"So, hear me out," Lynx began, licking her lips nervously. "On a scale of one to ten, this is the bleeding ice's ba-"
"You're gonna be alright," Alice hummed quietly, reassuringly, reaching over to squeeze Lynx's hand… but, something wasn't right. The academy grounds were flooded with citizens of all sorts; angels, demons, horns, halos, humans and everything in between. As soon as they'd driven through the gates up to the main building, a sleek black sedan pulled out of the grass, in front of them now, leading them onward. Lynx stiffened, chest once again tightening… but she knew better than to let herself snap. Whatever she might say or do; I won't have my way here. Be good. If they wanted me in prison, I'd already be there, yeah?
"We can do this, seriously." Alice smiled, nodding and continuing on slowly as Lynx glanced at her, then away, out the window. The crowd seemed… supportive. Happy. As if there was a grand celebration to be had…. Does that make us the V.I.P.s… oh gods, please just kill me now…
Soon, the car leading them stopped, and Alice braked, parking after a moment when the driver ahead of them, a simple man with dark hair, opened his door and stepped out. He ignored Alice, though, walking around to the passenger side and opening Lynx's door, peering down at her expectantly, unfazed, seemingly- and quite unlike herself- by the excited yapping of the audience.
-
"See? Your actions were completely justified," Vilhelm muttered to himself, wiping sweat from his forehead as he watched the event from near the back of the crowd. Something felt… off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what that might be. Lynx pulled up as planned; or rather Alice did, and he, Vilhelm, felt a twinge of disgust as he watched her to get out.
Aerendyl nearly caused her to die- and me, and the others. Aerendyl, this supposed arch-angel, this supposed, wannabe paragon of justice and virtue… he fell for such an obvious trap…
That's right, though- he is the problem- and wouldn't it feel so good to plunge me into his pretty chest and carve him open? Hahah, come on, you know it's the answer- just think about how beautiful his screams would sound… and you'd be the hero who killed the corrupt-
Get the hell out of my head-!!
"Ugh…" The brunette muttered, watching Lynx mount the stage slowly, head swimming. He was training with Marcus… and then what happened.
I wanted to make my momma proud, and saving Nara was the right thing to do… I never wanted to hurt a soul, much less kill them in cold blood. Why can't I remember- what the hell happened, back then?! What happened, why can't I remember??? Killing off an entire hotel, it wasn't like me, what changed, and where did this damn weapon come from…
"It is time for us to begin!!!" Somebody screamed, and Vilhelm looked up; in front of the academy's main building, an impromptu dais had been thrown together. On it stood Aerendyl, a few armed soldiers… an old man Vilhelm vaguely recognized as a member of city council… and now Lynx. "Over the last several years…"
"-Ravenwood has been urged into a state of chaos by forces out of our control," The man continued, and Lynx swallowed, glancing away from the crowd nervously; but there was a microphone in her ear and on her cheek now, put there as she'd stepped out of the car. Since she couldn't hear her own anxious breathing, she assumed that it was off, for now… but even so, it made her heart hammer in her chest uncomfortably as she bundled her coat around herself, trying to hide from the cold- gods, I hate the cold…
"The truth," The councilman pressed on, "-is that Ravenwood is fraught with problems; this, we cannot deny. We are plagued by a cult; the Elevated who flood our streets with poison. We are too lax and too harsh; executing criminals that we might have saved, sparing those who have caused harm we do not see, leading to more issues. Our system… it's flawed."
"Lately, it's made some call into question whether Contracted Arms can be trusted," He continued, and while the crowd had quieted, they grew completely silent. "Can we be trusted? No, not as we are- but yes, you can trust us. Those who throw slander to our names; where are they, I ask you? What are they hiding? Because we at Contracted Arms? We are here. We are accountable. We have your best interests at heart; and we ask not for worship, but for just a bit of faith in the organization that keeps Ravenwood, and many other nations, safe."
