Cyrus Solaris
The Scale of the Eternal Hydra slid beneath my sleeve as I tried to hide it.
"Hand it over," Grandpa Zaire said, his stern golden eyes piercing through me.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I may be advanced in age, but I'm not dumb, Cyrus," he shot back.
A knot twisted in my stomach.
"Are you serious? Without it, I would be behemoth food…I earned it."
"The Solaris do not need relics of that nature; we have all the power we need within us," he said, inching closer to me.
For a moment, I thought about running off with the relic, but Gramps was far too fast for me to try it.
I stopped the flow of cosmic energy entering the Scale of the Eternal Hydra. The scale slid down my arm underneath my sleeve, and I placed it in my grandfather's hand.
"Fine. But if I die, it's your fault."
My grandfather shook his head. "No, Cyrus, it would be yours. We don't speak like that." He said, giving me a light tap on the hand.
"We don't project our problems and shortcomings onto others. No matter the circumstance."
"Even when everything was wrongfully taken from us?"
My grandfather grimaced at my response. "Yes, even then. That's what protectors do."
"Then who protects the protectors?"
Grandpa pulled me closer and embarrassed me with all of his strength.
My grandfather kissed my forehead and recited a prayer from Solaris over me.
"May the cosmic light of the high pantheon bless my grandson with divine protection. Embellish him with your rays, and let him shine bright as he takes on his new journey."
As he finished the prayer, my grandpa pulled me away from him and stared into my eyes.
"I know I have been hard on you this summer. But I'm proud of you, Cyrus. And I know your father and mother would be too. Show the world that the sun will always rise.
"I will, Gramps," I said begrudgingly.
"I know you will. Now off you go."
"Wait, you aren't coming in?"
"I can't leave Solmane alone with your father for too long. He will need time to recharge soon."
I hesitated for a second before answering.
"Alright," I said, closing the door with one final goodbye.
I watched the SUV pull off, then turned toward the entrance of a large grey building shaped like a concave lens.
People walked with perfect posture, and their noses pointed high. If only they knew how goofy they looked.
"Look!" someone from the group of students and guardians shouted.
I followed the direction people were pointing until I finally saw what they were gawking at.
There was a rock that looked close enough to touch, yet it devoured half the sky.
Dark clouds wrapped around it like a crown, obstructing my view. With my curiosity sparked, I channeled a small amount of cosmic energy into my eyes.
The sight was mesmerizing. Dozens of spires protruded from the floating rock. Many ethereal cosmic chains connect other landmasses to the central one, resembling a planet and its orbiting moons.
Even with my vision enhanced, its sheer size still seemed unfathomable.
This was Xhatal Academy.
I walked into the concave building below the floating academy, and the pungent smell of perfumes attacked my nostrils, reminding me of the unnecessary practices of nobles.
Large crystal plates vibrated softly beneath my feet, drowning out the chatter that filled the circular room.
There was an array of students, all wearing the same uniform I did: a black jacket. Gold insignia and white pants. Some were modified, adding touches of clan pride.
But being in the room made the hairs on my arms stand up as countless cosmic energy signatures clashed.
It was a culture shock; I followed the teachings to conceal my cosmic energy signature at all times. But everyone else seemed to be jockeying for position, all desiring to be seen as the strongest.
I'm still having trouble adjusting to society; the sheer number of people in this room made me feel claustrophobic. I scanned the room, hoping to find a spot around the perimeter, away from it all.
Finding a spot, I fought through the crowd, but something firm grabbed my shoulder. My muscles tensed, and my jaw tightened. I swiped the pale hand off my shoulder and turned slowly.
A group of four kids stood.
"Watch where you are going," a burly kid said.
He pointed toward a tall kid with dusty-blonde hair whose posture screamed that he was uninterested. "You bumped into the prince. Now apologize."
I stared at him and his group for a few long seconds, then decided to ignore his demands and continue towards my destination. I was only able to walk a few more steps before a few more hands grabbed me.
