CHAPTER 14: HAPPY BIRTHDAY

CHAPTER 14: HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

[20:00] 14.01.2099

VERJAMS Base, 

JUSM tower,

Samudraas City

"Listen now everybody.... it's Perci's bedtime... so thank you for coming but now you'll need to leave!!!" Holding a half asleep Perciux, Tequnda announced standing infront of the giant screen. 

The screen in the common area had the words 'HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY PERCI' written on huge stylized letters with balloons, colorful stripes and whatnot surrounding it.

The base, too was filled with colorful decorations. Bouquets of balloons pasted to the walls. Stripes of vivid colors running from one corner to another. Stuffed animals laying around the floor. And lively music playing at full blast. As if the moment they stepped out of the base, there wasn't a chance they would be crushed to death by a rogue Gul. Yet everybody present was calm. As for why, Vezyne was there too.

However there wasn't any alcohol served. Afterall almost all present participants were soldiers. Even if Vezyne wasn't present, they knew to take care of themselves. The only problem being, not much taking care could be done in face of the Guls.

"Ah.... you're throwing us out.... in reality you're scared we'll just finish the food right.... you cheapskate!!!" A bantering voice from the sofa threw right back at Tequnda. The voice belonged to a young man in his twenties. He had a neon green wraparound visor. 

The smart visor with the heads up display never came off. Even in events as the one currently happening. As if deliberately trying to hide half of his face. 

"You Insolent brat!!!" Said Tequnda with a smirk. "That's fancy coming from someone who has been stuffing their face since coming.... without a present i dare say!!" Tequnda threw right back at him with a sarcastic smile pasted on her face. 

"Come on now.... can you blame me??!! Look at the table..... it's filled with food we would never see... and there's a cake for God's sake.... a real one no less....well... the elven queen and the world's top hero are helping so i guess that's natural!!!!" He said looking at Tequnda. A playful smile pasted on his face. However, as if correcting something, his face changed a little and a smirk appeared. "Also don't assume please... look at the little one's hand!!!"

Hearing those words Tequnda quickly looked down only to find a green and black bracelet attached to little Perci's hand. She immediately examined it and after confirming it didn't cause anyhow harm, she looked at the playful young man again to understand what it was. With a enraged grin directed mostly at herself for failing to notice it been attached or being there the whole time. 

"Pretty neat right... that's an armor capsule... It will activate when it detects danger, even falling down, and create a barrier around him. Ha ha... i really outdid myself this time!!!" With a confident smile, he said. Giving Tequnda a wide smirk. Yet the smirk didn't last long. From the opposite side, an overwhelming sense of dread spread and reached him. 

"That's enough Captain Geenkil, you're not the vice captain anymore, act accordingly!" Putting down her glass, Kalisradha said. Looking at him directly with a fixed gaze. Her gaze didn't communicate anger or disappointment. It was just two people locking eyes with each other. Yet it was enough. 

"Yes Commander." The newly appointed captain of the air strike unit, the previous second best, now the best there was, agreed instantly and got up. He walked upto Tequnda and looked down at Perci on her arms. After complimenting happy birthday one last time, he looked up and smirked at Tequnda. Which she returned similarly. 

After saluting the hero, the elven queen and a demon boy he saw regularly yet didn't know his name, captain Geenkil left. His footsteps echoing down the dimly lit hallway. But not before glancing one last time at the food table. Which was almost empty by then. But even the sight of it was satisfying. 

Different kinds of food ranging from human cuisine to elven cuisine and never seen before cuisine too. Most likely demon cuisine that Tequnda made. However the bottom line was that, not even a banquet organized by a president or a king would have such variety in the age of the Khaos War. 

With Geenkil leaving, the other soldiers left too. Although there wasn't many of them due to some still recovering from the funeral. As everyone left, Kalisradha got up and made her way to Tequnda. Looking down she said, "Grow up strong and kind like your mother and father..." 

However what nobody saw the the soft smile Kalisradha had on her face in that moment. When she looked up again, that smile was nowhere to be found and her stoic face had appeared one again. Leaving an envelope in little Perci's hand, Kalisradha nodded at Tequnda and turned around to leave. 

However before taking another step forward, she turned her head towards Vezyne who was leaning against the control panel and said with a serious face, "I need them all tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m !!!" 

Vezyne matched her gaze and stared for a few seconds. "Ok...." Said Vezyne prompting Kalisradha to leave and disappear in the long hallway path. However, only Adeu who had heightened hearing heard what came after the OK, a heavy sigh which sounded as a father waking up and going to work on a mining site. 

Renu, who was leaning on the other end of the control panel, overheard their exchange. Though he barely caught the sound, his face showed that he understood every word and every intent behind them. Above all, he knew he was the main reason those words could be spoken in the first place. But he could only glare at Kalisradha as she left. 

His face filled with sadness, mixed with another emotion he couldn't quite comprehend. It felt like watching a war movie where the protagonist's friend sacrifices everything for the greater good. The only difference was that this wasn't a movie. It was real. Very real. It was their reality.

The music stopped. The party lights turned into the normal white lights which dimly illuminated the common room. The chatters and voices disappeared. Silence filled the room. Which ironically woke up little Perci. 

