Chapter 5

For a moment, Peony felt home. She was just looking at the man but he gave her an obscure feeling. A feeling she cannot fully understand but she knew, she wanted to feel it. She missed the feeling of feeling it.

“I think I know you,” Peony was the first one who spoke.

The man who she called, Zachary, painfully smiled. He was keeping his distance from her, but deep inside, he wanted to embrace her. He wanted to embrace his sister.

“Of course you know me, Ate Dealla.”

She stiffened.

Hearing her former name brought her bad memories, no, it brought her guilt. Guilt for not able to do her duty.

She cleared her throat. A lot of questions were running inside her head.

I am facing a big responsibility now. I promised the ClandesTeam that I got this. Failure is not one of my choices now.

She sighed, then collected her senses. She got off from the horse that made the girl a little bit anxious. Peony slightly turned in the girl’s direction.

“I heard from the girl that you were looking for someone, a girl named Dealla.” she sounded so confident and intimidating.

“She’s not here,” she added while slowly walking without her desired destination. She was only distracting her thoughts.

Zachary was observing Dealla. He knows her so well. He noticed how uncomfortable she was.

“Yeah, I was looking for Dealla. But now, I’m looking for someone else. I am looking for Peony Soledad. I believe that she’s you.”

Peony was dumbfounded. She wasn’t expecting that kind of response. From what she remembered, Zachary was dependent on her. He was her delicate brother.

“I don’t exactly don’t know how you ended up here and how you ended up like this. All I know is NPU Arnav planned all of this.”

Since Peony became a Bulwarkian, Zachary was the first person she heard mentioned Arnav’s name. It was foreign to her ears. It gave her a bittersweet feeling.

“I am Peony Soledad,” she stated in a matter of fact.

“I am a member of ClandesTeam. I assumed you heard that group already. After all, other species seem to be fanning towards Bulwarkians. I don’t know why. We just want peace but you and the others wouldn’t let us.”

“I didn’t know that you’re here, Ate. I went already to other places but you weren’t there. Bulwark  is the last place I visited.”

“Let’s get straight to the business, Mr. Brouclier. What do you want from me?”

“I was just looking for my sister.” the man’s eye became teary.

This is exactly what I remembered about him. He’s soft.

“Arnav gave everything he could. It’s my turn now.”

Peony frowned.

I thought he hated Arnav. Wait, what he meant a while ago was Arnav planned everything to save me.

“What do you mean?” she asked coldly.

“The Zenith wants you dead.”

Peony lowered her head. No matter how hard she tried, she cannot escape from her past. No matter what her name is, Dealla or Peony, the Zenith will keep chasing her.

“Do you think I deserve to die?” she asked softly.

“Of course not! It’s not your fault if you weren’t able to give their desires. It’s not your fault if you’re not capable of killing someone!”

Peony frowned again.

I wasn’t able to give their desires? What kind of desire?

“What’s wrong? You looked confused.”

Peony looked at him. Her eyes were full of questions.

“Did you forgot that you’re the one who fitted to become the subject of their main experiment?”

Peony was still frowning.

“So, you forgot. I think you didn’t remember who I am either.”

“I know who exactly you are.”

Zachary’s face brightened. A small smile formed from his lips.

“What do you mean that I wasn’t able to give what they desired?”

Zachary glanced to his companion before answering Peony.

“They wanted to create a second version of Clandes. Clandes was a Sea-”

“I know who she is.”

Zachary nodded before continuing.

“The Zenith wanted to have a Seacrestian who is capable of having a flair that is related to Clandes’ flair. You were the one who fitted. Like Clandes, you’re not capable of killing a human. They said you and Clandes have a lot of similarities. Now, they want to kill you. For them, you are just a mere subject of their experiment. They don’t want that someone will benefit your flair.”

Peony nodded.

“You should kill me now.”

“What? No way!”

Peony looked at her brother, straight to his eyes. Their eye contact was very strong. It was like they were having telepathic communication.

Zachary gulped.

“We can beat them.” he sounded like he was convincing himself.

