It was a calm and clear afternoon, there was a calm stream near the forest. Water trickled and flowed quickly and rocks rose above the stream's surface, and the orange light cast was reflected onto it. The birds flew across the forest contentedly and chirped happily as they flocked in the air and nestled in the treetops. Animals like deer and rabbits ran about beneath the trees, grazed, and frolicked.

A small boy was seated crouched near the water and stirred a small twig in the stream. As a small fish swam downstream, he raised the twig from the water to avoid blocking the fish's way. He looked upon the twig in his hand and observed as it softened and the tip of it crumbled away. He tapped the dry end of the stick on the rocky shores of the stream and noticed that it was solid and wouldn't break easily. He flipped the twig and tapped the rocks with the soaked side and watched it break and crumble. He raised and looked at the stick with a smile on his face, satisfied.

Felkin then grabbed a smooth and round stone and did the same. He pulled it out from the water, and struck it against the ground, but both the dry side and the wet side struck the same way; only the wet side slid slightly as it made contact with the shore. "Huh." He remarked. He stood up and saw the orange afternoon sunlight casting the shadows of the nearby trees of the forest. As he stepped into the light, he saw that he had cast a shadow on the ground as well. He walked back and forth, fascinated by his shadow appearing and disappearing. "Felkin! Supper's ready! Better run back home!" A female voice from a nearby cottage spoke towards the young boy. "Coming!" He replied, running back towards his home.

He wore a light brown tunic and shorts, which were worn but well kept, and sandals that made gentle swishing sounds as he ran across the grass field leading to the cottage. Their house was a quaint cottage, made from wood. It was a small house, and joined a collection of houses with their backs turned towards the forest and ran alongside the road. Felkin walked from behind the house and entered through the front. As the night grew later, a man in the house struck a match and lit a candle. The candle had been lit before, and had wax running down and pooling around its base at the candle holder. It was set atop a wooden cupboard in a small dining room and kitchen with cabinets and a table with a few chairs surrounding it. A woman inside the house scooped stew from a pot atop a stove lit by charcoals, into wooden bowls, handing two to the man who handed one to Felkin. He pulled a chair back and climbed onto it as he laid the bowl on the table.

"Spoons, please." The young boy's request was heeded as the woman picked three spoons and sat at the table, handing one spoon to the man and Felkin each. The table already had cups of water for each of them, though half-filled. The man had brown hair and a receding hairline as well as a somewhat bushy beard. The woman had long brown hair, but part of it was tied up in a ponytail and flowed down in front of her shoulder. Both of them appeared to be middle-aged; the man wore simple red tunics and leggings while the woman wore a basic brown dress and a white apron. Both of them were fair skinned, but the man had dark brown eyes and his mother had a lighter shade of brown. Felkin was short and had messy and overgrown hair, a few strands covering the front of his face.

As Felkin and the man started to eat the stew, the woman spoke to them. "So... How was your day?" She asked. The man put down his spoon and momentarily stopped eating. "Me or him?" He asked. "Well... Both." She replied. "Well, business is going good. I sold a lot of logs today... Not just to people in town, but some traders came by too." "That's good." She answered. "Though cutting down trees is such a hassle, pretty much everyone needs wood for making furniture, repairs... and of course firewood. Most anybody could probably do it, but its because of the effort that it pays so much. And some of the city folk pay well because some cities have burned through their forests." The man said, before drinking a cupful of water and sighing.

"Felkin?" The woman asked. "I... played at the back of the house near the forest. I... know you said that I shouldn't go too far, so I just sat near the stream." Felkin answered. "You played with the other kids?" She asked. "A little... I mostly just played with twigs and rocks..." Felkin responded. "It's fine if you don't play with others, all that matters is that you're safe, you learn, and you have fun." The woman remarked. "Are you all as well?" The man asked. "Um... Yeah. I think so." Felkin answered.

They then all ate together in silence, Felkin ate in earnest, while the man ate quickly, the woman ate slowly, appreciating the food. The man then picked up the bowl and slurped it down, while Felkin stopped eating to examine his food. He scooped up some broth and a small vegetable piece and slurped it, then lowered the spoon back into the bowl. He then scooped it back up and observed meat on his spoon, first sipping the broth but then eating the meat. He then went on and examined and tested the taste of the stew further.

"Young man, don't play with your food." The woman said to Felkin. "Yes, mom." Felkin replied. His mother's voice was soft and gentle, but stern. Felkin then gulped down the bowl and set it down on the table. His father drank dry his cup of water and gently slammed it down onto the table. "Ahh..." He exclaimed. "I'm done." Felkin remarked. "Me too." Said his father. "Well I'm full." Said his mother, laying down a partially full bowl of soup. "Felkin, you can eat it if you're still hungry." She said, pushing the bowl across the table to Felkin. "But... I'm... not hungry." He remarked. "You're a growing boy, you need all the food that you can get." His father exclaimed, leaning back on the chair with his arms crossed. "But... It's not fair. That you get less to eat than me." Said Felkin.

His mother paused for a moment, stunned. "Well, if I don't want it, and you need it, it's fair for both of us for you to have it." She answered. Felkin appeared to be processing her words. After a while, he said: "We all had our own bowls... And we need to finish them on our own. If we can't eat it all... Then it's our fault. I think." He nervously waited in a neutral expression, waiting for any punishment. She stood up, leaned in, and ruffled his hair. She sighed before stating: "I suppose... You're right. Just... Sleep early tonight. Go to bed after you help me with putting away the dishes." She said, before picking up and gulping down the bowl of soup.

Felkin's father patted his son's shoulder profusely while chuckling heartily. "You... You're a brave one, kid. Even I wouldn't be able to do that." He exclaimed. His mother walked up to the man and punched his shoulder lightly. "Well, he was kind of right." She said with a smile. She picked up two bowls and cups before placing it down on the corner of the kitchen counter. "Carry your bowl and your cup here, and don't forget to wash them tomorrow." She said. "Yes, mom." He replied carrying his bowl, spoon and cup to the counter. He then went past the dining room and to a hallway leading to the bedrooms and to the other rooms of the house.

"Go to bed early!" His mom called out from the other room. "I will! I'm just going to pee first!" Felkin replied. "Alright!" His mom answered. As he walked towards their bathroom at the end of the hallway, he heard a noise coming from his parents' vacant bedroom. The door to the room was slightly ajar, and a gust of wind caused it to creak open. He curiously walked inside the dark room and approached the source of the sound. He slowly walked, and listened closely to determine if it wasn't just his imagination. The sound grew louder and louder as he got closer, like an object rattling furiously within a box. He got closer and saw the closet door open, with a long box at the bottom of it shaking wildly. Afraid, he quickly stepped out of the bedroom and walked to the dining room to tell his parents about it the noise. He turned the corner to the dining room, and saw them talking with each other, he didn't want to interrupt them so he waited and listened.

"Don't you think it's time?" His father asked. "I'd... Like him to enjoy his childhood for a time... And we decided to hide him, remember?" She answered. "His Fate's going to reach him eventually... The difference is if he's ready or not." He answered. The woman sighed. "Let's... Let him sleep one more peaceful night." She answered. Understanding barely, Felkin realized and went back to his parents' bedroom to see if the sound persisted. He peeked inside and saw that the noise and movement had ceased. But when he turned around, he walked right into his father. "Whoa, kid. Looking for something? Maybe you need a drink of water? If you want to sleep in our bed tonight again if you want to." He said to Felkin. "Again? I don't remember sleeping in your room." He asked. "Well you slept beside many times beside us when you were a baby... But even after you grew a little and started sleeping in your own room, you went to our room in the middle of the night, and we found you sleeping in the closet!" He exclaimed. "The closet?" Felkin asked.

"Yeah... We were so worried because we couldn't find you anywhere in the house, we were surprised to see you inside, sleeping and hugging a box!" He added. Felkin seemed to think for a while before going to the bathroom. After he was done, he walked towards his bedroom and said goodnight to his parents. "Good night mom, good night dad!" "Good night son." "Good night Felkin!" His mom said from the dining room. She then walked towards him and leaned down to give him a kiss on the forehead. After giving her a tight hug, he went into his room and stumbled into bed, and lied down. He stared into the wall in the direction of his parent's room. He lay awake for a while, before closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep.

In the morning, he washed the spoons, cups, and bowls in the clean and clear stream. He hummed a faint song as he washed them clean. A girl walked up to him that appeared to be around his age and spoke to him. "What... Are you doing?" She asked, amusedly. She was in a short white dress, with what appeared to be bandages or white wrappings around her arms and legs, as well as around her eyes. "I'm washing the dishes in the water. I think this is a stream, I know it's not a lake or a river because it's too small. And my dad taught me that water from oceans and seas taste salty, but this water isn't salty. But... I might be wrong." Said Felkin.

"Well. You are awfully trusting of me." She answered. "My parents say to me that I shouldn't talk to strangers... But they say that I should help people if I can. As long as it isn't coming with them or taking something, they'll give me." He answered. "You don't... look like you're from here, I don't think I've seen you in the village with the other kids before." Felkin added. "Yes, I'm... not exactly from around here. But... aren't you afraid of me, fascinated, curious or... repulsed?" She asked curiously. "Well... I'm a little curious because you're a stranger, and about what you're wearing... What's the third word? Re... Re-" "Repulsed. Disgusted by my appearance. Didn't your parents tell you to avoid those whose bodies are bandaged?" She asked. "Um... Bandages... I remember my dad telling me that they're used for someone who's injured or sick. And my mom says to not stick too close to people who're sick. Are you... sick?" He asked. "Er, no... Not exactly... At least its not contagious." She answered. "Are people avoiding you because they think you're sick? That's... unfair." Said Felkin, standing up from the ground.

