《The Mythos of Star》 Fate and Faith Walking along the dark corridors with a torch in hand, a woman with scarlet hair silently uttered a curse on how big this palace is. Even though she was already used to it as she had been living here for years already, she would be reminded of this palace¡¯s size occasionally at random times like it did right now. Almost reaching her intended destination, she slowed down her steps and walked in silence. Her footsteps were light, not revealing the slightest of sounds. She acted as though she was a thief in other people''s house, when in fact this was her own house! Standing in front of a double door, she slightly pushed it open and peeked inside. There she saw a short girl with the same hair color as hers, looking at the age of nine, and sitting on a chair near the open windows as she looked at the night sky up high. In this dimly lit room, the only source of light was the moon and the stars outside. ¡°Mother?¡± the girl turned her gaze to the door and cocked her head adorably. The woman''s head dropped down in depression as she was still found out after all the stealthy actions she had done. Sighing, she pushed open the doors and closed it right after she went inside. ¡°Honey, why are you still awake? What are you looking at?¡± the woman asked with tender affection in her eyes as she approached the girl. This is her daughter, her most precious treasure. Her daughter that is more important to her then her own life. ¡°The stars¡­ they are really pretty.¡± ¡°Hehe, just as pretty as my daughter.¡± she ruffled the girl''s hair making her pout at her mother. ¡°Stop it, mother!¡± the girl angrily said, finally making the woman stop from ruining her hair. ¡°Hehehehe, sorry about that. My daughter is just sooo very pretty that I can''t help but do it. Do forgive mother, in exchange, mother will tell you a story, okay? ¡°The moment the girl heard the word ''story'' she brightened up and immediately nodded her head. ¡°Tell me a story about the stars!¡± The woman pouted, ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t know any stories about the stars. Mother will have to think of one yet.¡± The mood of the little girl dropped down. Seeing this, the woman smiled and kissed her forehead, ¡°But mother knows a poem about stars. Would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± The woman picked up the girl from her seat and sat on the chair, she then made her sit comfortably on her lap. Gently stroking the girl''s hair, she started¡­ Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Then the traveler in the dark Thanks you for your tiny spark, How could he see where to go? If you did not twinkle so? In the dark blue sky you keep, Often through my curtains peep For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveler in the dark, Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star. ¡°Good night, Feya.¡± ¡°Good night, Mother...¡± ?¡¶¡î¡·? Silence The current state of the throne hall can be explained with this word alone. There are close to one hundred people in the hall, the entirety of the royal court that stood among the top of all people in the kingdom. They are the nobilities among the nobilities. A single word from any of them can cause a commotion among the kingdom yet all of them have kept their mouth shut. No one dared to utter a word as their ashen faces looked at the person standing below the throne. It was an old woman with a face so hideous it looked as though it was the rotten face of a corpse with maggots devouring her flesh as they crawled throughout her body. If they didn''t see her walking and standing before them, they would have already thought she was a corpse starting to decompose. The sight sent shivers down everyone''s spine. Sitting on a golden throne on the other hand is a handsome middle-aged man with regal aura around him as opposed to the aura of death clinging on the old woman''s. The yellow rays of light passing through the glass windows shone upon his throne, further enhancing the air of nobility in him. He was like a god who had descended upon the mortal world to rule over the people. The old woman looked at the king sinisterly and started, ¡°The age of the golden people have long since passed. When the last of the gold leave its territory, the kingdom will be razed into ashes and Hades will feast on their souls!¡± The king lightly smiled, ¡°You are saying my kingdom will fall?¡± ¡°The fates have deemed it so.¡± ¡°Fates!¡± Nearly all the people in the hall fell into commotion when they heard the word fate. For them, this was no different from receiving a death sentence! They knew that the fates'' words are the greatest and not even the ruler of the gods can undermine their decisions! If they said that person will die tonight, then they would die that night. Not earlier and not any later. Such was the power of the fates that gods feared them for what they are capable of. It is of no wonder that these people are agitated and terrified. They are dealing with creatures far beyond their comprehension and power. The king raised his hand making the people slowly quiet down. He gazed intently into the old woman''s dark hollow eyes as his smile grew even more. ¡°Thousands of years ago, the greatest oracle in the time had predicted that the kingdom will fall during the war between the Titans and the Olympians. The war was devastating and the world fell into chaos and yet¡­ we survived.¡± He then looked at the people from beneath his throne, ¡°Thousands of years after that, another great oracle had predicted the destruction of the kingdom in the hands of the Giants¡­ we survived.¡± ¡°The age of silver came and met its end. The age of bronze also fell into the same fate. However, we survived!¡± ¡°Throughout the ages, countless kingdoms have risen and just as many kingdoms have fallen. Innumerable wars; uncountable lives were taken! Many gods and goddesses and even titans have predicted our end yet here we are! We survived, continuing to thrive!¡± The people''s hearts palpated wildly inside their chest. Their backs straightened out as the worries in them slowly faded away, replaced by the pride they felt for their own kingdom. Their kingdom which had existed for thousands of years, surviving many different ordeals over the ages. They are burning with passion and wanted to do something for their own motherland. Their morale was steadily rising up. The king stood up and stomped his foot, sending tremors throughout the hall. ¡°The fates have deemed our destruction! However, we Gaeans will yet again, continue to survive!¡± ¡°We will survive. I have deemed it so!¡± Cheers resounded throughout the hall as the people all raised their right hand and chanted, ¡°GAEA! GAEA! GAEA!¡± The king stepped down the stairs, leading to his throne as he walked in front of the old woman. ¡°We, Gaeans, will live another day.¡± ¡°Where did you get that confidence of yours?¡± ¡°I have faith.¡± ¡°Faith¡­ hihihihi how funny. Faith, hi... hihihihi.¡± the old woman''s should trembled and started cackling creepily. ¡°Faith¡­ ohh faith, hihihi what a huge joke!¡± The king was unperturbed by her and said, ¡°My faith or you fates. Let us see to it who shall prevail, Atropos.¡± ¡°You knew fully well who am I from the start yet still said such things. I have truly underestimated your boldness, your courage, your¡­ idiocy, Metheus.¡± ¡°Humph. Many times have I defied fate. Many times have we eluded death. This time will not be any different.¡± the king, now identified as Metheus turned around and started walking back towards his throne. His invincible figure and his fearless attitude gave courage to his people. This man was their king! Their god in their eyes! ¡°I will keep those words in mind, Metheus. Tartarus has a special place for you.¡± King Metheus sat on his throne and replied. ¡°I control my fate. That is my faith.¡± ¡°Then we shall see how far your faith will take you, King of Gaea.¡± Atropos turned into shadow and disappeared into the ground. No traces of her ever being there remained aside from the memories of the earlier happenings fresh in their mind. ?¡¶¡î¡·? The palace¡¯s garden of Gaea was a place of aesthetic value filled with the most beautiful of plants, sacred trees, spirits and adorable creatures that the queen had collected from her travels in the past. It was a place exclusive only for the King, Queen, and the Royal Princess of Gaea. This was their own haven; a heaven on earth. Their place of relaxation and the place where they spent most of their free time with as they marvel the beauty of nature in this tiny little paradise. ¡°Be careful when you''re playing, Honey!¡± the scarlet haired woman yelled when she saw her daughter, Feya almost falling on her knees whilst chasing a butterfly. Thankfully, the vines on the nearby tree had moved and caught her right before she hurt herself.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Yes, Mother!¡± Feya replied as she went back to chase the butterfly in a way that is not careful at all. The woman can only shake her head at this and sighed. Feya had always been a hyperactive child. She would always be worried for her well-being when the girl went out to play, fearing that she may hurt herself accidentally. The only place where she can let go of these worries is when they are in the garden where the plants can help her assist and watch over Feya when playing since most of the plants had their own spirits and can move on their own. Minutes later, the woman felt a presence coming towards them in a slow and steady pace. It was the presence of a very powerful mortal whom she is well familiar with. Very familiar in fact. When that presence had reached their destination, she looked behind and saw the weary smile on her husband''s face. The face of the king of the Gaea and the ruler of Gaeans, Metheus. ¡°Dear¡­ is there a problem?