Chapter 7- Fifteen Winters

Alaster was woken by loud pounding on his door.

"Al! Wake up! We are going to be late!" A girl yelled from the other side of the door.

Alaster grumbled under his breath, but rolled out of bed. He shivered as the chill air kissed his skin and his feet touched the cold wooden floor.

"Wake up!" the girl yelled again.

"I'm awake! Just give me a minute, Bell!" Alaster shouted back, standing up.

He quickly grabbed a fresh set of clothes, making sure to hide a dagger in his pant leg and shirt. He opened the door while he ran his hand through his hair, trying to smooth it out after sleeping.

Standing right in front of the door, was Isabelle, with an angry face and her hands on her hips.

"You can't be late to your own party!" She accused.

Alaster yawned as he responded, "Bell, the party doesn't start till sunset, it's early morning."

"Yeah! But we have to go shopping first!"

Alaster scratched his stomach, "Didn't we just go shopping last week?"

"That was just shopping! Now we have to shop for the party!" Bell grabbed Alaster's hand and began to pull him through the halls of the Estate.

"Why?"

"To get your clothes!"

"I have clothes. A few of them might even be fit for a party."

"Most of them are fit for parties. I'm the one that bought them for you. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only clothes you have that aren't nice enough for formal occasions are the ones you use to train or explore with me, and even then! You refuse to let me get you more than the two sets!"

Isabella wove through the servants in the halls, dragging Alaster behind her.

"Then why do we need to get more?"

"This is a special occasion! You only turn fifteen once!"

As Alaster was dragged around, he recalled the last two, nearly three years.

After he was employed by Lord Siphas, he immediately began to guard Isabella. He had thought it would a pretty boring job, but once her father had explained the situation, Isabella had completely ignored everything. The only thing she got out of that hour long discussion was that she had a new friend. She took him everywhere, just like Lord Siphas had hoped.

While Isabella was in her classes, which she finally began to take seriously after Alaster dragged her to if she tried to skip, he was training with the Lord's personal guards.

He was trained ruthlessly, breaking bones and tearing muscles numerous times. Luckily, despite being a Warp Mage and not being specializing in healing magic, Colius had spent a lot of time learning how to heal. His Healing was nowhere near as advanced or quick as someone whose class specializes in healing, but it was enough for most non-life-threatening injuries.

While Alaster would be healing, or had really any free time, he would annoy Colius until he finally taught Alaster magic. Even those whose classes weren't magic based, they could still learn magic if they practiced enough, though it would be extremely basic and weak.

However, Alaster had been too young for a class, and without a class, his mana veins had not just been dormant, they had not existed. So instead of practicing magic, Alaster instead learned the theories and knowledge of magic. This was something most Mage Type classes ignored, as their classes simply allowed them to use the knowledge without actually knowing it. Alaster hoped that by learning this, as well as being surrounded by magic, it would influence his class into being a Mage Type.

Which is true. Classes have been proven to be influenced by the child's interests, desires, knowledge, and surroundings. It was also known that bloodlines influenced the class choice as well, though slightly. Several noble families were known for being a specific class.

As Alaster lived in Onigas and learned about it, he learned that the City Lord's family was renown for being Paladins. A Class, that, despite its religious notations, in fact has nothing to do with religions. However, the class specializes in being on the frontlines of any conflict, granting aid to their allies. They could make their allies tire slower or be harder to kill.

The City Lord's children, were perhaps the only friends Isabella had before Alaster had come along. The older daughter, had already turned fifteen and received her class. Surprise to none, she became a Shield Maiden. A beginner class that specializes in the shield and protecting others. Since then, she has been tutored in a special way to unlock the Paladin Intermediate Class.

Alaster briefly smirked as he remembered how she had regularly challenged him to an arm wrestle and always lost. Now, after she had gotten her class, it was fairly even, but as more time passed, and she improved on her class, she was winning more and more. She was still a level one as she would only be allowed to hunt monsters once she learned enough about her class and abilities, and earning experience for your class any other way was very slow.

