3rd POV:
Samael's eyes open to the sun shining through his window. He looks around, seeing his familiar cluttered room covered in notes and scribbles. "Only 10 more days." Samael thinks to himself. "Only 10 more days, and I'll finally be able to start Body Refinement." The boy got up from the small bed and grabbed his black robe, which was gifted to him by the caretaker of this small orphanage. It's a beautiful robe, deep black and covered in golden embroideries in the shape of flower vines.
As the boy, who looked no older than 14, was getting ready, a mature voice called for him from outside the room. "Come out, Samael. Breakfast is ready," the voice said. Yes, Miss Caretaker," Samael answered. The voice belonged to Sarah Starborn, the orphanage's caretaker and owner. Samael finishes getting ready and comes out of the room, seeing Sarah turn around the corner to get the other children ready for breakfast. I start to walk towards the stairs when I hear someone call my name. "Samael!! Awake already?" the person says. I turn around and see the familiar face of my best and only friend, Augustus, smiling widely at me, his deep emerald green eyes holding a glimmer of mischief. "Hey Aug, sleep well?" Samael says to Augustus. "I slept great, Mael." Augustus's short blonde hair was still ruffled from his sleep, wearing the same black robe all the older children in the orphanage wear. "How nice. I was up all night again reading through the notes from Miss Caretaker's class on the Awakening."
The two boys take their seats at the breakfast table as more and more children begin flooding the dining hall. Around one hundred children, ranging from just 4 years old to 17, found their seats and began chatting with their friend groups. The loud chattering of children filled the hall as they waited for the food to be brought out by the caretaker. The melodious voice of Sarah Starborn carried out into the room. "Alright, children, say your prayers now so you can eat." As the children did their silent morning prayers, Sarah's voice took over the room once more: "O Gerald, Supreme Spinner of Truth, who loopeth without end, who redeemeth without cooldown, I come before Thee, a humble chatter in the sacred channel. Bless me with Your GIFs, redeem me with Your mercy, let my lag be few and my emotes plentiful. For Yours is the stream, the timing, and the holy overlay, forever and ever, fishfishfish." The soothing voice of Sarah carried the prayer throughout the large hall, letting all hear it. She looked neat as ever in her pristine white robe that glimmered like the night sky, walking around and making sure all the children had enough food for the meal.
Later that day, Samael and Augustus go out to train their bodies like they always do. They reach the clearing a few miles out from Akasi village and begin their routine. They start by running a few laps around the clearing as a warm-up and then go into pushing the large boulders across the clearing. The boys rest for a few minutes before going into simple bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats, and pull-ups, using the nature around them as training tools. As the hours pass and the two boys reach the end of their routine, they rest once more before going into their separate stances and preparing for some sparring.
Augustus, ever the hothead, goes in for the attack first. He throws a punch, aiming for Samael's sternum. Samael rapidly twists his body, moving out of the way. The smaller boy grabbed with his left hand at Augustus' wrist in an attempt to immobilize him, narrowly missing and instead hitting Augustus' elbow. The two retreats from each other to catch their breath before going back into the fight. "You've gotten better, Aug." Samael says, dodging out of the way from another punch. Augustus throws a forward kick towards Samael's thigh, which Samael counters by moving his leg back. Samael uses the momentum and throws a quick jab, connecting with Augustus' stomach. The boy bends over, grunting from the impact as a small amount of blood drips from Augustus' chin. "How are you so strong, Mael? I haven't won a single time since we started sparring almost 5 years ago." Augustus says. "You big idiot, of course you can't win when you keep rushing in like that," Samael says jokingly, walking up to Augustus and wiping the blood from his chin. The smaller boy lifts Augustus. "Let's go again." Samael says.
The two boys separate from each other again and take a few steps away, preparing to enter combat once more. This time, Augustus lets Samael be the first to move. Samael goes in low for a leg kick, which Augustus counters with a kick of his own. Augustus grabs Samael by the collar of his robe and attempts to pull him forward, but Samael pulls back, dragging Augustus with him, so he stumbles. Samael puts one hand on the back of Augustus' neck and pulls forward, making the boy fall forward and trip. Augustus recovers with a forward roll and turns around only to see Samael already next to him with his fist raised. Samael hits Augustus square in the face, knocking him down.
The boys continue sparring for hours until the sun begins to set in the distance. "Alright, Aug. Let's go back home for today. Can't be caught staying outside after sundown. Miss Caretaker would kill us if she caught us." Augustus gives a small giggle and nods. "Yeah, that would be bad, wouldn't it?"
The two boys return around 20 minutes later. The big gates open, and they walk inside. The guards give a small greeting before continuing their duties, and the boys begin heading back towards the orphanage. Samael and Augustus sneak in through the back door, trying to be as quiet as possible when they hear a single word uttered. "Boys." They slowly turn around, seeing Sarah Starborn standing there with an annoyed expression on her face. "What have I told you about being back before curfew?" "Don't be out after curfew or no dinner," both the boys say at the same time. "Good. Now go to your rooms and study. It's very important that you know all that I've taught you, after all, or you won't survive the world of Cultivators," Sarah says sternly.