Burn The Ashes: Calm Under Crisis (Patreon)

[Calm Under Crisis]

“This is an outrage!”

​As cliché as the shouted words were, Tanya had to agree that “outraged” pretty much summed up the current state of the congregation before her.

​The grand hall was packed wall-to-wall with faces of the current nobility. Some faces were known to Tanya; many were not. All of them leered down at her from the stands circling the room while she stood in its center upon a podium, hands clasped behind her back and expression completely blank as she waited for the rancor to die down.

​She looked up to the woman who had spoken. Lady Sallos leered back at her, face twisted by fear and anger. The aged woman was a widow, Tanya recalled. Her husband and the Lord of House Sallos died only a few years prior under mysterious circumstances that had preceded an investigation from the institution that predated the USB.

It turned up nothing, though strangely enough, Tanya seemed to recall the budget that year by a not-so-small margin just briefly after the investigation was called off.

​“I agree! How can we trust the USB to protect us if they’re letting Devils be killed in their own homes!?”

​The words were followed by calls to arms from every direction, the hall erupting into a cacophony of indignant voices. Tanya let them stew, mentally cataloguing who had spoken even as she weathered the storm of dissent. Perhaps eighty noble lines were present or otherwise represented, including her own. Though, only her father was in attendance, as her mother had her hands full with seeing to Ravel and Riser, the latter of whom was becoming more.... precocious by the day. Worst of all, he was rubbing off on their sister.

​Tanya allowed herself to worry after the future of her siblings for a scant moment before returning her attention to the situation at hand. She had a daunting task before her; calming the masses had never been her forte. But PR was a part of politics, as important as any other. As dull as that notion was.

​She waited until the noise died down, speaking clearly above the remaining rabble rouses. “The USB  was on the scene within minutes of the distress call being placed by Lord Naberius’ own Pawn. The perpetrator was apprehended shortly after fleeing the estate. Had we not been present, it is very likely that she would have escaped entirely and justice would have evaded us all.”

​“Justice!” A stout man near the front stood from his seat. “What justice is there when a noble is murdered in his own home!? The creature should be executed immediately!”

​“And what of her sister!?” someone called out from the upper tiers. “She’s in custody too, is she not? There’s no doubt she’s in on this plot. Put the whole peerage to the axe as well as her, I say!”

​A ripple of agreement followed the words as the mob before her sought justice for their own insecurity. They felt unsafe and were lashing out, as most tended to do when their easy way of life was so abruptly threatened. Tanya could only imagine the chaos that would ensue if war were to suddenly arrive on these peoples’ doorsteps. One death and they were up in arms, ready to break out the torches and pitchforks to stake any perceived threat, alongside anyone who happened to be beside them, apparently.

​The only ones who seemed content to remain silent on the matter were the legacy houses, those Lords and Ladies who had seen and survived far greater turmoil then this. The Bael, Gremory, even her father; they all gazed upon her silently, waiting to see how she’d deal with this, wondering if she would fold under the pressure presented.

​Tanya, of course, would do no such thing. The last thing she wanted was for this to turn into a bloodbath. Mob mentality was a dangerous thing, and these nobles seemed about ready to completely overstep her authority. That could not be allowed.

​“Make no mistake,” Tanya spoke over the clamor. “The USB is here to protect you, as is our mandate and our purpose. We will see justice done. Of that, I can assure you.”

​“You speak of justice, yet the perpetrator of this crime has yet to be brought before us!”

​“You seem to be conflating justice with vengeance,” Tanya spread her hands along the podium, staring directly at the one who had spoken. “There is a difference, however inconvenient that may be to some of you, and in this particular instance, the late Lord Naberius is in no position to be seeking the former.”

​Confusion spread at her bold words, just as Tanya had anticipated. She allowed it to simmer, watching as nobles exchanged glances and murmured among themselves, before continuing.

​“During our investigations, we discovered some troubling things about the late Lord Naberius’s habits regarding those under his care. Upon review, it is the opinion of myself and those I consider to be trusted advisors, that Kuroka, although rash, was well within her rights to undertake the actions she did that day.”

​Lady Sallos was on her feet in an instant, her face set with outrage and incredulity. “You arrogant child! You dare stand before us and endorse a murderer for slaughtering her own King!?”

​“Lady Sallos.” Tanya’s voice was sharp, and her gaze even sharper as she regarded the woman with a narrow-eyed stare. “I would ask that you show me due respect, as is customary as a member of this committee. Furthermore, I ask that you do not put words in my mouth ever again.”

