They made a stop at Ember, a small town that was experiencing a significant boom thanks to the new train stop. His father didn’t even allow Alister to get off the train at that stop, though Blas had a quick meeting with the viscount in charge of the town. He wanted to discuss this news of enslaving that Neth had revealed to him.

The boys were grating to Alister’s ears - they spoke too much. Alister was far more interested in reading books or watching the landscape pass them by, but Darrius and Decan seemed to be perpetually bored.

“Show me some more magic, Alister!” Decan squeaked.

Alister snapped his book closed and glared at him, “I’ve shown you fifteen times already. I’ve given you what you asked. Why can’t you just leave me be? It’s just magic. I understand your interest in it, believe me, but why don’t you try to practice it or something??”

Decan looked away, “…I don’t haf my core unlocked yet…”

“I didn’t have mine unlocked until I was twelve,” Wisteria reassured him. Alister rolled his eyes, she left out the fact that she had essence to rely on instead. She hardly needed magic.

Darrius puffed his chest, “I got mine unlocked last year at thirteen! I was a noble in my last life too! I remember some stuff like servants looking after me.” He seemed so pleased, “What do you remember of your last life, Wisteria?”

Wisteria wouldn’t meet their eyes, looking out the window to the left at the mountains that dwarfed the town, “What I remember or don’t hardly matters. I don’t like to talk about it.”

Alister gave her a side glance. She always avoided the question. Last time his mother saved her from explaining. He supposed he’d finally need to bother her about it if they were doing this whole no secrets thing. She seemed to feel this and turned to pout at him. He shrugged, “Let’s not bother her. She barely knows you two boys yet, anyhow.”

“Well now I’m super curious fough!” Decan whined.

Darrius looked conflicted between his attraction to Wisteria and his desire to satisfy curiosity, “Why are you so uncertain about it, miss? It’s in the past.”

Alister opened his mouth to defend her, but Wisteria piped up, “By that logic, then it’s in the past and shouldn’t be an object of your curiosity. All I will give you is that my death in my past life was rather gruesome. I don’t like to think about it.”

The boys struggled with that, fidgeting as they were more curious than they were before. Alister likewise was made more curious by her admission, but acted like he was completely unbothered to spite the two boys. He motioned to Decan, “Unlocking your core… when do you plan to do it?”

Decan puffed his cheeks, “When I’m firteen… like brofer.”

“That’s the tradition, anyhow. You probably had yours unlocked sooner because of your status,” Darrius added.

“Mm. No, there were other young children there. Commoners. Perhaps your mother and father don’t trust you to behave?” Alister teased, and Wisteria tapped him with her fan, trying not to laugh as the boy blushed.

“We behave!” they protested, almost in unison.

“Oh yes yes. I'm sure you do,” Alister said, waving it away, “Your mother and father must just have… some other reason.”

When his father returned and the train began its journey once more, Alister meandered to their cabin. He paused to look at the small room between doors where train cars connected. There was a magically enhanced metal lock under the floorboards he could see between the cracks, glowing curiously. Oh how he wanted to take this thing apart piece by piece to see how it ticked…

Lucas would’ve been lost it… what he could make nowadays with a mind like his… Alister sighed and moved into the adult cabin.

“Father?” he called out, pausing to stand in front of the four of them with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Hm? Oh Alister. What brought you over here? Is there a problem?” Blas asked. His aunt and uncle were sitting with them, meanwhile Jacob and Ode were playing a board game at another table.

Alister shook his head, “No, father. Everything is fine. In fact I was informed of an interesting bit of information. I haven’t heard of familiars before. After an explanation from Wisteria, I think I’d like one.”

Blas couldn’t help it but let a wild grin creep onto his face. Alliana sighed, not even bothering with a fan as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Saria, Blas’s sister, laughed, “Oh boy now you’ve done it.”

He didn’t care, turning his whole body to face his son with a wide smile, “Finally! Something I’d love to do. As soon as we can I’ll set up for a hunt!! We’ll make sure to get you something fitting and powerful for you.”

“Can’t we just stop by a store?” Alliana weakly offered, knowing the response.

“Hardly! We’re going to do this right, love. It’ll be a grand event where we gather only the best of the beasts we find. He’ll get some incredible beast. Maybe a Phoenix hatchling or a dire pup of some kind. A mana owl? Perhaps something slower and tankier like a tortoise-lizard? We could even go the route of a fire ferret or a blade weasel. If I had a mate for Salvator we could’ve gotten you a wyvern egg… but I’ve been struggling to find one that he’ll accept,” Blas explained in a fluster, far too excited, “As soon as I do I promise you’ll have the first egg before even the king.”

Alister blushed, embarrassed by the intensity of his response, “I… I knew you’d be happy about this, but I hardly imagined it’d be this much. I don’t need such service, father. It’s okay.”

“Nonsense, I’ll have no complaints about this. You’ll get the best of the best,” he argued, waving the thought away, “I’ll talk to the king when we get to the capital about it. There are some decent beasts in that area. And you don’t need to have only one familiar. We can support a menagerie, if you so desired. It will be wonderful.”

Saria piped up, smiling lovingly at her brother, “It’s nice to see you get so cheerful, Blas. It’s been too long.”

Blas flushed, clearing his throat. He waved her off, “Oh don’t be silly. I’m cheerful enough as is. It’s just my specialty, that’s all.”

“A trip is good for the soul, dear brother. Don’t deny it,” she teased, and his father continued the playful argument.

Alister took the opportunity to escape back to the children’s cabin.