Four years have gone by since we went to the academy, I left the city once I had enough coins and used my bloodlust to quench it's hunger on a wild deer in the forest, and I once I took care of that urge I continued those years working hard as a courier, saving up coins and using that to buy training equipment to keep my skills from declining, and my Mother Melani spent the last days of summer packing clothes for me, and mentally preparing to be alone in the house while I'm at the academy.
"Darius come on son, I took the day off, so that I could see you off."
I put on my shoulder duffelbag filled with all the coins I had saved up over the last four years working, and then I grab the two traveling suitcase filled with clothes, since the letter of acceptance I recieved explained, that even though I'd be given five sets of academy uniforms, and that bringing clothes from home is highly encouraged, my mom asks.
"alright, now are you sure you are not forgetting anything?"
I respond while tucking in the necklace.
"yes mom, I have my coins, my necklace and my acceptance letter is the breast pocket of my tunic."
she sighs in relief.
"okay then, time to go, you don't want to miss orientation."
after leaving the house, I remember the letter mentioning if any new students miss orientation, then they are automatically denied from attending
Hultan Academy.
"there is no way I'm missing that orientation."
while walking to the street I notice many kids and there parents heading towards the same direction
carrying their luggage as well.
"looks like I won't be missing orientation if I'm spotting this many students heading to the academy at this time."
we finally arrive at the front gates of the academy and a massive cluster of people are gathered around waiting to get into the academy, I take out the letter of acceptance and hold it in my hands waiting to enter, my mom then asks.
"whoa there must be at least thousands of students here."
I reply.
"yeah, hopefully the new students don't get punished, because of the long wait to enter."
she responds.
"I don't think so honey, they are probably used to having this many students on this day."
a familiar female voice chimes in.
"you are correct about that, Miss Melani."
I look to my right and see Elaine Laconia wearing the same red and black victorian hat, with a blue flower attached to it over her long blonde curly hair, a red and black victorian dress just like last time, and next to her stood a man with pointy ears just like Elaine, light blue eyes, wearing a red and white victorian suit, with black trousers, who Elaine introduces.
"Melani and Darius, meet my husband Rykiel Laconia."
he shakes both of our hands.
"Elaine hasn't stopped talking about your son Darius since she has met him."
he stops to look at me and said.
"and I can see why, I'm sensing some strong untapped inner strength within him."
Elaine chuckles.
"I told you I was right about him, my dear husband."
after kissing each other on the lips she looks around and asks him.
"where is Halvine?"
before he got to answer her question, a girl who looks like she is around my age with wavy blonde hair, hazel-green tint eyes and pointy ears, wearing a dark gray tan tunic, with white leggings, and brown traveling boots made of leather, emerges from the crowd beside us.
"I'm here mom, I was checking the gates, and they are slowly letting students in one by one."
Elaine grabs her arm and said.
"come and meet Missus Edwards and her son Darius who is also going to be a first year."
she stares at me with her hazel-green eyes and said with disdain in her voice.
"momma he's got brown skin, are you sure he is worthy to serve The Laconia family?"
I let go of my traveling suitcases and said with gritted teeth.
"I don't serve no one."
I then look to both Elaine and Rykiel.
"I appreciate that you are covering my tuition expenses, but like I've told Elaine, I'm not serving any damn family."
my mom gasps and smacks me in the back of the head.
"don't be rude to your benefactors."
she apologizes and insists that I should do the same but I just click my tongue, and respond.
"no I'd rather not."
she smacks me again and chuckles nervously.
"look Darius doesn't mean that."
Elaine replies.
"don't worry, this just shows me why I want Darius
to serve my family."
Rykiel nods in agreement.
"you can feel the fiery passion in him."
Elaine then sternly said to her daughter Halvine.
"you apologize to Darius now."
she gives me an annoyed eye roll, that Elaine didn't notice, and said with zero sincerity.
"I'm sorry Darius."
Mistress Isabelle always taught me to never apologize if I don't meant it, even though my mom
doesn't like that I'm using lessons that were taught to me Mistress Isabelle, she still understands certain lessons that were taught to me, are not all necessarily bad, so I respond to her insincere apology.
"how about you take that sorry and shove it.
my mom interrupts me by smacking in the back of the head.
"this is so embarrassing, I'm truly sorry for his behavior."
I think to myself.
"I never cared for disingenuous apologies, I'd have more respect for her if she just kept her mouth shout and not given in to the pressure to apologize."
my mom and Halvine's parents start conversing amongst themselves, while Halvine gives me a look of wanting to teach me a lesson.
"you should have just accepted my apology any smart person would not done what you are doing."
I chuckle.
"you know I'd have more respect for you if you just openly hated me, and not forced yourself to apologize to me, when you weren't sincere about it."
the crowd of students continue to diminish, until it was our turn to get in, one of the guards looks at me and asks with a voice filled with confusion.
