"Time already!?"
"Just ten more minutes."
As Renji and I slept on the blue sofa, opposite sides to one another, nagging off our daily alarm, not an oclock, but a person…
Emilia.
"It's time!" She screamed, echoing through our whole room.
Today was the day after all, we have to make it to the Royal Academy, its opening was today.
"Alright." Renji shook his head, blearily blinking, putting his back on the sofa.
"I've been ready, so we can head out right away," I said, placing myself in the same position as Renji.
Emilia placed her arms on her hips in anger, "No showers?! No brushing your teeth?!"
I slowly got out of my bed, grabbing a cup of water from the brown teacup table on my right side, "It's fine, they should have them at the Royal Academy."
She let out a brief sigh, "I guess so…"
Both Renji and I got up, fixing our hair, as Emilia turned around to the Entrance.
As we started walking to the entrance, I wanted to make something clear.
"Hey guys," I calmly said, looking forward, "Just know… from this point forward, there will be no more mistakes."
Emilia let out a smile as Renji began giggling.
"Mistakes?" He laughed, "Just move it already."
Smash! Smash! Smash!
"Group F3!" What sounded similar to a knight yelled from behind the entrance, "Your Korus are ready!"
Emilia slowly opened the door, "Korus?"
"Yeah," he wore the same fit as what the other knights wore yesterday, "Korus. We've assigned each group a letter, added with a number and a Koru."
He slowly lifted his hand, showing what looked to be a receipt.
"Use this when the guy outside asks which Koru you're assigned to." The knight said, "Now, goodbye!" He turned around, leaving from the left side, which is where we must now go to exit this place.
"A Koru?!" Renji yelled angrily. "I guarantee mine surpasses it in everything! Let's use mine instead! Yes! Mine!"
The same Renji, yelling over his 'lovely' bird.
He continued, "I'm sorry, my glorious, sublime, august, magnificent, resplendent Koru! I'll gift you tenfold! Please don't be mad!"
I sighed, he dropped on his knees, on the clear wooden floor, "please-"
"Alright, silly," Emilia said, "You can't show your powers out in the open. You're undercover, remember." She whispered, walking out of the beautiful, wooden carved door.
We all got up, ready to move, ready to attend it… the royal capital.
Step. Step. Step.
As we walked out the door and turned to our left, we made our way through the massive, glamorous halls. I didn't realize how huge this place was before, probably because I was too tired to think very well.
Man, walking through this palace is wild. The ground's all polished marble, smooth as glass, and my boots click so loud it sounds like I'm makin' a scene on purpose. Every step I take, I pass by these fancy vases stuffed with flowers like roses, lilies, stuff I don't even know the names of that make the place smell too clean, like I don't belong here. Guards just stare, stiff as statues, while those stained-glass windows throw colors all over the floor.
Then we hit the stairs. Long, wide steps, each one echoing under my feet as I head down. My hand brushes the railing, all cold metal shaped like vines and crowns, just screamin' "rich people live here!" At the bottom, the big doors swing open, sunlight blasting in. I squint, step out, and the air's way fresher than inside.
Bird chirping, breeze carrying that flower smell stronger now.
We walk forward a bit past the door, the stone path under us, and then I notice him. On the left, standing still, this man is holding a checklist with a binder beneath. Just waiting, like he knew we'd come out right here.
"Finally…" I heard him whisper, lightly. "The last F squadron has arrived."
He turned, checking off a row on a paper that had names scattered all over it.
He had red buzzed off hair, a red goatee, and a red mustache with scars scattered all over his face. He wasn't wearing anything special, a black tank top with black joggers.
But he was jacked. Looked to be almost six two as well.
He let out a brief sigh, "Receipt please."
"Oh yeah!" Emilia began muffling her pockets, looking for the receipt passed onto her earlier by the guards, "Here it is!"
He frowned, "Names Varik Solen, your Koru will be ready in just a second, it'll be right in front of us here…" The way he talked sounded like he was bored out of his mind.
Tired of so much nonsense.
He pointed in front of us, each of our attention shifting to that position. A metal gate stood about twenty feet away. In the middle is a covered stone circular, shaped stage, carved into the ground. With golden stripes around it, each one with a different shape. Only one step forward and you'd reach the top, no stairs, no nothing, just slightly lifted above the ground.
He rolled his right hand in a circle, blowing wind inside it. Similarly to when Renji summoned his Koru.
"Contract procedure number 108," he let out a quick sigh as Renji's face shaped in shock, "Symbiotes."
He blew through the whole as yellow particles began shaping into a Koru.
"What are you guys waiting for. Get on the Koru. The next group is coming out soon." He whispered, like he's tired out of his mind.
"Alright!" Emilia screamed, "Let's go, silly." She grabbed my arm, walking forward towards the Koru.
It sat on its belly, like waiting for us to get on. It was the same size as Renji's Koru, same facial features, same fur, same legs, same everything. But two things were different.
One was the Koru's color… and the other…
Its aura.
Although yellow is often associated with energy, intellect, and warmth based on the archetype, this one felt tamed and menacing.
Renji's Koru was purple with hints of black, but this felt… an otherworldly type of dark.
Renji couldn't use his own Koru, as he couldn't let the royal capital discover his abilities.
He didn't hide his ears either, as being an elf and a Cleaner didn't bother the royal capital at all. Vly told me this. But they know he has abilities, since every elf is born with an elemental affinity since birth… but exposing those abilities would be like exposing his main goal for being here.
And he can't allow that to happen.
Renji raised his arm up, thanking the man, "Thank you."
First time I've heard him be appreciative since meeting him.
He turned around, pretty quickly, walking towards both me and Emilia.
Varik, the name of the man who summoned the Koru, placed a hand on Renji's shoulder as he was trying to walk towards the Koru.
His hand was heavy on Renji's shoulder, heavier than it should've been.
"Hey," he let out a calm sigh, grinning for the first time, "How come you don't use your own?
"Own what?" Renji's face glowed in shock, not looking back towards Varik, eyes on both me and Emilia.
He laughed, villainously. "You know…" He said, smirking, happier than ever.
"Know what?" Renji looked back, his face filled with sarcasm.
If Renji played blackjack, he would be horrible at it, for sure.
Varik's grin fell into a flat stare. His voice cut sharply.
"Your Koru."