A girl with blonde hair so light you could say it was white emerged from the body of an impure maiden. Her eyes shined a mythic purple. Her birth was blasphemy itself. Yet, despite this disgusting birth her parents looked at her like treasure. Her name was Athena and she laid alongside her twin brother. His birth had a purpose, there was no mistake in that. His name was Orion, as two souls with the same body introduced themselves to the world. Their father stared at them with a sense of indifference, like they were a tedious and recognizable pattern.
Even with that indifference, his eyes gravitated to Athena every second. Her stare made his hand tremble and her smile caused his heart to beat fast. And with that, he grabbed Athena and hugged her tightly. Even though she was a clean slate, he knew, he knew who she would become. And as he laid her down he looked at his son and back at his wife.
"Goodbye, Nero. It was a good time living with you and thank you. Thank you for giving me at least a hint of what it means to have a real family."
Nero stared at her husband for a second before grabbing his hand and pulling him in close. She looked at her short and soft husband. From an outsider's perspective, you would think they were a lesbian couple. His eyes began to shake as he tightened his grip on her hand.
"Nero, don't forget to do Orion's daily training and make sure he eats the right amount. Oh and make sure to text me if you have any issues. Actually…no. Sorry, I'm not thinking straight. Contact the Herzel clan if you ever think they need protection."
As he spoke his tone got quieter and quieter, his posture began to sink as he continued to hold her hand and sniffle.
"Please, Nero. Make sure…make sure the Royale clan doesn't find them. Please, make sure they live a happy and normal life while they still can."
He looked toward his children and let out one single tear for them, it wasn't a tear purely of sadness. His eyebrows dug into his nose and his teeth clenched as he looked at the ground. And he stared for a long 15 seconds, before standing up and finally walking through the door.
"I'm sorry."
The twins stared at their father leave with two different reactions, one was a blessing and one was a curse. But even a blessing could eventually turn into a curse.
Athena didn't cry, she looked around—studying her surroundings. Her eyes glowed with curiosity. This baby who couldn't even think about its own existence knew it was happy to be in this world.
Orion, on the other hand, cried. He cried so much you could say he was ungrateful. It was as if he didn't want the life that was granted to him. He wanted something he couldn't obtain by simply existing—value.
As the two twins lived life with different perspectives, they appeared to understand themselves to others.
Athena walked around the house looking for hidden passageways and corners not yet explored. Her mother would confront her and try to stop her from wandering around, so that she wouldn't get hurt. But her curiosity was something that couldn't be left alone. She raised her hands up as if she was trying to get picked up. No, it wasn't that simple, she desired something she didn't know she wanted. She hungered for something she didn't know existed. Her eyes were saddened and wide as if she had seen a dead body.
Orion on the other hand was a soft child, he just sat in one place. Focusing on himself, playing with only his two hands. He didn't eat unless he was forced to eat. He only slept when he was absolutely tired. And he didn't play unless his mother would make him. He'd just stare at nothing. Because there was no point in doing anything but to survive.
Athena would grab insects and little rodents and dissect them. What for? For pleasure, experimentation, cruelty? Not even she knew. She just wanted to see. Boredom and curiosity, the obvious solution to these problems was to dissect things. She stared at the bodies of the rodents and insects. There was no reaction, just a cold stare. The bodies were empty just like her lifeless eyes.
Her mother found her dissecting a rat and yanked her arm.
"What are you doing, Athena!"
"I'm seeing what's inside them."
"Athena, you can't do that! You're killing them!"
"Why can't I kill them? What importance do they have other than being killed?"
"Killing things is wrong. Feel their pain. Think of them as humans."
"What's the difference? Humans are animals, and every animal dies. So why should I savor something so finite?"
Nero stared for a second, this child was a demon. Nero couldn't stop herself from being terrified. This was her child, and she didn't feel safe around her. She was a disgrace of a mother.
Orion was the only one who understood Athena, as they both shared the same detachment with life. They knew the truth. There was no point in living in such a boring world. There was nothing new to eat, study, or desire.
Orion had daily spars with his mother. So that he could save the world. Protect it from the disastrous prophecy. That was his purpose, the reason he was born. But he didn't like it. He didn't want anything. He didn't want to exist.
Athena sat next to her brother and pondered, even her dreams grew boring.
