Chapter 32: Sifting Dust, Yellow Mirror

The hollers and rowdy shouts were a sudden shift in the relatively quiet street, like barking geese their voices merged into indistinct honks, they would throw back whatever they could, and smack the nearest person at every chance. Their unruly behavior had no end, some smashing their bottles over another’s head, while one drinks from two bottles at the same time.

Remy held a helpless expression, the Hungry Totem… He really hated this place. It was the focal point of countless people within the central sea. It was cheap, incredibly cheap. Not only that, many were drawn in by the lawless approach they took.

Though there were many unspoken rules within the Hungry Totem, the only ones who enforced them were the strong. So naturally those who believed they were strong would find themselves flocking here.

What made Remy confused was why the child had went straight here.

An unsightly gangster, with thick unkempt hair, and dirt dusting his clothes and body, turned to the entrance and jeered, “Haha! What’re you wearing kid?! Did someone play a prank on you?” He was laughing with his belly, garnering the glance of many patrons.

“Hm?”

One turned to look, and then began to laugh as well.

Before long, the entire Hungry Totem was cackling like hyenas, Remy was looking at Agi, even despite his already cold and emotionless demeanor, his eyes were darkening rapidly.

Remy turned toward Agi, hoping to stop a conflict before it starts… but his gaze dropped down, “What is that…?”

His mouth nearly dropped in shock as he caught sight of a tail! Damn it! Isn’t this going to draw way more attention than horns?!

He wasn’t the only one that noticed, a patron spoke while rubbing his eyes, a bit drunk, “A tail…?”

Like wildfire the recognition flew over the patrons, a bunch running over to take a look.

A foolish mistake.

Agi pulled his arm back, his spear poised to kill.

Pat…

Agi glanced over, Soma was shaking her head? She mouthed out, “Don’t kill them.”

He frowned slightly, but slammed his spear into the ground, the blade sliding deep into the floor.

One of the patrons approached, hoping to get a glance while laughing in Agi’s face.

His hand reached out to grab the tail,

The boy sneered in disdain, he could hold back. He could.

SLAM!

The man held his stomach, bending over and lurching! Agi pulled his gauntlet back, walking past the man with mirth.

The man fell onto the ground heavily.

A different look immediately crossed the eyes of the patrons, a couple standing up.

“You know what you just did?” One of them asked, he was freakishly large, towering above all the other patrons.

His body was wide and strong, while his skin was slightly tanned. He had bright emerald eyes, in fact, this was the first time Agi had seen someone else with green eyes.

His eyebrows were thick, and his hair was short around his head in a crop.

“Restricted zone brat, that was my guy. I’ll pummel you.”

Remy stammered, “Come on, let’s all just calm down!”

His voice was drowned out by the cheers.

Immediately the three men rushed at Agi, who only took a small step forward while subtly crouching,

PANG!

The two smaller men collided heads in a comical fashion, Agi slipping between them and kicking the leg out from one—

FWUU

The large man tripped over the falling body, only barely catching himself from falling face first, but before he could get back up, a fist slammed into his jaw.

With one of his goons trapped under his body, the other one immediately rushed at him, “Brat!” He shouted, only for Agi to deftly sidestep, catching his foot on his way by.

PANG!

The goon looked up nervously, his fist settled on the jaw of a frightening patron with a scar.

It was like a powder keg went off, immediately the Hungry Totem devolved into a wild brawl.

Agi ducked and leapt, becoming utterly untouchable.

He placed a hand gently on the head of a patron in his way, flipping over them.

Soma muttered a curse, fighting off the patrons.

Agi glanced back at Soma, “I’m going to deal with this! Don’t stop me.”

She knocked another patron to the ground, “Stop being foolish! If you handle every problem by killing how will we ever get out of this place!? There’s an endless sea in this place Agi!”

He grit his teeth, he wanted to use his instinct, but Soma had only just told him not to.

Too many restrictions!

His knee slammed into someone’s face, before he touched down on the ground.

He glanced around, then he began to move about strangely, moving through the crowd patrons were led to one another, punching and breaking glass.

Remy looked around, finding it strange that he suddenly had no opponents.