"I... suppose... That's true in your point of view." She answered. "If... people are avoiding you because of that... Then... I can be your friend. Then we aren't strangers anymore. And if you're new here, maybe I can show show you around." He extended his hand towards her. She held her hand out, and he shook it. "I'm Felkin. What's your name?" He asked. "I'd... rather not say." She answered. "Hmm... What am I going to call you then?" Felkin said with a hand on his chin, wondering. "Maybe I should just leave now..." The girl replied. "I got it! I'll just introduce you as my 'friend'." He exclaimed. "Felkin, are you done with the dishes?" His mother called out to him. "Coming!" He replied, picking up the bowls, cups, and spoons, and running back to his house. "Just wait here, I''ll be back in a second!" He said to the girl.

Felkin ran inside and laid down the soaked dishes on the kitchen counter. As he made his way to the front door once more, he bumped into his mother. "Whoa there, what's the rush?" She asked. "I have a new friend just outside. Oh, I need to introduce you to them." said Felkin. "Okay, I'd like to meet this friend of yours." She replied, as Felkin took her by the hand and they both exited, and went around to the back of the house. "Where... is she?" Felkin wondered, looking around but nobody was present except them two. "Maybe... It was one of the neighborhood kids and they just ran off? Or maybe it was someone playing a prank?" His mother said, as Felkin worriedly looked around back and forth.

"Well, I have to leave now for work... Don't forget to buy the things we need in the market, after that you're free to play with the other kids, or you can go straight home if you want to." She said to Felkin, before turning around to leave. Felkin raised his hands toward her, she bent down to hug Felkin and kiss him on the forehead. As she walked away, Felkin tried searching and looking around his surroundings to no avail. "Don't forget, the list is-" "On the table!" Felkin replied as his mother left. "Be good." She answered as she travelled from earshot. After a while more of searching, he entered the house dismayed. He took the written list of the goods he was to buy in the market, and the pouch of coins on the table nearby.

He exited and closed the door to the house, and began his way to the road, and towards the market further into town. He walked down the road, as the townsfolk began to exit their homes to buy goods from the market early in the morning, or to take up their respective professions. He waved and bowed to the people as they did the same to him, people were passing by going the same, or the other direction as him. "Hey Felkin." Said a man pushing a cart along the road. "Hey, kid!" Said a woman tending to some crops on the side of her home. "Good morning, going to the market again today?" Said by a chipper old woman greeting him sitting from a chair in front of her house. "Yes, ma'am." He answered. "How's your dad?" Asked a man passing by. "He's... fine?" Felkin responded, not knowing what to say. "Say hi to your mother for me." Said a woman walking down the street. "I will." He remarked.

Felkin walked down the sun cast dirt road, and turned the corner as he made his way to the market, being greeted by the others all the while. From a short distance, he saw the other village children in the street running around and after each other, playing tag. He immediately went towards behind the houses and hid from their view. But when Felkin looked towards the trees in the forest, he saw the young girl he encountered earlier peeking from the trees. "Hey! You from earlier, I thought you left!" He said as he ran towards her, but she retreated bck into the trees. He ran after her and saw her turning away from him. "Hey!" Felkin exclaimed. "I... thought I said I wanted you to stay away from me." She remarked. "But... But, I haven't... had a chance to show you around yet?" Felkin said, unsure. "Huh... Hmm..." She said, surprised. "Are you... afraid?" Felkin asked. "Well... No..." She remarked. "Then..." Felkin held his hand out towards her.

"I don't want you to be alone. Maybe I'm selfish if I want something you don't..." "Alright, I'll take you up on your offer." She answered, holding his hand. They then walked back to the road to the market hand in hand. "The road's a dirt road and unpaved... Lots of houses and a market, this place is self-sustaining and doesn't need support and resources from a nearby city... Most of the villages I've observed are smaller, but I've seen few that are more populous." She remarked, looking around. "Observed... So you've went to many places? This is the only village I've been to, but my parents say that we moved here when I was really young." Felkin replied. "I guess I'm somewhat of a traveler." The girl answered.

The two of them then proceeded to the road, but she was then beginning to be seen by a few of the passers-by who began to whisper about and became curious about the bandaged girl. "Hey, whose child is that?" "That girl... What's wrong with her?" "I haven't seen her before... Is she from outside town?" "Those bandages... Is she sick... If she's one of 'those'... and she spreads that sickness..." The good reputation of one in the small village was dictated by the perception of good deeds done and word of mouth. However, rumors and gossip often formed preconceptions and the people there were quick to pass judgement, and easily distrustful. "Isn't that him? 'Their' kid?" "What's he doing with an outsider?" "Bless his heart, helping the sick..." Felkin walked obliviously and contentedly, but the girl perceived the stares and the whispers quite clearly. She was tired but used to the reactions of others throughout the years and years.

"Uh... Felkin, do you know this person? Maybe she's sick... and you really shouldn't talk to strangers easily..." One of the adult villagers walked up to Felkin and spoke to him. Though the girl's sight appeared to be obscured, she turned around to face the villager. "Well... I have no contagious disease to speak of as my bandages are more for certain injuries I possess. As I am new in town, he so graciously offered to show me around. At my condition, who could I be to reject the offer; and what could I have done to harm him?" She asked. "Uh..." The villager backed away, uneasily and had no response. 'She talks funny... But I think that what she's saying is right. But I don't want trouble for her, or the others...' Felkin worriedly glanced towards her, and then they both continued down the road.

"Sorry about that..." Felkin said to her. "No worries, I'm used to it." She answered. "The market is just ahead." Felkin said, trying to cheer her up. They walked hand-in-hand until they reached the market, but then were in the path of the streetchildren who were preoccupied until laying eyes on the two. "Hey! Look at the village pet, who's he with now!" Called out one of the boys who stopped from playing. "Oh? Did he get a girlfriend?" "Does he need a girl to protect him?" "Does he think helping a sick person is going to get him more attention?" The girls and boys detested Felkin due to the goodwill he had from the other villagers they thought was unfair. The leader of the children stood over Felkin and walked over towards the two of them.

Felkin stepped in front of the girl and stood his ground as the boy poked and pushed at him. "Hmph..." Felkin was silent as he faced down his bullies. "We... we just want to pass through." The bandaged girl said, hiding her frustrations. "The boys are talking here, don't just butt in." The boy said as he walked in to give her a shove. Though she thought it was childish to be angry at a young bully's cheap insults, she could not help but be irked by not letting them pass along. As she was angered, the darkness within her welled up and desired to latch down upon the one she had negative emotions towards. Felkin tried to walk around those who were blocking their way. The other boy then stood in front of his way and bumped himself into Felkin. "Let's just go another way around..." The girl said, trying to pull Felkin back for them to take a different route. Felkin complied, walking backwards as led by the wrapped girl.

"That's right, run away again! Gonna go hide behind your mommy and daddy now?" The boy said as Felkin slowly walked backwards, still facing the group of children laughing at and insulting him. "Yeah, the coward and the sick girl are walking away. Its good that you're getting her away from us so that she doesn't infect us with her gross illness! You two can get sick and-" The girl was disgruntled and clenched her hand around Felkin's for just a moment. She felt anger for a second, but the boy was soon silenced, but she was surprised that it was not by her. "Don't... Talk about her like that. What you say about me... It's true. But talking about her without knowing anything about her... It isn't fair." Without even noticing him, Felkin had closed the distance in a blink of an eye and gripped the taller boy's shoulder tightly. "Hey, hey! Let him go!" A woman called out to Felkin and the other children who were frozen in place.

Felkin let go and the boy fell to the ground, seated. "His eyes..." One of the children remarked. "Hey, what's this about? Are you two fighting?" The woman exclaimed. The leader of the bullies quickly stood up and dusted himself off. "It's nothing." He remarked, as Felkin rubbed his eyes. The street children slowly backed away and left with wariness and disdain clearly seen in their faces. 'Interesting... I was curious why I was drawn to the boy somehow, but it seems like it wasn't just my loneli- No. I need to verify this further...' The bandaged girl thought to herself. "And you, don't think you're safe from trouble young man. I don't think your parents will be pleased if they know you've been involved in fights." The woman remarked, as Felkin turned his head away from her in guilt.

The woman then knelt on one knee and put her hands on Felkin's shoulders. "You... You don't usually pick fights. What happened this time?" She asked. "I..." "He... was just trying to defend me from them." The bandaged girl said, walking feebly towards Felkin. "My, my. Those bandages. You must be seriously ill, or sick. And those wrappings on your face, can you... see with those on your face?" The woman said, extending her hand towards the girl who retreated slightly. "I can see slightly, but I still need some help. And..." "He was trying to help you." The woman exclaimed. She then ruffled Felkin's hair and sighed before standing back up. Felkin turned his head and looked up towards her. "Were they trying to insult or bully her?" She asked. "Yes..." Felkin shyly answered and looked down at the ground.

"Well... You had good intentions and you were defending someone, but you still shouldn't hit someone. Even if they're mean to you." She said to him. "But, but... They just won't stop. I try to avoid them, talk to them but... I can't let them be mean to others!" Felkin said hesitantly but forced his words out. "Listen close. Even if somebody is trying to harm you, hurting them is just going to make things worse. Just because somebody does something bad to you, doesn't mean that you're allowed to do that to them. Okay?" "Okay." Felkin meekly responded.

'Hmm... This mindset is quite naive. To simply expect matters to be resolved and to endure the actions of others will not stop others from trampling down upon you. But... Teaching the virtue of kindness to a child, is certainly much better for them than encouraging retribution. But are the only two paths be to die as a victim or a martyr, or to be a vengeful arbiter, exacting their judgement on others they deem unworthy as they see fit?' The girl thought as Felkin apologized to the woman. "So... were you on the way to the market today?" The woman asked Felkin. "Oh, yes." Felkin exclaimed, as he produced a piece of folded paper from his person. The woman then took it and then walked down the street. Felkin then went to the bandaged girl and led her by the hand as he followed the woman. "This list... You know, I'm used to you buying all of this stuff, so you don't even need the list anymore." She handed it back to Felkin.

