Victor Deus (Heritage of the Blood Book 1) (6 page)

*****

The Mystic, who now went by the name of Shaylyn Arasmé stood in the alley that the Elven Warrior had left moments before through one of her portals. In her arms she held a baby boy, who had just moments before seen his first sunrise. He was also the only one to hear her say, “You have the power to do great things one day Victor, great and terrible things. Life will be hard, but if you live through all that will come, you will have the power to change the face of this world, and many others. I do not envy you.”

*****

Much farther away on another plane of existence, three figures were watching the nights events transpire. Two of the figures stood over a large well, and discussed the course of things, while the third listened from the shadows.

“Shaylyn Arasmé has him now dearest sister. It is unfolding just as the dragons foretold.”

“Yes my brother, but remember we are not allowed to interfere anymore, it was only because of the actions taken by Thom that we even dared to do what we did. He must use the gifts we have given him to survive into his adult years before we can be of aid to him again, and he of aid to us.”

“Yes, of course Cypheria, I know, I know… but the dragons did say this would be the age of heroes.”

“Yes Ragnós, and there wouldn't be a need for so many heroes if there wasn't so much evil loose upon the world. War may be your domain, and you may be happy to wage it, but I cannot help but feel sorry for those that will fall, and who is to say that this one boy will be enough to tip the scale in justice's favor, or even that he won't tip it the other way.”

“I do not enjoy death either, that is Thom's domain, and he can keep it, but war is a useful tool, not only does it make people stronger, but it keeps populations in check. If it wasn't for war there would be more people than there is food.”

“I know brother, you do not need to explain it to me again, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.” “Of course you don't Cypheria only a mad person would like war, but it is a necessity for the development of culture and sometimes the only way to achieve peace is to go to war, paradox as it may be. All we can do is sit back and watch the boy as he is pushed in one direction and pulled in another.”

“You are right Ragnós of course, and what do we have, but time…”

The voices trailed off into an uneasy laughter as the sun heralded a new day, and perhaps more importantly to most, a new year.

The third entity watching the events unfold was not laughing however. The shadows disappeared unnoticed as he moved his attention away from the two fools laughing as if they had pulled off something special. Thom was pleased with himself for taking the initiative with the boy to ensure that the lad was equipped for what he wanted him to do. He was however not pleased in the least that Cypheria and Ragnos had found out about his plan and taken measures to lessen his hold on the boy. They would learn that no one interferes with the god of death when he is choosing his champion… no one.

Chapter 1

Beautiful Dawn, Baleful Dusk

Year 3041 AGD

Month:  Year's End

Fourth Sixth Day

Continent of Terroval

City of Safeharbor

Civilian Sector

Shaylyn sat at her window, in the house that she had occupied for the last two decades of her long life. She watched as Victor played outside, the boy that she now considered her son. Once again, she found herself recalling the events that had transpired nearly seven years ago. She knew that her duty was to teach Victor everything she could. Shaylyn also understood that his childhood would be short, and that Victor would have to grow up quickly. Ever since she had been told about the boy she knew what her role would be in raising him. What she didn't know was what would happen to her, or to him, to make Victor be orphaned again. Another thing that she could not have known, and had not expected was that she would fall in love with the boy. She loved him as much as she had her own children, and grandchildren, once long ago.

“Why does this have to happen?” she asked to the window as she stared into the street. “What will happen to him?” A shiver ran down her spine as she realized it was the first time she had uttered such a question aloud. She instinctively knew that time was growing short. She stood up from her seat at the window to make Victor lunch, silently wishing she could do more.

Anyone looking towards the window would see the same thing they always saw, a broken down home with a boarded window. It fit in well with all of the other buildings around it, but it was all an illusion. Shaylyn is a rare breed of caster called a Mystic. This means that not only is she a Shaper, or what most would refer to as a Mage, but she is also a devout follower of a god who has granted her the ability to use a small portion of their power. Using the power granted to her by the God of her people, she had cast a glamor over her home twenty years earlier so that no one would see when she made changes to the house.

Had anyone outside been able to see the beautiful woman in the window they would have stood transfixed upon her image. Her long silvery hair flowed down around her, framing her form in such a way that a persons gaze would be directed straight into eyes the color of a calm sea. The Half Elven features that she had adopted stood out in her face and body. When she moved, she seemed to glide instead of walk. She missed her red hair, but it had turned silver long before she met Victor. She wore the silvery gray proudly though, as the mantle of a life well lived.

*****

“Hey guys!” Victor was wearing his new clothes that Shaylyn had bought him for school that would be starting on the second Fifthday of New Year. Having left his hat behind, his golden blonde hair was blowing in the slight winter sea breeze that flowed through the alley.

“What do you want?” the largest of the street kids asked. They were playing a game that was not uncommon in this part of town. The game was called thievery. They were currently looking over there newest winnings.

“That's not yours, I saw you take it. You should give it back to the person it belongs to.” He motioned to the bag that the large young thug was carrying.

“You've got a lot of nerve for a kid.” The large boy shot back even though he couldn't have been much older than twelve or so himself. He also looked quite annoyed with this new nuisance that presented itself in the form of a six-year-old boy. His clothes and the clothing of the kids around him were covered in patches, and were worn down where time had left its mark. Their faces were grim and unwashed, and their hair looked to be about the same color as their bodies, dirty.

“I just know you're not supposed to steal from anyone.” Growing more confident in his position, he took a few steps towards the group of kids. There were six of them, and one of him, but he still knew that he was in the right. Therefore, he assumed that they would not be able to stop him, and besides, they couldn't be much worse than Orcs.

“That's easy for you to say, I bet you've never had to starve before have ya?” The large boy pointed at Victor and then looked over at his companions. “Look at those clothes, there isn't a hole on 'em anywhere that there isn't supposed to be. That's all I need is some rich merchant's son tellin' me that stealin' is wrong!” The other boys nodded while glowering at the young boy.

“Why would you starve? Doesn't your father work? Doesn't the city give food to those that need it?” The gray-eyed boy rattled off these questions without a thought. Shaylyn had always told him to voice his questions when he had them, so he asked them without hesitation. When he finished his questions this time however, he received the business end of an angry twelve year old. He was sent sprawling to the ground surprisingly hard, this would be just one of many lessons that he would learn early in life(From this encounter he learned something that he would share with others later on in life, “Be careful what you say to something larger than you, and if you aren't careful about what you're saying, be ready to duck.”).

“You think you're special, just because you haven't the need for nothin'?” Victor saw moisture beginning to well up in the eyes of the boy. Then the boy surprised Victor for a second time by turning his back and walking quickly past his companions. Victor guessed that the boy was trying to hide his tears from his friends. “Let's go guys…”

“But… that's all you're gonna…” A kid who couldn't have been more than eight began to ask before he got a cold look from the larger, older boy and decided to shut up.

Standing slowly, and still a bit confused Victor got up, and spoke softly, but loud enough so that the children walking away could hear. “I'm sorry… I didn't know… forgive me.” If any of the kids heard him, they didn't show it. They just continued to walk back down the street and then swiftly disappeared around the corner following their leader. After dusting himself off and checking to see if anything had torn, he straightened his clothes and stood silently for a moment. He let the taste envelop his mouth as the gash in his lip saturated his mouth with blood. Victor then slowly made his way back into the house where he knew he would be able to get some aid with his lip, and in figuring out what exactly had just happened.

*****

Victor was sitting stoically in a chair as Shaylyn stood over him with a wet cloth. She had to look away from the mark that was starting to turn black and blue on his face, and the gash on his lip.
Not one tear… he is only six years old, but he didn't shed a single tear.

