The vibrant Moonlight poured through the window.
After being excused by Vera I started walking down the luxurious hallway.
'Sunrise Academy.'
Amy told me about it during one of our lessons.
Awakened academies are places where awakened get taught how to use their powers.
There are quite a few academies in Felora but Sunrise is a special place.
It is the number 1 academy in the Kingdom.
It has the best facilities, best teachers and it is the best opportunity to become stronger.
But unlike other academies, there is one major difference.
It is extremely harsh. Only the best of the best awakened can get into it. Only the most talented awakened get to graduate from there.
And that's not the only problem.
'It's full of stuck up noble kids…'
Because the academy only accepts the best or those with the best potential, it tends to be filled with arrogant nobles.
And thanks to that woman, I have to go there as well.
How does she even expect me to pass the entrance exams? I only awakened a month ago. I don't think sword art is going to help me a lot in that regard.
Sigh
I guess all I can do is train even harder this upcoming month.
After trotting this giant mansion for a few minutes, I finally arrived at my destination.
Knock knock
"I'm here."
With a gentle knock I announced my arrival.
With my awakened senses I could hear shuffling coming from behind the door.
Click
As the door swung open, a smile crept onto my face.
"I'm back, Kayla."
"Jeez, what took so long today. Let me guess, that witch did something to you again." With an exasperated but relieved voice my sister let me in the room.
Her black hair shone with luster and her silver eyes were still filled with life.
The beauty mark below her right eye stood out against her white skin.
She was wearing a white blouse with a black jacket. White slacks covered her legs with dainty black shoes to match.
After coming in we sat down on a red couch. Just like me, Kayla got a very big room.
"So how was your day?" I asked.
"Haaah. Like usual. Stay in my room all day bored out of my mind. You would think there's something fun to do in a ducal mansion." Letting out an aggrieved expression my sister complained.
But as she was talking, I could smell the faint scent of herbs around her.
"Oh really? Then what am I smelling right now?"
"Hmm? Uhm, that's just the perfumes the maids gave me. They're very gaudy, I know." I could see panic flash in her eyes.
"It's fine if you want to bake things. I'm sure the cooks wouldn't mind a helping hand." Stopping my teasing, I sincerely told her.
As I told her this, her expression changed from embarrassed to sad.
"But how can I enjoy myself while you are…..being forced to do this?"
"You're forced into being a knight by that woman. And it happened because of...me." She had her head down as she said this.
It seems she still feels guilty about being used as a bargaining chip by Vera.
I walked over to her and raised my hand.
Kayla moved her head upward as she felt something a hand touch her head.
"You can be quite stupid can't you." I said while patting her head.
She opened her mouth for a moment but closed it afterward. Then I pulled her head closer to my chest as I felt my clothes getting slightly soaked.
We stayed like that for a while.
***
"...but this time I finally managed to shut him up."
"Really? You can use aura now?"
"I haven't mastered it yet but I can control it for a short period of time. I would like to master it by the time I go to the academy."
"Wait, you are going to an academy? When?"
"A month's time. Vera decided to tell me only today."
"What a witch."
"Agreed."
After calming my sister down, I started talking about how my day went and all the special things that happened.
Talking with her is my favorite part of the day. We kept laughing and reminiscing for hours.
"Don't act like you aren't enjoying those expensive dresses. I saw you wearing them in front of the mirror a few times." I said while holding in my laugh.
"I was merely taking revenge by wearing that witch's clothing. It's called conquest, dear brother." She said with a haughty expression.
"Sure sure." After saying that I looked outside.
The sky had turned dark a while ago.
"Kael, do you think…..dad would be happy seeing us like this? Living in a luxurious mansion? You being a knight?" Kayla's voice brought me back to reality.
"Dad…"
I tried not to think about the fate of our father. I already had enough trouble thinking about myself and Kayla. I had no time to spare about his death.
He died about a year ago. He was protecting citizens from an unexpected rift beast attack. He cared a lot about us. He supported Kayla's passion of cooking. Despite not wanting me to be a knight, he still encouraged me everyday, even though I was sad I had not awakened.
Would he be happy? Would he be proud of us? Of me?
I could feel Kayla's expectant eyes boring into me. It was cute how she tried to be sneaky.
A smile crept onto my face as I turned towards her.
"I…..I think he would be glad to see us like this."
"How do you know?" Kayla asked me curiously.
