They made their way to the clearing Aster had originally been heading to for his usual sword training. His teacher wasn’t there today but he was still planning to go through his routine. Saelak sat on a nearby boulder to quietly watch and calm down from everything that had happened. As Aster was going through his motions, Rilien entered the clearing and walked towards Aster, his gold eyes narrowed at the sight of the newcomer but he quickly plastered a smile on his face as he called out to his nephew, “Yo! Aster!”

Aster smiled but didn’t turn towards the voice, continuing his practice and beginning to sweat under his hoodie, “Good evening, Rilien!”

Rilien continued wearing a forced smile as he pointed a thumb back towards Saelak who was watching the new stranger with caution. “Who’s the kid?” he asked with slightly restrained irritation.

Aster’s grin widened even more as his voice replied exuberantly, “He’s my sidekick! I saved him in the woods!”

“I never thought of you as one to pick up strays…” Rilien said as he covered his face with his hand in disbelief.

“Hey! I’m not a stray!” Saelak piped up to retort.

Aster’s movement picked up a bit of speed as he twirled and seemed to almost dance towards Rilien before dropping the sword to jump and wrap an arm around Rilien’s neck to playfully pull him down so Aster could whisper in his ear, “The kid ran away from home, I’ll find out where he belongs and return him once he’s cooled off and starts missing it.” He let go of his former family member and walked over, picking his sword back up.

Rilien frowned as he spoke quietly, “Careful, Aster… you might not realize it but people can get awfully attached to you…”

Aster gave him a wink and said merrily using his pet name for his friend, “No worries, Rin!”

Rilien’s cheeks turned slightly red as he became a bit miffed. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” he said grumpily as he went over and sat on a log near Saelak’s boulder. Aster went back to swinging his wooden sword around in intricate movements. After a few moments Rilien broke the awkward silence, “So.... you’re a runaway, eh?” Saelak turned his body slightly away from him and pulled his knees up to his chest. “Aster is extremely kind and mature for his age… don’t think that you’re a special case…” Rilien went on to explain matter-of-factly despite Saelak beginning to pout again. Rilien glanced at the small boy’s grumpy demeanor and gave an uncaring shrug, “You should just hurry and go back home already and quit being a bother to us”

“Bother?” This caused Saelak to finally look at Rilien and speak his indignation.

Rilien returned the elfling’s glare, “Aster won’t say anything but you’re just a worry we don’t need or want.”

Saelak stood up, his gloved hands forming small fists, “I’m not going back home. Aster said I could stay with him…” he jumped down from his rock and turned to find a new place to sit away from Rilien.

The red-headed elf called after the kid, “You’re just a brat who doesn’t want to face reality. Aster’s just a kid too, you really think a kid like him can take care of another kid?” This made Saelak pause for a moment, staring at the ground in frustration. Rilien couldn’t stop the smirk from his lips as he provoked the elfling more, “You should go back to your parents and be a good little boy. I can tell from your clothes that you’re a noble…” Saelak could feel the little color he had, drain from his face as Rilien leaned forward on his log to keep goading him, “Go back to your cushy life with your servants and fancy things.”

Saelak turned angrily, “What do you know?!”

“I know you’ll never be friends with Aster.” Rilien replied triumphantly, grinning in response to the elfling’s restraint snapping. He was a bit surprised though when the small hands stretched out towards him and the frosty glow of ice magic began to form around them. His grin widened at the challenge and he raised his own hand. A ball of fire sprang to life in Rilien’s palm, a direct counter to Saelak’s ice.

Saelak was startled by tan arms wrapping around from behind him and squeezing him in a gentle embrace as Aster’s calm voice filled his ear, “Calm down, Saelak…” the ice vanished from around the elfling’s hands as he dropped them to his sides. Saelak could almost hear the smile in Aster’s voice as he said lightly, “See, I knew you could control it.” Saelak could feel the color rush back to his face at the praise Aster was giving him.

Aster noticed Rilien’s glare and his movement just in time to lift Saelak just enough to turn their bodies around so he would be shielding the small ice mage from the fireball that slammed into his back and pushed him forward towards the ground. Aster was reflexive enough to release Saelak and catch his weight with his own arms rather than potentially crushing the delicate looking boy. Aster let out a groan as sudden pain came from his palms and back while blinking blue eyes stared up at him in stunned silence through disheveled glasses. “Are you okay, Saelak?” Aster managed to say through gritted teeth as he glanced at his health displaying 19/90. 'Abyss, Rilien hits hard…'

Alert! Combat Initiated with Hinoyuki Rilien, level 15 Bonfire Knight!

Rilien cast Fireball.

Fireball strikes you on the back for 71 fire damage; you are knocked down.

