As a single group, the freshly evolved novices rode the same platform as it ascended back up the tower. Excited chatter filled the space as most discussed their concepts and skills, some already even proclaiming the glory they would achieve in the future. Others spoke of the business they could open with their skills and there was even some speaking of leaving Venilar all together to travel to another city.

  “So how long do you reckon you will need to train with your skills?” Chen asked casually while staring up into the long tower as they rose past each alcove.

  Andro thought about for a moment, truly considering and calculating how long he actually needed before answering, “If I am wanting to be smart about this, I would estimate roughly a month,” He stated, then turning a grin towards the young man, “But that could be cut short with some help.”

  Chen looked back down and towards him, a similar grin on his face, “That sounds like it could be fun sandman.”

  Andro couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head at the terrible nickname. His own gaze went up to examine the various statues as they made their way back up. The journey took just as long going up as it did going down, but he couldn’t help but feel as if it took longer as he contemplated what it meant that his concepts were mostly different. He still engaged with Chen however, the two discussing possible training methods and what they believed to be the most effective.

  During this, Andro discovered that Chen had actually come here by himself as his uncle was too busy keeping their inn running. Andro had asked him about it, but the young man shrugged it off as if it wasn't anything important.

  “Yeah, he would have loved to be here, but the inn is pretty much all we have for income,” He explained, a sad but warm smile on his face, “Me and my uncle are all we have left, but he trusts me to be careful. As long as I can get a message back to him before dark it will be fine.”

  “I’m sure my family can easily get a message sent” Andro nodded, “What's the name of the Inn?”

  “You don't have to do that” Chen shook his head, slight concern crossing his features

  “But I can and I should” came the reply followed by a chuckle, “Don’t worry, I'm not trying to buy your friendship or anything. It's only the polite thing to do. Just don't treat me like I am going to break like dry clay and we will be great friends.”

  “Will you?” Chen frowned

  “No” Andor let out a disgruntled sigh only to see the smile on Chen's face.

  “Then he sounds like a deal” he said holding out his hand, “You don’t bribe me and I hit you like you're a sturdy wall.”

  The two shared a laugh as they clasped hands and shook, solidifying their new friendship. A few moments later the platform came to a smooth stop, the doorway leading outside practically right next to the two new companions. With nothing but confidence, the entire group of fresh novices filed out with Andro and Chen at the lead, exuding confidence.

  Andro’s proud smile faltered briefly upon seeing his family as he remembered his last choosing day. He remembered the hint of disappointment he saw cross their faces upon hearing he failed to awaken any divination capable concepts. However, this time he knew it was different, as he quite literally had the concept of time, but now he wasn’t sure what they would think of his Sin concept.

  His family on the other hand was waving excitedly, well his sister and father were waving excitedly while his Mother stood proper and professional. She had an image to uphold after all, but that failed to stop the beaming smile on her face and the gentle wave she gave. The display provided by his father and sister were more than enough to catch the eye of multiple other families as they gave confused glances. Some of the confusion was directed towards Chen, which was understandable considering everyone had seen them all arrive, and the fact Chen looked nothing like him.

  “Well don’t keep us waiting,” His father exclaimed clapping him on the shoulder, nearly buckling Andros legs from the force, “Tell us what you got”

  Andro kept a smile on his face and doing his best to not wince from the force, but his family seemed to catch on to something and visibly calmed themselves, his mother taking a step forward and asking, “Is everything all right little An?” Her softer hand gently placed on his other shoulder in a comforting manner. “Are you having another attack?”

  This drew a confused, as well as concerned, look from Chen but Andro was already shaking his head as he answered, “No Mother I am not, I am perfectly all right. Better than ever actually.”

  “Then what is causing you concern?” She asked, looking him directly in the eyes with a small frown, her public image completely tossed aside in favor of the love she held for her children.

  Andro took a deep breath, deciding that it would be better to just get this done and over with. The longer he drew it out, the more everyone would worry.

  ”My concepts are [Sin], [Blood], and [Time]” he practically blurted out before he could stop himself.

  “Time?” his mother repeated, excitement clear on her features, at the same time his father exclaimed “Sin?” with a hint of concern.

