Aethelos: The Bastard of Light

Lito knocked on the door. · “Come in.” · The door opened. Lito entered first, followed by Eli. The professor forced a professional smile. · “I brought the student who completed the solo mission in the forest. He’s here to present his report to you.” · Joseph observed him for a second. · “Thank you, Lito. You may leave and close the door.” · Lito blinked, clearly surprised. · “You don’t want me in the room?” · Joseph slightly tilted his head, his voice calm but sharp. · “Are you questioning me in front of the student? · The report is his alone. The tutor did not accompany him. No one else accompanied him. · Were you in the forest when the mission started, Lito?” · The professor choked. · “N-no. Brock and I only appeared afterward. He started the mission alone.” · “Then you have your answer. · Thank you. Close the door.” · Lito gave a stiff small bow. · “Excuse me.” · The door closed behind him. Outside, the professor stood still for a few seconds, eyes narrowed. · What are they going to talk about? Why is Joseph so suspicious of everything and everyone? · Inside the office, Eli remained standing, uncomfortable. · Joseph pointed to the chair in front of the desk. · “Don’t you want to sit? Would you like some water?” · “Yes… please.” · Eli sat down. Joseph poured a glass and placed it in front of him. Then he studied the boy carefully and, for the first time, smiled in an almost gentle way. · “Did you know you remind me a lot of your father?” · Eli immediately raised his head, eyes trembling. · “You… knew my father?” · “Of course. He was a student and later a tutor here at Solaris. One of the strongest I’ve ever seen. It was impressive to watch him fight. · A pity we lost him to the terrorists… and to everything that movement represents.” · Eli stayed silent for a long moment. Then he looked directly at Joseph. · “Director… are you truly trustworthy?” · Joseph’s smile faded. His expression turned serious. · “Why are you asking that, Eli?” · Eli took a deep breath and stood up from the chair. · “Because there’s a rat inside the academy. Someone who’s opening the doors for the movement. And that person has to be very close to you… to have the kind of access they have.” · Joseph didn’t answer right away. His fingers lightly tapped the wood of the desk. · “Those are heavy accusations. Dangerous ones, if they fall into the wrong hands. How can you claim that?” · “Because you sent me on a mission where, once again, there were terrorists. · During the first invasion someone claimed to have disabled the security. This time it happened again. · I was alone. It felt… too convenient.” · Joseph stood up as well. His voice remained controlled. · “I did not send you there to hurt you. · Yes, I considered the possibility of a second infiltration attempt. But I told no one that you were going to be punished that way. The infiltrator had no way of knowing you were on a mission.” · Eli clenched his fists. · “So you used me. · You used a punishment to try to catch the rat.” · Joseph did not deny it. · “If I said otherwise, I would be lying. · I needed something discreet. Your punishment served both purposes: a real consequence and bait. · And you did well. You acted carefully. That’s why the infiltrator ended up exposing himself. · Now the question is different, Eli… · Who is the infiltrator?” · Eli felt the anger rise in his chest. The feeling of having been moved like a piece on a board tightened his throat. · “So I was nothing more than a pawn? · You talk about my father to soften me up and then use me so you don’t have to get your own hands dirty?” · Joseph watched him in silence. For a brief moment, something in the boy’s aura felt denser, darker. The director noticed, but said nothing. Instead, he sat back down and spoke more calmly. · “Eli… I’m sorry. · That was not the intention. The mission was hard. I acknowledge that.” · Eli’s anger slowly began to subside. Still standing, he looked at the director with a mixture of distrust and exhaustion. · Then he asked the question that truly weighed on his mind: · “Director Joseph… · Do you know who Zakrom is?” · The silence that followed was long. · Joseph did not answer immediately.