William gazed at the skeleton tiredly.
His thoughts were swirling in his mind like a cyclone. Adam's smirk kept forming itself in his mind, and it drove him nuts.
With a twitch of his eye, he raises a hand and allows it to hover above the dead man.
''Come on, magic pew-pew, I know you can do more than you let it show…''
He closes his eyes, trying to concentrate, but the past events wouldn't let go.
They hunted him.
And the fact that his powers didn't work didn't help him either.
''Come on…'' he clutches his teeth. ''I'm sure you can do this…''
Beads of sweat already start forming on his forehead.
''I have to fix things.''
'You get kids, thinking they'll help you. Then they just add more work!' His mother's words rang in his ears as he sank to his knees and gripped his hair.
He lets his forehead drop to the ground and squeezes his eyes shut.
''Just, what do you want from me woman?! Tell me what you want, and I'll do it!'' He hits his head against the ground, desperately trying to forget his mother's words.
But he knew that the thought was naïve.
That he was naïve.
He stayed there for a little while.
And when his breathing finally got steady, he ripped off his shirt and threw it to the ground.
Cold air brushed his skinny chest, but the swirling feelings in his heart kept him plenty warm.
Capricorn didn't work. Adam didn't work either. Not even himself.
But the new him could certainly do the trick.
He rose from the ground and walked out of the ruins.
Adam was nowhere to be found… good.
He lazily waltzed his way to a tree and took a breath.
His fists clenched.
The faint scent of blood brushed his nostrils, his eyes sharp.
He cracked his knuckles and punched the tree once.
After a long minute of silence, William brushed his knuckles with a tear in his eye.
''Ow…'' he said with a crack of his voice.
But he wasn't about to give up.
''No more excuses from now on.'' He mumbled under his breath. ''I have to get stronger.''
And he punched the tree again.
He hit it until he couldn't feel his hands anymore. Gods had some divine bodies, probably as hard as steel or something. He couldn't just throw punches with the strength of a baby.
After a good hour of this, William's breath was heavy.
He was about to keep going, but his stomach growled loudly.
''For the love of Gods—'' a sigh escaped his lips.
He was starving, alright. But he didn't have a penny in his pockets. Even if he had, he didn't feel like he was worth any good food right now.
It's been a long week…
And a long, short life.
He cracked his fingers turned to lean his back against the tree trunk.
''What should I name myself…?'' He pinches his chin lightly. ''I've never liked my name… I need a change.''
He hums in thought.
His mind wandered over a huge variety of names: Jake, Jack, John, June, Joshua, July, Joe… but none of them quite fitted.
He was about to just give up when he felt stick lightly poke his side.
A roll of his eyes threatened to expose itself when he turned to look at the person. It was an old man with glasses as thick as a book that greeted his view.
''Hey, kid…'' his broken voice cut through the silence. ''Are you dead yet?''
William's eyes widened.
What was the old man talking about?!
''Why are you asking me this, sir…?'' He tried remaining as polite as he could be, but something about that man made him feel uneasy.
''I just like eating kids.'' He adjusts his glasses with squinted eyes.
William opens his mouth to say something, but an unguarded laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
The old man smiled softly and leaned on his cane.
His wrinkled face looked oddly… generous. And William had to admit he always had a soft spot for elders.
''What are you doing here all alone?'' The man smiled curiously.
At those words, William's smile started slowly fading, his memories flashing back to what happened just an hour ago.
He looks down, his mouth not even unable to let a single word out.
Noticing his reaction, the old man smiled and started walking into the forest.
''Follow me.''
William's breath stuttered, he wanted to cry, but there was no way he'd let himself give in in front of a stranger. So, he silently started following his elder in between trees.
The path they were taking seemed to be much more calming and pretty than the one he took with Capricorn and the others. This one was almost… wholesome.
Trees were lighter, bouncier, and less creepy. Water seemed clearer. Animals felt freer, and William felt safer.
He took in the surroundings with a deep breath. His heavy heart felt suddenly much lighter…
They eventually reached a wooden tree house with traps everywhere. The man raised his voice and smiled at William.
''Welcome to my house. And perhaps, yours too.'' He turns to the door. ''Honey, I'm home~!''
The door opens with a soft creak as a woman— probably in her early 20's— left it to hug her elder.
''Grandpa! You're back!'' She smiles sweetly and kisses his cheek. ''I almost got worried!''
The man chuckles.
''I've been out for fifteen seconds!''
The woman hugs him tighter.
''Thank Berlin you still have your head on your shoulders…''
Her eyes dart to William as her lips curve in a welcoming smile.
