Black like the void in the sky, Agir drifted aimlessly, the void erasing any notion of time or place. The occasional glimmers of starlight teased him, extinguished before he could even open his eyes to behold them.
Fleeting scents would tease his senses, vanishing in the next ethereal breath. The void was a desolate silence, devoid of any sound, where even the softest whisper would emerge fleetingly, only to fade away.
He had long forgotten the sensations of warmth and coldness, those distant memories buried in the eternal darkness. As he contemplated his endless imprisonment, Agir couldn't escape the realization that they had succeeded in ensnaring him for eternity. If there were such a thing as damnation and eternal suffering for others, this harrowing existence would be the epitome of it.
There was no pain or suffering there, only an empty void. Eternal hell, mindlessly wandering without the ability to die, spiralling into darker thoughts. - Was this the dream he wanted to share with his subjects? Damnation to float in darkness without meaning to live. No,- he said to himself. They would have each other.
Days, months, years, decades, centuries—maybe, he didn't know.
Previous experiences occurred less frequently, and he tried to cling to them, linking them to hope. With each fleeting occurrence, it became harder to maintain rationality.
Like a tiny white dot in the sky, a small spark appeared, in his desolate and empty world. With nothing else to focus on, he kept staring as it grew. A star was born he believed, it grew larger, until there was nothing else around him to see except light. Warmth, he could feel and hear his heart thumping again. Fingers and toes started to tingle, he felt alive. It was difficult moving; he had almost forgotten how to. The light got brighter, and voices could be heard. They were growing louder, like a shout
With no sense of direction, neither knowing if he was standing or lying down. His world started to shake. He could feel something trying to tumble him to a set direction. He didn't understand what was happening anymore, but anything was better than his previous existence. He felt a surge of strength coursing through him, he felt stronger.
-Paradise, at last-
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Thunder boomed outside, its deafening sound competing with the relentless rain pounding against the walls of the building. A fierce storm was brewing in the village.
On a bed, a woman gripped her husband's large hand with all her strength, sweat glistening on her forehead. In the same room, another woman hunched between her legs, her focus unwavering. The husband stood by, unsure of what he should do but offering his support.
"Last push now Bella, push "the woman urged.
In pain she thrusted her a last push and was punished with an unsuspected silence.
But instead, an unexpected silence hung in the air. Bella's heart raced with anxiety as she pleaded "what's wrong! Is my baby, okay?"
"he's breathing, I can feel his pulse" the lady replied. But as her gaze turned towards the newborn in her arms, an expression of horror. Only fear could be read on her face.
"You have something more dangerous! You've delivered something worse, a demon among us, you witch! We have to kill it" the lady said with condemnation. she exclaimed with condemnation, her hand tightening around the baby's delicate neck.
Like the thunder outside, two hands large appeared around her throat.
"Remove your hands from my child, before I squeeze the life out of you, monster" Zac said with fury in his voice.
Desperation filled her eyes as she managed to squeal out a small plea, "Mercy, I was wrong." Fear for her own life consumed her, and with trembling hands, she released her grip on their son's delicate neck. Gently, as if handling something precious, she placed the child back on the bed next to Bella, her actions now guided by fear and a newfound understanding of the consequences she had narrowly escaped.
With one swift and powerful motion, Zac hurled the lady across the room, her body colliding forcefully with the wall. She coughed and gasped for breath, feeling the pain in her neck, but her eyes remained bloodshot and filled with determination.
"You don't know what you're playing with" she managed to say, her voice laced with a nervous tremor". Look at his hair, for thousands of years legends have warned us. He must die"
With hatred in Zac's voice "Legends huh..?, no, I let a monster in sheep skin inside my home! Who tries to kill an innocent child" His eyes bore into her, radiating an intensity that sent shivers down her spine." Go back to where you came from, you're not welcomed in this village anymore, if I ever see you here again, I'll have you butchered, monster". The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the distant echoes of thunder outside. Zac stood tall, a pillar of wrath, as the lady recoiled in fear, realizing the gravity of his words.
In a flurry of panic, the lady hastily gathered her belongings, her trembling hands betraying her fear. Just before slamming the door shut, she unleashed a final warning. "Remember my words, he might be a baby now, but once he grows up, he will doom us all!" while running as far as possible from their home.
As she fled from their home, the echoes of her desperate screams lingered in the air. Exhausted and emotionally drained, Bella held her baby close, her tears streaming down her face. "It's going to be alright," she whispered through her sobs, repeating the words like a fervent mantra, clinging to the hope that everything would indeed turn out fine.
