The Last Light Series Omnibus One: - The Dreamer and the Deceiver - All Things Eternal - Ode to the King: A Superhero Epic Fantasy Collection (The Last Light Collection Book 1)

by Alex Villavasso

  “I appreciate your kindness and your consideration for taking me in, but I don’t see being a thief as my life plan. This world is hard enough as it is without me or anyone else interfering. What good would it do for the community if you take from those with less than you?”

  “We don’t take from anyone who has less than us. And even with the richer ones, they barely notice. Sure it stings a bit at first, but not much harm comes from it, really. We let them operate business as usual and swing by once it’s time to collect. Money in exchange for protection.”

  “Protection...” Arius paused. “From who?”

  “Anyone who seeks to do them harm, of course,” Hugo chuckled.

  “So, it’s you then.” Arius’s face sunk as his eyes met with the brute that hovered by his bed side. “Call it what it is if you do it. Extortion. You threaten to do harm to those who fail to meet your demands, monetarily or else wise, correct? If there is truly no evil in what you do, then why hide your actions?”

  “You’re a smart kid. I know you want to sound cool and all but don’t get carried away. You’re still some punk we picked up on the street. I do whatever I have to to keep us going and to keep us safe. It’s loads better than the bullshit the vanguard puts some of the other merchants through. Hell, I even stood up for ‘em a couple times. Unlike them, I’m fair.”

  Fair?

  “We do what we gotta do to survive and that’s that.” Hugo’s frown twisted into a smirk. “Just from looking at you I can tell that you know exactly what I mean,” Hugo said as he extended his hand. “The name’s Hugo.” Arius eyed the burly hand that floated in the darkness before grasping the palm of the man who took him in. Hugo’s hand squeezed over Arius’s and he noticed that his strength was uncanny from anyone else he had come to know in his walk of life. “You spat off at the mouth earlier. I’ll let you have that one for free, given what you’ve been through. Like I said before, stay for as long or as little as you like. The choice is yours. At the very least, see to it that you are at least fit to travel before you go running off. You may not get so lucky next time, depending where you end up in your travels.”

  “Thanks...I’m Arius.”

  “You should eat; build up your strength and all that.”

  “It’s not poisoned, is it?” Arius leered at the bowl.

  “Of course, it is. If you can survive the effects of the poison without aid for twenty-four hours, you’ll be granted enough power to crush your adversaries with only the wave of your hand.”

  “Hmm...” Arius’s gaze grew deeper as he examined the contents of the bowl. “Huh? Hey!”

  “Lighten up, kid,” Hugo laughed as he picked up the tray and placed it on top of Arius’s sheets. “Eat your fill. You look like shit. Hey, Roen. See to it that Arius is nice and comfortable. I got to go run some errands for a bit and check up on things.” Hugo waved his hand as he walked towards the door, ignoring whatever response Roen had to offer. “I’ll catch you guys later.”

  “R-right...will do,” Roen said, his words clashing against the closing door. The contents of the soup rippled in the worn bowl as Arius studied his reflection.

  Poison. His sullen face inched into a smile and then into a chuckle that was only audible to himself, before turning away from his meal. “Roen,” Arius paused. “I never got the chance to thank you for showing me such hospitality, so thank you.”

  “There’s no need for that,” Roen interjected as he began to straighten up the room. “I shouldn’t have done what I did in the first place. I’m surprised you even speak to me, even though I threatened your life.”

  “Humph, I threatened yours as well, along with everyone else’s.”

  “Yes, that’s true, but only because of my actions. Besides, now that I’ve had the chance to speak to you, you don’t seem like the killing type.” Roen smiled.

  “Is that so?”

  “Yeah, I mean, you seem down on your luck, sure, but I don’t think you’d ever hurt somebody unless you had to. Like for self-defense.” As Roen continued to clean, Arius reached for the wooden spoon on the outskirts of his tray and plunged its head into the depths of the bowl, gathering the murky contents that awaited his consumption.

  “Well, you don’t strike me as the killing type either,” Arius said before placing his spoon in his mouth.

