As night descends, the once vibrant sky—filled with hues of orange and gold—slowly gives way to a deep, velvety darkness. The stars begin to twinkle like scattered diamonds, casting a soft, enchanting glow.
The streets which are covered by snow are now lined with torches, and people slowly make their way towards the town square but not Legion. He makes his way to the tavern to meet back up with his sibling, yet someone gentle taps him on the shoulder.
"Aren't you coming, Legion?" a voice calls out, snapping him from his thoughts. He turns to meet the gaze of the same man with forest green eyes, now puffy and slightly reddened, as if he'd been crying.
"Yes, of course. I just have to go get my siblings." He answers, feeling the slight tingle beneath his skin. "I promise to be there."
"Oh okay." he nods and Legion continues on his way.
Finally coming up to another sign, he knows it's the tavern, but before he heads in he looks through the glass, seeing his siblings helping out a blond haired man with cleaning while the same green haired woman sits on a chair with her arm wrapped with a cloth.
Morgan, Jaxon, Anore and Avix.
I'm alone now, but I guess it dumb for me to think they'll instantly take my side.
He reflects on the situation.
Now, I need to do things by myself.
"Nope." Cinder says out of breath as he lands on the snow floor next to Legion's foot. "You have me too."
Yeah I have you too.
He looks down at him, as Cinder side steps closer to him.
Yet, I wonder if I can love those two like their brother once did.
Just then, the door creaks open, and Avix pokes his head through, the warm light spilling out around him, casting a soft halo that makes him look even more adorable. His eyes sparkle with excitement as he calls out, "Legion!" A bright smile spreads across his face.
What am I kidding? I always wanted siblings and what makes them different, we might not be soul related, but we're blood even if the blood is not mine originally.
He breaks out a smile, and rushes over to pick him up, even though his bones and muscles are still screaming at him to get some rest. "Avix!" He twirls him in the air, as he enters.
Anore's eyes sparkles and she dashes over to. "Pick me up too!" She demands and he complies, putting her in his next arm.
"Anore!" He kisses her cheeks. "I missed you guys."
"We missed you too." Anore exclaims joyfully.
"Yeah! Very much!" Avix adds.
"Aww, you missed your big brother." He fakes cries.
"You seem very happy." Morgan's voice slides into their conversation. "You didn't overwork yourself today again, did you?" He looks up to see her approaching.
"Nope." He lies, setting the kids down onto the floor, then standing back up straight, just as he does, Morgan kicks his knees a bit and he stumbles down. "Shit." He snickers, knowing he has been caught.
"Come get something to eat." She says instead of giving him a lecture like always. "Jaxon!"
"Already on it!Honey!" He shouts back.
Settling on a seat, the twins sit beside him, as Morgan breezes her brown eyes over him, on the chair in front of him. "You look exhausted."
"I could say the same for you." He looks down at her tied up arm. "I got something for you though." He pulls out the healing potion and places it on the table.
Morgan's eyes widen in disbelief as she stares at it, her breath catching in her throat. "You didn't," she says, her voice a mix of astonishment and disbelief, as if she can't quite grasp what she's seeing. "You didn't just spend one bronze on me."
"Yes." He says, as if it was nothing. "I worked extra hard and got four coins today." confidence laced his voice.
She grabs it quietly, and squeezes it a bit. "Thank you." She looks up at him. "But how did you know I got hurt?"
"I saw it while making my way over to the check-in-station." He replies truthfully.
"Oh." She says, before putting it inside her mouth and drinking it all down. "You know." He puts the empty bottle down. "For some reason I had this feeling I was supposed to die."
"What do you mean?" Legion questions, his features fidgeting slightly.
"Before the axe landed I saw it, just for a split second, but maybe it was the term you life flashes before your eyes." Chuckles it off.
"Maybe." Legion says. "It's weird, oh right!" He remembers he also had a next one. "And since I got the next one." He gives it to the kids. "Drink half each, I don't know if you guys got hurt but it should make you feel better."
"Oh okay!" They both respond as they take half each like he instructed, and soon the food is out and Jaxson comes over holding a bowl of stew and two lofts of bread.
"There." He places it on the table. "And thank you for getting it for her, she was only complaining to me about how much it hurts." He snickers looking over at his embarrassed wife.
