Our Legacy - Episode 20

Ulyssa was standing in front of a legs-crossed Alexis Mara, the daughter of General Arcadeus and the younger sister of Marceus who was standing a few steps behind her. She had just been told that the person she was making a psych report on was someone who was going to protect her on her voyage just a few days from now.

Alexis had a kind heart but she had enough experience to not let anyone get the better of her. She studied everyone and everything and although she seemed like a laid-back person, she was always well aware of any situation up till this point. Her eyes darted from Ulyssa to her brother and back continuously. No one said a word after the update she had received. Alexis brushed her blond hair back and then with both hands she twisted the length of it and brought it over her shoulder. She was wearing a white tunic and skin-tight jeans.

They were in an underground bunker, far from harm and the war above, where she had her private room filled with packed clothes and belongings. Ulyssa almost started to closely study the material of the tunic before her eyes completely lost focus and everything became a blur. She shook her head to wake herself up once Alexis began to speak.

"We lost Juleus to God knows what and we were about to assign a lunatic... sorry, I shouldn't say that... this woman to my protection unit? Is it 'kill all of the Arcadeus's children' month?" she said with a bitter tone, partially biting her lower lip. Marceus tried to speak but Alexis quickly cut him off. "Whatever happened to trust? Loyalty? Respect? Does everyone have their own agenda now?"

"Sis..." Marceus tried to cut back in.

"Shut the fuck up, Marceus. My heart is fucking pounding!" Her eyes began to water which she quickly dried off with her sleeves. Her finger suddenly pointed at Ulyssa. "YOU. You fucking recommended her to my team!"

"She showed promise." Ulyssa clearly stated.

"Promise of what!?"

"Maha Azim and her partner were loyal to the cause until a certain encounter with an unknown figure changed her. Her partner died in combat, tortured in front of her until her last breath."

"That's why I came to you with this, Alexis." Marceus walked next to Ulyssa to back her up. "We need to understand what could have gone on in Maha's head. She's obviously gone through a psychological trauma and that changed her."

"Trauma?" Alexis asked sarcastically. "That's a big word for you brother. Do you know what its definition is?"

"Is... that a serious question?"

"Yeah, define trauma to me."

"Well," Marceus scratched his head. "It's when something bad happens to you and you get fucked in the head."

"Yes, that's exactly what's written in the dictionary, dear brother." Without warning, Alexis spun off her chair, grabbing it by the back, and smashed it against the nearest wall.

"That's enough of that!" Marceus marched towards her and grabbed an incoming fist from his sister. "We are all afraid! All of us!" he roared. "But screaming like an infant will get us nowhere!"

"You could have saved him!" she screamed at the top her of lungs. "It's your fault! Your fault!"

"We are at WAR!"

Alexis tried to punch her brother once more but where she was superior in knowledge, he was superior in combat. Marceus parried the fist with his elbow and grabbed her hard by the neck.

"You disrespect me every day now," he growled. "You don't greet me, you don't look me in the eye, you even avoid Gallus sometimes but you still seem to talk to father like he's done nothing wrong." Alexis tried to reply but suddenly found Marceus's hand clasping her jaw. "You do not pick and choose your family at this time. You do not turn your back at those closest to you after you dare speak of trust, loyalty and some fucking respect. How fucking dare you. How fucking dare you belittle your family in front of others when you should be working to hold us in high esteem."

"We're dying one by one." she pushed the words through in strong grip. "First mother... then..."

"I KNOW WHO WE'VE LOST!" he spat at her. "AND WE'RE TRYING TO NOT LOSE YOU TOO!"

Ulyssa had watched the entire event unfold without saying a word or moving a muscle. She made eye contact with the sister for a brief moment while Marceus was still holding her. Alexis tapped on his hand twice and he let go. She walked over to a cabinet and took out a folder, handing it over to Ulyssa instead of Marceus.

"I was planning on going through it with you guys but I'm in no mood to talk. I believe the documents you'll find in this file are comprehensible, even by the likes of my brother, and the psychological traits disclosed to give you a better understanding on what you may be dealing with here." She turned around to face her brother. "Maha is definitely troubled. She isn't herself... and neither am I at this moment. I would like to have my peace now."

Marceus didn't say a word. He simply looked at Ulyssa and nodded. Once they were out the door Alexis immediately locked the door. They could already hear her sobbing after taking a few steps.

"Are you always this gentle with your sister?" Ulyssa dared ask.

"We don't have time to waste." He simply replied. "If we waited for everyone to get their shit together, we'd lose the war. No one gets to have it easy, not even the General's family. All of us have a giant target on our backs. We can't trust anyone, as you know." Marceus reached out his hand and let it slide across the wall as they walked in the hallway, heading out of the bunker. "Do we know where she is yet?"

"Maha?"

"Yes." Ulyssa checked her phone for any messages.

"I've got an update," she said.

"Location location location..."

"Shit."

"What?" They stopped as Marceus tried to get a peek at the screen. "What's it say?"

"She's in the U.S."

"Where?"

"Rhode Island."

"Ok. We've got a couple of friends over there. I'll send word." He began to jog ahead of her.

"Sir?" Ulyssa called after him.

"Yeah?"

"What are we going to do with her?" She firmly held the document in her hand, wanting to read it as soon as possible.

"Up to you really, as long as we get the job done in the next day or so." He continued to jog but Ulyssa stopped to read the document. Most of what she was reading was backing up her initial thoughts. Maha wasn't the enemy here. Something... someone else was.

"The person who killed the Necromancer..." she whispered to herself.