Heir to the Sun Clan

“Are you being for real?” Kaltain exclaims, blinking rapidly at the women.

“As I said for the fifth time, ma’am, the dorms are connected in a singular house. Boys on the left, girls on the right. Common room upstairs, Kitchen downstairs and gym in the basement.”

‘I must be deaf or fucking stupid. This makes no damn sense.’ Kaltain takes a deep breath and rolls her shoulders. Her skin was hot and she was exhausted from the trial. She barely slept in the wild, not trusting the contenders not to try to assassinate her in her sleep.

“Why?” Kaltain's tone is blunt and filled with displeasure.

The lady behind the fancy wooden desk appears unfazed as she stacks a piece of paper on the higher surface. “Ask the council.” She taps a painted blue nail on the document. “This is information on class schedules and room numbers. Please see yourself to bed. Classes began bright and early. You’ve been through a lot.”

Kaltain stares blankly. Her ice blue eyes flicker down and then up a few times before she finally walks away.

‘Fuck my life.’

It already sucked having to share a room, but to share a whole building was beyond insane. She figured her behavior spoke of arrogance and entitlement.

In truth, Kaltain simply isn’t good with people and didn’t want to be around so many she didn’t trust.

What if one enters her room in the middle of the night to rob and then murder her?

‘My roommate would beat the bastard to it.’

Or what if someone stole her food from the fridge or cabinet?

The very thought made her homicidal.

Boundaries and fear. She needs to establish those quickly before she murder someone for petty reasons.

Kaltain scratches her scalp, her hair styled in two French braids. She strolls down a spiraling stone pathway leading towards the square building to the left of the main building, carrying a backpack.

A rose garden was located in the front right, with a pond of transparent blue water rippling on the left side, trails of blue and red petals dancing the surface. The smell of sweet flowers drift into her senses, easing the sweaty smell oozing from her ragged clothes.

Advancing the sidewalk, she glances briefly at the scattered students dressed in various different color academy uniforms. After noting the number of people around her, a habit she picked up after witnessing her first bloodbath, she approaches a massive black gleaming door with glass edges.

The triangle building was made of red stone like the rest of the Lightless institute, with a tall roof lined up in the shape of stars and celestial planets, shrouded in gray fog.

Kaltain halts.

Leaning on the door was a tall man possessing brown flawless skin, long wavy golden hair, deep set lips, a slightly hooked nose, and a gray blindfold. He was wearing a white large ankle length coat with countless pockets, paired with a high neck thick shirt and cotton trousers of the same shade, exuding a dignified aura.

At first, Kaltain wondered if there was a back door she could take and was moving to search for it when a husky, alluring voice entered her ears, tingling her heart.

“You’re Kaltain Melpomene.” A statement, not a question.

Halfway turned, she shifts to face him fully. “Yes.”

“I was friends with your brother.”

“I doubt that.”

“Why?”

She parts her lips to respond, but then pauses as she remembers that anything involving Ziven is to be unvoiced.

“Nothing.” Kaltain clears her throat and steps forward. “Excuse me.”

He doesn’t move. “What happened to him was a tragedy.” Crossing his arms, he says in a distant tone, “People will always believe what they can understand first than the real truth. I hope you follow your heart rather than your mind.”

‘I thought seers died out in the divine era. This dude was saying some really cryptic shit and if I could, I would offer him a job as a seer just because.’ Kaltain remains silent, yet internally, she mocked him to ease her discomfort.

The handsome man's hands covered in white leather gloves grasp the silver handle and push the door open. “After you, Miss.”

Kaltain enters the dorm building and searches for her room silently. She didn’t look back to check his location, not that interested enough to show her curiosity of his identity.

****

Ishaan Iniko, Heir to the Sun Clan, and strongest wielder of divine power at Lightless, feels the intense aura emitting from the girl fade the further she walks away. ‘Ziven wasn’t wrong. His siblings will be fine without him.’

“Eyeing the freshmen, already?” A teasing voice comes from behind Ishaan.

