Welcome To My Dark Side

Chapter 13 Unexpected Expectations

The morning came round faster than Lyria could imagine. She had only fallen asleep just before sunrise and so when she heard frantic knocking at her door later that morning she woke up rather startled. "Lyria get up this instant! It's almost lunchtime and I need your help right this minute!" Shouted Fractureverse Azura who was very short of temper. Lyria moaned because she was in so much pain that she didn't even want to get up let alone work. "Open the door immediately!" Fractureverse Azura screamed as she tried to open the door only to find that it was locked. As a new safety measure, Lyria had decided to keep her door locked from now on because she did not trust anyone anymore.

Fractureverse Azura was starting to lose it. "Get up right now lazy Lyria or I'll break the door off its hinges!" she continued yelling. "I'm sorry but I don't feel well." Lyria groaned in the hope that her mentor would leave her alone if she knew that she was unwell. "Nonsense. Stop being a moody teenager and open the stupid door!" Was Fractureverse Azura's response. When Lyria continued to refuse to get up, Fractureverse Azura pulled out her pistol and shot a hole through the lock. Lyria screamed because she was scared that in Azura's irrational and dangerous mood that she would get shot. Fractureverse Azura was now able to swing the door open and marched over to Lyria. She dragged Lyria to her feet. "Make sure you're in my lab in half an hour." She ordered and let go of Lyria. Seeing as Lyria did not have much choice, she reluctantly got ready as soon as Fractureverse Azura slammed the broken door shut.

When Lyria arrived at the lab she found Fractureverse Azura sitting at her desk staring into space. "Um, what did you desperately need my help for?" Lyria asked confused as to why her mentor had been so impatient earlier if she was now just waiting around doing nothing. Fractureverse Azura did not respond and ignored her as she continued to look elsewhere. Lyria limped towards her to try and capture her attention. "What are you limping like that for?" Questioned Fractureverse Azura as she had now noticed Lyria. "Um it's nothing." Lied Lyria trying to avoid leaning on the desk as she was scared to tell anyone what the commander had done.

"Don't be ridiculous. I can tell from the way you are standing right now along with your facial expression that you're injured. Tell me at once what's bothering you or I'll find out for myself." Fractureverse Azura said not at all believing Lyria's statement. Lyria hesitated and was unsure if she should tell the truth or not. "Commander Hilda beat me yesterday with my sword." She mumbled quietly as she decided that it was better to be honest. "Urgh how many times do I have to tell you to keep out of her way. She loves to take her frustrations out on others and she particularly has it in for you." Fractureverse Azura sighed in frustration and got up from her chair. Lyria had remembered the warning she had received when she had got back but she still could not believe that Commander Hilda was really like this.

"Take your jacket off and lift the back of your shirt up so I can put some antiseptic on it." Fractureverse Azura explained as she walked round the side of her desk and grabbed what Lyria presumed was antiseptic off one of the shelves. Lyria did as she was told and braced herself for the stinging sensation that would inevitably come from the antiseptic. "You should have told me straight away. Those wounds could have got infected." Gasped Fractureverse Azura as she saw how bad Lyria's back was. "I..I know but I was scared to." Lyria admitted before she winced as Fractureverse Azura cleaned the wounds. "Honestly I am not at all scared of Commander Hilda and I would certainly give her a firm talking to about harming my apprentice so that she is not able to work to her usual capacity but I feel that the commander would have even more reason to harm you." She huffed.

Lyria remained silent because she had expected that by speaking out, Commander Hilda would face serious consequences for her actions. She was not expecting this kind of response. "There all done. Now you can help me with this." Fractureverse Azura said putting away the antiseptic and handed Lyria a list. "Hang on. These are all your jobs such as re.." Lyria began to complain. "And what do you think I have an apprentice for?" Snapped Fractureverse Azura. Lyria was about to say something but again she was cut short. "So that I have someone to assist me!" Fractureverse Azura yelled in answer to her own question. Her sudden outburst of anger frightened Lyria into saying no more and she instead scrambled around the lab.