  “It’s because I’m not. I was hoping you’d run away when I confronted you. You looked weak enough...no offense.”

  “And in that moment, I’m sure you realized that looks can be deceiving,” Arius said before taking another sip of the bitter concoction. “I was more than willing to do what I had to do to survive, Roen. In a different walk of life, it is safe to say that one of us wouldn’t have been standing after the conflict was resolved. If you aim only to impress fools, by trade, you become a fool as well.”

  “Yeah...I guess so, but it’s better to be a fool than to go through what they put me through.”

  “They?”

  “The other guys. They make it hard for me sometimes, you know? Little things here and there, but it adds up. They’re stronger than me, so I can’t do much.”

  “Hmm. Have you talked to Hugo about it?”

  “Yeah, he told me to toughen up. Which is true...I could stand to be a little tougher. It would make life easier.”

  “I suppose so. Toughness is something often required to face the adversities of life. Tell me, Roen, if you don’t like the way they treat you, why don’t you just leave?”

  “And go where?” Roen adjourned from fixing the frayed shelves of books and turned to Arius. “I was found by Hugo when I was just a boy over a decade ago. He took me in and cared for me along with the others. This place is really all I know.”

  “I see.”

  “Hugo said you were an orphan too...is that true?” Arius’s eyes parted away from Roen’s as he stared intensely into the fabric that rested on his body.

  “Orphan in the sense that I have no family, but my condition only came about recently. My younger brother and I watched them get murdered. They never left us. Until the very end they were by our side. My brother and I escaped but things haven’t been the same since.”

  “Wow, that’s a lot. I’m sorry you had to go through that. You said you have no family, so is your brother...”

  “Dead? No, well, I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him since the day before I came here.”

  “So, three days.”

  “I’ve been asleep for that long?”

  “Yes, you have. You seem to be doing better now though. With a little more rest, you can go looking for him. Maybe he’s out in the city somewhere looking for you.”

  “I doubt that.” Arius frowned. “It’d be better if we kept our distance. I came here to get away from him.”

  “Oh, so you had a fight?” Roen asked.

  “Yeah, something like that.” Arius grimaced after he caught his reflection staring back at him from the contents of his bowl.

  “Well, as long as he’s alive you still have a chance to make things right. People fight all the time but that isn’t a reason to push them away. Especially if he’s all you have left with your father and mother passing away an’ all. I’m sure they’d want you to look after one another. I think it’s cool that you have a real family. All I got are these jerks,” Roen said before sighing to himself. “You actually have something outside of all this. I can’t even remember my mother’s face... Or my father’s, for that matter.” Arius seemed distracted as his focus remained elsewhere in the room. “I’m sorry. I’m sure the last thing you want to hear is some stranger giving you advice on how to live your life.” He laughed nervously. “I’ll leave you so you can rest now. Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll do my best to make it happen,” Roen said before bowing and making his way to the exit. “I apologize if I said anything that may have offended you. That wasn’t my intention at all and I hope it doesn’t hinder our friendship... Okay, I’m leaving now. I’ll drop by tomorrow to check up on you.” The door
shut and Arius remained still.

  A subtle smile began to emerge on his face.

  That kid is entirely too soft. Arius chuckled to himself as he moved his tray off his bed and laid flat onto his mattress. But maybe he has a point. He reminds me of Emil. His smile brightened as he reflected on the good times he’d shared with his younger brother, but then began to wane as his recollection moved more towards current events. Sluggishly, Arius turned to his side and faced the small flame that danced and brought light to the front of his face. Perhaps I should stay until I figure out my next move...at the very least until I gather the majority of my strength back. It would be unwise to pass up such a place in my condition. At least here, I’ll be safe.

  Arius blew out the flame that hid beneath the glass container and pressed his body flat against the mattress. Though he tried his best to sleep, his mind couldn’t help but wonder about the whereabouts of his brother and how he had fared in the world thus far without him by his side.

