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Chapter 11
A Couple of Years Ago
A small boy dressed in ragged clothing sat forlornly by the side of a lonely, dusty road. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows that danced around him, while flies buzzed incessantly, drawn to the frail figure beside him. A small girl lay shivering on his lap, wrapped in a makeshift blanket that seemed inadequate against the chill in the air. With a stainless steel plate in hand, he held it out to the occasional passerby, who either ignored him, spat in disdain, or vented their frustrations with harsh words or a swift kick.
"Cedric," the girl murmured, her voice barely rising above the whisper of the wind.
"Dionne, how are you feeling?" Cedric asked, his brow furrowed with concern, worry etching lines into his youthful face.
"Why don't you just leave me? You know I can't make it. I'm... dying," she replied, her words trailing off, almost lost in the biting cold.
Cedric managed a gentle smile, though his heart felt heavy. "What sort of brother would I be if I left you behind?"
"How can you smile in a situation like this?" Dionne retorted, her voice cracking as she coughed, a spatter of blood staining the blanket.
"A smile can turn a bleak moment into something a little brighter," Cedric said softly, running his fingers through her dark, tousled hair. For a fleeting moment, Dionne managed a weak chuckle.
Just then, a man in a sharp suit strode towards them, his polished shoes clacking against the cobblestones. He caught their attention, producing a handful of coins from his breast pocket and dropping them into Cedric's plate.
Cedric's eyes sparkled with hope. He bowed deeply at the man's feet. "Thank you, sir! Thank you so much!"
"Hey, kid. I've been watching you for a while now," the man said, crouching before him. "You seem like a decent lad. How would you like to come with me? I could adopt you."
"Adopt me?" Cedric echoed, glancing at Dionne, who listened with rapt attention.
"What about Dionne?" he asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
The man's gaze flickered to the sickly girl, his expression hardening. "She's on the brink of death, you can see that."
"I'm not leaving her," Cedric insisted, a fire igniting in his chest.
"Cedric, it's—" Dionne began weakly.
"Dionne!" he interrupted, his voice rising with frustration.
The man sighed, pulling a business card from his pocket. "If you change your mind, here's my card. You know where to find me." He turned to leave, but Dionne scrambled to snatch the card from the ground.
"Th… thank you, Mr. Veyan," she said, her voice a mere whisper as she managed a faint smile. He waved over his shoulder without looking back.
"I'll get some food and medicine for you. I'll be right back, okay?" Cedric said, standing up with determination etched into his features.
She nodded, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes.
"Don't go anywhere, okay?"
He dashed down the street, the frigid air biting at his skin as he wove through the sparse crowd.
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Cedric came to a sudden halt, panting heavily as a drunken man stumbled toward him, dragging his feet and nursing a half-empty bottle.
"Hey, kid... got any spare change? I wanna get more booze," the man slurred, his breath reeking of alcohol.
"You've had enough. You can barely stand," Cedric replied, instinctively stepping back.
"Quick tongue for a little brat," the man retorted, burping loudly as he seized Cedric by the collar and hurled him to the ground. He rifled through Cedric's pockets, extracting the meager savings the boy had gathered. "Looks like I hit the jackpot."
"No! I need that for my sister's medicine!" Cedric cried, scrambling to his feet, desperation clawing at his throat.
"Tell her you gave it to someone who needed it more," the man sneered.
"Give it back!" Cedric lunged at him, but the man retaliated, smashing the bottle over Cedric's head, sending him crashing to the ground. Pain exploded through his skull, and he felt the warmth of blood trickling down his face.
"Bastard," the man spat, stomping mercilessly on Cedric's stomach before staggering away, laughter trailing behind him like a bitter ghost.
Cedric lay there, his body wracked with pain, the falling snow beginning to blanket him in cold silence. "Damn... what will I tell Dionne?" With great effort, he forced himself to stand, his reflection catching his eye in a nearby grimy mirror. His lips twisted into a forced smile, a bitter mockery of joy.
"They say smiling turns a negative situation into a positive one... but nothing's changed since I found that stupid book," he muttered, dragging his battered body back toward home, shivering against the chill.
As he approached, a lump of snow caught his eye, and his heart raced with dread. He sprinted forward and fell to his knees beside the pile, desperately brushing the snow away. His worst fears were confirmed; Dionne's frail body lay buried beneath it.
"Dionne!" he screamed, shaking her gently. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open as if struggling against the weight of darkness.
"Cedric," she whispered, her voice scarcely a breath.
"You're burning up, Dionne! I... I got robbed! Dionne," he stammered, his hands trembling uncontrollably. "Let me go get some medicine for you!"
"No, Cedric... I... I won't survive. You know it…"
"Don't say that! Please, you can't leave me. Not now," tears streamed down his cheeks, freezing in the bitter air.
