[56.1] A Small Boy Meets an Owl

[Author's note: This chapter is from no one's perspective. It also contains mentions of murder, blood, and loss that some individuals may find uncomfortable. Reader discretion is advised.]

After watching the girl with strawberry-brown hair leave the barrier, Caldwell let out a sigh. He nodded to the others and quickly flew back to his home in the trees as he didn't have much of an appetite for company. He flew into the human size birdhouse and transformed back into a demon. From there, he went to his room and opened the door.

The room was small, only enough for a bunk bed and a desk with books collecting dust. Caldwell ignored it and climbed the bunk bed to the top. It was designed for his teenage self so he had to keep himself low to avoid the ceiling. His feet hung off the edge as he stared up at the low ceiling. There were several drawings on the ceiling of his mother and father, as well as a boy with a kind face.

The boy had straight brown hair pulled back into a long ponytail and dark eyes reflecting the sun, the smile he held on his face caused anyone who saw it to immediately trust in him.

Caldwell let out a sigh and reached his hand out to gently brush that face.

His eyes slowly closed and he drifted off into his memories.

…To a place he hadn't visited in a while.

___…___

A young demon, yet to turn 10, leaned out of his birdhouse kicking his feet in the air. He whistled to himself, his long unkempt snowy hair drifting in the breeze. His clothes were dysfunctional, barely even buttoned up correctly.

He let out a groan, "Bored!"

From inside, he heard his mother's voice, "You'd better not be hanging out of the window again! Last time you dropped your shoe on Missus Jester!"

He looked down at his bare feet and wiggled his toes, "Not a problem this time!"

"Don't spit on her either! You know how annoying those crows can be."

"I won't!" He looked down at the old crow who glared back up at him and shook her cane. He let out a scoff and turned back inside, "Ma. I'm going to a fly!"

"Alright. Just make sure you're home for dinner!"

With approval, he threw himself out of the window and-

*POOF*

He transformed into an owl and soared off into the distance, away from Missus Jester who was shouting curses at him for dropping a few feathers on her head. He laughed to himself, soaring over trees and rock formations, all the way to the end of the barrier. He landed on a tree limb, changing back to his demon form. Perched on the highest branch, his yellow eyes peered outside of the barrier.

He let out a sigh, "Booored."

Being as young as he was, he wondered what it would be like to fly outside of the barrier. Although the village and forest were vast, he had flown over them so much that he memorized every leaf and every rock. His reckless childish heart began to imagine what would happen if he left the barrier.

He belonged to a demon generation that didn't know how to fear humans. He lived in a safe village where there was no separation or prejudice between demons and humans. To him, the outside world was as safe as his village.

He smiled to himself, "They wouldn't know if I leave the barrier."

With a *poof* he transformed into a snowy owl and flew straight through the barrier. The villagers beside the Macrabe forest all watched with wary eyes as a snowy owl suddenly appeared and flew over them. They were apprehensive it was a demon, but they knew to mind their business when it concerned those who followed the Great Fairy. Thus, the young owl didn't meet any resistance.

He flew for several hours, whistling to himself, taking in the sights with greedy eyes…

That was until a faint cry for help made it to his ears. He curiously turned in that direction and was assaulted by a smell of blood that he only recognized from scraping his knee in the past.

Without hesitation, he soared toward the cries and came across several overturned rickety horse carriages. There was one group of people in plain brown tunic dresses, and another donning golden outfits. He was confused as to what the two groups were doing on the ground, so he circled around the scene trying to make sense of it.

It was only when he saw a sharp stick pierce through the back of one of the people wearing a brown tunic did he finally understand.

The ones wearing gold were massacring the people in brown tunics without mercy.

The little owl landed in a tree, reverting back to a demon. He held his mouth with wide eyes full of fear as he watched the assault. He could only swallow down the bile in his mouth as the men in gold were striking down the others without meeting any resistance.

