AN: Again, the dreaded action scene makes it hard to finish a chapter. But I muscled through!

Woo!

*****

It burns.

His whole body burned like his flesh was being licked by flames. It was horrid, suffocating. Yet he refused to give in.

Because letting the flames burn him was the only way out.

If he tried to escape...

"I want to go home."

That small voice, one he recognized as his own, called out to the darkness, pleading for help.

But none ever came.

He'd run from that darkness but now he was pursued by flames. It burned his flesh black, promising a slow end if he didn't follow the call.

The darkness or the flames. The darkness was what the child had chosen, to be free but beyond the flames were-

It was waiting.

They were waiting.

He had to...

He must...

Go back.

Go back.

Go-

"Rong!?"

The flames dispersed and he was washed with a cool sensation that eased his racing heart. The call faded with every beat of his racing heart.

He was being called but... he didn't want to stay away. 

He could follow that call. It was safe.

He'd found his way 'home' at long last.

***

Xander had been pacing the floor, his nails ragged from bitting them to the nub. Yet even as blood filled his mouth, he didn't stop.

Rong.

His precious faery, Qin Rong.

Why wasn't he awake yet?!

He'd shooed Nik away, assuring him that the boy was just tired and that smothering him wouldn't help. He wasn't sure how much his brother believed his words but he was relieved when he saw him listen.

Nik was smart. He knew it was better for Xander to be alone.

But now that he was alone, the elder child felt his mood darken, wanting to do... something. His body buzzed with anger, wishing he was stronger. If he'd been stronger, Nik and Qin Rong wouldn't have been in danger in the first place.

He'd kept his faery from being taken but had those two pushed any harder...

The thought of Qin Rong being taken as he sat by helplessly was too much to bear.

Pushing down his tears, Xander sat next to Qin Rong as he laid in bed quietly. Sleeping so peacefully, the boy really did look like a doll, with skin like porcelain and just as smooth.

Yet what he longed for was to see those pretty gold eyes looking up at him.

Whether they were gleaming with anger and pride, Xander knew that the eyes he liked most belonged with this person. He wanted them on him.

How nice would it be if he could have those eyes be on him forever?

Yet those eyes remained closed, reminding him too much of how Nik had looked just weeks prior. 

Would that happen to Rong too? Would he sleep forever?

"Qin Rong." The child sobbed, clinging to the faery's somewhat cold hand. He squeezed his fingers tight, wanting to warm them and awaken him.

Please wake up.

If Rong died then... What would he do?

"Ugh." A voice groaned above his head, making his heart nearly stop. With wary hope, he looked up and saw a beautiful pair of golden eyes staring down at him. "Xiao-Xan, you're crushing me, you know."

"R-Rong?!"

"No, it's the tooth fairy." He grumbled, trying to sit up. His body was in agony and he quickly gave up. He sighed. "Of course, it's me, who else would it be?"

"Rong..." Xander let loose a torrent of tears, his relief overwhelming the small child.

Rong was okay~

The mercenary flinched, having not expected to wake up to a blubbering child. What happened to greeting those who recover with a smile? Hadn't that been the norm?

"Ah, shit don't cry!" He plead, really out of sorts. He didn't know how to comfort people, especially children. "Didn't we have a man's agreement?"

"You almost died!" He shot back, sniffling.

"Fair enough." He raised his hands in surrender. He couldn't expect much else considering the situation. "I'll allow it just this once but after this, there's no leeway."

"Okay." He sniffled, trying to cry all the tears he'd been holding back. From the time he'd found Qin Rong to this moment, he felt like he'd been trapped in a deep hole. Every moment Rong stayed asleep, the hole would get deeper and the light above him grew dimmer.

He wasn't sure what he'd do if that light faded.

But it didn't matter anymore. Qin Rong was okay. He woke up and he'd be okay now.

As if to comfort himself, Xander climbed onto the bed and laid down beside Qin Rong, snuggling close with his head on the faery's chest. Hearing his heartbeat eased his fears and steadied his own heart.

He was here.

Qin Rong didn't push him away, knowing the kid was probably terrified and needed assurance. It was a bit heavy but he was the adult so how could he dare deny this kid. 

In a rare moment of kindness, he wrapped his arm around Xander, stroking his head. He was a bit surprised by how soft the kid's hair was. It was like petting a horse.

