Hugging their cold, lifeless bodies, I cried. I pressed my face into my aunt's hair and tasted iron on my lips. My arms shook around them. My entire world came crashing down at that moment. I felt the floor tilt. I was close to the edge. An indescribable pain dug through me, sinking deeper into the void. My breath came short and ragged. My body went cold. A dull heat of aura thudded beneath my skin as I forced myself to rise.
"Who did this to you? Why would they WHY WOULD THEY TAKE YOU AWAY FROM ME? I'LL KILL THEM! I'LL KILL THEM ALL! THOSE FUCKING ANIMALS! THEY'LL PAY! THEY'LL PAY! THEY'LL PAY!" I screamed, voice splitting the air, echoing off the walls until it rattled the glass.
The sound dragged footsteps from the hall. Doors opened. Gasps filled the room. Servants rushed in, their eyes wide, faces pale, frozen where they stood. Some covered their mouths. Others dropped to their knees beside the bodies, trembling.
But I barely noticed them. Rage blurred everything. The air shimmered around me as my aura flared. Voices whispered in my head, soft at first, then rising "burn it… burn it... burn it.. BURN IT ALL."
I clenched my fists, shaking. My aunt's words echoed through the noise, like a hand reaching through the darkness, "Kiddo, don't let this world full of hate corrupt you. Don't harm others for revenge. That bloody path has no end."
Even though every part of me wanted to destroy everything in that house, I knew the servants weren't to blame. My aunt and uncle were adventurers stronger than anyone here. No servant could've done this. It had to be her. That woman. That fucking pig. I could feel it in my gut. She hired someone to do this.
Days passed, heavy and dull. The kitchen felt empty, dead quiet. My uncle used to cook breakfast himself every morning, refusing to let the servants help. He said cooking was love made real. Now there was no love, no warmth only silence. Hades, my butler, had brought in one of the finest chefs in the world, but I couldn't eat. My body felt full and empty at the same time.
"Master, how are you holding up?" Hades asked, his voice calm but carrying a weight of concern.
"I'm fine, Hades… you don't have to worry about me. Weren't you supposed to be retiring?" I said, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes.
"Yes, Master. I'm turning fifty-eight soon, which is why I haven't been around much. I was preparing someone to take my place. But I won't leave you alone during this time," he said softly. "No one else would understand. Until I find someone who does, I'll remain by your side."
"Thank you, Hades," I whispered, my voice hollow.
"Now, Master, we must be going. The funeral will begin soon. We can't keep the guests waiting," he said, bowing slightly.
I nodded. "Let's go. Let's not keep them waiting."
We rode in silence. Hours passed as the carriage wheels turned. I stared out the window, the trees blurring into ghosts. Every breath tasted of loss. When we arrived at the church, the air felt heavy.
Inside, every eye turned toward me. Not eyes of pity. Not grief. Greed. Hunger. Whispering mouths and shifting glances. And there she was sitting in the front row, smiling. Her yellow teeth gleamed when she spoke, "Good day, husband. I've saved you a seat."
Her voice made my skin crawl. I looked straight ahead and walked past her, refusing to acknowledge her existence.
"Good day to you, Father. Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice," I said to the priest.
He bowed, eyes full of sorrow. "No need to thank me, Lord Sylvester. Your aunt and uncle were great people. Their loss wounds us all. The church is always open to you."
"Thank you," I said quietly and hugged him briefly before walking away.
The service dragged on, suffocating in falsehood. People who once whispered behind their backs now wept crocodile tears. Lies filled the air fake stories of love and gratitude. When they called on me to speak, I stood slowly, my expression blank.
"You hypocrites," I said, my voice cold and precise, cutting through the hollow air of the room. "You drape yourselves in lies, spinning stories to deceive the world while pretending to care. Do you think you deserve to hear my story? My memories… my pain… my truth… they are mine alone. Not for your applause. Not for your pity. Not for anyone."
The crowd froze. No one dared reply.
When it ended, I returned to an empty house. The silence screamed. I couldn't stay. I wandered into the forest that night. Hours passed. Then days. I walked without eating, without drinking, punishing myself for not being strong enough to protect them. On the tenth day, my vision blurred. The ground rose up to meet me. I fell face-first into the mud and blacked out.
"Bastard."
"Monster."
"Murderer."
"You destroy everything you touch."
"You're a curse."
The voices circled me, hands clawing from the dark, dragging me deeper into nothingness.
"Sylvester! Sylvester, wake up!"
My eyes fluttered open. For a second, I thought I saw my aunt. Then my vision cleared it was Eris.
"Eris… what are you doing here?" I whispered, lips barely moving.
"You idiot," she said, her voice shaking with anger and worry. "Do you have any idea how far you walked? That's a twenty-four-hour journey on horseback! You look like you haven't eaten or slept in days." She pulled an apple from her bag and held it out. "Here. Eat this."
"No thanks," I muttered, managing a faint smile.
"What do you mean, no thanks? Do you know how long I've been searching for you?" she snapped. "I heard rumors of a small human boy with dark skin, black hair, and a birthmark shaped like a star and crescent moon wandering the Elvish forests. I knew it was you."
"I'm sorry," I whispered, taking a small bite before darkness took me again.
When I woke, three days had passed. I was in a small Elvish tent. Eris sat beside me, reading.
"Where am I?" I asked weakly.
Her eyes widened, glistening. "You're awake! The doctors didn't know if you'd make it. How do you feel? Can you move? Do you need food?"
"Where am I?" I repeated.
"You're in the Elf village of Tiger Jaw, you ungrateful idiot," she huffed, cheeks puffing. "I fed and nursed you back to health. The least you could do is say thank you."
"I'm sorry, Eris. Thank you for saving me," I said softly.
"No problem," she mumbled, turning away.
"Why were you wandering the forest alone?" she asked, voice quieter now. "Did something happen?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," I said, staring at the ceiling. "I've got nowhere to stay. No will to go on."
"Then stay here with us until you figure things out," she said, smiling gently.
I nodded. Days turned into months, and before long, two years passed. I was sixteen now old enough to become an adventurer. I hadn't planned to, but Eris begged me for three months straight. She wanted to travel the world, fight monsters, hunt bandits. Before long, I found myself drawn to her. So, I decided to follow her wherever this path may lead.