Red. Everywhere I turn, my body screams for air, I see nothing but the blood of this stranger in front of me. Her face, exhausted and pale, warily looks up into my eye. I look at her glassy hazel eyes; my heart stops trembling at the thought of what could done this to her. I recognize her even though I don’t remember from where, when or how. My hand turns cold as I grasped the, dazzling blue curved 8, pendant that she shoved into my hand. She seems to be saying something, yet no words escape her mouth. I try to focus on her words, her lips, and her feature to understand her words.
[ Ace-Y!]
A blunt force in my stomach jolts me to wake as I face Kayle on top of me; he crawls, reaching for my face with his tiny fingers. Not realizing what he was planning, I lay there watching his hand grab me and bites me in the ear.
“Aow! Kayle, Come on, you didn’t have to do that I was already up.”
Kiley, beside my bed, giggles at my misfortune as I grab Kayle from tearing my earlobe. I lift him up in air while he smiles, showing his spotless baby teeth. This mischievous little thing. Baffled at why he is naked early in the morning I asked frowning “Did he pee himself again?”
Kiley giggles again, answering my guess.
“Mom gave him a bath, so he is ok” she replied pulling Kayle from my hand. “You should be worrying about being late to first day of school.”
Upon understanding what she meant, I jolted myself from my bed and start heading toward my closet. In front of the closet mirror, I stopped to look at my tanned bare chest. There I saw my birthmark, my familia insignia, resembling the outline of the pendent that I saw in my dream. I stare, daze at the coincidence until Kayle’s crying brought me back to reality.
“Take Kayle to mom. I think he is hungry” I suggested as I reach my white t-shirt, khaki pant, blue jacket and bag.
“Mom said you need to eat breakfast before you leave” Kiley retorted as she started heading downstairs.
“Tsk, I don’t have time though” I follow as I get dress and ran down the stairs. Midway, I stop sprinting when I realize I took my casual jacket instead of the uniform. I retraced my steps toward the closet and searched, but I could not find my uniform. I run downstairs, cursing my sleep schedule, only to find my uniform in the dinning chair while mom, Kayle, dad and Kiley enjoy their breakfast. Mom raises her hazel eyes, filled with that-stubborn-look, toward me and signals me to take a seat.
“You sleep like a log, Aze. And you need to think twice, if you think I will let you go on an empty stomach.”
I close my eyes, took a deep breath to surpass my impatience and took a seat. Not even a second later, I flinched as the lettuce splashed on my cheek. I glare at the imp beside me who looks up, his smile gradually getting wider as he looks at my calamity. I sighed as I reach for the napkins.
“I don’t know Kayle, if you keep making me mad I will stretch your chubby little face until you cannot smile.” I hectically declare as I stuff myself with the egg salad.
“What are your plans for today?” Kiley askes mom ignoring my charade.
“I still have my work in Xaous and your father will be preparing you for school.” Yes, Zonathian's familia insignia has gone to my mom, Stein Zonathian. She became the sole heir of the mark when she turned 26 years old. Her background is a real catch; she was the smallest among the candidates and least likely to bear the mark of the Zonathians. But knowing her gritty attitude, she probably didn't give up and continuously worked hard to become the entrepreneur that Zonathians now know. And with the mark 'chaos decision', she now uphold the whole Xaous Company, the backbone of the Aur Gazel's transport industry. The usage of her unparalleled decision making, granted by the ‘chaos decision’, allowed her to devour her brothers’ businesses making her the sole heir of the mark at 26. And of course, the drama unrevealed itself between the Zonathians and her when she married dad, Coure Hamza, disregarding the political marriage with Sole Bushwick. Eventually, Zonathians had to settle for her choice, considering the mark chose her as the sole heir, in return Zonathians made Coure swear oath to Zonathians and take upon the name as to not give power to Hamzans. Remembering these stories told by her whenever I struggled, I admire to be like her – tenacious and unwavering. However currently facing her tenacity, I regret being on the receiving end.
“What about you Aze? Are you excited to start your third year? I mean you only have two more and you will be all grown” dad inquire, his eyes glinting expecting my response.
Taking a bite of egg, I replied “I don’t know, two years has gone by and I still don’t have luck on contacting any spirits or pursuing magic in that matter.” Sighing, I continued “I feel like I can control my cubes but other than that I cannot use magic without with my cubes. So I am thinking of trying my luck in warrior class.”
Raising her one eyebrow inquiringly, mom turns her head in my direction “I have not heard about anyone being a warrior in Grant family you should -” She stops herself midway, thinking something, then continues “but, you know there is first time for everything. If you could overcome your current weakness, you would be ahead of everyone.”
Nodding his head, dad follows “See hun, you should not worry too much. He is hardworking so he can overcome his problems.” Turning toward me, he resumes “So I think you can try looking for Dorius, he is friend of mine. I knew him when I worked as imperial hunter. I think he is a librarian now in your school but he is a great mentor when comes to footwork” grinning, as if the best part of the story is yet to come, dad continues “Sure you could learn swordsmanship anywhere but footwork, now that can be applied anywhere whether you want to be wizard, warrior or warlock.”
