"Good morning kids. My na -"
Someone said but trailed off when he noticed the uncomfortable air in the plane. "Do we have a problem here?" The man's eyes flickered from one person to the next
"No, we were just getting along" Pinna said as she broke the gaze and sat down behind Jeff.
"Okay, if that's the case, I bet we should get going." The man finished. That was when Jeff recovered from the shock of the girls and took the appearance of the man in.
He was almost the same height as Pinna, but was very huge. His broad shoulders were covered with muscles, from his arms to his broad chest. The black RCD pilot uniform he wore seemed way too small for a man his size, making him appear more of a bouncer than a pilot. The barge of an eagle clutching a snake was emblazoned perfectly on his chest, with nothing to show his linage or the clan he belongs to.
"And by the way my name is William, and I will be at your service today." The man smiled and walked straight to the cockpit. He was raking his sweating palms on his low cut hair.
"Seriously" Ema laughed and sat down "You really know how to put up a scene Pinna"
"Shut it Zita, this is not funny" Pinna said faking an angry tone.
"What's wrong with you two, this minute you are staring at each other like hungry lions and the next minute you are behaving like two atoms in a covalent bond." The other boy that had come in initially with Pinna said.
He was in blue, from his top to his trousers. Even his hair was dyed blue. It reminds Matt of his two brothers. But this boy was more handsome than Kyle or Tim. With lovely cheek bones and sun glowing skin. He was way younger though, about the same height with Jeff, but a shoulder length with Pinna.
"Save your breath Ham. Like I said, we were just getting along" Pinna said not sparing either of them a glance.
"GIRLS" The boy called Ham murmured irritably as he rubbed his brow slightly.
"I never had the opportunity to congratulate you three, especially you Jeff. My name is Harmzod. You can call me Ham" Jeff smiled warmly as the boy introduced himself.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet one from the Blue linage, are you into the healing glow yet?" Jeff asked.
"Nope, am still too young to manage such power. It's left for older Candanians" Ham replied.
"That's cool I wish I had one of those powers. You see one thing with the Grays is that age doesn't really count; everybody must work, even a day old baby is a professional farmer." Matt sighed.
"And I wish I could be a Gray with no powers at all. You need to see all the lectures and rules leveled up for me by my father." Ham lamented and sat down.
"Pinna, you said you would teach me how to glow." Ema said changing the topic.
"You know that's impossible for anyone who can't extract, it might destroy you. You will need a whole dose of training if you want to try."
"You can glow?" Matt asked Pinna with bewilderment, "But you are way too young, how is that possible?"
"Living in the slums can teach you a lot of things." Pinna adjusted comfortably on her seat.
"FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT; WE TAKE OFF IN FIVE, FOUR, THREE..." Mr. William's voice echoed on the speaker and the five children hurriedly fastened their belts.
The plane gave a little jerk with a humming sound. Jeff was happy to travel again by an air Tripler. His first experience had been with his father when he was six. It was a vague memory though but he remembered a little part of it.
*********
"It's good to be airborne again" Mr. William said some minute later, as he walked into the cabin carrying a tray of hot steaming coffee. He handed each of the students a cup and set the rest on table attached to the wall of the vessel.
"Wait, hope nothing is wrong? Who is controlling this vessel? This is not the part where you tell us to grab a parachute is it?" Pinna asked with eyes threatening to bulge out of her skull.
"Ha-ha" the pilot laughed "Haven't you learn in school that an air Tripler can be operated by a keeper?"
"Oh I see" Pinna said quiet sheepishly
"Mr. William, please, what do you know about the Hero's academy" Matt asked, trying to pick up a conversation.
The pilot blinked more frequently than normal, out of confusion or surprise, no one can tell.
"I know little about that place kid. But people say it's a place where dreams come true." The pilot sipped from his cup. He hadn't sat down though. He looks like a man who could stand for hours without sitting down. What Jeff really like about the man was the way he speaks, which comes more like a whisper.
"What's your name" William asked raising his cup towards Jeff.
Jeff shivered. Was I looking at him too intently that he fingered me out? No I doubt; Matt and the others are staring at him too. But why me
"Jeffred Peter's sir" He said shyly. Mr. William nodded his head slowly and took one final sip from the cup.
"Have you read the book 'Blood and Feathers?" He asked.
No, Daddy won't let me read it Jeff wanted to say. That book in his father's secret study. His father won't allow him near his study let alone go near the book. He had warned him though, to stay clear, reasons where unknown to Jeff. He had searched effortlessly for the book after the death of his father but couldn't find it. If Mr. William knows about the book, then maybe, just maybe he could answer my unanswered question. Some of his friends whose father had allowed the liberty to read the book called it useless. They say the book broadly blabbed about the descendants of the Gold's, who were the direct blood line of Tyrust, the great. That was why they were too strong and powerful
"I have read it." Ham said "That book is far from interesting; my father nearly staked me for angrily throwing the book into the fire"
"I haven't'' Jeff replied uneasily. He and Matt were the only ones in the plane that hadn't read the book.
"Just remember this" Mr. William said blinking dozens of times in one second.
"Stay far away from it. As far as you can"
Jeff was confused
"Why" He asked. But Mr. William was already arranging the empty cups on the tray. He appears to be a man of few words.
"Because the book sulks off course" Ema chuckled and the others laughed.
"No. Not that" Mr. William blinked again to the discomfort of Jeff.
"Your connection with that book might bring to life something deadly."
"WHAT!!!" They all shouted in unison and stared at the pilot who disappeared into the translucent curtain of the door way, which separated the cabin from the cockpit room.
"That was scary" Pinna said
"PLEASE FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT WE ARE ABOUT TO DESEND" Mr. William announced.
From the glass window, the children saw what looks like a banner, and on it were blinking character that reads 'WELCOME TO THE HERO'S ACADEMY.