"Male fraeru child, 8 years of age. Dead. Significant trauma to head and rest of body. Likely cause of death, trampling. Family unknown. Corpse was donated to the White Church."

-The Siege of Tears Casualty Report, Page 121

Daniel had just witnessed something he had thought impossible. Not only had a monster out of his nightmares been fished up, but mere fishermen had killed it in seconds and with such ease that it wouldn't be a far cry from reality to call what had happened normal.

"You're awake down there?" The coachman called out from above, alerted by Daniel's audible surprise, "We'll be arriving at Midnight shortly, you needn't fret."

"What's going on here!" Daniel exclaimed, his speech muffled by the carriage walls.

"Oh yes, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Avos Ashbeck. It's a pleasure to get to know 'ya!"

It took only a few seconds for Daniel to recognise the man's name. After all, he was forced to memorise it and listen to it constantly throughout lectures. Platinum Rank 4, The Brawn. Someone as great as him was doing something as unremarkable as driving a carriage. The carriage of a simple young boy no less.

"Now, now, I can practically hear your shock from here!" Avos gloated, before turning more serious, "For now, stay quiet until we get to your destination. Me and Gull will explain everything."

Too scared to contest the request of someone like Avos, Daniel shrank back into his seat, trying to comprehend the gravity of the situation he was in. Only staying quiet. That's all. Still, though, Daniel couldn't stop shaking. A man who could kill him with a single punch was above him and driving his carriage. It was inconceivable. He needed to get out.

Avos was surprised at how calm the boy was in the current situation. Not only was he staying quiet but even looking for a way to make a clean escape. At least that was what Avos grasped from the boy's shy peaks and weary glares at the ways out of the carriage. It's no wonder he managed to get on the nerves of Lucan and annoyed him so much that he actually asked Avos and Gull for a favour.

However, Avos couldn't blame the kid for being shocked at what he saw. Any sane person would be surprised at the behaviour and culture of the fraeru. Alandrians often expect them to be the sickness-carrying poor that the stigma portrays them as, rather than a great and healthy group of peoples who were just dwindling in number. At least it seems like Daniel doesn't share that point of view, otherwise the situation might have quickly gone sour, resulting in bad blood between both races, Avos thought. There's enough friction already from the Guild pinning the plague on the fraeru, despite barely coming in contact with it, with the exception of the first known case.

Fortunately, it is the Avitsons who Daniel is staying with. I doubt many other families would be able to deal with him, especially now that he has changed. Avos could only ponder about what parts of the brat had changed so much to earn Lucan's disdain.

* * *

Ellis looked upon his sleeping son. He looked so peaceful, his chest rising up and down methodically, in gentle movements. Sun was covered in bandages, light tinges of red staining them. Ellis and his injured son were in a dark room, the bed-side lamp turned off and the windows open to the night sky, wind blowing in.

Ellis was supposed to have been sad. He had drawn out Lucan; but at what cost? His own son had been almost killed in the process. Ellis shouldn't have been so foolish to think that Lucan didn't have the audacity to do such a thing. To top it all off, Sun might be paralysed. Apparently, the Rogue had cut at a position on Sun's back that might have paralyzed him from the waist down. The position of the wound was so surgical that it had to have been done on purpose. It's almost certain that Sun is in fact unable to use his legs now.

The worst thing though wasn't the thought of having his own son be wheelchair-bound possibly for the rest of his life. It was that Ellis was jubilant. He didn't feel sadness or regret or shame or anything of the sort at his son's paralysis. Ellis hadn't even cried. He was just too happy at getting Lucan to come back that it just didn't matter. Ellis loved Sun more than anything. However, in front of all of that, Lucan still mattered to Ellis more than his own son. More than-

"Oh, Diana. Diana my love, why did you have to leave me alone..."

"Inquisitor-sir." Someone peaked from beyond the room door. A flash of light beamed from where they talked, illuminating the room.

"For what reason do you disturb me so, Ender?" The Inquisitor glared back at Ender with a dead stare. "I hope it isn't something simple. I do not want to punish such a loyal patron again."

"No, Inquisitor. This time it's something quite impo-"

"Spit it out. Don't waste my time." The Inquisitor snapped.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"Iago Duskwalker has begun to make his move. It is likely that Lucan Duskwalker is also helping him." Ender reported, his voice shaky. From behind the door, Ellis thought he could hear panting.

"Good. Send my third knight for surveillance." The Inquisitor ordered, turning his gaze back towards Sun, content.

"Yessir." Ender said, closing the door and drowning the room in darkness. Ellis once again began to look at Sun. Smoothing out his long white hair, he brushed it away from Sun's face. It was scary how much Sun resembled his mother. Ellis could remember finding Diana sleeping in the corner of some cave back at his home town. She looked like something straight from Ethan's strange tales he had made for children. It was those very tales that Ellis had told Sun when he was young, eagerly awaiting bed-time just to hear them. Diana found it strange that he actually looked forward to sleep, but Ellis was simply grateful that he wasn't so difficult to put to sleep like other children his age.

