Returning to his room with a full stomach, Jaylen felt a deep sense of satisfaction, even though he hadn't eaten his favorite food. What he had consumed was good enough to satisfy his hunger, and now, he was ready to focus on the letter from Silvaria.
As Jaylen entered his room, the creaking of the wooden floorboards under his feet filled the silent space. He took a seat at his desk, the chair emitting a slight squeak as he settled into it.
Letting out a long, deep breath, he tried to clear his mind, the sound of his exhalation echoing softly in the quiet room. He needed to be in the right frame of mind before reading whatever Sil had written.
After a few minutes of careful adjustment, Jaylen reached out and picked up the letter.
The rustling of the paper was the only sound as he opened the envelope with slow, meticulous movements. He could feel the texture of the paper, slightly rough against his fingers, adding a tangible reality to the moment.
Unfolding the letter, Jaylen's composure shattered upon reading the first sentence. "Hey Dumbass, you don't have to be so serious reading a letter."
He stared at the words, stunned into silence, before breaking into a fit of laughter. His laughter rang out, a loud, joyous sound that filled the room and echoed off the walls.
It continued for several minutes before it finally subsided. "Ha ha, Sil, you really know us well, huh," he said aloud, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.
He continued reading. The next part said, "Are you finished laughing? Good. Now, I know you won't ask any questions because you know I won't answer them."
"And that's good; I won't have to waste time writing down what you would ask. I'll probably have to do that for the others, though. Yep, that's right, yours is the first one I'm writing. Go ahead and cheer."
With a grin, Jaylen let out a cheer, fully intending to rub it in Yuki's face later. As he continued to read, the letter said, "Huh, you really cheered. Haa, what did I expect?"
Jaylen could almost visualize Sil facepalming at that moment, but he continued reading. "Alright, but on a more serious note, you, Jaylen, have a long road ahead of you, and to be honest, I'm concerned."
"Knowing you, you'll bottle everything up until it blows up in your face, and honestly, you should stop. To survive in this world, you will need to deal with things that even those with the coldest of hearts would have difficulty handling."
"You should try to rely on those with you, probably not Brandon, but everyone else is fine. I know this isn't the type of letter you were expecting, but it's all you can get from me. Hell, even the others didn't get anything special. After all, your journey is just beginning."
Reading those last words, Jaylen felt a heavy weight settle in his chest. The room seemed to grow quieter, the earlier echoes of his laughter now a distant memory.
He carefully folded the letter and placed it in a safe spot, the sound of the paper crinkling as he did so.
Rising from his desk, Jaylen left the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. His destination was unknown.
In a different building in the same city, Yuki sat on her bed, her hair still a little damp from her recent shower. She held Sil's letter in her hands, feeling the smooth, cool paper against her fingertips.
She wasn't sure if she should read it now or wait until later. Honestly, she was terrified to find out what was written inside, but then she remembered her resolve to stop sitting around like a damsel in distress.
With a determined breath, she opened the letter. The faint scent of ink and parchment wafted up as she began reading.
"Look who finally decided if she was going to read the letter or not. By now, Jaylen probably finished his, but hey, you're still faster than Sarah and Brandon. And sorry to say this, yours was the last letter I wrote for good reason, of course."
Yuki clicked her tongue in annoyance, knowing that whoever's letter was written first would never let the others hear the end of it. "Hmm, did you just click your tongue? You better hope my godchild doesn't pick up that behavior."
Reading that line, Yuki blushed deeply, then yelled, "Who's godchild? Go have your own child instead!"
Only after she read the next line did she realize what she had yelled unconsciously. "Did you just tell a dead person to have a child? How cold-hearted." She felt a pang of guilt but then remembered Sil was just teasing her. Sil had always said she didn't want kids.
Continuing on, the letter said, "Bingo, you remember. While I don't mind having a godchild, I would one hundred percent hate having my own. So congrats, you're up one." Yuki was confused—since when was this a competition?
"Alright, I'll stop playing around. Yuki, you probably have the most difficult future. No matter what you say or how you act, I know deep down how you feel. No matter what Jaylen's going through, you will be there for him, and that's why your future is going to be difficult."
"If you choose to run away and avoid everything, then that's fine, but you will suffer a lot. If you continue to go with the flow, as you phrased it earlier, then you'll be fine. Oh, and remember, if anyone causes you any trouble, let them feel the burn of ice."
Reading those final lines, Yuki felt a mix of determination and anxiety. She threw the letter onto the bed and stood up, stretching. The room felt smaller, the weight of Sil's words pressing down on her.
Looking at the letter on her bed, she spoke aloud, "Well then, I guess I'll get some training in so that I can make the main menace feel what the burn of ice is like."
Walking over to her cabinet, Yuki changed into some training clothes, the fabric soft and cool against her skin. She left her room, the door closing with a resolute thud.
