Rebirth

Rays of sunlight felling through the golden cottons illuminating the large room big enough for three people, an ebony haired boy turned and twisted on the king sized bed before jolting awaking.

Kassius woke up covered in sweat, his breathing disheveled. He quickly looked around the room finally recognizing where he was.

He calmed down, thinking of how long it had been since he had that nightmare. Fortunately, his thoughts were interrupted as he heard a knock on the door.

"Enter", Kassius answered as a woman in late twenties opened the door in a maids dress. She had dirty blond hair tied to the back giving her a pony tail.

"Good morning young master, The head requests your presence at the dinning hall", she said walking towards the curtains before pulling them wide open.

"Ahhh…..", I winced as the sun rays landed directly onto my eyes

"You should start freshening up young master, the head doesn't like to be kept waiting you know"

"I know, I know. Just go ready the bath May", Kassius sighed standing up from his bed, approaching the mirror stationed at the side of the room.

He stared at his reflection observing the noticeable changes that had appeared on him over the years,

Firstly, his hair had observably been turning a shade whiter over the years. All his scars had disappeared ever since the day he with through the metamorphosis and he had built up more muscle now that he been eating properly not like when he was in the outskirts.

All in all he looked healthy, his violet eye's looked tired but that just adding to his charm.

Breaking his attention from the mirror he decided to freshen up, after all he had to go see the man he had been calling father for the past few years.

Removing his attire he went into the bathroom, it took him thirty minutes to finish cleansing himself. Upon stepping out of the bath he was met with the clothes May had picked out for him.

Finishing up, Kassius walked out of his room. Amaryl smiled seeing him at front of the door, he look more dashing than usual with the cloths she had picked out for him.

The long sleeved black shirt hugged his body as the black overcoat with sliver linings that runned across the sides served as a sought of jacket, which complimented his dark leather trousers quite well.

The sliver rounded glasses he wore added to his charm as they served to hide his lazy eye, as his hair remained disheveled just the way he like it.

"You look good young master", Amaryl complimented Kassius as if she wasn't the one who picked out the cloths in the first place, she adored her young master very much after all.

Kassius remained quite as he was already used to May's attitude, she was his personal maid after all.

Although they had been together for more than three years now she still continued to call him young master even when Kassius had been against it.

Kassius thought back to when he had just arrived in this castle after passing out in the outskirts, The Duke Altair had brought him into his home.

During the time he had woken up the viscount explained everything that had transpired, his death, the metamorphosis, the release of ammas and the creation of his agros.

He had explained how he and Kassius belonged to a race of sub-humans called Eors, and how they possessed special powers which could only be awakened by feeling the concept of death or actually experiencing death itself.

Due to the unknown gene's carried from their ancestors they produce a unique energy called 'ammas', although the energy can only be picked up by people who possess similar energys.

The ammas builds up in the body, until it as generated enough to create an organ called the 'agros', but for the agros to be created the host as to be subdued to the sensation of death.

When Kassius's mother had choked him before things went dark, he had died for a few seconds in which the metamorphosis had occurred, due to it he healed from all previous wounds and scars reverting his body to peak condition. It was also called the point of 'rebirth'.

The creation of the agros itself drained a lot from the user, it was a given as regeneration to the whole body wasn't exactly an easy phenomenon. This was also the reason Kassius was exhausted later on.

Arriving at the large door decorated in gold and sliver containing the insignia of a raven, Kassius was released from his thoughts as Amaryl pushed the door for the later to enter.

Walking into the dining hall Kassius could see four people sitted enjoying their food as Duke Altair finally directed his attention towards him.

"I greet Duke Altair and Countess Elysian of the Great Graham Empire", I said bowing.

"You do not have to bow towards me Kassius, atleast not while indoors", Altair replied in a flat tone gesturing for me to join them. Ignoring the stare from the countess I sat beside their first son 'Silas'.

Sitting beside the ebony haired man, he acknowledged my presence my giving me a friendly nod. He directed his attention back towards his food send a glance at his father.

However, unlike her brother a pair of scarlet jewels locked onto Kassius at the dining hall. 'she was the mixture of both her parents but her facial features moved closer to that of her mother's giving her a more gentle look'.