Staring at his distressed wife, Zac's heart sank as he observed their child's peculiar appearance. The hair swayed as if caught in an unseen current, a mesmerizing silver-blue shade that defied explanation. And the eyes, oh the eyes, they shifted unnervingly between the depths of black and the intensity of yellow. Questions flooded his mind, doubts clouded his thoughts. -How was this possible, he had light brown eyes and dark blond hair. His wife hair bright as the sun, blond and her eyes were green. Was she cheating on me? -
Zac's voice trembled with disbelief, almost a whisper.
"Have you been cheating on me? with whom? When?" Bella rose to her feet, meeting Zac's gaze with unwavering spirit. "I have never cheated on you, I have never touched another man, never! this is your son". She said, as she pressed her son deeper, in a protective hug.
Staring into his wife's eyes, he could hear drips of liquid dropping, Zac followed the direction of the sound, his gaze shifting downward to the source. A pool of blood had gathered on the floor beneath Bella. With panic in his voice "Bella! You're bleeding, you need help Now! "
Pale, yet resolute, she stood her ground and repeated with unwavering determination, "he is your son. "
Zac pleaded with his wife, fear and panic gripping his heart.
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, but please, lay down and rest, I'll go get Valentina!" Despite everything, she was still the love of his life. Embracing her gently, he lifted Bella and placed her on the bed.
In the dead of night, with his heart pounding in his chest, Zac ran with all his might, his mind racing with worry. He was so consumed by panic that he forgot to put on his shoes.
"HELP ME!"
Screaming down the run, praying that she would hear his desperate cries for help. Rain poured down relentlessly, drenching Zac as he neared the training grounds where the healer stood outside.
As he neared the training grounds. She stood outside, rain pouring down on her.
"What, why are you screaming like a banshee"
His lungs burning and voice trembling, Zac shouted with desperation, "Bella needs your help! She's dying at our house. Please, master, you have to help her!"
Like a fleeting dream, Zac blinked, and his master was no longer by his side.
The silhouette of his master could be seen in the droplets she had shattered while flying at her top speed for their house.
Approaching back to the house Zac noticed, the door to their house was gone. Inside stood Master Valentina next to the bed, where Bella was passed out. Though still pale, she appeared to be in a better condition.
"How did this happen? Where is the midwife we hired to take care of your wife?" Valentina's voice was devoid of any warmth as she spoke without glancing at Zac.
Zac's voice trembled with a mixture of hopelessness and anger as he replied, "I threw her outside the house. She tried to kill an innocent child."
"Innocent child? You mean she was trying to kill your son?" Valentina's tone was laced with concern.
"Yes, master, but I don't know if that child is mine, or someone else's," Zac confessed, his voice filled with doubt and frustration.
Rarely did she use anyone's name, it was often you, that or something else.
"Zac, you are a fool," Master Valentina spoke, disappointment evident in her voice " if I understood right. You accused your wife of cheating, after she just delivered a baby? While she was weakened, bleeding and someone was trying to kill her newborn child? "
Zac took a hard look at his wife, conflicting emotions swirling inside him. He didn't know what to believe or how to justify his actions. Before he could utter a reply, Valentina continued.
"Did you want her to die, to prove a point? You couldn't wait 3-4 days, for her to become more stable?" Valentina's words cut through his heart, driving home the gravity of his rash accusations.
Zac's eyes met Valentina's, his voice filled with remorse. "
"I'm sorry, master. Wicked thoughts clouded my mind, and words slipped out when I saw the child, even though he don't take after either of us.".
"Just slipped? You almost killed your wife," Valentina's words dripped with a hint of malice" and there are tons of children who don't resemble their parents, does that mean all those women cheated on their husbands? No.".
He knew, but deep down, there was fear of losing her to someone else, the villagers taunts and jokes had maybe gotten to him. -Am I being paranoid?- he thought
Gazing at his wife, guilt gnawed at his insides, a heavy burden to bear.
"I have no excuse, but will she be alright? She don't look like us when you fix us up".
Her stern expression softened as she replied. "I may not wield the gentle arts of a traditional healer, but I ensure you won't bleed out like a butchered hog. As a battle mage, mending wounds and bruises are well within my abilities. But the hardest part is over. A few days of rest and some good nourishing meals, she'll be back on her feet before you know it."
As the tension eased, the child let out a weak cough, breaking the silence in the room.
