Primal Fear

The moment Alder's shoulder was touched, he recoiled instantly. In his heart, was a primal fear which raged inside off him. The image of the man who touched his shoulder flickered with that of the one who had attempted to grab for him at the canal.

His breathing became heavy, and his vision clouded. He was terrified, so utterly terrified of that figure. The figure of a slim older man draped in jewelry, extending towards his body.

But no, the intent was different this time, and Alder could feel it. He forced himself to relax his body and curb the panic that had begun to build.

"A-Are you a prince?" He asked meekly. When he asked that question, there was no particular intent behind it, no focus nor meaning. It was simply the first thing he could conceptualize with his innocent, simplistic mind. He uttered the words shakily, uncertain of the response it would bring.

To his relief, the man smiled, a genuinely warm smile, and took back his hands so Alder could lay eyes upon his face. It was a beautiful one, with piercing green eyes to match the oddity of his own, milky white skin, and chiseled features. He almost looked like like a god, someone who Alder was unworthy of laying eyes upon.

"I appreciate the compliment, but nay. My name is Ardos Calastre, it is good to meet you."

He sat down comfortably and openly in a way juxtaposed against Alder's body position. 'Ardos's' legs were spread wide open and his body relaxed in a way that felt quite unnatural for the holiness he gave off. Meanwhile Alder was tucked into a ball, completely closed off, like a cornered rabbit.

He was still afraid. Not as much as he been when he first awoke, but nevertheless he found himself unable to predict what the man would do.

"You're a rather quiet boy are you not?"

Alder had not the words to respond. But even if he did, they would simply get caught in his throat and drowned there too. The man was too magnificent, and in the face of such luster he could do nothing.

Instead of pressing the matter further Ardos simply sighed and threw his head back. The name felt weird as it bounced around his head, like a weight was attached to it. But even stranger were the words that flowed out his lips.

"I'm trying to be the king on this little board of mine,

You may call me the mouth of the river....

I'm a top-class boy in a big old house,

Trying not to get poked in my liver....

All the other boys and girls call me the mystery man,

Because they know that my father is an angel,

I'm strolling down barefoot on a golden road,

While the other boys and girls stare, eyes disdainful,

Too bad I don't care, cause I'm sold to a dream..."

"Uh, excuse me. What are you singing?" Alder didn't want to disturb, but he could no make sense of what was being said, and it bothered him.

"So you finally decide to speak eh?"

Alder turned his head down, desperate to avoid the man's gaze. He knew it would be judgmental anyways.

"Oh don't be like that. I was merely jesting." When Alder still refused to move his head, Ardos continued. "Its just a noble's nursery rhyme, nothing serious."

"What's a noble?"

"W-What is a noble?" Ardos said in bewilderment. "Have you been living under a rock? Surely even a peasant..."

Ardos cast his eyes downward shamefully. 'I must have offended him', he thought to himself. He pulled himself into an even tighter ball and buried his face in his knees, not wanting to meet Ardos's gaze.

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't be afraid, I was just surprised is all! I'm not mad at you!" Ardos frantically cried, attempting to justify himself. It worked however, as Alder raised his head and cast an innocent gaze in Ardos's direction.

He was greeted with another smile, a perfect one. Not a single tooth was crooked or discolored, and it made Alder feel a little bit envious. He wanted to touch those pearly white blocks which hung from his gums, but he was much too embarrassed to do such a thing.

"You're a rather interesting fellow you know that? Most of the other folk I've met to day are painfully plain. Bowing their heads, talking deceptively, skirting around with all flowery language and whatnot...but you are different. Perhaps it's because you're a child, but at the same time you feel unique even amongst children. It's something in your eyes..."

Alder was confused. The man was talking so fast, and using so many words. They were so fancy too, and even if he understood them, he couldn't process them very well. The best response he could formulate was:

"Well, my eyes are violet, so I suppose that's it."

Ardos let out a silky, angelic laugh. "No, no, that's not what I meant. Every nobleman right of Anos bay has eyes like yours! Though for a commoner they are quite striking, so I do wonder who your parents were...but that's besides the point! What makes you special is the quality of your eyes."

"Your words are confusing mister."

"All the more reason to pay attention to them in that case. Knowledge is power after all."

Alder couldn't help but disagree. He'd seen power, in the chains that dragged away those that were lacking in coin. It was in the hands of knights, whose strength lay in their steel and not in their minds.

"What about strength? Isn't that power too?"

