Placing the work in his hands onto the bed Xavier takes a deep breath to calm his racing heart, Mason's words having stirred a new worries within his chest but he refuses to acknowledge it until he hears his brother out. Nodding at the brunet Xavier gives him his full attention and watches the other pause, hesitate some more before beginning.
"I'm sure Mum has told you a lot, and that it's a huge sum of information to process. I'm also sure she's told you that Kyle and Vincent are quite well informed already but like I said, they don't know everything." Mason says, starting strong but voice slowly becoming softer the more he speaks, eyes showing slight worry as if he wished he didn't have to keep going. "You shouldn't tell them about our real parents. Before you start I know Mum probably said half demons were normal but we aren't! Our mother isn't just some demon and even if you think that doesn't matter then think again."
Closing his mouth tightly Xavier stares at his brother, the last words that drained into something like a plea extinguishing his brief desire to speak. He didn't quite understand yet though, Xavier had never known his supposed mother, or even his father, they'd never influenced Xavier's life. At least not directly, so what was Mason talking about?
"I don't understand" he finally says in an equally soft voice, wanting to prompt his brother to continue.
"It's not easy to wrap your head around since you've only just been told so much, but Xavier aside from our mothers involvement with us you should think about her involvement with others." Mason says, eyes downcast as he twines his own fingers together. "She's killed a lot you know? Nobody knows much about her but whenever she appears huge catastrophes occur, many die, sometimes hundreds are killed. Vincent and Kyle, their family have, to some extent felt the effects of this destruction okay? They won't take it lightly that you, or I are the offspring of something they consider to be so evil."
He seemed to hesitate some more here, as if weighing up how much to let on so soon. After a few moments he quietly finishes. "You'll probably read about her alot soon enough anyway, but our mother… She is known as the Demon blessed with Catastrophe"
Feeling the words sink in and the weight behind them Xavier comes to understand his brother's torrent of emotion. What accident had affected his friends family's? Rather than dwell on the full extent of his biological mother's power, he wonders how much Kyle and Vincent know. If they're even aware that Xavier and Mason are half-bloods even if they don't know from what demon. Wanting to ask but feeling he'll get an answer soon enough he waits for Mason to come back to him, the brunet seemingly lost in thought.
Certainly it was a lot to consider, he'd sort of only just begun wrapping his head around the fact that the things he'd told himself were illusions were real. That they indeed were alive, that's why he'd been reading, to try to understand just what they were. At least the ones he'd seen so far anyway.
"I don't want to make you upset, and I don't intend to tell you to hide it from them but at least make sure I'm there and that you show some tact okay?" He says finally, looking up his teal eyes search Xavier's for a moment before he bites his lip and shakes his head. "One last thing okay?" He says, eye contact broken once more and voice putting up some sort of a joking tone. "I know you've been a bit overwhelmed by everything, and that you want to catch up to me and the others. But with your blessing and nature you'll catch up a lot faster than you think. So don't worry yourself too much."
The others words were encouraging but Xavier feels it's not truly what Mason had wanted to say. Not wanting to pressure his brother just yet though when he felt he already had a lot more to think over he just lets it go. Feeling Mason's eyes on him, searching once more Xavier forces a smile and laughs a little as he shrugs.
"Can't be helped right, I bet you will all be jealous later on though, when you see all my new skills" He jokes, trying to enjoy the way his brother scoffs and rolls his eyes. Obviously relieved Xavier was going along with it he nods and stands. Giving a small wave he leaves the room, leaves Xavier to drown in his chaotic thoughts.
Once again, he comes to dwell on the true meaning of what has been said to him, even if Mason tried to brush it off. Xavier had to hide this new part of himself, this part he didn't even know of until recently. He'd have to choose his words carefully, be on guard constantly so he doesn't let anything slip. Even when his blessing would awaken. Lucia had warned him extensively over and over that when he will be given the book that he must only use it in dire situations. He was meant to only keep it close and guard it.