The three of them walked a short distance to the stalls and stores set up, as the few pedestrians and villagers whispered and gawked at the girl. The woman then went to her stall, and then started picking up vegetables, breads, and cured meats as Felkin fished up coin from his pockets. The woman's stall was alike a small wooden building with baskets and wooden boxes full of foods and greens. There was a sign above, and a wooden counter where she laid a basketful of Felkin's requested goods and where he laid and stacked his coins. The woman took the taller stack of coins for herself but pushed the smaller stack towards Felkin, who pushed it back towards her. "Come on, your family has provided me enough money with you buying food regularly. You should really take the discount sometime." "But... It isn't fair to the others, and to you. If I want to buy something... Then I want to pay the right price for it. If I accept this... Then what they say about me is true..." Felkin remarked.

The woman sighed again and crossed her arms. "You know, don't mistake favors from other people as unfair. Sometimes, people just want to help others, and do good things for their friends. And those kids would say any mean thing about you and you don't have to worry about them. Besides, your parents would appreciate paying less..." She exclaimed. Felkin looked up in thought for a few seconds. "I... guess so." He said as he pocketed the few coins she did not take. He then picked up the basket and it hung low nearly hitting the ground as he could barely bear its weight. "Uh... can you... No, I'm fine." Felkin said as he struggled to bear the load and he slowly walked forward.

The girl walked forward and then gripped the large handle of the wicker basket with one hand and lifted it up with ease. "Thank... you." Felkin said to her. "Say hi to your mother for me! And you can keep the basket!" The woman called to Felkin as they walked away. "You're... Stronger than you look!" Felkin said to the girl as he struggled. As they walked down the street back towards Felkin's house, the bandaged girl sensed the whispers and the veiled discussion behind their backs. Whether it be intrigue or gossip, positive or negative, she detested it. She was reminded of the whispers that surrounded her in her past, and still followed her wherever she went. "You..." She started, but Felkin interrupted. "I... know they're all talking about me. I'm... used to it." He said, trying not to seem sullen.

They continued until they were near Felkin's house at the edge of town. Suddenly, a small pebble flew through the air and struck Felkin in the forehead. "Urk!" He turned around to see the same boy from earlier running away before his gaze met Felkin's. "Ah..." Felkin sucked in air and snickered as he gently touched and winced as he touched his head. "Those kids! Are you... alright?" She asked, infuriated. 'Why... Am I this concerned? About this child whose life is fleeting compared to my own, a leaf in the wind that would turn to dust quickly in comparison to my lifetimes. And yet... I've stayed far too long already. Each time I make these visits in a new city, a new town or a village, I get distracted...' "I'm... fine. Let's... just get back home." Felkin said, the two of them then picked up the basket which they had dropped.

They reached Felkin's home, and he asked the girl to wait for him outside. "Wait here." He said as he opened the door, walked inside, and set the basket down. "Hup." He remarked. As she waited, she remembered the sensation of lashings across her back, and of the pelting of stones across her skin. Though her wounds had healed quickly, her pain was never numbed. Reviled and cursed, her wrappings were to occlude her extraordinary vision even slightly. Her eyes could see the darkness within others and saw it as clearly as she sensed it welling within herself. Felkin then exited the door of his home and met with the girl outside. She raised her hand and pointed at his forehead. He tapped gently at his head and felt a thin stream of blood flowing slowly down his face and cheek. "I'll... just wash it off in the river." He said, as he walked towards the water and then sat down near the riverbank.

He cupped his hands and filled them with water, before splashing his face, in a somewhat calm manner. Then he dipped his cupped hands under the water but as he raised them, his hands began to become shaky. With another splash, he quickly put his hands in the water once again. From there, his splashing became more frantic and frantic, blasting his face with more and more water as his face became scrunched and his tears became one with the rivers' waters. Splash, splash, splash. He then slammed both of his fists into the water creating a large splash of water before he leaned in and dunked his head under the water, using the river to mask his loud yell. As the girl touched Felkin's shoulder, he had picked up a small stone from the bottom of the shallow river, and he threw it away in a rage before stopping and looking up towards her.

"What?" He asked, his eyes red not by the energy of the abyss but because of his tears. "You aren't bleeding anymore." She remarked. "Yeah, I... feel fine now. I'll go back inside later, if you need help getting back out of the town or where you were..." He remarked, sniffling. "I... don't mind staying for a while." She answered. Felkin stood up and walked towards his house. "Are you sure? We only have water for drink, and we don't have that much for food." "That's fine." She responded, following him. He went around to the front to enter the house, and she looked back to see that the stone Felkin threw had struck a tree across the river. It creaked and crackled, before splintering and having its top half fall backwards. "Are you still there? Do you need help?" Felkin asked. "Coming!" She responded.

She entered Felkin and his family's humble abode, and Felkin grabbed two cups, a pitcher of water, and pulled a wooden chair for the girl to sit on. "We don't have a spare cup, so this you'll have to use my mom's instead." He said as he poured both of their cups full. The bandaged girl picked up the cup of water and drank it. Felkin used both of his hands to pick up the cup, as his fingers were slightly shaky. 'This boy... Earlier, he made use of my power... Usually, when humans come into contact with the energy of the abyss, they either become irrevocably changed into inhuman beasts, or their bodies would be torn apart and destabilized by the sheer power of the energy.' "Ahh." Felkin exclaimed as he put down the cup of water. He took a piece of bread from the basket and tore off a piece before eating it. He offered it to the girl who waved her hand away as an act of refusal. 'Besides, I would never allow my darkness to leak out or emerge if I didn't expressly desire it. No, he... Unconsciously maybe, he took the energy for himself...'

As Felkin finished eating he sat back on the chair. "There's nothing much to do here except eat and sleep. I usually just play around near the forest and the river outside." "That's... fine." She replied. "I'm... going outside, if you want to follow..." "Sure." She answered. Felkin hopped off the chair but suddenly had an alert look. "What is it?" She asked, suddenly tense. "Be right back." Felkin said as he ran to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. 'Hmph.' She held back a chuckle. 'Felkin... If I hadn't been there, he'd... still be tormented and pushed around, he'd certainly be held up and take longer to accomplish his task. But because of my involvement, their hatred and aversion towards him intensified. Now... if he hopes to reconcile or at least try and earn back favor, he'll be subjected to them and endure, though I suspect being friends with them now is unlikely. Or... he could earn a place of safety as the others will even fear to attack him in fear of retribution if he uses my power to subjugate the others. But... are these the only two choices?' She asked herself as Felkin exited the bathroom with his hands freshly washed.

"We can stay here if you like..." Felkin said to her. "No, you said you wanted to go outside, let's... go outside then." She replied. Felkin walked up to her and extended his hand which she took, and Felkin helped her down the chair. As they exited and made for the trees beyond the river, she asked him a question. "Do... your parents know about what's been happening?" Felkin looked down at the ground shyly as he continued walking. "No..." He replied. "What will you tell them about that?" She said as she pointed to Felkin's forehead which had somewhat healed. "Maybe... I tripped and fell. Or... I hit my head running into a tree." said Felkin. "But not telling them, its only going to make the problem worse, if there's anyone who can help its them." She replied.

'Of course, that's assuming they care about him enough to do something about it. I am presumptuous in the fact that they would not harm him in reaction to this news, and that they would respond to his defense, but not telling them at all could be of greater consequence. I'll need to wait and see more, particularly why he does not tell them.' She thought. "I want to tell them, but... I'm afraid I'll make things worse if they do something about it, and maybe what they worked for to earn a place in the village will go away. They might already be affected just because of what happened today..." Felkin remarked, saddened. "Well now that what happened earlier happened, you'll definitely need to tell them now." She responded.

"What about earlier, in the way that woman was speaking to you, you must have not told your parents about the situation, or you've gotten a similar talk to them already." The girl pointed out. "Yeah, she's... Aunt Carla. She's a good friend of my parents, even when they first came here. She's nice to me and I buy from her every few days." Felkin answered. The two of them then reached the water and Felkin stopped and turned towards the girl. "I... want to show you something. It's just beyond the river and a few trees in the forest. Do you need help in crossing?" He asked. "No, I got it." She replied, and she raised her dress slightly as the two of them crossed the water and entered the tree line.

They walked for a short while until they came upon a small clearing, a circular area of trees with a small boulder in the center and then Felkin sat down cross-legged in the center. "Your... bandages are wet... Are you... alright?" "It doesn't bother me." She answered, sitting beside him. "This place... Is this where you stay?" The girl asked him. "Yeah. This place is quiet... And it makes me feel... Happy, not tired." "Relaxed?" She finished. "Yeah." Felkin answered. He breathed in deeply and enjoyed the forest breeze blowing the treetops' leaves away and shaking the branches gently. He stood up and then walked up to the towering trunk of a nearby tree. He looked upwards the branches to see a nest with a crow and its young.

Felkin swiftly climbed the tree reaching near the top of the tree’s branches in seconds. “Woah, do you… do that often?” The girl said, surprised. “Oh, It’s just practice. Being out here for a while gives me a lot of time.” He replied nonchalantly. Before reaching the top, he clung onto the bark with one hand while using the other to bring out a piece of bread from his pocket. He was careful not to come too close or agitate the crows and then slowly his hand to offer the food for the crows. The mother crow quickly flew down, picked up the piece from Felkin's hand, and then flew up to its nest to break apart the bread and feed its young. Felkin then slid down the trunk with ease. He looked up expectantly with a content smile before the crow flew down and landed on his shoulder. "You're good with animals?" She asked him.

"When I started to stay in the forest, I brought food of my own, and some of the birds and squirrels came because of the crumbs. I was bored and... lonely, so I started feeding them and they started becoming friendly to me." Felkin remarked. “I’m more partial towards dogs myself.” She answered. “Dogs are nice too, but some of them don’t want to be friends so I stay back in case I get bit.” Felkin answered. “How about… deer? Do you… like deer?” She shyly asked. “Well… I don’t dislike them. Some of them are nice, some are mean. Just like… people, maybe. All animals are like that… But sometimes I think about how maybe we can just be all friends…” Felkin remarked longingly. “Hmm…” The girl remarked, solemnly.

