Halcyon Days

I was later told that my eyes had momentarily changed their color to a darker blue and that my hair had begun darkening along with it. But before my transformation was complete, I blacked out.

My parents were worried sick at my condition, and my mother's face was what welcomed me when I finally awoke.

"Fay, are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?" She immediately bombarded me with questions.

"I'm alright Mom, it doesn't hurt." I answered truthfully.

I was immediately pulled into her embrace, "I was so worried. Thank god you're alright."

As someone whose parents weren't exactly affectionate, it felt...nice to have someone worry about me like this.

It only made my resolve to protect my family stronger. I was not going to let Reynolds die.

Speaking of Reynolds, he heard the commotion and rushed into the room, "Son! You're alright?"

"Yeah dad."

He joined in on the hug soon after.

They released me a few minutes later and began talking about how proud they were of our awakening.

But I had different questions, questions on my elemental affinity.

I know that the original Fayden was a quadra-elemental like Arthur, but I don't know if that still held true with me.

Due to my intervention, the house was left relatively undamaged from our awakening. And a few weeks later when our birthday came around, we were woken up with a present and a cake.

I already knew what they would hold, a sword for Arthur and 2 short swords for me. And then we opened them.

Yep, same weapons.

Arthur asked them why they celebrated our 4th birthday when they didn't celebrate the other two.

They answered him by saying it was due to the low chance of babies surviving up to the age of four.

...

I forget how morbid this world can be sometimes.

Since that day, Mom began 'teaching' us how to read and write. Arthur played the role of a prodigy as expected, and I played along. No need to have them think I was dumb.

Dad on the other hand taught things more related to mana manipulation. Hell, he also had us exercise like a freaking spartan.

And so we began our routine of learning to read and write, mana training, physical training, spars with Arthur and in the library.

I waited patiently for the day to come. The day when it would all begin.

Although the idea of making Mom and Dad suffer emotionally did make me hesitate.

The day finally arrived where Dad suggested getting us a proper tutor.

As expected Mom protested against it, and Dad gave valid points as to why we should go.

Then they turned towards us, "Art, Fay this will affect your future so you two have a say in this as well. How would you feel about going to a big city and having a teacher?"

Yeah, they still give two four-year-old kids the final say in this.

People are dumb.

"Cant mommy and daddy come too and meet teacher together?" Arthur said, trying his best to sound like a four-year-old and failing.

Well according to me anyway, Mom and Dad bought the act.

Alice and Reynolds began laughing.

"I guess we didn't really think about all of us going together." Dad said.

"I might feel better about this if I'm there when he's tested and meets his teacher." Mom agreed, smiling.

"Then it seems like we're going to Xyrus city." Dad said while banging his palm on the table.

Alright, time to pack up for a long trip that included a visit to a certain kingdom of elves.

_________________________

Next morning I strapped both of my swords on my back in an X and headed out with my family.

Now to meet the famed Twin Horns.

We met up in front of the stables of a nearby inn, where they had been staying. Father proceeded to hug Adam first, before pointing to us, "Fellas I want you to meet my sons, Arthur and Fayden! Go on Introduce yourselves."

Arthur bowed, "Hello my name is Arthur Leywin. My father has told me great things about his fellow Twin Horns members. Thank you for traveling with us to Xyrus. We'll be in your hands."

I was never one for grand introductions, so I just inclined my head down, "I am Fayden Leywin. Thank you for accompanying us."

"Such manners, you sure Rey is your dad, kid?" Adam asked.

I didn't reply, knowing that I couldn't exactly get away with snide comments at this age.

Darn this infantile body!

I suddenly remembered about a certain blonde conjurer in the group and sidestepped just in time to avoid her death hug.

Sorry Arthur, but I don't want to get suffocated just yet. This body doesn't even have hormones so, it's useless to go in that death trap.

Durden came to his rescue and pried him off Angela, "Angela you're hurting him."

Then my eyes finally fell on Jasmine, the character everyone in the fandom loves. Seriously the number of 'Jas supremacy' comments I had seen was baffling.

"Mhm," She nodded and looked away.

Arthur glanced at me, and I gave him my best 'I don't know' expression.

"Don't mind her, she just needs to get used to you two." Helen came up from behind us. I glanced at her, more specifically her ears.

Yeah, she's gotta have some elf blood in her.

And then we hopped in on the carriages as our journey of a lifetime began.

________________________

By nightfall, the great mountains appeared to have doubled in size, as we stopped near a cluster of boulders to make camp.

After we set the campfire, Dad and Mom began conversing with the rest of the twin horns, and the two of us sat alone on a different log.

But our solitude didn't exist for long as Helen came in and sat between us, "I heard your old man say that the two of you are prodigies in magic.....have you two truly awakened?"

I nodded as Arthur answered for us.

Helen then proceeded to ask what color our cores were.

But before we could answer, Adam interfered, "Hey Reynolds, do you mind if I test the kids?"

Uh, do I have a say here?

Cause I don't want to get pummeled.

Please? No?

Shit!

