ã€ŠSerpent&#x27;s melodyã€‹


 Prologue

    ¡°Unlucky, that is all you were. Far from strong, yet not weak. Smart, yet too foolish to expect this outcome. Unlucky truly is befitting of you¡±, a voice said. The blade pierced perfectly, leaving the man to fall on his knees. He couldn¡¯t even leave a final sound behind, let alone his final words.

    A young man stood behind the now dead man with white hair and piercing blue eyes, the bloody blade which had committed a sin just now was in his hand. He was the one who had spoken those words, the one who had murdered his captor. ¡°Another job done, about time I take care of the rest.¡±

    He searched the corpse for anything of worth before walking away. The young man carefully removed every trace he made in an experienced manner, knowing that if he was found again it wouldn¡¯t end with a mere conflict like last time. ¡°Their hideout should be near, looking at there being chopped down trees¡±, he spoke to himself, a habit he had developed out of the loneliness at the training facility.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°This is my final assignment, I better do well on this one.¡± When he was at a far enough distance from his sin without any traces left he began running. The fallen trees marked his way to whatever laid in front of him, hopefully not expecting his planned attack.

    I¡¯ll have to kill them quickly, who knows what kind of ridiculous back-up they have. Well, the elders¡¯ job is non of my concern. I¡¯ll be happy if I can get the job done. Well I have J?rm for the worst case scenarios.

    It was the final day of my training, without even knowing what I had finished. If only I had removed my attachment to being acknowledged back then and settled down. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have ended up with more lost than won. After all, impulse leads to action, and action cannot be reversed.

 Ch 1: Twisted believes

    Kronos was laying down on a strong branch of an ancient oak tree, with a white little bird sleeping on his belly. The animal brought him a feeling of comfort and connection. A few small crumbs marked the meal they had just shared. There wasn¡¯t a lot of food this time a year but it was enough to feed both of them if they weren¡¯t greedy.

    As the boy stirred around at the discomfort the hard wood brought to his body his companion opened an eye in curiosity. The beautiful, red, pearl-like eye shined brightly, greeting the being that took care of him. ¡°Sorry to wake you up Oliver¡±, the boy said in genuine guilt. The young raven nuzzled its head against Kronos¡¯ chest, clearly enjoying the warmth and comfort in this cold winter.

    With two fingers, he gently petted the bird¡¯s head, receiving a happy chirp in return. ¡°You¡¯re starting to become big Oliver, you might not fit on my shoulder in a few months.¡± The animal twisted its head, trying to understand what was said to him. Kronos let out a sigh, he wished to be able to communicate properly to his companion at times like these.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite weird you know? A raven should be black, yet you¡¯re as white as the snow on the mountains¡±, he bowed down his head to uncover his white hair which was hidden in a hood. ¡°Just like mine, we¡¯re both weird.¡± Again the raven chirped, the sound marking Kronos¡¯ presence to nearby people.

    Footsteps came towards the oak tree, which had lost all of its beautiful leaves a few months ago. Such a sad sight to behold how even an ancient strong tree loses everything for half of the year. Oliver twisted his small neck towards the sound, alarmed by the intruders to his peace. Kronos gently put his companion on his shoulder and climbed down the tree to face the visitors.

    The placement of his feet were precise and calculated as he descended from his resting spot. Seven children stood at the base, pointing fingers while laughing. ¡°There he is, that monster! ¡±, a boy shouted. The others laughed and surrounded him, leaving Oliver to spread his wings as retaliation. ¡°What do you want Brutus?¡±, the boy asked. This group of children who called themselves his brothers and sisters were what had let him to isolation and fear of even sleeping.

    A girl stepped forward with a cocky smirk, she as well pointed a finger towards her brother. She was different from the rest though, blood relation, it was what bound them. She was his real sister, yet she looked nothing like him, no white hair, no ghost pale skin, just those blue eyes were the same.

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak to Brutus like that. A monster like you should only bark¡±, there was lingering disgust in her tone. Her brother was the embodiment of ugly to her. Something she hated with everything inside of her even though he had done so much to protect the both of them before being accepted in the orphanage.

    I miss her, although I won¡¯t say that to her, I miss my little sister who actually cared for her brother the same way he did for her. ¡ì¡°I speak however I like Rina, especially to Brutus¡±, his voice was gentle but it was clear he made his point. This kind of ¡°banter¡±, how the seven kids called it, happened almost daily and was especially harsh when they were bored.

    Oliver began to wave its wings, as if it was mad for his companion¡¯s sake. ¡°Ew! That monster¡¯s pet is as ugly as he is!¡±, another boy said. Brutus laughed, ¡°of course it is, kin seeks kin remember? They¡¯re probably best friends because they both are monsters and no one wants them here.¡± They all busted out in laughter while the boy felt the usual sadness.

    No matter how much of an unfazed exterior he put up, deep down those words stroke his heart like a pickax mining away the layers of his happiness. Oliver could feel how his friend truly felt, maybe because of how much time they spent together. When the animal noticed Kronos¡¯ feelings he flew up and dived down towards Brutus.

    Claws met skin and actions were noted down on the vast papers of past. Blood was spilled, although it wasn¡¯t a lot. ¡°Aaahhh! The monster¡¯s friend is attacking Brutus! Run!¡± All of the seven children ran away, with fear and hatred burning in their eyes. Brutus had received a small wound on his right shoulder but Kronos would surely get punished for it.

    Oliver returned to his friend¡¯s shoulder, leaving a stain of blood on the cloth he was wearing. It nuzzled its head against Kronos again and gently removed the little bits of green moss from his white hair. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that Oliver, although it was an amazing sight to see. What strength and power can achieve¡­¡± once again the boy sighed, leaving a small cloud of vapor behind.

    A small pot the size of a fist was uncovered from below a tree root. Kronos had to muster a lot of his strength to twist the lid and open the pot. Inside laid around twenty dried little earthworms. Their little teeth had munched away at the boy¡¯s fingers when they had been caught. He raised the pot towards his shoulder, allowing Oliver to take out one as a treat.

    The beast wasn¡¯t greedy, it knew all to well how much energy was put into catching those delicious appetizers and he respected his friend for it. There were times when Kronos tried to feed Oliver more so it wouldn¡¯t feel hungry unlike he himself but it always declined in a suborn way, making sure he is at least equally both in suffering and happiness if not lacking.

    The white-haired boy was always fascinated how the bird raised its neck upwards to gulp down the treat. Such an eye catching maneuver, no matter how many times it was witnessed. Kronos began walking towards the orphanage which was part of the church. It was a stunning building that was also used as a chapel. Stone pillars supported the entrance, decorated by tales carved into the wall in the form of images.

    Kronos didn¡¯t believe in Amanaro, the goddess of light. There were hundreds of reasons why but the biggest one was based on his life. Her tales speak about how every person who isn¡¯t from noble blood is equal to one anther. If that statement was true, why was Kronos discriminated based on how he looked?Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The child still acted as if he was a believer, praying before and after every meal. If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t get his meal from the nuns. This condition also disgusted him, how come the goddess of light and love made her believers worship her to survive. That¡¯s no love, merely a hunger for attention.

    His thoughts kept on wandering as he made his way inside, automatically going towards his room. Oliver wasn¡¯t allowed in the building so he build his nest above the roof of Kronos¡¯ window. The boy was the sole owner of a private room, only because the other children didn¡¯t want to be near him. They told the nuns their self-made stories of how Kronos would begin moving in his sleep and strangle people.

    The tale was told almost three years ago but the consequences were still scarred onto the boy¡¯s soul. ¡°He needs purification, there is an evil spirit inside of him¡±, one of the nuns had said back them. Their form of purification was torturing the non-existent spirit out of his body. For one week straight Kronos had to constantly pray with barely any water or food, receiving a beating if he stopped to even gulp down his saliva.

    The horrifying experience had left the boy wondering about almost everything. He became interested in books and learned himself how to read and write over the years. An impressive feat yet not only a fuel to him being a ¡°monster¡±.

    The boy laid down on his bed with a deep groan. He felt empty and lost, nothing new. Only a few more hours until dinner, the only time he had to join the table to eat. A messy bundle of papers took in his entire desk. some of them were practice papers to exercise his writing while others were small stories or philosophical statements which questioned the world and its believes.

    After several minutes he got up from his bed and sat down at the desk. He had no pencils or ink, just sticks and blood. Most times he asked for the blood of animals who were slaughtered for their dinner but in a cold winter like this one there was no meat in the menu. The urges to write or draw were still present so at times he would use his own blood to write and pieces of wood to draw.

