Genesis Sync

“WHAT?” John yelled in surprise as he stared at one of the many pictures that lined the walls of the corridor. The picture was a portrait of a girl around ten or eleven years old with long red hair and piercing green eyes sitting at a table in a garden. The table was laden with sweets and cakes as well as a pot of tea.

“Something wrong?” Both women asked as they heard his surprised yell.

"I swear that picture just moved," John mumbled as he moved in for a closer look and seriously began to study the picture, trying to notice any sign of movement. Adria and Sarah didn’t say anything and just watched him while sharing a knowing smile.

Eventually, John turned away and as he did so, he heard a tiny sigh come from the picture. "AH HA!" John yelled as he whipped his head back around, causing the girl in the portrait to squeal as she tumbled off her chair before she scrambled to get up and ran out the side of the portrait.

John stood there with his mouth hanging open at what he just witnessed, causing Adria and Sarah to chuckle at his reaction. As he heard their laughter, he slowly turned before pointing towards the picture while still wearing the same dumbfounded expression.

Adria and Sarah couldn’t handle the combination of his dumbfounded expression and new action, so their chuckling intensified into full-blown laughter as tears emerged in the corner of their eyes while a small angry voice suddenly said, "Damn brat, how dare you scare this princess? What is someone so underdressed doing in my family's palace?"

John saw that it was the little girl who had just run out of the picture and was not peeking around the edge of the frame while glaring at him.

“Manners, Kaela, John is our guest here,” Adria finally managed to calm down enough to say, though she still found it difficult as she continued to chuckle at the pair's interaction. "John, allow me to introduce you to my ancestor, the Princess Kaela Bristle."

John showed a surprised expression before he gave a small bow to the portrait and said, It’s an honour to meet you, Princess Kaela.”

Upon hearing John’s sincere and polite tone, Kaela studied him for a few moments as he remained bowed to her before reentering the portrait, where she performed a polite curtsey while saying, “Welcome to the Imperial Palace of Golden Dawns.”

Adria and Sarah both gave John a look of surprise as they observed that he not only addressed Kaela by her title but also bowed to her. John noticed their reactions as he stopped bowing and, understanding why they looked so surprised, he explained, “How can I not show respect to the human who sacrificed herself for the creation of Genesis? Princess Kaela Bristle, one of the five consciousnesses that make up Tia.”

Upon hearing John’s words, Kaela’s demeanour cracked and she put her hands on her hips while puffing out her chest as she said proudly, “That’s right, John, bestow on me the respect I deserve.”

“Uhhh,” John replied as her sudden shift in demeanour surprised him.

“She couldn’t even last a minute,” Sarah said in amusement.

Adria nodded and added, “I’m surprised she even managed a proper introduction.”

“Boo,” Kaela pouted while turning away, though she occasionally shot John curious looks.

John himself, however, just stared at Elmyra before asking, "I know it's magic, but how?"

"There are two aspects to how Kaela can exist in the picture," Adria began. "First is that the painter or photographer of Kaela needs to be a master in their craft and be able to imbue magic into Kaela’s picture. Then Kaela herself needed to have had a strong enough soul that part of her would continue to exist in the world even after she died. Her soul would then search out a picture of herself that was imbued with magic before attaching to it, therefore bringing her to life within the picture.”

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“That’s right, that’s right, bask in my glory, John, for my soul is all powerful,” Kaela boasted before then laughing like an evil villainess.

Sarah shook her head at Kaela’s antics before saying, “Each of the individuals that make up Tia have there own corresponding picture in their race's palace. However, you may have noticed that Kaela is rather childish.”

“Childish?” Kaela repeated angrily. “How dare you show this ancestor such disrespect?”

“See what I mean?” Sarah replied while ignoring Kaela. “We’re not certain of the reason behind it, but all of the individuals who became Tia ended up this way. We believe they act this way because they each inhabited a portrait of themselves as a child. If or when you meet another portrait of a grown-up, you'll notice the difference."

