"Well let's begin with our names and a little introduction shall we... just like school." Nessiah winked and continued.

The children cheered anxiously at Nessiah's seemingly playful idea while Taylum nodded his stuffed face in approval.

"Let's begin with yours truly and then we'll go clockwise around the table." Directed Nessiah.

"My name is Nessiah. I am nineteen and a proud daughter of the Holy leaders Trinity Pulchrome and Peter Pulchrome. My parents are revered as revolutionary leaders of the formerly known Dominus Eros or now known Holy Aeronean. I take care of these ten kiddos on a daily basis out of respect for our dearly fallen and because I am a decent human being. I love thinking out loud and pondering about the unknown. I got many dreams and I’m working on them." Nessiah explained excitedly.

"And what dream is that? Because as loud as you are, I never heard you talk about your dream." Taylum teased.

"You know...your not far enough to not get slapped. Anyway, one of them is very clear and it's to protect all you goof's." Nessiah quickly responded banging her oversized fork on the table.

"Taylum! Especially the one who sneaks outs and bring me more of you knuckleheads." Yelled Nessiah.

The dinner table erupts once again in contagious laughter, one of which I strangely fell victim to. I actually laughed so hard I began crying and yet I didn’t feel the joke was so funny. I laughed so hard I felt Taylum’s eyes spitefully hover around me.

"Anyways... I am Taylum and I'm 13. I am the son of the beautiful Aurora Orsivellos and the powerful Cassius Orsivellos, both of which served the Holy Aeronean for 20 years under the leadership of both Peter and Trinity Pulchrome. That’s as far as I got in my introduction script... I guess... I would really love to explore the world, but most of all I would like to fulfill the Holy Aeronean’s will." Taylum proudly explained.

"Excuse me...?" I asked.

"Lay off with the 'excuse me' stuff. Get comfortable! You are our humble guest." Taylum assured.

"He has manners, unlike you!" Nessiah loudly interjected.

"What is the Domino Arrow, or Holy Aero...nean?" I nervously questioned.

"You mean Dominus Eros and Holy Aeronean? You wear it's symbol around your neck and you do not know?" Taylum questioned visibly confused.

I turned to him, immediately noticing his confusion. I simply shrugged my shoulders as our gaze bounced off each other and soon the entire table.

"What? My cross? This thing?" I said, shamelessly pulling on my necklace.

Alongside a loud screech of a chair, I felt a set of thin hands rest on my shoulders and a sharp poking pain on my back. Curious I turn to see an angry and hostile Nessiah wielding what I believe to be a shank to my back.

“Pretend to keep smiling or you're taking the express way out of here.” whispered Nessiah aggressively.

It became increasingly hard to swallow or breathe. Safety far too short lived. I should of known. Nessiah casually placed her head on my left shoulder and gently whispered.

"The only reason I let you stay here as long as you have is because that cross you wear around your neck, otherwise you would be in the streets boy or underground. Do not threaten my family in anyway and do not make a mockery of the symbol that all of our parents and friends have died to protect. Now I will only ask you this once; are you a friend or...a foe?" She whispered in a whirlwind of rage.

"F-Friend, I do....not-" I tried responding.

"Careful. One wrong word and rest assured you will die right here and now. I will ask the questions and you will respond... simple as that. Now, where are you from?" Threatened Nessiah.

"The city of Embrace…, but that’s really most of what I know" I fearfully responded.

In between Nessiah's strangling speech I felt the Enigma laughing within me, simply having the utmost pleasure watching me count each bead of sweat dripping off my face. Clearly, the awkward level of hospitality in which this family presented me with was not for nothing, they thought I had some sort of connection with this Dominus Eros or Holy Aeronean. Children or not, I am prepared to find my way out in whichever way I can and I'm certain the Enigma is well aware of that. Now to find an opening...

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"So you are not of this city of New Dwarden?" She continued.

"No, I awoke in an alley in New Dwarden." I responded carefully.

"You awoke!? City of Embrace huh?...so you are an Exiled then?" Nessiah prodded.

"If that means not from here then... yes." I continued.

"You realize that anyone from outside of New Dwarden is essentially target practice for authorities right?" Nessiah menacingly asked.

"Amnesia or stupid?" asked Nessiah.

"Yes definitely." I responded in what felt like a shortcicuit of nervousness.

"Yes what...yes stupid, because that is what this seems like." Nessiah prodded aggressively.

