GOLDEN CHILD

PROLOGUE

The room was doused in a soft yellow light, as the man with the bright blue eyes and white hair sat down in front of his two children. The one, the girl, had hair as white as the snow falling outside, while the boy, took after his mother, brown hair and those signature blue eyes, reflecting the Atlantic Ocean. Milo Aro could see the curiousity reflect in his youngest daughter Meri's eyes as she gazed up at him.

"Would you like to hear a story, then, little one?" He asked, his voice alluring, dragging her into the world he was preparing to create. He watched his wife's eyes roll playfully, as Meri sat forward, nodding furiously.

"Telling her stories is not going to help her in any way, Milo." His wife, Kaija warned.

"She loves them." Milo said with a defeated shrug, and launched into his famous story. Meri had probably heard it a million times, but every time her father told her the story of the Mother and the Celestial Father, she would feel like it was the first time. Her older brother, Aku, did not share the feeling, however. He didn't understand the appeal the same old romance tale had, but let his sister listen to it anyway.

"A very long time ago, before you were born, before I was born, before even the village elders were born, the Gods used to roam the Earth, little one. The Earth needed protecting, and so, Mother Earth was born, and she watched over her humans like they were her own children." Milo started and watched Meri's little mouth move along with his. She'd heard the story a million times, and she would listen to it a million times more, because the idea of the Gods fascinated her.

"But she wanted children of her own, didn't she, papa? Just like you and mama have?" Her eyes sparkled with a sense of knowledge as Milo nodded.

"Correct," Milo said, "she helped the humans build their civilizations, and one day, she met a Celestial Being—"

"The Celestial Father!" Meri exclaimed excitedly, "he became her husband, didn't he, papa?"

"He did, in fact, Meri. After they were wed, they had four children of their own, and they were called the..." He trailed off, his eyes wandering to his eldest son, who watched the flames of the candles idly try to reach for the ceiling.

"The filii aurea," Meri chimed in before Aku could look up, "papa, are we filii aurea?" She asked.

"We'll have to wait and see, little one. I can control the ocean, because I'm an adult, but you and Aku are just children." Milo said, as Meri watched him play with the water in Aku's cup. She watched her mother scowl at Milo for doing so.

"There is no magic in this house, Milo Aro." She narrowed her eyes, and he dropped the water neatly back into Aku's cup. From across the world, a sigh could be heard, as little Nuri Bachmann gazed up at his father, with those golden-brown eyes of his.

"Father, I don't care for the love story." He stated, annoyed.

"But your sister does." His father said with a knowing smile.

"Kai's a girl though." Nuri looked at his younger sister, hair like a waterfall, those same bright golden eyes, narrowed at him in contempt.

"A girl who's a better shot than you!" Kai stuck out her tongue, prompting a sibling fight.

"Now, now," their father warned, "I'm sure Nuri still wants to hear about the War." Instantly, Nuri's eyes turned to his father, shining with pure and utter curiousity.

"The Great Aurean war happened about two centuries ago, but we are still suffering the consequences, aren't we, kids?" Their father joked, "it started because we became greedy, something Aureans weren't supposed to be, considering we are half-God. We wanted more power, and so we came together, and made terrible, horrible combinations that would wipe out the humans."

"Why, father? Would the Aureans want to hurt the humans? We are their guardians after all." Nuri remarked.

"We are, you're right. The Aureans that started the War were a bit too liberal for my taste, and call me old fashioned, but I don't believe us Fire Children should be chatting up Mare's Children." Their father said.

"I've never met one of Mare's Children," Kai said, "but I hear they're beautiful."

"Mare's Children are, and ironically, they were the ones who started the War, both Mare's Children and the Fire Children are responsible for the first Cursed Child." Their father explained.

"We're not cursed, are we?" Nuri asked.

"Well, it depends, Nuri. It is very possible for a cursed ability to pass down into your genetic code, but it can be kept dormant by controlling your emotions." Their father said with a smile. Sitting in a church in the far east, a white-eyed boy brushed a piece of pitch black hair out of his face, and looked up at his priestess mother.

"What happened then?" Little Vayu Negi asked, sitting on the edge of his seat.

His mother laughed, "they say, that the Gods stepped in."