    The moment he pierced a thumb to let his essence transform into ink Oliver would start banging his head on the window in protest. Seeing Kronos¡¯ blood drove the animal into madness for his sake. It did everything in its power to prevent it. Today Kronos wanted to draw, a beautiful sketch of Oliver would sooth his desire.

    Diligent movements with a rotting piece of would in his hand he began to create the extension of his mind. As the material was very dark the boy decided to make an inverted drawing on the white paper. Coloring everything except for Oliver.

    After around two hours the portrait was completed. It was almost worthy of being called masterpiece, yet one detail was absent. That very detailed which made Oliver complete, his bright red eye. There wasn¡¯t any signs of hesitations when the boy grabbed a needle from the corner of his desk and pierced the skin on his thumb. A droplet was all he required, no need to spill any more.

    As if the winged friend could smell it from on top of the roof he charged towards the window and began to voice his complains. Its caws haunted over the frozen landscape outside. The blood seeped into the paper Kronos smiled, a rare sight to behold.

    As he picked up the paper and held it in the air a whistle escaped his lips. ¡°That¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever done with the worst I ever had, how ironic.¡± A knock on his door was followed by a nun entering. ¡°Dinner is ready child. Make your way to the dining table¡±, with that she left.

    The boy¡¯s mood had risen by his success so he made his way downstairs and took place on his usual spot in a dark corner. Less than a minute later all eight children were present and the nuns served their food. ¡°Let us all pray for this wonderful meal in these dark and cold days¡±, the head-nun said. Her voice as stern as ever. Everyone nodded as they began their prayer.

    When they finished everyone started eating in joy, talking and joking with one another. Kronos watched as usual while silently savouring the taste of warm food. All of a sudden the conversations died, making the boy look up to see if anything was wrong. Brutus cleared his throat and spoke after gaining the nuns¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Kronos¡¯ bird attacked me today, look!¡±, he said while uncovering the scratches on his arm. They weren¡¯t deep but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Yeah the animal attacked us out of nowhere,¡± now it was Rina speaking, ¡°it truly is a monster cursed by dark spirits. I¡¯m sure of it mother Gena!¡± Mother Gena, the head-nun, had one word that triggered her the most, dark spirits. She snapped her neck around and stared right into Kronos¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Normally I wouldn¡¯t say anything. But those red eyes the beast has have been haunting me from the day you saved that hatchling. Kronos I know we have made sure you haven¡¯t been corrupted, but there is a chance your deeds are affected by that animal. That is why I will purify the animal myself, so I expect you to hand it over after dinner.¡±

    His mind went blank. What? No no no! This can¡¯t be happening, they can¡¯t take Oliver! Every nerve in his body was shouting at him to object but he knew that when this very nun set her mind onto something, not a living soul could get her to stop. Maybe I can set Oliver free? No, because he¡¯ll die, he doesn¡¯t know how to survive in the wild. If I free them I¡¯ll be labeled as an evil spirit as well and die.

    Only a soft nod was what marked the boy¡¯s confirmation. ¡°I do expect mother Gena to handle him as if she was treating me. To stay patient with him and to not act on impulses.¡± The words were spoken with care, searching for confirmation in her eyes. The nun smiled as sweet as ever, very apart from her personality. ¡°Of course dear child. Amanaro¡¯s judgment is always fair.¡±

    Kronos ate the rest of his dinner with struggle. He was scared, that Oliver would come out with a hate towards humans, towards Kronos. The nuns collected the dishes and signed for the child to go get his bird. With haste he walked outside and whistled a melody, one that he had sang to Oliver ever since they first let. White wings rose from the roof and descended towards the boy.

    They were reunited as the raven landed on his usual spot, Kronos¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Oliver, I¡¯m truly sorry. You¡¯re going to have to stay with mother Gena for a while. Just be kind like you usually are and everything will be fine.¡± The bird tilted its head in confusion and proceeded to let out a cheerful chirp. Kronos gave him a few pets before walking back inside.

    The nun smiled brightly upon seeing the two of them. ¡°Very well, you can go to your room now Kronos, get a good night of rest¡±, she said while the boy handed his dear companion over. ¡°Okay¡±, Kronos said in a soft and gentle tone. Oliver seemed hesitant at first but didn¡¯t complain as he noticed that was what his friend wanted.

    With a small heart the white-haired boy went back in his room and wrapped himself in his blankets. trying to close an eye seemed useless, yet he fell asleep after a while of trying.

    That night everyone caws of pain and desperation could be heard, but the boy didn¡¯t even notice how the soul he treasured was being destroyed.

 Ch 2: Tainted feathers

    Rays of sun pierced the thin layer of cloth in front of the window, waking Kronos from his deep slumber. He stretched out and rubbed his eyes to get rid of his sleepiness. White locks of hair obscured his vision but vanished as he shook his hair. It was just another morning, the child thought. He got up and spotted the drawing he made yesterday, memories slowly flowing back into his mind.

    ¡°Oliver!¡±, he dressed up faster than ever before and sprinted downstairs, almost tripping over his own feet. The table only had bread on it, meaning the others had already eaten. The boy barged into the kitchen where a nun was adding new wares to the inventory. ¡°Is there any news about Oliver?¡± The nun, who was one of the few who showed him genuine kindness looked at him with guilt.

    ¡°If Oliver is what you call that bird than yes. I¡¯m sorry Kronos, he was labeled as an evil spirit. Mother Gena found a source of divinity inside of the beasts body which wasn¡¯t from the goddess Amanaro. She handed the bird to the other kids as she didn¡¯t want to stain her hands. His soul has probably left this world. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±, it was barely a whisper, build upon pure disbelieve. ¡°No, no, no,¡± his voice was silent but kept on getting louder, ¡°this can¡¯t be true! You¡¯re lying! I will not believe it until I see it with my own eyes.¡± The child ran off, deep down he knew the nun wouldn¡¯t lie to him, not her.

    At the oak tree which Kronos adored his sister was sitting at the bottom, leaning against the ancient plant. ¡°Where is he! Where is Oliver, Rina?!¡± The girl looked at him in surprise, not having noticed him as he arrived. Her eyes had an extra layer than usual, as if they were watering. ¡°Brutus¡­ ended him, they dumped the corpse on the mountains. We went too far, sorry Kronos.¡± The words pierced his heart, not like an arrow shot by cupid but pierced by a dagger of sorrow.

    He looked at down at his younger sister with the same disgust she had always given him after meeting the other kids. ¡°You sicken me sister, your existence is making me want to poke my eyes out so that I wouldn¡¯t have to stare at your pathetic figure¡±, after speaking he ran off towards the mountains. Rina tried to stop him but nothing would work, not now. ¡°You can¡¯t there¡¯s a heavy blizz-!¡± the rest faded into the void as Kronos was already too far away to hear her.

    He sprinted up the cliffs and pathways, something he had done hundreds if not thousands of times before throughout the years. He chased the footsteps Brutus had left behind which kept on getting harder because a new layer of snow had begun to cover up his traces. As he began to reach the end of the trail he found himself in a strong blizzard, millions of snowflakes cutting away at his heat. At last he saw red amongst the endless white, the end of the search, the start of mourning.

    Stains of hot red liquid melted the thick layer of snow away while hundreds of white flakes dwindled in the heavy wind. It had begun with one droplet, rapidly increasing as if it called upon its kin, resulting in a flow of blood, tainting both soul and body. His hot hands had made the animal unfreeze and allowed it to bleed out at last. A snicker of sorrow was accompanied by tears. His hands were shaking as he held the beautiful bird¡¯s corpse.

    Death was a part of life¡¯s cycle, and although he was young he knew that better than most people. It wasn¡¯t pure death that brought him this pain, but the feeling that everything was his fault, that he was to blame. ¡°Wh-why?¡±, it was a soft whisper, not audible to any other living organism inside of the blizzard.

    The lifeless animal had the word ¡°Monster¡± carved in it. A term used to taunt and haunt the boy who was kneeling in agony. His head bowed down as he put the bird down, tears showering upon the frozen corpse. Thoughts raced through every curve of his mind. All of them brought different emotions with them; sorrow, fear, hurt, pain, regret, determination, anger. How could they take away his only companion because they didn¡¯t like him? Just because he was a bit different. This was all a plot of Brutus and mother Gena, he was sure of it.

    The boy removed his worn-out shirt and wrapped the animal¡¯s body inside of it. ¡°You are more worthy of the heat than I am¡±, he whispered as he got up from his knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Oliver, as I saved you, brought false hope upon both of us, and then ended you.¡± There he stood, in the middle of a blizzard, a boy with white hair and snake-like blue eyes. He was shivering yes, but not from the extreme temperatures. Those emotions, conflicting one another like fire and ice were the true cause.

