Matthew Terradin

"I think I know why you knew about us; you know Alvor didn't you?", Donnor exclaimed, finally realizing what Anton meant last night.

"Yes, as a former knight of Gregoria. Every one of us looks up to him, though we did not know he's still alive until he helped us with the recent incident. I'm pretty sure he'll be here by now"

"Talking about me? Am I that popular?", a tall man intruded standing behind them, muscular but not buff, firm from head to toe, has a dignified stance befitting a knight.

He has a kind face, though a scar on his left eye and the sprouting white hair shows he had years of experience. Messing with him would be a bad idea and no one in their right might would even dare. The other knights, especially Hunter, was left in awe as they saw the Legendary Hero that Gregoria had looked up to.

"Uncle Donnor", Alisa came rushing in, tired and worried while catching her breath. If there's something that calmed her, it's the reassuring sight of his father. "Father, you're back, I really want to hug you right now but we have a problem", she said putting down Nicolas from her back.

"What happened?", Anton quickly went for their rescue.

"He was fine last night, when we…", she paused as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "But this morning I can't wake him up. I checked if he had any injury or trauma to the head or fever but he has none except scratches that's already healed"

"Step aside for a bit", Alvor joined them, "Did something happened during the fight?", he asked while feeling the boy's forehead just to make sure.

"None that I know of, we got late responding because Alisa needed help", Anton explained as Hunter also joined the group.

Donnor on the other hand, being the one close to the boys when the fight happened was quick to remember some details, "I think there must be something, he fought a boy who looks a lot like him"

"Don't tell me, was it the boy with a sharp look and blonde hair?", Alisa pictured the boy she met before.

"Yes they're like a spitting image. Anyway, this boy was surely the winner, but when he tried to end the boy's life; he flung a few meters away after an explosion occurred. Then 'that' man showed up", Donnor added while seriously looking at Alvor.

"This could be bad", Alvor took a deep breath before a bright light began to manifest around him. It had no definite shape, but as he began to hover his hand above the other, luminous light compressed into a ball. Without wasting a second, he pushed it closer to the boy's chest until its fully submerged. "If there are no problems with the body, then…"

Nicolas started to glow brightly as the warm light from Alvor's soul shone brightly above him like a warm blanket. Moments later, his soul too started to emit its rays, bringing the bright light into a dim blue hue, coloring all their faces with amazement.

"As I thought", Alvor said stopping his appraisal. "His soul is somewhat in distress, and if that man was involved then we might be in big trouble"

"Will he wake up? Can't we do anything to help him?", Alisa blurted.

"Calm down Alisa, I've never seen you being this concerned for someone before", Alvor cheekily teased, "Did something happened last night perhaps?"

"Father, he's the prince of Gregoria remember. He's an important figure, plus he's my only friend around my age. Of course I'll be concerned", Alisa's face was flushed.

"No need for such explanations bear cub, I'm just trying to lift your mood since you look worried more than anyone here, but did something ha…"

"JUST TELL US IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING", Alisa exclaimed, covering her face with both her hands.

"Fine fine…", Alvor laughed before kneeling back down to check Nicolas once again.

"Unfortunately, we can't do anything. All I can do is check the state of his soul but resolving this problem, it's up to him. We can't do anything but wait and guard his body until he wakes up"

"But…", Alisa wanted to plead again but Hunter took the words first.

"Can't we use our souls to help him too?", Hunter asked.

"No, all we can usually do is reflect what our souls are shaped liked. I was just fortunate enough to do the appraisal but this boy's soul is on another level. Only a stronger soul or the same as him would be able to act. Though I guess we don't have anyone like that"

Alisa watched Hunter as he tried thinking what he could also do but he too had no idea left as he sat down in a corner.

"Be sure to wake up Nicolas. There are still so many things I would like to tell you and you're much needed here. Please wake up", Alisa could only pray as she held his hands.

Meanwhile, somewhere at the western shoreline of Yggdryas.

"What's his deal?", Meriane poked the unconscious Matthew in the cheek.

"Let him be, he's dealing with something very important right now", the man ordered as he sat on the other side of the room.

"I'm just curious you know", Meriane said lifting the boy's eyelids revealing his blank stare.

"He made contact with the other half so of course his soul will undergo shock"

"Half? Half of what? Half of banana? Half of apple?, I don't really get what you're saying Duncuel old man", Meriane sighed as she laid beside the unconscious Matthew.

"Not like you're going to understand. One more thing, I don't know what kind of lies they spread but my name is Liam, not Duncuel, not old man, not nothing, just Liam. I'm 22 when I died and this new body I picked is not that old either", Liam angrily slammed his hands on the table.

"Eh? Fine, changing questions then, Liam. What is your connection with this boy and why does he looks almost identical to Nicolas?", Meriane again asked.

"You don't know when to stop talking do you? I'm starting to regret having you as an underling", Liam breathed, pulling something from his pocket.

