《The Crossing》 Prologue: Birth In a cold dead world, a world full of fierce beasts and hidden terrors, a new life is just beginning... "Ahhhhhhh!! Fuck god damn ittttt!!" A beautiful blonde womans agonized scream echoes through the small cave. "You''re doing great Danielle, just keep pushing!" the woman''s husband, a stern-looking black haired man with a resemblance to modern models attempts to comfort her, In his hands lies an orb which emits a constant white light. "God damn it Edward shut the hell up before I bash your face in!!" Danielle threatens through the pain. "Ahah, she told you!" A grizzly looking brown haired man laughs at his captain''s expense. "Flint, Shut up and wall off this cave already before we attract a swarm of unwanted guests!" Edward glares at his subordinate, who quickly raises his hands which emit a brown energy before the stone at the mouth of the cave close the gap, leaving the only source of light to the orb in the captain''s hand. The birth considers in silence, aside from the blonde male crouching in a corner of a cave, glaring steadfast at the wall and mumbling to himself. "I refuse to watch my sister give birth, I refuse to watch my sister to give birth..." "Like I want to be giving birth in a musty gave with you either jackass!" The woman glares at her brother, Dale, with a red face. "It''s alright honey, it doesn''t matter if it''s here or a palace fit for the gods, I''m here for you." He takes her hand and gives her honeymoon eyes. "Shut up and get my baby out of there, you dunce!" Danielle blushes at his idiocy. And with that the birth continued, a high pitched cry soon filled the air. "It''s a boy honey!" Edward exclaimed with joy. "Tidus.. My baby boy." Danielle held the baby with a relieved smile on her face. The peace lasted for but a moment, before a rumbling came from beyond the sealed mouth of the cave, creating a cold silence upon its inhabitants. The silence reigned for several minutes, the mother holding her hand over the newborn''s mouth to silence his cries as the whole party stared tensely at the cave entrance. A roar grew in the distance as whatever had been searching outside the cave ran off into the distance. Flint, who was closest to the cave entrance put his ear to the wall, waiting silently before releasing a sigh of relief. "Whatever monster that was outside is go-" The world froze as a tall male with silver hair, purple eyes, and a leather coat appeared beside the new mother and her child. "Lowly beasts. I can''t have them harming you yet now can I." With a flick of his wrist, the newborn Titus flew into his arms, on contact emitting a cry as he was freed from the locked time. One wave of his hand and the baby calmed, falling asleep instantaneously. The man looked over the baby as his eyes begin to glow. "It will do, but barely...." He held his arm out as a rift formed before his hand, reaching in he pulled out a marble sized Iridescent clear gem, a myriad of colors twisting about within. The unknown man muttered swiftly at an imperceptible speed, slowly creating a small incision in the child''s hand before pressing the gem into the wound.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. With a faint glow, the gem faded into Tidus''s hand as the wound began to close itself at the silver haired adult''s will. "Grow well, and return." The man lowered Tidus back into his mother''s still frozen arms before fading away. "-ne, I swear we were done for." Flint grinned. "It''s no laughing matter! My baby isn''t about to become monster food! I don''t care how powerful they may be." Danielle looked down at her now sleeping child, impressed at a child''s ignorance of danger to where they can fall asleep in such a situation. Edward scoots over to sit besides his wife, looking down at Tidus. "At least the birth went without any problems... God, I can''t believe we have been stuck in this hell hole for almost an entire year.. No matter how hard we search, it''s as if the gates have closed." His words bring a solemn silence to the cave. Dale sighs as he moved back over to the group now that the horrors are over. "They''re not going to close just like that, would they? After being open for thirty odd years there has to be a way out." It was obvious that he was attempting to be optimistic and improve the mood, but it had little effect. Flint crouched down with the group, with a quiet laugh he spoke. "Oh cmon, after we return from such a long expedition we''ll be right as rain." He lifted up a sack of clanking gems. "With these, we will be rich, which may not be a difference to you nobles but to a commoner like me I could stay in the brothel and never leave for a year!" "And that is why you will never marry." Danielle glares at him. He flinches "Oh cmon, you''re husband used to go with me all the time." Swiftly the man is smacked over the head with a rod of Ice. "You traitor!" Edward groans as he glances at his wife''s twitching and cold smile. With that, the group slowly fell asleep, aside from one who would be the first for the lookout rotation. throughout the night opening the cave entrance to let in fresh air... ------------------------------------------------------------- The next morning the group packed up their supplies and headed out of the cave, looking out at the rising purple sun and the gray sky. "Hahhhh... If we ever get home I''m never returning to this hell.." Dale frowned at the once foreign sky. "Mm, an adventure wasn''t all it was cracked up to be... Danielle held her still sleeping baby in her arms, she had checked to see if he was okay throughout the night, as normally a newborn would not sleep for such a long time, but his breathing stayed normal and he appeared fine. "We will go home, it''s just a matter of ti-" Edward began to comfort as he looked at the almost unbelievable site that stood before them. A black gate of swirling gold energy. "Wha... Hurry! Get through before that bastard decides to close!" Dale grabbed his sister by her arm and pulled her towards the gateway, the rest following behind him at a fervent speed. Swiftly they entered through the gateway, one instant they were in a dead forest, with a gray sky above their heads and the next they were surrounded by armored knights in a vast field, blue skies lie above them. The knights wore shocked expressions at the humans appearing from the other world, and so few in numbers at that. "T-thank god..." Danielle broke out in tears and hugged her child and husband tightly. Mutters spread through the crowd of knights as an official looking male with gray hair stepped forward. "Edward and Danielle Aenward? Dale Estyn? You live! It¡¯s a miracle, we must strike your names from the obituary at once, but... what of the rest of the expedition force?" "Dead. everyone..." Edward spoke with grief in his eyes, thinking of those who followed him only to die in a world not their own. "I see.. I am sorry to hear, May I have the specific number for the files?" The official takes out a book and quill, false sympathy in his eyes. "586 knights, 10 mages, and 15 medics... The survivors, me, my wife, our child, Dale, and Flint. I expect his family to be informed that he lives as well." Edward resists the urge to glare at the prideful official. "Your child..? But Sarah and Willis are accounted for, then.." The official looked down at the newborn in Danielle''s arms in surprise. Almost as if by his attention Titus awoke, emitting a cry "You had a child? In the other world...?" The official looks astonished, as through pregnancy the mother''s mana is mostly drained, leaving the chances of survival in such a dangerous place slimmer than it normal survival in such a land already is. "His name is Tidus." Danielle looked down to offer an affectionate motherly smile at her child before gasping in surprise. Within the baby¡¯s pupils lie an iridescent cascade of swirling colors. Chapter 1: Celebration Six years have passed since the group returned from the other world, they traveled back to their home city, Vicen, with a fortune of gems which they used to strengthen the noble house and bring riches with the jewels they chose to sell. Throughout these years Tidus has grown to become an enigma of a child. At half a year old he spoke his first