When the group finally got to the mall, the first place they visited was the clothes store. They met Margarette with a very timid Bennette there. As promised, Dorin bought Johan 3 new shirts. Vincent went straight to a fashion boutique to buy his clothes and showed the sales person a signet ring etched with a black sun with an eye in the middle. The clerk bowed his head slightly and showed him the latest items in the store.
"What's that?" Johan asked while Vincent instructed the clerk to bill his brother from the University.
"It's the Morel seal," he told Johan proudly. "Members of the main family always wear this wherever we go. I seem to have misplaced mine though," he added, "so I borrowed my brother's ring."
Vincent took three big paperbags full of clothes from the counter and thanked the clerk. He then took a separate bag from the rest and handed it to Johan.
"Here, this is for lending me your shirt," he said with a smile.
Johan opened the bag and saw a very expensive leather jacket inside it. "I can't accept this!" he said, handing it back to Vincent, "This costs more than a year's worth of my student allowance!"
"It's okay, I saw you staring at it earlier," the young man told him, "think of it as a gift to celebrate our friendship."
"But still...!"
"I insist!"
"We're going to the sport's section next," Dorin called to them from outside the store.
Before Johan could say more, Vincent ran out and stood beaming beside Dorin. "I need new running shoes, I'll check some out from the sports' store."
Johan sighed and peeked inside the bag again. "Well, if he really insists..." he said to himself.
He reached into the bag and touched the soft velvety leather of the jacket, hoping really hard that he won't get it burned. At least, not within the month.
"You don't have Dagon with you?" called someone from behind him.
Johan almost jumped out of his skin. He looked back and saw Xander with his usual companions walking up from another boutique.
"Oh, it's just you," he said dryly. "We left Dragon back in the dorms with Azra." he answered.
"Ah, and I see you are busy buying items for school tomorrow?" the third prince observed. "Have you already chosen your lectures?"
"My what?" Johan asked back.
"My prince, it seems that the special class have their own curriculum tailored for them," Mordecai said from beside him. "The professors will take care of their subjects and fit it to their talents and needs.
"Well..." Johan frowned, "Prof. Dupont did say that we'll have an orientation tomorrow..."
"Ah, is that so..." Xander smiled as he looked at Johan. Johan was never good at reading faces, partly because he hardly ever looks at them. "And who might that dark skinned young man be?"
"Oh, that's Vincent," answered Johan. "He's also in the special class."
The smile in the prince's face suddenly disappeared.
"A 4th member..." he said in an undertone. "That means you only need 1 more member to complete your sphere..."
"We do?" Johan asked back. He looked at Xander and frowned. "What? Do you plan to join our group?"
Xander looked at him, "Why of course!" his smile returning, "Besides, I only wish to be with the best!"
"Nah, Sebastian hates your guts," Johan said frankly.
"Ah, I am hurt by your words!" Xander said with a small laugh, "And why is that so?"
"Well, he hates all nobles in general..." said Johan.
"But isn't that black skinned boy a Morel?" Mordecai said, "A Morel is of noble blood as well."
"How did you know he's a Morel?" Johan asked suspiciously.
"We saw his signet ring," Xander answered him. He pointed to his left chest where a pin held his cloak. It was in the image of a sun. "The Alcion family uses the sun. The Morels use a black hole with an eye in the middle," he explained. "Our families symbolize both light and darkness, respectively, for one reflects the other."
"Light and darkness?" Johan repeated.
"Centuries before," Xander narrated, "an Alcione king had two daughters, twins to be exact. One was courted by a dragon, while the other was taken by the shadows. It was then that the Alcione family was first divided into–"
"Why first time? Were they divided more than once?" Johan asked innocently.
Xander stared at him, his story cut short, then he began to laugh. "Why, yes, as a matter of fact, it was divided several times into different houses. The Morels were the first to branch out, then the Almecion's who were healers..." Xander looked at Mordecai who nods back, "The Briar Rose house with their 12 families who were all strong earth mages, and the Benettes who were the first Alcione family who were born without magic, but excelled greatly in physical strength."
"There are many other branch families, but they are not worth mentioning," Mordecai continued. "Just now, we have just returned from a wake in the royal Capital. It was a sort of a reunion in a way."
"The head of the Ravante family just died, leaving one of the oldest families in the Empire without a proper heir," said Xander who was watching Johan's reaction carefully. "It seems the only remaining Ravantes in their direct line does not even have any magic in their veins."
"Hmm, is that so?" Johan answered absentmindedly as he looked around.
Seems like his companions have left without him and are nowhere to be seen.
"Perhaps you remember the head registrar, Lady Chantrell Ravante?" Xander asked him.
"Not really, was she one of the judges?" Johan asked back. "Sorry, I'm not good with names and faces," he said hurriedly. "I really got to go, looks like the others already left."
"We'll see you in the dormitories then," Xander waved as Johan left without looking back.
"Your highness, did you really have to talk to that... that uncouth brute?!" Venet addressed the third prince. "Did you see how he interrupted you while you were speaking?!"
"Well, as a matter of fact, he is kind of interesting," said Xander with a thoughtful smile. "Everything about him is true and without malice. He's quite refreshing, actually."
"He just says what he thinks," Mordecai chuckled, "and I think he doesn't think that much."
"And we can learn more about Sebastian and Dorin through him," Xander said with a nod. "Although... I still can't see Sebastian as a possible s-..." Xander sighes, "As a possible R... as an heir."
"He is from one of Ravante's branches, and we have all seen him..." Mordecai paused. "Well, we all know what he can do."
"But his appearance..." Xander pictured Sebastian in his mind. The pallid complexion, the lanky black hair and the over-sized spectacles. "You think perhaps he's hiding something underneath?"
"Maybe..." replied Mordecai. "But do not forget that the silver mages have long been wiped out, except for old Elazar who has been missing for the past 16 years," he continued, "and that even in the house of Alcione, the Morels look the opposite of their brothers."
"And if it turns out that he is a possible..."
"Then, we could have a very powerful ally in our hands."
"That is," Xander looked at Mordecai with a sly smile. "IF he decides to be one."