Bella remained unconscious, cradling the child on her chest. Zac mustered his courage and clumsily requested a favor from his master. "Um, master, can you take care of her for a couple of days? I need some time to figure things out, you know."
"I'll watch over her for a few days while you're busy scratching your head. But don't take too long, you hear?" Valentina responded, her tone laced with a mix of sternness and concern.
Zac thanked her and looked back one last time at Bella and perhaps his son before leaving in the pouring rain.
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Four days had passed since the delivery, and Bella's physical condition had significantly improved. Her body was healing, but the emotional toll was still evident in her puffy eyes from endless tears.
She had heard from her best friend Gwen, that her husband had stayed with them for the duration he was gone. Zac had tirelessly roamed the village, inquiring about any traders or visitors who possessed the distinct features he described—silver-blue hair and eyes that alternated between yellow and black.
The door to their house was repaired, and now stood sturdier.
Bella understood that days consumed by tears and sorrow would lead her nowhere; she needed to be the rock, the fortress for her newborn son. Master Valentina had graciously chosen to reside with them ever since Zac's departure, her absence only noted during brief visits to the training ground. She was well aware of the blessing it was to have such steadfast support from such person, it was below her to take care of Bella. In the back of her mind, a sobering thought lingered -She probably has more important things to take care of instead of me-
Valentina's care was unwavering, as she patiently brought Bella food, water, and other necessities. In those initial, daunting days, she even aided Bella in bathing, an act of compassion that Bella found profoundly shameful.
Bella stared at her newborn son. His hair had stopped swaying like it was being lifted in air, but the color still stayed silver-blue, while his eyes stayed the same, shifting between yellow and black. He was her world, she needed to be strong for him.
As she cradled her son in the quiet comfort of their living room sofa, Bella pondered on either moving back to the city or finding a job in the village, if her husband didn't return within a few days. She was living on Valentina's grace, and their savings, she couldn't live like this for much longer.
Her son, peacefully slumbering in her arms, At times, Bella could almost convince herself that Darian understood her silent dialogues, comprehending the quiet words and the emotions behind them e
"Darian, my precious little boy, you're simply the most adorable, aren't you?" she cooed to him in a hushed whisper, her voice a soft melody amidst the quiet of the room. "Your daddy... he just needs a little time to sort things out. So be patient, my sweet darling." Her voice turned wistful, a sad sigh escaping her lips, "He should be here, awestruck at your enchanting innocence."
Like a thud, the sound of fists slamming against her door awoke her out of her misery.
"We know you're inside!" echoed the harsh demand.
- Not again. - she pleaded silently, cradling Darian a little closer.
The boundary of her home was crowded with men and women, their fear and prejudice interwoven into a palpable wall of hostility. A woman's voice sliced through the crowd's rumbling undertones, her shout laced with hatred and fear; "We know you're harboring a demon within our village! You must exterminate it before it grows! Surrender it to us if you're too weak to do it yourself!"
Since that chilling night, every time Valentina was absent at the training grounds, they made her home their target. Their hateful cries echoed around, and rocks slammed against the walls, shattering the tranquility. During their initial intrusion, Valentina had been there to cast a protective shadow, her stern warning resounding with authority and menace. She made it clear that anyone daring to step over the threshold bearing ill will would pay the price - an arm or a leg. They, however, had discerned Valentina's schedule, marking the exact moment of her departure and anticipating her return.
The insistent knocks escalated into thunderous blows that seemed to shake the very foundation of her home. Outside, the women had begun to gather in prayer, their pleas reaching a fevered pitch, "Oh god, Valgus, we your humble children beg your forgiveness for allowing a demonic child to reside among us. We beseech you, bestow upon us the strength and courage to purge ourselves of this blight...."
Inside, Bella wept silently. As she clutched at a sparkling blue stone nestled in her pocket - a gift from Valentina for times such as these, her gaze lingered on its comforting glow. She had clung to the faint hope that if she kept quiet, avoided any response, they would eventually disperse as they always did. Retreating into a corner, she sought to stifle her sobbing, her palm pressed tightly against her mouth. In her arms, her son observed the world around him, blissfully unaware of the turmoil.
"I can't summon Master Valentina every time they show up. She might grow weary and abandon me," she considered, her mind teetering on the edge of despair.