"Are you guys alright?" He asked after a few minutes of this, his body relaxing throughout the silence. "Where's Xiao-Ni?"

"He's outside playing." Xander replied sleepily. It was nice to be petted by Rong. "I told him hovering around you wouldn't help."

"And you could cry your eyes out in peace." Qin Rong snorted, mildly amused by the statement. "Smart move, Xiao-Xan."

"Don't tease me! I was really worried about you."

Seeing him puff up like that, he really did remind Qin Rong of an agitated horse. He chuckled at the thought.

"I know. I'm sorry for worrying you guys." He said earnestly. "I honestly didn't think I'd get caught like that."

They stared at each other for a minute before Xander laid back down.

"Who were those men?" 

"No clue. For some reason, they seem really keen on catching me."

"Maybe they wanted something from you?" He guessed, staring up at Qin Rong.

"Like what?" The mercenary snorted at that. "I'm just a normal guy!"

"You're a fae!" Xander cried, thinking it over as he spoke. "A creature of legend that no one has seen in centuries."

If it was because Qin Rong was a faery, then it would make sense. Fae were mythical creatures and had all kinds of special abilities. If they caught Rong, they could do all kinds of stuff.

He'd seen some scary books about how Fae wings and other body parts could be used in potions. Had Xander not found Rong when he did...

He suddenly felt relieved about what he'd done to those guys, even if it was a bit scary.

Qin Rong, however, was starting to feel a bit guilty about his lie. If this went on, there would be serious trust issues later down the line.

"Listen, kid about the faery thing-" He started, wanting to confess to his lies.

Yet his mind couldn't help but focus on the matter of his wings.

Unconsciously, his hands wrapped around himself, feeling for the silky soft appendages only to find bandages there.

"Was I hurt?" He asked, feeling around. Other than his expected soreness from the black spots, there was nothing he could see that required bandages.

"I don't know. There was a lot of redness there." Xander had no idea how to treat Qin Rong when they arrived back home. Even when he was unconscious, the fae groaned and cried out in pain, clutching himself as he shook. The only thing that seemed to help was wrapping him up so he did.

When he told Qin Rong this, the latter's eyes dimmed a bit, looking past him at something distant.

"I see." He finally sighed, sounding exhausted as he closed his eyes. On any other day, Xander would have left it at that but he had so many questions. Some that couldn't wait.

"Rong, what are those black marks on you?"

Golden eyes snapped open, staring the child down. "You saw them?"

Dumb question. Qin Rong thought as he sat up. The kid saw his body so of course, he noticed them.

Xander nodded. "They were all over you. Are you cursed?"

"What? No way." He assured, though even he was unsure. "It's nothing like that."

"...You're not lying?"

"I won't lie to you guys." He replied. He really wasn't lying if he himself didn't know. The marks could be a curse or something else entirely. Either way, it was the mercenary's goal to find out.

"...Okay." Xander mumbled, looking unconvinced but saying nothing. He was sure Qin Rong was cursed but if he said he wasn't, what could he do?

He could only hope it wasn't a bad curse.

***

Over the next few days, Qin Rong stayed in bed, his body still too weak from the attack to move that much. Despite his insistence, Xander told him that it would be best if he remained indoors.

"I just got a bit banged up." He argued after a couple of days staring up at the ceiling. "There's no need to treat me like I lost a limb here."

As if to prove his point, Qin Rong jumped from the bed, sticking the landing. And then, like fate was laughing at him, his legs crumpled beneath him. Xander caught him, pushing him back onto the bed.

"You are still weak! If you push yourself, you take longer to recover."

"I know my body better than you." He grumbled even as pain raced through his body. He gritted his teeth, determined to hide just how painful it was.

"And I know a weak body better than you." Xander snapped back, staring Qin Rong Down. "I've taken care of Nik long before you came so I know the signs."

Seeing Xander like this, Qin Rong knew it was going to be hard to convince the kid. He was worried and for good reason. It was a new feeling for the mercenary, having someone worry about him.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

"You're really not gonna let me leave?" He tried once more. "What about food?"

"We went shopping the other day so we'll be fine until you recover."

"And what about your meals? You can't cook!" He'd suffered at the hands of Xander's culinary skills. The child was a disaster in the kitchen.

