His past (1) – Alexis POV (1) & Darius POV (1)

Alexis's team had finished their mission, which required them to assassinated Ari. Before they could assassinate Ari however, Paradise started. They used the inattention, because of the start of Paradise, of Ari's cronies to kill Ari. After the assassination the squad quickly retreated. Before the squad could leave the jungle the plants and animals around them mutated, directly tossing the squad in the most dangerous environment one could be in when Paradise started.

Alexis was determined to make his way through the jungle, safely, with his team members. If Alexis and his squad wanted to leave the jungle safely, then he had his work cut out for him. Alexis made a silent promise in his heart that no matter how dangerous the environment got he would leave none of his squad members behind. After all the squad members for Alexis were the closest thing, he had to family next to his adopted father.

-Flashback-

The night hawks are a special forces team which has been established for decades. When Alexis arrived as a new team member on the training ground from the night hawks, he had a hard time. After all the night hawks was a long-established team and only the best of the best could join. The only way to leave the night hawks was through personal resignation, combat injury or death. Every night hawk member therefore had a certain arrogance in their abilities and or skills, they were the cream of the crop after all. To be recognized by this team Alexis knew he had his work cut out for him.

Therefore, seeing Alexis walk in raised eyebrows of the members of the night hawk squad, because Alexis might be tall, but he was by no means burly like other soldiers. For this reason, he seemed to look weaker than everyone else in the squad. Alexis was built compact like a gymnast or an assassin. Although a requirement of an assassin is that he or she could blend into the crowd, without being noticed. Alexis would never be able to meet that requirement. After all Alexis would stick out like a sore thumb wherever he went, not because he was ugly, simply because Alexis looked like a Greek god. He had long blond hair and bright blue eyes. His skin had a gorgeous honey caramel color, which made him look like he was kissed by the sun.

Therefore, it wasn't weird that Alexis attracted all attention of the night hawks' team as soon as he arrived on the scene. Alexis knew he would have to prove himself. This had after all been the case his entire career in the army. Alexis was constantly being underestimated, because of his looks. For Alexis first impressions always worked against him. Alexis knew that although he had his height going for him, he looked weaker than most armed forces personnel and he would always have to prove himself. He never let that stop him though. Alexis always thought he was born tough and to overcome struggle. Alexis simply saw it as a challenge, and he was ready to accept everything they threw his way.

-Even further back in time-

Alexis was born in a poor county and dropped of at the orphanage when he was still a baby. His bright blue eyes staring ignorantly at the world. When Alexis was five years old a retired old soldier adopted him. The old soldier in question had never married and didn't have any children, not because he didn't want to, simply because the old soldier felt that his destiny hadn't arrived yet. For some reason when the retired old soldier saw Alexis, he, who never considered having children, felt like he had to adopt this little boy with bright blue eyes. The soldier had a gut feeling deep inside him that if he didn't adopt this child, he would come to regret it.

This old soldier's name is Darius Marony. When he adopted Alexis, he was 34 years old. He got discharged from the army with full benefits because Darius got injured in combat. Darius Marony had learned in battle that his strongest and best tool in any conflict or mission were his instincts. Although Darius was discharged from the army he had enlisted when he was just 17 years old, therefore he spent most of his adult life in the army. The army formed him into the man he was, and his views were formed there as well. Therefore, Darius would never ignore anyone's instinct and especially not his own.

Most people in society nowadays don't believe in instinct. People in the armed forces however do believe in instinct and have learned to trust their instincts. After all Instinct is a subconscious reaction to signals which your mind or body didn't or cannot fully process or comprehend. Therefore, not knowing why your subconscious came to a certain conclusion, but still forming this conclusion is called instinct.

Darius had experienced the power of his instinct before. Relying on instinct had saved his life multiple times. Darius also knew that other comrades in arms relied heavily on instinct to return home safely from missions. Never really realizing what their instinct was based off, but everyone in the armed forces learned to rely heavily on or at least never ignore their instinct. Therefore, when his instinct told him he should adopt Alexis he did, when he showed up in front of him, he did.

Therefore, Alexis's name became Alexis Marony. When Alexis Marony was adopted, he was 5 years old. Alexis was smarter than his peers and precocious. Alexis already started to remember things when he was around 4 years old. Therefore, he cherished being adopted. When his "father" Darius told him war stories he listened. Alexis knew his father missed being in the army and decided that maybe he should follow in his dad's footsteps. However, Darius never forced Alexis to follow in his footsteps. Alexis was still considering other future paths when something decided his path for him.

When Alexis was 14 years old, he was at a fare with his dad. At this fare sat a decrepit old man, he seemed so old it was hard to guess his age, he seemed ageless. With long loose hanging grey hair, however not the old kind of grey, more like a shimmering silver. There also seemed to be wisdom in his eyes, that Alexis had never seen anywhere else. This man had an old fortune telling stall in front of him with a glass orb. Most people seemed to think this man was a charlatan, for some unexplained reason Alexis however had a different feeling. Alexis felt like he should talk to this man at all costs.

Alexis had experienced this feeling once before. This feeling had appeared when he met his father who would adopt him. The feeling then had told him that he should stand before the man he didn't know back then. He didn't know why he had this feeling, but he followed his instincts. His instincts didn't lead him wrong, because appearing in the sight of the then still unknown man, which he later learned was named Darius changed his future, he was adopted. Being adopted changed his entire life and his future.

This same premonition told him he should talk to this ageless wiseman. Therefore, he turned towards his father and said: "Dad I need to go there, my instinct tells me if I don't, I will regret it". Although his father Darius had been out of the army for a long time, he would never disregard anyone's instinct not even a child's. Besides Darius knew that although Alexis was a child, Alexis was smart and had a stubborn streak. Darius would never refute Alexis because he was a child. Darius would only deny Alexis something if he had a good reason too. That wasn't the case at the moment.

Therefore, Darius took his sons hand and walked in front of the stall of the old man. Darius coughed and said: "My son wanted to ask you for advice. I don't know how it works?" The man looked up at him and said with a voice which seemed as old as time: "That's not surprising I knew this kid would come and see me". Alexis having been nervous, became even more nervous. He felt like whatever this wiseman had to tell him would be very important. Therefore, Alexis didn't know how to behave because of this wiseman. Alexis wasn't the kind of person who got nervous quickly, but for some reason he felt like this man could change his future significantly in a good way.

Therefore, Alexis put his nerves aside, he stepped forward and clasped his hands in front of his body and gave a slight bow. Then Alexis asked respectfully: "I feel like you have something important to tell me could you tell me, what I need to know?" The older man responded with an: "are you sure you want to know boy? If you know you can never unknow and never turn back."

When the man said this Alexis became surer that this man had a message for him which could change his future and life. Therefore, Alexis replied in a then still childlike, but determined voice. "Yes, enlighten me please!" During this whole exchange Darius didn't interfere, some chances were only for those who were predestined he had always felt like that. That's also a reason why Darius adopted Alexis because he felt like his destiny required him too. That didn't mean Darius didn't love Alexis, with time Darius loved Alexis more than anything.