Chapter 7: Minor Revenge

Fluffy hurried back to Lyara's place. The sun had risen and its eyes were becoming useless. Its dark eyes were the best night vision in the wilds. But in daylight, it was as blind as a bat.

Still, it was able to see in dim light conditions, which allowed it to extend its nocturnal activity for a short time after the sun began to rise.

On its way back, it saw a beggar on the ground. That beggar had somehow found a perfect apple. It must've been the best thing that beggar received for a long time.

And then an idea came to Fluffy. It must be fun to see the despair and anger flooding out of the beggar when the apple would be taken from him.

The thought of such cruelty made the owl shake in delight, its feather vibrated.

The owl flew down and reached out its sharp claws.

Not only would it take the apple, it would leave some marks on the beggar to make sure he would remember this day onward.

In the cold nights that the beggar would fight for survival, he would be tortured by the wound and remember the one who had caused it all, Fluffy the owl.

However, fate had other plans for it.

Siderius reached out his hand with so much precision and timing that Fluffy wasn't even able to react.

He grabbed its neck tight and squeezed the air out of its throat. The owl flapped its wings at Siderius, hoping its minor strength could make him let go.

But his hand held still like stone.

The other beggars looked at him. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped. Even they knew who that bird belonged to.

"Let it go, kid! You're gonna kill us all!"

A beggar rushed to Siderius, intending to rescue the owl.

The hunter drew his sword with his other free hand and in one motion, slicing it through the neck of the beggar. Blood splashed out like a water fountain and the beggar dropped on the ground, his eyes opened, still couldn't understand what had happened.

"Murderer!"

"Monster!"

"Get away from me!"

The beggars scattered away. Some didn't even dare to look back.

Those who did see the wind blew the cloak away from Siderius, revealing his angelic face, ethereal white hair and a cold, ruthless expression.

They saw that face before. Even though he was a little bit different. That was Snow, the actor who killed his own mother.

In her little palace, Lyara woke up from her dream. Her throat was tight, it felt like someone was choking it.

But no one was in her bedroom. She understood immediately that Fluffy was in danger.

Lyara connected their senses.

A heart-shaped ring appeared inside the owl's eyes. Lyara saw Siderius with his pure white hair and a coldness so alluring that she wetted herself.

Siderius knew that Lyara would be able to see through the senses of the owl. It was the basic function of a familiar.

He wanted her to see, to know that the boy she had played with, was coming for her.

"Snow?!" Lyara muttered.

Siderius couldn't hear it but he spoke like he was able to hear her voice. He could guess her surprise at the moment.

"We meet again, witch."

The term 'witch' surprised Lyara. A mere commoner couldn't know about it.

"How did you…" Lyara said.

"I'll coming." Siderius' voice was calm, cold and calculated. "I will kill everyone you hold most dear. And then I will make you beg for death.

Here's the first victim."

Siderius snapped the owl's neck in two, killing it instantly. Its body collapsed on his hands. The heart-shaped rings disappeared, cutting the connection with Lyara.

"Oh mine…" Lyara didn't worry. Instead, she had lust for him even more.

Her obsession with him ended when he refused her the second time. Playing hard to get was fun but not for long.

And now, he changed. His hair changed. And he had an unexplainable aura around him. An aura that made Lyara weak in the knees. She wanted him more than anything.

Before, she only wanted to use him, to sacrifice him for her coming-of-age ritual. He was handsome, sure. But he was human.

Now, the story differed. Lyara couldn't think of any other way Snow had changed so much, except for The Awakening.

The awakening of one's magic. Yes, Lyara thought that Siderius had become a witch.

He was now worthy to stand by her side. No one else could compare.

After killing the owl, Siderius retreated quickly. He put the corpse of the owl inside the cloth sack behind his back.

He didn't return to Ashe's house nor any other places inside the town.

He couldn't trust anyone. They had everything to gain from selling him out and none to benefit from helping him.

So he ventured into the Rottin Woods to find his own place.

Rottin Woods. The largest forest in the Eldoria kingdom, one that separated the land into regions that were not easy to cross.

Inside the Rottin Woods were the Chaos Beasts. A type of animal that had magic ran in their veins and was much more powerful than any mere beast could be.

This 'species' was a unique aspect of this world. Snow had never met one. He only heard stories about it. Horrors that kept the slaves, the commoners and the citizens from deserting from their town.

As bad as their town may be, it was still better than dying inside the mouth of a Chaos Beast.

Siderius didn't encounter any Chaos Beast on his way in. He needed to find a good place to settle down.

The place should not be too far away from the water source. That was essential.

A river would be ideal. The only problem was that all the predators would come to it for water. It was too dangerous to set up camp nearby.

Siderius needed the hideout to be near the river but far enough to avoid the predators.