*wahhh.... wah.....*

With all the high adrenaline stuff gone, little Perci started crying as his senses returned to normal. Which was soon soothed by Tequnda by rocking her arms back and forth. His sleepiness was from caused due to the hypnosis of colorful lights and vivid noise around him. 

"Oh... finally everybody left.... but it sure was a fun party, wasn't it!!!" Suddenly appearing on the huge screen, Juweri exclaimed as a little puppy finally let out of the cage. "Should we continue with presents!!!" She asked with both her hands behind her back. 

The sudden rise in volume took everybody's wandering minds back. Not that everybody's mind was wandering in the same direction but each had a direction to wander off to. And the sudden quiet atmosphere creates the perfect trigger for it. 

Tequnda was the first to speak, "Oh...okay... let's do that...". She grabbed the envelope Kalisradha left in little Perci's hand and opened it. It was a letter. The title had little Perci's name, the name of the one and only prestigious Academy, and the word 'SCHOLARSHIP' in bold, capitalized text. 

As she continued reading, a single tear rolled down her face. Worried Renu and Adeu immediately asked what's wrong while Vezyne stood still as she was before. Afterall she knew what was written on the letter. Her mask had Xray vision, alongside night vision and other types of visions integrated to it.

" It's a letter for a scholarship... from his first day of kindergarten until his last day of university... all expenses covered. And it's for the XEILEN ACADEMY!!!!...." 

As Tequnda mentioned what was the letter about, neither Renu nor Adeu showed very much surprise in it. Vezyne didn't react either. Maybe because all three hadn't gone to school since the Khaos incident day. However one person in particular had a ridiculous reaction. As if pulling the rarest card from a set. It was Juweri. Yet it was almost refreshing for Tequnda to see after witnessing the others blank expressions. 

"THAT XEILEN ACADEMY???!!! THE ONE WHERE THEY MAKE MOVIES ABOUT TEENAGE LIFE??!!" Juweri's eyes sparkled as Tequnda mentioned the Academy's name. Yet soon her eyes seem to drown as her hand twitched behind her. She countinued with no enthusiasm, and only a regretful sounding voice. 

"Not even the children of presidents could go there easily... and above all, the last deciding factor is money isn't it.... The one who throws the most money will get accepted or so I've read.....ah... what a nice present... compared to what i got....." 

As soon as those last words were spoken, Tequnda knew exactly what was bothering her. A distant memory emerged deep inside Tequnda's consciousness. A scene where a very young Tequnda picked up flowers and made a crown to give to her mother. But only to throw it away after seeing how her mother smiled so brightly after receiving a real necklace from her older brother. 

"Oh Juweri, dear, please don't bother yourself!!!" Tequnda looked at her and smiled brightly. "No matter what you give him... or anyone else for that matter.... the only thing that counts is whether you choose it from your heart... thinking about the other person!!!!" Tequnda extended her arms towards the huge screen and placed little Perci right infront of it. 

"Oh..okay...." Juweri nodded shyly and took her hands from behind her back. With both hands extended, she showed Little Perci a book. "Happy Birthday Perci.... This book is called "HEROES OF TOMORROW" and you know what... it has sections dedicated to your father and aunt!!!"

As Juweri was flipping the pages one by one to show little Perci, a rather young Magalt's picture showed up. Tequnda took a step closer with tears in her eyes. She brought her face closer to her son's and said, with a warm smile and teary eyes, "That's your father Perci... And yes... he was a Hero.... Thank you very much for this amazing present Juweri!!!"

Making his way closer to them, Renu said with a small smile as he handed a small box. "Well then, next is mine.....Happy birthday!!! I hope little Perci will like it". Tequnda took the little box and asked if she could open it. After a small nod of confirmation from Renu, she opened it only to see another bracelet she didn't have a clue what it was. It was black and white. It wasn't made of any rare materials that she knew of either. 

Seeing her lost expression, Renu stepped in and gave a brief summary. "It's like an upgraded version of the bracelet that stupid pilot gave earlier. However in this one's case, the bracelet provides a nano-tech armor which wraps around his body...suitable for both defense and offense....AND.. it grows alongside him so he'll be able to use it as long as he wants....oh... and i made it... also the other one too is a commercial product i made... so don't worry.... or worry ha ha....." 

Hearing the ridiculous stuff that just left Renu's mouth, Tequnda's own mouth was in the verge of hanging open. Yet she endured it. Only for all that bravado to be thrown out of the window as Renu came closer again and open his mouth. 

"Oh and this... this is some money i borrowed from Big sis Sae and Big bro Magalt.... now you're the legitimate owner so take this... oh and don't think too much about it.... we're help to help in each and every way possible.... including financial matters too....." said Renu with a bright smile as he handed a ring with a small holographic screen hovering above it. 

Yes, her jaw dropped. After slowly gaining the ability to talk, Tequnda said, with a bewildered expression. As someone looking at a tornado understanding it's destructiveness, only to be amazed of how destructive it really is. 

