In Es'kar, most areas were kind of okay. As okay and secure, as medieval cities can provide. Of all places where she could've ended up in, the place, where Alira had left the great dark beyond, was the worst imaginable for a weak child, all alone.

Basically, she looked like the perfect victim. Looked like it, that is. Good then, that she wasn't really weak. Or a child. Or alone. In actuality, few humans could stand before her pet, and none before her herself. Thanks to luck, the thugs around didn't know they had, she couldn't exactly show off her new, dark, overwhelming powers at the moment, though. So, to anyone with wicked thoughts, about slaves and orphans and shit, fate was granting mercy today. Well, kind of.

The first contact Alira made, was a drunk hobo, laying right in the next alley. She approached him, bearing the illusion of an innocent, friendly, desperate and lost human child. Huggable. Or abductable, depending on the business you were in.

"Excuse me, Mister?" She aggressively poked the sleeping man with her foot, a gesture that belied her sweet voice.

He didn't react at first, but after a few more kicks, each harder than the last, the drunkard came to.

"..What?" He babbled, obviously confused. In front of his eyes, he saw two tiny feet, wrapped in dirty sandals. Probably one of those fucking beggar bastards, he thought.

"Leave me alone, fucking bastard child. I don't have coin for you." For him, the conversation was over, and so he closed his eyes again.

"Excuse me, Mister? I am not a beggar. Nor a bastard child."

Was she a bastard child? She wondered though, for the briefest of moments. Because two humans don't usually give birth to Eternal Shades, did they? At least as far as she knew. But she didn't know anything tangible regarding this, so she left it be, for now.

The man, now getting angry, for being denied the rest he required to sober up, opened his eyes again, a brow twitching.

“LISTEN, YOU LITTLE FUC-..” His outcry, a pathetic excuse of rage, was cut short when his glance wandered upward, only to be met by two fiery gems, staring back directly into his soul.

“w-what t-the fuck?” he whimpered, as his instincts began to wail, warning him with all their might, of that black bird, sitting on the child’s shoulder. Frantically, he tried to stand up and run away. Unfortunately for him though, he was still drunk as fuck. Because of that, his so called escape was more a mix of scrambling on the floor with the occasional upright step mixed in.

Alira facepalmed, after she had watched him ‘leave’ and cry for help a few seconds.

She totally had forgotten about the effect, war spirits used to have on normal people. An annoying mistake.

“Galdir, hide your aura, will you? Otherwise, no one will ever talk to me.”

The crow shifted uneasily. Because of him, master had failed momentarily, in extracting information from that worthless human. While he was still considering wether he should chase after that male, and make him talk by force, Alira continued.

“Also, can you.. turn off.. the fire in your eyes? It seems to positively intimidate weaker creatures. It is a pain, but we are not here for violence, crow, for the moment at least.”

Did she deduce his thoughts? Or was it coincidence? It was her former education, but he couldn’t know that. Not that it mattered, anyway. Master ordered no violence, so no violence it was.

As Galdir shifted his aura out of range, now not perceptible any more by humans without the third eye, he answered.

“This one’s aura will no longer be a hindrance. Unfortunately, this one is not aware of a method to.. turn off.. his eyes.” He bowed slightly.

The girl, that still wasn’t really a girl, sighed. “Then, close your eyes. Until i say you may see again.”

The crow did as told, of course. Alira walked out on to the next alley, a seemingly sleeping bird on her shoulder. Let’s try this again, she thought.

…

A thug’s POV

…

Me and my brothers had scored it big yesterday. We were just discussing how to turn the contraband into something more useful, like money, when someone tucked at my trousers.

Slightly taken off guard, i turned around, only to be even more surprised. In front of me stood a small black-haired girl, maybe five years old, all alone. Well, she had a sleeping bird on her shoulder. If it was her pet, or had just decided to rest on her temporarily, i couldn’t tell.

Clearly, she wasn't from around here. The children here, almost all beggars or thieves, knew better than to approach people like me and my comrades.

So, what was she doing here, then? It appeared suspicious to me, that one defenceless little girl would just pop up, right after we pulled a coup. Was she bait, or distraction, maybe?

I threw a glance around. The small and dirty street seemed, well.. like it always seemed. Rotten humans, walking around quickly, their faces disguised, minding their own business only, avoiding to get too close to each other. Well, except the whores, of course. It was barely past noon and yet they had come out of their holes, to sell their holes, already.

All in all, i couldn’t make out anything out of place, that would feed my suspicion.

The two thugs standing with me, had by now noticed my distraction, and so turned towards the girl as well.

“Excuse me, Misters?” The girl spoke up, in the sweetest voice. The sound fit her perfectly, but.. somehow.. something about her felt ..wrong. She was way too careless.

