Traces of civilization crop up, and along the outskirts of wooden fences, squeaky wheels tread on.
From afar, the mountains seemed enormous. Now, they loom as tiny hills. The enchanting light blue grass bleeds back into its typical green and white. The wagon follows a trail that is merely lines of matted-down blades.
Sweet air brushes through the farmland, and fields of wheat-like grains dance amidst the dazzling daylight. Their golden figures shimmer under the sun, sharing a familiar, nostalgic scent.
For one reason or another, Sirius feels he could cry again.
Gazing out at the endless rows of harvest instills an idyllic bliss. Gentle wind caresses his skin, carrying a bygone childhood with it. He used to run through fields like these...
The footsteps of two wonics walk with the muted moans of the wagon. An old man manages the reins, peacefully piloting the ride. Two people, having only shown him kindness, sit with Sirius as he reminisces.
One is a beautiful girl with teal hair and gradient eyes. She is wrapped in a blanket that comfortably blocks the chill breeze. Her lips are curled into a subtle smile as her eyes amble around the painted landscape she's seen dozens of times.
The other is a boy of Earth, earnestly eyeing the world and its mundane marvels. Despite meeting others of similar descent, he remains the only source of relation in this sphere. He has a cheerful personality and, while hidden, shadows a dark, deeper disposition.
All of these factors and these two people produce a blend of senses and feelings that fit together perfectly. Sirius is unable to restrain his smile.
Moments like these are something he used to only be able to dream of. A fantasy, which he thought would never come to fruition, now stares back at him in the eyes.
It's almost too much. It's all happening far too fast...
-I don't even know these people...
Despite that, he smiles. A genuine smile with the thought that: maybe everything will be alright.
-Maybe my life is finally starting.
For too long has his life stood at a standstill. For too long was he waiting. Waiting for a life that never was... Now, it presses on quicker than he thought possible.
Meeting people, exploring, learning, feeling, crying...
All of it, while only occurring over the past couple of days, marks his heart. Never has he felt this way. Never has he felt this alive.
A new chapter is starting.
A new life.
-Don't waste this one.
But... that leaves the question...
...How do I do that?
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
The half-day voyage nears its end, and the abundant agriculture trickles out into open pastures littered with livestock.
Conquering over a steep hill reveals the destination.
"We are nearing the mansion," Wilphrey announces.
The old man had been quiet almost the entire trek, hardly a single peep lifting from his lips. But being in the front seat, he surely could hear the conversations behind him. No one occupies the carriage itself, meaning his only company is the two leopards pulling the vehicle.
Korlin jumps to his feet, jolting the flimsy wagon. He leans over the side rails and almost falls out. His face beams with brimming jubilation.
Aureole, already leaning her back against the railing, shifts her head to the same sight. Its grandeur doesn't have quite the same effect on her as it does on him, but she treasures it all the same.
Sirius stands, holding Korlin in place so that he doesn't fall overboard. A glimpse of the mansion graces his amber irises.
It stands at the end of a piedmont, surrounded by small mountains that morph themselves into an almost perfect crescent moon. The manor is nestled in the empty space of where a full moon would be. The natural walls make the massive house seem small.
-Is it inside a fractured caldera? It looks dormant, but wow...
Two dirt paths, one being the trail they follow now, slither into a stone path leading to the entrance. Even from this distance, comely colors decorate the trail. It's shielded as if a fortress, but is as welcoming as a flower shop.
However, calling it a mansion is an understatement.
It resembles something more akin to a small, solitary castle.
The structure is a wide, box-shaped building with spires elevating the roof. Dozens of rectangular windows with chiseled stone trims line the walls. The masonry itself is even more marvelous than that of the city; it is closer to that of the castle in the center. Large, maintained bushes decorate the perimeter, originating small vines climbing up the stone walls.
