RED HORIZON (Heliocite Saga #1)

𝕋ℍℝ𝔼𝔼

Solari Year 1578

    "Focus, Ren!"

    A group of students sat in a semicircle on a worn-out oriental rug, watching as their peer struggled to complete the puzzle. With his palms extended in front of him and his brow creased in determination, he floated a rope and three rings aloft. To complete the puzzle he needed to pass the rope through all three rings and tie it into a knot.

Seri leaned forward and watched in earnest with her chin resting on her fists. It was a difficult task and required immense concentration. The boy tried again and she watched the rope pass through the first ring, then the second, but miss the third. He scowled and backed the rope up before successfully passing the rope through the third ring. The students gave a hushed cheer. No one wanted to distract him.

"Good!" Naomi, a tall and thin, yet athletic woman with a shaved head and sharp features, was the teacher of the day's class.  She circled Ren and kept an attentive eye on his work. "Now the knot."

Seri felt pride swell in her chest as she watched Naomi with the other students. Last year, the fierce warrioress had gone from Seri's adopted guardian to her personal mentor. And even in such a short amount of time, Seri had already learned so much.

The lessons were tough, there was no disputing that. Sometimes the two of them would spend hours studying in the garden until Seri's vision blurred and the words all mixed together on the page. But she knew how important doing things the right way was. The traditions needed to be honored and a slip up on an assignment could cost lives.

Not to mention, Naomi had so much faith in her. It would crush Seri to let her down.

Ren brought the two ends of the rope slowly together, his face scrunching up. This was the hardest part. It required Ren to not only hold all four objects aloft at once, but to also have enough dexterity to accurately tie the knot. Seri watched as the ropes slid against one another, anticipation mounting.

Then out of the corner of her eye, a shadow appeared in the doorway. She turned to see Elijah leaning in the entry, his arms crossed and a stormy look darkening his features. Ren must have noticed him too because the rings and rope fell to the ground with a clang.

"Don't let distractions break your concentration like that!" Naomi chastised, shooting a glare at Elijah for interrupting.

"I apologize, Mentor Naomi," Ren said and bent forward in respect.

She sighed and shook her head. "Alright. That's enough for the day. Go eat."

The students didn't need to be told twice. All except for Seri jumped up and scattered from the room, grateful for a break. Naomi addressed the figure in the door.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't interrupt my teachings, Elijah."

"It's past noon, Naomi, I thought you would be finished." His voice was tired. He wasn't looking to pick a fight.

Naomi hummed in annoyance, but didn't argue. She started to clean up the scrolls spread half-hazardly about the table at the head of the room, rolling them up with care so they could be put back into the library. Seri jumped up to help.

"What's wrong?" Naomi asked. "Is he being an issue again?"

Elijah scrubbed his hand over his face. "I don't know what else I can do, Naomi. He has such potential but he's just not listening."

'He' meaning Azariah. Seri couldn't help but overhear. This was a common topic of discussion between the two. Ever since Elijah had taken Azariah on as an apprentice two years ago, he had been struggling to teach him. Azariah took only private lessons, as the few group lessons he had been included in turn to disaster. Seri had heard the stories. Once, he had managed to light a curtain on fire and nearly burnt down the entire classroom.