Despite being seen as a troublemaking child by those around him, Aster's real nature was different from what others saw. He had a level of maturity most of the other children at the orphanage couldn't quite reach. Despite his energetic and wild conduct, Aster had a keen mind and an innate ability to uniquely see the world around him. His reputation as a troublemaker was little more than him using everything he had to have fun while he could and help his brother with all his little minions. That was why this little five-year-old could run this orphanage like his own little army with little interference from the adults, but what was the point now?

Aster's earliest memory was of sneaking out of the narrow crack in the wall of the abandoned building. He remembered how excited he was when he stumbled upon it while wandering around his new home the night before. He couldn't sleep that night because he was eager to see what was on the other side. He had a plan that the next morning, when his brother disappeared, he would set out to explore that crack. But sleep doesn't come so easily when you're excited, and after rolling around for hours, he finally couldn't hold himself back and went through that narrow gap.

At first, he was unamused since it just went outside the building into a small alleyway. He was upset; what happened to his dream of an adventure? That was when he noticed the strangeness of the alley; it seemed so different from the dark and damp alleys that he had walked with his brother to arrive here, but what was most mesmerizing was a small light swaying at the end of the path. He walked to the path, squeezing through the cramped alley and small stacked crates that dotted the narrow walkway. He was excited when he made it out; who knew that such a big alley existed? It could fit so many of him just from one side to the other. It was as big as where they were staying now. He wanted to run across to see what the other side was like, but streams of light started to break over some of the distant buildings as he crossed. Morin was waking up, and Casper would be up soon, but Aster couldn't move, enchanted by the colors that danced across the sky, mixing with the beames of light and warmth. All he could do was stand and stare.

The unexpected touch of a hand on his shoulder caused him to jump in a sudden burst of fear. When Aster turned to see who grabbed his shoulder, he saw his older brother, Casper, staring forward at Morin, rising into the colorful sky.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Casper said with a smile as he knelt behind Aster.

"Hmm,"

Aster remembered the bright smile his brother had looking at Morin.

"Mom and Dad always chased after Morin... That's why they named us what they did. They said that Morin was a treasure the world gave to the gods, and the gods wanted to share that treasure with us, so they put it high in the sky so that everyone could enjoy the warmth and light."

Aster never knew his parents, but Casper told him that they were supposed to be important. When they died, all those who called them important just left him and Casper to fend for themselves. He couldn't really remember anything since he was too young when they passed, but Casper always grew excited when he asked about their parents. Casper would glow whenever their parents were brought up, but Aster could only listen since he had never met them.

Only a few days after they watched that first sunrise, Casper brought him to the orphanage, where Casper told him he could accomplish his dream if they stayed there. After that, he didn't get to spend much time with Casper. He was always too busy. Even when he used his secret weapon, their parents, to try and talk to him, he would only tell him he was busy with training or something and would leave. Aster couldn't bring himself to take away something from Casper since Casper did so much for him, but he was upset at all the time Casper spent with others.

Casper was always there at every point in Aster's short life. He scolded him, laughed with him, and cared for him when no one else did. So what happens now?

***

Aiyah walked quietly through the empty halls of the orphanage; the once boisterous place she called home was silent. Istina and Ibada had left with that old man early this morning to meet with someone, leaving the other caretakers to look after the hundred-plus children in the orphanage. Aiyah wanted to help and be useful, but it was hard for her to leave Pit and Aster, so she just wandered between their rooms, checking on them. Pit was still sleeping, and the Divine Knight was watching him. She had just left some fresh fruits with him to eat while he waited.

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Aiyah's real concern was Aster. He was the first to be told about Casper and hasn't moved since. Ibada had carried him here and placed him in the room beside where Pit was resting and being treated. The old man had come to look, but all he said was that it would take some time and he would be fine, but Aiyah hated that. What did that stupid old man know about Aster? She knew more than him, and Aster was not fine. She could tell just by looking at him that he wasn't fine.

Aiyah knocked on Aster's door.

"I'm coming inside,"

When she opened the door and looked around, she saw the silent pair sitting in a corner, looking out of the window, their hands still locked together. Somehow, these two had become almost inseparable since the incident a few days ago; it was almost like their hands were stuck together. Aiyah didn't know why, but it irritated her. It was just unfair that these two ended up like this when Aster ended up like that; it just wasn't fair.

"Hey, I brought some fruit."

The two looked at her and shook their heads.

Aiyah could only sigh, "At least you two are becoming more sociable."

the two smiled, causing her to flinch, "And a little creepy too,"

Aiyah looked at Aster. Unlike the other two, who had some light coming back into their eyes, his had all but left.

"I brought some fruit," Aiyah said, moving some fruit she had already cut toward Aster's mouth.

"No, thank you..."

"You need to eat something!" she screamed.

Aiyah covered her mouth. She noticed in the last few days that she really does have a short temper.

"Sorry,"

"No, thank you..."

"Ahh...sigh."

***

Arc and Zindra paced back and forth, and every time they stopped, it was only to yell at the other. Carter had been gone for several days. No matter where they looked, he wasn't there. It was such a small village, and you'd think a few hundred trained guards and servants would be able to find one child, especially one as strange as Carter, but there was not a single sign even now.

"HOW COULD YOU LET HIM VANISH LIKE THAT!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN ME! I WAS HERE WITH YOU!"

"YOUR PEOPLE WERE THE ONES TENDING TO HIM!"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO LAZY AND INCOMPETENT TO EVEN LOOK AFTER YOURSELF, LET ALONE A CHILD!"

"Am I interrupting something?"

"HERMES!" both yelled with flushed faces.

Hermes jolted at the shout, "There's no reason for that. Please just talk like normal Seedlings."

"Sorry, it's just Carter is missing..."

"Oh, he's with me. I left him at the orphanage. It seems I forgot to tell you. Hahaha! Sorry. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

The pair couldn't wipe the shock off their faces. Days of searching and this strange old Divine Race man had him this whole time!

Zindra calmed down after thinking about it; Masters of the Divine Race all have their Divine Knights, so there isn't a safer place for Carter to be than beside one, especially one as well-known as Master Hermes.

Arc, on the other hand, was furious. This old man had wasted so much of his precious 'off' time with something like work! He could have been reading his new books instead of looking for that stupid, useless child. There were only a couple more weeks before another supply shipment would replace them, and then he would have to return to his territory and do work. The thought sent shivers down his spine; that stupid Arc shouldn't have given this position to him; what did he know about leading a family?

"Yes, that child is safe." Hermes said with a big laugh, "He even made some friends. That one is quite a sociable child."

"Huh? Seems you have the wrong child." Arc said

"Right, Carter is... different from other children," Zindra said

POP POP

"Ouch"

"Do you two think me senile? I know who Carter is."

"Well, thank you for telling us. I guess now we can go back to what we were doing before. We just need to go find Pata." Zindra said while Arc cringed at the words

"That is why I am here. Pata died a couple of nights ago, and they asked us, well, you, lady Zindra, to investigate. I was hoping you would let me tag along; I feel that there is something strange with Mata and Pata dying so close together."

"Oh, uhh, yeah, let us gather our things, and we will head there."

Arc and Zindra left the room while Hermes, Ibada, and Istina stood behind.

"Master Hermes, are you sure we don't need to tell them about the Night Beast?"

"Yes, it could get very dangerous for everyone if something isn't done about them."

"Night Beast? I have no clue what you're talking about..."