A caring uncle.

As the Phoenix's bloody tears fell, the fire spread throughout the land. As if devouring everything but me.

And as that happened, screams came from all directions.

But it looked as if its purpose was not to burn them to ashes, even though it could, but to torture them slowly...

Even though my body felt no pain, every second felt like forever.

My mind went blank. It felt like there is great pressure pressing on my head... Then I fell into chaos.

"I'm... scared... I don't care how bad these people are. And even if they were the cause of my suffering, all I ever wanted was to go to a place far away...

To a place where no one could cause us pain. A place where I could spend time learning how to feel at peace, a place where I could smile a genuine smile..."

It feels like my thoughts keep escaping me.

I didn't mean to say that out loud, but my mind was so chaotic to the point I couldn't even keep my lips closed.

Then...

As if responding to my desperate cry, at that moment, another angry cry sounded from the opposite direction.

"Stop tormenting my nephew Anna!!! what are you doing in front of a child!!!"

......

An extremely beautiful and gorgeous young man with stunning long black hair, and extremely white skin, he had breathtaking sky blue eyes, and his colorless lips made his eye color even more noticeable.

The man Stroud toward Liam without the slightest bit of hesitation, while looking at him as if he was his long-lost child.

The people around immediately recognized the man and exclaimed;

"'...Roland?'''

'Roland!'

'Big brother!!'

Roland briefly glanced at the phoenix then at his sister and her husband's souls that no one but Liam was able to see till that point, and said to them:

" I will talk to you all later, as for now..."

Roland looked at Liam, his eyes full of worries. He sat on the ground on his knees while facing Liam. He did not care when his white uniform was stained when he knelt to look at the child nor did he care when his silky long hair got dirty touching the ground.

All he cared about was that the precious child looked like he was about to break... Roland was so worried.

When Roland saw the child who had the same eye color as him he tried to call him but there wasn't the slightest response.

So, even though he did not want to startle the child he picked him up gently in his embrace.

Liam's mind was completely blank. He was scared and shocked when his feet suddenly left the ground. he unconsciously tried to struggle with his tired body...

he had a lot of thoughts and his emotions, mind, and body were at their limits

his strongest emotion was that of;

''I am tired, I don't want anything anymore..."

Then his thoughts stopped because darkness suddenly surrounded him. But then, an overwhelming warmth surrounded him too.

His thoughts became more peaceful and he thought;

This is the first time I've ever felt anything like this, it feels so... Safe...

So he dug into that warmth without a second thought.

Not even realizing that he was digging into someone's embrace.

Then he got started...!

-GENTLE PAT...

Liam's back was patted, and every pat was full of love and care. Then a voice sounded.

As if the voice that sounded from this person before was someone else's. It was so low, deep, and gentle...

"you have done a great job..."

-PAT

" you have struggled a lot..."

-PAT

"It's okay. You are okay now baby"

"agggh ngaaaaah waaaaaaah..."

Is that my voice?

I don't know... It sounds like a baby crying. I've never cried with a loud sound. I wasn't allowed to.

Is this... how I sound when I cry?

"ngaaaaah aaaah ennnn..."

"You are okay. Cry it all out. You don't have to hold anything in... You don't have to protect anything anymore."

He did not tell me not to cry...

I couldn't hear everything the warm person was saying. Because whenever he talked, my cry sounded louder, and my mind got blurrier...

"You will be protected now."

"That's how it should have been from the beginning..."

All the tension left my body and heart. I felt like never before. I felt like I would be okay now.

And then, I fell into a deep sleep for the first time in my life...