Draeyer Academy
Drae Skyland
Northeastern Space

"Being able to control your powers is essential, not only for you, but for the others around you," Professor Cynn said. His long golden blonde hair swished behind him as he paced the length in front of the board. Alec sat with an arm propped on top of the desk, and one side of his face cradled in his palm. He watched the teacher pick up a small white rock, and wrote on the black wood.

"We ought to finish your lessons about Sentires who bear the red-colored gems," he said, as his hands moved over the board. "But now that we have a student who bears a green, we're going to have to touch the surface of it."

He turned his back to the board which now had the words, "Censorins" and, "Empathyns" written on the surface.

"You all know what Censorins are," Professor Cynn said. "But can somebody tell me about the Empathyns, aside from the basic knowledge you all learned before you accepted to be the first students in this class? I expect you all did a bit more reading than required."

Alec glanced at Knox from the corner of his eyes when the boy raised his hand. He heard Solana and Rei snort at the same time and mutter something along the lines of "Of course he'd know." The teacher nodded at him to stand as he fixed his brown eyes on Knox.

"Empathyns are people like Alec, the ones who have green Sentiral Stones," he said. "Unlike us Censorins, who have powers to only affect non-living things and ourselves, they have the power to affect the living." Alec stopped his eyes from going wide at the new piece of information, and kept his stoic mask on. "They have the ability to emit and control waves of energy and decide how it's going to affect live creatures."

"Anyone else?" Professor Cynn said. Alec casted his gaze down on the desk in front of him, and watched Areisha raising her hand and stood. She spoke.

"The most common Empathyns have the power to heal or worsen the condition of an individual. Rare kinds are the ones able to make plants and animals do as they please."

"Very good, you two," Cynn said. "You may now take your seats." He went around his desk, and sat himself on top of the wood. His feet dangled in front of him, as he grabbed a round red ball and tossed it from one hand to another.

"Sentires have only recently been grouped, and given a name to call by. In history, there were two prominent people who were to be called Empathyns if they were born in this era," he said. "First is the founder of the Council of Heavens, Decien Behan Versulies, and the second headmaster of this Academy, Ardinel Roselinne Skywarden."

The last name caused Alec's head to shot up, as the man's familiar face popped up in his mind. He had remembered seeing the crystal-eyed man in the hallway leading to the Headmaster's office. Just like then, the name and image still left a feeling of familiarity in him. He shook his head in silence and forced his mind on the lecture.

"Lord Versulies had the power over plants, while Lord Skywarden, had the ability to bend any animal to his will," Professor Cynn said. "They were both feared for their powers, but the both of them used it well for setting up a better government and learning system in Kosmiks."

"Lord Decien's efforts were put in vain," Rei said. River and Solana chuckled, while the remaining four kept their silence. The blonde professor threw the ball, and it bounced once before rolling over the desk to Rei's spot.

"This is Power Mastery Class, not-express-your-opinion-on-politics, Reinand," he said. "Keep those comments to yourself, please."

Alec felt a smile tug at his lips when Rei puffed out his cheeks like child, and jerk his head away from the professor. He shook his head lightly, before turning to Cynn, who gave a dramatic sigh while scratching the back of his head.

"Gods! You children are frustrating," he said.

"Some of us aren't children anymore professor," Knox said, as he stared down at a hard leather bound book. The room erupted with laughter, with the exception of Rei, whose brows knit together in confusion.

When the laugher ceased, Alec raised a hand.

"I have question. I was going to ask Professor Linan, but I think I might also find an answer from you, Professor," he said. All eight pairs of eyes in the room fell on him, before Cynn broke the silence lingering in the air.

"Go ahead then," he said. Alec took a deep breath, before giving the twins a brief glance from the corner of his eye.

"Knox and Solana brought me to the Incubation Chamber on my first official day here," he said. "There I saw the blue egg, that they said would freeze anyone's hand when the slightest contact with it is made."

"What about that egg?" Solana asked as she leaned forward. He inched himself back away from her before he continued.

"Well...when Knox yelled not to touch it, my fingertips brushed against the shell when I jerked in surprise," he said. Both the twins' grey eyes widened at his words, and their mouths fell open.

"It didn't freeze my hand," he said. "So I was wondering if my powers had anything to do with it." A heavy silence hung in the air the moment he finished. He resisted the urge to squirm under their wide-eyed gaze and open-mouthed expressions. Was the question a big deal? he thought.

"Drae's shit, Alec..." Solana muttered.

"How much power do you really have?" Knox finished.

"Are you serious Alec?" Professor Cynn said. He hopped off the table, and his boots connected with the set of stairs leading up to where he sat. When he stood next to his and the twins' spot, Alec spoke.

"I'm serious. I always am, Professor," he said, with a nod. Cynn nodded as well while eyeing him with his head tilted a few degrees to the right. He stood there for a couple minutes more before he turned and went down to his desk. They jerked up when the double doors flew open and hit the walls on either side of it. River and Solana broke the following silence as soon as it formed.

"Brother, what the Blazen!"

"Head Prefect!"

A man with black eyes and shoulder length black hair stood at the entrance with his lips pulled back into huge smile. Alec saw a white band with the Academy's seal, strapped to his arm in the same fashion as the twins. Alec recognized him as Zak, the Dorm Leader of Sun Dorm.

