"Looks like you have to go back. Your friends are calling for you". Mane did not have time to respond when he found himself back in the classroom.
"I can't believe that I was expelled from my own mind space" Mane said bitterly upon realizing where he was. He turned to look at the culprit, the one responsible for his expulsion. Jake was still rocking the blonde haired boy back and forth, his innocent eyes filled with impatience.
"You're finally awake. I've been calling you for more than a five minutes." Jake pouted in annoyance.
Mane's brows twitched at his words. He looked at Abe who was seated with a calm expression. The other boy smiled in bitterness as if to say there was nothing he could do. Abe obviously had no idea what had happened to Mane. But he was willing to wait patiently until Mane recollected himself. Unfortunately, the twins did not have that kind of patience. Mane sighed in resignation when he saw Abe's bitter smile.
"What is it Jake?" Mane finally addressed the boy as he peeled his hands of his robes.
"You were startled when you heard the name of the world Abe was talking about. Do you know of it?" John asked with eagerness, his patience just as thin as his brother's. It wasn't a twin thing. It was a trait of every kid. Kids were generally impatient in nature. The twins may be smart but unlike Mane and Abe who had matured (psychologically of course) due to their upbringing, the twins were still as immature as every other ten year old around.
"Kreech. That's the world of one of my masters" Mane spoke softly as he turned his eyes to the class podium.
Mane's words startled his friends greatly. Even the usually composed Abe looked surprised. Everything they had learned concerning wielding came from Mane. He had told them before that he had masters tutoring him. When Mane had given up this secret, the twins didn't think much about it- not Abe. He finally begun to understand why his father had warned him so severely to never offend the blue eyed boy. His background was beyond the lower realms!
In a way, Mane's masters were also their masters. After all, everything they learned came from them. It was obvious that if his masters did not grant him the permission to pass on what he learned, there was no way Mane would have given them access to such knowledge. In a way, meeting Mane was in itself a fortuitous encounter. Whenever Abe recalled the moment he had decided to befriend Mane, he was filled joy. If he wasn't so decisive in making the blonde haired boy his friend, even going as far as to switch rooms, he wouldn't have the strength he now had.
However, although Mane's masters were in a sense their masters as well, they knew nothing about them. Mane refused to reveal any more information to them. Even under the constant hounding of the ever curious twins, Mane did not let up. Eventually, they had given up finding out anything about these 'secretive' masters- until today. It wasn't much, but it was still a start.
"Finally. After almost four years, we finally learn something about these mysterious masters." Abe said as he looked into Mane's blue eyes.
Mane smiled bitterly at Abe's words. It's not that he didn't want to tell them about the masters. However, though the masters had given him permission to pass on their wielding techniques to the trio, they did so because of Mane. They accepted three new disciples just to placate their one main disciple. To the lower realms, Abe and the twins may be talented. Unfortunately, they were only seen as average in the eyes of his masters. Only Abe had left a bit of an impression due to his intelligence. According to the masters, even royal born children from the higher realms were not as bright.
"Granted, it isn't anything major, but it's still information." Abe commented once more after seeing Mane's bitter smile.
The twins nodded their heads enthusiastically. They would have loved to know more, but they knew that even their constant pestering would not be enough to break down their captain's wall of resistance.
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"It sure is exhausting sitting in a class you don't want to be in" Mane exclaimed as he slumped onto his bed.
The groaning voices of his friends were enough to show their total agreement to his statement. After a long day filled with equally long lectures, they were finally back in their room. They all rushed to their mattresses, eager to rest their tired bodies. Their beds looked so beautiful at this point. They called out to them, and they answered their calls with eagerness.
*knock* *knock* *knock*
Hardly had any of them laid down for even twenty seconds, when the rhythmic knocking of their door interrupted their plans for an afternoon nap. Almost immediately, three pairs of eyes found their way to Abe. The young prince felt goosebumps grow on his skin when he felt their gazes on him. He could have sworn that there was killing intent mixed within those slightly menacing gazes.
There was one simple reason why they all blamed Abe for the interruption. His sister enrolled this year. Since her enrollment, she had been a frequent visitor of theirs. It was highly likely that she was their unexpected guest.
"You should go and open the door. It may be Eve." Mane said calmly, though this did nothing to take away Abe's unease. He could feel that his captain was clenching his jaws slightly. It was a bit funny to see Mane get mad that his sleep had been interrupted, considering that the blue eyed boy rarely lost his cool. It was highly likely that he was going to have his ass kicked after this.
He got off his bed, albeit in a slow manner, as though the killing intent was weighing him down. He walked to the door and opened it, in what seemed to be the longest ten seconds of his life. Upon opening the door however, his expression grew stern.
Noticing Abe's silence, Mane realised that it wasn't Eve. Abe bent down to pick a letter from the ground. It had a strange sigil on it: a bird pierced by a dagger. He turned around and showed his roommates the letter. They all had serious expressions on their faces upon seeing the sigil.
"Guys, it looks like the dark kingdom are causing problems again."