It was about three hours or so into Aedis's journey out of Ashviel. First he had to reach Lodon and in order to do that he'd have to pass through Leviathan's Paradise. Leviathan's Paradise is a city with a resort of sorts inside as well. It's also near a Leviathan's home. Ashviels ocean's look very dark and while the water is still consumable if you filter it and whatnot, what thrives in that dark deep ocean is dark sea creatures such as the Leviathans. Ashviel's grass also happens to be dark blue as well.
"Leviathan's Paradise. It looks a lot more advanced that I thought. I'll probably explore it a bit before I continue." Aedis thought.
Leviathan's Paradise was actually a relatively calm and nice place. Clean roads, beautiful houses, and the paradise area looked nice as well granted it was packed today with kids and families. This sight however brought a smile upon Aedis's face. The smile on the children's faces, families enjoying themselves. All of it was the reason Aedis could smile so genuine. After a small pit stop at a store to get some health items he continued on his journey to Lodon. Unfortunately, it had already became night, so he decided to spend the night in a hotel.
"I heard that the hotel should be around here? I think I might be lost." Aedis said to himself.
Aedis found himself lost and somehow managed to lead himself into the slums of Leviathan's Paradise—a quiet, poor, and relatively dirty but not filthy area.
That's when his eye noticed something. In the dark alley near the slums of Leviathan's Paradise, laid a young male elf with white hair, white eyes which remained shut, curled up in a ball wearing just rags, no shoes, and he looked about 12 years old or so.
"Oh... Even in a place like this I suppose not everyone can be fortunate." Aedis thought to himself before walking towards the elf.
"Hey kid, you alright?" Aedis asked.
The elf remained stoic and non-respondent. However, the moment Aedis kept getting closer to him inside the huge long alley the more anxious he became.
"D-Don't get near me! It... won't be good for you." He protested very shakily.
"H-Hey, don't worry I'm not gonna hurt you. Where are your parents?" Aedis asked wondering if he was abandoned.
"I-I'm warning you! Don't get close to me! I-I'm a curse!" He continued to protest.
"Curse? Who would call you that?" Aedis looked baffled and worried.
"It's true... everyone I've met died... he'll kill them again!" He continued.
"W-Who will, come on you can tell me?" Aedis said inching closer.
"D-Do you wanna know what they call me?" The young elf said as if resigning to stop Aedis as if it was too late.
"What do they call you?" Aedis said taking a seat next to the young elf.
"An anomaly. A disease. Something not supposed to be here. I've been scorned since I was young. I'm not supposed to exist!" The young elf exclaimed.
Aedis looked shocked for a minute but put himself together even though he was a bit scared.
"Listen to me, you shouldn't assume that about yourself just because everyone treats you and calls you as such. I know you probably went through a lot but even so don't let them get to you." Aedis said to try comfort him.
"ITS TRUE. I AM AN ANOMALY! I don't have parents, I don't have a home, I'm really not suppose to be here." The boy replied.
"Even so! Your still a living breathing being! Stop cutting yourself short, you aren't a monster! People fear what they cannot understand. So what if your an anomaly, you can think, breathe, help others, you can do more than destroy can't you?!" Aedis said.
Those words were but a glimmering grain of gold in a bottle full of sand—beautiful yet too small. In the very next moment, his face lost all form of expression, and his eyes turned a dull black. The air growing colder and darker. Soon antlers appeared closely resembling that of deer's formed from his head. His hair turning black and his eyes finally opening but now black.
The young elf then stood up, grabbing a sword which had emerged from a small swirling cosmic portal that disappeared the moment the sword had been full taken. Without hesitation, he lunged towards Aedis aiming to slice his neck.
"H-Huh?! K-kid?" Aedis said confused as he quickly dodged the attack.
At that very moment Aedis understood. This wasn't the kid, maybe it was maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, it was responsible for the deaths the kid blamed on himself. Aedis quickly took out his Aetherite sword and prepared to defend himself. Of course he had no intentions of harming the kid.
In a quick flash their blades clashed. The kid had moved at incredible speed luckily Aedis was well enough trained to be able to defend himself against them. If Aedis had to guess this would be a Rank II or III anomaly. He knew he could handle a rank II but if a rank III were to seriously fight him head on he'd be doomed.
He tried to disarm the kid by delivering a counter attack after the kid swung at him unfortunately, the kid dodged with surprising speed. Both now out of the alleyway and out in the streets. The dim lighting helping ever so slightly better than the dark alleyway.
"Shit, he's fast. He might actually be a Rank III anomaly. If that's the case, won't be able to restrain him! If this keeps up, I'm dead! I can't bring any guards—otherwise they'll know of his existence. It's a blessing and a curse that it's night, and we're in such a quiet part of the slums." Aedis thought as the fray was going on.
Suddenly the kid disappeared from his sight. "HE DISAPPEARED! HOW FAST IS HE AND WHERE DID HE GO?!" Aedis thought as his eyes flickered around the area trying to figure out where he had gone. Without hesitation a strike from above came crashing down. With just a second to spare however Aedis blocked the attack with his blade. This had become a game, a game of endurance.
Who would win in this endurance test, Aedis knew the answer to that question all too well. However there was nothing he could do currently. Then came a strike from the left. Blocked just barely. His speed was incredible, leaving Aedis evermore anxious.
To the right now—blocked. Left again—parried. THE BACK!
In the nick of time he blocked it. This wasn't looking good for him. Their blades clashing one attack after the other. A series of blows leading to a final clash where the two blades remained locking together. Like an ocean splashing against an immoveable rock implanted in the sand.
"You're a real good swordsman, kid. You could be a knight or even a guard here y'know." Aedis said.
The kid still emotionless not showing any fatigue replied in kind. "You've survived longer than most... however, I am in need of a god and you are not that. That alone justifies your death."
"A god?" Aedis said confused.
"My purpose — my very existence — is to serve a god. Preferably the God of Anomalies. If there is no god I can serve, then I shall destroy everything in my way to find a god who can give me purpose." The kid explained.
"W-Well, I-I know of a god!" Aedis blurted out in the spur of the moment.
"You do?" The kid said slowly backing down and tilted his head to the left.
"Y-Yup!" Aedis replied.
"What is the name of this god?" The kid asked curiously.
"Well... you see I'm one of their apostles and he doesn't like us sharing out his name willy-nilly. So I'll have to introduce you to him eventually another time." Aedis said trying to sound confident.
"Then I shall not harm you until I have met this god." The kid replied coldly.
"H-huh? That easy? Aren't you worried I'm lying to you?" Aedis asked, clearly baffled.
"Not at all after all if you are lying I'll kill you on the spot." The kid said nonchalantly.
"Right... So, uh, can you let the kid have control again." Aedis asked hesitantly.
"Very well, I have no reason to stay in control." The kid said.
The elven expression shifted as emotion returned to his face—then, without warning, his body collapsed onto the cold pavement of the quiet night street.
"Kid!" Aedis said, immediately trying to tend to the boy.
The elf blinked slowly before coming to his senses. "W-What happened?" The elven boy asked, before he was swiftly interrupted by the rumbling of his stomach.
Aedis sighed before smiling. "Don't worry about it. We'll discuss it tomorrow. So come on up, let's go a hotel it shouldn't be that far." Extending a hand to the lad.
The boy a bit dazed, accepted his hand reluctantly. The boy was quite confused and in that confusion he started to wonder: was this man he had met stronger than the raging beast inside him or did the monster not come out and he had simply passed out from hunger?
Not like it mattered now.
After the boy was able to stand on his feet, they walked around trying to find the hotel. Surprisingly it only took just eight minutes. The hotel was a bit far the slums where Aedis found the kid but not to far allowing them to reach it that fast.
Upon entering Aedis booked a room for them and requested some food to be brought to them quickly. Fortunately, he had more than enough coins to leave Ashviel and pay for their stay, thanks to the villager's gifts.
The two quietly entered the hotel room. It was quite cozy, it was nicely decorated and had two beds, a small kitchenette near a dining table with chairs, and a relatively small bathroom.
"The food should be here in a bit for now, just sit down and relax on the bed." Aedis said.
The young elf sat on the bed fidgeting with his hands a bit as Aedis started putting down his backpack. The air was quiet, too quiet until Aedis sighed making the boy jump.
"Hm? Something wrong?" Aedis asked, worried.
"Mister... Exactly what happened outside?" The kid asked, a bit anxious.
Aedis looked up, placing a hand on his chin before heading over to sit right next to the boy.
"Whatever, that thing is that's inside of you—it came out and fought me." Aedis replied, as he gently patted the boy's head.
"S-So... did you beat him?" The boy asked hesitantly.
"Nope. Hahaha! But I got him off my tail for a bit. I'm going to help him meet my god." Aedis said.
This was a good call, of course. After all, if he had openly told the kid that he lied to that other being, it might've emerged and killed him right then. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that the other being could harbor the same senses that the kid has.
"So what's your name, kid?" Aedis asked.
"Shiro." The elven boy replied.
"Alright then, Shiro. My name is Aedis, how about from now on, I'll be your legal guardian? How about it?" Aedis asked, with a genuine smile.
"H-Huh?! Why would you do that! It's dangerous to have me around. Y-You... aren't using me for your own purposes, are you?" Shiro began rambling on, clearly baffled.
"No, not at all. I'm the one who chose to involve myself with you so I'm going to stick with my decision." Aedis explained, with a firm resolve along with his kindness showing. "Do you not want me to be your guardian?"
Shiro didn't hate the idea—but he didn't know how long it would last before he'd be all alone again. Nor did he want to burden the nice ogre who had so easily given help to him. Suddenly he heard a voice and as he looked around the hotel room it was now a dark space, like a void.
Accept his proposal.
Shiro was shocked, who had said that? "Who said that?" he said.
I did. I promised to not harm him until he has shown me his god. If after I am accepted by his god—and they wish for his well being—I will let him live. The being who had looked so familiar to Shiro said but with dark hair, black opened eyes and antlers said.
Shiro then understood. This was the beast inside him or that's what he referred to the being as. "Who are you?" was the only words he could muster in his thought.
Just as you have been given the name Shiro, I am your opposite, Kuro.
With a quiet gulp, Shiro finally started speaking, coming back to reality. "Alright... I-Is it ok if I call you dad?"Shiro said looking down on the floor as the fan blew a cool breeze, causing his hair to shift slightly.
"Of course it is kid." Aedis said, in kind.
Shiro's face became slightly flushed, his elf ears twitching slightly. It felt embarrassing asking these things but Aedis's genuine reply made him happy.
"Oh also I-" Shiro was saying before he was interrupted by knocking.
"Food service!" The person behind the door said.
"Coming!" Aedis said. "Stay put I'll be right back."
"Alright, Dad." Aedis replied.
Aedis gave a nice smile in response before getting up and heading for the door.
Since Aedis would be busy for a minute or so, Shiro decided to start a conversation with Kuro, entering his thoughts once again.
"So, what exactly what are you?" Shiro said.You."You aren't me." He immediatelyretorted.Why do you reject me? I am you, that is mere fact."No your not. You killed people, you even tried to kill this ma- I mean my dad." Shiro argued.Did I kill the two of them? They took care of us and in return they died. This world hates us anomalies which is why we may only find solace in the Gods.This left Shiro speechless for a minute. "Your... not entirely wrong. However there are others willing to help. I do hope you change your dark and twisted ways of senseless murder. Even though we've endured pain it was not reason to kill all of those people." Shiro added.
...
"What if even the God of Anomalies if he even exist ignores us? What if all the Gods ignore us? What then, are we then useless? That's not what they raised us to think." Shiro thought before clearing his mind, effectively blocking Kuro out.
"Why did he only start talking to me now? Was it convenient for him since he let Dad live? After the pain I've endured... now he has the gall to try and explain himself to me." Shiro thought to himself privately before Aedis came back.
Aedis returned however he came in pushing a large serving cart of delicious foods—from elegantly designed cooked meat to deliciously stuffed pastries with fresh juices included of course. He then stopped leaving the cart near the dining table.
"W-Whoa, is all of that for the two of us?" Shiro asked a bit amazed, standing up to take a seat at the dining table.
"Yup! Eat up all you want." Aedis said, as he settled into the seat beside Shiro.
"Normally, I'd ravage through trash cans or start begging to even be able to get bread... I really do hope this didn't cost much Dad." Shiro said.
Aedis gently patted Shiro's head. "I know it had to be hard for you, but don't worry. You aren't a burden to me ok?"
Shiro looked up at Aedis with a smile. "Alright... but if I even do, promise you'll tell me."
"Hehe, alright. Oh! Before I forget, tomorrow I'm leaving this city. You wanna come with?" Aedis added.
"Sure! I don't have anywhere I'm supposed to go anyways." Shiro said.
"Great, how about we get you some better clothes though. Tomorrow of course, before we depart." Aedis continued.
"Ok!" Shiro replied.
After all was said and done they finished eating and after discussing a few more things they called it for the night and found peace in their own beds. Tomorrow, Aedis would hopefully try to finally reach Lodon to leave Ashviel and explore the rest of the world. With luck also find the God of Anomalies, an apostle of the God of Anomalies or someone he could ask to help play along with this act.