The younger daughter of the City Lord was just a little younger than Isabella and much more shy. She reminded Alaster of Olivia. To this day, years later, Alaster still refused to think too long about the village, his home. It was still too painful, and he tried to separate that life from his current one.

However, the thing that surprised Alaster the most, was how warmly the entire estate had welcomed and treated him. He had expected to be treated as any other servant, but he was not. Isabella dragged him along like a best friend or brother. Lord Siphas treated him as his child's friend that he approves of. But it was Lady Siphas that truly made his experience in the house.

For as long as she could remember, she had always wanted a son. Her first child had been stillborn and was a boy. After she and her husband recovered, a lengthy process, they tried again, and Isabella was born. But her birth had perhaps been even more troublesome than the last. Isabella had been born healthy, but her mother was unable to become pregnant again.

For a woman who had always dreamt of a large family, this devastated her. And when Alaster came into their lives, roughly the same age as her son would have been, she took him in and treated him as her own.

When Alaster had first arrived, he had attempted to stay separate from the family, as he thought bodyguards were meant to do, but Lady Siphas had seemed offended and saddened by this and forced him to be closer, to eat meals with them, to go on trips with them.

Due to the Lady's actions, the rest of the house simply treated Alaster as another member of the family. They did not bow to him or give him a special title, as they did with the family, but they were very respectful.

Isabella continued to drag Alaster all the way to her father's office. While Alaster had been with them, she had gotten much better at knocking, but she was currently too excited to do so and barged right in. Lord Siphas looked up from his paperwork and saw Isabella quickly walk in, dragging Alaster behind her.

"Yes Bella? What is it?"

She stopped right in front of his desk, finally letting go of Alaster.

"Can I have some money to shop for Alaster's clothes for tonight's party?"

Lord Siphas raised a brow, "Can I?"

Isabella sighed with annoyance, "May I?" she corrected, putting emphasis on the first word.

Lord Siphas leaned back in his chair and put his quill down, looking past Isabella and at Alaster.

"How are you feeling, Al?"

Alaster corrected his clothing and stood up straight before replying, "A bit nervous, but whatever I get, I will do my best to use it to its fullest."

He would receive his class at exactly midnight, the moment he turned fifteen. The party was both to celebrate his birthday, but also keep him awake until then and be surrounded by friends when he began the new stage of his life.

"Bella, please wait outside. I wish to speak with Alaster for a moment." Lord Siphas commanded in a voice that begged no argument. Isabella had heard that voice only a few times, and knew not to argue or delay.

She quickly left the room.

Once the door was closed, the lord sat up in his chair and leaned forward once again.

"What are your plans after tonight?" He asked.

Since that first day of his employment, Alaster had very rarely talked about his past or his need for revenge. And the few times he had, it had only been when Lord Siphas had asked him when they were alone.

Alaster's entire persona shifted from one of a serious young man, to a creature of hate and coldness. His eyes lost all emotion, but remained sharp, as if seeking for any opportunity to kill.

"I plan to stay here under your employ until I evolve my class into Intermediate. Only then will I leave to seek my sister."

The previous boy returned just as quickly, "If you allow it, sir."

Over the years, Alaster had been forced to block off his desires to save his sister and get revenge, as he knew he was too weak and was forced to wait. Being forced to leave the only person he loved in the hands of some unknown people, doing who knows what to her, had injured his mind in a way similar, but different from when his parents died.

Together, the event and situation morphed into that cold and lifeless personality. However, he could not show that side of himself in front of the innocent Isabella or her loving mother. Their love and care had created a second personality, a mask, which Alaster typically wore.

But make no mistake, Alaster's real personality was of frost and death. The mask he wore was the side of himself he had carefully crafted to hide his real intentions and masquerade around people. He had created it from watching and learning.

