𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒,,, 𝖫𝖾𝗈𝗇𝗂𝖺 𝖡𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗈𝗍𝗂

prologue

His breath was shallow and rug, bruises and wounds filled his body as his eyes were dull and empty. The child's fingertips are covered with frostbite and the cage they have put him in is starting cover in ice, it's been a terrible few hours after they beat him up from anger and rage.

His hair was covered with dried blood and dirt, and his abusive caretaker have left for errands leaving him and the other kids in a small cage individually. They haven't eaten for three days, and some have died of hunger yet they have laid down in the cold hard metal cage with flies landing on their corpse.

The child we're focusing on is the unluckiest of all, said himself. He's been abused by the caretaker longer than the other because of the abilities he held. A special case of an ordinary child. Said to be gifted by the gods.

Yet the child himself never believed in gods nor prayed for them.

A loud bang snaps him from his cloudy thoughts as the Hidden door that leads towards the basement busts open revealing numerous men and their caretakers being beaten and tied up. Children who have woken up from the loud noise started to cry.

"Quickly, release them! Aid them as quickly as possible!" He heard someone order from afar, and he started to drift unconsciously as their voices started to fade away from his hearing, but being a stubborn individual, he began to break into his cage by force.

Rupert frowned at the sight, he also held his grimace from the smell swarming around his nostrils. A wind blew around causing him to shiver from the cold, soft snowfalls from the area.

"Nathaniel!" Rupert looks over to a child, barely five years squirming from the knight's hold, looking over to the boy who further was deep inside the basement, where the snow has been heavily covered and came from. The lights were dimmed but soon spikes of iceberg appeared through the trails and came fast towards them which alarmed the guards. The girl frees herself and shielded them from the iceberg, she appeared in front of Rupert as the spike stopped in front of her, the tip of the ice was just about below her neck, nearly was about to pierce right on her neck.

A boy, just right about six years old stepped out from the dark, frostbites covered half of his face yet he stood protectively in front of the children behind him who held each other together. The girl smiled in relief before stepping out and running towards him "Nathaniel!" She exclaims. Knights held their breath at how bloodied his fingers were, the girl hugged his figure in relief "You're alive.." she quivered.

Nathaniel, whom Rupert suspect is the boy who causes the snowy ruckus.

A man came in with sword in hand, blood staining his silver sword as it trails down on the cold floor, all knights straightened up as well as his advisor who hid his trembling figure in a facade. The girl flinched at the sight of blood and soon hid behind Nathaniel in fear. The boy held nothing but a cold look, frostbites starts to deform as they slowly disappear from his body.

Nathaniel soon realizes who the man is in front of him.

Philio Boleoti
The Black Scavenger

The child knew he was. He's the duke and owner of the land where the orphanage took place. The Empire's northern point. Where most monsters stay during their hibernation, a territory famous for its danger and ruggedness. Philio hums at such sight, before his amber brown eyes sets towards Nathaniel. A glint in his eyes soon clash down towards Nathaniel who sneered.

"You... possess the beast fangs.." Philio said in amusement and his lips turned into a grin "And you know how to control it too.." he added.

"You're grace..?" Rupert looks at Philio confusingly as the man walks towards Nathaniel whose starting to get angrier by the minute.