Jon Beel yelled for his daughter Azeri until his face contorted in a bizarre way and turned cherry red, but Azeri was nowhere to be found. The trio were flabbergasted, while Jon’s family only showed embarrassment towards the Lord of the castle.

  “Don’t worry, father I’m sure she will turn up eventually…” Ruber desperately tried to calm his father.

  “If you did not spoil her into oblivion, she would not be off to her usual ruses.” Izali crossed her arms as she scorned at her husband. “Until she returns, we must not keep our guests waiting.” She then leaned on the cherry-faced Jon and said in a low tone. “You are embarrassing us, get it together.”

  “My lord, dinner is ready.” Hump returned with a fake smile as he rubbed his hands together.”

  Just like that, the reddish face of Jon returned to the usual faded tan as he forced a smile on his face. “Excellent, shall we go, gentlemen?”

  Izik, Morin, and Borgis had nothing to say after what they witnessed, and just nodded.

  ***

  Everyone was seated at a long table that seemed to seat too many, even though there was not enough guests for it. The Lady of house Beel was seated at the center end of the table. On her right side, The Lord of house Beel sat closest, then Ruber, Izik, and lastly Borgis, who barely fitted his seat. On the Lady’s left side, sat Morin, then Ruber’s wife, Asteth, Azeri, and lastly a young boy named Bon, who is the son of Ruber and Asteth. Azeri’s seat was empty as she was nowhere to be found, and so the young boy Bon took that seat instead. He shared his mother’s ashy blond hair, Izik thought.

  A butler stood next to each seat with the covered dish in their hands and placed the in front of each person. Upon uncovering, a juicy pieces of lamb meat drizzled with red wine sauce, along with a side of mashed potatoes.

  Hump grinned, “Fresh from the land, please enjoy!”

  The dinner table was half-empty, given its length, so Izik felt awkward at the scene he saw, it felt a bit lonesome to have such a big table but not enough guests to fit it. Not that he could complain, Izik spent most of his childhood eating alone after the horrible night he had been having nightmares of, but before his mind drifted into the all-too familiar scene, he was interrupted by the admiring gaze of the young child, Bon.

  “Are you Izik, the warrior prince who fought in the Cleansing of Attrival?” Bon said as he leaned into the table excitedly.

  Izik never liked to boast about battles he took part in, and laughed nervously, “I-”

  “He is!” Borgis huffed excitedly. “I was there, too. You might’ve heard of me?! Borgis The Golem!” He smirked flexed his biceps as if it meant something.

  “I didn’t,” the boy replied.

  Asteth stroked Bon’s hair as she smiled at Izik and Borgis. “Forgive Bon,” she said with a calming tone. “He wants to be a knight when he grows up, and they sing songs about the battle of Attrival. You’ve saved many lives against those monsters that ravaged the city. It is truly an honor to meet you.”

  “Thank you…” he smiled as he ate into a piece of the lamb. His mind played some of what transpired during the Cleansing of Attrival. Monsters, they were, Izik thought, but the way they struggled felt human. Some even begged for their lives, but you do what you need to save people, even if you don’t enjoy it, the voice in his head assured him.

  Borgis ate an entire leg of lamb as he laughed loudly. “It was a glorious fight, indeed!” his eyes sparkled at Bon, “there were trolls, goblins, and even a minotaur! How old are you, boy?”

  “I turned twelve this year!” He replied proudly.

  “Maybe one day you will fight alongside us!” he gave the 12-year-old boy a thumb’s up.

  “Mm-hmm!” the boy replied as he swallowed the food in his mouth. “I have been training om how to manipulate my esper!”

  “Oh! What elements can you muster?” Borgis asked. “You see, you can either be a master at one, or be good at all of them- a sort of jack of all trades, if you will.”

  “I am learning to water manipulation!” Bon replied. “Watch this!” He aimed the palm of his hand at an empty glass and had a serious look on his face. He looked as he was struggling to lift a heavy rock as his body tensed up, until a small amount of water emerged from his palm into the glass, enough to fill half of the glass. Before he knew it, everyone was watching him and started applauding him. He blushed as he tried to catch his breath.

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  “My little water knight is so talented!” Asteth exclaimed as she hugged her son, making him blush more.

  “If that doesn’t work out, you can always join the family business,” Jon Beel said as he aimed at the banner of his family, a lamb eating a crop.

  “No, I want to be as strong as Azeri!” Bon huffed.

  “You’ll need to make more than small glass of water for that.” a voice came from behind the boy. A fiery red hair like Lady Izali and the pride that comes along with it.

  “Azeri!” The members of House Beel all yelled in unison.

  “Where were you?” Jon’s face began to contort and redden again. “This is an imp-”

  He stopped talking when Izali placed her hand on top of his and started eating the plate in front of him with a red face, mumbling.

  “Were you off to one of your adventures again, Azeri?” Izali said calmly.

  “They’re not adventures, mother,” Azeri replied calmly. She patted smiling Bon’s head before she sat next to him, and a butler brought a plate of lamb to her. “I’m still not ready to go on one yet.” She ate a piece of the lamb.