    A grave had to be created, as a form of respect and comradeship. Death could either feel like a destruction of ones world, or a revelation that opens up hundreds of locked doors. The boy gathered all the stones he could find, ranging from pebbles to a black plate of obsidian. How peculiar that a boy felt more connected to a bird than he did to his brothers and sisters. He would never even think of giving those a funeral or the slightest form of respect, as they would do the same for him.

    The stones covered his dear companion with the piece of obsidian at the base. Half an hour had already passed by since he had begun constructing the memoir. It was finally time to finish it. With a sharp stone in his blood-covered hand palms he began carving in the obsidian. ¡°Here rests Oliver, may he spread his white wings amongst the angels and protect their souls as he did for mine. May his blood red eyes discover what is good and bad as we mortals are incapable of it.¡±

    The young boy wore no shoes, his feet and hands covered in calluses from all of the labor he had done. He knelt down one last time and said his final goodbye before leaving. Small steps on the frozen mountain marked that he made his way back towards the town, the invisible path calling his name to guide him down. The distant lights of fire and happy houses left him in sadness again.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    It didn¡¯t take long before that feeling of loss was transformed into vast hatred and anger. Memory of something he had written down last year while looking at his now fallen companion came into mind; ¡°If you snap a wing, be prepared to be pierced by the beak that resents you. For it is only fair to be open to harm when committing it.¡±

    He reached that same entrance, with the same demons inside, who would all speak the same words. Enough was enough, everything that begins has to end, just like how those demons haunted him. If they were open to kill his kin, they should be ready to kill. The door of the orphanage creaked open, yet no sound came from inside. Unbalanced steps towards the kitchen marked the boy¡¯s presence. When he arrived no one was present, as he had wanted it to be.

    A shelf was pulled open by his slender pale hands, all kinds of tableware inside. There it was, that gleaming iron knife which was sharpened every day to cut parts of cooked animals. His fingers twisted around the cold hilt, determination burning in his frozen eyes. There he went, walking towards mother Gena¡¯s room. He knew exactly how late it was, she was praying, just like all the other nuns. The second floor, fourth room on the left.

    His hands were still red with his friend¡¯s blood and his feet were still naked, walking on the stone cold floor. A gentle knock. Something that wasn¡¯t allowed in the hour of prayers. Another knock. If this was any other day mother Gena would have punished the one doing it that very evening. A final knock. Still no word from the delicate nun who didn¡¯t stop praying.

    At last the door swung open, there were no locks in this orphanage. There she was, kneeling down on a little carpet with runes written on it. Not even a glance was gifted to the white-haired boy. ¡°I gave you a chance mother Gena. A chance to repent for the sins you had committed the last few years by making the other kids hate me. I know you are the cause of that hatred, telling them tales of demons which I resemble, and how they should die. I really thought about forgiving you, if only you had left Oliver out of this. How do the people in the north like us say it? An eye for a pair of ¡®em, a tooth for a hand of teeth?¡±

    Only when she heard his voice did she look around, knowing why this very child came here. Quite a horrifying vision it must have been. That very child she had claimed to be a demon, standing in front of her with a knife and blood-covered hands. Her voice was shaky with great shock and slight fear in her tone. ¡°Dear¡­ Kronos¡­ We can talk about this you know?¡±Every word that left her lips only fueled Kronos¡¯ determination, removing even the microscopic pieces of guilt he had.

    ¡°Mother Gena, you took everything away from me. My hope, my friend, he was a part of me. There is no talking to be done between us.¡± Her eyes radiated panic, she could only try to justify her actions. ¡°That bird was evil, it had evil energy! I-I¡¯ll get you a new one, way more beautiful and kind! Just put the knife down dear, we should never harm family.¡±

    His eyes were big, his glance emotionless, the words had made things worse, there was no replacing to be done. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the other children the same words mother. They¡¯ll get a new mother. You should¡¯ve just put the knife down, after all, we should never harm family. I bet they¡¯ll resent me, won¡¯t they? I guess it is only fair to share, right mother? Just like you told us how your goddess teaches to share. I¡¯ll share my feelings with the other kids, the feeling of grief. I¡¯ll also share the damage you brought to Oliver with you, isn¡¯t that how it is supposed to be mother?¡± he almost spitted out the last word. Disgust and hatred making his body move.

    The child stepped forward, looking down on the nun who was kneeling. He grabbed her hair and twisted her head, making her neck open. ¡°I want to thank you for taking care of sister unlike what you did for me, yet I already hated you as you put her up against me. You went too far, action causes reaction. May you rot in hell Gena.¡± With that, a scream of fear was audible in the entire building, yet the nuns couldn¡¯t stop praying, not yet. The knife pierced both her windpipe and vital blood vessels.

    Kronos retrieved the knife and removed her cloth to unveil her back. He then began carving a text in the dead nun¡¯s skin, just like how Brutus had done into the corpse of Oliver. Blood spurted out of her neck and back, yet the text remained clearly readable. The child got up and moved on to his next target, Brutus.

    Third floor, first room on the right, the room where the 3 male children slept. This time the boy didn¡¯t bother to knock, he just barged inside. All of them were still acting like such kids, that scream Kronos¡¯ previous target had made had scared them so much they were hiding bind a closet. ¡°Aron, John, get out, unless you want to be killed like mother Gena. I have business with Brutus.¡±

    Two heads popped up from behind the closet, pure fear present on their face. As fast as light they sprinted behind Kronos and left the room. The boy closed the door and sat down on a bed that used to be his. ¡°There are three ways we can do this Brutus. You can stay hiding and I¡¯ll kill you when I even spot a single strand of your fucking hair. You can also come out and put up a fight, resulting in torture before death. Or, you come out right now and I let you walk off with some wounds.¡±

    A few seconds of silence passed by before Brutus¡¯ head appeared as well. There were tears in his eyes as he walked towards his hunter. ¡°Sit down¡±, the boy with white hair said. Brutus did as he said, shaking in fear as he looked at Kronos¡¯ bloody hands and that stained knife. ¡°Some might say you just did what mother Gena told you to, but we both know that¡¯s a lie. That word was carved in Oliver by you, and I bet you enjoyed every second of it. So tell me, will it be your hand or eye?¡±

    Brutus looked at him with tears rolling down his cheeks. ¡°M-my eye.¡± Kronos nodded. ¡°I see you still want to become a warrior, but how can I let someone without any morals become a knight? That wouldn¡¯t be right¡­ Oh, I know,¡± a twisted smile spread his lips, ¡°I¡¯ll just have to take your hand anyway.¡± Brutus tried to protest but his fear silenced him. A cold hand grabbed Brutus¡¯ forearm as he closed his eyes, almost peeing his pants. When the sharp metal began cutting he screamed with everything inside of him.

    A minute later Kronos got up while Brutus was lying on the ground passed out from the pain. The child was panting, but there wasn¡¯t any regret, just a sense of peace. So this is what revenge is, it feels great. The boy walked back to his own room and laid down on his bed. A few more minutes until all of the nuns would stop praying, he was curious to see their reactions.

    It didn¡¯t take long before mother Gena¡¯s corpse was found. The words carved in her flesh leaving rumors throughout the entire village, and later the entire province. ¡°If your god is real, she¡¯ll have to beg me for forgiveness.¡±

 Ch 3: Wretched road

    Half an hour had passed, yet no one had even disturbed Kronos in his room. The child was playing with the bloodstained knife as there was a lot on his mind. Their prayers should have finished a while ago, and they should have found the body. Are they scared? Well probably but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll leave me alone.

    Heavy footsteps made the floor outside of his room tremble and soft whispers of men could be perceived. ¡°Come in, the door isn¡¯t barricaded, no need to destroy it¡±, the child said. If his speculations were correct the nuns had called some knights over to either end or restrain him. This was no winnable fight, no point in resisting, unless only death was the option.

    Three men covered in chain mail who each held a one handed sword and a shield entered and surrounded the bed. ¡°We know about your sins devil!¡±, the youngest amongst the three shouted. He was barely an adult, his eyes burned so bright in rage and slight fear. ¡°Calm down Derek, he¡¯s still a child.¡± the oldest spoke. ¡°A child that committed vile acts¡±, the third added. ¡°There will be no unnecessary killing as long as I¡¯m the captain of you two!¡±, the oldest proclaimed, leaving no room for objection.

    Kronos nodded his head. ¡°What your colleague proclaimed is nothing but a truth. I did commit a sin. This may sound selfish, ridiculous even, but I had my reasons. If you¡¯re willing to hear me out I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand it better than you do at this moment.¡± Those words were aimed at the oldest, the one who had a spark of sympathy in his eyes, as if he didn¡¯t want to harm a child.