“She had a hint of an attitude, so I was trying to see if she knew who I was.” Ishaan strides up the curved marble stairs in the center, using his spiritual senses to navigate the steps. “Besides, I can’t see. How can I be eyeing anything?”

“She’s from the north, they all got a stick up their asses.” Akira trails behind, watching as Ishaan stuff his hands firmly into his pockets. ‘Even with gloves on he still hates touching anything that doesn’t belong to him.’ “And it’s not funny telling a blind joke when you’re not actually blind.”

“I might as well be,” Ishaan says simply.

Ishaan and Akira knew each well after hanging out for years straight, having dueled many times, shared a bunk bed, and being a part of the same league. The academy lasts for five years, ranging between freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior, and mentor.

Akira Misul was sent to Lightless by his Mother at the age of 13 and was the sole survivor of his heavenly trial. Aysun Misul had made a deal with the council and managed to hide her son’s real age, yet when he entered the boy’s dorm, he came face to face with Ishaan, who saw through the lies right away.

Akira would never admit it outloud, but he was terrified upon finding out who he had to share a space with. Hell, everyone would have been. Ishaan was from the Sun Clan, the most feared holy clan, and possessed a completed Sun divine mark at eighteen.

However, later on, Akira only felt annoyed with the controlled freak.

Ishaan rarely talks and when he does, he’s either insulting you or issuing orders. And man, does he know how to make your pride feel like shame in mere seconds.

Watching the trial this year must have awakened some nostalgia in Akira. He shakes his head lightly and plops down on the long green couch pushed back against the golden railing. It’s been almost three years since then. Ishaan was a senior, along with Akira, the youngest one. Next year, they’ll both be mentors.

The common room was a massive lounge. To the right was a small simple kitchen space with white marble countertops and fruit baskets, paired with a Tv adorning the wall above the microwave. To the left were sets of sofas and chairs, which were filled with throw blankets and pillows, their cute designs matching the comfortable furniture.

In the center was a wide glass table adorned with coffee pads and a bowl of candy that was half full. Akira leans forward and snatches a few Twix’s. “You going to the party tonight?”

The sound of crinkling paper fills the air as he peels open the candy.

“No.” Ishaan sat on the sofa adjacent to the right of Akira—the one he bought and forbade anyone but him from using. The glass table brushes his knee, causing him to yank it back. He effortlessly pushes the sofa back, aided by the sunlight shining through the roof window, creating a barrier with sunlight to give it enough weight to move the object.

Akira holds back a laugh at the extreme measure. “It’ll be fun.”

“You say that every damn time.”

“And you go almost every damn time.”

“I never attend a party in my freshmen year, let alone on the day before classes start.” Ishaan scoffs, calmly resting his chin on his knuckles. “Who’s throwing such a dumb thing anyways?”

“….”

“Oh god, Akira!”

“Don’t give me that exasperated voice.” Akira hands shot up as he shrugs. “I wish I would have been more loose as a freshman. You only live once. I’ll be damned if they don't get the chance I never had.”

“Nothing like fuck up before the finishing line then not even crossing it.”

Akira brows narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Enlighten yourself.” Ishaan stands and brushes the non-existence dust off himself. He wanted to get far away from Akira quickly before the motherfucker somehow convinced him to join the stupidity.

He had that type of talent. Making wrong decisions seems smart.

However, this time, Ishaan was prepared not to give in.

‘Fears are natural. Common sense, if you will. Everyone shrinks back at something, yet what you fear matters more to people than the actual terror or trauma. A man could fear a bear, and mankind will call him weak. A boy could fear his mother, and the clan will mock him as dramatic.’

Even if the world crumbles and this secret saved them, he would let it all perish.

****

Kaltain was going to commit murder already. ‘Ain’t no way they’re partying. Ain’t no fucking way.’

The girls dorm measured about 16 x 20 feet, furnished with a set of bunk beds draped in sheer pink fabric and two pillows. Most of the beds were unattended. Kaltain's bed was a bottom and pushed back against the wall near the only window in the room, which is covered in a dark blue curtain.

