Bab 10: House Gulova
December. The surge of cold air noted the beginning of a snowfall. The busy street had taken refuge in their warm and cozy homes, leaving the town naked with trees and fallen signs. Snow had not yet appeared, so the neighborhood kids could only watch from their tinted windows, waiting for the snowball fight season to open.
Luciel had been champion for five seasons straight. The kids envied his prowess and accuracy. They even went to great lengths to request the position of a disciple. The Great Master. Snow King Luciel. His name was feared throughout the region.
Luciel, however, only thought of it as a hobby. He didn't take it seriously at all, and he pitied that the children looked up to him, a literal cheat code as he was blessed by Echoing Stigma since birth.
Deep in thought, Luciel gazed out on the neatly cut grass in Elina's front garden. She loved details to death and appreciated little things in a way nobody could. It was the wisdom from someone who lived quite a ferocious life. Everything was precious.
"What're you thinking?" Elina asked, approaching Luciel from the sofa. She was just reading a cookbook from Guizhong, a place considered the food hub of the continent. The little bookshelf to the side of the reading nook was now filled with cookbooks from different regions. Elina bought it for one reason only.
To make Luciel cook all these dishes for her.
Glancing at the book Elina was holding, he couldn't help but winced, thinking about how he was mistreated in training and also at home. Ridiculous!
"Nothing. The snow is coming," Luciel softly spoke, hiding his playful contempt.
"It sure is," Elina replied, walking toward the wide windowsill as she sat next to Luciel. He offered the other half of the purple blanket to Elina, given by his godmother Luna. As they shared the warmth, countless thoughts invaded their minds, but it was Elina who spoke first. "Are you nervous?"
"No. Well. I'm a bit sad about it." Luciel sighed. In the past, Elina would often embrace him as the night fell. Such nights where Luciel had nightmares, it was Elina who told him that everything was going to be okay. However, Luciel had become a mature 15-year-old boy, almost turned 16. He was taller and bigger than Elina. It was his duty now to embrace her.
"I know. To be honest, I'm also not ready for it." Elina shivered, not from the cold, but the weight of her words. She pushed herself down and put her head on Luciel's shoulder, hugging him tight. Elina breathed in more air than usual to calm her beating heart. "How did seven years go by so fast? You were just a little boy."
Luciel could discern the emotional string in her voice. She was a strong woman but weak against him. It was the same for him. In her arms, he felt like a normal little boy with a beautiful childhood. She gave him that.
"Hey," she expectantly said, "I should bring you to a salon and fix up your hair. Maybe give it a dye. Wouldn't that be cool?"
"You're just doing whatever you want. Even if I refuse, you would annoy me until I give in anyway." Luciel rolled his eyes.
Elina tsked. "I know what's best for you. You love it every time, no? Besides, you wouldn't be able to woo any girl with that mess of a nest."
Luciel turned to face Elina and gave her an amusing look. "Has mother Luna finally rubbed off on you? You're becoming her incarnation at this point."
"How dare you!" Elina pouted. "I am not like that woman. Is there anything wrong with worrying about my dear brother's popularity? You're going into that academy under my honor and name, after all."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Luciel waved it off as he refocused on the evenly cut grass, chuckling as he caught a glimpse of Elina's vexed expression.
As it turned out, he was required to attend an academy exclusive for training fledging Resonators. Noxian Resonator Academy. It could be seen as mandatory military service for teenagers who awakened their Echoing Stigma. Every region had one. The policies might be different, but it was essential as it served as a training program for new users and also as law and control.
It was illegal to refuse or escape from the enrollment, and people could be jailed for life because of it. The system made sense. Society was divided by two types. Awakened and non-Awakened. Without a system to keep control of the Awakened, the normal citizens would be in great danger.
"Staying there until graduation without ever coming home, huh? Sounds tough. How did you and grandpa Murphy do it?" Luciel asked.
"He is a strong man. It was hard in the beginning, but I figured I couldn't just half-assed it. I didn't want to be a good-for-nothing after all the sacrifices he made," Elina said, grabbing the hot chocolate on the nearby stool. She took a sip of it before continuing, "It will be easier for us because of the privileges I have, but still, I never expected it to be this soon."
"What is it?" Luciel paused, trying to remember what he was about to say. "Um—Right. March, isn't it? 1st of March."
Elina's eyes softened. "Yeah. I was going to keep training you until then, but then I would regret it. I want to spend this limited time on something fun."
Luciel gasped as if he saw the biggest surprise ever. "Oh? Those words could come out from Miss Gulova? Never would've thought."
Elina clenched her fist and pushed it to his abdomen. "So... you want to die, right?" She pressed in even harder as the silence went on, not giving Luciel any chance of resistance.
"I give! I give!" Luciel yelped. He hugged his stomach as soon as the pressure was released. No amount of body conditioning could help him against that overwhelming force of nature. He was once reminded again of her temperament.
"Good boy." Elina smiled like nothing happened. "Strategic retreat is very important," she said, wrapping her arm around Luciel again. "Being in the academy is no joke. You'll be constantly put in battles against Hollow Creatures." She raised her arms and slowly stretched out to emphasize how big that creature could be, she added, "Real ones."
"Please." Luciel chuckled. "Your training is hell. I think I could put up with a few monsters, don't you think? You're underestimating your student."
"I'm just being cautious. Losing your life in the Chasm is but a tumbleweed in the desert. Insignificant but noticeable." Her voice deepened. "It is so normal nowadays that the idea of sacrificing yourself in there has become a symbol of heroism."
Luciel contemplated and rested his chin on his knuckle. "Trust me. I won't die for some stupid reason like that—"
"Just don't die in general," Elina interrupted.
"Roger that." Luciel smiled. Thinking about the days ahead, he couldn't help but be saddened because of his departure. Trying to distract himself from these thoughts, he asked, "What plans do you have for the next three months?"
Moonlight seeped through the window and shone in Elina's chestnut eyes, creating an illusion of a lake surrounded by autumn leaves. "Here and there. A bit of this and that."
Luciel deadpanned. "Wow. So very specific."
"I'm not exactly a planner, Luciel. You know that. Isn't it better to just go by the flow and see where it takes you? That's the beauty of life. Appreciating every moment of it."
"You're right."
Her passionate speech about life was very Elina-esque. It resonated with Luciel as well as someone who had seen most walks of the low life. It was tough to survive, but for a crazy person like him, it was thrilling sometimes. Once you have tasted the dangerous life and got out of it, you could never go back. The adrenaline would keep you up at night.
"Though..." Elina trailed off.
"What?" Fearing something might happen, Luciel readied himself. It was a bad sign whenever Elina elongated her words like that.
"I got us reservations in this beautiful restaurant that I've been dying to go. People say the food is top-notch. The seasonal menu is inspired by the numbing flavors of Sichuan, famous for its spices and—"
"I'll go sleep now." He was right. Not letting her finish this rambling about food for a millionth time, Luciel hurriedly stood up.
"Wa—wait!" However, Elina wouldn't back down without a proper fight, and so the peaceful night went on as the bicker of House Gulova lightened up the spirits of winter.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone