“The age of ascendance… the age of our lord’s return… our heavenly king will deliver us from our burdens and make paradise on earth… cleansing it of its GREAT SINS”

With that Samuel awoke with a jolt. His head felt heavy as if filled with lead and the pressure on is temples further added to the already bad morning that was ahead.

“having nightmares about father Abrahams lectures again?” asked the scrufy looking boy with bright red hair in the bed next to his.

“he’s truly a frightening man” Samuel replied as he sat up rubbing his eyes, the man had always had a frightening aura to him and when you ever caught his gaze you would immediately feel a cold chill down your back. Luckily the man was as pacifistic as he was intimidating, never lashing out beyond his words.

“but never mind that, one last lesson before we become knights” he continued with a huge grin on his face, their goal was so close after training years in this prison they called the Saint August temple. He had been here since his very first memories alongside Levi.

Levi smiled at that, “too bad you’ll never be as fast as me, though I guess you are a little bit stronger than me so you’ll probably be fine” with a smug face that was just perfect for punching

“well you better use that speed to get your gear on if you don’t want father staring you down” Samuel said as he nodded out the stained glass window to the large clock tower while he put his boots on.

“Oh sh*t, ha-ha race you to the lecture chamber” Levi said as he started putting his gear on at shocking speed, no wonder he had an aptitude for the divine light. He had ran his entire life though contrary to a cowards run he only ever ran toward danger, always followed shortly thereafter by his older brother Samuel.

They weren’t blood related, none of the children in the temple where but they had grown up together so there is no difference to us.

Samuel was the first one to reach the door of their small two person dorm room quickly followed by Levi who was still putting on a boot as they raced exited to the hallway connecting all the dorm rooms. The others were probably already in the lecture room which left the many crisscrossing corridors empty and perfect for their little race.

The lecture room was on the other side of the building from where they were and they would have to avoid the large chapel at the center of the building. So as not to disturb the monks that prayed there at all hours of the day.

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“I guess I’ll see you there!!” Levi shouted as he accelerated past the larger Samuel who was fast by any metric accept when compared to Levi, I guess it was quite fitting then that he had the aptitude for heavenly thunder. Luckily this race was not in a straight line which meant Levi was being limited by the many corners that made up the complex pathways inside the temple.

Samuel quickly started after his little brother eager to prove him wrong about his speed.

As the first corner at the end of the dormitory came Levi slowed down just enough to not slip and slam into opposing wall, Samuel however did not and instead onto the smooth stone wall on the inside of the 90 degree turn and by sheer grip keeping him on his on path.

Levi smiled as he looked behind seeing his brother was closer behind than expected. “I guess we’re taking this serious” he said as his smile grew, his legs glowed a slight golden hue after which his speed increased drastically, absolutely sending it across the long hallway they found themselves in. instead of slowing down at the end he leaped up planting one of his feet against the wall and jumping to the next after which he landed keeping his momentum through the sharp corner.

Samuel laughed as his legs too began shining a faint gold hue and his steps turned to leaps that could be felt in the floor every time he touched the ground, his corner wasn’t quite as graceful as Levi’s had been as he jumped and planted both feet against the wall that faced the direction he wanted to go in after which the glow in his legs increased and he exploded of the wall like a bolt from a ballista

Righting himself in the air he landed with perfect balance  and continued without breaking stride after his brother who was now considerably closer… almost in arms reach. As Samuel reached for the smaller Levi his grin grew as he used the boy to pull himself forward in the final part of the race which caused Levi to loos both his balance and speed for a moment.

“You really think you’ll finally win one against me!” he said as a smile grew on his face

His legs now clearly shone through his thick leather pants and as he tensed his muscles he shot forward, now truly embodying his aptitude

Samuel reacted in turn with his own legs now sending tremors that could be felt throughout the temple.

They were now only 50 meters from the door to the lecture hall when they both felt the immense pressure coming from behind the lecture hall door.

“Crap!” Samuel blurted out as the door swung open and giant of a man stepped out with the biggest scowl they had ever seen on the man. The pressure from father Abrahams gaze was like they were facing a natural disaster instead of a monk.

“We’re sorry we are late, sir” Levi quickly said as both guys froze in their tracks

“You will be after using the lords gift in such a careless manner” he replied through gritting teeth

“I hope for nothing more than you two to fail these coming trails only so that it may finally drill some sense of responsibility into you” he said as both boys sheepishly walked past him into the hall.

“I won by the way” Levi whispered as he stepped into the class in front of Samuel