Today, Thanos woke to find the first signs of the coming winter as drifting snowflakes fell all around the house. Bundled up in what he called his teddy bear onesie, he was sitting on his mother's lap as they watched the world turn white.
Between his thick clothing and the nearby cackling metal brazier on the porch, he could still feel the chill carried around by the strong winds. Even with their magic and superhuman constitutions, it seemed the people of this world kept well wrapped up as he watched the villagers work the fields dressed in furs.
Still, others like his parents and the other legionary members didn't wrap up quite as much, so cultivating looked to have some effect on mitigating lousy weather.
There were more villagers in the fields today, with even some children helping harvest the crops and putting them into strong wooden carts ready to transport them to the village. His excitement at this new world had dulled further in the passing weeks with the monotony of rural life taking over.
Whilst he was a little bored, he still couldn't help but admire the beauty surrounding him now that his eyesight had long since normalised. The tall trees were now covered in white that blotted out their blue-green leaves that he noticed seemed to be there all year round. He watched the snow dance on the wind, admiring the scene that looked like something found on the front of a Christmas card.
As he looked around, slowly being bounced on his mother's lap, he noticed a figure dressed in a long purple coat with a dark hat carrying a wicker basket and cane strolling towards them. Even though she had a walking aid, she deftly moved, avoiding small patches of built snow.
A skeletal bird sat perched on her shoulder, its eyes glowing with eerie green orbs set in black sockets. It was unmoving, apart from its flickering eyes that made it look like a gargoyle come to life.
There were no feathers on its wings, just their bony outlines tucked against its white cadaverous frame.
Thanos couldn't help but stare at those flickering lights, trying to determine how this was possible. It was related to essence, that much was obvious, but he thought about the process and how it was possible to reanimate a creature like this using it.
He couldn't help but wonder if the undead were also a thing in this world. Maybe zombies and vampires weren't just made-up stories either. The more he thought of essence and all its magical possibilities, the more he realised that not all of those possibilities lead in good directions.
"Good morning, Penelope." His mother called out to the woman walking past the house, snapping him out of his thoughts.
The older lady turned, talking them both in at a glace with an impassive face as the bird finally moved, doing the same.
He wasn't sure why his mother had called out as the older woman didn't seem that approachable, but he was happy she had, as this strange woman intrigued him.
Now that she was closer, he could see that her coat was a thick purple leather with strange black patterns threaded into it. Her dark hat reminded him of one of those pilgrim hats due to a peculiar metal strap on top.
He watched as she placed down her basket and removed the headdress, giving him a better view of her wrinkled face.
To his surprise, the woman looked like she had East Asian ancestry and looked slightly different from the other villagers he had seen. She could have been a beauty in her youth, but those looks had faded with age.
He also thought he spotted a subtle eerie green sheen to her irises similar to the bird, but he couldn't be too sure. The woman before him had a certain poise that reminded him of someone used to a life of wealth and authority as she regarded them indifferently.
"Good morning, Valeria. What can I do for you?" She calmly asked as she rested the hat on her walking stick, placing her veiny hands on it.
"Sorry to interrupt your day, but I was wondering, is there any news on the potion yet?" His mother asked with a hint of nervousness lacing her words.
"Not yet. I still need one ingredient: Tharone root. As you know, it's scarce in these parts. If we were on the western side of the continent, closer to Viridis, we might have better luck, but without the root, the potion would not have the wanted results." The elderly woman replied matter-of-factly, almost sounding like they had had this conversation before.
"So there is nothing we can do. I can help look for an alternative ingredient?"
"Unfortunately, Tharone root is the critical component of a fertility potion. Another herbalist might know another way, but it is beyond me. You could try your luck at one of the stores in the city if you're desperate."
Thanos was surprised to hear their conversation was about a potion that would help his parents conceive. He had been an only child in his previous life, and that was all he knew. He hadn't thought he might one day have a brother or sister or even more than one.
Now that he was thinking of it, there was a hint of worry about how things might change if his parents had a child. Would they give him up or treat him differently?
They didn't seem like the sort to do such a thing, but it didn't help stop those thoughts from bouncing around inside. He threw those poisonous thoughts out, thinking that having a sibling to grow up with could be fun.
I may already have siblings.
