"So, where exactly are we going?" Amon finally asked, in a calm but curious tone.
He and Rex had been walking for about ten minutes now, and the silence was starting to weigh on him.
"To my boss," Rex answered casually.
Amon raised an eyebrow, "Your boss? Aren't you part of some secret organization or something?"
Rex let out a small chuckle and waved the idea off. "Nah. We're not that dramatic. It's just me and a bunch of scientists, really. A large group."
Amon nodded slowly, taking it all in with his usual blank expression. He still wore the same dirty, tattered clothes from before. His hair was unkempt, dry, and tangled—his appearance reflecting years of neglect.
Since the topic had already shifted toward Rex's group, Amon decided to press further. "Mind if I ask another question?"
Rex glanced at him with a raised brow. "What's with all the questions?"
"Curiosity."
"Hah… fair enough. Go on then."
Rex didn't mind the questions. He figured the kid would find out most of it sooner or later anyway.
Amon gave a small nod. "Why'd you take me instead of my father? If you were looking for someone 'valuable,' wouldn't a grown man be the better choice?"
It was a reasonable question. In Amon's mind, a dirty, half-starved child didn't hold much worth compared to an adult.
"Not everyone's born the same," Rex began, "Some people are born strong, others smarter. Some are more athletic, others more emotionally driven."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "My point is, people are born different. And some of those people… are born with the potential to wield magic."
Amon's eyes flicked toward Rex, listening closely.
"Mages like me can use something called Ethernano, magic energy in the air. Only a portion of the population can actually absorb and use it. Less than 50%, give or take. And even fewer have real talent with it."
He tapped his own chest. "I'm one of them. And as it turns out… so are you."
Amon nodded again, absorbing the explanation like a sponge. He didn't show much emotion, but his mind was quietly buzzing.
'He said I have a significant amount of magic power… but what does that even mean? How much is 'significant'? Is that a good thing? Or dangerous?'
He was still a child, smarter than most, yes, but still filled with questions he hadn't yet found the words for.
Before he could speak again, Rex stopped walking and looked ahead.
"We're here."
They were standing in front of what looked like an old, abandoned science building. The windows were dark and dusty, the walls cracked and weather-worn.
They had arrived at their destination.
They continued walking, now inside the building.
The halls were dim and cold, lined with flickering overhead lights and peeling walls. Rex walked a few steps ahead, then glanced toward a hallway and changed direction.
Amon followed just behind him, quiet and watchful.
"As I mentioned earlier," Rex began, breaking the silence, "I work with a group of scientists. Mostly, we look for kids like you, children who have magic power."
They stopped at an old elevator. Rex pressed the button, and after a short buzz, the metal doors creaked open. They stepped inside.
Once the doors closed behind them, Rex hit another button, and the elevator began descending with a soft hum.
He continued talking, "When we find those kids, we take them in. We feed them, give them warm beds, hot baths, clean clothes… just for one day."
He glanced at Amon. "We give them a full day of what being a kid should feel like."
Amon stayed quiet for a moment before asking, "Why do you do this job?"
Rex paused, as if the question caught him slightly off guard. Then he shrugged.
"I don't do it because I love it. And I don't do it because I hate it either." His tone was blunt but honest. "I do it because I have to."
He looked down, meeting Amon's violet eyes.
"I'm not some noble man chasing a greater cause. I'm just a simple guy trying to eat, sleep, and live a life that doesn't suck."
Amon gave a small nod,"I see. You really are a simple man."
Rex smiled faintly,"Yes, I am."
The elevator was quiet for a while after that, the hum of the descent the only sound between them.
Then Amon spoke again, his voice softer this time. "Rex… Thank you. For killing my father, I mean."
He gave a small bow of his head, low, but not dramatic. Just enough to show respect.
"I know I don't show it much," Amon said, "but I mean it. For as long as I can remember, he hit me. Called me useless. Starved me."
His gaze dropped to the elevator floor.
"There were times I wanted to cry. At times I felt like I'd die from hunger. I ate trash just to stay alive."
He looked up at Rex again, Given their height difference, he had to tilt his head back to meet Rex's eyes.
"So… Thank you. For freeing me from that."
There was a short silence before Amon straightened his posture.
"As a show of gratitude, I'll tell you my name. I'm Amon."
Rex raised an eyebrow. "Just Amon? No last name?"
Amon shook his head. "I didn't care enough to remember my father's. And he didn't care enough to give me one."
"I see…" Rex murmured. Then he placed a hand gently on Amon's head.
"Nice to meet you, Amon."
Amon gave a small nod. "Mm."
With a soft chime, the elevator doors slid open.
Amon and Rex stepped out slowly, the light from the lab ahead casting a sterile glow over their faces.
They were met by a wide, spacious room, its floor a polished gray, humming with activity. Scientists in clean coats moved from station to station, absorbed in their work.
The air was filled with the soft sounds of machines beeping, keyboards clacking, and low murmurs of discussion.
"This is the lab," Rex said, "It's where they research human DNA and magic. Sometimes both at once."
He nodded toward a hallway to the left. "Stay here. I'll be back."
Amon gave a silent nod, eyes scanning the room with curiosity.
Rex turned and walked off. His face, calm as ever, didn't reflect the odd thoughts bouncing in his mind.
Their relationship… What even was it?
They weren't friends. That much he was sure of. But they weren't enemies either.
There was no bad blood between them, yet calling it anything close felt wrong.
Too distant for friendship, too familiar for strangers.
It was somewhere in between. Something neutral, yet not quite.
He exhaled sharply through his nose. What a weird connection.
Shaking off the thought, Rex came to a stop in front of a door. He raised a hand and gave it two light knocks.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in…"
Hearing the voice, Rex pushed open the door and stepped inside, bowing his head slightly.
"Boss. It's me, Rex. I've found another child."
Looking up, he spotted a silhouette, tall and motionless, standing in front of a large window.
The room was dim, lit mostly by moonlight pouring in from the glass. It bathed the man's figure in silver.
Rex's boss didn't turn to face him. Instead, he kept his eyes on the moon.
"Ah… night. Such a beautiful thing," the man said softly. "So many things come out when the sun goes down… dangerous things."
Then, slowly, he turned.
"What do you think thrives in the night?" he asked, beginning to walk toward Rex.
As he stepped into the moonlight, his appearance became clear.
He was tall and lean, with a pale complexion and medium-length brown hair that hung in soft, layered waves. His calm, nearly vacant brown eyes gave off an unsettling tranquility.
He wore a high-collared gray coat, buttoned halfway, with glowing blue lines tracing the arms and hem. Draped over his shoulders was a detachable white lab-coat overlay, clipped in place like a half-cape.
Underneath, a black compression shirt hugged his frame, accented with faint silver lining. His pants were sleek and flexible, like tactical wear redesigned for mobility. On his feet, black, reinforced boots with silver-plated toes and heels.
"…Sir?" Rex asked, brows slightly furrowed. "You alright?"
The man blinked, as if waking from a dream.
"Oh. My apologies," he said casually. "Now, what were you saying?"
Rex sighed lightly and straightened his posture. He's so weird sometimes…
"As I was saying," he repeated, "I brought in another child."
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the device from earlier. "According to this, the kid's magic output is high, for someone his age, anyway."
He tossed the device toward his boss, who caught it without effort.
"Hm… well, I did design it," the man said, turning it over in his hand. "I trust its accuracy."
Then he looked up with a small smile. "Now you've got me curious. And please, Rex, just call me James. That is my name."
Rex gave a small nod. "Alright then… James."
Without another word, he turned and headed for the door.
James followed close behind, his steps light and playful, clearly intrigued by Rex's find.
As they made their way back to Amon, Rex found himself lost in thought again.
'Even though I said the kid had a lot of magic… that's not the full truth.'
He remembered their first encounter, 'That kid... he's got more magic than anyone I've ever seen. More than me. By a long shot.'
A small, almost involuntary smile tugged at Rex's lips.
'Who would've thought I'd find someone like that in a place so empty... so broken.'
…
Back in the laboratory, a small child wandered quietly between the workstations. Surprisingly, none of the scientists paid him any mind.
'Are they really that deep into their work?' Amon wondered. Although Rex had told him to stay put, he didn't see any harm in looking around.
His violet eyes shimmered with curiosity as he drifted in a seemingly random direction, letting his feet guide him.
Eventually, he came to a slow stop, his gaze drawn upward.
"…What is that?" Amon whispered in awe.
Mounted high on one of the walls, connected by an intricate web of glowing wires, was a small glass container. Inside it floated a radiant crimson shard, pulsing gently with magical energy.
It was a deep, striking ruby red color.
'It almost looks like blood… but it's so beautiful.'
Without thinking, Amon reached out his small hand toward it, fingers trembling as if drawn by some invisible force.
'The most beautiful shade of red I've ever seen…'
Suddenly, a warm hand landed on his shoulder.
"Whoa there~ Can't have you touching the Lacrima just yet," a lighthearted voice said from behind.
Startled, Amon turned around. Standing over him was a tall man with calm, vacant brown eyes and a small smile.
"My name's James. I'm Rex's boss," he said casually.
"Lacrima?" Amon repeated the unfamiliar word, tilting his head like a child learning something new.
James nodded and followed his gaze to the crimson shard.
"That's right. Lacrima is a crystallized form of magical energy. Pretty, isn't it?"
Amon's eyes sparkled with interest.
"So magical energy… can take physical form?" he asked.
"Exactly," James replied, clearly amused. "You catch on quick."
There was a short pause.
James then gestured toward the Lacrima. "Tell me, Amon. What do you really think of it? Be honest."
Amon looked up at it again, thoughtful.
"…It's the most beautiful shade of red I've ever seen," he said softly. "Not too bright… not too dark."
He lowered his hand and added, "It reminded me of blood."
James blinked at that. For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Then, slowly, he displayed an unreadable smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
Turning toward Rex, who had been quietly standing nearby, James gave a small nod.
"Show him around. Let him meet the other children."
"As you wish," Rex replied with a professional tone.
Without another word, he and Amon began walking off down one of the sterile corridors.
James remained behind, gazing up at the crimson Lacrima. The boy's words echoed in his mind, "It reminded me of blood."
His smile grew just a little wider.
"…I wonder," James whispered, "Could he be the one?"
His eyes narrowed, filled with quiet curiosity and something else.
something darker…
"A child of the night."