Narrator's Pov

St. John Michael Academy, City of Mezina

In this world, it is often rare to find any state academy, offering learning courses both for normal and superpowered students. The moment, a trace of power is detected in some child, they are enrolled in specifically demarcated academies for their proper training. Generally, if there is any inheritance of power from their parents, then it is detected by the annual checkup by the time a child crosses the age of thirteen or fourteen. 

Many students being from generationally reputed families such as Valze, Chase, Lensiar, etc. were thus put in those academies since birth itself. But Rylzeana's case was different, being the who despite being the youngest from famous Wazenzilch family was enrolled in a normal school. 

No one except the eldest son Shikami had gotten the gift of inheritance from their parents so though other Wazenzilch children had been taught in the renowned St. Michael academy, they were not exactly blessed with powers. Yet, it certainly was a strange twist of fate which blessed them with power just within few years of enrollment when the influx of criminals began. But Rylzeana's alone remained in her family without any trace of power.

And as one would have it, the disdain was lucidly clear, in addition to envy for her name, position and power. But that was that.

 As one would have it, just a week after her seventeenth birthday, on one fine sunny afternoon, Rylzeana sat firmly on the picnic mat, leaning against the trunk of tall oak tree in the school garden, which stood out like an old narrator on stage with wall of hedges running around in square perimeter. Her little fingers dug smoothly into the wet soil , through the fabric of mat as she sprawled her long aching legs outwards, lazily.

The sun hung low over her head as its warm rays shimmered over her strawberry red hair cascading down her shoulders. Her doe big eyes seem to slowly blink time to time, their azure blue hues sharing comraderie with the vast sky, tainted by fading white clouds draped in the sun's glow. The growing roses in the garden swayed by the wind, seemed to beckon to her, as if envy of the redness that diluted in her pink warm cheeks. 

She took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of fresh air, as she felt a hand on her shoulder from back.

"So here you are, Anna." A panted sigh escaped the speaker's lips as she looked back to see her friend. "Why did you run off like that after recess?"

Chyna Lenzworth, a simple minded girl with hair as green as the thick moss which covered her knees at the moment and a mouth so big that one could be sure no words would remain kept safe in it for too long. An acquaintance that Rylzeana had neither wished nor remembered how she had made.

"That might have been a legitimate concern had I not told you already to keep away five times." She rolled her eyes, without bothering to budge an inch from her place. "Plus, my name is Rylzeana. "

"Oh forgive me, love." Chyna clapped her hands, enclosing them in a praying position as she bent down . "I tend to forget. Yours is too long..I mean not that it is a bad thing. But Anna, forgive me..." She bit her lip, as the sun shone brightly against her big forehead, as if to remind Rylzeana once again of just what kind of farthing for a brain in her head laid before her eyes.

"Agh! One might as well just drop themselves off the roof , if tasked to dispose of you." Rylzeana sighed exasperatedly , as she brushed her back further up against the trunk, at which latter gave her a quizzical look like a coco bird.

"But why would anyone want to dispose of me? I am not a tissue." Chyna rolled her eyes, at which latter exhaled slowly. 

Nope! It wasn't worth pushing it any further with this dimwit.

"Is it about the jeweler thing?" Rylzeana pushed her hand onto the ground, making an effort to stand up and possibly make a run for it. Just few moments ago in class, she had been mumbling to herself thinking no one could hear her plans. How she had to go to the local jeweler and buy three rings  for her brother, this week being one celebrated for families of world.

Chyna quickly nodded affirmatively, as a  bright smile curled up her face. "My little brother had also been quite nice for most of the past year as he had promised so I was thinking we both could look for stones together."

"I see." Rylzeana leaned against the tree , eyes closed, before they snapped open. "STONES! Are you really reducing magic-woven priceless ornament to a mere stone?"

"But they are stone right." Chyna scratched her head. "Like you know how people can change clothes, get new stuff to do but they won't forget their true essence and family ,right?"

Rylzeana 's eyes drooped to ground, as the chilly wind passed by them. 

Won't forget their true essence and family! Yes, certainly.

"Alright. Let's make our way then, dodo-forehead." Rylzeana crossed her hands against her chest, steeling her mind once and for all.. "Can't keep my brothers waiting for too long ...."

"WHAT! Your brothers are home." A little scream escaped her mouth, as she clasped her hands together so strongly, she almost stumbled down to ground. A sight that would have been far more pleasant for increasingly annoyed Rylzeana.

"That is what I just said." Rylzeana stated briefly, ignoring the spark of excitement that had enveloped Chyna's body.

