Chapter 10 // St. Osman' Orphanage

"Brother, wake up!!"

My eyes opened, rays of sunshine hit my eyes for the first time since the darkness.

Familiar ceiling...

Wait who's calling me??

I turn my head to find a wide eye girl looking straight at me. Bright orange hair and green eyes sparkling against the sun. She looked young, maybe seven or eight years old. Why did she look familiar?

My brain was trying to understand the situation, but the way she was just staring at me forced me tense up. It was better to be cautious of unfamiliar surroundings than to just lay down.

But it didn't feel all that unfamiliar...

I jumped off the bed, getting into a defensive stance. The girl tilted head head and continued staring.

"SISTER, he isn't getting out of bed!!!" The girl shouted from the top of her lung. She smiled devilishly before running out of the room.

I stood on top my bed, confused.

Sister??

---

"Oi!! Get up right now"

Footsteps could be heard approaching the door. My body started shivering, long lost feelings of dread making me shiver..

Sister Vera burst through the door.

A woman, mid twenties- gorgeous face and hazel eyes, dressed in a nuns outfit appeared.

Ah...Sister... Its been a while....

"What on Cerra are you doing standing there like a fool, get down...." Vera trailed, noticing something on my face.

"Why're you crying?"

Touching my cheeks, I could feel the wet tears, I didn't even realise it

Its been so long.

"Nothing Vera, I just had a bad dream" Wiping the tears from my face, I beamed at her.

I must be dreaming...

Let me just live like this for a while.

---

"Vera? You brat, you're a man now huh?? How about getting your lazy ass out of bed and help set up for breakfast" Vera didn't hold back, she grinned as she pull him out of bed and led him to the bathroom.

"Go wash up you stinky brat " Vera leading the boy out of the room, not putting any resistance; he simply walked with her.

"Hehe stinky brat" The Orange hair girl snickered, running away as soon as the boy glared at her.

" If I didn't know better, one might think you're going to be a real ladies man when you grow up" Vera watching the interaction between the two. Simply too cute.

"Sister, you know I only have eyes for you, if you treat me like this then who can I turn to?" The boy wooed, he giggled as Vera gently knocked on his forehead.

"You... get in the bathroom brat"

"Yessss Sister" The boy said as the door closed behind him.

His smile faded as the bathroom door closed. His heartbeat quickened. He rushed to the the toilet and vomited.

Tears and vomit dripping from his face...

---

I shouldn't be here.

This isn't right... What did Sin do?

I slumped next to the toilet, trying to relive the last few moments before I died.

I did die.

I closed my eyes thinking this life was over. Only to wake up back in the orphanage...

I'm still 22.

Wrexler hasn't visited yet; so I must be younger than eight years old?

I get up to see myself in the mirror. I pause.

My eyes... When did eyes change color?

---

"Sister, I'm finished" 22 stepped into the kitchen to see Sister Vera hustling away by the stove.

"Ah good, come here and pass me those carrots" nodding her head towards the carrots right beside her...

"Vera, they're right next to you..."

"Brat, just pass them to me"

"Urgh, fine" Walking next to Vera, 22 passes the carrots.

"Vera..."

"Mhm"

"Look at my eyes for a sec"

"Huh? Are you okay? You want to me to fall for your eyes is that it?"

"I'm being serious, just look"

Vera turned her attention away to look at the boy.

"You...What do you want me to see here?" Vera bent down to 22's eye level. His once hazel brown eyes, now an eerie light blue.

"I don't know- I just see your eyes... Blue? No almost white? Are you going blind??" Vera raising her voice ever so slightly. She grabbed his face and looked closely. The shade of blue was so light, it shone in the sun. How come she never noticed before? Were they always Blue?

"Sister, nothings wrong- I'm fine, look... now we're closer than ever" The boy grinned.

"You brat... " Vera flicked his head before turning round to the stove.

"Ring the bell and call everyone for breakfast"

22 rubbed his head and walked down the halls, and rung the bell. A moment later, the rush of children thundered down the stairs all piling into the dining hall.

The boy smiled but soon his thoughts drifted to his eyes.

He was certain...The Schism sent him back, permanently. The pain he felt as the energy of the void pouring into his body was real; the irises of his eyes were proof of that something had changed. Almost everything else was the same. While Sister Vera was feeding the children, 22 stepped out of the Orphanage- everything looked the same, before the calamity.

No signs of skirmishes or destruction, only traders, adventurers and regular folk could be seen walking by. 22 stood there, taking it all in- far different to the last time he saw the place, he turned around to look at the Orphanage itself.

St. Osman's Orphanage...

A blind warrior, Osman- taking no prejudice against the people or race, all equally treated as one- travelling with a band of trusted people, Osman traveled all 3 continents- the Beast lands ERIA- Demonkins land-USTOS and the last continent the war devastated, XANDAR.

Osman apparently came here thousands of years ago... with the first generation of Stormholden. As far as tales go, the Orphanage has long existed for quite the number of years. 22 stood lost in thought, as a shadow loomed over him.