After a few hours of potion brewing, making fireworks and repairing weapons, Fractureverse Azura had calmed down with Lyria. "Good I am glad to see that you have completed everything. Now I hope you can remember why you are my apprentice." Fractureverse Azura said as she sat at her and watched Lyria finish cleaning up after herself. "Of course I remember even though that was 4 years ago. Doriane made you promise that if you were to apprentice me that you would look after..." Lyria never finished explaining when Fractureverse Azura interrupted. "Ha! More like dumped you on me but anyways that was her loss because at least I always have someone to do things for me." Fractureverse Azura spat rather pleased that she had taken advantage of this opportunity.

Lyria was shocked that Azura had spoken about Doriane in such a way. "That wasn't very nice of you to say that. Doriane cared about us and.." Fractureverse Azura looked at Lyria like she was mad. "Doriane caring? I don't think so. You two hated each other and Doriane was always going on about how she wished that you were never born. Honestly life would have been better if she wasn't born but oh well I can't complain too much because she's dead now." Lyria was mortified by this and yelled at Fractureverse Azura in anger. "How can you even talk about her like that! We were all so close to each other and..." Fractureverse Azura got up from her chair and put her hand on Lyria's forehead which made her stop shouting. "You haven't got a fever have you? I hope not because who's going to run round after me?" She asked whilst checking to see if Lyria was hot.

"No?" Lyria said, rather unsure. "I think I hit my head though when I went to the pillager town." Fractureverse Azura removed her hand and looked at Lyria. "Well that's what you get for sneaking off. Plus side is that you're not sick." She huffed. "But shouldn't that be more concerning as I might have had a concussion? I should probably go to the medical camp." Lyria asked worriedly. "I wouldn't bother. They wouldn't believe you in the slightest as you've always exaggerating any time you're unwell. Besides you still more or less remember things." replied Fractureverse Azura.

"I don't think I know anyone anymore. You all used to be so nice and... well now you are all just horrible and mean." Lyria sighed trying to figure out what was real or if it was just her mind playing tricks on her. "That's an easy fix because how I understand it, you seem to remember the opposite of everything, so whatever you think is right just switch it to the opposite of that and you'll be fine." Fractureverse Azura explained before smiling. "Hmm.. say what do you remember your personality to be like?" She inquired. "A reliable, kind hearted, repec.." Lyria did not finish as Fractureverse Azura put her hand up signaling for her to stop talking. "In that case things are going to be a lot more pleasant between us. Seeing as you are now such a considerate person, why don't you fetch some more gunpowder?" Suggested Fractureverse Azura.

Lyria did not like this one bit and felt like she was being used to do all of Azura's work. "No. I don't want to! You're just using me because you can't be bothered to do it yourself like everyone else around here. I'm fed up with being treated like this." Refused Lyria. "Now look here. You're on the winning side. Now if we weren't as harsh in such a cruel world where would we be?" Said Fractureverse Azura crossing her arms.
"We're winning?" Lyria asked confused. She then remembered that Azura seemed to say that she was getting everything the wrong way round. "Hmm no of course we are. I suppose that's good as the Nether won't be able to succeed in their invasion of the Frostbourne." She said thoughtfully.

"Lyria it is us who want to invade them!" Fractureverse Azura pointed out. "Why and what for?" Lyria asked, completely bewildered. "Oh come now Lyria. Why be nothing when you can be something? Success requires sacrifice. Why else do you think I would bother having a relationship with the king for? What because I actually love him or is it more important to become powerful. Honestly Lyria if I can't teach you these things then you don't have a chance in this world." Concluded Fractureverse Azura. Lyria went to say something but she was lost for words by Fractureverse Azura's philosophy. "But but it it's better to to be an honest and decent person." Lyria said, trying to persuade her mentor to change her tune. "If that were true then the Nether would be winning now. If you believe that to be the case then why don't you join them." Replied Fractureverse Azura half jokingly. Lyria put her head on the desk and covered it with her arms. She felt defeated as if everything she had ever believed in was a lie and now she did not know what was the right thing anymore.