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Beneath a patch of azure summer sky, dappled by the leaves of a young tree, Zac found himself engrossed in conversation with Justin. Their words floated lazily in the air, buoyed by the gentle breeze that rustled the garden greenery surrounding Justin's home. A petite tree planted in the garden's heart, its lush canopy shielded them from the sun's fiery touch.
"Remember when we were about 7 or 8? You got so nervous tryin' to impress Gwen that you shit yourself and had to run all the way home from her place " Justin reminisced, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"That was you, Just. I remember your mother, God rest her soul, giving you the thrashing of a lifetime for soiling your new pants," Zac countered, a knowing smirk on his face.
"Oh yeah, that was me. good times. Remember that time when your father beat the shit out of you for scaring grannie's livestock?" Justin replied with a grin.
Zac chuckled, and shook his head, the memory of the unjust punishment still fresh, "I was innocent, it wasn't me. I bore the bruises for weeks."
Zac's smile faded into a melancholic grin, as he absorbed the tranquility of the garden around them, taking a deep breath of the fresh, summer air.
With a heavy sigh, he admitted,
"I've asked around the entire village, but nobody seems to have seen or heard about someone with those peculiar traits being here,"
Unsurprisingly, Justin met this with a chuckle. "Well... of course they haven't. Do you honestly reckon, if such a peculiar individual as that sauntered anywhere near our village, it would be kept under wraps? Ever laid eyes on a person with eyes shifting between black and yellow? Nah, don't bother, I'll answer for you..." he trailed off, his words hanging in the warm, summer air.
Zac acknowledged the truth in Justin's words; a person with such striking features was as likely to be found in their vicinity as encountering a wolf that could speak - sure, werewolves were real, but they didn't exist anywhere near their village or country.
"Master Valentina may have been right...maybe he is my son," Zac uttered, uncertainty threading his words.
"Zac, suppose the kid ain't yours, would you still abandon Bella?" Justin probed, "Every time you lay your eyes on her, you seem completely taken, as if love has you in a daze."
"That's why I had to distance myself from her, I wanted to be clear minded before I made my choice." Zac replied, his voice filled with uncertainty .
"Listen here, brother, you best sort out your thoughts quick," Justin advised, an undertone of urgency lacing his words. "I didn't wanna spook or rush you none, seeing as you were havin' a bit of a mental breakdown. But my wife's been hearing some right nasty rumors. Seems those Valgus-worshipping zealots been payin' visits to your door these past days."
"What'd they want with my home?" Zac asked, his voice barely a whisper. But before the question had fully left his lips, he realized the grim answer.
"You recall that crazy lady you tossed? Well, before she high-tailed it outta the village, she ran straight to the Valgus chapel. Started spoutin' tales 'bout what your wife brought into this world. Reckon just 'bout everyone in the village knows by now."
Memories of that fateful night flooded back. What had he done? He had abandoned his wife to the mercy of fanatics. A chilling realization washed over him - they would kill Bella and his child.
Zac's thoughts seethed with anger, his fist clenching involuntarily.
- That wretch, I should have wrung her neck! If they've so much as laid a finger on Bella, I'll slaughter every last one of them! -
"Master Valentina is taking care of her," Zac said, trying to control the tremor in his voice.
"Yeah, reckon that's so," Justin replied, "But I've noticed Master ain't always at her house. Seems like she's been looking after those orphan kids, running back and forth."
A sudden realization dawned on Zac as he deciphered Justin's insinuations. His gaze, now filled with a mix of disbelief and anger, bore straight into Justin's eyes. "You thought that my mental state was more important than my wife's life!? " he accused, his voice a dangerous low growl.
With a lump in his throat, Justin looked away, and spoke. "I just wanted to protect you from more anguish, brother".
-No.. no… What am I doing, blaming my friend? He was merely doing what he thought was the best for me-.
In an attempt to shift the mood, Zac said, "I should get back. Thank you, for everything. For feeding and housing a stinky bum like me, even though your house is already smaller than mine." He said this teasingly, standing up and dusting himself off.
Justin looked up, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "You're darn right you stink. You've not showered once since you got here. And my house ain't small, your house is just a little larger!" He lightly smacked Zac's arm, his grin now full-blown.
"I'll walk you home, been a while since I've seen Bella," Justin offered.
"Thank you, brother"
He felt fortunate to have such a steadfast friend. They had known each other since childhood and the bond they shared was as deep as family. With a shared smile and lighter hearts, they set off back towards Zac's home.
***
A woman's scream pierced the air from the direction of Zac's home.