"Sorry to interrupt Professor Cynn, but I have important news," he said. "Hello to you too, little brother."

Alec shifted his gaze to River, who stood there with his fists shaking on his sides. Well that was surprising, he thought with a hidden roll of his eyes. Zak turned and faced their direction.

"Prefect Solana and Knox, your assistance is needed in the Incubation Chamber," he said. He grinned when the twins knit their brows at him. "Non-Draeyers will come swarming to the nursery very soon, especially because we have more than 20 Draelings on the way, including that unique blue one."

"Yes!" Solana jumped out of her seat, and used the two tier tables below as steps to land next to Zak. "See you later, Professor Cynn." She made a dash out the door, leaving behind Zak and Cynn, who had suppressed smiles on their faces.

"Seriously, she has no manners," Knox said as he stood. "I apologize for her behavior, Professor."

Cynn laughed and shook his head at the boy. "It's fine Knox. I'm used to your sister," he said. "Alright then, Non-Draeyers head to the Sanctuary, while the rest of us continue with class."

River stood along with Rei, while Ceiver and Areisha sighed and faced their front. Alec felt a tug on his arm, causing him to stand. He looked over and saw Knox dragging him down the steps toward the door.

"Come on Alec," he said. Alec saw how a weird smile crept to his lips, causing him to knit his brows. "I have a feeling a Draeling will chose you, and which one would it be."

"Good day Alec," Zak said, as they passed.

"Same to you, Zak-iel," he said.

"I never considered you to be polite," he heard the older man say.

He ignored it, and they walked down the hallways. When they reached the steps, they climbed down. As they passed by the lobby, Alec looked behind him, when he saw a crowd of students coming down from the each of the twin steps, barely forming a single line as they skipped and chattered with excited voices.

"What's going on?" he said. He shrugged his arm out of Knox's tight hold, and fell into step with him, along with the other three.

"The eggs are hatching," Knox said.

"And Non-Draeyers are always excused from their classes for this occasion, assuming that the hatchlings come during class days or hours," Zak said. He nodded as they passed through the door. When his friends broke into a sprint, he followed them on the cobblestone path. Being ahead, they didn't have to worry about weaving through a wave of students, and reached the translucent tunnel bridge at once. Their quick footsteps echoed through the passageway as they padded over the metal floor. Once there, they entered through the arching trees and headed straight for the Incubation Chamber.

When they passed the orchard of weird looking fruits, Alec noticed three students, wearing the Prefect bands, on ladders and branches, grabbing a few of the said fruits. He looked back at his front when they resumed walking once again. The large structure loomed ahead of them, but instead of looking at it, he turned his attention to the side, where hastily laid hay sat in a heap. He saw a couple of eggs in colors of reds, blues, greens, and many more, lying on the dry pile of grass. He could see cracks forming on each one as they shook lightly.

Solana came out of the wooden doors door, with a brown egg similar in state as the rest, carrying it like a child in a mother's arms. She placed it down on the heap of hay, before another student came out carrying another egg.

"That's the last one," he heard her say when she was in earshot, "except that strange blue egg."

"We'll bring it here," Zak said. Knox followed him inside the chamber, leaving Alec, Rei and River standing close to the hay. Solana bounded over to them, as the other students arrived and formed groups behind them.

"Are you guys excited to see what Draeling is inside that egg that likes to freeze hands?" she said.

"I'd be lying if I say no," a voice said from behind them. They turned around to spot an old man with white beard moving closer to them, with Gael walking beside him.

"Hello, Grandfather," Solana said. She skipped toward him, and reached for his hand. She kissed the back of it, before leaning up to kiss his cheek. The headmaster chuckled when she pulled away. Alec only stared with his mouth ajar, before he clamped it shut when he felt a heavy arm drape over his shoulders.

"You didn't know the relationship between the twins and the headmaster did you?" Gael chuckled in his ear. Alec stopped himself from rolling his eyes and stepped out of the older man's hold before he decided to choke him with another embrace.

"I don't care anyway," he said. Gael shook his head at him, and he saw him shift his green eyes at the students chattering in groups. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, the mysterious egg is finally going to hatch. Thank Kosmos for that!" Gael said. "We've all been really curious for the past few months, so don't be surprised if even the professors crowed around here."

As he said that, their teachers emerged from the orchard and stood on the edge of the large glade talking to each other. Alec assumed it to be about the dark blue egg or some school work. Probably both.

They turned their attention to the door of the Chamber when it flew open. Knox and Zak came out holding the edges of a thick wool blanket. Nestled on the blanket was the dark blue egg with black wings-like markings. Looking closely, Alec could see tiny specks of light coming from it, and creating fragments of ice on the blanket. Not a moment too soon, the two placed the blanket on the hay, and removed it carefully from under the egg.

Alec kept his eyes on the egg, as it started to crack, and silence filled the air when the chatter ceased. The silence was enough for them to hear each shell breaking, and small heads and claws emerged, covered in sticky yolk. Despite this, he kept his eyes on the dark blue egg. He tilted his head.

"It looks bigger than the others," he whispered. As soon as he said that, something pale blue popped out from the silver top of the egg as it cracked.

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There's a surprise in that egg. Can you guess why? There are more than one reasons...hehe