Similarly Soma too looked around, her eyes settling on Agi. His steps were like a vortext, drawing in his opponents.

Agi did not raise a hand, he only wandered about within the Hungry Totem, the patrons shouted and bit, punched and clawed,

While Agi settled before the final standing man.

His fist covering the mans entire world before it all turned dark.

Remy whistled, “I’ve never seen anything like that…”

While Soma sat at the bar, “What’s the best you got?”

The bartender began to Idly chat with the woman, while Remy only grew more confident, these people were dangerous!

He needed to find some way to distance himself.

Agi looked at the crumpled patrons, shaking his head before grabbing Yuksho, resting it on his shoulder.

Agi leapt onto a stool at the bar, “Do you have any pinberry juice?”

The bartender pulled at his long mustache, “Hm…” He looked around for a moment, “Sounds familiar, but we don’t have any.”

Agi didn’t respond, only the sound of groaning patrons filling the bar.

The bartender spoke, “We have gui fruit juice,” He said drawing Agi’s attention.

“Gui fruit?”

“Right, it’s a slightly sour fruit, it’s exterior is covered in spikes and it’s quite dangerous to farm. If it falls on you, there’s a high chance of death.”

Agi found the fruit interesting, “I’d like to try it.”

The bartender nodded, “Ten little suns.” Agi glanced at Soma who didn’t speak.

“You didn’t charge her?”

The bartender shrugged, “A beautiful lady like this, do I dare?”

Agi stared incredulously at the bartender, “That’s enough?”

He nodded, “Of course its enough, brat. In a place like this, there are some things more scarce than money.”

Agi had no lack of money, but he lacked patience. And it was not like him to accept such disrespect.

“Living in a place like this…” Agi actually began to laugh, Soma was caught off guard looking at him in bewilderment, he threw his head back, laughing wildly.

“Soma isn’t this great?!” He laughed, “There is somewhere in this world where someone would so graciously give away their life for a hint of beauty.”

His expression settled into an emotionless stare, “How selfless.” He muttered.

“Ten little suns.” Agi finally spoke.

Hardened by years of serving gangsters, the mustached bartender, held the boys gaze, “What?” he said in confusion.

Though he was deeply unsettled by the childs sudden shift in demeanor.

Agi grabbed Yuksho, his hand trailing over the patterns.

The bartender stared at the spear, its gleaming edge humming beneath the groans.

“The price of your selflessness.”

His gaze caught the bartender, “Kindness costs.”

The bartender laughed nervously, “Haha… What does that mean…”

“Hm… Do you know what’s more scarce than beauty?”

The bartender had long since stopped leisurely stroking his mustache, “I-I’m not sure…” The feeling of saliva trailing down his throat only served to heighten his beating heart.

“Life, the one life you carry is far more scarce.”

He tapped the table, “Yours… It’s worth about ten little suns.”

The bartender began scrambling to set the gui fruit juice down, “Haha, it was just a joke, just a joke… Goodness, brats these days can’t handle some good humor…”

Agi nodded, “Of course, I was only… Joking… as well.”

Remy let out a sigh of relief, sitting next to him, “Man… I really thought you were going to do something crazy…”

Soma chuckled, “Nice going, Agi.” She seemed a bit impressed with the boy, while the bartender could only grit his teeth helplessly under the humiliation.

“Ugh…”

Slowly the patrons got up, some looking around in confusion, while a couple recognized the only three up and stable at the counter.

A few held their heads, and shook, such events were quite common when someone new arrived within the Hungry Totem, but rarely would they all end up on the ground.

The massive man from earlier patted his head, standing up and looking around dumbly, “You’re one hell of a kid, aren’t you?” He suddenly said.

Agi glanced at him briefly but mainly ignored him. He was by no means a normal person, larger than any man Agi had ever met, but he wasn’t strong enough to pose a threat to him.

The large man sat on a stool nearby, looking almost comical in his size comparatively. “I like strong people, run with me, kid.”

Agi snorted, “Aren’t I stronger?” He discreetly glanced at Soma, hoping she would have an explanation for what run with you means.

She leaned down whispering the meaning to him.

The giant mans eyes widened as though he suddenly realized, “You’re right!” He shouted.

