“I think I know why you knew about us, you knew Alvor didn’t you?”, Donnor realized what Anton said the other night.
“Yes, as a former knight of Aquilos. 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 and I’m pretty sure he’ll be here by now”, explained Anton.
“Talking about me?, am I that popular?”, a tall man intruded standing behind them, muscular but not buff, firm from head to toe.
He has a kind face though a scar on his left eye and the sprouting white hairs shows he had years of experience and messing with him would be a bad idea. The other knights especially Lander was left in awe as they saw the Legendary Hero that Aquilos had looked up to.
“Uncle Donnor!”, Alisa came rushing in, looking tired, and worried while catching her breath.
She was also surprised that her father is back. “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 said tending to the prince.
“He was fine just 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 said. “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 looking at Lander.
“I think there must be something, he fought a boy who looks a lot like him”, Donnor explained.
“Boy who looks like him?”, Alisa whispered while recalling something.
“Yes, he was surely the winner, though when he tried to end the boy’s life; he flung a few meters away after an explosion occurred. Then ‘that’ man showed up”, Uncle Donnor added while seriously looking at Alvor.
“This could be bad”, Alvor said calling his soul as he started to worry. It had no definite shape and looked just like a ball of luminous light. Then he placed it over Nicolas. “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.
“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 though stuttering with every word.
“Calm down Alisa, I’ve never seen you being this concerned for someone before”, Alvor cheekily said. “Did something happened last night perhaps?”, he teasingly smiled.
“Father!, he’s the prince of Aquilos remember? He’s an important figure, plus he’s my only friend around my age. Of course I’ll be concerned”, Alisa said turning tomato red.
“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 breathing heavily.
“Fine fine…”, Alvor laughed.
“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 just wait and guard his body until he wakes up”.
“But…”, Alisa wanted to plead again but Lander took the words first.
“Can’t we use our souls to help him too?”, Lander asked.
“No, all we can usually do is reflect what our soul’s 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 only be able to take action. Though I guess we don’t have anyone like that”, Alvor explained.
Alisa watched Lander 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”, she silently prayed as she held his hands.
Somewhere off the western border of Drasyl near the shoreline.
“What’s his deal?”, Elizalina said poking the unconscious Marcus in the cheek.
“Let him be”, the bearded man ordered.
“I’m just curious you know”, Eliza said lifting the boy’s eye lids revealing his blank stare.
“He got contact with the other half so of course his soul will undergo shock”
“Half?, Half of what?”, I don’t really get what you’re saying Nero old man”, Elizalina sighed as she stood.
“Not like you’re going to understand”, Nero dismissed the question.
“Eh?, changing questions then. What is your connection with this boy that almost looks like Nicolas?”, Eliza again asked.
“You don’t know when to stop talking do you? I’m starting to regret having you as an underling”, Nero 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?”, Nero just stared at her with sharp gaze.
“Talk again and I’ll cut your tongue”, he threatened calling his sword.
“Answer me then”, Eliza 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”, Elizalina cheekily smiled. “So?... Do we really need Nicolas for this resurrection thing?”.
Nero again took a deep breath and sat facing Marcus. “That entity is something more important than anything or anyone here”
“Not even Marcus?”, Elizalina cutting the discussion.
Again Nero just looked at her with sharp gaze while containing his self not to burst in anger. “He’s soul only is one of a kind. Half of my soul is what makes him who he is and by regaining it back looking for the third half will be much easier”.
“Heh?, I’m getting confused”, Eliza said sitting beside Marcus then fondled with his hair.
“He just looks like him”, she whispered before asking something again. “What about Marcus 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”, Nero said in approval. “I thought you’re just pure talk and comprehending things is not in your abilities”.
“That’s mean”
“I embedded a small part of the soul I currently have into his. I made it taint his soul little by little until it’s sufficient enough to be a substitute, but…”, he said looking 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 the thirds of Drasyl’s population and all I would need is Nicolas then I can take the first step on regaining my place”, he laughed.
“Gross, you sound like a pedophile”, Elizalina thought trying to contain her laughter. “So, can’t we harvest the rest of the souls now?”
“No”
“Why is that?”
“Are you dumb?, only Marcus here can use my abilities to collect souls. All we can do is wait for his return”, Nero explained to Eliza who’s face is painted with boredom.
“I wonder what was going on inside his head”, Eliza thought. “Fine, If you need anything I’ll be out there swimming”, she said before leaving.
“Marmar! call your father, dinner’s almost ready!”, a lady called as Nicolas stood from a far.
