It was a surprisingly quiet day, the first one in months that Felichs could remember. They lay on the ground beside a tree, legs crossed, running their fingers through their curly, brown hair that was just barely darker than their skin, while drinking water gathered from the nearby lake.
“Ouch! Stupid knots! Ughhh, sometimes I really hate my hair. And this water…this can’t be potable. This is life in Pauper I guess. My pants are all ripped up and full of holes. Shirts barely even a shirt — practically wearing a bra — but aye at least my shoes look cool. Although they’re kinda tight, man I wish that guy had bigger feet.” Felichs groaned to themselves as they stood up stretched. “In three months it’ll be my birthday. I became an adult last year and what have I got to show for it? Mom’s still sick. No medicine. We barely have any food. What am I doing with my life? I don’t care what happens to me, I just needa find a way to get mom better already. I hate this shit and I hate this nasty water!”
Felichs took another long, deep breath before pulling out a few chess pieces from their pocket.
“A rook. A knight. Some pawns. And a stupid queen. I never understood why the queen’s so loved. Like, sure, she’s powerful, but so are the others. Besides, anybody can become a queen, hell even I could if I wanted to. Imagine me, Queen Felichs, ruler of Emovere! That would be something now wouldn’t it…except nobody would want to call me queen because ‘you’re a boy not a girl’ so stupid I swear. But at least I’ll always have chess. It’s a stressful game that’s for sure, but the good kinda stress. The one that helps you forget about life’s worries, take a deep breath, and completely and utterly dominate your opponent in many, many ways. Plus you can play by yourself too! Which is great…seeing as I’m always alone. Eh, at least I got that old man in Mediocris I can visit from time to time. Then again, he’s probably mad that I stole from the shop next to his. At least he let me take these pieces from his old chess board. Huh? What’s this on the queen? Some kinda flower carved into the bottom?”
As they held out the queen suddenly a loud cry could be heard coming from the middle of Pauper.
“MÉNOS IS REAL! TOURNOUÁ TOU MÉNOS IS REAL!” Shouted a man on horseback.
“Great…And just when I thought I heard enough of this stupid Ménos, here comes another idiot to spread the good news…” grumbled Felichs as they put pieces into their pocket.
They climbed the tree to get a better view of the situation. As they scanned over Pauper, Felichs spotted a guy whose skin was as white as snow matching his hair. He wore jeans and a jacket that were both made of leather, topped off with spiked boots to match. He charmed no facial hair making his appearance to be of someone in their early to mid twenties. He rode through Pauper on horseback shouting as loud as he could as if to make sure the entire town heard him. Many were startled, not only by his shouting but by his odd choice of fashion.
“Who in Eirini’s name would ever dress like that?” One man shouted from a fish stand.
“Come here sonny, I could use a new trash bag.” An old lady gestured as she slapped her knee.
“Look, mama! I think he’s the one who stole our tarp!” Shouted a little girl pulling on her mother’s dress.
Pauper was an extremely poor town, one of the poorest in all of Emovere. Every building was made of old wood and if the wind hit hard enough all would come crumbling down. There were no conventional roads either as they were all made from dirt. The city had a foul odor fuming through it that, unless you were from Pauper, would make a nose bleed profusely. The council of Perdita had little to no care for the town as they removed the police force, hospital, and all other council-owned buildings.
This meant its residents either visited the local “doctor” who would give out stolen medications they did not know much of, or went to Mediocris which laid five miles to the north. So, to see someone like this was an anomaly to those of Pauper. The man continued riding through until he was stopped by members of a local Pauper gang, The War God’s Reapers.
“So the Ménos is actually real eh? Snickered a young boy by the name of Snake.
“Seems so, but aye, who gave dis guy duh right to enter our turf?” Grumbled another man whom the town called Bulldog.
“Teehee, whoever he is, the boss is gonna get upset if we let uninvited guests come and go without permission!” Giggled a young lady by the name of Lana
“P-p-please gentlemen, lady, I assure you I m-m-meant no disrespect. I-I-I just wanted to make sure everyone heard or else I’d be in d-d-deep trouble.” Said the oddly dressed screecher.
“Gentlemen? ZAHAHAHA! Oh, buddy you ran into duh last people who could be anythang but gentle.” Bulldog huffed as he inched closer to the man.
“Besides, how do we know you’re telling the truth? I mean, anyone can ride through a place yelling a bunch of nonsense.” Challenged Snake as he placed himself besides the suspicious man.
“M-m-my name is B-B-Bert. I was t-t-told to deliver this message by my boss. I don't know their name, I-I-I’ve never even seen their face! But they massacred those people who attacked them during the first showing of Ménos.” Stuttered Bert as they pleaded their case to the three individuals.
The War God’s Reapers was a gang from East Pauper who had total control of its east river. Many knew not to show their face around this side of the town, the one exception being those who were outsiders. The Reapers popped up about three to four years ago and have been causing havoc ever since. The murder rate on the east side had gone up tremendously, including tensions with other gangs in the town, but the oddest thing is that no one knew who led them. The only known piece of information is that the leader has long red hair.
The situation had started to drag out and the gang’s frustration ever grew. By this point, the residents had hidden well enough to watch what would transpire but not be caught. Bulldog grabbed the man and ripped off his jacket and pants while Snake stabbed his foot with a large knife to keep him from running. Lana pulled out a crowbar and beat the man mercilessly until he broke his foot trying to escape the gang’s onslaught. Felichs had no thoughts of intervening, as they watched the gruesome beating of this poor man go down. They had learned all too well to mind their own business as this was the way of Pauper. Gangs ran this run-down city and you either avoided them or faced certain death. With so many gangs in Pauper though, avoiding one gang meant possibly running into another. So the better you hid yourself the less likely you were to run into them. Sadly, a few female citizens were caught, and forced to chase the man who, after breaking his foot, was able to escape on his horse. Knowing what this gang’s punishment would be for women, they ran as fast as they could, throwing anything within arm’s reach.
“Those damn psychopaths…I really need to get out of here before I end up like Snow White’s gay brother. Ugh, I wish I could have gotten closer though. I could’ve heard everything they said, but at least I was able to make out his boss massacring people. Although, I don’t know what idiot just tells that kind of thing to anyone so willingly…Who am I kidding, there’s no way that story was actually true. I mean, come on, one person wiping out a hundred people instantly? That sounds insane…”
Felichs thought to themself as they ran home hoping to not be caught.