"I was not!" She gets up and the both of them went off arguing playfully.
Splitting the bread he shares it with Avix and Anore, "You should eat something before we head over to the send off."
"Send-off?" Avix asks, his voice muffled as he chews, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"It's when they say goodbye to the dead, silly," Anore whispers, leaning closer with a knowing smile.
"Oh," Avix replies, the realization dawning on him as he swallows. He nods slowly, piecing together the meaning in his mind, a hint of seriousness replacing his earlier confusion.
"You guys are really going to do that too?" Morgan interjects, her tone laced with surprise as she returns from the playful banter. Jaxon follows closely behind, a mischievous grin still lingering on his face.
"Yeah, I was the one who suggested it in the first place," Legion replies.
"Then let's go together." Morgan suggests.
"I don't see why not," Legion replies with a nod, a smile creeping onto his face as he meets Morgan's gaze.
"I'll go get changed," Jaxon says, glancing down at his flour-covered shirt and face, a sheepish grin spreading across his lips. With a playful shake of his head, he turns on his heels, the sound of his footsteps fading as he makes his way down the hallway, leaving a trail of flour behind him.
"This man." Morgan shakes her head upon seeing it.
***
The fire crackles softly, its warmth filling the air with a comforting yet somber ambiance. Though the sound may seem insignificant, it carries an undeniable weight, echoing through the gathering.
A few people stand nearby, their faces etched with sorrow, including a green-eyed man whose tears shimmer in the flickering light.
They carefully lift a wooden board, the old woman lying peacefully upon it, and remorsefully, they place her body on the fire. The flames dance and flicker, casting shadows that seem to cradle her as she begins her final journey, the air thick with grief and memories.
"Is this death? Is this what death is like?" Cinder asks, landing on Legion's shoulder.
Very much so.
"Is this how everyone dies? With people by their side?" Avix inquires, looking up at him.
"No." the response comes solemnly, as he lifts his gaze to the fire."Many die alone, or executed without anyone's mercy." He bites back his tears as he remembers all of his deaths. "Death could come in many shapes or forms, and not always they'll be a person to cry for you or be there for you in your final moment."
"Then I don't want to die alone." He faces back to the fire as well.
"I won't let you die alone." He promises. "Neither of you." He squeezes both of their hands reassuringly. "That's a promise."
Tomorrow my levelling and evolutions begin, and hopefully soon the departure of this place.
***
As the send-off concludes and the fire dies down, Legion turns to leave, noticing the man still crouched by the ashes, silently weeping. Not wanting to intrude on his grief, Legion walks away quietly.
Yet, as he departs, the sound of soft crying shifts into light, eerie laughter. The man's forest green eyes flicker and turn crimson as he digs through the remains of the ashes. "Finally!" he whispers with twisted glee. "That should be enough for me to transcend into your ranks, right? Monarch of Sacrifice?"
"Nope." No-name emerges from the shadows, his figure contorting as his form shifts into Cassin. "But it is enough to catch my attention." His red eyes gleams, cutting through the nightly air, just like before.
"Wh…Who are you!" He shouts dropping to his knees and moves back. "You're not the Monarch of Sacrifice."
"That's right, little one," a deep voice replies, smooth and ominous. The figure circles around him with slow, deliberate strides, the sound of leather shoes crunching on the snow.
"First, filling your mothers bag with clothes and calling the orc's after you left a letter for her stating you're going to run away after she told you not to, so instead she tried to empty out your bag, and the orc's came just in time." He replays all of the actions leading up to the woman's death. "Leading to her death, am I right?"
"No…no…no!" He shouts covering his ears and drowning himself in despair and regret. "I just need power! All I wanted was power!"
"Then power is what you shall get." He says stopping in front of him, making the man stop his wailing and look up at him.
"Really?" He moves a bit closer.
"Yeah!" He smiles. "How about a monster? Though you'll have to wait until the time is right for your power to be set free." He smirks and the man's face darkens.
"I don't-!" He stops as a black substance forms into a pin from No-names hands and pieces through the man's skull.
"Too late." It seems to pump something into him. "Really, Shoji should be grateful I'm helping him grow in power, but this would be the last time until later on."