Walking into the grand gates of the manor’s front estate, Levi couldn’t help but feel everyone was watching him. Head on a swivel, it was obvious they were staring at him. As if he was a zoo animal that had broken out of its cage. Sweat beaded at his back, sticking to his shirt.

In front of the manor, was a sizable stage about half the size of a football field. Lights lined the front of the construction, beaming illumination up into the skies.

Was it a good idea? Levi couldn’t help but wonder. It was like signalling monsters to arrive, screaming ‘look, I’m here—come get me!’ However, as he spotted the looming, gargantuan walls of the town, that idea was quickly dismissed. There was no way any beast could invade this place.

The woman named Rowena had yet to arrive. Nobles from all over were busy either watching Levi, Sera, and Bram enter, or they were busy conversing amongst themselves. The gazes from the young were particularly sharp. Especially once they noticed the golden badge on Levi’s chest.

From one of the gatherings, a sturdy middle-aged man, his graceful wife, and a young boy around Levi’s current age approached with smiles adorning their immaculate faces.

“Sera,” The lady said, bounding forwards, grasping her hands. Levi detected poison in her expression. “It’s a pleasure to see you again after so long. How is the family doing now?” She didn’t give Sera a chance to answer.“Oh, we are just doing amazing after that… event. We were granted an audience with the king. He has hired our services.”

Sera smiled gracefully in response. “I’m glad to hear it, Fren.”

“How is your father doing, Sera?” the gentleman asked, seemingly with genuine concern.

“I imagine he’s doing quite well for himself after making all of us almost bankrupt,” Fren said with venom.

Sera chuckled. “If a gust of wind can shake the foundations, then it’s not a very well made building, is it, Fren?”

“It was hardly a gust of wind now, was it?” Fren mumbled, turning her nose up.

Sera turned to the man donned in a fine, white 3 piece suit with golden, slicked back hair. She curtsied. “Gareth.”

Gareth bowed, his expression slightly sour. “Sera.”

Did something happen between them? Levi wondered. Whatever it was, it seemed to be a one way thing. Sera didn’t bat an eyelid.

Sera nodded, then glanced at the child by their side. He was tall for his age, and well built. But compared to Levi, he was… lacking. Levi looked down at him, a testament to how much his body had evolved from Tier 1, to Tier 2.

The boy had combed over chestnut hair, his eyes a youthful vivid green. However, he didn’t bother hiding the contempt on his face. At least his mother made a small attempt at hiding her expression, and veiling her words, for the most part. Levi guessed it was because of the whispers from his mother, no doubt. Or maybe that’s just how the noble youth of today were raised.

His little eyes looked up at Levi in obvious challenge.

Trace memories flashed in his mind from when he himself was but a little boy. Levi couldn’t help but find it cute. Although these boys were superhuman, and wielded magic.

“This must be little Tristan?” Sera said with a smile. “Oh how he has grown. He should be attempting to reach Tier 2 in a few years, no?”

Fren nodded, grabbed Tristan’s wrist, and pulled him forward a step. “He will be. He’ll enter Tier 2 earlier than me. Earlier than you. But who’s this?” She pointed her nose at Levi. “He seems… lovely.”

Levi’s expression didn’t change one bit; as if he was a sculpture made of stone.

“This here is Levi,” Sera said happily. “I can count on one hand those as talented as he is. I have recruited him into the family.”

“I can see that,” Fren said, glancing at the family badge. “Where did you find him? In a ditch somewhere?”

“Fren,” Sera warned.

Everyone was once again looking at them.

"Fren," Gareth said, frowning. "What happened in the past, let it stay there."

“Let it stay there, Gareth?” an older lady said, hobbling towards them, her walking stick striking against the marbled tiles. “Those are not the words a member of the Antor family lives by.”

Levi tensed. Dark, dense wrinkles covered her eyes. The face on her skin drooped. Her hair had long turned grey. Her back was bent. They were all things that oozed of weakness, yet Levi didn’t feel a shred of frailty from the woman approaching.

Sera curtsied, deep and proper, as did Fren. Gareth bowed, head in line with his hips; Tristan the same.

“Matriarch Guinevere,” Sera said with respect.

“Sera Lindar, your gaze is as sharp as ever, only growing sharper day by day,” Guinevere said.

“Your respect is unearned, Matriarch of the Antor family.”

“Oh, your respect is earned, Sera,” replied the matriarch. “It’s such a shame you were born into such a buffoon family like that of the Lindar. If only you were here,” She said, glancing at Fren.

Fren lowered her head. Sera remained quiet.

Guinevere continued, “Matter not.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Noticing the gazes of those around her, Fren nudged her son on the shoulder. “Tristan, show everyone just how strong your foundation is.”

Tristan nodded, glancing at his grandmother. Yet she only gave Levi a blank look. She didn’t even glance at Tristan.

Frowning, Tristan displayed the palm of his hand, a second later, a flickering flame spawned into existence. It was hot. If it was the Levi from before, that is. Now, it was just akin to a simple little candle light. It was pathetic. But Levi wouldn’t look down on it. Maybe it had something that made it special, maybe it was his control that was exceptional.

Tristan concentrated. Sweat formed on his forehead. The wild flame dwindled a little, Tristan started to form it into a spiralling ball of fire. Heat swirled. The blonde haired boy grinned at Levi, green eyes shining from the light of fire in the palm of his hand.

The other nobles raised their brows, the other kids looked on with frowns, as if they were unsure of whether they could best it. It seemed that such a level of control was quite good for his age.

