"Sorry,"
She holds up her hands still blushing, "It's quite alright, you don't know about Heretics yet… For us full-fledged humans the Devil's energy changes us. Slowly we take the appearance of the Devil's that we eat, that is why you will find many human Heretics eating the same creatures. I chose snakes."
"Since I'm half demon I won't change?"
"Yes, it is said that demons were humans changed by Zharr, the father of demons. That is why Devil blood cannot influence them to change further."
I stare oddly at my hand, "But I don't even know if I have a demon form."
"The Cult founder didn't even have a demon form and the Devil blood didn't influence him, so I think it doesn't matter."
As I ask my question I see Uncle step out of the mansion with his eyes on me. His steps are seemingly slow but he gets to us very quickly. Ella bows to him as he steps next to her.
Not wanting to hold my question I ask, "How do I unlock my demon form?"
Uncle smiles, "Questions first thing in the morning?"
Seeing my insistence he sighs, "Taking a life. You are a halfbreed so you will lose control the first time you transform. That is why I will accompany you on your first mission outside the cult."
I nod solemnly, "Is it only halfbreeds that lose control?"
"...Yes, due to this… unfortunate curse, many young halfbreeds were sent off to the war to rampage on the battlefield. It is a scary thing when your opponent doesn't care for his own life let alone those around him."
"You were in the war with my father, right? Can you tell me about it?"
Uncle shrugs, "Sure, I'll tell you over breakfast. Come, Mary has already gone to wake your siblings."
Nodding gratefully I follow along and Ella follows behind me.
The table is already set as we enter the dining hall but my siblings aren't here yet. As we sit down Uncle begins to tell me about the last war against the demons. Twenty-five years ago the demons raided the east wall of our small kingdom of Aristia.
The Empire of Errosa sent us plenty of supplies and high-ranking Sorcerors and Cabalists. That support helped create Trillis the city my father ruled due to his large contributions in the war.
As he finishes his story the kids arrive and just like dinner, Thea wants to sit on my lap. I of course happily oblige my bubbly cheeked sister.
After breakfast, Mary and Ella take my siblings out to play while Uncle pulls me aside.
Walking into the hallway I give him a questioning look, "Don't we have to go to the cult?"
Uncle gives me an odd look, "You plan to go looking like that?"
It is only then I realize I am still wearing my ceremonial clothes. Though they are now dirty, the pants are stained with grass and my shirt is now heavily wrinkled. I've seen it the whole time but I was so focused on other things that I never really paid attention.
I blush a bit as I straighten my clothes, "I suppose not."
With a nod he stops in front of my room and gestures in, "I prepared a cult uniform, there are three in there, the white one is the one you should wear. The grey with a red sash is for outer court disciples, the crimson with a black sash is for inner court disciples. If you ever make it to direct disciple your robes will be black with a golden sash."
Gesturing to his own Black robes and bronze sash, "This is what outer court elders wear, the inner court elders wear black with a silver sash."
Before I step into the room I pause, "How does your talent compare in the cult, I want to know my goal…"
Uncle rubs his chin as he ponders, "I am 56 years old at Sixth rank. That puts me slightly above average. Most inner court disciples reach my level in their forties like your father. The direct disciples are all monsters like your father, the current first disciple is twenty-three with Peak fifth circle and Inferno cultivation. Be careful around him, although he is kind he has a nasty temper you should be wary of."
"What's his name?"
"Tarran Fen."
With a thankful nod, I step into my room and quickly change into the white robes putting the others in the dresser. I have rarely ever worn robes but there have been a few times mother forced me so they aren't that foreign to me.
As I step out into the hall again Uncle nod's at me, "Then let's go, I have a personal teleportation array in the corner tower."
Making our way to the array I smirk at him, "Still not going to give me any hints on the trials?"
"Hmph, they are no real secret so I will give you a brief introduction. Since Mana and Qi talent does not matter they are based on your willingness to work hard and your ability to learn. The first trial is cultivation, the second is learning a skill, and the final is practical implementation."
"That's it?"
He smirks as he stops at a wooden door on a stone wall that distinctly stands out from the beige wallpaper on every other wall of the mansion.
Opening the wooden door he gestures me in. The room inside is large with a spiral staircase that leads up over ten floors. On each floor is a different setup, some with runes, some with herbs, some with random magical objects, and at the top is a large crystal ball glowing in a dark red light.
On the first floor with us is a large array laid out with stakes in an eight-sided star pattern. Uncle steps inside first and stands holding up his hands causing the array to glow.
"Come inside, I will activate it."
With a nod, I step inside with him and the array begins to glow brighter. My entire vision turns white as I can feel we are moving yet not at the same time.
The feeling ends as the white leaves my vision as I nearly fall over as a wave of nausea hits me. Uncle grabs me and pulls me a few steps forward.
"Greetings Elder Ferran,"
Hearing the foreign voice call uncle's last name I quickly snap out of my nausea. We are now in a large room with four wide wooden pillars around a raised stone platform with the same array in the center of it.
"Good morning, Hu Ye,"
'A demon?' I immediately think to myself.
Uncle speaks kindly to an older skinny man standing in front of us with his head lowered..
Noticing him giving me an odd look uncle speaks again, "The one I recommended."
The skinny old man lowers his head again, "I am Hu Ye, you can just call me old man Hu or mister Hu."
I nod and lower my head as well, "I am Engres Jun, you can just call me Engres."
The old man smiles as he looks at uncle a bit questioningly, "Yes, he is a descendant of the Jun clan, and no he is not blind, this is a form of training."
I laugh a bit as I completely forgot that I have a black blindfold wrapped around my head. The old man laughs a bit as well.
"I expect great things from a descendant of the Monarch, and Elder Ferran's recommendation."
I give a wry smile as I nod, "I hope I am able to meet your expectations, mister Hu."
He nods as he gestures to the large wooden doors behind him, "You should get going, the exams begin soon."
Uncle and I nod as we step past and Uncle pushes open the large doors. My vision quickly sweeps the area and I find we are near the large stone training yard that I saw yesterday. The building we came from is a small enclosed pavilion with a large castle-like structure in front of it.
Seeing my awe Uncle smirks, "This is the outer court, this is the grand hall for the outer court where I work. The exams will be held at the stone courtyard on the other side of the hall, can you see it from here?"
I nod as I quickly find a group of kids my age gathered at the far end of the 'courtyard', "I see it."
"Good, then we will separate here, I am nearly late, my secretary will be angry if I'm late again."
With those words, Uncle moves up the stairs to the grand hall at incredible speed. Though he is nearly not as fast as my mother was when she knocked me out he is still incredibly fast.
Thinking of mother knocking me out I rub the back of my neck while walking the path to the courtyard. I am sure to lower my head courteously to the passing elders, they all return courteous smiles while the disciples all give me odd looks as I pass. I assume they think I am a blind boy aimlessly walking the cult, I let them think as they will.
Stepping into the courtyard I notice the chatting stops and all the gazes of the white-robed kids turn to me. I hear them begin to mutter amongst themselves.
"Is that kid blind?"
"He wasn't at the entrance exams?"
"What family do you think he is from?"
"I don't recognize him, must be from a poor family."
I roll my eyes at their wild assertions and theories as I stand near some kids who aren't talking and patiently wait for the examiner.