    The man nodded. ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing to hear you out child. After all, a soul that is judged on accusations is only half worthy of the blame it receives¡± A sentence used by the order of knights, I read it in a book once. They have a weird sense of justice which is pretty cruel and rather fair. I might be able to get away with this.

    ¡°I had a bird, a one of a kind, just like me¡±, he put in a sigh as if actually reminiscing about the memories he had with Oliver. ¡°As your friend calls us, we were both devils, apart from the rest. You can ask all of the children that live here, they might hate me but they¡¯ll answer honestly. I was made fun out of, beaten, left out, the list goes on. The only thing I found peace in was Oliver, that very bird which was slaughtered. I saved him as a hatchling and fed him from the little food I received. Then, mother Gena, who had called me a demon hundreds of times, took him away and executed him. They carved words in his little corpse and snapped his wings to insult me.¡±

    The child shook his head and sighed. ¡°What I did was a sin, I know that. At least I feel like it was a sin committed with a proper reason, instead of slaughtering what is dear to someone. Imagine your wife or child which you treasure was killed by someone and they carved wounds in their body to taunt you, would you leave them alone? If you would then you must be a very good-natured creature.¡± The oldest man looked at Kronos, who¡¯s eyes were watering, and sat down on the bed. ¡°I see. I think I can understand your vision on justice child. Losing someone feels like the end of the world, especially if it is done by someone on purpose. I¡¯ll promise you that death will not get its grasp on you, but you will still be punished.¡± He stuck out his pinkie to sign their promise.

    Kronos was smiling inside, yet also grieving for Oliver. He accepted the offer and stood up. ¡°Follow,¡± the youngest said, ¡°you will be given your sentence soon. Until then you will be under our supervision.¡± He was the only one in the trio who lacked the compassion Kronos had tried to create. They got up and left for the dining room. His sister was sitting at the table, those ice-blue eyes not wanting to meet his. He was requested to sit down while his new guards surrounded him.

    ¡°That is my sister¡±, Kronos spoke to the oldest knight. ¡°She¡¯s a smart girl with a lot of potential. If I have to leave this place, her potential will be wasted, so please give her a chance if that were to happen. Maybe as an assistant, a scholar, a mage. Just please do not let her future be as tainted as mine. After all I don¡¯t wish my only remaining blood in this world to be held accounted for my wrongdoings.¡±

    The words grabbed Rina¡¯s attention, a state of shock took over. ¡°I see, a chance should always be given. If she truly fits the description you gave her it would be a profitable investment for me¡±, the captain spoke. Kronos sighed in relief, another burden removed from his shoulders.

    A man dressed as a scholar ran inside of the orphanage with a scroll in his hands. ¡°I am here on behalf of the mayor. The sentence has been signed.¡± The roll of paper was opened and the punishment echoed throughout every corner of the city. ¡°The cursed boy who was banished to Karvos, the land of demons¡±, it would later become a famous tale told to scare children. A mere child who was corrupted by demons was sent to a place where even the demonkings refrained from entering.

    The old man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That is ridiculous! I object! That is a sentence worse than death which only the worst and most wicked criminals get. The child will be eaten alive by those monster! It is a cursed land where even gods die.¡± Kronos¡¯ eyes widened. Karvos¡­ The land which no race has ever conquered, filled by creatures filled with wicked intentions. What the actual fuck am I supposed to do there?! Those things will use me as a toy. Who knows, maybe even breathing in the air in that land will be my end.

    ¡°It is stated the boy will depart as soon as possible¡­ So let him depart now. Guard Derek has been assigned the roll of guiding the boy there¡±, the scholar said. Even Kronos¡¯ sister seemed to want to object the punishment. It was no place for survival, yet a graveyard for threats. ¡°I accept the mayor¡¯s command¡±, Derek said. The young man was trying to suppress a smile, and Kronos knew it all to well. ¡°Come on kid, time to depart. Wait here until I return with some supplies.¡±

    Kronos felt fear, his mind starting to clear up after everything that had happened this very morning. He stood up and grabbed his pair of unused sandals which laid at the front door. His sister and the two remaining guards stared at him in disbelieve of what was going on.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    A gentle yet hard hand tapped the boy¡¯s shoulder as he was putting on the sandals. It was the voice of the old man, ¡°I am terribly sorry, I cannot help you with this. As a man of my word I feel ashamed to have to go back on my word. I promise to take care of your sister like she was my own granddaughter, and will spend my remaining years in building a bright future for her as a way to repent.¡± Kronos forced a soft smile, ¡°thank you¡±, he whispered.

    The young man returned with a backpack and some travel clothes, destined to be used in cold winters like these. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±, he said from the door opening, his voice was stern, as he was talking to a criminal. Kronos nodded and followed him, stealing a final glance at his sister. Her eyes were watering and Kronos could see himself in her beautiful eyes. There was no devil in that reflection, just a mere brother. At least she stays safe. Although she has done many things wrong, I do not blame her for her acts. Please take good care of my family old man.

    The chapel¡¯s double doors were closed, leaving both the child and his escort. Walking was comfortable unlike the silence between the pair as they began their journey. Maybe I should have worn these sandals earlier instead of letting my feet bleed under sharp rocks. Time ticked by rather slowly as the white haired boy knew the paths they were taking.

    ¡°Can we walk down the pathway on the right? The blizzard has already stopped and that route is faster. There¡¯s also a grave I want to pay my final respect to.¡± The young man scanned Kronos¡¯ body with a disgusted look, but still allowed it. A new layer of snow the blizzard had brought had washed away the trail from Brutus and the boy himself, yet the obsidian stone was still clearly visible.

    The boy knelt down, his hair and skin tone causing him to become almost invisible. Derek was waiting a few steps ahead, unable to make sense of the criminal¡¯s silent whispers. ¡°Your revenge has been taken Oliver, please rest well until I join you¡­ Maybe I won¡¯t, as the heavens would reject me.¡± A snicker interrupted his speech, the water in his eyes almost freezing the same second it was released, ¡°A pure soul like yours should have never been touched by those vile people who claim themselves to be good. Farewell my dearest friend.¡± A tear fell down on the obsidian plate, one of genuine remorse. He got up and signed for the escort to go forward.

    Only the wind singing its melody while playing on the trees leaves could be heard. There was a tension between the two, leaving no room for a dialogue. Kronos, who had never wandered this far off from the orphanage was amazed by the views. The endless freezing mountains in front of them and the bald forests on the sides took his breath away.

    Memories of places like these crept into his mind, memories which were lost. He saw himself standing with his little sister, who was no older than four years back then. They were standing in a lush green forest, both smiling brightly at each other. ¡°Rina¡¯s birthday¡±, he whispered. It was before Kronos had managed to get the both of them in the orphanage, back when they were nothing more than street rats. His head was buzzing, as if recalling the memories wasn¡¯t allowed.

    A bird flying up from a dead tree brought him back to reality, how much time had snapped by or them to be in a forest all of a sudden. Derek, the escort, looked back as he noticed Kronos¡¯ footsteps had lost their rhythm. ¡°Keep moving, don¡¯t even think about sneaking away little bastard.¡± Those blue eyes with their snake like pupils made him shiver. This child was truly a devil, the man was completely convinced of it.

    The sleeping forest they were in was more lively than those mountains. Birds were chirping on the leafless branches and a rabbits could be spotted once in a while. ¡°What¡¯s in that backpack?¡±, the child inquired out of boredom. His escort didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Hello? Are you gonna answer or not?¡±, he pushed. There was still no reaction. ¡°Ugly bastard doesn¡¯t even speak, how boring¡±, Kronos taunted. He could see how the man clenched his jaw, not wanting to give any reaction.

    A few hours had flown by without them taking any breaks. They had been pretty hard on the little one¡¯s mental state as reality began to develop in his mind. Oliver was actually gone, forever at that. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, he was sent off to his death, god knew how long he had left to live. A low growling sound came from Kronos¡¯ stomach. ¡°I haven¡¯t had breakfast today, can you give me some food? Can¡¯t let your prisoner die of starvation, can you?¡±

    Derek quit moving and handed him a round bread, big enough to be a meal on its own. ¡°Eat it while we continue, there¡¯s no point in slowing us down. How old are you anyway child?¡± Without hesitating the boy munched away on the food, not leaving even a single crumb behind. ¡°13 or 14, I think¡­ I haven¡¯t really been counting and today should be somewhere around my birthday so I can¡¯t give an exact number¡±. The man nodded and continued his monk-like silence. Boredom grasped Kronos again, leaving him to scan their surroundings for anything fun. ¡°There¡¯s smoke over there¡±, Kronos noticed, as he pointed his finger towards his discovery.

