Trilay

Chapter One

Ben could feel the wind tugging in his purplish black hair, as he watched the familiar landscape pass by. Thinking about how this was maybe the last time he would see the wheat fields he loved so much. Ben toured his gaze from the window and landed on his mother. Sitting in the driver seat with both hands on the wheel of the rental car, and her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Her head bubbling slightly to the music playing on the stereo. Even though all cars in this day and age was self-driving, Ben's mother, Aliana said she preferred to drive herself. Self-driving cars had been normalized for more than 20 years, but Aliana had grown up without one and had said that quote 'I like driving, if I didn't want to drive I would take the train'. Ben didn't find a problem in that, he also liked when his mother was driving. It was just something different when she was driving and not the AI.

Aliana looked to the side as if she had felt her son's gaze on her. She smiled at Ben, but soon softened when she noticed her son's slight depressed mood. "Come on Ben! Aren't you excited. Not many people have the chance to experience what we are about to," she said cheerfully. Her gray eyes sparkling with excitement. Ben not as existed hummed looking out of the window. They had passed the farmlands and made it out on the highway. "I understand that you will miss your grandparents, friends, and anything familiar, but cheer up! It's not like you will never see them again and we can go visit in the holiday. Think of this as an extradentary adventure only you and I will experience," Aliana continued. Ben didn't answer and kept his attention out the window on the wasteland along the highway.

His mothers idee of adventure was moving across the globe, to a country they knew very little about and with a completely different language. Luckily was his grandma was from there and he had been speaking the language since young age. And when he says that she is from there. He means is that she was born there but moved when she was five. They had kept the language in the family, but not much else. That's why it was important that her grandchildren learned the only thing left of her family heritage. But, back to his mother's decision to move. She did all that for a man. Yeah, not kidding. She met him around two years ago and apparently they had 'instantly clicked'. He was in Arikan, the country Ben's from, for a business trip and met Aliana under a three-day conference. They had kept in contact and four months later he was back on another business trip. He and Ben's mother had been back and forth in a long distant relationship and meeting up when he was in Arikan. Ben's mother had not mentioned the relationship to her son before after it had been a year. She was a bit worried how Ben would reacting to her moving on after all these years. Aliana had sat her son down and told him about her new boyfriend. Ben, despite his mom's worries, was happy for her. But he wasn't delighted to hear that the man whose name was Noriera Arxiro lived in Centealia. Noriera was his surname as in Centealia they introduced themself their last name then first name.

Mr. Noriera had proposed to Aliana half a year ago and she had said yes. After discussing for a long time, they had found it the best to move to Centealia. Because Mr. Noriera had an established and successful career in Centealia, and his oldest son was beginning his last year in high school. On top of that they had a family house that they couldn't really leave. That against Aliana's rental apartment and the fact that Ben was switching schools anyway as he was starting high school. The company Aliana worked for also had a branch office in Centealia, so she easily could transfer over. All this ended in the decision of Aliana and Ben moving. Her and Mr. Noriera agreed to wait to the winter to get married so they some time to settle in and get the two families to get familiar with each other.

Because the two families had never actually met each other. The first time Ben had talked to his future stepfather was this Christmas over the phone. The expensive piece of technology resting on his wrist, a Reon watch, was evidence of that. Not just was it Reon technology, it was a N.O.R.I watch, and the latest type, the N.R.U7-X on top of that. The watch was worth tens of thousands. Coming back to school after the new years with an N.O.R.I on his wrist made him the center of attention. Talk about bribing for acceptance from his future step-father.

After over a day of traveling they were finally in Centealia. As they walked out the airport the hot air hit Ben in the face. The sun was standing low in the sky, casting a beautiful light over landscape. Ben and his mother looked around, before hearing some yelling them over. "Aliana, Ben! Over her". Towards them came a tall man waving to get their attention. "Arxiro!" Aliana yelled back and started walking faster. When they were close enough, she lunged herself into to his arms. Mr. Noriera caught her and pulled her into a hug.

As Ben now looked at him closely he could see even clearer just how handsome Mr. Noriera was. He was tall, like almost two meters high. He was well-built with broad shoulders and long legs. He had blond hair and blue eyes, something very rare. Mr. Noriera was the first human Ben had talked to with blond hair. He had seen people with the hair color in pictures before, but never in real life. Even if the blond hair stood out, the most striking thing about him was the black leather fingerless gloves that only covered the back of his left hand and pinky finger. A sign that meant only one thing, that his level was so high he was an elite or higher. Wearing such a glove on only the left hand had an historic meaning, but in newer times their were more of a status symbol and was basically required by law around the world. Why? Ben wasn't sure.

"Ben! Come here and greet Arxiro" Ben heard his mother say in Ariken.

"Yeah, coming" He answered.

"I am sorry about him" Aliana said to Mr. Noriera in Centoli.

"It's alright. I can understand that it can be a lot for him" Mr. Noriera said with a warm smile. Ben walked over to them dragging his suitcase. Most of their belongings was either thrown away or were shipped off with a moving company who did international moving. With them on the plane was just the essentials that they would need for the next couple days before the rest of their belongings came.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Noriera. My name is Ben Lennoi" Ben said in Centoli, while stretching out his hand offering a handshake. Mr. Noriera took his hand and shook it with his own. "Pleasure finally meeting you in person. And please call me Arxiro or father" Mr. Noriera said.

"Okay, Arxiro then"

"Well, we should properly get going. My car is over there" Arxiro said. And with that we moved towards the back car that was parked by the sidewalk. Ben couldn't recognize the foreign brand, but the car looked expensive. Ben suspicion of Arxiro being very rich became even more prominent than before.

They made their way over to the car. Arxiro put the luggage in the trunk as his mother sat in the front and Ben sat in the back. As the car began driving his mother and Arxiro started a light conversation. Ben however looked out the window watching the foreign country pass by. He had never been outside of Arikan. Growing up in the countryside his family had never had much money. His mother being a single mother didn't help either. They had lived in a rented two-bedroom apartment in a town named Irton. Irton was a small town surrounded by fields and farmland. The town was located on the west coast and had the ocean within a 30-minute drive. His grandparents lived on a farm right by the water were he would spend his entire summer while his mother was working. He wasn't too worried, but it would definitely take some time before he adjusted to living in a big city.

"I believe this will be the first time you meet Xirce" Arxiro said, making Ben turning into his mother's and Arxiro's conversation. Xirce was Arxiro's eldest son who was two years older than Ben. And apparently, he was so busy that he never time to talk to them when they would talk to each other over the phone. Meaning they had never meet him, which is strange for someone who was going to be Ben's step-brother. Ben had a suspicion that Xirce wasn't too happy about the engagement, for what he had heard about the guy, had he gather that he took his mother's death pretty hard and was still not over it.

"I do apologies though. He doesn't mean anything harmful, but he just never got over his mom's passing. It made he a little quiet and he isn't so.. fond of people to begin with" Arxiro continued.

"No, don't worry. I don't mind, I can understand that it can be a big change with his father remarrying and getting another brother" Aliana, Ben's mom, said.

"Thank you for understanding. I just hope we will all get along" Arxiro said putting a hand Aliana's thigh. There was a moment of silence before they finally reached the city of Cyrick. It was the second largest city after the capital in Centealia. Dubbed the city of technology and advancement. For Ben it was almost like stepping into the future. The architecture, the infrastructure, and the technology were all incredible and beautiful. All of the cars were hovering over the ground without tires. Holograms were flaying though the sky and all signs were screens, making them easy to change.