She then stood up, but the crow on Felkin's shoulder turned towards her, agitated; and then started crowing loudly towards her. "Hey, what's wrong?" Felkin said to the bird, but his words were drowned out by the crow's incessant crowing. She then raised her hand in a closed fist, and then as she slowly unfurled her fingers, the crow then slowed its screeching as she did so, until she had an open palm facing upwards. "Come to me." She whispered. The bird then flew and rested atop her forearm. "Huh." Felkin remarked. "You seem troubled, what is it?" The girl asked as the crow calmly sat upon her bandaged arm. "The crow was freaking out earlier, but it suddenly calmed itself down. You... did something to it. I felt it, something changed its mind." Felkin exclaimed.

"Are you wary of me? Scared?" She asked. "No, I'm... curious. Can... you teach me how? Can I use it?" Felkin asked. "To pacify those street children? This... power is dangerous to tamper with the human mind." "I... yeah." Felkin sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, let's go back." Felkin said, but then the girl noticed something on the stone, a drawing made from mud. "Wait, I didn't notice it earlier, but..." "What?" Felkin asked. "Can you turn around and cover your eyes for a moment?" She asked. "Why?" "Just..." "Alright." Felkin turned around and complied. The girl quickly walked forward and then lifted the wrappings on her face to uncover one eye. The glare of her singular eye was alike a bright red spotlight, and she saw the drawing on the stone, the outline of which glowed as she looked upon it. "This..." She said to herself before covering her eye back up. "You can open your eyes now." She said to Felkin.

"What did you see?" Felkin asked. "Where did you see that?" She asked and pointed towards it, still glowing red. "I... saw it in a dream." Felkin remarked. Upon the rock, there was a depiction 'the' segmented sword, complete with the runes engraved upon it. "What other strange things have you experienced?" The girl asked. "I... hear strange things coming from my parents' bedroom at night sometimes." He answered. "Uh..." "It comes from a box in a closet in the room. It sounds like something metal?" "Oh! Like that?" She pointed towards the drawing. "Maybe..." Felkin remarked. "Let's go." The girl replied, before running back out of the forest. "Oh. Alright!" Felkin said, following.

They reached the house, entered and then the girl looked around and then walked down the hall towards the rooms. "Where's their room?" She asked. "Right here." He said, pointing towards the half-ajar door. As she pushed the door open, Felkin stayed. "I'm... not allowed to go in there." He said. "Its in the closet right?" "Yeah." She then opened the door and then took a look in the closet. She picked up the box and opened it. She formed a wide-mouthed grin as she looked at the object with glee. "Ha-ha..." She exclaimed. "What is it?" Felkin asked. "Its as you drew it." She showed the box with the segmented sword within it. "Whoa..." "You're... More than I expected. At first, I thought you were simply a human that could manipulate the elements and their energy. But no, this, this... Is why you're special. This is why I'm drawn to you. This... changes things." She said in a devious manner.

"What... I don't understand what you're saying..." Felkin backed away, slightly afraid. The sword in the box started to shake vigorously towards Felkin. "Now... This is a situation... The other powers would find you sooner or later, but only 'I' was first..." She said, walking towards him holding the box as the sword starting to shake faster and more violent. Suddenly, the sword shot out and leapt towards Felkin, who caught the handle of the sword perfectly in his hand. The girl walked forward with the widest smile, but in her delight, her crimson eyes flashed red behind her wrappings and even behind her eyelids. But as soon as she had released her ambient dark energies, runes and lines suddenly became visible on the walls and ceiling of the house.

"Ah... Barriers, or maybe a trap. Its done to suppress power and energy of any kind... Did it activate when you touched the relic, or is it because of me... Ah, ha. It hardly matters." She remarked, pleasantly tickled by the situation. The runes covering all over the surfaces of the house started to flash bright red light. "What's... happening? I'm... getting afraid now!" Felkin exclaimed, terrified. "Your parents made good measures to hide you, but you being, well... 'You' makes a result like this ineviatble." She said, striding forward towards Felkin. "Please. Stay back. I'm confused... Please, don't move!" Felkin said, raising the sword in his hand towards her. He backed away as the girl slowly walked forward towards him.

Outside, Felkin's parents ran and stopped at the door, the two of them ran and met at the doorstep having ran from their respective places of work and then turned to each other. The man dropped the stack of logs strapped to his back on the ground, but still held firmly an axe in his right hand. He then brought out a metal talisman on a chain from his worn coat, and showed it to the woman. The small metal object in the shape of the shield was glowing and flashing red. The woman then opened her clenched hand which revealed a similar object, which was in the shape of a sword and was also flashing red. "So something's happening..." She said to him. "Best case scenario, he just found the sword in the closet." He replied. "Worst case?" She asked. "You already know..." He said with a grim expression, pocketing the talisman and then gripping the axe with both hands. She pocketed hers, and then gripped the handle of the door before breathing deeply. She turned towards him and then they nodded at each other. She turned the knob and then pushed the door open.

"Felkin? Honey, are you there?" She asked, as the two of them cautiously entered and then looked around at the main dining and kitchen area, looking up at the walls and roof's runes forming the shape of a net and glowing red. She pointed towards the left, and he walked slowly carrying the axe in a ready stance, their steps were trained and silent. "Kid, you here?" The man said, looking behind the few shelves and cupboards in the left side of the room. The woman inspected the right side of the main room with the kitchen and the dining area, and tried to peek behind the cupboards. "Are you behind here?" She asked, trying to be calm but her voice was starting to express worry. There was a knife in a rack of cutlery on the wall raised high where Felkin couldn't reach. She took one with her fingers and twirled the blade in her hand and gripped it without noticing like an old habit.

They then convened at the area before the hallway, at the sides of the hall entrance before the rooms. The man clenched the axe tightly, and the woman gripped the knife's handle. Their eyes expressed a fierce and sharp determination, akin to a soldier's gaze, before going to war. The two of them then proceeded down the hall, with a serious glare and calm demeanor. "Felkin dear, are you sleeping?" His mother asked, as a last-ditch hope of no dangerous invader currently in the house. The two of them stopped before Felkin's room, before they both quickly ran in with their weapons raised. They saw nothing of Felkin after a quick search of his bed and around the room, and then they both exited the room and faced theirs with their hearts full of dread to the impending possibilities.

"Lux." She whispered and traced a shape on the knife, making it glow with an ethereal light. "Ignis." The man said and then thumped the axeblade with his fist which ignited it aflame. They walked slowly and then rushed inside with their weapons raised. "Hello." The girl from within greeted with a pleasant and cordial tone. She and Felkin were seated on the bed with a small space between them. He appeared to be slightly frightened and confused, he was avoiding the girl's gaze and still held the sword in one hand and had his arms towards the ground and his sword beside his leg. "That's!" "You..." Felkin's parents now recognized the girl, and offered her their scorn. "Phoebos, witch of-" "Please. I've no interest in the title of 'witch'. Not anymore at least." She interrupted the man in an eerily kind tone.

"What do you want?" The woman asked. "Don't you already have some kind of a guess? Rea the lightblade, Theorian the strong arm. Your reputations precede you." She responded. They then rushed forward, but they could only make one step before Phoebos quickly struck the wall and the runes on it shattered and the room returned to normal. "Oh, sorry about that. I wanted to give you the courtesy of arriving here before I broke the spell." She said while having her other hand covered in darkness, in front of Felkin's throat. "The protection, the warding is gone!" Rea muttered as she looked around in fear. "You'll... Lead them all here!" Theorian cried out, stepping forward. "Don't... take another step closer. I knew that from seeing the runes on the wall, so the cat is out the bag. Well, sooner or later nothing will be able to conceal him." She said, nearing her hand to Felkin's neck.

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Felkin was afraid, his eyes open wide and was tense and frozen in place. "What... do you want!" Rea exclaimed, pointing her blade towards the 'witch'. "State your demands... And we'll do it in exchange for him." Theorian said, looking back towards his wife and then back at Phoebos. "We... just want him safe, please." Rea remarked. The young girl then put her hand behind Felkin and tapped his shoulder, who exhaled quickly and heavily with eyes wide as if just broken out of a trance. She then pushed him forward, and he ran quickly into the arms of his mother who hugged him briefly.

"Are you alright? Did she do something to you?" Rea asked her son. "No she didn't hurt me. I told her about your room and this box and then lights started flashing everywhere and-" "Don't worry you're safe now." She quickly put Felkin behind her and raised her weapon back towards Phoebos. "What... do you want?" She asked as the two of them were confused and backing away, wary. "Look at the boy's back, I already acquired what I desire." She replied with a smile. "Turn... around kid." Theorian said as he turned to Felkin but his axe was still raised towards the girl. Felkin turned around to reveal a mark on his shoulder blade, a glowing red centipede circling around with a cracked skull in its mouth. "What did you do?" Rea asked her, with a calm fury in her voice.

"As I see it, the higher powers or those with ample knowledge and power including me, have two choices in regards to the boy. Most of them will select the choice to dispatch of him, as because he has the possibility to be an asset, he is quite a danger to them. But the second option... The one that will keep him alive is for the side that will benefit the most from his survival. If I were to, for the lack of a better term, make use of his strength then..." "You plan to use him as a pawn? To make him your soldier and make him fight in 'your' wars?" The man asked angrily. "Oh please, they'll seek him out to kill him with or without my involvement. At least now, he'll get enough power to protect himself! I'm doing you a kindness and a better chance to confront an inevatibility." She said, standing up and with her words brimming with self-confidence.