¡± She asked in concern as she came to his side. ¡°Calista¡­¡± The woman, now identified as Calista, knitted her brows, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± "She had come.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°One of the three sisters of fate. Atropos.¡± Metheus said with a heavy tone. ¡°The Moirai did?¡± Moirai (Moirae), also known as the Fates are composed of three goddesses of fate who are the personification of the destiny and are responsible for the fates of all creatures on earth and heavens. The three fates are known as; Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho weaves the threads of life, beginning all life; Lachesis is responsible for deciding how much life every living being has. She measures the thread, determining the lifespan of an individual; lastly is Atropos, the eldest of the three. She is the one who decides how each creature would die, and wields a shear in her hand the only thing which could cut the threads of life, thus, ending the life. The Fates also decides the person''s destiny. They would decide how a person would live their life, their achievements, everything. Everything is under their control and every human only have a fair share of freedom in their whole life. ¡°What did she come here for?¡± Calista frowned and asked her husband. Metheus sighed, ¡°She came and told us a prophecy... no, our fate.¡± The age of the golden people have long since passed. When the last of the gold leave its territory, the kingdom will be razed into ashes and Hades will feast on their souls ¡°Golden people¡­ the last of the gold. This concerns about¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it is referring to me.¡± ¡°If you leave the kingdom¡­ it will be destroyed¡­¡± The Fates are the goddesses of Life. For they give life and determine the lifespan of an individual. Once an individual have reached the end of their lifespan, they then become the Goddesses of Death. This time, one of the three sisters of Fate had come as a Goddess of Death. ¡°That is the fate that the Fates had given me.¡± Metheus clenched his fist and then let out a genuine smile. ¡°One that I intend on changing.¡± His genuine smile was so contagious it actually made Calista make the same smile despite the worries she have in her heart. ¡°We have already beaten fate before.¡± ¡°And we will do so again. For the Gaeans, for us and for our daughter.¡± ¡°What did you mean by beating the Fates?¡± little Feya suddenly popped out from behind her mother and asked. ¡°It''s nothing, Feya. A story for another time.¡± Metheus replied to which Feya pouted. He laughed and messed her hair. ¡°My little girl is as adorable as always.¡± Feya smiled from the compliment but because of her curious nature which was natural from a child, she continued, ¡°Mother told me stories about the gods and goddesses and even the Fates. I heard they are super strong. How did you two beat the fates, father?¡± ¡°With faith. Feya.¡®¡± ¡°Faith?¡± ¡°That''s right. With a strong enough faith, one can surpass even gods!¡± Feya has her mouth agape and her eyes wide open as she stared at her father in amazement. ¡°Are you the only one who has faith, father?¡± ¡°No. Everyone has faith but faith depends solely on an individual. Some have very little faith and there are some who have an unbelievably high faith they are never discouraged by others.¡± ¡°Can I have faith too?¡± ¡°Everyone is capable of having faith so of course you can, honey.¡± Calista replied in her husband''s place. ¡°How do I have faith?¡± ¡°To have faith, one must have strong or absolute belief over something. A belief that what you believed for is going to happen¡­ uhh, is that right?¡± Metheus scratched his head embarrassingly. Seeing her husband in a bind, Calista took over. ¡°To have faith is to have a strong and undying belief. A belief that will never be deterred by anyone. Faith is a powerful thing honey. You can do anything as long as you have enough fate.¡± ¡°If I have faith that I''ll have friends, then will I have friends?¡± ¡°Anything is possible with faith honey.¡± ¡°Hehe, then I''ll have faith. I will have a friend who will play with me always whenever I want! A strong person who will protect mother, father and I from bad people! Moreover, we must be of same age. I want to play with a kid like me!¡± Feya said saying the inner wishes of her heart. Metheus and Calista were both saddened by their daughter''s wish. Had they been normal people and not of royalty, they would have had no problems letting Feya play with other child. Too bad they were royalties. They were always targeted by people who are after the throne and there''s no knowing if these people have morals and will never target Feya. The only playmates their daughter has are the sentient beings in this garden and the few most trustworthy palace maids they have. ¡°There''s no person like that, though.¡± Metheus was feeling sorry for his daughter so he decided to tease Feya to lighten the mood. Only for it to backfire... ¡°B-But you said¡­ anything is possible with faith.¡± tears started to well up in her as she looked at her father, hurt. ¡°S-stop crying. Father was just joking. There certainly is a person like that. Father had made a mistake.¡± Metheus stuttered and looked at his wife for help who sighed at her husband. ¡°Don''t listen to your father. Everything is possible. Just have faith, honey.¡± Though there were tears in her eyes, it was one with full of determination. ¡°I''ll certainly have a friend. A friendly, gentle and bright friend. Just like the stars!¡± ¡°You really do love the stars don''t you?¡± Feya can only sheepishly rub her head at that. ¡°They are just so beautiful and bright but not too bright like the sun.¡± ¡°The sun is also a star, Feya.¡± ¡°I know that. I hate you father.¡± ¡°Wha?!¡± ¡°Hehehehe,¡± Metheus was nearly heartbroken but sighed in relief when Feya started laughing. Soon after, he joined his daughter in her laughter and also dragged his wife, Calista and tickled the hell out of her. At this moment, this family of three is having the fun of their life. In this garden of theirs, there are no responsibilities, no problems and there are no fates. Only love and happiness. ?¡¶¡î¡·? It had already been a month since the arrival of Atropos in the kingdom and it had gained quite a commotion among the populace for a bit but thanks to Metheus'' quick-wittedness, he managed to calm their worries within a few days. He had then proceeded to upgrade his military might right after and trained his people to be able to act efficiently in case of emergencies. Other than that issue, the month had passed somewhat peacefully. However the queen of Gaea, Calista was anxious. Not for the well-being of the kingdom but for her daughter, Feya. A few weeks ago, a week after one of the three fates came, Feya asked her to buy more toys for her. When she asked why, her daughter simply replied, ¡°It''s for my friend!¡± ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Yes! I have faith that a friend will come and play with me!¡± Calista smiled at that. It would seem that Feya was serious about her faith of having a friend. She had thought the girl would completely forget about it the next day or so however it would seem like she had made a mistake in her judgment. Feya''s faith had only risen more as time passes and she gets excited everyday as she awaits for her ''friend''... Without further ado, Calista had bought what her daughter asked of her and even bought more than what was required of her, making the girl ecstatic much to her delight. A few days after that, Feya approached her and asked to get the plants, trees and the spirits in the garden to go to sleep when she goes out there to play with her ''friend''. Her reason? ¡°I don''t want others to disturb us when we''re playing.¡± Calista had intended to refuse but after seeing the pitiful pleading face of her daughter and her round puppy eyes, she had obliged reluctantly. It was fine, it was something she can compromise with. It''s not like Feya is going to leave the safety of the palace and the spirits, plants and trees are still there, just sleeping. If something were to go wrong, they can easily wake up and protect her from harm. Moreover, a friend, coming to meet Feya and play with her in the garden is near impossible, if not, impossible. The palace is heavily guarded by the royal guards trained by Metheus himself and anyone can never enter the palace without the permission of the king excluding the throne hall because it is where he grants audience to his subjects. Another few days had passed after that, her most beloved daughter had come to her once again, ¡°Mother, I want to learn cooking!¡± Smiling wryly, Calista asked, ¡°Is this related to your friend again?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mother''s dishes are all very delicious. I love it! I want my friend to also love my cooking like how I love mother''s cooking.¡± Calista was flattered from her daughter''s compliment, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll teach you. I also want to eat my daughter''s cooking.¡± ¡°Yay! Mother is the best! I''ll make my friend love my cooking so much he''ll never leave me! Are you really learning how to cook for a friend or for a lover? Calista stared at her daughter strangely. In this past month, Feya had done many things for the sake of her friend. While she had been indeed concerned of her at first, it had faded quickly as everything Feya did was pretty negligible. This time though, what Feya did made Calista completely dumbfounded. ¡°Come¡­ again?