The dust in the air entered his reddened eyes. The boy rubbed it with his sleeves, half from the particles and half from exhaustion. He didn’t have much sleep yesterday.

That was a given after how long he spent outside at the station. But he still went to school, and he was still here. There was no moment to be wasted, no learning to be forgone, no money to be lost.

The darkened atmosphere provided some respite. He wasn’t sure he could stand anything brighter. The unending stream of noise, from all around, worked to keep him awake.

He could still work in sound mind as he knew that Aquilo and Austin were safe. They were surely distraught right now, as seen by their lack of presence in school, but they were alive. Alex could work with that. And from what he knew about them, their character was strong.

They wouldn’t allow themselves to be taken down just from this. He thought back to when he saw them at the western entrance. He didn’t really get the opportunity to get anything in, with their parents surrounding them and all.

Regardless, they looked alright if drained, though neither seemed to notice Alex. Not that he was offended. They had much greater things on their plate after all.

And Cortez. He seemed to act strange, avoiding Alex at every opportunity in school. The black-haired boy didn’t know what that meant, nonetheless he would just allow Cortez the privacy he was clearly seeking.

Alex just hoped he would open up soon so that they could discuss whatever his problems may be. He didn’t want Cortez to suffer by himself after all.

‘I’m starting to get what Aquilo felt like.’ He gave a wry chuckle.

Back in the present, with the assurance that his friends were still somewhat well, that the worst had been avoided, he could work without worry.

His life in the past few weeks had been a constant roller coaster. There was the occasional free time, but he hoped to have some days off from all the chaos. Right on time, Uncle Sam opened his mouth. He had been alongside Alex today, the men in suits thankfully not having taken him today.

“So, Alex I’ve been putting off saying this for a while.” The old man’s tone felt awkward. “You know, just getting you into the mood of things.”

“Sure, what’s on your mind?” Alex didn’t think much of it.

“Try to stay calm, alright lad?” With a final sigh, he got into the crux of the matter.

The youngster raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“So, I got a call from Archie’s school. About his behaviour.”

That instantly had the boy’s attention. With news pertaining to their family’s performance in school, Uncle Sam received them as their legal guardian. Naturally, he would pass it on to Alex.

“And what did they say?”

It seemed like the boy wouldn’t have a day off after all.

“Archie got into a fight. It was with some kid named Damian.” The older man let it out quickly, the information out of his chest now.

Alex instantly started to feel himself heat up.

“He said… He said he’ll try harder.” He whispered.

“Now, now Alex. Calm down first.”

Sam had been aware such a reaction would occur, thus his attempts to placate Alex earlier today on the drive here until this moment.

On his end, the young boy forced his emotions down. He couldn’t be seen as impulsive or hot headed. There was a reason Uncle Sam let them live alone, and that was because he trusted Alex.

Any other person his age, and it was frankly unlikely if not impossible to do that. He had to maintain his image. He knew he could, it wasn’t a facade after all. Alex was just that much more mature.

“Good. It’s easy to jump to conclusions, I’ve told you that before.” Uncle Sam nodded to his own words. “But you have to listen to both sides of the story. Archie is a smart lad, I’m sure there was some motive behind his actions.”

“Like last time?” His words oozed with sarcasm. “He fought someone.”

“I didn’t say it was justifiable. But you must still listen. Tell him why it’s wrong and why he mustn’t do it again.”

Alex could only shake his head.

“We have, and it still happens again.”

“I know, but he has been improving. It’s getting less often. Just keep working on it.” The older flicked the boy’s nose. “I’ve done this before for you, it’s on your shoulders now. Just make sure to keep your head clear. Be gentle with him.”

“I understand. I will be.” Despite furrowing his brows, Alex could only agree with his words.

Uncle Sam had the creases of experience on his face, the passing of time on his hair. Alex wasn’t conceited enough to ignore advice from someone much older.

Still, his anger wasn’t so easy to subdue. It still lingered in the depth of his mind.

***

A man was sat in a vast room, spacious enough to fit entire homes, yet it served only him. Windows that stretched from floor to ceiling covered one side, offering sweeping views of the city below, a blue sky still present.

The ceiling soared above, adorned with intricately carved designs that rippled across the top. They seemed to shift even as light from outside passed over them. The walls were an expanse of polished stone, their subtle shimmer a result of protective enchantments embedded within.

And towards the centre, with the man’s elbow neatly resting on it, was a massive desk. It was crafted from the rarest mahogany wood, the furniture anchoring the room with its weight. Its surface was bare, save for a small array of unique artefacts, each radiating a fierce aura.

