Valion's recent practice bout against his teacher is replayed in his mind like a broken record player. Constantly analyzing the small details, almost against his will while taking a stride at his teachers side. The large crow-like figure peers out the corner of his eye at his student while guiding him towards a particular building he has in mind before finally speaking to him. "tell me Valion, why did you stop your last attack?" His eyes return staring forward while awaiting his response. Valion snaps out of his trance like state before answering. "Oh! uh, well its a bit hard to explain. You just had this overwhelming aura, one that covered me completely, and it felt like if i had done anything other than stand completely still, i would have been killed." Silence settles between them, allowing each footstep to standout before the teacher responds.

  "i see... You possess something that only a few of us can sense. An ability known as 'Survival Instinct'. Especially when you are so focused in battle, its rare for someone's survival instincts to kick in so strongly. It's an ability that can save your life and several others if trained properly." Valion begins to sweat before carefully quipping back. "for some reason, i doubt that you're taking me for special training" A cautious crooked smile stretches out the corner of his lips as he scans out the corner of his eye for a reaction from his teacher. "And you'd be correct. Consider this a warning of sorts." He pauses as they approach the door to a large metallic building with white walls and blue trimming. A large holographic screen on the building hums as it displays the schools insignia and underneath a large book icon with the title 'Audio and Information Database' underneath. "Please don't take this as a threat. as your mentor, my job is to guide you on your path through life, and to do so, i must inform you of your past. Again, this is a warning, and not a threat."

  His brow furrows in a disarming way, and his voice softens as he gestures his wing toward the large heavy doors. Valion silently nods in response, mentally preparing himself for what could be awaiting him inside the building. The doors, detecting their approach, whirr as the doors quickly slide apart, revealing a furnished wood flooring and decorated walls of history and portraits of people in important positions of power. They both slowly approach the receptionist, the sound of their footsteps filling the space between them. "Excuse me, id like to see hostile accounts and records please?" The teachers voice catches the receptionists attention. An eight-legged figure sits comfortably on a web sling of it's own making, its own long slim black legs each typing away at its own screen as her the last two of her eight limbs have a hand form, which she uses to caress her chin. "i see, level fifteen." her short accurate conversation speaks of her precise nature, as they both follow her direction and approach the elevator.

  The elevator lowers to the bottom floor as an electronic device at the bottom of the elevator whirs down to an idle state, allowing its occupants to disembark, and new ones to step on. They both enter the elevator standing side by side as the teach pushes in the button labelled 'fifteen' with his large feather. The elevator whirs to life as it begins to raise steadily. the light above the elevator door flashes and dims as each level is passed while silence resides between them before Corvus finally speaks. "What i show you here today, i show you in confidence. What you do with the information, is your own path. I only hope that you choose the one that benefits all people."

  Valion scoffs in response, shrugging his shoulders while replying. "you mean what benefits the U.S.N" Valion winces at the predicted backlash of his comment, but the silence that remained became somehow more unsettling than any response his teacher could have made.

  Ding

  The elevators dial finally swung onto the fifteenth floor, where its doors quickly opened with a gaseous exhale. Corvus leads the way into the room, briskly striding past rows of shelves filled with paperback books, some almost in tatters. The following shelves slowly become more modernized, transitioning to more intact books and then into hologram data-disks. Finally they reach a terminal with a large screen overhead. Corvus peers over his shoulders, scanning the room past Valion, and after confirming that no other soul resides in the hallways, he begins to type at the terminal while talking.

  "Your stance and the techniques you used, I've seen it before. But informing anyone else of its supposed origin could put you in danger. There was a resistance to the U.S.N's hostile takeovers, a very powerful resistance. One that posed to be very problematic for them, and at the center of that resistance was their leader." The holographic screen flashes with facial recognitions of the resistance leader. A silver wolf with blood red tips at the end of his tail and ears accompanied with the scarlet splashes of blood from his enemies after a recent battle when the image was taken. The next few slides showed similar pictures as Corvus continues.

  "They never learned his true name. Everyone knew him as his callsign; 'The Crimson Captain'. They did eventually entrap him during battle, leading to his death. Following his defeat, they began to penetrate and subdue the planets following the resistances example. They had eventually extracted the information out of the locals that the leader had a child, but they never confirmed if they had captured or... eliminated... the correct heir. The resistances silence somewhat confirmed in their mind that the resistance had been extinguished. I thought so as well, until i saw you today." The screen flashes with video footage of The Leader in combat, dashing and flowing through waves of U.S.N soldiers, piercing their protective barriers, and gliding through their gunfire like a skilled dancer, leaving behind a trail of blood, and bodies in his wake.

  "your visual description matches his, but not one for one. Perhaps that is why they haven't figured it out yet. That oversight may be our only hope." His eyes narrow as he stares directly at Valion, with a new found hope in hid eyes. Valion shifts his weight uncomfortably, while avoiding his teachers gaze. "But why tell me this now?" His teacher opens his beak to respond, but quickly closes the holographic screens after sensing someone may be approaching. After several seconds of silence, he leans toward Valion, whispering in secret. "i couldn't risk you being completely brainwashed by their ideologies during your time at the Academy. Once i could confirm your heritage, even just a little bit off of my suspicions, i had to reveal the truth"

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  The large amount of incoming information starts to make the room spin in Valion's mind. Several thoughts race through at the same time as he begins to feel dizzy, unable to place his allegiance during his sudden revelation. He slowly lowers himself to the ground, to anchor himself as he slowly looks up at his teacher, looming over him with his wing embracing him. "So... What can i do now?" Corvus's eyes lower in thought before responding.