¡± She asked, looking at her daughter like she would when seeing an eccentric creature. ¡°Meet my friend, Sarius!¡± Feya said cheerfully as she pointed at the empty spot beside her, not noticing the look she was receiving from her mother. ¡°Your friend?¡± ¡°Yes! His name is Sarius!¡± ¡°Sarius is it¡­ uh, where is he?¡± Calista looked around, trying to find the ''friend'' of this daughter of hers, of course, only to find the area devoid of life sans her and Feya. ¡°Where are you looking at? He''s right¡­ huh, that''s strange. Where is he?¡± the girl was about to point the empty spot beside her again when she noticed there was no one there. ¡°Honey, are you okay?¡± she crouched as she looked at her daughter worriedly. She''s afraid that her daughter had taken her faith into another whole level and now she is starting to mix her reality and delusions into one. Having faith is good and having a strong, unshakeable faith is admirable. However too much of something no matter how good it is, is no longer healthy. Take for example, an exercise. Taking an exercise is nice; taking too much exercise on the other hand is dangerous for the heart. Another example is, wealth; having wealth can give satisfaction. Having too much of it though, can corrupt a person''s character; then knowledge. Knowledge can help you much in your life. Too much knowledge on the contrary may very well lead to disasters. Faith is the same. Possessing too much faith¡­ is downright harmful. With Feya''s faith at the present, Calista is worried that her daughter might be having hallucinations! ¡°I''m okay mother. I''m just a little upset that he left so suddenly but don''t worry, I''ll introduce him to you next time he comes back.¡± she reassured her mother. ¡®That''s not what I''m worried about¡­¡¯ Calista''s face darkened. ¡°Mother, you know, I''m really happy today! We played so much and I really had a lot of fun!¡± a sad smile made its way on Calista''s face. Were they too tight with their daughter? Had they been normal people only, all of this could have been avoided. They wouldn''t have put too much restriction on her. They wouldn''t have to fear for her safety for being targeted by others in order to use her as leverage against Metheus. ¡°I''m sorry, Honey.¡± Her arms snaked around her daughter, putting her in her embrace. ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Feya was confused as she hugged her mother back. ¡°Mother and Father are both bad parents.¡± ¡°That''s not true at all! Mother and Father are the best parents in the world!¡± What Feya said made the sadness on her face disappear. Even after all the things she had been through for being their daughter, she never blamed them even once. Her daughter was the type of person who would rather sacrifice her happiness than make her and her husband worry for her. Such consideration was rare for a child. She''s lucky to have a daughter like her. ¡°I also have the best daughter in the world. I love you honey.¡± She meant every word she said. Feya was the best thing that ever happened in her life. ¡°I love you too, mother.¡± Calista closed her eyes, letting herself relax in the embrace of her daughter. She found her situation quite amusing. To think that an adult like her found solace in the arms of someone so tiny, so small, yet with heart so big and pure. The only other person able to do this was her husband but it seems like her daughter can make her feel the same too. Whoosh Calista felt a gust of wind gracing her skin. Her brows furrowed as she looked around the room, checking the windows, doors, etc. to see if they had been closed. Her eyes widened considerably and her mouth went agape when her eyes finally landed on the balcony. Standing on the balcony was a small ethereal figure coated in blue flame. He was a beautiful young boy who looked no older than her daughter. He has an azure blue hair that danced with the wind and has sharp dark blue eyes that looked as though it holds the entire universe with numerous stars within! Even though he was a child, he gave off the aura and grandeur as that of a god! Calista felt her throat go dry as she stared wide-eyed at the divine being in front of her. Who is he? Is he a god? What is a being like that doing here? ¡°W-Who are you?¡± she asked with difficulty, finally finding her voice. ¡°Me?¡± the childish voice of the divine being rang through her ears. The being gave her a cheerful smile on his face as he looked at her, ¡±My name is Sarius,¡± his gaze then shifted to the girl huddled within her arms, ¡°and I am Feya''s friend, hello mother!¡± Calista almost felt her soul leaving her body, ¡±Mother?!¡± The beautiful boy giggled. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Feya and Sarius In order not to worry and trouble her beloved parents, Feya had always been a good and obedient daughter to them. Although she was lonely and wanted to play with other children her age, she had endured and never complained for her lonesome. Instead, she would put out a brave front, displaying a cheerful smile on her face in their presence, all without knowing that they were very well aware of her act. Then one day, she had learned the existence of faith from them and the miraculous feats one can achieve with it. She didn''t really have any idea how it would help her achieve her wish nor any idea how it works, she just knew that if she has enough faith, then her wish of having a friend will come true. With a blind belief to her parents'' words, she had put her all into believing that she will certainly have a friend. She had then proceeded to prepare herself, preparing everything as she awaits for the arrival of her soon to be friend. Feya sat on a chair as she gazed out the window from the safety of her room, silently looking at the stars in the night sky above. Ever since she had first witnessed the marvel and beauty of the stars, it had become her nightly activity to observe these tiny orbs which in her opinion, had given life and aesthetic feel to the otherwise plain universe. For her, a world that is devoid of presence of any star is such a sad and lonely place. A place in which she cannot ever imagine living in. She who have had no friends she can play with... No friends she can laugh with... No friends she can share her joy with... No friends she can have fun with... No friends she can cry with... Loneliness is the ultimate form of sadness. Loneliness is something she never wants to feel if she can help it however, if it meant it would worry her beloved parents, then she would rather suffer in loneliness. After all, their happiness is much more important to her than her selfish desires. Their happiness is also her happiness. ¡°What is that?¡± A blue streak of light traveling in an extremely fast rate shot across the sky. The unknown object looked like a priceless piece of jewelry decorating the night sky as it left several tiny specks of light in its wake. It looked strikingly similar to that of the stars but one so bright it made the other stars look dim in comparison. ¡°Is that¡­ a star?¡± Feya wondered to herself as she watched the unknown heavenly body in awe. From the moment she started observing the stars, this had been the first time she had seen anything like it. ¡°How beautiful¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s beautiful?¡± she heard an unfamiliar childlike voice that originated from behind her. She glanced at the the speaker and just responded thoughtlessly, ¡°The star.¡± ¡°What star?¡± ¡°That star.¡± Feya looked back and pointed to the blue orb of light at the distance¡­ ¡­ only to see it was no longer there. ¡°Huh? Where did it go?¡± Feya was about to search for that bright object when she slowly went into a halt. Then, seemingly realizing a strange occurrence¡­ something finally clicked within her mind! ¡°Who are you?¡± Feya asked cautiously, slowly retreating a few steps back with her guard raised up. She casted her eyes on the figure once again and carefully examined him. What she saw was a young boy with blue flame surrounding his see through body. ¡°You look weird.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who looks weird to me.¡± the boy replied as he likewise, inspected the girl in front of him. He found her appearance unique and really strange. Why is her body not like his? These two with completely contrasting appearances; one, with an ethereal body enveloped by fire and then one with a physical body. Both examined each other with queer expression on their faces. ¡°Who are you?¡± Feya frowned and asked once again, trying to ignore the fact that the boy in front of her looked totally different from her. ¡®Maybe the other people outside the palace looks like this?¡¯, she secretly thought. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ uhh, who am I?¡± He tilted his head to the side, puzzled. ¡°You don¡¯t know who you are?¡± Feya was surprised. Not only was the boy¡¯s appearance odd, even he himself is odd. How could one not know their own name? ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± He answered cheerfully. Really, really odd indeed. ¡°Then, where did you come from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from up there!¡± The boy grinned, pointing at the night sky. ¡°From where?¡± ¡°I came from the stars!¡± Feya¡¯s eyes went wide open as she looked at the boy in sheer amazement. ¡°Stars?!¡± She saw the boy nod and was suddenly excited. Her eyes started sparkling as she asked once more to confirm. ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± Feya expressed her astonishment, amazed by the fact that this boy came from the subject of her fascination, the stars.