word, while at a year he was reading books in the family library on his own, his iridescent eyes holding an unnatural level of clarity for one his age. The family had hired many physicians in an attempt to understand the strange pupil condition, though none had any answers to the mystery. In the end the parents decided to leave it as is, considering it a blessing to their child, and though the family made several attempts to keep his abnormality under wraps it was naturally leaked as gossip, spreading through the city rumors and tales of the child with iridescent lies, stories of how he cast his first spell at two, or how he slew a beast at three. Naturally, these were nothing but rumors, as the child spent most of his time playing and molding shapes and figures in mud in the garden, such as now... "Tidus!" His mother called as she passed through the garden, finding him in his natural playing spot, a large mud puddle with a lump being fiddled about between his hands. He froze in his play as he turned to look towards his parent. "Mommy! Look, I made a bird!" He carried the lump over to show her, although it was poorly made it resembled crow rather well. His hair was black like his fathers while his face was oddly effeminate with the Iridescent cascade of light within his eyes. Danielle smiled and patted his head. "Well aren''t you a little artist, though I''ve told you, again and again, this isn''t very noble-like. Perhaps someone got you can use to play besides mud for your birthday party later hmm?" "Really?! Like what? Is it clay? Clay is much better for molding! I hope it is." Tidus expressed an excited smile at the thought. She playfully shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? You''ll have to find out later, after tutoring. Speaking of which where are your Tutors? They''re usually here by now." They had put much expense into hiring the best teachers that they could manage, some had even traveled from distant cities to teach the little genius. "I did double the work yesterday so I could have today off! Hu hu, aren''t I smart?" He boasted to her gleefully. "Ohhh? Perhaps I should have them assign more from now on if you can do that." Danielle threatened with a smile. "G-guh.. Anything but that! It is so boring! Especially history!" The very thought of another history lesson gave him thoughts of scaling the courtyard wall, again. "Oh fine. Since its your birthday today I was going to have them keep the lessons light today anyway. I suppose you can continue playing for a while longer, though you''ll need to change before the guests arrive." She explained before patting his head once more and returning inside, preparing for the future event. This will be Tidus'' grand debut to the other nobles of the Souva kingdom. Titus returned to his station, as in the pile of mud. Tenderly he smoothed and perfected the body of the mud bird, carefully searching a pile of sticks for the perfect ones to use as legs, drawing the feathers into the body with a thin quill he had taken from inside, breaking off bits of a pine cone to act as a beak. Over an hour passed as he continued to play with the mud, occasionally watching the birds of the courtyard as a reference. Finally, he was finished, it had hardened over time as he fiddled with it into a minorly realistic representation of a crow. "What do you have there?" A girl''s curious voice came from behind him. He turned around to find his sister, a girl 8 years old with energetic blue eyes and blonde hair like their mother. "Sarah! It''s a bird! Like the black ones that like to come for food." Tidus happily explained as he held it out for her to see. "Oooh, you''re getting better huh! Say, do you want to play explorers?" Sarah was mildly impressed by his progress with sculpting but as a girl and a child at that, she had other ideas of fun rather than mud. Tidus thought for a moment before nodding his head, rolling the bird into a mud ball before tossing it aside. He couldn''t bring it inside of course as it was mud and would simply dirty the manor. "Okay! Let me clean up a bit and then we can play!" He ran over to the pond to rub the dirt out from under his nails and off of his hands before following his sister off to play. They played together for over an hour, pretending to be explorers who pass through the gates to the other world that opened thirty-four years ago, blasting imaginary fire and lightning at imaginary beasts, discovering treasure and gold. A child''s dream for adventure. Their time soon came to an end though as their mother called them in to prepare for the party, She helped her children change their outfits to be more presentable for a public event. "It''s a shame your brother is off at the capital for school, would have been nice if he were here." Danielle lamented as she helped to button his shirt. Children of nobles are all sent off to the capital at the age of 9, to learn and socialize with others and if they have the capacity, to become a mage or knight. Of course, commoners and merchant children are also capable of joining although the price tends to be high and require a test, unlike noble treatment. "I want to go when sister goes, Do you think they''d let me in early if I tested well?" Tidus wonders as on the occasion he helps Sarah with her homework and in relativity to his own, it seems rather easy. Danielle freezes for a moment, put off guard by his question as his parents had actually been petitioning for the same thing, as they had been progressively raising the difficulty for his tutors and considered it a waste of such talents to wait two extra years. "You wanna leave mommy?" Despite her thoughts, she gave her child with puppy eyes. "N-no way! With all three children at the academy, you could stay at the temporary manor within the capital and relay your commands for the family from there through letters!" He explains his thoughts quickly in hopes not to offend his mother with his will to leave.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. She blinks in silent surprise for several moments before laughing lightly and patting Tidus'' head yet again. "Well aren''t you smart, I''ll have to ask father about that." There were certain ventures that Edward wanted to make in the capital as well, as since the expedition while their funds had increased greatly their followers had diminished, what better place than the capital to find new ones? "Enough of that now though, it''s time for your party" She took Tidus by the hand and brought him to the ballroom, where the party was waiting. There were many people gathered throughout the large room, some servants he knows, his family, but many were strangers. However, before he had a change to look them over more carefully his father came over to besides him and began to speak. "Everyone, thank you for all gathering for my sons birthday, this is Tidus Aenward." He patted Tidus'' back, prodding for him to speak. "Pleased to meet you all, my name is Tidus Eldwick Aenward." He performed a slight bow, his parents had priorly informed him beforehand that although this is his birthday it is also a formal event and that it is important that he put his etiquette classes to use. While some might find something like etiquette classes boring and dull, Titus took it as a game of pretend, getting into his character his expression was calm despite the nervousness inside at the stares of others. It was rather funny to watch them all staring and he despite the atmosphere he couldn''t resist a small smile. The party held multitude more nobles than was normally to be expected for a minor noble house, however, the rumors were many of the child and while many were false it still aroused their attention. Many came to scout out their children''s future potential enemies or allies and based on the child''s calm aura and mysterious eyes at such a tender age few were already considering potential ways to grow closer to this small noble family. There was a respectful amount of applause before the party continued underway, several noble homes sent their children to speak with Tidus as going themselves would be against decorum, so while the children gathered in their own groups or around Tidus, the adults did the same with his parents. "Hi, It''s