A man with dirty blond hair looked at the damage done to town with a concerned look on his face. His student was gone and apparently ran off to face that Leon fellow directly. Next to him was a sickly-looking young red-haired woman that resembled Kyrion in a few ways. In her hands was a strange book.

“Master. Your back early. What happened?” Kyrion said from behind.

“Ah while I was going to dawdle and spend some time relaxing. An unexpected guest had a different agenda… What happened to your eye!” Gamodren said as he turned around.

Curella appeared from behind Gamodren. “Bill left this for you.”

“Huh? Dad? Wait, what are you doing here?”

“No, our brother. Dad… he’s training somewhere secluded. Our brother is no longer of this world and our home is gone.” Curella handed him a book.

“What do you mean?” Kyrion nervously took it.

“An army from the beast blood empire and engaged the Butcher of Denvall, our brother is no longer of this world.”

A pressure formed behind Kyrion’s left eye, but the feeling soon faded. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

“You just used mana on me. What did you do?” Kyrion resisted the probe.

“So you can notice it now… Interesting…”

“Notice what?”

“A parasite that I put in your brain.”

“You did what?” Kyrion’s eyes widened.

“So you’re still gullible. You’re going to need to get wiser and more skeptical.” Curella confirmed.

“You don’t joke like this….” Kyrion pouted.

“I’m not joking. There is a parasite that uses your mana to do things. It helps me keep track of you.”

“You can read my mind?” Kyrion covered his head.

“No. I’m just good at reading you. I have the Death, Plant, Mental, and Order affinities.”

“Mental? What’s that?” Kyrion hadn't realized he'd been distracted.

“Beauty is a vague affinity. It and Mental are two sides of the same coin. Those who gain otherworldly beauty and the ability to passively influence others. Mental is where you find people who can read, or influence, minds, and emotions. Among other things, it can also make you a target of witch hunts. Most with the latter normally claim to have the former. I guess your sister doesn’t care.” Gamodren stated.

“I’m trying to have a heart to heart with my favorite little brother.” Curella smiled.

Kyrion shivered a bit and could swear the smile got wider. “Uhh… Aren’t I your only little brother?”

“There was Tod, he died a cruel death after he took something that didn’t belong to him.”

“That was a lie.” Kyrion said as his left eye glazed over and his consciousness left him.

Gamodren caught the unconscious boy. “Very funny….”

Curella looked at her brother with a lack of emotion in her eyes. “You’re sworn to carry his burdens. That is a trigger phrase by the way. Only I can use it though.”

“This is getting too normal. I’m going to need to start carting around a stretcher at this rate. Did you know this was going to happen?”

“Nope. I’m just here to deliver the book and then check on him. That thing came again if his hair is black. Is this why he lost his eye?”

“Maybe you should have asked him?”

Tiffany approached the two. “He tricked Leon into breaking some of the Eyeless man’s swords.”

“Huh, if you can’t beat an opponent, let them defeat themselves. Guess I’m the reason he lost an eye then.” Gamodren muttered impressed.

“If you can help it, never take revenge on an eyeless or any other mystic. Especially when they aren’t looking for a fight. Kyrion didn’t mind losing an eye which means that somehow he believed the result was worth it.” Curella stated.

“He went there to save me. He seems to do that alot.” Tiffany muttered, a bit of sadness in her voice.

“Listen here, while technically he’s probably only a year younger than you physically the gap is around three years mentally. Which means as his senior you’re going to have to protect him from his naivete.” Curella told her. She also slipped the girl a pendant.

“What’s this?”

“It turns black when that other thing takes over and blue when the Kyrion you know is in charge. The dial in the center changes color based on what emotion Kyrion is currently feeling. Now run along, grownups need to talk.”

Tiffany took it and made her way away from the pair. Sliping it into a pocket.

“Did your grandfather know this was going to happen?” Gamodren asked as Tiffany vanished from sight.

“Both he and my older brother have been cryptic, but they both seem to know more than me about the little devil.”

“Devil?” Gamodren scowled.

“Just a turn of phrase. You probably shouldn’t worry about it.”

“I’m starting to think your whole bloodline may be demented.”

“Blame mother, she raised us to be ruthless.”

“She was nice when we met.”

