A Warden's Tale

Chapter 1 - Rude Awakening

Caellum Pontus Vettore

Another boring day. Though I don't hate it to be exact. I wake up, attend school and then go home. It's a normal routine for me.

I get to enjoy the normal things in life, perks of being the second son of the Vettore family.

My family holds the black seat or the seat of the abyss in the Council of Five since time immemorial. While the other four seats has seen numerous change of owners.

The council of five is the governing body of the wardens. To get a seat, one must challenge the current owner of the seat through battle or through hereditary means. This ensures that a council member is a cut above the rest.

Each seat represents a region. The black seat represents Europe, The white seat represents North America, The green seat represents South America, The gray seat represents Asia and the red seat represents Africa.

The Lord of the Abyss is my father, the current holder of the black seat, Dino Radix Vettore.

His heir, my older brother, is Cyrus Arcus Vettore. He is known as Appollonius for his prowess in the bow.

As for my mother, no one really knows who she is, my father doesn't discuss about her and her whereabouts.

As the second son, I am not forced to go to events usually required of in my family. My father just lets me be since I am not the heir.

Don't get him wrong though. He is a loving parent who dotes on his children whenever he has a chance. He just knows that I hate the politics.

My only duties are to train in the ways of the warden and eventually support my brother when he becomes the Lord of the abyss.

I attend a normal school here in Florence, Italy. I just started my first year in senior high and I can say I live a pretty normal student life.

People in my school always stares at me whenever I arrive at school. My father says its because I look devilishly handsome but my childhood friend, Stella Van den Burgh, tells me that its because of my four warden bodyguards that accompanies me.

It also didn't help when I brought my classmates for a group project in our Manor. They were batshit scared because of the wardens guarding thr whole area.

A rumor about me suddenly spread like wildfire. The gist of it is I am a son of a mafia leader. After that, no one approached me except for my childhood friends for fear of getting involved with the mafia.

I don't actually care though. Being liked is the least of my worries. I only care about the people close to me, which is my 4 childhood friends.

First is Stella Van den Burgh, she's that stereotypical nerd who's a know it all. She's a blonde beauty though. She's tall, blue eyes, wears glasses and usually has biting remarks whenever I talk to her.

Her family's an old line that is situated in England. She was brought here at a young age to train under my father.

Second is Aleksander Augustyn, he's kind of the silent type. He can be described as smart, decisive and loyal. He has raven hair, black eyes and a fearsome feature.

He is the last of the fearsome Augustyn family due to a sickness that ravaged his home when he was 10. He came from Poland.

Third is Gunther Rosenfeld. He's a playboy and probably the strongest amongst us when it comes to physical prowess. He has blonde hair, green eyes and is muscularly built.

His family, the Rosenfeld is a prominent warden family situated in berlin, germany.

The fourth and last is Luciana Orsini. I guess she's that popular girl that everyone adores. Auburn hair, brown eyes and hot, I guess?

The Orsini family is based in Rome and is treated as the closest advisers to the Vettore family.

They all live with me in our manor for the convenience of training except for Luciana who owns an estate near ours.

After a month in senior high, I thought I would be able to graduate without a hitch. I guess it was only wishful thinking.

One evening my father came home with grief stricken eyes while Stella, Aleksander, Gunther and me was taking a rest after warden training in the living room.

My father was usually jolly and it bothered me a lot when he strode with those sad eyes to the living room.

I was holding my breath, heck everyone was on edge till he spoke the three words that will forever alter my life.

"Cyrus is dead."