nice to meet you all." Tidus spoke to the other children with a tinge of excitement in his voice and less formal, as they all appeared to be around five or six, and were children who unlike him had the minimum of learning. The children spoke of toys, games, and adventures while the parents spoke politics rumors and tales of exploits, attempting to ingratiate themselves with the parents of the bright child. Though there was still many nobles who did not, as it would be stooping themselves too low to make such an attempt with only minor nobles. Thus the party continued on for several hours with little events of interest, Tidus restrained himself from following the rest of the children to play outside, leaving them with a few kind words of playing together the next time they are to meet. Instead, he attempted to speak with those nobles who reserved themselves to their own groupings away from his parents. "I wish to formally thank you all for coming today, as I know you have more important matters to attend than these small festivities, I appreciate your attendance." Tidus gave a respectful bow. He had rehearsed such lines with his etiquette teacher for a week prior, as while these higher nobles may be prideful they had fair reason to be with the resources they have. He knew that growing a relationship with powerful people would be beneficial to his parents, and the work he had already done with their children would benefit him in the future. His teacher had always said that while it was good to impress those of higher status it was best to be deferential so as not to appear a threat. "What a fine lad you are, your parents must be quite proud." An elderly bearded man spoke with a calming smile of a grandfather. From what Tidus had learned of the guests to come, this was Aldin Vaen, a representative from the king himself. "You give me too much credit Sir Vaen, I still have much to learn and grow. I believe I met your grandson earlier? He has your eyes and your smile, I''m sure he will do great credit to your family in the future." Tidus spoke with respectful eye contact, leaving an impression on the man. "I knew your grandfather you know, the first to rise to nobility after the gates opened, he was quite the leader." Aldin decided he would continue the conversation with this young one. "Yes sir, I have heard many praises about you and my grandfather''s exploits in the other world from my father, you two are the ones that inspired him to form his own expedition, and gain the wealth he acquired on the expedition of my birth." Tidus continued with his respectful town. Another spoke up from the circle of higher nobility, a Silas Wintergreen, A man with ownership over a large portion of the nearby lands, specializing in mining and jewel craft. "I hear you were born in the other side of the gates? I can''t help but question your interesting eyes, they remind me of the jewels often my family often sells." "Yes sir, I like to consider them as a blessing as distinctive features are useful for inspiring fame in the common folk." Tidus looked up to him and addressed him with a smile, his ears twitching at the other children''s joyous laughter and mirth from outside. While he wished to join them these connections were more useful. Tidus continued his banter with the adults, roughly easing his way into their common talk, which proved more difficult than he had hoped due to the age difference and all of his mannerism coming only from class practice and training, with little real practice. Soon enough the party reached its end, there were presents but those were to be opened and gratitude to be expressed through the participant''s handwritten letter, which is custom. He managed to leave exceptional impressions on the group of adults while leaving the children to consider him fun, despite his refusal to join them outside with their games. After saying goodbyes to everyone by name at the door of the hall the room soon came to a silence as Tidus released a heavy sigh and flopped into a chair. "How did I do dad? I think I convinced them to keep our family in their minds. Though I really wanna sleep." Tidus spoke with a weary smile, taking a sip of water for his worn throat. Edward laughed heartily and patted his head. "You did great my son! I couldn''t be more proud if I tried. They won''t be looking down on us much longer will they? Though that''s not important now, You''re tired I understand. But don''t you want to open your presents?" At the mention of gifts Tidus'' ears perked up and he felt revitalized. "Sleep can wait! Presents!" He hopped from his chair and walked briskly towards the room the gifts were stored in, his parents and sister following along, happy at his excitement. There were toys and new clothing aplenty, a servant at the side had a list of the party attendants and what gifts they brought, tomorrow he would write their letters. This time was for him however, time to himself and his family. He much preferred this style of party. Soon enough he finished through the gifts, the kings representative had brought a pair of lustrous black gloves while the jeweler had brought a sapphire ring, he would make sure to wear them the next time he were to meet them. After he had made his way through the guests'' presents his parents brought out their own, a high tier set of sculpting tools and a promise of an ample supply of material to work with, along with a silver necklace with a onyx gem cut into the shape of the family emblem, a swirling gate in honor to what first brought their nobility thirty years prior. While he was excited to learn to use the tools to sculpt with clay it was far too late and after a short family meal, everyone went to bed. As Tidus slept an Iridescent light shown through his veins... Chapter 2: Travel Several more months pass since the celebration, his sister has reached the age of nine and is to head to the academy and Tidus is to go as well, in an attempt to test in early. ¡°Tidus! Are you ready to go?¡± His mother entered his room, where he and a servant were just finishing packing up his clay molding supplies. As well as his clothing, coins and a few toys. He didn¡¯t want to bring too many as if he were to test into the academy early then he would already be seen as a little kid and all of the toys wouldn¡¯t help. He followed his mother outside with the servant carrying his things behind him, as this is one of those things that they¡¯re paid for. His sister and father were already by the carriages, in his sister''s hand lays the small clay cat that he had made for her on her birthday, he had mixed purple dye in with the outer layer of clay and had small turquoise jewels embedded for its eyes. It had turned out rather well as his parents luckily hired another tutor specifically for his sculpting. There was a total of five carriages surrounded by thirty knights and ten servants, they are to be moving to a temporary manor at the capital which naturally led to them bringing a fair amount of followers and supplies. ¡°Alright then let¡¯s set out, hopefully, we will maintain a fair speed without interruptions to reach the next town with time to spare for the day. I¡¯m not keen on camping it out in the woods.¡± Edward commanded to the servants and half of the knights riding on, or steering the carriages. While the other knights walked around perimeter of the convoy. They would be switching out with the knights on the carriage to maintain enough stamina for any potential bandit ambushes. The family entered the carriage placed in the center while the servants and knights entered the ones to the very front and farthest back, with the majority of the supplies placed in the center of them, with knights on foot they spread along the sides all the way to the top of the front carriage to the last of the rear carriages. The journey went on for over an hour with rather peace, as the mother kept an eye and an ear for the happenings outside of the carriage, the father wrote on paper with quill and Tidus quizzed with his sister on potential test questions. ¡°Alright little brother, you gotta do well on the test so you can go to classes with your big sis alright?