  His sister just stood there with a smirk on her face, probably because if Andro remembered correctly, she just won the bet. In the meantime he gave both of his parents looks that practically screamed ‘can we discuss this elsewhere?’

  Leandra cleared her throat and composed herself before speaking in a more professional tone, “You truly possess the concept of [Time]? That is something worth a major celebration. For which of your aspects is it tied to?” Despite the more professional tone, her words came quicker with each one spoken, her excitement more obvious than ever.

  “I can give you all the details in the carriage Mother” He stated while glancing around and seeing more than a few people and families interested in his parents outburst. “Also, I would like to invite my friend Chen to join us. We have been discussing joining the league together and figured training together with our skills would be more than beneficial towards that.”

  Leandra’s darted around, assumingly seeing the same thing Andro had noticed, before they settled on Chen. For Chen's part, he maintained his composure, his shirt stayed on, and gave Leandra a polite bow. “It would be my honor to accompany your family and train with your son Lady Maxon."

  She observed him for a brief moment before smiling and giving him a nod. “If you are to be a friend of my son, who am I to deny you. I would be more than pleased if you were to join us in our home and even stay for dinner.”

  Chen gave Andro a nervous look at the abruptness of Leandra, but received a subtle reassuring nod then replied, “I would love to, Lady Maxon. I would just need to get word to my uncle so he is aware of where I am.”

  “Wonderful” She said with a joyful clap and bright smile, “And don't worry dear, a message can easily be arranged to be delivered. Just tell me where it needs to go and consider it done.”

  Chen looked a little taken aback but collected himself and answered, “We run an inn called the Tipsy Stool that is located at the border of where the crafters district meets the grove.”

  “I know that place” Kayla piped up, giving a satisfied look to the surprised Chen as if she just figured something out. “I thought you looked familiar. There's a guy on my team, Mack, who goes there almost every morning claiming they have the best honey and coffee this side of Venilar.”

  Talking about the inn’s good reputation seemed to break the ice on Chen’s nervousness towards Andro’s family as he replied with a smile, “Uncle has lost count how many times people have tried to buy his secrets, that or how many people he has had to fire because they were sent to steal them. That's actually why he couldn’t make it today as his last employee had been sent from an inn near the southern wall.”

  “Since you are familiar with it, would you mind handling the matter of the message Kayla?” Leandra asked, glancing over at her daughter and getting a nod of confirmation. “Excellent, now shall we make our way to the carriage? I want to hear all the details”

  They all made their way out of the sanctuary and climbed inside the Maxon's carriage, Chen nervously sitting next to Kayla. Thankfully for him, the trip back was much quicker as all the streets weren't crowded by those heading to the beacon sanctuary. During the trip, Andro explained his ceremony to his family and doing his best to answer their questions. While they displayed a minor concern towards his concept of [Sin], it was more than drowned out by the excitement they held for his [Time] concept. Upon arriving at the modest manor, they were greeted by the family butler, Bran, along with Cecelia. Neither one of them even batted an eye at the fact they came home with an extra person, that person in question looked around in obvious confusion.

  “Let me guess, not as grand as you were expecting?” He asked, chuckling at the confused disappointment on his friend's face.

  Chen nodded absently but soon answered saying, "Don't get me wrong, I’m not disappointed by what I see, it's just with your family's reputation…” he trailed off, almost as if he was afraid to continue.

  “Do not be afraid to speak your mind young Chen” Leandra spoke up as she fell into step beside them. “Despite the common expectation many seem to have for those considered Nobles,” she said the word nobles as if it was slightly sour, “We Maxon's pride ourselves in keeping our homestead and overall wealth modest in comparison.” She explained while gesturing around at the simple courtyard that sat before a simple looking two story manor.

  “Not to be rude lady Maxon, but I heard you guys are given a lot of coin and other gifts whenever you perform your services for the city.” Chen said nervously, looking ready to make a run for it.

  Leandra only laughed heartily then answered with a dismissive wave, “They do indeed, but what isn't commonly talked about is how the majority of what we are given is turned right back around to be given to the people, such as the caravan guard, or the wall wardens. Yes we maintain enough wealth to live rather comfortably, that I won't deny, but that is all we keep.”