Intrigued at why the guy became a librarian not an instructor, I replied “Interesting, I will try to find him.”
Ending my conversation there, I wolf down the last egg standing up while I reach for the napkins. Holding excess unused napkins, I go around making amends by kissing mom and dad whilst pulling Kayle’s cheeks and shoving the napkins in-between his shirt. As I stepped out the door and shouted my final goodbye to Kiley, I beam remembering the dilemma that Kayle will face. Is it wrong? Sure, to some extent, but seeing a five month old Kayle making confused faces over what’s under his shirt is adorable.
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Pulling Borg, short narrow board filled with dark insignias, out of garage I head out to Gazel Academy for Gifted. Brushing over the Borg’s metallic insignias, I visualize the flow of energy in my familia insignia and pumped them into Borg’s metallic insignias. With a pop sound Borg’s insignias turned lime-green; I drop Borg and seeing it hover on the ground I jump onto it and start heading for the train station.
“I wouldn’t be that late?” I thought out loud, thinking it would not take more than 30 min to pass Xiao and Mohz City if I catch the train in time. Skating through Zonathian's busy streets, packed with people to their own destination, I concentrate on turning around the streets. Encountering the name “Xaous Station” in the billboard around stairs leading underground, I go toward the 7 feet cubicles blocking those stairs. I pull my school ID and insert it into one of the cubicle; the cubicles vanishes allowing me the way to go downstairs. Getting my ID, I bolt to get in the train that is preparing to leave.
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After getting a seat in train, I pull out a book from my bag; when I started this book, I was surprised at the content of the book. The book emphasizes about the idea that knowledge is not same as understanding. The author went on great length in illustrating the differences and nicely tie in the four keys to success: money, mastery, mate and momentum. From reading the topics so far on money and mastery, I realized that money entice me more than mastery. Yet I do not feel the drive to better myself simply by thinking about money. Probably, that is why I stayed away from business department in Academy.
“Insight for Success?”
Nearly jumping from my seat, I look up to see the playful black eyes staring back at me; realizing who it is, I breathe out.
"Oh, good morning to you too Min. Who do I owe the honor for Xiao’s Min to commute like rest of us" I retort with the best satirical voice I could muster.
He snicker “It was Liz,” showing his skew dimples, he claims, avoiding the follow up for previous remark, "It's not like anyone will call you nerd 'caz they already know that". He shove me. Sitting beside me, he continues “and your already successful: top in the class, can control 5000 cubes, hold most consecutive wins, so what more do you need? Are you going for something else?”
“You know controlling cubes is not much; I bet anyone from Grants family could do that.” I replied
Squinting his eyes, he stare at me, “You are asking too much, if you can control magic with your cubes then you could be stronger than any twelve heroes. It took them, 200 years to control over 5000 cubes and you can do it… Now! You could, probably would be stronger than Arthur Gazel and he was a prodigy.”
Min is right, I might be asking too much, but it bothers me knowing that I could do better yet everything that I want is on other side. I don’t even know what is on the other side, power, strength, knowledge, or maybe some divine revelation. I struggle, continue to push and absorb, to get top in the Academy; yes it is a great feat, but everyone can do that if they try. Eyeing the station map displayed in the wall, I realize how strong the heroes have to be to control twelve cities, reign over each city, protect it from corrupted north, and even after decades their influence has not diminished: each city still named after them, everyone respects them, and no one questions their actions.
[Ding. Ladies and Gentlemen we will arrive at Aur Gazel City in approximately one minute.]
“Oh! Ay ho! Lets go!” Min asserts; jumping from his seat, he gestures me to follow him toward the door.
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“I heard north is starting to move again?” Min questions.
“Don’t worry, Aur’s insignia power is stronger than before.” I replied.
“What do you mean? Every day it goes, Arthur insignia will -.” Min stops as I interrupted.
“No, I am saying the insignia has to cover only 11 cities now, after the officials and everyone get everything they need from Grant city, they only need to protect 11 cities. ”
As conversation ended, I halt, amazed at what is happening in front. Seeing countless people gathering in front of north-east Academy’s gate, I walk toward the commotion and Min follows, we forgot about our school as curiosity got better of us. While pushing the crowd, I could smell burning metal fill the air; intrigued, I step forward to see what the commotion is about. A petite figure bowing and apologizing; madden by such exchange, the towering guard beside the boy dash forward and strikes the girl. I could only see her back, black hair curls at the end, as she collapses sideways face down from the sheer force of the guard’s armor bashing the side of her face.
The boy, holding his scratched arm, kicks the girl in the stomach “How dare a thrash from Xiao family comes to Gazel Academy! For FUCKS SAKE you bastards cannot even drive with your squinty eyes.” Seeing her body, bloodied and distorted, I got butterflies in my stomach; I dash forward, fuming at the sight of such mistreatment; but after seeing the snake insignia in guard’s breastplate, I curse my luck, realizing why people are just spectating. The girl looked up to see me, the supposed person who came to her rescue. For the first time clearly seeing her face, I stare at the horror.
“Liz?” before the word left my mouth I got shoved aside as the shadow darted past me.