As Magnus cut the corner into a side street, somebody grabbed him and spun him around.
"YOU!" the person who ambushed him shouted in a hate filled voice.
'That is not good,' Magnus thought as he was slammed against the wall. The tone that his attacker held made it quite clear that he did not like his guts. Thus without drawing any attention to himself he slowly reached for his dagger while he gave ambusher a once over.
His assailant was clearly a vagabond from the threadbare clothing he had on, to the mangy hair, the awful scent coming off of him, and the scruffy beard. Yet there was the feeling that they have met before, though Magnus couldn't place that face with a name.
Be that as it may, it did not matter, he had to quickly defend himself and get himself out of this sticky situation. Therefore it was a relief when he was finally able to get a hold of his dagger and take it out without his assailant being any the wiser.
"Do you know what you did to me?!" his attacker yelled as he slammed him against the wall once more.
Magnus was having enough of that this instant, it wasn't pleasant feeling getting smacked around like a rag doll. Thus he drew out his dagger then placed it at his attacker's kidney while drawing out a bit of blood to get even with him and communicate the reality of the situation.
Immediately his assailant flinched back in fear and shock making it clear he was no good at this. He had the advantage the whole time and didn't even use it, now he just lost it, what a fool.
This guy was clearly out of his playing field, and Magnus recognized he could use that to his advantage.
"Move an inch and I will gut where you stand," Magnus threatened, as he effortless got into character.
His attacker freeze where he stood and the fear in his eyes was plain to see, which was funny because when you looked at it from an outsider's perspective-- Magnus stood at half his height and was half his total mass as well.
No wonder reality is what we make it out to be!
"Now tell me who the fuck you are, before my hand starts slipping."
"You don't remember, do you?" his attacker asked then once he saw no recognition in Magnus's face, he broke down into manic laughter, "Hahaha!"
Seeing that, Magnus clenched his hand into a fist, and punched the man in the stomach. He immediately bent over, coughing and spitting, with all hysterical laughter gone. Magnus grabbed a handful of his hair and placed his dagger at his neck.
Now that felt much better, before it was just insulting since he couldn't reach anywhere higher than the man's chest area even when overreaching. Thankfully his buddy here was able to fix all that since he chose to come down at his level.
"Are you going to answer my question or is it just more funny business with you? I do have a way to rectify if you are wondering," Magnus said as he inched the dagger forward toward the man's throat.
"I will answer, I will answer," the man shouted, as the situation became uncomfortable for him. "I am that spice shop owner, remember, the one that you tried to buy salt and sugar from."
"Whoa, your Mr. Snotty!" Magnus exclaimed as he brought the man's head up to have a closer look.
"Mr. WHAT!"
"Aww, you know what I mean," Magnus stated as he waved away the man's dissatisfaction.
"I do not know what you mean," the man roared out. Then he added in a vindictive manner, "You ruined my life! That shelf you knocked over sent me back so many moon turns, I couldn't even keep up with the money I owed!"
"Pfft," Magnus said in a dismissive attitude as he let go of the man and shoved him back. "You did this to yourself more than anyone else. Yea, sure I helped you along on getting there, but you were already on your way."
The old shop owner tried to articulate a response, but Magnus was not done yet. "What? Did you think with the way you treated others that nothing bad will ever happen to you? Ha!" Magnus said as he let loose a barking laugh.
Then changing up the topic, Magnus asked, "So how does it feel to be walking and living among us, common folk?" As he grinned up at the spicer like a Cheshire cat.
"Not so good, huh?" he demanded when the man just hung his head in reply. His current state said it all, poverty was not treating him well.
"Do you know what makes it all the worse?" Magnus asked in a plain and ambiguous tone. "We have to deal with contemptuous fools like you," he growled out as his voice lost all good humor it held. "Fools, who have no idea what we go through, but still sneer down on us like we are garbage! Like we deserve our present state and should remain in it!"
If it were possible for any man to shrivel up any further than the old shop owner was than he would have. Magnus's words, although cruel and unforgiving struck home, put things into perspective for the man and shed a piece of light into his botched up life.
"So," Magnus concluded with, "When I say it is an absolute delight to see one of your kind laid low like this, I mean it!"
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"I am such a hypocrite," Magnus said out loud to no one in particular. Even though he tried to justify himself when he said all those things to that man he left behind in the side street, he was simply offloading his conscious.
No matter how he words it or tried to warrant it he ruined a man's life and screwed him over. Even though he deserved it, and much more, that still does not make it right and it sure as hell doesn't make it honorable.
"Alright don't get all weepy eyed with me," Codex uttered, getting Magnus out of his slump.
"I am not getting weepy eyed," Magnus shouted, getting all defensive.
"Please, Codex drolled, and Magnus could imagine that she was doing an eye roll. "I know that look, better than anyone. You are blaming yourself"
"My shouldn't I?" Magnus challenged cutting to the chase.
"Look nobody could have imagined that he would have ended up homeless, okay! Still though like you said he had it coming, so getting yourself in a funk won't be helping anyone or yourself."
"Yea, sure, whatever you say," Magnus replied, not feeling any better for himself.
