Gloomy clouds enveloped the warm autumn sky as rain poured down on mount Ya'arseele. It had been like this since the break of dawn. Yet there was barely any wind to rustle the honey coloured leaves, slowly falling from the trees.
The sound of the water running down stream continued, but that was it. The surrounding forest had quieted; even smallest squirrel hunkered down in its hole.
However, they were not the only ones.
Situated on the side of the mountain, a lone three-story building stood welcoming wayward souls. Most were already up and about but one young boy with copper skin and messy white hair quietly slept as the droplets tapped incessantly against the windows.
If one looked close enough, they could see a name inscribed on the wooden headboard. Damon Redhill, that was his name, or rather the name he had been given.
At a first glance, his wiry frame gave the impression of a boy in his late adolescence. However, he was merely fifteen years old and still needed all the sleep he could get. Most days, he tried his best to wake on time to avoid being given extra chores.
But on a day like this when rhythmic patter soothes his mind, Damon decided it was worth it.
Burying his face into the soft cotton pillow, he rolled on his side, and a satisfied smile graced his lips.
Bang!
Abruptly, his eyes snapped open as he felt a sharp pain coursing through his head. It was like a blunt object had been slammed into his temple, and suddenly, he was wide awake, his mind no longer drowsy.
"What was that for Vincent?!" Glaring at his attacker, Damon sat up and rubbed his forehead. A boy with dirty blond hair greeted him back with a smug appearance.
"Heh…its after 9:30. Welcome back to the land of the waking brother"
Dressed in a linen white shirt and black trousers, Vincent shamelessly held a wooden training sword over his toned shoulder and said, "Mother sent me to fetch you for training"
"Not like this, you dolt!" Damon swallowed his irritation after his voice slightly rose. The six sparring session they had shared already taught him what would happen if he acted out of anger.
While he lamented it, the blond bastard was two years older than him and a much better fighter to boot.
As he tried not to think about those losses, his stomach suddenly rumbled and his brows creased "what about breakfast?"
"..." Vincent fell silent at his word. Donning a blank expression, he raised his arm to strike once more causing Damon spring to his feet.
He sniffled disdainfully as he held up his guard, "I'll be sure to remember this".
"So are you excited yet?" Vincent lowered his arm with a casual shrug.
"About…?" Damon asked curiously.
"Obviously training," He replied, "You'll be learning a few new combat arts today… I sneaked into mother's office yesterday and spotted your name on a list along with Henry's and Kayn's"
"Are you sure that was me?" Damon shook his head in denial. He knew not to immediately believe those words since his brother had always treated him like a playmate. The others also tended to avoid Vincent unless they needed help due to his pranks.
As he entered the bathroom on the opposite side the room to freshen up, Vincent rolled his eyes and replied. "There's no other Damon's in this house. And besides this is a good thing who knows you might learn something interesting."
'Sound like you already know what the lesson is about…'
Damon rinsed out his mouth before placing his toothbrush into the cabinet nailed to the wall and sighed,"Could you go pester Abel about this instead? I heard he's been skipping out on training."
"I know, but he shrinks back whenever I bring it up…" Vincent tilted his head to side in thought. "Have any ideas how to get him to participate?"
"Why not have mother talk to him" Damon proposed as he stepped out of the bathroom.
"I already tried that, but she told me to figure it out on my own" Vincent replied. He shook his wearily for a second before walking to the opened door. Without turning around he then said with casual tone, "Don't take too long to change. I'll be waiting outside."
'What's the point of waiting outside if you're just going to leave it open'
Watching his back closely, Damon noticed the boy made no attempt to reshut the door on his way out. He had a feeling his brother did this intentionally to mess with him, however he had no plans of letting it spoil his mood any further.
After calmly closing it, he moved towards the small closet to get dressed for the day, musing on what tricks his brother would play.
Two minutes later, Damon stared at his mirror with uncertainty. His sleeping attire was replaced by a plain outfit that similarly mirrored Vincent's.
'Maybe I should go with a different coloured shirt or add some accessories.'
As that thought ran through his mind he noticed a book missing from the bedside table. He was pretty sure he knew where it was.
Since they shared the same hobby Abel had a habit of taking books from his room, regardless of how many times he told him to get them from the library instead.
He double-checked and, sure enough, volume one of his favourite novel "Monarch Of The Mysterious" was missing.
Now feeling defeated, Damon headed towards the door for his boots. As he tugged them on and tied the coarse black laces, he glanced back at the wall positioned left of his bed.
The same poster had been there since before he could remember. "Protectors, Not Weapons."
The paint used had long become discoloured, and the four edges were torn, but that simple quote remained vibrant.
They were his mother's words.
Damon used to think they sounded heroic, but now he wasn't so sure.
Once a war hero serving under the nation of Aegis, their mother who now held the title of director had chosen to abandon that life and the love she had found through it.
It was an act of treason like none had ever seen since the founding of the country nevertheless Charles V Darwin absolved her of all transgression in honour of her prior achievements under his kinship.
But it was not without cost. In exchange for her freedom she was commanded to lead her troops to the east and resolve the civil unrest unleashed in neighbouring nation of Koinonia.
The fighting had left deep scars in its capital city, Emporio and the heart's people. Half its population perished during the conflict, but the nation itself endured. Reconstitution began swiftly with support from Aegis.
But it was there in the recovering capital she found them.
Children crawling out of crates, stumbling from under rubble, or sitting quietly in the burnt remains of their homes. Some already clutched knives in trembling hands, while others were too numb to speak. Instead of leaving them to their fates, she gathered them all and brought them here.
To the House of Red-Hill
'It was supposed to be a safer alternative to the military-style academies. But I guess safe hasn't truly existed anymore since that rift opened in the sky came.'
At this moment Vincent peeked his head inside and said, "Aren't you done yet?"
"Will you shut up" Shuffling out of the room, Damon stepped past Vincent with a frown. The duo quietly headed towards the training grounds on the first floor, passing through the foyer and by the doors of an empty waiting room.
As Damon approached the doors of the training room, he paused at the entrance. The storm outside the windows had come to a gradual stop, and he could now hear the murmurs of his siblings.
"Did you see Castiel leaving with mother at breakfest? I heard a priest's coming today to adopt him!"
"What? No way, Cass doesn't even speak."
"Isn't he mothers favourite? Why would he be leaving?"
"It's probably just for a job. Think about it…why else would Diana be taking things so seriously?"
Damon's brows creased as he heard their words. The chatter usually annoyed him, but he had already accepted that breakfast and training were precisely the hours when the family was the most talkative.
Curious, he straightened his shirt and looked back at Vincent. "Who's leading combat class today?"
Vincent tilted his head slightly back and recalled something. "Speaking of which, Diana is the one leading the session."
"Eh? That wild beast…?!"
"Yep" Vincent tapped his wooden sword on his shoulder and laughed, "You should have seen the look on everyone's faces when she showed up."
'This isn't funny she might actually kill me!!'