"I've been paying attention to your lessons, you know." Xander puffed up his cheeks, looking very cute just then. Qin Rong suppressed the urge to pinch them.

But that all ended as Xander continued. "Until you get better, I'll be cooking."

"Ah, Shit."

***

As expected, Xander was a terrible cook. Either he did too much or too little. It was horrible and made the day all the worse.

Yet Qin Rong was enjoying himself greatly.

While the food was often burnt, it was still edible. At the very least, food was always cooked through. That and it was fun to sit with the boys as they laughed and made fun of Xander's cooking abilities.

Thinking about it, Qin Rong couldn't recall a time before this new life where he sat with others and ate so freely. No twitchy fingers inching toward hidden blades or wary glances at those around him. 

It was nice.

During the days, a system had been set up. Obviously, despite his willingness to go along with Xander's wishes, the mercenary refused to stay indoors all day.

He'd go crazy.

Xander had no issue with it but Qin Rong did and voiced his displeasure often. Nik, ever the good kid, tried to stay with them too but the child was way too energetic to stay inside. But since he also wanted to spend time with Qin Rong, a compromise had to be found.

To keep the little one from crying by himself outside or shaking with unburned energy inside, Qin Rong chose to sit on the window sill, watching Nik play.

This made Nik happy as he wanted to play with Qin Rong and remaining stationary was about all the mercenary was willing to do on a good day. It would be nothing new for the toddler.

Xander, on the other hand, became a mother hen, hovering over Qin Rong like he was crippled or something. Even after assuring him that he was fine, the child refused to stop worrying about him and the spots.

Qin Rong regretted letting the child see them. He really should have just lied but he was reaching his limit. There were only so many lies he was willing to tell these kids. They weren't friends or family but they were the closest thing to either.

Before this, he'd only had co-workers. Before that, he had a sperm donor and a womb as companions. Back then, lies were necessary. They made sure he had food in his stomach and a roof over his head.

The lies also saved him when blood was spilled and he needed to run.

"I have to go for a minute." Xander said, standing from his spot beside Qin Rong. His gaze was toward the sky but when the mercenary looked up, there was nothing there. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" He called from atop his perch. He'd chosen to rest in a tree today, finding himself preferring to be in trees as of late. He didn't question it and while Xander nagged him about the height, Qin Rong still won the argument.

Xander stopped, staring at the ground as he replied.

"Father sent another letter."

Over the last few days, since they'd come back from town, Xander had been getting a bunch of letters. Qin Rong wasn't sure he believed it. He hadn't heard anyone come by and his bird had yet to notify of him of any messenger birds.

So where the hell was the letters coming from?

Xander walked off, leaving Qin Rong and Nik alone in the yard. Their lesson had just ended the toddler was eager to play. Much to the mercenary's surprise, Nik took the Japanese much more than Mandarin. He could actually speak it since the pronunciation was easier.

Genius kids. He thought with a sigh. A bit bored, he decided to take a walk now that Xander was gone. Nik was not as nagging when it came to how much Qin Rong was allowed to move.

He was still wandering about when he spotted a curious sight. A winged lizard/snake thing. It was dark gold, like spicy mustard with large red eyes at stared down at him. It wrapped its small body around a branch as it crept down toward him.

(AN: It's a small amphiptere but I'm gonna call it a wyvern for now)

As it approached, Qin Rong felt no fear toward it, sticking his arm out as if to make a perch for the creature. And as if they were partners, the creature responded, flying over to him to encircle his arm.

"What the heck are you?" He marveled, his heart racing with excitement. While he'd seen some cool creatures since being reborn, this was the first true fantasy like creature he's come across.

The winged lizard bared his fangs, hissing like a snake. Still, the gesture felt friendly, as if it was greeting him.

 Qin Rong beamed.

"Holy shit! Are you a freaking dragon or something?!" He cried, looking over the lizard with eyes gleaming with awe. "That is so cool!!!"

At that moment, gone was the battle-hardened mercenary with hundreds if not thousands of kills under his belt. In his place was his inner child, jumping with joy with having found an actual dragon. There was not a man alive who wouldn't get excited.

Wait, if this really was a dragon then he couldn't just hide it from the boys. That would be too unfair.

 "Oh my stars, I've gotta show Xiao-Xan! He is going to freak when he sees this."

