December 15th

Let's see, where did it all begin. . .oh, yeah. The end of my worst December started on the 15th of that very month. (234 P.C. (Post Calamity)). Yasu Kaicho's sixth birthday. He came blazing over to our house, cheering and shouting about how awesome he was going to be.

"I'm gonna be the strongest Grand Priest! Just you wait Ryker! I'll surpass you in might and mana one of these days!" Yasu's thick black hair waving in the cold winter air as he sprinted down the streets of Ranland, Drecia. He was wearing a hefty winter outfit; a grey coat, black water proof boots and insulated pajama pants.

"Yasu, honey! You need to change before you go out there! It's too cold out! You'll get sick!" A younger woman, no older than mid twenties stuck her head out the door to a small yellow house and called to her escaped child. She had beautiful scarlet eyes and dark brown hair, the young woman wore a casual avocado-green sweater and a long grey skirt.

"It's okay, momma! I've got my fire magic to keep me warm and this new sweater you got me today!" Yasu turned back and sparked a few little flames in his tiny hands with an enthusiastic smile stretching across his face.

"Hey, I told you I needed to wash that before you wear it, Yasu! Ugh, if it'll be like that then don't ask me to open presents early, kiddo!" Although she was probably not too happy with my second 'brother', Yasu's mom was just as cool as ever. Everyone in the neighborhood loved her, from kids to adults she was always popular.

"I'm patient!" Yasu snickered and jumped up to the balcony outside mine and my brother's window. "Ryker Ryker! Are we gonna train today or what!"

This, right here, is where it all began. This training match would bring to light just what I was destined to become. A monster. . .

"Ughhh, it's 8:30, Yasu. Why are you out this early today?" I sat up on my blue mattress, rubbing my eyes as I had just been awoken by my best friend. "I'm tired. . ."

"That's too bad! You promised me a sparring match on my birthday with 'no holds barred' whatever that means. And I want it! You said that was my gift today, didn't you?" Yasu had his nose pressed up against my window, staring in at me with hopeful eyes that I just couldn't say no to. I really am way too nice sometimes, birthday or not I gotta sleep you know!

"Aaaaah! My legs hurt so bad. But! Fine, I'll spar you for a bit if that's what you want today. Have you eaten breakfast yet?" I slowly but surely made my way out of bed as I spoke, trying not to seem like I had enough energy to actually fight. I did want to. . .I just didn't feel up to it right then and there. Plus, I hadn't eaten yet so my mana out put would be even more lacking than it already was.

"Hmpf, no I haven't. I got up, threw on my new winter clothes after momma gave em to me and thanked her while running over here." He looked annoyed for some reason, I wasn't really sure why but it seemed like a good idea to ignore his attitude.

"Okay, soooo-" He cut me off, not uncommon.

"Nope! We are gonna get something to eat and get this battle going! I can't wait to kick your butt finally! I'll beat you today, Ryker!" He was quite enthusiastic today, more so than he usually was but that wasn't a problem. In fact, I had beaten him in sparring matches eight times in a row so I liked knowing he wasn't losing motivation.

"Alright, fine, I'll fight you Yasu. But, you have to promise me you won't cheat and use dirt again. That hurt you know!" It really did hurt a lot. "I couldn't see anything." Dammit, now he had me all fired up to fight for some reason. I was getting competitive now. . .

"Heheh. I'm glad to hear you're finally brave enough to challenge me, Ryker!" He stood in a awkwardly and poorly practiced hero stance while speaking in a hilariously bad deep voice.

"Hey, are you two done? It's really cold outside today, I think training is a bad idea." Oh yeah, I almost forgot. My twin brother, Ethan Itsuka shared a room with me since our house had big bedrooms for some reason. Ethan liked sleep, when it was nap time for us, he never once cried about it. He'd just lay down and be snoozing seconds later like it was a hobby of his. Nevertheless, he was also a tough cookie when it counted.

""Morning Ethan!"" Both of us greeted my brother with a happy morning welcome. Needless to say, this sorta annoyed him a bit.

"I'm going back to bed, it's too early for this kind of stuff." Yep, thought he'd say that. Ethan just turned himself over, hugging the clumped up smaller blanket that was next to him and immediately drifted into the resting world. It really was a talent.

"Awww man, you coulda helped us convince Hera and Yurie to join in though!"