"Take your hands off me now."
Something blunt hit my side, causing me to stumble.
"I said apologize to Prince Stravos," he said, an ugly smirk forming across his rounded face. Looking around me, no one seemed to take notice of the situation, all of them purposely turning a blind eye.
I released some of my cosmic energy, causing a few heads to turn. I reached toward the kid's shoulders, grasping them tight. Funneling cosmic energy into my astral tattoo, I reduced my area of influence to just the small area we stood in.
He dropped to his knees.
His eyes widened as I raised my hand, ready to strike.
One lesson would be enough.
Something wrapped around my wrist, and a sharp edge pressed gently against my ribs. Surrounding me, two of his friends came to his aid, while the prince just stood, staring with discontent.
My abdomen throbbed from the attack earlier, making me wish I had my relic. I had half a mind to expand my area of influence to crush them. But I noticed a spark of electricity dance across the floor.
"Fighting before school starts is not a good look for you." A soft voice said. The crowd parted ways.
Murmurs filled the brief silence.
"Is it really her? Is it really the Storm Priestess?" a few kids said.
"White hair, blue eyes? Has to be."
A girl appeared from the crowd. She had eyes that housed a storm. White braids hanging down the sides of her brown skin.
It was hard to look away. She had a warm and inviting presence.
"If it isn't the Brontarion heir. Care to join this fool in a beating?" the girl with the knife pressed against my ribs said, stepping towards the Brontarion heir.
"Yeah… that's probably not a good idea," a voice said lazily. I turned and saw a boy resting on a cloud, looking identical to the girl who was helping me.
Then the girl's gaze locked onto me, "Cyrus, is that you?" the girl asked, as lightning danced in her hand. Several students, including my attackers, stared at me. I had no idea what was going on.
But just as they let their guard down, they were hit by small zaps of lightning and fell.
The kids who attacked me recovered quickly and began to charge again. Reading myself, I prepared to end the fight as quickly as possible.
"Gunther, Ida, and Sigmund. Stand down now," a commanding voice said. Out of the crowd, a tall woman with grey eyes and red hair framing her pale face stood with her arms crossed.
"Branch members of the Vortaris family do not comport themselves like this. Have some tact." The kids stopped in their tracks and begrudgingly walked towards her.
Sora turned to face me. "Do you seriously not recognize me? It's me— Sora," she said, walking closer to me, disregarding the gasps and murmurs from the crowd around us.
"Sora?"
"Yes, Sora. The Prime Minister's granddaughter. I've been to your house several times over the past few months," she said in front of everyone, causing a few of the boys to look at me with disdain, for who knows why.
We stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity as I tried to jog my memory.
"Whenever the prime minister visits, I vaguely remember a girl. She had an afro, not braids," I finally blurted out.
As the words left my mouth, faint sparks of lightning flickered around her hair, causing it to frizz as she forced a tight smile.
"Wait—that was you?"
"Took you long enough. Didn't think I'd be that hard to recognize," she said while patting down her braids, trying to tame the frizz.
"Don't worry about it. Sometimes I don't even recognize her. I swear her hair has a mind of its own," a soft, unbothered voice said from behind me.
When I turned to face the voice, I saw the same boy with white hair and cloud-shaped earrings taking a sip from his thermos.
"Jace, really," Sora said, stomping over to him and grabbing his cheek.
"Um… should I know him, too?"
"Sadly, this is my twin brother. And Jace, could you at least walk like a normal person for once?" she said, trying to pull him down off his cloud.
A hand touched my shoulder, catching me completely off guard.
"I see you have found my grandchildren, Cyrus. A funny bunch, aren't they?"
I turned to see Prime Minister Kazehoshi standing with a pleasant smile.
"Yeah… you could say that."
Shortly after their grandfather formally introduced us, a voice rang through the sound system.
"Welcome, new students. We will start the teleportation process shortly. Say goodbye to your families and prepare for the jump," the stern voice said.
