by Michael Sisa
The child’s tiny hands grabbed the callused hand of his brother, and ushered him to the living room. A six feet tall Christmas tree was positioned at the left corner of the room, beside the taupe-colored couch. A 72 inches LED television was positioned directly in front of the couch, and was separated by a glass center table.
“Sorry Dan, I’ve been gone for a week. So many busine—”
“It’s fine!” Dan interjected. He was still smiling, showing a missing tooth. He looked towards the food placed on top of the center table. The light from the LED screen created a bright azure illumination. The aroma made the stomachs of the two grumble in hunger.
“You made all these?” Sazi asked in disbelief. He placed a hand on the child’s shoulder. His eyes glimmered with pride.
“Yep! I’ve been practicing cooking you see. Since my brother—” Dan smugly smirked at his brother. His eyes were dancing. “Is practically useless at stuffs like this! I mean totally—”
“Dan, you little!” Sazi mischievously said. Ha grabbed Dan by the waist and lifted him up to the air. Afterwards, using his fingers, he tickled the squeaking child.
“Hahahaha! Brother, stop! Hahahaha!”
“Who’s the useless guy huh? Come on, say it!”
“Hahahaha! It tickles! Okay okay you win!”
Sazi placed Dan on the ground; the child was huffing. His eyes were moist from laughing. The two of them silently stared at the food on the table, only the sound of the LED television filled the room.
“Dan,” Sazi said. His eyes remained transfixed on the food.
“I know.”
The two immediately grabbed the plates placed on the right side of the table. Afterwards, they filled it with all kinds of food available on the table. The lavish appearance of the food served seemed to belie the fact that a mere nine year old child made it. The two began stuffing themselves with the Christmas banquet, all the while the countdown seen at the LED television reached zero—signifying that it was now Christmas.
A muffled sound from a child’s trumpet was heard from the house next to them, accompanied by series of greetings and laughter. The snow continued to pile up outside, and the flickering blaze from the fireplace gave ample warmth to the family of two. The two were eating silently, all the while silently watching the LED television that displayed dancing celebrities. Still, the silence was not awkward; rather, it was beautifully serene—it was soothing.
“I know you’ve long wanted one of these,” Sazi broke the silence. He picked up the red box from before and handed it to Dan. “Come on, open it.”
Dan munched his food, and gulped it down. Afterwards, he received the gift with two trembling hands. The words ‘I know you’ve long wanted one of these’ kept resounding in his mind. Somehow, he has an idea on the content of the gift, and he can’t help but be anxious from anticipation while opening the wrapper.
A silver-black device that resembled a helmet greeted him after opening the box. The words ‘Immortal Seed’ was imprinted in gold. The child’s eyes widened as he glanced towards the device and to his gently smiling brother, and back.
“T-thank you!” The child leaped into his brother’s arms. His petite body quivered as he held the device with both hands. “It’s the latest VRMMORPG of the Immortal Seed!”
“Just don’t let that get in the way of your studies, okay?”
“Of course! But bro, did you know that Immortal Seed has a 95% realism? All of my friends wanted one of this, but it’s too expensive,” Dan said. “Bro, you never told me the kind of work you do. Whenever I ask, you’ll automatically evade the topic.”
Dan glanced towards the house’s interior. “This house is absurdly large for just two persons… and this VRMMORPG set—a single one of this is enough to buy a second hand car.”
“I told you a while ago right? I’m a messenger,” Sazi said, and he meant it. Though he did not imply the full meaning of the job of a messenger—the messenger of death, Hades.
“Absurd! Such job shouldn’t have enough money to buy one of this! And look at this house; it’s full of expensive antiques and up-to-date appliances!”
Sazi patted the child’s head. “Does it matter? Christmas comes just once a year. Let’s just be grateful that we’re together Dan.”
“Mmmm...,” Dan mumbled. Afterwards, he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Sazi. “My gift. Hehehe.”
Sazi opened the envelope. Inside was a portrait drawn using charcoal pencil. It was an image of Him and Dan. Surprisingly, it was well drawn—so good that it wouldn’t come as a surprise if it was sold off as professional work. Without a doubt, Dan was dexterous with his hands.
Unbeknownst to Sazi, tears began to flow down his left cheeks. Dan stared at him as he continued to gaze at the drawn portrait, all the while a gentle smile was plastered on his face.
“Thank you Dan,” Sazi said, breaking the silence. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome brother—” Dan smiled. “Again, Merry Christmas.”
***
The day after, the two of them went out to the amusement park. It was their simple way of celebrating Christmas. Still, the time that they spent together during such occasions meant the world to them. It was during such times that they were able to appreciate the meaning of the word family.
“Wuuaaahh.” Dan said as he leaned on the couch. The two of them were inside a hundred meter diameter Ferris wheel, and the glass-walled cart gave both of them a clear view of the city.