¡± Sarah explained cheekily. ¡°I¡¯ll do perfectly well, I¡¯m much more concerned for you, however. Therefore I think I shall quiz you first, but I suppose we can start with something more entertaining than history or ethics¡­ Where does magic originate? A full answer would be best.¡± Tidus smiled at his sister. ¡°Oh come on, I¡¯m pretty smart for my age you know! You¡¯re the weird one here.¡± she sighed before continuing on in a bored monotone voice. ¡°Magic originated from the other world, through the gates that opened thirty-five years ago.¡± The boy reacted in a childish humor. ¡°And? Come on now, you¡¯re going to look like the school dunce if that''s the limit of your knowledge on the subject.¡± As Tidus mocked her into continuing. ¡°Of course I know more than that! I''m just testing you!¡± Sarah blushed in embarrassment ¡°It is a form of energy which can be sensed but not seen in the air and be utilized through the use of gems, without the use of gems humans are incapable of using even the simplest of magic. Gems are what grant us our ability to use magic, and the gems come in different elements, like fathers ice or mothers fire or my lightning.¡± She finishes off with pride, though she isn¡¯t able to make use of her gem aside from a bit of static. Their parents had her absorb a rare lightning gem through a small wound. They had used one that they gained on their expedition that they gifted to her on her birthday, as while it would bring greater wealth it was best used on their children. The absorption doesn''t always end in success as they had attempted to have Tidus absorb a lightning gem as well, but it didn¡¯t take. Likely as he was too young. ¡°Well that''s good enough, maybe you¡¯ll even pass. Though you should mention the rarity of gems, our parents went on a year long expedition to the other side and only ended up with four fire gems, three wind, four earth, two water gems and finally two lightning type gems.¡± Tidus explained. ¡°Come onnnn, can¡¯t we play a game or something? I already studied for a full week prior! It was hell you know!¡± She complained in utter agony. Tidus laughed. ¡°You don''t gotta be so dramatic y''know, I just don¡¯t want my big sis scoring too bad on the test. I might get embarrassed.¡± He was having fun at her expense as he grew much pride in his intelligence from the constant praise from his tutors. ¡°Very well, what do you want to play?¡± The ride continued on as they played I spot and with their small toys, occasionally messing with their parents. That always led to one of them being put in time out. soon enough they arrived at the town between their city and the capital, Wolfden, an apt name for the slave trade capital of the kingdom. There was little trouble as the guard let them pass the line of commoners and enter the city freely they even lead their carriages to the wealthy part of town, where they would stay for the night and head to the capital tomorrow. ¡°Would you kids like to check out the market while we are here?¡± His father asks as the servants arrange their rooms. ¡°Edward, don¡¯t you think they are a tad too young to be entering such places?¡± Danielle chastises her husband. For a moment, Edward takes her to the side to speak in a hushed tone. ¡°Dear, they are going to the capital soon, it is common for nobles to bring slave servants along, and this may be a good opportunity for the children to find followers of their own. She sighs. ¡°Very well, just let me talk with them for a moment first.¡± She returns to her children, crouching down to eye level. ¡°Listen kids, we are going to go to a place that isn¡¯t very nice, but it''s something that is allowed by the king¡¯s law, some of them may be criminals and others might be people going through a rough patch in their lives. Whatever their situation they may be in just remember that they are people just like you and me. Your father and I were commoners once, until grandfather was granted nobility for our family. You understand what I mean don¡¯t you?¡± She finished her speech before taking both of the children''s hands and following their father to the slave market. Tidus nodded his head in understanding, the situation reminded him of the philosophy with nobles, but instead of being differential he should instead expel a feeling of superiority to his underlings. After a lengthy walk, they reached the market, which was bustling with slave traders, the rich, and the enslaved. ¡°I don¡¯t like this place very much..¡± Sarah complained at the sight of the dirty slaves with the rags and hollow eyes. Tidus felt equally disturbed by the notion of having another capable of selling their lives. His teacher had taught him that in order to understand his servants he has to put himself in their position, try to determine their desires and such. ¡°Father, I have some coins. May I hire some?¡± Tidus had been selling his sculptures or gifting them to others as he made them, allowing to make a pretty penny alongside his allowance, which he has only used to purchase clay, books, and a few toys. His economics teacher had taught him the importance of saving for important purchases and the life of another human seemed to be one. Edward was momentarily surprised at his willingness to participate in slave trade but the word ¡®hire¡¯ rather than ¡®purchase¡¯ put him more at ease. ¡°Very well, I will go with you for a closer look while your mother and sister can look around with us or shop in a less vile environment.¡± His sister, put off by the feel of the area jumped at the opportunity to leave. Grasping at Danielle''s sleeve she spoke. ¡°Cmon mom, let''s go look at the clothing stores!¡± She pulled her along as they said their goodbyes, planning to meet back at the inn after shopping. ¡°Alright son, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± Edward pat¡¯s Tidus¡¯s head.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Tidus quickly walks into the nearest slave shop, with an even strut and a superior attitude on his face, not even offering the door guards a glance before strutting into the large building, Where an overweight and balding adult approaches his father. ¡°Greeting sir, how may I help you today?¡± The man takes on a subservient attitude as he addresses Edward. Before his father has a chance to explain how he isn¡¯t the one purchasing, Tidus speaks up. ¡°You are addressing the wrong person, I am the customer you are to serve today.¡± He glares up at the fat man and thinks to himself ¡®It¡¯s rather difficult to be authoritative with such a size difference..¡¯ The shopkeep looks down to the child to see the odd swirl of colors glaring back at him, though the Iridescent eyes are shocking enough, something else about it leaves cold sweat down his spine. ¡°Of course sir, I apologize for the inconvenience, how may I serve you today?¡± He manages to quickly adopt a professional attitude, as no matter the customer''s size it is the size of their coffers that matter. ¡°Good, Tell me the prices of child slaves, preferably near the age of eight.¡± He spoke, as followers around that age were capable of being taught and not too far older than himself. ¡°Well, young master that would depend on the gender, males are generally around four to seven gold while females tend to lean towards six to ten gold. And then there are those who are specially abled with certain skills which are much higher.¡± The pig did not explain why, though Edward could guess for himself. Tidus glanced over his coin pouch, only having a total of thirty gold coins. ¡°Very well, bring me five slaves valued at six, And I do recommend you bring the best available for that price, along with the conditions of no living family members.¡± He glared at the man as he suppressed his disgust. ¡°Very well, young master, I shall return momentarily.¡± The man walked away from the odd child as fast as his fat legs could carry him, something about the child¡¯s eyes telling him not upset this customer, therefore he gathered the best he could manage at six gold and even a few at seven. Shortly he returned with five children in chains behind him. ¡°Here they are young master, I took the liberty of adding in two valued at 7 as well, however, I will sell them all to you for thirty.¡± Tidus stepped towards the children, There were three boys and two girls. ¡°Tell me your names?