Blessed

The terrific orange sun rose higher with every passing moment as the country was showered with its morning warmth.

"That over there is the castle, oh you already knew that, I see. Ok well just to make sure you know the castle is where the king lives, the inner walls surrounding it are where many other powerful members of the kingdom reside."

The boy keenly followed behind the black-haired young man as he was bombarded with information. The jet-black-haired youth carefully and methodically explained many things to him as they walked. He was particularly detailed regarding the kingdom's history, politics, and geography, and he did so with unrivalled charisma. Simple or 'obvious' details were never glossed over, it was as if he had prepared or memorized all of it in advance.

They had just left the guards with a farewell, as the black-haired youth intended to give him a 'tour' before entering the inner walls. The guards obeyed without a second thought. With a reserved yet confident stride, he led the recently awoken boy around the many wealthy residential areas that surrounded the castle contently.

He had an astounding charm that dumbfounded the boy, one he couldn't imagine himself replicating. As they walked he hung on to the youth's every word listening and following behind closely.

"As blessed we are assigned noble birth as a right, this means that even a kid who knows nothing like you has some level of authority, get it?".

The boy nodded his head in affirmation before responding with his own question, "So if we are blessed then are we not the same as everyone else? Are there any other blessed?".

The boy voiced his concern as many onlookers of noble lineage they passed either waved, panicked or showed respect in some sense to the presence of the black-haired youth. He responded only with simple, yet kind gestures.

"That's right were different to the humans of the kingdom, they are simply not like us. We as blessed are comatose and suspended in time at birth making us vulnerable. Hence we are protected and laid to rest in the sanctuary until we awake. When that happens either royalty or the kingdom's orphanage adopts us. In return for our lack of life experience we're also capable of grasping simple concepts at a rate significantly faster than any normal human. There's another thing as well but we'll get to that soon"

"Then what about the others?"

"Others?". Machia turned around and gave the boy a soft smile.

"Sorry, but it's just me and you for now. I've waited a long time for another blessed to turn up, it gets a little lonely sometimes, to be honest".

They had left behind the elegant bustle of the residential area and begun to enter a quiet sombre forest that was positioned behind and below the castle which sat high up inside the capital's inner walls. Machia had explained that the inner walls surrounded not only the castle but other core buildings of the kingdom privy only to those of importance and a modicum of power.

The boy showed no aversion to entering such a blatantly secluded area simply trusting and following the young man who he felt he could listen to drone on for hours.

"Now this over here is the hunting area of the forest, go too far however and you'll come across-"

"What's your name?".

The boy interrupted the words of the black-haired youth. He showed a hint of regret afterwards catching on that he had made some form of verbal blunder. Before he could apologise the young man smiled without a hint of frustration or reaction to being interrupted.

"How did you know what that was?".

"I, one of the guards asked me something like that before and then the other one hit him, I mean, I figured it was something important."

"You are absolutely correct, a name is of most importance and you most certainly don't have one, right? I've been waiting a long time for someone else like me to turn up. If you like I could name you myself, I think it will make things easier for you in the long run, after all it's not like anyone else could. Unless of course, you want Father or someone to do it for you."

"You'll give me a name? could you tell me what your name is first."

The pair had paused in a particularly conspicuous part of the forest as they continued their discussion, despite the chirping of the birds and other unaccounted-for critters.

"Of course", dramatically spinning around to face the boy he announced "My name is Machia"

"Ma-chi-a" the boy tried sounding it out before Machia continued to explain.

"It's a strange name right? , it's short for a famous person but that's not important. I'm sure I can give you a much better name than my old man." Machia awaited a response in which the boy, intrigued by the reveal, eagerly nodded his head.

After receiving affirmation Machia looked up to the sky in contemplation for only a short moment, he spoke confidently as though he had decided beforehand.

"Very well from this day forth, you shall be known as Perses."

"Per-ses, Per-ses".