"By now… we have all seen the interview…"
For a moment, a holographic projection; Lynx, Nara leaning on her shoulder, floated above the crowd… and then it vanished.
"A long time ago- Contracted Arms was founded for three reasons. One, to set an example, and show the world that angels, demons, and humans can work together in unity; even on the battlefield. That we can trust each other with our lives."
"For second; to protect our people. Finally; for third- to be accountable for you. For ourselves. When somebody dies, our job is to investigate, and find justice- it is not, and has never been to kill in cold blood before the facts are gathered. We've forgotten our roots, and in our attempts to be great, we forgot to do good. With that, Aerendyl, Acting Director of Contracted Arms in Ravenwood, has an exciting announcement for us all. Aerendyl?"
The councilman stepped back, and Aerendyl stepped forward.
He drew a breath.
Lynx watched, anxiety still tight in her chest, sucking her stomach in, glancing around rapidly.
Aerendyl sighed.
The angel began to speak.
"We at Contracted Arms…"
"We…"
"Here at Contracted Arms…"
"Ugh. I can't do this. Hey we failed- we didn't follow our word to you, the people and we haven't for a long time."
There was a gasp from the crowd, and then silence; they waited on tenterhooks, and Aerendyl pressed on, sounding manic, and yet more human than Lynx had heard him yet, ironically.
"That's right, we failed you all!! Contracted Arms has been an occupying force- angels don't get to fail and yet that's all I've done!! I won't claim responsibility- it's not us flooding the streets with drugs and poverty but what have we done? We kill and we kill, but we don't ever stop- we don't address the root of the issue, the poverty. We don't CHANGE, we just make you pretty promises and then we never follow through- so what makes us any better than the bastards peddling the angel shots? Really."
"I sit up here on my throne, so to speak. I save somebody in front of me and I smile; YAY, EVERYONE, AM I A GOOD ANGEL, I SAVED SOMEBODY!!"
"Thing is," Aerendyl pressed on, voice softening, and Lynx watched, listened, unable to feel anything but that mind-numbing anxiety. "I was never supposed to stop at saving somebody. As the Director of Ravenwood's Contracted Arms, my job was to protect YOU. The people. I got shortsighted, and selfish, and I failed, sitting in an office and focusing on small victories, when as the director, I WAS NEVER ALLOWED THE LUXURY OF SMALL VICTORIES ALONE. I took it anyway," He added, bringing his voice back down, trembling. The entire crowd waited on baited breath; and even Lynx felt her anxiety sit aside as she watched, wondering where this was going.
Aerendly began to speak again, voice thick, and Lynx realized only now how long he'd paused, emotion gripping him, it seemed.
"Listen if the people call for me to step down I will," Aerendyl began delicately. "Thing is I don't want to step down. I don't want to run from my failure, I want to be better. I want to stay, I want to change; no more focusing on saving one hot chick and feeling like some sort of trashy false hero who couldn't save people without making it about myself if my life depended on it. I want to be accountable; and if you can't trust that, I understand. Hotels turned drug dens; demons in the sewers- people sent to their deaths. I'd get it. Please, though, people of Ravenwood, I ask you for one, and only one, chance to show that an archangel can admit his flaws and be better- that I can do something that isn't for me, and me alone."
"Oh. Right." Aerendyl swallowed, stepping closer to the edge of the dais. "I've learned something about trying to solve your problems with violence; but I think we can all agree that having full control of things, at least on the surface- we all know about the experiments by now. I won't pretend I had any part in it, or knowledge, for a time."
"Anyway," Aerendyl sighed, stepping back. "I will be the head of Contracted Arms here, as I have been for years; I will continue, unless the people call for me to step down, to be our tactician, our strategist, and our commander. Ask yourself though; is Lynx right? Can there be accountability without change? Please step forward, Lynx… head of Contracted Arms's brand new Aigis Order."
"What-" The blonde woman whispered, eyes wide.
"I said, please step forwarrd, Lynx," Aerendyl muttered flatly, staring at her with tired, dead eyes. "Lynx. Soldier. Survivor. Friend."