"Alright, that is enough of that, you listen here and you listen well," Codex said, now being as strict as a sergeant. "You fucked up, okay, but the sad truth is there is nothing you could do about it. All you could do is live with it, and the decision you have made."
Once Codex laid it out like that, Magnus had no other option but to get out of his misery and gloom. She was right, like always, moping around would do him no good and nobody else as well. It is as Codex out it, he would have to live with his decision and take responsibility for it.
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Magnus walked back into the orphanage, the hour was getting late and he had his decision inching closer and closer. He never was a procrastinator but he just wanted to put this decision back, and then some.
Yet he knew things had to come to head way, and Codex's words echoed back to him. He needs to come to a verdict and live with it!
Still though that didn't make the process no more the easier.
As those thoughts swirled inside of Magnus's head, he didn't notice the oppressive feel in the orphanage. He passed by kids who looked grief striken and angry, it was only when he bumped into somebody that he got his head out of the gutter.
"Sorry," Magnus said as he got up from the ground and dusted himself over. He is still not used to getting pushed around like this, but he has to make do with what he has, and that is this scrawny, little body.
Once he was off the floor, he offered his hand to the misfortunate fellow that bumped into him, who turned out to be Serife-- Erhan's twin sister.
She looked wretched and tear stricken, that was a first for Magnus. Serife is tough just like her brother, and she literally runs this place right after the Mothers and Matron. So to see her in this state, saying that he felt shock and disbelief is a clear understatement.
"Serife what is wrong?" Magnus asked, as he picked her up from the floor, using all his might.
"It's- sniff- Halil- sniff," Serife got out through all the tears and sniffling.
"What happened to him?" Magnus asked, as he immediately put a name to the face, the brave kid. Yes, the one who had too much guts for one his age.
"H-...he- sniff- he."
Serife couldn't even finish her sentence or get started on it for that matter before she broke down into tears again.
This was clearly not good at all, anything that got Serife into this sobbing state was bad news of the highest order. Magnus didn't even want to think about what it could be, but he had to find out. If not to sate his curiosity, then to make sure that everyone was alright.
If anything happened to them, if he were to lose somebody else, he didn't know what he would do.
"Serife, tell me where the Matron is," Magnus said as he tried to soothe her and get an answer out of her. If anybody would know what was going on, it would be the Matron. Serife clearly would be giving him any answers, any time soon, and he had to get to the bottom of this soon.
"S-... she is with- sniff- Ha-... Halil," Serife replied, finally giving a semi coherent statement.
"Okay, this is the last question, Serife. Could you answer it?" Magnus asked, lulling her into peace.
Serife nodded her head, and Magnus asked tentatively, not wanting her to get upset once more. "Where is the Matron right now?"
"She.. is in her- sniff- office," Serife, giving him the answer he needed.
"Thanks, Serife," Magnus said as he nearly rushed on ahead. Though he looked at the sobbing mess before him, he couldn't just leave her like this. Thus giving her a bit of solidarity, he added, "You stay here, okay. I promise I will be back as soon as I can."
Then he left her, she was a strong girl, she could hold it together while he went off to find some answers.
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As quick as his feet could carry him, Magnus climbed up the stairs to the second floor. This floor held the Matron's room/office, the Mothers room, the girls' dormitory, the babies room, and a storage room, plus stairs that lead up to the attic.
Magnus ignored everything else except the Matron room which was on the nearest right when you climbed the stairs. Being as polite as he could while still displaying his urgency, Magnus knocked on the door three times, and then without waiting for an answer, swung it open.
The first thing that struck him was the odor of the room, medicinal herbs clung to the room and whiffed throughout it. Yet what caught his attention was the underlying scent, one that reeked of foulness and death.
Magnus gazed around the room which held more people than it could hold. Mother Selin was at the bed weeping fresh tears as she held on to somebody for dear life, who he couldn't make out from the door. Mother Nevra stood to the side washing a piece of cloth, and her face which used to hold so much levity was clamped up into a grimace.
There was also Mazhar, Tamer, Andrew, Erhan, Etkin, and many others who stood around the place all looking wretched and furious.
"Move aside, boy," a voice commanded, and Magnus did as he was told without any resistance since he was too preoccupied with the sight before him.
The speaker walked passed, and Magnus noticed that it was the Matron who told him to move aside. In her hands were some ointments that reeked and made him nauseated, with quick steps she made her way over to the occupant that laid in the bed.
Finally, Magnus was able to examine the person who occupied the bed, who turned out to be Halil. Which was a no brainer, obviously, but still, he was now able to see what was wrong with him.
That is namely, he had no left hand!
Magnus was pretty sure that he left him with a fully intact hand, this evening when he grabbed him and the others some snacks. Thus this must have happened recently and barring any other inconceivable exception, there was one way you could lose a hand in this city.
Theft!
Plus do to prior experiences of the person in question, that was the most likely cause.
Before Magnus could wrap his mind around this, Erhan noticed his presence inside the room.