It didn't quite make sense as to why he was to be given the book that couldn't even get used but he didn't fixate on that as he trusted the priestess. The old lady apparently planned to get him a weapon to use instead anyway, but not until he passed the tests those from this Summer School normally have to. In saying that he wouldn't be attending it until graduation anyway, considering he was to be homeschooled. Sighing Xavier glances to the stack of paper, much less invigorated then he'd been previously Mason's last words ring in his mind.
Despite all those warnings to be careful and what not it really just applied to him in the end didn't it. In the end he was alone again, different again. Getting up from his desk Xavier goes over to the bed and falls onto it, Mekal giving a small huff at the bounce of disruption from his rest. The raven didn't want to think about it anymore but his thoughts just kept getting darker, he still hadn't figured out what his brother had meant earlier either. About their mother being involved in their lives specifically. Shaking his head the raven just curls up a little and pets his small cat, slowly soothing himself and easing out of his thoughts as he calms down.
[…]
Another few days had passed and Xavier had now discovered just how tricky it was not to slip up around Vincent and Kyle, especially Vincent. They'd kept coming around to help with Xavier's studies and catch up on their own, getting into in depth conversations about things Xavier had only just learnt or was learning about. Sometimes he'd say things that he never knew he knew, earning surprised looks from the others at first until Mason brushed it off as Xavier's demon-blood awakening.
It seemed the two did in fact know he and his brother weren't completely human, and neither seemed to mind the fact. Which was at least one relief for Xavier, and after finding out he had been able to relax at least somewhat more. Vincent and Kyle didn't try to prod about their parents considering they knew Mason and Xavier were orphans.
It had weighed on him, to hide the truth when a conversation about his mother came up, Vincent and Kyle had filled him in on something known as the Crimson Catastrophe that had killed over a hundred people, several being family or close family friends of the two. Afterwards he felt even more pressure to silence himself. However, the more he focused on it the more he became prone to accidentally slipping up. Rubbing his eyes with a yawn as he stares blankly at the book bellow Xavier slowly sits upright and cracks his back as he stretches. He felt like he'd learnt a lot over the past few days and everyone seemed surprised at his growth, but they attributed it to his demon-blood.
Today was the day he was meant to have his first fighting practice, and honestly he was somewhat concerned. Considering the priests that lived here, and their appearance he didn't see how he was meant to learn from them. They each seemed weaker than him, frail in many ways. Yet Mason had paled at the mention of said training. He knew his brother had been trained by the priests as well and wondered about what type of style they used, but the brunet wouldn't fill him in.
Rocking back on his chair Xavier glances back to the homework Lucia had given him after their classes today, it was getting harder but since he was interested it wasn't that bad. What interested him more was the way Lucia would cleanse him before and after every lesson. Xavier was grateful, but he didn't miss the looks of increasing concern on his adoptive mother's face as each one was completed. He didn't want to dwell on it but he couldn't help but notice that his dreams were becoming more realistic, the creatures he could see now focused that little bit more on him specifically. He wondered if he should be worried, if he should talk to someone about his concerns.
In the end however he always wound up brushing it off, he would wait since after a bit of thinking he guessed these changes had to do with his birthday which was creeping steadily closer. Jumping in his chair when he hears a loud knock on the front door the raven blinks, brought out of his thoughts he quickly jumps up to go answer it. Being the only one home he guesses it must be one of his trainers and opens it as soon as he gets there.
"Hello Xavier" He hears but aside from the surprisingly pleasant sound of their voice he is immediately distracted by the unexpected appearance of John. The weakest looking of the three priests that lived in the building by the church. Backing up a few steps in reaction to the other suddenly thrusting a wooden stick like item at him Xavier glances back up. "Let's get started"
The words are said in confidence as the man gestures out to the yard. The raven finds himself pausing in the doorway as he holds what he now realises is a short wooden dagger. John heads over first, shucking off his coat to reveal a tight fitting shirt that stretched across what used to be well hidden muscle. Eyes lighting up unconsciously he feels a grin twisting his lips. Excitement rising as he takes the first few steps forward.
Human or not. Demon or not. He would face the coming challenges and overcome them all, he would learn and grow. He would live and recover. Xavier would advance into someone his friends and family could love, into someone worthy of the life he'd tried to throw away.