Combat ended.

Congratulations!

Skill Acquired: Resistance (Fire) (Beginner 0, 3%)

The heat never bothered you anyway.

Your Constitution increased by 1.

“Aster? Wha- What happened?” the small figure said in a daze.

“Rilien lost his temper…” He tried to give a smile but couldn’t hide the wince of pain which turned into a small yelp as he was pulled backwards off of Saelak.

“What in the Abyss, Aster?!” Rilien yelled as he pulled Aster up into a standing position and began looking over his back which was barely covered by his now tattered hoodie and shirt.

“I could ask you the same. Did you really think I wouldn’t protect a kid from an obvious attack like that?” Aster replied without humor.

Rilien's voice continued rising in volume as he grew upset, “You could have been killed, you fool! You don’t have a Blessing to protect you like that pipsqueak does!”

Saelak was sitting up now and asked in a baffled voice, “You don’t have a Blessing, Aster?”

Aster smiled a bit and shrugged trying to play it off, “Yeah, next month I’ll be officially labeled as an Unblessed… as Cursed. Rilien's right, I don’t have a Blessing and I probably never will...” Aster became a bit forlorn after saying his fears out loud, as if speaking them would make it become true.

Rilien snapped his attention back to his nephew and his expression softened and he reached out a hand towards Aster as if he wanted to comfort him, “That’s not what I meant, Aster.”

Aster stepped back worried that his emotions would betray him as he tried to keep his composure. He spoke softly and with a tone of accepting the inevitable, “It’s okay, Rin. I think I’m ready to come to terms with it.” He took a few steps back towards Saelak and held his hand out for the elfling to take. “I realized I don’t need a Blessing to protect others.” He flashed a grin and wink at Saelak as he waited for the ice mage to accept his help. “It’s getting late and I have to cook dinner for the others.” Saelak slowly took his hand and stood up,“Why don’t you come eat dinner with us and then we can talk.” Saelak nodded quietly, still processing everything that had happened while he followed behind Aster who went to collect his stuff and leave the clearing.

Rilien glared after the small elf as they moved beyond the tree line before covering his face with his palm and berating himself, “What am I doing?” He gave a heavy sigh, “There must be something wrong with me.”

Aster led Saelak through the large wooden front doors of his temple home. The clerics made a fuss over him as they bandaged his back, scolding him for not being more careful. The bandages constricted his chest a bit and gave him a painful reminder of his previous life where he would try and bind his chest in private to feel more like himself but he shook off the bad memories and hoped the enchanted fabric would heal him quickly.

He made sure Saelak was seated at the table before he went off to cook their evening meal and couldn’t help his smile when the other children bombarded him with questions and information about their favorite things. When he served the meal everyone was laughing and having a good time getting to know one another. Aster was glad to see Saelak visibly relax in the joyous atmosphere and smiled while participating in the conversations.

Saelak sat on Aster’s bed as he worked quietly at the small desk, reading a very large and dusty old book he had discovered in the library and writing down notes in his journal he had managed to purchase the materials to make for himself. Aster created this as a habit for himself to make note of information that might be especially useful should he find himself adventuring in the future and he couldn’t bring himself to stop this last act of hope he held on to.

Saelak watched the small birds pecking at some of the seeds in the feeder Aster had made and installed outside his window as the sun was setting. Saelak let out a small sigh as he spoke into the silence, “I’ll go back home tomorrow…”

“Oh?” Aster paused his writing and set the metal pen he had crafted himself down on the desk as he turned slightly to face the elfling, “That’s a pretty grown up decision.”

The elfling laid down on his side as he closed his eyes, “Yeah, well, I think I want to grow up now”

Aster left his desk to sit next to Saelak’s head on the bed and playfully ruffled his hair, “Don’t be in a hurry to grow up, trust me when I say it all goes by too fast.” Aster pulled a tuft of the smooth silvery white hair closer to his eyes to get a better look at it, “Wow, your hair is really beautiful…” he had never seen that kind of sheen before and could understand why the boy let it grow long.

Saelak blushed slightly at the compliment and sat up, making his hair slip from Aster’s grasp as he faced him and said with determination, “When I’m an adult, I’m going to be the one to protect you.”

Aster gave a chuckle, “A pipsqueak like you?” He felt a slightly sadistic pleasure at watching the elfling’s previously pale ear tips go red with embarrassment from his teasing. It was so easy to make the kid go red that Aster just couldn’t help himself.

Saelak tumbled from the bed and almost yelled back in protest, “I’ll grow taller! Just watch! I’ll be much more larger and stronger than even you!”

Aster’s laugh became much more hearty at the exclamation coming from such a small body, “Hah! Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it.”