The deed was done.

Panting and shivering, a boy slowly backs up with a knife in hand, coated in maroon blood shining under the dim lantern. His hair was a beautiful shade of brown, his eyes a wonderous mix of yellow and blue and his ears long and sharp. His clothes were dirty and ragged, stained with blood.

"Y-you... w-what... have y-ou... no... I... d-done..?"

A man barely able to string a sentence together spoke in a hoarse tone, just about able to keep himself from fainting. He stared at the young, anorexic boy in shock as the life faded from his eyes.

Death. The cold truth of the universe. What he had just done began to dawn on the young boy, he had just murdered his own father. All he could do was stand there in shock, staring at his lifeless body.

"Keiros..." a weak voice muttered out. Looking behind him, the young boy sees his mother, beaten black and blue, bleeding from her eyes, nose and mouth.

"Mother!" Kairos shouts, he runs towards his mother and hugs her tightly "I'll call the guards, t-they can take you to the temple-" before he could finish his words, his mother grabbed his head and pushed it to her chest.

Unable to speak anymore from her dire wounds, she kisses his one head last time before falling limp onto the ground. The warmth slowly fades from her snow white skin.

"...Mommy..."

A while earlier...

"Oi you runt, get back here!"

Running as fast as he could, Kairos skilfully weaved in and out of the crowd to shake off the man chasing after him. Running into an alley, he hides behind some trash as the man runs past disappearing into the distance. Sighing in relief, Kairos checks his hands: 5 large pieces of fresh bread and 3 silver. Unable to hold in his hunger anymore, he immediately shreds the bread apart, consuming it like a rabid animal leaving only 2 pieces in the end.

Feeling satisfied, he runs home to tell his mother about his successful endeavour about not only getting food, but also some money.

"Perhaps father will be happy if I keep doing this." Kairos joyfully exclaims.

Running further away from the shopping centre, he enters an claustrophobic area lined with grey buildings. Finding an especially broken down one, the boy enters with glee.

"Mom, mom! Look! I got coin and bread!" He exclaimed with pride, food and coins in his outstretched hand and a large smile on his face.

"Stolen again?" The lady spoke with a hint of disappointment "Had you been a full-blooded Elf like I, you could've stolen more." Regardless of the small amount, the lady smiles anyway and takes the bread.

Looking confused, Keiros lifted the crystal clear silver coins up to his mother "Mom, what about these?"

Smiling gently, she places her hand upon his head and whispers "You stole these from Uncle Benny, didn't you? Return the coins to him and he'll forgive you for stealing the bread."

Feeling embarrassed about being called out, Keiros leaves his home and ventures outside. Before he could even take a few steps, a large man stood before him.

"Damn brat! I get you stealing my bread, but return me my coin!"

Feeling bad, Keiros returns the coin to the man, he counts each before smiling "Alright, bread paid. I know you lot barely have any to eat. Just ask for bread since I always have a few left over each day instead of taking and running with it next time alright? Gives a bad look to your parents."

Smiling brightly, Keiros exclaims "Really!? Sun bless you, Uncle!"

Hugging each other, Keiros fails to notice the sadness in the mans eyes. Stroking Keiros's head, he instructs him to go home while he attends to some business.

Going back, Keiros waves to his Uncle before re-entering his home. He excitedly told his Mother about what had just transpired with a gleam in his eye.

"Thats wonderful! See keiros, thats why you need to always take what you need to survive, nothing more." Gazing towards the window, the mother and the uncle make eye contact. She mouthed the words 'Thank you' in his general direction and the Uncle waved it off, walking away.

Heading into the distance, Benny walks towards a seemingly large house with a bouncer in front. Walking in front of him, he whispers to the bouncer and is then given permission to enter. Inside was a large room with many chairs and tables, each fitted with various games - a gambling den.

"Sylas, ya daft bastard! Where are you?!" Shouting in the hall, Benny looks around before noticing a man standing up from a table from the middle of playing cards. Turning around, the man has a large body with eyebags and clean white clothes.