Peony laughed sarcastically. Zachary stepped forward, persistent to convinced his sister.

A blue-green smoke came out from the right hand of Peony and it went in Zachary’s direction that made him stopped from coming closer to her. The girl moved. Peony released another smoke and it went in the girl’s direction. The two intruders remained in their positions, not willing to fight with Peony.

“Listen. We have one resort to beat them.”

Peony raised her eyebrow.

“They are threatened of you, At-”

“Stop calling me Ate.” Peony’s voice raised a little bit.

Zachary nodded.

“Just bite me and you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

“Zach!” the girl interrupted them.

The siblings turned to her. Peony was slightly frowning while Zachary was giving warning to the girl through his gaze.

“Who is she?”

Zachary cleared his throat.

“She’s Cammi, she’s also a trainee of Seacrest Academy.”

Peony nodded many times. She held her gaze towards Cammi a little longer.

“Did the both of you killed a Bulwarkian?”

Zachary and Cammi stiffened. They were aware that one of Peony’s duties is to protect Bulwarkian.

Peony together with the two Seacrestians walked silently. The Bulwarkians they passed by were whispering. They were whispering because they saw Seacrestians and it was their first time seeing Peony’s flair.

Peony's stoic expression became more intimidating. Back in the forest, they were just talking. After she heard Cammi’s answer, she beats her.

“At- I mean, Peony. Cammi is bleeding. We’ll rest for a while, please.” Zachary begged.

“We’re almost there.” Peony answered coldly.

She glanced at her brother.

“You’re not visitors. Why would I let you rest? You are intruders, you injured the Vanators, and Amnisty is seriously injured now because of this girl.” she tightened her smoke that surrounds Cammi’s neck. Cammi coughed.

“They attacked us.” it made Peony more pissed.

Peony stopped and then turned to Zachary with a cold glare. Zachary stiffened. He even stepped back but Peony’s smoke stopped him.

“I’m sorry,” Zachary said softly.

Peony did not respond. They continued walking. When they arrived at the underground, where the sinful Bulwarkians will be placed, the ClandesTeam was there.

“This piece of shit.”

Peony stiffened in her stance when Mauvais attacked Zachary. Mauvais was about to slice Zachary’s neck but his sword turned into ashes. He turned to Cammi.

“So, you were the one who turned our swords into ashes.”

Mauvais was about to beat Cammi but Zachary stopped him. Zachary teleported from his place to Mauvais’s place. He appeared right in front of Mauvais.

“Ey, you’re showing your fucking flairs now?”

Peony closed her eyes for a moment. She facepalmed before speaking. The situation stressed her more.

“Master, calm down,” she said.

“Let’s make them suffer before-”

“Master, I want to see Amnisty. Let’s wait for Queen Sheele’s decision.”

Peony wanted to explain the real situation, but at that moment, she needed rest. She needed to think.

“The queen?”

There was silence. The ClandesTeam knew that their master will insult the queen, again. But the next words of Mauvais weren’t what they expecting.

“Peony.”

Peony stiffened. Mauvais’s voice was dark. It made her shiver.

“I don’t give a fuck if there’s a law protecting your life. I can kill you anytime and anywhere.”

He’s always sharp. He noticed that there’s something between me and these Seacrestians.

“I’m a Bulwarkian now, Master. I’m part of ClandesTeam. You have my loyalty.” she said while bowing.

She hates him because of his salty attitude but she likes his ability. She admires his unique leadership skills.

Mauvais was looking at Peony, observing her. The others were silent. The tension in the atmosphere was obvious.

“I hope you’re telling the truth, Peony.”

**

Peony’s chest tightened. She kept on sighing. Seeing Amnisty’s condition made her feel guilty.

“She’ll be fine. Her past was not great but look at her now, breathing with a strong and admirable attitude.”

It was Piolo. The commander of Regal’s warriors. He’s a close friend of Amnisty.

Peony didn’t give any response. She glanced at Piolo when she heard him sniffing. He was crying.