"Really?" His light eyes went open wide, as he watched his mother continue.

"Yes, they chose special vessels, who then gained immeasurable powers to help end the fight, but it only angered the humans further." His mother said.

"Have you ever met a God, mother?" Vayu asked.

"No," she answered, "and I doubt I will in my lifetime. Only the blessed ones are lucky enough to make a connection with a God's soul."

"What's a blessed one?" Vayu couldn't help asking.

"Like your father, little one," she told him, "he has the third gift. But even that isn't a guarantee that he will meet Caelus."

"The wings are his third gift?" Vayu raised a confused eyebrow.

"No," his mother shook her head, "he has three special abilities, all relating to the wind, and to the Ocean of Souls. You know what that is, don't you?"

"Of course, grandmother taught me all about it." Vayu answered.

"Maybe if your father gets lucky he'll meet a God." His mother joked, and towards the West a black-haired boy rolled his eyes.

Little Ignis Lux sat next to his older brother as they listened to their father talk about the War.

"Father, I don't care about the Gods." Ignis said bluntly, "I care about the Magi."

"Of course, you do, Ignis," his father laughed, "you've always been too diplomatic for your own good. Alright, I suppose I could spare a second explaining how the Magi came to be."

Ignis Lux looked happily at his older brother, who didn't seem nearly as interested in the history lesson they were about to receive as he was.

"You two know the Lux Clan was the first Magi Clan to ever exist, because while those Aureans were busy calling for help from their all-powerful Gods, your ancestors were fighting on the frontlines," he saw Ignis' eyes, wide with anticipation, and continued, "one of your ancestors had the bright idea to kill a descendant, and after ingesting his blood, gained some of his power."

"Didn't it drive him nuts, though?" Ignis' older brother asked.

"It did," his father nodded, "but it won us the war, didn't it?" His father winked, and watched his two sons laugh softly. To the far East, a little girl was doing the opposite, however. Little Aaliyah Sai hated war stories, despite her older sister's apparent interest in it.

"Tell us about the Aurean King, father." Her older sister, Avani asked, knowing that it would calm Aaliyah down if her father started talking about the King.

"After the war, the Aureans struggled to survive, but then our savior came. He was not a God," Dabir Sai explained, "he was a human, who treated us like we were same, when the Magi still thought of us as monsters. The Great Aurean King, Sein Atthill, was the first human king to reestablish the Aurean Council, and let the Aureans live within the City of Gold again."

"Really?" Aaliyah asked, tears in her little eyes. Avani laughed softly.

"Don't worry, Aaliyah. The war is long over, we don't have to worry about anything now." Avani stated proudly, while her father ruffled her thick black hair, and she glared at him with those Sai-green eyes. Little Avani Sai was correct, the Aureans as a whole had relaxed ever since Sein Atthill was appointed king, but that didn't mean a specific group of them wasn't in danger. An angry descendant, armed with magic that hadn't been seen in a very long time roamed the streets of Mare's Capital, sneaking into the diplomatic household of the Aro family. He broke through the lock with his liquid magic, and barged into the room where the family was busy sitting. With his Atlantic Ocean blue eyes shining in the moonlight, Aziel Aro looked at his brother, smiled apologetically, and aimed an ice dart at his heart. Kaija screamed as the dart flew toward Milo, but he was quick to dissolve and throw it back at Aziel. Aziel tried to dodge, his survival instinct kicking in, but the dart scraped his cheek on the way back.

"Don't fight this, brother." He demanded, his voice strained, and his left eye squinting from the pain of the cut.

"I will not let you kill my family on a hunch, Aziel." Milo spat his name out like a piece of rotten food.

"You cannot win against the will of the Gods, Milo." Aziel forged another dart, aiming it at Milo, and shooting as fast as he could. The dart landed right in the middle of their family portrait, skewering little Meri's face in the process.

"This is my family we're talking about, Aziel. Just because you believe you've been—" The hurt shone in Aziel's eyes as he seized Milo, but without his hands. Milo remained frozen in stagnation as Aziel stepped closer.

"I'm doing this for the good of our people!" He exclaimed, tightening his grip on Milo.

"Your beliefs... are warped..." Milo choked out, struggling to break free from Aziel's grasp.