  "well, id say you have two main paths before you now. one, you walk out of here denying any relation to the resistance, and report me for treason. I wouldn't take it personally and id let you go if that was your decision, but it would confirm to me that any hope of the resistance is truly dead. Or two, your confirm with me, that you will take on the leadership role of the resistance. I would then start training you in secret. Advance combat lessons after school and classes about military tactics in your spare time to train you into the best leader we could hope for. Then, ill start relaying information to you on the current state of affairs between the remnants of the resistance and U.S.N forces. Eventually, i will depart with you to join the resistance and, with time and hope, we'll break the U.S.N's hold on the planets in this system, and any others if need be."

  Valion's head begins to spin once more, as a nauseous feeling wells up inside him as all his ideals are brought into question. flashes of imagery zips in his mind. images of his real mother, his adoptive parents, and the silhouette of a father he never knew. his mind begins to fill with his own voice, questioning himself.

  'What do i do?'

  'could i betray my family?'

  'can i even call them my family anymore?'

  'My REAL family aren't even alive anymore...'

  'they've already done this to so many others already'

  'what do i tell my brother?'

  'Why are they doing this to everyone?!'

  His mind is suddenly silent. a calming void replaces all the intertwining imagery and thoughts as a soothing voice cuts through it all, a voice he recognizes from some time ago.

  "This is what they do. They conquer. They erase."

  Valion's body relaxes, the weight of his arms sink towards the floor at the memory of his mother's voice as his furrowed bro loosens. Finally his eyes open slowly, and he turns his gaze towards his teacher and his voice finally irks out an answer. "Alright. I'll do it." Corvus lets out a breath as if he'd been holding it while waiting for his response, allowing his own stature to drop slightly before picking himself up. "Thank you. I know this was... a very difficult decision to make, so thank you. We can palm off your after school training as you trying to earn extra credit. as for your tactical lessons, I'll contact you through this PDA, but it'd help if you could learn from a more... available teacher."

  His feathers hold out a holographic device, sleek black metals line the outside of its glossy glass transparent screen. Valion analyzes the device while accepting it with a remark. "I have someone in mind who could teach me, but why the PDA?" His teacher helps him to his feet as he gestures toward the elevator "I can't exactly send plans of our future revolution over the Academies supplied devices" Valion scratches the back of his head sheepishly as he follows his teachers lead.

  The day had passed quicker than they realized, evident by the slightly dark sky as the sun approaches its horizon. The teacher parts ways with his student with a nod. "We'll begin tomorrow afternoon. I'll see you here at 7pm sharp. Any changes will be notified through your PDA. Goodluck." His brow hardens as he nods toward him before turning, his feathers bristling in the wind while he strides down one of the many corridors of the academy.

  Valion takes his own stride toward the dorms, his gaze glued to the floor as his mind races with everything that's been revealed over the course of the day, but with a sturdy shake of his head, he hardens his resolve, determined with the path he has chosen. His mind decides to consider his options for a tactile teacher before a clear image renders of the optimal teacher. The avian Kazika Cuyn materializes within his mind with a satisfying nod to himself.

  As if on autopilot, Valion finds himself at the corridor his room is located on. Leaning against the wall next to his dorm room is his brother. His arms are crossed across his body and his hands clench his own biceps, enough to wrinkle his academy uniform sleeves. Valion keeps his gaze low out of fear and respect as he approaches his brother, whom upon recognizing his brother approaches him quickly with his hands outstretched. "There you are! are you okay? what was that? what happened!?" His bombarding questions catch Valion off guard as he tries to stammer a response.

  "W-what? i uh, well, he s-said I've uh... got talent! But uh, i need more training! so he's organizing to train me after school hours." Osiris lets out a sigh of relief as his hands fall to his knees. "Phew. i thought he was going to, you know, punish you" one of Valion's ears droop out of curiosity at his response. "Punish me? why would he do that?" His brothers eyes raise in slight surprise before responding. "i mean, while that was an impressive display, it certainly wasn't regulation. Nobody in the U.S.N fights like that. Speaking of which, where DID you learn to fight like that?"

  His brother stairs at him blankly like a piece of paper before a coy smile creeps onto his face as he responds. "I learnt it from TV?" The short silence between them is quickly cut by the laughter emanating from both of them as their humorous howls fill the corridor before Osiris finally remarks. "Yeah whatever you say hotshot. Alright get some rest, we've got a pretty big day ahead of us tomorrow." Osiris bids his brother farewell with a wave over his shoulder as he slowly saunters toward his own dorm room. Valion's radiant smile slowly fades as the distance between them grows before he finally enters his dorm room. shutting the door with a slow creak, he ponders about what could possibly be awaiting for him in the near future.