The birds were resting in the window of my room, they looked similar to sparrows but their feathers were tinted in the color of neon blue, a small shimmer of glow could be seen from their wings.
"Amusing" I couldn't help myself but be shocked at every little creature I've seen here. It wasn't like this back home at least.
It's been two days since I apparently collapsed with a high 'fever' and one day since I woke up, after the mess with my sister and the doctor's check up. I had some time to myself, I requested Rayn, the head butler to allow me to rest in my own room.
It was when I finally moved back into my room did I realize how big this room is...It's MASSIVE! What do you do with all this empty space, I am not used to living with so much space!
*cough*
"ahem..." I turned to the voice that was trying to grab my attention "It seems you aren't interested in this old man's worries" Rayn told me as he massaged his forehead, I didn't say anything but nervously smile at him.
Rayn seems to have come to a conclusion of his own, without asking me any questions and has been explaining me about 'myself', my life and my family.
"I will go over this one more time young master, please pay attention to my words" Rayn said so in a scolding manner before coughing with his hand and then pointing at the massive smart TV he bought along with him. He grabbed a stylus and started writing something.
"You are Arnold Von Armsberg, the 2nd child of the Armsberg family" He pointed a portray that somewhat looked like a simplified version of my face "And this is Seraphine Von Armsberg, the 3rd child of the Armsberg family and your younger sister" He pointed at a drawing of sera, which was honestly cute to look at "He even drew her hair in red unlike mine, since her hair is just pure red while mine has strands of black"
He then erased the board before drawing another chibi head with red head on it, but this time he also made her eyes red "And this is Aisha Von Armsberg, The 1st child of the Armsberg family and the future heir" he drew two arrow that connect me and Sera with her "She is also your elder sister and an exceptional person that is the pride and joy of this noble family" He slightly puffed his chest out as he said that. I could clearly see his eyes sparkling as he talked about her.
"Aisha...Sister Aisha" My smile widened a little as a thought came across my head, there was also a weird sense of pride that was swelling somewhere within and I didn't miss it.
Rayn who seemed to have looked at my smiling face suddenly asked "Did you perhaps faintly remember something Young master"
"Yes, perhaps I did" Rayn looked puzzled and seemed like he wanted to ask more but stopped himself before continuing the lesson.
***
"Rayn, have I always been using my fist instead of any weapon or items?" I asked him, Arnold's fighting style consisted of using his fists as his weapons, This was due to the inherent lack of talent that he possessed when it came to standard weaponry, neither did Arnold have a talent for martial arts.
"Rayn, can you get me an appraisal sheet?" I asked Rayn, who bowed to me telling me that he'll arrange for one, continued with his explanation.
Appraisal, one of the greatest inventions made by mankind, the ability to assess and quantify your skills into statistical form. Originally a skill that people could use and learn as time went on man learnt to embed skills into items and weapons, one such item is an appraisal scroll. Which are extremely hard to come by as those with appraisal have a really high demand in society after all. Appraisal sheet on the other hand is the degraded more common version of the item, it shows your basic information and your skills while the scroll is also able to display your quantified stats. There is something that I'd like to check now that my soul is also in this body.
"Each person is born with a unique insignia, your insignia is the ability bestowed by the world upon each person" Insignia, like the name implies is said to be a token or badge given to each person when they are born. The goddess Gaia, the very mother nature gave to the humans upon their birth. Not everyone is born with it, but those that are born with it are said to be rested with a responsibility.
Rayn extended his hand towards me and insanely the entire room became darker, the birds near the window flew away, the sunlight that shone through the became dimmer as bright orange light emerged from his hand and it took the shape of an ember "and this is the legacy of the Armsberg family, the red flames of hearth" The birds that flew away came rushing back in as they sat on his shoulders and arms "The flames that spread its warmth to everyone around like a blanket that tucks at night and keeps you safe" the ember from his grows as the birds start chirping, multiple floating embers light around the room, the entire room completely turns dark except for the embers that lighting it up. The birds happily around the room staying close to embers as the feather of the birds themselves change their glow from blue to a bright brilliant orange.
It was hard to express what I'm feeling right now, my heart was pounding, the only thing my eyes could see couldn't be described by my mouth or thoughts. Rayn stood at the center, his hand still extended with a flames floating on top of it, the light illuminating his face as the smile on his face showed how elegant and gentle his expression looked, his gray hair combed neatly, and his wrinkles showing his old age. I watched him as his mouth slowly moved.
"This" the embers around the gather around him
"Is the path" they extended from him to me, making a pathway of floating embers on either side of us as the only thing that shone in the room was the pathway towards the flames that were him.
"You must walk" My hand touched the flames that were on his, I didn't even realize I was walking towards them until I felt flames in his hand envelope me, the flames felt chaotic but controlled, fiery but gentle, constantly moving but stationary, So distant but familiar.
"Open your eyes" I heard Rayn's voice as I opened the eyes that I didn't know were closed until now, my eyes met with Rayn who had the same gentle smile as earlier.
"What....was that?" I asked him a question, the room around was back to normal as the birds were still in the window. Did I see an illusion? That flame, the flames of hearth.
"You don't remember the flames, but they remember you well" I suddenly felt my legs give out as Rayn grabbed me by the arms and helped me sit in the nearby chair.
"I'll call it here for now young master" Rayn politely bowed to me "I hope, you think through about what you saw back then" His gentle smile remained on his face as he left.
I felt exhausted, but in a good way now. I let out a huff before I looked at the bird near the window. I looked at the window letting the light seep through my fingers that were in front of me as I observed the edges of my fingers slightly turn orangish from the light passing through them "Flames of hearth.... The path I should walk..." I suddenly felt like a massive burden just got placed on me, even though I haven't done anything.