The village may have been humble in the morning but around noon it was bustling with people. From travelers to adventurers. The sky was clear and the sun, harsh.
It is obviously affecting the products' qualities. Kor was starting to huff up.
"Breath from your mouth and breath out from the nose." Sill adviced.
Kor, surprised by this, looked to his side where Sill stood. He was doing his breathing technique. He seems to be tall despite looking young. How does one see youth in a frail person? I don't but Kor certainely does.
"Today we might be free although we have to hope that our masters be abit less cruel than the merchant." Sill continued.
"Be a little hopeful that is the least we can do in our lives."
"O...okay."
Kor aimlessly stared into the clouds afar. Maybe this was what he thought by hopefulness as he elevated his gaze up above, the place of transcendence. Bad idea. Kor saw slight movements then abrupt movement until it completely manifests into shadowy silhouetes and the world turned dark. Shrouded with a cold darkness, the hairs on Kor's neck started to rise. Shocked by this. Kor glanced at Sill. Gone. Replaced by a brick wall. Sounds of footsteps announced themselves. As he turns towards the sound, a punch to his face so strong it lifted him off the ground. Kor, dazed, struggled back up and take a quick peek at who or what hit him. A man dressed in a black robe.
"Why won't it manifest on you?!?" yelled the man.
"Why?" he got closer.
"Why?Why?WHY!!!!???"
The man grabbed Kor by the collar and yelled.
"My sister nearly died because of you!!! Son of the Grand mage? So why won't your trance manifests?You are already 5. You were supposed to be the proud heir to the family. So why?!?"
"ENOUGH!!!" Another man spoke from further in the darkness with a deep voice.
"My son... No..... This child won't manifest as such he will be sold to the merchant. May the ancients give him strength. Now, let's ge..."
Kor ears runged as his consciousness faded.
"...et up. Get up." Kor heard softly then all of a sudden back to reality. Head spinning and disoriented. With half closed eyes he saw Silled and the merchant towering him as the former attempts to wake him. Kor slowly got up. And was greeted with a hard pat on his shoulder.
"Drop down one more time and you will be dead. We don't want you diminishing my reputation of fine quality product, do we? Good boy" the pale merchant whispered and gave him another hard pat on the back and went to his wagon. Kor still has little reaction even after the whole flashback and the death threat.
Hours past. The sun began dissolving into the sky ,the town starting to quiet down. The merchant exhaled not many were sold today. As he was about to head back inside his wagon, he noticed a hooded man started to check his products. Delighted by this he rushes over and began his cunning persuasions. The man slowly inspected every one but as soon as he caught a glimpse of Kor, his sight was fixated on Kor and raced towards him.
"How much for him? And tell me his age" The man asked with a clear tone.
"Oh this one? It is somewhere between 8 and 10 years of age and it goes for 20 silver but dont worry it has the strength to carry a barrel of ale." The merchant crookedly said.
The man tossed a bag to the man and Grabbed Kor's arm and started to stride away. Kor jog along to follow his new master.The merchant followed the man and patted the man's shoulder.
"Sir I need to purge his rune for you. Or else he will die." The merchant alerted.
"What rune?" Asked the man. The merchant yanked Kor's left arm and pointed at a blank spot.
"The one on his arm which can kil..." The merchant finally understood what happend and let go. 'When did he...' thought the merchant.
From the distance a frailed voice whistled with the wind.
"You were lucky , told you be hopeful." Sill shouted. Kor glanced back and after a moment or two he waved his weak arm back.
The two headed for the stream close to the village. The man silent and cold. His grip tight. Kor's was starting to pant as he struggled to keep up. Finally they reach the stream. Kor dropped down and gasped for air, ears rung and even vision blurred.
"Wash yourself." The man commamded.
Kor slowly but surely got up and shuffles his way towards the stream. He plopped down and galnced at the man. The man unravel his hood and let out his messy brown hair. Arms crossed and waited impatiently at Kor. After a few moments the man decided to peer into his new slave's identity.
"Name?" asked the man with a monotone.
"Kor." answered while staring at the flowing water
"Full name."
"I don't...remember."
"When you wash you self you have to actually rub yourself!" The man snapped but no reaction from Kor and he simply obliged. The man sighed and started to rub his hair.
"Boy my name is Zexius. I serve the xius family, the assasin kin. Do you know what we do? You can guess, right?" he continued with a grin. "You will be serving the family from today on. I will be traini... Boy listen to me." Zexius snapped once more at Kor who was scratching the living daylight out of his head as fleas jumped all around him.
"Whatever it will all sort it self out at the mansion." Zexius gave up.
"Here is some bread and water" He dropped a bag on the ground. With that he turned and began his search for branches and left. It was getting dark and chilly so Kor slowly got out the stream and with glutton in his eyes reached for the bag. Crumbly dry bread and lukewarm water. Not the best combination but for Kor, who haven't eaten in days, it was a feast. While gnawing on the bread he heard the grass rustled and instinctively glanced at the direction. A huge wolf.
The wolf was majestic and mighty. His white fur with lashes of purple here and there were beautiful. Kor gazed at the wolf and the wolf returned the gaze.The wolf slowly approached but Kor kept gazing at it. The wolf curiously sniffed and it raised it head and turned around as if someone was calling him. All of a sudden it howled, as it was howling the howl got louder and more pristine until it became deafening. Kor's vision blurred while his head burned with pain. Hands on head, he began screaming. Then inevitably Kor dropped down to the ground, unconcious yet again.
Kor woke up this time in a bed. Extremely soft made up of the softest wool he could feel and beautiful violet curtains hanging around the canopy. His blanket extremely cozy and warm as if it was a mother's embrace. A knock came from across the luxurious room. In comes one of the man that appeared in his previous blackout prior to this one. The man was smiling and his face seemed to warm Kor up inside. He approached the bed and slowly sat on the bed. His pale purple and red robe complemented his long and luscious beard. He slowly patted Kor and began to speak.
"Today's the big day, Son. You are finally going to be a true Selva and my proud Son. I will show you what you are capable of. What Kor Selva can inflict upon the lands of Venma." The man enthusiastically claimed. He then intently stared at Kor with a grin so wide as if he was the happiest man alive.
All of a sudden the room shifts catching Kor off guard and it switches to a study with a blazing fire at the hearth crackling loudly. There he sees the same man yelling at a woman.
"What is the meaning of this? Isn't he the child you bore from me? Why isn't his trance manifesting?" The man yelled with rage.
"Please forgive lord Vain I haven't done any wrong sinc.."
"DON'T LIE TO ME WOMAN!!! My son is suppose to be a proud Selva." the man interrupted.
"Please forgive me.." As the woman continued apoligising the man snapped his fingers and the woman started to choke and foam formed in her mouth as she collasped on the floor making unhumane noises. Kor, witnessing this atrocity, screamed. Kor woke up again but the scream persisted.
Darkness shrouded his vision and only after a few painful moments that his vison began to clear up. A figure approached Kor as he continued to cry his eyes out. It began to soothly calm Kor by patting his head. It was Zexius.
"Hey get a grip of yourself, Boy. Toughen up. Toughen up." Kor whilst bawling buckets started to hug Zexius and kept screaming.
"Hey you are back to reality. Is alright now, toughen up." Not the greatest of calming procedures by Zexius but still pretty effective as Kor settled down slowly, but painfully for Zexius.
Zexius noticed that Kor was finally cathartic and began to question him. "Tell me what did you dreamed?"
"I remember my family name now." Kor spoke softly as his thorat demanded it. "It's Selva."