We walked together through the chambers and I realised just how hungry I was. I hadn't eaten for over a day and I was famished, I made a mental note to go straight to the dining hall after this meeting. I also noticed how chilly and exhausted I felt but attempted to hide it, until I began sneezing and Kuri asked if I was okay. "Yeah I'm fine, just a bit of a cold I think," I told him
"I'm not surprised" he answered "Do you want an extra jumper?"
"No, I'm fine thanks" I smiled. At that moment in time, I would have killed for a jumper to put on under my cloak, but I wanted to look strong in front of my fighting tutor, and for some reason, I thought that the way to do that would be to make myself iller in front of him.
We reached the gilded double doors that led into the main hall, this room was where all initiations, emergency meetings and court hearings were held, it was also the room where the Lords had their 'thrones'-or in this case, his throne. "We wish to see Light, it is potentially a matter of urgency" Kuri demanded. Kuri had a lot of weight on the Island and was highly respected by everyone, especially the guards, most of whom he had trained himself. The guard nodded and knocked on the door, the knocks echoed around the chamber and he stepped in. A minute later he came back out "Light will see you," he told us, and pushed open the door with his muscular left arm.
We stepped into the chamber, it was vast and curved, rows upon rows of golden seating layered the walls and floors and the cool marble floor beneath my feet echoed each footstep. The ceiling looked out of place in comparison to the grandeur of the rest of the hall, as it was a plain wooden ceiling that had been carved into the Island rock. Banners and tapestries such as were in my room hung above the seating and long, curved steps led up to a raised seating area where the Lord's throne sat. Upon the throne was Light, sitting in his everyday non-ceremonial robes but still surrounded by the air of dominant wisdom that he was characteristic of. He stood up as we walked closer and descended the steps one at a time. "What can I do for you, Kuri, Jodie?" he asked. I was surprised that he remembered my name and slightly honoured, too.
"We have reason to believe that the Venators are about to launch an offensive on the Island" Kuri explained. Light nodded and asked guards to bring us seats so that we may talk. Kuri explained the situation and the attempted sabotage and how we had two Venators in our prisons now, with at least six others missing. He explained about the Cerberi that I had met and how we thought that they were using him against us. Light sat and listened attentively until Kuri had finished, then he turned to me "And you witnessed all of this?" he asked
"Yes," I responded, not knowing what else to say. Light paused as if expecting me to continue but when I didn't he turned to Kuri again. "We shall assemble all Cerberi that do not have administrative jobs and create scouting groups to comb the Island, we will search every room and every foot of land and sea for two miles around. A group will be assembled to interview the cargo office and find out as much information as possible, permanent guards will also be dispatched to guard the cargo office and protect the workers there. Everyone will be on high alert, Kuri, you will assign someone to oversee everything and you will continue training your Cerberi. We shall get the estate managers to re-commission the alarms and have fully armed patrols of at least double the size we have now. We will not hide anything from anyone, everyone will know what is going on and no one should be kept out of the loop. As for the prisoners, they must be executed". My blood turned to ice at that last sentence and Kuri looked at me as if to say don't say anything. Light caught the look and asked what was wrong and Kuri stared into me, urging me not to speak out.
"What's wrong?" Light said again in a harsh, authoritative tone that made me jump slightly. I looked at him for a second and shook my head slightly,
"Nothing," I said, swallowing my discomfort "Nothing is wrong."
Light looked at me for some time and then turned to Kuri "The execution," he said and glanced sideways at me "Will begin tomorrow night, it will be swift and we will not make a fuss of it. That is all." After another short pause, he looked at us both and said softly "You may now leave". We stood up and bowed to him before turning to go, I could feel him watching us as we left and once we were out of the room and down the corridor, Kuri turned to me and stopped me in my tracks. "This could mean war, there is no place for your moralistic weaknesses here," he said harshly.
His words stung me deeply and I felt as if I were going to cry. My fighting tutor, the man I most looked up to on the Island had just called me weak. Just as I was getting over the shame I had been feeling for the last few days, my worst fears were realised, and all because I didn't believe in execution. The one point that divided me from the rest of the Cerberi more than my gender, was my stance on execution. I believed that murder was a show of cowardice, and execution is just murder. If we are not allowed to kill our enemy when he is at a disadvantage, then what is the difference between when he at a disadvantage in a fight and when he has been sitting unarmed in a cell for days.
I liked to think that I didn't believe in revenge, but I knew that if it came down to it, I might murder someone that had killed my friends, and that capability scared me more than anything. I considered Kuri's harsh eyes and shook myself out of his grip "Thanks again," I whispered, and then walked off, my body now painless from the medication.
I felt Kuri watch me for a while as I walked before walking away himself. I felt angry, upset, and ashamed, all the feelings that usually I project onto myself had now been said by another, someone whose opinion I held in high esteem. I became angry, so angry and upset and I began to run. Somehow, I knew how to navigate to the labs and I ran into the room and pounded on the laboratory door. One of JPs assistants opened the door and I stepped in. I was in a state, I felt as if I had gone insane, I was about to storm into JP's room when he stepped out, and his eyes caught mine and all my anger vanished, leaving me in utter despair. He looked at me once again with sympathy and gestured for me to come into his office whilst he assured his assistants that everything was okay.
I once again found myself sitting on his bed. He crouched down on the floor and lifted my fractured ankle. "It doesn't hurt, obviously, but I need you to fix it, I don't care what it takes," I told him
"I can't just heal broken bones," he sighed.
"Then fill it, cut it open, and my shoulder, and fill the cracks with metal or something" I begged in desperation
"Why are you so uptight, what's wrong?" he asked, "What happened?" I took a deep breath and slowly explained everything to him, from the boat to the point when Kuri had called me weak. As I got to that last part I had to look away, I could hardly admit that it had been said.
"I don't agree with execution, either," he told me "Having values is in no way a weakness, even if they conflict with the majority opinion. Why do you think I hide out here all the time? I barely agree with anything that goes on here, but it doesn't matter to me because I live and work for me.
Yes, my creations help others but I wouldn't be doing this research if I didn't want to, you must accept that you're going to be surrounded by people who don't agree with you all the time, no matter where you are. You are not weak, Jodie," he said softly. "Now, about your foot. I was reluctant to do this but I know that you're never going to rest for long enough for it to heal on its own, your shoulder, too. I'm going to do some experimental surgery on you if you will allow me?" he laughed and I smiled, forgetting my previous worries, and listened to JP's explanation of what he was going to do.