"I suppose you're correct. But more often and not, that only exists in the world of warriors. I have no interest in such a domain."

"But you still need them."

"I do. Just as they need a wife or a lady to come home too after the wars are done. And just as those wives in turn need sellers and businessmen to coerce their indecisive hearts. The same sellers who require nobles like myself to approve the products they put in the market."

"What about me?" Alder asked. It was a question which had no place, no purpose in the web Ardos weaved with his words. But he needed to know where he connected, how he mattered.

"I'm sorry to say, but power is not often reserved for folk like yourself."

His heart dropped. He could feel it plummeting, painfully. Ever so painfully, like a rock into a lake, no, an ocean, for the ripples were only present to himself.

"I'd say it's rather fortunate that you were born in this city, if power is what you're looking for. Everywhere you look there are commoners. They've simply molded themselves instead of emerged that way."

"So...I can become strong? Like a knight?"

"A knight eh? Not within these walls."

"But I've seen them! I know I have!"

Ardos shook his head. "Armor does not make a man a knight. Neither do robes a noble, nor lutes a bard. You can tell the strength of someone's spirit by their gaze. In that regard I reckon you're already a greater warrior then those armored meatbags."

How could one man's words give such strength? He knew immediately from the richness of his voice, this was the one who had whistled outside the castle walls. Who brought the comfort of his little piece of reality to the lands beyond. He had conquered the fear and uncertainty which plagued him so.

"Perhaps one day we'll find each other in close company. Wouldn't that be nice? It depends on the depth of your greed."

"Isn't greed bad? I can't be-"

"Its bad if you're ordinary. Not so if you're special. You're unique in that you have a choice. Tell me, the men who came to this land from across Anos Bay, do you think they were selfless? If that were so they would not carry the burden of hundreds of lives on their back, all for the fragile hope of 'freedom?'"

He knew not what 'Anos Bay' was, but the story had familiarity. He had heard that men existed in this land because of travelers across the sea, unsatisfied with where they came from. But to think, to conceive of their intentions. They had always been shadows in the distance to admire, but never to face.

Especially not as selfish individuals. How could they be? They were heroes, and so 'ego' could not exist in their hearts. That was what he had been told by all the house dwellers and marketplace folk.

"It entices you doesn't it?"

"But I've been tol-"

"Lies. They're all lies. Everything and everyone within this place is built upon them. That's why it needs to change. The only way to do that...is with knowledge."

"Knowledge is power." he repeated.

A smile spread across Ardos's face. It stoked his avarice.

"Teach me. About Anos Bay."

"My you really are ignorant aren't you?"

And so they spoke. About Anos Bay, and the city of Ilioroagu which liberated it from being a mere 'coast.' About ships coming from different lands all filtering into this place, to find value in cities with walls just like this one.

Every time Ardos spoke, Alder nodded in confirmation, prompting a sigh every time. But Alder didn't recoil this time. He was having quite a lot of fun here now, learning about these things he didn't know. It sparked a curiosity within him which had been buried under the wave of sights and experiences he had gone today.

"We live in a country called Volicheus. It's a very large country, and it's divided into two types of people. Nobles, and commoners. You are a commoner. That means you don't have a rank, or a title like I do."

"But I'm not an ordinary boy! My eyes are different, and I'm a better fighter than all the other kids too!"

At this point his body language had completely changed. He was just as open as Ardos was, his expression was alive, his body felt animated. Ardos seemed to notice this and reached forward to ruffle Alder's hair. It made him feel warm inside when he did that, because it reminded him of his sister.

'She's probably worried sick about me.' He thought to himself with a heavy, guilty heart. He wanted to run back to her, but he didn't know the way. And Ardos's words were like a web pulling him back into immersion and curiosity.

"You know nothing of this world. That makes you a commoner."

"But why isn't it based on your dreams? Isn't that the most important thing? I mean, that's what sis told me after all. Like, what if I want to do something incredible and those other noble people you're talking about don't care about all that. Shouldn't I have just the same chance as them to do what I want?"

Ardos mulled over his question for several moments, as if seriously considering it. That warmed Alder's heart. He was used to be talked down upon by all the kids and their parents back where he lived, so it felt refreshing to see an adult treating his questions with legitimate respect.

"Well think of it this way. Every dream requires steps to make it happen. If you don't know how to achieve those steps, how can you ascend towards it?"

"Were those people with masks people with dreams?"

"Pardon?"

"I said like the people with masks. Y'know, the ones who walk around here in this city, or part of the city or whatever."

"Aaahhhh, well, those people are a bit different."

"But you said they're commoners too?"

"I meant everyone except them. They're what we like to call merchants."

"Then why didn't you say so?"

"Alright, alright. I apologize. But no, if they had dreams you would be living a very different life right now.

Alder didn't really think he understood. 'I thought there were only nobles and commoners? What are merchants? And if they're basically the same thing why don't they just get called the same thing.'

"You're fascinating y'know? Say, how did you find yourself up here?"

"W-where did that come from?"

"Just curious." Ardos responded earnestly.

Alder didn't like it, so he withdrew his hand. His breath was shaky and uncertain, and an instinctual fear seemed to creep out and nestle itself in the pit of Alder's stomach. The warmth Ardos had radiated so distinctly seemed to fade for but a brief moment, replaced with a coldness which petrified Alder. Almost as if now Ardos was talking to him not out of genuine care, but interest.

As if Alder was some sort of puppet on a string, or a piece to a puzzle.

That coldness was quickly replaced by warmth, and Alder could feel compassion pulsating from the man yet again. He decided to entrust his story to Ardos.

Once the words came out of his mouth he couldn't stop himself. They began to pour from his lips like a torrent. All his terror, shock, and confusion described as vividly as possible. He talked about his sister and how he missed her, about his dreams and how they had been snatched from him. All the while Ardos listened with passionate interest, his green eyes like a hawk's, forcing nothing but the truth from Ardos.

When the recount was over, he was sadder than ever. Missing his sister, missing his home, missing the other orphans who lived with him and whom offered him toys and whom would wrestle with him when he was restless. And yet a small part of him still cried out wretchedly, longing for him to stay, pushing him to relish the magical taste of the world. Even if fear accompanied it, that sliver of consciousness was okay with it. It saw something past the fear. And that was what Alder was scared of the most.

On the other hand Ardos pondered his story, almost as if he didn't buy it. Alder could hear him muttering, recounting every nuance and figment of detail that Alder had taught him, and piecing it together in a way Ardos could not understand.

Finally he decided to speak.

"Your sister, it's Aurelia is it not? I mean it has to b-"

"You know her?" Alder asked in surprise. He hadn't mentioned any name aside his own, only words like 'sis' or 'strange masked man', meaning Ardos had met his sister and could potentially get him away from here!

"Well y-"

"Take me to her then! Please, I need to see her!" Alder cried, cutting Ardos off yet again.

Ardos let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well I don't know where she is. I only met her for a brief while after she tried to kill me." Ardos said nonchalantly. Alder raised his brow, confused as to what he was implying.

"What do you mean tried to kill you..."

Ardos and Alder stared at each other awkwardly after that, trapped in a sort of deadlock of gazes. Neither of them said anything, until at least Ardos broke the silence awkwardly.

"Well, it was meant in a figurative sense. As in she just sort of tripped into me at the market and I fell badly, you know? Like the 'what is wrong with you, girl? Were you trying to kill me?' kind." He said with a rather sheepish grin.

Alder narrowed his eyes. Something about Ardos's explanation felt off, but he decided not to press more. He just wanted to go back home again, to him and Aurelia's cramped little tent and makeshift beds. To that little corner.

For a second knowledge and power didn't matter, and soon that feeling began to last longer than just a second. That tent....It was a dirty an awfully tight little place, barely even a residence, but Alder longed for it all the same. He hungered for his sister's simple stews, for his thick woolen blanket, even for his old wooden horse figure which watched over him as he slept.

"Can you at least take me home? I-I don't want to go alone."

Ardos's eyes softened and after a bit of contemplation he chose to concede.

"Very well, I'll take you home. Still, I cannot help but muse on the fortune of our interaction. If a fate of some sort truly does exist, he must have been feeling rather jovial today wouldn't you agree? I mean just think about it! All of this happened because you saw my chariot, and it just so happens that I'm the first one who meets you after you run off?" he laughed almost hysterically. "I mean, I don't have any divine beliefs or anything but this is quite a coincidence isn't it?"

Alder shook his head hesitantly. He had absolutely no idea what was being asked, but he figured the answer was most likely yes. Ardos clearly picked up on his lack of understanding and shrugged, before getting up and making his way over to the edge of the tower, where the hole was.

"Uh...the exit is the other way. I mean, neither of them are really safe but I don't think that's the best way to get down."

Ardos did not respond at first, instead choosing to continue standing there. Alder decided to follow him, to see what it was that he was staring at. He saw the city, still alive even at night. Boats wove their way through the canals, the square was alight with the fire of torches and bustle of trade, candlelight spilled through almost every house in the area.

It was alive, even more than it had been in the daytime. But Ardos did not seem to be focusing on that view. No, his gaze was turned upwards. He was looking towards the stars which radiated with a luminescence which outshone even the racket of the square. They were gorgeous, a tapestry of fiery light which transcended human understanding.

It brought Alder back to a time many years ago, when he too had been staring at the stars with his sister. He was a child then, even younger than he was now. At the time, they had felt boring and so distant that Alder's brain couldn't even fathom their magnificence.

Even now, his thoughts were simple in nature. He noted the stars' beauty and their grandeur but did not comprehend them in the manner Ardos seemed to. He got bored of them after a few minutes and tugged on Ardos's clothes. In response Ardos merely continued to look up at the stars, wonder alight on his face.

Alder could do nothing but look at him, for the stars did not captivate him in the same way.

"Well," Ardos said, managing to peel his eyes away from the sight, "I suppose we should get going then."

"I suppose we should", Alder said in an attempt to mock Ardos's manner of speech.

And so they made their way down the creaky staircase, making sure to avoid the creakiest of steps and to stay on the side closest to the wall. After all, there were holes in the balustrades, which Alder was more than capable of falling through. After navigating their way through the labyrinth of dust and dirt which was the ruined tower, they worked their way through the streets.

Neither had a particularly good sense of direction, however they managed to stay in a consistent general area, even if they did run into more dead ends then they cared to witness. Over the next hour or so, the two had quite a bit of banter and discussion.

"You have any friends?" Ardos inquired, starting the first exchange.

"Not from any of the homes. Everyone there hates me, cuz of my eyes and because they always get banged up after we fight. I do have a few friends though. Other orphans, just like me! We all live together and do a lot of sparring and wrestling and other stuff."

"Fighting ay? I know of sword fighting and sparring from where I come from, but what do you fight with?"

"Wait did you say sword fighting? As in with actual swords? Ones with steel blades and gold hilts?"

"I didn't say spear fighting did I? Though about the blades being steel and the hilts being gold, I must say that's quite a vivid image of a sword you have there. Most of the swords we use are made of copper or bronze, and the hilts most certainly aren't golden." He said with a scoff.

"And why not? You are nobles aren't you? Aren't you supposed to be all special." Alder said with a pout, a little bit hurt by Ardos's dismissal of his fantasies.

"Well we most certainly do have those types of swords, but it's not as if there's an infinite supply of gold out there. Golden hilts are usually reserved for those with the highest rank. I've even heard the king has a diamond encrusted into his. Bloody pointless I say. How are you supposed to grip a sword properly if there's a diamond in the middle?"

"Wait, the king? You never told me there was a king?"

"Well of course there's a king! How could you have not heard of his majesty King Nerian Luce Quinitius Rodor Thadeus Adler Leone of House Ealdfeond?"

"Probably because his name's so long! Is that what it means to be a noble, having a long name?"

"Well that is a benefit. After all my full name is Ardos Ellenlæca Baldor Kyvernitis Valto of House Calastre."

"But why?"

"That's just the way it is I suppose. It is hopelessly superficial isn't it?"

"What does that even mean?"

"What does what mean?"

"Superfish-superfiski-ughh!"

"My, you really are ignorant aren't you? It's pronounced superficial."

"Yeah, whatever, but what does it actually mean?"

"Well I was about to get into that before you decided to interrupt me." Ardos said. The two went back and forth like this whilst talking for quite a while, and numerous times. It lead to them comically losing their way without even realizing it many times over, and devolving into a fit of blaming one another.

For Alder it was expected, but for Ardos, who was an adult (albeit a young one), it appeared rather out of place. Especially for a man meant to be a noble. It was fun though, and the most fun Alder had had all day. When they inevitably reached familiar territory, it was deep into the night and yet both were chatting away like fools.

This all stopped however, when Alder caught sight of a familiar red house. It was simple, with only one story. But it inhabited eight rowdy children, and was almost always chaotic. It was quieter than usual however, at least tonight it was. All that could be heard was some groaning and bouncing sounds, though Alder couldn't place who was making it.

He didn't particularly care either, all he knew was that he was happy to be home. Or at least close to it. He was so overwhelmed with joy that he almost forgot about Ardos, who was standing frozen, waiting for Alder to talk to him.