Sproing! Ethan shot himself up, suddenly his face went from drowsy and displeased to a happy red.

"Y-y-y-Yurie?! She's back from New York!? Why did nobody tell me she had come back yet?" Ethan popped out of bed and ran over to me, half annoyed and half ecstatic. I could understand his feelings though, Yuri really was the best person I've ever met, even to this day.

"W-woah, hey Ethan, calm down a little. She's supposed to be back today and was gonna come by for breakfast, I was thinking about having you and Yasu get her to watch the match today."

"Yes, absolutely. I'll give it my all." No hesitation, that's my brother for you. If the Sin of Sloth had a body, it'd be me. If the Virtue of Diligence had a soul, it'd be his.

Yasu and I looked at each other, confused for a moment but our blood soon began boiling for combat again. I was now so incredibly hyped for this fight that I couldn't wait another minute to move and Yasu felt the same. He was getting his birthday present while I. . .I was going to use my first ever spell. Anemos!

"Are you ready, Yasu?!" I shouted in excitement, my little body fidgeting from all the action in such a short amount of time.

"Uh huh uh huh! I definitely am, Ryker! This is gonna be so cool!" Yasu was in the same uncontrollable state. His hazel eyes could have been glowing if he were strong enough.

"Then let's gooo! I'm gonna get one step closer to ten in a row today!" I proclaimed, opening my window to let Yasu in as well as an unwelcome blast of frigid air.

"Yeek! That's cold Ryker, shut the window!" Cried Ethan, he wasn't too happy.

His displeasure was understandable though as both he and I were really not meant for the cold. Yasu on the other hand, well, he didn't know it yet but he would have to get used to the cold. That wouldn't be too hard for someone as overpowered as he though.

"Hurry up Yasu. It's super cold out there." I said to Yasu who was taking his sweat time making his way in the bedroom. I get the feeling he was doing that on purpose. . .

"Yeah yeah, you guys are always complaining about when it's cold outside. It really isn't that bad you know."

"It is though. Dad always tells me 'being cold is being miserable' or something like that. He's right though, winter sucks!" I said this and I did and didn't mean it. I really did hate the cold, it sucked a big one, but I did enjoy the snow. And I came to love it even more when Yurie and Hera started visiting after this battle.

"Well, I guess it would be for someone with a wind affinity. I'm sure it would be hard for you to cast wind magic in a cold place if you didn't have fire magic to keep you warm." Yasu said, he was right, thoroughly correct. But. . .my little self had no idea what he was talking about.

"What? What does that mean?" I asked.

"I can tell you more after the fight. Doesn't matter much since we'll be indoors anyway." Yasu said. This could only mean one thing. . .and I wasn't awake enough to figure what the one thing was.

"We will? Where will we be at then?" I asked.

"Heh, I'm glad that you asked." Yasu hopped from the window sill onto my bed and leapt into the air, narrowly missing my bedroom ceiling as he spun like a helicopter. He landed in the middle of our considerably sized room with a funny looking grin on his face.

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

"Hahaha! We'll be sparring at the Thunderdome! Ryker!" He declared this impossible fact so loud that-

"What's going on up there? Is that Yasu?" My mom called from the kitchen downstairs.

When she called up, I immediately noticed the hypnotizing aroma coming from whatever it may be that she was whipping up for breakfast. Damn it smelled good. I miss that cooking. . .

"Yes momma! Yasu just got here!" I yelled back, still too lazy to walk around the house yet.

"Wow, I thought you would be really excited Ryker. The Thunderdome is a big deal you know. Wait, weren't you the one that-"

"THE WHAT?! Did you say the Thunderdome?!" I popped out of bed and sprinted over to Yasu in excitement and disbelief. I dashed over to him so fast that the entire house shook from my accidental expulsion of wind from my legs.

My tiny body was shaking from head to toe, waiting for Yasu's dumbfounded self to answer my question with the answer I already had. I couldn't believe that he had just said we were going to train in the Thunderdome. Back then, the Thunderdome was a huge deal for a little kid like me. It still is actually.

"Y-yeah, we'll be sparring in the Thunderdome since the academy students are on break for a little while. They gave us two hours under adult super. . .supersomething." Yasu said this while trying to push me away from him.

"Haha! YES! I've been waiting for this moment my entire life! Hehehehe Hya! I'm finally gonna see the Thunderdome-"

Tak*

"Hey, you're being too loud." Ethan wasn't too happy with my volume. Nothing unusual here.

