The ashes before Strife

Episode 16 : school ceremony ; 1

Kai Midas POV:
As I took a step out of the elegant carriage that carried me here I looked about the crowd of children both new and old taking in a deep breath of fresh air. "Georgia! we should hurry up! We're already late!"

my little sister climbed out of the carriage wearing a light grey skirt and coat with a pale blue shirt underneath wearing a tie holding the Searigan royal crest of a wolf eating a snake just like mine "coming brother!"

she jumped down and looked about at the other children entering the large doors of the academy being guided by several attendees. "I will be back to receive the young master and mistress at 5 o'clock." I nodded at our carriage driver who lightly pulled the reins making the large golden lizard that pulled our carriage move.

"Let's go Georgia." My sister nodded with a smile and we began walking beside each other following the large crowd to where the auditorium was inside.

Probing for information from my sister I asked "You going to tell your big brother what courses you picked?"

Georgia stayed facing forward as she responded "mana theory, battle dynamics, and alchemy." The mention of alchemy perked my ears up slightly. It's amongst the hardest of all the courses and I don't want to sound rude.

"Ho? Why alchemy? Its a very hard subject for little girls" Georgia finally turned her head and gave me a scrutinizing glare "...and boys"

she huffed slightly then spoke, "I heard the partner of Incursik was joining the alchemy course and wanted to see what kind of person the partner of the dragon slayer was." A smile crossed my lips as I remembered our first meeting with incursik at the royal auction in Dargon. He was cold but with a warm and playful air about him.

"He's probably a recluse person just like his demon partner." My sister looked at me thinking the same thing. I don't know what he did but ever since Georgia met him she's been more open with her thoughts. She used to be so timid that she would only speak if forced to.

As we were about to walk through the final doorway to enter the seating area a lean man with a pointy nose stood in our path gesturing to go in another direction "My lords this way, please! This is the commoner's area. It would sully your pride if you were to sit with such low lives."

My sister's gaze turned cold on the attendant while I let out an annoyed huff "why is it that nobles think they're above the ordinary folk so much?" The attendant looked at me as if I had just killed his cat in front of him "thank you for directing us." I gave a fake bow then sharply shot off to a staircase leading to a higher area.

"So uncivilized." I sniggered slightly at my sister's insult to the attendant who scowled at us as we faced our backs to him. But feeling a strange yet familiar presence I turned around to see a burgundy red-haired boy laughing at a familiar pinkish orange-haired elf as they walked together heading inside with a black lizard sitting atop his scalp.

"Brother?" Getting pulled out of my thoughts by my sister tugging my sleeve I looked down at her thinking I must have seen one of them before "are you okay?"

"Y-yes I'm fine. Just thought I saw someone familiar but was wrong." She quickly ran up the stairs ahead of me and when I finally got to the top I could see the rows of chairs on the upper floor overlooking the stage and students below us.

"I'm going to sit with my friends. Try not to get too lonely!" Georgia quickly darted off to the other side where a small group of girls was sitting. I looked about as I walked forward for anyone familiar until I spotted the animakin princess Katie talking to the only elven princess Alma.

I walked down the row of chairs until I was right next to them "may I sit here princess Katie?" The wolf-eared girl and elf looked up at me surprised but it quickly turned to happiness.