And even the chair, on which he sat upon, was an imposing piece, with a high back and finely upholstered. It was more akin to a throne. The overall picture was thus one of absurdity, the figure sitting in a room that was comically larger than it needed to be.

“Hmm, which one of those would be the best for her?” He spoke quietly to no one in particular, his voice echoing across.

In front of him, there were a series of panels floating. Each one reacted to his touch, displaying various reports, data on progress in certain metrics and other critical information. He kept switching through, every time with a mere swipe of his hand.

One screen, in particular, had an image of Kella, a detailed projection of her growth trajectory next to it. On others, there were diagrams mapping out her strengths and weaknesses, as well as a precise training regime planned for each stage of her development.

“I will need to get in contact with that family. Her other element needs working on beyond what we can provide.” His hand rubbed his bear methodically as the man thought.

A knocking on the door prompted him to temporarily dispel what he was thinking. An antique practice that he liked his employees to use.

“Come in.” As he spoke, the door seemed to vanish out of existence, as a well dressed man made his entrance.

“Sir Griffin, there is some news regarding the tools requested in the mines.” He didn’t dilly-dally, getting straight to the point, though there was an undertone of anxiety in his words.

Arthur was a man who didn’t like unnecessary talk after all.

“I see. Wait for a moment.” The older man glanced back at the screens, flicking away a few of them rapidly and bringing up the necessary information towards the sides.

In the meantime, the welcomed person glanced around the office, noticing how the door had again reappeared behind him. This place had an unmistakably powerful atmosphere, and it took a significant proportion of his strength just to stand here. It was suffocating.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Despite this, he worked his best to spend his time wisely, staring at one corner of the room specifically. It was reserved for items of strange nature, a display case containing relics from the family’s history.

A faintly glowing amulet, a gilded dagger, and an ancient book. Any sort of item you could name, there seemed to be such a piece resting under the glass. Each was inscribed by runes and symbols whose usage was likely forgotten under the passage of time.

Despite their opposing nature, the artefacts seemed faintly fitting within the office’s sleek design. A perfect blend of heritage and technology. That was what Inops prided itself in.

Arthur finally looked up.

“I see. So, what was the outcome?”

“They were delivered on time in their expected quantity. From the results so far, there is nothing wrong with the quality either.” He answered tensely.

“Thus, will the extraction go as planned?” Arthur’s face seemed to hardly so much as to twitch as he spoke.

“Yes sir. We are currently on schedule.”

“Good. Inform me if any problems arise. You may go.” He dismissed with a wave.

The younger man nodded as he quickly stepped away, the door temporarily disappearing again to allow him. He didn’t need further encouragement to get out of that place.

Arthur turned back to look at the panels in front. His mind was already absorbed in calculations, his focus unwavering as he traced a finger along one of the diagrams.

“A Griffin must never settle for mediocrity.”

***

As Alex stood inside the elevator, he braced himself for the confrontation. The anger he’d tried to suppress still lingered beneath the surface. Despite Sam’s advice, it wasn’t easy to shake. After all, no matter how many times Archie was warned, he always seemed to get in trouble again.

Alex inhaled sharply, willing himself to calm down.

‘He’s just a kid, remember that.’ He reminded himself. ‘I’m the bigger person, I need to keep it together.’

The elevator dinged as he arrived on his floor. He swiftly walked through the halls, soon arriving at his apartment.

‘This is it.’

Taking a final deep breath, Alex’s hand hovered over the door, his mind running over what Uncle Sam had said. He had offered to help if needed, but of course the boy had rejected. Thus the old man insistently told him to remain level-headed.

He thought back to how Sam had treated him in his own troubled moments. He needed to emulate that. This was his task to fulfil now. He finally pushed it open, the hinges slightly creaking with their familiar sound.

Zara was there like she always was, except far less animated. She gave a mild bow.

“Welcome back brother.” Her voice felt weak.

“Thanks Zara.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Of course. I’m just tired because of… You know, the things Archie has been up to.” She smiled faintly.

“I really appreciate your help.” The boy gave her a light peck on her cheek, before walking forward. “And where is he?”

“Sulking on the sofa in the living room.”

With a nod, he briskly walked over to where he was pointed towards. The familiar scent of home, pictures of younger days and cosy furniture were swept through. Like promised, Archie was sat, his eyes staring blankly at the floor.

Though he tried to avoid it, Alex couldn’t help but glare at the younger boy. It was a tiring task having to deal with the same nonsense so many times. Despite Archie looking down, he still felt two pair of eyes boring into his skull.