"Benny.." the man smiles, trying to hide the sadness within. "Come, lets talk outside." Looking towards the table, the men all nodded in silent agreement of his forfeit.

Standing outside, Benny couldn't hide the anger in his eyes. "Listen Sylas, I get you cant fucking stop gambling all your shit, but your own SON is now forced to steal to survive. Your own fuckin wife is weak enough that any manual labour would snap her bones so you're the only breadmaker!"

Understanding his words, Sylas looks down in shame. "I know. I know Keiros is starving, but I just cant stop. No matter how hard I try, its as if something is dragging me back. I always try to quit, I know it sounds like I'm lying but-"

"I know you're trying. I can see it in your eyes." Benny hugs him "Listen brother, you really need to be there for your family. They can't keep going on like this. Not your wife, Jenny, not your son, Keiros." Stepping away, he takes out a few silver coins "This is what your brat has stolen from me. Pretend you earned this and.. just pretend you never came to this place."

"Im sorry Benny. I truly am. And thank you." Accepting the money, Krieg talks to Benny a while longer before saying their goodbyes and walking away towards his home, unable to smile. The only thoughts running through his head were on why he couldn't quit. Not that he didn't or wouldn't, he just could not.

Arriving at home, he sees his wife playing a game with Keiros. Taking a deep breathe he speaks weakly "I'm back.". Opening his pocket, he showcases the coin he has made from the day - 3 silvers from Benny and 5 silvers from his day of work. Of course, he refused to tell them Benny had sneaked the money in.

"Eight silver? Dear, that's a new record." Jenny spoke in suspicion. Sylas merely smiled in return and says "For once, I didn't visit the gambling house. Come, lets get a proper meal for us all."

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Hearing this, Keiros cheers in reply "Yipee! We can finally eat good food!"

Heading out into the depths of the city, a man clad in black cloth and a necklace with the symbol of the sun on it watches the family leave their home. "Keiros..." the unknown man spoke slowly "Is he truly your chosen?"

...

The dark swallowed the lands, only being repulsed by the magical light-orbs illuminating the dark streets. Guards patrolled the alleys with muskets in hand. Keiros stared at them in awe and the soldiers simply smiled in response.

"How was it?" Sylas spoke to Keiros, as they arrived home.

"I had lots of fun! Thank you pa!"

"Alright, time for bed now young man. I know we had lots of fun today but dont forget its past your bedtime." Jenny instructed. Obeying, he walks away gleefully. When he closed the door, the smile on Jenny's and Sylas's face disappeared.

"The most you ever came home with is 2 silver. Where did you get the other 6?" Jenny questioned, with a suspicious look in her eyes.

"Benny gave me 3 coins, the ones Keiros stole. As for the other 5, he caught me before I had gambled it all."

Sighing, Jenny gives Sylas a kiss on the lips before softly speaking "Your honesty is one of the reasons I married you but please, for us all, stop gambling."

Steeling his nerves, Sylas speaks clearly "Jenny I... No, there's no excuses for this."

Hugging eachother, Sylas whispered "For Keiros and you, I'd do anything. I'm done with gambling, I don't care how bad the pull is anymore. Just seeing you both smile today-"

"Its okay. Lets go to sleep now dear." Sylas cuts him off with warmth in her tone.

Heading to their room, a mysterious man looked through the window. "Damn him... looks like we'll need more radical action for the plan to succeed."

The man approaches the front door and begins to knock.

Sylas tells Jenny to head to bed while he checks who is at the door. Approaching it, he slowly opens with a knife in hand and loudly spoke "Who is it? If you're here for anything mischievous, know that I won't hesitate to attack you under the Suns name.

"Of course not, child. I am a priest of the sun." Showcasing his necklace, Sylas calmed down. "Lord Priest, what brings you to my abode?"

"An opportunity. Please, follow me. You desire money do you not?"