"Athena, I'm so tired."
Athena looked toward her tired brother.
"I don't want to do this anymore."
He curled up.
"I want it to end. Everything."
A burst of color ran through Athena's mind. She placed her hand on her brother's shoulder. He looked at his twin sister and he saw her brightened eyes. She stood up and grabbed a chair and threw it out of a window.
The light was blinding, her excitement burst out of her mind as she grabbed onto her brother's arm and ran to the most mysterious place, the woods.
It was dark and empty, yet it was full and consuming. Her lungs felt like they were about to burst from all of the pressure. And as Athena fell to her knees a beast emerged from the shadows ready to strike. Orion grabbed onto Athena and covered her with his body. But Athena couldn't recognize the danger they were in. She couldn't help but admire the beast's beauty. As she raised her arms up to snuggle it. A young soul welcoming death with admiration. She looked in love as the beast swung at her preparing to end her life.
"Humans are such interesting creatures."
As they were saved swiftly by a tall man with black hair with a green stripe that met his shoulders. His eyes were cold and uninterested. It was as if he was blind, his eyes didn't react to their surroundings one bit. He wore a green kimono with jewelry all over his body. As the man puts Athena and Orion down the creature gets sliced into pieces in an instant. Athena's excitement grew and she ran towards the beast and rummaged through its remains. But in a moment she was quickly picked up by the collar of her clothes. Orion just stood still.
The man stared at her, his eyes still uninterested.
"Cease your actions."
Athena turned her head in confusion.
"Why would I care?"
Orion walked over to Athena and placed his hands in front of her mouth.
"Yo, I don't think you should infuriate the person who just turned a beast into pieces within a second."
Athena bit Orion's hand and screamed.
"SHUT UP!"
"Okay."
The man looked up into the sky.
"It isn't something that can be taught. To care is to feel. When you get hurt by other people, you care. I can't teach you what I do not feel. Humans are such compassionate creatures, it's weird to see a human ask a spirit how humans should feel."
He looked back at Athena.
"I ask myself this question from time to time. What is right or wrong?"
Athena shrugged her shoulders as she floated in the air.
The man placed her down and walked towards a field of white lilies. He stared at them for a moment and knelt down in order to pick them.
"That is something all of us creatures wonder about. Am I doing the right thing? Do I need a reason to do such an evil thing? Do you believe you need a reason to do evil?"
"No, I don't need a reason if it's for my benefit."
Orion tapped on Athena and whispered in her ear.
"You just contradicted yourself."
She elbowed him in the face and walked away from him.
The man kept picking the white lilies.
"Doing it for your own benefit is a reason."
Athena grew annoyed by the second. She couldn't explain her logic. She wanted to be right. She wanted to prove she knew what she was talking about.
The man suggested that she bring a white lily with her. He stood up and walked towards her. He placed it in her hand and without hesitation Athena crushed it. The man stared at Athena's hand, disillusioned by the little girl's actions.
"Why would you kill something so defenseless?"
"Do I need a reason?"
The man grabbed Athena's wrist and looked directly at her. His eyes no longer distant, they stared directly into Athena's being. The forest grew silent, the animals knew not to interrupt the lesson of a divine being.
"Do I need a reason to kill you?"
Athena looked towards her brother in fear and tried to pull away. But every time she tried his grip would tighten, and his face grew colder. His soul was empty, without a doubt he would kill her.
Orion charged at him and punched him in the gut.
"GET OFF OF HER!"
Orion continued to punch as Athena pleaded for her life. Orion began to cry, as his fist began to hurt more and more as he punched the man.
"Please don't kill my sister."
"Why?"
"Because…I don't want her to die!"
"I don't need a reason to kill her right?"
Athena struggled and finally let out a tear. As the tear fell down her cheek, she covered her face with her hands.
"Please, I don't want to die!"
The man stared for a moment before letting go. Athena coughed on the ground, trying to catch her breath. He pointed down at the girl.
"Remember, that's how everyone feels. So you shouldn't kill things unless you have a valid reason."
Athena looked up at the man, her face full of tears.
"What's a valid reason?"
"You decide."
Orion helped his sister up and pulled her towards the man as he followed him. Athena looked up at the man and asked.
"What's your name?"
"Einrich."