The boy stirred slowly, his limbs twitching as his eyes fluttered open.
The sensation of soft cushions beneath him felt so foreign that he didn't trust it at first.
His blurred vision gradually sharpened, revealing the high ceiling, sleek walls, and warm lighting of what looked like a luxury hotel suite.
A thick, expensive rug stretched beneath the couch he was lying on, and the large window nearby showcased the cloudy Irish sky outside.
He blinked and muttered softly.
"Where… am I?"
Before he could think further, a muffled voice rang out from behind a nearby open door.
"What the hell do you mean you're leaving, Dulio?!"
A woman's voice echoed from the other room, sharp and irritated.
The boy flinched and quickly sat up, his frail arms trembling as he looked around in panic.
His instincts kicked in, and he slowly, cautiously crept off the couch, glancing toward the hallway.
He tiptoed toward the sound, his bare feet padding silently across the carpet.
As he neared the door, he peeked past it and saw several figures standing inside.
He didn't get the chance to listen for long.
"Hey, you. You're finally awake."
A calm voice said from behind him.
The boy gasped and turned too fast, stumbling backward in fright until he fell onto his butt with a thud.
Arthur stood behind him, arms crossed, leaning slightly against the wall
He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the frightened kid.
"You good now, buddy? I kinda rattled your brain pretty hard back there."
Arthur asked.
In the room behind them, Siegfried and Jeanne were watching the scene with curiosity.
Jeanne crossed her arms while Siegfried munched on a half-open bag of chips.
Dulio, who had been lounging in a chair, chuckled lightly.
"Come on, Arthur, don't scare the poor guy. He's shaking like a leaf."
Arthur scoffed.
"He can take it. I bet he's been through worse."
The boy raised both hands in a panic.
"P-Please don't hurt me! I-I was just following orders!"
Arthur let out a slow breath and lowered his arms.
"Relax. We're not gonna hurt you… unless you try something REALLY stupid."
He walked forward and extended a hand.
The boy hesitated before grabbing it.
Arthur helped him up and gently guided him back toward the couch.
"Sit down. You and I are gonna have a long talk."
Arthur glanced over his shoulder.
"Jeanne, grab the leftover takeout."
Jeanne sighed but went to the mini-fridge.
Dulio complained dramatically.
"Hey, come on! I was gonna eat that."
Arthur glanced back at him with a smirk.
"Well, we wanted you not to bail on the mission halfway because some old prune called you back for other reasons. But I guess nobody gets what they want."
Dulio pouted.
"That's cold, man. Besides, we're kinda understaffed at the moment and you guys can handle this mission."
Siegfried snorted and leaned against the counter.
"It's true, though. Besides, with the three of us, this is gonna be the usual cakewalk."
He turned to Jeanne.
"Hey, Jeanne. Can you get me something to drink?"
Jeanne looked at him without blinking.
"Get it yourself, you sloth. I'm not your maid."
Still, she dropped the takeout box on the table in front of the boy.
The boy's eyes went wide at the sight of the food, still warm enough to steam sat before him like a feast.
His mouth watered, and his stomach growled audibly.
Arthur noticed and gave a short nod toward the food.
"Go on. Eat. You look like you need it."
The boy looked at Arthur, then the others, confused.
"Is… is it okay?"
"Just shut up and eat, okay? It's not even mine."
Arthur repeated as Dulio wept in silence.
Not waiting another second, the boy dove into the box and started eating with shaky hands, shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth.
The others went quiet for a moment, watching him devour the food with a desperation that was both sad and pitiful.
"He hasn't been eating in days."
Jeanne muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with guilt.
Dulio leaned against the recliner beside Arthur.
"So this guy's the one with Night Reflection, huh?"
Arthur nodded as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Yeah. His Sacred Gear is pretty versatile in most scenarios, but quite a disadvantage in lit places."
Siegfried popped open a soda and took a swig.
"Huh. Mind if I have a round against him later? Wouldn't mind testing how good it is."
The boy paused mid-bite, eyes wide as he stared nervously at Siegfried.
Jeanne didn't miss it as she kicked Siegfried hard in the shin.
"OW-! Jeanne, what the hell?!"
"Don't scare the guy, idiot. Let him eat before you start challenging him like it's a fight club."
She snapped.
Arthur rolled his eyes and turned his gaze back to the boy, who was finishing the last bits of food.
"You good now, buddy?"
Arthur asked, voice more relaxed.
The boy swallowed and nodded quickly.
"Y-Yeah… Thank you."
Arthur leaned back and locked eyes with him.
"Alright, I'm just gonna make this quick and easy. Who are you? Where are you from? And please answer truthfully, I don't want to knock you out again."
The boy glanced around the room as if expecting judgment.