Perhaps it was a bit childish but what man didn't feel a bit excited at such fantastical things? He ran to the house, the wyvern having wrapped itself around his neck as he approached the house. 

"Xiao-Xan!" He called out, searching from room to room. It was unusual for his housemate not to respond so he got a bit worried. Nik might hide to mess with him but not Xander. After a few minutes, he felt a strange gust of cool air from an open doorway.

Looking inside, he saw Xander standing in the middle of the room with his hands raised and his back to the door. Above his head, it was snowing though the floor didn't look wet at all. He looked to be practicing as he waved his arms around doing... something.

It was quite a lovely sight.

"Huh, so you aren't an Asperos then." Qin Rong sighed with relief, immediately frowning as he did so. He wasn't sure why he'd said that or what it had to do with anything. His body just felt a strange sense of relief and reacted as such.

Just another mystery to add on top of everything else. How annoying.

He knocked on the door to get his attention. 

"Yo, Xiao-Xan." He called out as he walked in. "Check out this-"

"Kiliol?!" With that said, a wave of darkness swallowed the snow all of a sudden, leaving the room with only a mild drop in temperature.

"Ki-what?" Qin Rong was still trying to come to terms with what he just saw but those words were all he could think to say. "What was that just now?"

Yet rather than answer his question, Xander's dark eyes were riveted on the creature slung over Qin Rong's shoulder.

"Where did you find..."

"This guy?" Qin Rong, sensing that the subject should be dropped, decided to go along with Xander. He'd ask him about the weird magic show later. For now, he had a cool dragon to show off. "Found him in the yard. Cool right?"

The child grimaced, looking uncomfortable. "But its..."

A loud crash rang through the air followed by a high pitched cry. There was a second of silence before both boys responded.

"What was-"

"No time." Qin Rong interrupted, rushing out the door. "Let's go."

"Rong, wait!" 

Qin Rong didn't wait. All his training and experience told him that waiting was a terrible idea. He had no clue what the situation was but his instincts told him it wasn't a simple slip and fall scenario.

His glimmering gold eyes dimmed somewhat as he sensed the danger in the air. He ran out the door, hiding behind the bushes just as Xander slid next to him.

In the yard, there was a strange man holding Nik in a chokehold. The small child was struggling but didn't seem to be in any immediate danger. The table was knocked askew and from a glance, Qin Rong could tell the man had slipped in over the wall.

Just like he had.

Damn, this place really was too open and vulnerable. This guy managed to slip past his bird so easily and snatch a hostage.

Xander, who had been silent for a while, grabbed hold of Qin Rong's shirt. "Who is-"

"Xiao-Xan, how much magic can you use?" He interjected, his hand slipping easily to his hidden blade. If he could use Xander's magic, that would make things easier.

"I..." Xander's eyes darted to the wyvern, its cold eyes never wavering off him. He swallowed nervously. "I can't use any..."

"Eh?" The mercenary turned, about to scold Xander before remembering where he was and who he was with. He'd almost fallen back into his mercenary mindset with a child. He was definitely slipping. "Tch, never mind, I'll take care of it."

He pulled out his small hunting blade, letting out a breath as he slipped back into his default mood.

"What are you-"

Qin Rong didn't wait to listen to Xander's words, rushing from the bushes at the man. He heard and turned toward the sound but Qin Rong was small and fast, sliding behind the man to knock out the back of his knees.

The intruder buckled, releasing the terrified Nik who ran away as soon as he had the chance. But Qin Rong wasn't done. He raised his knife but was shocked when the man swung his hand and knocked the blade from his grasp.

Now unarmed, Qin Rong jumped away, turning to retrieve his weapon. He might have training but his body was still that of a child. He would be easily overpowered if he gave the man the chance.

"You little bastard!" The intruder cursed, grabbing Qin Rong's ankle and pulling him back. The impact as he hit the floor, knocked the breath out of the faery, giving the man the opportunity to overtake him.

Pinned, the man wrapped his arms around Qin Rong's neck, squeezing tightly. Qin Rong panicked, knowing he only had seconds before he passed out but unable to do anything as he was too small to even reach the man's elbow.

Just then, the air around them chilled and something slammed into the man, knocking him to the ground. Qin Rong gasped for air, trying to get his senses back as the man rolled around the floor. Peeking over, he saw the wyvern attacking him, whipping him with its long tail and snapping at him.

