Nocte and Solem

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 

The room Elder Caelum brought me to was dusty and covered with cobwebs. I was surprised by how little light was brought into the room. I had always thought that the Castle of Solem was designed so that each and every nook of it would illuminate, but this room proved me wrong. The walls were aligned with bookshelves, tall and wide. At the center of the room was a desk and leather armchair. I ran my hand across one of the dusty bookshelves as I walked to get a look at the titles of the books. The Ancient History of the Solem, The Sun and What it Gives Us, they were all textbooks I recognized from my school years. They weren’t the kind of books I expected an Elder to have. I assumed he’d have more...unknown books.

“Elder Caelum,” I said shakily, “what is this place? And, if you don’t mind me asking, why do you have textbooks from the Solem schools?” Elder Caelum stopped and turned to face me.

“This is where I reside, where all my work gets done. My library contains textbooks from Solem schools because I needed to read them and study them like you did.” I blushed, embarrassed by my stupidity.

“Right, duh, sorry. I guess your teacher let you keep them, huh?” Elder Caelum put his hood down and smiled a little at me.

“No, because I did not have a teacher. I learned what I did on my own.” Now I was confused.

“But you must’ve gone to school?” Elder Caelum chuckled.

“I did, but not to the same school you did.” Now I was confused beyond belief.

“You mean...like a private school for people who want to be Elders?” Elder Caelum shook his head.

“I suppose you would call it a mortal school.” I gasped dramatically in shock.

“Y-You’re a mortal!?” Elder Caelum shook his head and pulled out a chair for me in front of his desk. “But wait, that doesn’t make any sense,” I said, taking a seat. “I have so many questions!” Elder Caelum raised his hand to silence me.

“I will tell you everything in good time, Lux. But in order for me to do that, I’ll need you to stop talking and listen.” I blushed lightly and nodded.

“Okay, sorry.” Elder Caelum smirked and snapped his fingers, igniting a candle on his desk. He cleared his throat and began to tell me the answers.

“I am not a mortal, I am a Nocte. Well, I suppose that is only half true. My father was a Solem, but my mother was a Nocte.” I leaned in close to hear Elder Caelum better. This was gonna be good, I could tell.

“I didn’t know Noctes and Solems could have children.”

“They can’t.” Elder Caelum moved his silver hair back and ran his index finger down his scar.  “I was born with this scar as a result of my mother and my father’s powers being combined. It’s too much power for a developing child to receive at once. That is why it is forbidden for a creature of the night and a bringer of the day to be together. My parents raised me in secret, disguising themselves as mortals and living amongst the villagers of Gemina. However, even though they were disguised as mortals, they did not keep me ignorant to my heritage. My mother taught me how to simple things, like blend in with the shadows and create winds that carried messages as they blew. My father taught me how to take in the energy from the sun to use as my own and how to create flames and light through my hands. Together, they taught me to keep my powers in check and to control myself. For a few years, I went to school like any other mortal child with the knowledge that I must blend in with them, but at home my parents would teach me the history of both the Nocte and the Solem. I had a normal and happy childhood. One day, I came home from school and my parents told me to pack my things, that I was going to go somewhere special. Excited and unaware of where I was going, I did as I was told. It turned out that the Solem had discovered my mother and father’s relationship and wanted to eradicate the monstrosity they created...” I gasped.