"I… I don't have a name I was abandoned at birth… raised in an orphanage for a while but… eventually I ended up on the streets... I've got nowhere to go."
He admitted quietly.
The room went quiet again.
Even Dulio's casual facade faded into a look of empathy.
Arthur's voice came next, steady but not harsh.
"So why were you helping those guys?"
The boy's hands tightened around the empty takeout box.
"I-Its because… I had nothing left to lose."
He said slowly.
Arthur's eyes narrowed, his tone flat.
"Care to explain? Don't worry, we'll be open-minded."
The boy nodded, closing his eyes and taking a breath.
"Yeah… I-I'll tell you everything from the start."
The boy leaned on the couch, hunched slightly forward as he picked up an empty water bottle.
"I don't remember much of my early childhood… just vague flashes. I know I grew up in an orphanage… but even there, I wasn't treated like the other kids."
Jeanne stood with arms folded, her back leaning against the wall, her expression somber.
Siegfried sat on the armrest of the couch across from the boy, soda can now untouched in his hand.
Dulio leaned against the edge of the recliner beside Arthur, for once without his usual smile, brows furrowed.
Arthur remained seated, elbows on knees, gaze never leaving the boy's face.
"I always felt… different from the other kids. I'd get strange visions, even when I was wide awake. Places I'd never been. A battlefield full of dead bodies. Endless fighting… warriors shouting in a language I couldn't understand. And then… a red spear. Every time… I'd die. Always the same red spear."
Arthur's brows twitched slightly, and his eyes narrowed.
He leaned back slowly in his seat, a thought forming at the edge of his mind.
(A battlefield, visions of warriors, and a red spear… It couldn't be… Could it?)
He kept silent, arms now crossed as he listened intently, suspicion steadily growing.
"I told the caretakers at the orphanage about the dreams, the visions. They said it was hallucinations. They started treating me differently, like I was crazy. One day I accidentally made shadows move during evening prayer. Just a twitch, but they saw. After that…"
He paused, his throat tightening.
"They accused me as the Devil. Locked me in the basement for three days. Then they called a priest to try and exorcise me. When it didn't work, they just… kicked me out. Said I was beyond saving."
Jeanne gasped quietly, covering her mouth, Siegfried's grip on his soda can crumpled slightly, and Dulio clenched his jaw, knuckles tightening as he looked away.
The boy looked up, eyes sunken but defiant.
"I survived on my own. Ate from scraps, slept in alleyways, and stole when I had to. I didn't have a name, so people just called me 'rat' or 'freak.' I never stayed in one place too long. A few years ago, I figured out I could do more with the shadows. I practiced it to hide from trouble and sometimes steal food, but people still found out. I got run out of town more times than I can count."
Arthur didn't say a word, but his fingers flexed slightly.
"Then… last week, these guys in black robes found me. They said they were priests, but not like the others. Said they needed people like me. That they could use my powers. Help me 'reach their goal,' whatever that meant."
His voice faltered, his hands shaking now.
"They… took me to some unknown place. There were others. Homeless, broken people. Some of them were like me, orphans. Others were just vagrants. They talked about a ritual. Said they needed more souls. I didn't understand, but then one of them… one of them pulled me aside and told me if I didn't help them collect more people, they'd make me one of the sacrifices."
He sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve.
"It didn't matter to me. Living, dying… it was all the same. So I helped. Just did what they told me. Led people into traps. Lured them. Then we moved from one city to another. Ended up here a few days ago. That's when you found me... and knocked me out."
The room remained deathly still.
Dulio had lowered himself onto the arm of the recliner now as he stared at the carpet.
Jeanne's eyes were glossy, and even Siegfried looked disturbed.
Arthur finally spoke.
"…Do you have any idea what they're doing?"
The boy looked at him and shook his head slowly.
"I just followed instructions. They never told me much. But… I did hear something. One of the robed ones mentioned a place called Tory Island."
Arthur's eyes flicked up at that.
"Tory Island?"
Siegfried repeated, brow raised.
Arthur stood, silent for a moment, then glanced at the others.
He looked at the boy.
"Mind giving us a second? Just stay put, okay?"
The boy hesitated, then nodded.
Arthur turned and walked toward the other room.
Jeanne gave the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder before following, and Siegfried drank the rest of his soda and tossed the can into the trash before walking in.
Dulio stood last, ruffling the boy's messy hair with a soft smile.
"Don't worry, kid. We're not bad people, okay?"
The boy lowered his head as he nodded quietly.
He finally went into the next room and closed the door behind them.
DxD
Hello readers!
I NEED MORE POWER STONES FOR MORE IDEAS BECAUSE I AM IN DESPREATE NEED OF IDEAS!
Thank you everyone and see you later!