¡± He asks them with a calming smile. The first to break their stupor at the site of his strange eyes is a boy with brown hair and tanned skin. ¡°I am Jacob, and I am nine years old.¡± Following him is a small redheaded girl. ¡°I am.. Sonya. eight years old.¡± The third soon followed, an energetic child despite his situation. ¡°Hi, I''m eight as well. My name is jack¡± From his attitude and the look the shopkeeper gave him he appeared to not have been a slave long. ¡°Jacob, Nine¡± The tallest one stepped forward, he had dark hair and black eyes. The last one, a small girl black-haired and a pale girl stood silently, staring back at him fearlessly unlike the rest. The slave trader stepped forward ¡°She¡¯s a mute young master, but she is a bright child I swear!¡± She was the only other child priced around that price with his conditions, the rest cost nine to ten. Tidus glanced over them one by one, they all seemed somewhat capable, especially the mute. Though the attitude may be bad if treated wrong, as the only thing binding them were chains. Magic binding colors are artifact found in the other world, and cost much more than all of them combined. ¡°Very well, hand me the keys and I¡¯ll give you the gold.¡± Tidus requested his side of the deal in a show of dominance. ¡°Of course, Young master.¡± He smiled ingratiatingly and handed him five rusted keys and slips of ownership papers... He glanced over the keys and documents before sliding him into his pocket and pouring the pouch of coins into the trader''s hands, a few coins falling to the floor which forced him to pick them up. ¡°Have a fine afternoon.¡± He nodded to the man before beckoning for the children to follow him and his father out of the slave district. The children followed, occasionally giving Tidus a curious glance as they walked, unsure of his intentions in purchasing them. Soon they reached the inn they were staying at, where Tidus asked his father to stop before turning to the other children. He gave them a friendly smile before speaking up as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the slips and keys. ¡°I understand that you all were stuck in a terrible environment, and I apologize on behalf of the kingdom for allowing such things. However, your troubles are over.¡± He took the keys and handed each of them to the correct set of chains which they unlock. As they stood and shock at what to do with the keys he tore the slavery papers to shreds. ¡°You are all free to go, no chains or laws bind you to serve another man now. However I offer you a choice, you may follow me and the Aenward family, go with us to the capital. I will have you taught, so that you may eventually follow me and raise yourself above your position in this world, Do well enough in your studies and loyalty and I may grant you a magic gem, so you may train in magic. If not you are free to leave, return to whatever family or goals you may have¡± He did his best to make his speech inspiring, as while slaves would have their use, loyalty was more important and he could truly gain their loyalty with this ¡®choice¡¯. Silence reigned for moments before they undid their shackles. All but one agreed to follow him, even the mute nodded her head in excited agreement. Jacob, the tallest one bowed his head in gratitude and spoke. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I can¡¯t go. I swear on my family that I will find you in the future to repay this kindness.¡± He had a willpower in his eyes that was uncanny for a nine-year-old. It was a shame as if he were willing to follow him then he would grow to be a great addition. Tidus nodded his head, taking him to the side away from the others and pressing his last gold coin into his hand. ¡°I wish you luck, and look forward to our reunion.¡± Jacob nodded in gratitude before hurriedly walking into the crowd, while Tidus returned to his father and new servants. Most of the people who came with the family were staying at an inn at the lesser side of town. Only a few knights were staying at the family¡¯s location. Edward called for one of them to bring the children to the other servants, while Tidus requests that any servants capable begin teaching them to read. ¡°You did well today son.¡± His father patted his head as they entered the room the family had rented. It seemed that Danielle and Sarah had not returned from shopping yet. Tidus flopped onto one of the three beds of the large room and emitted a loud sigh. ¡°That place was seriously gross. I feel like I need a bath just from that man breathing.¡± Edward laughed, ¡°Do you really plan on giving them magic gems? They¡¯re truly expensive you know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry dad, I won¡¯t touch the family¡¯s, and them being rewarded with a gem is entirely up to their effort. I¡¯ll need to make sure to occasionally remind them.¡± He laid there in silence with his eyes closed before heading to take a bath. While he was bathing his mother and sister returned, new clothing in hand. When he exited the shower he made his sister study with him, despite her tired protests. The night grew and the family went to bed¡­ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tidus turned in his bed, dreams of creatures he never knew of, horned giants covered in black fur, their heights surpassing the tallest of trees, horned wolves with metallic fur, and snakes with the body length of a mile and the width of a house. He awoke with a gasp and a cold sweat, rubbing his eyes he noticed an odd glow from his hands. Thin tendrils of iridescent light spread forth from the tips of his fingers. The sight almost drove him to scream in shock, but he felt an odd sensation from them, as if they were an extension of himself. Carefully he wove them about, shifting them by will to form a cat, stiffly walking step by step through the air, as he had seen the strays he had used as a reference for his sister''s sculpture before. His practice was quickly interrupted by a scream. ¡°Iyaaahh! What is that! Rainbow Cat!¡± His sister screamed, waking both his parents. ¡°Wh-wh-what happened?!¡± His mother spoke, sitting up almost fully awake, quick reflexes born from their expedition. His father was already out of his bed and on his feet, staring in shock at the light which quickly scattered from the sudden scream that broke Tidus¡¯ concentration, the light scattering. ¡°What was that Tidus?!¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! It just happened!¡± He still felt the energy, except now it hovered in the middle of his chest. Danielle quickly lit the lanterns in the room with her magic as the knights in the room over burst through the door, his father swiftly dismissing them away. ¡°Can you do it again? Is it magic?¡± His sister asked him again excitedly, hopping over onto his bed with bright eyes. ¡°Uhm... It¡¯s still there¡­ I can try.¡± He moved the energy through his body, through his arms and out of his palm, where it gathered up into a ball of misty Iridescent light. Edward and Danielle stepped over, everyone looking over the ball of energy closely, his parents occasionally glancing at Tidus¡¯ eyes. ¡°I can sense magic from it... But no element I know of will do anything like that. With untrained fire or ice, there would be a warmth or cold, not this odd... Shapeshifting.¡± Edward brought his wife to the side and spoke quietly, Leaving Tidus to make shapes with the energy for his sister. After a few minutes, they return. His mother ¡°Dear, when we get to the capital¡­ We want you to show this to the Academy leaders. They may be able to help you understand it.¡± Unknown magic without a gem origin would lead to great prestige for their family, And the school would be able to help him understand it better. ¡°But do not let them try and control you. I trust you to work for your own and the family¡¯s benefit.¡± His father added in, always dedicated to raising his family to higher nobility. Tidus nodded his head. ¡°Of course dad, I will definitely show them all what I am made of.