“That was after she calmed down. Her brothers death shook her and Kyrion’s predicament sobered her up.”

“So the Death Tyrant wasn’t just a tyrant in name.” Gamodren stated.

“Nope, I prefer her this way. We get into fewer fights now and I can see deep down in all that fire and brimstone. She cares for us and wants us to get stronger. Dad seemed happier as well.”

“Sooo… Why don’t we go have dinner someplace after this.”

“You’re ten years too young and caring after my injured brother. I’d rather not make you choose wrong.” Curella faded into black petals and was gone with the flowing wind.

Sighing, Gamodren carried the boy out of the forest, his eyes bandaged as the patch was placed over it.

Kyrion awoke, holding his head. His empty eye was covered in a bandage and hidden behind an eyepatch. His body was trying to heal over the limb, and he stopped it in that general area. He looked down at long flowing strands of black hair.

“Why can’t I see out of my right eye?” Kyrion asked no one he could see.

Gamodren answered from the boy’s blindspot. “I thought it was weird that your grandfather gave you an eye as a gift. I guess he must have had some great foresight.”

“Did you put it in already?” Kyrion asked his teacher.

“No. Things like this are very important. Do you even know what this belongs to?”

“A dragon? A big gold fire breathing dragon.” Kyrion said excitedly.

“You wish… But that’s the issue. The only thing I can say about this is that it’s at least an expert rank.”

“So I can’t use it?” Kyrion asked.

“You can but if I’m being honest this may not even be a monster’s eye.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kyrion asked.

“It could have belonged to a human or some other powerful being.”

“Wait, what do you mean by just an expert? Is there more after that?”

“Yes but it won’t make much sense until you reach that realm.”

Kyrion grimaced. “Can’t you just get it appraised?”

“Oh trust me I tried. Well, we can have it put it in after you get to the academy. I’m sure they’d know what to do.” Gamodren explained.

“Just put it in. I don’t like being blind in one eye.” Kyrion said bluntly.

“This is something that you need to do with a professional healer nearby.”

“So I need to change my look….” Kyrion mumbled.

“That’s up to you. I’ll just say this. Don’t appear with that new eye too soon.

“I think I may hate swords now.” Kyrion mumbled.

“That is a fair opinion given your experience, just don’t force it onto others.” Gamodren stated,

Asela, who had woken up from the crash, stood up. “Does it hurt?”

“It did at first, there is like a ringing in my head, as though something is trying to overcompensate.”

Asela squinted. “You don’t have to make up words. Just say it hurts.”

Kyrion scowled, but Nicole walked into the room as though she had been waiting to come in before he could reply.

“Kyrion, can we talk?” She asked with a bit of emotion.

Kyrion raised his black right eyebrow. “I don’t mind. Asela, Gamodren, have anything else to ask?”

“No actually.” Gamodren left the room.

“I wanna hear this.” Asela said bluntly.

Gamodren whispered something into her ear, and the girl acquiesced with a scowl on her face.

Kyrion sat there and eyed his friend with a confused look.

“Do you know why I hid my status?”

“Your secrets are your own, they aren’t my problem.”

Nico winced. “I’m trying to have a heart to heart.”

“You’re really starting to weird me out… Not in a bad way but in a confusing way.”

Nico stopped and eyed the boy. “You really are making this hard.”

Kyrion kept his mouth shut. Why would two hearts touch? That sounds dangerous. The last time he heard that phrase, he passed out.

“Listen, the others already know. But I want to at least catch you up.”

Kyrion had the feeling he’d be here for a while.

“I’m a Princess.” She started and waited for something.

Kyrion dug into his ears and examined his finger.

“No response?” Nicole was surprised.

“Wouldn’t you just be the second princess?” Kyrion asked.

“Of Invan. We were neighbors west of Limguard.” Nicole pursed her lips as Kyrion had a blank look on his face.

“Ohhhh… I get it.” Kyrion lied.

“You didn’t even know of Invan did you.”

“You say that as past tense.”

“The people of my homeland were unable to flee and evacuate before the slaughter happened. Most who survived are now slaves and most of the population was killed off.”

“That seems counterproductive. Why kill after you conquer?”