    The man squinted his eyes to see where the child was pointing at. He simply shrugged his shoulders and spoke with a voice of annoyance. ¡°Probably some travelers, nothing that concerns us.¡± Kronos sighed and continued forward, there really was no way to get rid of his boredom. The child¡¯s eyes were locked on the smoke plume which kept on growing.

    If he¡¯s not bothered by it, it must be normal. Kronos kicked a pebble, making it roll in front of him. When the boy reached where it had halted another kick made it roll forward. This little game continued for a minute or two before his escort noticed and threw the stone away. ¡°You¡¯re such a party-killer, maybe that¡¯s why they chose you to leave the city and escort me.¡±

    Kronos¡¯ eyes sparkled with a challenging flare, knowing all too well what he was provoking. Almost an entire day had they been in one another¡¯s company yet Kronos was already sick of the stiff man. ¡°One more word and I¡¯ll make you arrive in Karvos with a handicap¡±, his voice was threatening. Kronos laughed it off, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t go that far. ¡°Sure sure, big man. You¡¯re all that strong until you face a bit of hardship. I saw how you were shaking when you had to detain me, scared of a mere kid? What a brave warrior you are.¡±

    He snapped his neck around and glared right into the white haired criminal¡¯s eyes. The small criminal had made his short temper reach its boiling point.¡°Wretched evil! You are no mere child, but a devil created to haunt our village. I had known it since I first saw you walking around a few years ago, that such a thing was no human, yet no one believed me.¡±

    Again it was the child¡¯s laughter which filled the dead forest. What a joy it was to piss off the man. ¡°Of course no one believed you. Such a pathetic bastard, I bet you even demotivated some kids from becoming a soldier because of how you act.¡± The veins on Derek¡¯s neck poppet up as he murmured some words. ¡°I will pray for you to perish in hell devil¡¯s child.¡±

    Satisfied with that much Kronos let his eyes wander on the environment again. His blue eyes widened and his voice betrayed a slight insecurity.¡°Uhm Derek¡­ Is it normal for there to be people with drawn swords chasing after us? Like uhm,¡± he gulped, ¡°Some kind of training before we arrive in Karvos or something?¡±. The man looked back and made the same shocked expression as the young criminal he was escorting. ¡°What in all that¡¯s holy?!¡±

    As they were going upwards on a hill the persecutors could be seen from a proper distance, leaving them with a few seconds to prepare for the battle.

 Ch 4: Broken fangs

    ¡°Stand back child! We¡¯re being ambushed!¡±, Derek shouted even though Kronos was right next to him. ¡°Well aren¡¯t you quite perceptive?¡±, the child remarked sarcastically. His emotions were triggered, fear being absent as usual. A possible reason for that was the fact that he had already accepted his end, being sent to Karvos wasn¡¯t something survivable.

    ¡°Four men¡±, Derek mumbled softly. The one-handed sword he had drawn from its sheath was slightly trembling. Why aren¡¯t we running? Did his ego grow so big that it overshadowed his commonsense? Kronos didn¡¯t speak his thoughts out loud and stood behind the man, waiting for the enemies to come within range. He didn¡¯t plan on watching things unfold, knowing it would result in his death.

    As the persecutors came closer to the pair, Kronos could notice they wore light armor and all had a yellow pair of wings on their slaughtering attire. ¡°The holy church?! Why are they running charging at us with such killing intend?!¡±, Derek was panicking, decreasing their odds of winning once more.

    It seemed like he had also noticed who was going for their necks. ¡°Pull your pathetic shit together bastard! What does it matter if its bandits attacking us or paladins? Just make it out alive you stupid coward.¡±

    The young man looked at the child with wide eyes, the child¡¯s words were laced in frustration and anger, pulling him slightly closer to reality. Kronos sculpted the snow at his feet into a ball of compact ice and hid it behind his back.

    Surely not all four of them would fight against this pathetic moron, after all I¡¯ll be their damn target. Kronos noticed the man adjacent to him murmur a very speedy prayer and sighed. ¡°Which imbecile prays to the god whose knights he is about to fight?¡±

    They were now within reach and halted, all four of them well built and beaming off confidence. ¡°We hereby declare the execution of the demon named Kronos! The goddess has judged your soul to be tainted, so will your body be!¡±, the man¡¯s voice was close to robotic, reciting the speech he had chanted hundreds of times before.

    Three of them walked forward and drew their swords, while the one left behind grabbed a scroll and began chanting words in an incomprehensible language. Two out of three swordsmen charged at Derek while the last one walked up to the primary target of their mission.

    ¡°A holy order doing such deeds? Pretty ironic don¡¯t you think? You have a reason to kill me as I killed one of your nuns, but what did that poor man escorting me do? He is a diligent believer in your false god.¡±

    The man gripped his sword, raising it the same way a farmer would till the earth with a hoe. ¡°Do you feel pity for that man, demon?¡±, the paladin asked.

    Kronos laughed whilst looking at the sword above him, ¡°No, I surely do not. I do feel pity for you, as you will die a dog¡¯s death.¡± The man prepared to slash his sword and end the evil organism in front of him. ¡°To die you say, you will not live to see th-¡±

    Before the paladin could even finish his sentence a snowball hit his forehead, obscuring his vision for a fraction of a second. Kronos knew that the surprise he had created would trigger the man¡¯s trained instinct, which would be to strike down even without seeing his enemy. As speculated, his blade came down crashing the moment ice touched his skin. Kronos stepped to the side and used the situation to counterattack.

    The man who was now bowing down, once again astonished by hitting the frozen soil instead of that child he was aiming for. His vision became clear again as the small particles of ice stuck in his iris were melting to his body heat. Two small, cold hands cupping the sides of his head. The last thing the man ever saw were two thumbs with sharp nails charging right at his soul.

    The nearby one-sided clash between two trained paladins and the clumsy warrior halted as Kronos¡¯ victim screamed in desperation and pain. Even the enemy who had been chanting a spell this entire time lost his concentration and quit the never ending sentences.

    All eight eyes were spread wide open at a cruel scene in front of them. Their friend had been a key figure just like anyone else in the squad, but there he was, down on his knees while the demon they despised was standing before him with a glorious expression.

    Kronos felt the hot blood flow on his hands, it had all been calculated, yet reality parted so far from imagination. The sight made him sick, his fingers inside of the man¡¯s eyelids, yet he felt relieved, happy some would even call it. Taking away this enemy¡¯s vision, making him unable to harm the boy felt comforting.

    The child threw the mangled body away after pushing his nails just a bit further. ¡°Reflection is only possible if I survive¡±, he mumbled to himself.

    ¡°You wretched thing!¡±, one of the paladins cried out while charging towards the source of grief. Derek, who wasn¡¯t a complete fool, saw the opportunity and stabbed the man. Led by feelings of desperation he retrieved his short sword. Kronos laughed at how his escort ran up to him and stood besides him, in fear of both enemies and ally.

    The paladin who was stabbed looked at Derek in astonishment and anger, he was tanned which meant his roots probably originated from the south. ¡°You dare to call yourself a warrior?! How filthy!¡±, the man shouted. His allies prepared to strike again while he himself was struggling to even retain the grip on his sword. A red stain spread across the cloth covering his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re not much better, chasing after a child and third-rate knight with four trained paladins¡±, Kronos said, looking for an opportunity to be useful in the fight.

    His eyes locked in at that crying thing at his feet, still screaming and huffing in pain. That sword next to me is way too heavy¡­ Using him as a hostage might work but that mage will probably kill me before I can actually execute my threats. I don¡¯t know how any of that works but it seems there is a very long chanting time. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The proclaimed demon watched over the young man next to him, a dagger on his belt grabbed his full attention. His white slender hand covered in blood reached for the cold, metal hilt.

    His escort was wary of Kronos¡¯ movements but refrained from voicing any complaints, knowing that he was their only hope of survival. Wait¡ªthis is?! The iron dagger felt familiar, its frozen bloodstains stirring old memories in Kronos¡¯ mind. Flashes of mother Gena and Brutus, why did those memories feel so distant already? They happened that morning after all.

    Focus was regained by everyone present, except for the crying soldier who¡¯s tears were invisible do to the blood flowing out of his eyes. He would die soon, it was a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds. The southerner¡¯s eyes darted everywhere in hesitation, not knowing if he should retreat or move forward.