  Andro was nodding along with what his mother was explaining and even gestured toward where Bran and Cecelia had moved ahead to the manor’s doors, “They, and our carriage driver Shaun, are the only ones working in our home that we pay for out of pocket.” he explained, then pointed at the few guards that could be seen patrolling the simple stone fence surrounding the property. “The guards were a gift from the council, and are even paid directly by the city to protect us.” He pointed to the manor itself, “The few cooks we have were another gift by the restaurant the Gilded Hen when my Mother helped them avoid a complete crisis that would have permanently shut them down.”

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  Chen's eyes were wide as the rest of his expression showed contemplation as he examined the home with a new perspective.

  “However, that doesn’t mean we don't have enough room in the backyard for training. It is a bit bigger than the front.” Andro mentioned to pull his friends' attention back.

  “Pardon me if this question sounds rude,” He started hesitantly, nervousness clear in his body language, “But why do you limit yourself this way? From the way you explain it, it sounds like you go out of your way to be overly rich.”

  At the question everyone present, excluding Chen, burst out laughing which startled the young man. He looked from each of the Maxon family members obviously concerned he said something he wasn't supposed to. Leandra was the first one to speak up, “We do it because of our ancestor Gregorin Maxon, who we consider our founder.” She gestured toward the lone statue that rested off to the side of the cobbled path. The statue was of simple design, carved from white stone and depicted a life sized version of an older gentleman resting comfortably on a bench.

  “When he neared the final years of his life, he consumed what remained of his life to provide an extra surge of power to perform a complicated divination ritual focused on the family.” Andro explained as they examined the statue while passing by.

  “What he revealed was not much, as he passed on right after speaking,” Leandra picked back up, “His message was simple but easier to interpret. Through modesty, the Maxon name shall thrive for greed shall be its downfall”

  “I suppose that would make sense” Chen nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face, “I would listen if an old powerful seer told me what to avoid.”

  That statement brought out another fit of laughter from the family as they made their way inside the home, and once again confusing the young man. Andro was the one to speak up this time, saving his friend from further torment.

  “I have lost count how many times Grandmother has given warnings about greed, only for them to be ignored.” He explained, then paused within the home's front hall, his gaze going up to the second floor as his joyful demeanor faded.

  “Is everything all right?” Chen noticed the shift in Andro’s demeanor.

  “Yeah” he replied absently, gaze locked onto the door that led into the library, "everything's good, I just realized I should speak to my Grandmother, tell her my concepts. Bran?” He said, turning to face the older elf who stood stoically nearby.

  “What is it you need young Andro?” Bran in his rich melodic voice and stepping closer.

  “Would you mind showing my friend Chen where we keep all the training gear and get him set up. I need to speak with Grandmother for a moment” Andro said.

  “Of course young Andro,” Bran answered with a short bow, “Come along Young Chen, Perhaps Miss Kayla would be willing to spar with you.”

  With that, Andro made his way up the stairs as Bran led a horrified looking Chen away. His mother and father had already disappeared into the house, more than likely her office to work. Kayla had also separated early to make sure that message had got sent, but Andro had no doubt she would find her way outside as Bran suggested.

  Just as he expected, he did find Grandmother inside the home's library sitting on her favorite chair. The only difference this time was that her chair had been moved to the balcony that overlooked the rear of the house, providing a good look of the backyard. He sat down next to her and simply observed for a moment as Bran was taking Chen to the storage shed.

  “What troubles you young Andro?” Grandmother asked after a long moment of silence and without looking up from her book.

  Androlis leaned back in his chair with a groan, then sighed before eventually answering her, “Things are different Grandmother.”

  “That is to be expected” She chuckled, placing a marker in her book before gently closing it and setting it down on the stack that rested next to her. “You should know that if you paid attention to any of my lessons. What paths the future follows is determined by the choices made, unless you are going about this day exactly the same as you did before, why would things be the same?”

  “I remember your lessons Grandmother, and I understand,” He responded with a nod, “and I expected things to be different, but this…” he trailed off while looking down at his chest.