"Good, it's decided then Perses, now that that's over with, we have just one last thing to do."

"One last thing?"

Perses still mulling over his new name failed to spot the shadows that crept up on him. With no warning at all Perses was attacked by a dark shape that charged him from his own shadow. Shocked by the quietness of the attack Perses jumped away only to fall flat on his back petrified as his legs were hastily targeted by the unknown entity.

The small black shadow held the form of a small creature which moved its snout towards Perses. Accepting his fate he closed his eyes awaiting a similar sensation he had recieved from his fall earlier. Rather than see his legs torn to shreds he re-opened his eyes only to spot a jet-black foal nuzzling against his legs affectionately. The enigma that had appeared so suddenly, attacking Perses, turned out to be some sort of harmless creature.

Dumbstruck Perses turned to look at Machia who was chuckling at the sight in front of him. Not satisfied with only that much Machia raised a hand, what followed was a stampede of little tiny hooves as three more shadows joined the charge jumping towards Perses after forging themselves from a mysterious black liquid.

Perses had no time to question the technicalities of what Machia did as he was bombarded by hooves and tongues that tore away at his defence as he was surrounded. Machia watched a short distance away letting out the occasional chuckle. Perses after realizing he wasn't in any conceivable danger looked at Machia returning a content chuckle of his own.

Once the small horses had ceased their assault they lay around Perses who had decided to continue his endless line of questioning. "So we can do stuff like that because we're blessed is that what you were trying to show me?".

"Hmm, something like that, but you should get your own unique power at some point that is what it means to be 'blessed'. These little guys are probably not just an ability, but also the source of my powers... or so they've told me. But, they don't talk all that much." Machia's face twitched for an instant as his eyes tightened.

"I've had a lot of time to think about it but whether they're my soul or some sort of spirit animal it's hard to say, regardless they seem to like you. I only commanded them too appear after all."

Fascinated by the conversation Perses asked, "How did you awaken your 'ability'?".

"It seems to vary from person to person, how I found mine, I'm not sure, just know it could happen at any time. It might, even be something you need to find."

Stating this it was all Machia could do to hide his smile that seemed to force itself onto his face as he reminisced.

"Oh, hold on, that wasn't quite the last thing, it seems we're still needed at the castle, thought so. Id prepare myself if I was you just stick close to me once were inside. I'l protect you."

After hearing this Perses felt a wave of fatigue for the first time, it seemed they had spent most of the day walking yet they hadn't even been to the castle yet. The overwhelming realization that the kingdom was so large had taken a lot out of him, caught up in his own head he realized Machia had already begun walking and was waiting for him a short distance ahead.

They had walked for another hour or so uphill away from the forestation, before arriving near where they had started their tour.

As Machia naturally walked through the main gates of the inner walls as he had likely done a thousand times another great sensation washed over Perses. He stared at the walls surrounding the castle which were occupied by small numbers of archers and knights. The great size of the walls and the shocking hectic buzz that could be seen through the main gates sent shivers down Perses' spine.

Machia turned around concerned, so far they had completely avoided crowded areas, the exception being the residential area. But, that had been quiet and early in the morning, Machia had likely done so on purpose.

Machia returned to the boy's side who cowered away from the bustle of the inner walls of the kingdom, he reached out a hand placing it upon the boy's shoulder.

"Trust me no human is going to hurt you or bother you in there, ha. Anyway you're a blessed so, try not to scare anyone too much, okay?" Machia's confusing but all-the same effective reassurance gave Perses a little courage, as he hesitantly follow behind him directly into the heart of the kingdom.

Walking safely behind Machia's reassuring figure, he contemplated the events that had passed that day. From the considerate but disciplined guards, to the kindness that resonated from Machia, both relieved him of his mind's burdens. However the fear and confusion of being alone, in the darkness was not forgotten, those feelings were long etched into his brain as though he had spent many years in the confines of such darkness. Perses realized that compared to the feeling of being alone, the world couldn't possibly be all that scary.