"Right…" She, Lynx, sighed, stepping forward slowly.
"This is Lynx," Aerendyl sighed, speaking to the crowd still; who, miraculously, stayed quiet, watching with wide eyes. "She was never saved by a demon and a human working together, or whatever nonsense I made up for a headline. I told you all that- told the news outlets and the papers. She was an example; no. I saw her half dead, found by some young teenagers who were sledding, while on my way home one night and I grabbed her. I had her saved because I could. It was shortsighted, it was selfish. I wanted to feel like a hero."
"What are Lynx's qualifications?" He pushed on as Lynx awkwardly shuffled forward, looking down. Nara smiled up encouragingly, while the Playwright WAIT WHAT- He was there, grinning, clapping his hands together subtly- oh my gods that's HIM WHAT-
My idea, again- you become an accidental famous hero and use your morals for good. That plan is still on track, believe it or not, even if we had a bit of an accidental detour; see, I can only gain control over your soul when you die.
Oh gods, I didn't dodge the story at all- accidental detour-
"Lynx does not belong in a system, in a military." Aerendyl nodded, sighing. "She has gone against orders repeatedly… and proven herself better. She stopped a shooter in a diner, she's outsmarted and outmaneuvered demons- but not without help. Repeatedly now, Lynx has proven herself capable, brave, and intelligent- so much so that she makes assinine, idiotic decisions at a glance but comes out on top with catlike grace."
"More importantly," Aerendyl continued, voice softening. "That shooter is alive. A would be killer- sent for her life. Still alive. She even ferried not one but two survivors past an arch demon, albeit not without help. You see? Who better to lead the Aigis Order? Who better than somebody born to lead, born to save, who'd rather call out the most powerful organization on the planet than bow her head, and make sure that you know- she knows what she's doing."
Lynx's head spun, and she did not smile at the audience, resting a hand slowly over her chest, balling it into a fist on a long forgotten relfex.
"There, you see?" Aerendyl smiled, speaking warmly. "She uses not the salute of Contracted Arms, but the oath of heart's defense; the sign of the Pempan Honor Guard. I think it's long time we breathe some new ideas into our old ways. That said; Lynx will be granted the ability to choose her people. In six months time, Aigis Order will become a fully active part of Contracted Arms in Ravenwood; to DEFEND, to NEGOTIATE, and to STRIKE only as a last resort. What do you think, people of Ravenwood? Forget publicity stunts, let's do something… real."
There was silence, and Lynx winced, but she kept her hand over her heart, balled into a fist as if to catch an arrow.
This is wrong, right? It is. It's not right. I call out Contracted Arms- surely, many of them want me dead. Is that it? What the average civilian feels like? Fear of speaking out, lest they be silenced, erased? This is WRONG; I can't fucking LEAD THEM, I can't take control- but…
What if my guts pay off? What if that really is the answer? Don't let them pay me off or manipulate me; make it real, make it public. Transparent, accountable; they're trying to bully me into their control with a fancy raise and a title. I can strongarm it, can't I?
It's stupid, and it's the last thing they'd expect from a glorified rookie.
It's a trap.
The only escape is to dive in willingly- that's the key, isn't it.
When nobody spoke, the crowd in stunned silence, Lynx slowly stepped forward.
"My…" She whispered, faltering, anxiety threatening to silence her. "My… My… MY BLOOD, FOR YOUR LIFE. WE BLEED AS ONE, AND DIE OR LIVE TOGETHER." I said that once before, didn't I… gods, I can't handle this… "Forget grand speeches. I want to do good. If this Aigis Order lets me, then so be it. You all know that if it isn't what you're being promised, I'll say as much without hesitation." Her voice carried, perhaps amplified by magic.
Silence, still; for a moment, Lynx felt fear grip her, as if she might still be down there, with the centipede. As if this was staged… and then a young man with brunette hair and a funny look in his eye shouted.
