As Adam walked through the grand halls of the Scott estate with his sister Lillian, he couldn't help but notice the subtle hum of energy in the air. Magic was always present in this house, woven into the very stones. His mother's presence had a way of calming everything around her, and though he hadn't seen her in years, he felt it now more than ever.
The door to the family room creaked open as they entered. Adam's gaze fell on his mother, seated in a large armchair by the fire. Lady Elara Scott was nothing like his father. Where Duke Maxwell was cold and calculating, Elara was warmth and light. Her soft, flowing gown shimmered faintly with a gentle magical aura, her hands glowing slightly from the healing spells she always seemed to be practicing. Her long auburn hair, streaked with hints of silver, framed her kind face, and when she looked up at Adam, her green eyes softened.
"Adam," she whispered, standing up, her voice filled with emotion. "You've come home."
Before he could respond, she was already at his side, enveloping him in a warm embrace. For a moment, Adam stiffened, unfamiliar with the sensation. It had been so long since he'd been touched with affection. But as she held him, he felt a flicker of something he had almost forgotten—peace.
"I've missed you, my son," Elara said softly, pulling back to study his face. "You've grown so much."
Adam managed a small smile, the first genuine one he'd felt since he arrived. "It's good to see you, Mother."
She cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing the edge of a faint scar, one of many he had earned over the years. Her eyes flickered with concern, but she didn't ask where the scars had come from. Perhaps she already knew.
"Come," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Your siblings are eager to see you."
Adam followed his mother into the next room, where his seven younger siblings were gathered. The youngest, Elara's namesake and the baby of the family, sat cross-legged on the floor, her eyes lighting up when she saw Adam. Elara—Little Elara, as everyone called her—was about to start her first year at the Royal Academy. Her small frame was tense with excitement, and Adam couldn't help but be reminded of how young and innocent she was. She had the same warm, open demeanor as their mother, always smiling, always filled with a curiosity for life.
"Adam!" Little Elara sprang up and ran to him, nearly crashing into his legs as she hugged him tightly. "I can't believe you're home! We're going to the Academy together! Isn't that amazing?"
Adam smiled, his heart softening just a bit. "Yeah, it'll be something."
"Come on, everyone wants to see you!" she exclaimed, dragging him further into the room.
The second youngest, a tall boy named Tobias, was already waiting with a sword at his side. He had been training to become a magic swordsman, following in their father's footsteps, and even at his young age, his talent was evident. Tobias grinned when he saw Adam, a mix of respect and admiration in his eyes.
"Welcome back, big brother," Tobias said, offering a firm handshake. "It'll be an honor to have you with us at the Academy, even if you're starting at the top."
Adam shook his brother's hand, noting the strength behind it. Tobias was going to be formidable, and it seemed their father's influence had certainly taken root in him. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you've learned," Adam replied.
The quintuplets were next, a lively and eclectic group. Two of the sisters, Astrid and Isla, were identical, with sharp blue eyes and mischievous smiles. They were always causing trouble when they were younger, and judging by the gleam in their eyes, that hadn't changed. Beside them stood their sister, Brynn, who had a quieter, more thoughtful air, and their brother, Rowan, whose fluid movements and soft voice always carried an air of mystery.
Adam nodded to Astrid and Isla, his lips curling into a slight grin. "You two still causing trouble?"
"Only when necessary," Isla said, giving her twin a knowing glance.
"Or when it's fun," Astrid added with a wink.
Brynn, the more serious of the quintuplets, gave Adam a small smile. "Welcome back, Adam. It's good to have you home," she said, her voice calm but sincere.
Then there was Mara, the final quintuplet. Though not identical to her sisters, she bore a strong resemblance to them, except for her short-cropped hair and the air of confidence that set her apart. Mara had always been different—a tomboy through and through, with a love for sparring and getting her hands dirty. Dressed in simple trousers and a loose shirt, she grinned at Adam, her expression more like a rival greeting a competitor than a sister welcoming a brother.
"Don't go getting too comfortable, Adam," Mara said with a playful punch to his arm. "I've been keeping Tobias on his toes in the sparring ring. You might have some competition now."
Adam chuckled, rubbing his arm where Mara had hit him. "We'll see about that."
And then there was Rowan. He stood a little apart from the others, his presence quiet yet impossible to ignore. Rowan was different—not just in appearance but in the way he moved and carried himself. His soft voice and the grace with which he handled himself set him apart from the rest of the family. There had always been something unique about Rowan, something that didn't fit neatly into the mold of a warrior family.
"It's good to see you, Adam," Rowan said with a soft smile. His eyes lingered on Adam in a way that was both observant and understanding, as though he saw something in his older brother that the others couldn't.
Adam nodded back. "It's good to see you too, Rowan."
As they all stood together, Adam felt a strange mix of emotions. These were his siblings—his blood—but they had no idea what he had gone through. They had lived their lives in the light, training in the noble arts of combat and magic. He had been trained in darkness, honed into something far more lethal. And now, they would be thrown together at the Academy, a place where their worlds would inevitably collide.
His mother's hand rested gently on his shoulder, grounding him for a moment. "No matter what happens," she said softly, "we are a family, Adam. You will always have a place here."
Adam nodded, though deep down, he wasn't sure if that was true. He had changed too much, become something else. And soon, the Academy would test not just his skills, but his ability to fit into a world that no longer felt like his own.
Got it! Let's move forward with the entrance of Duke Maxwell, Adam's father, and the ensuing test of Adam's abilities in front of his siblings.