"One two.... six seven.... goddamn so many zeroes.... this is more than the price i was promised to assassinate the hero!!!! Since Magalt took care of everything i didn't ask but living in that underground housing complex costs a lot too isn't it.... You guys are really really rich huh...."

Nobody reacted to her statement. As if she said something so obvious that it was perfectly normal. However it was normal. Afterall, Adeu or Adeuilin is the queen of the elven kingdom. Vezyne has been working as the hero under Kalisradha for 9 years and Renu receives commissions and royalties for his inventions. And his inventions are the primarily source used by military and the holy guardians. So yes, they were very very rich. 

After Tequnda calmed herself down with a small laugh, Adeu came forward and presented a plant. It had a gorgeous light green color thought out it's every part. Including the stem too. It's leaves seemed to dance at a whisper yet they seemed to withstand even a tornado. 

However, once again, Tequnda was left speechless. Not because she knew how valuable it was but it was the opposite. At first glance it had to be incredibly valuable by only being to withstand the harsh coldness of Samudraas or even the whole continent, or even the whole world for that matter. And it had such a bright color to it too. This time neither Vezyne or Renu knew what it was too.

"This is a 'Vitaspulsus' plant. It only grows in the fairy lands...." Adeu started the explanation as she saw the bewildered faces on all of them. Well, she didn't see Vezyne's face but she felt Vez didn't know either.

"This plant has many properties when Inhaled its oxygen, such as, healthy growth, reducing diseases, cleaning lungs and whatnot...." As Adeu finished explaining, she looked at them only to find their bewildered faces more bewildered instead of less. Even Tequnda knew that there's almost no way to enter the fairy lands. And yet there was a plant from there, in her hand. Juweri, on the other hand, who was inside the huge screen had her jaw completely dropped.

As Adeu was contemplating whether her gift wasn't upto standard, completely misreading their thoughts, Vezyne stepped forward and presented Tequnda a little blue box. Tequnda opened it slowly, now ready for anything that would pop out. Yet she wasn't ready for it. 

It was a little crest. Shining little blue in color. A V-shaped accessory with two half horns starting from the ends of the V, bent backwards and rotated towards each other. At the intersection of the two lines forming the V, was a black diamond shaped chip. 

"Is this 'Lunalite'????" Tequnda asked with a low voice and an absolutely shocked expression. For which Vezyne replied with a simple one word answer, "Yes..."

"LUNALITE!!!! THAT LUNALITE WHICH IS SAID TO BE MINED FROM THE MOON'S CORE???!!!! THE SAME GEM THAT A SINGLE GRAM OF IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A 100 KILO GRAMS OF GOLD???!!"

Tequnda lost all sense and clarity as she held in her hand an accessory which sounded it came straight from fiction. However, seeing little Perci smiling at it and raising his hands, mostly because of it's shiny nature, Tequnda calmed down a little. Which made Vezyne add the most important detail. 

"It reacts with the wearers body temperature and change of heart beat instantly... which triggers the chip to detect danger and send me a signal...automatically!!!....Renu invented the chip by the way... also it's not that expensive when you retrieve it from the moon directly...."

Vezyne took another step forward. Facing Tequnda and little Perci face to face, she said, with the mask still on and the metallic cold voice still activated, "When the signal arrives, I'll come. I'll be near Perciux when he needs!!! Please don't worry!!!"

Tequnda matched Vezyne's gaze and looked directly into her mask. A soft and warm smile appeared on Tequnda's face. She said with a calm and confident tone, "I know...."

The present giving was over. The party was over and little Perci had already started yawning. It was the signal that he really wanted to sleep. Not many food items were suitable for him so that yawns doubled as a cry for his mother's milk too.

"Thank you very much for this amazing day everyone.... i will never forget it... little Perci might not remember it but together, we'll do our best to remind him that his first birthday was a normal birthday where you could find everywhere.... And his coming birthdays too will be the same!!!" 

Tequnda smiled and declared with teary eyes. For which the others smiled agreed. Juweri was crying her eyes out too. Which resulted in the taps running open and the lights flickering like crazy. 

"Well then, good night everyone... i need to put him to sleep too so I'll see you all tomorrow...." Tequnda said while picking up the presents with one hand. Adeu guided her to their new room while Renu followed them shortly after. But before moving, he asked a simple question from the masked person standing in front of him. "Vez, are you okay?"

A simple yes, followed by a warm thank you was all Vezyne said. Yet Renu accepted it and went on his way. He knew it wasn't okay. He knew the answer wasn't yes, but he couldn't do anything either. He simply accepted her answer without questions.

Time passed. Vezyne was still sitting in the common room. Crouched with legs planted to the ground, on the sofa infront of the huge screen. 

Time passed again. Adeu came and went to her room by wishing Vez a good night. Time passed once again. Juweri wished good night from the huge screen and turned it off. Finally after some more time, Renu came and sat near Vez. Yet seeing that she was on deep thought, Renu too wished a good night and disappeared into the dark hallway. 

Vezyne sat alone. In the quite room without any sound. One by one, thoughts filled her mind. Kalisradha's words started echoing louder and louder inside her head. Her mind wandered off to the current day's evening meeting with Kalisradha.