Alux Rising Shortfic Book

. ·:*¨ [ PUNISHMENT ] ¨*:· .

The young boy ran through the forest, past the large and thin oak trees and bushes along his way. Mind was racing with thoughts, regret even that would cause his life. He's afraid to face them again, feeling their cold piercing eyes stabbing through his sight and giving him goosebumps with every move he makes.

Now he's running, back to where his home was, back to the sweet warming solace he needed.

He didn't realize the situation he had gotten himself into, but he knew he messed up. So what if interrupted the plan and caused the others to be caught and taken away, he had to save the other innocent children. They were the same age as him, and he did not want to ruin their lives the same way the cult had ruined him.

" You have made a grave mistake, Petro. "

A chill ran up his spine, startling him and making him almost trip on his running. He hated it, the creature that talked to him, in his mind and his nightmares. The voice that was so small yet so terrifying to hear. Seeing it smile, so sickeningly at the horrendous events happening with the cult with their doing, it made Petro so sick.

Each new member had the Wisp, some shared and fated to be partners in the future, and some didn't and had to go through it. The reason it was there with the member was that... well, say it may be a Guardian Angel to them, but make one wrong move and the Wisp will not be so happy. The Wisp may only be with the new members for a good amount of time, watching over them to make sure they aren't disrupting the main goal of the cult.

Petro was still new, barely almost 4 months there, and it was hell. With everything he had, the tasks he had to finish, the praises to the dark ones, the rituals he had been assigned to initiate and to watch the innocent suffer and die, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

He had to do something.

He hears the Wisp humming, the soft laughter chiming in his mind, reminding him that he is still haunted. He never even noticed that he already reached the gates of his kingdom, he was too focused on going back home.

That was until he heard a shout, a cry for help. He stopped in his tracks, people running and carrying buckets of water to a certain location. Guards were involved, the village people were involved, children ran away from the havoc and were taken away to safety.

Something about this made Petro shudder, and itch on his shoulder. He followed to where the panicked adults were running and carrying buckets of water, the smell of burning wood came to him. Some ran into him, pushing and nudging his sides as they panicked.

" PETRO! "

A familiar voice chimed and got his attention, turning around he saw his father, panicked and hinted with relief but also with terror. The boy only stood there while his father towards him and kneeled down, pulling him into an embrace.

Confused and panicked, Petro spoke up. " D-dad, what's going on? Why is everyone panicking? "

" Fire, a house was lit on fire. " His father pulled away and looked around Petro, pulling his sleeves up and checking on something. " Are you hurt? Where were you? I thought you were supposed to stay home and study, though I'm glad you didn't actually. "

" Dad, what do you mean? You're saying that as if- "

That was enough for Petro to realize the whole situation. Like the last piece of the puzzle was placed, the dawn of fear crept up to his spine and realization hit him harder than he thought it would.

The laughter of the Wips became louder in his head, and he felt its presence over his shoulder. He stepped back, looking at the cobbled ground and then at his father, before bolting out of the scene to his home. A shout was heard, his name was called, but that didn't stop the young brunet.

He ran past the panicked villagers, some were shouting his name to go back, and some recognized but didn't do anything and looked at him with hurtful eyes. His mind panicked with thoughts. He left home to attend to the cult's plan, but he left somebody there.

' No no no please, anything but them, please. '

His steps came to a halt as he reached his destination.

His home burned with red fiery flames coming out of the windows. Shattered glass was everywhere as if something exploded from within. The wooden door was gone, and he could see from the inside and how he wished to be blind with the sight he saw.

He could even smell the fresh and burnt blood even with all the burning smoke around him.

" I warned you Songbird, you little ones are just so stubborn. I guess this punishment will make you remember your place. "

He can feel the Wisp smile, a sick feeling dug up in his stomach.

He kneeled down on the ground, distraught and in shock. His grandmother, his own mother and his newborn sister were still in the house.

They were still there. Alive and well.

And now he kneels before their tombstone and place of their death, tears have fallen down his cheekbones but let out no sound. He felt arms hugged around his own figure but he didn't budge. Petro stared inside the building, almost wanting to scream and run inside the house as he saw the hand of the dead lying on the ground.

Muttering of apologies reached his ears alongside the loud cackling of flames within the house, the figure holding him starts to tremble around Petro's figure and that was enough to break him. The youbg brunet turned around and leaned on his father's chest, his own body started to tremble as he sobbed.

•

" Are you done being sentimental? "

A voice interrupted Petro in his thoughts, turning around as he saw a judging Wisp of his. He lets out a scoff in reply. " Sometimes you are a pain to keep me company. "

" I am not your friend. "

" You're right, you're a nuisance to my life. "

That made the Wisp growl, but it didn't become hostile. He felt the presence of the Wisp faded back into the shadows, and Petro looked down at the ground again. Oh how to be felt home once again, yet he can almost feel the house was set on fire once more.

The past is in the past, they say. But the feeling of distraught and death stayed.

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I'm going to like this story for a bit because of a headcanon/theory(?) I had about the Wisp and Petro in the new episode. Bare with me because this idea literally came to my head after 3 minutes when the premiere was done and it was literally 1 am

It was explained in this writing that the Wisp are only around to new members of the cult to make sure they won't do anything bad to disrupt the goal of the cult, but also to make sure they are worthy to pledge their own lives in it. And those who makes a mistake, the wisps will stay for the rest of the member's lives to make them suffer and remember they chose this path, a reminder that they shouldnt have done it in the first place and have to accept their presence whether they like it or not.

I would think the Wisps would set punishments like a bad omen, but cannot kill that member of the cult, only to make them suffer and regret and make sure they are reminded of what side they join and must put their lives into it with no other choice.

My perspective towards Petro being a a part of the cult is that he has gotten some knowledge and wisdom being a part of it, making me think he has been there since he was young. In this writing he is 10 years old, so this boy has gotten some trauma carrying with him.

Most of the idea came in when the Wisp said it has to keep an eye on Petro to make sure he was following with the plan, not wanting a mistake to happen or something to disrupt their main goal in the Cozen throne

Again, most of my thoughts of this literally started after the 4th ep and already minutes after it was done premiering, but I wanna hold on to this headcanon/theory a lot more for,,,, silly stuff with Petro :))

Okay I'm done explaining HOPE YOU LIKE THIS :DDDD