An hour later Felichs arrived home, but something seemed strange. It was quiet. Too quiet. Now seeing as they lived on Pauper’s poorest side this was nothing new. Most people were in their houses early to avoid and made as little noise as possible so they wouldn’t be found. The houses, if you could even call them that, were made up of brittle wood, topped with leaves & branches to help against weather conditions. This was not the case for the home of Felichs since, thanks to their mother, theirs was built with clay instead of wood and plotted behind a few big willow trees. While this may not have been the best idea since their house stood out more than the others, Felichs, and their mom both felt it would be safer against harsh weather and possible intruders, or so they thought, as it seemed this night brought upon Lady Luck’s ugliest face.
“Why the hell is the door open?!” Felichs thought to themself as they began to panic.“Calm down you idiot, you can’t lose your cool.
They started scraping their shark-like teeth together, the sound causing them frustration helped ease their worried mind. Before going inside, they went to the nearest tree and grabbed their makeshift knife. After an attack from a neighbor who tried stealing their bread a few months ago, they decided to hide a few knives in each of the trees and under the dirt for safety.
They slowly crept towards the door as lightly as possible, while avoiding branches and leaves, so they wouldn't make any noise. As they leaned against the wall, nearest the door, they peered inside. Nothing was broken nor had there been any blood marks.
“So it wasn’t a robbery…or a murder…I know nobody stopped by to visit. We don’t have any other family that I know of and the weirdos in this neighborhood know not to visit. So, what the hell is going on?” Felichs said in a low whisper.
As Felichs took a few steps inside they noticed a light coming from their mother’s room. This was strange as they didn’t own any lights and they just went through their last candle yesterday. Their grip on the knife started to get tighter as their breathing grew heavier. Their rage began to reach its peak as they could only think the worst possible thoughts. Their breathing grew so heavy it could hold down a raging bull then almost instantly eased as they heard the soothing voice of their mother call out to them
“Felichs? Is that you? Come in sweetie, everything’s fine, we have a guest.” Their mother said as loud as she could.
Their mother had a serious illness which made it hard for her to raise her voice. With a quick braiding technique they learned from an old friend, they were able to tie a part of their hair around the handle to hide the knife to conceal it behind them. Upon opening the door, a person in an all-white suit sat drinking tea with their mother. Their face was mostly covered but they noticed a big scar that appeared to be running down to their jawline. Their suit was topped off with a burgundy top hat and burgundy gloves. This mysterious person sat one leg crossed over the other, glaring at Felichs.
“I’ve never been to hell but it feels like Synkrousi’s aura is tearing apart my skin. So why don’t I feel bloodlust? It feels warm. Like I’ve felt this aura before, but I also feel scared. I can feel the hairs on my body sticking up. Shit, I need to calm down. Whoever this person is they don’t know about the knife behind my back, so I’m good. Calm down Felichs.” Felichs thought to themself as they could feel their heart pounding.
“Greetings dear Felichs, my my, you have such a beautiful aura to you, almost as beautiful as your hair.” Giggled the mysterious individual as they slightly lifted their mask and sipped from their cup. “I bet you could warm the heart of an angered beast!”
“That’s funny because I couldn’t say the same for you.” snickered Felichs as they tried playing off their fear.
“Oh? I get that a lot.” Responded the individual.
Felichs raised their eyebrow then added, “So I’m guessing my mom gave you my name right?
“I mean that would’ve been the easiest way, but I already knew your name, my dear. You see, I happen to know the names of all the special people in Emovere. It’s kinda like a job of mine. So, is knowing when to choose violence or peace.” The individual smirked as they sipped their tea. “You know, I do admire an individual ready to protect themselves, but wouldn’t you agree that violence is only needed as a last resort? Especially when the presence of it isn’t needed.”
“Don’t worry sweetie, they’ve been nothing but kind the entire time.” Sana assured them
Felichs, while shocked, did as the visitor asked, effortlessly throwing the knife into the wall. They chuckled at the sight before offering Felichs some tea and then sat, so they could converse. The watchful young Felichs kept their focus on every word the visitor said, every pause they took, even every breath they breathed., Everything seemed to be normal, but one thing did stand out though, whoever this person happened to be, they were no ordinary individual. They seemed to be so calculated, answering without any type of hesitation. It was like they knew every statement or question that would be said to them before it was said. The fear in Felichs’ body had grown again, this time even heavier than before causing their entire inner self to tremble greatly.
They thought to themself, “I want to kill this person…I just need one opening…”
“Everything will be alright my child, quell your bloodlust.” A voice whispered to them
“What the who was that?” Felichs thought as they began to look around frantically.
“Is something the matter sweetie?” Sana asked with a concerned look on her face.
“Yeah I’m fine, I thought I heard something out back. It was likely just my imagination though.” Felichs responded smiling to ease their mother’s worry.
“Pahaha, they just seem to be the cautious type is all. No need to be concerned, it’s better to care for your surroundings rather than ignore them and end up surrounded.” The visitor chimed in.
“I’m surprised you referred to me in that manner. Most people meet me and just assume ‘he must be a dude, so I’m gonna call him a dude’ It’s really irritating“ grumbled Felichs as the tension began to ease from their body.
“Well, when people choose to see only that which lies on the surface they can never see someone’s real face.” Responded the visitor as they tipped their hat. “By the way Felichs, what are your thoughts on the current state of Emovere? I asked your mother this question before your arrival, and her answer was quite intriguing.” the visitor chuckled, taking another sip of their tea.
“You mean a country where the poor are poor in every aspect and the rich are only wealthy in their pockets? Or do you mean a country where war is a pastime and the solution is supposed to be some stupid tournament?” Gibed Felichs.
The visitor let out a soft chuckle and then asked, “Now, I don’t mean to pry when asking this but is there any reason you haven’t drank your tea? I promise you it’s safe if that’s what you’re worried about.” The visitor remarked in a concerned manner.
Felichs laid back against the wall and gently tossed the cup up in the air, before swiftly kicking it across the room, flying directly into the knife. It was crushed completely on impact.
“You come in here with tea, and have a full-on conversation with us like we’re best friends, yet you’ve been hiding your real intentions it seems and you haven’t even introduced yourself. Pretty rude if you ask me. So who are you and what do you want? And don’t think about not answering because those weren’t questions, I will get my answers.” Felichs smirked at them.
The visitor let out a boisterous laugh, “I see, I see. You are as intelligent as I imagined! Maybe a bit too much on the hot-headed side, but you’ll learn to calm that someday. Yes! Yes! Alright then my dear, your wish is my command.” The individual stood up and bowed, “While I can’t reveal too much at the moment, I am the host of the tournament, Tournouá Tou Ménos! The one that shall save this land! Also, for now, feel free to call me Tournament. I’m here to give you this box and the chance of a lifetime! Please open it.”
The box was small, no bigger than a box of tissues. It was burgundy with a white ribbon in the shape of a flower on top, with a small note saying “To Felichs, Happy Early Birthday.”
“Guess you don’t know everything about me, my birthday isn’t for another three months.” Felichs chuckled.
