THE GREAT GATSBY
Akira's POV
It was the same dream again.
Or perhaps a nightmare?
I was running from them again. I don't know who they were; I couldn't quite make out the faces.
But I could feel them, their hatred for me lashing out, chilling my heart.
I could smell death.
And all of a sudden, a large shadow of a man looms over me, covering me to the fullest.
The man's red fluttering robes over me shelter my frame from the creatures of darkness. I feel no fear anymore.
Safe. Safe at last.
The nightmare soon turns into a dream. The sun emerges from the depth of darkness.
I admire the broad back of the man.
The relief lasts only a moment when I try to get out of his shadow but fail.
Eyes. Uncountable eyes surround me.
Full of judgment, they trace my every move. The sun burns my skin. Tongues hiss.
At what?
Me!
I scream. Claw the eyes. Pull the tongues.
I try to get out again and again.
I fail again and again.
I will forever remain here, never to be on my own.
"Master Akira, your luggage is ready to be sent to the Academy. Please inform me if you want me to pack anything additional," the old kitsune butler drawled out in his monotonous voice, without a hint of emotions.
I don't why I expect them from a being held by nothing but a simple seal.
"No, I require nothing more, Hayato. Send the bags to the Academy," I replied as I observed myself in the mirror.
"As you wish, Young master. I request you to come down for breakfast. The lady awaits you in the eastern breakfast hall," with that, the family's century old servant disappears.
I frown. My reflection in the mirror was growing to look more and more like him. Despite my attempts at the opposite, I couldn't stop genetics.
I sighed. I have been sighing a lot these days.
Hikari made fun of me because of this newly developed habit. Said I looked like father when I sighed.
Just great, another similarity. It's not like I looked like a complete clone of his anyway!
No, Akira, don't be so ungrateful. Any similarity to father is an honor bestowed on few.
Putting on a new red Yukata and ceremonial earrings, I made my way towards the dining hall. I could see mother and Hikari already there as I walked down the stairs.
Their chairs face the glass window that opens into the garden. Faeries danced on flowers there, completely unaware of the viewers.
Do they not notice us? Or do they not want to?
Adorned in a faint silver gown and crystal jewelry, mother looked like the epitome of serenity. Next to her, Hikari in a fiery red dress, however, did not.
Sometimes I wonder just why someone with such a soft nature married someone as bold and fiery as father.
Maybe opposites really do attract...
"Good morning, Darling. Did you have a good night's sleep?" her soft voice was calming, just like her presence.
"Yes, mother," I replied like the obedient son I was, not wanting to worry her.
"Good Morning, sleepyhead," was the loud greeting I got from my sister in contrast to my mother's.
"Be louder, why don't you, Hikari? Maybe they didn't hear you in the elven lands," my reply made her scowl and make a face at me.
For a girl who declares herself a lady at every chance she gets, she sure acted quite childish.
"Children, have some table manners. I taught you better," mother chided lightly while sipping her tea.
"Sorry, mother," I apologized. The apology leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
"That's all right, little light," she called me by that name again.
Little light. Always little.
No, Akira, don't think like that. Don't be so ungrateful.
"Is father still getting ready for the day?" I asked, munching on some toast.
"No, you see, honey, there was an emergency at the court. So your father had to leave a bit earlier," mom said, looking apologetic.
The food sudden taste bitter.
He left? Without even seeing me out?
It was my first day at the academy and he just left? No goodbyes, no hugs.
"He was truly sorry he couldn't personally drop you off. He even instructed Inayat to come here and pick you up," mother said, already stepping into her role of the peacekeeper.
"It's okay. It must've been important," I said with the best cheerful look I could muster.
Before mom could say anything else, I cut her words off, "Mother, it's fine. I am fine."
But he promised me he would be here!
No, Akira, don't think like that.
I can't be selfish like this. He was the leader of our people.
It must be something very important.
He was a Grandmaster before he was a father.
The dorms weren't much better either. I had to share my room and bathroom with two other boys. And I speak from personal experience, we boys aren't the cleanest ones.
None of my friends were here, so that's great too. Ebi won't be here until next week. Apparently she caught a cold again.
At least Cephas was one of my roommates. But he wasn't here yet.
I bet his father will personally drop him off.
No, Akira. Don't be so selfish. The Michael wasn't as needed as the Grandmaster.
