It had been a few minutes since my mother's death. After the midwife realized that my mother wasn't going to wake up, she quickly put me in a rustic but comfortable wooden crib and ran out the door, probably to call someone. Leaving me alone with my thoughts and the sound of wood crackling in the fireplace.
I... I don't understand. What happened here was strange, to say the least. When I was born, I could hear the sound of my mother's breathing. Everything seemed fine, she just seemed tired, something completely normal after giving birth.
Then came that sensation and with it the pain I felt. As soon as it overwhelmed my senses, I could hear, even in the midst of my cries of pain, my mother's breathing getting weaker and weaker, slower and slower, as if it were being taken from her by force.
I think I heard her try to say something, but she seemed to choke on her words as she tried.
A possibility crossed my mind, making me shudder unconsciously.
'The curse.' I assumed.
Yes, that's it! That had to be it. That guy made that point clear. A curse of misfortune with three levels, right? It was something like that, I think. But it doesn't make sense. Shouldn't misfortunes be little things related to bad luck? Something like tripping in the street, falling down a flight of stairs and so on?
Why would a misfortune take my mother's life as soon as I was born, and so abruptly and directly?
'That... That guy, he didn't tell me everything, did he? He kept something from me, something important. This curse can't be as simple as a little bad luck.'
"Step. Step. Step."
'Is she coming back already? She's just left, where did she go so fast?!' My thoughts were interrupted when footsteps sounded coming closer and closer to the room.
"Creeeeak."
A few seconds later the door opened.
"Mr. Ren, I swear to all the mana in Ukrat that Lady Melissa was fine. The birth went as smoothly as any other. As soon as the baby was born, I took a look and she was fine, just a little tired. In the time it took me to pick up the child to hand over to her, something happened and she..." The midwife returned, trying to explain herself. She looked very apprehensive as she spoke.
Her words could not continue, interrupted by a calm but strong voice. "It's all right Jane, you're just an ordinary person, it was my fault for not calling in a healing magician to help you give birth."
Despite the apparent calm, it was possible to distinguish the sadness in the man's voice, he was just playing tough, like any other.
"Step. Step..."
His footsteps sounded again, coming closer and closer to the bed next to my crib, where my mother was. The footsteps stopped and silence prevailed in the room for a few minutes before the man spoke again.
"Jane, clean up the boy and leave him in his crib. Leave when you've finished, I trust your character, take 15 copper coins from my desk and go back to your house."
The midwife quickly replied: "Yes, sir. If I may, I'm sorry for your loss. I really am. Melissa was an incredible, strong and kind woman who never bowed her head to anyone who looked down on her. She will be missed."
"I know, Jane. I know. Melissa was incredible, too incredible for me, for anyone..." The man replied, his voice now a low, desolate whisper.
The silence lasted for a few more seconds before I was lifted up and placed in his arms warmly.
"I'm going, Mr. Ren. Once again, I'm sorry for your loss."
Leaving off her words, she took me somewhere away from the room we were in, walking quite a distance until she got where she wanted to go.
"Time for your first bath little one, it's time to get all that dirt and blood off you." She said softly.
'Oh, looks like it's time to get that blood out of my eyes. I can't wait, curiosity is killing me.'
What followed was a long session of warm bathing. It was long and unnecessary, this woman tried her best to make me shine brighter than porcelain.
When I opened my eyes for the first time, the first thing I saw was the image of a white-haired lady in old, worn-out clothes with her hair in a ponytail. Despite her age, the lady's face bore no signs of old age, no wrinkles or lines of expression could be seen on her face, she looked to be no more than 30 years old.
'Gee, if it weren't for her white hair, who would dare say she was an old woman?!'
"Hm? What's that... Purple eyes? But weren't Melissa's eyes blue? I don't remember anyone in my life having purple eyes either..." The old woman spoke, bewilderment dripping from her voice as she stared at me in amazement.
'Purple eyes?' I thought. 'I'm just as perplexed as you are, ma'am! Don't look at me like that, I have no idea how that's possible either!'
"Well, that's none of my business. Let's take him so his father can see his beautiful eyes."
Picking me up again, she started walking. Now I could see where we were walking. It was simple, to tell the truth. Leaving what I assumed was the bathroom, we turned right and started walking down an unusually straight corridor. Occasionally there were a few doors on either side.
A few minutes of walking later, we stopped in front of a wooden door like the others, and getting ready, Jane opened the door.
"Here you are, Mr. Ren. Clean and beautiful. But there's something wrong with your eyes, I think you'd like to check for yourself."
The man she was addressing was sitting next to an empty bed. He had short black hair as dark as obsidian, his sharp black eyes matching his hair. He was wearing something similar to a black kimono, but looser on his body. A red-hilted sword lay gently at his waist.
The man himself exuded palpable pressure, his well-built body and posture commanding respect while providing comfort and serenity to those nearby.
Standing up, he came towards us.
"Leave him to me. You can go." He said.
Jane handed it to me and left. I was soon face to face with this man in her arms, this was my new father. His gaze gave me goosebumps as he examined me completely, as if I were an open book for him to read, but I continued to stare at him.
"Sigh. I don't know how you got those eyes, little one, but it's undeniable that you're my son, our blood resonates normally. Little one, don't worry, I won't let any harm come to you until you grow up and see the world."
Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Your name from now on will be Kai. You will be the one to inherit our little legacy. Please don't blame me in the future, I have no control over this, I'll do my best to make it as smooth as possible for you." The last half of his sentence was spoken in a whisper full of guilt.
Bringing two of his fingers to my forehead, he said with a heavy tone. "Abdicate."
Immediately something like transparent energy leaked out of his entire body like an uncontrolled flood before gathering compactly in his fingers and reaching my forehead, forming the pattern of a sword vertically chipped at its edges.
Soon the mark disappeared and he whispered again. "Sigh. I'm sorry, please forgive me. That's the way it is. Some things are beyond our control..."
"You've come a long way Kai. I hope you can do what I couldn't."