"Oh. Sorry Ethan." I despite teasing him a lot during our training with Yasu, I didn't like to make him genuinely angry. I hated seeing my family angry. "So Yasu, when are we supposed to go to U.R. (University Ranland)?" I asked, still so uncontrollably excited but despite that I made sure to keep my imagination contained. Barely.

Today was going to be a day I would never forget, as long as I lived. U.R. was the pinnacle of magical education in the Eastern Coast of this Nation. Apparently, a long time ago, before the Calamity that changed this world my dad told me that this was called the United States of America. A strong nation that was looked up to and laughed at. Mocked for being too soft but feared for having far too much control over the world. My dad, being the first generation to come from the wake of said Calamity had never actually lived in the United States but was around while it still existed.

"I never actually lived in the United States or ever saw it in person but your grandpa on your mother's side did. He was quite the patriot actually. . .a little too patriotic sometimes." My said that one time when we were discussing my History homework. I can't remember the details but I think I asked how the world worked back then if magic never existed until the Calamity.

Man, I really am bad at telling you my story, huh? Keep getting lost in these rant of my old conversations and the history of this world that I despise so much. Well, you already know how this world works, Seraph of Shadow, so I'll just get back to the point.

"Please do. . .we don't have time for this. Envy. . ."

Getting back to it. . ."Where was I again?"

"You were talking to your friend about the University."

"Ah, yeah, that's right! Well here we go."

I was sitting there, waiting in anticipation for an exact time to be there so I could have an excuse to act riled up today. Mom didn't noise too much as she had a medical condition that gave her migraines a lot due to over use of telepathy magic when flying. Yes. . .my mom can fly. Knowing that, I was always looking for a good excuse to be all excited and riled up as my selfish child self didn't really understand what she meant when she said "Can you quiet down honey, mommy isn't feeling too good right now."

Despite not knowing, I usually listened and made like Ethan. Quiet, collected and bad ass. He was my super hero in a sense, even though I was the older twin by five minutes and better than him in every way according to this shitty society. Ethan was my hero. . .

"I don't really remember but I'm pretty sure mom said noom. Or something like that." Yasu said, unsure of what noon meant. We were all still five and Yasu was turning six so it's understandable.

"you mean noon? 12:00?" Ethan said, clearly being a little rude. Guess we annoyed him a little.

"Yeah! Sometime around then is when we were supposed to be there. And when we do, I' gonna finally beat you Ryker!" Yasu said with pride and confidence.

My young and cocky self chocked it up to arrogance. I've beatin him so many times it's ridiculous to even think such a thing at this point. That, however, was my Helios pride shining through even though I knew nothing of my alien heritage.

"Hah! Like you could! I've been training extra hard these last few days!" No I haven't. "If you think it'll be that easy then we'll just have to see on the battlefield won't we?" I locked eyes with my proclaimed brother and grinned with the thought of invincibility flowing through my every thought. My young self was so confident and powerful. Oh how I miss that. . .

"Heh, yeah whatever. I'll show you the new technique my mom taught me yesterday and we'll see how you do against that!" Yasu declared, his short but surprisingly muscular body consumed with arrogance. He was sure that he'd win this time.

"Hey, are you two forgetting about someone? I'm definitely sparring with you guys too. You forget that I'm the strongest here?" Ethan said, sitting back up in his bed. He looked tired but still held that powerful presence he always had. "I'm gonna wipe both of you out in one shot. Just watch me." Oop, he isn't so collected anymore.

"Oh ho ho! Challengin us both then?" Said Yasu.

"Nuh uh, I won't let 'im. You and I are gonna fight today then we can do the two versus one." I said, not really sure why I was taking this so seriously at the moment but I did.

"Ugh, fine, you two have your battle and then I will wipe both of you afterwards." My brother said with a whole lotta confidence and lack of sleep in his voice. Looks like I was having nightmares again.

Yasu let out a strange sound, wasn't quite a sigh but it was pretty close. He seemed somewhat displeased with Ethan's participation and I knew why but didn't dare say why. Ethan was pretty sensitive about it and for good reason.

"I guess, but I want to see how much you've improved at using magic Ryker. We only started learning beginner magic a month ago you know."

