Chronicles of the Underworld - Soul Eater

5 - Weapons

"What's your deal with accidents?"

They had kept walking, always moving forward, towards the safehouse they had to get to before they searched the werewolves.

Aurel let his gaze fly across the greyish water of the Vltava. "My sister died in one last year."

Columbia did not expect that. For a moment she kept quiet.

"I'm sorry.", she said, then.

"It's okay.", he replied.

"You had a sister in the human world?"

"She was human."

"How come?"

"My father is a busy man."

"Oh." He saw her roll her amber eyes. "Shit."

"Yeah. He decided to bring her to the underworld when her mother died."

"Shit."

"Yeah. You imagine a human girl learning that the underworld and all kind of beasts and magic exist..."

"Must've been tough."

"I tried to protect her. She ran away. I found her in Rome, but it was too late. She had decided she wanted to forget everything; the underworld, our father, me. She ran away again with some boy she had met. They had an accident."

"You blame yourself."

Aurel blinked. Of course he did. Because it had been him who had triggered it all.

"This way.", he said and showed her into a smaller street above the river.

"Why?", Columbia asked. Her question seemed genuine. He listened to her soft footsteps whilst she was following him.

"She had fallen in love with me.", Aurel said. "I was the only one who had been there for her, and it just happened."

"You didn't feel the same."

"I loved her as my sister."

"Of course."

"So she left."

"Yeah."

"Were where you when she did?"

"In the Cathedral. Where else would I be? I had met her on accident." He laughed joyless. "I'm never in Florence. Last time I was there they buried my mother."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

They reached the apartment complex and Aurel opened the door with his key, let her enter first.

"This place is yours?", Columbia asked.

"It is. I like Prague."

They walked up the stairs and he showed her in his apartment. It was vast and full of light, drawing in from the large windows.

"It's beautiful", she said.

"It is. Come."

Aurel walked to the room at the back of the corridor and entered it. He opened the closet and she whistled. It made him smile a little.

"You're prepared for a war", she said.

"Mortimer mostly sends us to Prague. We figured it would be convenient... What do you prefer?"

"Give me one of those."

Columbia pointed at an automatic rifle and he handed it to her, grabbed one of the same kind and ammunition. Her eyes threw a yellow shine across her face when she raised the weapon. She was beautiful... and strange.

"What's with the guns under your jacket?", she asked whilst storing the ammunition in her coat pockets.

"What's supposed to be with them?"

"You carry them with you. Always."

"I can't do magic."

"I understand."

"I might not be able to make someone's body explode with my bare thoughts, but..."

"You're good with guns."

"Show me the creature that is faster than a bullet."

"They don't work against incorporeal beings. What do you do with them?"

"In that case I'm screwed when I'm on my own."

"But you never are."

"I never am."

"She's with you, even now, right? The Shadow elf?"

"Of course she is." He looked at her and smiled slightly. "Just the way it is supposed to be in a triad, right?"

Columbia charged the rifle and turned around.

-

"That's one fancy umbrella you got there."

Alexandria made a dry sound and touched the pommel of her sword. Her magic transformed it into an umbrella whenever she was in the human world and carried it, which was a rare sight. Salem had, of course, seen through the glamor.

"Thank you.", she mumbled.

"Is it the consecrated one?"

"It is."

"You are full of surprises."

Most soldiers got their consecrated swords, the ultimate symbol of having accomplished the apprenticeship and being a full member of Mortimer's guard, when they were much older. Not like Alexandria and her other half.

"Aurel's got one as well.", she said evasively.

"Of course he does.", he replied dryly. "You're sidestepping."

"And you're too curious."

"What's its name?"

"You don't want to know."

"Petal, I'm-"

"Don't call me petal."

She glared at him and felt flames rising in her pale blue eyes. Salem was making her annoyed. Very annoyed.

The warrior shrugged. "Does your mom know about your behaviour?"

"She can guess."

"You don't talk."

"Of course we don't."

"I remember."

Alexandria had told him her father was a Night elf. He knew what her mother was.

"Was she important?", he asked.

"Of course.", she grumbled. "Why else would she..."

"A Light elf would discard a child with a Night elf. No matter her social stance."

"We had agreed that they're full of shit."

"But your mom gave birth to you."

"She tried not to."