Endyr woke with a casual yawn, stretching himself out and getting up from bed. He cleared away the sleep from his eyes and tried to fix his dishevelled hair. After a minute of half-baked success, he gave up and instead changed clothes. Once he was done, he turned to the mirror in the corner and took a good look at himself.
His hair was a different shade of red than his mother's. While Raphaniel had hair like a raging fire, Endyr's was a darker shade, like thickened blood. His eyes were a soft golden that faded to white, like platinum. His face was slightly more refined than an average four year old's, and was already quite handsome. Endyr guessed it was the result of his [B- Charm], as he had a crystalline look to him, like diamond. Even by his standards as a Denizen of Infinity, he looked appealing to the eye. Endyr ran his fingers through his hair, measuring it mentally. He preferred it long, like Sia and his mother, and entertained the idea of using a hairband to tie it into a ponytail. It had already reached the nape of his neck, and Endyr had no plans to cut it either, so such an item would likely be necessary.
In the end, Endyr decided to let it be and he moved away from the mirror. After straightening his clothes one last time, he left his room and walked towards the dining room. Sia had explained where everything was while the two went to the Affinity Test the day before, and Endyr had memorised the layout based on her words. When Endyr entered the dining room, he was hit by the enticing aroma of breakfast. Raphaniel and Sia were already present and looked up at him as he arrived. Mouth salivating despite himself, Endyr proceeded to take a seat beside his sister and dug into the food presented to him.
On the side, Raphaniel watched as her son payed them no heed and simply began eating. Frustration stirred before she forced it down and focused on her own meal. She took note however, the casual comfort he carried himself out with beside his sister. She had received reports that Altair refused to allow anyone to touch or even get too close to him, such as maids and guards. Indeed, Sia was the only one Altair did not actively push away from what Raphaniel could tell. On one hand, she was proud her children were close, but the fact that Altair was ONLY close to his sister left a bad taste in Raphaniel's mouth. It was a sign of her failures and neglection as a parent.
The breakfast was carried out in silence, orchestrated by Endyr and Raphaniel. As the meal wore on, Sia began to grow restless with the lack of conversation and started peeking at her mother. After the 10th glance, Raphaniel sighed and put down her spoon.
"What is it, Sia?" she asked. The young girl flinched slightly before awkwardly clearing her throat. "Nothing mother...I was just wondering if you have anything to talk to us about. Like our Ascensions, for instance!". Beside her, Endyr let out an inaudible chuckle. Despite her efforts, his sister had failed to conceal her childish glee at the prospect of learning more on the matter of Ascension. Of course, Endyr was hardly any better, but he refused to show any signs of interest first. A petty sense of pride, perhaps.
Sensing the same as Endyr, Raphaniel's lips began to curve upwards. She picked up her spoon and resumed eating. "No, I having nothing to say" she denied. Sia puffed up her cheeks and glared at her mother, well aware she was being picked on. Raphaniel managed to keep a straight face for a long time before letting out a laugh and facing her daughter. Endyr had a slight grin present on his own face. "Oh, I just remembered! I do, in fact, have something to talk to you about!"
Sia made her displeasure known, but quietened down regardless to listen to her mother. Endyr also stopped eating, giving Raphaniel his full attention. Noticing this, Raphaniel got serious and leaned in. "This is a very serious topic: I need you to think rationally about this" she warned.
Endyr and Sia shifted subconsciously on their seats and sat up straighter. Another chuckle escaped Raphaniel as she looked at their rather cute attempts to be serious. Clearing her throat, Raphaniel resumed speaking.
"My associate and I have decided that it is no longer safe for you to stay here. I don't expect you to understand, we we-House Atrazark- have many enemies in the Gaia Continent. These enemies are the ones responsible for sending that assassin after you several days ago. In order to protect you...I have no choice but to send you away."
Sia widened her eyes and shouted in protest. "That's not fair! What do you mean, send us away?! What about you, will we see you again!?" Sia was panicking and confused at her mother's words, and she was also afraid. Sia didn't know the ins and outs of it, but she was certain Raphaniel held quite a bit of power and prestige. But if she is forced to end them away, then her enemies had to be even stronger. So Sia was not just worried about herself and Altair, but also Raphaniel.
Her mother stared into Sia's eyes for a moment before shifting her gaze towards Altair. He looked back at her blankly, no sign of distress visible. Indeed, his eyes were as calm as a lake and his composure was impeccable. Seeing the state of his sister, he decided to speak up. "Where will we be going, and for how long?" he asked. "You will be going to Sky Cross Academy, a special institute for Ascenders in the centre of the Gaia Continent. It is a school where young Ascenders go to train and grow stronger. It's mainly comprised of Noble's children, but there are a fair number of Commoners too. As for how long...at least a year."
Endyr closed his eyes, digesting what she had said. Sia tried to do the same, but blurted out only a minute later. "A whole year?! Will we see you during that time at least?"
Raphaniel seemed tired as she answered her. "You wont be seeing me during that time, nor will you have anyone else by your side. It will just be you and your brother at the Academy, so I need you to take care of each other. My associate I mentioned is a teacher there, so he will provide for you at the start at least."
Endyr opened his eyes and once again resumed eating. "So, we will receive an education from this Sky Cross Academy, and also protection from those that wish us harm, yes? In that case, I presume the Academy is a highly strict and secure neutral ground for Nobles, making it an ideal place to shelter until this storm blows over" he spoke between bites.
Sia looked at Altair in shock at his words, while Raphaniel squinted at him. "Yes, your understanding is quite impressive Altair" she conceded. "On that note, you two will be leaving shortly. My associate will be here to pick you up in the evening, and you should arrive at the Academy by the end of the day." Seeing the confusion of Sia's face, she added " You will be using the Teleportation Circles to arrive. Going by carriage to the Academy would take at least three days, if not more."
Sia stilled seemed to be taking in what was said, but Endyr had accepted everything already. He was actually excited about the prospect of going to this...Academy. It was a chance for him to learn more about the world and how it functioned. If it was truly as Raphaniel had described-the centre of Ascenders on the Gaia Continent, then the opportunities were near endless. He was just slightly worried the System would not finish updating before he arrived. The Academy may claim true neutrality, but Endyr had no doubt powerful Nobles had a way to bend these rules. The fact Raphaniel's "associate" was a teacher proved the presence of favouritism.
The breakfast finished and the participants stood up. "I guess we should pack?" Endyr questioned. Raphaniel nodded in response. "You should bring anything you think is important, along with at least three changes of clothes. The Academy has a special currency, but the standard should still do you in a pinch, so bring some too." With that, the meal officially came to an end and Endyr split from his sister and mother.
He entered his room and looked around, thinking on what to pack. His gaze lingered on the bookshelf, but before he could grab anything, he was distracted by a familiar *Ding!*
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