Thus, he was prompted to lift his head. And look at the same image he feared all this time. A face of mild anger and full disappointment. Tears welled at the corners of his eyes.

“Brother…” Amidst breaths, he finally let out.

Alex forcefully reared in his feelings, walking forwards to sit beside Archie, his hands clasped tightly on his lap. A change of clothes could wait, he had to deal with this situation foremost.

“Do you mind telling me? What happened, Archer? Or do I have to guess?” His voice was harsher than intended, and he saw Archie flinch.

“Alex, he… he…” Amidst his sobs, he spoke a few words.

The older boy waited for a few moments, yet there was no response. His patience quickly wore thin.

“Don’t stammer on me. He what?”

But Archie couldn’t speak one more, finally breaking down into a heaping mess of tears and snot. His loud wails filled the room. Alex felt a pang of guilt in his chest, his heart softening.

The younger boy had never reacted like this before, he must have been holding some pain in for so long. At the sight, his fury finally began to thaw. There was no way he could insensitively continue to feel mad. Uncle Sam’s advice echoed in his mind.

“It’s okay Archie. I’m here for you.” He pulled Archie closer him, his tone soft, oblivious to the mess now on his clothes.

The younger boy proceeded to cry even harder as he was hugged.

Zara stood near the entrance, watching the pair, her arms lifted as she coughed into them. When she had arrived at Archie’s school to pick him up, she had been informed of his misdeeds and consequent detention.

Luckily for the boy, it was unreasonable for Zara to wait for that long outside, thus his early departure. Sunset Elementary hardly needed an excuse to offload some work. They were all too eager to comply.

Subsequently they waited in their house, neither bothered to do much. She had tried to get some information out, but Archie was too distraught for anything useful. She was understanding, hence there was no choice except to wait for Alex. So now she waited patiently, awaiting the untold response.

After his weeps turned into sniffles, Archie finally started to speak.

“I’m sorry.” He still spoke quietly.

“As long as you feel fine. We will work through this together.” Alex said tenderly back.

There was no need to push the younger boy to answer. Zara watched with a faint smile finally on her lips.

“It was Damian.” He sniffed as he finally began to recall the prior events.

‘Damian? I think I have heard of him before. Uncle Sam mentioned him as well.’ Alex nodded while he thought.

“The boy I’ve told you about before. The one who annoys me.” Archie clarified, seeing Alex look a bit lost.

“Ahh, of course.” The older boy agreed feeling mildly embarrassed.

He was just one of many people that Archie got into conflict with after all, but it was still a bit shameful to forget the name.

“He… That bastard.” Archie seemed to get angrier at just the thought of him.

“It’s ok, just tell me.” Alex’s cheeks continued to get redder, as he tried to calm his brother.

He was the one who couldn’t control his own rage moments before. Archie took a heavy sigh.

“He made fun of our parents. And our money… situation.” His words finally out, he felt himself lighten up.

‘That’s a first. Normally it’s a response to Archie’s annoying behaviour.’

Alex seemed to have misjudged too quickly. Archie might be his younger brother, but he was no saint. The older boy knew if he was in that situation, he would do the exact same. But he wasn’t, thus it was easy to do a ‘holier than thou’ speech.

“I know, it’s hard. When people talk about Mum and Dad, it hurts, doesn’t it?”

“I never knew them. But it still aches.” Archie agreed as he put a hand on his heart.

“Yes, I understand. Your anger and frustration. Your pain.” He patted his brother on the head. “But don’t let it get to you. You are better than that.”

“I know, I regretted it immediately afterwards. But in the moment…”

“It’s not so easy. I get you.” Alex finished his sentence. “But that’s the easy way out. Do you want to prove him wrong?”

“Of course!” Archie nodded his head vigorously.

“A fight won’t solve that. Instead, you have to make it big. Become a top tier mage, with all the wealth you could ever want at your fingers. Then we will see who still dares to look down on you.” The older boy filled his mind with grand ambitions.

It was more of a reminder really. He was sure Archie had such lofty goals himself.

“You are right.” A look of determination flashed across the younger boy’s face, earning a chuckle from Alex.

“We don’t need to prove anything to them. We know who we are. One day, they will see it too.” The older boy wrapped an arm around Archie’s shoulder, feeling him relax.

“Thanks Alex.” Words of gratitude.

“No problem. By the way Zara, can you bring me a tissue? I have snot all over me.”

The siblings laughed, normality seeming to return to the household.