The Warmth of the Hearth
Dead Men

Kein is awoken by heaviness in his chest, his branded skin glowing in the dark. He stirs, his head snapping to see if anything was in the room with them. Beside him, Thora lies asleep underneath the blankets. Kein dismisses the feeling, forcing himself back to sleep.

Luke sits on the cliff which leads to the entrance of the bunker, taking the night shift for himself. In the distance, he sees the small lights of the city, flickering like fireflies in the distance. The forest surrounding the Slums has now seen some renovations as well, with newly constructed buildings now visible. The river was much more pleasant to look at, regaining its blue hue.

“Hey Lanky Luke, what’re you spacing out for?” Carson arrives to join him, his long white hair tied into a bun.

Luke smiles without looking back, continuing to gaze at the scenery underneath the night sky. “I actually think this is for the better.” He turns to look at Carson, now sitting beside him. “No more walls, no hierarchy, just people who choose to work together.”

Thoughts of Kayden suffering pop in Carson’s mind and a feeling of anger surges within him. However, he agrees that this peace was something that could be put for the better. His father’s blind faith in the crown was something that he never understood, and it was something that got him killed. For an unknown reason, Carson knew that Kayden would have chosen this peace that Ezicion has found, and this leaves him at a dilemma.

Luke notices Carson’s sudden silence and it doesn’t take him long to figure out why. “I’m sorry about what happened to your father, Carson.”

Carson shakes his head with a smile, knowing full well that it was his father’s choice. “Claire and I both know that this is what father would’ve wanted as well, and though I hold a feeling of resentment against the traitors who chose to go against him, I can’t help but feel guilty about having thoughts that disrupt this peace everyone now enjoys.”

Vengeance ruins all that is good. Kayden always told them that, when the four of them were younger. Luke always got into trouble, with kids picking on him for not being able to be as good as he was expected to be. Carson was always the one who sought to take revenge for Luke, with Elizabeth willing to join him.

A chuckle escapes Luke as he watches Carson smile at the horizon. “Someone’s all grown up.”

“Speak for yourself. You’ve changed a lot.” Carson replies, his arms crossed. “I can’t wait until Liz sees you, she’s gonna freak.”

Luke scoots over to give room for Carson to sit beside him, which Carson takes. “How is Eli? I heard her house took part in the rebellion.” An image of Elizabeth in full battle armor pops in Luke’s head, which makes him laugh out of nowhere.

Carson looks at him as if he’d hit his head, clearly startled by the sudden antic. “Apparently, House Fjord was not found on the frontlines, which means that they took care of other aspects of the attack.” He falls silent, as if in deep thought. “I honestly haven’t seen Liz in a while, so I have no idea how she’s doing.”

Luke nods, his smile now gone. An idea suddenly comes into mind, a crazy one at that. “You think a dead man can sneak into the city?” As he says this, the idea becomes more plausible in his head. “Then again, dead men wouldn’t be here keeping watch now, would they?”

Carson looks at Luke, considering his proposition. “I think that dead man needs a little getup.”

The bell rings throughout the Academy, signalling the start of first period. Elizabeth sits comfortably in her desk, fiddling with a novel Claire bought for her. Homeroom, Elizabeth thought as she keeps the book underneath her table.

The professor enters the room which makes everybody settle down in their own seats. Isaac Mistral was a tall dark haired man and was presentable in his demeanor. The professor speaks, his voice pleasant to the ears. “As you all know, Ezicion has undergone a drastic change in its system. The Mur has now been completely abandoned, unifying the Capital and the Slums under one banner.” He pauses, letting the information sink in. “With this in mind, I want all of you to welcome our new members in society. The Academy has now opened its doors to the Pure, those who cannot cast their own magic.”

The class doesn’t stir, their attention solely on Isaac. He continues after a short pause, conviction with each word. “I do not approve the use of the name ‘Feeble’ in addressing your new colleagues. I expect better of my class, don’t let me down.” Isaac’s eyes scan the room, seeing a few grumbles here and there. “Without delay, I introduce to you your new classmate. He’s a brilliant individual who helped come up with a way for the Pure to wield manna. Please help me welcome, Nieko Miter.”

A tall boy enters the room, his hair was cleanly shaved. He looked presentable, his school uniform fitting well with his stature. “Oi! Nice to meet all of ya!” Elizabeth hears a few students mutter their greetings, seemingly interested in the new student in front of them. Others threw nasty looks at Nieko, as if they were disgusted by his presence.

“You may take a seat beside Elizabeth, the girl on the other end of the room. We hope you enjoy your learning experience with us Mr. Miter.” The boy named Nieko nods and proceeds to approach the seat beside Elizabeth. His eyes fall on her and she stares back, keeping eye contact. “Nice to meet you, I’m Elizabeth Fjord.” She extends her hand out to Nieko, who takes it without hesitation.

He speaks, now knowing what Luke meant by seeing someone he could trust. “Nieko Miter, a mate of Luke Laisren.” Nieko shakes her hand, seeing her eyes now wide. “And he has a message for you.”

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