The thought struck him as he knew that he was adopted and that there was a chance he was even a twin. He might have some biological brothers and sisters out there already.
He decided that was something he could worry about at a later date. There was no point stewing over something he couldn't do anything about.
As he returned his attention away from his musings, he noticed the creepy bird had left the woman's shoulders and was now sitting on the railing across from them as his mother and the woman continued to talk. It sat there staring right at him, almost within touching distance.
He stared back at it, peering into those flickering eyes, wondering what it wanted. Those eyes gave off a weird feeling when he looked into them, making him feel like there was a cold intelligence behind them observing him.
It tilted its head as he watched, and had it been an ordinary bird, it might have been a little cute, but on this undead creature, it just looked menacing.
Breaking eye contact, he noticed his mother and the old woman had ended their conversation, with the latter walking away, basket in hand.
The bird stared at him for a few breaths longer before it flew off, some form of green energy the same colour as its eyes serving as glowing wings coated the bony outlines of them.
Closing his eyes, he tried to use his newly acquired mind's eye to see if he could work out what kind of essence the bird used, but he failed to detect anything externally as his ability only seemed to work just outside of his skin.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He only noticed the greater abundance of water essence in the area that ran through his body, looking more like flowing ice than the water it did previously. He sighed, adding it all to his ever-growing list of things to work out.
Opening his eyes, he changed tactics and used what he had come to call essence vision. This wasn't anything more than him being able to view the essences in the surrounding area the same as he could do inside his body. It didn't improve his sight in any way.
He could see that strange green energy surrounding the bird, but it didn't feel like any type of essence he had come across if it even was essence to begin with. While investigating the strange bird, he didn't know that he was the topic of an ongoing conversation.
* * *
"Anzu, what did you find so interesting about that child? You normally don't give any of these backwater villagers a second glance."
"Home. The boy feels like home. Lesser now, still there if closer. Interesting." A low-pitched, dopey-sounding voice replied that took a second longer than it needed to pronounce a word, dragging them out.
"What do you mean home? Are you saying that child is somehow linked with a being from the ether? How is that possible?" Penelope replied as she glanced backwards over her shoulder at the baby in the distance.
"No. Not joined, travelled. Carries mark on soul. Mark fading."
"That's not possible. How would a human traverse through the ether? Even if it were possible to get there, it would be a death sentence." Penelope said with a shake of her head as she exclaimed with her arms.
Someone passing nearby looked at her strangely, and she reminded herself to calm down with the external gestures as her conversation with Anzu was happening internally via the link they shared.
From an outside perspective, it must look like a crazy old woman making wild motions, and she smiled at that thought.
"Anzu doesn't know."
"Is it possible he has just come in close contact with a powerful summoner or artefact?"
"Anzu unsure. Possible."
"Can this bring us any benefit? Can we use this in some way?"
"No. Just curious."
"Hmm." She said as she spotted her hut tucked into the corner of the valley just outside the village wall.
"That's for the best. We can keep lying low here for now. It was a stroke of fortune that the village head was looking for a herbalist. This place is so out of the way I doubt the Fang clan will ever find me here."
She swapped the basket from one hand to the other, making sure people saw her playing the part of the feeble old woman as she thought about her past.
"That little monster Fang Yi deserved his death. Their clan should be thanking me as he would have only brought them calamity, and little Fe-Fe can rest in peace." She said to Anzu but more to herself as she thought about her niece.
The bird on her shoulder just sat there unmoving as the strange pair followed the village wall to the left, out of sight of Thanos and the other villagers.
* * *
It was night-time, and Thanos was in the village with his parents. They didn't usually venture out at night, deciding to remain inside the security of their house. Tonight seemed like an exception as the pair gathered him up briefly after nightfall and set out towards the village.
Their route into the village was well-lit. It seemed like Marcus had planned the way in advance, ensuring it would be safe to pass. The occasional hiss and roar came from the surrounding darkness, but nothing bothered them as they walked down the path, ensuring they stuck to the well-lit areas.
He wondered what they did in other, more populated areas, as he was sure that if the lights got left out in some places, someone would steal them. They could be inexpensive and easy to produce, but something inside told him that wasn't true.