"Smile," Dionne urged weakly, placing her pale hand on his face, brushing away his tears. She smiled brightly, but it was a smile that belied her fading strength.
"No... no, you're not going to die," Cedric said fiercely, scooping her into his arms and tucking her beneath a nearby stall. He gave her his shirt, wrapping her tighter in the blanket. "I'll be back, Dionne. I promise."
With that, Cedric bolted down the street, tears freezing on his cheeks. He reached a nearby stall, desperation spilling from his voice as he shouted at the vendor. "Please help me! My sister... she's dying! I need medicine, anything! I can't lose her—she's all I have!"
The vendor glanced at him with contempt, shaking his head. "Go away, kid."
"Please, I'll pay you back! I swear!" Cedric pleaded, his heart racing.
"I said, get lost!" The vendor hurled a half-empty bottle at him, but Cedric ducked, leaping into the stall. He snatched up whatever he could, stuffing medicine into his pockets. Just as the vendor lunged at him, Cedric swung a bottle, smashing it over the man's head before sprinting out into the street.
"Thief! Thief!" the vendor shouted, and a mob quickly formed, giving chase.
Cedric darted through the falling snow, a wild grin spreading across his face as adrenaline coursed through him. Just as he thought he had lost them, a man emerged from an alley, swinging a metal bat and crashing it against Cedric's skull. He collapsed, pain engulfing him, as the mob caught up, their fists raining down upon him.
"Leave him," a familiar voice commanded. The mob began to disperse as Veyan approached, kneeling beside Cedric.
"Nice to see you again, Cedric," he said with an unsettling calmness.
"My sister... Dionne. I needed medicine for her. I got robbed... and when I got home, she was unconscious…"
"It's alright," Veyan said, his voice soothing.
"How much for the medicine?" Veyan asked the panting vendor, an authoritative edge to his tone.
"Two hundred," the man replied, eyeing Veyan warily.
Without hesitation, Veyan handed over the money, and Cedric felt a flicker of hope ignite within him.
"I need to get back to Dionne!" Cedric cried, his heart racing as he sprinted away.
Veyan dashed into the makeshift house, finding Dionne trembling under the blanket Cedric had left her with. "Dionne, Dionne," he called softly, kneeling beside her as her dark blue eyes fluttered open.
"Here, take this," he said, fumbling with the bottle before pouring the medicine into his mouth and feeding it to her. He returned to the shelter where Cedric waited, anxiety radiating from him.
"If I leave with you, will you guarantee full medical treatment for Dionne?" Veyan asked, his eyes fixed on Cedric without wavering.
"I had a change of heart," Veyan continued. "Seeing the bond between you two made me feel terrible for trying to separate you. She can come with us."
Dionne chuckled weakly, her eyes lighting with a flicker of life. "Guess you were right… you smiled our way into something good."
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Three years had passed since that fateful day. Cedric stormed into a large room, lavishly decorated with antiques and a blend of modern furniture. An inverted cross loomed over them, accompanied by a grotesque statue of a seven-horned humanoid goat, the air thick with the scent of fresh blood. Three people lounged about, but Cedric paid them no mind as he marched toward Veyan, who sat before the cross, an air of arrogance enveloping him.
"Where is Dionne?" Cedric demanded, rage burning in his eyes as he gripped Veyan by the throat and slammed him against the base of the cross.
Veyan remained silent, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I said, where is she?" Cedric slammed Veyan's head against the cross again.
With a swift motion, Veyan broke Cedric's grip and blasted him back with a wave of malevolent energy, sending him crashing into one of the ornate antiques.
"Look what you've done," one of the others exclaimed, ignoring Cedric entirely as they rushed to assess the damage.
"Laying a hand on me? The nerve!" Veyan sneered, advancing toward Cedric with an air of menace.
"You lied to me! For three years you left Dionne to die, making me believe you took care of her, but you didn't!" Cedric shouted, anguish punctuating his words.
"Oh, he found out?" Alaric chimed in, picking up the shattered pieces of the antique.
"You all knew!" Cedric spat, fury lacing his voice.
"She has served her purpose. You should be grateful; through her death, you will gain unfathomable power," Veyan said, his tone condescending.
"Death?" Cedric's voice cracked, despair washing over him.
"Welcome to the Insidious Covenant Church," Veyan grinned, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
Having heard enough, Cedric lunged at Veyan. With ease, Veyan caught his punch, delivering a heavy blow to Cedric's midsection. Blood spilled from Cedric's mouth as he crumpled to his knees.
Veyan grabbed him by the hair, forcing him to meet his gaze. "You don't always get what you want in this world. If you want to change that, you need power," he said, a chilling smile on his lips.
"I'll kill you, I swear!" Cedric gasped, a mix of fury and fear swirling within him.
Henri, one of the onlookers, laughed hysterically. "The kid's gonna kill you," he taunted.
"He is welcome to try," Veyan replied coolly, his confidence unwavering.
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