Hello guys! My name is Magnus Firewood and I am twelve years old! I am a simple youth who lives in dirty and cold streets and you may be thinking: (Wow, that's cool!) Well, Nah… It doesn't, not cool man.
This place is really moldy, slimy, sometimes it reeks of a smell of carcasses of small rodents beasts, so yeah not a good place to live in. Well, I couldn't find a good place to live in, I mean, I'm just a beggar! So it's better for me to deal with it.
I eat street food, well not really. But, I do eat street foods except... Literally, they are just leftovers in the trash. Eww right? Well, can't help it. I need to eat or else I would die in starvation, and my daily allowance is just 1 white crystal and nothing can be bought from that, maybe a tiny piece of a candy. Oh, by the way, it's the currency of this world.
Anyway, right now. My luck had just kissed someone ass! I got a handful of street (garbage) foods! Enough for today's meal, what I need right now is to take an extremely (not) clean water from the river and a place to eat in silence.
Well, you see. I am a beggar and this place is a big city from the Navarre Kingdom, well you could say that this is the capital of the city called, Nirn. Lame name right? Well, can't blame the city ancestor.
So, the thing is... THERE are a lot of beggars in this city, well it's not a really shocking thing to say, but fight among beggar are extremely common in the place, and city enforcement guards usually don't care when a fight broke out among us beggars. I mean, come on, who would want to get involved in the world of puny and pitiful beggars. You? Well, you can't come to this world, so thanks.
Any waaay...
Just to avoid these dirty scums, I would rather eat in a silent away from crowded places where beggars usually went to ask blessings to the common people, such as streets, plaza, and markets. Heh, to avoid those people, I would just eat in the nearby forest, and if the weather is bad, I would eat in the cold but awesome alley. It's lonely but still awesome.
As I walk in the street, with my food underneath my dirty and greasy clothes while carrying a waterskin full of river water, I finally found a place to eat! Yay, but... Somehow, it feels weird...
"Pah! Who cares... I will just eat here anyway... It's not like I'm going to steal or something." I spat as I grumpily walk inside the alleyway with my awesome confidence as I puffed my chest up.
As I go deeper and deeper to the alleyways, the uncomfortable I got. It is dark and cool, and this is what I hate. Dark and cold places... It just reminds me of my horrible past.
"Damn it..."
I feel regretful coming to this places just thinking of that, about... Reminding my past when I was young. My fake energetic personality and great confidence had finally gone back to normal.
I looked back and when I finally saw that the street is already a couple of meters away. I finally sat annoyingly with a frown look in silence.
I took out my plenty of leftover food and despite it had a foul smell; I have to deal with it to cope with my hunger. I sat there in silence and slowly nibbling my food.
"Ugh, it tastes shit!" I spat out the single piece of meat before eating on another side of the meat, which in fact really delicious. Somehow, it made me think that the first bite that I ate taste like someone's saliva...
Ugh... That's disgusting...
...
Minutes had passed, I had finally finished the food and drank a plenty of water from my waterskin.
"Puha~! That was good!"
Soon enough, I took another leftover food and ate it like it was a freshly cooked meat from a restaurant.
Anyway, since I'm already annoyed by remembering my past life, I should tell you what is my life back then. Since it wouldn't hurt that much, you should be glad that I am going to talk about my past life.
***
47th Era of the year 2001 in the month of ashfall, which is, fall (Duh) and at the day of twenty-one, I was born.
I am born in a wealthy family of Firewood clan, our family consists of demi-humans and normal humans, there is no discrimination between the family, and you could say that we are a big happy family.
The influence of Firewood clan in the kingdom of Navarre was well known and feared by the many. Our clan consists almost fifth to eleventh generations, why? Demi-humans live longer than normal humans do, our clan leader is a patriarch, and he was my great-great-great-great grandfather and a powerful one.
I don't know what is his real power but, rumors had said that my grandfather had reached the martial realm of King rank, which is a pretty high rank in this kingdom.
Well, meanwhile my father was actually very talented in the family, he was well regarded from the tenth generation as the most powerful on his generation in the clan, and he could even beat my grandparents from seventh to the sixth generation. Father is actually a pretty bright person, no one hates him and he is one of the pillars of my family clan.
His laughs and smiles are dazzling which could make people around him positive and be friends with him, even those people who usually had an awful personality, they get better when they are with him. It was as if, he was a god of happiness or whatsoever.
