Ten days of wandering had carved hunger into our bones.
Since the funeral, every crumb I found went to Orion. I told myself I was the older brother; I should endure more. But by the tenth day, the cold in my stomach had become sharper than the winter wind itself. For the last three days, nothing had passed my lips. Reality began to soften… twist… and break.
"Brother… do you see that fresh bread there?"
Orion's voice trembled with desperate hope.
I followed his gaze.
He was pointing at… a balcony.
A balcony holding nothing but a moss–covered stone plate.
I blinked.
Was he hallucinating… or was I?
So I lied, softly:
"…Yes. It looks fresh."
But then—when I focused, the moss morphed into bread… still wearing flecks of green like moldy jewels. My vision bent, stretched, twisted. Hunger gnawed at my sanity until even illusions smelled delicious.
The "waves" I had been proud of for days… had turned into a curse.
Food floated through the air in shimmering strands—long green noodles that dissolved when touched. My eyes burned. My mind throbbed.
As we walked, Saeed's necklace slipped from my hand and struck the pavement with a dull tap.
I bent to pick it up—and froze.
The tree engraving was glowing. Faintly. Gold.
And the cord… moved.
Like a snake waking from sleep.
"…What?"
Then the pull came—gentle, but certain.
As if something… someone… was guiding me.
I followed. I had no choice.
The necklace dragged us across alleys and streets until, eventually…
we reached the wealthy district.
The smell of pastries mended and broke us at the same time.
Orion whispered to himself, eyes empty and starving.
In front of a luxurious bakery, a fat man in an expensive suit bought enough pastries to feed an entire family. As he pulled out his wallet, a bill slipped from his fingers and fluttered to the ground.
My breath caught.
I looked at the bill.
Looked at Orion.
His blue eyes were dimming.
Dying.
I clenched my fists.
"Orion," I said gently, "wait for me under the bridge. I'll bring food."
He hesitated.
"Brother… what are you going to do?"
"Don't worry," I lied with a smile, "I know this man. He'll help us."
He didn't believe me.
But he obeyed—because he always obeys.
When he vanished into the alley, I approached the fat man… quietly… silently…
Then I snatched the bill and dashed away like the thief hunger had forced me to become.
The man's red eyes blazed in fury.
His smile sharpened like a blade.
"You dare steal from me?" he hissed.
"I'm the one who steals from others."
Before I could react—
his arm twisted, metallic scales rising, reshaping into a serpentine appendage that wrapped around my throat and squeezed. Hard.
My voice broke.
My vision dimmed.
Somewhere far away, Orion shouted,
"TEIFLOS!"
Idiot.
He came back.
But before the man could crush my windpipe completely—
two black luxury cars slid to a stop.
Men in immaculate black suits stepped out.
Polished shoes. Hidden faces.
Their presence felt heavier than the air itself.
Their leader spoke calmly:
"Apologies, sir. But these two boys…"
His gaze slid to Orion.
"…are under our protection now."
The fat man scoffed.
"A government organization? Since when do dogs care for strays?"
The leader raised his head.
Golden light flared in his eyes.
"Everyone has value—especially those with… unique talents."
The fat man froze.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
He released me immediately.
I collapsed, gasping like someone dragged back from death.
A man opened the car door.
"Well?" the leader said. "Aren't you getting in?"
I grabbed Orion's hand, and we entered the warmth.
---
The interior smelled of leather and luxury—so foreign to the cold gutters we had slept in.
The leader studied me.
"You stole in broad daylight. Why?"
I looked at my brother.
At his trembling hands.
At the hunger soaking his bones.
"…Hunger," I rasped. "Hunger makes monsters out of men."
He didn't answer at first.
Then—
"We'll protect your brother. And feed you both… but you'll work with us."
A cup of hot coffee was handed to me.
Its warmth felt unnatural—as if power was flowing into me with every sip.
In its reflection…
my red eyes looked dim.
Like dying embers.
On the window, I caught sight of a familiar sigil.
The same tree carved onto Saeed's necklace.
Not a coincidence.
"Do you know this symbol?" the leader asked.
"…No," I lied.
He smiled.
"We'll learn much about each other, Teiflos."
He knew my name.
Of course he did.
The forest swallowed the road as the car moved forward.
A hidden massive building emerged between the trees—silent, cold, waiting.
The leader stepped out.
"Prepare yourselves."
I lifted my head toward the sky.
The stars were distant.
Unreachable.
But I whispered anyway:
"I'll protect you, Orion.
And I'll reclaim everything we lost.
If the waves brought me here…
then this is where fate will be stolen."
---