"YOU," he shouted as misery turned to rage. This was a first for Magnus, Erhan never got angry with anybody in the orphanage, he could be strict at times, but he never loses his cool. Except for this time, where it looks like he finally snapped, and the person all his anger is pointed towards, is him.
In a manner of moments, the redhead was upon him, and for the second time in a row, he was slammed against the wall. Even though Erhan was only a few moon turns away from fourteen seasons old, he still checked out as a seventeen year old human kid from Earth.
Magnus did not know if it was the food these kids ate, but they were ahead of their times both physically and mentally.
Now having somebody that much more larger and older than you, being slammed against the wall by them is no fun thing. Then add to that, his scrawny, frail form, plus his inclination to being way smaller than he should be for his age, and then that hug against the wall became all the more tender loving.
"This is all your fault," Erhan shouted as Magnus tried to get air back into his lungs. From far away he heard sharp intakes of breath and shouting.
Still, Erhan didn't seem to care as he wanted to get across how he felt. "I knew this day would come, one day! But you didn't listen. I told…"
"Big brother Erhan, stop," a voice said weakly from the bed, which could only be one person, Halil.
"Erhan, you need to calm down, and let go of Magnus!" Etkin commanded, as he came to the rescue.
Erhan did as he was told, but from the grunting, it wasn't so easily.
"I still stand by my stance, this is all your fault," Erhan stated, once he finally got himself back in order.
Magnus had nothing to reply with since he was trying to collect himself, and also because it was true.
It constantly ate at him when he set these kids towards a life of crime.
He knew that one day there will be a reckoning, call it precognition or intuition, whatever it was-- he knew that this day would come and dawn upon him like the wrathful sun that always rises in the east, no matter what.
Now here it was. His worst fear became reality and it was all because of him.
"It wasn't big brother Magnus's fault," Halil said in answer to the silence that greeted the room. "He told us to stop doing what we used to do-- that he would provide for all of us, but… but"
Whatever he wanted to say, he couldn't finish it, and silence once more silence greeted the space.
"Then why didn't you listen to him, you idiot boy," the Matron asked while not looking up from her work of cleansing the wound and stanching it. Her voice carried no edge, it just sounded hollow and empty, but she raised the question on everyone's mind.
"I- i… I did not want big brother Magnus to carry all the burden," Halil replied, finally finding his voice. "Why should he be the one to take care of everything and see it through?!"
Magnus had nothing to say to that, he found it appreciative that somebody recognized all his efforts. Most of what he does is hidden and snagged away, hence most can not see the full extent of all the burdens he carries.
Still, that did not excuse this endearing fool. What he did was unacceptable, thanks to him wanted to share the burden, he lost his left hand.
Now he would a cripple for the rest of his life, and in this world, there is no life benefits, you will have to take care of yourself and always be at a disadvantage.
Before he could voice that, somebody got to it first, "That doesn't mean you should throw your life away!" Mother Selin shouted, for the first time raising her voice above a speaking level.
At that remark nobody said anything else, all that needed to be said was said long ago. Seeing no point in sticking around and being a worrywart, Magnus cleared the room.
At the door, Erhan caught up, and at once broke down into apologies. "I am sorry, Magnus. I just lost my cool and I felt so angry, I needed somebody, anybody to blame. I…"
Magnus held out his hand, stopping him right there, "It is alright, sometimes our emotions get the best of us, and it happens to even the best of us."
"Nevertheless, I am still sorry. All this wouldn't have happened if I thwarted it. Some guard I turned out to be when I can't even save those I love and care about from this broken justice system, I am a part of."
Once more Magnus put a cease to those thoughts, blaming yourself for something you couldn't control is no way to live. Eventually, you would be holding yourself accountable for every little thing that goes wrong.
Magnus just found that hilarious, those are the exact same words he needs.
"Erhan, you are not some omnipotent god who could foresee everything, you are human, mortal. That means you have a short lived life, which is not plenty enough to carry all those burdens."
As he spoke those words, it rang true all throughout his body and soul. All he has is this life, who knows if he will have another chance.
He can't be living it in regret and constant worry.
He needs to live it to the fullest and max!
He made his decision, this is a cruel world where children get their hands chopped off for stealing what, some food so that they could survive. He would do anything to survive in this world, if not for himself then his family, this orphanage!
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Ah, some of you made a good guess on who the stranger was but it wasn't the priest. But don't worry, the priest will appear again, though in a much greater role. I only made a chapter on him because he will be playing a much greater role in the story. You could say I was planting the seed.
Ha! Didn't expect it to be the shopkeeper, huh? Well, all character whether small or big, will play a role in the story. I hate it when in some stories somebody is introduced but thrown away as quickly as that. Well, that won't be happening in this story.
Now, that is the end of the ARC! Next week it is on to the next arc; heists, breaking and entering, masterplans, trickery plots, backstabs, and the goodies.
Remember next week chapters will be out on Mon, Wed, Fri. Not Sat and Sun!
Also advance chapters are on p@treon so if you want a to dive into the 3 Arc RIGHT NOW, you can find it on p@treon. (Plus the support will help this poor author)
Other than that, gave a good night, sweet dreams, and all the other stuff!