"Alouis, get your lazy *ss out of bed". Lin barged in.
"I wasn't sleeping, just thinking ". I answered.
"Okay get up, we're going hunting".
"Hunting?". I asked.
"Yep". She nodded.
"Hunting for animals, right...?".
I needed to ask because throughout the week I had spent with them, they had acted like some uncultured rogue criminals. They lied, stole, beat up people, blamed others, fled from the police, nearly kidnapped a little girl because she was from a wealthy home.
*If I hadn't stopped them, who knows what they would have done to that little child*. They were anything far from decent.
And it wasn't like they weren't well off, they bought a whole floor in an exquisite hotel.
"Nope we're hunting humans". With that, she walked outside.
"You're kidding right?". I followed suit after dressing up.
"Nah, it's our part-time job". She said as we walked into the lounge where Varian was.
"Part time job?, you're part-time job is hunting people?!". I turned to Varian.
"Not really, we're part time mercenaries ". Varian answered.
"Seriously?!...' I sighed.
"Is that how you got the money to pay for this place?". I asked.
"Nope!, we got it from some inheritance we stole". Lin replied calmly.
*'Stolen inheritance', sounds like something they could do,...is something they could do,.. and is something they did!!, do these two know that they're so far from redemption!*.
"It was meant for us, but some girl took it, so we just stole it back". Varian explained.
*That makes more sense, but can what they said even be trusted*.
"I'll explain the full detail another time". Varian added.
"Any money we get from 'our part time job ' we mostly squander it". Lin said and continued
"Going to arcades, casinos, buying luxurious and also unimportant things, sneaking into glamorous parties and others ".
"So what do you actually do at your job".
"Anything!, we do almost anything our clients want, but don't worry we don't go around killing people! ". She smiled.
"Was that supposed to be reassuring?". I sighed.
"Okay, what about your actual jobs....
"Actual jobs?, hahaha!!". Lin laughed.
"Don't make me laugh, have you forgotten that we're just sixteen, who would give actual jobs to sixteen years olds".
*That's true, I almost forgot they were just a year older than me*.
"If we had an actual job, it would be squandering money, y...
"Seriously is this how you guys live?!, you need some one to manage your lives for you!, before you turn out...". I didn't need to complete my statement before they got it.
"It's not our fault you know, it's that girl who came and ruined everything". Everling murmured frowning heavily.
"Fine then, why don't you manage it for us, you could be like our advisor". She smiled lazily.
"Or I got a better idea, why not make our own group, then we can even get other members!!".
"I doubt any normal and sane person would want to join you two". I shook my head.
"But you're here!". She said loudly not even giving me the chance to refuse.
"Fine then, I'll join you guys and help you live a better life..
*At least till I find out what happened to me*.
"Then it's settled, we're officially a group! ". She said joyfully.
"We should also find a group name"
*Why is she so happy*. I stared at Varian who stared back at me and shrugged.
(If you're trying to figure it out, Varian was the one who shrugged).
"Maybe hunters...
"Nah, too bland". He said.
"What about fishers of quest...
"What are we in, some fairytale". I shook my head.
"Then what about exphylia belivex?". She asked.
"Did you just make those words up?". I asked.
*In all of glazir, there was one shared language, except for few native folks, but in all of my classes, I have never heard such a language*.
"Nope, it's an ancient language". She replied.
"Ancient language?".
"Yeah..., oh that's right, you must have never heard of it".
"I'll explain later, but what you need to know now, a secret you need to know..
"Secret?". I interrupted her.
"Yeah, it's that we're mages, we use magic!". She made it sound enticing like she had sprinkled fairy dust everywhere.
"Magic!, you guys use magic!'.
"Yep and keep your voice down, don't let anyone know about it, it's forbidden so we can get killed ". Varian cautioned.
*Do they also know about demons?,..if so staying with them would prove useful*.
"What does 'exphylia belivex' mean?". I asked.
"It means ....".
Everling whispered something in my ear.
"That's what you want to name the group". I stared at her.
"Yes, isn't it nice?".
"No it's.... Never mind, it's okay".
"Good then, welcome to exphylia belivex, Alouis!". With a sweet smile, she brought forth her hand for a handshake.
"So let's get down to business". I also shook hands with Varian before he started explaining the mission
"Our client wants us to find his missing daughter".
*I'll stay here until I go back home, do I even have a home to go back to?*. I wondered as Varian kept speaking.
.
. Two months later
"Okay I'm so fed up with this!". Everling slammed the door as we went in.
"This is the third time we're moving before of you". She turned towards me.
"Who the hell is that person that keeps following you?".
"I think he was sent by my brother or father ". I answered truthfully.
"Brother?, father?". She chuckled head down.
Before I knew what was happening, I was pinned against the wall and a sword at my neck.
"You didn't tell us anything about yourself and suddenly you have a brother or father who won't let us breath".
I stared at the sword and gulped, I could feel the coolness of it against my neck.
"This is a new sword, I don't even know how I laid my hands on it, all I know is that it's deadly sharp, one slash is all I need". She smiled but her eyes were cold.
"We trusted you enough to tell you we're mages, using magic which is forbidden, we could have been killed if you ratted us out but we decided to trust you". Varian added.
"But here we are, forced to suffer because of relatives we never knew you had".
"Guys calm down I'll explain". I raised my hands, but the sword didn't even budge.
"Oh yes you will explain, except you want a missing head". Her voice sounded so chill, it gave me goosebumps.
*I never knew as goofy as she was, she had this side*.
"As if your freaky hair and eye change wasn't enough ".
( I forgot to mention this, but when Xander woke up side to side with that dumpster his hair wasn't white anymore, but gray and his eyes were black).
(But over time, his hair started to change color, sometimes black, gray and even few times navy blue but never white, while his eyes change colors between green, black, purple and few times blue).
I took a deep breath before answering
"I'm actually Xander Cain".
"What?!". Her grip on the sword lightened, but tightened once more.
"You don't expect us to believe that shit, do you?".
"Lin, let him go". Varian said and Everling frowned.
"Why?".
"We should sit on the couch and talk properly".
As we sat down, I explained everything.
"So you were the cause of the explosion, and what you're trying to say is that the liquids you drank mutated you somehow". The two stared at each other.
"Exactly!".
"Then why not meet up with your brother and get some answers t...
"I refuse!, I refuse to associate myself with any of them, my dad, my brother, my mom, I reject all of them!".
"I'll figure something out so I don't disturb you guys ".
"I'm sorry for pointing a sword at you, I should have let you explain yourself first".
"It's fine.... So you guys believe me?". I asked.
"Yeah, I don't know why but I just feel like you're saying the truth ". Lin said.
"What if those mutations gave you superpowers". Her eyes glittered.
"Or worse, what if it made you into a demon, after all you said these liquids that seemed like blood were used in turning your friends into demons, what if it made you one as well?". Varian said.
And he was actually partially right, I hadn't become a demon, but I had one living in me.
I later came to figure this out the moment it spoke to me.