  Not long after morning came, Arius awoke to the sound of silence. It had been days since sleep came so easily to him and even longer since his rest had been that deep. Arius looked to his left and saw that the tray of food from last night had been replaced with another meal, but it seemed to have been sitting out for some time. Roen. Arius smirked as he rose from his bed and placed his soles onto the wooden floor. “Three days,” Arius murmured under his breath as he stood to his feet and began to slowly twist from side to side. “Hmm...”

  Immediately, Arius lowered his body to the floor and began to do a set of push-ups, which he forced out with little effort. “Body seems to be doing better,” he said as he examined both his palms and clenched them as tight as he could. “But that was never really the problem, was it?” Arius picked up the loaf of bread and bit into it as he glared at it with heavy eyes. As long as I refrain from using my abilities, my pain should be tolerable, Arius thought as he placed the bread down and outfitted himself with the same clothes he wore before the attack. But for how long? I’ve gotten so strong since father and mother died. Maybe I’ve used my ability too much. What if it never returns? Arius scowled as his eyes met the floor.

  “Hello?” There was a knock on his door but Arius didn’t respond. “Hellooo?” It was two taps this time and then the door slowly creaked open with a set of footsteps following behind it.

  “Roen?”

  “Yes, it’s me. I thought I heard you so I decided to drop by. How are you feeling?”

  “Better than before, but that’s not saying much. What have you been up to?”

  “Just getting some things done around the storage house, minor things. I see you found your breakfast. I apologize if it wasn’t enough.”

  “Its fine, Roen. My appetite hasn’t returned quite yet. What you gave me was more than enough.”

  “Well, that’s good. I was worried that I’d messed up,” Roen said as he scratched the back of his head. “Hey...I got to speak with Hugo in a bit. Want to come along? It’ll give you the chance to get situated with the place and everything. I’m sure he’ll answer any questions you have.”

  “Yes...I do,” Arius said as he fastened his cloak.

  “Not to be rude or anything, but do you have to wear that?” Roen eyed the rugged cloak that draped over Arius’s slender body.

  “Does it bother you?” Arius asked nonchalantly while he adjusted his wardrobe.

  “No, it’s not that, it’s just that the others may notice you.” Roen tried his best to hide his face of disgust but failed miserably.

  “So?” Arius scoffed. “Their actions mean nothing to me. Let them stare if they wish.”

  “It’s no problem...I just wanted to warn you of what you may be getting into.”

  “Its fine, Roen. Like I told you before, it was my late father’s. It would be disrespectful if I were to leave it. I can feel his presence in the very fabric of this cloth. My Mother’s as well. If they have a problem with it, they can try to take it from me if they’d like. If not, they’ll just have to deal with my choice of attire.”

  IS THAT WHY HE FOUGHT so hard that night even though he could have died? Was it all because of some mangy cloak? Roen pondered as he continued to guide Arius through the panoptic facility. I remember the look in his eyes. He was so strong and fierce, even as injured as he was, he never looked like he was about to give up. Roen glanced back at Arius, who trailed no more than a pace behind him, his straight black hair waving with every step as his hands remained concealed underneath his garments. His eyes studied the infrastructure of the multilevel complex while he watched the boys diligently handle their assigned task from the railing that lined each of the three floors above him. From Arius’s expression Roen could tell that he was impressed even though he tried to keep his face as neutral as possible. The style of architecture used for this building was still quite uncommon in Coren. Hugo was one of the few who saw the unique potential in its design. “Ow!” Roen abruptly stopped as his head collided into the back of another boy.

  “Oh, if it isn’t Roen?” the boy said as he turned around, already wearing a mischievous smile from ear to ear. “I see you’re having fun babysitting the straggler. How much of a screw up do you have to be to go from trying to rob somebody to caring for them?” Roen winced as the taller boy started to laugh, drawing onlookers from the ground floor and upper levels throughout the open architecture. “Ha, I don’t blame him for acting tough. How could anyone be scared of you? You’ve been serving us lunch practically since you got here!” The crowd of adolescents that surrounded them began to snicker, only adding to Roen’s pain. “The only reason you were out that night was because you snuck out! He can’t even go outside at night without a leash!” The boy pointed as the laughs from the on-looking crowd intensified.