Because of his powerful strength and a good looks from our family, many young, old and even grannies had fallen in love with him. Oh, by the way. The Firewood clan had the same traits of physical appearance, we are usually tall people around 6' foot tall, with auburn hair, and hazel eyes like the color of fall leaves.
We had fair white skin, although most of us like to spend outside many of us had a tanned skin... Well, most humans by the way, since the sun wouldn't affect demi-humans and they could basically move their muscles and even magically change their skin color and appearance if they wanted to.
In short, demi-humans are the cool ones, they have martial skills, and using their anima and mahika skill, they could create an elemental powers base on their affinity and they could even make an oath to a so-called elemental beast!
Meanwhile... the humans are the lame ones, well... They really don't have special abilities or anything that could make them special and they die easily. These humans had black hair and black eyes.
But... You know what's weird?
The humans in my clan don't have those physical qualities like most humans do. They share the same traits of demi-humans in the clan and what's even weird about is, all from my clan are born in the month of fall. Literally, everyone from my clan.
So yeah...
Since my father is a big shot from my family, he got a lot of marriage proposal from different duchy and lords in this kingdom. However, he declined them all! Which in fact pretty shocking, well, to my knowledge, having a great power and wider influence is a very good thing.
But it was his decision in his life and he decided that it was right and that guys how my father met my mom.
My father is a demi-human at the rank of Bishop Rank at that time and you might think: (Oh! Oh! so your mother is a powerful one too? Or a daughter of a god? Or anything that has a powerful body and yada yada...)
Well, Nah. My mother is a normal human. Which in fact made the entire family shocked by his decision. However, the thing is... My mother is actually quite a big deal even if she is a human; her background was unknown to me because it was regarded as a top secret in the clan.
Even before I could see my mother, she had vanished after giving a birth to me. Yep, it sucks because I never know what she looked like; I don't even know her name! And her dial number! When I asked my father or other higher rank such as grandfather and grandmother about my biological mother, they always keep their mouth shut... Since I got this personality of being impatient, I got bored inquiring and gave up finding anything about her.
Well, since I got something awesome that made me forgets her.
So what I got is a Step-mother. An awesome and lovable Step-mom, heck, she was my favorite and the only mother I loved dearly, because she loved me despite being stepson, she cares for me and she is really beautiful too.
She is a demi-god at a Sky-Slayer rank and yep she could fly!
Btw, my father's name is actually Ashdown Firewood, yeah... I found my father's name really funny but I don't know why... But surely, my grandparents had a terrible naming sense.
Meanwhile, my Step-mom name is Celine Aveline Firewood. Awesome name right? Heh, darn right.
She is a beautiful woman, she is tall but slightly smaller than father, she is like around 5'8 to 5'11? I dunno, I never ask. She's from the royal family of Navarre, and her beauty is absolutely top notch! as well as her cooking!
My Step-mom Celine had a red or ginger hair; her eyes were yellow and sweet as honey. Her skin was very soft like a baby's skin and her hair is my favorite, she has curly hair and fluffy on top of that!
However, being perfect like her... Is not really good. She was always unfortunate and unlucky. She has a difficulty to bore a child, almost all demi-humans are like that, the older you get, and the higher your rank is, the possibility of having a child are decreasing.
She has also a pride yet fear to have her body defiled, even if she is married to father, my father had only touched her only three times... Wait! Before you could ask: (How in the world did you know that?) Well, you see... I'm very good at gossiping, and father has always been an honest person, he couldn't make his mouth shut if kept being pestered.
I've learned this when the king of the kingdom had inquired father on how many times he had touched my step-mother, he was a doting father by the way if you don't know... Nevertheless, it ticks me off, like, why the hell he should care?
My father is a great man, and he followed what she wants and the 'Don't's'
And because of me being his child, my step-mom had considered me as her own blood son, which is cool but also made me relieve during those early years. She loved me, I loved her as my mom, and we're cool.
So, me on the other hand. I had an average look from my entire clan; I don't have much that talent in a martial way since I am just a half demi-human. Moreover, my mother is said to be human, but 'special'.
I got her looks and my talent, meaning I suck at martial art. I got her looks because my hair has a different shade of color. It's dark green but I still had an auburn hair but in some area, well, I could say that it looked like just high lights.
