Beyond Our World

Chapter 4 - Part 2: Brand New Friend

This chapter is dedicated to pavi260601. For being such an encouraging supporter.

They wore similar attire to each other and walked up the alley with purpose in their steps. Everyone's attention was on them.

I turned to Laenysia with a confused frown on my face. "I don't understand what's up with everyone. Twins are a normal happening."

"Yeah. They are. But for them to be together in this world... No. It's not normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Look around you. Everyone here is someone new to you. And it's the same for them too. Souls Transcending usually don't drift to the same Ascension Holes. And we make sure that family aren't together as that hinders your Enlightenment progress. These two seem to be pretty powerfully wound together to be able to overcome our Soul Sorting Barriers."

They had both reached the table now. Allegra's hand darted out from by her side and shot for a ball-shaped Black Opal. Her brother; Aldrich, aimed for one too, but he just couldn't seem to even graze it's surface.

"I can't touch it!" He loudly whispered in frustration. His sister gave him a look that said "You know what to do." He straightened up his demeanor and calmly took a Pearl of the same size as his sister's gemstone. They raised their palms to Ms Rèagle simultaneously.

She seemed to ponder what she was going to say next. "Here, we have twins! Family and friends are rarely in the same base, and as shown clearly, even they can be in different Houses." She nodded at Allegra. "The first new member..." She paused for dramatic effect. A round of drum-rolls made from body percussion rang through the crowd. "For House DUJARDIN!" Mistress Rèagle smiled at Allegra and looked at the current Dujardins sitting to her back-right.

Everyone clapped loudly, especially the Dujardins who grinned widely.

Allegra simply stood where she was and smiled sweetly before meaningfully glancing at her brother. He was idly rolling around his pearl with his thumb.

Ms Rèagle took her lack of movement in stride. "LaMontagne. Mr Capello." She swiftly uttered into the microphone. He nodded and turned to face his sister. They hugged a farewell and the audience 'awww'ed in response before they parted their opposite ways. Aldrich and Allegra were previously sitting on the outer left edge of the seating area; where the LaMontagnes were now visible. Aldrich seemed to have met them before and greeted them again with a big, bro-hug. Allegra shook hands with a Dujardin girl and a boy from the same House came and led her to her seat by the hand.

"Next is Mister Andrax Rikaro Damori!"

A boy of a dark skin tone and dreadlocks on his head stood up slowly. He had a big and tall frame and the bones in his face were clearly defined. He strode towards the table and stopped short a foot before it. He looked back at someone in the audience.

Raphael flew upwards from where he was sitting and landed next to Andrax. The winged male whispered something into the other boy's ear. The boy nervously nodded and stretched his palm out. A purple-blue Tanzanite carved in the shape of a shell flew to his palm. He caught it with a grunt of surprise. He tensed up, waiting for something to happen but then relaxed when nothing did. He turned to smile at Raphael. Raphael did not return the smile, instead he nodded at the pulsating, glowing stone in the other boy's hand.

Andrax panicked and his body started quivering all over. His open palm shook as his other arm started to rise horizontally. Soon enough, his right arm was perpendicular to the ground and it was aiming at Raphael.

Raphael took out his broadsword from between his shoulder blades, it was hidden by the layers of navy blue feathers. He held it at the ready and adopted a defensive stance.

A crackling torrent of electrified, blue energy poured out from Andrax's palm. It shot towards Raphael. He caught the onslaught of power and sliced clean through it. Wisps of excess electricity sparked in the air near the sword. The sword started to glow blue. Raphael quickly hid it back in its scabbard, tucked under his feathers.

Andrax weakly lowered his arm and bent over his knees. He was breathing heavily.

"Do you need some assistance, Andrax?" Asked the Headmaster with concern and a furrow between her brows.

He swung his head left and right, still hunched over. Raphael came over and helped him upright. He then clapped him on the back and whispered "LaMer." to Ms Rèagle.

"LaMer it is then."

Andrax smiled tiredly at the Headmistress and, with Raphael's help, walked over to the right. They were coming through our row. Andrax sheepishly smiled at everyone he passed in the row. Only a few smiled back. I was one of the few. He paused when he got to Laenysia though.

"Can I touch her?" He tentatively asked.

"How did you know she was a her?" I asked, rather surprised.

"She feels like a her."

"Oh. Well. If you want to pet her, you're going to have to ask her yourself."

He angled his body to face Laenysia. "Can I feel your fur?"

"Of course!" Laenysia barked cheerfully.

Andrax stood open-mouthed for a second or two before grinning widely like a Cheshire cat.

He stroked the fur along her head and scruff while he spoke. "I used to have a fox that talked to me. I didn't tell anyone though. Because she didn't talk to me anymore and when I left my home, she left too."

I looked at Raphael and Laenysia wide-eyed. Could this fox Andrax is talking about be Tallarine? Could she have watched him grow into a young man? I doubted Tallarine could care enough about anyone to do that.

"Did she-the fox I mean. Did she seem a little...different? Did she talk to you out loud? Or in your head?" I asked, a little interrogatively.

[The end of Part 2. Chapter 4 will be further continued in Part 3.]