"O-oh, you can go now. My tent is just around the corner."

"Tent? That's a bit crude." Ardos said. He froze, as if realizing something. "Well....you could come with me. And sleep today in my mansion, though it is back in the square. But at least it's more comfortable than a tent."

Alder almost leapt at the offer, but he held himself back. It didn't feel right to inconvenience this man any longer, for he felt it might taint his dignity. So he slapped his cheeks and restrained himself, though his heart yearned to agree.

"No, that's okay. It's small.... but I like my tent, so I think I'll be okay."

"You sure?"

Alder didn't respond, instead choosing to wrap Ardos into a hug. The older man seemed surprised, but he slowly, albeit awkwardly, accepted the hug and gave Alder a pat on the back.

The two had barely knew each other, but still, Alder felt undescribable gratitude towards Ardos. He had saved him, from his fear and confusion, and guided him home. Alder had no words to describe his sheer appreciation. The embrace was the only way these emotions could be conveyed.

The hug was short, a mere thirty seconds at maximum. But it felt like an eternity before the two came apart.

"I'll come back in a few days."

"Huh?"

"I'll find you. Perhaps not tomorrow, or even the day after. But sometime while I'm here, we'll meet again. I'll teach you more things then, alright?"

Alder nodded, with that Ardos began to walk away. So he ran, back to the nostalgia he knew.

There was a brief sadness, but the familiar crash of his shoes upon the cobblestones ignited a joy in him. He was home, after what had felt like an eternity.

In that moment, nothing mattered. Not all the sights he had seen, or the scary man by the canal, or his distorted reflection in the water, not even Ardos. He was just happy to be back home, to be back with his sister.

But when he arrived at his tent, his sister wasn't there. A couple kids, lacking in homes just like him were crowded around his tent. These were the few people he called friends. The 'house dwellers', as he called them were all mean and spiteful, but these guys were accepting. They knew his pain, as most of them to were without parents and could only rely on one another. There were three older kids who alternated between making meals for everybody.

His sister, Aurelia, Bryn's brother Gale, and Namu's sister Eneri. They two were gathered around Alder's tent, eyes alight with worry.

"W-what happened?" Alder asked.

"Your sister isn't here!" Cried Bryn, angrier than Alder had expected from him. He flinched and took a step back. Gale put a hand in front of him and calmy continued in his brother's place. "Your sister was supposed to make dinner today but she still hasn't arrived yet."

"So Enri had to do it for her!" squeald Anna Lyss.

"We're all worried." Eneri said.

"And hungry!" Interjected Namu.

"Namu! Hold your tongue!"

"Where even were you anyways? You disappeared for like the whole day! What was up with that!" Said another kid, Dan.

Alder backed up further. 'What's going on?' He asked himself. His sister was missing, his friends has all turned on him, and once again he felt lost and alone. His closest friends, his only friends were turning on him. And they continued to hurl accusations and questions at him at breakneck pace before he had time to even process what was happening.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him!"

"You and your sister have always been so irresponsible! We're going to starve because of you now!"

"Is that what you want, huh?"

There was hardly any light, but it almost felt like their shadows were extending, covering them even, in complete blackness.

He whimpered and shook. Normally he would have fought back but the day's events had changed him. The place he had grown to love so much was, was turning on him. He could almost feel a cracking in the background, like that of a mirror, as he tripped and stumbled onto his bottom.

Sweat ran down his brow while he looked up at his friends, who seemed to expand to the size of giants in that moment.

"What are you looking so scared for? Answer our-" Suddenly, a sword ran through Nemu's back. One second she was there, the next she was slumped over like a rag doll, her eyes hollow and a sword dyed with her blood running through her chest.

There was silence, and no one seemed to register what happened. The first to process was her own sister, Enri, who reached out to her and whispered "Nemu."

Nemu was silent, so she asked again. And again, and again. She was screaming point when suddenly, a sword sliced her too. And then everything dissipated into chaos. Children were screaming and running and being torn apart by swords, Gale broke down before Enri and tried to reach for her before he too was pierced. It was madness. Amidst it, from the darkness, steel footsteps could be heard resounding.

Several men clad in armor exposed themselves, their appearance like knights. But, they couldn't be knights, after all they had just killed Nemu and Enri and Dan and Gale and so many others.

'Knights are heroic, t-they protect the people right? RIGHT?'

So then what were they doing with swords soaked in blood?

From behind them came a noble with a mask. Alder recognized that man. The mask he wore, was a raven. The figure was lanky, with light blonde hair and baggy leggings.