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s nothing that amazing.¡± Feya noticed the boy was about to scratch his semi-transparent face and expected his finger to pass through his cheek, she was surprised once again when she saw his finger make contact with his skin. She then heard him ask, ¡±What about you? Who are you?¡± ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± She grabbed the sides of her dress as she performed a curtsy in front of the boy with a cute smile on her face. ¡°My name is Feya, the daughter of Metheus and Calista and the princess of the kingdom of Gaea. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too, Feya. I¡¯m¡­ uhh, who am I again?¡± The boy laughed, embarrassed. He was about to introduce himself but he had forgotten that he didn¡¯t know his own name. Feya asked curiously, ¡°You really don¡¯t know your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then how about I call you Sarius?¡± ¡°Sarius?¡± The boy raised his brow. ¡°You came from the stars right? So I¡¯ll call you Sarius. Star¡­ Sarius.¡± Feya was eager when she told him she would call him that. This is the first time she had given name to something¡­ or someone. ¡°Star¡­ Sarius¡­¡± The boy muttered as he mumbled the name Feya had given her, as if testing it out whether it sounds good or not. ¡°Sarius¡­ hmm, it¡¯s a good name.¡± He smiled warmly at the girl, ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Hmm, you seem like you really like the stars a lot.¡± ¡°I do! I love them!¡± Her eyes started gaining the same sparkle from earlier again. ¡°Speaking of stars¡­ the one you had seen just now wasn''t a star.¡± ¡°Huh, it¡¯s not?" ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a secret.¡± The newly named boy, Sarius stuck his tongue out. ¡°You¡¯re so mean!¡± Feya pouted to which, Sarius just laughed. ¡°Sorry for that.¡± ¡°Hehehe, its okay.¡± The girl giggled for a few seconds and stopped. She laid her eyes on the strange boy and smiled, ¡°You know, I¡¯m so happy right now.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°This is the first time I talked to another kid like me.¡± Sarius raised his eyebrows at that. ¡°Huh, why?¡± There was a sad expression on her face as she answered, "There are no kids other than me inside this palace and father and mother have never allowed me to go outside the palace. They are both protective of me and I never had the chance to talk to other people from outside the palace." Feya smiled widely, quickly replacing the sad look on her face. "That''s why I''m happy right now. I have finally fulfilled one of my wishes!" ¡°Wishes?¡± ¡°To talk to a kid like me, to have friends, and then to walk around and talk to other people outside the palace!¡± She exclaimed, looking at Sarius expectantly as she wanted to make him her friend. Sarius eyes widened and his heart throbbed. Why does he feel a strange sensation when he heard her wishes? He can¡¯t explain what it is but when she told him her wishes, his whole body felt different and he noticed an unknown power filling his body. He noticed his strength increased by a bit. It felt kinda weird yet¡­ invigorating. ¡°Hey, do you want to be my friend?¡± He was brought out of his thoughts when Feya asked him that question. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You see¡­ I¡¯ve never had a friend before and you seem like a real fun and interesting person! I can tell that I¡¯ll definitely enjoy being friends with you.¡± The eyes are windows to the soul; although the boy had not heard of that saying yet, even he had an inkling that the best way to know the person is to look at them by the eye. He had no idea why, he just¡­ knew. So, Sarius looked at Feya straight at the eye. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± Feya¡¯s mouth dropped a little. Sadness Disappointment Acceptance These three are the main emotions that he had seen in her eyes. Sadness for she didn¡¯t manage to make him her friend; disappointment for thinking the boy would accept being her friend; and acceptance, accepting the fact that they would not be friends. Sarius felt uncomfortable seeing these kind of emotions in Feya. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The girl looked at the boy hopefully. ¡°I said, I want to be your friend.¡± Sarius grinned and teased the girl, ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I want to!¡± A bright smile appeared on Feya¡¯s friend. Sarius laughed but then suddenly noticed something, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming¡­¡± ¡°That must be mother! I¡¯m going to introduce you to her!¡± Feya excitedly said. ¡°Mother?¡± He knitted his eyebrows, pretty cautious in meeting another person. His body slowly faded when Feya faced her back on him. The little girl was the first person he had ever met so he had his guard up when it comes to meeting new people. The girl was an exception since he didn¡¯t felt threatened by her. In fact, he actually felt comfortable in her presence. He was first going to see her mother before showing himself to her. . . . . . ¡°W-who are you?¡± ¡°Me? My name is Sarius and I am Feya¡¯s friend. Hello mother!¡± ¡°Mother?!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ?¡¶¡î¡·? That was how he met her new friend¡¯s mother, Calista. And at this time... ¡°Now, then¡­ tell me who you are.¡± A deep authoritative voice was heard. Sarius eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the person sitting on the throne. If Sarius had a physical body, he would have been sweating buckets by now. He had thought himself powerful but after seeing the man before him, he realize that the man was much more formidable than him. He was a mere frog in the bottom of the well. This man is no other than Feya¡¯s father, Metheus! Metheus was a loving father and husband to his daughter and wife but when it comes to other people, he is a king! A ruler! A god! ¡®This is Feya¡¯s father?! Do other people in this world have this dominating aura?! Do they have this unbearable presence?!¡¯ Sarius wondered speechlessly as his mouth went agape in shock. Metheus looked coldly at Sarius, making him much more nervous than he already was. ¡°Father! Why are you scaring my friend like that?! Stop that or I¡¯ll get angry!¡± Feya who was beside Sarius admonishes her father. ¡°Err¡­ I¡¯m just kidding. Umm, Sarius was it? Uhh, so tell me who you are and how did you come here?¡± Metheus asked sheepishly, the intimidating aura from earlier have all gone away. ¡°....¡± Sarius, despite having an ethereal body, sweatdropped. ¡®People in this world really are weird.¡¯ That was how he met her new friend¡¯s father, Metheus. Sarius and the Scary Father Metheus was not only a powerful man but he was an extremely wise person attributed to his extremely long life. He had lived and experienced firsthand the hellish war between the gods and the titans. He had witnessed the rise and fall of the several ages of humanity. He had seen the destruction of many a kingdom and have participated into countless wars himself. The amount of lives he had taken with his hands throughout his life would rival that of the tallest of mountains when gathered together. He was a man of legends. He had an extraordinary might and also knowledge that was not at all inferior to his battle prowess. When it comes to the gods and the titans, there was no mortal who knows them better than he does. He was no stranger to these formidable beings as he had encountered them before, had talked to them before, and have even fought with them before. That¡¯s why Metheus was certain. The moment he had laid his eyes on him, he can confidently say¡­ This boy, Sarius is a god. He narrowed his eyes, analyzing the boy carefully. The gods have the power to transform themselves into insects, animals, or even humans and they usually used this power to trick women and goddesses alike. Metheus wouldn''t be surprised if this boy was in fact a grown god pretending to be a child. ¡®Calista said she met him in Feya¡¯s room. Is he after my daughter?¡¯ The moment that thought went into his mind, a dark look appeared on his face however it quickly disappeared as he thought about it more. ¡®Highly unlikely¡­ had than been the case, he wouldn¡¯t have shown himself to anyone but Feya. Moreover, he wouldn¡¯t be walking in that form around.¡¯ The boy¡¯s ethereal body was a pretty much good indicator to see that he wasn¡¯t human. His gaze then shifted to his daughter who was wearing a bright smile on her face as she talked with the boy. It had been too long since he had seen this kind of genuine expression on her visage. Although the girl smiled a lot around them, as a parent, how could he not tell that their daughter was merely doing that in order not to worry them? The girl was merely pretending to be happy despite the restrictions placed on her so as not to make them feel bad. The king sighed. Her doing that¡­ made him just feel worse. The girl was bounded by too many rules and even after all that, she was still considerate of them. Though they placed those rules for her safety, it still made him feel like a bad parent. He felt undeserving to have such a wonderful daughter. He was suddenly broken out of his thoughts as the boy started talking, looking at him nervously. ¡°I have no idea whether I have a name or not but Feya here gave me the name, Sarius.¡± He raised a brow at that, rather surprised that the name Sarius came from his own daughter of all people. ¡°You don¡¯t know your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t remember my name or the fact that I may or may not have possessed one.¡± Sarius just shook his head, cluelessness apparent on his face. "Hmm, where did you come from?