The village was bustling with activity as Litheo reached the gate. The crowd had now dispersed from the Pillories where Tito, had been punished, making the village look busier. Three villagers sat on the side of a fountain looking at the other villagers dancing. The three villagers played the flute, harp, and bagpipe, their skills noticeable by all as the best in the village. The aroma of meat from the tavern nearby extended it reached outside as everybody dancing could smell it. Some of the young adults danced around the maypole as the music continued, whilst Litheo walked to the market.

  “Fresh eggs! Get yer fresh eggs!”

  “Finest weapons in Bravioth! All of them are half off!”

  “I just recently got back from the kingdom of Klepturia! Selling rare, foreign Klepturian treasures!”

  Litheo walked pasted the people shouting and trying to sell their wares, as he continued walking down the long street of vendors. He kept his gaze downward to avoid the glances of the vendors, yet upward enough to not walk into somebody. He glanced around at the village as if taking in his last chance to see such a beautiful place. To many, they would call this village tiny and unimportant, but to him it was everything.

  “Litheo!” the elder called out, she increased her pace to catch up to him since she was far behind.

  “Yes, elder?” Litheo replied.

  “I know your shard merged with you,” she replied grabbing his new shard, “Your last one was copper, did you really think I’d be fooled.”

  “No, elder,” he spoke concerned about her next words.

  “You know the rules, my child. I’m sorry, but I will have to send you off.”

  “Do you have to send me there? That school is for the gifted and the royals,” he replied with a dejected gaze.

  “It is the rule that if any child within the first month, merges with their shard, they must be sent there. If I were to lie then the village could have problems, or even any witnesses could be put to death for not telling them the school.” there was a sorrowful look on the elder's face as she uttered these words to Litheo.

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  “But what about my parents?” Litheo asked.

  “You will not have to worry about them, I will tell them when they return from their departure.” the elder put her hand on Litheo’s shoulder to try to comfort him.

  “Gather your things my child, I know you don’t want to but it is the law. You wouldn’t want Thea, Tito, Elios, or I to die would you?”

  Litheo gave the elder a downhearted nod as she put him on a carpet with her and she gave it flight. The chill wind blew against Litheo’s face as he looked down at the bright village. Three stars stood in the sky in a row looking down at the two, as they reached his house. The carpet stood at a halt, hovering in the air as Litheo entered the house. He packed his clothes and stuffed them in a bag made of cloth, before searching for a paper and quill. He glanced around the house before writing a few letters. He laid his hand down touching the side of his house once more before shutting the door.

  “Are you ready, my child?” the elder asked.

  “Yes, but please give these out for me,” he replied handing the letters over. There were ten letters, all of which had a seal on them. He looked at his house once more, before the carpet slowly rose up once again.

  “Will I ever see you all again?” Litheo asked looking at the elder.

  “You will, but it will be many years.” the elder replied, “You know how badly in need of gifted people the Principality of Muringia is.”

  Litheo looked back once more at the village as the lights slowly faded as he got further away.

  “Here.” the elder said to Litheo as she handed Litheo a stack of papers, “You’ll need these.”

  “Do you still remember how to use your ability?” the elder asked as she made the carpet go faster.

  “No,” Litheo replied trying again.

  “Do not worry about it, the teachers will show you how to activate it,” the elder replied looking at the capital. “Welcome to the city of Derla.”

  Derla was a large city, with four walls. You could say it was around fifty times the size of Braviarth and most of the buildings were made of stone. There was a castle in the middle of the city with red rooftops.

  The elder slowed down the carpet as she finally put it to a halt in front of the school. It was a large stone brick building. The rooftop was blue, and the school was around a hundred and twenty acres in size. Besides the school lay the students’ chambers where they would live for the rest of their stay at the school. The large stone building was eighty acres in size and it was easy to tell that it was old, at least hundreds of years old.

  “This is the start of your new life Litheo, please take care.” the elder smiled.

  “I’ll see you in a few years, elder,” Litheo said forcing a smile. He looked up at the sky as the elder slowly rose the carpet before flying away.

  Tears fell from the elder’s face as she read a letter Litheo had written to his parents, before burning the letter. She wiped her eyes before looking up at the night sky.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more my grandson…” she cast her eyes down at the carpet, “Please keep your eye on him my son from wherever you are…”