My eyes are like mixed of aquamarine and emerald colors, well I dunno. I never really look at the mirrors, it's not my hobby.
Having an awful talent in the martial way and different looks from the entire members of the clan, I am not taken seriously by them and since I am the son of their one of their pillars and the star of the entire clan. They really don't bother me and just set me aside.
However, despite that, my stepmom would always train me in hand to hand combat using swords and even spears, and what I hate about training with her is that she would constantly smack my butt when I slip or made an opening. (It hurts like hell, I tell ya.)
Before I could reach nine years old where things got dark, I was raised perfectly by my parents, they don't neglect me that much despite being incompetent and I love them being like that, so in return, I would always return their favor by doing good things, like house chores, helping in their works, and most of all, free massage! (Yeah! Nobody doesn't like that!)
My mother at her free time, she would always carry me on her back and fly around in the entire county in this country. When I fly, I could always feel that my soul is being lifted to a relaxing manner, I could always feel that I am free and I can touch the clouds where it seems it would be impossible to reach.
At a magic hour before dawn, while flying above the clouds. The reddish yet golden sun and huge chunks of clouds create a fascinating view of the horizon.
While flying, my stepmom had said something very unusual, "Magnus, if there was a day that I couldn't return or died somehow and you missed me, you could always see the sun at this moment or at this hour to remind me, your stepmom." She said it like it was serious but I could also feel her hesitation on saying that.
"Pft, No way. Mom, you're strong and cool, you wouldn't die because you're powerful! And I will protect you before someone could hurt you." I pouted while looking at my stepmom's beautiful honey eyes.
She is carrying me like a princess, and seeing the full view of my mother's beauty would always fascinate me. Her ginger hair has the same hue of a sun on the horizon and her eyes reflect the rays of the sun that it made it look shiny.
"Heh, what a cheesy thing to say... Okay brat! Hold on tight and I'm gonna dive in 123!"
With that, I screamed like silly as my mother suddenly dived down. It was so scary that I almost peed to myself; well somehow, it only made it on the tip. (Heh)
However, the thing that she had said, had somehow made me want to remember it, and so, here I am, recalling word-by-word and scene-by-scene which was exactly the same.
So, years had gone by.
At year 47th Era of the year 2009 in the month of Ashfall at the day twenty-one. It was my ninth birthday. Which was the start of my hellish life.
Before the day of my birthday, both dad and mom went for a mission but before they leave, they woke me up, early in the morning.
Still dizzy at that time, I hardly looked at my parents, "Dad, mom it's too early..." I was too lazy to complain but it was the only thing I could say to them. But as soon as I wiped my sleepy eyes, I saw their serious looks on their faces.
"Son, your mother and I will go out to do our task..." My father hardly said that as if he was holding back something, well what could you expect when you had an honest dad that hardly lies... But at that time, I didn't notice it.
"This early?"
"Yeah... We gotta leave now and tomorrow is your birthday, I can't be late right? But, son, you have to remember, I and your mother loved you dearly." My dad smiled at me as he brushed my hair, it always made me feel warm and loved when he always do that.
"You better be!" I punched my father on his chest and surely it would be only a tickle to him.
"Okay, step aside hon, my turn." My stepmom grabbed father by the shoulders and pulled him back while she stepped forward and came closer. She leaned her body forward in my bed and with a peck of her lips on my forehead, it feels awesome.
That kiss on my forehead felt like it was the best gift that I had ever had, coming from mom.
I couldn't help to giggle and hugged her, "Mom, you two better be here tomorrow okay?"
"Hehe, sure... Well, then, we gotta go now."
"Okay." I lightly pushed my body away from her and smiled warmly at my parents. "Farewell son, be a good boy as always okay?" said mom when she went towards my father and the two of them gave me a long stare that for a second it felt weird, it was the feeling that they are going to leave me...
But because I am stupid back then that I believe that they would really return back and nothing serious would happen to them, I cast that feeling aside and waved my hand at them.
With a click of a door, I went back to my slumber...
I woke up in the morning, cooked a light breakfast, cleaned the house, and do my daily chores. Oh, you might be thinking where do I live? Well, my entire clan lives in an extremely large compound and each member had their own houses, what separates them is a wall. My parents and I live in the inner area and life here was easier and lovely.
When the time had come, where I can't do anything anymore, and my growing impatience as well as boredom, It feels hell to stay idle and doing nothing because there is nothing to do more.
