Interlude Six: The Other Warrior, Part 2
It was a long time before her parents calmed down after Alyx told them everything about Diamond’s murder. Meli was crying, inconsolable as she whimpered for her dead daughter, and Adler was cursing, brandishing his knife and screaming revenge, tears in his eyes. Aster and Alyx both tried to help them, but for at least thirty minutes, they couldn’t be aided, so the warriors left them to their misery.
Eventually, her parents calmed down, her mother’s cries turning into mere sniffles and her father’s curses turning into angry mutterings. When they were done with their whimpering, they called her and Aster back in and the conversation resumed.
“So it was the mages?” Meli asked.
“It was the Cult,” Alyx corrected. “There are some mages in there, yes, but it isn't just mages.”
“I knew you shouldn’t have been a warrior,” Adler cursed. “And I knew the mages were bad news. If it were up to me, we would execute them all.”
“Good thing it’s not up to you, then, is it?” Alyx asked, rankled. Aster touched her on the shoulder, mollifying her, and Alyx looked at her friend to reassure her she was okay.
“Don’t you see?” Meli wondered. “If the mages weren’t here, my Diamond would still be alive. It’s all their fault, and that’s why—”
A pitter-patter of feet sounded from the hallway, and the whore’s face darkened.
“Who is that?” Alyx demanded. “Who else is in this house, Meli?”
“Call me mother, please.”
“Who is it?”
“I told her not to come,” Adler cursed again.
The pitter-patter continued, and Alyx gasped as she realized how small the feet sounded, as if they belonged to a child.
Did that mean…
A child came into the room, a small two-year-old girl with a strikingly cute face and big beautiful blue eyes that were full of concern. She looked around the room, eyes widening as she saw what was happening. Her eyes lingered on Alyx for a little before they moved back to her parents. She had brown hair, and very little clothes, and Alyx hated to assume what it meant about her. When the child spoke, it was a punch to Alyx’s gut.
“Mommy, were you cwying?”
“You have another kid?” Alyx screeched. “How did I not know about this?”
“You haven’t seen us in longer than you think, my daughter,” Adler said. “Plus, it isn’t mine.”
“How is that—” Alyx gasped again. “Of course. You had to whore your way to another daughter, didn’t you, Meli?”
“Come here, darling,” Meli embraced her young daughter and lifted her, then glared at Alyx. “I’m forced to do this job, and you know that!”
“No, you’re not!” Alyx exclaimed. “You know you could get any job you wanted to. You chose this lie, and you deserve its consequences!”
“Mommy, why is this girl scweaming at you?” The child blubbered, its eyes filling up with tears.
“Hi, I’m Alyx,” She told the child.
“My sistew.”
“Yes, your sister,” Alyx smiled. “I was just a little mad at mommy. Come here.” Meli held her child protectively, but reluctantly gave her up as she held on to Alyx’s neck.
“Half-sister,” Alyx heard Adler whisper, but she ignored it.
“Did Diamond know about this?”
“How could she not?” Adler shrugged. “She even met her.”
“Diamond?” The child asked. “Is she okay?”
“What’s your name?” Alyx asked.
“Rose.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
Rose smiled and hugged her fiercely.
“You better not be mistreating her…” Alyx left the threat unfinished but it was there, and Adler heard it.
“We don’t mistreat anyone and you know it. We never mistreated you, and we would never mistreat her.”
“Does daddy or mommy ever hit you?” Alyx asked Rose, who seemed to think for a moment. Adler’s eyes blazed but he didn’t move, his nose huffing.
“Sometimes, when daddy is dwunk, he hits me,” the toddler responded. “He tells me I’m not his weal daughter. And mommy twies to stop him, but sometimes, she hewps him.”
“YOU BASTARDS!” Alyx screamed, holding Rose close. “You do this to her? How dare you—”
“No, how dare you,” Adler said to her. “We raised you, fed you, did everything to you. You should look up to us, instead you disrespect us. Diamond would’ve done better.”
“WHAT?” Alyx choked. “Why would you…Aster, help me out here!” Aster stood up and embraced her.
“Can me and her talk privately?” She asked calmly.
