2 hours previous.
Sylas walked into his daughter's room, gently shaking her awake.
"Lorena, wake up and get ready for your classes today," he whispered, propping Lorena back against the headboard.
"I know, I know..." Lorena yawned, swinging her feet over the bed.
"Do you mind giving me a small loaf of bread? I want to go a little bit earlier to get ready for our trip to the woods. We are going to be having a lesson today about mana in the surroundings." She grabbed a blue shirt and a white skirt that was prepared on her dresser.
"Wait... you're going to the woods behind the town?" Sylas asked nervously.
"Yeah, why?" Lorena looked at her dad with a confused expression.
"Your brother is in the woods alone right now, and I dont have enough time to go bring him back." Sylas wore a panic-stricken look on his face. If the town's mage, in other words, Lorena's Teacher along with all the children, were to see Seraph, there was no doubt he would either be forcefully enrolled in the school, or people would start asking questions.
"I'm sure it will be fine, and who cares if people know about Seraph? I never saw the big deal anyway. Plus, he said he wanted to go to the clearing, right?" Lorena pushed her father out of her room, almost closing the door.
"We are going to be near the clear stream, so he should be fine." Lorena clicked the door shut.
The Present
Lorena treaded through the forest behind her classmates. She wondered if her brother was still at the clearing, but her thoughts were soon interrupted by a scream.
"Everyone stay here. I will go check out the area," The senior mage calmly told the children.
"Teacher, can I come with you please?" Lorena asked, looking a bit distressed.
Seeing her student like this, Teacher shook her head slightly.
"No, you stay here. I'll be right back."
The Teacher slowly turned to walk towards the sounds of the screams.
She arrived at the stream, seeing a boy with long white hair that flowed down to the middle of his back; his hair's roots were black. He was wearing a black shirt that had been ripped where his slightly toned arms seemed to have grown, and black trousers were too short for his long legs. He was groaning in pain. He rolled over. His face was sharp, with handsome features for someone his age, and a black cloth-covered his eyes. He looked to be about 10 years old.
The Teacher slowly reached down to tap the boy and asked him if he was okay, but he hissed and sat up before she could.
"Damn it why did I have to awaken in a place like this." The boy sat up, ripping away the rest of his tattered shirt.
The Teacher tossed down the black robe she was wearing on top of her dress towards the boy.
"I don't think I've ever seen you around here... did you just awaken?" She asked, kneeling down to the boy's level.
I looked up at the lady who was standing above me. She looked to be about 60 years old, with long silver hair that flowed past her shoulders.
"Damn right. My muscles hurt like hell." I cursed, putting the robe over my shoulders.
"How old are you?" She asked me.
I looked down at my slender arms that were slightly toned, and my large hands. My long hair flowed past my shoulders.
"White hair, huh," I mumbled.
"Well, I'll tell you later if I feel like it."
"Cocky kid... At least tell me your name," She grumbled, helping me up.
"My name is Seraph." It was too late to hide anything now, so I didn't mind telling her.
"Strange name... Anyway, I'll have one of my students take you back to the village."
"Students? Are you a teacher?" I asked, rubbing my legs.
"Yes, I'm the teacher of the school over in the village over there." She pointed north towards the town.
Maybe Lorena was here... I wondered.
"Alright, let's go.." I mumbled, almost tripping over my feet.
"What a drag. I can't even control my body." I cursed underneath my breath.
"It's fine. I can help you." The lady grabbed my arm and helped me walk.
"Hey, thanks for this, but what should I call you?" I asked, looking over at her.
"Just call me, Teacher. It's what all my students call me, and you look about the same age as them.
"Okay, thanks, Teacher." I tried to smile, but the pain made me grind my teeth together instead.
We walked for about ten minutes. My sorry state prolonged the walk. I looked up ahead to see a group of kids huddled up against a few trees, whispering amongst themselves.
"Sorry, children, for the trouble." The Teacher sighed, helping me sit down, "but I need someone to help this boy back to the village. He seems to be very hurt."
The entirety of the class scooted up and stared at me.
"I've never seen him around!" one said.
"Wow! look at his long hair! It's so pretty!" someone else whispered.
"He's kind of handsome," one other girl whispered to her friend.
"What's that bandage around his eye?"
I sighed. I hate attention—any kind of it. I wanted no part of it, but I guess not anymore.
My gaze shifted to the back of the group of kids.
"Lorena?" I asked, in a voice that was a little too loud.
Everyone looked at me and then turned towards Lorena.
"Do you know him?" A girl leaned over and asked her.
"Seraph, do you know her?" Teacher asked, looking at me.
"Seraph? Did I just hear that right?" Lorena squeaked in a shocked voice.
I threw up a peace sign and smiled.
"That would be me," I grumbled.
"No way..." She stormed over to me and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me back and forth. "This can't be you... Your.."
I placed my hand over her mouth to quiet her down.
"Didn't you hear her? I'm injured, sis.. you shouldn't shake me so violently." I whispered.
"But how..." Her voice trailed off in confusion.
I turned away from the group and pulled Lorena in front of my face, taking off my eye mask.
"It's... really you.."
I put the mask back over my eyes and leaned over on Lorena's shoulder.
"Do you mind taking me back to the house? I need to talk to mom." I gritted my teeth in pain.
"You realize it's an hour walk." Lorena looked up at my face. "Wow, you're like a head taller than me now, you jerk." She tugged at my long white hair.
"Ow ow ow. You shouldn't do that to an injured person." I laughed.
"You seem much more mature, not just your body but also your mind.." Lorena questioned, slinging my arm over her shoulder.
"Well, technically, I'm kind of the same age as you now. Would you believe me that even at 5, I had the mental age of a 21-year-old?" I joked, poking at her cheek.
"Not in a million years, you brat." She pinched my skin, which was a little more tan than before.
Of course, she wouldn't believe that, but it was true.
"Rosann, can you help me carry him back to the village?" Lorena asked one of her friends, who was shyly standing in the back of the crowd.
"Uh, uh, sure!" She said, rushing over, her face slightly flushed.
She had short pale blond hair and porcelain skin, along with pale blue eyes. She looked just like a doll.
"Nice to meet you; I'm Seraph." I joked, waving my hand at her.
Lorena slapped my hand down and stuck out her tongue. I frowned and stayed silent. Rosann grabbed my arm and put it over her shoulder, propping me up.
"I wonder how Lorena knows that guy..." I heard a few whispers from behind.
This was going to get messy. I just knew it.
We began to walk down the trail. I could still hear the people talking behind us, even though we were moderately far away. I guess this heightened hearing was due to my sudden awakening. I should probably ask Dalia next time I see her.
"Do you mind if we take a quick break?" I asked, slumping over.
"I don't see the problem," Rosann whispered, helping me sit down.
"Oh, come on, it's probably not bad, you wimp." Lorena scoffed, nudging my leg with her foot.
"Did you not hear what Teacher said?" I restated once again, sighing.
"N-not to pry, but how do you two know each other?" Rosann asked, kicking the ground slightly with her foot."
"Oh, that," I said, smiling nervously.
"Oh, he's my idiot little brother," Lorena answered, with no hesitation in her words.
"Your little brother? I thought you were an only child!" Rosann stared at us, shocked.
"He looks more like my dad, anyway.." Lorena joked. "They never enrolled him in a school, though, I never understood why."
I laughed nervously. What was this turning into?
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