How do I know, huh?
"Well. He was our father."
She remained frozen for a while before looking at me deadpanned.
"That's not really an answer to my question, brother."
"Well, deal with it because that's all you'll get out of me." I said with a cocky smile.
"..."
She stared at me for a few seconds before her expression twisted and she grabbed a pillow off the couch and aimed it at me.
'I think I understand why Vera does that.'
The next morning, the maids had to clean a room full of messed up pillows and feathers.
***
The sun burned high in the sky like usual.
I was sitting in the training field of the Dawn estate. Unlike last time, today was not a day meant for sparing. I also wasn't going to be working on my aura either.
Heavy footsteps approached me as I sat cross legged on the floor. Frederick was training me today as well, but this time he had an crystal like orb in his hand.
"Is that what we're going to be using?" I asked, already knowing today's topic.
"That is correct." He urged me to stand up.
"This orb will allow us to find out about your elemental affinity." He said.
Elemental affinity. Whenever a person awakens they are born with an elemental affinity. This is a specific element the awakened is talented in and usually, the path they will pursue.
Every person has an elemental affinity, some even have multiple.
And today, I was going to find out about my own.
Well, that's not entirely true. I already have a good idea of what my affinity is.
I walked up to Frederick and held up my palm against the orb.
"Now imbue the orb with your mana." Fredrick told me.
Since I've been working with aura, manipulating mana has become quite a bit easier to me.
I did as Frederick told me and imbued mana into the orb.
The reason why I already have suspicions about my affinity is for one simple reason.
My mana cyclone.
There is another feature to mana cyclones that is not too important at the time of awakening. Whenever a mana cyclone forms, it reveals the awakened's mana affinity through the way the cyclone behaves.
If the cyclone is explosive and aggressive, it's a fire affinity. When the cyclone is calm and flowing, it's a water affinity.
When I awakened in my fight against Aiden, Henry described my mana cyclone in certain terms...
He described it as "erratic" and "unpredictable".
Just like...
"Lightning."
Frederick said that with a tinge of surprise while observing the orb being surrounded by yellow arcs of crackling lighting.
'Lightning, just as I suspected.'
I tried to pull the mana back but as I did, the arcs of lightning started surrounding my body.
At first I panicked but I slowly realized that I wasn't in pain. Better yet, I felt amazing. Even better than I did when I used aura. My mind felt way more clear while I felt extremely fast all of a sudden.
But slowly, the arcs of lightning disappeared and I went back to feeling normal.
No, I felt worse than normal. I felt exhausted.
"I never would have expected you to use lightning aura so soon, even if just for a moment." Frederick said with marvel in his voice.
"Lightning aura?" This is a term I have not heard of before.
"Hmm? I suppose you haven't heard of this yet. Well, let me inform you."
As I sat on the floor in exhaustion, the Knight Commander started explaining to me.
"When someone's aura reaches a certain level, it they will be in complete control of it. It will appear clear and without fluctuations."
Something I already knew. Vera seems to have reached this stage. Henry looked to be nearing it as well.
"But when someone's aura is mastered, they can choose to imbue it with their own elemental affinity, giving a variety of benefits. In your case, it seemed to increase your speed and do a few others things. The lightning affinity is quite rare so I can't tell for sure."
'So that's what I just felt.'
"But it requires even more mana then regular aura, so it should not be used until at least Tier 2. Though mastering this is already hard enough."
I fell into contemplation.
'Lightning is a rare element, huh. I guess that's a good thing. Rarer elements tend to be stronger but also harder to learn. Guess I have to keep training.'
That level is still a while away from me. At least now I know what to strive for after mastering aura.
'I wonder whether she can do it.'
I thought back to the Vera's fight with the False Knights.
'Light...'
That seemed to be her affinity. Also a rare one I believe.
'I wonder....'
Horn!
I was pulled out of my thoughts as a horn resounded throughout the mansion.
'A horn? What's going on. An emergency?'
I turned to look at the knight commander, but he seemed very relaxed. More than relaxed even, a little excited?
"Uhm, what is that sound for?" I questioned the mature knight.
"Hmm? Amy hasn't told you about that? Well I suppose there are more important things to take care off. Well that horn you just heard is an alarm for whenever someone of high importance is coming.
"Someone of high importance...." My speech trailed off.
Frederick catching my thoughts nodded his head with a smile. "The Duke has returned."