The surrounding area is humble and homely. Large beds of flowers and other beautiful plants are symmetrically rowed towards the entrance. Cupped, luminous flowers sprinkle the remaining land, filling in what would otherwise be a lonely space. Apart from the stone ones surrounding the flower beds, there is an absence of fences or barriers. Anyone could waltz right in...
Smoke plumes from the thin chimney, blowing quietly in the chill air. There's nothing else around for miles; the manor stands lone amidst the looming walls and pastures. The other path may lead to some sort of town, but from here... It's awfully isolated.
Despite this feeling of loneliness, the mansion's sight is magnificent.
-Who exactly is this lord? Who exactly is this girl...?
...
Don't think about it too deeply.
Just let nice things happen...
...
"We're going to live THERE?!" Korlin snaps Sirius out of his thoughts.
"For as long as you'd like," Aureole smiles. "Assuming the lord approves, of course."
"Are you really sure this guy will let us in there?" Sirius can't help but question. "It seems really... important. I'm not sure we'll fit in."
Korlin jabs Sirius in the side. His face is screaming at Sirius to shut up.
"I'm sure it'll be fine! He is a busy man, but as long as you don't get in his way, there shouldn't be an issue. His hands are full with me, and trying to find Witch Spawns."
...
...
The two boys' hearts drop in sync.
Sirius and Korlin turn toward each other, sharing a straining stare. Sirius pulls his guard up, immediately assuming the worst. He readies himself for some sort of betrayal or attack.
-Wilphrey knows Korlin is a Witch Spawn... did he tell someone? Is this all some setup?
"U-Um... He's trying to find Witch Spawn?" Korlin nervously asks.
"Oh..." Aureole's face displays a clear lack of awareness. "Yes... But I'm not really sure why he's so adamant about it. He's always reading books in the library about them. I wish he would just find one by now..."
"..."
"You don't know why he wants to find one?" Sirius questions, his voice weary.
"Nope," Aureole shakes her head. "I try not to pry into what he does." She seems to be sincere; this doesn't feel like an act.
"Do you," Sirius hesitates. "Do you know what a Witch Spawn looks like...?"
"No, I've never seen one before. Why?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
There is the faint sound of a forehead being smacked near the front of the carriage.
⧗⧖⧗⧖⧗
The flower beds along the path are even prettier up close, and the walkway leading to the front doors circles around a glorious fountain. The once lonely-seeming abode now takes up their entire vision, as if it were space itself. It is truly massive.
The knocking footsteps of wonics come to a halt, and the wagon's wheels end their turns. A creeping anxiety plagues Sirius as they finally arrive.
Before him is a large, wooden doorway, trimmed with even more impressive stone. Above the doors is a small sculpture of a face... A face resembling the bat-like assailant from before. A wailian.
Odd...
"It seems the lord is out," Wilphrey declares. "The other carriage and wonics are missing."
"Hm," Aureole sighs. "Well, it should be fine. I'll take responsibility regardless. Let's head inside!" The girl springs to her feet and folds the blanket neatly. She leaps out of the carriage and motions the boys to do the same.
Sirius's feet had fallen asleep at some point, so it feels strange to stand. He reluctantly hops out of the wagon after Korlin.
"I will tend to the wonics. You all enter and make yourself comfortable." Wilphrey drops from his post and begins walking the leopards to a stable. The stable is spacious and built into the walls of the mansion, akin to a parking garage.
"Alright, let's do it!" Aureole is awfully giddy. She skips up the few stairs and grabs the golden door handles.
Korlin is shaking with excitement. All of his anxieties have been replaced with elation. Sirius wishes he could feel the same, and firmly grasps the satchel of papers in his arms.
The handles cave and the two grand doors open a portal into elegance.
The girl gestures them inside the daunting abode. Korlin gleefully prances inside without a moment of hesitation. Sirius follows slowly, anticipating something to go wrong.
Immediately upon entering, one word comes to mind...
Spacious.
A bit excessively so...