He made it seem childish and innocent from Isabella and the City Lord's Daughters. The mask had a hint of seriousness from the Siphas Guards he trained with. Its wild curiosity came from Colius and his passion for learning. Its care was learned from Lady Siphas. And finally, the part that Alaster paid attention to the most, its etiquette, which came from interacting and studying the Siphas family and all the nobles they spent time with.

Only Lord Siphas knew of Alaster's true self, though Alaster suspected that Lady Siphas had a clue. Despite knowing how cold Alaster truly was, the only reason he allowed Alaster to remain around his daughter was because he learned of Alaster's protective side.

When Alaster had first become Isabella's bodyguard and friend, Lord Siphas had paid very close attention for several days. During this time, he quickly spotted how once Alaster truly recognized something as under his protection or care, he never willingly allowed harm to come to it.

When it came to something Alaster decided was his to protect, he became hyper sensitive to its wellbeing. Lord Siphas compared Alaster to a loyal dog, though he means it kindly. While Alaster had been protecting Isabella, he had been able to notice the smallest changes in her. So much so that he had asked for a doctor to treat Isabella when she had caught a cold, before she even developed a fever.

Not to mention the countless times he had protected her from both mundane and malicious threats. Isabella had always been a clumsy girl, but after Alaster guarded her, she went to bed each night with vastly fewer bruises and scrapes.

Lord Siphas still remembered how last summer, someone had tried to kidnap Isabella for ransom, but Alaster protected her by stabbing the man in the leg and standing in front of her taking the man's beating until the City Guards arrived. The boy had received four broken ribs, a fractured skull and foot, a severe concussion, and three broken fingers that day. But he had stayed standing and in front of Isabella until Lord Siphas himself arrived. Only then did he allow himself to pass out.

Lord Siphas attributed the boy's distinct personalities to his heightened sense of protection. His mind struggled to comprehend needing to protect someone so dear to it by not doing anything.

"Al, I know you feel alone in this. And I am sorry. I am sorry that I am unable to help you. But know that you will always have a place here. But please, try to enjoy yourself once in a while. Be happy today and tonight. See it as your first step to saving her, and celebrate with the rest of us."

Lord Siphas had originally investigated that matter of Alaster's sister out of pure curiosity. But after several of his agents went missing while investigating, his curiosity was peaked, and he used the majority of his network in that Kingdom to find out. But the only thing his agents had reported back was that it was impossible, and to drop the matter.

Since then, the Lord had developed a true relationship with Alaster and genuinely wanted to help, but he could not. He was a Lord Advisor to an Independent City. The only reason the other, much larger, nations did not take control, was that their city wasn't worth that much effort. However, if he tried to pry too deeply into other kingdom's matters, and it was traced back to him, that would very easily change.

Lord Siphas had to worry about his city and his family first, though it still pained him to have to leave Alaster alone in this manner. So instead of helping him save his sister, the Lord Instead provided him the tools to do so. He instructed his personal and Elite guards to train Alaster.

Since then, the boy had shown incredible progress. The power of hate, his guards informed him. They did not know the boy's story, but they could recognize the emotion. While the boy had no Class, and was sparring against those with Classes suited towards physical spars, he was usually able to hold his ground. As long as his opponents did not use their abilities.

"I know sir." Alaster replied. This was not the first time the Lord had said this.

Lord Siphas opened a drawer and took out a small bag of coins. He had already known that Isabella would ask him for money for the party, and had prepared beforehand. The lord tossed the bag at Alaster, who caught it.

"Go and get some good clothes. Something stylish and can be worn in a ballroom, but also sturdy, and you can fight in if needed. Use the rest to get yourself your own sword. Couldn't really have you wandering around as a child with a sword, at least not while pretending to be just Bella's friend. But now that you are an adult, it won't seem out of place. Now go on, I got some work to do before tonight." The Lord waved Alaster away with a smirk on his face.

Alaster pocketed the coins and curtly nodded before rushing out.

'I wonder what class he'll get.'