  “Then tell this old woman what is so different it has you worried” she said looking over at him, “And I don’t mean the boy down there, I can already tell this was not his original path” she chuckled

  He gave another long pause, as he stared up at the cloudy sky before giving his answer.

  “My concepts are different” He said simply, finding no other way to put it.

  “Oh?” came the somewhat surprised reply, interest and curiosity clear in her voice. “How much did they change young Andro?”

  “My original concepts were [Justice], [Blood], and [Pain]” he told Grandmother, her head nodding along.

  “An interesting combination” She mused, “Considering your upbringing, as well as your condition I suppose it would make sense to get them. Tell me, how much did they change?”

  “I now have [Sin], [Blood], and [Time]” he stated, finally bringing his eyes back down to face her as she hummed in both surprise and contemplation at his answer.

  After a pause she said, “I wouldn’t worry too much about it” while giving a shake of her head. He flinched back in surprise at the casualness of her answer and was going to say something but was cut off by her, “I can see how they would make for a powerful combination, Time by itself would make anyone think twice about what you could do. Not to mention I'm sure Leandra was more than thrilled at hearing you have it.” She cackled and gave him a warm smile.

  His mouth opened and closed a few times, his mind attempting to process her words and actions. Eventually words were able to break free from his stupor, “Why should I not worry?” he asked, disbelief clear in his tone, "Someone's concepts represent who they are as a person, so If mine changed, what does that mean for me? Not to mention I have Sin of all things.”

  “While it is true they represent us” She started with a thoughtful nod, “But they don’t define us. And so what if you have Sin? You say that like it's a bad thing.” She gave out another cackle, ignoring the confusion on his face. “Listen young Andro, I can see why you think you should be upset, but your concepts being different is not a bad thing. Especially if you have lived as long as you said you did before coming back.” She met his gaze, her warm and kind smile back on her face, ensuring she held his full attention.

  “The concepts revealed to us by the Beacons are not decided from the moment we are born, they change and shift as we grow and live. Sometimes extreme, or intense singular moments in our lives can define one of our concepts.” She explained, her tone partially taking on her teacher's voice. “What the Beacons reveal to us is what our current is, what currently represents us as a person, not who we are meant to be.”

  Androlis sat there for a long moment, contemplating her words and finding what she said made a good deal of sense. If it was true then what he had now would make sense considering his actions.

  “I believe I understand Grandmother” He said softly, nodding mostly to himself, “I find having the concept of Sin to still be a little uncomfortable, but I think I see the point.” He explained while thinking over what it meant to have that concept.

  At first, most would hear the word sin and instantly think of the act of committing a sin, but deep down he knew. What he felt as well as saw during his evolution about what it meant to truly be connected to Sin. To be part of Sin was more than just committing them, it could be about finding those who sinned, preventing or even reversing sinful acts. To have a concept, to be connected to it is to be a part of everything that makes it what it is.

  “It looks like you are beginning to understand,” Grandmother said with that same knowing smile she gave whenever she knew she was right, “You are the one who decides what your concepts mean to you, what kind of power you can gain from them. And you are the one who decides what to do with that power.”

  Androlis sat there for a moment, Grandmother's words swimming around in his mind as he processed every word. Eventually he took a deep breath, feeling as if an immense weight had just been lifted from his shoulders as he said, “Thank you Grandmother. This has been weighing on me and your words have helped me find clarity.”

  “There is no thanks needed young Andro” She waved him off, her smile still present, “Now run along, your young friend looks terrified.” She chuckled before reaching over to the stack and retrieving her book.

  Androlis looked down from the balcony and indeed saw a terrified looking Chen barely avoiding the powerful swings of an over eager Kayla as she swung around the large wooden sword. A chuckle escaped his lips as a smile made itself known as he watched the spectacle. With a final goodbye to his Grandmother he made his way back through the library, down the stairs and finally out the back door.

  “Stop tormenting him” He called out with an amused grin, just as the young aspiring martial artist barely ducked under another swing and quickly crawled out of range.

  Kayla stopped swinging and let the wooden blade rest on the grass, “I'm not tormenting him, I'm testing him.” she said with full seriousness.

  “Testing what? The fear of your reputation?” he asked only to quickly dance backwards when the blade came up towards him.

