"Come, my father will be joining dinner tonight. I should be there," Zael said to Luna as though it were not his first day being in this world.
"Come how?"
"Well, you killed my maid."
...
"Don't sleep on my watch or I'll slit your throat," Luna threatened as she adjusted her maid outfit while walking toward the dining room together with Zael.
"Watch your attitude, here we go," he said as the servants waiting on the door opened it for them.
The eyes of his third brother nearly popped as he saw Zael walk into the dining hall. There were his eldest brother and eldest sister (second born), as well as his second brother.
The five of them made the heirs of the Dives Kingdom, and at the patriarch seat was the king of that territory, King Shal, giving off an imposing aura, as if the world itself was warning others not to mess with him.
[So that's what Authority is]
Luna telepathically said to Zael. However, the latter could not do the same, thus choosing not to respond.
[Oh, right. You're weak now.]
"How come you're late for dinner?" the king asked.
"I'm sorry, Father. I was dealing with something."
"Does it have anything to do with your new maid?"
"Indeed, sir. My old maid... She was untrustworthy, to say the least."
"Bang!"
After his statement, a hand banging on the table echoed across the room. It was his third brother.
"Are you accusing father of assigning a faulty maid to you?" he dwelt.
"Of course not, Derek. I was merely saying that snakes have a certain allure that poisons one from the inside, corrupting oneself," Zael said as he stared at the viper tattoo on Derek's arm.
"You--" he shouted and stood, but was interrupted by their father.
"Enough," he calmly said, but his voice contained such authority that it made Derek cower.
"Is that new maid more trustworthy than the one I gave you?" his father pried with a serious look.
"I am afraid so, Father. I am certain of it--"
Zael could barely finish his statement when a ball of fire suddenly came rushing toward his face. In an instant, his father had already conjured a Key and opened a Gate.
Of course, Luna would not allow Zael to get hurt. The ball of fire collapsed into nothingness before it could even get close enough to make him warm.
"She's an Invocation, huh? A familiar," his father announced.
'What in the realms is a familiar?' Zael thought as he quickly scoured his memory, finding out that a familiar is a creature or individual that remains after being summoned from a Gate.
His brothers and sisters had bewildered look on their faces too, but not because they could not understand what a familiar is, but because they couldn't believe that Zael has one.
It takes tremendous connection for an individual in this Realm and an Invocation for it to choose to remain here and to be allowed to remain here. It takes more that just skill, it also takes time and relationship.
His father look at Luna for a while before announcing something.
"The Potestas Continental Academia is giving a single slot to our kingdom. I shouldn't have to tell you how great of an opportunity that is as it houses all influential nobles from Dukedoms, Kingdoms, Empires, and even Dynasties. It is the most prestigious academy in this continent and a great avenue to build influence."
Great exhiliration ran through the bodies of all his children, even Zael. That academy is a dream for every noble. It is a melting pot of talent and influence, a surefire way to get your hands of the throne.
"Get me the Key to the Realm of Arcadia and I will give you the slot," their father said before he went back to eating.
For the rest of the meal, no one else said another word. Everyone was busy concocting a plan to find a Key, waiting for this dinner to end.
After their father left, no words were exchanged, but all of them knew that this was their shot at glory.
"Don't tell me," Luna said as she saw the look on Zael's face after they got back in the room.
"Yes. You see me, I cannot go out there. I am too weak. Find the Key alongside others. I need to learn all about this world and Authority," Zael instructed.
Luna visibly showed herself sighing in defiance, but nevertheless, she went out and did her job. Before she did, though, she left a mark on Zael to keep him safe just in case.
"Peace, at last," he said before conjuring the final Key in his Intus.
"Key to the Gate of Flamma, the same one my father used to test Luna."
As Zael felt the Key, he intuitively knew what he could Invoke from Flamma. He realized that he did not know much about that realm, causing him to have few Invocations. It was then that Zael realized just how far he had fallen.
Before, he knew almost everything there was to know about his Realm, but now, he lacked even the most basic knowledge about the power he possessed.
"This is unacceptable," he said before heading out to the library.
"It seems like this world truly embodies that saying: knowledge is power. Lucky for me, I know nothing," he sarcastically said to himself before letting out a sigh.
It was still difficult for him to comprehend that he was starting anew once more. He had forgotten what it felt like to do this kind of basic work. It was too long ago when he last did so, after all.
'No matter. If I get into that academy, all my problems will be solved. Not to mention, as one of the most influential places on this continent, they should at least have a Key to Avaely. If I get that, my power will increase. After all, I know that place like the back of my hand,' Zael thought, assuring himself as he walked.