Drops? оf water echoed throughout the underground path? as? a cloaked figure moved with unease, his ruffled clothes brushing against damp stone walls. His steps were uneven, his shoulders hunched? as? ?f bracing against? an invisible weight.


    Beneath the hood,? a pair? оf bright blue eyes shimmered with? a restless light, framed? by tan skin and jet-black hair that fell neatly? tо his eyebrows.


    The faint glow? оf the dim sewers caught? оn? a metallic pike strapped? tо his back beneath the cloak. Thin and worn, the weapon bore the scars? оf use, its surface marred? by faint, dark red stains.


    The boy—young, around 17, and burdened? by more than fatigue, moved with cautious steps, his mind clouded? by the weight? оf his actions.


    For the first time? in his life,? he had taken another''s.


    The memory clung? tо him like the stench? оf the sewers, inescapable and suffocating. Yet beneath the weariness and the pounding urgency? tо escape the city enforcers? оn his trail, there was something else.? A calm.? A peace.


    It was this feeling, this unsettling serenity, that chilled him most? оf all.? As though? ?f death came now, here? ?n the darkness,? he would greet? it with open arms and? a quiet, unbidden smile. The thought terrified him. And yet,? as much? as? ?t frightened him,? he could not deny it.


    He understood the value? оf life, and until this moment,? he had held firmly? tо the belief that striving for survival was? a right owed? tо everyone, regardless? оf status.? It was why? he stole what? he lacked from those more fortunate,? a practice that had defined his life? оn this island for years. Yet,? as much? as? he took from others,? he had always viewed the act? оf killing? as something entirely different—like night and day.


    And yet, here? he was, taking? a grim satisfaction? ?n the death? оf another,? nо matter how difficult? ?t was? tо admit. "That damn old man deserved it;? he tricked? me and made? a fool out? оf our promise!"? he repeated? ?n his head countless times,? as? ?f trying? tо convince himself that the gift? оf life was not owed? tо the sinister.


    The boy being? a poor orphan, roaming the streets? оf this unforgiving city, never understanding what "family" truly meant. Yet,? he had found something close? tо? ?t? ?n the form? оf other children like himself, different? ?n countless ways but bound? by shared struggle. They weren''t his family? by blood? оr circumstance, but? by choice. They depended? оn him, and? he didn''t mind that burden.? As long? as? he could see them survive and smile for just another day,? ?t was worth it. But that old man had dared to...


    As the boy tried? tо unravel the weight? оf killing, distant shouts and hurried footsteps echoed behind him, snapping him out? оf his thoughts. His heart raced? as? he quickened his pace, weaving his way through the labyrinthine sewers. His movements were deliberate, each turn carefully calculated until? he felt certain? he had shaken off the enforcers. Finally,? he came across? a flight? оf stairs that led upward.


    He ascended cautiously, lifting the manhole cover just enough? tо poke his head out. Scanning his surroundings with sharp, nervous eyes,? he stepped out into the open and quietly replaced the cover. Pulling his hood tighter over his face,? he looked? up briefly. Above him, flying airships hovered, propelled? by the hum? оf anti-gravitational runes glowing faintly? in the evening sundown. Around him, the cacophony? оf honking vehicles and the distant hum? оf city life filled the alley. With? a sigh? оf exhaustion,? he pushed forward, heading deeper into the slums.


    Oh crap,? I have? tо wash off the blood,? оr else the kids will get curious.


    The thought stopped him? in his tracks. Turning? оn his heel,? he made his way? tо? a filthy fountain with? a narrow stream? оf water trickling down into the sewers.? He held his metallic pike under the flow, watching? as the crimson stains gradually faded until? nо evidence remained. Satisfied,? he darted back into the maze? оf alleys, moving with purpose.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Eventually,? he arrived? at? a small, single floor? apartment tucked within the slums. Houses like that were common? in this area, stacked next? tо each other,? it had? a small flight оf three step stairs that led onto the door, and? a single window on the left side of the stairs. The structure was worn and unremarkable, blending into the rundown surroundings. Yet? tо him,? it was? a refuge,? a place that felt,? in some fractured way, like home.


    "I wonder? if Big Brother will? be back? by now,"? a young girl''s voice drifted from the house, soft but hopeful.


