SHADOW SLAVE: CROWN OF HOLLOW SCORN

Another headache that felt like it would kill him. The crown acted again forcing its will upon him, but this time he had not given in. With a sigh he wiped some sweat off his forehead and grumbled 

"When will this winter solicit thing even start"

 He was suppose to be at the academy according to his plan but well.......Well, the main reason he got lost was because he was in a completely unfamiliar place, somewhere outside the NSQC and far from his grand palace like room. Here he was forced to live like a rat, rummaging through the trash and eating synthpaste...ahhh the humiliation. But hey, if eating synthpaste and living with rats meant he would stay alive and free, he would gladly accept this deal and so would his brother.....only if had this choice.

"Pfft-"

Stifling his burst of laughter Valen walked onwards to his 'house'. It was more like a cardboard house with a square holes around it so that he could look around and avoid getting jumped, truly a place fit for a king. It was surrounded by a distinct smell of garbage and numerous kids running around eyeing his fortress.

On his way to his royal cardboard palace, he saw a frail looking young boy with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. The little boy looked so pitiful and SHORT that Valen felt a pang of sympathy in chest. 

Ahhh such cruel and sad world it was. Forcing a kid like that to live and survive in the outskirts. Least he could do was smile right? 

"hehe"

He smiled at the SHORT boy and waved at him. But all he received was a cold glare and a concerning grin.

"Hey there short stack", Valen called out, unable to resist, "you lost or something?"

Dang it !!, he bit his tongue to keep it in but it was too late. His tendency to speak before thinking would be the death of him.

The boy's grin widened, his dark eyes glinting "Not as lost as you" he replied, his voice calm but laced with a subtle edge.

Valen blinked, caught off guard. By the time he recovered, the boy had already disappeared into the shadows.

Damn kids these days.

Valen muttered as he kept on walking to his spot. There he opened up his pockets and 'ate' some of the synthpaste. Now all he had to do was find this bum ass academy. It couldn't be that hard right?

Another mouthful of the synthpaste and it was finished. Now it was the glorious time to hunt for resources!!! 

Valen ran towards the nearest garbage bin.

If only his sister could see him right now.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, Across the Outskirts,

Man what was that guys deal??

The short boy thought as he walked briskly towards the police station. He glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting the strange man to be following him. The man had been dressed like a beggar but carried himself with an odd sense of pride. And then there was that feeling—

And what was that aura near him?

It started as a subtle pressure, like the air itself was thickening around him. Then it grew heavier, crushing, as if the weight of the entire world was pressing down on his shoulders. His breath hitched, and his steps faltered, his legs buckling under the unseen force.

For a moment, he felt like he was going to be squished to death, like a bug beneath someone's boot.

Ah well it doesn't matter, he was gonna die anyways today so it was better to risk it then get mugged. But if he was gonna die today then what would it matter if he got mugged or not??

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Your burden grows heavier.]

Dang who would've thought I would have to end a life today? Valen thought, wiping his hands on the dead kid's clothes, Another street rat, He should've known that this cardboard was his. 

Stupid Idiot, now he died for a piece of cardboard. 

 "Guess he musta hated me a lot for me to receive a fragment tho" , Valen muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips, "hehe, Thanks kid."

With that he walked out of the alley with his grand prize between His arms.

Just a few steps away, he ran into someone familiar. It was the shortie from before, but something was different about him. It was the shortie, but something was different about him now. He looked leaner more cleaner and a bit better looking then he was before. How?

there was only one answer

"You survived a seed?" Valen asked abruptly, cutting straight to the point.

The boy raised an eyebrow, giving Valen a wary look "Hmm? why are you asking me that?"

"Dude!" Valen exclaimed, "Its cause....I need help. I have to go to the academy too, and I got lost around the Outskirts. Can you help me? ...Please?" Ignoring the pang of hurt that he received for asking help.

The boy hesitated, his dark eyes narrowing as if trying to figure out if Valen was serious or just crazy. Finally, he shrugged. "Uh, okay?"

"yahoo thx bro"" Valen grinned, barely containing his excitement.

And they had an amazing road trip with Master Jet, hooray!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Valen was standing before a massive, seemingly indestructible red gates of the Awakened Academy. The Academy was like a city inside a city, built on a fortress, with a high wall made of hard alloy, deep moat and numerous large caliber turrets which were placed in certain positions to create a deadly air -suppression dome. No Nightmare Creature, not even colossal titans ,were supposed to be able to break through its defenses.

"Ahhh real freedom is truly close", Valen shuddered with anticipation

In the Dream Realm., Valen would swiftly seek out the nearest Song citadel and be under their protection.

Wouldn't that be great?, He thought to himself," Away from that stinking and crude cardboard house of his."

"But then why did he kill that kid for the cardboard if he hated it so much?" ,He shrugged." Ah well it doesn't matter anymore does it?" 

Anyways, Valen looked around to find Sunny looking at ...a woman?. A sly smile appeared on his face,

"Already checking out the baddies, huh?" Valen smirked, elbowing Sunny playfully. "First Master Jet, and now her? Leave some for the rest of us, alright?"

Sunny turned around, his entire face turning bright red. He gritted his teeth, his voice a low hiss.

"Shut up before you get me into trouble you stupid id-"

But before he could utter another word, The oppressing aura around Valen grew even stronger. Valen's face changed for a split second, twisting into a murderous glare, then snapping back into his usual goofy expression, though his eyes looked a little tired.

"Don't say something like that to me again, okay?" Valen smiled, his voice calm but sounding a little off. "Let's just head in."

With a sigh, Sunny followed, his earlier blush replaced by a wary expression.