¡± Without waiting for Sarius to answer the question, Feya jumped in excitedly and responded in his stead. ¡°Sarius came from the stars!¡± ¡°Stars?¡± Metheus asked to which Sarius nodded. ¡°From the stars¡­¡± His brows furrowed as he muttered under his breath. Metheus looked at Sarius and continued ¡°... and how did you get here? Why did you come to our kingdom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Sarius¡¯ answer made Metheus sigh. ¡®He doesn¡¯t know huh? It looks like questioning the boy is getting me nowhere.¡¯ Metheus thought. ¡®Well, no matter. It seems the boy is of no threat to Feya but still, I will have to keep an eye on him for now just to be safe.¡¯ With that in mind, Metheus was about to raise his hand and dismiss the boy however, Sarius¡¯ next sentence made his eyes widen in astonishment. ¡°I came¡­ because someone keeps calling for me here. I don¡¯t know who it is. I just wanted to find this person because I can feel that whoever it is¡­ they need my company the most.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Feya who was listening to them didn¡¯t really understand what Sarius meant¡­ It was understandable. Even Sarius himself was confused. He didn¡¯t even know what he¡¯s saying. The words he just said all left his mouth naturally. ¡®C-Could it be?!¡¯ Feya and Sarius may not know, however Metheus, with his knowledge and his numerous years of experience have somewhat of a theory regarding Sarius. His eyes then landed from Sarius to his own daughter, contemplating. ¡®This boy¡­ he couldn¡¯t possibly be¡­¡¯ ¡°Father?¡± Feya was puzzled why her father was looking at her like that. He looked so serious and he rarely gets that way with her around. ¡°...nothing Feya. You two can go now. Also, be careful when playing.¡± Metheus sighed. He already had an inkling on to who Sarius is aside from being a god however he was merely speculating so he may be wrong. Whatever it is, he will first have to observe the boy and check on something to be completely sure. ¡°Then, please excuse us.¡± Feya curtsied while Sarius just stood looking at the girl curiously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sarius asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That. I had seen you do the same when you introduced yourself to me earlier.¡± ¡°It is one of the palace¡¯s etiquette.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Sarius nodded and grinned. He grabbed the sides of his¡­ ethereal flame with his hands and placed his right foot in front of the other then bent his knees, copying what his new friend did. Everyone present in the throne hall gawked at the sight of the strange boy performing a curtsy in front of them. Throughout their lives, this had been the first time they had seen anything like it. Some couldn¡¯t even believe what they had seen and rubbed their eyes harshly. Feya sweatdropped as she looked at Sarius speechlessly and stupidly. Her small mouth opening and closing repeatedly while she pointed at him. Metheus on the other hand didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. What the boy had done can also be taken as a sign of disrespect to the royalty however, it would seem that the boy had not the slightest clue of what he¡¯s doing. It was truly an embarrassing and an amusing sight. Sarius looked at everyone, puzzled. Why do they look at him strangely? There were even some who were looking at him on the verge of laughing. He turned his head to Feya and asked, ¡°Are they okay?¡± ¡°Uhh, Sarius¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Only girls are supposed to do that.¡± ¡°...come again?¡± ¡°Girls are the only ones who are supposed to do that.¡± . . . . . The blue flames surrounding Sarius suddenly turned gold. He covered his face with his hands as he crouched down. ¡°How embarrassing!¡± ?¡¶¡î¡·? ¡°Hahaha, you were so funny earlier Sarius!¡± Feya kept laughing as the blue flame around Sarius¡¯ body turned into gold once more at the reminder of the earlier events. ¡°Don¡¯t make me remember it!¡± Sarius looked away from Feya, not wanting to show his embarrassed face to her. ¡°You¡¯re so cute, fufufu.¡± ¡°S-Shut up. A man isn¡¯t supposed to be cute. He¡¯s supposed to be handsome.¡± The flame had turned to an even darker shade of gold at the girl¡¯s teasing. ¡°Fufufu.¡± ¡°Your father was scary.¡± Sarius sighed as he remembered how terrifying Metheus was at the beginning of their meeting. He also said this to Feya in order to change the topic, hopefully. ¡°He is but I think he took a liking to you after what you did. I can see that father had a hard time trying not to laugh.¡± Feya laughed once again. Sarius didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at the girl¡¯s constant reminder of something he wanted to forget. ?¡¶¡î¡·? Unknown to the two children, Metheus was looking at them on the balcony, observing their every action. His eyes were locked onto Sarius¡¯ figure as he muttered, ¡°To think that a god had come in the kingdom now out of all times. I wonder¡­ does he have some part on the Fates¡¯ prophecy?¡± If he does, then this boy, Sarius is a dangerous character. He then saw how happy Feya was whilst playing and talking to Sarius, making him smile genuinely. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll let him be for now. My daughter seems to like him a lot and she is a lot happier now that he¡¯s around.¡± Even if Sarius does indeed have part in the Fate¡¯s prophecy, for that reason alone, he would keep the boy around. He may be a king but in the end, he is a father after all. Feya is much important to him than the kingdom. If people heard of this, they would be enraged. Logic would say that one person alone can not match the value of a kingdom and the people within. However, there was no such logic in Metheus. The kingdom wouldn¡¯t even be able to compare to Feya. It may be harsh and cruel for his subjects but this is what Metheus really felt. Why? It is because¡­ He¡¯s a father. Night Sky The golden rays of sunlight entered Feya''s room through her windows, directly landing on her face making her slowly wake up as the heat from the sun increased ever so slowly as time passed by. A moment later, Feya groggily rose from her bed, rubbing her eyes and wanting to go back to sleep as she''s still pretty sleepy from all the playing she had done with Sarius. Sarius... "Hm, Sarius? Who''s that?" Feya muttered to herself, confused and wondering why she thought of this someone named Sarius. Then suddenly, "Sarius!" all the sleepiness within her faded away as the happenings in the past few days registered in her mind. She quickly stood up from her bed and checked the room, looking for her new friend. ''Was it just a dream?'' Sadness overtook the little girl when that thought entered her mind. She had been very happy when she met Sarius and she had a lot of fun with him. She can''t even wait to have more fun with him this day but to think everything that happened was all just a dream... "Oh, Feya you''re awake!" A familiar ethereal figure in blue flame peeked through the windows as he grinned at the girl. Happiness surge throughout Feya when she saw her first ever friend. "Sarius!" "Good morning, Feya!" The boy greeted. "G-good morning." Feya''s eyes turned watery at the sight of her friend and not long after, tears streamed down her cheeks startling Sarius completely. "A-are you crying?" The panic-stricken boy quickly rushed to the girl''s side, looking at her worriedly. "Eh? Why are you crying?" Sarius doesn''t know the reason why the girl is crying and neither does he know what to do in this situation. When he saw the tears falling from her eyes, he nervously thought of what to do. He racked his brain out until he came out with a bright idea. He used his hands and quickly fetched the tears starting to fall from her cheeks and put it back in her eyes. "Ouch ouch ouch!" "Eh, sorry!" Sarius immediately stopped what he''s doing and put his hands away from her. "....." Feya looked at him dryly. "Sorry!" "Pfft. Hahahaha." The girl let out a humorous laugh, completely amused at what Sarius had done. Seeing the girl finally stopped crying, he smiled and joined her in her laughter. Finally relieved that she''s laughing now. He didn''t know why Feya was crying but there''s one thing he is sure about. When he saw her like that, he felt really uncomfortable in his chest. Feya laughing like this is much better than her crying. The two laughed for quite a while but eventually stopped as they grinned at each other. "Sorry for crying like that, Sarius." "It''s okay but why were you crying Feya? I thought people only cry when they are sad. Were you sad?" He looked worriedly at the girl. "Sarius, you''re real right?" Her question completely threw him off guard but he nonetheless answered. "Yes, I am...?" "Will you stay with me until the end?" That second question made Sarius let out a smile as he looked at Feya warmly. He placed his right hand on her head and rubbed her hair gently. "Silly girl. Of course I will. I am your friend after all." "Hehehe..." Feya relaxed on Sarius'' care and smiled giddily. ?