I’ve seen them, the ‘Ill ones’ as my father called them. They were beasts, no better than the ones we hunt to kill and eat. There was no helping them back then, as we weren’t strong enough.
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A tense silence hung in the air, followed only by the slow, calculated, damp footsteps slowly approaching him. His mask stuck to his dampened skin, suffocating him with every passing second. The shadow loomed closer, swallowing the dim light.
Kai looked up, his pupils trembling, then widening as soon as he saw who it was that found him. Onyx! He cried out internally, a simple, muffled grunt escaping his body as he jumped to hug the Obborik. His arms wrapped around Onyx’s neck, pulling him down, without care for how wet and dirty his fur was. Most of his belly took on a coat of black and brown, freshwater still dripping down onto the ground. His paws were of a completely different color than usual, but Kai didn’t mind them stepping on his clothes.
The rancid smell of wet, unwashed fur inundated his nostrils, making him gag slightly. However, he didn’t let go, and instead brought the Obborik closer to his body, feeling its heartbeat against his own. Onyx! You’re here! Kai cried out internally, completely forgetting about what happened earlier. A feeling of closeness and happiness radiated from his heart, and Onyx’s tail wagged with an unusual rhythm. You’re happy too, right? Oh, Onyx…
“Woof!” The Obborik barked softly, seemingly replying to Kai’s thoughts. “Arfhgn.” He playfully bit on Kai’s mask, gently taking it off, and licking his dirty, bloodied face. The boy didn’t protest and left the Obborik to do what he wanted as he gently caressed his fur. Thinking about the first moments before he regained his sanity, he definitely felt it, Onyx calling for him, searching and running through the rain. And now, more than ever, he felt an incredible closeness, one that could not be explained with words.
Kai took in a deep breath, holding in an exhale as he focused on this strange sensation. On one hand, being so close, so connected to someone to the point of feeling what they feel, was amazing. Kai never formed such a bond with anyone before, neither in this nor in his past life. However, on the other hand, being so vulnerable and open… left him feeling at a loss. But that is what trust is, right? He exhaled.
For a quiet moment, Kai forgot about his pain and worries as they comforted each other. He couldn’t sense what went through Onyx’s mind, but the happiness he exuded with his body language, and countless licks of worry, assured Kai that the Obborik wasn’t someone he should fear. Grabbing the head of his companion, he pulled it away. Onyx’s fluffy face, paired with his sniffling nose and shiny, beady eyes, got a chuckle out of Kai. Ruffling his fur, the boy stood up while picking up the mask, and donned it once again. Regardless if it was day or night, the less people knew about his identity, the better.
I’m involved with too many people, dear to me. If anyone found out about what I am… they could be in trouble. Though I can barely recall what happened last night, it definitely wasn’t good. He sighed, annoyed, and clenched his fist in anger.
Bringing a finger to his lips, the taste of coppery iron still lingered on his tongue, and bits of flesh stuck between his teeth. He gagged and wanted to throw up, however his body didn’t allow it. Staggering forward, he leaned on Onyx for support and the two walked through the dark alleys like usual.
Despite his familiarity with the way toward Karfi’s place, the city during the day looked much different compared to the night. As he explored, Kai used ‘Vision’, a spell which would allow him to see better in the dark, however not perfectly so. Compared to that, the light of the day illuminated every nook and cranny, creating hard shadows, and revealing every little secret. Besides that, the smell, which usually went unnoticed as he dashed through the air, was more pungent, as the sun warmed up the bags of trash, fecal matter and even rotting corpses of animals.
Kai ignored those things with great difficulty, somewhat regretting that he could experience this. However, hesitation screamed in the back of his mind about taking the main road. He couldn’t know who he would run into, and when. Especially so after last night’s incidents.
So, he kept on walking through the remote alleys, and it didn’t take him long to reach Karfi’s place.
A bell jingled as the doors swung open, revealing Kai’s pitiful figure, and Onyx’s lowered head. All the laughter, joy, and chatter died down as the two walked toward the bar, leaving dampened footsteps and a trail of dirty puddles behind them. Karfi almost dashed toward the two, however Natasha, who sipped from a drink at the counter, swiftly stopped him. Kai approached silently, countless pairs of eyes watching him as he walked behind the counter, picked up a bottle of alcohol, and nodded toward Karfi and Natasha before walking through the door leading to the house.
Tausi was nowhere to be seen, perhaps studying at the church, or playing outside, as rare an occurrence as that was.
The door creaked as it closed, and the cacophony of voices quickly resumed their chatter, completely forgetting about Kai and Onyx.
Inside the house, Kai stored the bottle away in his ring and sighed. I need to take a bath first, Onyx as well… I recall there was a bath upstairs. Without waiting for too long a time, he signaled Onyx to follow him, and the two quickly found the bath.
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It was a small room with a good amount of ventilation, meaning holes that led toward the outside, and a window without curtains. It was one of the reasons Kai avoided this place, however, now, even as the sun penetrated through the fabric of his clothes, he felt nothing.
The room itself had nothing that could designate it as a bath, besides a large wooden basin. Compared to modern appliances, it lacked everything that would make it a bath. However, Kai didn’t mind. He took off his clothes, and rolled them up in a bundle before storing them away in his ring, then pulled out the wand.
It still donned a few water crystals, which he used to form a water bubble that then fell into the basin, overflowing slightly. Then, he swished his sleeve and threw in a firestone.