Levi gave Sera a look, as if to say ‘was that it?’ Sera covertly nodded back with a hint of a smile.

“Well, Levi, why don’t you show us what you’re capable of?” Fren asked. “Depending on what your Sway is, of course.”

Levi bowed. “I’m afraid anything I try will dwindle amongst the glow of brother Tristan’s fire. I dare not.”

Tristan beamed a proud smile, looking at his father for validation. He only received a small smile, but it seemed to be enough as Tristan’s smile only grew wider.

“You’ve found a gem,” Guinevere said to Sera dryly as she left the courtyard.

Before Fren, and her family left. Gareth said, with a wry smile. “Give the family my best.”

Sera smiled. “A flower that has lost its flowers will bloom during the spring. I pray it doesn’t grow thorns.”

Gareth chuckled. “It’s a good thing our families haven’t gotten to that point. I bid you farewell, and hope you enjoy the concert.”

The younger generation of the Lindar family excused themselves, and while Sera was busy mingling with the other noble family members, Levi found himself in a corner with Bram.

“That was tense,” Levi said. “The Matriarch? Yeah, it felt like I had a mountain standing on my shoulders at all times; as if she was staring into my soul.”

“She was,” Bram said, picking a bread roll off a nearby table. “She is a mage. Even if she wasn’t, people at her Tier can detect how strong someone is just by a glance. It’s called experience. Your power lay bare before her.”

“That’s a scary notion,” Levi replied.

“There are ways to reduce it, though,” Bram said, but then shook his head.

“What is it?” Levi asked, curious.

“I shouldn’t say.”

“Oh come on, Bram, Please?” Levi said, his puppy dog eyes in full effect.

Bram sighed with a small smile. “Alright. Some mages know how to reduce their aura. Warriors can do it too, but it’s a rogue's ability. I don’t know how mages do it, I just know that they can turn off their mana completely, making themselves undetectable to magic tracing.”

“I see,” Levi said, lips curling. “Interesting.”

“Don’t tell Sera I told you.”

“My lips are sealed.” Levi zippled his lips.

Now that sounds like fun homework, Levi thought, his hands turning itchy in anticipation.

The stage lights blazed brighter, and music boomed throughout the courtyard. It was upbeat, electronic—a strange choice for this era. Electric guitars screeched, drums went wild, and then a gorgeous voice filtered through the noise, becoming the only thing heard within the walls of Raven’s Pit.

A young woman, perhaps 15 or 16 years old, rose from the centre of the stage. She wore a beautiful dress in shades of white, purple, pink, and red that sparkled in the spotlights surrounding her. Her long, waist-length snow-white hair was braided on either side, and she had the voice of an angel.

Everyone's gaze was glued to her—the way she walked, danced, and sang. Levi had to admit, her stage presence was unparalleled; it was through the roof. She commanded her audience's attention, and they listened without skipping a beat.

Levi saw the mana in the air dance to her tunes. He found himself closing his eyes, fully immersed in the experience before him. He had never been to a concert, let alone one enhanced by superpowered voice alterations.

He had always wondered what a concert was like—the atmosphere of everyone around him shouting, screaming, and crying. The young girls nearby were inconsolable.

Eyes opening, Levi asked, “What Sways does she have? I feel the mana at her command.”

“She’s a Tier 2, that is known throughout the Imperial City. She reached Tier 2 younger than Sera did at just the age of late 14,” Bram explained. “She’s a mage. All her Ingredients have something to do with adding mana to her voice.”

Levi thought for a moment, before raising his voice so that Bram could hear him over the music. “At the Academy, when do the students reach the 2nd and 3rd Tier?”

“It just depends on how talented they are,” Bram said. “But mostly everyone reaches the 2nd Tier by their 4th year. By their 6th and final year, most are still in the middle stages of 2nd tier. It takes a lot of preparation to ascend to the 3rd tier as it marks the foundation of who you are at a core level. The 4th and 5th stage are easier, by comparison, though it takes a while.”

Levi nodded a long. He hadn’t even started Academy yet, and he was already at the 2nd Tier. Sera and the others weren’t lying when they said he was a monster. Just by Tristan’s display of his magic, he could tell simply how far he was ahead of him.

“But,” Bram added, “There are geniuses that can match you within the Imperial City.”

“There is?”

“Urien from the Kaheris family, for one. Their family belongs to the Warring Church. His father is a high ranking member within. They are crazy for battle. Do you recall when I mentioned that some families send their children into fighting pits?”

Levi nodded.

“He’s one of them,” Bram said. “He should be 13 now. But he was fighting beasts at only 12.”

Levi found it hard to imagine. Levi could only endure because he had the mentality of a 28 year old. Urien was a literal kid. Holy shit.

Sera returned. “Good job on keeping your calm back there, Levi. There’s no need to show off. That’s something you’ll learn later, as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s best not to reveal your strengths to your enemies.”

Levi took Sera’s words to heart. He could tell she was serious; her words carried the weight of past experiences.

The concert lasted for only 1 hour. Compared to the ones he recalled back on Earth, it was really short. The answer to that statement was obvious; Rowena relied on her mana to project her voice outward, filling her listeners with serenity, and joy.

The rest of the night was uneventful. They retired into a small inn, where Gregory was still yet to be seen. Sera said he was gone for the night. All Levi could do was lay in bed and hope the Krag didn’t descend upon them.

Thankfully, it didn’t.

And when Levi woke up, it was time to board the metal beast: the Nightmare Train.