During the Warian Era of the ancient times, races hunted each other. There was no clear reason or beginning of why these creatures started to kill each other nor what triggered the war.
Clues were left blank like a piece of clean paper, the origin of the war was unknown and only the the ruins were left behind.
Catastrophe and hostility was the results of the war; creatures loathed each other that led to seeking vengeance and not long after that, selfishness that brought fourth seeking for dominance.
Killing spree was preeminent-- murders were prevalent. Loss were linked to revenge and revenge gave birth to another chain of never ending vengeance.
"...I am your brother."
I flinched.
Sai stared at me sternly and his blue orbs were filled with hatred and disgust. "But, I hate your Father."
He spoke with so much spite, his lips twitched and formed an arrogant bitter smile. The moon illuminated his pale skin and candescent black hair.
'Why?'
He looked mischievous and clever. It was the usual sarcastic Sai whom I met.
As the wind brushed my cheeks, so did his hair that rode the gust of the passing wind.
"Why would you hate your own blood? Why do you keep calling him 'my' Father?! He's your Father too."
The image of my father flashed before me.
I remembered his benign smile every time he greeted me in the morning and how much he cared for me each day; He was also wearing his electric blue orbs just like the man leaning to the stone pillar in front of me.
The same color, but somehow different brilliance...My father have a steady deep emotion in his blue eyes, while this young warlock in front me carries blue eyes filled with chaotic emotions and unfathomable truth.
'Siel, make sure to eat while you study alright?' 'Stop skipping class and don't give Rave a head ache.' 'Follow Aspen's lead.' 'Yesterday I met Hannah and she told me you've been swimming far...Why don't you be careful and obey for once, dear?'
My father would always nag at me like this...
'Yes, yes father.' I would always answer casually, not minding him at all. And he will let out a sigh of resignation and...
'Come here you kid' he hugged me that morning.
Tap, tap, tap.
He patted me gently with worried eyes.
He was such a kind and normal loving father merman. Why would someone like him be hated, and most importantly, why would his own son despise him?
Sai shrugged. "Nothing much. He just abandoned me and my foolish Mother. He never acted like a Father to me, hence, he is no better than a stranger in my eyes...Well, maybe even worse."
He says that nonchalantly like it's no big deal and even called "her" foolish, but his words when he spoke of our mother sounded very warm.
"He wouldn't...I don't believe it."
'How could my father abandon them? The father I knew of would never do something so heartless.'
Times may be tough, Trivadocea may be chaotic and blood stench may be every where, but the merman whom raised me is incapable of that. I couldn't believe what he say. I've known my father since nonage.
Swish. Swish. The waves danced.
And yet, my heart throbbed painfully when I look at Sai.
That is not the face of a liar.
He is prideful and too proud. And proud people don't need to lie to prove their point, because they are too proud to lie.
I tried to push everything aside and clear my throat.
"M-maybe there was a misunderstanding, I'll ask Father right awa--"
"I don't have time." He cut me off.
He raised his thin arms, his eyes shaded purple again, and mana played around his fingers. It was strange how the color of his mana changes color from time to time. How can a person posses so many colors?
"Truth is, I dragged you to this Island to give you a present. It was a stone from Mother."
For a moment, I though it was cute, but I was suspicious.
'What's with him? Wouldn't it be more like him if he demands me to do something? Giving gifts is not up his image.
"What gift?" I asked pointing to myself.
He smiled. "Just a stone." He walked towards me and removed my glove, he handed me a bracelet that suddenly glowed golden when it touched my skin.
Sai liked the reaction, as I believed I saw him gave a small smile to the stone. But it was only for a moment, he hid his smile from the shadows.
As he attached the bracelet on my wrist, the stone glowed even more, soon the straps around the bracelet started to disintegrate in the air like magic, as if the stone was breaking free of shackles, and it also started to disperse in my skin, it gradually engraved itself at the back of my hand and carved itself a tattoo.
'It honestly looked like a delicate emblem of small sun with lines, curves, and and rays like luminosity around it. Sai covered my hand with the glove again.
"Why would I need it?" I looked up at him.
"You have the blood of a mage, and every mage has an awakening of mana at age 18. We just turned 18, didn't we?"