¡± He spoke with a new fire in his eyes... Chapter 3: Capital They left for the capital early the next morning, though it had been a long night. Tidus had spent it all ¡®sculpting¡¯ the energy while his parents and sister had managed a few hours of sleep after watching him play with the energy. He had discovered little uses for his magic, such as that while it was capable of passing through objects it required much more force and without being able to see what was around it on the other side he had issues moving it without running into unseen obstacles. However, if the energy were to stay out in the air and away from his body for three minutes, though returning and releasing it out once more would reset the time he had. Thus the night passed with him excitedly altering and manipulating the iridescent energy and though it leads to little results he believed that it would only be a matter of time... Naturally, come the next morning he was severely exhausting, leading to him spreading a blanket across the carriage floor and napping through the rest of the ride to the capital, despite the shaking carriage he managed to sleep like a log. The children he had taken under his wing had spent a fair amount of time the night prior learning a bit about how to read, enthused at the chance of potentially becoming a mage if they perform well enough in their studies. They continued to learn throughout the entire ride to the capital in one of the servant''s carriages. It took several hours before they eventually arrived at the capital, where Sarah woke Tidus from his deep sleep. ¡°Tidus! Quick, look outside. Those walls are huuge!¡± Sarah exclaimed in pure excitement. He wearily rubbed his eyes as he climbed up from the floor of the carriage and onto the bench near the window beside his sister, swiftly unruffling out his clothing in the process, sticking his head out the window, he gasped in astonishment at the massive walls, extending a hundred-twenty feet up and spread as far as the eye could see. Surrounding the massive walls were expansive farmlands. Edward chuckled at his children''s excitement, happy that while his son was bright-minded he still had a childishness within him. Tidus had read about the walls of Souva, one of the points of pride for the kingdom. It was raised and extended through the group effort of several earth mages for over the course of several months. While prior to the gates opening the capital had been large, with the sudden benefit of magic the already large city quickly expanded. While twenty years ago there was a population of 400,000, throughout these short twenty years the city has grown astronomically to hold more than a million and a half inhabitants. The rapid growth partially attributed to the massive academy and research center for all educational, martial, and magical training. Naturally, the line that spread out for this monster of a city was substantial, even with the eight other gates spread along the city wall. Luckily as nobles, they had a much shorter line, despite a few other nobles that were in line before them. They made their way to the gate, where his father showed the gate guards their papers for their stay in the temporary manor. They all dismounted the carriage as the city guards would inspect them thoroughly for contraband and then have the contents of the where they were quickly immersed within the crowd of those going about their business. The families guards walked around the family and servants, the noble emblems on their armor quickly caused the crowd to split, as the population of the outer area of the city was mostly commoners and soldiers. As they traveled deeper into the city they shortly reached their temporary estate in the noble district, it was surrounded by brick walls like many other noble manors and a single gate at the front. As the guards at the gate had yet to deliver their things to them there was little they could do in the form of unpacking, therefore Edward decided to bring his son to the Academy, located a between the noble district and the King¡¯s castle. Sarah and Danielle, on the other hand, had no reason join them as the entrance assessment was not for two days. Instead, they chose to explore the market district, known for the extensive stores and restaurants. There are even a few stores specialized in objects from the other world. The academy was surrounded by tall fences with a massive gate at the front, surrounded by several guards. Edward approached the man who appeared to be in charge, he was the only one without a helmet. ¡°Hello, My name is Edward Aenward and this is my son Tidus Aenward and we have something important for the council.¡± He held out the family seal, though it brought little effect. ¡°Sir, you must understand that the council are very busy people and they can not appear for any nobles whims. I must know what is that may be so important before sending a messenger to request a visit with the council. Without any prompting, Tidus released the iridescent energy from his fingertips, forming it into a cat which leaped towards the man¡¯s face. Reflexively he swung out his sword to slice the energy in half only to have it disperse and return to Tidus¡¯s body. ¡°Will that do?¡± He tilted his head slightly as he made eye contact with the gate guard, the colors in his pupils swirling. The man stared at the child''s eyes in confusion and shock, as he appeared to be extremely young but displayed an oddly suppressing aura. ¡°... Yeah, I mean Yes. I will lead you to the main building. Please follow me.¡± The guard captain gestured for the others to open the gate as he led them through. there was much more open space within the walls compared to the rest of the city, Trees and shrubbery grew freely along the paths and large buildings spread haphazardly around the extensive grounds. Students could be seen scurrying along to their own destinations or playing games, the occasional teacher would pass by. The School had several maps along the paths so that new students would not lose their way.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The main office buildings are focused around the central courtyard while the class and research buildings are spread along the east and the dormitories along the west. As you have seen the is mostly unused woods. The designers of the academy decided that being surrounded by nature would lower stress. Personally, I think finding your way around this place is more stressful than it all being clumped together but that is not what I am paid for.¡± The man explained as he leads them through the woods and into the extensive plaza surrounded by polished stone buildings and one large central building. ¡°The surrounding buildings here are the teachers and staffs homes, as well as business offices that are mostly staff only. Lots of documents and boring paperwork. Anyway this up ahead is the main office, The council meeting room is inside.¡± They entered the building to find themselves in a reception area with four people situated around a circular desk, a few students could be seen waiting for their appointments with staff. Tidus and his father were lead passed the reception area and down the halls, to a large set of marble doors. The guard knocked on the door for a brief moment before a voice called for him to enter. ¡°Wait out here for a moment.¡± He said before opening the door and stepping inside, closing it behind him. ¡°Anything specific you want me to mention dad?¡± Tidus looked up at his father. ¡°No, no. Just do what you think is best. You¡¯ve done well so far and I have faith in what you will do.¡± Edward rubbed his son''s hair. The door opened as the guard stepped out to face the father and son duo. They wish to see the child, but sir Edward must wait outside. He nodded his head as he expected such a situation and the guard held the door open for Tidus to enter. Inside the room was a semi-circular table with expensive looking chairs and nine men and women sitting on them. He recognized none of them and all of their eyes were on him. ¡°Young Tidus, was it? Step forward.¡± One of them spoke and Tidus moved to the center of the room. ¡°Please demonstrate your.. Lightshow was it?¡± An elderly man spoke in a condescending manner. Tidus twitched in annoyance before complying, iridescent light cascading from his fingertips. ¡°I am not sure what it may be used for but I have yet to hear of a useless magic type.