  “If you must know, coordination and reflexes” She grumbled, bringing the blade back to rest on her shoulder as Andro circled around to the shed.

  Chen nervously stood up and moved over to try and keep Andro between him and Kayla.

  “It is my sworn duty as your older sister, that if anyone is to be on your Mettle League team, that they are worthy of being there. No pushover accepted.” she stated, which prompted a gulp from Chen.

  “Relax Kayla, Chen will have no problems meeting your standards, few people work as hard as he does.” Andro said dismissively. Chen looked between the two siblings and shrugged.

  Kayla looked between the two young men and let out a sigh as she planted the tip of her blade into the grass. “Fine, but I am still designating myself as the official instructor for the two of you for the time being. If you are serious about the league, I want to make sure you are ready for it.”

  Chen looked at Andro with a bit of worry, who was still in the shed, to which Andro gave a grin.

  “Works for me Kayla” He called out, “We wanted to get some practice in with our skills anyways before attempting the exam. Figured we could try in maybe two weeks or so.”

  Kayla burst out laughing and it took her a few moments before she was able to get out “That's not happening.” As she shook her head, her tight ponytail whipping back and forth.

  Andro frowned at his sister’s antics but waited for her to calm down.

  “You do know how applying to the league works don't you?” She asked, a cheeky grin on her face.

  He wanted to tell her he knew exactly how it worked considering he has already done it before, but decided only giving a half truth would be best.

  “Don’t you just go in and take a written test then pay a small fee?” he asked, recalling what his process was last time, but got another head shake from Kayla.

  “That may be how it works if you graduate from the college first with excellent marks” She replied, causing him to mentally facepalm. She held up three fingers as she continued speaking, “There are three parts to the Mettle Leagues entrance exam. The skill test, the written test, and finally the Practical test.” Both Andro and Chen were listening intently now, Andro even partially forgetting what he was doing in the shed and stepping into the doorway. “The first two can be done in either order, but both must be passed before you can take the practical test. However it is usually the practical test that determines if you can join or not.”

  “Then what's the point of the first two then?” Chen asked, curiosity overwriting his previous nervousness towards Kayla.

  “Simple” She started, turning towards him and faltering, with confusion on her face upon seeing Chen somehow shirtless. “When did you…?” She trailed off before shaking her head, “Anyways, as I was saying the first two tests are what the League utilizes to determine if someone is ready for the practical test.”

  “So if you fail either the skill test, or the written test, you can't take the practical test?” Chen asked, nervousness worming its way back onto his features.

  “That is correct” Kayla said, before catching on to his nervousness

  “Do you know how to read and write?” Andro asked before his sister could.

  “Mostly” He hesitantly replied while looking between the two. “I help Uncle a lot with the Inn and he has been teaching me, but it's mostly limited to names and numbers.”

  Kayla had a small frown as she tapped her chin, her gaze shifting over to the back of the house. “It's not ideal, but we can work with that. Bran is an excellent instructor when it comes to that kind of stuff. We should be able to organize lessons between training sessions.”

  “You guys don’t…” Chen started to say looking panicked

  “Too late” Kayla cut him off, “If you are serious about supporting my brother and being his friend, I am going to make sure you are the best version of yourself that you can be.”

  Chen still looked as if he was going to protest some more on the subject, but a quick glare from Kayla had him closing his mouth with a gulp and nodding in acceptance.

  “Now, to continue what we were talking about, the practical exam will be the most important part of the entire joining process,” She explained, her demeanor returning to normal and almost educational, “The purpose of it is to see how you can handle performing actual jobs for the league, and to do this you will be paired with an established team who will essentially be your guides. They will take you to undergo an official registered job to observe and report your capabilities.”

  Andro furrowed his brow at hearing that, his mind already seeing a potential flaw that could be used against them, so he voiced his concern, “What if the team is biased?”

  Kayla gave him a look that seemed to say ‘well done’ but answered quickly. “As far as I have learned, the league has ways of choosing teams that reduce that chance. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s not something that happens often.” She explained before giving a quick clap of her hands and taking her sword back up, “Enough talk, lets see what your skills can do.”