It was around that time in Sun's childhood when Ellis found out about Lucan. He hadn't been dead, rotting somewhere in the Voidlands. Lucan was alive. Ellis rushed to the Guild upon hearing the news, meeting up with Cynthia and David. When they finally saw him, something didn't seem right. He wasn't their Lucan. The Lucan in front of them had been forged in the destruction and darkness of the Voidlands itself, sucking him dry of all emotion and personality. The Lucan they once knew was dead, and what they were seeing was a mere husk.

The first giveaway was his eyes. They were no longer eyes. What remained in their place were two blue, lifeless balls hanging in his eye-sockets. In reality, to call them 'blue' was a stretch. That blue of Lucan's eyes, once full of beauty and light, was now reduced to a dead, dull colour.

Cynthia had immediately jumped onto Lucan, hugging him and bawling her eyes out. Both David and Ellis would wonder if Lucan could ever take a hint. It was so blaringly obvious that Cynthia was in love with Lucan that many other Guild members even picked up on it. David, ever the stoic type, never shed a tear, while Ellis himself was in a similar state as Cynthia.

The old Lucan would have been smiling and probably crying too, laughing as much as he could. The Lucan in front of them could barely fake a smile. He could only comfort Cynthia, stroking her hair.

Even then, they had all brushed it off. It had to be that Lucan was just shocked at being with his friends after all those years, or maybe it was him being unable to get used to social interaction again after a long time of having only survival on his mind. Deep down, though, Ellis knew the truth; and it didn't take long for the others to find out about it too.

He was gone.

After all that reminiscing, Ellis was beginning to feel tired. Preparing for sleep, he kissed Sun's forehead before laying down on the floor with a pillow and duvet for comfort. In only a few minutes, Ellis was fast asleep, a slight, natural smile appearing on his face.

Outside the bedroom door, Ender was slumped against the door, crouched. He was visibly flushed and panting heavily like a dog. On his face was a look of pure ecstasy, the edges of Ender's mouth curled into a grin, and beginning to quiver. He praised me!

* * *

Unlike what Daniel had witnessed beforehand, Midnight seemed normal. Once he arrived at the town, the inhabitants didn't bat an eye at a human's arrival nor did they act any differently than someone from Alandriel. However, the strangest thing was that the town's people were friendly with Avos. Avos; a man who could kill a fraeru for just disrespecting him and no one would be able to act up about it. Yet they all were friendly with him, even making jokes at his expense, waving up to him as he drove the carriage, and Avos? Nothing. Just treating them the same. The fraeru were truly insane if they thought they could treat someone like Avos normally.

Before he knew it, the carriage had passed through the main part of the town and it was beginning to approach the end of the river, where it curled back into the forest of Gearmön. There were many different fishing huts and shacks sprinkled over the river-side. In the middle of them all was a relatively large one, with a bait and fish shop at it's front. Hanging from the front door were the words 'Avitson Fishing Shack'.

"Alright, let's stop here" Avos said, talking to himself from the top of the carriage. The carriage slowed to a stop just short of the main dirt path leading to the shack, the horses neighing and stamping as they now sat idly. Stepping down from the driver's position, Avos walked over, unlocked the carriage door and opened it. As Daniel stepped out of the carriage, tentative, a small girl came rushing towards them.

"Avo!" the little girl shouted, jumping into Avos' arms.

"Hello, now what is this little mistress doing running out here?" Avos smiled, "I wouldn't imagine your father would be very happy now, ignoring your guest."

"Well... I was so excited when I saw Avo that I- Ah!" the girl began to say, before being hoisted up onto Avos' shoulders by him.

"Anyways, Anya, this is Daniel!" Avos pointed at Daniel, looking up at her.

"Dan-el!" Anya giggled.

"And Daniel, you might want to go inside. It seems I will be playing with her for a while."

"-Y-yes... sir." Daniel stammered, feeling dizzy. These people were too strange. Walking into the shack, a single bell rang at the opening of the door and Daniel found that the overwhelming stench of fish filled the air. Manning the front desk was a middle-aged woman, dark bags sagging under her eyes.

"Ah, welcome!" The woman said, shaking off her daze. However, instead of a customer who she was greeting, it was rather the young boy that she had been asked to take in. Stretching out her hand, she continued, "Oh! Sorry for not recognising you, my name's Enia! Just Eni though if you don't mind. Nice to meet you!"

"Thanks, the name's Daniel. I'll be in your care for a while." Daniel responded, taking her hand and shaking it.

"You might want to stay down here for a little while, since Havie's still sorting your room."

"Havie?"

"Ah yes, my husband. I reckon you'll get on just fine, although he's a bit of a clutz," Enia laughed, with a warm smile on her face, until she began to shout up the staircase in the back of the shop to the second floor of the building, "Oi! Havie, get down here now!"

"Y-yes, Eni!" A voice stammered from up the stairs. "I'll be there soon!"

"Ugh, when is that man ever gonna' learn some respect..." Enia muttered, shaking her head, "Did you bring anything with you, cause I'll sort that out now if-"

"Nope, he brought nothing, miss," Avos said, coming through the door with Anya still sitting on his shoulders. Looking down at Daniel, he gave him a wide grin that looked more like a threat than an actual smile.

What on Alium is actually happening?!