“Is that so? Mine actually just passed.” Tournament responded with a chuckle of their own.
Felichs raised their eyebrow, then shook their head showing little concern for the comment, and slowly opened the box. Inside was a small letter and a much smaller box. They read through the few pages, looking up at Tournament every so often, then they opened the smaller box, and inside it revealed a watch.
“So you want me in this Tournouá To somewhere? What’s odd though is why bring an invitation if there’s no limitation? Seems it would’ve been easier to send that guy on the horse again, or maybe someone with both their feet intact.” Questioned Felichs with a raised eyebrow.
Tournament chuckled aloud. “So, you noticed that too eh…the poor fool. Regardless, after my messenger didn’t return, I decided to come myself. Plus, after I learned you were here I just had to see you for myself…The one who night favors.”
“That’s the second time I heard that phrase said to me…I mean there’s a benefit to being black but damn this is feeling racist…” muttered Felichs to their self.
Felichs shook their head and chuckled a bit before responding, “Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second. You said you’ve only been here for awhile…so how exactly did you know he didn’t return?”
“Hmm? Oh, well that’s a secret for me to know.” Tournament giggled.
“And you to find out?” Felichs responded slightly confused by Tournament’s unfinished statement.
Tournament said nothing in response but smirked as they sat back in their chair smugly.
After the conversation, Tournament bid Sana and Felichs farewell, wishing them both a peaceful night. As they left they made sure to leave some food and extra tea packets on the counter as a parting gift. Before leaving though Tournament whispered something in Felichs ear, causing their eyes to grow wide and a single tear to roll down their cheek. After seeing them out, Felichs helped their mother get into bed before heading up to the roof to watch the stars. Many thoughts ran through their mind about the earlier conversation.
“What did you mean by I’m special? I’m not a piss-ass noble and I’m here, my future’s as dark as this country’s heart. Hell, will I even… ugh whatever. I don’t care what that creep says or thinks. I’m just a regular person, who will live a regular life that someone from Pauper lives and when I die, hopefully, I’ll be reincarnated as something worth caring for or maybe my soul will finally be sent to Fos, so I can just sleep. I’m tired…so tired…”
They started to lay back, scraping their teeth to calm themself, as they stared at the night sky. The sound of sharp objects scraping together was like nails on a chalkboard for Felichs, but the frustration it caused helped ease their anxious mind.
“Ughhh this sucks. These stupid trees are blocking the moon tonight. Why did we have to live here of all places? I mean, mom was in the military, so why the HELL are we in this poor ass town?”
“I’m sorry…I’m so, so sorry…” sobbed an unfamiliar voice.
“H-huh? Mom? Is that you?” Sporadically whispered Felichs.
“It’s all my fault. If only I fought harder that day, then none of you would have to go through this…” continued the voice.
“Wait…I heard this voice earlier when that creep was talking to me, but whose voice is this? Well, I wish whoever it is would just respond to me already instead of crying.” Whispered Felichs once again, this time with clear frustration in their voice. “Ugh, whatever, I’m going to sleep. Keep talking to yourself weirdo…then again, if someone passed I’d be the weirdo talking to themself.”
“You…child of Pauper, will face many trials and tribulations. You MUST overcome them and unleash your full potential. I can not aid you in this journey, nor can I give you my name, but one day I will be able to. For now, though, I will leave you with this. Our connection is NOT by chance but one of fate for you are one of the special ones that I made sure would hear my voice when the time comes.”
Felichs lowered their head before responding, “I…I’m not special. I’m just so tired…”
They began to doze off mid-sentence before falling asleep for the night. As they slept they thought back to the simpler times before their mother’s illness.
*******************************************
Roughly a year ago
It was a chilly afternoon, as the snow lay on the ground. Those of Pauper hated this time of year the most as many did not have the proper clothing to support them in the harsh winter conditions. A retired medic by the name of Sana had returned home. She had a child, who was seventeen at the time, whom she hadn’t seen for about three years since being on base. As she approached her home all the nerves had finally set in.
“What if they’re still mad about the incident from a few years ago? Do they still even live here? Have they found a new home? What if they hate me and want nothing to do with me anymore…?” Sana thought to herself as she slowly rubbed her face.
While her nerves were high, her faith in Felichs was even higher. She knew that even if they left, her child was not dead and wherever they may be, they were safe. However, in hopes that Felichs was home, Sana decided to lightly knock on the door as a way to not startle them, but as she reached out a hand grabbed by the shoulder causing her reflexes to set in. She grabbed the person’s wrist and bicep then proceeded to flip them over her. She was about to continue on the attack as she readied her knife until she realized who the attacker was.
“Argh…I guess it wasn’t the smartest idea approaching from behind, should’ve thought that one through.” Felichs said as they slowly got up from the ground while rubbing the back of their head.
Sana reached out her hand to help them up before giving them a big hug.
“I’m so sorry sweetie, I have to remember this isn’t war. Not everyone is trying to kill me. I’m also sorry for being away for so long, I know I said it was only supposed to be a year…I didn’t think I’d be forced to stay longer.” Sana said as tears began to roll down her face.
“It’s ok Mom, I get it, you’re one of the best doctors in all of Emovere. So, when duty calls, you have to do what’s needed. And as far as the flip, I’ll be fine, I've dealt with way worse this week. With that said though, if you hug me any tighter I- I won’t be ok.” chuckled Felichs trying to lighten the mood.
“I know, I just, I just, I feel so ba-” responded Sana before Felichs cut her off.
“I said it’s fine, I can take care of myself. Plus Mediocris is only a few miles away and there's a really nice bartender there that I’m good friends with. He would let me visit and if I was hungry, which was all the time, he would give me some food to eat.” Felichs said with a big smile on their face.
“HONEY WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TEETH, WHY ARE THEY SO SHARP?!?!?! Sana screamed as Felichs tried to shush her.
“Keep it down Mom, you want everyone to know? I did this as a way to defend myself in case I’m ever attacked and need a last resort…or sometimes as a first resort”
“Well, I don’t like to hear you’re getting into fights. I mean, I get you have to protect yourself, but I don’t want to lose you…” said Sana as she wiped her tears. “I’m glad you were able to make another friend, after always being by yourself for so many years.”
“Yeah…a friend…” Felichs thought to themself.
“Well anyways, how about we get inside, and I cook up some food for us? I was able to get enough food to last us a few months. And I even learned how to cook from this cute chef too.” Sana smirked.
“That’s just like you…meet someone cute, yet never get enough money out of them so we can leave Pauper.” Felichs grumbled.
That evening the two went inside and cooked a nice warm meal together.
“Mmm…mmm…mmm! This is really good mom!” Felichs said trying their best to form a smile.
