"Monare what is the essence of power?" Asked the Arthesian. Monare, a five-year-old, was busy playing with sticks and saliva when he answered:
"Des…twa..c..tion" he said with his immature voice.
The older man smiled and continued:
"It's destruction, but there's more to it. Come, let us grab you something to eat.
Five old Monare sprang up and leaped with pleasure, saying "Fish…Fish" again. The old man mocked with a chuckle.
"When it comes to food, you always pronounce it right. I'm curious where you got that from?"
"From Uncle," Monare said, and the man laughed as they went for their hut.
****
In the present
Monare knelt next to Flora and stated:
"I am here to protect"
Flora looked at the gestures with a raised eyebrow:
"Oh I… am…. thankful for that"
Maybe she was still shocked to appreciate the gesture with clear mind. She was a bit strong for someone of her age, Monare still remember that he was able to do so much at age 7. He could read and write, exercise and multitask faster.
Monare stood up, his eyelids twitching slightly as he spoke to Flora:
"Your parents are coming, excuse me I have to talk to that guy"
Monare initially approached Quinn, who was still leaning against the backroom wall, and Hera opened the door, embracing Flora with little tears in her eyes. Asterios promptly assessed the situation as he noticed the slave Glove assisting Quinn in getting up, as he appeared to be injured as he limped a little.
Asterios noticed a man laying on the ground, injured and battered. His complexion turned red as steam slowly emerged from the body, and he could hear the man breathing heavily. Asterios patted his wife on the head and kissed Flora's forehead as he approached the man laying on the ground, who was clearly opening his eyes.
Asterios touched the man's skin, but quickly withdrawn his hand to avoid the burn and heat emanating from the body. Monare was able to encourage Quinn to walk on his own, and he soon grasped Asterios' hand.
"What are you doing kid?" Asterios asked.
Monare's eyes went blue again as a sharp shiver spread across Asterios' body. Monare directed the chill to Asterios' hand, causing a tremble throughout his body as he retracted his hand.
Monare softly patted his head in worry, adding:
"Apologies I still getting used to the boost of power which I had recently achieved"
Asterios was almost surprised and asked:
"So, who defeated this guy?" he continued, pointing.
Monare scoffed while shrugging:
"If you must know, I did"
Asterios was stunned, his mouth open, when he noticed his daughter nodding at the offered answer, as if it were true.
The blue-haired man straightened up slightly as he gazed at Asterios with written venom in his eyes. He swiftly summoned a flame that expanded to his arm and hand as he pounced for Asterios' exposed back.
The blue-haired man's palm was coated in flames; he rose up and retracted his fist as he aimed at Asterios' back. Nonetheless, that attack was ineffective, as Asterios effortlessly avoided it by moving his body along with the strike. He then lowered his center and executed a clean sweep, causing the blue-haired man to tumble down and strike his head hard on the ground.
Asterios stood and dusted himself off the dirt; he looked at Monare and stated:
"I believe you kid, after all only war prisoners are sold there where I bought you. Sometimes"
However, that fall was insufficient as a sudden rush of dust from the blue-haired individual's residence spread everywhere. The man escaped by jumping on top of the wall overlooking the center section of Onskeard, blocking both Monare's and Asterios' vision.
The blue-haired man was now leaning slightly to fall off, as he appeared exhausted. Monare looked at the man with his powers activated and his eyes glowing blue. The man took a breath as he stated:
"Never would I thought that one of my own kind would be around, guess we are not all gone. You child who is still tethered to the water, I will be back"
As he said this, he crouched his body a bit, as he hopped off the wall.
Monare's eyes glowed brighter as his hands suddenly turned a bit white, grey and black scales with small black claws. As Monare run up and climbed the wall with vigor like a cat.
Monare examined Asterios, as stated:
"I will be back"
He ran off into the night. Asterios sighed and inwardly murmured in his mind:
'while if he were my child, telling his father while he goes about looking for girls.'
As he reflected on this, Asterios remembered his eighteen-year-old son Marx from his ex-wife. He wondered:
"Wonder what that child is up to now?"