"Careful now, dear."
"I can still walk, mom."
"You're not, young man! Your legs are wobbling right now. Lean your arm on me before you fall again."
Sephiram only sighed as his mother assisted him to his bedroom, leaning his hand on her shoulder. Westeria called his mother five minutes ago to pick him up at school due to the incident in the training room earlier.
"I'm fine now, mom." He reassured her as he sat on the edge of his bed.
"You need to rest now, young man." His mother chastises him. "I will make some healing potions to make you feel better. I will bring some food for you for later."
"Yes, mother." He said as he lay on the bed.
His mother walked out of the bedroom and closed the door after her.
*
Ms. Davis pounded some herbs using a mortar and pestle while looking at the orange sky through her greenhouse. The birds were flying northwards and the sun was now setting down. She checked the small flask that was currently boiling with water via a small burner and put the pasted herbs in the flask, creating a pink color.
She took away her mortar and pestle and turned off the small stove when two hands covered her eyes, unable to see.
"Look who's back?" The owner of the hands teased her while they let go of his hands and she turned her head to see who.
"Oh, Augustus, welcome back." She greeted her son happily as she hugged him. Augustus hugged her back. "When did you come back here?"
"Recently, mom," Augustus answered as he let her go. "I thought no one was home so I checked at the greenhouse, and you were here." Then he looked at the flask. "Is that a healing potion?"
"Yes." She replied. "Your brother is somehow enrolled in the military academy. He has been home since afternoon due to his instructor excusing him to class due to an incident during their class."
"What happened?" he asked with a concerned tone. His mother told him everything.
"Mom!" Augustus reacted with a concerned tone. "Why did you let him enroll in the military academy while I was away?!"
"Your brother said that he wanted to follow your footsteps and-"
"But that makes him put his life into danger!" He interrupted. "Mom, we all knew that he has that mark! I just want him to live a normal life! You should have enrolled him in a normal academy instead!"
"I know that, but your brother is too stubborn! I tried to stop him, but he insisted that he would enter the military academy."
Augustus stared at his mother for two minutes until he sighed in defeat. "Well, the damage is done. We can't protect him forever."
His mother smiled and put her hands on his shoulder in reassurance. "Don't worry, he will be fine. Let's head back inside. I'll make some dinner."
"Mom, wait!" Augustus called his mom, stopping in her tracks. "There is something I wanted to tell you, but I want you to meet someone first."
*
["Say, what are you reading?" Sephiram looked at the person talking to him, interrupting his reading. He and the other person are sitting under a large tree on a hot sunny day.
"Fundamentals of light magic." He replied with a smile. "Care to join me? I know you have been with us for two weeks and I can't talk to you alone."
"Ho, I am that unapproachable?"
"Well, since you came from the slums and all. I heard that life is harsh there."
"Hmm..." the person hummed as he gently took a stand in Sephiram's hair. "Yes, life is hard in the slums. You will either live or die any time of the day to get what you want."
"What is it that you want, anyways?" he asked, eyes beaming in curiosity.
"Well, that would be-"]
*
Sephiram opened his eyes and found himself in his bedroom. He gets up, clutching his head in pain. "Argh, another dream."
"Care to me what the dream is, little bro?"
Sephiram looked around and saw Augustus sitting at the edge of his bed, a glass of the healing potion in hand.
"Big brother!" He exclaimed happily. "When did you get back from the mainland?"
"Just arrived recently." He answered with a smile. Then his expression changed to a serious look. "Seriously, stop being stubborn and listen to what I say next time." He scolded.
"I'm sorry." Sephiram apologized and hung his head in shame. He knew what his brother meant. "I know that you are against me enrolling in the military academy, but I wanted to be strong like you and save humanity. I can't let our fellow people outside suffer while I'm living within this city at peace. And" he raised his head, looking at his brother, determination is written on his face. "I want to know why the Vampire God wanted to rule humans and why he is searching for the man with the fleur de lis mark."
His brother smiled at his brother's speech but decided to smack his brother's head with his free hand instead. "You are an idiot."
"Ouch!" He cried while nursing his head with both of his hands. "What was that for?"
"You can't be strong like that while you are snoring in bed for the rest of the day." He shoves the glass into him and Sephiram gets the glass before the contents spill on his bed sheets. "Now drink the potion and come downstairs. We have a guest or should I say, a new family member to greet."
"Huh?" Sephiram tilted his head in confusion.
*
"Um, what is this compartment?" Anissa asked Ms. Davis in curiosity as she pointed at the microwave as the latter was cooking some food. She turned her head at Anissa.
"Oh, that's a microwave." She answered kindly. "You can reheat and cook easier food. It will save time."
"Did they not run on coal?" Anissa asked again while looking at the microwave.
"They run on electricity, my dear." Ms. Davis said. "I understand that you came from the mainland. Is this your first time seeing this kind of appliance?"
Anissa nodded. "Do they like the oven? We only have ovens running on coal and wood."
"We have some ovens, but it is also run by electricity."
Augustus entered the kitchen room. "Mom, I hoped that you didn't give Anissa a hard time."
"Oh, don't worry dear." His mother reassured him. "I'm sure she will be getting used to living here-"
"Mom, did I smell something burning?" Augustus sniffed when suddenly black smoke appeared above them, making them run into the kitchen in panic and saw Anissa looking in shock as the flames burned high, almost burning the pot.
"I'm sorry!" She apologized hastily. "I was curious about this thing on how they were cooked."
"That's okay but please be careful next time." Ms. Davis forgave her gently as Augustus turned off the stove and checked at the pot to see if the food was all right.
"You still need to adjust to living here in Libertas while we are still processing your citizenship here," Augustus said to Anissa. "For now, Mom will be teaching you the basics while I will teach you some magic fundamentals per General's orders. Also, you will be entering-"
"Mom, what happened here?" Augustus was interrupted as Sephiram entered the kitchen. "I smell something burning here and-" he stopped while looking at Anissa. "Who is that-"
Without warning, he cried out in pain suddenly as the mark on his shoulder suddenly glowed. At the same time, Anissa also held her left shoulder, ignoring the pain while tears began to fall in her eyes.
"Big brother?" She said while looking at Sephiram. Said guy looked at her and was shocked to see her cry.
"Crap!" He exclaimed. "I'm sorry that I make you cry-" he tried to explain but Anissa rushed to him and hugged him.
"Big brother. I know you are safe." She said happily as she snuggled her face on Sephiram's chest.
"Big brother?" Sephiram exclaimed in confusion then turned to his equally confused mother and snickering brother, now ignoring the pain in the shoulder. "I demand an explanation here, big brother!"
*
"Okay. Anissa comes from the mainland." Augustus began to explain the situation to his brother and mother as they sat down to eat dinner. "We rescued her from the vampires a few weeks ago, and I can't tell you about the entire details on how since it is confidential."
"Okay, I believe you," Sephiram said while setting down his fork on the table. "How long she will be staying here?"
"The General and council discussed this among themselves, and they conclude that I – or I mean our family is suitable to adopt her since we found her first."
"Wait what?"
"That's a nice idea." Ms. Davis clapped her hands in delight. "I have wanted to have a daughter for ages. I mean no offense to you two."
"MOM!" Sephiram complained in shock then turned to his brother. "And you agreed to them?!"
"Uh-huh."
"Sheesh." Sephiram facepalmed. "And I thought that being called 'big brother' is being weird."
"About that." Augustus pointed out. "You are going to be her big brother from now on. Also, two weeks from now, she will be attending the military academy and will be put in the same class as you."
Sephiram was jaw agape.
"Please take care of me from now on, big brother!" Anissa said with a smile.
"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL??!!"