Unchained Bonds: Father Knows Best

Unchained Bonds Arc

Father Knows Best

The walk to the maximum security detail wasn't a road Gia would say she liked to travel. Despite what Axel had to say, she had attempted to meet her father here but chickened out halfway. She only bothered to attempt on two days: her birthday and his birthday. So it was very much appropriate to say that this would be her first time seeing her father since she uncovered his lies.

If she didn't go they'd be deeper in this rut of cluelessness than they already were, even if she had to suffer for five minutes for them to save the city from the self proclaimed ender of the world then so be it.

She'd suffered longer, anyway.

"Everyone please leave your belongings in here before we enter the cells," Blanco ordered. "We wouldn't want to leave any utensils for these criminals to use."

Easily, everyone left their belongings in separate blue bins and labeled them with their names. Before they could venture on, Sienna turned to Lissa.

"Are those all of your pocket knives?" Sienna asked doubtfully.

Lissa laughed nervously before shrugging and dumping all ten of her pocket knives into the bin. "Sorry, there! Now we can-"

"And the one hidden in your boot." Sienna caught her. Everyone watched with shocked expressions as Lissa made the walk of shame to the bin to deposit what was hopefully her final secret blade.

"Why do you have so many blades?" Gia asked the bubbly blonde. "You seriously can't get in this much trouble as a recon agent, right?"

"It's tougher than you'd think, G." Lissa said vaguely as she skipped ahead, leaving her behind and perplexed. Suddenly, everyone heard an ear-splitting scream that could've only come from one person.

"Lissa." Everyone sighed. Axel quickly rounded the corner and his face fell at the sight. "Oh you drama queen..." he sighed.

Blanco, Gia and Sienna soon rounded the corner as well and were greeted with the sight of Lissa smothering someone with a hug.

"Look who I found, sissy!" Lissa said cheerfully. "It's Ethie! He's back from his mission early."

"That you are, Ethie." Axel teased. "Not much to go off down in the desert?"

Ethos pushed himself away from Lissa's crushing hug and caught his breath. "No...that's not it." he panted. "I heard about the attack on the city this afternoon, what the hell was that all about?"

"I'll fill you in later 2nd Lieutenant Kurosaka." Blanco cut in. "We have important business here with Mr. Froth."

"I see," he said stiffly, avoiding Gia's gaze to the best of his ability. "Would you like me to get Silver as well?"

"Yes, maybe when he's done terrorizing the Cadets." Blanco mused. "Be on your way and I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Yes sir!" Ethos saluted and ran off. The group began the trek to Abraham's cell and the tension was increasing in the air. Gia was growing more uncomfortable by each step taken toward his cell.

Blanco knocked three times on the cell door before inputting a code. This allowed them all to hear a low "Come in."

Before they stepped in, Blanco stopped them. "Let me make this clear," he warned. "Do not get hostile with him. He's just as dangerious as every other criminal in here. Despite what he's done, stow it away. We need him for information."

Everyone except Gia begrudgingly nods.

"Good." And with that they all entered the cell.

Abraham's cell was cold and empty and not at all colorful, save for the blue cell door. And sitting on the bed facing the wall was none other than Abraham himself.

"So, you've brought visitors." he announces, not once turning around to even see if what he says is true. "Am I a zoo animal now? Just here for entertainment?"

"So you've gotten stronger I see." Blanco acknowledges. "You didn't even need to turn around to know I was here."

"When you're by yourself everyday, you discover a few techniques." Abraham shot back.

"We need your help." Blanco gets to the point. Abraham tenses and continues to stare at the wall. "I thought being a Rune Knight meant having all the answers...I guess the force has lost its fire these days. How sad." he says spitefully.

"Listen here," Axel says, becoming frustrated with this banter. "The world is at stake, and fun fact: you're apart of it. So help us out or we'll all be ashes."

"The world you say?" Abraham says mockingly. "Well I never asked to be apart of it anyway so-"

"Father." Gia cut in. Instantly, she watches as his back tenses upon hearing her voice. "This is a new enemy...he's just like me."

Abraham slowly turns around to face his daughter, ignoring that it has been three years since they last spoke. "He's a demon?" he says surprised.

Gia nods in confirmation. "He's the son of Hades. He calls himself Alejandro Cross. Do you know anything about him?"

Abraham's eyes widen. "The son of Hades?" he repeats. "Ah yes, Hades had three children before he was vanquished in the Realm of Shine. They are all extremely powerful. However, one of them was banished after a dispute over the throne. No one has heard from her for centuries."

"Could she possibly beat him?" Sienna asks.

Abraham nods without hesitation. "Without a doubt." he said confidently. "She was the strongest sibling. My guess is she probably hid away in a magical realm to prevent being found by her brothers."

"Magical realm?" Lissa wonders aloud.

"Its only logical." Abraham explains. "She hates those two, I wonder what they'd done to her. My guess it's a dark realm."

"And there's no way we can get there?" Axel says.

"Well, there is one way..." Blanco begins with a hesitant tone. "I took one of Abraham's books earlier on when he first discovered the Black Arts. It discussed many forbidden factors and even magical realms. Perhaps if I bring it here he can decipher it."

"That could work, but you trust me with such things?" Abraham asks. "She's probably in a powerful dark realm. Even if I did happen to find it only Gia would be able to get in because her demon side allows her to resist such darkness. I won't allow her to go in alone."

"We trust you to discover it, not to jump in." Axel sneers. "Nice try smartass. We'll have to find someone else to-"

"Wait!" Gia speaks up. "I know someone who resists darkness just as much as me and they just happen to be close by."

"We don't need any more of your demon buddies wandering around here Lieutenant." Axel says. "I say we just take this guy out the way we always do: all out warfare."

"They're not my friends, asshat!" Gia says angrily. "It seems that's all everyone thinks about when they hear the word demon, that I'm automatically associated with them and therefore just like them. But I'm NOT! Earth is my home and I won't let them take the ones I have left from it, would a real demon regard you all so fondly?!"

"Gia..." Abraham whispers, reaching for her.

"Don't touch me!" she screams. "I'll show you! I'll show all of you!"

Gia turns on her heel and stomps out of the cell and eventually out of the building, headed to a large building located on the docks.