Chapter 15:

The Winter's Vow (II)

Child Of Darkness


Even after five years of living in the port city of Rasparte, Aiden Kualasis was still not accustomed to its harsh winters.

The winter wind howled through the snow-covered street and bit at his frozen skin. The bleak grey cloud overhead reflected perfectly his grey mood inside. The guilt that he carried with him was too much for him to bear, he had hit his sister… Why? Why did I do that? She was trying to help me but i-i-i…

'That's who you really are.' The demonic voice once again echoed through him, sending his brain into a frenzy. He felt as if his head was being impaled by an axe trying to split it into two. His eyes were turning red as the pain amplified with each second.

"STOP IT!!" Aiden screamed into the night, the dam of his sanity was cracking, the walls that kept him in one piece was slowly being penetrated by the tendrils of his past. Holding him in their stingy grasp slowly consuming him in the darkness that lay dormant within him.

His skin was laced with frost, there were snowflakes covering his wolf furred jacket as the snowy surface began to creep inside his boot freezing his toes. And yet he walked, slowly but surely dragging his body aimlessly through the barren city before finally reaching the southern exit.

His eyes no longer held any light, it was the same eyes from before he had committed suicide. Eyes that had given up on everything even himself. Aiden faced forward, as he entered the passage through the wall. The interior was thick, almost smoky, and damp. The sounds of his steps echoed like rolling thunder. He was surprised by the fact that there was no one guarding the exit tonight.

It was rare, even if it was the time of Crimson Arc leaving the exit of the city unguarded was something a Guardian must never do. After all the beasts and the spirits that reside within these lands surrounding the city are always raring to sneak in and cause havoc.

Within a few heartbeats, the passage ended and he was out, he had never planned on running so far but now that he had he was bit planning to return. He could never return back there, he was too ashamed to.

Taking a deep breath he continued to walk through the snow trail, outside the gates was a different world that Aiden had only heard from the mouth of his father.

He was only a few metres away from the exit when the howl of the wolf thundered through the snowy field. The surface below him rumbled as something approached the young boy.

At first, Aiden thought of running back inside but what good would it do. Going back there, living with them enjoying that warm love he didn't deserve and let the guilt eat away at him. He was sick of it, he would rather die here than going back in.

He had his eyes closed as the beast approached him, with every passing second the rumbling amplified indicating whatever that was coming towards him was close. He gulped, it was going to be death again.

I am going to die.

I thought I was prepared to do it. After all, it was going to be just like last time. So then why I can't believe it. Why is my heart pumping hard and my mind is screaming again and again live!!.

Aiden opened his eyes there were tears dripping from the corner of his eye as he came face to face with the beast-an orc. The furious red eyes of the orc locked with the black of Aiden. Both of them knew what was going to happen next, Aiden was going to be beaten to death only to become the meal for the Orc and maybe its family if there was any.

A heartbeat later, the orc roared in victory as his axe prepared itself to decapitate the boy. The cold winter breeze blew quitely through the southern ghettos of the Rasparte city, making its way towards Aiden. For some reason the grey clouds from before had drifted away from painting the sky with dark black illuminated with the red of the moon and twinkling stars, he was only a few seconds away from his death at the best.

He didn't want to die. For the first time his body screamed commanding him to run away but he couldn't, his legs felt like jelly-he was scared- the Orc did that to him, its red intimidating eyes accompanied with the murderous aura was enough to make him paralysed with shock.

Am I going to die?…

"AIDEN!!" Emeline screamed, dashing through the snowy fields illuminated in golden aura her fingers gripping her Lance as she prepared to attack the Orc. Everything happened in a blur.

Emeline threw her Lance at the Orc aiming at its right arm, the Orc noticed her but was too late to react and the Lance pierced through its green arms wounding it on the spot. The warm blood from its arm dripped from her wound falling down staining the white if the snow in red.

Without wasting any time Emeline quickly threw her arms around Aiden licked him up and dashed towards the Southern Gate.

"Why?…why?" Aiden stuttered. He wasn't expecting this, never in his wildest dreams had he thought that his elder sister whom he had hit a few hours ago would come running to protect him and even throw her life to protect him.

"Why are you trying to save me…" a sob escaped his lips, he was crying. The streams of tears that he had been holding for so long finally broke away. "I I I hit yo-"

He was shushed by her fingers.

"You are such an idiot, little brother of mine," Emeline replied warmly, her grip tightening around Aiden as she internally vowed that she would never let go of him again no matter what. " No matter what happens I will always come for you Aiden because we are family aren't we?"

For the first time in six years since his rebirth, Aiden had tears of happiness filling his eyes but at the same time, he couldn't trust her words. He wanted to, but for some reason, he wasn't able to.

"I don't know what you're always thinking Aiden, I have got no idea how you feel at times but you are always so sad. I hate it when you're like that." Emeline began once again, the winter winds howling against her ears as she continued. " I don't know what you have gone through or what has happened with you but remember this even if the world won't forgive you, even if they curse you and betray you. I will always be there for you. No matter what happens I will always forgive you. So don't worry, your elder sister will always love you and be here for you."

A sob escaped Aiden's throat warm tears running down his cheeks, he clenched his fists and bit his lower lip, but he couldn't stop, his heart hurt so much he didn't know what to think or do.

Those words that his sister spoke were the ones he had desperately wanted to hear, he had been waiting for someone to say to him that they will forgive him and finally in the cold winter night of his sixth year in this world he was gifted with it.

It was on that day Aiden Kualasis vowed that no matter what happens from this point on he will become a protector.



A/N this brings the end to the back story of our MC Aiden Kualasis. What's going to happen next?  Will Emeline forgive him or not? Find out in the next chapter.



Child Of Darkness