"Damian," Eldrich called out. "There's something we need to discuss."
Damian quickly turned, his gaze falling on Eldrich, who stood beside his fellow exorcist. Between them, Cassie Thorne sat still, her head lowered.
'She's truly devastated,' Damian thought.
'Hey, Omni,' he continued. 'Is Cassie... is she a dormant?'
[I'm sorry to say, Damian, but yes, she is indeed a dormant, and that means she could combust into a demon.]
[Damian, expect everyone you see to be a dormant, because as I stated earlier, only one out of ten thousand people are cultivators in this kingdom.]
'I understand,' Damian responded to Omni as he walked toward Eldrich, who had just called him.
"Is everything alright?" Damian asked Eldrich with a stern look.
"To be honest, boy, you're taking your father's loss pretty well," Eldrich said. "I was expecting you to break down like your sister, but it seems you're quite strong."
Damian's expression slightly changed. He quickly realized he hadn't been reacting as someone who had just lost a father should.
"It's just," Damian started. "It's just that I'm not that fond of showing much emotion in public."
"Don't worry," Eldrich said as he placed a hand on Damian's shoulder. "You became the man of the family once your father became paralyzed. It's your duty to still be the man after he's gone, but remember this, it's never wrong to cry, even for a second. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Now to what's important," Eldrich said, as he turned to face Cassie.
"I've discussed it with my companions, and we've tried to get your sister's approval, but she seems to still be in shock and unable to say anything," Eldrich continued. "We plan on taking both of you to an orphanage. It's the best option."
"An orphanage?" Damian reacted, but he soon realized it was indeed the best option for both of them. They had just lost their father and their house, their only source of shelter and protection from the beasts that roamed the forest, had just been burned to the ground. Anything of value was gone, meaning they were now utterly poor.
"Yes, an orphanage," Eldrich responded. "I can't just let you both stay in this forest village. It's too dangerous for you."
"Don't worry," Eldrich added. "The orphanage isn't bad, and it's in the capital, Thunder City. It will be refreshing for you and your sister to finally leave this forest village."
Damian simply nodded his head in agreement. There was no sound argument against the idea. Someone might have said something about the village being their home and not wanting to leave, but that sounded like utter bullshit to Damian at the moment. He wasn't poor in his previous life, and he wasn't about to be one in this world.
"A carriage will come and take you both to Thunder City. When it stops at the orphanage, just give them this letter," Eldrich said, quickly placing an envelope in Damian's hand. "They'll know what to do after that. And remember what I said, you can always be a man, but never let that stop you from being human."
After hours of waiting the carriage came to a halt in front of the charred remains of the house. Damian stepped inside, finding his sister, Cassie, already there. She had to be escorted by Eldrich's companions, still in a state of shock from their father's death. Damian sat quietly beside her.
The carriage lurched forward, beginning its journey along the muddy road. The sky, which had been a dull gray, now opened up, and heavy rain began to fall, turning the dirt path into a slick, brown river. The rhythmic clatter of the horses' hooves and the steady hits of the rain on the carriage roof were the only sounds, a somber soundtrack to their departure.
Damian stared out the window, watching the landscape of his village disappear into a blur of green and brown. The towering trees and dense foliage of the forest seemed to disappear with the move of the carriage. He glanced at Cassie, who was huddled in the corner, her body trembling slightly.
[Damian.]
'Omni,' Damian responded.
[It's good that you accepted the cultivator's offer to go to the orphanage.]
'Was there any other option, I'm not staying in no village poor.'
[There's that reason and there's the opportunity for me to drill you through the basics of how to channel your mana.]
'Oh that, my infinite mana.'
As the hours passed, the rain showed no sign of stopping, the carriage rocked and swayed. Damian's thoughts drifted, replaying the events of the last day. The demon, the exorcist, the destruction—it all felt like a twisted dream he couldn't wake up from. He looked at the letter Eldrich had given him. He wondered what awaited them at the orphanage, what new life was supposed to begin in a city he knew nothing about.
Finally, the carriage slowed to a crawl. The drumming of the rain lessened, replaced by the sounds of a bustling city. Through the watery glass of the window, a new world began to take shape.
The greenery of the forest village was gone, replaced by the imposing stone walls of Thunder City. Tapering spires, ornate archways, and cobblestone streets stretched out before them. The city was a filled with life, with merchants haggling, guards patrolling, and citizens going about their day.
Damian and Cassie stepped down from the carriage, a towering orphanage before them. The rain still drizzled, and Cassie stood close to Damian, still looking depressed and in shock. Damian slowly walked to the door and gave a light knock.
A tall woman, probably in her mid-thirties, opened the door. "What do we have here?" she said.
Damian responded by handing her the letter Eldrich had given him. She seemed surprised by the letter, but she quickly took it and read its contents, she quickly nodded in familiarity, and closed it.
"Hello there, children. Come in, it's terribly cold outside. This is the Queen Ravencroft's Home for Destitute Children. I am the Matron, and you will address me as Matron or ma'am."
Damain quickly stepped into the orphanage, but it took a while before Cassie followed suit. The matron, who was leading them. Then, suddenly turned and asked,
"How has everything been?"
"Everything is fine," Damian said. "We just lost our home and our... Father."
The Matron's expression saddens a bit as she listened to their story. She noticed that his sister still hasn't said a single word.
"Oh my..." She reacted. "I am terribly sorry for your loss, my child. That is terrible news indeed."
"May I know what your names are?"
"I'm Damain and she's Cassie," he answered.
The Matron nodded in acknowledgement while listening to Damian.
"Damian and Cassie... I see," she began.
She looked at Cassie once again, noticing her quiet demeanor.
"Is she alright, Damian? She seems a little... off."
"She's fine," Damian answered."She just needs time to adjust."
The Matron gave a small nod in response to Damian's answer. She still seemed a bit concerned about Cassie's silence, but decided to drop the matter.
"Of course, she's probably still just a bit shocked. It's completely understandable," she said. "Follow me, children. Let me show you the orphanage."
The Matron led both Damian and Cassie through the orphanage corridors, pointing out different areas of the building.
"This is the refectory, where you will be provided with three meals a day. Over there is the recreation room where you can have fun and play. And up ahead is the education room, where you will attend your daily classes."
She then stops in front of a door with a sign that reads 'Dormitories'.
"... And this leads to the dormitories."
Damian turned and gave the matron a slight bow. "Thanks for letting us in."
The Matron gave him a soft smile of understanding.
"Of course, children. Queen Ravencroft's Home always welcomes those in need of a place to stay."
"You two must be very exhausted... Come, I'll show you where you'll sleep."
The Matron opened the door and motioned for them to follow her into the dormitories.