"Mamma what do call those shiny things in the sky."
A bright-eyed Amir smiled brightly as he stood in a field of bright blue flowers staring at the sky with curiosity.
Picking him up was a woman with black hair and fair-looking skin. Her glossy lips and figure made her quite beautiful. Smiling brightly, she held him in her arms as she nuzzled her nose against his face. Pointing to the sky she drew his attention.
"We call these stars Amir."
Amir looked at the star as he became even more excited. He had never heard the name before, but it felt right.
"These stars are a shining emblem of hope as they show us light in the darkness. They shine brighter than anything and anyone."
Her words made Amir's face glisten and a big smile on his face. He wanted to be a star just like his mom had said and shine brighter than anyone else.
"I'll be a super-duper star mamma, and you can watch me shine bright I Promise."
"You already my star my baby boy."
Throwing Amir into the air repeatedly and catching him they laughed innocently under the starry night.
The sunrise bathed the village of Luton in sunlight. The bustle of activity and chatter in the rustic village square grew as early morning set in.
Amir who started to wake from his sleep rubbed his eyes and sat up in the tent.
Stretching his body, he felt refreshed as he felt no pain in his body even after almost dying. He honestly never felt better in his life.
"Spirits must be strong if she could heal me so well."
Aside from his body feeling a bit healthier nothing seemed very different. She claimed she could make me use mana, but Amir didn't see how she would be able to do that. It was general Knowledge throughout the empire that someone born as a cripple would never be able to use mana in their life.
Still seeing the symbol from his chest from last night on his chest the only difference being he no longer saw the glow it had before.
Outside in the village vibrant noise could be heard as everyone seemed happy and cheery.
"I guess it's about time for the harvest festival."
He frowned slightly as he remembered that he used to love this festival that came around every year. Now all it reminded him of how cruel the world could be to those it deemed useless.
Clang---
Bringing him from his daze he turned to see where the noise came from a sound.
In his vision were two scrappy-looking boys who looked down at him with expressions of disgust.
'Tsk of course the first thing I see in the morning would be these dumbasses.' He thought
"Look brother, we picked up some trash on the way home."
A tall, muscular boy with dirty blond hair and brown eyes scowled at him as he gave off a haughty attitude. Another boy with the same facial features as the first one with a wide grin stood slightly behind him.
Seeing them irked him as they both were two haughty brats who acted like the main characters of the hero story.
"If it isn't Tweedle dee and dumbass, what allows me to be graced by your presence today."
"What did you just say you damn cripple!"
The boy punched the Amir in the face and sent him flying into the side of the building.
Coughing up blood after he hit the building, he fell on one of his knees struggling to get up.
"You're looking to die today huh."
The boy walked closer to Amir as he started rotating his fist.
"Brother we shouldn't be doing this if you kill him by accident we would get in a lot of trouble."Jordan said
"Oh, shut it Jordan, I'm not going to kill him but even if I did no one would miss him either After all, He's nothing but a useless cripple."
His face had a big smile as he could see that what he had just said had irritated Amir extremely.
Amir jumped to his feet, whirled around, and threw a punch. aimed right at his chin.
The young man with blond hair ducked under the punch before he threw another punch, landing with such force that it sent Amir reeling and eliciting a scream.
"Your punch was so slow a baby could do better."
The boy walked closer to Amir as he stared at his bloodied face with enjoyment.
"Why the hell do you keep doing this Elijah, why can't you just leave me alone!"
Elijah shrugged
"I want you to understand how much of an insect you are compared to me. I Just broke through to Frank and I'm going to be going to a magic academy."
Amir's eyes were cold as he listened to Elijah.
Seeing the look of indifference on Amir's face made him even angrier than before. He always had that look as if he was better than him and he couldn't care less. As long as he knew him, he somehow still felt defeated by him.
"Shit, someone's coming! brother; it's time to leave."
Hearing someone coming Elijah got up and ran away with his brother.
As soon as they left a tall man wearing a brown jacket and pants rounded the corner and entered the alley. One could make out a patchy beard, his dark brown hair, and his brown eyes.
"Amir what happened to you?!." he shouted as he approached the youth
Noticing that it was the guard Micheal he relaxed a bit.
"Sir Michael, why are you here?"
"I heard a noise and decided to investigate but more importantly how did you get these injuries?" He asked
Putting his has in a boxing stance he punched the air.
" That was nothing but a good round of shadowboxing I've been working on."
Not paying attention to the obvious life he just took out a piece of cloth and gave it to him to clean himself up.
"Did some kids attack you? I'll show them who's boss around here with some serious discipline." He asked
"No, it's fine sir."
Amir played it off to not get Micheal involved as the kids, he was fighting were the village chief's sons and no one would want to mess with the direct subordinate of a Baron.
"Come on, I'll carry you to the infirmary your hurt."
Amir shook his head in refusal.
"I have no money to pay for medicine it's just a scratch I'll be okay"
Looking at the injuries he called just a scratch micheal wondered what he would even deem serious.
"I'll be paying for it its fine."
Amir shaked his head in refusal once again."