“Teehee, you don’t have to lie, sweetie, I know I’m still a lousy cook. I wanted to try the recipes I learned, but I think I added too many seasonings. Maybe if I recook it with a tiny bit less it’ll taste better!” Sana spluttered as she jumped up and started rummaging through the assorted seasonings.
“I think it needs more than a bit less seasonings…actually a lot less,” Felichs mumbled to themself. “It’s fine mom, I haven’t eaten since yesterday so I’ll eat anything, to be honest.”
“Huh? Why haven’t you been eating? Questioned Sana.
“Kinda forgot…kinda spent my day and night in a cell…” Felichs giggled as they bit into their potato.
Sana stared blankly at Felichs as she rubbed her head. She took a deep sigh before responding.
“What am I going to do with you? Didn’t I tell you to stop getting in trouble? Scolded Sana. “What did you do this time?”
“It wasn’t my fault. The food looked good, and besides they would just throw it in the trash at the end of the day anyway. So, I thought about helping myself to it.” Grumbled Felichs.
The rest of the night was filled with the two of them laughing, eating, and talking about their respective stories over the past few years. This would also be the last night Felichs would smile as it was also Sana’s last healthy night before her illness would pop up drastically changing the future forever.
Back to the present
Felichs felt something fuzzy on their face causing them to wake up. Much to their surprise it was an owl sitting on their face.
“Why do these stupid birds keep using my face as a nest?” Felichs said.
“Who, who.” Answered back the owl.
“I-I’m not doing this,” Felichs said out loud before shooing the bird away
As they slowly sat up a small piece of paper fell from the owl’s talons onto their lap. The paper was stamped with a bloody handprint. As they unrolled it they started to breathe heavier and heavier. The words inside caused great fear to build up in Felichs.
“So, it’s kill or be killed, eh? Idiots. Killing a bunch of random people won’t change this country. If a business is failing everybody calls for the head to step down and be replaced with someone new. That’s because they’re in charge. They make the decisions. Inadequate workers can slow a business down, inadequate bosses will run a business into the ground. So killing a bunch of randoms isn’t gonna change this country. It’s these heads that need to be changed.” Felichs said as they crumbled up the paper and shoved it in their pocket.
A few houses down sat a shadowy figure on top of a house as the moon surrounded them.
“Maybe they’re more like me than even I had realized,” Thought Tournament as a smirk grew upon their face.
Another individual appeared from a shroud of mist.
“Don’t you think this is a bit unfair? I mean are you sure they’re even worth going through all this trouble for?” Questioned the second individual as he scratched his head.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“Unfair? Is it not unfair that such a special person be stuck in this wretched environment, Fox? Is it not unfair that the less fortunate not be given more AND better opportunities in life? Life is all about unfair advantages and disadvantages, so why can’t I give an individual with numerous disadvantages one tiny advantage?”
“You’ve got a lot of interest in this kid, you know that? I’m surprised you didn’t tell them your real name…Tournament.” Fox responded as he let out a slight chuckle.
“Touché. Jokes aside, don’t you think it’s absolutely beautiful when you can find someone in life who thinks the same way you do?”
“Ehh, I don’t know. I mean the last time I did, he died. The poor bastard.” Fox shrugged. “As for this situation though, what if Felichs doesn’t want too-”
“Oh trust me, they will. Once they know the truth they’ll have no other choice.”
The next morning Felichs woke up and jumped down from the roof. They went out back to grab the water bucket and towel, then went to help bathe their mother. This had become an everyday routine for the two ever since Sana had contracted her illness. They even had a song they would sing together; Sana would sing the first line, and then Felichs would sing the second. The third and fourth lines would follow this same pattern.
“The nights are so long, but soon the Sun will rise
We give the moon its hugs and say our goodbyes
We watch the Sun peek through the clouds in the sky
Until it rests again and calls forth a moonlit night”
This was Sana’s favorite song that she used to sing with her mother when she was a child. Whenever she was sad or upset, her mom would sing it to her over and over again until Sana was prancing around the house humming a tune. After washing her off, Felichs helped her get dressed and then made them both some food. Their house didn’t have a kitchen, actually, it only consisted of a living room with two windows and pillows that acted like couches, a small washroom that was basically a closet-sized bathroom, and their mom’s room that had a mattress and blankets. Felichs usually slept on the roof as it allowed them to watch over the house and get the advantage if anyone tried breaking in. They made the usual breakfast: bread, diced-up potatoes, eggs, some tea for Sana, and water for themself. They both sat together and talked about the night before as they ate breakfast.
“You know, you don’t have to go if you don't want to,” Sana said with worry in her voice.
“Eh, if it takes me away from this city then I might as well head out,” Felichs replied nonchalantly.
“While I’m glad you’ll be able to leave, I’m going to miss you, sweetie. And I’m honestly worried about you too, what with traveling all around Emovere.”
Felichs grinned, “Don’t worry I’ll only wreck the parts of it I don’t like”
Sana chuckled, “You know that’s not what I meant. That tournament-“
Felichs cut her off, “Don’t be, I’ll be fine.”
This is what Felichs said out loud, but it was just to calm their mom’s nerves; honestly, they were worried. They had remembered the way Tournament reacted to their question about the likelihood of death. “Death isn’t something that can be avoided, in fact, it's more likely to happen the more you stress about it.” But it wasn’t THEIR death they were worried about. They’ve been in enough near-death experiences to not be scared of it. What they did wonder though, was if they would be able to kill someone who they didn’t have an issue with. Could they rip away someone else’s chance at happiness just for their own sake? Felichs was not only a deep thinker, but very anxious and hoped this wouldn’t be the thing that caused them their life.
After eating, Felichs sat their mother close to the window so she could watch the sunrise. Ever since she became sick, watching it rise & set had become her favorite thing to do. Her new phrase was “It’s odd you know, the closer we get to death, the more we appreciate the small things about life that make it so beautiful.” Felichs, however, had a much darker outlook on life, so it was hard for them to fully grasp what their mother was trying to say. Still, just like with the bathing, they made sure to help her get to the window each morning, while Sana tried her hardest to lay down on her own by night. Before they left they made sure to mess with the branches in a way so they would block the house from sight as best as possible, then headed out.
Felichs opened the paper they had in their pocket. The bloody handprint stood out but it wasn’t just because of the blood, it was also the shape, it appeared to be a flower but also looked like two hands. One appeared to be a smaller woman’s hand and the other appeared to be a child’s hand. They thought back to Tournament’s hands, but they were hiding their true hand size under their gloves, that one was out of the equation. Felichs tried holding the paper at different angles to see if their eyes had just been playing tricks on them, but every angle showed two hands. Maybe someone working for Tournament is giving these to spice things up or lessen the number of participants. Well, whatever it was Felichs was not going to let this information go to waste, instead seeing if it was factual or not.