But, I waited and waited and waited and waited once again until the sun had fallen on the horizon and darkness on the outside had completely covered the world.
Because of non-stop waiting, I had fallen asleep when someone had bang the door really crazy.
*Bang!*Bang!*Bang!*
I woke up straight with my drool dripping on the couch, I walk towards the door and opened it with a smile on my face. I think it's mom and dad, finally!
I was kinda excited that time, but when I opened the door and noticed who was it, my smile had turned upside down.
"You're being called by the patriarch."
It was a fellow member of an inner clan, but this dude only acts as a messenger. But anyway, I did not know how to respond, but it made me nervous when I saw his bloodshot eyes and reddish nose, it was as if he mourned onto someone.
"O-okay." It was a pathetic answer and I stuttered on top of that, but I couldn't help it, because I feel scared suddenly but felt weird.
So, I took my keys, locked the door, and follow this dude to the main house of the clan. When I went there, more and more clan member unusually came and passed me at this time and it feels uncomfortable the farther I got.
Because those people had the same bloodshot eyes, a red or a runny nose, and tears could be seen on their faces.
Did someone die? It was a stupid question that came to my mind, which in the end made me suck my tongue back.
Soon, when I entered the main house in the entrance, a pack of clan members had blocked the way, at that distance, I could hear multiple wailings and shouts from different mouths. And when I passed through those masses, I finally stepped inside the house.
In the hallway, high ranking members stood there like "U" as they face towards me but not looking at me but looking at the two box crates in the center with a pained look on their faces.
Weirded by their expression of my family clan, I looked at the two black box crates enough for a person to fit in there in straight position. But in the end, I concluded that this is a coffin.
"Master, I brought Magnus as you wished." The butler-like family member of mine, who came along with me bowed at our clan master and said that in a respectful manner.
Our clan master looked at me and I could feel those fierce eyes feel like they want me to burn in stakes.
"You there, get here and pay some respect to your parents." His voice was deep like a dragon, his voice alone could make me feel weak after it made me intensely shook.
However...
"Eh? Dad and Mom? Where?" I got excited and looked around the surrounding, but weirdly, I found no one that resembles my father and mother a bit.
"Here. In front of me... These two people right here..." He couldn't point but he looked at the two people inside the coffin, and his voice still had some pained voice and expression on his old face.
"E-eh?" I was taken back by his response and his signals that those people on the two coffins were both my parents.
I couldn't believe that they died, I don't want to believe that they died, and most of all, I refuse to believe that they really died and left me alone in this world...
"N-no..." Those are the word I could only muster to say out loud, I staggered as I slowly and terrifyingly walked towards the two coffins.
It was that moment in my life that my heart felt like it was hit by something big and shattered to dust when I saw the two familiar faces of the two corpse. It was my father and my stepmom; it was the two people whom I care and love in this world.
Now, they had passed away, leaving me behind in this lonely and cruel world...
Even at that time, there's something stupid idea that had come to my mind, it was an idea and a feeling that these two corpses are not real, but there are no such things as a miracle for them to be alive, the two corpses looked real to deny the fact it's a fake.
Reviving someone is not mortals could do, but to those who had stepped divinity can.
Maybe, I still refused to believe that they really died that's why I felt like that.
But soon enough, I've come to realize that these clan members of mine had suddenly talked at their backs that I could definitely hear it and not only that, they are full of disgust, disappointment, and disapproval.
"Is that the son of Ashburn? He looks weak and still hasn't broken through elementary rank."
"He doesn't have a talent of his father, he is the son of a witch, and top of that, he took the appearance of his mother, God I want to puke."
"What's more, this useless bum would be needed to be fed by us!"
Yeah, they're right and that's cool because I agree too right now. But, at that time, it felt hard and painful, since my family clan is turning their backs on me, I had no more hope and it felt like, this is not my home anymore. To the point that I don't belong to the family of Firewood.
I looked to our patriarch, and I saw his disappointment on his face, but he took something on his pouch and gave it to me.
"This is one of an item along with a letter that your father wanted me to give it to you. It was said, that this is your birthday gift."
I took the item and the letter.
"Now, go. I don't want to see your face again." His powerful voice made my heart shook.