    ¡°Watch out kid, that mage has put his sealing scroll away¡±, Derek said, resulting in a puzzled look on the criminal¡¯s face. ¡°They tried take your soul as a prize, kid. That¡¯s how the church deals with evil spirits. What it means is that he¡¯s going to cast offensive spells from now on, I think. Depending on his way of magic it could be everything.¡± He sighed, knowing none of it made sense to Kronos, ¡°Just be careful.¡±

    Kronos nodded, satisfied by the ability to communicate about possible dangers with his escort. So he can think rationally after all. The small child leaped forward, nature favoring him as he was standing on a higher ground.

    He passed the southerner who was in a state that prohibited him from reacting to such a small target traveling at high speed. His ally understood the sign and charged right behind him, his short sword readied for a piercing attack.

    The mage hadn¡¯t expected the both of them to attack him. Normally this shouldn¡¯t even be possible as he had three guards who specialized in close combat. His only hope laid with the final paladin, if he could just manage to give him ten seconds he could cast a spell to stop the attack. ¡°Olan, stop them!¡±, the mage ordered.

    Haunted, yes that fit him, the man called Olan had a haunted expression. Two of his dearest friends¡¯ future had just been crumbled like a man would do to bread when feeding the ducks, not leaving even a single crumb behind. His eyes lusted for revenge on both of the demon child and the warrior escorting him. He began sprinting like he had never done before, wanting to save his final friend, his final chance.

    ¡°Derek!¡±, Kronos said while getting near the range of close combat with the mage. Derek gave him an affirmative sound, not even a word and got ready to confront the remaining paladin. Like a bull the enemy crashed into Derek, making both of them roll down the hill while trying to kill one another with their bare hands.

    Kronos was about to hit the very flesh he was aiming for when the mage¡¯s mouth began moving, yet no sound came out. Light shined through his cloth as if a tattoo was glowing.

    Half a second later an unexpected force pulled the dagger out of the child¡¯s hand. The force wasn¡¯t strong, a mere trick that would only work when your opponent had severely led his guard down or when he was incredible weak, like a child. A creepy smile spread across the grown man¡¯s face when he saw that his plan was successful.

    Fuck! I have to avoid impact! The young criminal had built up so much speed and momentum from running down the hill, but everything was pointless without that dagger. It would be like a small bird crashing into a window. He jumped to the side and slowed down, panting from the intense action he had just performed.

    ¡°Come on kid, you didn¡¯t expect me to just let myself be killed. Unlike my friend who got his eyes pierced by you, I¡¯m not letting my guard down.¡± The voice let Kronos to step back a bit, this man in front of him was far from physically respectable like his friends, but he was still an adult facing a child.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you scared? You act just like an animal, maybe that¡¯s what you get from spending your free time with a bird. Do you want to hear something funny before you die kid? When we got our instructions they spoke about a delusional child who killed a nun because of an ugly bird. My superior also instructed us to demolish that stupid grave you made for it, saying that there might be an evil spirit inside. The words carved inside that ugly bird quite fit you I¡¯d say.¡±

    The child looked at him, hesitance turning into confusion which then turned into anger. How does he know what was carved in Oliver¡¯s body? They- They destroyed Oliver¡¯s grave?!

    There was no more time to be wasted, the child leaped forwards like a machine fueled by rage. Oliver¡¯s death was already a lot to bare, but destroying the final rest place of someone or something was the most offensive thing there was to be done.

    A fist showed him no mercy, crashing into his abdomen. Kronos gasped for air, his bloody hands trying to kill his opponent. The mage lashed out again, now aiming for the child¡¯s head. Kronos let his body fall backwards to evade while kicking his right feet into the man¡¯s crouch with the momentum. The boy hit the snow hard and scrambled backward, desperate to escape.

    ¡°I¡¯ll end you!¡±, the man huffed out. The man lunged, but Kronos rolled away, dodging most of the impact. One of the man¡¯s arms still managed to wrap around his waist and hold him. An unavoidable hit would come next, one that would send Kronos off to sleep.

    With no other way out the boy jumped up instead of trying to get away. The man who had been balding his fist ready to kill the little one was startled when he saw the boy move towards his face with his mouth open.

    A soft touch between teeth and skin was reacted harshly upon. Kronos impaled the man¡¯s big Adam¡¯s apple and tore it out. It felt disgusting as he ripped skin and muscle out of the man. In complete pain the man began hitting on the child with full force at the core of his fragile body.

    Kronos spit it out and devoured the man once again. Just a bit more, a little deeper. Don¡¯t go unconscious now Kronos, you¡¯ve gotten this far. They call me a demon, then it is only fair for me to act like one. His teeth entered deeper, and reached the artery, cutting it open. Blood drenched his hair and face, almost leaving no room for oxygen.

    While the mage who hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to cast a proper spell would die any second now, his fists continued to break bones. When a few seconds had passed the energy left his attacks and the man¡¯s grip loosened.

    Kronos got up with a few broken ribs and ginormous bruises. Down the hill Derek and Olan were fighting with swords instead of hands now. Tens of deep wounds were marked on Derek while his opponent only had his calves cut by the sword short.

    I have to run, it¡¯s my only possible way of survival. Even if I survive this fight and Derek does as well, he¡¯ll still send me to my death in Karvos. The awful taste of raw human meat hadn¡¯t left his taste buds, just like how the blood was still gluing onto his teeth.

    With a quick scavenge of the man¡¯s lifeless form Kronos left. He had grabbed all the food and water plus the warm coat the mage wore and wrapped it around himself.

    On his way up the hill he picked up that knife which hadn¡¯t been used this fight and the backpack Derek had put aside for this fight. Once the little demon had collected everything he sprinted off, not even giving his escort a final glance before his death.

    That man will have to give up on chasing me with those wounds on his calves. I just need to find a cave or abandoned house where I can stay the night.

    Kronos escaped unscathed, but something inside him felt irreparably shattered. As the adrenaline of the life or death situation began to run out, both his physical and mental state crashed downwards. I did everything that had to be done¡­ So why do I feel so unfulfilled, I should feel happy shouldn¡¯t I?&

 Ch 5: Wicked visions

    Close to an hour had passed since Kronos managed to escape. He had been running the entire time without taking a break, fearing the paladins had back-up chasing him. The sun had begun settling behind nearby mountains, it rapidly removed the final rays of sun from the world.

    The child spotted a small cave on the cliff beside him¡ªa perfect place to sleep and hide. Inside of there he¡¯d be safe from the weather, predators and possible persecutors. As he walked up to the cliff an unplaceable feeling of unease pressured him into analyzing the surroundings. Just to make sure no one could see him entering the cave his eyes darted between the frozen forest. What caught his attention was the lack of sound present at this cliff and its surroundings.

    The area was filled with trees, small rocks, and holes in the cliffside, but there was no breeze or sign of animals. When Kronos looked up in confusion, to see if he recognized the mountain he was standing in front of, memories began to flow into his mind.

    He recognized the mountain¡ªits jagged peak was visible from the orphanage, towering above the region. Closing his eyes, Kronos reached for the distant memories that felt more like dreams.

    ¡°Are you sure they¡¯ll allow us brother?¡±, she asked with a curious voice.

    When he began to hear a familiar voice he opened his eyes again, now in a false reality of the past. Kronos found himself looking through his younger self¡¯s eyes, in front of him was the orphanage and a very young version of his sister.

    His consciousness was a mere spectator, not able to intervene with what sprouted in front of him. No matter how much the boy wanted to speak, it was all futile. His sister pointed towards the mountains, the one Kronos¡¯ physical body was in front of at that moment specifically. ¡°Why can¡¯t we go back to #@!*? Mom and dad will wait for us there right?¡± The body he resided in felt guilt, knowing that no living soul would wait for the two of them there.

    Kronos clutched his head as pain surged through him, dormant nerves reawakening to drag distant memories to the surface. The vision faded back making him feel sick and confused. The thread between reality and illusions felt awfully close to one another, was what he saw real or just a false reality? Stomach acid entered his mouth but he quickly gulped it back in, shivering at the overstimulation of his brains.

    What? How did I forget all of that? Fuck, what is all of this? I¡¯m tired, that¡¯s it, all of this is just because of my fatigue. The boy bit his teeth gathered the remaining energy he had and began to sprint up the cliff.

    Every muscle in his body was begging for rest as he clambered towards the shelter. Climbing wasn¡¯t something new to the child, he had done it hundreds of times to kill his loneliness and boredom at the orphanage. Kronos knew how dangerous it was this time a year, there was a layer of ice on most rocks and the soil was wet, making it slippery and unstable. Something he had learned the hard way.

    Clouds of damp air escaped his lungs when he reached the opening in the cliff. There wasn¡¯t a lot of room, barely enough to crawl into. Like a slithering snake he entered deeper inside the space progressively getting larger as he had hoped.