¡¶¡î¡·? Calista''s morning routine is to wake up early in the morning to water the plants in the garden. When she is done with that, she would cook their food and if Feya had yet to wake up by the time she finished, she would go and get Feya up. Although all of these can be done by their servants, she would rather not as she enjoyed doing these things and as a wife and mother, although a queen, she wanted to at least have the least bit of semblance to a normal family. Calista had already finished cooking their food and was about to enter her daughter''s room to wake her up when she heard the two children''s conversation inside the room. She felt anxious when she heard her daughter cry so she opened the door a bit, secretly taking a peek. She nearly exposed herself as she tried hard to hold back her laughter when she saw the boy''s funny reaction to her daughter''s crying. "Will you stay with me until the end?"If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Silly girl. Of course I will. You are my friend after all." Calista smiled when she saw how happy her daughter was with Sarius around. She then sighed as she recalled how wary she was at the boy in the beginning. The boy is a god and she had heard from many of the plants and tree spirits the reputation of the gods which is exactly... not good. She can''t help but be worried regarding the safety of her daughter with a god around her. However, it would seem like she had nothing to worry about as she can see that the boy cares for Feya greatly. Moreover, her daughter now always have a genuine and beautiful smile on her face since she had befriended the boy unlike the girl''s forced smiles in the past. Calista nodded in approval at Sarius with a smile on her face, she opened the door and greeted the children. "Good morning you two. It''s time for breakfast, Feya." Sarius was surprised as to why he hadn''t notice the woman''s presence but then remembered that his focus was on Feya the whole time. Calista turned her head to Sarius, "Why don''t you join us, Sarius?" "Uh..." "You will join us right?" Sarius didn''t know why. Calista certainly had a kind smile on her face but why does he feel afraid of that for some reason? "Y-yes." "Now, that''s a good boy." ?¡¶¡î¡·? Sarius felt surprisingly comfortable eating with Feya''s family. He thought he wouldn''t be able to eat at ease with the scary king around but so far, Metheus hadn''t done anything to make him feel any fear... for now. To be honest, it was the first time he had eaten something and he can say that he will certainly get addicted to eating. He didn''t know that food were this delicious and that''s why he can''t help but get excited to the next time they eat. Currently, both he and Feya are strolling around the palace, thinking of any fun thing to do. That''s when Feya noticed that Sarius was looking at the soldiers outside. All soldiers had a fierce expressions on their faces as they move coordinately. Their gazes were terrifying and any enemy that so much looks at them will feel dread for the aura these soldiers are emanating. "Feya, who are they?" "They are the soldiers specifically trained by father himself. They are the strongest amongst any soldier in the whole kingdom." "What are they doing?" "They are training so that they can get stronger." "Why are they training? Why do they need to get stronger?" Feya''s face darkened, glancing at Sarius dryly. "I don''t know. You ask too many questions Sarius." "Hahaha, sorry." Sarius laughed at Feya, not in the least bit apologetic at all. "Let me answer that question for you." All of a sudden, the two children heard a deep and powerful voice coming from behind them. The two looked at the source straight away. When they saw who it was, Feya was surprised while Sarius instinctively took a step back. "Father!" "It''s you!" "Hello Feya..." After greeting his daughter, he fixed his gaze to Sarius straight away. "Hello to you too Sarius." He said, giving a warm smile to the boy. When he saw that smile, all hair on his body stood up including his ethereal flame. That smile didn''t fit the scary king at all! He would rather the man glare at him than show that smile to him at any moment. Metheus inwardly chuckled seeing the boy in fear. ''How funny.'' "You''re asking why they are training right? Why they need to be stronger?" Metheus asked, earning a slow nod from Sarius. "It''s because Gaea is in a dire situation right now. One wrong mistake and the kingdom might even face a total annihilation from... the gods." Sarius'' eyes widened in shock. "Gods?!" Metheus smirked when he saw that look on Sarius face. "Yes, the gods." "What are gods?" The boy tilted his head in bewilderment. Metheus and Feya sweatdropped seeing this cute yet dumb boy. The king sighed in defeat and turned to his daughter, "Your friend is hopeless, Feya. I suggest you teach him common sense when you are done with your playing." "Yes, father." Metheus left right after, heading to the soldiers'' direction. "I feel like he just insulted me." Sarius frowned as he looked at Metheus'' back. "He didn''t." "Hmm, okay." ?¡¶¡î¡·? "Feya, what are you looking at?" Sarius asked his friend who was staring at the busy city from her balcony. The two had been playing the whole day and now that night had come, they were asked by Calista, Feya''s mother to take a rest and instead play again tomorrow. Feya, not wanting to disappoint her mother agreed and the two are now back to the girl''s room. Feya had been like this a while after they entered the room. "The people... I can''t see them properly from this far away but I can tell they are having a lot of fun." The girl muttered to her friend. Sarius focused his gaze on the city and with his superior eyesight, he can clearly see what kind of faces the people have in the crowded place. "They are indeed having a lot of fun." "I see... how nice." "Do you want to go there?" "I want to but I don''t want to worry mother and father." She then turned her eyes to Sarius. "Don''t tell any of them okay?" "Hmm..." "Promise me." The girl pleaded to Sarius. "Feya." Sarius looked at the princess seriously. He then smiled at her and asked, "Do you want to see something amazing?" Feya wasn''t even given a chance to reply as Sarius quickly yet gently carried her and put one of his arms under her legs and the other supporting her back. He was carrying her princess style which befitted her status as a princess. Together the two slowly flew from the balcony into the night sky. The princess had her mouth wide open as she saw the palace get smaller and smaller as they flew up. The clouds were just within her reach and the stars... although still far away, she felt like she was much closer to them than she ever was. Gradually, the girl''s solemn mood from before change as she became much more cheerful. Feya savored this moment with Sarius. This memory will become one of her most precious and unforgettable memory in her life. Memory that she will forever cherish for as long as she exists. "Amazing isn''t it." Sarius smiled cheekily. A tinge of red appeared on Feya''s face as she nodded happily. "It is!" "Hehehe..." "Sarius!" "Yeah?" "Stay with me forever okay?" Sarius looked at her eyes with that same warm smile on his face as he replied. "Of course! Forever and ever." Feya grinned happily as she relaxed herself in the arms of the boy, looking at the scenery in awe. In that night sky, there were only two people sharing their happiness with each other. The sky was theirs and no one can take it from them for that very moment. It was as if the night sky only exists for them alone, for... Sarius and her, Feya. Your wish... Ill make it come true Sarius chuckled when he noticed that Feya had fallen asleep on his arms. Seeing as the girl is already in a slumber, he slowly descended, heading back to the palace. The wind in the sky was strong and felt really cold however, thanks to his flame that was protecting the girl, she didn¡¯t feel any discomfort during their flight. When the two finally arrived in the palace, he brought the girl back to her room and gently laid her down on her bed. ¡°Sarius¡­¡± The boy looked at Feya to see if he had woken her up but it looks like that wasn¡¯t the case. She was very much asleep and was just muttering in her sleep which earned a gentle smile from him. ¡°Good night, Feya.¡± He caressed her head for a second and left her room soon after, going somewhere in the palace. Feya¡¯s face from earlier as she gazed at the city crossed his mind. He can tell that the girl was really sad. He doesn¡¯t want to see her that way. He wanted the girl to be happy always and if he can give her that happiness, then he will gladly do so to the best of his abilities. After all, Feya is his precious friend. His warm, kind and gentle face is now gone, replaced with seriousness as he headed towards that place. ¡°Your wish¡­ I¡¯ll make it come true.¡± ?¡¶¡î¡·? Metheus frowned as he looked at the figure standing before him. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you to allow Feya to go outside the palace with me.¡± Sarius said, looking at the king fearlessly. ¡°No.¡± was the man¡¯s immediate reply. He then glanced at the people within the throne room and slightly nod his head, gesturing for them to leave in which they complied. ¡°May I ask why? Why won¡¯t you allow her? Can¡¯t you see how sad she is always staying within these walls, not being able to go outside?¡± ¡°Feya is my daughter, I naturally know that.¡± ¡°Then why? Why do you treat her like a bird trapped in a cage?!¡± Metheus clenched his fist, ¡°Shut your mouth boy.¡± ¡°Do you even care for your daughter?! Do you really love her?!¡± Sarius raised his voice as he glared at Metheus. The king¡¯s face darkened as he finally snapped. ¡°How dare you! You have no idea how dangerous it is for Feya to go outside these palace walls!¡± No matter what Metheus faced, he would always remain as a calm and cool person, unperturbed by any disaster he encounters. Even if the sky falls or the world burns, he could care less. However, when it comes to his family¡­ ¡°Why is it dangerous for her?¡± Sarius narrowed his eyes. How is this related to her leaving the palace? ¡°My daughter is right. You ask too many questions boy.