Step

Step

Step

Step

Step by step, the resounding echoes of a boy's footsteps reverberated through the hall. Each stride carried an aura of unwavering confidence, every movement precise and measured.

The boy's attire was nothing short of impeccable a sleek black robe paired with trousers that bore intricate adornments, including carefully placed pins and accessories.

The Ravenstein logo was etched on the right side of his chest, clear for all to see. The black top complemented his flawlessly styled white hair, elegantly gathered into a ponytail cascading down his back.

Standing at a remarkable height of 6.4 feet, his muscular frame exuded a compact strength, every sinew pulsating with contained power, poised to be unleashed.

Though not bulky, the muscles were finely tuned, hinting at a latent force beneath the surface.

His visage was a testament to handsomeness, featuring a sharp jawline and piercing blue eyes that radiated an undeniable charm. The clarity of his complexion would spark envy even among the most beautiful of women.

Secured at his waist, an ostensibly ordinary katana in which only those keen eyes could discern the concealed and intense power contained within, adding an air of mystery to the boy's overall presence.

This young boy was none other than Atticus, who had grown astonishingly in the past 5 years.

Atticus descended the grand staircase, his confident strides echoing through the opulent living room of the Ravenstein mansion as he stepped through the door.

"Why the heck are you walking like that? You look so ridiculous," a feminine voice cut through the air, immediately drawing Atticus's attention.

Atticus's gazed turned and landed on a strikingly red eyed girl who was gazing at him with a scrunched nose, looking at Atticus as if he were a fool.

A smug smile played on Atticus's lips as he approached the red eyed girl. "Heh, you're just jealous you don't look half as good as me," he retorted.

"You wish! You can't even dream of comparing yourself to this divine beauty," Aurora declared with flair, flicking her long white hair behind her in a gesture of regal confidence.

"Pffft," Atticus immediately burst into laughter, his voice resounding across the room. "You? Hahaha!"

Aurora's cheeks turned crimson in embarrassment, her red eyes gazing at Atticus angrily.

Aurora had grown remarkably over the past 5 years. Standing at a height of 5.6 feet, she was also wearing the same clothes as Atticus, with a black robe and hair dangling down her back.

The intensity of her piercing red eyes had only increased over the years, giving her the look of a volition volcano that could erupt at any time.

Over the past 5 years, Atticus and Aurora had grown incredibly close together, especially after Caldor had left the estate a few months after their adventure to AquaHarvest.

Ember began her reclusive nature once again after that, and the two of them were always hanging out together if Atticus wasn't training. They also sometimes even trained and sparred together.

Their relationship was further solidified because Atticus was always teasing her constantly, making Aurora erupt in anger and chase after him. But of course, this 'relationship' was purely familial.

"Oh, calm down, Aurora. This was completely your fault. How do you expect me not to laugh when you say something so cringe?" Atticus said, wiping a tear from his eyes from laughing too much.

Aurora responded by folding her arms, turning her head to the side, and releasing an audible, "humph."

Atticus chuckled, enjoying her reaction. They were always so cute!

Atticus had never had a little sister back on Earth, and Ember was never fun to tease. She was as cold as ice, and anytime he tried, he either only ever got a single smile or even balantly got ignored.

But Aurora was different. He felt like Aurora fit the role of a little sister very well, despite the fact that they were the same age. He always loved teasing Aurora exactly because of this.

He closed the distance between him and Aurora, raising his hands in the air, trying to initiate a power handshake.

"Are you ready?" Atticus asked.

Aurora, who was initially pouting, turned to look at Atticus, her expression breaking out into a smile, grabbing his hands in the air, flashing him a confident smile. "Of course," she responded.

Atticus nodded, releasing his hands from the handshake. "Let's head out; we are getting late," Atticus said as he started walking towards the imposing mansion door, with Aurora following closely behind.

As Atticus and Aurora stepped outside the mansion door, they immediately came across a humongous airship floating just a few meters above the ground, about 50 meters close to the mansion.

The airship boasted a grand spherical design, reminiscent of a majestic floating orb in the sky. Its expansive structure could easily accommodate a multitude of passengers.

Positioned beneath it, a powerful propulsion engine hummed with otherworldly energy. Despite cruising a mere few meters above the ground, an extraordinary feat of magical precision ensured an absence of any disruptive breezes beneath the airship.

This remarkable specimen was a testerment to the intricate and advanced runic craftsmanship that defined the vessel.

Just below the ship, there was a procession of white haired youths, about 14 in number.

Just one look at these youths, and Atticus had already recognized all of them; how wouldn't he? He had spent months training with them back at the Raven camp five years ago when he was 10.

And every single one of them were gathered today.

Just as Atticus was about to step towards them, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps and sobbing coming from behind him.

Atticus sighed; he had already knew this was going to happen. With a reluctant gesture, Atticus turned his gaze behind him to see the beautiful form of Anastasia, sniffling while wiping away tears falling from her eyes.

***

A/N: This is the beginning of a new arc, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading!