An Encounter

Of course I would not bore you with my life as a toddler, who would want to hear about me crawling around my crib, crying and sucking my mother's breast for milk. Surely no one of you here want that story right? Although I am afraid some might be interested on the last part but that is not what I am here to tell you about. Anyways, I am now six years old now and in those six years I spent myself familiarizing with this world. Reading every book and studying its history. 

My family also grew  two years ago. My mother gave birth to our beautiful little sister named Lucene. She takes after our father in appearance with reddish hair and brown eyes. Unlike me and my brother who takes after our mother's silver hair and blue eyes. So basically we are a family of five now. There's also the fact that my brother choose to enroll in the knight academy at the capital when he turned ten, so he is now staying there and only returns home during vacations. He boldly proclaimed to our father that he will surpass him and yeah that is a pipe dream knowing our father is a monster when it comes to combat. As for me I have no interest in being a knight and I just bury myself in books. Although sometimes I went out of the house to play with my friend.

"Will!" someone shouted by my window and as I take a look I see a rugged looking boy there wearing a cap, white shirt and shorts.

I walk towards the window and look down on him, "hello Alex, what brings you here today?"

"I found a place that can be our secret hideout," he said while smiling, "wanna check it out?"

"Hmm, sure," I jump through the window and landed on the ground, "lead the way then."

Alex lead the way through the small forest just outside of town. We have been playing here since we were four so we pretty much know this like our own backyard. He lead me to what appears to be a small cave near the giant tree at the center of the forest.

"Are we allowed in here?" I asked since we had never ventured this far into the forest.

"Maybe, no one told me to stop so I guess we are still allowed here," Alex replied nonchalantly and then he looked at me expectantly, "so what do you think?"

"This place needs some work but overall it is nice," I give a thumbs up to him and smiled, "good job."

We decided to explore the surrounding area for things we can put in our secret base. When we returned to it a person was standing near its entrance. He was wearing what appears to be a hooded cloak in the shade of the night which covers his entire body.

"Hello children," the stranger called out to us the moment he noticed us approaching, "you know it is a bad thing to trespass on another's property."

"We are sorry sir," I bowed my head towards him, "we were just playing here and we thought it would be okay to be here."

"Have your parents not warned you?"  the stranger then look at us and then he sighed, "no matter, I have been a kid once and I understand your curiosity."

"Then are we allowed to play here?" Alex looked at the stranger with hopeful eyes

"No," the stranger answered firmly, "this place is not for kids, come back here when you're older."

"I thought this place is off-limits?" I asked him remembering what my mother said, "my mother often tells me not to go here since people are not allowed here."

"You are the second son of the Wilhelm house right?" he faced me and I nodded in response, "what your mother said is true but I have taken interest in this little one here," he pointed to Alex, "so you can come back here again if you are older."

"Only me?" Alex then grabbed my arm, "what about will, is he allowed here?"

"No," the stranger then wave his hand and we were transported back at the entrance of the forest

"Who was that man?" Alex asked me expecting an answer, "did the countess mention his name or something?"

"My mother did not mention anyone," I get up from the ground and started walking back towards town, "anyways you were invited by that man, are you planning to return there when you are older."

"I don't know," Alex then looked at me, "I mean he said you are not allowed there so maybe I will not go back."

"But I think he can teach you a lot about magic," I grabbed Alex and shook him, "didn't you see how he can just use it, maybe he has other cool spells as well."

"Well if you say so," Alex then pushed me away and looked towards the forest, "I mean I don't know when I will be old enough anyways."

"Yeah, there's that," then I continued walking, "anyways let's just head home, father might kill me if he noticed I snuck out again."

The two of us then ran back home as fast as we could. I slowly entered through the back door and then.

"William, welcome back," my mother was standing at the back door's landing and she was smiling which send shivers down my spine, "how was your day my dear little boy."

"Hi mother I am back," I replied quite shakily, "I was just playing with my friend Alex."

"Really?" my mother was emanating some sort of pressure around her, "are you sure you are not hiding something from me?"

"Now, now Elizabeth," my father then appeared from behind the door, "I am pretty sure William has a reason why he went there."

"Went where?" I managed to asked

"That man's place William," my mother answered, "luckily for you, he took a liking towards your friend Alex."

"Wait, how did you know what happened?" 

"I guess it is about time you know," my mother had this somber look on her face

"No need to tell the boy anything for now," the strange man suddenly appeared in front of us, "it is far too early for him to know about us."