As the reunion continued, the air in the room shifted abruptly when the doors swung open, and the imposing figure of Duke Maxwell Scott stepped inside. The room fell silent. Duke Maxwell had an aura that commanded respect and fear in equal measure, and though Adam had been away for years, that same chill of authority still wrapped around him like a cloak. His father's sharp blue eyes scanned the room, finally landing on Adam.
"Welcome home, Adam," Maxwell said, his tone firm and almost detached, as if his son's return was more of a formal matter than an emotional one. He crossed the room slowly, his heavy boots echoing on the polished floor. "It's been a long time."
Adam simply nodded. He knew better than to expect warmth from his father.
Maxwell stopped a few feet away, his gaze intense. "I hope you haven't forgotten why you're here," he continued. "Your siblings have been training diligently, and they are prepared to attend the Royal Academy to uphold our family's reputation. You, on the other hand, have been… absent. If you're going to step into the Academy at the same level as the others—especially with the Crown Prince and his sister in your class—I need to know you're not going to be an embarrassment to this family."
The challenge in his father's voice hung in the air. The rest of the siblings exchanged uncertain glances, sensing the tension.
"Father," Tobias stepped forward, his voice confident. "Let me spar with Adam. We'll see if he's up to the task."
Mara grinned, cracking her knuckles. "I'll help too. Between the two of us, we should be able to test him properly."
Adam's eyes flicked between his brother and sister. The thought of sparring against both of them seemed almost laughable, given what he had become, but he kept his face neutral.
Duke Maxwell raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Very well. Let's see if Adam has inherited anything of use from this family. The sparring room."
A moment later, they all found themselves in the large training hall beneath the estate, the walls lined with swords, shields, and magical artifacts. The quintuplets sat off to the side, eager to watch, while their mother stood quietly near the door, her hands clasped together. The room was alive with a quiet tension.
Tobias picked up a longsword, his stance immediately showing the discipline of years of training. Mara, ever the tomboy, flexed her hands and opted for no weapon at all—her fists had always been her preferred tools. Adam didn't bother to pick up a weapon. He didn't need one.
"Ready?" Tobias asked, his expression serious.
Adam nodded, keeping his face blank, though he felt the familiar hum of danger settling in his muscles.
Without warning, Tobias lunged, his blade singing through the air. Adam sidestepped easily, almost lazily, as if Tobias had moved in slow motion. He could see every angle, every intent behind his brother's movements. Mara followed up immediately, charging with a flurry of punches aimed at Adam's midsection. She was fast, but not nearly fast enough.
Adam blocked her strikes with effortless precision, dodging and parrying every blow, making it seem like he was barely trying. His movements were fluid, graceful, and before long, he had both Tobias and Mara struggling to keep up. They attacked in unison, working together as they had so often done, but even together, they were outmatched.
Adam spun around Mara's punch, catching her wrist and redirecting her momentum into Tobias, who stumbled backward with a grunt. With a few more swift movements, Adam disarmed Tobias of his sword and sent Mara tumbling to the ground with a well-placed sweep of his leg. It was over in seconds.
Adam stood over his siblings, pretending to catch his breath, though he wasn't even remotely tired. He could have ended the sparring match in an instant if he had wanted to, but he had held back, significantly.
Tobias wiped the sweat from his brow, pushing himself back to his feet with a look of shock. Mara stayed down for a moment longer, staring up at her older brother, then laughing. "Well," she said, still grinning, "you haven't lost your touch, have you?"
Adam shrugged, playing off his victory as though it had cost him more effort than it had. "Guess not."
Tobias, looking more serious, nodded in grudging respect. "You're stronger than I expected. I'll give you that."
Maxwell had watched the entire match with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. But Adam knew that his father could see through his act. He knew that for Adam, this had been nothing more than a warm-up.
"Enough," Duke Maxwell said, his voice cutting through the moment like a blade. He stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Adam. "You held back. You barely even tried, did you?"
Adam didn't respond immediately. He simply met his father's gaze, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. They both knew the truth. What Tobias and Mara had faced was a fraction of Adam's true skill—skills his father had known about for years but never revealed to the rest of the family.
Maxwell's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press further. Instead, he nodded once. "You may be ready for the Academy after all."
The others began to filter out of the sparring room, but Maxwell stopped Adam with a hand on his shoulder. "Stay a moment."
Adam lingered behind as his siblings and mother left, the air between him and his father heavy with unspoken tension. When they were finally alone, Maxwell's demeanor shifted, becoming more focused, more intense.
"You think I didn't notice," Maxwell said quietly, his voice low and dangerous. "But I saw. You've become more than I ever anticipated. What your grandfather put you through… it's changed you."
Adam said nothing, his expression unreadable.
Maxwell's grip on his shoulder tightened slightly. "I know what you're capable of, Adam. But don't think for a second that your true nature will go unnoticed at the Academy. The Crown Prince, his sister, and every noble family with power will be watching you. And you can't afford to slip up."
Adam met his father's gaze, his own expression cold and determined. "I won't."
Maxwell released his shoulder, stepping back. "Good. Because this world isn't kind to those who are different. You'll have to decide what you want to show them and what you need to hide."
With that, Maxwell turned and left the room, leaving Adam alone in the silence. Adam stood there for a moment, letting his father's words sink in. He had spent years mastering his skills in secret, honing himself into a weapon unlike any other. But now, as he prepared to enter the Royal Academy, the true test would begin.