"So, you're saying that when Princess Kaela and the others died, a part of their souls found pictures or portraits of themselves to inhabit?" John asked. “Such as this particular one for Kaela?”

"Not this particular picture, no; the portrait Kaela inhabited is elsewhere,” Adria replied. “However, she has the freedom to move between any picture in the palace; also, this may not have even happened if special measures were not taken to ensure that she and the other four individuals who make up Tia would continue to live on in at least this fashion after their sacrifice.”

“Hmph, that special training to enhance my soul was pointless; this princess would have lived on regardless,” Kaela boasted.

“You say that, but then why is there only one of you in existence and yet there are several of Princess Elasha?” Adria teased.

“Damn, Adria your such a meanie. How could anyone compare with Elasha?” Kaela asked with teary eyes.

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry,” Adria apologised. “I was just explaining to John that’s all.”

Kaela ignored Adria and instead glanced at John before asking, “Why are you here in my family's palace, John? No offence, but when people visit, they generally dress up for the occasion or at least get a haircut.”

“Ouch,” John replied.

“Don’t hold it against her,” Adria said apologetically. “The childlike nature tends to make her speak her mind without thinking.”

“Stop calling me childlike; I need to have words with my niece about the pair of you and your attitudes towards me.”

“Her niece?” John asked curiously.

“My mother,” Adria replied as she began to walk again while Kaela held up her dress and ran through different pictures to keep up while saying, “Hey, wait, don't leave me behind.”

“Kaela is the sister of my grandmother, the former empress,” Adria continued to explain. “She herself volunteered to become part of Tia.”

“So John, tell me, tell me, why are you here?” Kaela asked as she ran alongside them.

“Err,” John replied as he tried to think of the best way to explain before Sarah beat him to it. “John was mistreated by some people back in Dawnscape City and because of that, he has moved to the capital. He’s come to the palace today for a medical checkup.”

“Mistreated how? And why would he come here for a checkup? Silly Sarah, this is a palace, not a hospital.” Kaela asked with a giggle.

“I’m aware of that, Kaela,” Sarah sighed. “He was brought here because he might have been infected with the MK VI poison and Aunt Alexia wants him to see Rebecca.”

“MK VI poison!” Kaela repeated in shock before she tripped over her dress and squealed before faceplanting the dirt.

John stopped and turned to Kaela while asking, “Are you ok there, princess?”

Kaela pushed herself up into a kneeling position before staring at John and asking angrily, “Why are you affected by the MK VI poison? Tia ordered all those access bands destroyed.”

“It would appear that at least one survived,” Adria said with a sigh. “We’re still investigating why it was given to John.”

“It’s kind of obvious that he did it as a means to cover his tracks,” John replied as he glanced at Adria. “What better way to eliminate me than with a poison that should no longer exist?”

“He’s right,” Sarah nodded. “All that Frank Hargreaves guy would have to do is hide his body till the poison dissipates and remove the MK VI access band. While some residual poison might remain, it won’t be enough to be conclusive.”

“Damn bastard, how dare he go against my… I mean Tia’s ruling.” Kaela said while angrily shaking her fist.

“You nearly confused yourself with Tia again,” Adria teased.

“Well, I am a part of Tia, so in a way you could say that her orders are my own,” Kaela boasted.

“That’s a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?” Adria asked with a smirk.

“Hmph,” Kaela pouted again before smiling at John and asking, ”So you're here to get a medical checkup, right? Well, don’t worry, you're in good hands with Rebecca; she’s the best doctor in our race, possibly the world, if that mad scientist didn’t exist.”

“Mad scientist?” John asked.

“She’s referring to Thasinia Keagwyn, the younger sister of the Elvin Queen Tanelia Kaegwyn,” Adria replied as she led the way along the corridor again. “Thasinia Keagwyn is widely regarded as one of the smartest people on the planet, though her attitude is a bit… out there.”

“Out there's a bit of an understatement?” Kaela giggled. “She addresses her elder sister, Queen Tanelia Kaegwyn, as an old hag.”