Silent, Nara climbed onto the stage with her as the crowd cheered it back.
"WE BLEED AS ONE, AND DIE OR LIVE TOGETHER."
There were no more murmors for the crowd, just a joyous cheer; the people were rallied. "Real", truly was the word for this. Alice, not wanting to be left out- or maybe just wanting to be supportive, dragged herself onto the stage, huffing, and whispered to Lynx, taking her hand.
"The family stands behind Aigis Order. Not Contracted Arms. Not anymore."
What does that mean, who else is there, Lynx wondered privately as the murmurs grew louder, crowd finally starting to get excited.
Lynx, gaining confidence now, stepped forward. "Contracted Arms has been in charge for how long now?" Remember classes, come on-! "Since the old war! We- They- saved you back then, but come on, if that hasn't cured the problems, what good is it?! If drugs still run amok, if people disappear in the night because we'd rather end them than give fair trial?!"
The noise began to rise, and Aerendyl stepped forward as the excitement grew. Shouts reached her, Lynx's, ears, and, curious, she opened her mouth, inhaling, only to be hit with the tastes of stale air, curiosity. Hope, potential, desire. The scared belief that things could be different; desire, hope, a need for safety that didn't involve bowing their heads to any wrongs they see lest they be dragged into an alley.
Is that what happens? Does CA drag them into alleys?
Now is the time for change Lynx; you've seen the leadership, but you haven't lived life as a civilian. You'll have to accept that doesn't matter- what matters is the now.
"If Aigis Order is a way for me to make change- real, change, and control the abuse of power that has become normalized, then so be it, I'll be every bit the leader they want- and I'll do it my way." Ohhh can't breathe. I hate anxiety. Please kill me.
"I do this willingly, and I do it for you." Lynx stepped forward, closing her mouth, shaking her head. "No more excuses. I'd say one thing, as the head of this order. A first command, of sorts…" The crowd fell silent, and Lynx winced, swallowing.
He's a liar.
He's a coward.
He's selfish.
He's… screwed up and flawed.
He's trying.
Cowards can change, can't they?
I'm a bitch.
Can I change?
I can.
So can he.
Will he?
Gods, Aerendyl. You kind of suck as a leader and you're no big brother of mine.
You're not even my friend.
I was just your little project.
You said it.
I was just a short victory.
A project.
Yay, you saved somebody- are you a good angel now?
You said it.
I was never important.
I just represented a success. Yours.
I knew that.
I accepted this.
Saying it out loud, though- er, thinking out loud…
Is CA really so bad-
Don't doubt yourself. Still, it's not like I've seen them do anything so terrible;
Passive behavior, though; inaction, refusal to intervene, is that not a cruelty its own?
Dragging a criminal into daylight- or trying to. Making a show.
Vilhelm's vanishing. Consensual? Maybe just convenient?
It was always for his gain,
The cold, woke up in the cold, no memories, nothing,
I want to help people.
I do.
How's that going?
I'm alive for his gain, not mine.
Why did anybody have to die during the attack on the city? Nara and the warehouse? The drugs in the Old City? Where was he when I escaped? Where was he-
where was he-
Forget being my friend he's supposed to lead, gods, chest hurts,
He sits in a chair.
Thinks. Plans. Calls it leadership.
Silence-
Fratternizing and working with cultists,
He's cold, gods I hate the cold,
I hate the cold,
Aerendyl, I know this is for you, I know you have a plan- or maybe it's real. Pass the torch, give me decisions, dodge blame- maybe you mean well, but you're so focused on being great you can't even be good-
I haven't seen the cruelty to common folk,
But I've seen you,
What you did to Nara. Me.
I see what you let go unchecked;
-and I don't want to see this nation suffer,
If I,
Now have the power,
To stop it,
Blood roaring in her ears, Lynx swallowed, and spoke.
"Aerendyl is no longer your commander."
Is this- no. Not now. Act. Don't think.
"Ravenwood doesn't need one. It needs something else, now."