Peony cleared her throat, it was aching. She wanted to cry but she doesn’t want anyone to see her.

“I’ll be back to ClandesTeam unit. I have things to settle. It was nice meeting you, Commander Piolo.” she slightly bowed before leaving.

When she turned her back from Piolo, her tears fell. She walked fast and wiped her tears. She ran fast and find a place to hide.

She went to Amnisty’s house, where she used to live. She sat on the floor, crying. She hid her face in her knees. Her whole body was shaking.

She never cried that hard before. Not even when their first mission failed. Not when she forgot her memories.

“There. I hope you’re fine.” it was a woman’s voice, a soothed voice.

Peony lifted her head when she felt someone slightly patted her head. But, there was no one. She only felt a wind blew her hair.

She is not a Bulwarkian. Her accent is different. I never heard an accent like that here in Bulwark before. Could it be another intruder?

Her thoughts made her alarmed. She immediately fixed herself and ran.

“Something is wrong.”

She went to the underground. She was surprised when she saw Mauvais. He was looking at the dirty floor while playing with his swords.

“Master.”

He looked at her. His eyes were sad. No, there’s more and it was hard to name.

She came closer to him.

“Can I sit beside you, Master?”

Mauvais did not answer. She sat anyway. Silence means yes.

The cold air made Peony shiver. She was cold, not just because of the air but also because of what happened. A lot of things happened that were hard for her to contained. 

“The intruders, Zachary and Cammi, they were finding me.”

He stared at her but she only glanced and smiled bitterly. Tears escaped from her eyes that she immediately wiped.

Damn. Please, not now.

She sighed.

“Zachary is my brother. Master, I’m afraid that I can no longer be part of the ClandesTeam. I need to leave here. It’s the only way I know to save the Bulwark.”

Tears came out of her eyes. She kept her head lower. Her eyes widened when Mauvias patted her head.

“Okay.”

A single word from Mauvais made her feel less guilty about leaving the Bulwark without saying goodbye. She knew that Queen Sheele and Amnisty will not let her leave. Those women weren’t afraid of risk.

But I’m not like them. I’m a coward.

Peony made the guards lost consciousness using her smokes.

I’m sorry.

She hurried. She went to Zachary and Cammi. The two were surprised.

“What’s happening?” Zachary whispered.

“Stop asking. Just follow me.”

“No! Just tell us what is happening? We can help.”

Peony closed her eyes for a moment before facing her brother. Zachary’s mouth went to ‘O’ formed when he saw Peony’s expressions.

“Chill. Just trying to help.” He raised his both arms, a sign of surrendering.

“Your flair is teleportation, right?”

“Maybe.”

Peony straightened her face. Her brother was not taking the situation seriously.

“I mean, yeah. But, I’m weak now because I used my flairs to enter here in Bulwark.”

Peony was surprised.

“You what-, is that even possible?”

Zachary and Cammi stared at each other. It made Peony pissed. She hated when they are exchanging words without even talking.

“Talk,” she said coldly, smoke starting to come out from her hands.

“Chill. We’re just confused.”

“Then, talk so that we can understand each other.”

“Okay, just chill.”

Peony’s smoke disappeared.

“That’s right, don’t harass u-”

“Just explain already, Zachary!”

“Oh right. Well, I was trying my best to enter here using my flair. There was a rumor in Seacrest that anyone can enter here as long as their flairs can surpass The Shield. I’m not ambitious. I just tried and then I heard a voice, it was like hypothesizing us. We fell asleep and then, boom! We found ourselves here in Bulwark.”

He’s childish.

“When did that happened?”

Their conversation went on. Peony felt something wrong with The Shield. The presence of the woman she felt in the Amnisty’s house was powerful and she’s sure that it was not a Bulwarkian.

Peony thought that The Shield weakened. Maybe, it is possible and she’s right. No one knows.

They entered here in Bulwark, the same day that I went to the ClandesTeam unit and I remembered my memories. What if- no, it’s not possible. If I’m right, I don’t know what to do anymore.

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