Youth

#22 - Existing, apparently

It begins.

00:01.

[Y/n] stared up at Nyais, her eyes big and thankful.  A long sigh escaped her.  She'd made it.  Her pain would be over now.  She would be safe with Nyais.  They, together, stepped into the corridor and stared down it.  All six of the boys stood at the end, staring at her with their own take on the situation.

Laion's eyes were clouded with betrayal, Aytsa's with bereavement.  Seishin stared darkly at the pair, his teeth gritted.  Mitzu looked quite dull; empty.  Draka looked down at himself as though directing the blame inwardly.  Kori stood behind them all, observing coldly.

"What will happen to us, then?" Seishin finally asked.

"You're to spend three days with seniors who have selected you to go through a brief training program before being returned here.  Unlike most of the vampires, you were moved to the suite of a group of elites.  I've convinced the king to let you remain here as you are likely to be moved here regardless in the near future," Nyais explained.

"What does that mean?" Laion questioned, his brow furrowed.

"It means you're the strongest young vampires I've seen in a while," Nyais frowned.  "You'd probably fair well against some of our newest elites already, but I wouldn't recommend rushing into a duel.  Your seniors will explain all of this for you so I don't have to," he shrugged.

"Who will we be with?" Draka put in.

"You and Mitzu will be with Senior Elite Ray.  You're lucky; Ray usually hates young people but you captured his interest," Nyais explained.  "Laion and Aytsa will be... you'll be with Dr. Rayne.  Good luck."  Laion and Aytsa looked at one another - Aytsa seemed excited, Laion seemed concerned.  "Seishin and Kori will be with Senior Elite Kaist," he finished.  "You're also pretty lucky... but Seishin, I should inform you; Kaist is your father.  He has high expectations of you."  Seishin's eyes widened slightly before returning to their usual glaring state.

"Is that all, Nyais?" Seishin responded, spitting Nyais' name like venom.  None of the boys looked at [Y/n].  Their gazes were all murderously focused on Nyais.

He nodded and opened the one door that [Y/n] had never been through before shutting it behind him.

"Wow," was [Y/n]'s first response.

The corridor they stood in was grand.  The walls bore many paintings of many people, all looking glorious and mighty.  A plaque sat under most of them, detailing the person's feats and contributions to vampire society.  The walls were painted a rich, warm purple.  The floor a soft, cranberry red carpet made out of what [Y/n] could only assume was velvet.  Lustrous chandeliers hung from the cream ceiling, illuminating the place.  [Y/n] quickly picked up on the lack of windows.

"Are we underground?" she finally asked.  Nyais nodded.  "How do we breathe?!" she asked in surprise.  A chuckle escaped the brunette beside her.

"Look up there," he said, pointing up to a small crack-looking thing in the ceiling.  There were quite a few of them.  "Air vents."

"Those don't look like any air vents I've ever seen before," [Y/n] laughed.

"That's because they're specifically designed for this place.  I believe Ritou designed them," he hummed.  [Y/n] quirked an eyebrow at the name.  Nyais took her hand and kept her walking.  Her eyes occasionally flicked to the paintings.  Suddenly, she stopped as one caught her eye.  It was of a man with brown hair and purple eyes.  He held two long blades in his hands, standing tall as they sat by his sides.  They were bloodstained but he didn't seem to notice.