The Nefaliem's Duty (Ordinal Novella, 1) (3 page)

“I couldn’t
agree more.” Mizreth announces.

I stand and
stare at the shadows. “If I were a powerful relic, where would I
be?” I mutter more to myself than Mizreth.

“Obviously out
of sight and out of reach.” Mizreth announces.

I regard the
remains of the demon that begins to fade away and stare at the
ground where my sword sat. I pull and notice that the blade is easy
to yank out. “That’s funny.”

“What is?”
Mizreth asks.

“Scan the
ground, I think there might be another level beneath us.” Mizreth
is quiet for a moment or two and declares: I’m right. The idea
would normally make me happy but given that this relic is one of
many I’m sent to find it isn’t all that great.

“There’s
another level under us but it appears to be abandoned. Better yet,
sealed off.” Mizreth announces. I phase through the ground and head
deeper into the abandoned level. I notice the room is filled with
old crates covered in a white blanket for the purpose to keep the
dust away. Whatever they were hiding, it explains why the relic
would be here. I scan the room and demand Mizreth to scan each
crate. “There’s an item that is a little different than the
rest.”

“Where is it?”
I ask.

“It’s four
hundred meters north.” I saunter towards it, eventually dropping my
arm. I’m aware Mizreth’s holographic body would rotate according to
the angle my PCP was. I head closer to it and at the top of the
crates I notice an old wooden box—like a treasure chest.

“Is that it up
there?” I ask, Mizreth, gesturing to the chest piled at the top of
the crates.

“That’s where
the source is.” I leap and hop, from one crate to another than
another, my feet landing lightly on each crate. A skill all
Nefaliem Knights had to learn to harvest from a young age. Once at
the top, I stick my arm through the chest and pull out what appears
to be a chalice embroidered in golden diamonds and dashed in silver
crucifixes.

“Is this it?” I
ask.

“The energetic
majic radiating from it determines its inhuman properties. That and
I think this is the chalice Neragarden had forced Prador to use in
order to gain the power of the angels.” We’re silent for a moment
longer before I declare.

“Alright, time
to go.” I say as I place it against my utility belt where it’s
magnetised to my belt and doesn’t move for the length of the
journey home.

I return back
to Darwin, Australia. Aware I’ve completed my mission. I’m quick to
inform my supervisor Volvomich and the officer in charge of the
mission of my accomplishment. I manage to sneak back into the house
and this time, I enter without being caught and slip over to my
room. Just when my hand graces my doorknob I hear a soft voice.
“Kal?” it questions. I follow the voice and see seven-year-old
Maria rubbing her eye with dishevelled strawberry blond bed hair.
“Why are you up?” she asks through a yawn.

“Shh, Maria. Go
back to sleep.” I whisper as I brush her hair back from her face.
“You have school tomorrow.”

“So do you.”
she whispers in return as she moves over to me and gingerly wraps
her arms around my waist. “I’ll go back to bed if you do.”

I rub small
circles on her shoulder and say, “Okay.” Without any further delay,
I lead Maria back to her room before heading back to mine. The next
day, comes quickly and I wake with a start and to the sound of loud
but short bashing against my door and Maria’s voice.

“Kalverya! Mum
says to get up!” she calls and continues to bang on my door.

“I’m up!” I
call back, even though all I want to do is go back to sleep.
Maria’s voice disappears and the banging stops. I know without a
doubt right now; Maria has returned to the mother-ship to report
that I’m well awake. I sit up in bed, the rays of the morning light
filter through my blue curtain and I throw my feet over the edge.
My feet sting against the cold tiled floor. The next thing I do is
yawn and stumble towards my door, grabbing my towel from the back
of the door, I saunter to the bathroom only to realise the door is
locked. I knock on it. “Aaron! Hurry up! I need to use the
bathroom!”

I hear my
foster father’s voice boom down the hall. “You don’t have time for
that Kalverya!”

“I need a
shower. I’ll be quick!” I call back. I hear him grumble something
under his breath but turn back to the door to find
thirteen-year-old Aaron staring back at me with his well-groomed
brown hair.

“I need a
shower.” he teases. I glare.