​Lady Sallos floundered, while others in the congregation gaped at her audacity. Staring at the woman for a moment longer, Tanya turned away to address them.

​“Now, as I was saying before being so rudely interrupted,” she continued, her voice carrying effortlessly through the quiet, “Kuroka’s actions illuminated some rather concerning practices undertaken by the late Lord Naberius. Practices that I believe this body would be most interested in hearing about.”

​She reached into the folder resting on the podium and withdrew a sheaf of papers, holding them up for the congregation to see. “Experimentation and abuse, both physical and psychological. All performed on members of his own kind for the sake of “improving” it.”

​A young lord near the back of the hall rose from his seat. It was none other than Lord Oriax, the very same whose marriage proposal she had recently fed into her paper shredder. His expression was almost condescending as he gazed down at her.

​“And what of it?” he called out. “Should we not all be striving to improve our species? It seems to me that Lord Naberius was simply doing what needed to be done.”

​“I would agree that self-improvement is a noble pursuit, Lord Oriax,” Tanya replied. “However, it should not come at the expense of our own people. The subjects of these experiments were not volunteers, nor were they, in fact, willing participants in most ways.”

​She sifted through the papers, pulling out one in particular. “Kuroka herself is the subject of many of these experiments. I have in my hands a report written by the late Lord himself, documenting the results of what he referred to as, “simulated strength training.” Allow me to read it for you.”

​Tanya cleared her throat. “Ahem. Subject was instructed to engage in sustained physical exertion at maximum output until muscular failure. Upon reaching failure, the subject was healed via her own regenerative capabilities and instructed to continue. This process was repeated for a duration of ten hours, with rest periods of no longer than thirty seconds between cycles.”

​She paused, turning the page.

​“The subjects healing capabilities remain impressive, though her stamina showed marked decline after the fourth cycle. Muscle tissue tearing was consistent with expectations, and regeneration times increased from an average of forty seconds to nearly three minutes by the cycle’s conclusion. Additionally, subject’s will and constitution could use improvement. She showed signs of emotional distress by the sixth hour. Recommend applying psychological pressure in future sessions to harden her resolve. The subject’s younger sister has proven a useful motivator in preliminary tests; leveraging her could produce better results.”

​Tanya placed the report back into its proper place, speaking into the silence that now reigned over the congregation. “That report was written less than two months ago and there are dozens just like it in this folder alone, spanning back years.”

​Tanya turned her gaze to Lord Oriax, a challenging expression on her face. “ Tell me, Lord Oriax, do you still believe Lord Naberius’s experiments were to be lauded? And the rest of you; do you still believe that this girl deserves the death you’ve demanded of her? After years of this treatment, after breaking and taking the only course of action offered to her, do you still believe that we should murder her and the sister she suffered to protect?”

​Lord Oriax slowly sat. In the silence following his motion, no one else rose to speak. Tanya let the quiet linger for a moment longer before saying, “Make no mistake, the USB is here to protect you. But that protection extends to the whole of Devilkind. Kuroka will be punished for her rash actions, but due leniency will be granted in light of the circumstances she endured.”

​Tanya turned, staring directly at Lady Sallos. “In the meantime, House Naberius and its suzerain, House Nebiros, will be investigated thoroughly. I am sure that whatever we uncover will be most... illuminating.”

​Her promise was met with a furious expression and muttering all throughout the room, but none dared to actually argue with her verdict. Some faces bore expressions of intrigue, while a few looked genuinely frightened that she hadn’t been cowed, and Tanya catalogued each reaction carefully.

​Her father seemed particularly proud of her.

​Kuroka paced the length of the room, feeling moments away from going out of her mind as her bare feet scraped against the rug. The room they’d moved her to was nicer than the cell, but the bars on the window deprived it of any comfort.

​She could sense the presence of the guards keeping her room under watch and she fought the urge to call out to them and demand answers. She needed to know what was going on outside. It had been days since she was brought here and yet she hadn’t seen a single person. What was going on; where was Shirone and was she alright? She had to know.

​The door handle clicked, and Kuroka spun on her heel, ready to demand answers from whoever had finally decided to grace her with their presence.

​The Phenex girl walked through the door, but she wasn’t alone, and Kuroka’s breath caught as her eyes slid past the young noble and landed on her companion. Tall and lean with striking eyes and well-groomed hair, he was extremely handsome and in any other circumstance, Kuroka would be more than happy with this bit of eye candy. Yet the moment she laid eyes on her, she froze.

