Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space
As the warm wind blew past, the leaves and Alec's hair fluttered with it. He kept his crystal eyes on the Draeology book he borrowed from the lib, determined to finish it by the end of the week. As he turned to the next page, his gaze glued to the title at once.
He heard the patter of feet on the soft grass, as someone got closer to him. He chose to not look up, and continue finishing the chapter. As his fingers flipped the next page, his gaze glued to the title at once.
"Empathy Bonds between Egg and Draeyer," he whispered.
"I'm sorry about yesterday's breakfast," said a familiar voice. He paused from reading the first paragraph, when he felt someone sit next to him under the large tree. He sighed, and shut the book after marking how far he had read. Keeping his gaze to his front, he settled for listening to what she had to say.
"I was curious," she said. "I promise that from now on, I won't force you to share anything you don't want to. I'll wait until you trust me enough to share."
"I'm sure you heard what I said when I left the dining room," he said, as he looked at her from the corner of his eyes.
"Which made me even guiltier than I already was when you walked out," she said like child. He heard her sniff, causing his brows to rise to his hairline. He turned his head, and looked down at her. Tears formed at the corner of her grey eyes, while she plucked at the grass, leaving nothing but brown dirt. "I'm sorry, so please don't be mad."
To Alec's own surprise, a laugh escaped his lips, as he reached out and patted her head, while the other gently placed the book on the grass.
"Kosmos, you're so adorable," he said. "I'm not mad, and there's no need for you to ask forgiveness."
He pulled his hand away, as she reached out to wipe the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. While still wiping her eyes she spoke.
"I'm sorry still," she said. Silence filled the air for a few moments. Alec raised a brow at her as she stood on her knees so they were eye level while he sat.
"Before I forget, I need to make some things clear," she said, as a frown formed between her brows. Alec nodded at her, before he leaned back with wide eyes, wincing at her loud voice.
"Do not, as in, do not ever call ME adorable!" she said. "I'm beautiful goddamit! Sure as Blazen not adorable!"
He nodded with a light frown, as she settled back to her sitting position. He leaned back onto the tree's trunk, and drew one leg up to his chin and settled his right arm there. His eyes grew for a fraction, as Solana leaned her blonde head on his shoulder.
"And also, don't touch my hair without my permission," she mumbled. He held in a laugh and his shoulders sagged as he released the breath he held in unknowingly. They sat there in silence as they stared up at the blue afternoon sky. He craned his neck to look at her face and he smiled as he looked back up at the sky again.
"Don't fall asleep on me, or I'll leave you here," he said.
"Talk to me then," she said. "You're shoulder is too comfortable I don't know how long till I..." she yawned. He shook his head, and he raised a finger to flick her nose, only earning a grunt from her in return.
"Tell me why I have a Power Mastery class, even though I'm a Non-Draeyer," he said.
"Alec, I thought you're more than intelligent enough to have already found that out," she said. "You have that class now, since you're a Sentire. The Council did this so we will be properly taught how to control our powers."
Alec nodded in response, feeling rather stupid for asking the question in the first place.
"And besides," she said, "we receive advanced lessons. So when you become a Draeyer, it'll be easier for you to know how to handle the power you'll be receiving from your Drae. I still can't believe that you'd still ask me that."
"Be quiet. I get it," Alec said with an eye roll. "I'm stupid for asking when the answer is so obvious in front of me."
She laughed at him, as she moved closer till her head reached his cheek. He sighed, and suppressed a smile.
"Get off my shoulder," he said.
"Let me take a nap first," she said as she yawned.
―――
Alec walked through the halls, his Sentire uniform causing more heads to turn to his direction than last week. He kept his gaze down on his book though, not sparing any of them a glass.
"Hello Alec," a voice said. When he looked up, a flash of light stunned and blinded him on his spot. He stood there, blinking his eyes as it adjusted from the flash. He shook his head, and looked up at the brown-eyed girl in the academy's black uniform, grinning up at him. In her hands, she held a slab of grey crystal crima, where an image of him was slowly forming. A frown formed between his brows when the familiar girl tucked it in her white satchel and produced a pencil and notepad.
"Riki, I'd like to ask you to kindly remove my image from your light-crima," he said, as he snapped the book shut. A couple of eyes settled on the two of them standing in the middle of the corridor.
"Riki Messines, writer for the Academy's Weekly Eagle, can I ask you a few questions?" she said with a smile. Alec's frown only deepened, and shook his head. He stepped forward to move around her, but the girl was quick on her feet, and blocked his path.
"Just a few questions," she said.
