I realized that being conscious to one's surroundings can be very bothersome. You start to experience tribulations, unfortunate events like kidnapping, and meet people who will shoot you by mistake, particularly at your talocrural region which is commonly known as your ankle.

Now I was not pinpointing any dead pigtail woman or if someone knew a woman with these charactertistics that I was mentioning, it would be just a mere coincidence. I knew no grudge in my core and did not even know how it would feel like.

Setting aside the dead pigtail woman buried under an innumerable number of rocks, being unconscious wouldn't lead someone into meeting a perverse old man in a guise of a harmless and genuine concerned Chieftain.

You would really prefer to sleep forever.

My morning started peacefully as it should be but uncertain for the rest of the day. The birds were tweeting, Squawkey was squawking, and I felt a warm and thinly body sprawled on top of me.

Saint's breathing was more settled than before and he wasn't as pale. The medicine really made him recover but I doubt that it came from any of the villagers. I held up the blue feather from before and twirled it between my fingertips.

Whoever gave it either had blue wings or had a bird with blue feathers. The problem was;  I did not recall meeting anyone with any of those.

I waited for Saint to wake up despite the growing numbness of my limbs. This must be his first slumber wherein he didn't experience breathing difficulties and or the sense of doom from nearly dying. It would be rude of me to disturb him.

Maybe I should take him away already while he rested? He wouldn't be struggling or complaining if I borrow him from the village for awhile. I will return him once the villagers migrate to another flourished area.

"That is considered as kidnapping nephew..." the voice in my head pointed out.

"Define kidnapping fine gentleman?"

"It is taking someone away by force," he replied.

"It will not be considered as kidnapping if I ask him politely, no?"

"..."

Saint began to stir in his sleep and I found him open his crimson stained eyes that had the slightest slit in the middle before they widened in embarrassment.

"I-I-I-I-I'm sorry! I am terribly sorry for sleeping on top of you! You must have felt great exhaustion when I should have served you with greater hospitality for what you have done for me!" he blurted out.

He sat on his knees with his hands curled on top of his thighs. His face was as red as his hair and I couldn't help but to give in to the urge of patting him on his head. I hooked the blue feather to my crown in remembrance of the person who practically saved his life.

As I stroked his head, Saint visibly relaxed but the pinkness of his cheeks remained.

"You are in no condition of serving hospitality to anyone. What you should prioritize is your health and well-being. Do not mind me. I...have been pampered long enough."

Saint became teary-eyed and his shaky hands came up to cover his face. "Why...are you so kind to someone like me? I am scared. I am not used to this."

I dropped my hand to my side and a flash of disappointment sprouted on his expression.

"I am doing this because being battered and ridiculed shouldn't be things to get used to," I answered.

Saint's eyes shut tightly and yet as tightly as they were shut, his tears passed through like a river. "But...this is what I am given with. This is where I was born in. My fate was already written. It is inescapable."

My gaze narrowed and I placed my hand over his trembling fist. "If you are given something and you do not like it, why must you accept it? If the place you are given life in starts to harm you, why must you stay and let it threaten you? Fate can be rewritten, it can be changed, you just have to believe and make those changes yourself. That pen cannot write by itself. You cannot escape if you do not start running. If anyone can change your fate, it will be you, Saint."

Saint opened his eyes and he met my gaze. "But to reject a gift is ungratefulness. To leave one's home for a better one is selfishness. Fate cannot be rewritten if it is written by God. If I escape, where will I go? I am weak to make those changes. I cannot do it. I am sorry. I am not good enough. I was made this way. I was made to fail. I was made to be hated. I was made to be alone—"

"Yamero (Stop)," I silenced him. My heartbeat sped and my head felt like it was placed over fire.

"Do you know what your true weakness is?" I asked him. "Your weakness is having a strong belief and faith for those weaknesses. It's recognizing all your faults despite the good that you do. You take the side of your limitation and let your strengths go unnoticed. You use your weaknesses as an excuse to stop trying.  You...cower in the dark because...you fear the light," I scolded him with the last bits of my words trailing away.

Saint slammed his fists on the floor and he glared at me with those eyes of hurt. "Wh-what do you know? Ho-how can you understand me? You-you were born with strength. You will never...never know how it feels!" he shouted at me before darting out of the shrine and leaving me with a tightened chest.

"Let him be nephew. Give him time."

"What if he...hurts himself? I need to protect him until he can stand on his own."

"Have Squawkey follow him. He will be your eye."

I see.

I lifted my head and Squawkey soared down and pecked my hand lightly. "Will you follow him?" I asked.

Squawkey screeched and flew off to carry out the task that I had given him...probably.

"I forgot that the bird had no eye..."