As for why the men in gold were killing them, the little owl couldn't have known.

He had never felt so helpless.

He desperately wanted to fly down and stop the senseless violence, but his body was completely frozen. His pupils shrunk as he watched the red liquid splatter the ground, dying it a color he had never seen before.

He wished to look away, but his eyes were glued to that scene.

A voice echoed in his mind:

Go.

You can save them.

So go!

Just go and help!

Their screams pierced his ears, causing his mind to age at a moment's notice. He could only stay perched on that limb, watching in horror at the meaningless murders happening in front of him.

The encouraging voice in his mind was no match for the fear in his body.

…Until a small child younger than him, crawled to hide under an overturned carriage. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough. One of the men in gold grabbed his ankle and pulled him out, "Where do you think you are going, you little scourge?!"

The boy was yanked out, digging his nails into the dirt as he screamed in terror.

The man raised his foot, right over the small boy's head, "I will teach you and the rest of your filthy scourge to dirty our land."

Before the man could stomp down, a voice shouted, piercing through the scene.

"STOP!"

A snowy owl flew towards them, suddenly taking the shape of a giant hawk. The hawk towered over them, far larger than all the overturned carriages combined.

The man sucked in his breath, "A-A beast!"

The hawk shrieked at the men covered in blood, its giant eyes vibrantly pulsing yellow.

The man screamed in a panic as the hawk swung it's wing down on him, abandoning the boy he was so intent on killing. The men all ran away, shrieking as the giant hawk pecked and slammed his talons at them. From the hawk's perspective, it was like he was a chicken pecking at grains.

It was only when the attackers all ran away far into the distance, did the bird turn around and return to the last remaining boy. He transformed back into a demon, blinking his dull yellow eyes, "Are you okay?!"

The boy's face was abnormally pale underneath all the blood that may or may not have been his. He suddenly snapped out of his stupor and crawled over to two bodies beside the carriage, "Gramma! Grandpa! Open your eyes, please!" Tears crawled down his cheeks, creating streaks in the blood. He moved to the next pair of bodies frantically shaking them, "Brother! Sister! Anyone?!"

The small owl watched timidly, afraid to say anything that may cause the boy more pain. He could only stand by as the boy checked every single person, shaking them but getting no response. Eventually, the boy stopped checking and sat on his knees wailing to the heavens. After a few hours of crying, he'd quieted down with no more possible tears to cry.

The small owl took a step near him hesitantly. He blinked his eyes slowly, "Are you… Are you okay?"

The small boy stared at the scene of carnage with swollen eyes, "My family is all gone…"

The owl bit down on his lip. His toes curled to feel the ground, "I'm sorry… I should have done something sooner."

Just like a seed, guilt planted itself deep within his chest.

How could he be so useless as to let this boy become an orphan when he had the ability to prevent it?

All he had to do was turn into a gaint hawk when he first came across the scene!

How could he just let it happen!?

How could he-

The small boy ignored him and began digging a hole in the dirt with only his hands.

The small owl panicked, "What are you doing?!"

"I must return them to the land." The boy responded with a broken expression, "If I don't, their souls won't find peace."

The small owl panicked and transformed into a huge dog, "L-Let me dig for you! I can turn into anything I'd like!"

The boy stared at him with wide eyes, he had never expected another to be capable of such a thing. Still in shock, he stepped back and watched the dog dig enough holes. Then, together, they pushed the bodies inside and buried them.

The small boy clasped his hands together, praying until the sun returned past the horizon. The small owl gazed at the slowly appearing stars feeling a bit anxious. He spoke in a low voice, "Do you… Have a home to return to? A village? Anything?"

The boy answered in a low voice, "The land belongs to no one. The only home we have is the one in our hearts."

"So… No home?"

The boy raised his head to him and shook it slowly, "No… We are just wanderers. They were my only family, now I have no one."

The snowy owl looked at him with delicate eyes, "Would you… Like to return with me?"