“This is the only place in the city where you can see such sight,” Sazi said. He was smiling while looking at his wide-eyed brother. “The best part is the sun set. Dan, once you get yourself a girlfriend, be sure to take her to this particular ride. The view should be romantic enough.”
“Says the guy who never once had a girlfriend. 21 years old and still a virgin. Hahaha!”
“H-hey! Where the hell did you get those words from?” Sazi was stunned. “And I had girlfriends before! Two of them!”
Dan turned around and mockingly grinned at his brother. “Yeah two of them. I remember. One month each right? No girl lasted more than that. Everyone says you’re too serious for your age.”
“T-that’s because—”
“You’re working hard for the two of us.” Dan remarked. “I was just messing with you. Brother, to you, I am forever grateful. Both of us are children of the slum, but you changed all that. I have no idea what kind of work you do, but every time you return after being gone for a few days, the light in your eyes continues to diminish. It is gradual, but I do think that you are losing your true self. ”
Sazi was speechless. The little brother he had worked hard all his life to shelter and protect had grown up to be something beyond his expectations.
Dan gazed directly into Sazi’s grey eyes. “Whatever it is… you don’t have to continue doing it for my sake. We’re family. We should help each other out. Brother—you can rely on me.”
The sound of muffled gun shot was heard, and Sazi eyes widened as he saw Dan’s head burst open. The sound of the chirping birds slowed down, and time stood still. The numerous speckles of blood that spurted off from the child’s head seemed to have stopped in midair. He stood there slack-jawed as Dan’s body kissed the metallic ground.
“D-Dan?” Sazi said. His mind was unable to process everything that had just happened. Somehow, he knew that a sniper was aiming at him from a distance. Still, he paid it no heed. He had only one purpose in life—to make sure that his only family was able to enjoy everything life has to offer. For his only family to become the happiest person in the world.
“DAN!!!”
Tears streamed down his gray eyes. His face distorted into pure agony, and his cheeks sunk as he watched the lifeless corpse of his brother. He was his life’s purpose, the air he breathes. And now, he was gone.
The feeling of sorrow was too great that the strongest assassin of the Leopold Family was unable to feel anger. His mind went blank, and he willingly awaited his d
eath. He knew that multiple people were currently aiming their scopes at him, and he was more than glad to be killed as of the moment. The agony from losing his only family was so great that he wanted everything to be over with. Revenge would never bring back the dead, that much he was sure.
With another reverberating sound of ammunition against the glass wall of the Ferris wheel’s cart, Sazi’s body fell down the ground. Embraced by death—in the split second wherein his mind was still intact, he gazed at his only family’s body. A gentle smile formed across his face.
It was an anti-climactic death, seemingly absurd for someone so infamous. That very same day, the Leopold Family was crushed to cinders.
Chapter 02: A New Family
Darkness.
Only the perpetual darkness of the abyss was what greeted him the moment he opened his eyes. And he continued to float there for what seemed like eternity. Suddenly, a string of light passed by him, and though without reason, he grabbed the unending string. He flew through the perpetual black, and his soul passed through multiple universes. It was a spectral sight, yet it seemed pristinely divine.
An orb of light passed through him, and with a single finger, he touched it. Multiple streams of light embraced his body, and the soul’s life flashed through his mind. Pain, happiness, sadness—all kinds of emotion unfolded themselves before him. Tears streamed down his eyes as he realized that it was his own life he was watching.
A large swirling vortex appeared in front of him, and he was sucked by the translucent white.
***
Ortas was a small village located at the outskirts of the Empire of Kulaima. Blessed with peaty soil, it was a village dedicated to farming. Composed of only a handful number of residents, the entire village was one big family. And today, a ‘big’ event was happening inside the household of the village’s blacksmith—his wife was giving birth to their first child. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the new member of their humble village.
“GUUUUUAAAAAHHH!” Cried the woman lying on a mattress. Her legs were spread wide open, all the while an elderly woman have her hands placed in between her thigh.
“Just a little bit more! You can do it Minerva!” The white-haired woman said.
“GUUUUUAAAAAHHH!” The woman named Minerva cried. Her legs were cramped, and the intoxicating amount of nausea made her want to stop.
“Finally!” The midwife exclaimed. She gently held the newborn on her palm. The child was filled with speckles of blood, and the midwife used a smooth satin cloth to wipe it away. She wore a complex expression; jubilance and confusion. The child was not crying, still, she was able to subtly hear his lightly beating heart through her fingers. It was without a doubt alive. She lightly spanked it with her fore finger, but it still refused to cry its first. Everyone in the room looked at the white-haired woman as she held the body of the newborn child in her wrinkled hands.
“W-what’s wrong?” The blacksmith inquired. He was standing at the corner of the room all along, too mortified to move as he watched his wife scream of pain and agony.
