He returned to the basement of a colonist soldier he was currently staying in and saw the paintings he had left behind.
They were exactly the way he had left, but felt like something was missing.
He glanced at the pile of canvas sheets and attempted to find a missing painting.
But because he had painted almost a thousand of them, he could not identify which one was gone.
He shrugged it off and painted more to relieve his stress and confusion.
Sketching on his sheets again almost meant like breathing after being drowned at the deep blue sea. And after that day, things swirled so fast, he almost failed to comprehend what was going on in front of him.
Captain Brochille began visiting him more and more often and almost getting weirdly friendly towards the boy.
The soldier cleared some time for him and fed him better.
Toren was a bit uncomfortable, but he relished such interactions for it dusted off some lonely places in him. The soldier once invited him to drink liquor with him, so they drank to their heart's content.
At one moment they were so intoxicated, the soldier spilled out that he had stolen one of his paintings and presented it to his fellow comrades because he had always been too entranced by his artworks.
The painting soon became popular among the soldiers until it even reached the maids and courtiers from the headquarters and now, to the emperor himself.
They all adored it.
As soon as the emperor glimpsed it, he was drawn to the painting that felt so alive that he dreamt of being painted as well to be immortalized throughout history. He declared a search throughout the villages to find the artist and offer him a privilege to the headquarters.
Captain Brochille heard of it and presented the boy to the emperor who was so delighted.
Toren was vetted by a sleuth from the magistrate and confirmed that he will be of no threat. No signs of suspicious or odd activities were found from his lifestyle.
He was concluded to be just a normal runaway boy that was abused in his family after getting adopted from an orphanage.
Toren was immediately given offers of luxuries and privileges in exchange of his service to put on his flair to work. And so, Toren could not possibly reject it. He accepted the offer and went to live at the headquarters then.
He discovered soon that the stolen painting was the portrait of Airen and it made him remember of the bargain he had with her. It must have been about pulling the strings of destiny, he thought.
It was her all along.
Her picture going out its way through someone's hand and the amplified desire she put beforehand; it was all part of her scheme.
Sometimes, thinking things that way made him worried and uncomfortable.
He would question himself again and again if he was truly doing the right thing.
He was given everything right away, just as he hoped for.
The delicious foods, the private room, the sunlight penetrating through, and even a butler to serve him.
He was honestly devastated, realizing that he could have fallen on her web of schemes and that he would not be able to escape any longer. His anxiety grew into tremendous scale, making him paint like a madman. He was hesitating and worrying about himself.
The eyes that have peered through him; someone who knew about the deal he had with her. The omniscience that might bring hatred against him.
He was about to explode when suddenly, he heard of her sweet, fragrant voice.
"Make yourself believe that you were never the traitor."
The wings of evil grew out of his mind gradually, slowly.
The evil within was only preparing itself.