“Victor, why did that boy hit you?” she asked, trying not to sound too worried, but a slight tremble that she couldn't stifle could still be heard in her voice. She held the cloth on his lip to soak up the blood on his face, and then she applied a bit of pressure to help the bleeding stop.

“I deserved it… I was not being courteous of his feelings. I insulted his honor, and I have learned a lesson for it.” Victor looked up at her with eyes that were somehow older than they had been just minutes earlier. His Gray eyes had always betrayed intelligence beyond his years, but now his eyes were sharper, he had become a little more aware. “I know it was wrong of them to steal, but I didn't know that they had it so bad… is it wrong to steal if you don't have anything?”

“Well Victor that is a question which many people have asked. Society has laws against stealing, but in a place like this, it is the only way that some of these people can survive. Those people that have the will to do more than just survive though will only steal until they can earn enough, or are given a chance to leave the confines of there imprisonment.”

Looking around confused, Victor asked “So all the people that are stealing are in jail?”

She then remembered that she was talking to a six year old boy, whether he was just as smart as most of the people she had ever known didn't matter, he still had the innocence of a six year old's inexperience. “No honey.” She smiled at him. “It is a manner of speech, it means that they are trapped in the life that they are in, and either they need help, or are too afraid of something to even try to get out of it.”

“Well I'm glad I have you here to keep me off the streets, and I sure learned a few lessons today.” He said this as he rubbed the area that was now swollen. “What are they afraid of?”

“What? Who?” She looked at him inquisitively.

“I'm talking about the people that have to steal to survive. Why would they be afraid to get out of that kind of life? Wouldn't it be better for them if they did?”

“Well, some people are afraid to succeed, just to fall again, and some feel like they have found the family that they have never had. They form these tight bands in which they feel like brothers and sisters.”

“Oh, I see… that's sad.” He looked at her with those eyes that could say a thousand words with nothing but a glance. She could clearly see the pain in him, and then, rolling down his cheek, there was a single tear.

In a whisper she said, “Well, it's good you learned your lesson… Just try not to learn another one too soon.” She then proceeded to pull him into one of the tightest hugs that she had ever given him. How could she not, Victor had been beaten up and then he came to her without as much as a whimper, and after he learned about the struggle that some of these people go through he had shed a tear, not for his pain, but for theirs.
If he continues this way, he will be the kind of man that we need him to be,
she thought.

*****

Year 3041 AGD

Month: Year's End

Fourth Eighthday

Eve of New Beginnings

Continent of Terroval

City of Safeharbor

Civilian Sector

The last day of Year's End was upon them, and it was cold. The chill had sent shivers down Victor's spine. This was not the kind of cold that is created from external temperate stimuli, but the dreaded cold when you somehow know that it is going to be a long dreadful day. Something was urging him to get up, urging him to look around. He took his head out from under the covers of the heavy quilt that had been given to him to keep him safe and warm. The bright light of the morning sun hit his eyes like a thousand needles. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he was slowly able to focus on his surroundings. Everything appeared as it usually did, except that dreadful sun. He was in his room, and he had awoken facing the window. He was looking at a fully blossoming morning sun, and it looked to his sleepy mind, more like a painting that had been framed to look like a window than an actual window. If it had not been for the brightness that was piercing at his eyes, he would have been sure that it was a work of art. It was a beautifully painful way to start out the day, and the sun rose red over the horizon.

There was the slight aroma of damp firewood burning in the cooking stove, mixed with the more interesting aroma of cooking bacon. After a moment of concentration he could even hear the crackle of the bacon's grease in the pan. After slowly climbing out of bed, he groggily walked to the door that separated his room from the main room; where he knew breakfast would soon be waiting. He reached for the doorknob, and found that it was still chilly to the touch. The fire from the stove had not been lit long enough to warm the metal. Turning the knob slowly, so as not to alert anyone of his presence, he began opening the door. He had it about half way open when the door decided to make everyone aware of its presence, and give Victor's position away with a loud groan.