  “You do know why we needed you here today of all days” Izali said calmly before sipping from her glass of wine. “You are not in a play, there are responsibilities.” There was something intimidating in her manner of speech, Izik thought.

  She let of the utensils in her hands, “You’re right.” She looked at her parents and had a remorseful expression. “I’m sorry. I know I don’t always listen to you. But-”

  “No buts,” Izali interjected. “We agreed on this. We had you trained by the best esper manipulators in the land and in return you would adhere to your duties. You are not delivering on your part.

  Morin stayed silent to study the situation while Izik and Borgis tried to pretend like they are not seeing family drama unfold in front of them and continued downing the lamb meat.

  “You’re right, and I am sorry. I’m here now to fulfill my duty.” Izali maintained her regretful look towards her parents.

  After a moment of silence, Jon smiled, and the redness disappeared from his face.

  “Who could stay angry at such a face?” He said as he leaned towards his wife.

  “Not many, it seems.” Izali replied with a slight and stern smile.

  Azeri’s expression turned into a slight smile. She then looked at Izik, who had a big chunk of meat in his mouth. “So, you are Izik, the warrior prince of Abrahymia.” She rested her chin on her hands.

  “Mmph!” Izik tried to force a word out, but the lamb meat got in the way. He gestured for a moment to swallow the food.

  The rest of the table minded their own businesses. Izali was conversing with Morin about the king, Asteth was watching over her son Bon, while Ruber switched between conversation with Morin and watching over his son. Lord Beel only paid attention to his food.

  Borgis laughed loudly, “he is quite the charmer, isn’t he?” He said as he smacked the back of Izik, making him swallow the food whole and cough.

  Azeri giggled softly leaned back, taking a bite of the lamb. “We always hear about you and your recent achievements in battles.”

  “Oh, those tales are exaggerated…” he chuckled nervously.

  “Nonsense!” Borgis huffed with food in his mouth. “I have fought with the greats in my lifetime, and I tell you,” He chewed a bit. “He will be among the legends when he grows up!” He finally swallowed.

  “Borgis…” Izik laughed awkwardly.

  “I would love to see you in action!” She pouted. “Even after training and becoming an adept esper manipulator, there are not many in this manor or nearby town to make me put myself to the test.”

  “Oh, I am sure you are even better than me.” Izik replied.

  “I would like to see it. How about we put our own espers against each other?” Azeri asked.

  “Right now?” Izik replied. “It’s not the right place for it.”

  “What do you mean by pitting espers against each other?” Young Bon asked Azeri.

  “It means channeling your aura at another person to see which one is more intense. Borgis added. “It carries the emotion of the person channeling it and the weight of the energy they have; everyone’s dinner will fly off if you overdo it!”

  Hump tapped a glass with a fork to grab the attention of the room. “It is time for dessert!” He smiled genuinely. “Peach pie and sweetened milk.”

  “Ooh, my favorite!” Jon Beel clapped like a child.

  “We can learn to temper our espers, right, Izik?”

  The butlers took the plates in front of the seated members and replaced it with peach pie and sweetened milk. A slight vibration came from Azeri, and her surrounding started to shake accordingly.

  Izik sighed and looked at Azeri, her hair flowing. “We don’t have to do this.”

  “We don’t, but I still want to see it.” Her surroundings shook harder, reaching Izik.

  It was an intimidating aura, one from a person that is hard-pressed to prove themselves. It was also sharp, even if a little bit rough. It was an unpleasant feeling to be affected by it, so Izik channeled his aura towards Azeri, the plates shaking all the way to the ends. Everyone felt the two auras clashing but were not affected as much because it was not directed at them.

  “What are you doing Izik?” Morin asked in a serious tone.

  “She started it.” Izik replied.

  “She did.” Borgis affirmed, unshaken.

  “Azeri, stop it this instant!” Jon howled. “I am trying to eat!”

  “Azeri, stop this…” Izali groaned.

  “Azeri, this is an important dinner!” Ruber added desperately.

  Azeri paid no heed to her family. “How about we take this up a notch?” Azeri said, as things started to levitate around her, even a bit. Even Bon was happy floating a bit before Asteth held him down.

  Izik felt the increasing intensity of Azeri’s esper, but it was also unrefined. Her aura oozed of sense of pride. He could wipe it away in an instant, he thought, but he did not know what to do. He wanted to stop this but did not know how without her confidence taking a hit.

  “You lack the control, Miss Azeri,” Borgis said calmly. “An experienced esper user can deflect your aura in an instant. Observe.”

  Among the rumblings of the family and the pleads of Morin, Borgis focused his aura in an instant and deflected the intense aura from Azeri, making the pies explode and spread all over the hosts and guests. Suddenly everything stopped vibrating, and Azeri was astonished and Borgis huffed pridefully.

  “So cool!” Bon cheered.

  “I didn’t even have a bite…” Jon whimpered”

  “The dessert…” Hump’s smile faded altogether.

  Izik sighed, “That’s why you don’t do esper-pitting at a dinner table.”

  Izali slammed her hands on the table stood up, glaring at Azeri. “Go to your room!” She howled.