Chapter 7: What Is Family?

Sitting around the animated Amellia were the three children of Gregory August and Qin Xin Er. They each tried to digest the shocking news that their cousin had just given them, while Frederick was the most indifferent he was surprisingly serious after listening to all of what Amellia had to say.

"Even if we try and remove him from going to the academy how will that stop him from growing at the rate he is? He got to where he is with sheer effort as you all know that the old man wouldn't allow him to be taking elixirs of any kind to boost his strength. Talent, real talent isn't something that can stifled because you are threatened by it Amellia." Frederick's words dropped a bucket full of cold water onto his siblings and cousin.

Each of them sat and pondered over what he had said. While it was true that they all felt threatened by Gabriel's talent and speed of his growth, it still wasn't to the point where it would seriously change anything. Maybe it was lucky for Gabriel that his cousins had no clue about his sudden transformation, only time would tell.

Finally after a few minutes of silence it was Wutian who spoke up with relative ease.

"Whatever we try and do it will not stop Gabriel from growing up. Regardless of how threatening he is to our positions at the top of the younger generation it will still take him a few years to catch up to you, Amellia and brother Frederick. That being said I find it really sad that we have to resort to dirty tricks against one of our own like this." Having said his piece Wutian got up and left the room without another word. The rest of them felt a pang go off in their hearts as they thought things through a little deeper.

Yes, Gabriel is incredibly talented but that was purely in martial aspects. He was silent throughout all of their military training and showed no skill in the logistic aspect of things either. Both things being incredibly important for the position that each of them wanted, Great General of the Southern Protectorate.

Yes, Gabriel was talented in academics but he had absolutely horrendous interpersonal skills. Another crucial aspect of greater nobility that even a military officer had to be proficient in.

Though the true issue of the matter was the greed each of them faced at the moment. While they all had some idea of Gabriel's non human heritage they never were told what kind of being his mother really was. They had all met aunt Lily and she seemed about as human as the others if not for her absurd physical strength that even Elijah August could do nothing against. She was a beautiful woman with long raven black hair just like her son, though that black hair stood out from the August blonde that they all had. Even Qin Xin Er had a rich auburn hair colour that wasn't passed on to her kids. But the deep abyssal black that Gabriel and his mother had made them stand out too much in the August family.

It might seem odd that one's hair colour can determine how much they are ostracised but it is something that people have to deal with all the time.

"I refuse to allow a half breed like him to tarnish our family name!" Amellia finally shouted after the room began to settle after Wutian's comment. "We are the August Clan! We are human and damn proud of it! It doesn't matter if it is against the various demon tribes that plague the Xan Desert, we have never faltered! So fuck Gabriel and his nonhuman heritage, we don't need them to prove how powerful we are!"

With her words said, Amellia left the startled brother and sister dumbfounded as they thought about her words. Amellia hadn't lied in any way. The August family was strictly responsible for keeping the Empire's southern border safe from any demon incursions. And they had for the last 300 years of the clan, they never needed to request help from any of the other Protectorates or even the capital.

As they watched Amellia storm out of the room, Yuyan and Frederick turned to look at each other.

"So big brother, what do we do?" Surprisingly differing to her brother at the most bewildering of times, Yuyan sought his stance on the matter.

"Wutian is right, it is pathetic for us to start infighting just because of little Gabe's talent…"

"Buuuuuut?"

"Amellia has a very valid point however. We are a human clan and it is improper for any of mixed blood to represent it. I don't for one second agree with how aggressive she is about it but it is still something that needs our attention." Frederick explained gently to his sister.

"Well we can always just talk to Gabe, right? He is cold but not an idiot. Just tell him our circumstances and maybe he might even deal with the issue himself."

"That's a possibility but there is a better way…"

"What's that big bro?" Yuyan became increasingly interested in what he brother had planned. Frederick might be an introvert but he was definitely not afraid of people, if anything he just despised most others for their lacking intelligence.

"Gabe only cares about strength right? Let's send him to the best place for that!"

Walking out of the infirmary left Gabriel feeling out of sorts but not entirely lost. Sure he had gained a tremendous amount of strength but it felt that he had also lost something irreplaceable. Doesn't every child wish to follow in the footsteps of their father? Just because of his cold demeanor and lack of any social graces did nothing to dissuade the boy from wanting to be an incredibly arcanist just like his father. So what if was also a warrior, Gabriel was hellbent on making himself one of the few dual specialized beings in the world. Normally only those extremely long lived races could manage something like that given that they had decades and decades to perfect both aspects of themselves.

Heading towards his room in silence Gabriel did nothing to talk to whoever might have passed be them maids or even other family members. He was in a complete daze and nothing could snap him out of it.

From a distance Elijah looked on worried about his nephew but doing nothing to try and aid the child in what he was going through. It would only hamper the boy if someone always had to help him through his troubles. Sighing heavily Elijah left the boy to his own devices after watching him enter his room.

"How is he?" asked a whisper from behind the stalwart guardian of the family.

"How is he supposed to be after getting his dreams crushed?" Snapped Elijah without caring for the other party's face at all. "What was the result mother came to?"

"Initiate, Sixth Realm…" Answered the person behind Elijah with a sigh.

"Well that makes me the winner, but it seems you have more to say."

"His physical quality however seems to be bordering along the edge of Squire though. Seems his body has been remodeled after 'that' bloodline was unsealed." Stated Gregory as he came forward to stand with his elder brother. "Also it seems our children are not as accepting as we are of the little one's heritage. Your daughter in particular is extremely vehement about the fact that the little one cannot represent our family in the Academy."

Snorting Elijah walked off in search of whomever was going to receive the brunt of his growing ire.

"Elder brother…" Murmured Gregory as he looked at the lonely and desolate back of his childhood hero and goal in life.