Deep within the forest was a community of like minded humans with a handful of witches amongst them. That’s a nice and politically correct way to say cult. A cult that worshipped a mountain god that protected them from daemons. Daemons, the scourge of mankind, the plague created by the world to wipe out humanity for their evils. Or so the stories go. He wasn’t so sure. Was humanity really as evil as they say?

The shy young man was but the ripe old age of 12 at this point in his life. He was edging closer and closer to marrying age at 16. The age he would be a true adult and it scared him. He knew he was… different… than the other kids. There weren’t many his age around the commune and even less if you didn’t count the ones related to him. There was one boy a few years older than himself though… 15? 16? He was nice to him. Would let him hug a little too long, let his hands pass by like a whisper a little too close.

The woods held a small temple in a large cave system. They weren’t very far from it when he found the witch that would change his life. He had been talking to his familiar about a new plant he had found. He didn’t know what it was or what it did but it was new. That was exciting enough as it is.

The voice came as he was hiding behind a tree, staring at the stranger in the woods. They didn’t get many visitors around here being so far from the main cities. Occasional adventurers and the like or researchers studying the nearby swamp. Nothing to exciting. This man though… he made lights glow with some kind of magic. It was so cool and pretty.

”וואו! (WOW)” he gasped in excitement peaking his head out from behind the tree he was hiding behind. The small dog was just a few feet away also looking at the man. “זה כל כך יפה (it’s so pretty)” He was in very basic plain clothes that looked worn and mended over and over again like something a farmhand would wear. Fabric plain in color and boxy in design. Obviously not from a rich family. He was clearly looking and talking to Cain. Just in a different language.

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The travelers language (English) was not something he knew very much of. Only bits and pieces from the various visitors to the swamp. He certainly couldn’t converse very well with Cain verbally at least. Especially since he couldn’t write very well either even in his own language. 

The star magic widened out into the sky above them and his eyes looked up in awe and amazement. Truly the gaze of a child. He was mesmerized by the twinkling lights, stepping out into the open to look at them. He would reach out like he could touch the sky. He couldn’t of course. Nobody could. “זה כמו חלום! (it’s like a dream)”

The man didn’t seem bad. He had to be wary though. Travelers were sometimes sneaky. Bad. Not as bad as the priest said but some were still bad. Then again were the adults here really better? The boy would instinctively step closer to the magic with wonder. It became clear his arms and legs were heavily scarred, some fresh looking bandages peaking out of his shirt on his back and chest from very recent abuse.

He was already so much closer to te elder witch when the man spoke again. The little dog familiar following his witch like a lost puppy always staying within a foot or so of the boy watching Cain. Watching him like a protector. The word Cain. Or the name? He assumed by pointing to himself that is what it was. “Cae-nuh.” He sounded out the words and they felt foreign on his lips. He’d repeat it a few more times each time sounding different but odd at the same. “Kah-ra-née.” His own name.

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The young man watched in childlike amazement as the older man pulled water from the surrounding environment. This was probably why he would later find a taken in water magic, imitating the man who would be his father figure for the next few years after being taken to Delphi. It’s sometimes a wonder he didn’t use star magic like him instead, perhaps a natural proclivity to water mixed in with his admiration? Who knows.

The boy watched as the water stayed in his hand, this was magic. He’d seen other travelers use it plenty of times… since there were only a handful of witches in their commune. Most to protect them from daemons or outsiders. Guards. If he hadn’t been such a disgrace and tainted person he probably would have ended up as one as well.

The man finally said some words he recognized. Heal. That was what people did to make better. He remembers a woman who used little bottles of strange liquid to make people better that stayed not far from the village. That’s the word she used, not realizing it was Alchemy at work in his ignorant childhood.

“Heeluh? No… No hurtuh?” He seemed to know some words in English at least even if they were heavily accented.  He also at least seemed to understand the concept of healing versus hurting someone. The young man shook as he lifted out his arm towards the man sporting heavily scaring and some fresh wounds over them. Scars wouldn’t heal… the fresh cuts would however. He seemed very scared.

The canine familiar was hiding behind the baby witch, peaking his head out between the boys legs with a nervous curiosity to them. The other man didn’t seem to speak the same language as him so talking in it would be futile. He’d try and use his limited English more than anything else. “Famolee. hurtuh. Ranuh.” He could probably get basic ideas out. That’s about it. It’d end up being lots of gesturing probably. It was a good sign though. He wasn’t runn8ng away from the man at least.

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The young man seemed both wary but still way to eager to allow the older man into his space. It was clear he didn’t have any semblance of an idea how dangerous this situation could be if he were someone else. Hot maybe the situation he was in was really that bad. It might have been that bad give. The state of his body. His walk was funny, his body covered in burns and slashes new and old. His was clearly malnourished looking small for a twelve year old. Not that Cain had any way to know that.

The boy watched as the water moved up his arm, it was cool and soothed the burning sensation he’d felt with his wounds exposed to the wet air around them. This kind of feeling he was used too though given the villages proximity to the swamp, the air was often warm and muggy. He watched in awe as the water glowed causing the cuts to mend themselves. 

His wounds slowly being healed he watched as the Qilin made its appearance. Zinnia. That was the creatures name. It was strange looking. It reminded him of the guardian of this forest… or at least the pictures he’d seen of it. Nobody had seen the Kitsune creature in centuries. Some doubted it even existed but none were willing to verbalize it. He believed though… that such a fantastic creature did exist. 

He looked at the man as he said something about home. It was the only word he recognized. Was he going to try and take him back. No. He couldn’t go back. He could never go back. Tears started to fill his eyes. He was so broken. The young man sounded very afraid when he said that word. Home. 
 
“No go back. Scared. No go home?” He shook as the familiar leaned down to his eye level. Such a strange creature. Maybe this was an answer to his prayers. This creature. He’d kick himself for this later but he believed Zinnia was a god sent to him. Looking back as a sixteen year old it was embarrassing how little he knew about familiars, let alone mythical ones.

The boy would jerk towards the familiar. Her face almost as big as his entire torso. He would go to the creature for comfort. He would try to hug onto her and bury his face to hide from Cain. And cry. Surely this creature wouldn’t let him be taken home. Not to that awful place. He was much too distraught to realize what Cain actually meant. Plus the fact of the language barrier didn’t really help. He was shaking pretty hard, trying to hide in the man’s familiar. 

He was much to weak though. Especially compared to a Champion like Cain. He wouldn’t be able to put up any actual resistance to the man if he just picked him up and placed him on the creature. He had clearly misunderstood what the man meant by home. 

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The young man would take several days once taken to Delphi to warm up fully to Cain. At least outside of his nightmares. He took the the man’s familiar within seconds of course. Given time though the young witch would eventually come to view Cain as someone he could trust. The first adult to earn such a thing and until about a year ago the only one who had it. His time in the coven has slowly opened him up and perhaps that is for the best. He can’t cling to Cain forever no matter how much he tries.

The boy seemed content with the familiar doing the soothing. He even giggled when she licked him seeming to feel much safer with the creature around. The pretty stardust was something he was in awe of as it made him float up onto her back. He didn’t resist it nor look uncomfortable once plopped on the Qilin by her magic. He seemed delighted, smiling with eyes closed happily as he sat. He weighed very little to begin with so for someone used to being ridden by Cain he must feel like a scarf or empty backpack.

The young man skeptically turned his gaze to Cain as he tried to correct himself. “Foreign home?” Foreigners home since Cain was clearly not from here. Or at least didn’t speak the language he did. He didn’t look much like anyone in the village. His mother was probably the closet to him feature wise but she was still much more olive in complexion. 
 
“Hero?” He said looking at Zinnia as he pointed to Cain. Was he a hero like in bedtime stories. He hadn’t heard many growing up but he did know of a few. Stories of heroes fighting daemons with the power of the Mountain God. Those granted familiars or so their stories would tell. Reality was… much different than a story. He came to rescue the boy though and with a creature not unlike one of their gods. He had to be a hero right? She wouldn’t lie to him.

He would have nightmares for several weeks if not months after he was taken to Delphi by the champion. He would cry in the middle of the night with his puppy dog familiar and crawl into Cain’s bed. The hero would protect him after all. That’s what heroes do. It was embarrassing to admit since he was… well 12 at the time and not a toddler. He often omits that part of the story.

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