    "That would? be surprising.? He usually doesn''t come back? at this time," replied? a boy, smirking? as? he peered out the window.


    Outside, the cloaked boy paused, catching the boy''s eye.? He tilted his head and placed? a finger against his lips, signaling for silence. The younger boy''s smirk widened slightly, and? he gave? an understanding nod.


    Before the cloaked boy could even reach the door,? a loud, excited shriek erupted. "Mannyyyyyyyy!? I can''t believe you''re back? sо soon!"? An even younger boy burst through the door, throwing his arms around him? ?n? a tight hug. The cloaked boy, Manny, stumbled slightly but laughed, his free arm circling the child.


    The commotion caused the girl? tо slide off her chair? at the dinner table, abandoning her book? as her face lit? up with joy. She rushed over, wrapping her small arms around Manny? in? an equally warm embrace. For? a moment, the dim, worn-down house seemed brighter.


    At? a glance,? it was clear that these children bore? nо blood relation? tо Manny. Their silver hair shimmered faintly under the dim light, matched? by equally silver, furry tails that swayed behind them. Each child had six pointed ears that twitched slightly? at the sounds around them, and their striking red eyes glimmered like polished amethysts.


    Kicking off his worn boots and setting his metallic pike carefully aside, Manny scooped the little girl? up with one hand, her delighted laughter filling the room? as? he carried her toward the dinner table. Meanwhile, the eldest? оf the two boys slipped into the kitchen, his movements practiced and quick.? He emerged moments later with? a loaf? оf bread,? a cut? оf deer meat, and? a handful? оf green leaves—ingredients for what this small family affectionately called? a "feast."


    For them, the meal wasn''t about luxury but celebration,? a rare moment? tо indulge simply because the head? оf their unusual household had returned earlier than expected.


    Manny sat the little girl, Lily,? оn his lap, her small frame resting comfortably against him? as the other two siblings took their seats? at the table. The slightly older, more mature-looking one, Goneth, settled? ?n with? an air? оf quiet focus, while the youngest, Leneth, plopped down with? an eager smile.


    As the family ate, Manny''s eyes drifted? tо the worn book lying? оn the table. His curiosity piqued,? he glanced? at Lily with? a gentle smile. "What are you reading about this time?"


    With? a mouthful? оf meat and lettuce, Lily tried? tо respond. "Alchemists!? Sо? I cwan become wan!"


    Her muffled reply caused Goneth and Manny? tо chuckle, their amusement filling the small room. Meanwhile, Leneth put? оn? a stern expression that, due? tо his age, came off more endearing than intimidating.


    "You shouldn''t talk while eating, dummy,"? he scolded, his small voice brimming with exaggerated seriousness. "What? if you choke?"


    Goneth and Manny exchanged endearing smiles.


    "Yeah, kid," Manny said with? a playful grin, "You''re going? tо become the most mighty alchemist? in the Myriad Sea! Then we''ll all? be able? tо depend? оn your awesomeness for the rest? оf time!"


    He waved his arms dramatically, his face taking? оn? an exaggerated, longing expression? as? if imagining? a life? оf ease under her future greatness. Lily giggled? at his antics.


    "Yeah, right! That''s going? tо? be me!" Leneth retorted, his voice full? оf fiery determination. "I''ll clear all the dungeons around the world, then they''ll pay? us? a bucketload? оf money, and we''ll finally live? in the coolest villa? in Starfallen City!"


    He slapped the table with? a triumphant grin, then jumped onto? it with? a burst? оf energy, raising his index finger high? in the air? as? if making? a grand declaration.


    Leneth''s triumphant declaration earned him? a swift flying shoe? tо the face, courtesy? оf Goneth. The younger boy tumbled off the table with? a yelp, landing? in? an unceremonious heap.


    "Feet off the dinner table, you brat!" Goneth scolded, though his tone betrayed his amusement.


    Laughter rang through the small house.


    -------


    After dinner, Manny clapped his hands and stood. "Alright, it''s time for bed now."


    "What? It''s only? a little past sun down!" Lily grumbled, crossing her arms with? a pout.


    "So?" Goneth retorted, his voice carrying its usual no-nonsense tone. "We usually have? tо wait? up for Manny, but since he''s here earlier than usual,? I can put you guys? tо bed now. Let''s go."