"All of your brothers? Is Mr. Shikami going to be there too? If so, can I accompany you to home? Please. Please..."

"Do whatever you wish.  Just stop with that reprehensible sound." Rylzeana answered sourly, as she gestured for latter to follow, as she sicssored her way through the shrubs. Ignoring the bitterness, no, rather, wishfully blind to indifference in her so thought friend's voice, Chyna smiled brighter than sun, as  she weaved the dreams of finally getting to meet her adored Mr. Shikami Wazenzilch, the eldest son of the Wazenzilch family.

On top of being renowned for magecraft in three elements, Shikami was also said to be the sole superhero responsible for North-western part of Mezina. But then again, Chyna's heart wasn't necessarily set just yet. Even Ivan and Fyhrion Wazenzilch, the other two brothers were also just as impressive both in terms of looks and their feats. 

"Ahhh! Will the Holy Moly Trinity will be really there ? "  She puffed her cheeks out, as her heart beat fast with anticipation .  As the duo walked along the road , and the shop laid just few steps away, Rylzeana prompted the question, she had been debating whether to ask or not since the beginning.

"Hey, dodo-forehead."

"Yes." Chyna blinked her eyes swiftly , oblivious as ever to the horrendous nickname that she had naturalized for herself now.

"Tell me, have you heard the rumours of big city? "

"Rumours of big city?"

"Oh yes, the one speaking word of malevolent force. " Rylzeana 's face wore a thin smile, veiled under her poetic spirit. Very strong warning they contain. Like an eclipse, they fade away."

"Eclipse?" Chyna's cherry pink eyes grew large, as she leaned in closer intrigued by the news. The passerby who seemed to be content with their own task looked for a moment as well.

"Oh yes. "She continued, without an expression on her face, unmasked from the veil." There is a new force in town and quite a relentless one for having spent time in city so short. It is said, if she moved her hand to a certain direction, then all that greets her sight is debris freshly awake. If she breaths too hard, then all that remains for others are toxin to inhale. If she fights too seriously, then the sun shies away, "

"WHOA! I didn't know that." Chyna covered her mouth with hand, with incredulous eyes. 

"Indeed, you don't ." Rylzeana put her hands on latter's shoulder as a smile reached her eyes. " But the big city rumours run quite wild and they say, the Eclipse Empress shall soon make her way from limb to heart of Mezina so quick for any resistance will crumble with a strength far too less. So tuck your children safe and sound, before the night fells to deep ."

"Oh." Rylzeana stopped short, her finger pointing slowly at a small shop , whose small billboard's grease had stained the nearby red block walls as well. "Looks like we are here, dodo. 

Chyna couldn't place her finger on what exactly caused the unease. But the words seem to cause an eerie sense of trepidation in her gut, forcing her to rub it as a fleeting sense of cold ran down her spine.

.

...

......

Wazenzilch's Household

"Aunt, do you know where my sardine is ?" After rummaging through the numerous kitchen shelves for umpteenth time in hopes of finding it elsewhere, Fyhrion finally surrendered, awaiting the rescue . " I had kept it in 'Icecage' yesterday evening only." But no response came back.

"Hah. "Ivan chuckled amused, watching the panicked Fyhrion, reposed in chair, just a little outside the Kitchen. "That is what you said last time when you forgot to bring the turkey." It was a bit of hassle to bring chair every time from living room to kitchen but then it was too much of a loss to miss out on Fyhrion's antics during festivals. 

"Because you promised that you had already ordered two pieces.." Fyhrion narrowed his eyes at him accusingly. "Then when the day came, you relegated so fast like a two -faced liar to hide your fault and dumped the blame on me."

"Potato Po-teto." Ivan waved aside the allegation with sleight of his hand. "The culprit is the one who gets scolded in end . And as it seems now, I can only hope to have enough handkerchief to hide my tears , your future laden with incessant shower of disapprovals."

"By that logic, elder brother would have committed the most mistake. " Fyhrion bit his lip, before a crooked smile formed on his lips. Ivan raised his eyebrows, as he guessed the latter's intention and sprang from his chair to stop Fyhrion but it was too late. "SHIKAMI, come here, Ivan has been accusing you of botching the heist the tomorrow. "

"WHAT! You went for heist part.." Ivan crossed his arms. " Now that is dirty."

"And how dirty it is , to pull up a damn chair just to watch me get scolded instead of helping me. " Fyhrion raised one of his eyebrow, giving him an unapologetic expression.

"Ahh, fine. I will aid you. " Ivan stood up from his chair, as the sound of footsteps seem to close in towards the kitchen. He was well-aware just how much elder brother used to coddle and trust Fyhrion's words over his. "But take that stupid comment back. You know how much on edge brother Shikami has been these days..." 

