SOUL CORE DEAL

The two girls walked across the crowded hall, heading right for Caspian's secluded table. One was poised and refined with dark raven hair and glistening amethyst eyes, that brimed with a soft intelligence. The other girl seemed much more unpolished, with ginger red hair that fell loosely off her shoulders and sea-blue eyes that held disdain.

Caspian tried to ignore their approach but the closer they got the more restless he became, wondering just what they wanted from him. 

Soon they were sitting right across from him. 

He tried again to ignore their arrival, but eventually, he had snuck a glance catching the shimmering purple gems the dark-haired girl had for eyes. Up close she seemed even more regal, her head held up, with her small figure curved with perfect posture. 

She studied Caspian with a plain look. No emotion passed through the dam she had built for a face. 

No matter how much he tried Caspian could barely make out what she was thinking. It was especially difficult because he had recognised her right before she took her seat. That sweet mix of dandelions could hardly be missed.

Especially by him. He could feel his current self reeling at the sight of her, having never seen his crush before. For years he had to settle for her enthralling scent. Now that she was right before him it was almost like he was standing before a divine being.

Of course, Caspian had himself on check, she was still just a child and he had long since grown to appreciate much more womanly features. Like the lady behind the serving aisle. 

"Hello, Caspian."

Makima greeted, snapping Caspian out of his perverted thoughts. He was still quite famished so he shoved another piece of sauce-covered chicken fat into his mouth and answered;

"Yeah... and how can I help."

He barely spilled a drop but the sight of him talking with his mouth open was still, unsettling.

"Crisis! Kim how exactly is this degenerate meant to help us."

The ginger said to Makima completely ignoring or was it denying Caspian's existence.

'Kids.'

Caspian thought as he shook his head bitterly. Makima meanwhile ignored her quick-tempered friend, choosing to keep her eyes solely on him as she spoke;

"We need your help."

"My guess is you already know my answer?" 

Cas replied, not even sparing her a glance, or at least it seemed that way. In truth, he couldn't keep his eyes on her out of fear of what he might feel.

He was still in the body of a ten-year-old after all, one who just happened to awaken from a coma with a memory from his future self.

He had tried not to address this radical and complex shift in self, but surely the more he came in contact with his present world the more his two selves would clash.

"And well, I guess that your answer can be influenced."

Caspian raised his head at that, her words chasing him out of his train of thought. Intrigued he asked;

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"By getting you what every other orphane here wants."

"Makima!"

The ginger snapped quickly clutching onto Makima's palm. She had a questioning look on her face as she alternated her gaze between Makima and the still-feasting Caspian.

"Do you want to find her or not Deven?"

Makima stated in a tone that suggested she already knew her ginger-haired friend's answer.

"Listen I know you want to become a knight that's what most kids here want, and the first step in achieving that is to build a core. Correct?"

Makima said barely breaking her poise. Caspian stared at her for a bit before replying;

"And you can help build me a core?"

"Yes, we can help you hunt down an abomination and absorb its core."

Caspian had a thoughtful expression on his face as he considered her words. What she was offering was nothing small, any one of these orphans would jump on the offer without question, as long as it ended in an early core formation. 

Some kids had parents who saved cores in anticipation of their child's eventual core formation. Others had to wait for the government to issue what they could. Either way was long and arduous involving years of paperwork. If one wanted to be a prodigy he had to get there early, which was why most kids were searching for all sorts of methods to get their hands on a core.

Caspian could only trust her because of his bloodgift– spectral gaze which let him see through their reality. Thanks to his eyes he had confirmed Makima's possession of a core right in her abdomen, strangely the ginger named Deven also seemed to possess a core although hers was barely formed.

How exactly they were going to help him kill enough abominations to quickly build a core, he had no idea how, but if she could take on the process twice then maybe she could do the same for him.

It wasn't like he had much of an option, there was no way he was going to go abomination hunting alone at his body's current strength.

'I'd be the one getting hunted instead.' 

"Fine but how exactly am I meant to assist you?"

"Deven here has a sister, Diane. We have reason to believe that she had gotten kidnapped. We know about your keen sense of smell before you regained your sight." 

Makima said leaning forward so she was right before Caspian.

"So in short we need you to help track Diane, and after that, I'll get you as many soul cores as you'd like."

Caspian was silent for a bit as he considered her words. He had no reason to refuse. It's not like there was an easier way to get soul cores.

"Firstly, I'm not some magician, if the trail is too cold, then I won't be of much help."

Caspian said. Relying on his nose alone was too risky, of course, thanks to the memories he shared with his future self, he had somehow learnt to instinctively use spectral gaze. Surely it'll be of much more help than his nose.

They spoke more about the details like; where they would meet up and where they were heading.

By the time Caspian was wrapping up his meal the conversation was already over.

The two girls were gone as quickly as they had appeared, Deven still seemed a bit irritated but Makima was able to keep her in check.

Not too long after there was an announcement for all the kids to gather in the assembly halls.

Due to the sheer number of kids that roamed the orphanage grounds, there were multiple assembly halls, placed all around the massive mansion.

Caspian was currently in one of such halls along with a couple hundred students. Soon Sir Julian was standing before them with his usual professional expression.

"Good day, students. I know most of you already know this but several students have gone missing so this meeting was held to inform you all of the new curfews."

"None of you are expected to leave your dormitories after dark and please if you witness any suspicious movements, do well to inform a staff member, I am always free to listen to students." 

With that, the assembly was called off and the students were left to their usual routine. Caspian left the hall lost in thought. Based on Sir Julian's words, he could only assume that the students that had gone missing belonged to the dorm he had walked passed earlier today. And not just that but it seems Deven's sister had to be one of the victims.

Caspian later found himself facing one of the many glass walls that littered the mansion. This one overlooked the archery range where students were currently taking lessons trying to sharpen their skills.

Deven was amongst them with her bright blue eyes and fiery hair. She looked as brazen as ever.

Sir Julian was right beside her instructing her and a couple of other students who had chosen to master archery.

Caspian had a strange look on his face as he studied Sir Julian. When he had awoken from the coma the knight was right beside him, Caspian felt a strange familiarity coming off of him then, and it had something to do with that memory.

He didn't know much about him, just that he took his job seriously and how much time he spent sharpening his sword skills. 

"Take aim!"

Sir Julian roared raising his hand to signal his students.

At those words, Caspian's eyes widened, now it made much more sense. 

"He was there during the Battle of the Fell."