"The Aether Stream is not a place to be taken wisely!"
Instructor Rel paced back and forth across the stage, there was a large blank space on the wall behind him. But it seemed that the Instructor preferred to simply shout at the people watching. The people watching were a crowd of youths, kids no younger than fifteen and none older than nineteen. Just over fifty teenagers listened to the man their expression showed their rapt attention. Not a single teenager idly chatted with their friend, or let out a giggle.
All were completely focused on Instructor Rel's words, all except Lauri who managed to successfully sneak into the auditorium.
Tip-toeing down the steps, Lauri slid into an empty seat. His neighbour gave him an expression Lauri could only discern as concern before turning back to listen to the Instructor. Letting out a breath he had been holding since opening the door, Lauri somewhat relaxed in his chair turning his attention to Rel.
'Phew, he didn't notice. The less these Instructors have a reason to notice me the better… Although I guess that plan is already dead as Nama is going to come and see me later.'
Looking at the backs of the heads of those in front of him. Lauri's spotted the back of Gareth's head, his turquoise hair stood out from the natural hair colour of those around him.
'Which would mean the girl next to him is…'
Sighing Lauri was unable to finish his thought as Rel spoke even louder than he had a moment ago.
"Enough of that!" Stopping in the middle of the platform, Rel held his arms behind his waist as he straightened his back. "For those of you who have already heard this, I advise you to keep paying attention. For those of you who are new here. Listen well, and for those of you who are not new, listen anyway! My name is Rel, you can call me Instructor! Transference is not long, the Summer Equinox is no less than one month away, this means that you will start suffering from the limitations of the Sickness."
'Sickness?' Squinting, Lauri leant forwards in his seat. 'We'll start suffering from a sickness, is this why people keep calling us Sickly when the Strings referred to me as a Risen?'
A smile crossed Lauri's lips.
'Interesting.'
"I am sorry for those of you who have only recently risen to your new position, but I hope you will make the best of the situation you have been left to deal with. We offer a wide variety of classes that will help you survive your Communion."
Rel paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the crowd, Lauri froze slightly as Rel's gaze passed over him. Unlike the last times, he had been given pause due to someone or something's gaze. Lauri felt a weight in Rel's gaze, the weight of a veteran who had seen more than Lauri could comprehend.
Looking away, Lauri stared at the carpeted floor until Rel had finished.
As if he was about to say something, Rel opened his mouth before closing it.
"I was fortunate, my Penumbra happened after the Summer Equinox, so I had almost a year to prepare for my Communion… I was only fifteen at the time, it was like it was yesterday. I found myself in the Sunken Hills and I was quickly attacked by Fiends, luckily I was saved by a young Awakened, only a few years older than I myself at the time… His name was Lance…" Rel held his head high, a weary expression found its way onto his face.
"Lance gave his life so that I could live, he stayed back and kept the Fiends occupied so that I could escape. His sacrifice allowed me to reach human-occupied territory, which in turn allowed me to return home. He gave his life so I could live on… That is the duty of all Awakened. To further the lives of humanity, no matter how small."
Squinting, Lauri softly shook his head.
'No thanks, I don't plan on dying for someone else any time soon.'
Losing interest in Rel's speech, Lauri closed his eyes. Taking a slow deep breath, Lauri tried to concentrate on that new sense he had been able to access ever since waking up. A new power tied to his evolved title.
Able to vaguely make out the area around him. Unlike looking with his own eyes, Lauri felt the movement of the light around him, empty spaces where the people were sitting. It only stretched so far, roughly to the stage Rel was still standing on.
'This is so, weird. This, this light sense? No that doesn't sound right… I'm not creative enough to come up with anything else. This light sense almost makes my head feel like it's about to spin.'
As Rel spoke for the next ten minutes, Lauri tried to test the limits of his light sense. As Lauri tried to spread his sense out further than it's current limit a twinkling light attracted his attention. Unlike the light he could detect in his vicinity, this light sparkled like a star outside of his range of perception. Furrowing his brow, Lauri tried to concentrate on this strange light.
The next moment, Lauri's perception shifted. Suddenly he was looking around the bedroom that had been provided for him, no, not just looking around the bedroom. Lauri could see an almost three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of his bedroom.
Still staring at the ground, Lauri opened his eyes. What Lauri set his stomach on edge.
From out of Lauri's right eye he could see the floor, but from his left eye, he could see his bedroom. Covering his left eye, with a hand, Lauri saw a faint light shining onto his hand. Closing his left eye, the light disappeared, but the view of his bedroom remained.
Feeling his breathing begin to quicken, Lauri tried to calm himself down.
'Relax, relax, don't be silly Lauri. This is just another facet of your Title, it's of the Primordial rank remember… Whatever that means. So somethings are different.'
Trying to figure out where he was looking from, Lauri realised where this perception was coming from.
'The knife, it's the knife I stabbed into the tv. I'm really seeing out of the knife, how does that work?'
Lauri's pale expression lifted as he realised that what was happening was something good.
'This will have to be looked into further, but for now.' Covering his mouth Lauri grimaced. 'I've got to stop.' Moving his perception away from the knife – Lauri's bedroom disappeared – Lauri's vision returned to the darkness of his closed eyelids. 'That might take some time to get used to, I don't think the human mind is made for a three hundred-and-sixty-degree view.'
Opening his eyes, Lauri had to blink a few times as his left eye became accustomed toseeing only one direction again.
'That's better.'
Returning his attention to Rel, Lauri let out a sigh of relief as the man was still talking. Glancing around it seemed nobody had noticed Lauri's glowing eye. Every boy and girl was still completely focused on Rel.
"And to finish off, I will say. Should any of you want to know more, or have any burning questions please stay behind I will be more than happy to answer any and all questions you may have." Looking around the room one more time, Rel solemnly nodded. "Classes will start up again tomorrow. So spend today as you wish, spare with your fellow Risen and take the time to relax. Just, do not waste your time. Dismissed."
The moment Rel finished speaking, the room erupted into chatter. The hold Rel had held over the teenager's attention broke as they began to talk to their friends. Most of the teens began to leave the room, a few stayed behind. Although Lauri had no intention of asking Instructor Rel any questions, he stayed in his seat, a few disdainful glares were cast at him as he made no attempt to move out of their way.
Lauri was too busy watching Gareth and Ashley. Ashley was already asking Rel questions.
Grumbling, Lauri decided it was time to go.
Standing up he hopped up the few steps to the door, pushing it open a familiar face stared back at him.
Leant against the wall opposite the door to the auditorium, Nama was mindlessly playing with her hair as she watched the door. An easy smile crept across her pale lips as Lauri stepped through the door.
"Here I thought you were going to be one of those kids who'd bury Rel with questions for an hour and a half."
Rolling his eyes, Lauri glanced at the door as it shut behind him.
"So where do we begin?"
Nama kicked off of the wall walking in a direction away from the canteen.
"Follow me young Lauri, your crash course in surviving foreign lands starts today."