Bab 38: 38: Châtilart
An odd 591 years ago, the Châtilart-Bezac family watched as their newborn was born with the most striking yet most uncommon and rare Châtilart features. Ruby red eyes and platinum gold hair. The Châtilart bloodline wasn't the strongest bloodline but most respected. So, when he was born, they named him Shale. Due to the fact, he was perceived as weak and brittle from birth. After all... he barely survived.
*
As Shale grew, he was the only one in the family to retain his mother and father's name. He noticed his family refusing to nurture his talents, refusing to help him build up the strength warranted by the Bezac family. He found himself lost, wanting to learn and become a part of the squad lead that the Bezac family joined, wanting that sense of duty and unity. But he never found it with them.
But he found it elsewhere. His cousin's family. His aunt was the wife of the leader of the Ravize family, the second squad leader, and was open and welcoming to the young Shale, accepting him where his family wouldn't.
…
"Oops." That was all he said no matter the injury. No tears, no tantrums, no flinching or reaction. And seeing him heal quickly was a trait running strongly in the Châtilart bloodline. So, as a result of his odd behaviours and ability, Astra was continuously paired with Shale, and not that she didn't like it. Astra loved her cousin, they were the only ones of the same age. But, she did hate his fighting style.
After a few months of heading to train with the Ravize family, his aunt wondered something. "Does the Bezac family not care about you?" His aunt asked and seeing Shale shrug, she wondered what had happened to her sister. "They're focused on my little brother. I don't care either way." He sharpened the knives while his aunt picked out the vegetables they'd serve at the monthly squad dinner and she just smiled, felt sad but was assured that Shale knew he had a family here.
*
On the days he didn't go to train with his cousin and uncle, Shale trained on his own at the Bezac family training grounds and began nurturing the power that was coming in. "Manus?" He turned and saw his mother calling out for his toddler brother. "Manus, where did you go?"
"Young Manus is sleeping," one of the guards said, "shall I wake him?"
"Yes. We have a meeting with the King."
'Oh. I better get going then. Astra may murder me.'
Shale left the compound and his family didn't bother wondering where their son ran off to every single day. They dressed up their youngest and began heading to meet the King with the other respected families.
Between the Bezac and Ravize families, Ravize were much stronger. It irked Shale's mother as her sister was the one to marry into the family. Not her. But the Bezac's did have powers that unrivalled others.
-
"Bella, it's nice to see you." Shale's mother smiled but was bitter as she was greeted by her sister.
"And you too Mina. How is little Astra?" Bella - Shale's mother asked.
"Oh she's doing amazingly-"
"Astra... Shale... you have to attend." Bella turned her head and saw her son and her niece trying to run off away from this but the head of the Ravize family dragged them back. "Shale you especially. Since my daughter refuses to want to lead the second squad, you are its next--"
"That's my son." Bella angrily spoke. She realised it then, her son was her ticket into the strongest squad of the Everlastings settlement.
Seeing Mina chuckle, she also noticed her husband raise an eyebrow. "Then why have we been raising him?" Captain Jae asked.
"We've practically adopted him, Bella. We've already sought King's approval about this, his Majesty already knows Shale is being raised to become Jae's successor, and he doesn't care that the heir is our nephew, if you have forgotten." Mina revealed and she watched as Shale was walked off by that family.
Her dream was now being lived by her son.
-
As the meeting with the King proceeded, Shale noticed a kid across the hall. Probably the same age or a bit older than him, but he noticed him.
"And as with the request of Captain Jae Ravize nominating his nephew, Shale Châtilart-Bezac as his successor," Bella snarled, "considering his outstanding achievements alongside the Captain himself and a stellar recommendation, I shall allow this to occur. On the one condition that this young boy becomes my student, and learns under me for a period of time."
The hall went silent.
Captain Jae Ravize stood up and Shale quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed. "We are honoured Your Majesty, I shall begin arrangements for his arrival to your compound."
-
Shale sighed as he looked to the throne. The past Everlastings and the new Everlastings thanks to Captain's betrayals...
Walking over to the chamber where Machi slept, and seeing Rocco sleeping on the chair next to him, Shale sighed and knew this was a product of his own negligence.
'I'm the Second Squad's Captain, a student of His Majesty, how did this happen under my watch?' Shale asked and ruffled his hair.
"Yo." Turning around, he saw Astra holding a scroll. "Father wants us back."
"What for?"
-
A right smacking.
"Haha." Astra watched as Shale was tossed across the living room and Astra's mother placed some tea down for her husband. She wasn't annoyed, actually, she missed when instances like this happened when Shale became the Vice Captain and had his moods.
"What the hell old man--!"
"You couldn't have known idiot!" The hall was empty, only consisting of the family of four, and Astra nodded in agreement with her father.
Looking up, Shale wiped the blood from his nose and Jae sighed. "So don't damn well blame yourself."
Shale sighed and Astra helped him up and out of the wall. "Would you have helped him out?" Shale asked. "The kokai. Machi." Sitting down where his wife placed the tray of tea, he poured himself and his family a cup and thought about it.
Jae sipped his tea and knew about everything. A former captain still heard talks around the settlement.
"I would," Jae revealed. "He wasn't hostile. He was accepting and listened to his Majesty. Didn't act out of turn. Even when released he didn't seek the destruction of our home. The only reason why he was labelled a kokai was because of his ability to destroy the settlement and not his nonexistent want to destroy."