“It’s male,” she uttered. The blacksmith and his wife Minerva squeaked a sound of joy as they heard its gender. In a farming village, males were highly regarded. “He’s alive, but he’s not crying. At this rate… the child might die.”
The couple became dumbfounded as they heard the words uttered by the midwife. Everyone knew that a healthy child would cry the moment it was out of the womb, but the child seemed different.
“I-it’s not crying? Krisse!” Minerva anxiously looked at her husband. Tears immediately streamed down her eyes as she repeated the words over and over inside her head. She covered her eyes with both hands, and she began sobbing.
“That can’t be! I can’t let that happen!” Krisse declared. He walked towards the elderly woman, and gently took the child in his hands. His eyes widened when he saw the pale body of the child. It was thin, and was definitely dying. It was in desperate need of air, of which only crying could actually amply provide.
Tears flowed down his eyes as he watched his first child succumb to its death. “Don’t die… please… Daniek… Dan.”
The child’s eyes slightly widened as he heard the words uttered by his father. The name given to him was something he was very much familiar with. His tiny lips quivered, and his face distorted into a soft wrinkle. And as if boldly declaring his appearance to the world, he cried with all his might.
“UUUUUUUAAAAAAHHHHHH!!”
***
It had been five years since his birth. The child was sitting on top a hill that overlooked the entirety of the village. The sun was setting, and its light crimson rays that seeped through the clouds gave ample illumination. Beyond the horizon was a gargantuan wall filled with battlements on top. It spanned four hundred meters in height, almost touching the clouds. From his position, he could see the endless gold that continued to sway along with the wind. It was the village’s pride and joy: Miraka Wheat.
“Here you are,” said Krisse. He sat beside his only son, and his gaze darted towards the fortress before them. “You really like looking at the Great Wall huh?”
“Nnnn…,” replied Daniek. The short grasses that canopied the ground swayed eastward, along with the wind. It was not actually the Great Wall he was interested in—it was what was beyond it. In his meager life of five years, he found out that he was born in one of the poorest village in the continent of Tal. It was a village that was not even recognized as existing by the Empire.
It took him five years to finally accept the things as they were. Still, his mind was filled with questions. Questions about the reason of his existence. He was more than grateful that fate allowed him to carry the name of his brother, but he would have long preferred to have not been reincarnated. He would have preferred to have not retained his memories.
“The Great Wall… the wall that encloses the entire Empire of Kulaima. My son, only those recognized by the empire can enter through that. Our village is so minute that we are left to fend for ourselves. Even during times of peril, the Empire will just watch as we all succumb to our deaths,” said Krisse.
His callused hands were touching the dewy ground. His heart continued to tighten as the thought of their stature resonated inside his mind. Why can’t he give his only child the solace he wanted? Why was he so powerless? His lips quivered as he tried to suppress a wallow.
Daniek knew of the thoughts that were currently resounding through his father’s mind. “It’s fine. I am more than happy enough that I have a family… that I have you and mom with me.”
Krisse warmly smiled and he patted his son’s red-haired head. “Let’s go. Your mother baked us some high quality breads.”
Daniek stood up, and his tiny hands were held by his father’s. The chilly breeze continued to blow, and their tunics cut till their knees fluttered aimlessly. Below the hill were arrays of houses that were several meters apart. The brown-black road was wide, and numerous goats were tethered at a corner. It took them ten minutes to go down the small hill adjacent to the village.
“Oh Krisse! How’s the shovel I’ve asked you to make?” A man with a bald head greeted the two of them. He was carrying a wooden bucket on his right arm.
“It’ll be done soon. Probably tomorrow,” Krisse replied. Behind him was Daniek, and the child wore a polite smile on his snow-colored face.
“Dan’s birthday’s soon huh?” The bald man said. He bent his body and leaned towards the five year old child. “What do you want as present for your birthday young man? Ask away! Ask away!’
The villagers that saw that scenario lightly chuckled. Everyone knew that the bald man was very fond of Daniek. After all, he was the child’s uncle. He was the older brother of Minerva.
“I wish that I won’t grow bald like you when I grow up, uncle Vale,” The child jeered. Everyone burst laughing after the child’s remark.
“Nice birthday wish Dan! We’re definitely not fond of bald men in this village! HAHAHA!”
; “Yeah, Vale is more than enough. Oohhh, just the thought of another bald guy inside this village makes me shiver!”
“Preposterous! This bald man that you guys spoke of is the most handsome bachelor in this area!” Vale remarked as he flexed his muscles.
Daniek chided with the villagers and joined in the laughter. Somehow, such scenarios were his simple pleasures in life. It was a far cry from his usual slaughter back when he was still Hades. Back then, everywhere he went through was filled with blood and great agony. But now, it was different. Though the village he was born in was small, the peace that lingered inside filled him with comfort and peace of mind. It was something he cherished with all his heart. It was something that money cannot definitely buy.
