Chapter 1: Orphans and Dreams

Thunder fell from the skies, the winds raged, forcing all the denizens of the slums to find an abode. And whatever it would be, it’ll be better than nothing.

Soon, a few pieces of debris fell from the upper district, hitting the slums’ poorly made shanties. It battered the makeshifts, testing whether or not they’d stand tall until the end. There was no mercy in the wind, thus a perfect storm, especially for the hungry and poor of the old city.

Unlike those nobles and rich merchants in the upper district, the people of the slums could only grit their teeth and bore with what nature would bring. A thin flickering silhouette slowly enshrouded the towering mansion in the upper district. The flickering magic barrier deemed exclusive for the individuals who called themselves nobility.

The old people of the slums, unlike the children, ignored it. They had seen it many times in their life. They cared little about the magical barrier. Instead, they shuddered at the strong winds and drizzling rain brought by the storm. For that… could kill them.

The little orphans of the slums bundled together, a hand for each ear. They remembered the old myth and deemed it the cause. It was one of the oral folktales of Antacast, passed from one generation to another. The demigods of lightning and thunder fighting again for the wind goddess’ favor, as the old tales had told.

“Big Sis Lili, when will the gods stop fighting?” Covering his two ears in a dark corner, a young little boy let out his concern. His big emerald eyes stared at the young lady sitting on the dusty hay. The sweeping wind carrying the rain had already damped their bed into a terrible condition “Can you tell them to stop?”

The young lady called Lili stood, braving the crackling scores. The lass brought forth a thick blanket over, lifting it high to avoid the dripping waters above their ragged house. Muddy trails followed her steps as the water from the tempestuous rain raided their abode. She then sat beside the quivering little lad, lifting the blanket over their heads. She pulled the scaredy-cat into the confines of the ragged blanket.

“They won’t stop until the wind goddess’ selects the winner. I also hoped it’ll end soon too. I don’t want to starve this winter.” Lili said, squinted as she stared at the tempestuous wind running amok outside their makeshift house. “B-but we could only wait.”

“I hope the goddess chooses the winner soon.” The young lad calmed down, huddling with the lass whom he called sister. Blood did not bond the two, but by something far stronger - fate. Two war orphans brought by the unseen strings with their future unknown.

The endless war had torn not only the thin fabrics of peace, but also families. And now, the two only had each other.

The unbearable crackles from the skies continued their show of might and fury. The two little kids held their breaths as they awaited the end. The little girl peered at the tempest through the depilated window. “If only the dragons were still here.”

Her words invited the gaze of the young lad.

Bang!

The makeshift abode shook. The two trembled, their faces ashen-white. A flying old wood fizzled through the wind, soon striking a pillar of their home. The wild wind dredging the unstable piece of wood from its spot, as if to punish the ones who spoke of the taboo - dragons.

“Pan, run! It’s going to fall!” The young lady orphan called Lili jumped out of her feet, rushing out of the house, her hands pulling the little lad with her. She turned her gaze, watching their home falling apart. Her muddy black threads swung and flowed in the wind as it got washed by the falling rain. Her gold-tinted eyes swam as she held her chest.

“I’m glad we got out of there.” Lili shifted her head towards her left hand, the little lad not in her hands. Nothing but the old ragged blanket in her grasp. The little boy was nowhere in sight.

The girl named Lili blanched, running back to the felled house. Her face filled with worry and dread. She skittered around the broken shanty, quivering because of the drizzling rain. "Pan? Pan! Where are you!?"

***

Huff. Huff. Huff.

Lili shuddered, heaving as she put a hand on her dark brows. She opened her eyes as the cold sweat trickled from her back. She felt parched and disoriented. She raised herself from the bed, taking the glass of water lying beside her head, gulping it down, bottoms up. “That dream again.”

Three years had already passed since that incident. Yet, it still haunts her until this day. She tried searching for Pan, but she didn’t find him at all. Even when after she had removed all the rotten wood, she could not find any signs of him.

The little boy vanished along with the wind. Not even a piece of his clothes. He had not left even the tiniest trace. Sometimes she even felt that everything was a mere lie. That she had been only hallucinating in hunger when she was young. After all, not even one man in the old slums could remember the name of the little lad. Yes, not one among the thousands of people in the slum except for Lili.

