A Trillion Years: Rebirth [Book One of the IGU]

Chapter Two: Cursed Children

Xander was speechless. The thought of meeting another like himself has never crossed his mind once.

Aurora sighed and waved in front of his face. "Hello? Anybody home? This is usually the part where you tell me your name."

He snapped out of it. "Xander. My name is Xander Lucis."

"In that case," she extended her hand to him. "Can you walk? Or even stand?"

"I'll try..." Xander held onto her hand as she pulled him up. With trembling legs, he took a single step forward but his legs gave out.

Aurora kneeled next to him and gently placed his arm around her. Lending her shoulder, she slowly helped him onto his feet. "Better?"

"Sorry," Xander stared at the ground.

"For what?"

"For being me," he answered dejectedly. "Weak. Helpless."

Aurora let out a sigh. "And what's wrong about that?" She asked as she carefully huided him down the stage's wooden steps.

"Everything?" He mumbled.

"Wrong answer," she said as they slowly made their way to a gap between the back of a building and the village wall. "Everyone has to start somewhere." Aurora looked at him. "If you're weak, you'll become strong. If you're helpless, there's nothing wrong with relying on others for help."

"And if there's no one to rely on?"

"Then," continued as they made their way through the alley, "I'll be with you to the very end."

A small smile formed on Xander's face. Even if it was a small amount, the comfort of Aurora's words lightened the weight on his soul ever so slightly.

The growls of both their stomachs broke the growing silence between them. Aurora became flushed with embarrassment as Xander tried to stifle his laughter.

"The building with red bricks is a bakery with lots of yummy food," he pointed out. "We can go there."

"But you're still hurt," she said worriedly.

"I'll be fine," Xander assured. "It's not the first time this happened anyway."

Aurora hesitated to take his word. "If you say so."

The pair came to a stop at an arched wooden door with metal studs all over it. Aurora helped Xander sit on the ground as he leaned back against the brick wall. She lightly kicked the door as it made a thump. She grabbed the door's latch and pulled as much as she could, but it wouldn't budge.

While Aurora struggled to open it, Xander pulled up a pin at the door's base and it suddenly flung open with Aurora falling back.

She pouted. "A warning would've been nice."

"Give me a break," Xander said. "I got hit in the head earlier." He crawled into the building as Aurora followed shortly after.

She closed the door behind her as quietly as she could.

The scent of freshly baked pastries filled the air. The windows were covered by white curtains and the flames of the candles grew dim. With the fires of the stone oven recently put out, Xander sat next to it and took in the last of its radiating warmth.

Aurora grabbed a small, hanging cloth and a loaf of bread from the counter. She tossed the bread to Xander and he immediately took a bite out of it. She spotted a bucket of water and dragged it to him. She dipped the cloth in the water and wrung it out before she wiped the dried blood from Xander's face, but he squirmed as he ate.