"You're despicable..." Rea said with a spiteful tone. Suddenly, Felkin went slack and his mother quickly caught him with her free arm and still pointed her knife forward. "See, he's taking to it better than I expected!" Phoebos said, seeing the mark she placed on his back curl and twist into a lemniscate, the symbol of infinity inherent within him. "You..." The man exclaimed, holding his axe with both hands and was ready to attack. "Now, now... Let's not get too hasty. One step and this village turns into a well for the abyss, a tear of overflowing and unstoppable darkness. Uninhabitable and Inhospitable to human life." She said as she raised her arm towards the sky and opened merely one of her eyes behind her wrappings, casting them in a harsh crimson light. "Take... Take him and run, run far from here!" Theorian said to Rea, which looked at him with concern, before nodding and running out. "Come on, its not like I'll give chase... I've no reason to." Phoebos replied, sitting back down and crossing her legs over each other.

"You... The curse you put on our son, its... Irreparable! The path you've set him on, its a path of danger, hardship, and misery! Maybe if I can stop you here..." He said, raising his axe and preparing to attack her. "He was cursed the moment he was born if that's what you're worried about. And even if you could best me, the link I've placed is not to me, but to the abyss itself. Removing it would be like conquering darkness itself!" The girl remarked. "We're human. The best we can do is hope to try." Theorian said with grim determination, as he charged forward. Rea carried Felkin with one arm as she ran outside and away from their house. Bright red light flashed from within the house and shone from the windows. "Mom... where..." Felkin feebly muttered. "It's alright, you're gonna be fine!" She said towards him as she ran swiftly.

Above them dark clouds began to cover the sky, and ominous thunder rumbled overhead. As they ran in the street, curious villagers and onlookers gazed at them and looked worriedly at the clouds. Some of the people saw Rea carrying Felkin and asked themselves and each other what the situation was about and whispered towards each other. "What's happening, why is she running with the kid?" "Are there bandits attaking or raiding the village?" "No, I don't think I see any, and wouldn't they be calling out if there was?" "The two of them are running out alone, where is her husband? They couldn't be running from him?" "No, no. Couldn't be? Maybe he fended off a robber?" "That knife in her hand looks unusual..." Whispers from the shadows and the voices of the people were muddled together in the darkness in their peripheral vision. "Hey, hey! What's wrong!" Carla the stall owner ran up to Rea and she received the unconscious Felkin into her arms. "That knife... What... What happened? Is there an attack?" Carla asked. Rea looked back towards their house to see that the flashing red light suddenly disappeared and then turned back towards Carla.

"We... need to get out of here. It's dangerous!" "So, is there an attack?" A villager asked, stepping forward. Rea bit her lip and then yelled: "Yes, it's a bandit attack! Bandits are attacking! We need to flee the village!" As she cried out, the villagers began to go into their houses to hide or prepare to escape in a panic. "Where's Theor?" "No time to explain, we need to leave!" Rea responded, before they started running. As they ran and others were preparing to leave, the windows of Felkin's house crashed and shattered as beasts of darkness jumped out and began barreling down the road. "What are those things?" The shopkeeper asked. "Just run!" Rea exclaimed. The door of the house then blasted open, and the girl was standing horizontally still, though levitating above the ground.

As two more beasts crawled from the door behind her, she swiftly flew forward still appearing to be standing still in the air. Alongside her, the four werewolves ran on all fours and swiftly crawled towards them. "Ah! Monsters!" "What are those things!" "They.... can't be real!" "Unholy beasts!" The villagers who saw the supernatural ocurrence scrambled to pick up whatever belongings they could take and mustered their unaware friends and family to escape with them. Phoebos had an unnerving smirk as she glided along the air, heading straight towards Felkin's direction. "Wait, stop! Something's coming!" Rea exclaimed, and stopped Carla and herself in their tracks. "Something that's worth stopping running from them?!" Carla exclaimed.

From the sky, a thin white shape came hurtling downwards with a whistling noise. Phoebos looked up at the sky with a smile, and her werewolves lunged upwards at the figure flying downwards towards the ground. The figure stopped short at roof-level of the village and white slender leaf-like blades flew from the figure and struck down the beasts. The tall and thin figure then glided above and then landed gracefully behind Phoebos and the others. "Phoebos, of the abyssal aspect of Woe. Of the surface waters of the deepest plane. Surrender the child, under the decree of the Balance-Tenders of the God Tree." The tall figure had the voice of a male, and stood tall over the group with its form. The figure wore a long white cloak that resembled long triangular leaves on his sleeves and on the sides of his legs. He was wearing a tall spiked collar which also resembled thin leaves, and had pale skin and black hair like curly leaves of a small potted plant's. He also had piercing grey eyes that had an intense stare.

"Chrysanthemum. I was expecting they send more; actually, I'm still waiting. I realize that they prioritize in getting the task accomplished in the quickest time possible but... They insult me." The girl exclaimed. "Hmph." The figure known as "Crysanthemum" rushed in, low to the ground and flicked his hands making leaf blades spring out from his sleeves into his right hand. He sent the blades from his hand towards Phoebos, and then had his left arm extended towards Felkin.

The blades sailed through the air and curved, whistling through the air towards the girl. He had his hand outstretched to snatch Felkin out of Carla's grasp, but Rea intercepted him with her blade of light. She stabbed downwards, but he blocked it using blades he brought out from his left arm. His blades were as light as feathers and flew through the air with minimal resistance, but were sturdy enough to block Rea's blade and slice through it with one flick of his hand. The two blades that seemingly weightlessly flew towards the girl were quickly broken apart by two calm flicks from Phoebos, one after the other. She then turned towards Crysanthemum and raised her hand. He saw her movements from the corner of his eye and he quickly refrained from taking Felkin, and jumped backwards.

"What... is happening?" Carla said to herself. The ones who had not taken off running were frozen in place and in awe of the display before them. "Scaredy cat? I thought you "white flowers" would stop unflinchingly and unceasingly towards your dogmatic ideals of... 'balance'." The young girl taunted him. "Hmph. The pruning and culling of the powers of the different realms are for the benefit of all other realms, if one side grows too powerful it would be a benefit for every other realm for every side to remain in their places." He remarked, before shooting his blades upwards and rushing back towards Felkin. His four leafy blades flew through the air as if he was in active control of them, as they surrounded Phoebos, and shot out from all sides at the same time. She then raised her hands swiftly with her palms facing upwards and quickly created a ring of liquid darkness around her that blocked the blades and broke down the form of the leaves, through the darkness of the liquid seeping within the leaves' veins and crumbling it from within.

"Let's go!" Rea remarked, as they tried to run away from in-between the two sides and to escape the conflict. As white-clad knight rushed after them, a beast formed from the girl's shadow sprung forth and raised its claw at him. With one wave of his wrist, white vines burst out of the ground and restrained the beast and he swiftly sliced through its throat with his blades. "Surprising, I expected you to go for elimination in regards to the boy. Is your 'order' going soft? Or are they simply underestimating the value of the boy?" The girl remarked, floating and putting herself between the knight and the others. "We recognize his importance, but killing him will only threaten the balance further. His death will only throw the flow of the world into chaos." The man replied.

Crysanthemum then raised and closed his fist, and vines emerged out of the ground towards Felkin and the others, and Phoebos responded with using her darkness to form strands of liquid to cut through them and allowed the group to escape. "So, taking the boy into your kingdom will not give you unfair advantage and tip your precious 'balance' in your favor?" She asked, as she blasted forth streams of dark water towards him. "We are simply reclaiming what was once lost from us." He replied, as he flew to the side to avoid the darkness which corrupted the ground it splattered on. "So, rules for thee and not for me, huh?" The girl said with a smile, before the knight shot more of his blades towards her. Phoebos stood still and turned her head to see Felkin and the others have ran from view, but the blades stopped short of her without her even looking. 'So, everyone's left. Good.'

Crysanthemum became alert and agitated, before leaping backwards while covering his eyes with his forearm. Flashes of red light sparked brightly from Phoebos' eyes which rendered the blades motionless, before throwing and embedding them towards the ground. The white-clad knight then flew upwards and away to give Felkin and the others chase. "Wise choice." The girl remarked, closing her eyes and suppressing her harsh red light. "Hmph." Crysanthemum remarked, soaring through the air and scanning the dirt road and forest out of town for his target.

"What was that? Who... are you?" Carla asked Rea as she stopped running to catch her breath. "What we were... We wished to put it all behind us. But now... All that matters to us now, is our son." said Rea. Carla nodded in understanding, before they turned around to continue running. Crysanthemum flew downwards towards them, with his flight sounding like a harrowing screech as he readied himself to take Felkin once more. "Here he comes!" The shopkeeper exclaimed, as they heard and saw his approach. Rea quickly picked up a small shard of stone from the ground, and with a quick mutter of "Lux", she enchanted it with her magic. The knight bent his elbow and produced more blades from his sleeves as he neared the ground.

"Take him and run!" Rea said as she readied her weapon and put herself in front of the oncoming attacker. She blocked the strike of his blade with her light shard, and he flicked his arm and brought out another set of blades to strike her. "Pulsare!" Rea exclaimed, and she pushed with her hand and created a concussive blast which pushed away the oncoming arm of Crysanthemum. As his arm was blown back, he was still clashing blades with Rea and he clenched his free hand into a fist and a tangle of vines burst forth from the ground towards her. Rea quickly sliced the vines into pieces, but the knight was ready with his forearms crossed and ready to slash. With both of his arm blades slashing, her blade of light shattered into pieces and she was left without a weapon.

Without a second thought, Crysanthemum kicked aside Rea and stared forward towards his target, running forward in unpausing pursuit. "Ack!" Rea exclaimed, being struck in the stomach and thrown to the ground. She could only watch as though Carla and Felkin had cleared enough distance, the man in white was quick to close the gap. The unwitting shopkeeper ran and began to be out of breath, as Crysanthemum tirelessly ran after. He eyed a small pebble in the road, which he gave a swift kick and launched it forward. The stone landed in such a precise spot that Carla stepped on it, and it caused her trip and fall forward. She used her arms to push up from the ground to prevent herself from falling onto Felkin whom she dropped, but as she turned around she saw the knight standing had reached her with his blades raised. She could only close her eyes and put her arms around Felkin to protect him from the attack.