Agi stared at him incredulously, didn’t he know that already?

The giant man thought for a moment, “I guess that makes you the boss then…”

Agi found the simplicity familiar, and found it preferable to his current situation, but alas, he had no desire to build another faction.

His mind bore open wound.

“I won’t be your boss.”

The giant guffawed, “You’re stronger, so you’re the boss.”

Agi furrowed his brows, “It doesn’t work like that.”

He titled his head, “Doesn’t it?”

Agi shook his head, “It doesn’t.”

The giant shrugged, “Don’t be so stubborn. It doesn’t fit a little thing like you.”

Agi set down his juice, savoring its sour flavor for a moment longer, “Aren’t you begging me to be your boss, why are you disrespecting me?”

He chuckled, “You’re not the boss yet. Of course, I wouldn’t disrespect the boss.”

Agi clicked his tongue, “Do whatever you want.”

The man slammed a hand on his chest like a gorilla, “Right! I’m Rasik.” He seemed quite proud of his name.

Soma turned her head, slightly intrigued, “I’ve never heard such a name before,”

Rasik showed a toothy grin, “Of course you haven’t it’s from my great Titan lineage.”

Soma shot up, “Titan?!”

Immediately the sound of dropping glass and shock reverberated through the room, they all thought he was just a freak!

Titans were a rarity, their existence was even questioned, many believing they were only folklore!

Soma furrowed her brows, “Titans are a lot taller than you… aren’t they?”

Rasik’s expression dropped a bit as he struggled to maintain it, “Well… My mother’s grandmother’s grandfather’s Mother was a titan…”

Soma felt her eye twitch, So far back in the lineage, are you even a titan at that point?

Finding the conversation pointless Agi continued to drink his juice.

Soma was still curious, “I wonder how well a titan can hold it’s liquor?”

Rasik seemed a bit embarrassed, “I’ll… just have whatever boss is having…”

The bartender seemed perturbed by Agi’s earlier threat, not particularly looking to provoke the child he provided the unlikely titan with the gui juice.

He glanced out one of the broken windows, it was clearly dark outside.

He stood up, “You have rooms here?”

The bartender nodded, “I do but you’ll have to pay. Not even the lady gets a pass.”

“How much,”

The bartender cleared his throat, “Two little suns a night…” Agi narrowed his eyes, “less than a cup of juice? Is everyone in this place rotten?”

He set down a few coins, enough for Soma, Remy, and himself, receiving a prompt nod from the bartender who places a few keys on the table, each holding a number on them.

The boy stood up, “Tomorrow, let’s pay a visit to Union Tar.”

He began walking up the steps, leaving a stunned duo of Remy and Rasik.

Remy immediately stood up chasing after him, “No—No, Agi! Are you crazy!” He cried chasing after him up the stairs.

Rasik laughed, “The boss has to be daring!”

. . .

Agi settled within the musty and humid room, finding the lingering scent of earthy mold and decaying wood unsavory. His nose scrunched, the temple was a horrific place, but at the very least he never had to endure such wicked scents.

He set Yuksho against the wall gently, his eyes lingering on the large spear, his reflection staring back at him.

He saw a boy lacking emotions, he saw a boy whos heart was filled with fury, His mind settled over the days events, he slowly unclasped his armor, feeling tired of its weight.

Left in only a light tunic and a pair of trousers he sat beside the spear. His back slouched while he pulled his knees to his chest, all kinds of thoughts swirled through his head,

His failures, his lacking strength, his sin.

Yuksho hummed lightly beside him.

His eyes gazed upon the multicolored feathers, and the dark green scales sprawling over his arms,

His hands trembling as he trailed over them,

While behind his tail flicked about, coming to rest in the front, his reptilian gaze flowing over it with a faltering heart.

Agi’s scaled hand clenched tightly at his own chest,

“Vistar…”

The boy called out to the darkness, silently within his heart he was looking forward to that promise.

He wanted to explore leisurely with Vistar, drinking all kinds of juice.

Within a dark corner of the world, A monster despaired.

Like a drifting wind over the sea, becoming a vast tsunami,

The monster lacked the strength to fight against the natural.

A hand outstretched, yet it could never reach.