"My beliefs are approved by the Gods." Aziel said, with a tone of finality to his voice. He created a sharp dagger from the ice flowing through his veins, and poised it at Milo's throat. Kaija's screams crescendoed, and from nowhere, Aku Aro jumped, and plunged a kitchen knife into his uncle's leg. Aziel's grip slacked, while Milo took a split second to recover. Doing the same as Aziel previously had, Milo used his supposed cursed ability, and seized Aziel by his blood. Watching his brother writhe in pain was torturous to him, and he made it quick. Flowing from a plant in the middle of the room, a translucent liquid entered Aziel's body, and his gargantuan frame fell to the floor, his eyes closed, as if he were in a peaceful sleep. Kaija collapsed in a pile of emotions, while little Meri looked up at her father with big, sleepy and confused eyes.

"We can't stay here, Milo. He won't stop." Kaija blubbered, as she shook her head.

"I know," Milo said gravely, his eyes boring into Aziel's slack body on the floor, "we'll leave for Bijou tonight." He grabbed Meri's hand, and pulled her out of the room. Aku and Kaija followed slowly afterward, and together the diplomatic Aro family disappeared into the dead of the night. When Aziel awoke once more, Milo and his family were long gone. He didn't expect Milo to understand, but he'd been contacted by a God, anointing him the savior of the Aurean race. He had to find the other children, and he had to kill them, before they consumed the world once more.

The Aro children spend half their lives fleeing from an enemy without a name, nor a face. Meri doesn't remember much of the night they left Mare's Capital, only a set of eyes, and the stab wound that bled all over the carpet after Aku had stabbed the intruder. Their running ends the day Milo is called to serve the Aurean King in the Sovereign Capital.

"Must you go?" Kaija almost whined, as if she were an unsatisfied child.

Milo regarded her eyes, and smiled, kissing her briefly, "I have to, Kai. You know that."

Kaija pouted, and handed Milo a knapsack begrudgingly, "I do."

"I won't be there long." He promised, but both of them knew it was a lie. Milo was being called to the Royal Academy of Magic and Combat Arts to assist in the implementation of the Aurean division.

"At least say goodbye to your kids." Kaija urged.

"Kai," he said, almost as if he were ignoring her request, "I need you to raise them human."

"Milo." Her eyes softened.

"I cannot have my brother killing my children because of some twisted belief he adopted. I need you to make them forget, I don't care what you do," Milo said desperately, "just make them forget." He turned away from Kaija, his eyes shining against the distant white sun, as he lifted the piece of animal hide that acted as the door to their hut. Outside, Meri and Aku were practicing their sword wielding tactics. Meri's movements were sloppy, but better than most of the girls in the village, whereas Aku's movements were more precise, and quicker. Milo guessed he'd become a hunter when the time came.

"Papa!" Meri dropped her wooden sword, and dashed toward him. "Are you leaving now?"

"I am." Milo admitted. Meri hugged him as tight as she could, and looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"We'll miss you." She whispered. Milo knew very well they would.

Milo was pretty sure the Academy's halls were changing as he walked through them with a slightly nervous expression etched onto his face. He was sure he was going to become trapped within the moss-covered walls of the grandiose Academy he was supposed to help prepare for the future. He rounded a corner, and suddenly he was back where he started, facing the statue of the first Magi. A young boy was sitting underneath the gargantuan stone shield, eating a strange looking lunch. Milo figured the boy was his best chance.

"Excuse me," he asked politely, as the boy looked up at him with slanted, near black eyes. The boy was skinny, and pale as the winter snow. "Do you think you can help me?" Milo sounded pathetic, if he were being honest.

The boy laughed underhandedly, and closed his strangely colourful lunch, "what do you need, sir?"

"I'm looking for Headmaster Mainova's office, but I can't seem to find it." Milo answered sheepishly.

A gigantic grin spread over the boy's face, and triumphantly he looked at Milo, "you're in luck, sir! My name is Enlai Mainova, and the headmaster's my uncle."

Milo couldn't help but laugh, "nice to meet you, Enlai. And thank you, it seems the Academy has it in for me."