I exited the shrine and decided to pay the village a visit after deciding to give Saint some space. By now they would be suspicious of me as a thief who stole from the Chieftain. I should admit my crimes before they beat me to it.

"Sir Lucian, where have you been?" Vincenzo questioned as soon as he spotted me entering the village. The village seemed to be in high alert.

"I...have been scouting the area. I saw suspicious people wandering about and decided to follow them."

"How honest you are. I cannot believe my ears."

This honesty will definitely get me in trouble.

Vincenzo scowled and I was sure that he wouldn't buy it however; it would seem that even fate believed me.

"Was it in a form of two innocent children and a hairy gorilla?"

I heard a shuffling by the bushes and suddenly remembered about those three.

"Yes, their names would be Kox, Ziru, and Crowley."

"Nani?!"

"We must raise our defenses then. Those scoundrels will not escape. By the way, the direction you came in is—"

"I am awfully parched. Will you care to make me some tea and massage my back?"

The Chieftain paused and was lost for a moment before giving out a dazed look with a trail of blood coming out from his nose. I felt two hands grabbing my shoulders before I was hurriedly pushed to a tent.

"Of course! I shall do it with much pleasure!"

"What have you gotten yourself into?"

"HOOOOOLD IT!" Crowley howled and jumped out of the bushes.

He was wearing a wide leaf skirt with his clothes tattered and torn. He began to hit his chest vigorously before blowing steam through his nose.

"I, Gorilla King, thief of the night! I steal bananas..." he trailed off before bringing out a banana from who knew where and began peeling.

"I eat bananas!" he exclaimed and shoved the whole banana in his mouth.

Was I seeing and hearing things correctly?

Had he gone mad? Or was it me all along?

"I like to believe that you came to that predicament first nephew."

Thunder erupted and hit the tent that we were heading to before it traveled all the way to me. Instead of feeling and smelling burnt, it felt like I was reawakened from a long and deep thought and was situated right back at the shrine.

Did I...Did I fell asleep while standing?

I shook my head and started walking towards the village. Instead of entering it like I planned to, I sneaked my way to the bush and found four figures crouching.

"Are you sure he's going to come here?" Crowley asked.

He really was wearing that ridiculous skirt.

"I am certain. I've sent a message," Kox replied.

"This village is really creepy," Ziru murmured.

"It's twisted," Rui spat.

"Your message is well received. I was contemplating if I should go forward and see Crowley claim his throne of being the Gorilla King, but it would cause too much scandal," I deadpanned.

The four of them turned around and Ziru was the first one to throw himself at me. "Onii-chan, you're okay!"

I cradled Ziru in my arm and he cuddled happily.

"Glad to see you in one piece Highness," Crowley greeted.

"It was a pleasant foresight, won't you agree?" Kox asked.

"Indeed," I approved.

"Care to share something to the group?" the Hanuman questioned irritatedly.

I turned my head to Rui and nodded at him. "Hello, it is—"

"The boss sent me here. He says that I should watch over you," he scoffed.

"I see. I have some business with you too. Buck will be glad to see you alive," I told him.

With the mention of Buck, Rui's guarded expression became defenseless.

"Is he safe?" was his first question.

"He is alive and is still hopeful that you will come back to them someday," I replied.

Rui grinned sadly and his back slouched. "I don't...deserve to be by his side."

"I feel like we're missing out on a lot of things. We should head back to where you stay and catch up," Crowley said.

"I agree and besides, this village will conduct a very disturbing ritual. It's best to keep out of this one," Kox mentioned.

"You're not going to tell us what it is aren't you?" Crowley sighed.

"All I know is that it is perturbing. How would an innocent child like me know of it?" Kox defended.

"Innocent my hairy ass..." Crowley grumbled.

We returned to the shrine but stayed behind it in case someone from the village visited. Squawkey and Saint weren't back yet.

"When our group was divided we ended up sneaking around the Capital of the Vosredal Empire," Crowley told me.

"I don't know where that is," I deadpanned.

"It's the Capital of Vampires," Kox simplified. 

Crowley took a big chomp on his steak sandwich before proceeding. "Fairies are being wiped out because of the sacrifices the right-handlers are  making to please Akros."

I pointed on my chin and looked up. "Acorns?"

"It is the God that the vampires are worshipping. Akros is very hot-tempered but I don't think he is evil."

Crowley scoffed and hauled Kox with his arm. "Like you would know what a God is like."

"Um...I just remembered, where is the wolf you're always with?" Ziru asked.

"I left him sleeping," I replied.

"Perhaps he woke up panicking before fainting back into oblivion no?" Kox commented.

That would have likely happened to him. I can already picture the scene in my imagination.