"Y-you" was all Alder could manage to say. It was faint, but the man heard him.

"Yes, me!" Said the man with a childish delight pulsing from his voice. But Alder could only feel sheer disgust at the man.

But the hate he felt for him was disturbed, cut off by Bryn grasping his shirt. Tears ran down his face and he was shaking with pure rage. Before Alder could even process what was happening a blow hit him square in the jaw and sent him crashing onto the cobblestones.

Out of all the orphans, Bryn was the one whom Alder had known and interacted with the least. Though, had he really interacted with any of them all that much at all? He had simply called them his friends because they had related with one another's suffering, but they never really knew each other. They were just as willing to turn on Alder and curse him for leaving and say awful things about his sister and her supposed irresponsibility and all of that as soon as they got the chance.

He'd only really seen them truly in that brief string of moments, before everything changed. But yet, despite how they spat and raged at him Alder couldn't help himself from feeling bad. He was only a child after all, and so were the other orphans. He had not been prepared for all this... no, how could he be?

How could anyone expect to have their acquaintances be slaughtered mercilessly, right after encountering them again. Right after getting to see their true selves, as alarming as the experience had been.

"You killed them." Bryn spat, his voice heavy and raw. Alder blinked in confusion, confused as to what Brynn was saying.

"I-I didn-"

"YES YOU DID! Don't lie to me!" He rushed over and yanked Alder towards him. Tears welled up in his eyes. He'd never seen Bryn cry, never. All he'd known him for was his anti sociality and toughness. This vulnerability had not been anticipated. But Alder did not have the energy for sentimentality. How could he, when all of it was focused on panic.

"N-no! NO I didn't do anything!" He cried hysterically, his voice shaking uncontrollably. Tears welled up in his eyes and he clawed at Bryn's arm, which only caused him to grip on tighter.

"Then explain this!" He shouted, gesturing to the chaos around him. "My brother, Enri, Nemu, Dan, Holdt, Anna Lyss, all dead! And because of" he stuttered, choking on his own spit and anger. "Because of YOU!"

Those words resounded in Alder's head, over and over and over again. Time seemed to slow for an instant, all so that Bryn's utterance could drive itself into Alder's heart. Those words were more painful than the knight's, no, he couldn't call them that, they didn't DESERVE such a name. They were more painful than the armored man's blades could even dream of being. Cause at least the suffering they induced was instantaneous, but this, this was something that would leave a deep gash. It was as if Alder was being grabbed by the throat and forced under the waves, swarmed by the ghosts of those who had just died.

All. Because. Of. Him.

And then, time resumed, with the meeting of bronze against Bryn's flesh. His head immediately ragdolled, and his body went slack in the face of the uncompromising sword. It did not care for Brynn's rage, nor his innocence. It simply cut as it's owner willed it to, without discrimination nor mercy. Without emotion nor justness.

And clutching the sword was a demon, cloaked in a metal so bright it was painful, even in the darkness. The man beneath the armor was undeserving, an imposter of a knight in every way. His blade and armor deserved to be soaked in mud and oil, hopefully where the man would drown as well.

"AAARRRGHHHH!!!" Alder cried, letting out a guttural scream, one of pure hate. There was no complexity, no nuance, no layers to the emotions Alder felt right now. Simply raw, focused hate.

But it amounted to nothing. When Alder's fist met the man's stomach his knuckles screamed in pain whilst the man budged only an inch. He said nothing, felt nothing, did nothing. He was like a monolith, a vessel for Alder's hate to rebound off of. Hitting only Alder in the process. From behind the knight, a twisted hand snaked out and gripped Alder's face and shoved him against the cobblestones.

His frame went slack with a thud, and he could feel his rage being forced out of him alongside his source of air. All that was left, was fear. Primal fear on a level that could not be contained.

The man pinning him down was the figure in the mask, though that mask had been removed. Underneath was a perfect face, a beautiful face. Or at least, it's features dictated it should be. But it was warped into an expression that was the furthest thing from beauty in any way. It was malignant, with saliva dripping from the man's lips and his eyes alight with evil intent.

Alder's every instinct was to run, but despite how he kicked and clawed and bought, the older man was much stronger and much older.

'Is this...a noble?' He wondered in the midst of his suffering. He could feel his shoes being taken off, but in that second he was numb. All he could think about, was if this was truly the nobility that Ardos had talked about.