He stands in a gigantic foyer with cloud-spanning ceilings. A dualling staircase trimmed with pristine wood ascends to a second floor with outcropping balconies. Finely polished floors and stairs are carpeted in a slick royal red. Barren walls are only decorated with flawless carvings depicting the moon.
Hallways split off at each corner on both floors, spanning far with curling staircases at their ends. Dozens of doors line the elegantly empty walls the whole way down. Small circular tables sprinkle the halls, housing flowerpots and other commodities. The mansion's expansiveness allows it to appear unending.
Though in its infinity, just as it appears from the outside, it carries an air of loneliness.
If one were to scream, surely their voice would echo endlessly down the halls, never reaching another's ear.
Its vastness makes it appear uninhabited. No paintings, no music, no shoes by the door... It's perfectly clean without even a speck of dust.
Sirius comes from lower-middle-class households. Primarily living with his single mother, who is getting by the best she can. Their home was on the smaller end, with just enough room for a second floor and rooms for both children.
When he was younger, Sirius would go to other people's homes to hang out. Their houses were always much larger, so Sirius always felt a tinge of envy. Over the years, he became aware of his family's financial situation, causing his envy to evolve into sympathy and spite for his younger self.
And now, standing in this grand space, it all feels redundant... While impressive, it feels like a waste of space. Does anyone else live here...?
An intricate chandelier hangs high above their heads from a chain even higher. The main stairway before him diverges at its base, only to wrap around and meet at the second floor's entrance. Between the staircase rests a stone statue of another wailian, meticulously crafted to look divine. The statue of the beast is in pure contrast to the one that attacked him.
"This is AMAZING!"
At some point, Korlin had climbed the staircase and is now sliding down its railing.
He repeats this process seven more times.
"What do you think?" Aureole asks, noticing Sirius's hesitancy.
"It's really nice," he says while continuing his scan.
"...But?"
"I don't know, it just feels kind of... empty. There's a sense of sadness to it..."
"Ah, you feel it too, huh? Ci- Or, the butler, is nonstop cleaning, so anything we leave out gets picked up instantly. He's a good guy, I just wish he'd let this place have some personality." A somber smile curls her lips. "This place isn't for you?"
"I don't think I can answer that yet. I haven't even moved." They share a brief laugh. "...What about you? I get the feeling that you don't really call this place home."
"I..." Her somber smile returns. "It's impressive... Way larger than some of my previous homes. But..." her voice trails off into a whisper. "I don't think this royalty thing is for me."
-So, she is royalty...
"...Does anyone else live here? Besides you and the lord?"
"Of course," her smile regains some light. "Pholy and Hyacinth should be around here somewhere."
"Who are they?"
"They're really nice people! They don't go out that much, so you'll see them sooner or later!"
-That didn't answer the question...
"Will they be alright with us living here?"
"Um... maybe? Pholy will warm up quickly... probably. And Hyacinth... Well, she's not the best with strangers."
"That's awfully foreboding."
"You'll be fine! They don't bite," she playfully nudges his arm. "Now then," she sighs heavily.
"Hm?"
"I unfortunately need to go study, so once Wilphrey comes back, have him show you to your rooms-"
"Can we go explore?!" Korlin, sliding down the railing, shouts. He falls off and stumbles down a couple of stairs. "...I'm alright!"
"Sure! Go ahead, we probably have a while before Rawlin comes back. Feel free to wander around, just stay away from his study. It's the room that looks like a big library."
"Yesssssssss!"
"Also, stay out of his office and anyone else's rooms! For courtesy's sake, okay?"
"Roger!" Korlin salutes and rushes off down the left hallway. "Sirius, I'm going to go find a bathroom!"
"Alright... I guess?" Sirius scratches the back of his neck. "How do I respond to that...?"
"Good question," Aureole giggles. "Well, happy exploring! I'll be upstairs and to the right if you need anything." She begins walking up the dualling steps.
"Um- Thank you again! Really..."
"Don't mention it," she smiles. After a quick wave, she ascends up and rounds the corner.
...
Now then...
Where to go...