“No idea. I went into hiding in Limguard when it happened and learned that I am the only surviving member of my line. They were not weak, but it seems they lacked a strength that alluded them. Peace paired with our nature as a country of scholars left out armies weak and our soldiers inexperienced.”

Kyrion eyed his good friend and waited for her to finish.

“I want my revenge and get strong enough to participate in the war against that accursed empire.”

“Why tell me all this?” Kyrion asked.

“I like you and want you to know that, should we never meet again.”

“Ok?” Kyrion was confused. Girls made no sense sometimes or all the time as far as he was concerned. She’s one of his best friends, after all. Up there with all of the others, after all.

“Just ok?” Nicole asked.

“It feels a bit melodramatic, of course I like you, you’re one of my best friends after all. If you need a hand just let me know and I’ll bring the storm.” Kyrion looked around as his hypersensitive ears picked up some snickering.

“Melodramatic… Are you sure you aren't using the wrong word?” Nicole’s eyes seemed to light up.

“What’d I say?” Kyrion backed up on his bed as he saw a fire pool on the girl’s fingers.

“Think.” A feather of fire appeared in her hand.

“Wait, it was makeup you put on me!” Kyrion changed the subject.

“Huh?” Nico was confused as she looked at a grinning Kyrion.

“The hints were there the whole time. Why would a boy carry around a vanity kit full of makeup?”

“To be fair Everest has a vanity kit and your just repeating yourself..” Nicole said.

“True enough. But he’s obvious about it. You were trying to lay low. The fact that I never saw you near the boys dorm. It’s like you lived in the library." Kyrion narrowed his good eye.

“I could have been more discreet, well it’s not like I can turn back time, so I’ll live with it. Didn’t really talk to anyone else anyway.” Nicole said.

“Stay safe and don’t do anything stupid. You seem to get dumber when fire is involved.” Kyrion said as he let go and started looking out a window.

Nicole began to leave the room. “Goodbye Kyrion.”

“Until we meet again.” Kyrion replied as he stared at a box in his hands.

After a few minutes of silence, the rest of his friends talked to him a bit before saying goodbye. The event had a few casualties mixed in with quite a few injuries when multiple experts were acting as bodyguards. Safety was compromised, so they returned to their prospective academies after things settled down.

A month had passed since his friends had left. There was nothing more to be done in the town as it began to grow. Today was the day they finally moved on. He was at the point where he would spend all of his free time trying to get stronger.

Something about the events leading up to her death was fishy. He was a lot stronger than he thought, and his master knew.

Kyrion pulled out a knife and raised it to his eye to see his reflection. He then brought it to his face and removed his eyebrows before shaving his hair to his scalp. His emerald-like eye stood out with his brown skin as he examined himself. The eyepatch made him look pretty cool, in his opinion.

“Kyrion. We’re headed to the academy. What’s taking you so long?” Gamodren asked from another room.

“Giving myself a haircut!” Kyrion replied

Gamodren walked in and looked at the boy, and started cackling. “Kyrion, what did you do?”

“This is serious.” Kyrion started squinting his good eye.

“Yes your head is a mess.” Gamodren stated.

“This marks my rebirth as a better and stronger person.” Kyrion pouted.

“I should really stop getting you those books. It’s bad.”

“Reading?”

“No that haircut. You missed some spots. It makes you look like a bandit with a few screws loose.” Gamodren picked up the knife and tossed it aside before grabbing some clippers.

“It can’t be that bad.” Kyron said.

“Do you have a mirror on you? Or did you conjure a bowl of water to look into?”

“Nope.” Kyrion said without a sense of shame.

“What did I do to deserve this?” Gamodren produced a mirror that showed all the spots and patches that Kyrion had missed. Most were at the back of his head, the second main patch on his right side.

“Can you help?” Kyrion asked as his eyes widened.

“Already done.” Gamodren was putting his supplies away. Tufts of black and red hair fell to the ground.

Kyrion noticed that he was now fully bald and didn’t like the look.

“Why’d you cut it if you didn’t want to be bald.” Gamodren threw his hands up in mock exasperation.

“I wanted to make a promise to myself. One day I’ll never pass out again.”

“Good on you then.”

Gamodren walked out of the room, and Kyrion followed. Meeting up with Ceres and Tiffany. The group made it to the Caravan that would see them off towards the Drisil academy.