“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 farm land at the distance gave him the idea that whoever lives here are farmers.
“Yes mother, I’ll be calling him now!”, a boy replied from Nicolas’s back. He turned around and saw a little boy. He was just about as high as Nicolas’s thigh and he figured he was about four or four and a half years old.
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 Marcus, I’m just about finish”, the man replied wiping his sweat off with the end of his shirt.
“Wait? Marcus?”, Nicolas thought 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.
“Marcus?… Didn’t I tell you you’re too young for this kind of work”, the man said tending to his son’s head as the boy cried.
“Playing a happy family? Hypocrites, after a few years let’s see”.
Nicolas thought cringing as he followed them rushing back to their house.
“What happened Martin?, 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 Martin said avoiding eye contact with his wife.
“Then what are you doing?”, the lady said smacking Martin in the back of the head while taking the boy from him.
“Ow…”, he just squeaked without any complain.
“What happened to our grandson?”, another lady said as the three went inside. Nicolas figured that she’s the grandmother.
“What did your father do to you again?”, an old man also asked tending to the boy.
“I told you I didn’t do anything”, Martin explained.
“Yeah right, we can see that clearly”, his wife stared with a burning gaze.
“It was my fault mother”, Marcus uttered as he felt calmer.
“See…?”, Martin said as if he had proven a point but his wife’s burning gaze is still 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 too, the state of the crops, the last game Marcus 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!”, Marcus 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”, he said before going out the door.
“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 Marcus picked up his wooden sword beside the axe and the shovels.
“What’s that?”, he heard Marcus 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 Marcus ran back inside the house and he felt the impulse that he should also get in. Whatever that was, it’s a bad news.
“What’s wrong Marmar?”, his mother asked as she noticed Marcus shutting the door hastily.
“There’s something out…side”, Marcus said stuttering 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?”, Martin said scrambling Marcus’s hair, his back facing the door.
In was then when Nicolas watched as the dark entity slowly permeated through the door.
“It’s inside!”, Marcus’s eyes went wide as he stepped back shaking while his father looked confused what was going on.
“What’s happening to you Mar…”, Martin 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, Martin?… Martin!”, Marcus’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 Martin opened his eyes.
“Thank goodness you’re all right”, the lady said feeling his husband’s forehead. “Maybe you’re just tired…”.
“Trust me I’ve never been this alive since then”, Martin smiled before strangling the lady.
“Mar…tin …what are you… doing”, she struggled as air could not seem to reach her lungs. Martin just continued choking her with a grim smile on his face.
“Martin!”, the grandpa came rushing down the stairs. “Martin what are you doing to Carla!”, he added trying to pull Martin’s grip as the grandmother and Marcus went 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 Martin 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 Martin with a terrified and pained look.
Martin just 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 Marcus with the message in his dying eyes was “Run”.
A bright light also came out of the man and Martin ate it as well. It was then when it finally occurred to Nicolas that that was their soul.
“Stop Martin!, Stop!”, the grandmother grabbed one of the chairs and attempted to hit the back of Martin’s head with it but she also failed. Martin grabbed it instead then threw it to the side.
“I don’t know what is happening to you but we are your family!”, grandma screamed at the top of her lungs but Martin 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 the same result had occurred.
“Too bad”, Martin said smiling before slashing the poor lady in the neck.
Nicolas watched as the seemingly peaceful and loving night turned into familicide giving a new found definition for the last supper.
“Run Marcus”, that was his grandmother’s last words as she caressed the boy’s face with her blood stained hands.
Martin started to laugh hysterically as he ate the lady’s soul. His laughter reminded Nicolas an unpleasant memory.
“What’s this?”, he said pulling the knife and headed for Marcus.
Nicolas out of concern stood in front of Marcus in an attempt to protect him but Martin just went through him as though he was not even there. Marcus just sat 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?”, Martin said giving the boy a pat in the head.
“Your soul is worth more than this lambs… interesting”, he stood and placed the knife back to the table. “How to corrupt one’s soul again?”, he said 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 Marcus’s head by the sides. “Hang on tight”, he said projecting his grim smile again as he began infusing the boy with the darkness he brought.
Marcus could not do anything but scream as his presumed father tampered his soul down to its root and all. Nicolas could not do anything as Marcus’s screams filled his head giving him an agonizing headache as other memories flashed through him.
“Was this Marcus’s memories”, he thought falling to his knees as he too began to scream.
He saw everything. How through the years Marcus grew, all the training, hitting and, shouting the boy endured without even showing any emotion. He just 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. A hell as long as the beard that he the man named Martin Terradin began to grow.