Clink! The sound of blades clashing against one another could be heard, and Carla turned around surprised that she had escaped from her demise. She saw a metal segmented blade, which extended and snaked from under her and curved around her body to block the strike. "Huh?" The woman was confused. "Don't... Hurt her." Felkin crawled from under her and stood up, with the sword in his hand responding to his desire. His brown eyes glared with fierce determination. "Mister, I... don't know you, but I won't let you hurt my friends, or my family!" He remarked, looking ahead of the man and towards his mother who was struggling to sit up.

'The boy, he... Is he wielding the sword using the power of the abyss? No, it’s his own innate strength that's allowing him to make use of the relic.' Chrysanthemum said to himself. "I am taking you now to the realm of white. Do not resist, and no one more will be injured or killed, yourself included." He said towards the boy, walking towards him. Felkin stepped back and retracted his sword while raising it towards the stranger. 'I... don't know what this is, except that mother and father locked it in their room. I... don't remember much and I'm still dizzy, but... If I can use this to protect myself...' "I'm sorry but, I'm not letting you take me!" Felkin exclaimed. "Why not? It is not like you can defeat me in your present state, you'd be only risking harm to yourself and to others." The man said in a cold and uncaring manner.

'He's... right, but... But!' "It’s not fair! That you give this choice to me, and... You're the one doing the hurting! Its your choice to do this to me, and I'm not letting you do this!" Felkin said, undaunted. 'This boy...' Carla said, staring up towards him in disbelief. "You are too! I... don't know who you are, but... If what you want is against me and my family, then I'm not going to let you do it!" Felkin remarked, as Phoebos floated in the air towards them. "Don't confuse me with the likes of him, what I wish for now is for you to be left alone by the otherworldly powers... That being said..." She turned towards Crysanthemum. "If you continue to pursue the boy, you will have to best me. An outcome in which, will certainly result in your death, don't you think?" She exclaimed.

"Hmm..." The knight exclaimed, in thought. 'If its only eliminating the boy and leaving, it would be in my ability. But... Would it be worth the trouble? The superiors seem to think he is of great importance, and I could face dire consequence, and not to mention the loss of his existence could be a great blow to the cause. He is young, and the paths he will take are still uncertain, so the best course of action is to...' "So, what will it be? Did you freeze up from fear?" The girl asked. Felkin stood uneasily and held the sword with both of his hands, waiting. Crysanthemum exhaled deeply, and then large white petals sprung from beneath his feet and began enveloping him. "From this point on, the boy will know naught but conflict as he becomes a tool of war to be used by one side or the other. Never will he know a day unburdened by his fate, and the wills of all will intersect and fall heavy upon him." He said, before he disappeared.

"A cheery sort, that fellow." The girl remarked. Felkin turned back towards her and pointed his sword. Rea quickly ran past her and shielded Felkin with herself, with one arm behind her and the other towards the "witch". "You... stay away from my family!" Rea said to her, furious. "Relax, relax... I mean no harm." The girl said with open arms. "What did you do to father?" Felkin asked. "He's fine, just in a little nap. He was wise in closing his eyes, but some lights are harsh enough to seep through any cover." She replied.

"What do you want?" Rea exclaimed. "Nothing. I've already achieved the goal I've just recently acquired, and I'll freely leave without enacting more damage. You all can go back to your homes and continue as normal." The girl answered. "Normal? You've scattered and scared away all the villagers and made them fear and spread news of inhuman beasts and magical creatures. You've let loose creatures upon town and made news of our existence spread and be privy to the other realms. Not mentioning the curse you've put upon the boy, which resigns him to the darkness! No, no... It's far from normal!" Felkin's mother exclaimed.

"Hmm... You all lived, didn't you? Even for me, that's too much to ask." The girl answered. "They'll... end up blaming this on us again. We're... going to be hated and forced to move..." Felkin remarked. "Hmm... Alright, normal. Doesn't seem like an unreasonable request." Phoebos replied. "Come on, back to the village." She said, turning around midair and then floating back towards the village. The three of them stood confused, before having no choice but to follow Phoebos back towards the village's center. They followed her until they reached the village, and then she started to float higher and higher upwards. "What... are you doing?" Felkin asked. "What you asked... I'll try to return things as they were." The girl replied. "How?" Carla asked, incredibly confused. "Magic, of course." She replied with a smile constant on her face.

"Returning things to what they were, is it temporal magic you're using? That form of magic is... Dangerous, more risk than its worth!" A man said, walking up to the village's center. "So you're awake. I expected it to take less time, but..." The girl said to Theorian. "Theorian!" "Dad!" His family called out to him. "Don't worry about the house, we're fortunate enough that 'she' extinguished my axe before putting me to sleep..." He said as he briefly turned towards them, and back towards Phoebos. "Temporal magic... Is not in my capacity, nor is it something I wish to employ. A magick I borrowed from one of the waters of the dark abyss, the hidden power of the river of forgetfulness." The girl replied, clasping her hands together and then seperating them creating a flow of clear bluish liquid between.

She raised her hands to the sky in exultation, and the streams of liquid from her palms extended upwards and began to form a large cloud over the area. The water from her hands then stopped emerging from her palms, and flowed upwards to fully form the cloud that shared the liquid's bluish color. The slow trickling of drops from the sky, from imperceptible gradually grew faster and faster as rain fell onto the village and the nearby area. It splattered on the dirt roads, the wooden roofs and through the leaves of the forest canopy. The four people below her stared at the sky, expectant and bewildered. But as the water droplets began to hit them, Carla lost consciousness and drooped to the ground, followed by Felkin who dropped his sword and then fell to the ground with his eyes closed. "Wait, forgetfulness... Rain, surely you don't mean all of us are going to-" Rea looked towards the two on the ground and feared they would forget and end up asleep and awaken with their memories fled from them.

"Don't worry, those with ample magic resistance such as you two are going to be unaffected." The girl said to them. The water raining down from the sky began to coalesce into strands which avoided them and extended into different directions. "Wait, all the people that are hiding or have fled... You're going to erase all of their memories as well?" Theorian asked. "They've not been walking far... And it's in my power to lead them all here." She answered. Rea knelt on the ground and cradled the unconscious Felkin in her arms. 'He... must be so tired...' She thought to herself. She then looked up towards the girl and asked: "Why... are you doing this? There's been tell throughout the years of desolate and destroyed villages left in your wake. So... why this... kindness?" "It's barter, an exchange. What I do now... Is for the sake and desire of the boy. What he requests now... He will pay back greatly to my cause whatever I do for him today..." The girl said, as the red mark on Felkin's shoulder glowed faintly.

"The mark you placed on him... A link this deep... It's a direct connection to the abyss! You..." The man remarked, in indignation towards her. "I gave him strength. The strength of darkness. All of those in the light, and the light itself, they revile the dark and shun it, the dark is alone against all else, making it them the ones all others repulse... For us in the darkness, we cling to whatever power we can to prevent our existence from being threatened. His case is the same is mine, he'll need the strength." She said, looking down towards the two of them, who were silent. "Let's... go home." Rea said, picking up Felkin in her arms and was followed by Theorian as they walked back to their home.

Carla stood up and then walked back towards her shop, but did it in a slow and dazed manner, like someone who was sleepwalking. She was followed by the others who fled from town, who carried their carts and possessions back with them as they walked and stumbled towards their previous positions they were before they ran away. It was a peaceful calm, with only the sounds of the gentle shuffling of footsteps of the townsfolk to break the silence. The ones that reached the place they were in previously stood unsettlingly still, Phoebos appeared to be awaiting all of them to be in their proper places before awakening them.

Rea and Theorian walked slowly to their house, opened the door and entered, and Phoebos disappeared from their view. They carried Felkin to his bedroom and laid him down on the bed. Theorian noticed that he still grasped his sword tightly, and pulled it loose from his son's grip, he looked at it as if he never wanted to see it again. He went to the other room to hide it once more, as Rea caressed Felkin's forehead. As he returned the blade into its hiding place, he entered his son's room. "If he's fallen under the girl's spell, then he's forgotten all about this day." She said to him. "He and the townsfolk might forget, but the damage is already done. We might repair and replace the protection wards, but the mark on him is already placed, and the other realms will know and locate us sooner or later." The man remarked. "He... must be ready for it." Rea answered.

"But training him with that blade, isn't it too early? He could be unprepared, who knows what kind of toll it can take on him." Theorian remarked. "He's already shown he can use it, earlier. If not that relic of a blade, we need to prepare him of some sort. His life will be harsh ahead of him." She answered. "Yes..." Theorian remarked. In his bed, Felkin was alike an inert stone as he was motionless in his slumber. But unbeknownst to his parents, he had passed out earlier due to exhaustion and the toll of the brand placed on him rather than the effects of the forgetting magic. He was plagued by muddled dreams and was tired enough that his sleep was not comfortable. He feebly tossed and turned in his bed, but he could not move for long as his stamina was spent.

"Felkin... Felkin... Wake up." "Mhmm..." Felkin groaned, as he was being gently shook awake by someone. He opened his eyes rubbed them as he slowly looked around the room and up at his mother. He slowly sat up still rubbing his eyes, when he looked out the window and saw dark orange light shining through. He was surprised by the lateness of the hour. "It's... This late already? I... can't believe I overslept!" He exclaimed. "Well... I didn't want to wake you, but I didn't want you to sleep through dinner." She replied to him.

Felkin stood up and began walking towards the dining area of his home, still in a slight daze. The table was already set up, with the food, cups, and plates placed atop it. Theorian poured water into the cups on the table. "Oh Felkin, good to see you're awake." He remarked towards him. Felkin yawned as he sat down, followed by his mother who came from his room. "Did I really sleep all day? I'm still sleepy so I can barely remember..." He remarked. "You must have been tired." Rea remarked as she sat down to eat. "I remember going to town to buy the things you requested, and then I went home." Felkin remarked, eating a spoonful of of cooked meat and vegetables. "Well, you did what you needed to, and then got home and got some rest." said Rea.