-What is going on! are we really cursed? - Zac thought, his heart started pounding as he ran towards his house, Justin right behind him. His mouth was dry, with a taste of blood.
The front door of his house stood ajar, a group of women outside, their hands clasped together as they chanted prayers to their deity. -Oh god, what have they done! -
"What the fuck are you guys doing at my house!" Zac's voice erupted, an explosive blend of panic, fear, and anger. He hurled himself forward, crashing into the group of women who were blocking entrance into his own house.
The house bore the grisly aftermath of a nightmare, with blood splattered upon the walls and floor, furniture in disarray, and the putrid stench of urine permeating the living room. Strewn upon the floor, a group of men lay in various states of agony, their anguished cries mixing with desperate pleas for mercy.
Zac stood frozen, disbelief etched upon his face, as he surveyed the horrifying scene unfolding within his home. Valentina stood in the middle of it all, brandished an elongated sword adorned with intricate engravings. As Zac desperately searched for his wife, his heart sank at the sight of her motionless form, cradling their son amidst a pool of blood, motionless with their son in her arms. A gut-wrenching scream tore through the air as Agir, consumed by despair, rushed towards his beloved.
Valentina's gaze fell upon him, her garments stained with their blood, her once-piercing black eyes now a chilling shade of scarlet, devoid of any flicker of emotion. Her countenance, as cold as ice, betrayed no sympathy as she unleashed her words like venom. "I warned you all," she seethed, her voice dripping with unbridled hatred, "and yet you chose to dismiss my caution, taking it for granted."
In the midst of the chaos, one of the believers, consumed by anguish and fury, erupted in a vehement accusation. "My fucking arm! You bitch! You mutilated me for a damn demon baby!" his voice rang out, a tormented cry fueled by pain and bitterness. Another, their pleas jumbled and incoherent, begged for forgiveness amidst their realization of the gravity of their mistakes. "Help! Please, please, please, forgive us! We were wrong, please heal my leg!" their desperate words tumbled forth, for mercy.
With his hands trembling, Zac pulled his wife into an embrace, tears streaming down his face as he tenderly caressed her lifeless features. "Forgive me, my love," he pleaded, his voice choked with sorrow. "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. I beg of you, open your eyes, I beg you, please." His words flowed in an agonized mantra as he swayed back and forth, holding her fragile form.
Meanwhile, Valentina's gaze fixated on Bella and Agir, memories flashing before her eyes like scenes of a nightmare. A town consumed by flames, the desperate cries of its people echoing in her ears. "Run, forget about me!" she had urged them. The grip on her sword tightened, resentment and anger welling within her. "Now that the tables have turned, you beg for mercy, you mongrels," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice.
From the doorway, a quiet, guilt-ridden sound broke the tension. "Oh no, what have I done," whispered Justin, the weight of his actions crashing upon him. With fury, he soared toward the men like a speeding arrow. "What the hell have you done to Bella!" he thundered, not waiting for an answer as he unleashed a flurry of punches upon one of them, his fists pounding like hammers of retribution.
The men, bloodied and broken, desperately attempted to crawl or stagger away from Justin's relentless barrage. His hand was bleeding, yet he kept on. Justin glanced at his friend, but quickly refocused. "You fucking monsters!"
In the midst of his seething rage, Justin felt a hand firmly grip his own, the strength of it akin to steel meeting paper. His hand, clenched tightly in his fury, refused to budge as the grip held steady. He attempted to forcefully free himself from the grasp, so he could end theirs.
Valentina's voice, resolute and commanding, cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Stop, they'll die if you continue. These fools have already paid their price. " Valentina said
A momentary pause settled upon Justin's enraged heart. The flames of his hatred still burned fiercely, his voice dripping with venom as he retorted, "You think losing an arm or a leg is worth her life! They took hers, now we take theirs!"
Valentina's cold response echoed in the room,
"They might be monsters, but they have children and wives waiting for them at home, who need them," she stated, her tone devoid of sympathy." Killing them will only perpetuate the cycle of punishment onto their innocent families. Do you wish to create more orphans and widows?"
Uncertainty gripped Justin's heart as he stood there, grappling with the conflicting emotions. He knew one of them, a familiar face despite the lack of personal connection, their families having lived in close proximity for years. They had witnessed shared moments of celebration, of love and community. The weight of his decision bore heavily upon him, leaving him unsure of his next course of action.
In grief, Zac kept swaying back and forth, repeating the same words like an echo, each time growing more silent.
"forgive me…"