This was his chance.

Without thought, Qin Rong retrieved his knife and rushed over, jumping onto the man's back. He tried to shake the mercenary off but his attention was almost purely on the snapping dragon. Qin Rong brought his knife down into the man's neck, cutting his carotid artery.

As expected, the intruder tried to fight him off but Qin Rong refused to let go, bringing his blade down multiple times, slicing through his neck and face with unsteady strikes. Blood spurted wildly, staining his clothes and face but he remained determined to kill this guy.

He dared enter his home and threaten his friends. Let the bastard bleed himself to death.

It took a few minutes for him to collapse from exhaustion. Only a single moment before his heart gave up its futile attempt to pump blood. His last moments were filled with fear and panic but worst of all, the cold stare of the child who killed him.

After he died, Qin Rong let out a breath, finally calm after all that. Looking around, he couldn't help but grimace. As expected, the kill was messy. His body was too small and weak to make a clean cut. Looking at the aftermath, it looked like an amateur's first kill.

His pride as a mercenary was wounded looking at it.

He walked over to where the two boys were hiding, casually cleaning the blood off his knife. His clothes were covered in blood but at least there was some clean spot to use.

He raised a hand, an easy smile on his face as he drew closer.

"Hey, Xiao Ni, are you-"

"Eek!" Nik hid his face in his brother's chest, though not before showing just how terrified he was at the moment.

"Eh?" Qin Rong blinked in confusion before recalling what had just occurred. "Right, sorry. I must look pretty scary. Let me go get cleaned up."

Xander looked like he wanted to say something but seeing how his brother was, he couldn't chase after Qin Rong.

He would later wonder if what happened next was his fault.

***

Qin Rong strolled into the house with his head held high and a calm demeanor. He made it halfway through the house before he felt the first heave rush over him. Covering his mouth, he rushed the bathroom to throw up.

What came out of his was thick and black, making him feel like oil was rushing through him. But the smell was one he was all too familiar with.

He was puking blood.

While he was sure his blood wasn't supposed to be black, it at least confirmed that he definitely needed to be careful from now on. If just getting in a small tussle like that had him coughing blood, he wasn't sure how much more he could take if pushed further.

Qin Rong took a quite bath, trying to muffle his coughs and heaves as his body spit up black gunk. It hurt and he felt a little scared but pressed both down. Fear was natural but not useful at this moment.

He'd have to press forward on his research into his curse.

He was thinking of ways to find more info as he walked out of the bathroom when he spotted Xander sitting outside in the hall. He was curled up on the floor and looked to have been sitting there for a while.

Again, the image of a lost puppy came to mind and brought a small smile to his face.

"Did I keep you waiting long?"

Xander looked up, his eyes big and wet as he stammered to speak.

"R-Rong, about before I-" He started but was interrupted by Qin Rong raising a hand.

"No need to get all mopey, man." He interjected with a raised hand. "I'm sure that was really scary, doing all that in front of you and Nik. I'm sorry you had to see all that."

He truly didn't blame the kids for being scared. It was one thing to see him hunt animals but to see him slash at a man's throat like that... even the most jaded killer would flinch at the how gruesome it was.

It was why his pride had been hurt. Had he a stronger body, the kill would have been clean and less traumatizing for them.

" You..." Xander stared at the ground, his fingers clutching his clothes like it was a lifeline. " You did it so easily."

It took Qin Rong a minute to figure out what was being said. He couldn't help but frown when he did, a bit confused.

"Of course." He said with a shrug. "Hesistation would have lead to him killing you both." His tone was light and casual as if discussing the weather as opposed to the death of a man.

Even right then, Qin Rong was contemplating how to get rid of the body and the evidence. This was the mindset he was familiar with and preferred most days. Killing that guy felt like he'd found an old shirt that carried him through tough times.

It wasn't nice but it was comfortable and familiar.

Xander paled at the tone, horrified at how blase Qin Rong was being.

"B-but to do it like that... like it was nothing, you-"

"I what?" He snapped back, a bit defensive. He'd killed that guy to protect them. "Am I scary because of it? Does it scare you that I could kill a man yet show no remorse?"

"It doesn't scare you?"