If that was the case, no matter his intentions, no matter how he described what nobility could be, to him all that was meaningless. All he knew was that he hated these people with every fiber of his being. And that gave him strength once again.

If he could not fight back, he would glare at the man, he would cry for help. His arms shot forth, crying for help from the knights. He was reaching with utter desperation for someone, anyone who would offer him assistance. Perhaps their inner valiance would awaken, and they would help him. But all they did was stand in silence, almost nonchalantly, as if they couldn't care less. Which they didn't.

Alder was left with no choice but to meet eyes with the noble, or the merchant, or whatever he was called. The man's eyes were soft, almost calm. But not in the kind or serene way, but in a way that knew it had utmost control over the situation.

"They won't help you boy. I paid them to help me find you. I even missed the party going on in Bayrond's square all for this! So the least you could do is just be quiet and let me have my pleasure."

"MMRRFFF" Alder cried in response. How could someone be so evil, so indulgent, so cruel? He cursed him and his family a thousand times in every horrible way, but of course nothing would happen would it?

This was no fairy tale, where the good guys saved the innocents. Ardos nor Aurelia would come rushing to his aid, and certainly not some dashing prince in white armor. Right then and there, the child in him died. It died as the noble's icy fingers ran across his flesh, it died as his body went numb and stopped resisting, it died as he became a victim to the malificence of the one before him.

"There we go...at last, some silence. This will all be over in a few minutes." The man said reassuringly. There was nothing comforting about his voice, how could there be in a situation like this? "If you want to be mad at one, curse your weakness. But really, who could ask for a better situation than this? It's almost like a fantasy!"

'How can all of this be a fantasy?' Alder thought to himself. He lacked the will to put any will into that question. It was simply asked numbly, that was the only way Alder could keep himself sane. He couldn't even feel anything right now. He couldn't even find himself looking at the stars.

"No disturbances, no wretched merchants telling me how to run this business or make this trade. No being looked down upon or treated like a weakling. How exhilarating..." The man said in a state of bliss. His cheeks were flushed with passion, quite a contrast to how Alder looked. He gripped Alder's face tighter, and for a moment everything came rushing back. But Alder stifled it down again.

"Finally, I am in control. It's almost like a dream don't you think?" Asked the noble to everyone around him. But no one answered, which only delighted him more. No one truly cared about his fantasies or his monologues. Alder just wanted this to be over with.

"If there is anything you should curse boy, it is your own parents, for birthing you with such", he licked his lips, "irresistible eyes."

Feeling flared in Alder's heart once again. The eyes his sister had told him to cherish time and time again were being insulted, and he struggled in a childish fit. But with that came terror. Indescribable, unquantifiable terror. He whimpered, and tears sprung to his tear ducts he had dismissed for being dry. He wanted someone to save him, to stop him before anything further was done. He wasn't sure if he could take anymore.

And this time, someone came. From above him, a leg swept over him and hit the merchant ride in the jaw. He fell onto the cobblestones in an embarassing wreck. Before Alder stood Aurelia, face tight with anger and a blade in her head.

'Aaahhh, she's come to save me!' Alder thought with bliss. Drops ran down his face, now out of gratitude and sheer happiness.

"Thank you!" He whispered to his sister, to his hero. She did not respond however, not even daring to afford him a kind hearted glance. Instead, she leapt straight into the action. She moved with a swiftness Alder had never seen from her. Leaping over the corpses without hesitation. She jumped onto the nearest knight, the one who had stabbed Brynn, and before he could react, stuck her dagger in between the horizontal slits of his visor.

A gurgled scream escaped his lips and the once still man became alight with animation and emotion. Aurelia continued this, swiftly taking down the knights single handedly. They were poorly trained and found themselves cut down easily despite their armor and weaponry.

As they died, she unmasked all of them, all so she could drive her knives into their faces again. The first one she killed was the one who killed Brynn. He had raven black hair and a gap toothed smile. The next was thin and scraggly, with a look in his eyes more akin to an assassin than a knight.

One tried to run away, but she pounced on them and ripped off their helmet with such vigor that it left their head rattling. The face underneath was that of a woman. She was rather hideous in appearance, her eyes emanating a potent cowardice which persisted right up until her throat was slit. She collapsed onto the floor with a gurgle.

For one of the knights, the gravity the situation hadn't even registered yet. He was cockily swinging his sword in front of Aurelia, as if he still believed he had any chance of victory. But that was quickly ripped away from him, as she kicked the blade out of his hands and pressed him against a wall.