"I know. I've been working on my fire magic but can't get it to work at all! I keep trying but all that I ever get is a hot hand and then I get really tired too. Fire magic is really hard." I was pretty let down actually. This world has an elemental hierarchy so to speak. Let's just say that wind magic, the one that I got, isn't very liked or respected. Fire magic and water magic, which Yasu got, are praised and anyone who gets a strong affinity with either is almost unconditionally respected. Our affinities hadn't been fully uncovered yet as we hadn't attended the altar. Yet.

Now, let me stop things here for a second, Seraph my lord. You're probably wondering 'why the hell are two little kids so excited about beating the living hell out of each other? Well, our parents were pretty important people. Not trying to boast or anything, actually, I kinda hate that fact. My father, as you know, was considered to be the strongest Sage to ever exist. When Yasu's parents were actually pretty important in the business side of this world."

"I'm aware of your father's origins, he was one of my pupils back in the early ages of this new world. I'd prefer to not speak of him, he was a good man. . ."

"He was. Anyway, Yasu's dad was one of the richer people in Drecia and Yasu's mother was an incredibly talented ice mage. So, obviously, our families had the whole world watching them and their upcoming children. We didn't understand it yet but, everyone in our somewhat mid-sized city knew exactly who we were."

"No more pauses, let's finish this."

"Gotcha."

Today was the day I was going to use my first spell. It was a rather low level skill and was quite literally the weakest 'offensive' spell in the entire magical index. Anemos. Anemos is the most basic attack spell that literally anyone can do. Even if you have no wind affinity then it's easily recreated with raw magical manipulation. Pretty much just pushing raw and unrefined mana out of your hand. Most hand to hand fighters do this. Anyway, despite it being such a pathetic and near useless spell that even an intermediate level mage would scoff at, it was a big deal for me.

Why? Well, I was an anomaly, that's why. Kids under the age of six years and two to four months aren't typically capable of using magic to any degree. And the very very few that do usually can only use it in the aforementioned way of raw magical manipulation. But here were Yasu and I, able to use refined magic, albeit very weak magic it was still rare. No. . .legendary.

I was so excited to finally use it in combat that I never even bothered thinking how much power I should use, I mean, I'm a little kid, control isn't the first thing I think of. When you give a kid the power to blow stuff up with their hands, they blow stuff up. That's how kids work. This oversight would prove to be quite the dangerous mistake.

"Well, guess you'll have to stick to wind magic then. Hah! Looks like I've already leaped ahead of you in magic talent then!" Yasu proclaimed. Quite loudly might I add.

"Shhh, mom'll get angry if we're too loud. It's too early for us to go play or train yet." Ethan cut in and made a fair point. "Why don't we go down and get some breakfast, now that you guys have woken me up I'm pretty hungry. Whatever mom is making smells suuuuper good so let's go get something to eat." Said Ethan.

"Yeah, I think you're right bro. I'm kinda hungry too now that you mention it." I agreed with him and the two of us started making our way too the bedroom door.

"You guys can do that, I'll go outside and work on my fire magic while you eat." Yasu said, he looked kinda down about something.

"Huh? Did you eat breakfast already?" Asked Ethan.

"Y-yeah, I already ate."

"Huh, well, can you at least come say hi to mom and dad? They really like your company you know." Ethan said.

I stayed silent after realizing Yasu's shift in attitude. He had gone from being totally pumped to avoiding eye contact and sounding troubled.

"Sure, I'll say hi really fast." He jogged past us, down the hall and leapt to the bottom of the stairs.

Yasu didn't fool me though, I wasn't very good at much and social skills weren't my niche but I was good at reading both people and novels. My brother may have jus thought he was not hungry but I knew this kind of pain was usually caused by one person. Yasu's father was coming home soon. . .

"Welp, what are we waiting for? Let's go Ryker." Said Ethan, he seemed somewhat impatient. Guess that food really did smell good.

After that, I just motioned in confirmation and the two of us headed downstairs. Surprisingly, it seemed my mother had left for the store and only my father was there. Yuuta sat at the table, talking to Yasu about the U.R. training later when we got there and motioned for us to sit down. We sat there, at some breakfast and chatted for a bit while Yasu waited for us to finish eating.

"Well, Ryker, how will you win this time? Yasu's taken quite the leap in magical power you know." My father said this with an almost concerned look on his face. I wasn't sure why at the time but soon, it would be clear exactly why he was so concerned. "Don't push yourself too hard Ryker, you could end up hurting someone."