¡± The light morphed itself into a horse at Tidus¡¯ will. ¡°Mm... It is certainly unique but that does not determine that it is of any use. Though it is ¡®pretty¡¯¡± An elderly woman spoke. ¡°Does it have any relation to your eyes?¡± A bearded man questioned. Tidus blinked momentarily in surprise as oddly enough he had yet to consider that relation. ¡°When not in active use I sense it stored in the center of my chest. But since I can move it at will perhaps if I directed it into my eyes.¡± He spoke as he acted, sending strands of energy into his eyes as they begin to sting, slowly the iridescent colors spread to the whites of his eyes as the air around him felt heavier. Blinking away the pain he looked at those in the room with shock, within each of them he could see lights, He focused on one of them, gray lines spread through his body as well as a violent and restless red energy in his chest, which summoned thoughts of flames, energy, and infernos. In another he saw a calm blue orb, the energy swaying calmingly, summoning visions of a vast ocean and heavy rainfall. Looking down at his own arm he found the same gray lines and in his own chest, he saw creation, knowledge, control, and dominance. Massive creatures of stone, but there was something more, deeper. As he focused more energy into his eyes blood began to flow down his face like tears as a massive headache overtook his consciousness. Swiftly he removed the energy from his eyes as he wiped away the blood, the light in them returning to his pupils and the visions were gone. He shook his mind clear as he gazed at the disturbed and intrigued faces of the council around him. ¡°Well? Do tell us what happened.¡± The one in the center spoke, he was the head of the council and was an elderly bearded male. ¡®Right, no worry for the kid with bleeding eyes¡¯ Tidus thought to himself as he decided to have a bit of fun. He directed the minimum of energy required to his eyes for them to ¡®activate¡¯. Tidus raised his hand and pointed to the one who sat to his far left. ¡°Earth.¡± He pointed to the next. ¡°Lightning.¡± The next. ¡°Metal.¡± In the next, he found two. ¡°Water and wind.¡± In the head of the council, he found two as well. ¡°Wind and Lightning.¡± And so he continued pointing out every last on of their affinities. At first, they thought that the child had perhaps only researched their elements prior, that is until he reached the one he claimed to have water and wind, while to their knowledge the woman had water. Never before had there been a way to know a person''s element without them willingly using magic, unless they were new to their gems and unconsciously emitted it. Collectively they looked to the woman who was frozen in shock. ¡°I had successfully absorbed a wind gem this morning and had planned to bring it up later.¡± ¡°Incredible. This would be a superb ability at detecting magician assassins.¡± One claimed. Tidus ¡®deactivated¡¯ his eyes once more before speaking up. ¡°The energy within my eyes allow me to see both your elements and some other form of lines that spread throughout everyone it seems. However, if this were all my magic has to offer then wouldn¡¯t the magic simply be contained in my body and not be able to be removed like most other magic¡¯s?¡± They all looked to the head councilor, who stared at Tidus in silence for several moments before speaking up. ¡°Very well, we will admit you early entrance to the academy, despite your age, and the right to join the ¡®Special magics¡¯ class. This class has rights to request reasonable professional assistance from any available staff and access to resources through filing a claim to the council. Naturally, there will be no need for you to participate in the entrance exam.¡± He finished with a cough. As he spoke Tidus was all smiles until they spoke of him not taking the entrance exam, to which he revealed a heavy frown. He had studied years for that exam! Quickly he thought to himself before speaking. ¡°With all due respect sirs, I would request to take the exam, as my age is so young if I were to not take it then it and still gain entry early then it would put me in a disdainful position with my future peers.¡± ¡°What is it that you are proposing?¡± The man spoke in mild surprise at the six year old''s words. ¡°I am proposing that you allow me to take the test, and score full marks as to produce respect and envy rather than scorn.¡± Tidus smiled cheerfully at the thought. ¡°You want us to help you cheat?¡± One of the council misunderstood. Tidus could not resist the urge to laugh. ¡°I-I am sorry for the confusion, no, no. I will thoroughly crush them on my own.¡± He gave a predatory grin at the thought. Shivers spread down their spines. Chapter 4: Discovery By the time they had returned to the manor their possessions had arrived, and while Tidus had originally wanted to check out the art stores in the market he would instead focus on his magic. After his room was thoroughly organized he sat on his bed, releasing the light from his hands and directing it into his eyes. Looking around the room there was no difference from his normal vision of it. Instead, he walked out to the balcony which had a fair view of the street below. While a few had a magic affinity, like his sister in the yard, every last one of them appeared to have the lines of white, including the birds that flew about. Tidus scratched his head and sighed as he watched the passersby¡¯s, while he had learned more of his ability it so far had proved to be little more than an alarm and while he had told the council that he was sure there was more to it he wasn''t entirely sure of it himself. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you should be studying, big sis?¡± He called down to Sarah. ¡°G-guh... I studied the whole ride here while you were sleeping! I can play for a while if I wanna play for a while!¡± She yelled in return as she sent static between her fingers. ¡°Not to mention that this is kinda sorta studying! I don¡¯t have to learn all that boring stuff if I become a powerful mage!¡± She had a point but Tidus didn¡¯t agree with it. ¡°You can have all the power you want if you don¡¯t have a good head to go along you¡¯ll just be used by another.¡± His words quickly shut her mouth. He sighed and spoke, ¡°However, naturally I wouldn¡¯t let that happen. I¡¯ll be the brains and you¡¯ll be the brawn. Speaking of the brawn, isn''t brother supposed to come visit today? I expected him to be here by now.¡± He glanced to the gate as he spoke. ¡°I dunno, maybe he is busy with classes. You shoulda searched for him at the school!¡± He had already been there for three years, from what he had heard of him he seemed to get in quite a few fights with both commoners and nobles alike. ¡°I¡¯m not about to go interrupting their activities, even if they would allow it. Flaunting my special rights pointlessly like that would be pointless.¡± Tidus glanced to his side, where a dead beetle lay on the balcony floor, tiny white lines spreading through it. Sarah pouted. ¡°You need to have more fun you know! Cmon and let me zap you!¡± She flicked sparks off of her finger threateningly. ¡°I do have fun! I sculpted that cat for you and many others!¡± He complained. Though he considered that perhaps something may have been wrong with him. While he still had a few toys about his room they have grown less fun than they used to be. ¡°You should have more fun than that!¡± Tidus grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I will have much more fun looking at the test rankings, I can¡¯t wait to see the faces of those outscored by someone 2/3rd their age!¡± He snickered lightly as he pushed his energy towards the dead beetle, Suddenly he was startled by an odd connection between the white lines in the beetle and his energy. Quickly, he crouched down to watch what was happening closer, the iridescent lights slowly wrapped around the white lines and taking them into them. He distinctly felt his light increasing by a minuscule amount as the last of the lines were ¡®drained¡¯. The insect, however, slowly crumbled to ash. Swiftly, he stood to his feet, considering what else he could use it on.. Glancing to his right, he saw a bird on a branch nearby. Pausing for a moment, he violently shook his head. ¡°No, no, no. No cute animal genocide. I need bugs.