Damian, Lumine, and I were sitting together on the train as we were heading to Tyres to relax after finishing my first full semester at Goldwheat academy.
It was a new experience as my last life there were schools but I never went since I ran away from home before I was even old enough to attend. It was nice associating with people my age and acting like a child for once.
I feel like Dendra would be proud of me for simply living an ordinary life, yet I feel like becoming the youngest alchemy teacher in history kinda ruins that hope she had for me.
If Dendra were still around shed be chasing me with a stick while yelling.
"What's making you so happy?" Lumine held Lupra in her lap stroking her gently as Lupra slept. "You're not thinking of high-jacking the train are you?" Lumine had her usual tired tone as she spoke. My antics have been rather tiring for her after all.
"Don't worry. I'm just remembering when a little girl who was terrified of lightning asked me to sleep in the same room as her." Lumine felt shot by my words as she remembered what I meant "you used to be so adorable, what happened?"
"Unlike you, I grew up!"
A bead of sweat ran down my face as I laughed at her pouting face feeling Damian's jealous gaze on me. I should be careful when talking with Lumine when he's around.
"We will be arriving in Tyres within 5 minutes." Hearing the train attendant shouting Damian's gaze fell off me and started checking his belongings.
"I'm so jealous of you Cayde. Not only are you childhood friends with a beautiful girl but you even bringing her over to meet your parents!? Very bold I must say." Damian did a little applaud for me while his gaze held hidden anger.
"It's nothing of the sort. She invited herself after her mother told her to come to Tyres as well. I'm just offering a place to stay until her mother arrives later today."
"Yeah, at my parent's home!"
Damian's angry face was just a hair's breadth away from me as I smelt his foul breath.
I did technically invite her without his permission "let's not sweat the minor details. Besides I'm still bound by the promise we made so don't worry."
the train halted to a stop and I saw the swaths of people outside the window waiting to get on "were already here anyway. So I guess it's pointless for me to be mad when ill get to see your mother's reaction."
Damian's devious gaze irked me as I remembered what kind of person my mother was "uh!"
"Whose this Cayde? Is it my future daughter-in-law?"
I pushed past Damian and hurriedly left the train with a scared and nervous expression. My mother will not let me have any rest for the next three weeks.
***
"Ding dong!"
As my finger lifted off the doorbell I was still questioning how my mother would react but I realize now it is my sisters who I have to be a little warier of.
"Hello?" The door opened to reveal Victoria, Damian's little sister greeting us. She looked up at us for a moment before running out to punch Damian's stomach "jerk! You left again!"
Damian sighed as Victoria repeatedly punched his stomach. Lumine admired the relationship they had as Damian picked his sister up carrying her under his arm as she demanded to be let go. "We're back! Cayde brought a friend over."
Lumine and I walked in after him and trying not to be awkward she said "You two seem close."
"Hah! Wait till you see Cayde's sisters. They're completely obsessed with him."
As he said this I let the three beasts out of the soul veil and they all dispersed to various places to reclaim their corners of the mansion. Jerks care more for their belongings than me.
"Brother!" I looked up to see my sisters running down the staircase eagerly wanting to embrace me
"did you miss us?"
"Do you have any souvenirs?"
the two jumped onto me pushing me down to the floor crushing me "you two have gotten heavier than I remember!" Using all my body strength I lifted myself with the two girls clinging on to me like monkeys.
"Meanie!"
"Brothers so mean!"
The two jumped off both giving me annoyed looks until I pulled out toys for them. They took them and clung back to my legs in a heartbeat. This will certainly leave an impression on Lumine.
The two girls then finally noticed Lumine and stepped in front of her with stern faces. Lumine was confused and looked to me for guidance but I pretended to not notice knowing what was likely to happen next.
"Your that girl in my brother's photos!"
"He talks about you a lot in his letters."
Feeling embarrassed I quickly tried to push my sisters away "alright you two let's go. I imagine mum and dad are waiting for us."
