The sun fell below the horizon, its dying rays receding slowly across the blood red sky. Winds buffeted slightly, but just enough to throw butterflies in the flower fields off course.
We had strode out of the Medical Center and through some cobblestone pathways. Now we walked toward a gate, identical in size to the others I had seen.
I wasn't particularly interested in the scenery nor route; the system had given me enough reason for thought not to.
Rald and Rain were up ahead, discussing lightly. Ray lingered behind them, throwing occasional glares at me.
We arrived at the gate. Rald waved heartily to the guards who bowed fervently in return, smiling. Rain hunched closer to her brother, her head low. Ray walked past the gates without a sideward glance.
As I approached, a guard stepped forward, blocking me.
"Sorry good sir, but visitors need an invite to get in."
I looked up into his eyes. He was a burly fellow, garbed in light armor, hand on hilt. Somehow, I felt weakness ooze off him.
My weary eyes grew sharper, glinting with an unreal light. I opened my mouth to say something, but shut it abruptly.
I had almost lashed out.
'What's happening to me? I don't normally get this angry over trivial things,' I stepped back, lowering my gaze.
If it's something I picked from this body, then its owner didn't obviously have a sense of humor. I really had to work on settling in my personality into this body.
Besides, the guard was just doing his job.
Still, my proud streak wouldn't tolerate any loss of aura by the act of a common guard.
"Step aside," I tilted my head to meet his curious gaze. My eyes narrowed into icy slits.
Sharply, the guard stepped back, hand tightening around his sword hilt. He side-glanced at the others who shuffled forward at once.
The guard retreated behind them, before they formed a shield wall and jutted their spears forward. I could see the tips bristling with a blue tinge, forming little unique clouds.
The heavier ones seemed to belong to stronger guards, or rather, the ones with better arxra control.
A faint smile lifted my lips, and I assumed my stance. The bluish clouds glowed more brightly, steam curling off the spears with a hiss.
Crickets chipped around, as the sun finally bowed out at that moment, leaving only the retreating purple rays as luminescence.
Tension hung heavy, palpable enough to be sliced through with a blunt axe.
"Wait!" a shrill voice cut into the quiet monotone of heartbeats and quick breaths. I relaxed, frowning. I knew that voice, but it was the last one I expected to hear at this moment.
The shield wall parted for someone behind and the soldiers bowed in unison.
Rain stepped out from them, her hands fisted at her side. A faint tinge bloomed on her cheeks as she addressed the soldiers.
"Ashkin Halvelk is here at my invitation. Starting today, he's a member of this family!"
"W-What?!" the head guard stuttered, withdrawing his arm. He soon realized his error and bowed to Rain at once. "Sorry for the dishonor, my lady!"
The soldiers hadn't risen yet, but I could feel their gaze shifting from her to me, their jaws slackened.
Ignoring their reaction to her bombshell, Rain hurried back into the gate. I smiled, relaxing.
Not meeting my gaze was all she could do not to pass out instantly. Her fisted hands trembled so much that I could notice from my distance. Her voice was shaky too.
I wondered who'd put her up to this. It couldn't be Rald or Ray.
I could hear stunned whispers as the soldiers shared their opinions.
'Lady Rain actually spoke to us?'
'Her voice…oh, I'd love to-'
'Another Halvelk? Who sired this one then? I know all the surviving generations…'
'Ashkin? Wasn't he the one who wiped the lower ranks of the Gon Zhe in eight seconds…'
I shrugged and walked past them. Obviously, they weren't aware that I could hear them.
As I passed, they all called out with a loud voice, startling me slightly.
"We're sorry sir! Welcome to the Halvelk household!"
I walked into the gate without a sideward glance.
Top tier composure. Mission achieved- maintain aura.
A shadowy mirage hung in the air just after the gate. It shimmered slightly, so I thought it was a trick of the light at first.
I braced myself for the worst, and then walked into it. Nothing happened. Just a slight sudden moment of freezing.
From my guess, it served just two purposes.
One, to obscure sight of what lay beyond the gate to an outside viewer. Two, filter out unwanted people.
A grin played on my lips as I stepped into a courtyard.
Here am I.
One of the notable Monarch families. Also, I've been hinted at becoming the next Monarch.
Yeah, I'd have to work towards that, but generally, things were tipping on the good side.
Fuck Kamirn!
With a new spring in my step, I moved towards the first building I could see.
"Ashkin?"
I whirled around, my defenses on the ready.