Yawn. Sai, seemed to feel worn out already. He came to lean back at the boulder he was depending on a while ago.
"But I was born a mermaid. Would I have an awakening?"
"Sure. Yours was just delayed because you have been in the waters for so long now. But soon, you'll have an awakening. But you'll die if mana awakens in your body with a weak mana core.
You see, the heart serves as a mana core for mages. At awakening, it starts to become a plate for mana, it is what dictates how strong of a mage, a person can be. But you, you were born with the dominant trait of a mermaid, so of course, your mana core is only half of what your heart is made of, the rest you heart is catered such as the mermaid race." He pointed at my hand.
"That stone of the mage that our mother created in exchange for all her remaining life force and mana ensures your survival. It now merged itself to your flesh. When you awaken soon, it will create a mana core to your heart, allowing you to not die from mana explosion, it will provide a space for your mana to be stored." Sai started stretching.
He soon opened a bag from his cloak, and started pulling...tarts?
Munch, munch. "Man, all this yapping is making me hungry and sleepy."
'Shouldn't he at least offer some food of he's eating close to someone?'
Haa. I sighed.
"What about you then? Will you also have an awakening? Don't you need the stone of the mage too?"
Munch. "I already had mine, it came a day before I met you. And, I'll be fine. I don't need the stone to stabilize my body, as you can see, my dominant trait is that of a mage, my mana core is already secure as it is. It should be able to hold my mana for a while."
"For a while?" I asked, he shrugged at me and quickly continue talking--or rather, changed the topic.
"It would be a different story if my mermaid blood has an awakening though. My body is not equipped for water like what you inherited."
He stared at me as if asking for validation. I shook my head. "No, mermaids have no such awakening ritual like mages."
"But then, why would you want to steal the heart of the night if you already have a mages stone? Are you okay? You said your mana core would be able to hold off you powers for a while, what happens after?" I asked suspicious.
He smirked at me, "Don't think too much, dried seaweed." He was comparing me to a seaweed now. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. And I just wanted to play a prank that's why I wanted to steal the heart of the night. No real reason."
I am still worried but he looked so unfazed that it seemed ridiculous to be worried.
Sai put the last tart in his mouth and started dusting his hand.
'I wanted some tarts too...'
"Great, now let's move to my proposal."
"Proposal?"
"I'll give you three days." He posed his three fingers. "Don't you want to know more about you magician lineage? Come with me. I'll show you the world." He smiled cheekily.
"I'll see you at the Cape Island in three days if you've decided to know more about mages. I'll show you around, and maybe show you a picture of mother. But if you don't want to, I will not force you."
I glared at him with trembling eyes. This is a sudden proposal. I have so many questions.
"What's with that dumb struck expression? You look more stupid than ever."
I managed to steady my trebling eyes as he joked around me.
He gave a small smile. Sai started striding towards me, the boulder he used to lean against started to crumble to dust when he stood up properly. He now trudge his way to me.
He lowered his head to lean forward and I could feel his stare so close to my face.
He extended his elegant fingers to me, along with the playful now-yellow mana circling it, his magic flew towards me and embraced me. I felt warm from the cold ocean breeze.
Violet to red lights flashed everywhere, and the sands vibrated below my feet, the boulders started to crumble as I felt immense amount of heat in my body.
"I'll give you three days to decide..."
He covered my eyes with his cold hand and gently whispered. But even that whisper sounded and felt like he was smiling.
"If you decide to accept my offer...Find me at the shore of the nearest Island of above Trivadocea, in Cape Island."
He took my left hand and gentle pressed the back of it, cold.
I felt the tremendous magic swirling on my palm to the back of my left hand. It was throbbing. But before I could react, the gust of magic crawled to enveloped me until my vision blacked out.
'No...no,no. I haven't even said goodbye yet!'
I just met my him, is he shooing me away now?
In the midst of the chaos in my mind, Sai continued to speak.
"I am Yulian Sailaizer De ArchMage of Eumadory, and currently the guardian of Veldorra. I am 'that' mighty." He smiled playfully, taunting and proud.
He chuckled at me. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll see you around, sister."
'ArchMage?' Isn't that the highest position of a mage?
I stared at his hand covering my eyes, disheartened. 'How could he share this news to me like this and just decide to take me away like this?!'