"Back to the vampires now,
long story short we found out that the right-handlers offered thousands of  refugees to the vampires for multiplication purposes. They made the adults breed with the help of an aphrodisiac and they turn their newborns into vampires," Crowley explained.

"What's breeding?" Rui and Ziru asked.

"Yes Crowley, what is breeding? Enlighten our innocent minds," Kox blankly teased.

Crowley became flustered and embarrassed before pointing accusingly at Kox.

"I doubt that you're even a child! I'm tired, let His Highness ex—"

I cleared my throat and nodded. This was my expertise.

"Yes, breed can be sweet and salty depending on the batter made."

"I never knew that you...oh my."

"Hey, you're not seriously going to go into full detail are you?" Crowley asked nervously.

"It can go in different forms and sizes and it is best eaten when it's hot."

"Hey hey hey!" Crowley panicked.

"Once you bite don't forget to suck the cream out and lick the mess you created—" Crowley covered my mouth and I tilted my head in question.

"That. Is. Too. Much!" He exasperatedly snapped.

"That is a nice description of what a bread is. It definitely left our gorilla hanging," Kox mocked.

I peeled Crowley's hand off my mouth. "It's just bread Crowley. Did you have anything else in mind?"

Crowley's spirit seemed to have left his body and the rest of us enjoyed the meal.

I saved up food for Saint in case he comes back. I really didn't know what Squawkey eats so I'll just save a peach for it.

Crowley, Ziru, and Rui took a nap inside of the shrine and I was left alone with Kox.

"The boy you're waiting for is quite busy and will be even busier tonight," Kox stated as we took a walk through the forest.

"What do you know?" I asked.

"The book doesn't tell me anything yet but things will get exciting from here on out," he vaguely replied.

The both of us stopped in our tracks  and I waited for Kox to say something.  He really was shrouded in mystery.

"Power cannot rule without a wielder and the wielder cannot hold power without the body of a killer. Prince...you really don't know what you got yourself into, don't you?"

I let out a "hmph" before looking at the bright sky. "Just like it always has been. This is better than being involved in nothing," I murmured.

Kox returned to the shrine and I went to search for Saint. He didn't run into the village so maybe he was at the stream further ahead. Having my senses sensitive to the elements proved to be really useful.

As I was nearing the stream, I perceived the tall and dark figure from before I met Saint. He disappeared so suddenly that I didn't get to see him better.

He was still wearing those tattered black clothes from before. His legs and forearms were wrapped in bandages. Black feathers were attached to the side of his side and trailed down to his ankles like a long flowing hair.  He was wearing a pointed beak-like mask. The excessive amount of metallic jewelry hanging around his neck made numerous clangs from a single movement.

"Domo," I greeted him with a bow as soon as he noticed my presence.

He fully turned to me in a sluggish walk leaving deep footprints that seemed to be burnt from the scorching heat. He stopped in front of my form and I followed his hand that was then placed on his chest. His black painted nails were as sharp as talons.

"I Sk...Sk...Skwa...Skwak," he stuttered out.

"I Skwak. I Skwak. I am Skwak," he mentioned again which then finally hit me.

"Ah, your name is Skwak," I clarified.

Skwak nodded and then pointed at me. "You...are...you are...Luc...Lucian."

I could not help but feel some sort of pride for him whatever that was and a feeling of satisfaction from hearing his voice.

"You aren't going to ask on how he managed to know your name?"

"There's no need to interrogate precious creatures like this one."

"Nephew, you should take precau—"

"Yes, that's correct, very good. You have a nice voice," I praised him blankly before clapping my hands. I brought out a peach from my pocket and offered it to him.

Skwak pointed at the peach and waited for me to say something about it.

"This is peach. Peach tastes good. Have you had one?" I asked him.

"Pea..Cha...Cha..." He managed.

I gave him a small smile and Skwak paused for a moment before removing his mask. His eyes were closed as a long scar ran across both of them as if the mark was the one preventing his eyes to open. Half of his face was deformed like melted wax.

He took the peach from my hold and lifted it up to his strong nose before sniffing it. 

"Wha—what do?" He asked me.

"You eat it," I instructed him.

"Skw—Skwak do-don't know."

I gently took the peach from him and began to peel the skin off. Once it was ready to be eaten, I took a nibble from it to show him and then pressed it against his lips.

Skwak was hesitant at first and brought out his tongue to taste it. I noticed how his expression was suddenly enlightened by the delicious taste of the fruit. He ate the peach  while I held it for him.

"Don't eat the seed," I told him once the edible part was gone.

Skwak licked the juices from my hand and gripped my forearm tightly. Once he was satisfied, Skwak turned to me and smiled.

"Skwak likes peacha..."

I nodded at him in approval.

"I like peaches too."

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A/N: I wanted to create characters which aren't always flawless in appearance.