  “Stop it, Barric,” Roen grumbled as he clenched his shaking hands at his sides into fists.

  “Are you about to cry like last time?” Barric said as he leaned in closer “Well, are ya?” Roen’s brows sunk deeper as the gums of his teeth began to show.

  “I said stop it!” Roen yelled. His vision grew cloudy from his welling tears. “Stop it!”

  “You should be grateful that we showed up when we did,” Barric said as he stepped closer to Roen. “You should show some respect.” Barric raised his fist in the air as he cocked back his arm. “Especially since you got off easy compared to the rest of us.” Just as Barric swung, Roen threw his hands in front of him and shrunk as small as he could. Before he closed his eyes he saw the fist hurtle towards him, but the impact never came.

  Surprised, Roen slowly opened one eye and saw the outskirts of Arius’s cloak swaying in front of him. A-Arius? He opened his other eye as he lowered his hands from his face, confirming what he previously thought too good to be true. How?

  “Is something wrong?” Arius calmly asked as he held Barric’s fist in his palm, his eyes like fire as he gazed into Barric’s.

  “Y-you!” Barric grunted as he pushed more weight into his fist.

  “Show some respect,” Arius said flatly as he began to clench his fingers. A wave of pain shot through Barric’s wrist as Arius’s grip continued to clamp down. Barric gritted his teeth and began to sink lower to the earth, internalizing the pain he felt from Arius’s hold. Perhaps now... Arius thought. “Apologize.” Arius’s eyes flickered at his command but Barric seemed to be unaffected by Arius’s will. Almost immediately a jolt of pain struck Arius in his chest, and his hold faded. Damn it. Arius grunted. Still nothing. In his moment of weakness, Barric jerked his hand away and rubbed his wrist.

  “Are you okay?” From the crowd, two others sprinted to Barric’s aid, ready to fight. Arius’s eyes never left Barric, even as the two boys began to show their fangs.

  “Let’s go,” Barric said as he continued to soothe his hand. Arius stood tall as Barric and the others separated from the small crowd and began their trek to elsewhere in the facility.

  “You’re safe now, Roen,” Arius whispered as he faced the onlooker
s spread throughout the storage house. The room grew silent as all eyes fell on them, but Arius seemed to be unmoved.

  “T-thank you,” Roen said as he fixed his posture. “I didn’t know Hugo punished him so harshly.”

  “I see,” Arius said while he looked over his shoulder. “But it doesn’t matter. It seems like they’ve punished you far worse. For being akin to a band of brothers, he shouldn’t treat you so poorly.” Roen’s face sank as his eyes drifted towards the ground. “Don’t worry about it. I doubt Barric will come for you again. Not as long as I am around. And even after I leave, I’m sure they’ll see you in a different light. Hugo is waiting for us.”

  “Right, he’s further along this way, but not too far along,” Roen said as he took the lead once more.

  My powers haven’t returned yet, Arius thought to himself as the muscles in his body began to tense as he walked. The pain is at least bearable now. I’ll have to try again, eventually.

  “Here we are.”

  Better sooner than later.

  The door to Hugo’s room creaked open as Roen pushed behind it. “Hugo?” The room was darker than the rest of the facility, various scraps of assorted materials littered the floor and the room smelled faintly of sulfur and smoke. Roen stepped further into the room and there he was. Hugo was bent over a table, his arms pressing down on each side, as he stared hard at the elongated paper that lay underneath him.

  “Yo,” Hugo said before he lifted his head from his work. “Oh...he’s actually here. Can’t say I was expecting that.”

  “You wanted to see me, Sir?”

  “Yeah, I did,” Hugo said as he walked away from the table and put his hand on Roen’s shoulder. “But it was because of this guy. How ya feeling?” Hugo asked as he looked Arius’s way. “I didn’t expect you to be out and about so soon.”

  “I heal quickly, but Roen is to thank for my speedy recovery.”