Tepmin mulled over everything that happened as he finished getting back home. "Why attack me if he was so weak? Also I'm almost positive they were speaking of Damien." Once he was around a block from his house he finally stopped integrating, satisfied he had not been followed, by the law or any other unsavory characters.
Tepmin took his shoes off after he entered the orphanage. He listened for any sounds out of the ordinary. There were none except for the sleepy sounds off the eleven children splayed out on their beds. He sighed in relief "I'm glad neither of those men recognized me.That could've been much worse for me than it turned out to be."
He looked over the mantle behind the couch. There were military ribbons and medals adorning the entire thing. He has been proud of his service at one point, but that was another life. He didn't know why he kept them anymore, maybe misguided sentiment. There was also a photo there. of two young men. Probably in their early twenties. One with blue eyes and short orange hair the beginnings of stubble gracing his face. He was quite large, you could see his muscles bulging through a set of military fatigues, the grayish green digital fabric looking ready to tear. The other man was a couple heads shorter than the first, he had short black hair, with a thin mustache and a small amount of stubble as well, his nose was small and sharp. His chin strong and square. His eyes were closed as he smiled big.
Tepmin sighed looking at the photo. "Better times better left behind." He turned the photo on its face. The back read Tepmin and Quinn brothers in blood. "Either the fool didn't recognize me, or didn't care enough to think I mattered. If he comes to take the boy, I'll do what I should've done years ago." Tepmin clinched his jaw.
He walked along the hallway before coming to the kids room. He slowly opened the door like he does every night and walked in. He scanned the room not just to see the kids, but also to scan for danger. "Old habits die hard I guess. His eyes landed on the crib and he quietly walked over to look at the sleeping Damien. He noticed a very soft glow behind the eyelids of the infant. His breath caught in his throat. "This shouldn't be possible." Activating the soul as a newborn let alone in ones sleep. He's definitely the one they're looking for. I should've killed Ripper Jack." Tepmin thought of that mans real name. "Fucking dipshit couldn't even think of something original. Although his sadism fits the profile, sick fuck."
"Don't worry little tike, I'll make sure you grow up with a innate ability to fight back, nobody will say that you went down weakly." He put his pinky in the babies open palm. In doing so he felt a rush of power and vitality run through him. His face paled for a moment. "This baby is of Their calibur. No most likely he is a few steps above. I doubt any of Them could resonate as newborns."
Tepmin put his face in his hands. "This is not going to be easy, raising a powerhouse of your talent. I swear I will protect you until my soul is integrated into another, that is my oath to you little tike. For when you are grown you will make a name for yourself."
Tepmin cursed his luck, the whole lot of kids he was raising were insanely powerful, soon he wouldn't be able to teach the older ones anything else. He already couldn't keep up with how quickly they strengthened their souls. Once they got to choose a second soul they would outclass him quickly. His innate talent was lacking, which he made up for with how hard he worked for his power. "He will rally them to a cause." A voice whispered in Tepmin's head. He started, goosebumps causing all the hairs on his neck and arms to stand on end and his adrenaline surged. "Who's there?"