*AETHERIUS*

"Hey, hey, Therius, Theeerii, are you awake?" says an annoyed voice, knowing exactly who it was - Viola Cheron, my childhood friend. She's 11 years old, with beautiful blue eyes and curly brown hair that reaches below her shoulders.

I met Viola because our parents were childhood friends, almost like siblings themselves. I can still remember the teasing faces of our parents when they joked about us getting married someday, saying they wouldn't stand in our way.

Viola turned as red as a tomato that time, and I just took it as a good joke. Despite my physical age, my mental age opposed thinking of her in that way because I always had a guilty pleasure for women slightly older than me, even in my previous life, and I saw Viola more like a niece.

Viola's father, Dominic Cheron, was the same age as my father and just as tall. Due to their rivalry since childhood, he trained physically alongside my father, mastering swordsmanship. He had light tan skin, brown hair like Viola's, and blue eyes. He could manipulate the ice element.

Viola's mother, Sonia Cheron, was a year younger than my mother and two centimeters taller. She had blue eyes like her husband and daughter, and her skin was fair. She could manipulate the water element and was the one who trained Layra in her water element training and also trained her in lance combat.

Viola affiliated with the air element at the age of 9, so to repay her parents for training Layra, my father asked if he could instruct her in air element training, and her father would teach her swordsmanship. Since he wielded a double-edged sword, Viola opted for a thin blade like a rapier.

"What do you need, Viola?" I asked after she woke me up. "Nothing, I just wanted to greet you. We haven't seen each other much these days," Viola responds, pouting a bit. She and I have played together for years, but I've been training a lot lately, leaving Viola feeling a bit neglected. "I know I haven't seen you much. I'm sorry; I've been busy training. Something you should've been doing too," I tease her.

Angry at my comment, she runs off to our parents, pretending to cry. "Mom, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, Therius said that if I don't try harder, he'll abandon me," this child, I think to myself.

I approach and say, "Don't be a crybaby, Vi, I'm just saying you should try harder because next year I'm entering the academy, and I won't be able to see you much, and I'll miss you," I say, feigning embarrassment. Even our parents hold back their laughter at my comment, and even my three siblings turn to make me truly embarrassed.

"Hahaha, you're going to miss your future girlfriend, little Therius," my brother mocks. "Oh, shut up, Trevor, or do you want me to humiliate you again, dear older brother?" I reply to his comment, making him feel embarrassed now. "You should stop talking, Trevor. At this point, you can't even make fun of anyone," Layra taunts Trevor.

"What? Ther finally beat Trevor, finally, hahaha," Dominic laughs. "Wow, you're really stronger than you look, despite your age and height, hahaha," Sonia says, then looking at Viola, she says, "see, daughter, Ther already beat Trevor. That means you won't be able to catch up if you keep slacking off."

"She's right, Viola, at this rate, even I, your older sister, won't be able to keep up with you if you become weak," Layra says, intending to give Viola words of encouragement, but she ends up making her cry. "You're a mean big sister. That's why I like brother Trevor more than you," Viola runs off towards Trevor, leaving Layra petrified.

"Then I won't be able to see you if you say such mean things, Viola. Remember, I also have to go back to the academy," Layra says, pretending to cry to make Viola hug her. "It's not true, sister. You're my favorite. I'll try to stay with you," that moves Layra, making her hug Viola tightly.

"I agree, Viola, try hard. Otherwise, even I might leave you behind," Elowen crosses her arms, winking one eye and looking at Viola with the other. "If you don't try, you won't pass the exam, and we won't be able to study together as we promised," I say, finishing her off, making her fall to her knees.

"You guys are really mean to me, but I'll try to keep that promise," Viola says as she gets up, puffing her chest out and saying it proudly.

"Yes, yes, try hard, Viola, or even I might leave you behind," Elowen says, earning herself a hug from Viola. "Don't be mean, Wen. You and I together against your brothers. We'll show them we can beat them," Viola says as she hugs Elowen. "Yes, we'll show them what we're capable of," Elowen says, happy and proud.

Since Elowen is the last to enter the academy, next year it's my turn to enter the academy since I'll be 13 to take the admission exam, where my brothers are.

The academy consists of 4 semesters, one semester per year. If you entered at the age of 13, you graduate at 17 and start your life as an adventurer or enlist in the army.

Trevor, being the oldest at 16, entered first and is now in his final year. Once he turns 17, he'll graduate.

Layra, who entered 2 semesters after Trevor because she was 2 years younger, Trevor was in his 3rd semester when Layra entered at 15. When I enter next year, Trevor will already have graduated from the academy, and Layra will be in her 3rd semester, Viola will be a semester behind me, and Elowen will be 2 semesters behind Viola.