Enlai laughed as he stood up, and started walking. He had the trademark disproportionate limbs that puberty brought along, but Milo could sense there was more to this Enlai Mainova than a simple pubescent boy. "The Academy has it in for everyone, sir."

"Is that so?" Milo asked, sarcasm lacing his voice. Enlai flitted through the hallways as if he were born in the Academy, Milo noted.

"If I may ask, why are you here?" Enlai looked at him, intelligence sparkling in his dark eyes.

"I'm here to help the Academy start up its new Aurean division." Milo answered.

Enlai's eyes lit up, "you're filii aurea?"

"A water variant to be exact." Milo said, for once feeling appreciated. It was rare for Magi to react this strongly to an Aurean in their midst. Especially a Magi from one of the more established families.

As if his eyes were embellished with light, Enlai's eyes shone, "really? That's amazing! I'm a water mage as well, but I've always been interested in how Aureans approach magic combat."

Their conversation was cut short by their arrival at the headmaster's office, "well, Enlai. Maybe I'll teach you a couple of things if you swing by my class. I'm Milo, by the way."

"Will do, Mr Milo!" Enlai said with a salute, as Milo knocked and was practically teleported into the office.

As time passed, Milo grew accustomed to the strange Magi customs, no thanks to Enlai, who had a keen interest in Aurean history, and absorbed practically everything Milo taught him like a sponge. Milo had taken a liking to the strange Magi child, and his strange lunches, as time passed within the Academy. His Aurean combat class was becoming more and more popular, and soon, he would see his first graduating class go off into the world. The experience was surreal. He stood, in the same area where he'd first met Enlai, as he watched the graduation ceremony ensue. Enlai was in the arena with another Magi student, one of his biggest competitors. They were fighting for the top spot. Enlai was a fantastic combat artist, and his magic was a force to be reckoned with, Milo doubted he'd have any trouble with the fight. A shot fired, and the match began. The other student, a bulky Magister launched at Enlai. Four years at the Academy had done the scrawny fourteen-year-old good, no longer were his limbs disproportionate, or did his voice break whenever it felt like it. No longer were his movements sloppy and pure survival instinct. Enlai was the perfect student. He gathered a stream of water from underneath the arena, and readied himself for the oncoming attack. They couldn't have picked a better partner, the Magister boy was a fire variant, the complete opposite of Enlai. Where Enlai was steady, and strong, this boy was unstable, and short-tempered. They collided like a tidal wave, Enlai's water stream stopping the boy. Enlai froze over a puddle of water by his feet, and sprang into action. His lithe body glided through the space, as he landed a punch right in his opponent's solar plexus. Writhing with anger, the Magister boy melted the ice, and lunged at Enlai once again. Enlai was quick to side-step, and dodge his furious attacks. He readied himself for the end. Gathering a steady stream of water, Enlai aimed at his opponent's weak side, and let loose. The Magister boy collided with one of the artificial trees in the arena, and that was it. The crowd erupted into cheers. Milo watched as his family came to greet him. His small mother embracing him in a hug, his gigantic father smiling proudly, and his little sister Mei, diving into his arms, and showering him with praise. It wasn't long after his graduation that Enlai became an assistant professor at the Academy, helping one of his many relatives manage a combatology group, and finally a year later, taking over. It was around this time that he met her. The little girl he fell in love with. He approached Milo, late one night, with a little girl, skin the colour of caramel, and eyes as green as grass, standing timidly by his side.

"Who's this?" Milo regarded the scared little girl.

"Her name is Avani, and she's Aurean." Enlai answered, entering Milo's little house. Avani took it upon herself to sit down on one of the comfy couches, and lay her head on a pillow. Before long, she was out like a light.

"Where did you find her, Enlai?" Milo asked, as he was brewing tea for the two of them.

Enlai ran a hand through his hair, and annoyedly bit down on his lip, "she's the adoptive daughter of Iman Atthill. He's asked me to train her."

Milo almost spilled the tea, Iman Atthill was the notoriously corrupt brother of the current King, "and you accepted?"

"Of course, I did!" Enlai exclaimed exasperatedly, as Milo put down a cup of green tea in front of him. Enlai emptied half the sugar canister into the cup, and stirred furiously. "I need to find an illusionist."

