Angel Monarch

Thea and her family hurried to the Gate's location. It was quite far away, but as Ascended, they moved across the city fast.

In less than a few minutes, the four of them stood near the military encirclement and stared out onto an irregular, terrifying sight.

The once green lawns now glinted dark red under the bright moonlight. Misted blood floated around the area. A few soldiers tried cleaning their vehicles, removing body parts and exploded organs, which littered everything.

Amidst the death and destruction, a girl's giggle and a boy's joyous laughter reached Thea's ears.

Through the blood mist, it took her a while, but eventually she stopped the unhinged couple near the Gateway.

They moved between Corrupted, like it was a mere game, instead of a life and death situation.

Vicky dodged the monsters' attacks with ease, then opened portals around their necks or other body parts, killing and dismembering each.

Thea couldn't even see what kind of monsters the regal couple were fighting, since each died too fast for observation.

Henry was a blur moving across the battlefield. He was near Vicky once, then took one step, and appeared a few dozen meters away, leaving a trail of withering corpses behind.

His long warscythe dripped with blood, which fell away quickly as if the blade actively repulsed the gore.

The black armor with white glowing lines also stayed clear, similarly to Vicky's own clothing.

The couple moved through the battlefield like whirlwinds of death, but also like beacons of hope. Even the gore of the destruction couldn't stain their perfect bodies and souls!

While Thea stared at the killing field in awe, Luzia moved up to her daughter. She placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and while pointing towards Vicky; she whispered.

"You have to teach her proper fighting techniques… This is unacceptable!"

Suddenly pushed out of her reverie, Thea glanced back at Luzia and spoke with an evident smirk.

"She seems to do just fine without using any techniques… Why would she need to learn melee combat, when her power allows so much destruction and mobility?"

For a second, Luzia turned away and watched as Vicky dismembered another monster using her portals. Bits and pieces flew into the sky as blood showered the gore below.

Through the blood mist, she spotted something truly concerning. As Vicky dealt death to the mindless beast, a wide smile spread across her face.

When Luzia saw the smile, a small chuckle escaped her as well.

"That's what you see? An independent person without need for guidance? I thought I raised a smarter daughter, but it seems I overestimated your judging capabilities!"

Her hold on Thea's shoulder hardened, nails biting into her skin.

"I only see a scared thirteen-year-old, who grew up only knowing violence. Someone who takes pleasure in killing, and who's on a dangerous path towards complete insanity!…"

Luzia's hand further tightened, and her whisper turned louder.

"What I see is a girl with no moral values of her own, but also someone who has enough power to kill everyone in this city on a whim!… She's probably the most powerful Transcended alive, but she doesn't take fighting seriously, which could lead to her doom!"

A line of blood flowed down from Thea's shoulder, but she didn't pay attention to it. Her eyes stayed firmly on Vicky's fighting.

All the fast movements; all the killing; all the giggling; made Thea's perspective on the Princess shift.

Her moves, albeit fast, were clumsy, full of useless theatrics.

She only used portals to kill, which worked on mindless beasts, but who knew its effect against an actual smart opponent?

Then there was her attitude…

"What did I teach you, Thea? What's the first principle of combat? How can you win most battles before even summoning your weapon?"

Her mother's words echoed clearly in Thea's mind, and after sighing deeply, she stared into her dark gray eyes with a serious expression.

"We fight not to kill, nor to survive! We take no pleasure in claiming lives! Our mind stays clear, and only when there's nothing else do we kill! We don't draw our blade without intention! We don't let emotion cloud our judgment! We stay true to ourselves! Death is our companion, but we aren't its followers!"

Luzia nodded and couldn't hide the proud smile creeping onto her lips.

"Exactly! Right now, Princess Victoria kills because she always needed to! She has no regard for death, and doesn't understand the value of life! For now, while she only fights monsters, this isn't an issue. However, when she personally has to kill humans, while looking into their eyes…"

She didn't need to finish the sentence for Thea to understand.

Her eyes went back towards the killing field, where now she saw a clear contrast between Henry's and Victoria's fighting styles.

Despite seeming carefree, Henry's actions were deliberate and strategic. His attitude was only a mask, which kept his emotions at bay.

"When she needs to kill humans, or other sentient beings, it will be the end of her… Princess Victoria's mental state won't survive that hurdle…"

Whispered Thea, while her mother nodded in agreement.