In another location, a swarm of bats flew through the darkness, their wings flapping with a soft, rhythmic rustle. They gathered at the balcony of a tall building, their bodies merging and twisting until they formed a person.
The person's white hair dangled behind them loosely as they walked across the balcony, their footsteps almost silent against the cold, stone floor. They pushed open the glass door and entered the expansive living area.
The person stopped as a girl with similar features spoke to them. "Sarah, how was your training?"
"It was good, Iris Onee-Chan," Sarah responded briefly, her voice tinged with fatigue as she continued toward her room. The soft glow of the chandeliers reflected in her eyes as she walked, her shoes clicking lightly on the polished marble floor.
As she reached her door, her sister's voice called out again, "Next time, don't forget to take off your shoes at the door."
Looking down, Sarah realized she had indeed left her shoes on. Sighing softly, she ignored it and entered her room, closing the door behind her with a soft thud.
The dim light inside cast long shadows, and she let out a heavier sigh, feeling the weight of the day settle on her shoulders. She took a seat at her desk, the cool wood pressing against her palms as she pulled out the letter she had received from Sil.
Setting the letter down on her desk, Sarah stared at it for a few minutes, the silence of the room enveloping her. The darkness seemed to press in, making her feel isolated and small.
After a while, she began to speak her thoughts aloud, her voice breaking the stillness. "Ugh, I want to read it now, but I feel so gross after training for so long. I'll take a nice bath first, then I'll read the letter."
Just as she made her decision, there was a soft knock at her door. "Young Miss Sarah, I have prepared a bath for you."
Hearing that, Sarah rose to her feet, the anticipation of the warm bath already making her feel a little better. She left her room, the door creaking slightly as it closed behind her.
Half an hour later, Sarah returned to her room, her skin glowing from the hot bath, and her damp hair clinging to her neck.
She wore loose-fitting pajamas that, while concealing her figure, did little to diminish her vampiric charm. "Haah, what a nice bath. Now I'm ready to read Sil's letter," she said, her voice filled with renewed energy.
Walking over to her desk, Sarah sat down and took hold of the letter, ready to open it. Just then, another knock came at her door. "Young Miss, sorry to bother you again. Lady Iris sent me to inform you it's feeding time."
Feeling the familiar hunger that signaled it was time to feed her vampiric diet, Sarah sighed. She informed the maid she was on her way, then looked back at the letter with a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Hmm, I guess you'll have to wait," she murmured, placing the letter back on the desk.
With that, Sarah left her room, the door closing behind her with a soft click, leaving the letter to wait in the quiet, dimly lit room.
In the final location, Brandon sat at a table laden with a sumptuous spread of food. Seated beside him were two children, their identical features and synchronized movements clearly indicating they were twins.
The room was steeped in silence, punctuated only by the soft clinking of silverware against porcelain plates.
As Brandon ate, his index suddenly lit up, indicating an incoming message through his device, a feature still in its experimental phase.
He answered it, and a holographic screen materialized above his index. The face on the screen bore a striking resemblance to Brandon, sharing his brown hair and piercing amber eyes.
"Father," Brandon said respectfully, giving a small but polite bow.
The face on the screen scoffed before speaking. "Brandon, are you still associating with those vermin? How many times have I told you, as a proud member of the Astros family, you should distance yourself from those with dirty blood."
"Yes, I understand, Father," Brandon replied, maintaining a calm facade. However, beneath his composed exterior, anger churned within him.
He despised his father and could never comprehend why his grandfather had allowed such a fool to lead the family.
"Good. I'll be calling in to check on your progress periodically. I expect exemplary results from you," Brandon's father said before abruptly disconnecting the call.
As the call ended, Brandon's simmering anger boiled over. He slammed his hands on the table, the loud thud causing the twins to jump in fright.
Seeing their startled expressions, Brandon sighed deeply. "Haah, sorry Pam, Carl. It was Father. You know how he is."
Pam, the more vocal of the two, spoke first to reassure him. "It's okay, big brother."
Carl nodded in agreement, their innocent understanding of their father's temperament evident despite their youth.
"Haa, my meal is ruined. I'm going to my room. You two continue," Brandon said, rising from his chair and leaving the dining hall. As he walked down the corridor towards his room, his thoughts drifted back to the words of his grandfather.
'Brandon, your father is an idiot, there is no denying that. But he was once a genius, a great person, and so much more. He became trapped in the past, becoming the fool you see today. Don't become like your father. Stay wary of the past and forge your own path forward.'
"Haa," Brandon sighed again, the weight of his grandfather's advice pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Upon reaching his room, he retrieved a letter from his pocket and, with a look of disdain, tossed it onto a growing pile of unopened letters.
Staring at the pile with scorn, Brandon muttered, "Hmph, why would I be interested in the words of a ghost? You can keep those chains to yourself."
Resolutely turning away from the letters, Brandon sat down in a meditative position, preparing to advance to the next stage of his training.
The ghosts of his past, especially the one named Silvaria, would not deter him from his path.