Sometimes it did. When he'd killed someone for the first time, his hands shook. His palms stung from the pressure when he'd stabbed that person the first time. And each one that followed. He didn't even remember that person's face, just how messy it had been.

Just like today.

"When you do it enough, no, it doesn't."

Xander's expression turned ugly, looking like he wanted to say more but was unable to get it past his lips. What he'd seen from Qin Rong was... horrifying but not because of the kill itself. Blood could be washed away and nightmares fade with time.

But the cold look in Qin Rong's eyes as he killed that man would remain seared into his mind forever. He didn't want to see that look again.

"Qin Rong, I-" The child tried but was cut off by the mercenary. He didn't want to hear any more about the matter.

"We'll talk about this later." He walked past Xander, patting him on the shoulder. "You head to bed."

"But-"

"Nik is gonna need you tonight." He called out, a small smile on his face even as the look on Xander's face broke his heart. He didn't want to see that expression on the kid. "It might be better if I sleep in the other room, for his sake."

"...Alright but..." Xander gave his a worried look, wanting to get closer but scared to do so. "Don't go too far, okay?"

"No problem. I just have to clean up a bit, kay?" He still had a body to dispose of after.

***

Later that evening, as the night air chilled the very breath in their lungs, two men stood in the forest talking. The taller of the two, beautiful and elegant, sighed heavily.

"What's wrong, dear?" His companion, a dwarf, asked, staring up at him. The elf sighed once more.

"I'm thinking about the man from before."

"Thinking of other men, are you?"

"You know I only have eyes for you, Sal." He assured, leaning down to press a kiss onto his partner's cheek. "But the man I hired to find that faery hasn't returned yet. I'm worried he might have run off with his payment. I'd hate to have to replace him on such short notice but-"

The trees rustled and both men were instantly on their guard, eye sharp and ready. From the behind them, a dull thud sounded, earning both their gazes and immediate grimace.

The man they hired just hours before, his severed head was laid out on the forest floor with the terror from his last moments still gleaming in his milky eyes.

Ailred the elf covered his mouth, taking a step back.

"Who did this?!" Salgut shouted, his stance still firm and ready to fight. Silence fell as the two waited for a response.

The wait wasn't long.

"How about you stop sending assassins to my base and you'll no longer have to deal with replacing them."

Above them, the faery they sought rested on a tree branch, mostly hidden in the shadows of the leaves. The only parts visible would be his exposed legs and the glow of his gold eyes.

"Assassins?" Ailred echoed, cocking a brow. "Those were but messengers."

The elf was honestly impressed. The fae had managed to get this close without either of them noticing. It was proof the youngling was quite strong and possibly even useful.

Perhaps this venture wasn't a waste of time. He thought as the child scoffed overhead.

"Really? They sure did look like assassins when they held a knife to my friend's neck."

It was a half-truth. While the man hadn't used a knife, upon searching the corpse, he found one hidden in his pocket. He had definitely intended to use it and had he waited for the weapon to come out, he'd be dead or worse, Nik would have been.

He wasn't about to tolerate that.

"My apologies then." The elf replied, quick to make amends if he could. "You must understand, humans are such greedy creatures, the lot of them. It was my mistake for having entrusted such a delicate situation to ones such as them."

"That it was." He conceded. Qin Rong had been a mercenary for the majority of his life. He'd met all kinds of people in his line of work and the one thing he learned from all of them was one thing: Never trust them.

Whether it was a seemingly moral guy trying to bring 'justice' to the world or some degenerate willing to slit the throat of his own mother, when pressed against the wall, they all looked out for themselves.

So he could understand the man's words but forgiveness was a long way away.

"If I may," The elf called out, gaining Qin Rong's attention once more. "I'm more curious as to how you realized we were here."

Qin Rong cocked his head to the side, gesturing to the next branch over. Illuminated by the moonlight, a pretty bird sat on the branch watching them.

[Chirp]

"Ah, so you have a Sodalis already?" He said with a smirk. To have been tailed by a bird was a bit embarrassing but novel. He turned back to the Fae. "Quite a feat for one so young."

"Don't waste my time. Tell me what you want."

An elegant brow rose in question. "Or?"

"Or, I'll show just what I can do when there aren't any children around."

