But as the laughter faded, the mood in the room shifted back to something more grounded. Zephyra sat down on the edge of the sofa arm rest, her expression turning serious.
"To answer your question from earlier, Kael... the reason I said meeting the rest of the family isn't a good idea is because not everyone likes you. It's a sad truth." She looked at him with a gaze of warning. "There are people... some of our own blood... who are deeply jealous of your status, your innate power, and the effortless way you command your bound. Some of your older siblings believe that they should have been the First Child."
Kael frowned, genuinely struggling to grasp the petty nature. "Well... they are not the First Child. Can't they just accept reality and let it go?"
Zephyra let out a quiet, bittersweet sigh, staring at the floorboards as memories seemed to flash behind her eyes. "I wish it were that simple, Kael."
Sensing the heavy mood, Kael decided to steer the conversation away from family drama and toward the vast, unknown world he was so eager to hear. "Big Sis Zephy, what is it really like outside? Is it truly as dangerous? What am I going to face in the future?"
Zephyra's expression grew grim.
"Well, our main, existential concern right now is the expanding Black Hole," she said, her voice dropping an octave. "It's a living plague on our world. It has already consumed over thirty percent of our southern Surface, swallowing entire biomes into nothingness."
Kael listened intently, a chill running down his spine.
"You will learn all about it in depth at the academy when you finally attend," Zephyra continued, crossing her arms. "They will teach you about Golgoth, Nightshade, and Umbra. They will teach you just how terrifyingly dangerous they are, and why we fight so hard to keep them contained."
Kael swallowed hard, his curiosity sparked by a dangerous thought. "Did anyone... has anyone ever gone inside the Black Hole to see what's on the other side?"
Zephyra looked at him. "Entire towns have fallen into its depths, Kael. Fortresses, armies... they've all been swallowed by it. However, no one has ever returned to tell the tale. Once it takes you, you are gone forever."
Kael's eyes sparkled, his curiosity fully piqued. "Then how do we stop the expansion of the Black Hole, Big Sis Zephy?"
Zephyra's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Hee-hee... look at our little Kael. Already so eager to learn everything, aren't we?"
Before Kael could pester further, Vestera gently interjected. "Kael, don't go bothering your sister Zephyra."
"It's totally fine, Aunt Vestera," Zephyra replied, waving her hand dismissively with an easygoing grin.
Vestera shifted her posture slightly towards Zephyra before asking casually, "By the way, how is the Queen doing lately?"
Zephyra blinked, caught off guard by the sudden inquiry about her mother. Her mind briefly drifted back to the time around Kael's birth. Her mother, the Queen, had exhibited some bizarre behavior. Though those strange episodes had eventually faded,never to return again.
"Oh, she's been much better," Zephyra replied. "Those episodes never returned. Honestly, it was probably just a one-time thing."
Vestera nodded in acceptance, though her eyes remained thoughtful. It was no secret around the palace that the Queen's health crisis had caused a massive stir among maids and several high ranking individuals. Rumors spread with many whispers suggesting the Queen's erratic behavior was rooted in sheer jealousy because she hadn't been the one to birth the First Child.
Kael watched the two of them exchange words, feeling a pang of annoyance. His question had been completely brushed aside. However, he has to be humble and kind because his mother said so and forced a polite smile.
"Big Sis Zephy, I am truly glad to hear that the Queen is on the mend," Kael said with an absurdly formal tone.
Zephyra pulled a face, utterly amused by Kael's antics. "Wait a minute," she thought, seeing right through him. "Is he seriously mad that I ignored him? Is he trying to act all grown-up just to get my attention?"
Zephyra's bound clasped her hands together, and looked at him with exaggerated, teary-eyed adoration. "How incredibly cute!"
"Alright, alright," Zephyra's bound giggled. "You're technically supposed to learn this when you enter the academy. But, if you really can't wait, repeat exactly what I'm about to say."
Taking a deep breath, Zephyra's bound enunciated clearly: "The Vicar's sister's thistle sifter has a sieve of sifted thistles."
Kael's bound jaw dropped slightly. He had only just started basic speech, but he was absolutely no quitter.
Taking a deep breath of his own, he gave it his absolute best shot. "The Vika's titta's tithtel tithta haz a tiv of tithed tithtels!"
Zephyra and Vestera burst into roaring laughter at the mangled tongue-twister.
"Oh, Kael," Zephyra wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "I would have told you either way!"
Realizing he had been thoroughly tricked, a bright flush of embarrassment crept up Kael. His bound's eyes welled with tears, and he crossed his arms, throwing a exaggerated pout at his older sister.
Amused but feeling a bit guilty, Zephyra scrambled to smooth things over. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a vibrant multi-colored treat. "Aww, don't be mad. Look, have this three-flavored sweet."
Kael's eyes locked onto the confectionery. His stomach did a little flip of excitement at the second treat, but he had to stay angry at Big Sis Zephy. The sweet, however, looked irresistible... glistening in the light.
Snatched by temptation, he grabbed the treat. "I forgive you," Kael mumbled around a mouthful, his anger instantly evaporating the second the sugary flavors hit his tongue.
Zephyra smiled, finally gave him the answer he wanted. "If you really want to know, stopping the expansion of the Black Hole onto the Surface requires constant vigilance. We have to drive back or kill any Golgoth, Nightshade, or Umbra that attempts to breach the border of the Black Hole."
She looked at him, expecting an expression of awe. However, Kael was currently in a trance. His mind was entirely consumed by the delicious, shifting flavors of the sweet, and he completely missed every single word she said.
~~
A/N: Both Zephy and Kael has sweet tooth and that is the reason she always carries sweets.
Some lore on the Black Hole. We shall expand more on Cocoon Sky and Beyond slowly in the later arcs.