After a few days of search, Lili finally gave up. A hungry stomach was not a good thing during those dark times. Lili was lucky that she had the help of a passing old lady, helping her enter an orphanage owned by a great noble of Antacast.

Three years had already passed in a blink of an eye. She couldn’t thank the old lady and the noble enough for sheltering orphans like her. Such a show of humanity was rare in the kingdom of magus where selfishness reigns, a motif among magus. After all, the kingdom of Antacast was the home of the magus - individuals who commanded mysterious powers.

Lili worked and lived in an orphanage as a caretaker of the new little orphans. The orphanage offered her a job after she had reached fifteen. And once they reached that age, it was time for the orphans to work away and separate from the orphanage. Of course, the kind noble had promised to train them so they could work for him. Though forcing the young kids felt a little cruel in her opinion, she had no say in such things. Even the head of the orphanage could only ruefully agree to the demands of the noble patron. Aside from that, it was also a rule established to avoid leeches to grow in the orphanage.

Lili rubbed her eyes, stretching a little before going straight to the well to wash her face awake. She watched the dawn sashaying its bright raiment, the crown of light peeking from the dark clouds. This usual routine had always helped her unload a lot of her stress and worries. Taking a deep breath, she raised her sleeves, ready to start her morning kitchen duties. A battle against the little hungry stomachs. “Alright, it’s time to prepare for breakfast.”

Today was going to be one of the rare days that the great noble would visit the orphanage. Also, the day when the great noble would finally bring with him the 15-year-old kids. According to the headmistress, the great noble would train them so that he could hire them in his domain as workers. After all, the continuous wars against the other kingdoms had not only weakened the nation of Antacast but also raised a lot of orphans and empty fields. Even for a powerful magus, their source of excellent food was a lifeline they couldn’t lose.

All she could do now was to prepare the best meal for the departing ones. The reason she rose a bit earlier today. Though the true reason was the unsettling nightmare, she just had. Walking straight to the kitchen, she started opening a few windows to wash away the stale air accumulated throughout the night. She threw a few dried firewood and started a fire. Preheating the stone oven was a must if one wishes for a loaf of excellent bread. Lili had to cook her best for the departing batch.

“Lili? Lili? Where are you?” A worried voice echoed from the halls. It was the headmistress. Hearing the calls, a wily grin formed on Lili’s lips. Like a fox, she hid in the shadows, hoping to play a little prank on the old lady she had treated as her own mother for the past years. The same lady who reached out her hands to her in the slums.

Soon enough, a lit shadow crept into the kitchen. The rapid steps of the old lady showed how anxious she was. Heavy yet fast steps akin to brisk walking echoed throughout the halls. The old lady glanced around, looking for her missing junior assistant. “Lili, where are you? Are you in the kitchen? Lili? Answer me.”

Yet, Lili hid in the shadows like a cat. Playfully watching the searching old mistress in the shadows of the morning. The young lady hid in the walls akin to a hunter waiting for her prey. She licked her lips in excitement.

The old mistress was getting nearer. Her steps were loud enough to echo in the empty halls. Soon, the tall shadow stopped in front of the kitchen. Perhaps she felt the heat coming from the kitchen. The burning stone stove had given her a hint.

“Lili?”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The old mistress’ gaze immediately zeroed on the crimson light from the stove. Then a sigh of relief followed. “Lili, come out. I know you’re there.”

Still, no answer came aside from the sounds of firewood being crippled by the fire. A few seconds passed, but the silence remained, making the white-haired old lady frowned.

As soon as the old mistress stepped into the kitchen, a nimble figure immediately jumped over and hugged her from behind, making the old woman freeze in shock. The old lady felt something sharp poking her lower back.

“Don’t move.” A brassy tone, clearly the assailant had changed her usual tone of voice. Sweat tricked on the old mistress's forehead. “I have no money. L-leave me alone. This an orphanage. You won’t get anything here.”

“Pftt.” The hands of the supposed-to-be robbers shook. The titters echoed throughout the kitchen.

The old mistress slowly turned around and saw thin threads of jet-black hair with a tint of gold. Beautiful golden eyes peered over her shoulders. Two warm hands hugging her waist tightly as if she was enjoying everything. “Got you, headmistress!”

And just as anyone would expect, the roguish young lady earned a big bump on her head.