Rising Shards

As the group filed in and stood behind my parents, each taking a spot at the table like some twisted dinner party, something broke through my numb, anxious daze.

“Wait…Aira! Laenie!” I said. “Help me out of there, something’s…something’s wrong here…”

My voice faded, as despite my cries Aira and Laenie kept their heads low. The cracks in the shell of my numb, anxious daze healed themselves with their inaction.

“We held up our end of the deal.” Ovie said. “The clybrid brought your daughter to you.”

“What? 09…” I said.

09 stared through me with the kind of frigid look she shared with my mother.

“She was connected through her friend here, who interestingly claimed to know who we were, and our relation to you.” Mom said, gesturing to Ovie.

“What?” I asked.

“I found a journal on Vita Coa. It was his.” Ovie said. “And I found a page that was him gushing about his kids. About you, Faleur. And that the you that was there was just a retention sprite not worth seeking out.”

”I sent that journal with my retention sprite for you to find, Zeta,” Dad said. ”Sorry it didn’t end up in your hands.”

“Since our goals somewhat aligned, we made a deal,” Mom said. “We sent another retention sprite from Vita Coa to your school again, but not to meet you. To meet your teacher, Caya. Once she was convinced it was a retention sprite, we hoped she’d tell you. And even better when she destroyed it, because that finally got you to act.”

“But…09 let me come with…” I said.

“I don’t think we can explain this any slower baby, so try to keep up.” Mom said, the honey in her tone feeling more like venom.

“I was actually following you all day when I got the all clear, sitting in random spots, but you didn’t notice until I finally said something when you got to the garden.” 09 said.

“Alright, we’re about to really get started,” Mom said. “Do you want to say your piece before or after?”

“I’ll make it quick,” Ovie said. “Bring us with you instead of her.”

“And why would we bring you over our own daughter?” Dad asked.

“Faleur will give you nothing,” Ovie said. “She’s an Atrian, and barely a good fighter. Her powers are still drained, clearly. She’s resistant to Endoran ways. I am not. If the beast tendency doesn’t stick with her, and it won’t, you’ll want actual Endorans coming with you to the Sharai. Take us as prisoners, whatever. You might as well bring us now because we’re all going to the same place.”

“You don’t seem to have a high opinion of her.” Mom said. “What about the rest of you? Do you think you’re a better fit than Zeta?”

“I’ll echo Ovie’s sentiments,” 09 said. “In a fight, the only way Zeta was able to best Ovie was with my help.”

“I don’t know her,” The orange haired girl I didn’t recognize said. “But you can tell just looking at her she’s not cut out for this.”

“What about you two?” Mom asked Aira and Laenie.

The duo approached me. My chair was scooted back enough that they were able to stand in front of me with the table behind them.

“Hi Zeta,” Aira said. “Do you have your phone with you?”

“I…y-yeah,” I said. For some reason, Aira’s politeness made me feel like I was crumbling inside, and my voice reflected that.

“Could we borrow it for one second?” Laenie asked.

“It’s…in my pocket…” I said.

Aira got my phone out of my pocket, and she and Laenie turned around. As they presented my phone, the two reached back and gently held my hands for just a second, out of sight of my parents.

“Look at her lock screen,” Laenie said. “It’s a picture of her girlfriend.”

Mom scowled, her reaction to seeing Oka was another knife in my heart.

“Zeta’s compassionate, which makes her weak.” Aira said. “And she cries a lot. She wouldn’t hold up in a place like wherever you come from.”

Whatever was happening, I couldn’t blame Aira and Laenie for it. Not that the two were just along for the ride, as Aira told us about Laenie’s brother going missing and them needing to rescue him. But I didn’t have it in me to blame them. They had been there for me too many times at Rising Shards. The way they held my hands said more than their words could. Aira clicked my phone’s outer case back into place as she put it back in my pocket. I wasn’t sure when it became loose.

“I suppose we’ll consider it,” Mom said. “But I’m not making any decisions until after we test her beast tendency.”

I thought about asking what the beast tendency was, but I bitterly figured they’d gladly do another big speech about it soon.

“You can all stay for this or wait outside,” Dad said. “Whatever you prefer.”

“I’d…rather wait outside.” Laenie said, and Aira nodded.

“Help yourself to any food in the kitchen before you go,” Dad said.

Aira, Laenie, and the girl I didn’t know left the hotel room.

Ovie and 09 stayed as my parents approached me. I desperately strained to get out of the chair, but Dad stopped me with a hug.

“Zeta, this is where you belong.” Dad said.

I screamed as I felt something sharp jabbing into my hands. Dad held onto me as Mom stabbed two long pins into me. Something seeped into me from them. She drew the pins out, letting my blood from them drip onto her fingertips. She moved to the walls around us and began writing “ENDORA LOVES” on each, the crimson letters reminding me of all the times I’d seen Endorans write something like that before.

All I could do at this point was beg. Over and over I said something like, “You’re my parents, don’t do this, I don’t want this…” It didn’t sway them.

“It should be hitting her by now,” Dad said.

“Maybe in another minute or so,” Mom said. “Zeta, if you don’t resist, you could be one of the most legendary Cani to ever live. So many have tried to bring Endora back with their blood, as she requires it. But Kathron blood is stronger than most. The Tarian lineage is strong as well. You could be the one to bring her back.”

“I’m not an Endoran,” I said.

“You were bathed in the blood of the Fang Moon Web…” Dad said.

“Cleansed in the Elka.” Mom said.

“Get me out of here…” I said. “09, please.”

09 didn’t budge.

“Ovie…” I said. I tried to find the same Ovie I saw in the fight with Jeans, when Ovie crashed her minivan in a can into our mutual enemy. But that shared hurt was gone now.

I felt like someone sent shockwaves through my body. I felt a raging fire churning my insides.

“What did you…?” I asked, feeling myself shifting, starting to slip away.

“It’s called the beast tendency, Zeta.” Mom said. “It’s in all Cani. And it’s stronger in Kathrons. But you have to be willing to use it.”

“It starts with the call Endora gives to our very soul,” Dad said. ”The urge to let go and accept her power.”

I screamed in pain as my body changed rapidly. It looked like I had Feral Flu again, but this was much more twisted than I was with Feral Flu. The restraints still kept me in place. I felt more and more anger inside me, a voice in my head screaming for me to attack everyone nearby. I felt a monster inside me, a monster that was part of me now, or maybe it always was, screaming for me to act. As my body grew more and more bestial, my mind did as well, and I didn’t see a way out.