Fear crept into my little heart when I read the minds of the divers. Images of burning flesh and familiar faces being ripped about by spit fire. These divers were no ordinary divers.
I stayed hunched behind the big boulder on a hill far away, watching my people get annihilated from a safe distance.
After what felt like an eternity, Tyrin finally arrived back from his hunt and the rest of the shepherds joined us soon after.
We were all young, ranging from ages of five to sixteen. Anyone older had always stayed behind in the village; maintaining our home, our portals, and the political ties to the demigods above.
The pack of divers gave a terrifying elite aura that we all picked up on and were too afraid to engage. We outnumbered them tremendously but something about that terrifying alphie struck us frozen and prompted us to cower away.
I lost my mother to that alphie on that day. I saw him take his helmet off and I never forgot his face. He had sharp features, long silky dark hair, and a deep burn scar running across his jawline; his ominous large eyes glowed obsidian and the wrinkles stained on his high cheekbones revealed his age.
When I saw him burn my mother I felt a part of me burn with her. I still remember her cries. The wails that sent shivers down my spine as I watched in horror.
I was never close with her, nor was I close to my other dozens of siblings, but I always felt the dim connection of blood that tied us together.
I did not hesitate to look into each of their minds when I obtained my gift. I got to know each of them intimately but they didn't know me. It hurt to know that. It also hurt to know that they did not care for my existence.
Only I cared enough to study their thoughts. My curiosity for how a typical family functioned was quenched when I peered into the minds of each of the other shepherds around me.
Their lives were full of warm meals prepped by their mother's homemade cooking. Gifts received on birthdays. Clothes knit by their grandparents. Family traditions for how to congratulate one another. Getting tucked in at night with a sweet lullaby. Hugs, kisses, laughter... Love.
I envied them. My family was scattered. Each and everyone of us scared for our lives, scrambling to survive in this gods forsaken abyss.
There were lots of things to relate with my countless siblings experiences, so I had a better time connecting with their thoughts; and by connecting I don't mean that it was mutual, I just mean that when I snooped around in there, I felt at home.
My mom was the most peculiar. She was very pretty, and if it weren't for her unfaithful tendencies, her charming personality would win any great mans heart over.
I did not understand her. She was just so... different. Every child she birthed she tossed aside and let the siblings raise it. Her spirit lacked empathy and her motives were clouded with no purpose.
Why did she invite all these strangers into her life to bear numerous children? Why did she discard us? Why did I have the misfortune of being her child? All of these questions left unanswered still haunt me to this day.
Unanswered questions to the one who sees all is my painful irony and the cursed fate of my blessing.
Tryin, as well as a handful of shepherds was all that was left of our village outpost. Half of our shepherd group was of my mother's decent. We could tell by their mixed features.
My mom was a monstrous whore. Not only did she breed with humans and demigods, but she also gave birth to many half ghouls. Sentient S tier ghouls are very rare, but they are avoided among us for they have been crafted within the pits of hell and are capable of unspeakable evil.
We roamed the abyss in search of a new home for many months. All of the fully abyssal shepherds were accepted into neighboring villages; but the rest of my siblings including myself and Tyrin, had been left to scavenge the abyss.
There was just barely over a dozen of us, and we were slowly getting picked off by packs of divers. Eventually we grew weary and Tyrin suggested that we go to the surface to find refuge. He said he heard of a safe heaven for orphans that may take us in.
The coast was forbidden for us shepherds. The fog provided aide and the portals only resided in the abyss. The demigods ordered us to plot and kill the humans; but from a safe distance, until the prophecy was fulfilled.
The elders of our village told us of the prophetic messiah that would lead us into the mountain peaks and wipe out the parasite of mankind from the face of the earth. To hell with that madness. To hell with their faith and sacred beliefs.
Where was the messiah when my house burned? Where was the messiah when I was brought into this forsaken world, into the cold embrace of my heartless mother who discarded me into hell?
When we came to the surface we were met with several packs of divers. Most of us died, including my trusty beloved gold digger. Aziel found the five of us who remained and took us to the bubble colony.
When I first arrived I was paranoid. Afraid of the racist mistreatment that I received back at home to resurface here. I was surprised to read everyone's mind to be so innocent, so pure hearted.
Everyone radiated unconditional love. It was the heaven that I needed to heal my weary soul in. Aziel's spirit was so gentle, so kind.
We weren't used to kindness. The love that encapsulated that bubble cottage up in those trees breathed life into my siblings and we all found purpose there.
Tryin and three of my other older siblings were surfers. I worked in the kitchen, where I met Tia and Tito.
The anxiety that plagued my mind for so many years grew quite. I was at peace. I was in heaven. I was loved. I was... happy. I forgot about all my troubles, but then it all changed when Tits arrived.
He was a cute little bright ball of orange hair with pensive emerald eyes, a face full of frenzied freckles, and scraped up olive skin; but deep within the confines of his closed off subconscious mind, I read the darkness.
The unhealed wound that he kept concealed was so potent, that when I entered that void I collapsed. When I came to on my bed, he was there, holding my hand and smiling as if he didn't know the sorrow he had to bear.
It took me weeks to glean off the full information out of him. You see, many people can't remember most of their lives, and they also can't remember what they hide. In Tyde's case, his memory was locked away by a god.
The demon of Lust (as revered by humans), also called the god of Lust (to those of us who know that there is no distinction between god and demon) had left a mark on that child and Tyde did not know of the origins of it.
He wanted to keep it a secret and I respected it. I wanted him to reveal it to me on his own. I loved everyone of those kids there. Tia, Tito, Aki, even Panpun; but something about the love I shared with Tyde was a little different.
It was deeper than what I shared with the others. It was almost deeper than the bond I shared with Tyrin. We shared so much in sorrow that many others could not fathom.
Not long after Tits arrived, the entire fleet of our surfer crew got annihilated by a pack; when the remains of them returned, I was able to glean remnants of who was the suspect behind the murder of my brother.
A single strand of long dark silky hair was all I needed to know, it was the same alphie who wiped out my village.
Tyrin, my beloved protective brother, had been ripped out of my life just like the rest of my past. It was at this moment that I was at the lowest point in my life, and it was also the same moment when the god of love approached me.
He has a sweet tender voice that comforts in deepest part of your being. When he enters your space, his presence radiates a familiar sense of belonging.
The god of love seemed so far away when I was in pain all my life, but at my lowest point he came to comfort me and gave me the most powerful tool to invoke my vengeance.
My name is Dior Vain, and I am a vessel of the god of love. I am blessed with the ability to command those who hear my tongue; but am cursed to fuel my ability by feeding off of others love.
I have been a leech to those around me to drain them of their affection, but it has strengthened me to become the domineering mastermind that I am.
With my gift I see all, with my blessing I control all, and with my curse I have become a traitor to those I love.