"I have been on edge." A calm and deep voice's entry made Ivan cease amid his speech. Shikami! Turning his head slowly to Shikami, Ivan gave a small smile pressing his teeth together. Just two hands away, Shikami stood, still dressed in his black pant with white. It seemed he still hadn't fixed his collar button which had come loose in yesterday fight, as a result of which his broad shoulders were naked. His medium swept back black hair stood in stark contrast to his white linen coat.

Being a man of few words, it was often hard to perceive his emotion until the words came.

"I wasn't aware of that. No matter." Shikami spoke slowly, as if in a deep thought while the silence ensued as the two brothers watched him with mixed glances. As he raised his eyebrows, they braced themselves. "Don't worry about turkey. I had already Medea bring it. She wanted to cook. "

"Oh"  Ivan took a sigh of relief, eyes still unsure .

"Remember guys, don't be too hard on her if it taste bad. "Shikami 's celestial blue eyes looked at them, as if the ocean drops had been caged in heaven's bind and just about to be released, like falling little black dots of rain from far gaze. " It is her first time so I want to make her feel welcome."

"Oh yes, brother. " Fyhrion jumped over the kitchen counter, with little regard for the height as a smirk dawned on his face. "I will make sure to keep her pleased though I wish I could say same for everyone." Giving a look to Ivan, Fyhrion chuckled.

"You know I am older than you. " Ivan scoffed. "If anything, you should be more worried about yourself."

"Older and rusty, you mean, then yes." Fyhrion pulled his eye at him.

"Don't quarrel. " Shikami gently warned, removing his hand gloves, as they noticed that his pale white skin had red spots over it due to abrasions. "Silence is preferable in home. You know Rylzeana would hate to see us bickering."

Both nodded promptly, gladdened to know that elder brother wasn't mad at them and followed him to the living room where plates were already drawn on table and their parents were already busy talking with Medea in corner. Their far side aunt Boudeine Wazenzilch , seemed to be checking something on her state-sanctioned device, one of the many perks of working in ministry of Civil affairs or as she said.

As the trio drew their chair, Boudeine gave them a wistful smile , inviting Fyhrion to sit by her side. Though Ivan had often asked his aunt favorite and she always denied, it was clear she used to dote on Fyhrion the most.

As other two took their seat, Shikami found himself in a fix, wondering how to sit closest to Medea, the neighbor seat being occupied by his mother and father on other side.

"Rinvetta dear,  let's shift one seat . Wouldn't want the young lad to be kept way from his date on his first family lunch. " Silgur gently nudged his wife standing up, whose eyes blinked in realization at once.

"Oh dear. You should have told me, Shikami. " Rinvetta laughed affectionately , as she followed her spouse's gesture.

"I didn't want to cause you unnecessary trouble, mother." Shikami answered, as he reinstated himself beside Medea who was looking down, a bit shy and embarrassed by the transpired events.

"Well, then you could have trouble your old man." Silgur laughed heartily, slightly tapping the table, at which Shikami gave a small obligatory smile. Fyhrion and Ivan looked at each other in consonance , wondering when the turkey would be served from the huge cauldron on table.

"Mother, what is taking Rylzeana so long?" Fyhrion complained, as Boudeine patted his back for consolation.

"Oh, you know your sister. " Rinvetta hitched her shoulders, her smooth silky white hair let loose. "She is probably having a hard time choosing the best gift for you."

"Eh.! Who cares for gift anymore at her age?" Fyhrion facepalmed himself, a bit exasperated. If his aunt hadn't been coming today, he would have probably been better off spending his time in some bar. The cheerleader group he had met two days ago were so fanciful of him . At least, he will make sure to get a taste of some sweet ministry secret from his dear aunt.

"Come now. Surely, you can hold off on hunger for a bit" Shikami stated, seeing the impatience lurk on Fyhrion's face whose red eyes seem to be fixated at cauldron on table. "It would be unfair if Medea's cooking is missed out by Rylzeana due to her sisterly love."

"Love. Eh!" Fyhrion reclined back in his chair, as Rinvetta directed a concerned look towards her youngest son who had in no time reached twenty three. His lethargy continued to grow with each festival and in her anxious heart, she couldn't help but dread the day, when the last of his efforts might also wane away. But then on other hand, there was Shikami and Ivan who despite their age seemed as same as ever. 

Maybe , the exhaustion from work was getting to her poor boy! 

Indeed, that is all she could make sense out of this. After all, they were far too intricately connected to think about such disconnection. 

...