As his parents talked about their day and pretended that it proceeded as normal, Felkin ate his food deep in thought. 'It feels like I just had a really weird dream. Filled with strange and scary things. Maybe it’s another nightmare?' Each day of his felt the same to him, so a break from his daily life felt unnatural. 'If something did happen, they'd probably say something about it. They're not saying anything, so that really was just a dream.' He put down his spoon and looked towards his hands, which had faint marks and creases from when he gripped the sword tightly earlier in the day. "What's the matter, did you hurt your hands?" His mother asked. "No... I just got them roughed up climbing a tree earlier." Felkin answered.

"Be careful about climbing those trees. You can get hurt bad if you fall. Once when I was young, I was trying to pick some fruit from the tree for your mother, when I fell. My back was never the same after that." Theorian remarked with a chuckle, inciting a smile from Rea. "Okay, dad." Said Felkin.'Why... did I lie? I think I remember where I got these from, but if that was just a dream, then I probably got this from climbing trees or picking up a rock. But...' "Felkin, finish your food." His mother said. He complied, and they chatted with small talk until they all finished their food. "Oh, and don't forget to wash your hands and take a bath before sleeping! I forgot to remind you last night." She remarked towards him. "I will!" Felkin said, standing up putting away his plate and utensils.

"You really should practice what you preach you know. How do you expect him to follow it when you forget to do it yourself..." Theorian said, half-jokingly. Rea softly punched his shoulder with a frown on her face. "Its' not like you can say that if you yourself forgot." She replied. Felkin walked to the bathroom to relieve himself from all the water he drank and so was focused on his own thoughts instead of his parents talking. "It can't be helped you know, when you're too caught up in working, or doing something, you forget these things! Forgetting to do it a few times a week is not that bad of a thing and saves water too." Theorian exclaimed. "Firstly, you're setting a bad example for the kid saying that. Second, its not like we're near the big cities where water's becoming sparse. A bucket of water from the river won't be too much of an impact. Thirdly, I've finally found out why you've building up quite a stench as of late." She replied.

Felkin stopped at the foot of his parents' room and peered into the darkness within. 'I remember that thing in the closet. If its there right now, then my dream might be real... Later. I don't want my parents to see me.' Felkin said, as he continued into the bathroom. "Stench? That's just my natural musk after working up a sweat all day. Completely natural and completely bearable I should say." Theorian replied, flustered. "Ha, ha. I understand. Just don't forget to bathe once in a while. You might scare away the other villagers." Rea responded. Felkin had brought a set of dry clothes and a towel into the bathroom and closed the door.

A single candle was placed high and near the entrance, faintly illuminating the room. After taking off his clothes, he sat on an upturned pail as he splashed his face with water from a barrel nearby. 'That girl... Magic things, magic sword. Its... hard to understand.' As he scrubbed himself with a sponge, he touched his forehead. 'I think I remember going to the market with her. If that's true, then I got hit by that rock from the others... But I remember it healed then. So, I don't have a way to tell now.' He said to himself. After bathing, he dried himself with the towel and put on a new set of clothing. As he exited, his father was standing in the hallway. "All done kid? I'll be using the bathroom now, and with your mother's advice, taking a bath." He said, with his own clothes and towel under his arm.

"I'm all done." Felkin replied, walking past him. "Just have a short rest and sleep soon." Rea called out to him from her room. "Alright, mom." Felkin answered. "You don't suppose we can take a bath together? Saves time and saves water as well." Theorian said to Rea with a smile on his face.'A chance! If they're both preoccupied, maybe I can-' "I'd rather not, its too cramped in there." Rea answered, dashing Felkin's hopes. "Ahaha, just joking." Theorian replied, walking into the bathroom, and shutting the door.

Felkin entered his room and sat down on the bed, sighing. 'Maybe I... should give it up. When something troubles me, I usually just sleep it off and forget about it the next day.' He yawned. "And I'm... starting to get sleepy again." Felkin said, as he lied down on the bed and closed his eyes. "Hmm..." He opened his eyes, sat up whilst rubbing them. "What time is it?" He said to himself. He sat up and looked out the window and saw that it was deep into the night and possibly early morning. 'Oh, it’s still nighttime.' He lied back down and tried to sleep. He closed his eyes and waited to no avail. He tried to switch his sleeping position, and he tossed and turned in bed until he sat back up frustrated. "Can't sleep. Might be because I already slept a lot earlier. Maybe a drink of water can help." Felkin remarked, standing up and groggily walking out of his room.

He looked towards his parent's bedroom once more. 'This... might be my chance. They're both asleep. No, no... If they're both in the room, they'll see me! If not now, then when? Its just a little peek, it'll be fast! Think about what would happen if you do something you're not supposed to, they'll be mad at you Felkin! But, but... I need to know the truth!' Felkin paced back and forth in the hallway trying to think. 'Alright! I'll be quick and I'll be quiet.' Felkin said to himself. He crouched down and quietly squeezed in the half-open door. Small, slow, and quiet steps, he made while crouched towards the closet near the door. His father snored loudly while his parents both lay in a large bed. His mother shifted and turned in her sleep.

Felkin watched them closely as he inched his way towards the closet. As he neared, he stepped on a uneven floorboard and created a loud creak. Felkin stopped in his tracks and had wide eyes. 'I'm... I'm doomed!' Rea turned towards him with her eyes still closed and murmured something. "Too... loud." She remarked, appearing to still be asleep. Felkin breathed a sigh of relief. 'I'm safe!' He exclaimed to himself as he inched closer to the closet door. The closet was shut closed, and he gently and slowly pulled the door open, which created a slight creak. He observed and waited for any kind of reaction, before turning back towards the box and slowly opening the lid. 'I... I knew it.' The sword was in its proper place. 'The girl, my wound, the magic, the man in white. It's... It's all real!' He thought in disbelief, walking backwards. Engrossed in thought, he didn't notice as he bumped into the closet door and created a thud. "Mhmm..." Rea began to stir, and Felkin panickedly shut the box, closed the door, and began to rush out of the room.

"Felkin? Is that you?" She asked, sitting up on the other side of the bed. Felkin stopped just shy of exiting and turned around looking guilty. "Umm..." "What's the matter, can't sleep? Having nightmares again?" Rea asked, still sleepy. Theorian became awoken by Rea's voice and sat up as well. "Do you want to sleep here? Some people might say that you're too old for that, but... It's okay if its just for tonight." He remarked. "Uh... I..." "Do you want to talk to us about something?" Rea asked. "Actually, I... There's something I wasn't telling you." He said. "Come here, what is it? We'll talk about what's troubling you." Theorian answered.

"You know those bruises and scratches I get from time to time. Well... They're not all from playing in the woods." "Hmm?" "The kids in town, they... They don't like me. Sometimes, they say mean things to me. Push me around and throw things at me." Felkin said shyly, looking down at the ground. He had remembered the things Phoebos had told him. "Hey, hey... Why haven't you told us earlier? And... why would they do that?" Theorian remarked, holding Felkin close and was concerned. "They... they think its unfair for me to be liked by all the adults and their parents just because I have you guys as parents. That they're good to me and I'm a suck up and I just want attention from them... I... I didn't want to tell them because... Because I thought if their parents were involved, they'd get even madder at me and... It might cause more trouble for you guys..." Felkin said, still looking downwards.

"Oh, honey..." Rea went to the other side of the bed, and gently caressed Felkin's head and brushed his hair with her hand. "It's... a good thing you're thinking about us, but you don't have to do that. Your pop and ma can handle themselves. We'll find a resolution, talk to them, and clear up the misunderstanding. We'll handle it. Together." She said in a comforting manner. "What's good is that you had the courage to tell us. We'll... we'll figure something out tomorrow morning, alright?" Theorian remarked. "Can you, sleep on your own?" Rea asked. Felkin nodded. "Alright, we'll deal with it in the morning, okay?" She added. "Yes mom." He replied, walking out and into his own room. As he closed his eyes and finally fell asleep, his parents had a discussion unbeknownst to him. He then looked back up towards his parents and returned to a neutral expression. "Mom and dad... Yesterday... I went to the market in the morning and slept the whole day right?" Felkin asked. "Uh, that's what you told us and we found you asleep at home, so..." Theorian remarked. "If you did something else, we wouldn't really know because we were busy at work." Rea added.

'Oh... that makes sense. Wait, no! If they were there yesterday, they would know! So that means either they forgot... Or they're lying. But, but... how could they forget something like that? I sometimes forget things that happen earlier the week, but if something like that happened to me, I wouldn't forget that easy! But if they're lying... No, they tell me all the time that lying is bad, so... There's still a chance though...' Felkin was in thought. "Is there something wrong Felkin?" His mother asked him. "No, I... just want to take a breath of fresh air outside." Felkin answered.

"That's alright, just don't forget to wash the dishes later when you return." She replied, as Felkin opened the door and went outside. 'I... need to confirm with someone else. At least I... know that the sword in their room was real. But... if the other people don't remember... There are things I can't explain that happened yesterday. Maybe people losing their memories is part of it?' Felkin thought to himself as he walked from his house and down towards the road. 'Wait... who am I going to ask that won't lie to me? The other villagers... I don't know how they'll react, or if I can trust them. Aunt Carla! She... she was there. If she saw something, she'd say so!' He thought. As he continued walking, Theorian and Rea watched him from the windows. "Hey... Doesn't Felkin usually play near the river or in the woods? What's he doing going to town? Is he going to the market?" Theorian asked.

