Chapter 2 : morality ?

Felix looked back at the remaining soldiers and said : i am giving you a choice . Run or get Killed , before i finish counting from 10 .

Starts Counting 1, 2, 3.....

"Felix ear twitched - a bow string whisper - before that arrow gazed at his cheek.

He gets shocked but excited and murmurs Oh finally !

That guy who attacked gets sliced in half.

The Other guys froze from the shock .

Felix coin in hand still Counting 4,5,6,7,8

He flips his coin .....

Soldier Starts running.....

The coin lands on heads Felix starts smirking : 9, 10 too late.."

Felix tapped the ground once with his boot - the earth sighed. Swallowing the remaining enemies like quicksand .

Felix starts slicing their heads one by one .

last Soldier (scared ) : why, why , you said you would not kill us . If we run before you complete your counting.

Felix looks at the soldiers face up close : sending someone to kill me for your loss does it sound right ? THE son of a slaver leader.

Slaver leaders son scared : I can give you everything I have . money ? How much do you need ? 200 gold coins ? 300 gold coins ? I can give you you all . Just show mercy !

Felix questions : can you bring back the countless children you sold ?

Leaders son says it is panic : i can't but please have mercy have mercy like you said i played by your rules you said you'll show mercy.

Felix replied : "Mercy? You mistake me for someone kind."

Leaders son said in disbelief : you liar , you cheating bastard !

"With his last strength he tries attacking the boy with his sword but couldn't hit him ."

Felix sighs : i am no good but i hate People worse than me and Slices the leader's son head off .

Blood spatters and falls on his face..... He closes his eyes :

The scent of victory..... The silence ... this is what I deserve...

Felix wiped the blood from his chin . Behind him , the silence broke not with cheer , but with a rattle of iron . Small hands gripped the bars of a rusted cage . Knuckles white . The children inside didn't speak . They didn't need to they were too scared to say anything .

Felix slowly made his way up to the cage and the way up to the cage was numb and silent . The cage lock shattered under his presence. Kids spilled out like startled birds—all but one. In the corner, a boy lay curled as if sleeping. Too still. No rise of breath. No flinch at the light.

Felix crouched, gripped the small shoulder— cold. Not the chill of winter, but the wrong kind . The kind that didn't fade.

His hands tightened. The body lifted too easily, limbs limp like a doll's. A whisper escaped him: "Stay here." Said (Not to the dead. To the living.)

Felix moved to a quiet place . A little bit far from the massacre.

The earth knew what to do. It parted—roots weaving a cradle, leaves drifting down like a shroud. Felix laid the boy inside. For a heartbeat, nothing moved. Then the soil (folded) over him, gentle as a mother tucking in a child.

The grave closed with finality. Felix tried turning before the last leaf settled."

A rustle. Felix couldn't turn. He already knew—the smallest survivor, clutching a single leaf. The kid pressed it into the dirt where the boy's heart would've been. A marker. A plea.

Felix noticed and smiled and asked what is your name?

kid : i don't have one....

Felix crouches and Pats his head : How about Lucas ?

Its Means Light.

(Lucas was the kid felix gave bread when he arrived at the town)

Lucas: Lucas. (Gets excited)..

Lucas scrubbed Felix's cheek with his torn clothes. For a moment , he saw her - another hand that reached for him before the dark took her . He grabbed Lucas's wrists - too hard and let go .

(Suppressing his emotions)

Let's go Felix muttered - " The others are waiting for us.."

Felix and Lucas started moving upto the other kids that were waiting for them to return.. He saw the kids still sitting in the cage so he just tossed the bread sack down .

"Eat before I change my mind."

The kids tore into the bread , too hungry for manners . While Felix sits on a rock close to the fire not that far from the kids watching the stars.

The wind laughed through the trees. 'Of course.' Even the night mocked this pathetic charity.

The children stepped closer, hesitantly offering a small pieces of their bread. Felix rejected but the kids urged him again and again so this time, he took it—gently, as though it were something sacred. "Thank you," he said, his voice low but warm, like embers in the dark.

"Starving kids share. Not 'cause they're good—'cause they know the secret: hunger gnaws your gut, but eating alone? That hollows your soul.". (Felix thought)

The last crumb vanished. The kids licked their palms. They all are full .

Felix said : from today you are all free...

"The raven tilted its head. Not black— red. The same shade as the slavers' banners. Looking at them from afar .

Felix showed the kids the way to the village and handed them over to the church. Lucas met his friend.

Felix muttered : live freely and chase your dreams from today .

Lucas Comes with his friend dragging her Can you also give her name he said to Felix .

Felix : hmmm how about lucy.

Lucas passionately : "Lucy" he called her name, My name is Lucas. Try Calling it.

Lucy: Lucas.

Lucas gets happy and hugs her.

Felix smiled seeing the innocence...

But At that moment all the kids Come upto him asking for name . So he tried filling their requests.

Each name felt shackle. Eli , Rain , Aya . He gave them away like coins , but their gratitude stuck to his skin . When the last child cheered "Brother is kind" He flinched like it was a curse.

Felix Said goodbye to all but Lucas Come upto to him and gives him leaf and Says Goodluck and to return again.

"I will " said Felix while holding his emotions.

Felix stepped past the orphanage/Church gates, Lucas's leaf still tucked in his pocket. The village ahead—lanterns flickering like dying fireflies over the market square.

He moved through the crowd, past beggars with outstretched palms (he tossed the last of his coins without slowing). The inn's sign creaked overhead, a chipped painting of a boar's head staring down with moldy eyes. He went inside . Sat on the corner alone and ordered his meal .

But as he was having his drink he overheard a conversation so he just listened to it .

Person 1 (leaning in, ale sloshing): "You heard that Blackmaw dragon got killed ?"

Person 2 (wiping foam from beard): "The fuck really?"

Person 1 (finger tracing throat): yeah it's said that a Guy who took down the Blackmaw dragon Not a single scratch on its hide."

Person 2 (mug freezing mid-air): "Bullshit. That wyrm torched three villages last winter."

Person 1 (grabbing wrist): "Cleanest kill you never saw. The head came off so clean..." (drops voice) "...looked like it was never attached."

Person 2 (whispering): "Fuck me. Like some god did it." Legendry !

Person 1 (nodding): "Body still warm when they found it. Like the damn thing forgot it was dead."

Felix sips his drink: legendary huh ."Felix swirled his drink. 'Legendary?' The word tasted cheap. But a blade that refused to leave marks… now that was a game worth playing."

"The raven dissolved into the dark, its crimson gaze lingering long after its wings had vanished.

😜