Hearing the Priest, Sylas is conflicted. He was acting suspiciously but he is a priest. Thinking back to Keiros's smiles, he closes his eyes. 'This man.. he's too suspicious coming at night, especially after our conversation but.. what if he overheard it by accident and felt bad? What if he just wants to help us improve our conditions? I hear many stories of priests doing this...'

"Alright, I'll come. Please do not take too long as my wife is waiting."

Walking outside in the dark, minutes pass until the Priest stops in front of an alley. Confused on why they were here, Sylas tries to speak up but before he could, a man jumps down from the roof behind him and points his finger at the back of his head. Sylas could no longer move and his eyes began to glow a bright milky white before slowly transitioning to a warm, fiery yellow.

The two men in black, who wore the Sun necklace both spoke in unison. "For the Holy Suns will, you must not be better. Your wife is capable of work, Sylas. Had it ever dawned on you that she is lazy instead of weak, and just wants to relax at home all day, every day?"

"No..." Sylas drops to the ground clutching his head, the light disappearing from his eyes yet his iris burned a wonderous yellow. "Damn her. Damn her... DAMN HER..!"

Feeling overwhelming with rage, one of the men point towards him. "Not now. Until the moment is right, you shall remain sane."

Falling unconscious on the ground, the two men leave into the alley, mumbling to themselves incoherent prayers.

...

As the sun dawned over the horizon, breaking the darkness, Sylas awoke and was unable to remember anything that happened last night. Feeling horrid, he walks towards his home with a disgusting headache.

"Sylas! By the Suns grace, I thought you were murdered!"

Looking around, Jenny had a few guards around her. Keiros ran from his room and grabbed his leg "Pa, where were you! I was scared!"

"Im okay.. just... I cant remember what happened. I think a priest..? No, that's heresy..." Having his thoughts jumbled, Sylas nearly falls over from the nausea.

"Alright, Sylas. Chances are you were poisoned and robbed. Same thing happened with Benny last night and a few of the guards that were patrolling the alleys. They were all found unconscious and having the same symptoms you're experiencing. Come so we can have you cured as soon as possible at the temple."

Nodding in agreement, Sylas is taken by the guards. Keiros sat on the ground sadly. "Mom, will Pa be ok?"

Sitting back on her chair, Jenny softly spoke "Of course, he'll be back soon. Don't worry. Go get some bread from Uncle Benny and we can play some games okay?"

Smiling, Keiros realises he'll finally have breakfast for the first time. "Okay ma!" Heading out, Jenny's smile remains. "Gods, Sylas. I thought you were murdered. After this, I might just become a priestess of the Sun for extra cash. I heard they were accepting more people now..."

Running through an alley, a man clad in black jumped down before Keiros. "Keiros." The man sternly spoke.

Feeling afraid, Keiros looked towards him in fear. "Y-Yes? How do you know my name..?"

The man spoke loudly, "You're in danger Keiros, Benny and your Father are both angry at you for stealing. He'll have you killed soon. Be careful for me, okay?"

"..huh..?" Without letting Keiros process his words, he jumped back onto the roof and disappeared.

"Uncle Benny and Pa is... angry?"

Feeling worried, Keiros turns back and runs home.

"Keiros?" Jenny spoke in confusion. He came back too fast.

"Mom, mom, a man came to tell me Uncle and Pa are angry at me and want to kill me!"

Looking at Keiros, suspicion grew in her mind 'Sylas, Benny and a few guards were 'poisoned' last night and woke up with bad symptoms. Those symptoms might be of delayed mind control magic... I might need to report this to the guards as soon as possible.'

"Keiros, dear, please call a guard for me okay?"

"Why mom? Will pa be arrested?" Keiros grew fearful.

"No, don't worry. Mommy just has to speak to one." Patting his head, Keiros left the house.

A man on the roof watching their actions suddenly put his hand on his ear "The plan is nearing completion. Station the required guard north-west of my position. It is time." Taking a deep breathe, the man spoke sternly "For the glory of the Sun."