"are you lost kid?"
I hand him over my acceptance letter, he looks at it and replies.
"oh my apologies, we don't get many dark skinned people in the academy."
he looks at my mom and said.
"you won't be allowed to enter the premises."
she hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.
"please take care of yourself and don't go around looking for trouble."
she takes a good look at me and tears start to form in her eyes.
"look at you, I'm very proud in what a fine young mean your growing up to be."
I hug her.
"don't worry mom, we'll see each other again during my summer break."
I enter the campus with my belongings while she waves goodbye to me, and as I walk down the walkway path, Halvine calls me out from behind.
"hold up Darius."
I stop and ask annoyed.
"what do you want?"
she approaches me, while all of her luggage is floating in the air around her.
"I know we got off in the wrong foot, but I was tasked to convince you to serve my family."
I respond and walk away.
"and I already rejected the offer."
she stands in front of me to stop me, with her luggage still floating around her.
"listen, if you accept my offer, you wouldn't have to stay in common dormitory with the other students."
she points at the many houses I've seen before in a few years ago.
"you would be staying in our house with other students who have proven to be worthy to serve our family, and some of my older cousins."
she points at me and said.
"I might not understand or see what is the big deal with you, but I trust my mom's and dad's judgment, and will do what is required to bring you to serve us."
I sigh.
"can we get through orientation first before, I go on deciding my future so soon."
she sighs.
"don't think too long, or you'll lose a good opportunity."
before I get a chance to respond to her, a booming male voice, echoes through sky.
"all first years gather by the fountain for orientation!"
my ears perk up upon hearing that, Elaine than said to me.
"well let's go gather there, and see if there any worthy first years I can recruit."
we arrive at the fountain and already notice a couple of adults dressed, in your typical scholar cltohing mixed in the crowd of around a hundred students, I laugh in mind.
"I can't believe they have the same goofy clothing that demon scholars wear."
I look to my side and notice that Halvine was still hanging around, I sigh to myself.
"at least she isn't bugging me with her talking."
even though her presence is annoying, I at least applaude her efforts to get me on her side even if she and I already don't like each other, and as more students gather, the male voice booms through the air again.
"orientation will be starting soon!"
I look around and just noticed that everyone's luggage is floating around them.
"I should really put more effort in learning magic so I can do things like that."
as we stand around waiting, a familiar looking male human, with short and black spiky hair, wearing a similar outfit as me, except his whole attire is dark gray approaches me like he recognizes me.
"Darius is that you?"
it took me a moment to finally realize who it was, and went straight for a hug while smiling.
"Ryan, how have you been brother?"
surprised that I did that, hugs me back.
"I didn't think I would see you again."
we pull away and I chuckle as pat him on the shoulder.
"I can't believe that you've managed to lose all that weight."
he scratches the back of his head while smiling.
"it's all thanks to you brother, you believed in me when others didn't."
I ask.
"since you are here, I assume that you were adopted?"
he nods.
"I'm very great full that my mom and dad, they worked very hard so that I can attend the academy."
he asks.
"what about you? what are you doing back here?
didn't that demon lady take you back to the land of the demons with her?"
I respond.
"yeah, but it turned out that she was insane, and I faked my death so that I can run away and come back."
he responds.
"so that is how it happened? she came back to inform all of us about your untimely death, but for some reason I had a gut feeling telling me that you were still alive."
he places his hand on my shoulder.
"which is why I attended the academy, to become stronger so that I can look for you."
I get a good look at him and conclude to myself.
"he's gotten very strong, I can already feel this overwhelming aura exuding from him."
he wraps his arm around my shoulder and said.
"this is going to be fun, look at all the cute girls around us."
I sigh.
"I forget around this age kids are dealing with puberty."
he then notices Halvine, and asks.
"is that cutie a friend of yours?"
I shake my head.
"no, she is some annoying girl trying to recruit me to serve her family."
she stares daggers into me with those hazel-green eyes.
"I heard that."
I reply.
"good for you."
he waves at her while smiling like a goofball, I then come up with an idea and said to her while pointing at Ryan.
"if you recruit my friend, I'll be more inclined to serve your family."
her pointy ears perk and asks.
"would you really?"
I nod while placing my hand on his shoulder.
"yeah, we took a brotherly oath and wherever he goes I go."
Ryan asks.
"excuse me brother but who exactly is she?"
I respond.
"her name is Halvine Laconia, from the Laconia Family."
upon hearing the prestigious family name, he immediately kneels in front of her and lowers his head.
"I'd be honored to serve your family."
she replies unamused.
"okay."
we then get interrupted with the same booming voice.
"all first years students prepare for orientation."