Ophia sat quietly eating her food, she occasionally spared glances at Altair, Silas and Kassius ignoring her mother. Her and the countess weren't on the best terms for now so she ignoring her for now.

Seeing as everyone was present, the duke wasted no time getting down to business.

"Kassius a month from now the crowned princess will be having a birthday party hosted by the Emperor, we have discussed that it will be the perfect time to introduce you as the latest member of the Altair family.

During this event you will be introduced as my adopted son given the rank of a knight while you'll serve as Silas's attendant for which you will be sent to sent to the academy"

During the short amount of time the Duke discussed the detail of this meeting countess Elysian expression had changed more than three times.

It was no secret that the countess disliked me among the servants and guards that served the ruling family of the South.

And personally I wasn't offended either, it would feel strange if your husband suddenly brought a child home claiming to adopt him.

But for the amount time I had stayed in the castle she had tried segregating from her children and husband, which was one of the reasons she and ophia were fighting right now.

But it felt as if all doubts she had were cleared hearing the announcement made by the Duke.

'Seems she thought I would threaten her son's position as heir', I thought to myself as struggled to hold back my laughter.

"Yes father, I understand I'll do my best not to disgrace the family", I answered.

Though I had been with the Altair family for years now, the thought of taking over as heir never crossed my mind. I was more focused on my personal goals, plus Silas even if he had his own issues was nothing more than a perfect heir.

"Also note that after the party you'll have one year of peace before you joining your brother at the Academy, it would do you well to not disappoint me", Altair said as his golden eyes flashes a little before we all focused our attention back to the food.

Silence plagued the hall as everyone ate, Not long after Altair finished eating he stood up to leave. Elysian followed along leaving only the children in the dinning hall.

"The old man is up to something," Silas said frowning

"No matter what his thoughts are, we aren't in a position to question him," Kassius relaxed into his chair, visibly releasing the tension that had built up in the Dukes presence.

"Yeah, but won't it be fun to actually be able to perceive what his thinking," Silas said. "After all this time you'd think I'd have gotten a hand of his mind"

"You're the heir, can't you just ask him?" Kassius said tapping his fingers against his legs

"No, I can't. There is a reason he is known as the 'Duke of war'," Silas replied standing ready to leave. "He isn't someone you easily approach"

"He is your father Silas"

"And soon to be yours Kassius"

Kassius eyes narrowed has he stood ready to leave, the conversation had taken a distinct turn and he didn't like where it was going. But still he felt reluctant going leaving it as it was.

"I don't have a father, nor do I mother, I'm an orphan Silas. Although I stay in this castle, I don't belong here." The bitterness in his tongue evident, as he stood clutching his fists.

The atmosphere became unnecessary dull has they both stood silently watching one another. Silas took the initiative to leave beckoning for ophia to join him.

However he wasn't the type of let things go so easily. Although Kassius may not have seen him the same, he had come to call the idiot behind him his brother over the years.

"You should be in mid advent, right?" Silas asked without making his facial expression known

"I broke through some months ago, what about it," Kassius failed to see the the relevance to the question as he answered

"Ohh nothing really, I just couldn't recall the last time we sparred that's all," Silas having gotten to know Kassius over the years knew he'd probably go to the training ground to release his stem.

Although Kassius had not been his real brother, Silas didn't treat him any lesser.

During the first months of arriving in the castle Silas had made his presence known not shying away from him.

"Ahh… are you really going to do this?" Kassius asked

Over the years of eating, sleeping and training together, they had grown to create a certain type of bond.

And it was because of that bond Kassius knew what Silas meant, as perfect as Silas appeared he was just as equally deranged.

He shivered thinking of the past, Silas was just has hard headed as they come but he knew he meant well.

Giving up reluctantly Kassius agreed to the spar, seeing as he was going to head there anyway he might aswell just use the opportunity to train.

"Fine, let's get it over with..."

Suddenly a thought whirled up in Kassius's head, 'When last had I won against Silas'

Unfortunately the answer was never.

'Ahhh…. I'm going to get beat up, aren't I,' his face let out a smirk thinking of his already determined fate.