“Go away.” I
grumble and watch as he flees down the hall dressed in full
uniform. I enter the bathroom and quickly get ready. The next thing
I know, I’m sitting at the dining room table with Maria and Aaron.
In the high chair to the left of me is nine-month-year-old Michael
who continues to play with his Weetabix. The scary part is there’s
another one on the way I’m reminded, as I notice the small bump on
my foster mother the moment she walked into the kitchen.

“Hurry up and
eat Kal. You’ll need your strength.” my foster mother scolds.

“I know Jane.”
I reply. She gives me a look that says, “watch it” and I do,
returning my attention back to my breakfast. Not long after, I’m on
my way to the bus stop at bus stop on the side of the road where
our buses pick us up. There isn’t an actual bus stop. Aaron and
Maria also wander to the area where I normally stand to be picked
up. Their bus naturally comes first than mine. In a way, it’s a
pain.

“Stop it
Aaron!” Maria wails. I spin around and see Aaron keeping Maria’s
bag from her. “Give it back!” She turns to me, “Kal!” I sigh and
storm over to Aaron who’s quick to run from me but I’m quick to
catch him by the bag.

“Stop stuffing
around first thing in the morning.” I growl as I toss Maria’s bag
back to her.

“
Y-e-a-h
.” Maria sarcastically announces. I shoot her a
warning look and she’s silent. Aaron laughs at his sister’s silence
and falls silent the moment my eyes rest on him.

“Really?” I
ask, “You’re going to fight before school?”

“I’m only
having fun.” Aaron retorts.

I glare, “It
may be fun for you but obviously your sister didn’t enjoy it. So in
my eyes it’s
not
fun.” Aaron shrugs it off than apologises—I
knew he did that for a reason. When we get home later today, he’s
going to have to apologise if he didn’t already than Jane is going
to make him. I internally sigh;
I can’t wait until I move
out.

I pull out my
phone and read over the text, I received from Peter.

Sorry Kal.
Can’t pick you up today had to head into work early. I’ll pick you
up after homework centre as usual.

I sigh and this
time I hear Maria ask, “What’s wrong?”

Aaron stands on
the other side of me and I regard Maria. “Peter can’t pick me up.”
The three of us are silent until our buses arrive. Maria and Aaron
are kind enough to say goodbye while I wait for mine and when my
bus arrives. The first thing I hear is the sound of my name being
called. I smile at the familiar driver as I climb on and see at the
back of the bus my classmates. Well they aren’t entirely my
classmates they were in my year level though, so in a way; they
kind of are but kind of aren’t my classmates.

I head to the
back and sit down. “You’re catching the bus today.” Matilda says.
She’s a tall Australian brunette with no Aboriginal blood. Her
tanned white skin is filled with freckles but somehow she makes it
work.

“Obviously.”
Anna declares, she’s a Malaysian Australian and I’ve always been
quick to notice how pretty she is. “So what you couldn’t get picked
up by your step-dad?”

I shake my
head, “No. He had to head to work early.”

“That’s a
bummer.” Anna replies.

“Tell me about
it.” Soon enough we leap into a conversation about geeky stuff like
Anime, Manga, DC Comics the works and by the time we were
discussing the possibility of Wonder Woman and Superman as a
romantic item. We’re at school and there twenty minutes before the
bell as usual.

As I enter the
school grounds, I pass the usual canteen than the cafeteria until
eventually I stumble upon Andrew. “Sup.” he greets.

“Sup,
yourself.” I reply and he smiles.

“Well guess who
I saw.” Andrew declares, pulling off his large headphones and
letting them sit around his neck.

“Who?” I ask,
not really caring. “Mark?”

Andrew raises
his brow than smiles, “Yeah I did but he’s not the one I’m thinking
of right now.”

“Wow really?” I
sarcastically muse.

“Come on
seriously.” Andrew whines.

“Okay.”

“Guess.”

After a few
moments I question, “John?” And Andrew nods while I roll my eyes.
“And guess what happened?”

I sigh and move
pass him, “What?”

“Bernadette
asked him out.” I froze on the spot.

Peering over my
shoulder I ask in a trembling quiet voice, “What? Did he say?” I
really didn’t want to hear the answer than again; I didn’t want to
know at the same time. This type of thing is none of my business
but I felt the aching desire to know and if he is no longer on the
market. I would have no right what so ever to have any form of
feelings for him.