The two girls zipped away following Damian upstairs while I pretended not to notice Lumine's worried eyes on me "I don't have a clue what they're talking about..."
I realized just how bad of an idea it was to bring Lumine here. It's too late to shoo her out now though and I did promise my mom to let them meet one day.
The two of us walked up the stairs and once we got to the top a door opened just down the hall revealing my mother trying to escape my father's grasp "where is she?! I must meet Cayde's childhood friend!"
My mother was clawing at my father's arms until she was roped back in by a familiar red ribbon. Was that the silk scarf she knitted?
"Your family is just as energetic as you are Cayde..." Lumine looked mortified. I forgot that her mother is a lot calmer than mine and their relationship isn't as chaotically loving.
"They're lovely people once you get to know them. My mom just needs too... simmer down a little first. Hehe"
I opened the door holding it for Lumine to walk through and saw my mother being threatened into a corner by my father as he held wine in his hand as if it was a crucifix and my mother a vampire.
"Just drink the alcohol! Your terrifying the kids!" He was just as scared as I and my sisters were.
My father twisted his head slowly and looked at me with a hopeful smile "cayde, help your old man hold your cynical mother for a second."
I was tempted to just shut the door and let him struggle but Lumine gave me a little push forward choosing for me. "Guess I have no choice then."
***
Half an hour later I was out of breath lying on the floor while my mother sat happily on a chair-bound down with the red silk scarf talking to Lumine who was still questioning how to act.
"Did he do such a thing? I knew my son was a cunning fox but not to this degree."
"Cayde always has been fond of looking for trouble. Where do you think he gets it from?"
"Most likely his donkey of a father. Before we were married he was always getting mixed up in various scandals."
As the two spoke I picked myself up and was briefly happy about the view in front of me until the annoying ding sounded in my ear.
[the ink of curses says we need to talk]
Really? Now? Why?
[the ink of curses says it relates to your body's transmutations with attrium]
I fell short of breath as I read this and immediately left the room not saying anything heading for the courtyard.
"Incursik, explain immediately."
The purple spirit appeared in front of me with a worried and pained look "so you want the bad news or the maybe bad news first, Cayde?"
"Give me the bad news." It was odd finally seeing incursik's fake body again. I had become so used to the anonymous messenger act of his that I forgot how he looked.
"Bad news is that your body is slowly changing without your consent. The attrium inside you is using your blood veins to travel about and slowly change your internal structure."
"Meaning I'm coming closer to being a self-made homunculus..."
"Yes. Before your body was naturally treating it as an invasion replacing the fake fixed tissue with real fixed tissue. But now it seems something has stopped that. The replaced bits are staying as they are.
The news was disturbing. Nothing has happened recently that could have caused this so... that can be the only answer "has the attrium been using my mana heart or any other parts of my body to support its circulation?"
"This is where the maybe bad news comes in. The attrium has been using your abomination's beast soul to act as a center in your body instead of your mana heart. How that's working, I don't know. New pathways of circuits have been rooting off from it without our know-how for at least... a year I'd say, helping it to evolve, helping it to empower you..."
This was impossible. The beast's soul was simply a conduit to strengthen my mana and protect me against parasitic species. It was never meant to become some sort of second mana heart and for attrium at that.
I'd be impressed if it were happening to someone else but it's not. This is completely uncharted territory for me "describe how it's good news."
The devilish smile incursik had when a mistake turns into opportunity spread across incursik's face "you're going to be able to achieve partial beast takeover syndrome."
I paled when he said this but believing his damned smile I waited for him to finish "this means that just like our laughing crow mask you could potentially have a summonable armor. This is good news considering how you lack in the defense department."
The good side did outshine the bad side. If the armor was durable enough it could save me from even that bastard Arthur Moonleaf's full strength! The main problem though is I don't know how strong it will be until it manifests. It could serve as a good disguise as well if I use it right...
"How long until the beast souls evolution activates the takeover syndrome?"
"A few weeks maybe less. But if you decide to corrupt even a hair on your body it will activate instantaneously. What happens after that is anyone's guess."
"That's just enough time then..." incursik tilted his head wondering what I could have been thinking until he reached inside my head to see my plan.
"Hahahaha! You're crazy! That thing is unstoppable! Even the regressor would think twice before challenging that diabolical thing!"
"That thing is stronger than the dragon wyrm and scorpion snake several times over. Its defense is unmatched and if we're able to feed it to the soul before the takeover-"
"It could very well improve the armor as well." I nodded as incursik finished my sentence "well then. A dragon's scales topped off with highly mana-resistant scorpion chitin wasn't enough for you? What are we waiting for? Say your goodbyes and head off to that blasted things grotto."
My expression turned somber. I felt like if I suddenly left after returning my family would think I was disregarding them when I was leaving to try and help myself so I could protect them in the future.
Incursik placed a hand on my shoulder snapping me back "I understand that you don't want to lie to them when you are already keeping so many secrets. So just tell them the truth."
It was surprising hearing this from incursik. Was this the same guy who asked me to demolish a house for fun?
"I know, I know. It's weird coming from me but I love them just as much as you do. We're the same coin after all."
I wanted to laugh at what he said and I tried to grab his hand only to have mine pass through it. He then vanished after looking past me with a smile.
"Are you alright? It's strange seeing my son so mopey after a game of criminal with your mother."
"Dad..." seeing my expression my father was surprised for a moment but ultimately looked happy for me.
"Go"
"What? How can you-"
"I know you well enough son. That's the face you pull when you're conflicted in what to do." Allen sat on the steps next to me and looked up at the starry sky "it's not a very good look for you, who is always on the move doing as you please. So just do it and don't regret it."
I sat down next to him and spoke: "I don't know how long I could be gone for though. Who's going to watch over you all when I'm gone?"
A slap came to the back of my head and I cried out.
When I tried to shout at my dad I was immediately put into a headlock and he gave me a vigorous rub on my scalp "you treat me as if my muscles are only for show!"
"Ack! Stop! Stop!" He kept going despite my begging
"You have a strong spirit Cayde but your mentality and physical body are a disgrace to yourself!"
My father finally let me go and patted me on the back as I mourned my loss of hair "if we ever get into trouble we can always escape Cayde. It's a special skill in our blood after all."
So I've noticed. How else could I have escaped death so many times in this life when I would have been done for otherwise.
I sighed heavily "mum is going to kill us."
Concern laced my father's face as he realized this dilemma "yeah... think you can cast one of your dark arts of alchemy to trick her into thinking you're still around?"
I chuckled at his joke but then an idea that might very well work came to mind "there might be one. But I don't have the resources to do it. They're nearly impossible to find after all."
My father stood up in a huff pulling me up as well "guess you're going to have to brave that storm yourself then."
We went back inside together just in time to see Lumine leaving with her mother.
Before she vanished she gave a little wave that looked to have been in an attempt to hide her nervousness.
I knew she was here for a mission in the Harbinger society but what it was is a mystery to me, I just hope it's nothing life-threatening.
"Ah! There you two are. I was shouting all over but couldn't find you." My mother had somehow escaped the chair father and I trapped her in and seeing my nervous expression she knew what I was going to say.
Struck back by her glare I contemplated lying again until my father gave me a firm pat on the back "there's a job I need to do. I don't know how long it will take but I promise I'll come back safe."
My mother held out her menacing presence not wanting me to leave until she blew out a tired sigh "your father told me this might happen. I didn't want to believe him but it looks like I have no choice but to listen to him now."
My mother placed her hand on my cheek and looked into me full of hope "I have faith that you'll be here when needed most. So do what you must."
My mother lifted herself away from me and took my father with her as she left, honestly... just what kind of family are we? They love me to bits but know when to let go.
"You're not leaving until after tomorrow little man!"
My mother pointed into my eyes before she got dragged away by my father.
"I guess we're just an ordinary family after all."