No one else seemed to be bothered by this and even Dad didn't hesitate for long before answering, "Alright, but be careful. I haven't had the chance to teach him how to properly fight yet. We've just been doing light strength and mana exercises 'til now."

Adam got up from his log and picked up a short stick saying, "Haha, lets see what you kids are made of."

I withheld a sigh, maybe with Arthur on my side I might still win.

Unsheathing my wooden short swords from my back, I walked alongside Arthur.

"You both know how to reinforce your weapon right prodigies?" Adam asked.

I so want to shove this sword up your ass, I grumbled.

I narrowed my eyes and imbued the wooden swords with mana, holding them in a stance similar to a certain edgelord in a certain sword anime.

I let Arthur have the first strike, as I began augmenting my legs as much as I could, which wasn't much considering I am a conjurer.

But I was still fast enough to dash in just as Adam blocked Arthur's awkward move, which I suppose was the so called feint step, utilizing the opening.

As expected Adam blocked my first sword, but to quote a certain man, What will you do about the second one?

Using my other hand I aim for his heel, intending to disrupt his balance, but he panicked at the prospect of being defeated by two kids. He swung his stick towards, hitting him right at his torso, and aimed a kick at mine.

If I'm going down, I'm at least scoring a hit.

Ao when his leg was inches away from me, I struck his ankle, just before I was blown away by the force of his kick.

As I bounced on the ground, I couldn't help but cry out in the pain.

Yeah, I'm not a masochist, unlike certain people like to think.

Mother was the first to recover out of the seven, and she rushed right towards us. Me first, probably because of the incident at my awakening.

After a quick healing spell, I felt much better and was able to move without pain. 

I took a quick glance towards Adam and inwardly snickered as his face hit the ground, courtesy of Durden.

"Haven't taught them how to fight, my ass! What kind of Hellish training did you make them go through?" Adam groaned, rubbing his head.

"I didn't teach them that." Reynolds said, scratching his cheek.

He shook his head, and walked over to us, "Are you two okay?"

"We're fine, Dad." I answered, Arthur nodding in affirmation.

He nodded back, picking us up and placing us down on our log.

This is embarrassing.

"Boys, where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I learned by reading the books and watching you dad." Arthur replied, not at all bothered by the question.

Seemingly satisfied with the answer he turned to me.

"I just went by my instincts." I answered simply.

I don't think he'll appreciate me saying that I learned that stance from an anime.

"Sorry for roughing you up there, little guy. I didn't expect I would need to use that much strength to get you off me." Adam interrupted, apologizing.

"Your fighting style is... unique. How did you do that step after the feint?" a faint voice said from our side.

She finally speaks!

"Thank you?" Arthur said uncertainly.

Helen meanwhile knelt down to my level, "Your instincts are quite sharp, I'd reckon you'd make a strong fighter someday"

"Thank you." I inclined my head downwards.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Arthur explaining feint step to them and them moving to a clearing to try out the move.

Mom looked at us with a proud smile, and I couldn't help but smile back.

I was suddenly pulled in an embrace as Angela sneaked up on us.

Darn it!

I can't breathe woman!

"Cute AND talented, aren't you? Why couldn't you have been born earlier so that this sister could snatch you up herself?!"

If it were any other time I would have made an inappropriate joke, but as it stands I was already seeing black spots in my vision.

Is this death?

Thankfully I was released before the worst could happen, and plopped down to the ground wheezing for breath.

Glancing up, I noticed Angela pouting at Durden, who was glaring at her.

Thanks big guy, almost lost my life there.

The rest of the night passed by quickly, with four of them trying and failing to master feint step.

________________________

The last few days of peace pass by like a breeze, and soon we were on the foot of the grand mountains.

Jasmine was the first to master feint step, although she still took a considerable amount of time, with the others not far behind.

I mastered it in two days, they lack talent.

Wait where'd that come from?

I shook my head clear, maybe I was just hearing things.

Apparently, we had to climb up to the top of the mountain to get to the teleportation gate. Who does that? Who makes a teleportation gate on top of a fricking mountain.

The djinn were weird people.

The front carriage was mostly our luggage, Dad and Durden were on it. The rest of us were on the second one, with Helen atop the carriage acting as a sentry.

Jasmine kept staring back at Arthur every once in a while, silently asking him to teach her more techniques.

...

Real mature Jasmine.

Heh.

There it is again...

I knew I should have slept more.

Darn sleep deprivation.

Anyways, our birthday passed during the journey, and we even had a small party. Mom had acquired a cake from somewhere. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she told me she conjured it out of thin air.

I smiled and thanked her, tanking the death hug of Angela and the rest. Jasmine gave each of us a knife, a sharp one.

Yes! Finally, a bladed weapon that isn't a dummy!

...Sorry Dad.

I was excited to use this knife, I always did have a fascination with swords and daggers.

The rest of the way we learned more about augmentation and conjuration. and while we were discussing the merits of forming a cloak of mana around yourself, Helen suddenly shouted.

"BANDITS! PREPARE TO ENGAGE!"

So...it begins.