Once they arrived, he found the entire village gathered at the edge of the small lake at the bottom of the waterfall for what looked like a ritualistic ceremony. Thanos spotted Ajax at the head of the crowd, dressed in ceremonial garb and headdress made up of bones and antlers.
Many other villagers, even his parents, were dressed in similar rustic-looking garments with small bones and sinewy leather strips hanging off them.
The General stood on a wooden platform that rose from the water next to a raft that floated alongside it. Thanos watched as all the villagers lined up, each taking turns to place something small onto the raft, but he wasn't sure what.
When it was his turn, he watched as his mother and father placed some of their belongings onto it. His father put down a wooden cup and his mother a simple-looking hairbrush. They even had one of his toy blocks to hand that they helped him add to the pile.
Once done, the villagers gathered around the water's edge as Ajax began to preach loudly, his voice booming off the surrounding cliffs. The villagers all got down on one knee, their heads bowed as they listened.
"Tonight, we gather here to celebrate and thank our ancestors, asking them for their continued protection. The days grow short, and the nights long as the darkness once more closes in around us. We give thanks to the ancestors for their protection." Ajax intoned.
"Thank the ancestors." The gathered villagers all chorused as one.
"Great ancestors, we stand before you to thank you for all you have done for us."
Thank the ancestors.
"You have guided us through the darkness and helped us to find the way."
Thank the ancestors.
"You have given us strength and courage when we needed it most."
Thank the ancestors.
"We know that we're not alone in this world. You are always with us, watching over us and protecting us."
Thank the ancestors.
"Tonight, your descendants ask for your help again. We will venture into that darkness once more and need your guidance."
Thank the ancestors.
"Help us see the path ahead to avoid danger."
Thank the ancestors.
"Light that path and ensure our steps land true."
Thank the ancestors.
"Tonight, we offer up those things we cherish to show our respect to those who came before us, and we hope you find our sacrifice worthy. Praise the ancestors!" The General bellowed, his deep voice reaching a fever pitch.
Praise the ancestors.
Thanos watched as one of the villagers used some essence skill that sent a wave of water carrying the raft out into the middle of the small lake. With a flash of light, the General turned, and a small fireball left his hand as it flew through the air and smashed into the barge full of tribute.
The fireball ignited some propellant, causing the floating structure to light up the surrounding area with an orange glow. No one said a word as hundreds of people silently stood and watched it burn, the orange glare reflecting off the still water.
As he watched it burn, Thanos couldn't help but think of the ceremony he had just undergone. He had wondered if religion would exist in this world, and it appeared it did. It seemed it wasn't about worshipping a deity but those that came before, and he could get behind that as he thought of his Earth parents.
He had never really been a person who believed in god back in his old life and instead chose to get on with it, figuring that being a decent person was fine and he would let the rest take care of itself, god or no god.
Tonight had made him realise there were those who had come before him, and that was the only reason he and everyone else gathered around the lake existed.
No matter who his ancestors were, he decided they deserved some respect for that alone. With that in mind, he silently prayed for his deceased parent's protection and wished them well.
"Now that our ancestors have heard our plea, let us show them that we're worth their effort by showing them tonight what living looks like," Ajax shouted to a round of cheers.
"Bring out the tables, cook the food and let the alcohol flow freely."
Thanos watched as the entire village cheered and rushed around, setting up sitting areas as the smell of roasted meat drifted through the air.
He watched as his parents and all the other villagers talked and made merry as someone played a stringed instrument in the background, adding to the atmosphere.
He smiled as he watched his father and the twins standing on a nearby bench, drunkenly singing. He laughed with everyone else as that bench collapsed, sending them crashing to the ground. His attachment to this little village grew as he wished every night could be like tonight.
They partied until late, paying no attention to the noises coming from the monsters that stalked the dark nearby. Somewhere far away, many miles deep into the mountains, a large dark shape pulled itself out of a black abyss and let out a hair-raising howl.
At once, the surrounding Nightlings came rushing over, lowering themselves closer to the ground as if paying homage to a true predator.
One of those found itself next to a brightly glowing plant that caused its skin to sizzle and pop, but it ignored it, fear overwriting instinct.
A black beam of energy arrived, blasting that plant into pieces as true darkness fell, with only the sound of silence and the occasional whimper from hiding prey punctuating the surrounding night.