"No," he said. From the corner of his eyes, he saw more and more students approaching, forming a circle around them. He let out a sigh, as he placed his book inside his bag. "I don't have time for this. I'm going to be late for my next class."
"Rumor has it that you almost killed a teacher on your second day? Is that true?"
"Look I―"
"How come you've been transferred to the Sentires? Why was the Changing Ritual done in secret?"
She fired question after question at Alec, who stood there just keeping his silence as he watched her trying to gain a response from him. To be honest with himself, he wanted nothing more than to yell at the girl to leave him alone.
Two large screeches filled the air, as two figures flew by before turning and landing in between him and Riki. Two Draelings, white and green, bore their fangs at the girl, causing the latter to step back. The crowd forming moved back a bit as well.
"Riki, I think you're overstepping your authority," Solana's voice came from behind him. He sighed as he inclined his head forward. "Didn't we prefects specifically made it clear that when one refuses to answer your paper's questions, you are not allowed to force them?"
"I'm only doing what I'm supposed to be doing, like you do with your Prefect duties," Riki said as she crossed her arms. "Rumors have been spreading all over the place, and we just want to clear things out."
"Rumors are rumors, and accepted by fools," this time, it was Areisha's voice. He looked back and saw the two girls standing side by side, as they spoke. "Besides, this is an inconvenience to him. You seriously had to choose the time during class hours."
"I think it won't be a problem," Riki said. "If he did pass with perfect scores in the entrance, he'll be fine if he misses a few more classes."
"For a moment there, I thought you were, doubting the authenticity of his scores. Yes, it is quite suspicious that my grandfather would allow his transfer in the middle of the year. My brother has thought about it as well, but I can assure you that he's as intelligent as his scores say he is," Solana said.
"I'm right here Solana," Alec said. "Don't talk as if I'm not." The girl chuckled at his words, while Areisha shifted her gaze from him to the floor. He looked down when he felt something collide with his stomach, and caught Dia in one arm. Emera on the other hand, flew up and perched herself on his right shoulders. The rising anger and frustration inside him diminished as the two Draelings purred against him. He took a deep breath and spoke.
"Yes, I almost killed Professor Gravis," he said. The air around him filled with gasps and murmurings, but he paid no heed toward it. "As for what happened, you can ask him, because I honestly don't remember.
"For the Changing Ritual, Professor Gael dragged me out of bed to Amethyst tower, and the headmaster performed it with me."
He reached out for the silver chain holding his Sentiral Stone around his neck. He pulled it out of his black vest and showed them the green teardrop crystal reflecting light that landed on it.
"I think this gives you enough proof of me being a Sentire," he said. Their eyes all widened at the green color of the gem, and he released it, letting it hang in front of his chest.
"Now if you excuse us, we have a class to attend," Areisha said. At the same time, she and Solana stood next on either side of him. They walked past the crowd, with the Draelings still close to him. He heard Riki's faint voice, but he exerted no effort to answer.
"What's your power?"
They continued to walk past the white halls, until they reached the very end of the Year 1 Floor.
"Seriously, even if we're friends, that girl can sometimes get on my nerves," Solana said with a scoff. She pushed open one flap of the double doors, and disappeared into the room. Alec reached out for the handle. But he paused when Areisha held it first. She looked up at him, and they held gazes, before she spoke as she opened the door.
"Nothing happened two days ago," she said. A second later, he nodded, stopping his mind from lingering back to what happened.
Alec slipped into the room right after. When he looked up, it seemed the same as the other classrooms, with the exception of colored liquids inside glass containers, skeletons of small creatures hanging on the ceilings, and shelves of books on the walls next to the tiered seats. When his eyes landed down, his brows knit in confusion, at the sight of six people in the room. He trailed his gaze to one who wore the regular uniform in contrast to the Sentires' white one. His five dorm mates and familiar red-head looked up at him from their spots on the first two tiers.
"Welcome to Power Mastery Class for us Sentires, Arden," Rei said. His feet dangled in front of him, as he sat on top of the long front table. He only nodded at the boy whose brown eyes shined in a weird unexplainable way to him.
Why is he here? he thought. He walked up the steps to the second level where the twins sat, with Solana fanning her frowning face which looked red. Once he settled himself on his chosen spot on the bench, he looked up to meet Rei's gaze still fixed on him.
"Rei is a Sentire like us," Knox said. Alec whirled his head to his right, and saw the tanned-boy looking down as he read a thick book. "He just doesn't like being separated."
"It's easy for him to request that since his father is part of the Council," Solana said, as she examined her nails. "Spoiled little brat he is, I tell you."