Her pillows were softer than her blankets and in the center of the space was a round desk fitted for six people.

The concrete walls shook slightly from the noise booming in the basement.

Kaltain laid on her back, wearing a black bonnet and plain red pajamas. Her thin pants did little to block the cool breeze emitting from the wall and her long sleeve shirt ruffled against the cold surface as she occasionally bumps it.

After trying and failing to fall asleep, Kaltain slid off her bed. Her bare feet paddle across the smooth wooden floor, which is edged with pink marble.

“Where are you going?” A soft sleepy voice causes Kaltain to pause. She looks up at Wyn resting on the top bunk above hers.

In the beginning, Kaltain thought she was getting a roommate, not roommates. There were 10 bunk beds in the room. Her and Wyn were the only freshmen. From Wyn's actions, Kaltain figured the girl wasn't stupid. The boy freshmen on the other hand….

She suddenly remembered Kallias. He had gone to that party with Akira. She saw him heading downstairs on her way to grab a water bottle from the refrigerator.

“You've been blessed with siren traits, yes?”

Wym blinks drowsy. She sits up with a yawn, her medium length silver hair cascading down. “Yeah, what’s up?”

A mischief gleam lit in Kaltain eyes, making Wyn stomach clench in unease. “Wanna drown some music?”

While Kaltain cared little for people’s opinion, especially irresponsible ones, she didn’t want to be bothered with hostile attention. If eyes were on her, she wanted it to be because they feared or admired her.

A plan manifested in her mind. Misul, the founding family of the Moon Clan, could control water. It was a trait passed down by their ancestors. A gift from their siren guardians. They could also manipulate and sense emotions, transfer pain, and had extraordinary mental endurance, along with underwater breathing.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Wyn asks quietly. “No one will get hurt, right?”

Kaltain suppresses an eye roll. “The owner of the speaker, maybe.”

“T-then, I-I don’t think I—

“His feelings, Wyn, not physically.”

“Oh.”

They tiptoe down the hallway and into the backyard, heading towards the small window that provides a view of the basement. Kaltain stumbled upon it after searching for a backdoor, not wanting a repeat of earlier.

The cool night air envelopes them gently. Wyn tightens her arms around herself, donning a hoodie and shorts. Her pale legs prickle with goosebumps.

“I’ve been meaning to say this since earlier, but your emotions….I don’t feel them.”

Kaltain pauses before crouching down and maintaining a safe distance from the window, avoiding detection. Surrounding them are small bushes flocked with pink roses. Beneath their feet scatter piles of sticks and petals. She turns her head slightly and leans into Wyn space with a single raised brow. “What?”

She hadn’t heard her. The music was louder outside than inside because the tinted window was open, which was perfect for them.

“Never mind, I’ll tell you later.”

Kaltain shrugs off Wyn’s hesitation, assuming the girl was fearful of getting in trouble. Granted, she was too. If her parents found out she wasn’t in bed sleeping, but was about to fuck with her comrades-in-arms, then she would receive a stern scolding.

‘I’m sure they’ll understand.’ Kaltain comforted herself with inky lies. ‘Ah, delusion, delusion, embrace me!’ Then, her and Wyn switched places.

From behind the bubbly girl, Kaltain saw Wyn inclined her head forward to peek inside, her hands raised and fingers arched.

After five minutes, Wyn found the speaker perched on a glowing counter filled with alcohol beverages and waited for the perfect moment.

As if divine intervention descends, a teenage boy turns on the sink nearby. Wyn instantly controls the water to swim through the air, forming a bird out of the clear liquid and slams it upon the speaker.

Sparks fly!

The music crackles with a buzzing noise before coming to a complete stop.

“What the heck?!”

“Fuck!”

“Who’s messing around? Turn the music back on?!”

Screams and shouts erupt. Wyn and Kaltain dash back into the building before anyone catches them.

A giddy laugh surges in Wyn's throat and she can't help herself, she giggles.

Kaltain shuts the dark brown door leading into their room and then looks at Wyn with a smirk. “Well fancy that, goody two shoes got a rebel streak after all.”