"Maybe... But he has a sword, and he's going into town... Don't tell me he's going to retaliate on his bullies?" Rea remarked, worried. "Surely not. After we've told him he'd resolve the situation. Right?" Theorian exclaimed. "Well... I trust him, but... we should still try to follow him to make sure he doesn't do anything..." Rea answered. "If... you say so." He answered, before the two of them exited to silently follow him. As Felkin walked, he made his way towards the market and looked around at the villagers in their home and the passersby who appeared to be normal and unperturbed. 'I remember... The people yesterday were all trying to leave the village, but it seems like they're all here and everything is normal...' He continued down the road and thought about the earlier events of the prior day. 'Yesterday... I got into a fight with the other kids, and got a rock thrown at me. I'm wondering of how much of yesterday was forgotten, if they even remember me going into town with her... I can only confirm if I talk with someone...' Felkin thought, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"Hmm?" He looked down and noticed that he was still holding the wooden sword with his other hand. 'I brought this with me? I thought I left it behind, but... I guess it'll take more time if I ran straight back home just to drop this off...' He looked up to see the leader of the children that bullied him yesterday a short distance away. 'Urk, that's one of the kids from yesterday. I... better avoid him...' Felkin thought and prepared to move towards another way to avoid him. "Hey, what's that?" The boy asked Felkin. "Uh..." "Is... that... a sword?" The boy walked towards Felkin, interested. Felkin backed away cautiously.

"That's cool! Is it real?" The other boy asked. "It's just made of wood, but I think it can be considered as a sword..." Felkin answered honestly, raising the weapon and looking at it. "Can I take a look at it?" The other boy asked. Felkin remembered the times the neighborhood children pushed, taunted and took his belongings only to torment him. "I... don't want it to be nicked or chipped, my parents might be mad if I break it..." Felkin remarked. "Come on, I won't break it..." the boy said, wanting Felkin to hand his sword over. Theorian and Rea were watching from behind one of the houses. "That boy... Is he one of the ones who bully him?" "If he is, then maybe we should step in!" Rea and Theorian whispered to each other. "Wait... Let's... give him a chance." said Rea.

Felkin became angered at the boy's suggestion and gripped his sword firmly while thinking about the things he'd endured from them in the past. "Hey, you don't always need to be a suck up for the adults and-" "Hey! Just because I don't want others to take and break my stuff doesn't mean I'm a suck up! It's going to be my fault if I give this to you and you break it! My parents will be right to be mad because I didn't take care of it!" Felkin yelled right back. "I won't break-" "You will! You and the others always just take and take from me, and you break my things, and say mean things to me, and I don't know why! You say I'm just being favored by the adults, but that's not my fault! They're being nice to me, and that's their choice! Maybe its your fault, if your parents aren't doing the same for you!" Felkin exclaimed. He gripped his sword tightly. 'It's... like last time. Even if he doesn't remember... He'll still do the same things! Maybe I can... use this sword. No, no! I can't!' Felkin thought.

Theorian looked around, wary if anyone saw but luckily the others were out of earshot of the area. "Hey, things are getting dicey, we might need to break this up soon." He remarked. "Let's just wait a little more..." She answered. "I..." The boy teared up. He thought back towards words said by his parents.“Why aren't you helping around the home? You're always outside playing with your friends, you might as well be good-for-nothing! Why can't you be like that "Felkin" boy? He's kind, he's respectful, and he helps out his parents. They're good people, and they've earned our trust doing good for us. You could do well being like them." His mother said to the boy.

"I just wish they'd... stop comparing me to you!" The boy said and turned away from Felkin as tears welled up and sprinkled onto the ground. "Oh... Hey..." Felkin suddenly felt bad and felt awkward as the other boy stifled tears. "You can... take a look if you want to. Just promise not to break it." Felkin said, offering up the sword in his hands to try and comfort the boy. "Really?" He asked, wiping tears from his face. He then took the sword and looked at it closely. "It's... a sword. It's made of wood." The boy remarked. "Yeah... I think it is." Felkin answered. As the boy held the sword in his hands, he had thoughts of stealing it away from Felkin. 'I could... take this from him and show it off to the others. I would look cool in front of them! But... it isn't fair to him if I do it. Even if the adults use him and his family as an excuse... Its not his fault, and its not like he can do anything about it anyway...' "I... wish that one day I can have something like this too." The boy said as he returned the wooden sword to Felkin. "Thanks, I hope you do..." Felkin remarked.

The other boy sniffled as he rubbed his eyes using his forearm. "I'm... sorry. For the things that we did. We... had no reason to be mean to you. We were just looking for someone to blame, and someone to put our frustrations into..." The boy remarked. "Wow, that was suprisingly mature of him." Theorian exclaimed as they hid from behind a cover. "Even if you have a reason, and that person is doing something mean to you... You shouldn't be mean or hurt them back either..." Felkin answered. "Woah, that's... pretty mature too." His father exclaimed. He then turned towards Rea. "Hey! Are you alright?" He asked. "Yes..." Rea exclaimed, with a proud smile and tears in her eyes.

"I know you know my name... But I don't even know what yours was..." Felkin said to the boy. "I'm Ray." The boy replied. "I hope... we can be friends, Ray." Felkin said, extending his hand forward with Ray shaking it. "I think... I'm going to go think somewhere for now. Steer clear of the others, I think I'll talk to them later." Ray replied. "Hey Ray, about yesterday..." Felkin asked. "What about yesterday? I don't think we saw each other yesterday. Maybe you saw someone else? Anyways, see you later." Ray said, before walking away. "You too." Felkin remarked, waving at the boy goodbye.

"Whew... That went well. It looks like he can handle himself, do we go back now?" Theorian asked her. "Sometimes I ask myself... Did we do right in raising him? But when I see him now, I..." "I think we did pretty well." Theorian finished Rea's words. "We should do better. The road ahead of him is long and... difficult. We haven't yet fulfilled our old promise. Not fully." She replied. "Yeah." Theorian answered. Felkin continued down the road and was in thought.

'It looks like he doesn't remember yesterday... But I gotta ask someone else just to be sure.' Felkin continued towards the market, and felt he was being watched from behind the cover of trees from the nearby forest by someone else. "Hey Felkin! What brings you here? Your parents sent you to buy something?" Carla asked Felkin as he reached her stall. "No, I was just... Walking." Felkin said. "What's that in your hand, is that a wooden sword? Did your parents give it to you?" Asked Carla. "Uh, yeah. Said I could use it for protection and stuff, but I think I don't need it right now." Felkin answered. "Did you come all the way here to show it off to me?" Carla asked, leaning forward towards him. "Uh... maybe." Felkin said quietly. "But... But I want to talk about yesterday." He added forcefully.

"Why, did I miss something that was on the list? Or maybe you're still worried about the extra coin yesterday?" Carla asked. "No... I might have been not remembering things correctly." Felkin remarked. 'I knew it, so she doesn't remember either.' He thought. "You know... If you just wanted to see me, you could have just said so. Your aunt Carla's always going to be your friend, even if the other kids won't be." She remarked. "Well actually... I made a friend today. Ray in fact. He's going to try to not be mean to me anymore." Felkin said smugly. "Oh, that's nice then. Guess you wouldn't be needing me anymore then." Carla replied jokingly. "Well... It's not like I only want one friend..." Felkin said, frowning. "I was just joking. Good for you. Hopefully, the others will follow suit." She said towards him. "I... hope so too." Felkin answered, walking away. "Well, see you some other day!" "You too." Felkin replied.

'Well... Now that I've confirmed that either nothing happened yesterday, or something happened but the other people didn't remember it, I guess the only thing to do is to go back home.' He said, heading back. "Hmm?" Felkin remarked as he saw a figure hidden from view behind the cover of trees. "Hey!" He called out, running after the figure who retreated deeper into the forest. He reached the trees and looked around before spotting the figure and chasing after it. "Hey, wait! Come back!" Felkin called out. "Stop." A voice said within his head that did not belong to him, stopping him in his tracks.

'That voice...' "Hey, is that you? Uh... Phoebos? Can I call you that? I knew what happened yesterday was real!" Felkin remarked. "Listen... Yesterday, didn't happen. At least you should live your life like it didn't." She said to him. "Why?" "Your parents... they assume that you've forgotten yesterday's events. Be keen on keeping it that way. What I did yesterday... And what your parents are doing, they're to stop and hinder what lies ahead of you." She remarked. "What lies... ahead?" Felkin asked. "You... are a unique type of human. A rare being that is capable of causing great imbalance and carrying great potential. Potential for power, or a threat..." "So... yesterday. You, and that other guy, were here... for me?" Felkin asked.

"I was here by happenstance, but... Yes, many desire your power. And more will come after you in the future." She answered. "So, the purpose of this sword..." Felkin said looking at the wooden blade. "They probably seek to train you, and you normally won't know why. But... I'm sorry to say, but only pain and suffering will be on your path, the only way you'll get through it alive is through training, and rigorous preparation..." "I... don't know what to say..." Felkin remarked. "Stay away from me and stop pursuing. If you're lucky, you'd live your entire life in peace without being found. The less you are involved by the otherwordly powers the better." And with that, the voice went silent and Felkin felt her presence disappear. "Hey, wait!" He remarked, but to no response. 'All of that... was because of me? Mom and dad... they're protecting me. I... need to do something. I... don't know what to do. But the only thing I can do, is prepare...' Felkin thought solemnly.

"He's... back." Theorin and Rea spotted as Felkin neared the house. Felkin was practicing swings and slashes as he walked, though it was apparent that his movements were amateur at best. "Looks like he's taken to it nicely." Rea said, as Felkin entered through the door with sword in hand. "Hey champ. Like the sword?" Theorian asked. "Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of it, but... It's a little heavy." Felkin answered. "That's good." Rea remarked. "Uh... Listen, I... think I want to start... Training, with this." Said Felkin. "Oh? Why so?" His mother replied. "Uh... Its like you said. Its dangerous, and there's lots of dangerous people out there, and uh... wild animals." Felkin answered.

Theorian and Rea then looked at each other and then nodded. "But, it'll be very hard... Are you prepared for that?" His father asked. "Honestly, I... don't know. I want to do it, but... I'm afraid. But all I can do is my best. And I'm going to try hard!" Felkin exclaimed, determined. "Well... First, we're going to talk to the kids parents to try to resolve the bullying that they're doing to you. We can do your training later." His mother replied, ruffling Felkin's hair. "Right!" Felkin exclaimed.