​His presence was all wrong. The natural energy around them all bent around him, as if shying away from him. It was like nature itself was scared of him, and that in itself was scary enough to raise Kuroka’s hackles, causing her to take a step back. The man’s blue eyes flicked to her with a note of amusement, while Tanya raised a brow at the reaction.

​“Perhaps it’s best you wait outside, Connal,”  she suggested. The man gave a short bow and stepped out into the hall without a word.

​As he disappeared, Tanya turned her attention back to Kuroka, her hands clasped loosely behind her. “How are you faring?”

​Kuroka couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculously stupid question. “Fucking peachy.”

​Tanya seemed unbothered by the language, glancing around her cell. “I’d suppose so. Ghese conditions are certainly better than the cell you were in before, no?”

​Kuroka’s expression soured and she gritted her teeth but didn’t rise to the bait. She crossed her arms, staring the girl down. “What do you plan to do with me? And where’s my sister!?”

​“The former is a bit hard to answer,” Tanya slipped further into the room, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and crossing one leg over the other. “You’re no longer marked for death, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

​Tanya’s gaze drifted toward the door. “As for your sister...”

​She trailed off and Kuroka bristled, preparing to demand answers, when a familiar presence brushed up against her senses.

​The door suddenly burst open again. Kuroka turned just in time to catch a flash of light before something small and warm suddenly slammed into her midsection and tiny arms wrapped around her waist, squeezing hard.

​Kuroka didn’t hesitate to squeeze back just as hard, tears springing to her eyes as she hugged the only thing that mattered to her in the world. “Shirone.!”

​“Big Sister; I’m so glad you’re alright,” Shirone crowed back. Kuroka could tell she was crying even before the tears seeped into her clothes, and she wasn’t far behind her.

​Kuroka pulled back just enough to cup her sister’s face in her hands, thumbs brushing away the tears that streamed down pale cheeks. Shirone’s amber eyes glistened, her small ears flattened against her head and her two tails wrapped tightly around Kuroka’s wrist as if afraid she might disappear.

​“Are you okay?” Kuroka whispered, scanning every inch of her sister’s face for any sign of mistreatment. “Did they hurt you?”

​“I’m fine,” Shirone sniffled..“They kept asking me questions but they didn’t touch me. I was with a girl. She was nice, but they wouldn’t let me see you.”

​Kuroka let out a relieved sigh, pressing her face into her sister’s hair and breathing deeply. Shirone’s scent was just as she remembered, of a little more flowery. Her sister was okay, and the weight on her shoulders lightened just a bit.

​“I’m here,” she murmured into Shirone’s hair. “You’re okay, I’m right here.”

​They stayed like that for a long moment, neither willing to be the first to let go. Kuroka could feel Shirone’s body shaking against her and she tightened her grip, one hand coming up to cup the back of her sister’s head as she reminded herself that her reason for living was still with her.

​“—not now. Come back later.”

​“But sister—”

​“Ravel, now is not the time.”

​Kuroka lifted her head to see that another girl had slipped in while she was occupied with her little sister. She was a diminutive girl, with silken blonde hair spiraling down beside her face. Said face was extremely similar to Tanya’s own, if a bit softer, and it was clear that they were closely related. A sister?

​The girl opened her mouth to argue with Tanya but she just happened to glance their way. She straightened as she met Kuroka’s narrowed eyes.

​“Go, Ravel,” Tanya said, her voice louder now that they had been noticed. “You can talk to her later.”

​Kuroka watched the exchange, her arms still wrapped protectively around Shirone. Ravel seemed to deflate slightly at the dismissal, her shoulders dropping a fraction before she caught herself and straightened again. She opened her mouth as if to protest but seemed to think better of it and just nodded.

​“Okay.” She turned to leave, but before she could, Shirone suddenly shifted in Kuroka’s arms, turning around with a small smile on her face.

​“Ravel!” Shirone called out. One of her hands released Kuroka’s waist to reach towards the blonde girl, who paused in the doorway to look back at her. A small smile crossed the girl’s face, before she glanced back towards Kuroka and paused again, seeming to shy away.

​Kuroka’s eyes flicked between her sister and the blonde girl, her hold tightening fractionally on Shirone. “Who is this?”

​Before Tanya or even Shirone could answer, the girl seemed to steel herself, squaring her small shoulders until she offered a bearing eerily reminiscent of her sister. The girl reached down, lifting the edges of her skirt as she dipped into a perfect curtsey, bowing her head just so.

