Chapter 9 - Lesson

Atticus strolled to his classes that morning and admired the view. The majestic sight of the Ravenstein Mansion stood before him.

The mansion stood at several storeys. It was gothic with a touch of modernity, carrying the Ravenstein insignia at the top.

The sunlight danced off the mansion's windows, casting a warm glow on the flowers.

The gardens caught his attention.

Manicured lawns, bursting with colourful flowers, trimmed hedges added beauty to the surroundings. He caught himself spacing out as he stared at them.

As Atticus entered the room with a confident stride, his gaze landed on a woman with lustrous brown hair flowing down her shoulders, awaited him.

She was pretty with warm honey eyes. Atticus took a liking to her from the first time he met her.

She greeted him with a bow "Good morning, young master. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you, Miss Aeryn," Atticus replied calmly, with a smile. He enjoyed his

lesson with Aeryn and even had a small crush on her. "You promised we'd tell me about

Eldoralth's history today. I hope you don't plan on going back on your word?" he added.

"Of course not, young master. I've gotten permission from Lady Anastasia, you don't have to

worry."Aeryn replied.

She had been a bit skeptical when they called her in to tutor a four year old, but despite his tender age, Atticus possessed a great intellectual ability and a fascinating mind. He was not like other kids his age. Atticus was not at all inferior to adults in his learning capacity.

In various subjects, he displayed unthinkable aptitude. Concepts that would typically baffle

older students were pieces of cake for him. Whether it was basic addition or complex

problem-solving, Atticus excelled.

'What a little monster,'' She thought. Aeryn looked forward to how much better he would be when he got older.

"Great, let's get started," he said as he sat down, overly eager to finally learn about the world.

"Alright, Let's start with what you know about our world.'' she asked, focused on him, curious to see what he knows.

"Nothing much. Just that there are other races out there and we're at war against an alien race"

Atticus answered.

"Oh, you know about the war? I'm surprised Lady Anastasia allowed for that." Aeryn replied. Aeryn had always known Atticus' mother to be a fiercely protective woman, shielding Atticus from the harsh realities of the world.

Seeing the small smile on Atticus' face, she continued,

"Alright, you're right about that. You see, a century ago in Eldoralth, humans coexisted with several other races, each with their own unique beliefs and cultures. However, tensions often

ran high due to our differences, leading to a few wars throughout history.

"But one day, everything changed. An alien race attacked, the Zorvans. They possessed

advanced technology and strong bodies, posing a significant threat to us and other inhabitants

of Eldoralth."

Aeryn paused to check if Atticus was paying attention, and smiled when she saw him listening

attentively.

She continued, "Humanity realized that we had to ally with the other races if we would stand a fighting chance. We communicated with the other races, eventually forming a powerful alliance known today as the Alliance of Eldorium."

"With the Alliance in place, we gained access to invaluable knowledge and technologies. In addition to this, we used some tech gotten from Zorvans we defeated to advance our own weaponry. From this point, we started to counter attack.''

Aeryn stopped to take a sip of water from the cup on her table and continued.

"Naturally, the aliens were more powerful than we were, coupled with their advanced technology, they were a lethal force. We did win some battles but we were slowly losing the war. Our leaders became desperate as reality set in."

Atticus had so many questions. Why were the aliens so powerful? He didn't want to interrupt Aeryn so he simply kept listening.

"Fortunately, one day, in a secret meeting," She continued, "the Alliance's top scientists presented a revolutionary technology: a planetary shield capable of shielding the entire planet from the Zorvans."