In this world of isolation, despair, abstract hatred,

Perhaps only a selfless heart could accept the savior,

For survival is the greatest act of selflessness toward those who hold you dear.

He who would struggle under the sea of despair,

May also carry the heart of humanity.

The dust fluttered, carried around by the stale air of the room. Letting out a breath Agi finally looked up from his position.

His eyes narrowing slightly as he caught a glimmer of something strange, flickering beneath the night sky was a… letter? It’s body held a shimmering blue symbol, slowly fizzling out like a flame.

Agi promptly stood, grabbing Yuksho he leapt out the window!

His hand latched onto the window sill, allowing him to fling himself up to the roof.

He stared into the distance from the roof, the letter quickly flying east.

“Agi?”

He heard a woman’s voice, turning around he saw Soma sitting on the edge of the room, a bottle in hand.

He was taken off guard, his eyes flicking to his uncovered arms.

He took a step back subconsciously, becoming self-aware of his feathered and scaled limbs.

She looked off into the distance, “Just… enjoying the view.”

“What about you?”

He frowned as he glanced into the distance, “There was some flying paper…”

She snorted, “Probably just carried by the wind.”

He nodded hesitantly, “Right…”

He trailed back to the edge of the rooftop before Soma called out, “Sit down for a bit, would you?”

Agi’s steps stopped, “What?”

“What?”

“I mean… I…” His hand faintly traced his arm, finding it hard to speak suddenly, he chose to take the easier approach, sitting down.

She smiled, “We’ve only been here for a day, yet it strangely feels like we’ve been here for so long.”

Agi nodded in agreement.

She continued, “Do… You mind if I talk about Malachi…”

Agi glanced at her, the woman with an eyepatch, the former clergywoman, the one who had only barely pulled him back from the brink just earlier.

He felt that he and Soma were alike, experiencing the scorn of their peers, fighting because that’s all they knew.

“I want to hear…”

She nodded, her expression softening slightly, she wasn’t expecting Agi to actually agree, but she was glad, “I had only met him when I was around ten,” she closed her eyes, reminiscing,

“He… He was quite a foolish boy. He had become utterly infatuated with my fellow acolyte, someone you know,” She looked toward him, an odd expression on her face.

Agi tilted his head, “Ananda…?”

She nodded, “That’s right. That wicked woman who can only berate me, was once right there with me.”

“But I’m getting sidetracked… Anyway, Malachi had grown completely infatuated, proclaiming how he would marry her.”

“What’s marry?”

“Think of it as a binding ritual between a man and a woman. I’ve heard its only common in the Temple.”

Agi nodded.

“But Ananda, being bound by her vow of silence, couldn’t tell him to scram.”

She let out a somber laugh, “Haha… I’ve never seen Ananda so frustrated in my entire life.”

“In the second fold, the acolytes often take care of the basic chores, and I was particularly bullied. They would make me always collect the ingredients for our temple.”

She leaned back on her hand, “But I took pride in it, the villagers around often welcomed me, and I felt at home amongst them. Many of them had known my father, and many had missed him greatly.”

Her finger traced her eyepatch, “Malachi was amongst those villagers, though he was in quite the wealthy position, it made him very arrogant.”

“I saw him quite frequently, often battling him for the villagers offerings.”

Agi furrowed his brow, “How could a wealthy family in the second fold possibly content with the clergy? Did he have a death wish?”

Soma shook her head with a chuckle, “I’d only find out later, but the people in my small temple had actually been using me to get extra resources from those farmers.”

“In all honestly, it made sense he’d fight me off. He was only defending his home, though he got beat up every time.”

She snickered,

“But there was a change, Ananda and I had been summoned to the major temple nearby to begin our training as scribes.”

She smiled wistfully, “It was a horrific place.” She began, “If we could not complete our assignments, they would pry one fingernail at a time. Moving to your toes if you were particularly slow. We could not scream, because that would be breaking our vow.”

She looked down at her fingernails, “Ananda suffered a lot at that time. She had previously experienced a hand injury that made her struggle to hold a pen, this caused her to be frequently punished.”

Agi felt indignation toward the clergy, finding their methods pointless, “Was there anything else?”