The water began heating up immediately, and he threw in a few scented flowers and a makeshift soap made out of animal grease and perfume. He wasn’t sure if it would do anything to clean him, but at least it would make him smell less horrible. The water slowly evaporated, and when he thought it enough, Kai dipped a toe into the water, and then fully entered.
Onyx watched from the side and didn’t say anything as he licked his dirty snout.
Sighing heavily, the boy leaned his head against the edge of the basin and closed his eyes. The warm water made blood rush to his head, and relaxed him slightly, something which he needed desperately after the events of the past few weeks.
First, kidnapped, then burnt, then I got outed as a vampire to Barhm, then I burned myself again, and now… Lumiera is definitely laughing with a bucket of popcorn in hand. He chuckled bitterly.
The disgust he thought he’d have for himself, however, never came. Not even as images of his deed flashed past his eyes. No, besides the initial shock and repulsiveness, everything else was… fine.
…
After washing himself properly, he picked up the dirty water and threw it out the open window, a chilly breeze brushing past Kai’s wet skin. His wound, inflicted by the sun or otherwise, completely disappeared, and his skin glowed with a healthy color. Preparing a new bath, Onyx was less than happy to be subjected to such high treason, however, gave in by the end of the morning, and finally washed all the dirty and muck off his fur.
He promptly dried himself after getting out, using a wind spell that sent water raining everywhere, dampening Kai’s hair once again. With a sigh and a light chuckle, he dried himself too, with a bit of heat and air, then, with a sudden idea, walked downstairs.
Nobody waited for him, and it would have been eerily quiet were it not for the crowd of people outside, drinking to their heart's content. He walked to his room, not bothering to close the door as Onyx followed in, and ripped out the curtains and protections he took against the sun, letting it hit his bed. He aired the room, a thing long overdue, and took out the bottle he took from Karfi’s desk.
Looking at it for a while, he bit his lower lip and… popped it open. Taking a sip, and then another, he tried to wash away the taste that still lingered, however, it just wouldn’t disappear.
…
Inside Karfi’s living room, Kai lay down on the couch, the bottle of alcohol empty, on the floor, and his mask covering half his face. Onyx sat down on the floor, snoring peacefully, his legs moving wildly every so often. No one had bothered Kai during the entire day, whether it was because they knew he wanted to be alone, or because of how busy they were remained unknown.
The door creaked open, inviting in some light from the bar, which seemed to be empty as Karfi closed for the day. Natasha walked in first, with Tausi in her arms, and a wide smile creasing her lips. With flushed red cheeks, a single glance at Kai seemed to have sobered her up, and she almost dropped the little girl in her embrace.
Karfi’s eyes widened in surprise, though, he didn’t say anything as he too glanced at Kai with a surprised gaze.
The boy’s bright silver hair stood out like a sore thumb, contrasting heavily with his previous dark brown color. The brand new, crimson red fox mask only covered half his face, namely his eyes, and nose, whilst his mouth, out of which emanated the familiar scent of alcohol, was wide open. Onyx didn’t react to the entrance of the three, not even with a twitch of his ears, however, Kai did.
He quickly sniffed, then reached to scratch his nose before quickly realizing he wasn’t wearing his mask. With a skipping heart, he rose to his feet and quickly, and clumsily, placed the mask back over his face. Despite his sudden situational awareness, though, it quickly became clear that the alcohol more than drunkened him. His eyes were foggy, and focused, and, whilst he seemed to look over at the two, in reality, his mind lay somewhere else.
“What alcohol did he get, to bleach his hair?” Karfi quipped as he walked over and picked up the bottle. “Oh-” he murmured after reading the label. “Yeah, he’s gonna be out for a day or two,” Karfi remarked jokingly, then his eyes darted to Kai’s hair.
“Don’t you find it weird?” Natasha asked, walking closer and taking the bottle from Karfi’s hand, and softly placing it on the table.
“I don’t,” he replied with trembling pupils. “Regardless of who he is, a child is a child.” And with that, he didn’t say anything anymore. Taking Tausi from Natasha’s hands, he brought the curious child to their room. “Goodnight, Nat.” He said simply, and then the door clicked shut.
The woman sat down, opposite Kai, who could barely hold himself up, or awake. His small body slowly bobbed back and forth, and he mumbled under his breath at the same time. “Mghm… Onishh…”
Natasha watched him with a worried look, and a heavy sigh escaped her body as she let herself melt into the soft couches. Bringing a hand to her forehead, she rubbed her temples and reached for a non-existent bottle of alcohol. “Ah-” She whispered and glanced at Kai, who now lay back down on the couch, sleeping and snoring without a care in the world. The look in her eyes, as she scanned the boy, yelled nothing but pity and regret.
She gazed in Karfi’s direction and shook her head. Then, standing up and heading over to Kai, she grabbed a blanket and gently placed it over him. A smile creased her lips, and a light warmth spread out throughout her body as she looked at the snoring Kai.
Natasha’s soft gaze lingered for a moment, her fingers brushing the edge of the blanket as she tucked it under Kai. The feeling of warmth in her chest deepened, remembering how many times he had gotten hurt and rose right back up to his feet, only to come back hurt once again. “Just like a child. Isn’t that right, Paul?” She murmured under her breath and got ready to rise.
However, as she did so, her pupils widened in surprise as they fixated on Kai’s body. With trembling lips, she took a step back, and a knot seemingly formed inside her throat as all she could let out was a muffled groan. “What…”