That was the last time the twins saw and heard of the man named Demas. They didn't even want to know what had happened. They had understood one thing and that was he was not to be trusted.
They carried on with their days as usual from then on. Learning to fight with their uncles, training their bodies with their father, as well as practicing magic. After which they would spend time with Jarett and Lecter.
Kiyan and Raten both were still trying to get a feel of the peaceful moments they were having. They couldn't shake the feeling that this may just be a phase letting them have a taste of a normal life. Something like the calm before the storm.
They saw their father less and less as time went on. Even their uncles would disappear for a while only to return two weeks later or so just to leave again the next day.
Still, they were content and had never been happier.
And just like the wind, three years went by since they left the village.
One glorious evening when the twins were returning from the little voyage they decided to take inside the forest behind their home, they were met with the three men at once. What took them by surprise the most was Agnar's smile.
What could possibly make him smile like that?
"It was very dangerous going in there knowing there's no one who could help if you're badly injured." One-eye said as they moved closer.
"True, but we're fine." Raten said.
"I was actually in search of something." Kiyan said, pulling a bag off his back. Raten also had something similar.
"Basic again?" Raymond asked.
"Pfft. They got boring fast," Raten replied. With a grin, he pulled out an object from the bag. "Greater beast." He held a clear crystal that had a magnificent glow about it.
The three men were beyond impressed. Not only did they come out of greater beast territory mostly unscathed, they had the beast's magical core. Raten had a total of five while Kiyan had six.
From a glance the three men could tell those crystals were close to, if not on the level of a king tier - greater beast king-, which meant the beasts slain were close to evolving. Truly impressive.
Knowing how the both of them are, they most likely faced their beasts on their own. Even when fighting against their father, they wouldn't team up.
"Remind me again why we're awesome at this." One-eye sniffled, wiping his non-existent tears of pride.
"We're just too good." Raymond fist pumped the air.
"Who's supposed to be getting praised here?" Raten raised a brow.
"I still don't understand why you insist we wait till we get to Darkmoon to use these." Kiyan said, looking into his bag. "We've collected so many now, how are we supposed to pack them?"
"If we told you everything, there would be no need to go to the academy, see?" Agnar said.
"I'm beginning to wonder if they'll ever open back up." Raten said.
"Oh? But they will." Agnar said, grabbing their attention immediately.
"You mean..?"
Agnar held up a flyer. The twins looked at it in shock at first, but then glee.
"In a few months, the entry exams for Darkmoon Academy will begin."
********
Lecter lay in his bedroom hearing his father rant again about him being a wizard and his mother, as usual, tried to calm him down. His father seemed to be drunk this time.
"Since he has so wisely and bravely chosen this path," his father said sarcastically. "He had better become something useful. The entrance exams are coming up soon. That ogre of a son had better be prepared. If he fails, he finds a new home!" Roland said and it was not a mere threat.
Lecter's ears rang hearing those words. He immediately had goosebumps.
"T-the academy's entrance exams are coming up?"
********
"Jarett? Jarett! Where has this boy gone?" A lady said in frustration. She had been searching for him for a while now. The earth had gotten darker informing her she had little time left.
"If the boy is not here, we should get going. You know how he gets when you're late!" The croaky voice of a coachman who rode a carriage slowly next to her as she searched for her brother, was heard and ignored.
The lady kept on wandering about the neighborhood, asking if anyone had seen her little brother, instead of an answer, she would get insulted, hit on, or completely ignored.
Kicking her feet, she sighed sadly.
"I guess, I won't see him today." Deciding to see her mother one last time, before she left, she went back home.
As she got close to a small wooden hut with thatched roofings, she noticed someone hurriedly step out.
"Jarett?" She said.
"Avila? Avila!" He exclaimed and ran towards her. She opened her arms and welcomed him in a warm embrace.
"Mom told me you had visited. I thought I missed my chance to see you." He pulled back and wiped a tear from his face. The coachman rolled his eyes at the siblings.