Underneath his helmet was a boy, who appeared to be a mere seventeen years of age. It was only then that fear seemed to kick in, as he attempted to struggle in vain against Aurelia. It was such a peculiar sight, seeing such terror being caused from his beloved sister.

"Y-your quite skilled you know that?" Aurelia said nothing, instead slowly inching her knife nearer and nearer to his chest. Panic began to settle in. "Come on now....let's think about this. Why don't you join the knights? I-I'm not like these other bastards. That guy over there-" he pointed towards the first knight, "he just does this to get off y'know? He's a sick, sick guy. But I need to do this you understand?"

By this point the knife had penetrated the skin of his flesh. Aurelia seemed to be enjoying the way he writhed around in terror and desperately begged for his life. The last remaining knight had already fled from the scene, but she didn't care. The only thing she saw was the brat before her, vainly crying out for mercy that would never come.

"Please! PLEASE! You'd be a great knight. J-just think about it. You won't have to do th-" the blade sank deeper, until every word he spoke brought blood to his lips. But he chose to talk anyways. "Goddammit Elesett! You bastard! This is all your fault! Why do you get to live while I die? I don't deserve to die! I played by the rules of this stupid city you piece of sh-" his voice was cut off once again as the blade ran itself completely through him, reducing him to a mere sack of meat.

There was still one knight to go, but Aurelia didn't chase him, instead turning back to Alder. He had been so in awe of her that he hadn't realized the merchant was crawling back to him. He was missing several teeth, but he forced a grin all the same and grasped with spider like arms towards Alder.

He tried to move away but he just couldn't bring himself too. Thankfully, his sister was there for him all the same. She kicked away the noble once again, and then leveled herself on top of his stomach. She landed on it with such a force that the man wheezed with pain and his eyes rolled back in his head.

But she grabbed face, and stared straight at it with stone cold mercilessness. Her eyes were alight with an animalistic rage so strong it terrified even Alder. He had never seen his sister like this. Her hands, which Alder knew for their gentleness were being used to turn the man's face into an unrecognizable mess.

When she was done, the man lay lifeless, the final casualty of that night.

Aurelia took a sigh and gently extended her hand towards Alder. Her body had softened in a much kinder way, and she once again looked of the sweet older sister Alder knew. But he couldn't forget her wrathful expression as she looked the man in the eyes.

He couldn't unsee the blood which covered her hands, nor the knife which had rested in her hands. He knew why she had done it, he knew that it was to protect him, but still his mind couldn't grasp the shock of seeing his sister take a life. And with such ease too.

So when she tried to reach for him, he scuttled back in fear. He hadn't when the detestable merchant had reached for him, but yet he did when it was his own sister. He couldn't fathom why, but logic didn't matter to him in this moment. When his sister reached for him the image appeared in his head of the man only minutes ago, grabbing his face and pinning it to the ground. He couldn't disassociate the two, so he did the only thing he could do.

"A-Alder?" Aurelia asked. There was a million things Alder wanted to say in response.

'Yes, sister?'

'I love you sis!'

'I'm scared...'

A million possible responses raced through his head but he chose the worst option, silence. He chose to curl up into a ball and shy away from his own flesh and blood. 'I'm such a coward.' He muttered to himself in self loathing. But that self loathing was gulfed by his instinctual, primal response to the fear his sister instilled within him.

"Alder i-it's me. I'm your sister, remember? Come on, let's get out of here." She said, with a forced smile. He said nothing.

"We're gonna have to leave one way or another, and soon. So come, l-let's get out of here! Let's forget all of this, and go somewhere else." Alder remained silent. There was no way he could forget. Not the words of the children, nor their deaths. Not the silence of the knights nor the cruelty of the noble. Not the sheer, raw anguish and not the unbearable numbness either. He could not forget, not as long as he lived. But he could curl up into a ball, he could chose to block himself off from everything and everyone. He didn't care what happened to him, he just needed to find comfort. And there was no source of that as far as he could see, nowhere but his own self.

"Alder, please." Aurelia cried, breaking down at this point. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' He wanted to say. But he remained silent never the same. So Aurelia broke down, she cried, she screamed, she devolved into a mess of tears all before Alder's eyes. And he still did not budge. He felt and he reached and he longed to embrace her and melt in her arms but the blood on her hands told him otherwise.

It took a whole minute for her to stop crying.

"Fine...if you won't come with me, I'll have to move you by force." His sister said shakily. She raised a fist, and the next thing Alder knew was darkness.