Fur Tempus

At a certain orphanage in a certain city, the day was just beginning. Dawn broke through the windows and with it, the shrill voice of an adult woman.

"Up! Get Up Aegar! You are the last, as always! Up I say!"

In the attic, a young boy of no more than 14 years stirred. The pounding of the woman on the attic door sending dust from the ceiling into his face.

Blegh! Aegar shot straight up and started coughing and spitting as a small spider dropped from the ceiling and into his mouth with the latest wave of dust falling.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Aegar cried hoarsely. Tears pooling in his eyes. Not only did he swallow dust, but a spider! The day couldn't possibly get worse...can it?

"Got dust in your eyes did you? Serves you right! We give you a room and you can't even keep it clean!" He could hear the sneer in the woman's voice even through the attic door. 

"Come along. You've already missed breakfast, but we've yet to divvy out the chores for the day." 

Aegar grumbled to himself as he straightened out his clothes. He only ever had the same set of clothes. They never bothered to buy him new ones as he grew. 

Thalia, the woman shouting at him through the door, was also an accomplished seamstress. She adjust his clothes as he grew and as a result...they were quite small on him!

Aegar brushed his hands over his clothing to rid them of dust, dirt, and whatever else might have crawled on him while he slept. He looked around the attic. 

There were several crates stacked haphazardly in the corner. They were full of old toys and mementos of previous orphans. He'd checked the first night they stuck him up here.

A scattering of small toys across the floor. Broken dolls, smashed wooden figures, and whatever else the children downstairs broke. They got shiny new toys while he got their broken ones. 

The last object of interest was a large bronze mirror. It had intricate leaf carvings and unknown script carved at the top. Whatever else it might have been, it was his daily use mirror. 

He stood in front of the mirror for a second. The faintest slow started to wrap around the mirror. He blinked. The glow was gone.

'I really have to get better sleep.' He thought to himself as he stared at the mirror. A young boy with short jet black hair and brown eyes stared back at him. He was tall for his age, taller than even some men. 

He brushed some dirt off of his shoulder and straightened his shirt out. His breeches were sort of loose, but they still held. They'd need to be adjusted soon. Maybe he could use his allowance to get extra cloth so that Thalia could make them longer than just below his knees. 

He strode over to the door in a few quick steps. Normally, the attic would creak and groan, but for some reason today it was utterly silent as he stepped. 

He opened the door and Thalia stood before him. Her hands on her cocked hips, as if she spent all morning waiting for him. A scowl was etched on her face.

Thalia had just turned 16 and she was waiting for her Coming of Age Ceremony. The Coming of Age Ceremony was a test every child went through upon turning 16. It could determine your entire future! 

Not only was it the day you were considered an adult in this world, but if you have any talents, magic, bloodlines, etc. It all comes out when you place your hand on the Orb of Destiny! 

Aegar squinted at her. She was dressed to the nines today. Her platinum blonde hair which she normally wore in a bun was let loose and brushed, hanging just below her shoulders. 

She had longer bangs, but it seemed she trimmed them for the ceremony to give her a more refined look. Her brown eyes matched the earthy dress she donned for the ceremony.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there? I will NOT be late for the ceremony!" She spat at him as she harrumphed and spun on her heel before walking away. 

Aegar stared at her as her hips swung before clapping his face with both hands.

"Idiot. There's no way that will ever happen." He muttered to himself before following after her. If today was like any other day, he'd be stuck on composting duty.

The orphanage had a small garden about 5 square meters big. Just enough to feed the orphanage with extra for charity. The orphanage survived through charitable donations and tax breaks...or so he's heard the director say before. 

It took only a few minutes before they reached the main floor of the orphanage. The orphanage was divided into three levels. 

First, there was the main floor. It had the dining room, the kitchen, the larder, and of course the garden out back. 

Second, was the second floor. Everyone else slept on the second floor. There were nineteen rooms with eight rooms to each side and the master bedroom at the end of the hall. Boys on the left and girls on the right. 

On the third floor was the office and study of the director. He took all of his important guests here. After all, he had to show every potential donor how the orphanage was laid out to get them to donate. 

Last, of course, was the attic. It couldn't be considered it's own floor. It was too small! He could barely stand up fully in it! The stairs to the attic were built on the second floor by a passing wizard. You couldn't see it from the outside, but when you walk up the stairs, you're...well teleported for a lack of words. 

Aegar and Thalia reached the bottom floor just in time to see one of the director's many donors leaving. 

He'd seen the donor before. A rough and tumble guy who looked like her spent sundown to sun up in a bar. Today however, although he was dressed in his regular garb, he had opted to cover his face underneath a cowl. 

The moment the man slipped through the door, Aegar's gaze drifted to the rest of the orphans in the room. There were eight in total. four boys, and four girls. The orphanage enjoyed symmetry, which is why Aegar slept in the attic...or so he thought.

'Ugh. I really hate this part.' Aegar thought to himself as he looked around. Aside from Thalia, whom the director cared for as if she was his own daughter, there was also Brax, Johnny, Thomas, and Sylvan, the only elven boy in the orphanage.

On the female side of things, there was Lissandra, Jenny, though she preferred he call her Jennifer, Juniper, and Remy. Lissandra and Juniper shared a room and Jenny and Remy shared another. Thalia got a room all to herself. Lucky.

"It's so cool he gave you a sword Brax!"

"Yeah! He said you have the potential to awaken to great things!"

"I don't want Brax to leave..."

The children were talking animatedly. It drew Aegar's attention immediately. He looked at Brax.

Brax was a boy with sandy blonde hair and green eyes. He always kept his hair trimmed short and neat. Today he wore a set of brand new overalls and breeches, also in earthy colors like Thalia's dress. He was however 14 years old, just like himself. 

In Brax's right hand was a sword made of black material. Which itself didn't bother Aegar. No. What bothered Aegar was the reddish black haze coming from the sword, unnoticed by anyone else. 

The haze rose up into the air above everyone's heads and expanded. In his eyes, it looked as if it was about to swallow Brax like a giant snake lunging for its prey.

Aegar rushed past Thalia almost knocking her over. 

"Hey! What's gotten into you?!" She cried as she held onto the railing of the stairs.

Brax turned toward Aegar, a grin affixed to his face. And then Aegar tackled him.