Shale sighed heavily and Jae noticed his eyes. "His Majesty has asked me to resume as temporary Captain of the 8th," Jae revealed. "As much as my retirement with my wife has been nice, it tends to get a bit boring."
Astra looked to her mother who agreed - which wasn't shocking. "It has been a little too quiet dear. Hearing your father throw Shale as normal brought back some memories." She chuckled and Astra shook her head. Her mother was a little mad like her father. But perhaps that's why they've managed to sustain such a long-lasting marriage.
"What about the 7th and 9th?" Astra asked. "They're leaderless too."
-
King Yuma announced the three squads' new leaders.
"Charlotte Lilia, new Captain of the 9th Squad. Hyuse Shinzo, the new captain of the 7th Squad. These two roles are permanent, effective immediately. As for the 8th Squad," King Yuma paused, "I have asked former Captain Jae Ravize to resume the role to heal the 8th Squad before selecting a permanent role."
The question lingered as to why he never selected a successor for the 3rd and 10th.
As everyone was dismissed, King Yuma noticed Machi's friends, Mira, Rocco and Karma, waiting behind. "Ladies his Majesty is busy--"
"Let them come."
Windsor shook her head and Mira looked to the captains old and new. Rocco let them take the lead and sat down.
"During that battle, you had Dragurs." Shale knew this wasn't going to be easy to explain. "Why were they so weak?"
"Excuse me?" Jae asked. "They're not weak. They're the strongest creatures we have developed--"
Karma and Mira were about to unsheath their swords. "Then tell us why... why the hell 10% of the entire universe is run by them. And be warned, if we don't like your answer... we'll use our own powers."
Shale looked to Xox and the other captains.
"First Young ladies, explain what you mean by they run 10% of the universe," Hyuse spoke, and Karma noticed his calmness, "They're not that strong." Everyone was confused and Yuma wondered if he had something to do with it.
Seeing a green-haired figure teleport into the room, Mira and Karma seemed to be much quicker at reacting.
"Ladies, ladies, I just want to speak to my former comrades is that OK?" Freed chuckled and Mira was close to slicing his head off.
"I feel rather comfortable like this." Karma snarled.
Everyone was confused. "How do you guys know Refed?" Charlotte asked. Seeing a maniacal smile, Mira kissed her teeth and pulled away. Karma too. "If he wanted us dead he'd have brought an entire army. So what the fuck do you want Freed?" Rocco snapped and everyone was lost at the new name.
"Rocco, my boy you know if I wanted Machi dead I'd have killed him by now." Freed smiled and Shale raised an eyebrow. He was confused about the link between Refed and Machi - it didn't seem like one of an alliance so… enemies.
"What's your relationship with the kokai?" Jin asked.
Shaking his head, Freed jumped down and sat in his old seat. "Ah. Just as I remember it. Now. As I heard you know the dragurs control 10% of the universe. I have my beautiful brain to thank. I managed to make them much stronger than you all here. And I control them."
Freed turned to Rocco and rolled his eyes. "Yet somehow that fucking brat managed to outsmart me." Rocco shook his head.
"The kokai?"
Freed nodded. "Oh, but it's so much better toying with him. Why else did he come here--"
"Actually, Machi doesn't give two shits about you Freed. He only wants to find out why you are so obsessed with him." Rocco nonchalantly revealed.
"Yeah, dick move killing his dad when he was a few minutes old. We are here because we were searching for his past." Mira added.
"News flash he doesn't care about you to think about you all the fucking time. You're just freaking obsessed and it's creepy." Karma finished.
Disregarding their comments, Freed whistled. "It was a shame. Wanted to see Machi at full power though. If he can kill a legion of my dragurs he can surely wipe the floor with you all in seconds. Even with sonus."
Everyone went silent. Jae wondered what sort of monster Shale had befriended and Freed looked to King Yuma. "Maybe... not you. Well to be fair we both know what gives you power Yuma," Freed teased, "and as much as I'd love to kill you, that power can only be mine if you're alive. And who knows when you'd... die."
Snapping his hands, everyone was tied down to their seats and Freed chuckled. "Maria really didn't need to see the future. I'd have come here anyway. Also, she read the future wrong. Machi would never cause the downfall of this settlement. I would though, and I think it'd be oh so satisfying to do it but I'll let you live. I've got a universe to run."
But as a rift opened, Freed was shocked Machi walked out, even if it was a slow lazy exhausted walk. "Welcome Machi. D'you like how easily I've made slaying this--"
Snapping his fingers, Freed watched as the vines were turned to ice and everyone broke out of them. "You didn't." His eyes widened and was shocked. Just pure and utter shock.
Seeing his eyes hazed over, Karma shielded him.
"Karma I'm fine." Machi weakly spoke.
Looking at the weakened, tired-out Machi, Karma didn't bother moving. "Though Machi, I'd very much like to soothe this... question of why you didn't release your powers. You'd have been able to easily defeat Maria, Luis and Willow all at once. But no... you stayed weak."
Machi went silent. "No answer. Oh well-"
"Why are you here when you've got an entire universe to lead? Hell, you could torment the three circles while you're at it, and I'd have never known."
Freed snapped his fingers and disappeared. Everyone turned to Machi as he dropped onto a chair (not knowing it was the 10th's seat).
"You shouldn't have left," Mira argued, before looking at the chair he sat on itself, "Wait what...?"
"Figured out why I have the same energy you all possess and why we came here." Machi coughed. "Does the name Hallows mean anything to you?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone