Blurry faces.
Hushed voices arguing.
More blurry faces.
Alric had no idea how long he had been sleeping. Without a window, he had completely lost track of time. Running a high fever did not help either.
"Brother?"
A gentle hand stroked his cheek. It was warm and soft. He enjoyed the caressing for a while.
"Mother?" No, she had died a long time ago. Then, it slowly dawned on him.
Chuckles.
He finally came to, realizing who was taking care of him.
"I hate you, Fiera," Alric said in a weak voice. He blinked a few more times to get a clearer view.
She sat on a wooden stool next to his bed, her hand against his face. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun. Fiera chuckled again. She was clearly enjoying seeing him in this sorry state.
"Seems you're doing better now."
When he looked more closely, he noticed her tattoo was glowing. He pointed to his right cheek and was about to inquire when the succubus anticipated his question.
"I'm trying to keep you alive with my magic, you dumbass." Even though her words were meant to insult, a gentle smile was on her face. She then turned her head to face the door frame. "Come in."
A meek figure with translucent wings appeared. His red hair was bleached at the tips. Multiple piercings decorated his right ear. Alric guessed the Fae had just reached adulthood.
"As I announced a few days ago, you will get somebody to keep an eye on you. This is Aodhan, another Epsilon." Seeing Alric's judgemental face, Fiera quickly added, "don't underestimate him. He has a high potential to rise through the ranks and become a Gamma. Unlike you."
His piqued expression was all she was hoping to see. In contrast to his older brother, Alric wore his emotions on his sleeve. Easy to read, easy to trigger. She grinned from ear to ear. After enjoying the moment, she clapped her hands on her thighs and got up. "Well, Aodhan will be nursing you back to full health before showing you the ropes." She began to walk toward the Fae. "You're in luck, Alric. This will be the last time we will see each other. I usually only deal with Gammas. If there's anything you need to say to me, tell it to my Beta, Zan." She then patted Aodhan on the shoulder. "I have faith in you." After glancing over to Alric one last time, she left.
"Hi." He not only looked, but he also sounded meek too. Alric merely rolled his eyes in response.
"Just don't go backstabbing me, boy."
"Even if I wanted to, I can't."
"What do you mean?" Having caught his attention, Alric propped himself up.
Aodhan pointed at the tattoo on his cheek. "Being a pack member prevents you from severely debilitating another member. At least intentionally. However, a higher-ranked pack member can extract physical punishment and even kill you."
"Oh?" Alric pondered for a moment. "And being a... pack member is permanent?"
The Fae grimaced. "Pride has informed me you were involuntarily added," he began. "I regret to inform you this is very permanent. You couldn't switch packs unless you become an Alpha to another Matriarch."
"Alpha?" Alric realized he really had no clue how a succubus pack worked.
"A Matriarch always has two people in charge of the pack in the case of her absence or... demise. The Alpha is subject to physical changes and is just as powerful as the Matriarch. They are usually their lovers and responsible for producing an heir," Aodhan explained. "If a Matriarch dies, the Alpha can mate with another person, and the offspring will eventually develop to become a succubus Matriarch. On the other hand, a Beta is simply in charge of the pack in her absence. Their original powers are enhanced, but nothing more."
"Fiera mentioned this 'Zan' as her Beta..."
Before Alric could finish his sentence, Aodhan was delighted to continue. "Yes! Zan is a Wolf, I'm sure you've met him before. I've been told he is rather strict, but that is because he is very protective of Pride."
Trying to process all this information was too much for the angel. "Alpha, Beta... what's with this stupid Greek alphabet? Why make it utterly complicated." Alric made a cuckoo sign.
Aodhan raised his eyebrows. "What, you actually believe The Heaven's caste system is easier?"
"Yes, in fact, I-" Suddenly, Alric realized who he was talking to. A Fae. A male Fae. While Fae were officially listed as the second-highest caste, male Fae were considered trash. They were treated no better than black-winged Tengu, the lowest caste. Therefore, most male fae opted to start a new life elsewhere. "Sorry," he quietly said.
Ignoring his apology, Aodhan raised his voice. "We may be Epsilons now, but we have at least the chance to rise in rank and become a Gamma! But what do you know, you're an elite angel who never had to raise his finger to work! Don't expect me to play master and servant with you!"
He then stormed out, leaving a flabbergasted Alric behind.
Alone, the angel dropped back into his bed. The metal squealed under the weight, joining Alric's pain-ridden groan in unison. After the pain subsided, he began to ponder. What was he going to do from now on? Where was his brother? Father? He really could use some guidance. The guidance provided by Fiera had just walked out on him. Rightfully so.
Hours passed. Alric drifted between sleep and being lost in thought.
"Use your chance. Become someone new." Alric quoted his father's words when he initially had declined to take over the conglomerate. All he had wanted to become was an executor, just like his brother. He had trained for it. Passed the entrance exams. Smelled academy air. Yet both his brother and father discouraged him and urged him to study business instead.
He sighed. No matter how Alric looked at it, he was stuck here. Forever. And it was probably not so bad, considering being dead was the alternative. If he could prove to them all he wasn't just a stupid idol, he would have a chance at getting back at Samael.
Seeing his ex-assistant's face in his mind provided Alric with the strength to lift his battered body from the bed and get up. Sharp pain ran through his body, forcing him to fall back in bed. But Alric wasn*t one to give up easily. He tried over and over again until he was able to roll out while bearing the pain. Finally up, he felt a rush of energy course through him. Believing he was alright, he confidently walked, instead stumbled, to the door frame. And right into Aodhan.
"Ouch!" Alric intended to hold his nose in pain. Instead, he lost balance and tumbled backward. Aodhan reacted quickly by latching his collar and yanking on it very hard. In addition to all the pain, Alric now had to wheeze to catch some air, but at least he was still standing. Once Aodhan made sure he could somewhat stand, the fae let go.
"I-I didn't expect you to be up," Aodhan apologetically said, scrunching his nose to ease the pain.
"And I... didn't expect you to return." Embarrassed, Alric senselessly tried to flatten the folds in the fabric of his shirt.
Awkward silence permeated the room.
"I... I wanted to properly apologize for being thoughtless," Alric began, feeling remorseful. "Truth is, this is an entirely new situation for me. And I could use some pointers."
"Apology accepted," the Fae replied.
After another awkward pause, Aodhan's demeanor changed. He had the brightest smile on his lips and grabbed Alric by the wrist.
"Come, let me show you around!"
"I still believe it was a grave mistake to take him in," Zan twitched with his wolf's ears as he followed the latest news on a large screen. One segment was entirely dedicated to the disappearance of Gabriel's sons, with statements given by Gabriel himself as well as Alric's assistant Samael.
Fiera stared absent-mindedly at the same screen. She was sitting at her office desk. Papers right and left towered over the succubus.
"Hm?"
"I said you shouldn't have taken that dipshit in," Zan repeated in a slightly raised voice.
"Are you at it again?" She gave an exasperated sigh. "I already explained to you that stringing both of them will give us an edge and possibly even a foothold in The Heaven."
"Nobody in The Heaven will want to hire a succubus pack. They despise us."
"Not really. I have a few potential customers who want to sign us on but require us to have Winged Ones. They have used our services on The Surface, so I know they are veritable."
"I don't see how a wingless angel and an undercover executioner can bring us leverage."
"Do not underestimate Alric. He has tenacity. I'm sure it won't be long ere I will be personally dealing with him." She smiled, though Zan could not quite decide whether it was a pained or confident one. "And as for his brother, we need a proper investigator who can easily travel through all three worlds."
"So you believe she is still out there?"
"All destabilizations have been accounted for, so she must still be alive. We just need to find her before whoever is behind this."
That damn necktie.
Alric stared at his reflection in a mirroring metal pane. Maybe he should just take it off? He glanced over to his assistant, who was glued to his tablet screen. Of course, he did not wear a tie. Instead, he had a ribbon holding his collar together. Ever the flowery type.
"Samael, don't you have a spare necktie for me?"
Samael looked up with a defeated look. "No, Sir. I do not wear these." He then proceeded to stare at his screen again.
Trying to strike a conversation, Alric persisted. "So, what's with that bonkers succubus earlier? She got creepy at the end."
Without looking up, Samael replied, "I do not know, Sir. Perhaps she was trying to read minds and thus gain an edge at our pitch?"
"Hm." Alric seemingly was lost in thought long enough for Samael to return to his duties, thankfully. Ignoring the private messages by one of their Tengu employees, the assistant studied the stock market charts religiously.
The truth was that Alric was left to being irked on his own. No, her glare hadn't been creepy at all. It was hypnotizing. There was something about Fiera he could not quite put his finger on. How could such a lowly bat-winged creature occupy his mind so much? And why were they made to wait so long?
More moments in silence passed. Samael noticed how Alric grew increasingly antsy. But nervousness was contagious. And so, the other angel found himself losing his focus. Annoyed, he was about to say something when an old male voice greeted them from behind.
"Ah, I see, you are anxious to introduce yourselves," he said with a slight smile.
"Sir, it's a pleas-"
Before Samael could even finish his sentence, Alric interrupted.
"Not so much 'anxiety' and more of an 'excitement'. After all, it's a rare opportunity for us, uh, Mister.., uh..."
Samael watched in horror as his boss helplessly switched glances between the three old men who had approached the two. Behind them, a group of younger men and women diligently followed their seniors.
"Xu, my young lad. It's Xu," The oldest of them stepped forward and offered his hand in greeting. He wore a black tang suit with golden embroideries adorning his shoulders.
"Ah, I'm delighted to meet you personally, Mr. Xu," Alric continued, shaking his hand.
Amused, Mr. Xu merely nodded before beckoning one of his young fledglings to him. A young woman stepped up without losing a word and unlocked the door with a card key. Upon opening it, Mr. Xu invited the angels to enter first. "Please."
The two nodded in unison and headed in. Immediately, they were awestruck by the interior. It looked like it had been taken right out of an office in The Heaven: Dark suede chairs, a marble table in the middle, and gold decorations everywhere. Large glass walls provided a rapturous view of a court garden illuminated with paper lanterns. The old man could not help but notice the young angels' faces. He chuckled.
"This meeting room is called 'Above the Clouds' for a reason. I specifically requested to book it. Please, make yourselves comfortable." He motioned for his team to provide the two with tea.
No five minutes passed with idle chat when a fierce knock interrupted them.
"Come in," the old man loudly said.
As expected, it was Fiera. She whispered something to another person obscured by the door before entering the meeting room alone.
Immediately, the mood changed. Despite the sound of her high heels being muffled by the carpet floor, her stride was confident. She took a single glance while walking and directly steered towards Mr. Xu.
"Mr. Xu, I'm honored to have been invited to this pitch," she said in his native tongue. His entourage looked in astonishment.
"Oh, I did not know you speak such an old language," he replied with a pleased look.
"I have business with the other Surface Clans. Therefore, it makes sense."
Alric and Samael were stumped. Neither of them spoke Mr. Xu's language and thus found themselves excluded from their conversation. Fiera and the old man seemingly enjoyed talking and laughing for a good bit before the old man finally settled back to speaking a language everybody understood.
"That was such a lovely chat, Ms. Fiera," he summarized. "I must say, you barely have any accent, it felt like I was talking to my brothers and sisters."
"You flatter me," Fiera said with a charming smile.
"Right. Then let's begin! Ms. Fiera, please."
A screen rolled down at the front end of the meeting room. Using her tablet, the succubus projected her presentation onto it and began holding a speech on her services concisely.
"Thank you, Ms. Fiera," Mr. Xu said after she was done. "I do have some questions for you."
"Please, go on," she replied with an affirming nod.
"As you know from our briefing, we are looking to expand ourselves to The Heaven and thus require adequate security services there as well. How can you guarantee that, considering you are prohibited from entering the top realm?"
Without any hesitation, Fiera responded, "excellent question, Mr. Xu. I have anticipated it." She closed her presentation and tucked away her tablet. "You are correct, as a succubus, I am the only winged race prohibited from entering The Heaven."
Alric smirked. Indeed, succubi were exiled from the Heaven. History books never revealed the reason, but since then, this noble and ancient race was considered below Tengu trash. Right from the beginning, she had no chance in this pitch. Looking at the venue the old man had chosen, the angel surmised that he had already made up his mind beforehand.
"However," Fiera continued, her gaze wandering around the room before stopping at Alric. "We have found a reliable partner we regularly subcontract for such cases. Unlike our rival, Gabriel Safety Service, this partner employs only inhabitants of at least Griffin caste."
Audible murmurs. It seemed like nobody expected this response. Fiera continued to stare at Alric. He could feel the sneer behind her eyes.
"That makes your offer indeed quite lucrative, particularly if we're looking for more inconspicuous ways of protection."
"Mr. Xu, we are happy to oblige to your request and provide you personnel of Fae and even Exalted caste," Alric intervened, maintaining eye contact with Fiera. "Assigning Tengu is merely the cheapest option we have to offer."
This bitch. Thinking she could steal clients on his turf? Alric was not going to have it.
"Are you a beginner, boy?" She did not back down. "Pitching the cheapest option to a potential client instead of the best package you have to offer."
"Isn't it pretty amateur as well to conclude I only introduce the cheapest services we have, Miss?"
"Miss?" Her eyes narrowed. He could feel her rage growing. Her body tensed, yet her voice remained cool as ice. "Do not address me as Miss."
"Then do not address me as 'boy'," he immediately retorted.
While Mr. Xu seemed to be having the time of his life, Samael's already pale complexion grew whiter by the moment. How could Alric let himself get wound up so easily by her words?
"I think that's enough, Alric," Samael quietly began but was quickly shushed by his boss.
"That's quite rude, you know," Fiera interjected. The two angels merely glared at her. She chuckled, then moved to take a seat.
Mr. Xu clapped his hands. "I think that's enough, thank you. Mr. Samael, if I recall, you were to represent your company. If you please." He pointed at the spot where Fiera had been standing.
"Yes, thank you." Alric's assistant got up and proceeded to hold his presentation as planned.
However, toxicity filled the room, and both Alric and Fiera continued to exchange aggressive glances. Not even Mr. Xu's light-hearted jokes could lift the mood.
"Sir, if I may speak up, that was highly unprofessional earlier," Samael commented once the meeting was over. They were nibbling on finger food in the foyer, greeting other people now and then.
"I don't need to be told that. I know," Alric said, disinterested in the conversation.
"Then why did you-"
"Hush, here she comes." From the corner of his eye, he could see the succubus making a beeline for them. Behind her, a wolf begrudgingly followed her.
"I need to speak with you, Alric." Fiera's voice sounded urgent.
"Well, say whatever you want to say." Alric was not keen on speaking to her again this soon but did his best to avoid making a scene. He chewed on a piece of cheese on a toothpick.
"Alone."
All three men raised an eyebrow.
"Okay...?" Tossing the toothpick on an empty plate that Samael was holding, Alric followed the succubus a few steps away. "What's this about? I'm not going to continue our argument from earlier."
"It's your assistant." Fiera half-interrupted him. "I have seen you two together previously, but tonight it feels as if something has changed. I cannot put my finger on what is different, though. I would exercise caution around him."
Alric laughed. "Earlier, you were hostile, now you're playing concerned mother hen? What kind of bad comedy is this?"
"I mean it. My specialty is picking up vibes from others. How else do you think I am this successful?"
"You're speaking about Samael. He couldn't even hurt a fly if he wanted to."
"I would not underestimate timid people."
Refusing any further explanations, Alric raised his hands. "Enough. I don't want you ruining my mood before the evening show." He noticed that she actually had a worried look on her face. To appease her, he added, "But I appreciate your efforts. Good evening."
And with that, he turned her back on her and returned to his assistant's side, who was busy chatting with Fiera's subordinate.