“What is it?” i responded, in a neutral tone. As long as i didn’t know the game played, it was always better to be polite. I wished, my comrades understood that too, sometimes. They were brutes, through and through, with pea-sized brains, at most. That was also the reason, i planned all the heists and robberies.

Hence, it didn’t catch me by surprise, that one of them looked over to the other, with a sly grin. Before the girl could explain her point, the other.. a fool, in hindsight.. returned the wicked smile, and grabbed the free shoulder of the girl.

“Who do we have here? Are you lost?” He said, his intentions clearly conveyed by his expression, despite his gentle tone.

To my surprise, the girl didn’t show a hint of fear, nor uneasiness even. I would put it off as childish naivety, was there not that faint annoyance, seeping into her voice.

“Yes, i am lost. Do you know of any orphanages around here?”

Brute number one chuckled. A lost orphan? A cute little girl, at that? This was practically free money, if collected and sold as a slave. Or so he must've thought. To me, it was very clear by now, that something just wasn't quite right here. Things too easy to be true, usually ain't true, after all.

The grip on the girl's shoulder tightened. "Why don't you stay with us? We will find you a new home."

It was the next happenstance, that confirmed my suspicion.. no.. surpassed it, by far.

The girl mumbled something, along the lines of "..fuck this.. violence.. after all.. see..” The rest i didn't make out and i wasn't even sure i understood that part correctly, because what the fuck.

Still, it send shivers down my spine. For the shortest blip of an instance, i hallucinated the girlish mask fading, being replaced by a chilling dark.

“What did you say, girl?” My dumb brother in arms asked her, now not faking to be friendly anymore. She looked at him, now displaying her annoyance openly.

“I said: Okay, fuck this. Violence it is, after all. Galdir, show them. You may see again.” She spoke, slowly, her voice now as cold as the feeling i had about her, moments ago.

“Who is Galdir, huh? Your brother or something? He can't help you now!” Shouted the one holding her. Oh, for fucks sake, comrade! How can you miss the fucking point like that?

The innocent looking little girl just did a complete one-eighty, talking about violence in such a calm manner, it sounded like a promise that she would always keep. And i believed her.

Shit, this was bad. I wanted to speak up, maybe stop events from going off the rails more, when vile despair washed over my mind and soul, rendering me unable to speak. And move, except my eyes.

A voice, like the whispers of a storm, responded to the question asked.

"This one is Galdir, of course."

Inevitably drawn by those whispers, i glanced towards the point they originated from. I immediately regretted that. Before me, the black bird’s eyes opened, slowly, like two fiery suns rising, scorching my sanity.

Oh fuck.

Still unable to do anything, i glanced over to my so called acquaintances. They didn’t fare any better, than i did, obviously. Caught in that aura of death, i could see fear rising in their eyes. Even their dumb minds had realised by now, that they made a, probably deadly, mistake.

In a frenzy, i watched in horror, as glowing leashes started flowing out of burning writings, that apparently had just willed themselves into existence, right onto the bird’s black wings.

While brother one and brother two succumbed to the fiery whipping released upon their bodies, their eyes told ‘Scream!’, but no sound came out their mouths. They basically laid down their lives in an eerie silence, only two faint thumps notifying the world of their passing.

Shit, shit, shit! The panic in me managed to swallow down most of my rational thought. I closed my eyes, awaiting to be pierced by unforgiving flames.

Yet, nothing happened. Well, something did. The aura vanished, and i could move again. But i didn’t. I just stood still, hoping to the gods, that this nightmare was just a fucking dream. That hope was short-lived though.

“Are you not gonna open your eyes? Or at least, tell me where i can find a.. goddamn fucking.. orphanage?” Her voice. Sweet again, like the melody of a beautiful harp. Except the swearing.

Still, the few seconds passed had brought back a tiny part of rationale. If i just answered her, just let this all be over, maybe i would get to live?

Eyes closed still, i pointed to the right.

“T-Two blocks into that direction. First street to the left. Then you r-reach the Gwin district. There are orphanages there, just follow the main road.” Fuck me for stuttering, but at least i didn’t shit myself.

“Okay, thank you, Mister. .. Galdir, be blind again.” She sung in response.

Apparently, she had waved back her ominous pet. Did this mean, i was allowed to keep my life, after all?

I cautiously opened one eye, then the other. That demon girl was nowhere in sight. The only proof that she was real, were my dead comrades.

Nah, not really comrades. I called them that, for politeness’ sake, not because i felt attachment.

They were more like .. henchmen.. i didn’t have to share the profit with, now. Thanks to the girl, my winnings had tripled.

Not that i would want to meet her, like, EVER again, not for all the riches in this goddamn world. This one encounter would serve me with enough nightmares, to last for a couple lifetimes, already.