On the eighth hour of the day, my brother Albert took me downstairs to eat breakfast. My mother and father were bickering back and forth inside the kitchen.

"You got too carried away yesterday. Putting your untrimmed fingers inside my mouth," my mother scowled.

"Huh? I never did that. Besides, it was you who put your fingers inside my nostrils," my father countered.

"Eww! Why would I do that?" My mother spoke out in disgust.

"What do you mean you didn't do that. It was because you acted so naughty that I rammed you harder than usual yesterday," my father exclaimed loudly.

"Michael, the kids are here!" My mother boiled over in rage. I don't know what they did yesterday but it seems that waking up in the morning really does have a sobering effect. Oh wait, does that mean the moaning I heard last night was from - I stopped myself from completing that thought. Ignorance is bliss.

I and Albert ate our breakfast in peace as an awkward silence permeated the room. It was starting to get really uncomfortable. Thus, I had to do something about it. I prepared my throat and faced them with puppy eyes. "Mama... Papa... Don't fight," I said wanting to continue but my voice was starting to sink into a jarring, baritone voice which I stopped just in time. 

My parents looked at me, then faced each other before looking straight at me again. 

"You're right, Sweetie," my mother agreed.

"Yeah, look! We're not fighting. We're just playing around," my father said as they wrapped themselves in each other's arms. 

After my parent's fight dissolved, Alice came over to our house to play with Albert. Her long, black hair flowed freely down her shoulders. Albert cleared his table full of his homework in order to set it up for a game of Dragiu. Dragiu is a board game played on a black and beige checkered board where each player gets 16 units each. Some units were more important than others. The main objective is to capture the king. An original concept that's totally unfamiliar to anyone reading my story.

"Here you go, addressing your readers again," Ethos mumbled.  

Albert and Alice saw me watch them intently as they were about to begin their first game. Alice came to me and asked, "Ouya, do you want to play with us?" I nodded my head. She smiled and proceeded to carry me over to the game table and seated me on her lap. "If you want to win, you cannot let Albert get the King," Alice informed pointing at the figurine with a crown on its head. 

Her guidance actually helped me understand the rules of this game. Her voice was gentle and encouraging. However, Albert had quite an insidious smile on his face. Possibly because he was versing me. Since his opponent was usually Ms. Regional Championship Winner, he must've been feeling like a sore loser. The game has started. 

Albert took the first turn as he used his King to capture one of his own pawns. His starting action took Alice by surprise. "Sacrificing your pawn this early? You must be planning to go for a draconian victory," Alice commented. "Don't get cocky, baby Albert, I'm here to help out your brother you know," Alice recommended moving up a pawn to make space for the royal guard. Albert frowned as the state of the board became more and more unfavourable for him.

He sacrificed four pawns in order to evolve his king but his evolution was for naught as his king was surrounded by our royal guards without any dragons left to protect him. He conceded defeat, awarding us with a standard victory. Although Alice handled most of the strategy, I felt quite proud of myself. Albert's hastiness ended up backfiring on him in the end. "If I don't take my time learning the virtual state, perhaps the same thing may happen to me," I pondered.

After lunch, I was sent back to the bedroom for my midday rest. I used this time to further practice my stance in order to once again enter the virtual state. However, words said by Ethos came back to haunt me. 

What the hell is his deal saying something like that? It's like he's actively trying to discourage me. Though honestly, I don't know what to do in order to improve my aura. I don't really know anything about that subject matter other than being subjected to nightmare-inducing auras. All I can do for now is to practice with the knowledge I do know. 

It has now become a routine for me to practice entering the virtual state every morning and before bed. Just like that, several days went by without me producing any results whatsoever. Though Albert began teasing me for looking like a monk in prayer. There was one thing that I'm quite proud of. I have evolved from a shit-wearing diaper baby to an occasional bed-wetting briefs baby. Hahaha, I need help.

Ethos also refused to lend me any of his aura ever since that day. Stingy bastard. It seemed like I'm at a dead-end, with nowhere left to go except backwards. Still, I refuse to admit it defeat. There must be some way to get past this hurdle. Eventually, I will have to fulfill Ethos' demands. Before then, I have to get stronger. So I can fulfill his orders without endangering my life and hopefully retire with my dignity intact. 

It was at this moment when a strike of inspiration came to me. Like lightning in a bottle, I remembered something Ethos said that made me deeply curious. 

"Her aura is different, I can't get a good grasp on it but it's indeed different," 

Ethos displayed a strong interest in Yllsse Scarlet. She's not much older than me and yet her aura caught the attention of the geezer in my head. Perhaps, the best direction for me to take now is to learn more about her.  When I do so, I might finally be able to learn something more about aura. 

"Geez, it took that long for you to get my hint?" Ethos barged into my thoughts uninvited. I did find it strange how Ethos stopped teaching me anything since that day. But it seems like he wanted me to come to this conclusion on my own. Ethos smiled, "since you finally understand, let's get rolling!"