"Well, I guess that's my cue. Kiddos, hug your old man, why don't ya," the prime minister said, pulling his grandchildren in for a large embrace.
Looking at the twins, I could tell that Sora and Jace seemed to be very fond of their grandfather.
"Knock 'em dead for me, and good luck to you, Cyrus," the prime minister continued. I nodded in response, and he soon filed out of the large building along with the other families.
Something soft and wet brushed up against my arm—it was Jace's cloud, drifting closer than welcome.
"So, why does our grandpa seem to be so fond of you? Despite his demeanor, he doesn't act like that with everyone," Jace said, his gaze hardening ever so slightly.
"Could you watch where you're driving that thing? It's getting me wet. And I bet you'd know the answer if you put in the slightest effort. So I'll just let you figure that out," I responded as I tried to wring out my sleeve.
"So you must be from a big family. Which one is it? I'm curious now. Has my father caused issues with your family, too?"
"No... I don't have a big family. Just my grandpa and my father."
"Weird dynamic… No mother or anything else?" he continued as he took another sip from his thermos.
"No… No one else."
Hairs along my spine stood on end, like a dog's hackles. Tension knotted my forehead as my brows furrowed. Something I'd fought to bury was bubbling inside me.
Sora nudged Jace in the shoulder.
In our little bubble, silence took root.
Feeling out of place in their presence, I left them.
I found an open space next to a wall. I stood on the perimeter of the room, watching everyone as the sound system activated once again.
"Students, prepare for the jump."
Suddenly, the floor beneath us glowed with a bright iridescent light, obscuring my vision. As my eyes adjusted, a large beam of light erupted from the base of the floor straight to the ceiling.
The light engulfed all of the students in the hall.
First, my hearing vanished, then my ability to feel, and finally my sight.
The terrifying experience dulled my sense of time.
As my senses returned, I couldn't tell how long it took for us to materialize in a new hall.
I scanned the hall to check on the other students. Some passed out on the floor, and others seemed unfazed.
"Welcome, students, to Xhatal Astral Academy. I am Headmaster Naga. It is a pleasure to have you all here."
A middle-aged man in a sleek black suit with red and gold accents projected his voice from the stage.
"Now that we have safely transported you all here, please take a seat in the auditorium," he continued. Gesturing to the rows of seats in front of him that had just started to fade into focus as lights from above illuminated their position.
The auditorium was grand and rustic. Old pieces from ancient history and astral behemoth skeletons accented the modern architecture. It could have passed for a museum exhibit.
I found a secluded seat, away from the other students. I couldn't help but notice how a large group of students all seemed to follow wherever Sora went. They treated her like she was some type of deity—something I didn't understand.
Annoyed, I tried to shield myself from the oddity and focused my attention on the headmaster.
For a middle-aged man, his bronze skin was nearly flawless, complementing his regal stature.
His face was poised and void of anxiety or doubt, something I respected.
He commanded the room to fall silent without ever saying a word, just a simple, smooth, and elegant raise of his palm.
"It's time we get underway. Once again, I would like to welcome you all. The academy staff and I are delighted to welcome the new batch of students who arrived today.
As you may know, Xhatal Academy doesn't accept just any young starbound. We accept the best from all over the world. We are one of the few Academies that offer an accelerated program to become a Rift Runner, a profession of the highest honor in our world.
Do well here, and the best guilds in the world will come knocking with an offer.
But this doesn't mean things will be easy here. Where you are from, many of you are seen as the prime example of power. But none of you truly know what real power is, the concept shrouded behind your ancient practices.
At Xhatal Astral Academy, you will learn that exact thing and become something greater. To thrive here, you must learn to wield your soul like a blade–and sharpen it daily. If not, this academy will crush you with the weight of a thousand suns."
The headmaster took a long, slow gaze, scanning the auditorium until his gaze fell upon me.
His face was still for a moment before a faint smile took hold.
"Shall we begin?"