    When there wasn¡¯t a single speck of light visible Kronos was able to stand up, the ceiling not even touchable with his arms stretched out above him. As he took in the musty air the sound of falling droplets led him to a little pool of cold water. He bowed down like and drunk from it like an animal, his hands being used to support his own weight.

    When the fragile boy finished drinking he utilized the water to cleanse his entire body. The stained cloth clung to his skin, stiff with dried blood and sweat. Kronos stripped off the filthy garments and stepped into the small pool, letting the water cleanse him of the day¡¯s memories. Kronos removed every piece of his attire and bathed in the small pool.

    The water was probably freezing cold, not something that bothered him at all. Ever since he could remember, the child had been immune to the cold. It wasn¡¯t a matter of not feeling it, he was unaffected by it. To him seeing beggars freeze to death in the winter was incomprehensible, a foreign concept. A useful talent which not even the well-educated nuns could name, yet another reason to be seen as different and misunderstood.

    The child¡¯s long nails left scratches behind on his white skin followed by a sigh of frustration. ¡°Why is it so hard to remove?!¡±, he complained at the dried blood on his hands and face. His voice echoed throughout the cave close to seven times. Minutes ticked by, yet Kronos still felt the sticky substance eat away his once pure skin. He gave up on removing the substance and got out of the pool, leaving time to dry him out.

    During the process the by-now-wanted-criminal almost fell asleep. Too tired to continue postponing his night rest he wrapped himself up in the dead mage¡¯s coat and drifted off to the land of dreams.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    At first, his dreams were soft, filled with laughter and sunlight. He was a carefree child again, playing with Oliver in golden fields. But the warmth soured as shadows crept into the vision. An arrow sliced through the air, striking his raven mid-flight. Flames rose in the distance as figures with torches charged into the farmland, their shouts drowning out his screams.

    The child was crying on his knees while those people charged at him and burned down the entire field. As the flames licked at the crops, spitting out nothing but smoke and ashes. When the little human was about to be burned, the flames froze up.

    Those people who haunted him grabbed kitchen knives, the same ones he had used on his first two victims. The attackers were only satisfied when the boy was ripped and scarred into hundreds of pieces, making the vision blur and awakening him.

    Where am I? Kronos rubbed his eyes purposelessly, sweat dripping off of his forehead. The dream had left a bad taste on his emotions, bringing him closer to reality than he had wanted. There was only one reference point for orientation which was the soft sound of droplets crashing every few seconds onto the soft layer below.

    Kronos walked over to it, hesitant to drink the water he had polluted himself. At least it¡¯s better than melting snow. The boy knelt down and slowly took in the liquid, not wanting to know just how much of it was actual water.

    Flickers of entities visited him in the corners of his eyes. Surprised, the boy twisted his neck to see what it was. Nothing.

    He turned his head back to the pool to see Oliver¡¯s corpse inside of the water. His neck ripped off and a symbol carved on the body. ¡°Restoration¡±. Scared to death he crawled backwards and blinked several times. Nothing remained.

    Kronos cautiously approached the pool, heart pounding. The suffocating darkness in the cave seemed to twist his senses, conjuring nightmares from shadows. He waved a hand over the water, confirming it was empty. No corpse, no symbol¡ªjust his imagination tormenting him.

    Gently he patted the water to feel if the corpse was really there. Relief washed over him as he confirmed its absence before he continued drinking.

    Once he had quenched his thirst, Kronos fumbled for his backpack and the cave¡¯s entrance. Navigating in complete darkness was an infuriating challenge.

    Kronos spotted light from outside and crawled his way back. There wasn¡¯t a single cloud in the air, allowing the sun the shine brightly from its highest point. ¡°It¡¯s noon already?¡± The child adjusted how the heavy backpack was resting in his shoulders before descending the cliff.

    While climbing down his mind wandered of to the dream he saw, like a dog without a leash running of without its owner, then it wandered towards the hallucination. Unfocused, he misplaced his foot and almost fell down from a dangerous height. Kronos snapped out of his thoughts and quickly regained his composure.

    As his feet touched the frozen grass he leaned against the cliff. Pull yourself together you wretched thing! What now? I escaped as I wanted, so pull your shit together before all your effort goes to waste. The rations I have will last me a few days, a week at most. Living on my own is not an option, especially not in these mountains. I¡¯ll have to go down in the directions we were originally going and find a village or something alike there.

    Kronos¡¯ eyes wandered at the sky to orientate himself. Proceeding his action by walking towards a high point and interpreting the landscape behind the mountains. A beautiful view capturing what looked like an entire world to Kronos.

    In the far distance, behind a small sea laid Karvos, yet that sea couldn¡¯t even be seen from where he stood. A bit to the northeast was a village with thin brick walls protecting it. The child looked around a bit more, his eye falling upon a thick forest which still had all of its leaves. All of the roads and pathways went around it, none entering the clearly shorter route.

    What a weird place, I wonder if the climate is different there maybe. It looks like a good place to hide for a while. It would take a day or three to reach it, a doable distance. It¡¯s decided then. Kronos began running down the steeps hills. Fresh air blew his white hair up, the refreshing feeling making him giggle. All of those burdens and the layers of feelings he couldn¡¯t decipher faded into the distance. A remedy which lasted for a few minutes.

    The fulfillment of moving his sore body freely ended rather quickly. As the boy arrived down the foot of the mountain he had stood on his thoughts began to blame himself. How can I feel such joy after what I have done? The child continued to maintain a proper running pace while crossing the next mountain.

    Just what is wrong with me? I killed three people yesterday, three! I was also the cause for two others¡¯ death , it should bother me! The memories of the orphanage and Oliver¡¯s death already feel so far away but it happened yesterday!

    Deep down Kronos knew all too well his hatred and instinct overshadowed the feeling of trauma and guilt. Mother Gena was completely justified for him and those two paladins picked a fight first.

    The child just despised how he couldn¡¯t fit in the image of a ¡°human¡±. It wasn¡¯t the lack of guilt but the loneliness that killed him. Somewhere in the corners of his mind there were still shards of wanting to fit in, of being just a normal child.

    The teen reached a new viewpoint, allowing him to guide himself towards the forest which end couldn¡¯t be seen. Close to ten roads, both big and small went around it and now Kronos could also see not a single chopped down tree.

    Deep footprints were engraved into the snow as he ran forward again. There was no concept of stopping in mind, only the short orientation breaks at high points. Mountain after mountain the boy sprinted through the mountains.

    The sun began to climb down the horizon, yet Kronos kept on running with great resistance. The soil below him had evolved from thick, white snow to a layer of hard, lifeless dirt. His legs burned, they screamed for redemption, just like his soul. The feeling brought the child a sense of comfort, as if he was punishing himself for his bad deeds.

    I should seek shelter nearby, tomorrow will be another day of running. It¡¯s good that I¡¯m progressing faster than expected. I think I can reach the forest by tomorrow evening if I take the same pace as today.

    The child slowed down and searched for a safe spot to rest.

 Ch 6: Dark white

    As the first rays of sunlight broke through the horizon, Kronos stirred from his restless sleep, his weary body urging him to press on. He calmed his hunger with some dried food from the backpack and silenced his thirst with some molten snow before heading off. His legs were sore before even starting the day but he kept on going.

    The terrain was a lot more comfortable to run on than yesterday as the mountains were behind him. Kronos ran on top of a low cliff made from frozen dirt and stone. He was sure the roads next to him would be faster to run upon, maybe he could even get a lift. The only thing that held him back was his wariness of being detained or questioned. The possible risks didn¡¯t outweigh the possible rewards.

    The landscape around him was beautifully accentuated by the early sun. Small clouds could be seen in the distance which seemed to light up by the orange light. Birds were flying in great flocks and small animals were running across the fields. Every single thing seemed to have a place and purpose, they all created one piece of art. Kronos inhaled sharply at the serene beauty of the landscape, but the momentary peace twisted into self-loathing. What¡¯s the point? he thought bitterly. I¡¯m no better than an animal, just chasing survival. They had no free mind, no concept of worries about the future. There was no point in longing for only the plausible of their freedom without receiving the detestable helplessness and lack of intelligence.

    Hours passed by slowly under the harsh circumstances. The child had taken a single break to fill up his stomach and let his food settle down before going onward. Kronos¡¯ legs felt like they¡¯d give in any second now. To keep himself moving he made up illusions that he was being chased by monsters or paladins.

    A second break was made when something on a distant road caught his attention. What¡¯s that? The boy squinted his eyes to see what was going on in the distance. He could see a caravan of knights and horses with big, black banners marching on the biggest road in the region.

