Nocte Yin: Anti-Villain, Anti-Hero and Anti-Everything Else

Chapter Two

She felt like she was on the outside.

And it felt normal.

“It’s funny how fast people can adapt to their situations,” she said, more to herself. “I feel like I’m standing still – very still, and I don’t think I want to move.”

Lit Sek frowned then. “You don’t care about the meeting?”

She cared. Of course she did, but what would caring leave her with?

“Insomnia,” she thought, smiling at her humourless joke. “How are the others?”

She could not bring herself to ask, “How is my mother?” She was not brave or strong enough to meet the answer yet.

“They are just as well,” Lit Sek replied. He decided not to call her out on her changing the topic – not when she had that face on. “They are capable Elders, as many had expected.”

“Of course,” she said.

Six months ago, when Gash had been ushered into the leadership of the Yin, he had been quick to replace the Elders whom Nocte had killed in her brief period of madness. It hurt, of course, (more than words could say) when Gash had chose everyone but her – everyone but the traitor.

She understood. Of course she understood. She would never say it out loud, but she was even a little grateful of Gash. By not being a part of the Yin Council, she wouldn’t have to face her family after her shameful betrayal. And thus, Gash had spared her of further embarrassment, whether he had meant to or not.

Nocte turned to the window, her mind rewinding back to March. By then, she had already reached Laurel Tree and had begun to map out the irrigation system of the fields. A message had arrived, placed neatly and discreetly in her hands, that announced that her brother, Gash, had been fully initiated into the Lord Yin position and that Ebony, Occult and Dire were now three of the four Elders.

The fourth was not Nocte. She could still remember the deep sting she had felt when reading the letter.

What really hurt was that the fourth wasn’t even her mother. If her mother wasn’t chosen then it meant her illness was worse than Nocte had thought. Now, in August, Nocte craved to see her mother, a mere glance would suffice.

Surely Malise had noticed her being gone?

Nocte tapped her cup absentmindedly.

But then again, maybe not.

“Your mother is the same,” Lit Sek informed regretfully.

Nocte tensed, her shoulders still and her mouth a firm line. She should be relived, right? If her mother was the same, then she was certainly not worse…

If she was the same, then she was still ill.

Lit Sek pursed his mouth and withheld a sigh. “The school year will be starting soon?”

Nocte’s mind flashbacked to Gash’s letter and felt the familiar burn behind her eyes. She could only manage a jolty nod.

“Then you should get your supplies tomorrow,” the orc advised.

She frowned, adding up her accounts in her head. (She then remembered the untouched reports John had left on her desk. She must get to those soon.)

“You can visit your mother on your way back,” he said.

A sharp intake of breath, as if she had been stung, and she turned to met his eyes.

“Do not look at me like that,” her sifu chided. “Do not run away.”