said Lucius.
Morrie was mesmerised by the statutes. They were more detailed that she she could have imagined. She could only wait to see one. The dog bounced behind Morrie. They entered the Citadel and had a full view of all the once great people had mastered.
“Trillions upon trillions of Lords and high knights have stood where you now stand. Let me show you the battles that would take place”.
They stepped on a platform and we're sent to a new location. A massive empty room.
“This place can display recordings of just about anything. I will start by showing you an attempted assassination of a Archive Priest” Said Lucius.
Morrie was standing ready to view the fight. Godlike beings going head to head.
The room seemed to alter and Lucius said “And don't worry we won't get hurt”
Morrie wanted to see one of the Major Ark members. Major Arks were the top one hundred Arks. It is far more impressive when you consider there were more Arks than atoms in the universe. What looked like a woman stood in the center of the room.
“I know you're there” Said the person in the center.
She was cloaked and held a small dagger. A total of nine different assassins walked out of the shadows.
“It seems they were right, you would notice us” Said a dark hooded person.
“I will place markers over them so you can know what powers they have” Said Lucius.
“Why are they fighting anyway?” Said Allison oozing narcissism
“Because they want to protect their way of life that the Archive had threatened” Said Lucius.
The markers over the heads of each of the soldiers told the power of all the soldiers but the one in the center.
“The most important are the three I have highlighted. The others die very soon after the fight begins” Said Lucius.
Morrie had not hear much about the Archive in her reading. But what she did know is that they were nothing to be taken lightly. The fight continued. Four of them ran in first. The Archive soldiers held her ground. They all swung full force at her with swords. The swords shattered against her skin. They seemed shocked by this and she smiled. She jammed the dragged through a gap in the armor of one of the soldiers. She then grabbed dagger through with a loud pop. She grabbed the hilt of a shattered sword and reformed it in mid air. She used it to decapitate one of the soldiers to her right. The speed at with it occurred was mind numbing. Morrie's knew it was in slow motion because she could watch the cracks form on the blade. One of the soldiers that stood farther back aimed what looked like a gun at the girl. The head of the soldiers to her left splattered the ground. A silver blood hung in the air. Only five remained.
“Well aren't you all so clever. Not using you Ark abilities so they can't convict you” Said the girl.
She tossed the sword into the air and rushed them. One of the larger soldiers slammed the ground sending spikes into the air. She seemed to know where each and every spike was coming from. She reached up bragging the grabbing sword she had tossed and shattered the war ax on of them held.
He bellowed “Is that all you got!”.
She rammed the sword through his chest and he smiled.
“That's the spirit” Said the man.
His eyes went black as he grabbed her by the throat and shattered the ground with her head. She held a similar smile. She kicked the sword through him. She was bleeding and shot up quickly.
“Sorry to ruin the fun but I don't have time for this anymore” Said the girl.
She removed her cloak and tossed the sword once more. It vanished and manifested behind one of the soldiers. Morrie heard a buzzing sound come from Lucius.
“Sorry we are going to have to postpone this, my sister is having an emotional day” Said Lucius.
He seemed worried and not his usual annoyed why do I have to deal with this expression. He paused the film and they stepped on the transport. They arrived back and could hear crying upstairs. Lucius jogged up stairs and they could see Athena crying her eyes out. Aurora and Scarlet were doing their best to calm her. Lucius seemed so kind and gentle with Athena. Like a father taking care of his only child.
“Come on don't cry,” Said Lucius with his half smile.
His eyes seemed warm like a fire on a cold winter night.
“You know you alway get tears on your necklaces” Said Lucius.
She alway had the two. One fit perfectly around her neck and the other hung lower. About an inch over where her heart would be. It felt odd seeing Athena cry. She was always happy and smiling. She embodied the idea of perfection. But she still sat there crying. They left Athena and Lucius alone and sat at Morrie's home.
“I have a few things on my mind” Said Hex.
“Like what?” Asked Aurora.
“Why was Athena crying?” Asked Hex.
“She accidentally hurt someone during sparring” Said Scarlet.
“He was also bleeding from his nose pretty badly” Said Aurora.
“She started crying after that. She cried all over Nero's shoulder it looked like something had spilled a cup of water on him” Said Scarlet.
“Why was she on Nero?” Asked Allison.
“He was carrying her” Said Aurora.
They continued to talk and all decided to sleep over. Everyone but Hex, she had to be home by eight. They all walked her home and walked back after that. They were still up around one in the morning and heard something at the door. It was a light tapping at first. Scarlet was the first to notice.
“Where is it coming from?” Said Morrie.
“I think it's coming from down stairs” Said Allison.
They all walked down stairs and could hear it become faster. It stopped and the house was dead silent.
Allison screamed and said “There it is” as she pointed at a flower pot.
They all turned fearing whatever had gotten into the house. They saw nothing but the flower pot.
“Really you all felt for it” Said Allison as she fell to the floor laughing.
Something from behind the door mimicked her laugh. But it sounded wrong. Like an animal attempting to copy a human voice. It sounded chopped up and forced. It began to scratch at the door and continued laughing. Morrie called one of the security guards that would protect her home.