After I left that dark place, my world was spinning and it was all blurry, I felt someone embrace me and instinctively looked at her. A dark-haired woman, her skin was white, and her eyes were bright green, almost as if they were glowing. I couldn't make out any more details, my sight was still blurry, so I started scanning the rest of the room.

There was a bed, with a woman lying on it, from this far I couldn't make out much of her, but she seemed to have brown hair and white skin, different from the woman holding me, I can barely make out her eyes.

Beside the bed, there was a man, holding the woman's hand. His hair was short, almost turning into an orange blob in my view. He seems tall, with broad shoulders. And, even from afar, I think I can see him frowning.

That one holding mom's hand must be my dad... I wanna see them from up close...

On the other side of the bed, there was a man, he used a green round cap in his head, and was dressed in green clothes. He was close to the woman, muttering some words as green light flew out of a stick in on his hands and into my mother.

What is he doing? Don’t tell me that is magic?! - I thought, surprised

Mother said something, then the woman holding me nodded to the man healing mom, bringing me closer, into her arms.

Her eyes were of a deep brown, and the only thing I could see in her face was... love... She traced her fingers over my cheek, a slight shiver running up my spine.

She's so pretty...

Mom said something while caressing me, I only understood one thing: "Hestia".

Does she know my name? How? Maybe the goddess arranged for it? - Her hand started weakly dropping from my face. - Wait... Is she okay? Her eyes are closing... - The green-eyed woman swiftly picked me up and handed me to who I assume is my father. She spoke quickly while handing him something and pushing both of us out of the room.

It looked like a bottle, but more rustic, maybe made of animal skin? Father removed the cap and made me drink from it, the mouth of the bottle was strange, probably to make it easier for a baby to drink, the contents seemed to be milk and as I drank, I soon realized how hungry I was.

After seemingly finishing the entire canteen, which looked to be almost my size, I felt something in me stirring, so I focused, using all of my strength to contain it.

Nope, not vomiting today!

But I failed, or so I thought, as a harmless burp sounded out of my mouth.

Huh, I thought I was about to... Guess not, then... - I started feeling tired, sleepiness closing in on me, and as my eyes started to close, I stared at dad's face.

He looked rough, with a few scars; the constant frowning heavily stained his forehead and his short, ginger hair, looked a bit disheveled. His beard was short and ginger, covering a bit of his face, and his eyes were baggy as if he hadn't slept in a year. Nevertheless, he smiled while looking at me, lovingly starting to lull me in his arms.

Soon the sleepiness became too strong, and my eyes closed.

Darkness surrounded me as I slept without dreaming, only shadows of the flames stained in my soul danced on my peripheral vision, they always seemed to be getting closer, but when I looked, they were never there. Then... I woke up

Father was walking fast towards the door; I could see the woman and her assistant coming out. Their faces... are not good. Something started to build inside me, like the dread I felt when that person looked at Cris. I couldn't understand the woman's words, but I could understand dad's face. His eyes... were exactly like Cristine's. I understood what happened.

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This man, who seemed so loving, lost his wife. A woman who, in the brief moments that she was with me, showed what true and genuine love really is. And it was all my fault.

Deep down I knew it didn't make sense, that I could never be blamed for just... being born. However, the guilt assaulted me, the pain from never seeing Cristine again, and after seeing those hopeless eyes in front of me again... I couldn't hold it. I cried, cried as loud and as strongly as I could. I let everything that was still contained, all that pain, that hatred, everything.

That seemed to snap dad back to reality, as he held me closer, tightly, whispering something to me.

But I couldn't understand it, and I wouldn't. I cried, I bellowed and I started to feel something inside of me tremble. Something that I repressed and feigned ignorance to. That monster, that thing that is part of me.

Every flame, every candle, fireplace, hearth, all sources of warmth and light… Were smothered. Darkness fell upon the city, and for a moment, nothing could be heard.

Moreover, if one was able to look further, away from the city, even in the forest, they would only see darkness. All the beasts were alert, as if, right behind them, something was lurking… Waiting…

Only those with strong enough souls, or artifacts capable of peering into the veil, perceived the eyes of the beast, deeper than the sky.

It was hungry, unfathomably so.

It took only a moment, it was only a glimpse at the abyss. But the city was wide awake, and their fears walked alive on the streets. Ghosts, apparitions, all kinds of spirits from the veil.

They did not attack the people, however. Like a mass of white mist, they went over the walls, the gates, and beyond. Running for their lives.

For, as beings of the veil, they saw what no one else did.

Flames that only existed on their side, which only burned those who could harm that baby. A massacre was happening just under the eyes of the living.

Then…

Silence.

- - - - - -

Yen looked at the child, now asleep in her father's arms. After that flickering of the lights, which made her heart tremble, she had gone silent. Sleeping as if she had never made a sound.

She had never seen it before, not in all her sixty years. Was that magic? Had that little child controlled her soul to snuff the flames in the room? That couldn't be, so, if it wasn't that, what was it?

Maybe a creature had flown over the city? If so, she would need to talk to the baron right away, they needed to request backup from the state and...

As she started pacing towards the door, she abruptly came to a stop.

"That milk you have should last you for tomorrow too, after that, you can come to me and I'll give you some cow's milk. I will be paying for that as repayment for my failure. I will also be notifying the church of flames so that they can co-" She was interrupted by the firm voice of the father.

"Stop" He looked tiredly but angrily at her "Hestia is sleeping. We will talk later. Leave."

Yen nodded. Gesturing for her assistant to follow her. They left the house in silence, returning to her shop. The path was dark, so she used light magic to light the way.

There was a weird interference with her staff as if a buzz was affecting how the spells interacted with the veil.

Don’t tell me it started malfunctioning already?

When she was back at her office, she sat at her table and started to light her seven days candle.

She finally realized.

Wasn't it burning when I left?