Lux - Relative Consequence

Most who would gaze upon Larenth see only the fire in his eyes, the tension in his every movement. They only see a no-nonsense, physically imposing man who, because of his checkered past, is unable to quit in anything he finds of interest or worthy of his attention. They only see one, who despite suffering an irreversible war wound and thus, appearing to require a cane to remain mobile, is too stubborn or too stupid to step down from active military duty. And above all, they fail to see anything but a man using his looks to woo the twelve year old girl in his charge.

It was a massive scandal when the newly elected Secretary of Defence of the Australian republic fought in court for the guardianship of the daughter of the disgraced Catholic priest of the town of Prator and actually won. For what reason Larenth Keller had brought a young, albeit beautiful and intelligent young girl into his charge, none could guess, and though many speculated, very few denied the focus and direction he employed in, as he was reported saying, "getting Celoe-Grace Morissette out of the abusive reach of that stuff wit who ruined her childhood and who has the nerve to call himself her father is a focal point to me."

Larenths father, Sarello Keller, dismissed all given claims as total rubbish, knowing that the purpose behind his son's level of determination and Larenths drive to remove the girl from her father's influence was purely for her benefit. Sarello knew that his son's loyalty to those whom he loved and called friend was beyond legendary. In fact, it was a trait that Larenth had reportedly picked up from Sarello himself and after what he went through in becoming guardian for Chlo, he could be nothing but loyal towards her, he could do nothing but care. In short, Sarello knew his son well enough to dismiss all accusations as dramatized hog wash.

As is the case, though, people are lead to believe, like father like son. Many in the town of Prator speculated and pondered about Sarello himself. Just like his son, this Russian and Japanese born Judge and ordained minister had had a shady and troubled past, both father and son having lost their mothers at early stages in their lives and both having had been, (in Larenth's case he still was), career men in the Armed Forces, and were both involved with groups and individuals that were less than reputable.

Many also knew that both had spent time in the slammer and though, given that Sarello was the town's judge, and Larenth was the nations Secretary of Defence, (brought about due to Australia electing to become a republic in the year 2025), and was often on the news and on the radio, no-one dared to guess their motives and as such, few trusted them.

The tight knit group that did trust them and vice versa, knew that father and son would and had gone to such degrees as to put their lives on the line for those whom they cared for. They also knew that this tick in their profile was beyond helping. Though in truth, it went far beyond just a simple tick. As is the case with most mysteries that control puts out there, the truth was much deeper than that. It was because no one could explain it, especially not them, that it transcended any possible hope of being understood. Larenth and Sarello, simply could not live any other way.

It is said that happiness comes from within, yet to Larenth in particular, who after witnessing his mother die first hand, and then slaughtering her assassins thereafter, all at the tender age of seven, happiness only came from knowing that those whom he cared for were safe, contented and happy. At the same time, however, he is aware that safety is a lie, spread by the very tyrants vying for control that he had spent his entire career trying to remove from their positions of power.

As such, Larenth is ever watchful, unable to help but be on the lookout for any danger directed towards those he loves, in particular, his twelve year old ward, a girl whose life he saved while on mission in a nearby national park, and it is this same girl who alone, can and has saved him from his inner demons, that have haunted him his entire life.

To this end, Larenth had stopped trying to grasp the reason that a child born out of wedlock, was in essence, his kryptonite after almost breaking his brain on trying to unravel this mystery. The only thing he could assuredly say is that there is no such thing as coincidence and that somehow, control had brought them together, though, for what reason, he could not tell.

Perplexingly, this same child is just as lost without Larenth as he is without her, for her life has likewise seen many trials and tribulations. Ordeals that plague her with sometimes ceaseless nightmares that, because of an unexplainable bond between the two, Larenth alone can seem to calm her down from. Even her day-to-day life is customary to the occasional flash back that, depending upon the ferocity, renders Celoe almost catatonic and as such has labeled her as a strange case among those of her own age and even adults who claim to have seen hardship.

In this, both have in common, eidetic, (photographic), memories, cursing them with being unconsciously able to recall any and all past events that have stood out in any way, both the good and the bad.

When questioned about it, Larenth once reiterated, "it does have its uses, but more often than not, it is something I would rather live without, plaguing me with my worst dreams and memories I had wished buried for good. I have killed more than I care to admit and I loathe that I have to relive their demise day after day. I hate that I can hear their screams. I hate that time and again, I see myself plunging my blade into my victims or breaking their necks and almost feeling the life seep out of them, or seeing my bullets tear apart torsos and remove heads. But above all, I'm sick of knowing that because of me, hundreds of families, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters will never see their loved ones again. They can never tell them they love them or make up for any mistakes that may plague them. I am a thief, a thief of the worst kind, for I take life. all in the hopes of an ever elusive peace, yet I give nothing in return. How can I accept it when I am called a victim, given these circumstances?"

Here we learn a little about this complicated individual. The effects of man's insatiable lust for control has plagued every aspect of his life. However, it is not his own suffering that, so to speak, makes him tick. It is the suffering of others and in particular, the suffering of those close to him. He has spent most of his life bringing suffering to those who bring it to others.

Where they see themselves as cleansing the earth in order to make it better, he sees fascists slaughtering the innocent who, because of these actions, will never have experienced life the way they were meant to. Where they see a means to an end, for example, Larenth sees these tyrants trying to justify their own lust for blood and power. Where they cite cause and effect, Larenth sees fearful men and women masquerading behind a front of control and authority, abusing this influence for what he calls, "typically human reasons".

Now we come to the beginning of this tale. Now we lay bare the mysteries that surround the lives of Larenth Keller and those he cares for. Now we try to discern the truth behind the lies and the good from the bad. That is, of course, the reason for such beings as him, to define the right from the wrong, to give hope to the hopeless and to show, that despite all of humanities faults and foils, hope for us is not lost

Chapter 1 - Callsign Avarice

(Chapter: 1-Callsign Avarice)

"So, about call sign Avarice?" The man known as Elias Magnusson queried, quite thoughtfully. "I know he was ranked as the worlds top soldier, four years running, being one of the only Australians on a list dominated by the Americans and British, and that he has survived countless battles, the world over, but I've only been told so much. It goes without saying that anything pertaining to one such as him would be beyond top secret!"