¡± Returning the slightly increased energy to his body, he quickly headed through his room and downstairs to the outdoors. As he frantically through the dirt he quickly found a few worms, though when he attempted to absorb them while they squirmed about he felt a resistance. So he squished them underfoot. After the wormicide was done he took their ¡®life energy¡¯? Into his ¡®mana?¡¯ Honestly, this was all too confusing as from what he learned of other magics, their capacity was not raised like this. Instead, they were increased through use and the cost of ¡®casting¡¯ was decreased by their knowledge of that type. ¡°Heyy little bro, girly looking as usual I see.¡± A voice came from behind him with a heavy slap to his back that almost sent him into the ground. ¡°Guh¡­ Heyyy big brother, still being immature I see.¡± Tidus turned to his brother with a twitching smile, he was twice his age and almost twice his size. Willis was twelve years old and fairly tall for his age with black hair and blue eyes. His parents had originally offered him the lightning gem but he had demanded the fire gem, oddly enough he had absorbed a wind gem earlier this year. ¡°Still with the swirly eyes I see.¡± Will mocked back as he put his brother in a chokehold. ¡°Cmon now! It¡¯s almost like you¡¯ve grown even more boring since I last saw you! Seems like we will need to give you some special training.¡± His brother joked with an evil glint in his eye as once upon a blue moon a shiver ran down Tidus¡¯ spine as he attempted to escape the chokehold, his efforts provided little effect as the only physical activity he actively participated in as of late was sculpting. ¡°Youch!¡± His brother yelped as Sarah prodded her with her lightning charged finger. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Tidus!¡± She pouted and prepared more shock treatment.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°No! I¡¯m not bullying him! I''m ¡®fixing¡¯ him.¡± He explained simply. ¡°Fixing¡­?¡± Sarah stopped her charging and tilted her head in wonder. ¡°Yes, you see Tidus here has been infected with serpentoliosis, it makes them use big words and lose their interest in fun. The only real way to cure it is to force them to have more fun!¡± Will explained ¡®wisely¡¯ ¡°That''s preposterous, Serpentoliosis isn¡¯t even a real thing!¡± Tidus explained with a huff. Sarah gasped in horror, ¡°It¡¯s true! He¡¯s really using big words! Two of them even!¡± ¡°Yes..¡± Will wiped away an imaginary tear. ¡°The worst part is that he doesn¡¯t even know it. My poor little brother is blind to his own disease. We must help him, we must!¡± He yelled melodramatically. ¡°Let me help! I don¡¯t want little brother to be sick!¡± She exclaimed, Tidus wasn¡¯t sure if she was really serious or simply playing along. Either way, he had a bad feeling about this. ¡°Good! Quick, grab his legs for me!¡± Before Tidus had a chance to begin his escape will had already grabbed onto his arms as Sarah dove for his legs. ¡°Not happening!¡± Tidus quickly created an Iridescent mana snake into his brother''s face, as he was yet to be informed of his little brothers magic he reflexively raised his arms defensively. Allowing Tidus to move his legs away from Sarah¡¯s outstretched arm and make a sprint for the house. As he ran a gust of wind flew towards the back of his knees, buckling his legs under him and knocking him to the ground. His brother ran over after sending the blast of air and hopped onto his back, not allowing him to stand. ¡°Hey, little bro what was that rainbow snake! Make another or I¡¯m not letting you back up.¡± He grinned. Tidus struggled to push him off to no avail, he was about to concede when his mother called from the manor. ¡°Willis! Get off your brother and give me a hug!¡± She walked over with a smile. Will quickly hopped up and greeted his mother with a hug as Tidus stood and dusted himself off. ¡°He used magic on me!¡± Tidus complained. ¡°You did it first!¡± ¡°No, I used magic ¡®near¡¯ you.¡± He huffed. ¡°Alright you three come inside, dinner is ready and your father is apparently starving to death.¡± Danielle rolled her eyes as he led them in. The family sat around the table as Tidus explained his newfound abilities and the special privileges the school will give him. ¡°Whaaat! Seriously, they¡¯re gonna not only let you in early but put you in the special class!¡± Willis complained. ¡°They¡¯re not ¡®letting¡¯ me in, I¡¯m testing in just like everyone else.: Tidus explained as he stared at the chicken, stuck between taking the dead animal''s energy as his own and eating it. In the end, his stomach won out. ¡°Speaking of studying I do hope that Sarah will do well, perhaps we should have some cram lessons before the big day.¡± Danielle grinned menacingly. ¡°No, no, no! Anything but that! Please! I¡¯ll do good! I¡¯ve already studied a lot! It¡¯s not like doing poorly will stop me from being able to attend. ¡°Perhaps not, but if you do score badly you will have to take more ¡®boring¡¯ classes while the higher grades will be allowed to choose more classes. I hear that there are even a few prizes for upper rankings, It¡¯s a shame I can only take the first place prize and not the rest.¡± Tidus spoke as he began to dig into his food. As he continued to eat he explained to his father how he had drained the insects which slightly increased his Iridescent energy. ¡°Hmm, and you say that every previous living thing has this white energy? What about this chicken?¡± He questioned as Tidus activated his eyes, while they white energy was still there it seemed rather grayed out. ¡°I can, but It seems kind of... Weak. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it''s much more than the insects but its a weaker light I suppose?¡± ¡°Hmm, The servants have set up traps for the rats that were here when it was unoccupied, I¡¯m sure they have caught a few by now. You can check after dinner.¡± He spoke as they continued to eat. Tidus, in particular, ate faster than usual to head off to test on the mice. He went down into the cellar where he glanced around the small cage traps, after checking a few he finally found one scurrying about inside of it. As he focused his vision he clearly noted that the energy was much brighter and larger than the insects but in no way comparable to the councilors or his family. He released the energy towards the rat, he sensed a barrier that the dead insects did not have. However, he believed that it could be overcome with more pressure. With enough force, the energy entered the rat, which responded by screeching and flailing about as its white light was altered to become Tidus¡¯. In a panic and terror at the sight of the squirming and pained rat he quickly removed the Iridescent mana from it, as soon as the energy was removed the rats left foreleg drifted away to dust as blood violently spurted from the wound, the mouse still flailing in agony. At the site, Tidus could not control himself as he threw up his dinner and stared at the rat in a mix of terror, disgust, and a hint of curiosity. The rat quickly bled to death and stopped moving. Tidus was glad that it¡¯s suffering was over but that did not stop him from continuing to ¡®devour¡¯ the rest of the corpses white aura, or vitality, or even spirit. He had no real clue as to what it was, only knowing that the previous aura had increased by several inches, he decided to put it in ¡®numbers¡¯ from now on as it would be simpler to keep track of. While originally he had 1, the insects and the rat had increased it to 1.2. He continued with his absorption, except on the second rat he made sure a servant made sure it was dead first, Even if it would have less energy. However as he was taking its energy he was overcome with a migraine as he became unable to take any more and had only absorbed half of it, increasing to 1.3 but at the same time leaving a nasty scene inside the rat cage. He quickly looked away as he attempted to try again, only to have a migraine assault him worse than the first one. ¡°Guh.. Alright, I get it, I get it... I don¡¯t want to be brain dead for the exam tomorrow.¡± He groaned in pain as he went upstairs to his room and flopped onto his bed, exhaustedly falling asleep.