"You don't even answer any of my questions, how would I shut up? Plus he also looks like you? Why is that?"

Liam just stared at her with a sharp gaze. "Talk again and I'll cut your tongue", he threatened calling his sword.

"Answer me then", Meriane replied standing high and full of pride as she pursued her curiosity.

The man lowered his sword upon giving up. "Fine", he sighed. "You're lucky I still have a use for you".

"Yeah, that's what I figured", Meriane cheekily smiled. "So? Do we really need Nicolas for this resurrection thing?".

Liam again took a deep breath and sat facing Matthew. "That entity is something more important than anything or anyone here"

"Not even Matthew?"

His sharp gaze had already became almost permanent while containing his self not to burst in anger. "He's soul only is one of a kind. A fragment of my soul is what makes him who he is and by regaining it back, looking for the third shard will be much easier"

"Heh? I'm getting confused", Meriane lied on her stomach then fondled with Mathew's hair.

"He really looks just like him", she whispered before asking something again. "What about Matthew here? If I heard you right, you said he's also a half of what Nicolas has. Isn't he the third half?"

"You have a sharp ear. I thought you're just pure talk and comprehension is not your strong suit"

"That's mean"

"I embedded a small part of the soul I currently have into his. I forced it to taint his soul little by little until it's sufficient enough to be a substitute, but…", he sighed and stared at the sparkling sea water through the window.

"But?"

"This boy's soul is above the normal, that's why I took him in. I tried corrupting his soul with mine down to its roots but it had been years and I am just now reaching half. But none of that matters now once I get Nicolas. Plus thanks to this sacrificial lamb, the fodders are almost reaching their full and we can wake up my disconnected pieces", he said revealing a tiny crystal ball brimming with brilliance.

"Just a third of Yggdryas's population and all I would need is Nicolas then I can take the first step on regaining what's mine", he laughed.

"About that, can't we harvest the rest of the souls now?"

"No"

"Why is that?"

"Are you dumb? Only Matthew here can use my abilities to collect souls. All we can do is wait for his return", Liam took a deep breath, moving closer to Meriane who's face is painted with boredom.

"I wonder what was going on inside his head", Meriane thought as both of them watched the boy sleep.

Inside the boy.

"Matmat, call your father, dinner's almost ready", Nicolas heard a lady call as he stood from afar.

"Where am I?", he tried saying out loud but not a sound came out. He's in front of a simple house, a barn was on its side, and the wide farmland at the distance gave him the idea that whoever lives here are farmers.

"Yes mother, I'm calling him now", a boy replied from Nicolas's back. He turned around and saw a little boy he figured he was about four or four and a half years old. He's sure because that's exactly what he looked like at that age, the only difference is the color of the hair.

The boy ran towards the fields and Nicolas followed him out of impulse.

"Father! Mother said it's time for supper", he cheerfully exclaimed as he ran towards a man plowing the fields.

"No need to rush Matthew, I'm just about finish", the man replied wiping his sweat off with the end of his shirt.

"Wait? Matthew?", Nicolas thought while standing by their side.

"Let me help you so we can get back home faster", the boy proposed before trying to lift a pail full of water with all the energy he has but ended up hitting his head on a rock as he failed.

"Matthew, are you all right? Didn't I tell you, you're too young for this kind of work", the man laughed tending to his son's head as the boy cried.

"Playing a happy family? Hypocrites, after a few years let's see, if your this happy", Nicolas thought, cringing as he followed them rushing back to their house.

"What happened, Marco? Why is he crying?", the lady asked rushing outside while carrying one of the plates with her.

"I told him not to help me yet, but he insisted so he… hit his head", the man named Marco reluctantly avoided eye contact with his wife.

"Then what are you doing?", the lady smacked Marco in the back of the head while taking the boy from him.

"Ow, thank the gods that I love you, or else"

"Or else what"

"N— Nothing", he squeaked and chickened out.

"What happened to our grandson?", an older lady rushed towards them as the three went inside. Nicolas figured out that she's the grandmother.

"What did your father do to you again?", an old man followed.

"I told you, I didn't do anything", Marco explained.

"Yeah right, we can see that clearly"

"It was my fault mother", Matthew uttered as he felt calmer.

"See?", Marco wanted to celebrate his victory but his wife's burning gaze was still directed at him. "Let's just eat then", he backed down like a sacred cat with its tail between its legs before finishing the table's preparation himself.

It was a normal supper inside a simple house on a small table beside the kitchen sink. It was rather too simple for what Nicolas grew up with, but what made it envious was not the food but the connection.

It was never silent. Everyone has something to talk about too, the state of the crops, the last game Matthew played, and the traditional "back in my day", stories of the old. Nicolas saw them as a family he never really experienced as he stood outside the window.

"Oh, I forgot my toy outside", Matthew exclaimed after he was done eating.

"Where did you left it?", his mother asked.

