Renaissance | ON HOLD

Aric

The golden rays of the setting sun made the Pacific Ocean glimmer in ultimate perfection. The Golden Gate Bridge stood tall in all of it's returned glory. Dominion had finally started it's reconstruction period and rebuilding the historic bridge was the first thing they did in California. The war had caused so much damage and still so many things were in disarray. 

The new leaders had taken their sweet time to help the needy and rebuild the cities that were used as the battle grounds of the unholy war we fought not too long ago. The remnants of the battle remained in our minds as we saw the destroyed Statue of Liberty, the torn apart streets of LA, and bodies that still lined the shores of the ocean causing a terrible stench to fill the air.

Men in hazmat suits were on the grounds inspecting the bodies on the beaches, they slowly but surely were getting rid of them and cleaning the cities up. I shook my head at all the death that surrounded us, "Well if this is what Lewis wanted, he got it." I said to myself speaking of the leader of this perturbation.

Everything was perverted now, nothing was pure. I wasn't even sure if I was fighting for the right cause, I better be though because what I was about to do would change everything.

My driver pulled into the residence that was my destination, he pulled up to the front door and then I got out. I studied the old building in front of me. I stood before a portcullis of some sorts. This orphanage mimicked the look of a medieval fortress or castle. Understandable since the building was constructed centuries ago.

I was finally attended to after ringing the bell a whole five minutes ago.

"Follow me Doctor." The nun who ran the make-shift orphanage skipped all formal introductions, as they were seemingly unnecessary.

She led me through the orphanage taking me to her office. I looked around at the ornately decorated home that had been converted into a house for orphans after the war. So many children were without parents after Lewis Venustus had the heroes sent into another dimension. This orphanage was created to keep them safe and hidden from Dominion, who knows what they would do with these children if they got a hold of them.

I looked around seeing the sullen faces of the children as they meandered through the halls. I noticed while the place was filled with pretty things, it was filthy!

"Sister Mary-Grace, tell me do you have enough help?" I asked.

The aging nun who looked exhausted shook her head but continued on to her office. Once inside we sat and talked.

"You know it is very difficult to see these children and what they have gone through. Some of them are still in shock, they never talk and must be forced to eat. It is all very traumatic." The nun explained to me.

"Their parents are not dead Sister Mary-Grace, that is indubitable." I replied.

"Do not give them false hope Aric, you know that will do no good." The nun said quickly in response.

I nodded.

"Anyways, the two you are here for are ready to go at any time. I just need to ask you a few questions. I must make sure that you are truly going to be a suitable guardian."

"I will be more of a teacher than a guardian, Sister Mary-Grace."

"I still need to ask these questions."

"Go on then."

"Where were you born Aric?"

"Norway, in a farming village."

"In what year?"

"1060."

The nun dropped her pen and looked up at me, "You didn't tell me that you were one of them." She said in shock.

"The people with powers?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes." She gave a nod.

I leaned forward from my seat, "I created them." I replied.

"These are the twins, Alexander and Aidan Bouge." Sister Mary-Grace introduced two teenage twins. Both had shiny black hair like their Father, a man I knew well, and both had bright emerald eyes like their Mother, a woman that would be greatly missed.

"Who is this?" Aidan, the girl twin, asked her voice was spiked with disgust.

"This is Aric and he is your new guardian." Sister Mary-Grace replied to her questioning.

"I was under the impression that you knew I was coming, however that is all right. I knew your parents very well..." I explained.

"How come they never told us about you?" Alexander, the boy twin, cut me off.

I chuckled, "I'm sure they wouldn't know what to say." I replied.

"Dr. Aric has been very kind to let you in his home. You both have a very important role to play in what is to come." Sister Mary-Grace told the twins.

"You're talking about Dominion aren't you? You want to lead a rebellion against them." Aidan caught on very quickly.

"You're a smart one, aren't you?" I remarked.

"Smart enough to know that fighting against Venustus would be futile, especially because of those monsters he owns. My parents are somewhere on another planet because of him, with those toys there is no way we could stop him." Aidan said.

"Dr. Aric? You're the Author!" Alexander chimed in with surprise, he seemed rather pleased with himself that he knew who I was.

"Guilty as charged." I responded.

"So it is your fault what happened to all those heroes, your stupid experiments created those monsters." Aidan accused.

"Well, I can tell we are going to get along just fine. Now, pack your things and let's go." I commanded.

"I refuse to go anywhere with you!" Aidan repudiated the idea.

"I feel the same way." Alexander agreed with his twin.

I laced my fingers together and sighed, "I'm afraid you have no choice." I replied, "Come with me. Fight this war and I promise that I will find a way to get your parents back." I promised.

The twins looked at each other, the desperation to see their parents again flashed in their green eyes. Such was a feeling I knew all to well. It was almost 1,000 years ago when I realized I could not save my family from death, but it still hurt like it happened yesterday. Some call immortality a gift, they are wrong. You are stuck in this world, everything else passes away except for you. You get to see it all. The scientist in me is excited by such pleasure, but my heart cannot take the loss. I've never gone back to Norway because of it.

"We'll do it." Aidan woke me from my daze.

I nodded with a smile, "Capitol."