The professor who had seen them at the same time as Dharen just smiled a little and stepped to the side, intent on letting the group meet the new student. He knew that due to the many events that were happening in the south at the current time as well as that of all that has happened in the past, the Dragon-Kin had become a rather close group even if in the plateau, the lords there were always fighting and waging war upon each other.
There were five of them, or well six in the academy now as it seemed, with Dharan it meant that there were now two in the first year, with the other four being in the second, third, fourth and the final fifth year respectively.
The silence was broken by the most senior of the group, "I do not know who you are, but you should not be here. You being here is breaking the rules of our society. The lords have agreed to only send one person per year so that the inquisition remains as they are and so that they do not come hunting up in the plateau."
The words spoken by the man confused Dharen a lot, as he did not know of any such rule, not that he knew much of anything and at the mention of an inquisition he was suddenly on edge.
"What do you mean? I am not from wherever it is that you are all from, in fact I do not even know where I am from, if I am really honest I ended up here by accident as I was looking for a place to be well safe," Dharen had muttered in reply.
This was still clearly heard by everyone present, leaving the professor with a bemused expression, it only caused the five members of the group however to be confused.
This time it was a pretty looking lady who spoke. "What do you mean? How could you not even know where you are from? All of the Dragon-Kin in the south are in the plateau; those who were not here, have all since died out a long time ago due to the actions of the warlords and the inquisition of the churches."
Shaking his head, Dharen repeated what he had said about not knowing where he was from, which was further confirmed by the professor who wanted Dharen to at least have some people who he could fit in with, as he knew that most of the others who were staying at the academy did not approve of the Dragon-Kin and some of them out rightly tried to cause harm to them or they operated in the background causing more trouble for them instead.
The group in question all turned around, and were discussing something among themselves, each one looking back at him before looking forwards again as they spoke on what they should do themselves as well as with Dharen.
Then a few moments later, having seemingly come to some kind of decision they all once again looked forwards and surround Dharen who looked on at their actions feeling apprehensive but he did not move thinking that if they did try to do anything to him the professor would be there to protect from any of the actions not that he knew though, the school rules only would let the professor intervene if he was in danger of being maimed or killed, just being attacked did not warrant any kind of protection, and this was especially the case for the those who were part of the school that Dharen would be joining who prided themselves on making top-class officers for the various military forces across the south.
"So we have decided that we will not cause any problems for you being here." The eldest said.
"But that does not mean we will help and protect you while you are here." The fourth year said.
"You may be Dragon-Kin but you are not one of us, even with those eyes marking you as greater compared to most of our kin." The next in the circle, the third year had said.
"You need to prove to us you are worth it." That having been spoken by the second year, who was quickly followed by the first year, as she had seen that Dharen was about to try and speak.
"We will teach you of our ways though and of our culture, as you seem to nothing but nothing more than that until you show us you are worthy to be one of us."
They all then finally looked on at Dharen waiting to see what his reaction would be to all of their words, they knew how most of their Kin would react to there words, but there was just something that was off with Dharen, but they could not tell really what it was, but this is what they all intended to find out as they taught what it means to truly be one of the Dragon-Kin.
"Well, it is not like you have given me much of a choice so I will accept your offer, every other person that I have spoken has treated me different like I just did not belong so at least even like this with all of your…Conditions I will be not treated as much of an outcast as I have been so far." His words were met with pained but understanding smiles as they all nodded at them.
Then the youngest of them walked forwards, she like Dharen was in the first year and they would be classmates. I am Renna from the Moonshadow Clan, I will be your classmate, so I will be the one teaching and observing you all we can. So what is your name?"
She tried to be as polite as she could but her twitching cheek made it clear that was not used to it and struggled to keep formal as she was trying to do.
Dharen, seeing this, smiled inside, as he replied. "My name is Dharen and it is my pleasure to meet you and the others."
Renna looked at him for a minute, in a little confusion and then asked, "What about your Clan? Or at least family? I have never met another of our Kin from the highest to lowest ranked of our people not knowing anything about that, it is important to us all and more importantly a connection to our ancestors and history."
Dharen just shook his head sadly as he replied, "I do not have one as far as I know, I don't even know who…or well my…parents are."
It had taken him a few moments to reply, as he remembered who his parents were. They were not from here so that is not what they wanted to hear at all, and he knew that. Although something had bothered him in that moment, not that he showed it outwardly but he had struggled to remember the names of his parents alongside their faces. It was as if he was forgetting them already…and as he thought he found anything related to Earth was slowly being forgotten as if he did not have much memory of it.
This worried him, but there was little he could do now as he looked on at all of the group who had gathered around him looking worried at him having no knowledge of a Clan or family name.
The eldest suddenly spoke out, "What abou-." Though he was interrupted by the professor.
"That is enough for now, Dharen will have a long day tomorrow and I do wish to get some sleep tonight. So if you would excuse us both I will take him to his room, young Renna here can ask him all you wish soon enough."
The group just nodded their heads as the professor took Adrian away to the room for which he would be staying for the night.
Not that anyone knew, but deep below the academy in the nearly forgotten tunnels in one of the many chambers a pitch black sword lay there, and at the meeting between Renna and Dharen the blade trembled slightly emitting a black energy cleansing the room of dust and muck before it returned to normal as if nothing had happened…