¡± Metheus regulated his breathing and forced himself to calm down. Sighing, he said right after. ¡°Leave and I shall forget the offenses you have committed here.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe he lost his composure against the brat. ¡°I won¡¯t. Not until I get what I came here for.¡± His blood began to boil once more but unlike before, he was able to suppress his anger quickly this time albeit barely. ¡°Boy, why do you even care? What is my daughter to you?¡± ¡°Feya is my friend and I¡¯ll do whatever I can to make her happy.¡± Metheus was taken aback when he heard the boy¡¯s response. His eyes became gentle for a second but it quickly turned into a cold steely one before Sarius noticed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll allow her.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Sarius beamed, expecting that it would take more convincing to finally make Metheus agree. ¡°But in one¡ª no, two conditions.¡± All happiness within Sarius faded as easily as it came. As he had expected, Metheus wouldn¡¯t give in that easily. Metheus stood up from his throne as he walked down the stairs. He gazed coldly at Sarius with his hands clasped behind himself. ¡°First condition¡­¡± Sarius directed all his attention to the man, listening to every word he said. This concerns Feya¡¯s happiness so he was much more attentive than he usually is. ¡°It¡¯s simple really¡­¡± Sarius¡¯ body tensed up. His heart started beating wildly and his breathing became erratic. He felt every part of his being screaming for him to run and stay far away from the king. Sarius saw Metheus¡¯ lips slowly form into a smirk. ¡°You just have to win against me.¡± His eyes widened soon after when an oppressive force coming from the man crashing into him in full force. Sarius¡¯ hands quivered in fear in the presence of the being in front of him. In his eyes, Metheus for a moment had become¡­ A god!If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sarius panted heavily not being able to breathe properly from the suffocating aura of the man. He¡¯s dangerous! He has to do something! He had to get away from him! Run¡­ Run¡­ RUN¡ª Sarius punched himself in the face heavily. The pain from his own fist effectively suppressing the urge within him to flee. Although his hands were still shaking a little and the fear within him is still there, his condition is much better than before. It wouldn¡¯t take too long for him to calm down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The beating of his heart slowly returned to normal as he kept thinking to himself, ¡®Calm down¡­ this is nothing. How can I even win against him if I¡¯m already like this before fighting him? This is nothing¡­ this is nothing¡­¡¯ ¡®He had managed to overcome his fear this quickly¡­¡¯ Metheus was impressed by Sarius. The man can tell that the boy still feared him greatly but he didn¡¯t let his fear control him. He prevailed over it. ¡°Hmph.¡± Though he was impressed, whatever emotion Metheus felt at the moment was not shown on his face. He just continued to gaze at the boy coldly. Sarius finally opened his eyes. Taking a deep breath once more, he asked coolly. ¡°What¡¯s the second condition?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no using knowing it if you can¡¯t even do the first one.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Sarius tightly clenched his fist, narrowing his eyes on Metheus. The flame surrounding his body had gotten hotter and hotter, gradually melting the objects and the walls within the throne room. ¡°Come.¡± Metheus beckoned with the sole purpose of taunting the boy. Sarius¡¯ figure quickly disappeared from Metheus¡¯ sight, leaving not a single trace of him behind. Metheus narrowed his eyes as he looked behind him. The moment he did so, he saw a blue flame flash right before his face. It was Sarius with his hand pulled back, gathering his strength into his fist. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± He then threw the same fist, hitting right directly onto Metheus¡¯ face. An explosion coming from the palace was heard all over the kingdom right after. ?¡¶¡î¡·? Feya woke up the next day, feeling extremely refreshed and energetic thanks to the good night¡¯s sleep she had. Not only is she refreshed and energetic, she is also in a bright mood for having experienced the best night she ever had last night. She is going to thank Sarius for what he did later since she didn¡¯t have the chance to do so because she fell asleep. The girl left the comfort of her bed and stood up, stretching her body. ¡°Good morning Feya.¡± Feya brightened when she heard that familiar voice. She turned towards her friend, Sarius and responded. ¡°Good morning, Sariu¡ª wait! Why do you look like that? Are you okay?¡± She immediately came to his side, worried at the well being of her friend. Sarius had multiple bruises on his face; his right eye, cheeks and the corner of his lips. He was even limping a little while walking and she can tell that he probably have more bruises on his body hidden by his clothing. Feya noticed that the boy was in a lot of pain judging from the expression on his face. It was none surprising though with all those injuries on his body. That begs the question as to who did this to him and why? ¡°I am fine, Feya¡­ this is nothing. No need to worry.¡± Like usual, the girl was greeted with the boy¡¯s signature smile. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really nothing to worry about. I promise you.¡± Feya wasn¡¯t one to give up. She scowled at her friend and was about to respond when¡­ ¡°Good morning you two, it¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± Calista opened the door and said to the two. Sarius¡¯ eyes glinted for two things at Calista¡¯s arrival. One, seeing an opportunity to escape and two, ¡°FOOD!¡± The boy dashed towards the dining area, leaving the mother and daughter pair staring at him in amusement. Calista frowned when she saw the bruises on the boy¡¯s body. She already knew how the boy had gotten it since her husband had told her of his deal with the boy. Now that she had seen what her husband did to Sarius, she is going to have a word with him. Although Sarius is a god, he is still a kid and she finds Metheus¡¯ action unacceptable. ¡°Let¡¯s go honey.¡± The two then left to the dining area leisurely. Feya just sighed in defeat. She¡¯s going to concede for now but she wouldn¡¯t let Sarius off later. She would have her questions answered whether he likes it or not. Meanwhile on the dining area¡­ ¡°Erk, you shitty old man!¡± Sarius pointed at the king who had just entered the room. ¡°Oh? Why do you look so beat up, boy? Who did that to you, I wonder?¡± Metheus¡¯ face lit up with an impish glee when he caught sight of Sarius. ¡®That will teach the brat for making me angry.¡¯ was what he thought in his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to pay you back double you shithead.¡± Sarius muttered under his breath as he glared at the king who just laughed at him. Suddenly, the two shivered a little as the figure of Feya and Calista came into their mind, a bad feeling coming over them. The two fell silent and slowly went to sit on their respective positions, no longer in the mood to talk shit to the other. Not long after, Feya and Calita finally arrived. ¡°Good morning Father.¡± ¡°Good morning Feya.¡± ¡°Sarius, what happened to the throne hall? I saw it completely destroyed on our way here.¡± The little girl asked her friend innocently. The throne hall was destroyed when the two fought yesterday. Most of it was Sarius¡¯ fault though. His uncontrolled attacks completely obliterated the hall to the point that only small bits of rubble remained behind. ¡°Err, that¡­¡± Sarius fidgeted and turned his gaze to Metheus who shrank back and made himself as small as possible! How the mighty had fallen. Feya just looked at the two in confusion. ¡°Dear, have you seen the bruises on Sarius¡¯ body? I wonder who¡¯s cruel enough to do this to him? Do you have any idea who did it?¡± Calista took a note from her daughter and looked at her husband with a smirk on her face. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t¡­ I wonder who did it? Hehe¡­ he.¡± Metheus was sweating buckets under the watchful eyes of his wife. He was angry at the time and he may had gotten carried away for having something to release his stress. That something being, Sarius. ¡°Are you okay father?¡± Feya asked worriedly. First Sarius and now her father. Seriously, the two guys who she are close to are all weird. ¡°Y-Yes, I am.¡± ?¡¶¡î¡·? Sarius and Metheus stood opposite to each other. The two had learned from their mistake last night and now faced off at a clearing far away from the palace. It was already night time and Feya was with her mother, spending time with her. Sarius sighed when he recalled how persistent Feya had been this day. Every chance the girl got, she would ask him who beat him up to which he painstakingly thought of acceptable excuses he can find. ¡°Hmph, boy¡­ you sure don¡¯t give up. Looks like you had completely forgotten how I trashed you last night.¡± Sarius¡¯ eyebrow twitched at the man¡¯s provocation. ¡°I learned a lot from that fight. I certainly wouldn¡¯t go down easily this time.¡± ¡°Fight? Don¡¯t you mean a one sided beating?¡± ¡°You shitty old man! I¡¯ll beat up that annoying face of yours!¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see if you can back up your words¡­¡± The gap between them Metheus leisurely stretched his body while waiting for Sarius to make the first move. When he noticed the boy flinching at his sudden movement, he snorted in contempt as he continued stretching. ¡°What? You chicken?