Avila smiled and hugged him even tighter, her lush brown hair fell over her shoulders and over her brother. They stood like that for a while before getting interrupted by the annoying coachman.
"Miss, you do remember where you're supposed to be, right?"
Avila then released herself from her brother's hold and ruffled up his laid back hair a bit with her fingers. She wiped the tears that now uncontrollably fell down his eyes.
"Oh no, please don't cry. If I knew you would get like this, I wouldn't have come." She cupped his cheeks with her hands and stared at him through her hazel eyes. Her eyes were teary as well, but she wouldn't let them fall and smiled instead.
"Look how tall you've gotten. You're almost taller than I am."
"I miss you, mom misses you too. When will this end? When will you come home?" He asked with a heavy heart. He glanced at how beautifully adorned she was.
From her head to her feet she was covered in jewelry, her lips had a red tint to it which complemented her red dress. The dress had a v-neck that went beyond the limits of what would be considered decent.
Her black coloured corset which was worn tightly did justice to not only her curves, but also the shape of her bosoms.
"Very soon brother, very soon." She responded. "Don't think about me right now, I have good news for you."
"What news would be better than knowing you would be free from the clutches of Lord Alvin?"
"Well, I was hoping the news of the entrance exams of Darkmoon Academy coming up soon would." she responded.
"Wait, really?! How do you know this?" He asked excitedly.
"Staying with Lord Alvin I get to hear a lot of news. Since it hasn't been announced in these parts yet, I thought I should tell you myself." She responded with a smile.
"This is great!" Jarett exclaimed. "You know, when I become a Wizard, I will make sure to punish Lord Alvin and everyone who did this to you."
"I'm sure you would." She ruffled up his hair with her fingers.
"Wait. No, I can't go." He said with fallen shoulders.
"What do you mean?" Avila asked.
"Mother's very ill, if I leave, who will take care of her?" He asked with worry. Avila had thought about how her mother would live all by herself, especially now that she is unhealthy.
She pleaded so much with her master to let her go home and see her family. It had been six years already and she wondered how they were faring.
She already made arrangements to get a maid for them to help out while she's away. The pay would be deducted from what she earns to pay back a debt, but she didn't mind working a few extra years as long as her family would be okay.
"Don't worry about that, I have everything sorted out. I have been given the grace of the week so I'll be here again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, you get what I mean."
"Just be a good boy and be with mother. You are already doing an outstanding job here, so keep it up. I know you'll grow up to be a better man than my master."
"Are you leaving already?" He asked as her tone of speaking suggested so. She nodded in response.
He studied her appearance and looked sullen.
"I'm glad I got to see you again after so long." He enveloped her in a hug and she reciprocated it. "Who knows I might just work hard and get the money to pay off everything and you'll be free from that prison."
He spoke and moved her hair a bit making the mark a little beyond her shoulder visible. Even if she is free from them, what man would want to get married to a prostitute?
Holding a cane in her hands to help her maintain balance and walk properly, the mother of the brother-sister duo stepped out of the house.
Right now, it felt more like a home than it did before, her daughter had resurfaced after six years of being forcefully taken by those her late husband was a debtor to.
Her lips curved upwards into a smile as she watched her children wrapped up in each other's embrace. The poor woman teared up instantly.
"Ahem.." The coachman pretended to clear his throat to gain their attention.
"I apologize for my intrusion but I have watched this go on and it's really depressing. Ms. Avila, we are running late, we should get going." He spoke in his ever infuriating voice. Avila sometimes wished she could strangle him to death.
"Alright then, I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of your day." She moved away and walked towards the carriage. "Bye mother and brother! See you tomorrow. Toodle-oo!" She waved them goodbye and got in the carriage.
The croaky coachman wasted no time and made the horses move, taking Avila away from her family and back to her master who liked to refer to himself as her 'owner'.
___________
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