“He . . . I’m
afraid said yes.” In that moment, the world wasn’t the same. My
heart felt like a dagger had been run through it and my eyes stung.
I glance over at Andrew and see the saddest look in his eye. “I’m
so sorry Kal.” He could tell I wanted to cry but I didn’t. I don’t
want to, not with so many people around.

“No big deal.”
I manage after some time.

“But aren’t you
still his partner in chemistry?” he asks.

I slowly nod,
“Yeah. And I have chem first thing in the morning. After home
group.”

Andrew places a
hand on my shoulder and I meet his eyes. “He’s an idea. Get him
alone, you can hold him down and I’ll punch.” The idea of that
makes me bubble in laughter but the pain continues to linger. “Why
don’t we head to our spot?” I nod and Andrew leads the way. When we
make it to our spot at the back of the school near the oval, I
begin to think about things. I count the amount of things I have to
do and realise that I have too much as it is. I’m a soldier but I’m
also a teenage girl so why could life be so cruel. That’s when I
notice Bernadette at the opposite end of the oval. She’s looking
down at her phone when I notice she glances from left to right than
back again. Andrew continues to talk about what he would do if Mark
was in the situation that I’m in with John and I realise he’d do
what he’s doing now so I remain silent. Instead, my eyes linger on
Bernadette than rest on a stranger walking towards her.

It’s a man.

He hands her
something, speaks to her than takes off. I regard Bernadette and
suck in a mouthful of air the moment I realise her eyes lock on
mine. I can tell without a doubt whatever happened she didn’t want
anyone else to see.

Our eyes held
each other’s gaze a little longer. In one moment, Bernadette breaks
our gaze and quickly turns her heel and retreats around the corner.
“So you know how it is . . .” I hear Andrew say. I forcibly turn my
attention to my dearest friend, fearing I’d hurt him if I
didn’t.

“What?”

“Did you . .
.?” he begins, “You didn’t hear a word I said didn’t you?” The bell
rings loudly overhead as I stand and leave where we sat. Andrew is
quick to follow after me ranting about how my lack of concentration
bothers him. I sigh and apologise. He smiles and forgives me but
demands it doesn’t happen again. I nod and agree.

After homeroom,
I head to my designated class where I often learn and undergo
practical’s for chemistry. Once I head inside, the first person I
notice is John. He’s quick to catch my gaze and I discreetly pull
my attention from him. I could feel him watch me as I ignore him.
Instead, I focus on my teacher who insists on being a bit of a
scatter brain this morning. Everyone in the room can see it.
“Alright class, today we are learning about stoichiometry.” she
says in her old frail voice. I regard Mrs. Luthen as she scribbles
the word ‘stoichiometry’ on the board. “We’ve briefly touched base
with this but at the same time spoke about dynamic equilibrium
which will be explained in your senior years.” As the class
progresses we are split off into our designated groups with our
designated partners and I fight the urge to run away.

John walks over
to my table with his practical book and mocks, “Ready partner?” I
nod and don’t say anything. I stand feeling his eyes watch me as I
walk over to the benches and begin to set up our experiment. We
conduct our experiment together mostly in silence while I continue
to fight the urge to look at him. “Is everything okay?” he
eventually asks. I force my eyes to blankly regard him. This action
is immediately a mistake as I can’t help but think of
Bernadette.

“What makes you
think something’s wrong?” I evenly declare.

John appears
almost uncomfortable and says as he rubs the back of his neck,
“Well you’re always lively and talkative, you know. Sure I tease
you every now and again outside of class and may act like a jerk
but I think you’re a pretty cool lab partner. That and if there’s
something wrong I want to know because I don’t exactly want to
fail.”

At those words,
I can’t help but glare, “Nothing’s wrong and you’re not going to
fail because I don’t want to fail.” I state before muttering, “I
can’t afford to fail.” Unlike John he can have a gap year after
year twelve and live with his parents by that time I’ll be living
on my own and the question on how to do that tickles at the back of
my mind. I’m dreading the day I’ll complete school and dreading the
day even more when I’ll be on my own.
I guess you have to grow
up sometime Kal.
I think. After period’s one and two chemistry
is over and recess comes.