Since the tournament was still weeks away, four to be exact, Felichs decided to work on skills they felt would come in handy. Growing up in the slums made it very easy to pick up stuff like sneaking and pickpocketing, and they were already a pretty good fighter, so the only areas they felt necessary were athleticism and deception. Since there was a junkyard in Pauper, athleticism would be easy; deception was going to be an issue though. The only way to work on this would be interacting with others, which meant the possibility of running into one of the local gangs. Pauper had been flooded with them for a few years now. Every side of the city was controlled by different gangs, some sides even having multiple. The War God’s Reapers controlled every aspect of East Pauper and its rivers. Nobody got in or out unless you had permission, the 26 Belials controlled the South and its factory, which they also controlled as the only source of income. The West was controlled by so many different gangs that nobody went that way unless they lived there. Lastly was the north and this area was controlled by Tertius Oculus, who believed they were descendants of Synkrousi. Pauper was a hot mess and Felichs wanted out any way possible.
They decided to hold off on the deception training and headed to the junkyard. It used to be the home to Vastum, a gang that inhabited this place and ran all of Pauper for a few years before suddenly disappearing. Nobody’s heard from them since; some say they all were killed, and others say they went into hiding, but that wasn’t on the mind of Felichs. The only thing they were focused on was improving and this was just the place. It was stockpiled with many things: broken-down cars they could use for climbing and box jumps, cargo containers with just enough space in between for long jumps, and excavators to hide in, in case any gangs came around. They would spend the next twelve days training here for hours upon hours, occasionally taking food to their mother and making sure she was safe. Sadly their training couldn't be super intense and they were even filled with tons of short breaks due to their not-so-healthy lifestyle. The lack of proper meals had finally caught up to them, so they decided to go do their favorite thing; steal! They needed to plan accordingly for such a big heist, so they decided to train for a few extra days.
By the end of their fourth training session seeing as it was nightfall, this excited Felichs because it meant one thing: Mediocris. Mediocris was a middle-class city north of Pauper. It was the biggest city in all of Perdita and also its second most protected city. It had everything: schools, churches, grocery stores, thrift shops, a mall, and even a hotel. There were many other things that typical cities had, but only one of them was the reason why Felichs loved visiting it. No, it wasn’t because it was a nicer city or because they were meeting up with anyone, but, they did plan on visiting their friend Bellus. No, this was because they were able to do their favorite thing which was stealing! Mediocris, as the name suggests, had mediocre police who just drank throughout the day & spent the night at brothels with cheap, yet desirable hookers. This allowed Felichs to steal food or medicines from the local grocery stores and pharmacies without having to worry about being arrested.
They had their favorite spots to hit up like the grocery outlet Chase’s Fruit Store and the pharmacy Law’s Heart & Mind because they were in the backstreets, which meant fewer eyes to see them. However, today they wanted to put their training to the test, so they decided to go to Mediocris’ Hospital. A five-story building, with its fourth and fifth floors still under construction and its windows barred. The hospital sat in the center of the city with only one security guard & not many workers. As they approached the building Felichs decided they would scale from the outside and sneak in through the fifth floor. They had really good eyes, better than most actually, so they hid in a bush & scouted out the building. They would analyze people’s patterns to see when the best time would be to get in and how long they would have to get out. With 6 total workers in the hospital, two on each floor, and the security taking roughly ten minutes on floors one through five, Felichs knew they should start from the top and work their way down. While five stories would’ve been impossible to scale before, they had a sudden rush of adrenaline and ran toward the wall. They grabbed the barred window, pulled themselves up, then kicked as hard as they could up to the next story’s window. They had gotten up to the third floor with this tactic when they ran into an issue; there were no more barred windows. There was a balcony above them, but they noticed earlier that it was frequently visited by the nurses.
“Tch, why does my luck always run out,” Felichs thought to themselves smacking their lips
As they were about to give up and go through an open window on the third story, they heard what appeared to be two people on the balcony.
“Come on Derek stop, what if somebody catches us?” Asked a woman in an excited but nervous tone.
“Then we’ll charge ‘em to keep the show going. Now get over here.” said a man in a groggy voice as he kissed the lady and groped her breast.
She suddenly pulled away upon hearing the bushes moving. Unbeknownst to her it was Felichs who had thrown their shoe at the bush. The lady suggested they go to another room to continue. A moment later they both left the balcony. Felichs waited a minute to make sure no one else would come out, then proceeded to leap over to the balcony that was about a foot away. Thanks to the preoccupied couple leaving the sliding door open, Felichs broke the handle so it couldn’t be locked.
“That should give me some extra time.” Felichs thought to themself.
After a few more pulls and pushes they were able to make it up to the fifth-floor window and hop in. Upon entering they headed over to the room their mom once occupied for a few days, hoping to find some medications. They shuffled through drawers & cabinets only to find needles, gloves, cups, and other typical things one would find in a hospital room.
“Well at least I can take this pillow and blanket with me for mom. But damn there’s gotta be something in here.” Felichs said aloud while rummaging through the drawers. “Maybe the others rooms will have something.”
Sadly, every room on the fifth and fourth floors was the same. The third floor, however, was different. They found a doctor’s office with the nameplate missing. They reached for the handle expecting it to be locked, but by a stroke of pure luck, it wasn’t. They proceeded inside the small room that had clear cabinets on both sides that were filled with numerous types of different medications and a desk stacked with paper.
“Strange, you would think a room without a nameplate on it wouldn’t have a bunch of paperwork,” said Felichs in a low whisper.
“I would think so too.” Came a woman’s voice
The voice that came from behind Felichs left them completely frozen.
“A woman?! That can’t be there was only three and they were on the bottom floors…then why is there one right behind me? And why do I know this voice???” Felichs thought to themself
There was no point in running since the room only had one door. Fighting was an option, but they feared the lady would scream for help. They had no choice but to turn around slowly with their hands up and hope to find a way to run later. As they turned around the lady’s face left Felichs shocked as their fear rose nearly to its max!
“Well hello there Felichs. Wow, you’ve changed since the last time I saw you…you disgusting creature!” The lady said as she spit in their direction
“No, no, NO! Why the hell did it have to be her of people??? There’s no way she’s still a doctor here! She was said to have been fired so why? Why am I face to face with the lady who’s been haunting me for years…damn it my heart pounding out of my chest and this stupid sweat…I can feel it running down my face…why, why, WHY!” Felichs screamed to themself.
Not even the fires of hell couldn’t warm their frozen body up as it grew harder and harder to breathe. The sweat slowly poured out from their hands. As each drop hit the ground they could slowly feel death approaching them. This person that was now in front of them was one who would put fear in the devil Synkrousi herself. Dr. Benignus. The same doctor who left a scar on Felichs that not even the gods and goddesses could heal.
*******************************************
Two years ago
Dr. Benignus was a pretty famous doctor in not only Mediocris, but all of Emovere. Sadly, it for all the wrong reasons. Even two years ago she appeared the same as she did in present day. A beautiful woman who wore black-framed glasses, average height, a bit on the thicker side, with long, blonde hair that reached down to her lower back. If you had just seen her in passing you would never think that such a beautiful woman could do the things she’s done. She was renowned as one of the smartest people in all of Perdita. However, it seems with intelligence comes craziness because she had one major issue: Dr. Benignus was a masochist and a psychopath. While doing surgeries on people she would use them as live test subjects. It didn’t matter the age or gender of the patient either, young, old, man, or woman, If you could breathe you were experimented on. Some mentioned age trying to find a way to prevent humans from feeling physical pain, but this wasn’t out of the kindness of her heart. No, her goal was to create a drug that would prevent pain. She believed, that if accomplished, not only would she become rich, everyone would praise her. Benignus was, at one point, the head doctor in Mediocris for five years before getting fired from her position after experimenting on the wrong guy. Not only did the man die from extreme blood loss, but he also had connections to the council. Had it happened any sooner, maybe Felichs wouldn't have had to endure the pain they are now.
“AAAAAARRRRRGH! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!” Felichs screamed in agony as the needles went deeper and deeper into them. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME YOU PSYCHO BITCH!”
Dr. Benignus chuckled as she ever so slowly pulled the needles out of Felichs, “What do I want from you? Oh, nothing really, it’s your mother I actually want something from. Sadly, she isn’t here now, is she? So I’ll just settle for you! The sick little delusional creature that she birthed. Seriously, I can’t believe she created something that thinks it doesn’t have a gender, you have a penis you’re a boy, you faggot! Ugh you disgust me so much, I’ll make you feel the pain that your whore of a mother made me feel!”
Felichs panted heavily, feeling lightheaded as she had taken so much blood out of them. “I…I don’t…I don’t know what the heck you’re talking about.”
“You think you’re so special because your mother is loved by the commanders. You’re nothing! Do you understand me? You’re nothing but a disgusting, sick, creature who needs to die already! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE YOU WORTHLESS PIG!” Dr. Benignus screamed as she began smacking Felichs across the face.
“You’re such a jealous bitch!” Laughed Felichs, trying to mask the pain as more needles entered their body. “If you wanna sleep with the commanders that bad, maybe you should try bathing. I can smell that useless thing between your legs all the way from here.”
“Hmph. Jokes huh? Well, how's this for a joke?”
Dr. Benignus stabbed Felichs in the stomach with a scalpel then walked out of the room. As a nurse was about to run in, Felichs heard her scream for nobody to save that them. On the cusp of passing out from the injury, a nurse snuck in and told Felichs they would help them. While Felichs was scared, they trusted the nurse, seeing as it was their best option to live. After he gave them anesthesia and pulled the knife out, he continued pushing down on the open wound until it was done being stitched up. Afterward, he sanitized the wound, then carried Felichs out of the room and into the alley, where he hid them in a trash can. He ran off back inside but made sure to leave Felichs a knife in case Benignus came back.
“Argh…how the hell is someone like that a doctor? I-I-I can’t believe this…I just wanna go home. Bellus! He should be able to help.” Felichs said aloud as they lay in the alley.
They could still feel the effects of the anesthesia as they were barely able to stand. They walked down the alley, using the wall to keep themselves from falling over. They decided to go to Bounce Man, a gay bar in Mediocris. Felichs had become pretty close with the bartender ever since they got caught trying to steal from him a few months back. Since it was close to morning time they figured there wouldn’t be too many people inside, so Bellus should be free.
About a few minutes later, Felichs arrived at Bounce Man around 2:00 am, and just as they expected it was practically empty. The place looked like any typical club. It had a bright flashing sign on the outside that read “Bounce Man” and big windows surrounded by lights. The disco ball flashed multiple different colors, the tiled floor was all white and had its own set of flashing lights that were used for dancing games, and there were multiple stripper poles for those who wanted to earn some extra cash. Now normally an eighteen-year-old wouldn’t be allowed in here but everyone knew Felichs and welcomed them with open arms. The regulars were like family to Felichs, something they always wanted. As Felichs walked inside, they headed over to the counter and flipped a cup in the air, it was one of their many ways to call over Bellus .
“Aye, what the fuck?“ Bellus said in high high-pitched tone.
Felichs put their arms on the counter as they chuckled, “Hehe, how’s the gayest thing since men doing double hookah puffs, doing?”
“Well, well, well, if it isn't Pauper’s little Robin Hood. Still stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, or was it stealing from the rich and giving the finger to the poor?” Laughed Bellus as they gave Felichs a hug
Bellus was the owner and bartender of the hottest gay bar in Mediocris: Bounce Man. He got the name of the place from an anime he used to watch when he was a child, and ever since it’s made him a fortune. He was a tall, dark-skinned slender man, with long braids that usually matched his outfits. He also loved to dress as flamboyant as possible, usually wearing tight, leather pants with glitter, a matching crop-top vest and shoes. Every once in and awhile he would even do his makeup, but that was only if he knew his favorite pay pigs were stopping by.
They chatted for a bit, catching each other up on things that had happened over the last few weeks. Eventually, Felichs told them about Dr. Benignus.
“So Mediocris’ favorite psych ward patient has returned, eh? I heard she left for a while, I guess your mother’s absence gave her the motivation to return. What I don’t get though is how did you end up in her office?” Bellus asked
Felichs replied, “Well basically, I had been working a ma and pa shop in the back alleys. As I was picking the lock, my hand slipped which caused the alarm to go off early. I started to hear cops yelling at me, I panicked and ran, then suddenly heard a lady’s voice call out to me. She told me to come inside and she would hide me. As I walked inside I got hit in the head from behind and blacked out. And then after a while, boom, now I’m here half dead and mostly tired!”
Bellus sighed, “You always seem to find yourself in the worst predicaments ever, yet by some stroke of luck you get out of them barely alive.”
“Haha, guess it’s Eiríni paying me back for all the times Synkrousi showed her ugly face” chucked Felichs.
For the rest of the night, Felichs and Bellus hung out, drinking and laughing. Since Felichs was still a minor they weren’t allowed to drink, so Bellus always gave them their favorite: apple juice. Afterward, he gave them a few things to eat and drink for the week, then escorted Felichs safely out of Mediocris.
*******************************************
Back to the present.
“Hmph, I see Mediocris’ biggest failure has finally returned to get off on more people’s pain.” Fretted Felichs as they felt the hairs rise all over their body. “Shit calm down Felichs you’ll be ok. You’ll outsmart this psychopath and make it home.”
“Like I ever cared about being a doctor. I’m enjoying all of the free time I’ve attained. It’s allowed me to make preparations and learn a few new things.” Benignus giggled.
“Make preparations? What, you preparing to traumatize more kids?” Felichs asked.
“Hehe, as much as I would love to HELP more people I have more pressing matters. Have you met Tournament? HA! Don’t even answer that because of course you haven’t! Why would somebody with a beautiful aura like that ever want a NOBODY like you in their tournament? I told you, you’re not special.” Dr. Benignus said as she began to tie her hair up.
“No way this psychopath was allowed in the tournament.” Thought Felichs. “You have to be joking.”
“Usually, I wouldn’t waste my energy on someone like you, but your filthy self may try joining Tournoá Tou Menos and I just can’t have that. So maybe it would be best to take you out now!” Dr. Benignus screamed as she put her gloves on.
She lunged forward at Felichs, grabbing them by the throat. They tried reaching for their knife, but the doctor was too smart and with her free hand grabbed Felichs and squeezed their bicep at just the right point causing their right arm to go limp. With their left hand they slapped Benignus, as hard as they could, then kicked her in the stomach. Felichs still didn’t have any feeling in their right arm, but used that to their advantage as they rammed Benignus into the door. Her head slammed into it which caused her to stumble, giving them a few seconds to try and get use of their arm again. This proved to be a costly mistake.
She began pulling their hair and yelling at Felichs, “YOU’RE A BOY! A BOY! A BOY! A WORTHLESS BOY, FAGGOT! YOU’LL NEVER BE A GIRL! YOU’LL NEVER BE SPECIAL! YOU AND YOUR MOTHER WILL DIE!”
She reached into her coat and grabbed a few needles and began squeezing them tightly. The veins on her hands began bulging out, sweat was dripping down her face, and her eyes were burning with anger.
“You stupid, worthless, disgusting creature! I should’ve killed you two years ago. This time…this time though I will make sure to finish the job! And now that your mother’s back, after I’m done with you I can deliver your head to her, then kill her too! It’ll be amazing! Then I’ll be the…”
Felichs couldn’t make out the rest of what was said, as they began looking for a possible way out.
“Shit, there’s no way I can take her on right now! Not like this. This room is too small and she’s blocking the only exit. What should I do? What should I do?” Felichs thought to themself as they panicked.
Felichs’ breathing grew heavier and heavier, as they looked around trying to find something they could do or use against her. Maybe delusions or reality, but it appeared as though Dr. Benignus' needles grew larger and larger, as she inched closer towards them. Felichs thought their eyes were playing tricks on them, but they weren't; her needles indeed grew a lot larger; they looked ten times bigger than before! Felichs started throwing things at her like paper and pencils from the desk, trying to find some way to escape. Their fear. now rising to its maximum point, believing this is where they would die. A floodgate of tears began to ride down the sides of their cheeks, heart popping out of their body as they backed against into the wall. Felichs started contemplating if it would be better to just kill themself and so they took their knife and plunged it towards their neck ready to take their life, when suddenly everything slowed down and a set of words appeared before them:
WHEEL OF BREATH:
FEAR- “EYES OF A DEAD MAFIOSO”
Followed by what appeared to be a woman’s voice, “for the next five seconds everything you see will have its time slowed down. Afterward, you will lose five seconds of your lifespan. Use this new ability wisely, as it could lead you to an early grave.”
Everything in front of them began to slow down to the point that you couldn’t tell if it was moving or not. Although confusion had set in, Felichs started running out of the room. Before exiting they ran up to Benignus and punched her in the face as hard as they could, then ran out of the room and down the hall to the window. As they were running Felichs noticed that everything was moving slowly, it felt like the air was too. They jumped through the window and scaled back down the hospital. Felichs continued running, panting hard and stumbling.
“What the heck was that? Why did everything slow down? Was that me? Did I do that?” So many thoughts had gone through their mind as they ran home.
Before they left, Felichs remembered the entire reason they came to Mediocris and headed over to grab some medicine from Law’s Mind and Heart. This little pharmacy was owned by a snobby old man who would refuse services to anyone who couldn’t pay no matter how badly injured or sick they might be, so Felichs felt nothing anytime they stole from his shop. They pulled a hairpin out of their pocket, repeated a few up-down-side-to-side motions until cracking the lock, and then ran to the back of the shop where the medications were. They pulled their knife out and broke the glass, causing the alarm to go off. Felichs grabbed a few regular medications they would normally get like Xanax, oxycodone, and codeine, then exited the pharmacy and ran home.
They arrived home later that night exhausted. As they walked inside, their mom was in the living room drinking tea. They handed her some medicine and as usual Sana had no questions about where they got it from, nor how they paid for it. She just smiled, thanked them, then took her medication. Felichs went out back to grab the water bucket, removed their clothes, then started scrubbing themselves off. Thanks to a few altercations they had gotten into that week and now the recent one with Dr. Benignus, their body was covered in cuts and bruises. The water wasn’t the cleanest, but it did get the job done removing the dirt and blood from their skin.
“I hate this life…I hate having to clean myself with dirty water and no soap while others have bathrooms with different kinds of soaps and warm water. I hate having to steal from places just to get food and medicine when this stuff should be free. I hate that I have to wear the same clothes while others have a lot of different outfits for the month. Some even have the same outfit in different colors I heard. I hate that I have no one to talk to. I wish…I could just die already…maybe I should’ve let her just kill me”
These dark, depressing thoughts swarmed Felichs mind as they air-dried outside. They had a love-hate relationship with nighttime. It was dark at night which meant they were in their safe space; a place where their anxiety could not reach them, allowing them to be calm. But where there was peace, like a coin, there was always something on the other side, and for Felichs that was depression. As their mind became clearer and more focused, their worst thoughts would be brought to the surface. Felichs knew one day that this other side of them would lead to their demise. They picked up the water bucket and headed back inside. Worried about how the discussion would go, Felichs was hesitant to tell their mom about what happened, but Sana noticed and asked them about it.
“So you happened to meet Dr. Benignus…” Sana said as her voice sounded troubled, “I’m so sorry sweetie... and she called you such horrible things…I love you just the way you are my child. Don’t let anybody ever tell you that you’re not who you believe you are. You’re my baby and I love you.”
“It’s ok Mom, I don’t blame you; she’s a psychopath…” replied Felichs trying to calm down.
“No you don’t understand, she’s a psychopath, because of me,” explained Sana.
“But she seemed so jealous that the commanders all favored you. How can it be your fault who favors who? Asked Felichs, now even more confused.