¡± A vein popped on Sarius¡¯ temple. Those words only served to increase his ire. Without further hesitation, Sarius shot forward to the man and threw a punch on his face. It was the same move he had done last night but it was one much faster than before. Metheus had not the chance to react as Sarius¡¯ fist neared his face in an alarming speed. The punch landed right directly on his face and a loud bang reverberated across the area soon after. Dusts and sand engulfed the clearing from the impact, making it much harder to see and Sarius was only able to barely make out Metheus¡¯ figure in it. ¡®Did I get him?¡¯ Sarius narrowed his eyes. For the first time, his attack finally managed to land on its intended target since Metheus had, without effort, blocked all his attacks before. It didn¡¯t take too long for the fine particles of solid matter to subside and when the area eventually cleared up, Sarius had a look of disbelief when he saw Metheus standing, a bored look on his face with not a single scratch on him. The man was completely unharmed! ¡°Is that it?¡± He covered his mouth with his right hand as he yawned. ¡°I¡¯m sorely disappointed.¡± Sarius¡¯ gritted his teeth as he once more, closed in on Metheus. His hands blurred as he threw punches after punches after the man. Metheus only stood there, taking all Sarius¡¯ punches with ease. He was not the least bit phased by the boy¡¯s attack. ¡°Ahh, that felt good.¡± Sarius growled as he continued attacking with even more fervor. He made use of every part of his body to attack the man: his fist on Metheus¡¯ nose; his elbows on his temples; his knee on the man¡¯s chin and his kick hitting his neck. His movement was getting faster and faster the more his attacks made contact with its target, releasing a series of onslaught against Metheus. The ground started to crack and was gradually breaking as Metheus faced the boy¡¯s assault head on. His feet was slowly getting buried each time he receives the boy¡¯s attack but he nevertheless, continued to stand on his original position, not moving a single bit. ¡°Just give up. There¡¯s no way you can win against me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that.¡± Sarius said with bated breath. He was getting frustrated. All of his attacks were not doing anything against Metheus but there¡¯s still something he had not tried yet. It¡¯s his only remaining hope for now. ¡°Oh?¡± He raised a brow at that. It looks like the boy still have something up his sleeve. ¡°Take this!¡± Metheus frowned when he saw Sarius about to punch him again. He analyzed the power behind his fist and was unamused. It was no different from the boy¡¯s previous attacks, making him disappointed. Here he thought the boy was going to do something special. Sighing, Metheus lazily threw a punch. Sarius¡¯ heart skipped a beat. The man may have not put any effort behind that attack but he knows how powerful that punch is first hand. After all, he had taken those same punches numerous times on his body last night. When Metheus¡¯ fist was seconds away from hitting Sarius, the boy disappeared in a flash of blue light and reappeared right under him. Time seemed to slow down between them. Metheus immediately looked down and saw Sarius crouched down with his fist pulled back. His eyes widened considerably. He had just gotten an idea what the boy is going to do. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to?!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Oh, I am!¡± Sarius smirked. He delivered a successful and powerful blow, hitting the king right directly on the crotch! An explosion was once again heard in the area¡­ ¡­followed right after by the loud nefarious laugh of a young beautiful boy. ¡°Hahaha, serves you right you old man!¡± He had finally gotten the upper hand against Metheus. This plan was already formed in his mind when he had first found out the weakness of every men and even women alike. Brutal it may be but it is the only way he knew of that will surely bring even the strongest of men into their knees. He had found out this weakness earlier this day when Feya was chasing him for interrogation because of his injuries. Long story short, the girl tripped and when he tried to catch her, she accidentally hit his balls and he was left sprawling on the ground holding his private area for a while. Metheus had his hands on his private as he hissed through his gritted teeth. ¡°That fucking hurts!¡± Sarius had a smug look on his face when he laid his eyes on Metheus. Powerful or not, this arrogant king is in the end, still a man after all. ¡°Or¡­ not.¡± The corner of Metheus¡¯ lips suddenly rose. He looked at Sarius amusingly. It seems like the boy is starting to learn how to fight dirty. ¡°Are you finished?¡± Sarius¡¯ eyes were as wide as saucers. Metheus was acting all along! He wasn¡¯t even hurt from taking a fist to ¡®that area¡¯ in the slightest. To think he can take a hit to his balls yet remained unscathed, this man is a monster! Gulping the saliva inside his mouth, Sarius took a deep leap, finding a safe distance away from Metheus. He then gasped when he noticed that from beginning to end, he didn¡¯t even move from his original position although his feet was already buried knee-deep into the ground. ¡°Now Sarius boy¡­ let me show you how to throw a punch properly.¡± Everything happened in an instant. Sarius carefully watched Metheus¡¯ every action. The man turned to the side then pulled his right fist back. The next thing he knew¡­ The mountain far away from them and the surrounding forests within its vicinity was suddenly obliterated. ?¡¶¡î¡·? Feya and Calista sat comfortably under the shade of the tree as the little girl listened attentively to her mother¡¯s instruction while showing her daughter how to play the stringed instrument in her hand. Its appearance was like that of a small U-shaped harp with 7 strings fixed to a crossbar. It was a lyre. Sarius also sat beside the two trying to listen to their conversation. Alas, it was all for naught. He found it hard to concentrate on them as his thoughts kept drifting towards last night. He knew that Metheus was strong however¡­ he never expected the man to be that powerful. He then thought of his deal with him. For him to give permission to let Feya roam outside the palace¡­ he had to beat him first and then there¡¯s still another condition he didn¡¯t know yet. Sarius sucked in a cold breath. Beat him? Metheus? His heart pounded against his chest at the thought of beating the man. He found the notion inconceivable. He was afraid but a large part of him found it¡­ Exhilarating. Is such a feat even possible? The challenge for this seemingly impossible task was making his blood pumping. He wanted to beat him. It is no longer for Feya¡¯s sake alone. He wanted to defeat the man for his own reasons and to satisfy the excitement within his heart. He wanted to win! ¡°...rius! Sarius!¡± ¡°F-Feya?¡± Sarius stammered as he looked at Feya. ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯ve been in a daze for a while.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± It seemed that he was quite preoccupied by his thoughts that he never noticed his surroundings. ¡°Yeah, I was just thinking something.¡± ¡°I see¡­ hehe, Sarius, I managed to learn a song from mother. Would you like to hear it?¡± Feya asked excitedly, she had been practicing this for days already and she wanted to let Sarius hear her play a song. Sarius just smiled. ¡°Sure.¡± The girl then held the instrument properly. She took a deep breath and started plucking the strings. Sarius didn¡¯t know much about music but at the brief period that he listened to Calista¡¯s playing earlier, he found hers much pleasing to the ears. Feya¡¯s playing sounds rough and even he can tell that the girl still have much to learn and there might be some that will find it unbearable however¡­ He didn¡¯t know why he likes it when Feya plays more than her mother. He wanted to listen to her play and when he looks at her face full of determination¡­ It makes him want to do his best too. Sarius closed his eyes as he hummed along with the music. This first song that Feya played for him, he will forever cherish it in his heart and never forget about it but as for now¡­ He just wanted to fully enjoy this moment with her. . . . . . Calista gently smiled as she found the two children really adorable right now. She can tell that they really treasure each other from their interactions. It almost reminded her of her and her husband. She then slowly stood up and walked away, leaving the children to their own devices. Now that Feya had gotten herself a friend, the least she can do is let them be with each other without her interfering. Feya finally stopped playing the lyre and then looked at Sarius right after. ¡°How was it?¡± Sarius¡¯ grinned. ¡°It was beautiful.¡± Those words made her have a wide smile on her face. She was happy to hear that praise from him. ¡°Thank you Feya.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Because of you, I feel much more confident now. I no longer feel afraid of him and it¡¯s all thanks to you, Feya. That¡¯s why, thank you.¡± Feya didn¡¯t really understand what Sarius meant, she just nodded her head dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ welcome?¡± Sarius chuckled. ¡°Anyway teach me how to play this thing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called a lyre. Why do you want to learn?¡± ¡°I feel really happy when you played. I also want to play and make you happy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already making me happy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°I still want to learn.¡± ¡°Hehe, okay."