    Knights were rare in these parts of the kingdom, unless they were a new batch going to the border to protect, which was pretty unrealistic. They were too far away for the boy to properly inspect and he wanted to keep it that way. Passing and local knights were the first to be notified of local criminals or governmental targets. No good in seeking risks.

    Heart pounding, Kronos bolted toward the woods, his eyes darting back to the distant caravan of knights. Each step felt like a gamble, the looming treeline both salvation and a reminder of the risks he couldn¡¯t afford to take.

    Every once in a while he spit on the ground, his mind tricking him into believing there was still blood in his mouth from killing the man with his natural weapons. Small pieces of raw human flesh was still trapped between his teeth, slowly being digested by his saliva.

    Kronos¡¯ tempo had slowed down as the sun began to set. He now stood in front of the ginormous forest which had seemed like a world away yesterday. A slight feeling of intimidation and anticipation washed over the child¡¯s mind because every single conifer towered above him. They were stiffly dancing to the song of the wind, as if warning one to not interrupt ballad.

    The boy was panting like a dog and felt like he was about to throw up from the intense physical labor. A painful feeling burned away his throat from a lack of hydration. Kronos gathered all his remaining feelings present in his mind to push him further. His body had long given up on him, only a will for safety and reaching his destination pushed him forward.

    He entered the forest, taking time to analyze any potential threats. Light withered away like spring flowers in autumn. Kronos sought a place to rest, a place where he wouldn¡¯t be disturbed at night. His mind played tricks on him again, or so he thought, seeing figures in trees from the corner of his eyes.

    Over the past hours, shadows had taken on sinister shapes in the corner of his vision. Paranoia gripped him, each flicker of movement stoking the fear that someone, or something, was watching. Only ignoring the hallucinations had relieved a bit so the child didn¡¯t bat an eye at them.

    The boy found a bed of moss between ancient rocks, hidden away from his surroundings. He put his bag down and used it as a pillow, not wanting to waste any time before taking his rest.

    The sound of wind blowing through the conifers brought a relaxing atmosphere, calming both body and mind while the boy drifted away from reality.

    Kronos woke up to the distant sound of voices. For a moment he had thought to be back in the orphanage, that everything he had been through was just a long nightmare. The boy tried to open his eyes but was greeted with the same darkness from when they were closed.

    In utter confusion the boy raised his arms to rub his eyes. Did I go blind? There was no feeling in his arms, or in any part of his body he realized. He was completely numb in every part of his body. Fear washed over him, did I die? No, I can still hear.

    Kronos leaned his head forward, not knowing if his muscles were actually moving or not. In automation, his eyes began blinking, the reaction picked his interest. Why do I blink? Does it need to replenish the fluid in my eyes? Is there something on my eyes blocking my vision? A blindfold?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°H-hello?¡± the child stumbled quietly, ¡°Is anyone there?¡± No reaction came. The voices in the distant began to grow more clear, it was a language Kronos couldn¡¯t understand. Abduction was the only thing that came to mind. But why would they keep me alive? Didn¡¯t the paladins want me dead? He took a deep breath through his nose, trying to receive any information.

    The air was musty and had a smell of herbs to it. It was clear he was no longer in the forest, well at least not where he had fallen asleep. He was inside of a room, that much was sure. His head began buzzing, sending waves of pain and flashes of visions over him. They were like images from someone else¡¯s perspective. In his left eye an, image appeared, interrupting the endless darkness.

    He saw himself curled up on the moss, surrounded by four cloaked beings who towered over him. Whatever he was looking through was high up in the trees and had eyes on both sides of its head like a bird.

    The image flickered like a broken projection, hazy yet clear enough to reveal four cloaked figures, each armed with bows and daggers. Their weapons seemed to be bows and daggers unlike of what the paladins had used two days ago.

    After a few seconds the vision faded and another image was one of the figures twisted around facing the point of view with its bow drawn. An arrowhead found itself a finger length away from the perspective. Whatever Kronos was looking through had died the moment after this vision was taken.

    The image faded away again, as did his headache. Kronos calmed down slightly, whatever had abducted him were no paladins, negotiating was probably an option as he was still alive. He took a deep breath and raised his voice. ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± This time his voice was confident and twice as loud as the previous attempt to gain attention.

    The chatter outside the room halted and a door could be heard swung open. ¡°Laeris¡¯vath, ethil anorath te valin¡±, a voice spoke. Their tone was mocking and belonged to what sounded like a young man. ¡°What?¡±, Kronos asked not having even the slightest idea of what was told.

    The man cleared his throat. ¡°So it¡¯s true you aren¡¯t one of us or our relative¡­ Just what in the nine hells are you? You look like a human¡­ but you have white hair and no smell, on top of that I can¡¯t detect that craving human soul, that never ending greed towards everything. You have desire, yes, but not in the way humans have it. Your soul craves directly on a few things with all it has, unlike wanting everything but hiding the desire which humans do¡­ Tell me young one, what are you?¡±

    Kronos could hear that the person struggled to speak the human language. There were a lot of grammar mistakes in it but the essence was still understandable. The being standing next to him might have a somewhat friendly tone but it was clear, the wrong answer would result in immediate death.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, the boy said slowly, considering his opportunities, ¡°I have no idea what I am. I always thought I was a human but well¡­ I¡¯m not very welcome amongst them. I don¡¯t know, but does that matter? All you need to know about me that I wanted to seek shelter in this forest as all roads avoided this place. I didn¡¯t know it was inhabited by anyone. It was just an accident so why don¡¯t you just let me go?¡±

    The man laughed and walked closer to him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you quite stupid? I¡¯m sure the fact that no roads enter the forest makes it clear humans tend to avoid us. Well whatever you are, young one, you¡¯re no human, at least not a pure blooded one. Maybe a mutation, closer to a monster than you are to humans. That mutation might have just costed you the little intelligence humans have.¡±

    Another voice interrupted the man in an annoyed and impatient tone, it belonged to a young woman, she spoke in the human language so that Kronos could understand what she said.

    ¡°Tarum, if you don¡¯t stop wasting my time by doing unnecessary stuff like this I¡¯ll cut off your remaining ear. The elders have decided that the kid is allowed to stay as a guest because of that thing. If you go against those words and don¡¯t do what was requested of you I will make sure to roast you altogether with the boar I caught tonight.¡±

    Kronos was surprised to hear her speak, not having detected her presence at all when he had been talking with the young man. The message the woman brought was a pleasant enlightenment. ¡°I-I¡¯m allowed to stay? I won¡¯t be killed?¡±, he asked in relief. A moment of silence consumed the room before both of the entities in the room began laughing.

    ¡°¡®Kill you?¡¯ The young man barked a laugh, nearly doubling over. ¡°We¡¯re dark elves, not savages. What kind of stories do humans tell their children about us?¡±

    Kronos was still dizzy in the head from what was going on but his posture was rather relaxed. ¡°Well you were the ones who made me wake up blinded and without feeling anything. Wait, dark elves? I think I read about that somewhere¡­ ¡±

    The woman chuckled and walked closer to the bed Kronos was laying on. ¡°Well I would¡¯ve been thinking the exact same if I was in his place so I can¡¯t really blame him.¡± Her voice was now directed at Tarum again, a hint of sarcasm in it. ¡°After all, which imbecile would use the highest grade narcotics on a boy who is barely old enough to survive on his own.¡±

    While Tarum began complaining in the unknown language the woman asked Kronos to part his lip so she could give him the antidote. The boy complied to the request and gulped down all the medicine that was given to him.

    ¡°My name is Esvia child. Do you mind telling me what yours is?¡±, the woman¡¯s hands removed the blindfold Kronos was wearing, allowing him to see the world once more. Light teared up his two eyes, leaving him to adapt steadily. ¡°My name is Kronos¡±, he mumbled softly, still far from comfortable enough to disclose his personal information.

    She hummed affirmative, ¡°Kronos¡­ A name I¡¯ve heard before. Your body will be back to normal in a few hours, try to get some rest and put your mind in the right place kid. Some old people will probably visit you soon after the two of us leave, be sure to speak with honesty and respect to them. They may be strict and stubborn, but deep down, they¡¯re kind and strong.¡±

    The child tried to give her a simple nod but his body refused. As his vision returned, Kronos focused on Esvia. Her pitch-black hair framed sharp hazel eyes that radiated authority. She appeared no older than twenty-five, but Kronos knew from his readings that elves could be decades older than they seemed. The realization only left him more confused than he had been.

    Tarum stood a bit further behind her. The young man had only one pointy ear and the same black hair with Hazel eyes as Esvia. ¡°We¡¯ll see you around Kronos. Maybe next time it will be as kin.¡± With that both of them got ready to depart and walked out of the hut. Kronos¡¯ eyes wandered over everything he could without moving his head.