No need to fret. "Rain?"
When did she get here? Moreover, how come I didn't sense her?
She looked away, fiddling with her hair. "I'm to lead you to the Dining Hall."
I nodded, and followed, my mind at unease.
'I need to work on my sensory abilities. Good thing, I didn't discover this deficit in a battle.'
We walked into a wide lane, then steered off it to a smaller one. Looking ahead before I turned, I spotted the outline of a huge landmark nestled in the darkness.
It looked like a castle.
Taking note, I turned away. 'I mustn't ask about everything right away, otherwise they might grow suspicious.'
Rain shuffled ahead so fast I thought she was skiing. It was no task to keep up, but still…
'Is she afraid of me, or is she just shy?' I thought, breaking into a jog to keep up.
We passed more buildings, which I couldn't observe well, partly due to Rain's super-speeding and the darkness around.
…
We walked into a brightly lit hall, a bunch of maids curtseying and hurrying away with empty trays. I did my best to look nonchalant, but my eyes still flickered everywhere.
Rald and Ray stood a few feet arguing about something light. 'Light', because Ray was smiling, something I'd never seen her do yet.
Different paintings hung on the wall. One depicted a man in full battle armor and a flaming sword holding his own against huge beasts with feral grins.
"That's our Great Lord, my Grandpa," Rald sauntered to me, his face lit with a smug smile. "Back at his prime," he added, his expression darkening.
My ears perked up. "What happened to him? Is he weaker now?"
Rald shot me a glare, gaze narrowing. "Why do you sound so interested?"
My expression didn't falter in the slightest. "I do attest to the fact that familial secrets shouldn't be kept from me any longer."
Rald eyed me beadily he turned away. I followed him, a politely puzzled expression etched on my face. Rain watched the both of us, eyes hunching in worry.
The table was long and embellished with gold laced sheets, adorned with embroidery depicting a certain doglike gory beast in lighter details.
Rain caught me staring. "The hellhound. Sacred beats of the Halvelk clan."
I nodded faintly to her, waiting uncertainly. I'd just noticed something not actually peculiar.
The seat allocation had a certain order to it. A single seat stood at the ends of the rectangular table respectively.
The one at the head of the table looked like a throne, regal and carved with gold.
The chair at the opposite end was carved in ivory, and less majestic in all ways.
Rald took a seat next to the ivory throne but on the vertical side of the table, his eyes flashing at me. He linked his fingers together thoughtfully, ignoring the loaded trays in front of him.
Moments later, rain and ray sat on the other sides, Ray opposite the empty seat next to Rald and Rain next to her. No one spoke to me so I remained standing.
Minutes later, I felt a sudden presence and stepped aside. A man walked past me, whistling quietly. Behind him, a lady dressed in a gown and furry cloak ambled too, her face carved in a perpetual frown.
When she passed me, she glanced aside, and her frown intensified, if that was even possible.
I actually turned to see if there was an escapee pig behind me, but there was none. Without a word, she followed her husband.
The man settled on the ivory throne and leaned back his head, glancing into the ceiling. His wife settled opposite Rald, picking an empty plate.
Her husband touched her hand slightly, shaking his head. She seemed to get the message and dropped the plate.
No one spoke. The silence settled on the room, weighing like the hand of a god. The maids shuffled restlessly in the shadows, guards stiff in salutes and scowls.
It was clear that something unusual was about to happen, and I was the only ignorant person here.
I maintained my composure, keeping an empty expression. Ray's gaze flicked to me sometimes, always defiant while rain kept her face down.
A guard moved closer and tapped my shoulder.
"Sir why don't you join-"
I felt it before he did. Possibly, before everyone in the hall even.
A few split-seconds later, the husband's lazy gaze tensed, his wife perked up too.
I pushed the guard aside, whirling around to face the open double doors.
My vision was instantly blinded by a pair of blinding lights, slightly apart, streaking towards me.
There weren't of the same size. As they approached, I could hear the very air rippling, and loud retorts and things in the light's paths were obliterated before the lights even reached them.
A familiar sensation reeked from those balls, growing astronomically as they came closer. However, in the split seconds that remained, I could only try to think of a solution and not remembering something useless at this point.
I turned to the table, my gaze sharpening, and my expression unmoved.
The smaller ball, by my speculations, headed for the table.
Specifically, for the man, his wife, Rald, Ray and Rain.
The other however, headed straight at me.
'What the actual fuck!'