"Then why did you make contact with him earlier in the forest," my mother was glaring daggers at the strange man, "I was alarmed when I noticed my son triggered the boundary I have set up but I decided to trust you not showing yourself to them but instead you showed yourself, I can feel traces of your mana, why did you do that?"

"I am only interested in his companion," the stranger answered, "knowing you, you will definitely forbid your son into coming back deep in the forest and in relation to that his companion would also not be able to come back and I really want another student since the last one did not work out and his companion fit the bill."

"So it is not my son you are after?" my mother looked at him

"Of course not," the stranger then bowed his head, "after all I honor my contracts."

"Then you can go away now," my mother then grabbed me towards the house, "I don't want to have anything to do with you."

"Such a shame though, your son has a lot of magic it would be a waste if he does not know how to effectively use it," the strange man then vanished into thin air.

"Who was that mother?" I looked up to her begging her for answer, "and what does he want with Alex?"

"He is your uncle," my father answered seeing that my mother was silent, "or what was supposed to be your uncle."

"What do you mean father?"

"Well, it is a long and complicated story," my mother answered this time, "I will tell you when you are older, maybe when you turn eight."

"That is far too long, I want to know now."

"Now now, little child," my mother tone became strict, "listen to what the adults are saying okay they know what is best for you."

"Okay mother."

That night I could not sleep because of the events that happened that day. I tried pacing around my room, counting sheep and all sort of stuff so that I could fall asleep but it did not work. As I was agonizing how to fall asleep, I noticed something outside my window, it was a bird. I walk towards my window and open it and the bird just sit there by the windowsill.

"Hello young one," the bird suddenly spoke 

"Are you the one from today?" I was surprised but I did managed to compose myself, "I thought my mother forbid you from going near me."

"Well what she forbids is me doing something harmful to you," the bird cocked its head, "talking with you is surely not harmful right?"

"But it is bad to talk with strangers," I answered, "and you are a stranger danger."

"Stop with the act," the bird then sighed, "I know you are not just an ordinary six year old, in fact I have a feeling you are a reincarnator."

"Who are you, really?" I narrowed my eyes on the bird, "I am pretty sure no one managed to see through me after all this years."

"You can say I know more than most people do," the bird then hopped into my room, "still I don't know what you truly are, but I do know that you are also my nephew, well this man's nephew that is."

"So are you really my uncle?"

"Yes and no," the bird then suddenly transformed into a person with dark hair, yellow eyes and dark skin, "this body is your uncle's, but I am an entirely different being."

"So you are what a demon or something like that?"

"Not really a demon but yes you can call me like that," then he raised his hands, "but I do not mean you any harm I just want to talk with someone like you, a being from another world."

"Still my mother does not let you talk with me," then I looked at the door, "I am pretty sure she could be awake right now ready to jump on you."

"She still sleeps, I made sure of that so we can have a peaceful talk,"  he then walk towards my bed, "pretty sure you have plenty of questions."

"So are you that powerful?"

"Only to the extent my body allows me to be," then he sat down on the chair of my bedside table, "you see I entered into a contract with your mother and his brother that is the reason why I am here now alive and breathing in exchange I shall bring no harm to any of their family and protect them if needed be."

"Then why is my mother hostile towards you?" I give him a doubtful look, "I mean if you are supposed to be our guardian she should be more welcoming with you.."

"You see, I failed to protect her brother but instead of letting her brother die I decided to possess it and let him live through my magic but your mother does not see it that way."

"Now I see, so how come you are interested in my friend?"

"She has the potential to be someone like me?" the strange man smiled, "that is why I want to educate her."

"Wait, Alex is a girl?" I was surprised since I thought she was a boy

"Well nothing really surprising there, she hid her true gender so that she can be close to you without any problem."

"I mean why did she do that?"

"You are surprisingly slow on this kind of things huh?" the strange man tilted his head and smiled, "I will let you figure it out on your own, I will leave now since "

He then started walking towards the window.

"Wait, how shall I call you?" I stopped him before he leaves

"You can call me Nyx," then he transformed into a bird and flew away

I was left there in my room thinking about what just happened. A lot really happened today and what was that thing about Alex hiding her gender. I would still play with her even though she is a girl. Well since she choose to hide it I will not say a thing about it for now then.  I will just continue living the way I am now and exploring this new stuff. This wonderful family that has a hidden twist, a secretive childhood friend and that exciting stuff called magic, wonder when I can learn that. Well let's just sleep for now, I am tired.