Son of Night

Warm Welcome

I got up from the ground and remembered that I had to be home for my brothers since I had left them nothing to eat. Running home, I stopped along the way to get some bread, vegetables, and a piece of fresh cow meat. That's all that ten silver could get you. Sad that I could not get anything else for my brothers, I ran home and was greeted with two warm hugs and smiles from my sweet brothers.

"Big brother, you got home safe again," Rennie said, not caring that they had not eaten in 3 days. "We missed you so much!".

Them saying this reminded me that I was not alone. My brothers had been the reason I kept going on missions despite me hating that I was entertaining those such nobles. "I'm gonna make you some stew," I said with a lump in my throat.

They both smiled and went back into the house to continue what they were doing. Rennie loved reading and was always so gentle and mature for his age, contrary to Reggie was solemn and calm most of the time. I always made them study despite them not liking it or not. Getting them into Xenovia academy was my dream, and the chances of getting accepted were slim as nobles ruled the academy.

I started cooking for them without a minute to spare as we were all starving. "What did you learn today?" managing to get their attention, Rennie smiles brightly and starts to explain: "I was rereading the basics and found out some interesting things, brother" I smiled and asked, "What got you smiling like that, Rennie?"

"Well, it's fascinating how these rifts started to appear and how we use them for our gain, even though it doesn't affect how our world works" he looked at me, waiting for an explanation. "Well, for one, it does affect our world since higher-ranking rifts allow you to bring pieces of that alternate reality here, such as different drops from raids," forgetting that I was cooking, almost spilling my pot of water.

"Come on, kids, let me finish, and we can discuss your questions again" they both smile and continue reading while I finish making dinner.

"Let's dig in." We started eating, and my brothers were stuffing their food faster as they could not wait to ask me about their reading. "Careful, you dummies, you're gonna choke," I laugh as I continue to eat. We all finish and lay on the mattress that I got a while back for my brothers and me to sleep. Our house was small and was the only thing that our..well…" parents" if they even were that for once in their lives. They lay down close to me and opened their books to show me what they wanted to know more about.

"If you are a rift walker, why can't you do 1st rank rifts like all the others" Reggie looked at me and spoke stoically. "Well, there are limitations to that; not all people can do 1st rank rifts", knowing that the most I could do were 4th rank rifts, and that was pushing it since only working-class rift walkers were allowed to bring weapons Into rifts.

The difference between a 5th rank rift and a 4th rank one was that 5th rank one Just puzzled that you could solve and mainly were broadcast to the nobles as a way to entertain them, unlike 4th rank ones that contained proper monsters that needed weapons to  beat, "What about 3rd rank and above, brother? How can you access them?"

I looked at Rennie and continued explaining, "Well, the gap between 4th/5th rank and 3rd is very wide since you first need to awaken your "innate talent" at Xenovia academy."

My dream of getting into Xenovia was almost impossible as I already had gotten a 5th rank rift walkers license which was equivalent to being a mercenary. Being dirt poor did not help either. Getting into the academy required 100 gold for the entry test, and only if you pass the test with almost 80-100 points can you get the full scholarship that I needed. I was sure my brothers could do it.

At the age of 8, they had grasped the basic concepts of innate talent and what it could serve in different scenarios. Unique and all, I also wanted to get into the academy.

Reality is cruel to the poor and kind to the rich. That's just how the world spun." I need some sleep; we can read again tomorrow" I closed my eyes and tucked my brothers under the torn blanket.

"Good night, big brother," in sync, they said as they yawned. Silence filled the room.