“Dr. Benignus doesn’t hate me because the commanders love me, she hates me because her dad’s in love with me to the point that he ignores her. He would always praise me for my ability to heal people and say that my talents were special. Explained Sana as she lowered her head.
“A-ability to heal? But you’re just a doctor? All doctors heal people!” Responded Felichs confused and shocked.
“I guess it’s time to tell you the full truth. Sit down sweetie, this may take a while and all of it might not make the most sense.” Sana sighed heavily before continuing, “Ever since the Queen Elpis passed and the wars broke back out , people have talked about how it seems like certain people have these supernatural abilities. Nobody knows how they came about or why they did. The first time they were seen was in a skirmish between Perdita and Spes when a Perditian swordswoman was overpowered by an individual. She said the person she fought, had grown claws and destroyed her blade with ease before striking her. A few were skeptical to believe this, but seeing the large, wolf-like scratches on her torso was all the proof they needed. Eventually, a few more ability sightings were talked about. Then, fifteen years ago, I joined the military. I was in the middle of combat when a comrade of mine was injured. She was my best friend, so seeing her lifeless body was too much. I broke down crying, holding the bullet wounds and praying to Eirini that she wouldn’t die. My tears fell onto her wounds and as I screamed louder and louder for help, something amazing happened. Her wounds started healing up and soon her lifeless body was once again full of life. I was in complete shock and soon the rumors started spreading that I was an angel. That’s why I was gone…it wasn’t to heal but to learn. To learn how to awaken and harness this power for Perdita’s military, to eventually control this country.” explained Sana, confused herself.
Felichs sat in silence as their mom slowly got up, bones cracking as she did.
“Mom,” Felichs said in a low tone
“Yes, sweetie.” Felichs’ mom responded as she forced a smile.
“These abilities. These experiments. Are these the cause of your illness?” Felichs asked in a concerned voice.
Sana looked at Felichs in silence, not muttering a word
Tears started to roll down Felichs’ eyes. They walked outside and headed up to the roof. It was a few weeks before the tournament and Felichs grew more and more worried. A plethora of thoughts raced through their troubled mind. What if there were others in the tournament who had these same abilities or even stronger ones that could cause great destruction? There’s no way death wasn’t going to be an option. Felichs reached into their pocket and grabbed the note reading over it again.
Felichs
Solis
Ira
Malu
Mori
The rest of the names weren’t legible, but there appeared to be at least three others. They examined the page closer trying to see if something was hidden. They turned the page over and over multiple times, hoping something, anything would show itself to them. However, the only thing that was there was the bloody handprint. As Felichs looked closer at it they noticed it wasn’t completely smooth, it had very slight cracks in it that could easily be overlooked. They started scratching it, hoping to find something to ease their restless mind. What happened next though caused their eyes to widen. Some of the blood fell off, but most of it stayed and formed what appeared to be the words:
“One day you’ll understand why Felichs…”
*******************************************
The next morning
Felichs woke up and went about their usual daily activities. They decided to not tell their mom about the letter, knowing it would cause too many complications. Instead, they went outside and gathered some of their knives, made a quick braid, and wrapped the end around one of their knives. They attached two others to their belt and then gave their mom one.
Sana knew something was different about Felichs.
“I know you say everything’s going to be alright, but I’m still going to be worried,” Sana said in a low tone.
“Like I said before, don’t be. I promise I’ll be safe and even try my best not to get into fights before the tournament or on my way back, after I win it.” Felichs smiled as wide as possible, showing all their teeth.
“Whether you win or lose, just please come back to me baby, you’re all I have left,” Sana said as tears started to form. “Every since I lost your sis-”
“Mom...I thought we said we wouldn’t talk about her. Every time we do you blame yourself even though it’s not your fault.” Felichs barked.
“You’re right, you’re right. I’m sorry sweetie, just promise me one thing. Whatever you do, don’t do something you’ll regret. Got it?” Sana asked.
“Yeah, mom. I got it.” Felichs replied.
They gave their mom a big hug goodbye then helped them get to the window before heading to Fortuna. Normally, they wouldn’t be allowed here, but Tournament had assured them they would be allowed entry upon flashing the letter. Fortuna was a noble-only city that lay north of Mediocris and was the one city Felichs stayed far away from. It was heavily guarded with elite military forces everywhere, patrolling on the ground and keeping watch from the lookout towers. The city was lined with houses, but the three big houses in the center of its city were the most important. Two of those belonged to the main noble families and the other one to the members of the council. There were also two hospitals, one belonging to House Mors and the other to House Vita. Its population only held about a few hundred citizens, half belonged to the two families and the council, while the others belonged to the lesser noble families.
As they walked through Fortuna, Felichs could feel the glares of disgust from its citizens.
“What is Pauper-trash like that doing here” Scoffed Fortuna Citizen A.
“What a disgusting creature. It looks like it hasn’t eaten in weeks” Fortuna Citizen B said as they slightly threw up in their mouth
“I couldn’t even turn that thing into a good slave if I wanted to.” Fortuna Citizen C snickered.
These were just some of the things said about them, but Felichs paid them no mind. They had heard these things many times and knew getting into an altercation with anyone from Fortuna would have them imprisoned for life. After the assassination of King Olivier lll, the nobles, and Chancellor Cedric took control of Perdita, allowing the nobles to have the power to make laws for the state and run Perdita in whichever they saw fit.
Felichs lowered their head and walked through the city until they reached the center. The letter told them to head to the council’s house and so they did. Upon arriving they were greeted by a very large man, about seven feet tall, who had a rough face covered in scars and missing his left eye. He wore a suit and greeted Felichs, requesting they hurry inside.
“You’re really early you know? Matter of fact, you’re an entire two hours ahead of schedule.”The man said to Felichs.
“Yeah, I’ve been told I had a bad habit of showing up early,” Felichs replied while they inspected the odd man. “So, who are you supposed to be? A butler”
“You could say that. I have many jobs here. Butler. Tutor. Security. I do whatever is asked of me by our De..I-I-I-I mean our heads of the house.” The man said as he stumbled over his words.
Felichs wanted to ask what the man was going to say but knew he would dodge the question. “So, what’s your name? Or do you have many names too?”
“My name is Servus. Servus #11835. But please just call me Servus. And you must be Felichs of Pauper. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yeah, but just call me Felichs. So, you said I was early? Maybe I can use this time to have a conversation with Tournament, I’ve been meaning to ask them something.” Felichs said as they clenched their fist
The man suddenly stopped and turned back to Felichs with a look of fear on their face, then mouthed the words, “You’re not safe here.”
Felichs’ eyes grew wide as they were guided inside.
“I will endure whatever hell is in store for me if it means you can go to heaven happily”