"That's why you need to teach her not just the physical aspect, but the reason behind fighting! She needs guidance and moral values she can rely on!"

They stayed silent afterward, watching as the regal couple killed the last of the monsters. When nothing seemed alive, Thea turned and whispered to her mother again.

"Isn't it sad? I have to teach a thirteen-year-old about how to kill… Is this really what our life is? Killing our enemies more effectively so they don't kill us?"

Luzia smiled sadly, while staring at the Princess across the blood mist.

"You know, you are only a year older than her, and I have been teaching you since you were a child… It's neither fair nor good, but it's necessary! Think of it this way: If the Princess masters the art of killing, other children will have hope of living in a peaceful world!"

Thea's face reflected her mother's smile as her eyes moved towards the city-scape.

"Sacrifices… Isn't that what you always said?… While we fight and die, others can live and prosper… While we endure pain and suffering, others can find happiness and peace… What horrible ideals you place on children!"

Her words might've been sad, but her tone was sarcastic. They exchanged a glance, then began laughing.

Both had a distinct understanding of life, and Thea held no ill will towards her mother. Despite lifelong rigorous training and study, she never resented Luzia.

Unlike her other siblings, she always felt exactly like her mother, and she willingly accepted her role as a sacrifice to humanity.

Something Thea didn't consider, though, was how her mother felt. Each time she accomplished anything great, or done exceptionally well, her mother's eyes always conveyed two emotions, pride and regret.

The same feelings appeared in her dark gray eyes now, too.

"I never wished this life upon you. I had Yvonne and Yannick early into the Apocalypse, so they naturally had to adapt. I wanted Marko to become a leader, not necessarily military, but someone of higher stature… But you…"

She sighed deeply, shame evident on her face.

"You were supposed to be my only child who stayed out of war… Then life decides to bless me with the only child who shares my exact values… What a cruel joke…"

Everyone of her subordinates knew Luzia as a soldier of virtue, someone with unbreakable will, a woman with unmatched charisma.

She could convince a meek, fearful bunch of civilians to charge against a horde of monsters, and with her tactical abilities, she could even achieve victory.

Although everyone adored her as a leader, people also knew her to be strict and stoic. She rarely showed any emotion other than anger and disappointment.

Even for her family, it was unusual to see her happy or sad, so when Thea saw a single tear ran down her face, she froze.

Not once during her fourteen years did Thea see her mother cry. But right then, on the edge of a battlefield, surrounded by soldiers cheering on two killing machines; Luzia couldn't hold her tear.

Thea looked at her mother with shock, then took a step towards her and wrapped her arms around Luzia's midsection.

With the height discrepancy, Thea's head only reached below her mother's shoulder, so Luzia a bit awkwardly bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Perhaps you envisioned a simpler life for me. However, that choice wasn't yours to make… I always wanted to be like you!… Peace is overrated, anyway! I'd rather help those in need than pursue a mundane profession!

Luzia chuckled and pulled her daughter closer.

"I guess you are right… I always felt like leaving you alone would mean you wouldn't choose to be a soldier, but I was wrong…"

Her mother stayed silent for a moment, as if struggling to say her next sentence. After a few seconds, she just sighed and whispered in an embarrassed tone.

"I'm proud of you Thea… I don't say this enough to you, or your other siblings, but I'm proud of you all… And I love every single one of you!"

While her words echoed in Thea's mind, Luzia quickly turned away and rushed off. She hid her face from Marc and Marko as well, but even they saw how strangely Luzia acted.

They ran straight to Thea, bombarding her with questions regarding her mother's behavior, but she couldn't answer.

Happy tears ran down her face as she sobbed and laughed simultaneously.

After she cried enough, Thea summarized their conversation. The end surprised everyone, especially Marko, who accused Thea of lying.

But their father, Marc, just laughed with pure joy, and ran after their mother.

The night went by quickly after that. Vicky and Henry went through the Gate to check out Sterquil. Sadly, the place held no importance, only existing as a wasteland.

Afterward, Vicky closed off the Gate, and soon the cleanup crews began their work.

When the lawn was clean enough near where the Gateway initially opened, Henry made the family home reappear, and Vicky changed it back into a two-story house.

The cleanup procedures continued during the night, while most soldiers returned home.