Chapter 2: 2 years and 9 months ago

Aaron absently gazed at the pond on his family farm. The full moon’s light glittered off the surface illuminating the olive trees. The black olives glisten telling them it’s time for the harvest. His parents and their farmhands have been excited about getting ready for the harvest season saying it should be one of the best years they have had in a long time. If it was in the past Aaron would have been right there in the excitement, but for the last year he had zero motivation for anything. The Farm, His studies, His Hobbies. He couldn't care less.

Not wanting to look at the moon anymore he grabbed the curtains to close his window. As he pulled the curtains a blast of wind forced through the window sending him backwards. Landing onto his side he got a glimpse of a figure drenched in shadows appearing in the bright moon light. A huge grin appeared where a face should have been. Well he thought it grinned. Aaron's sight refused to focus on the creature. He closed his eyes to refocus his senses, but in an instant his face paled. He sensed no magic in its vicinity.

"A ghost."

He opened his eyes.

"Hey," the intruder stepped more into Aaron's room." I'm not dead. Or I don't think so. I have no memories of being resurrected from a necromancer anytime recently." The shadow surrounding him faded away leaving a teenage boy with hair that looks like raven's feathers encasing his head. He reached his hand toward Aaron to help him up from the floor.

"You look like you need a hand. On second thought it looks more like you need a nap. You look awful. Haven't been sleeping well?"

Aaron's eyes could now focus on the intruder’s hand. The hand had sharp black nails. He followed the hand up to a smug grin greeting him.

"No thanks." Aaron swapped away the boy's hand and stood up on his own.

"Oh, someone in a bad mood. You don't need to be so rude."

"Says the person who rudely barged into my room? Get out."

Aaron took a step toward his door. The boy laughed in response, then vanished without a trace. Aaron hand twitched. Then he heard his lock turned.

"I can't have you leaving, let's keep this door locked." The boy reappeared in front of the door.

Aaron jumped back into his fighting stance.

" What did you do?"

In a split second Aaron had lost all senses about his intruder. He did not know who this person was, but he knew he was not human. He needed to take down the boy as quickly and as quietly as possible. If not, his parents might rush into the scene without caution. With them being simple landowners, there was no way they could win against an unknown creature.

The boy stared at Aaron’s tense fighting stance. "Stand down, I know you won’t use magic.” The boy vanished and reappeared again sitting on the desk chair smiling.

Aaron grabbed his bracelet to calm down. He didn't like it. The boy had no presence. No magic within him and could still disappear from his sight. It was bizarre but also similar? A pain shot through Aaron's mind. A word came up. Vanontos.

" Wait, I know you. You are a Vanontos. A being without presence. A type of Faileas."

The Vanontos burst into an uncontrollable laughter.

" Well, well, so you know about us. Very impressive for a human. Even most Faileas don't know about Vanontos. We are what you call a secret race."

" How did I know? I don't remember ever learning about it." A vague memory surfaced. " Yes, that's right ,a person told me, but I can't recall."

The Vanontos laughed again.

"It looks like the traitorous Maurus is really losing his touch, if you still have some memory left of him."

"Maurus?" It sounded familiar.

" Yes, a fool who is currently serving Phaedrus."

" Phaedrus? You mean the weird dragon I meant a year ago. He had an assistant?"

Aaron pinched his head.

" Stop trying to remember. You won't. Let’s get back to why I came to visit. I am here to extend an invitation. Come with me, Aaron. You have questions and I have answers."

"Answers? For what? I don't need anything from a suspicious person. Leave or I will make you leave."

" I thought you would say that, so I brought this."

The Vanontos boy reached into his cloak and pulled out a worn bag. Aaron froze. That bag, he would recognize it from anywhere.

" Where did you get that?"

" See, questions. There is more to it than this bag. I also have his research." The Vanontos open the bag’s slip revealing a book and papers.

Aaron's expression darkened.

" Give me the bag." Aaron stretched out his hand.

The Vanontos lifted it above his head.

" Not so fast. If you want answers you must come with me."

" There is nothing for you to answer. That bag doesn't belong to you. Hand it over."

" Is there nothing? Do you truly believe they have told you the whole truth about the accident? Or are you just turning a blind eye, staying comfortable with its convenient lies?"

Without hesitation Aaron sent a kick toward the Vanontos’s head.

The Vanontos dodged.

" I was trying to be nice. But if you do not want to listen, I will use force." Shadows emerge from his body flying towards Aaron. Without pausing Aaron slipped past the shadows, grabbing Vanontos's arm pulling it behind his back, pinning him onto the ground.

"Impossible, how did the spell not affect you?" Vanontos tried to struggle out of Aaron’s hold.

Aaron, ignoring the boy, picked up the bag. This was it. Aleifr's bag. It was scratched, ripped, and seems to have dark stains. Aaron felt a wave of emotion of nostalgia and pain looking at its condition. He turned back to the boy.

" I will ask again. Where did you get this bag?”

The boy laughed.

" I told you my lips are sealed, unless you come with me."

" No. I have you pinned. Now answer my question. "

" Do you now?" The boy snickered and disappeared. Then reappeared on the window’s sill.

" Well I'm not getting anywhere, so I am calling it a night. The name is Vincent. Consider it an honor that I am not going to erase your memories of my presence. By the time you realize no one will tell you the truth, you will seek me. Until we meet again, Young Xenolane." The boy vanished.

Aaron peered down to the bag in his hand. He felt goosebumps covering his body. The truth. What he had been longing for and avoiding for a long time. A piece of it was in his hand now. What should he do?

A knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts.

“Mr. Aaron, This is Mrs. Rusu. Your parents want to know if you want to come down for dinner. I know I should not be saying anything as I am only a housekeeper but, can today you make the effort to come downstairs. You haven’t been out of your room for days. Your parents and little sister are worried sick.”

Aaron tightened his grip on the bag.

“Hello? Mr. Aaron? If you do not want to, I will inform your parents.”

“Wait, Mrs. Rusu.” Aaron opened his door. “I will join my parents for dinner. I have something to discuss with them.”

Chapter 2: 2 years and 9 months ago, end.