Oh no! Happiness in a home

Tonight's dinner had some of the fanciest displays that Turilla had ever seen. From the long lines of food to the lovely atmosphere, the beautiful setting of small, high chandeliers that swung silently whenever there was a light breeze. A lovely stoned fireplace burned brightly behind Aunt Alena.

what caught Turilla's attention much more was the way everyone was allowed to use their magic as they please.

Back at home magic use was only for the most necessary times, like during Samuel's accident. It's valuable to the winged ones on the surface but down here in the hidden tunnels away from watchful eyes, this family was used magic whenever.

Food was passed from each end of the table by teleportation magic of one of the younger children, it was funny how the dishes seemed to pass through one end of the table only to end up on the other end.

Teacups, glasses, and other dishes float around which were done by tiny sparkly pixies making the utensils seem effortlessly light. Everywhere that she looked something extraordinary and magical happened.

She swallowed hard the knots in her stomach that sprouted from the thought that she, who is older than those children, can't use proper magic. Intrusive thoughts that she doesn't fit in here and might never be able to use even a small amount of magic, messed with her thought process. She felt disturbed.

Umari placed a warm hand on Turilla as she kept talking to her other siblings which made the corner of her mouth curve from the sweet jester. She wasn't spoken to nor did she try to speak to others during dinner, although she felt that the children kept teleporting the tastiest dishes to her which made her feel giddy inside.

After dinner, many younger children and a few older ones left the enormous table. However, when dessert was served Turilla understood why they all left. It was a huge lump of black goo that had pieces of chopped vegetables and other stuff that she couldn't make out stuck in the melting mess presented in front of her.

Suddenly the lovely ambiance of the dining hall fell apart. A screech came from Owen who was Umari's older brother. He leaped out of his chair and tore down the kitchen doors, screaming "WHO LET MARIA INTO THE KITCHEN!"

Turilla let out a small chuckle and faced her 'dessert'. She poked it here and there before taking in a breath to begin eating. It was one of the most disgusting things she had ever tasted, even Imogen's cooking can get a little bit more rating.

"You don't have to eat it, love, you might die." Umari laughed, getting up with her full plate of black gunk. "Come with me, Owen and Maria's fights are hilarious, you must watch. It's my nightly entertainment."

"Haha, I don't think it's so bad as to I'd die from it. " She replied, following Umari through the kitchen door that brother Owen had just barged through. "They remind me of the kids back home, always causing a ruckus. with me included of course."

Umari laughed heartedly as she placed the plate with the black goo onto the counter.

The kitchen was much more magnificent than what Turilla hoped, there were three faucets two were higher than the other one, pantries lined up from one of the rooms to the other and many utensils and other kitchen stuff were lined up on the walls. The place looked three times bigger than the one at the orphanage.

In the corner, Turilla saw Owen chasing after a girl in beautiful blonde locks, a pan in one hand and a burnt wooden spoon in the other. The two went in by one door and come out of another.

As soon as they saw Turilla and Umari, they quickly separated from each other's necks. A beautiful, wide smile spread across the pretty girl's face making her dimples more prominent. Grabbing Turilla's hands she violently shook them with joy.

"You must be Turilla, I have heard a lot about you. Well enough from the past six hours. The name's Maria, It's a pleasure to meet ya, baby sis." She said embracing Turilla in a tight, warm hug. "This bastard never lets me cook in peace, did you like the food?"

"The pleasure in all mine, Maria. The food's much better than-"

"Excuse me?" Owen scoffed standing up to fix his glasses"This bastard is 3.67seconds than you, respect your elders, kid." He continued, poking her in the forehead."Also loosen up your grip, dumbass. You'll choke her."

"Ugh, ok grandpa," Maria replied before giving a small peck on Turilla's cheek. "Come to the observatory after you do the dishes~"

"Observatory? What that?" Turilla asked following Umari as she put the gunk into a steel vent in the wall.

"Oh, it a- on second thought why not let it be a surprise?"

She pressed a big red button that started making a loud sound like the machines that take the dirt every Sunday. Umari explained that there was a machine that had been made into the wall to turn food garbage into fertilizer. That fertilizer is used for the plants and whenever there's extra they pack it into small containers for selling.

"That's wonderful. I want to make great inventions like that, someday."

"Why not ask Big sis Haerim or Owen. They're the biggest geeks and the strongest in the family… although Owen looks like he's read novels in a library all year, skinny yet strong." She giggled taking Turilla through another series of endless bright tunnels.

"Don't you guys ever get lost in these?"

Umari laughed while telling her about how once Maria wanted to use the loo and had ended up wetting her clothes but to see the loo was in the tunnel next to where she had wet herself. "She cried saying so much that night" She ended wiping a tear that rolled down her cheek.

The two passed through a bead curtain that Lilith, one of the younger cousins, had made. The room was massive, with dirt walls and a high ceiling. In the center of it all was an enormous blue globe of sorts that touched the roof.

Owen and Maria were still at each other's hair, fighting over who's turn it was at the globe. Many children sat around it chatting amongst themselves in childish gossip.

Another man emerged from the dark and effortlessly yanked the two grumbling twins off the ground like they were fallen flowers on the foyer.

He was big and bulky like the captain of the guards that stand in front of the castle. It seemed like one of the late elders had really strong blond genes, the guy's hair was much darker than Maria's but there was a resemblance even in that not-so-well-lit room.

What happened next was astonishing, surprising, and hysterical, the bulky man threw Owen over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried Maria with his other hand like a bag of rice but carried on the side.

Maria pointlessly kicked and squirmed around but to one avail, Owen on the other hand stayed like the sack of potatoes he was. The man quietly went about his job and exited the room.

No one bat an eye at the scene that had just happened like it was an everyday thing.

Haerim barged through the doors followed by every other member of the household, all in panic stricken. The twins ran back in, with their arguments already put into the past. Umari immediately stood up and lead Turilla up front.

Haerim shrunk the globe thing and projected it to one of the smooth walls in front. She then took out a pineapple from the box that was given to her previously that day.

"Thank you all for coming ever so quickly," she said showing a map of the castle grounds. "Hold onto something because the news may take a big turn in everyone's life, ours included."

"The exams are going to be hijacked by a mysterious entity that has been messing with the kids in an unusual manner that many have become insomniac or suddenly gone into a coma. They put it off as the kids being too nervous but it's been happening to the children who just arrived and those with a history of confidence. They say it's like there's going to be another war in this place again."

Turilla's mind alarms blared loudly, 'Is Imogen ok? Is she hurt? Am I still hungry?' She cringed at the last question and brushed it off to focus on the important thing at hand.

"What does this have to do with us?" Owen asked confused. "We never deal with surface people's problems."

Murmer spread around with a lot of whispers. Why did she ask us to come here? It isn't our problem… unless…

Haerim's hand dropped "I know, I would not have brought this out if it didn't affect us in some way… that's the problem. It's the litch."