My eyes are full of tears, I was trembling since before. I want to refute, I want to look at my father, and mother's faces and give them a hug and tell them, I've waited and waited, I'd be a good boy and ask them that this is a lie. However, I couldn't do it, our clan master is extremely powerful to the point that in one flick of his finger, I would turn into ashes.
Angry at myself and angry at everyone, I bit my lips and turned away as I ran. I don't care if I keep bumping at someone, because what is on mind right now is the faces of my parents and a word floating above them.
"Revenge" was the word.
Revenge? You must be kidding, I am weak and not talented, can I get revenge with just a cooking skill or home chores skills to defeat a killer? I bet it won't.
As I ran back towards home, I took my keys out and my hands are shaking intensely creating different sounds of the keys.
I walked inside and with a bang of the door; I locked it once again and sat on the floor.
Tears had finally welled up in my eyes and yeah, soon enough, I cried a lot. Releasing all the tension in my heart, all the sorrow, and sadness within in my heart.
I felt useless. I'm not amazing like my father. I got zero talent in the martial skill that I took from my unknown human biological mother, whom I feel angry at.
It was her fault for me being born in this world, so useless and so lame. She should have been eaten me using her mouth not being released inside. Woah there, I did not think of that during those years, I just added it up right now.
I looked at my crumpled letter that my father had written, it was so bloody, but I don't care. I opened and read it.
//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////
To my son,
Happy birthday my son, man, I feel uncool dying before getting on your birthday. It sucks but I gotta say, it feels hot getting stabbed like what? A thousand times? Yet I am alive at the moment writing this letter.
What's important is, I love you my son, your mother and I, love you, not only that, your biological mother had always loved you, she was crying when she parted away from you, it was very painful for her, however, her existence is very sensitive in the outside world. She is special, she could not stay in this world of us, and she would be hunt down by the emperor Jade if she stayed any longer.
You will meet her, as long the fate wills it. I got a gift for you, it was a gift from your biological mother before she could go, and she said, I have to give this to you at your 18th birthday, but it seems I would not be able to give it to you.
This thing is called a 'Wand' I don't know what are those things, but it's an amazing weapon, it doesn't work on anima but used something called 'Mana' to power these weapons. Although it wouldn't work that way, you had to speak 'spells' and if I recall, your mother uttered the word "Fus" or "Fos" I dunno, it's a weird language. However, that made me roll away as I got knocked back a hundred meters away.
Keep this thing well, I couldn't help you but live son, live and find your happiness... Farewell, my son.
//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////****//////
With just that, he ends it with bloody writing, even the words are hardly written making it almost impossible to read, it's like reading a letter made by a dragon that couldn't handle the quill well.
Anyway, I was there sitting on the floor while leaning my back against the door. Comprehending the words that my father had said. I looked at the item, and it was a white wooden ring. It doesn't seem terrifying or doesn't feel powerful. To me, it's just a normal white wooden ring.
My fingers were too small to fit the ring in my finger, but I did make it as my necklace at some time.
During that time, I was thinking what to do.
I feel defeated or loss, no path to take, but there's something I want to do, and that is to find my biological mother and find the reason how my dad and mom died.
And since I lost everything, and I don't welcome here anymore, this compound is not my home anymore, I don't belong in this place.
I took my bag, filled it up with clothes, food, money, water, and some survival items. I folded my letter and tucked it in inside the bag.
Without informing my clan members, my friends, and my plants and animals in my yard, I left home.
So, because I had a shallow understanding and the danger of the outside world, I almost get myself killed by demi-beasts on the forest, or on the road itself.
I got tired of crying because at first, I was crying whenever these dreadful beasts pursue me, but somehow, I could always get away from them. Every day, I would be pursued multiple times by demi-beasts, and I realized that crying would not solve the problems and fear would only drag me down.
So, to avoid that, despite of fear, I always fought those emotions welling inside my heart and soon enough, I am laughing at them whenever they tried to pursue me.
Year had passed I lost everything except for two items, the letter of my father and the ring called 'wand'.
Because of hunger, I couldn't help to ask for someone and beg for money. It never works but sometimes, there are still generous people. Thus, I became officially became a beggar, and if hunger kills me, I go near at the cafeteria on some store, go to their kitchen garbage area, find something uneaten, and eat them.
It's disgusting but delicious and the awesome thing is, it's free!
Well. I guess that was it.
At 47th Era of the year 2012 at unknown month and season, I am here on the dark and cold alleyway, eating some nasty but delicious food.