Aloisius Houston looked down at his feet, gripping his fist tight. He has been here before. The mocking gazes, some of pity, most of disgust. He never thought he would get chosen in this academy. Never did, after all, he is just but a low-born.
In the world of Vrecepis, higher beings filled with aether roamed the world. They were called Aethians. With this power, they created a civilization like no other. Aethians strived to make the world a beautiful place with their god-given talents; some used theirs to destroy it. Thus as punishments, the highest and most powerful Aethians called Faes striped those of their aether. Thus humans were known.
Those lowly humans perhaps found solace with each other made families, and more. The children of the scorned. Aloisius Houston.
"Hey bud, cheer up!" Yandel said slapping him in the back. With Yandel beside Aloisius, the stares drifted afar.
Aloisius felt air returning in his lungs. Taking a deep breath he looked at his friend who was smiling at him teasingly. He gave a soft smile and nod. His friend, used to his quietness pushed him as they continued to walk to The Chosen Academy.
Built by the Fae, they pick children from all around Vrecepis to teach the old and new ways of magic. It is one of the most prestigious and sought-after academies, not only for its brilliant professors being the Faes and the secret knowledge passed down to its students. But also because of difficulty in getting in. The fame that comes to you for being chosen, after all, You do not choose the school. The School chooses you. Or so they say.
Throughout the thousands of years, it seems like the Faes got a little handsy. Rejecting the school's chosen ones and only accepting the noble's children. They say that the Faes went through divine punishment because of this from the Goddes of Light. Thus there became a new law, 10 of the schools chosen and 90 of the Faes.Â
"Welcome, dear chosens," a cool voice reverberated on the walls of the auditorium. Sharp clicks of heels accompanied the tall woman walking to the center stage.
Her sharp blue eyes looked over all the new students, reeling in all the powerful aether radiating each student except one. Her eye locking in on Aloisius. She flicked her long deep red hair and started her speech.
"You are all lucky to be here. Let us start with that. No one here entered through any shady connections, and I made sure of that." she said stomping her feet on the ground, causing red spikes to surround the students.
Aloisius breath hitched at the spike near his face. He can feel the aether's cold-bloodedness through the sharp gleam of its tip.Â
It's obvious with the display of power that they, freshmen will not have a pleasant time at the school. A small price to pay for eternal glory.
The speech continued about hard work and preservation and the rules. Oh, the rules. Aloisius' head spun at the rules the woman spewed. The list goes on and some of the noble children yawned. Thankfully his dutiful friend Yandel noted the rules with glee.
Seeing the bored look of the students, Ashel sighed. She knew the pain of this boring speech since she also suffered through that. But what can she do? She was ordered by a Fae to replace him because of a meeting.Â
'This batch is nothing else, but a waste of time. Full of brats who don't know the shit they're going into. All they can see is its glory. There's also a rotten apple here. An aetherless wizard. Pathetic'
As Ashel left the stage, the spikes also forfeited down the floor. A cheerful young man strutted up to them, giving them their class schedule.
Alosius waited in line as the bubbly man chatted with the women. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder followed by a force causing him to stumble to the side.
A young tall man with thick brows, sharp eyes, and a toothy grin looked at him condescendingly. His grin showed off all his sharp teeth. Even though he is dressed in the school's uniform, you can't help but feel the noble air all around him.
An intimidating sight to Aloisius especially with the fencing sword he is using to move him along.
'What is it with these pointy things at me today?' he frowned.
"Angry aloy?" the young man's voice sounded. He repeatedly pokes Aloisius's shoulder taking pleasure in his miserable look.Â
"No, Kurei. But I would like to advise you to ask people to move before shoving your sword at their shoulder," Aloisius responded looking down and shrugging the sword off his shoulder with his hands.
Kurei smiled wider at the act. "Oh, should I?" he said, his words dripping with malice.
"Human"
At once the auditorium grew quiet except for the bubbly senior's chatter. They all snapped their heads at him. Horrified of him. Disgusted by him. Ridiculed by them.
He can feel every inch of it in his being. Everything they will say, he has heard before. No need to cower now. His body shook with fear. Fear... of what? He faced all of this before. But he can still feel the pain as fresh as ever. Like a rusted knife cutting over a barely healed wound. Over and over again.
"Aloisius, Your Schedule," the cheerful man tapped his shoulder, seemingly oblivious of his background.
"Thank you," he mumbled snatching the paper before storming off.
"Llouie, I'm Llouie" Llouie said grabbing Aloisius arm.Â
The man's soft smile gave Aloisius the creep. Like a predator giving his prey mercy.Â
Yandel who finally wiggled himself out of the blockage of students ran over to Alosius hoping to catch up to him.
"Aloisius, what happened man? I left you for a minute," he said gasping for air as Alosius entered his dorm. Yandel followed but slammed himself on the invisible barrier of the room. Keeping him out because that was not his room.
"It's nothing man," Aloisius looked up chuckling at his friend's behavior before giving him access to enter. Yandel rubbed his sore nose and entered.Â
"Is it because of Ku-, what's his name again? Kwirbi? Kuirbe? Kuwrie?" Yandel asked sitting down on his friend's bed as Aloisius unpacked.
"It's Kurei"
"Well, he has a stupid girlish name. No wonder I forgot about it," looking at his friend intently, he can guess what happened.