''And who's our guests…?''
William hesitated for a second before turning to them both.
''Call me…''
A beat.
''However you want.''
———
At Cross Bourg, Silver was too busy drowning in alcohol to realize that Adam sat next to her. She slowly blinked at him and noticed that his appearance was even more disheveled than before.
''What happened to you?''
Adam rolled his eyes and forced a smile.
''Your apprentice.'' He answered, a bit too quickly.
She dragged a hand over her face and sat up more properly.
''I'm not talking about that…'' she sighs. ''What's with the oh-s-new look?''
Adam scoffed and smirked at her.
''I should be the one asking that.'' He ruffles her hair affectionately. ''You didn't even realize the man tried drugging you.''
As much his voice was playful, the smirk on his lips barley reached his eyes.
''You should be more careful…''
She rests her chin on her crossed arms.
''I'm immortal… I can't die, and rarely feel sick… so what's the point?'' She mumbles groggily. ''Why do you refuse to kill me, again?''
His eyes darkened at those words.
How dare she ask him that?!
''I'm immortal because of you too, remember?'' He barks out.
She puts her glass down and stands up.
''This conversation is pointless.''
She was about to leave, but his hand gripped her wrist before she could go too far.
''And why do you always leave, damn it?!''
She flinches at both his grip, and his voice.
The strength in her legs seemed to weaken as she sat back down, a hand flying to her ear.
''Stop shouting…
-I'll calm down when you'll stop being a bitch.'' He frowns.
Silver glanced at the dozens of bottles sitting on the bar. All these bottles were still not enough to…
She shook off the ideas starting to build in her mind and just…
Gave up.
''Understood, young master…''
He smirks and pats her head.
''There we go…''
He pulls her into another embrace.
Into another headache.
…
Into another cycle.
When she was about to lean in, Leyla suddenly came from nowhere and laughed nervously.
''Hey, Miss Silver?'' She rubs the back of her neck nervously and looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. ''Coco and Rico disappeared.''
She didn't know why, but Adam looked like he wanted to strangle her.
Silver was about to give in… and Leyla took that chance away from him. He closed his eyes and imagined his fist connecting with her jaw over and over again in his hand.
Ahhhh… that was better.
Silver rolled her eyes at him yet again. It didn't take a telepath to understand his thoughts: his clenched fists and his smile told her everything she needed to know.
She turned to Leyla and raised an eyebrow at her.
''And where is Anne-Marie?''
Leyla hums in thought and glances at the countless bottles on the counter.
''She said something about a circus?''
Silver immediately stands up.
''The circus…'' she mumbles. ''Of course…''
She could already feel a little someone getting excited at the thought.
''Not now, White…'' she whispers at no one in particular then turns to Adam. ''Are you going to help us for once?
-Of course, my lady~''
She blinks once.
Then twice.
Silver was expecting many things, but his help wasn't part of it.
''What.'' She says through gritted teeth. ''Are you planning?''
He shrugs.
''If I can't keep you here with me, I might as well follow you~!'' He stands up and leans in, their noses almost brushing. ''Besides, I want to make you proud~''
He gazed into her eyes for a second before walking past her.
Silver's fist clenched.
That guy was big trouble.
She didn't know what was better: making him chase her or letting him stay close.
The first option always led him to be a whiny little kid. Always clinging to her, but at least he's more or less obedient when he is.
The second option always led to chaos, but at least, he allowed her to stay alone… sometimes.
With a very loud grumble, she spins on her heel and starts following him.
''Come on,'' she mutters at Leyla, who obediently follows after her. ''Let's save your brother.
-And what about our parents?
-That's another issue.'' She looks down. ''And trust me, your parents are safer at The King's claws, rather than your brother alone in wherever he is…''
Leyla tilts her head to the side and tries as much as she can to catch up after Silver's fast strides.
''And where is William?''
Silver throws her head back frustratingly.
''How am I supposed to know?!'' She flinches at her own town and tries to calm down. ''Only Berlin knows where he is…'' she mumbles.
That only made Leyla look more confused.
''And who is Berlin?''
Silver pauses in her tracks and slowly turns around to look at her.
''You don't know who Berlin is?''
Leyla nods shyly as Silver shamelessly gaped at her.
She clears her throat and takes a bottle for the road… on second thought, she takes another two.
As they walked, Silver was pinching the bridge of her nose along. If she could get a drink each time she had a headache, she would happily talk to Adam.
And when her eyes locked with the moon, she started telling Berlin's tale…