​“I am Ravel Phenex,” she introduced herself. “Youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Phenex, and sister to she who will one day become Asmodeus. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

​While Kuroka reeled at the jarringly formal introduction, Tanya let out a heavy sigh, one hand coming up to cover her eyes. “You know better than to give me a title I have yet to lay claim to, Ravel.”

​“It is fine, sister. Everyone knows it’s just a matter of time anyway,” the young girl said in a matter of fact tone.

​Tanya dropped the matter there with a shake of her head. She gestured toward her sister. “Your sister has been subject to mine for the last several days. There isn’t much in the way of entertainment for a child in this castle, so I thought it might be best for Shirone to have a playmate, as it were.”

​Tanya glanced at her sister who stare back unrepentantly. “It would seem that in that time, they’ve become fast friends.”

​“Ravel is cool,” Shirone said, and the glowing smile that was sent her way by the young noble told Kuroka all she needed to know.

​Tanya turned to Ravel. “Since you’re so determined to take the girl’s time, why don’t you have your fun elsewhere? I need to speak to Kuroka alone.”

​Ravel nodded, any trace of her earlier petulance vanishing beneath a veneer of obedience that Kuroka could tell was practiced. She reached out and took Shirone’s wrist, pulling her along.

​“Come on, Shirone,” Ravel said, already turning toward the door. “I’ll show you the garden on the upper terrace. It has a fountain with all sorts of birds and things.”

​Shirone hesitated, looking back up at Kuroka. “I don’t want to leave.”

​Kuroka forced a smile. She wanted to hold her sister and never let her out of her sight again, but she didn’t want her here for this

​“I’ll be fine, Shirone. Go have fun, okay?”

​Shirone hesitated for a moment longer, but eventually listened to her sister. She gave Kuroka a big hug, then let Ravel lead her toward the door.

​Left alone with Tanya, Kuroka’s mood dipped considerably. The absence of her sister’s presence was keenly felt, and she turned that ire on the young Phenex, staring at her dispassionately.

​Tanya met her eyes without any fear. Kuroka respected that, even as her tails flicked agitatedly. Then, she asked the question that’d been on her mind since she got here.

​“So what happens now?”

​Tanya shifted just slightly. “A number of things. To begin with, your sister is innocent and therefore no longer bound to our custody. You, however, are not.”

​Kuroka's jaw tightened. "I figured."

​“Yes… Killing a noble has consequences, no matter the reason for the act. Though I'd be more than happy to wave the whole thing away and sweep it under the rug, the public nature of this little debacle makes that quite difficult.”

​Kuroka looked up in surprise. “You’d help me?”

​Tanya smiled thinly. “Believe me, I'd stand to benefit just as much as you.” She ran a hand through her hair, the ahoge on top of her head bobbing with the motion. “I find politics rather droll, you see. As enjoyable as it is, shoving my fellows’ words back in their faces from time to time, the metaphorical red tape leaves something to be desired. Making nice with fools has never been my strong suit, though I seem to be suffering more and more recently.”

​She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “As it stands, I find myself in a bit of a spot regarding your fate. The USB does not have the political power, nor the judiciary power to simply let you walk free. And quite frankly, doing so would set my own plans back a substantial amount, which is something I simply will not do.”

​Kuroka’s hackles raised. "So what? Just lock me up indefinitely or execute me?”

​"No." Tanya shook her head. "I won't allow that. But you must be punished, Kuroka. Or at the very least, it must seem that you are."

​Now, Kuroka was confused. "What does that mean?"

​"The standard cop-out of any judiciary system forced to punish the unworthy.” Tanya smirked, spreading her arms like she was conjuring something fantastical. “Community service.”

​“What?”

​“Not in name, of course. She can't have the nobility thinking that you're getting off lightly.” Tanya hopped off the bed, striding to the window with hands held behind her back. “To the public, you'll be undergoing as harsh a punishment as any. Meanwhile, you'll be confined to a designated territory under USB watch to perform tasks as we assign them. And in return, you get to live, see your sister regularly, and the nobility gets to feel like justice was served."

​Kuroka stared at Tanya as the girl turned back to her, a self-satisfied smirk on her face. It sounded good. But there was one thing.

​“And who's going to take care of my sister? In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have a Master to feed and house her anymore.”

​"My family castle has more than enough room for an indefinite guest.” Tanya tilted her head, just slightly. “And I'm sure Ravel could do with some influence from someone her age. She's been spending far too much time with Riser for my liking.”

​Kuroka thought for a moment.The offer was fairer than she'd expected. And besides, it wasn't like she had much of a choice anyway.

​"Who's going to be watching me?" she asked finally.

​Tanya merely smiled.