"You know, it's not your fault you were born half-human. It's your Dad's fault, ok? If he didn't get with that vile wom-"
"Stop," Aloisius snapped. He can face all of this discrimination because of his mother. He can't believe his friend will slander her like this. Yes, his mother was a human, so what?
She was a descendant of the humans. Far from the sinners, the original humans. She didn't ask to be a human, never did he. So why label her as vile? As a seductress? When all she ever did was be herself. Be ever be proud of herself.
She stood her ground and worked hard in this wretched society only to get taken advantage of by his father. Because of him, she got tied to that monster. If it wasn't for him his mother would be...
"Aloisius, I know you're half-human. It may affect the aether in you. Until now well... I can't sense your aether," Yandel looked concerned. Genuinely concerned.
He knows his friend grew up being told that humans are vile, sick, devils in disguise and destroyers. Something that everybody was told when they were children. Over time, this discrimination was hidden like a knife. People can pretend to be amicable of sorts but they still have their prejudices against humans.
"I'll get by, after all, I'm a Houston," he said trying to sound hopeful that actually sounded like a cry for help.
"Can you take this sappy moment outside people?" an annoyed voice sounded. Yandel rolled his eyes and bounced off the bed.
"See ya around man," he said whistling his way out.
"Aloisius," he said extending his hand half expecting it to be slapped away.
"Xatu," he replied slapping his hand back to back, forming a fist, and bumping his hand.
"Nice to meet ya"
Slightly stunned at the action, Aloisius held his hand and and nodded speechlessly. Is the man he is living with, a psycho?
He sighed. Aloisius sat down at the nearby desk and opened his form with all his schedules.
Basic General Magic
Basic Magic:
*Fire
*Water
*Air
*Earth
*Light
*Dark
Technology fused magic
Marksmanship
Applied Magic
His face twitched with annoyance. He knew none of these things. Not only is he aetherless but also not knowledgable with any magic. He was locked away in their own home, forbidden to learn anything.
"If ya need some early reading, better head to the library. All books for free can even be borrowed as long as you have your student ID," Xatu exclaimed leaning over Aloisius.
"Ok?" he replied inching away uncomfortably. Xatu shrugged and took Aloisius' chips on the table.Â
"I'll take this as a reward for that info, see ya dude"
Aloisius blinked, surprised at the man's blatant behavior.
"Can I um, borrow these books?" a soft voice echoed in the barren library.
"Honey, baby. You do know that there is a limit to how many books you can borrow right?" the female librarian said lovingly.
"There is? How many books can I borrow?"
"5's the limit, baby"
"Ah, oh, ohkay. Well then, I'll borrow this and--"
Aloisius entered the library instantly noticing Honey. Her soft fluffy pink hair and purple eyes to match gave her a soft welcoming feel. He tore his gaze away from her when he noticed Kurei.
Cursing his luck, Aloisius walked quickly to the Magic Education section of the library. Suddenly he heard a yelp as he felt his body collide with another. He looked up from his feet and immediately caught Honey.
Surprised, the two of them locked eyes. The girl in his arms slowly turned pink from embarrassment.Â
"Look where you're going next time mister," she said high-pitched. She gathered her books on the ground and glared at him before leaving the library.Â
He shrugged, continuing on his way to the section. He knows he has seen that girl before. But when? He shook his head and picked all of the introductory books about all of his magic subjects. Holding more than ten books, he strutted to the librarian's desk to borrow them.
"Baby, you can only borrow five books a day. You can get a new one once you return one."
"Oh, I'll borrow this then," He replied counting 5 books on his stack and placing them on the librarian's desk.
"Okie Dokie, your Id please"
Aloisius looked around. Looking out for Kurei and observing the place. The homeliness that the library gives off is nice. With a big fireplace in the middle of the circular library. Rows of books on Dangling shelves and lots of pillows and blankets out for the students to use while reading.
He smiled and intended to walk back to the Magic Section noticed a book on the floor. It's that woman's book. Seems like she didn't gather all of her fallen books. He opened the book softly looking over the list of borrowers. His finger stopped at her name. Grazing it slightly he admired her printed, almost cursive handwriting.
"Mr. Houston, your books, please. And here's your ID," the plump woman said.
"Thank You. And oh, someone dropped this earlier Madam. I believe it was borrowed by Honey Lawrens." he said sliding the book over to the woman who gladly accepted it.Â
He gathered his things and left the library with a small smile on his face. He sat down with the books and started to read through them. The concepts, the math, the philosophy, the history.
Like a man thirsty for water he drank all the knowledge in the books fluidly. He wrote notes as fast as he could. His eyes never leave the book. For the first time in his life, he can quench his thirst for knowledge. Questions appeared on every new concept. The hows, whys, what, where, and when.Â
And just like he enjoyed those books like cold juice on a sunny day, he can feel the chill that came after it. The thought that he won't be able to execute any of it. He cannot for the life of him, bring out even a small slither of Aether.
There is something he can do tho. And it is to feel the Aether. His senses are more heightened than his friend Yandel. Unlike him, he can feel every speck of Aether in a 5-mile radius. On the trees, the plants, air, water, ground, and on people.Â
Unlike the specks of scattered Aether, the Aether on Aethians is consolidated. Tightly packed together. He feels them per se. Like the cold-bloodedness of Ashel's spikes. The light aether around Honey and the harsh aether of Kurein on his sword, ready to burst out at any moment.