"I just left it at the barn, I'll be fine"

"Be careful, it's almost dark"

"Yes mother, I will", he yelled as he ran outside. Nicolas followed him and they really ended up outside the barn.

"What's that?", Nicolas squinted his eyes upon noticing something in the distance as the young Matthew picked up his wooden sword beside the axe and the shovels.

"What's that?", he heard Matthew asking the same thing.

They watched as if the entity is drawing closer and closer.

Both of them felt a sudden distress when out of the blue it looked like it skipped some distance and is now two meters away from them. Nicolas saw Matthew ran back inside the house and he felt the impulse that he should also get in. Whatever that was, it's bad news.

"What's wrong Matmat?", his mother asked as she noticed Matthew shutting the door hastily.

"There's something outside—", Matthew stuttered as he looked at the door.

Nicolas who's also feeling anxious can't help but look at the window to make sure what the entity was. He was startled when it somehow teleported in front of the door.

"What's wrong son?", Marco assisted, scrambling Matthew's hair, his back facing the door.

It was then when Nicolas watched as the dark entity slowly permeated through the door.

"It— it's inside", Matthew's eyes went wide as he stepped back shaking while his father looked confused to what was going on.

"What's happening to you Mat—", Marco did not even finished his sentence when he felt something cold entering his body, his eyes went wide before he dropped to the floor then had a seizure.

"What in the world is happening now?", Nicolas wondered getting even more confused and worried while standing in the corner.

"Dear? What's happening to you, Marco? Marco!", Matthew's mother came to rescue as she cushioned his husbands head on her thighs. It looked like it helped as the seizure began to dissipate.

Momentarily, Marco opened his eyes.

"Thank goodness you're all right", the lady said feeling his husband's forehead. "Maybe you're just tired from working the fields, come, let's get you to bed"

"Trust me, I've never been this alive since then", Marco smiled before quickly standing up and strangled the lady.

"Mar— co— what are you— doing", she struggled as air could not seem to reach her lungs. Marco continued choking her with a grim smile on his face.

"MARCO!", the grandpa came rushing down the stairs. "Marco, what are you doing to Carla", he added trying to pull Marco's grip as the grandmother pulled Matthew to the corner of the kitchen. It did not budge. A loud crack made everyone know that it's already too late.

Nicolas saw as a bright light started oozing out of Carla's body and Marco sucked it all up. "Sweet", he celebrated, "It's been so long since I tasted a soul", he laughed.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE", grandpa exclaimed, taking the knife at the table then swung it at Marco with a terrified and pained look.

Marco, on the other hand, easily blocked it, broke his hand, took the knife and stabbed it to the man's chest. Moments later, grandpa was already bathing in his own blood on the cold floor. He stared at grandma and Matthew with the message in his dying eyes was "Run".

A bright light also came out of the man and Marco ate it as well. It was then when it finally occurred to Nicolas that that was their soul.

"Stop Marco, Stop", the grandmother grabbed one of the chairs and attempted to hit the back of Marco's head with it but she also failed. Marco grabbed it instead then threw it to the side.

"I don't know what is happening to you but we're your family", grandma screamed at the top of her lungs but Marco did not mind her at all. He grabbed the knife from the man's chest then proceeded towards where the grandmother and child were.

Grandma grabbed another chair but she got the same result.

"Too bad", Marco grinned before slashing the poor lady in the neck.

Nicolas watched as the seemingly peaceful and loving night turned into familicide giving a newfound definition for the last supper.

"Run Matthew", that was his grandmother's last words as she caressed the boy's face with her blood-stained hands.

Marco started to laugh hysterically as he ate the woman's soul. His laughter reminded Nicolas of an unpleasant memory.

"What's this?", he said pulling the knife and headed for Matthew.

Nicolas out of concern stood in front of the kid in an attempt to protect him but Marco went through him as though he was not even there. Matthew was left there at the corner, unable to move or speak. He was traumatized and his face could not even hide it, not one bit.

"Well, what do we have here?", the gave the boy a pat in the head.

"Your soul is worth more than these lambs, interesting", he stood and placed the knife back on the table. "How to corrupt one's soul again?", he sighed, thinking with his arms crossed.

"Oh yeah, I just need to contact the bearer of course of course", he explained to himself as he held Matthew's head by the sides. "Hang on tight, boy, this will be painful but you'll manage, I hope", he said projecting his grim smile again as he began infusing the boy with the darkness he brought.

Matthew could not do anything but scream as his presumed father tampered with his soul down to its root and all. Nicolas could not do anything as Matthew's screams filled his head, giving him an agonizing headache as other memories flashed through him.

"Was this Matthew's memories", he thought, falling to his knees as he too began to scream.

He saw everything. How through the years Matthew grew, all the training, hitting and shouting the boy endured without even showing any emotion. He did what his father told him to, whether it's to hunt, work, or even kill.

All of it, through the years as the man who was supposed to give him comfort and love gave him a long living hell.