"Why?" Milo asked.

"Because it's so obvious she's Aurean, and Iman Atthill thinks she's Magi." Enlai answered.

"What did you say her name was again?" Milo stole a glance at the little girl on the couch. She looked no older than ten, and her frame was dangerously thin. There was no doubt in Milo's mind Iman had probably picked her up on the streets.

"Avani, Sai I think." Enlai recalled.

"The Sai family is very influential in the East, but recently their line of succession has been interrupted," Milo noted, "she must be the daughter of Dabir Sai."

"Well, Iman thinks she's Magi. She has limited magic abilities, but I think with training she can make it through the Academy." Enlai said.

"She's a little young, isn't she?" Milo asked.

"She's ten," Enlai gazed fondly back at her, "she's just about old enough to enter the junior division, but Iman wants her trained and ready as soon as possible."

"To do what, exactly?" Milo couldn't stop himself from asking.

"To be an assassin," Enlai said, and looked back to Milo with hate shining in his eyes, "she can't be much older than Mei, and now I've got to train her to be an assassin."

"This is the best you can do for her, Enlai," Milo assured him, "she has no family left, make these next four years memorable to her, alright?" Enlai nodded, and looked back at the sleeping little girl on the couch. He never could have predicted that that particular little girl would change his life completely.

She stood, in front of the mirror, blonde hair hanging just above her shoulders in perfect little ringlets, in her Academy standard uniform, with a golden number one pinned to her blazer. She had grown into the stupidly designed uniform, the dark blue skirt ending a little above her knees, while the tights hugged her shapely legs. Around her neck, the blue and gold tie hung, in perfect shape, and the gold bordered blazer fit perfectly. Enlai approached her, bearing a small secondary pin, the royal sigil, and pinned it on her chest.

"Are you ready?" He asked, referring to the upcoming ceremony.

"Never," Avani bit her lip, and looked at herself in the mirror. No matter how many times she'd seen it before, she'd never get used to the illusion. Her short blonde hair, pale white skin and blue eyes always bewildered her. "I'm practically freaking out."

"Understandable," Enlai chuckled, "but don't worry, I'll be there, and so will Mr Milo. You got the top spot, now all that's left to do is let the headmaster give you a piece of paper, and then we're heading to Mainova territory."

Avani's stomach fluttered with nerves, "okay." She said, because she couldn't say anything else, and they exited the room together. The ceremony passed quickly, as she received an honours certificate, and watched the same kid from her final fight watch her from the crowd. With wide blue eyes and messy black hair, he looked up at her in admiration, but she had no idea who he was, and no intention to find out. He could admire Aira Atthill all he wanted to, because after today, she wouldn't exist anymore. She found Enlai after the ceremony, embracing him in a bone crushing hug, as his family came to congratulate her. His youngest sister, Lihua, didn't stray far from his mother, but Mei came running over to Avani, taking in her uniform and the pin on her chest. Mei had just entered the junior division of the Academy, and couldn't wait to join the senior faculties when she turned fourteen. Everything was going to be fine, Avani reminded herself, Enlai was going to save her, she was going to get out of the Academy. The darkness came unexpectedly, and before she knew it, she and Enlai were dashing through the darkest night trying to find the carriage professor Juvia had arranged for them. Enlai ran past Milo's house, stopping quickly to put a note and a picture of Avani in front of his door, knocking loudly, and disappearing. Milo opened the door a second after Enlai's lanky body was swallowed by darkness once more. He regarded the piece of paper and picture with confusion. In Enlai's neat handwriting stood, if anything happens to me, watch over her. Milo didn't understand why, and figured he'd ask Enlai in the morning. To his dismay, neither Enlai or Avani saw the break of day, Enlai was betrayed by an ambitious contender for headmaster, and Avani taken by the man who legally owned her. Milo understood what Enlai meant when he heard the news, and vowed to find Avani Sai.

A/N:

wooooooaaah this is 4K words damn son

as promised, the prologue of golden child, the rEVISED VERSION

so, obvi this was HELLA fun to write, and i wrote this over about two or so days aND I LOVED WRITING IT. Enlai is honestly one of my favEs 

p.s i imagine enlai as sota fukushi uwu