"I would have no way to repay you, I assure you I'm fine sir"
Micheal rolled his eyes at the boy's stubbornness.
"Stop being so stubborn, at least let me give you some bandages at my place."
Micheal's relentless pushing made Amir give up and choose to just get some bandages from him. The internal injuries could cause some serious issues if he didn't look at them properly.
After walking for a while, Amir and Mr. Michael arrived at a quite large house. The front garden was simple but elegantly designed. It is better than the old-looking ones in the village. Since he was a guard keeping them safe from the magical beasts, their pay must of been good.
'Maybe it would have worked out better if I had let him pay the infirmary bill.'
Amir had a slightly sad expression as he just realized he skipped out on getting a free day in the infirmary. They always had the chocolate pudding he would go crazy for as a kid. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten decent food that didn't come from a garbage can.
When he entered the home, you were greeted by a spacious living room with a couch and several bookcases.
"Please take a seat; I'll be back shortly with the bandages." Micheal said
Leaving to get the bandages Amir looked around the house and he was surprised because he didn't know how loaded the guards were. The bookcases were stocked to the brim and the interior of the house also looked quite nice.
Slowly sinking into the couch in the living room was like dozing off on a bed of fluffy sheep. The feeling of the couch was soft and comforting as memories flashed across his mind.
Gripping his chest, he tried his best not to think about it.
"I shouldn't have such useless thoughts like that." He muttered softly
Micheal soon returned with the bandages and some ointment for the pain.
"So, with the boys who assaulted you do you know why they did it?" Micheal asked
"They attacked me because I'm a cripple."
Squinting his face as Micheal rubs the ointment on his word before wrapping them.
"I heard those with mana deficiency can't ever access the mana and can never use magic but that gives no own the right to hurt you."
scoffing Amir couldn't bother to hear anything Micheal was saying.
"Those with power get to do whatever they like and everyone else be damn. That's just the kind of world we live in." Amir said
Shaking his head Micheal disagreed.
"That may be how the world we live is but the most powerful of all made laws to protect the weak for a reason. The law cerulean states that murder outside of duels and self-defense is strictly prohibited."
Amir knew the laws well but still felt the same even though those very rules is the only reason he is alive today.
'The laws keep you alive but what's the point of being alive when the only thing you can do is wish for death at the end of the day.'
Amir felt as though the person who made the laws forgot that it didn't stop people from treating him less than dirt just for existing.
Finished with wrapping his bandages he looked at Amir with a look of concern.
"I know you don't like to being dependent on others, but I can't stand seeing you like this, so please stay the night."
Hearing what Micheal said surprised Amir as no one had ever offered to help before as they were too disgusted by him to even look at him and the fact that he was a cripple made people avoid him as though he had a disease.
"How about this? I let you stay here, and you do chores around the house. I'm always at work anyway so the house is never properly cleaned. Do that and you stay."
Mr. Michael has always treated him kindly, even though he was a cripple. He respected him and wanted to repay him for all his kindness. He no longer wished to sleep on a cold floor or eat out of a garbage can anymore.
Amir was only 12 and he was barely hanging on and would have already been dead if he didn't encounter a lunatic spirit.
"Sir, thank you for this!! I won't ever forget it!!"
Accepting his offer Micheal smiled, elated that Amir would be staying with him.
"Do you want some tea? I've got some brewing in the kettle." He asked
Nodding his head in response Amir said.
"I'd appreciate it, thank you, sir"
Standing up Micheal finished wrapping the bandages and went to the kitchen
As he considered his future, his lips trembled,
'Is being a house cleaner as far as my abilities go?' he thought
"I don't know how much longer I could last out here, so I guess I should be thankful if he's allowing me to stay here.
"I should power through it; these fanciful tales aren't for people like me."
slouching deeper into the chair a bittersweet look could be seen on his face. On one hand, he could now sleep in a cozy warm house and not worry about dying from starvation but the dreams he had seemed to be nothing but fanciful tales.
"Hmm flying among the stars huh"
"I just wanted to...…"
Amir relented as in the fight with the twins he couldn't even take on a single one of them, and they didn't even use magic against me. How could he ever expect to be someone great when he couldn't even protect himself?
'If everything that happened with the crazy woman is true, why has nothing changed yet.'
"A cup of tea, anyone?"
He jolted Amir out of my thoughts as he handed me a white teacup with flowers on it. To show his appreciation, He accepted the cup and stared at it happily.
"This is for the best" he muttered softly
Taking a sip of the tea while staring at Micheal. He seemed quite weird ever since handing me the cup.
"Sir, are you ok?"
Looking at him he wondered why he looked so weird but could only see a grin on his face.
"Why did you feel the need to start a fight with the Robison brothers?"
"I know it was silly, I wasn't thinking...."
The cup slipped from his grasp staining the couch, and a wave of sleepiness washed over him.
"What the hell did you do to me!"
Amir stood up stumbling and reached for his head. A hazy form of Micheal was standing in front of him.
"The law of cerulean says that human or any kind of trafficking is also not allowed so I find it hard to select my targets."
That was the last thing he heard from the blurry figure looking down at him as he collapsed to the ground.