“You have ten minutes,” Adler told them. “When you return, I expect an apology.”
— — —
“They can’t do that to my sister!”
“I agree, but you can’t act like this. I think you’re forgetting who your parents are!”
“Those bleeding bastards? How could I forget?”
“I don’t think you know what I mean,” Aster told her, holding her hand. “Your dad is a bleeding cutpurse. He could kill you if he wanted to. I don’t think he would, but he would definitely hurt you if he could. And Meli, she’s a whore! Who else is known for quite literally stabbing someone in the back. You anger your parents and you will regret it.”
“I can take them on.”
“But would you? I bet not, they are your parents after all.”
Alyx sighed. “You’re right, as always. I just hate what they’re doing. We have to get Rose out of here.”
“I agree. But for now, there’s nothing we can do! You want to just steal her?”
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“Yes!”
“Now is not the time,” Aster told her. “You must think of the repercussions.”
“What about the repercussions of leaving her here? Rose will be traumatized for life.”
“Just be calm and think clearly. You’re acting impulsively. Your parents clearly don’t want to make your relationship worse.”
“They’re doing a right good job of it.”
“Please, Alyx. Try listening to them. You don’t need to agree or even process what they’re saying. But they’re your parents, and that means something, right?”
“At least they aren’t part of the Cult,” Alyx said. “I’ll try.”
“Good. Shall we go back in?”
“I can do it.”
— — —
Alyx held Rose close, and the little girl played with her hair, commenting on how beautiful it was. Alyx smiled as she looked at her half-sister, wishing she could be in a better place.
“I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot,” Aster told Meli and Adler.
“Thank you for calming her down,” Adler growled. “We need someone to knock some sense into that lady. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s a woman or someone normal.”
Aster’s nose flared, but she was able to control herself, Alyx didn’t know how. She herself only maintained her cool by staring at Rose.
“Of course,” Aster said, gritting her teeth. “I’m the only person Alyx listens to, maybe because I’m the only rational person she knows.”
“Always told her never to join the Vanguard,” Meli spat. “Fools, all of them. And the captain turned out to be a mage, and I thought it couldn’t get any worse! I’m just glad there’s one warrior we can trust. But, we aren’t here to talk about the Vanguard.
“We brought you here to talk about Mages.”
“What do you mean?” Aster asked just as Alyx interjected.
“So you invited me here to mess with me!”
“Of course not!” Meli smiled. “We desperately wanted to see you again. This was just a way to…rekindle the fire we once had.”
“There was never a fire between us,” Alyx scowled. “And there never will eb, after what you did to Rose.” Aster’s hand fell on hers, and she nodded, mollified slightly.
“What about me?” Rose asked.
“You’re beautiful,” Alyx responded, brushing her hair. And undeserving of the beating. I promise I’ll make it stop.
“We know you have access to the mages at Zenyth,” Adler told her as Meli left the room to retrieve something. “We know you have connections to Helstrom. And so, we decided we could talk about this to you. This is a project my employer has been working on for decades.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” Alyx replied. “If it has anything to do with mages, I know it won’t be good.”
“Honey, please,” Adler said, softening, although his look was still hard. “I understand we don’t agree with each other on everything, but this is important. This could change everything. I promise this isn't evil, this is revolutionary.”
“You want to level the playing field or something? Your prejudice finally gets to you too much?”
“How will you know until we show you?” Adler asked. “I’m begging you, just give us a chance.”
“Fine,” Alyx huffed. “It better be good.”
“It is.”
“Awyx?” Rose asked. “Where were you?”
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“I nevew met you.”
Alyx smiled softly. “I couldn’t before. But I promise to see you a lot from now on.”
“If we let you,” Adler muttered, just loud enough for his daughter to hear.
“Will your giwlfwiend come too?” Rose asked, grinning at Aster.
“Oh, I’m not her girlfriend,” Aster said in mock outrage. “But I’ll visit too, if you want me to.”
“I want you to.”
“Then it’s decided,” Aster’s smile was contagious, causing Alyx to genuinely mirror it.
Alyx put Rose on the ground, and the toddler began to run around in excitement before plopping down on the ground with a contented sigh.