My other roommate was here. He was staring at me like I'm some fascinating rock.
"Do you usually stare at people or am I just awfully good-looking?" I couldn't help the edge in my voice.
I knew the reason behind his insistent spectacle.
"I....no, my apology. I was just looking because you look exactly like the Grandmaster. You're his son, right?" he squeaked out a reply, looking abashed.
See? I told you I knew the reason.
"Yes, I am. Do you have any problems with that?" my question sounded rude, even to my ears. But this morning's ordeal combined with my frustration somehow channeled into my words.
I could see he thought of me as rude from the way he looked at me. His judgmental stare was too alike those who just loved to compare me and father.
I needed to get out of here before I suffocate under their falsely placed expectations.
"Is that him?" I could hear the whispers around me as I tried to find a scheduled place. I was running from a crowd of onlookers.
As soon as I had introduced myself as the son of the Grandmaster, a crowd had formed in front of my door. I had been avoiding them ever since.
That's how I found myself looking for some peace and quiet in the library. I had come here before, with my father.
I chuckled at the memory of little me occupying my throne at dad's broad shoulders, looking down at people; believing wholeheartedly that there were none better than Reika Ryuuzaaki; be it a father or a mage.
Then we would get scolded by the librarian. Dad would say something funny in between her shouts and the fake serious face would come crumpling down, bursting us out in laughter. The scolding would then get doubled.
The smile that bloomed on my face at the memory soon turned bitter when I thought of this morning.
Where did those moments go? Where did my father go? When did he get replaced by the man who was the Grandmaster?
Thousand of questions stormed my mind in a whirlwind of memories. Of me and dad, smiling, playing, poking fun at each other.
Sometimes I feel like I made the father from my childhood inside my head. He didn't feel real.
I didn't see him enough to be real.
No, Akira, don't be so selfish. You're father is someone important.
My line of taught halted when I smelled something.
It smelled like......death.
And all my senses spiked at once.
Was Inayat here?
I scoff. He told me he was leaving for the barracks after dropping me off at the academy.
So why was he back?
And where exactly was he?
Ew, is he with a lady??
I look around trying to find the source of the morbid smell.
That's when I see a figure, the lonesome figure of a girl in an empty library standing out a bit too much in her worn-out clothes and shoes that were a bit too big for her. Her raggedy appearance was a sharp contrast to the grand library.
My first thought was that she didn't belong here.
The next was a suspicion.
Was....the smell because of her?
She was trying to reach for a book on a high shelf. Standing on tiptoes, with her face scrunched in concentration, with her tongue sticking out. She looked rather adorable. She looked quite furious at the rough-looking blonde hair that constantly fell on her eyes.
She probably didn't notice me standing behind one of the shelves, so she started talking to herself like an obviously crazy person.
"Stay right where you are, blasted hair or I swear you'll be half by tomorrow's sunrise," she said in an angry whisper.
"Why are these shelves so tall? Were they made for giants?" she hissed out again.
Not for giants but probably not for midgets like her too.
I didn't understand why she just won't take help from one of the spirits that resided here. Many have come to her aid during my observation but she politely declined. I would've accepted the help if I was her.
I mean why not? Isn't it better if you just let others do it for you?
Maybe this girl was one of the commoner-born. I had no opinions of them, I didn't know enough to form one.
They were rare in the upper town. They were supposed to stay in the downtown.
According to my friends, they are weak, mostly cowardly and more often than not foolishly naïve.
My father just loved them, for some odd reason.
Eboni called them charity cases. Cephas thought we should be friends with them. Louis, well, he probably doesn't even consider them worth his time.
Naeem says they were just lucky to be here
Lucky or not, when a God chooses someone, there is always a reason behind it. I wonder what was the reason for this girl?
GLOSSARY
*Faery: A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of being found in the of multiple European cultures (including Celtic , Slavic, Germanic , English, and French folklore) , often described as metaphysical.
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So that was our thief. I wanted to start his POV after Isolde had entered the Academy since he's from Azura to begin with. You won't get the details about the magical surroundings from him since it's not new to him. I feel like readers will relate to a newcomer more than the rich kid who has lived among magic his whole life. I hope you guys got his thought process better now.
So how did you find this chapter from Akira's POV? Please vote and leave comments.