Passing by many large unknown buildings Perses noticed a strange shadowy, dim aura outlining the castle and many other buildings in front of him. On closer inspection, this gloomy aura that had just now become visible outlined and stretched across the entire castle grounds.

Even with Perses's finite understanding of the world, he could sense how irrational the sight in front of him was. The other citizens and guards of the inner capital took no notice of the castle's eerie aura simply rushing about like ants as they chased and fulfilled their assigned tasks. Despite this consistency, they all remained clear of the castle and its grounds as though unconsciously avoiding it.

Sweat dripped down his faint but noticeably injured head as his footsteps gained weight with every step. Machia keenly watched Perses out of the corner of his eye a short distance ahead with something akin to curiosity. The guards at the castle's entrance parted for Machia urgently without even exchanging a look.

Perses cautiously lagged behind observing the shadowy aura that was now right in front of him. After a brief hesitation he bravely passed through the mysterious shadowy outline that coated the castle grounds only to be distracted by the stern gaze of one of the castle's knights.

The guard watched as the boy anxiously examined something imaginary and became hopelessly intrigued by his actions. Noticing the guard's gaze Perses looked towards him and entered into a strange stalemate of stares.

After only a brief moment of eye contact the guard's pupils slowly began to dilate as his gaze was met head-on. This allowed Perses to witness his own blacked-out figure reflected in the ever-expanding eyes of the guard. The dry lips of the guard were visible and drew Perses' attention as they slowly began to quiver, the guard was finally able to tear his gaze away from the boy as he looked down fearfully at his own weapon, which he now clutched tightly.

There was something innately terrifying about this castle but also himself?, was this the power of the 'blessed'. Perhaps this man lacked the fortitude of the guards he had met previously. Perses considered this before relieving the guard of his gaze wishing to return to Machia's side. Just before he reached Machia he was swept up by a staggering fatigue that consumed his entire being.

He collapsed onto the cold stone floor much to the terror of the nearby guards. However, Machia's eyes blinked with suprise as he turned around to witness the figure of his falling friend.

"Oops" was the last thing Perses heard before he was consumed by darkness.

##################

Perses awoke in an unfamiliar bed that stretched far past his legs, the first thing to greet his eyes however was the strangely close figure of Machia who watched him closely from his bedside.

"Ah"

"Ah"

"So your awake" Machia declared with a relieved smile.

"...Huh, why wouldn't I be, wait what happened."

Machia showed an even more puzzled expression that stood out from his usually serious manner before he laughed it off.

"You were just tired, though I'll admit I was a little worried for a moment there. After I turned around the guards were really beyond startled you know, anyway, you should rest for now you'll meet with father tomorrow."

"Where am I?"

"The royal orphanage, you get your own room, comfort of mind, privacy, everything. No need to thank me or anything." Machia grinned, but a small hint of fear was unmistakably present in his eyes.

"Welll anyway feel free to call me if you need me, I'm sure you'll figure out a way, I hope. For now just relax and I'll come see you tomorrow ok?." He stood up from his crouched position and sauntered out of the room quickly closing the door behind him.

"Why was he so smiley, he left pretty quickly too, well whatever."

Perses looked around the plain but spacious room that guarded him in all his fatigue. It was currently approaching evening and his short nap had yet to fully revive him, he'd never had to fall asleep of his own accord before and was intruiged to experiment.

Lying back on his side he once again recalled the day's events in the silent, secure room. He positioned himself on his side attempting to surrender to the sleep that he so craved. As he shut his eyes he was filled with an inexplicable, nostalgia and comfort that forced him to open his eyes once more.

Sat reservedly against the wall in front of him a small girl could be seen hugging her knees. Noticing this Perses was both too confused and tired to even react.

"My own room huh", with his last ounce of strength gone the boy was embraced by a deep sleep that refused to release its hold over him.