"I remember that I woke up in an alley, essentially anything before that is gone. The symbol that I wear around my neck was a gift from my parents, one of which I value highly, and would gladly trade an arm and a leg for. Other than my time here I don't remember much at all, sorry Nessiah. This place is all foreign." Said Lian extremely quickly.

"How have you not be caught? There is an extremely large gathering of people everywhere because of the parade today. It almost seems as someone delivered you to us through Taylum. Incredible is an understatement regarding the chances of someone not spotting you. Both the streets, water, and skies are flooded with patrol. That cross would have given up your right to speak, they would have shot you on the spot." Nessiah pondered.

There! I caught a glance at her face through the reflection of my silverware. Nessiah lowered her guard as she tried to figure out the circumstance in which Taylum found me. Her throat was exposed, and everyone else seemed to be oblivious to the situation, everyone except Taylum. If I punch her throat, I may be able to run towards an exit. Taylum I can take my chances with, but Nessiah needed to be injured if I were to have a chance of escape.

My hands began to tremble tremendously, every escape scenario I could think of was bloody or brutish. I can’t use a knife, murdering is not an option, but neither is getting murdered. Most escapes at this point had a knife bridging the path. Had I turned to a brute overnight? Is the Enigma influencing my thought's? No. It needed to be done, I must achieve the Enigma's request so that I may come back home.

I hovered my hand onto the knife on the table. Lifting the knife from the table felt like a shaking crane lifting a load heavier than it can handle. However, this was my chance! I had to take it!

“You almost got it! Her throat is so OPEN! Ahahaha! You sly bastard!” Laughed the enigma. I could hear it like a second thought process.

The moment I gathered the courage to lift the knife past my shoulder, Nessiah had already begun to walk back to her seat.

She gently sat down and stared at me with an enthusiastic smile and seemingly mouthed out the words: I am so sorry; and something I couldn’t make up. Things just kind of went on like normal. After that tense moment, she simply opened the giant metal dish in the center and began serving. Everyone just oblivious and chowing down on some very large shrimp about the size of your average dinner plate; Everyone but Taylum.

"You’re probably wondering where I even get this food right...Lian. You're probably thinking where the heck does an orphaned family get such a unique meal like this right? Well for your information, we got a very close friend who works in the restaurant across this big old building who avidly provides an ample amount of fresh food that would otherwise be thrown out. He is a good person, a friend of our parents."Nessiah nervously explained before being interrupted by a table banging Taylum.

"Wh- What the hell just happened between you two!? It went from raining knives to strolling through roses." Taylum interrupted.

"It's messy things that children at dinner should not hear...ok." Nessiah quickly responded.

"Hey Lian! Hell, just so you know... we are not related she is fair game." Taylum unwittingly whispered to me.

Taylum stared at Nessiah and I suspiciously. He stared us down with the discretion of an angry hawk. Perhaps he was a secret murderer too?

"Is Lian a bad guy? Is he Aeronean or-"" Taylum tried explaining before being interrupted by a loud slam of some sharp silverware.

"We’ll talk later." Said Nessiah across the dinner table.

The children systematically introduced themselves in a surprisingly orderly manner, although most of their favorite activities included eating cookies and jumping between one another. After a long period of laughs, awkward staring, and an engorgement of weird overly sized foods, everyone at the dinner table found themselves sleepy or sleeping, Everyone except for Taylum, Nessiah, a child, and myself.

“These babies can never stay awake after dinner. Watch Nessiah, Lian.” Taylum said while yawning and blinking very slowly.

"Pot and Pan! King and Kane! Nickel and Knots! Lenelia and Sera! Ofcourse Billy too. Time to go to bed!" Commanded Nessiah.

"Nessi. Can't we stay up any longer? Today is the last day of the New Dwarden festival." Begged Lenelia.

Lenelia was a short and intelligent blonde toddler, during dinner she would often set up conversations for the other children to follow, only to ridicule them on how absurd they sounded trying to keep up. Lenelia carried a large bright orange stuffed frog in which she would apparently never let go of; she consistently called it Uzoo. With her bright orange eyes, wide smile, bunned up short blonde hair, and overall cutesy charm, she will definitely be a force to reckon with among the growing children.

"Yeah! Fireworks! Yeah! Fireworks! And the... uh...Angel sound!" Shouted the toddlers in unison.

"Angel Sound? A Festival?" I asked.

This was my chance to make sense of something, perhaps I could finally squeeze a couple of questions about this strange place. I must be careful not to arouse too much suspicion but I have to ask.