“Where’s Diamond?” She asked.
“She…can’t see you.” Alyx responded. “But I’m sure she misses you.”
“I miss hew too,” the baby responded. “She nevew scweamed at daddy, but daddy always scweamed at hew.”
“Well, there won’t be any screaming in this house anymore.” Alyx said, ignoring Aster’s warning glare. “Or hitting.”
“And who aare you to say that?” Adler warner. “Are you threatening me?”
“I can have you arrested as quickly as you cut someone’s purse,” She replied. “I am an expert with the sword, and I could get you a life sentence.”
“You could start a war with the Cutthroat District,” Adler said.
“I’d do it to save Rose.”
“You just met her!”
“BUT SHE’S MY SISTER!”
“SHE ISN’T EVEN MINE!” Adler screamed, and Rose burst out crying, running and grabbing onto Alyx’s leg, and the warrior picked her up.
“Daddy’s gonna hit me,” Rose blubbered. “When he scweams, he hits me.”
“I don’t care if she’s my half-sister or full sister. She’s still more of my family than you are!”
“You slut!”
“How dare you when your own wife—”
“Now why the negative energy?” Meli smiled, finally walking in. Stepping in between Adler and Alyx, she put a clothed bag on a coffee table. “Now, Ad, can I show them the project?”
“Go ahead.”
Meli unwrapped the clothed bag, unveiling a gauntlet. It was copper, with a series of concentric circles in the middle, the last of which glowed. The concentric circles each had lines jetting off of them heading around the gauntlet which would fit up to the elbow. Although it was copper, it was painted with a smooth purple sheen that made it almost look…professional.
“What is it?” Alyx asked. “Just a gimmick, a gadget?”
“No, not just that, it’s much more impressive,” Adler said, sliding it on. “We call it the Nullifier.”
“That tells me so much about it,” Alyx replied sarcastically. “I get it all now.”
“We would love to know more,” Aster said, and Alyx could tell it was genuine. Truthfully, she was very curious to know what was there too, but she didn’t have to show it.
“Well, to put it simply, like you said, it levels the playing field,” Adler said. “While its effects aren’t permanent, we are working on making it so. For now, it’s temporary, but it does work.”
“That still doesn’t explain anything.”
“Fine,” Adler huffed. “It stops a mage from being able to perform any magic.”
“It does what?” Alyx exclaimed. “That’s…”
“Amazing?” Meli asked. “Isn’t it the greatest thing you’ve ever seen? We can finally combat them and end their tyranny.”
“You know that I disagree with you and you show me a bleeding weapon!”
“You wouldn’t snitch, we’re our parents!” Meli exclaimed.
“I hate to say this, but I’m with Alyx,” Aster said. “We will need to warn the Vanguard.”
“There’s nothing you can do,” Adler told them. “We’ve already spread them around the city. Many are getting ready to use them on mages. The riots are about to become so much worse.”
“So this is a Cult thing?”
“Of course not!” Meli exclaimed. “The cult is just as bad.”
“Then who are you working for?”
“Better they stay anonymous for now,” Adler responded. “So, what do you say?”
“I say you’re screwed,” Alyx said, snatching up the gadget. “I’m taking this with me.”
“That one doesn’t work,” Adler scoffed. “You think we were stupid enough to give you access to a working one.”
“I’m taking her too,” Alyx continued, holding on to Rose.
“YOU CAN’T,” Adler, Meli, and Aster all yelled at the same time. Holding on to the baby, Alyx unsheathed her sword, and, forced to help her friend, Aster did the same. “Fight me. I won’t let you abuse the girl. You’re evil and we'll be prepared for all of you.”
“You won’t get away with this,” Adler warned. “You’re starting a war.”
“Ask me if I care,” Alyx replied. “Come on, Aster.”
“Where are we gowing, sistew?” Rose wondered. “Why are we weaving mommy and daddy?”
“They’re bad people, and I can’t let them keep hurting you. They’ll never hit you again.” Alyx backed away towards the door with her friend, still holding her sword towards the estranged whore and cutpurse.
“You’re safe now.”