She nodded, “Of course they didn’t stop at fingernails. The children who committed Sin… Would be stripped down, while the practicing scribes would pen atonement into their flesh.”

“There were many more cruel punishment within the clergy,” She seemed to desire to move on as she spoke, “There was a long period, where we couldn’t leave the clergy, but one day, I was sent out to gather from the nearby villages. An allowance due to my high talent.” The last line was spoken in self deprecation.

“While I was out, Malachi had stumbled across me, and witnessing the scars, and being the single minded fool he was, he immediately proclaimed he take me from the clergy.”

“At the time, I couldn’t believe it. I mean, take me from the clergy? Who does he think he is, the emperor?”

Agi snorted at the comment.

She smiled getting a reaction out of the boy and continued, “But he followed through, like a psychopath, while I was returning to the clergy he kidnapped me, claiming I would never follow him from the clergy on my own.”

“It was a wicked thing to do, kidnapping a woman and claiming its for their own good, but by the end of it, I felt a gratitude I’ve never felt before.”

Her hand trailed over the roofs tiles, “He wanted to go back to save Ananda, But…” She held a guilty expression, “I had stopped him. I’m a bad person, aren’t I?”

Agi found the question foolish, “Good, Bad, Aren’t we all the same?”

She nodded, “It’s better that way.”

“Anyway, after convincing him we fled for a long time. Just surviving with the two of us.”

“Eventually, we stumbled upon the knight captain, after hearing our plight he sent us to the fifth fold.”

Agi’s eyes lit up at Vistars mention, “So you know Vistar?”

She shook her head, “We only spoke briefly, though he is both my and Malachi’s savior, I can only hold a bit of admiration.”

He seemed a bit disappointed and looked back at the night sky absent mindedly, “I see…”

“You know him well?”

He nodded, “Vistar was there first.”

It was vague and ambiguious, in the phrasing of a child, Soma was at a bit of a loss.

“What do you mean?”

He tugged his knees closer to his body, “He was there before Father or Mother.”

She only became more confused, “Uh… Agi, That’s not really possible…” She felt like she was being put in an awkward position.

“Of course it is. Only Vistar fed me, only Vistar named me. In the Isolation Hall… Only Vistar came.”

A flicker of understanding came across her face as she realized what he was saying, “Abandoning a child within the Isolation Hall… How cruel…”

“Then I suppose Vistar is like your father.”

Agi immediately bared his teeth, saying in a low voice, “Vistar is nothing like Father.”

She flinched before quickly regaining herself, frightened by his sudden outrage, “That’s not what I meant.”

Agi frowned, “Then what did you mean?”

She began to explain, “I meant he is like your father, not the Emperor, like an actual father.”

His expression slowly returned to normal, his eyes becoming a bit guilty, “Oh… But… He wouldn’t like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because Mother says I’m a beast.”

His meaning was clear, How could Vistar accept a beast as his child?

“She’s wrong.”

His eyes flicked onto her,

“You’re not a beast, or a monster, Agi. You’re just Agi.”

He opened his mouth, but it quickly closed again before he mouthed out, “Just… Agi…”

He was quiet for a little while before asking the burning question on his mind,

“How can Vistar be my father? He’s not blood.”

She sometimes found it hard to believe Agi was a child, but his subtle confusions had been changing her view recently,

“You don’t have to be blood, to be family.”

She set the bottle aside, “Look at us, Aren’t I practically your sister already, giving you all this wisdom?” She laughed softly.

Though she was soon surprised by how seriously Agi had taken her, his eyes boring into her.

“Then… Samuel?”

She thought for a moment, “I guess he’d be your brother.. which doesn’t that make him my brother too?”

She drank a big gulp of liquor, “Look at us, starting our own wretched family in the depths of the abyss.”

Agi’s lips curled up, but he quickly forced it down, hiding half his face against his knees.

His expression bore a child like excitement, though he fought to hide it.

Soma glanced down at him, “When we get back, lets tell Samuel about it.”

He nodded imperceptibly, “Alright.”

The faint moonlight settled atop the two, the sounds of the central sea were anything but pleasant, and yet, for the first time in a long time,

Agi had felt a warm feeling within a deep corner of his heart.