The elf's eyes drifted over to the severed head behind them. While the slices were messy, the cut that cleaved his head was clean and precise. There was no hesitation in the cut.

This youngling wasn't ordinary after all.

"No children?" He echoed, feeling more amused than scared. "Perhaps that might be the case, as faeries are notorious for their deceptive appearance."

Qin Rong said nothing, his fingers tapping a tune on the blade of his knife. Neither had noticed when the knife was brought out but the threat was clear and the elf's companion remained wary by his side.

"Fine. I only wish to make an offer to you."

"You've been chasing me down like this to make an offer?" He scoffed, wanting to snap but holding it in. "How come I doubt that?"

The elf chuckled.

"Sir Faery is a very wary person. It makes sense to be so distrustful when so far from home." His eyes drifted over Qin Rong's exposed leg, catching the tendrils of black inching down his leg. "Especially with THAT, creeping over you."

"That?"

"The black marks. Its spread quite a bit now, right?" He pressed, watching the Fae carefully. "Staying fit and healthy keeps it at bay but being so far from magic laden areas prevents you from recovering fully."

The mercenary, inwardly jumped, wanting to know why this guy knew about the marks. He'd kept them hidden, even when being pursued yet this elf already knew about them.

Yet he knew better than to reveal this. He couldn't give this guy an edge.

"I've been living with children for a while. One is bound to get a little dirty every once in a while." He snapped back with a smirk. "Though I question why the noble Lord Fenral is checking out the bodies of children."

Salgut, who had remained silent since the beginning, stepped forward, furious on behalf of his partner. "How dare you insinuat-"

"How I can not?" The elf interjected, raising a hand to quiet the dwarf. "When a child of the noble fae race is being enslaved, what kind of person looks away?"

"Enslaved?"

"The black marks on your body, its a method used when enslaving a magical being. It works well on humans but it's better to use it on mythical creatures." He explained, circling the tree. "Only a few humans have magic within them so it would be a waste to curse them like this."

Qin Rong thought this over and concluded that this might be true. It would explain a lot. Yet he still felt like something was off.

"You seem to know a lot about this for a supposed good samaritan."

"It's in my interest to know what can be used against me. Surely you understand the sentiment."

The challenge was blatant and seeing no other recourse, he went along with it.

"What's your deal?"

"I wish to help you get rid of that curse."

The Fae scoffed. "Out of the goodness of your heart?" 

"Obviously, I'm not a fool." He replied, a sly smile on his lips. "I do require something from you."

"Figures." It was always like this. While he hadn't expected charity, he knew better than to trust a guy like this. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, pretty boy, but I don't need your help."

"Oh?" The elf laughed, amused by the youngling. "And how do you intend on undoing that curse on your own?"

"I'll just find those guys and-"

"The men who put the curse on you are dead." He stated casually. Qin Rong flinched.

"D-dead?"

"Killed by your companion with the ice magic."

Ice magic? Then it had to be...

Those guys had been killed by... Xander? No wonder the child looked so terrified by his flippant response. To say such a thing when he's already killed someone himself.

Shit, he'd screwed up.

Perhaps intending to take advantage of the lapse in conversation, Ailred continued. "With those men dead, you won't have a clear path to discover the cure."

"And you do?"

"No, but I do know a lot of people who will know how to undo it."

"So you'll show me the right people and I do you a favor." He said, seeing the deal laid out. They had come to an understanding.

"Yes."

This was something he could handle. He'd lived his life making deals like this. A contract with clear stipulations and limits.

"And what favor is that?"

"Work for me."

Figures. "How long?"

"However long I need you."

In any other situation, he might have considered it but taking into account his current predicament, the offer felt dirty.

"So I'll be trading in one set of chains for another?"

Ailred didn't bother to deny this, choosing to shrug instead. "Well, at the very least, you won't have death looming over you with me."

And like that, Qin Rong remembered why he usually disliked his bosses. They were just as slimy as the men who worked under them. Now this bastard was using his curse as a bargaining chip.

"I'd rather die than live under someone's thumb indefinitely." If he accepted, what would be the difference between him and a slave?

"Then how about treating it like a debt to be paid?"

"How much?"

"Depends on how much resources and time it takes to find your cure. I truly don't know which of my contacts has the information you need so it might take days or months to find the right person." He explained, watching the fae. "In that time, you'll assist me in my duties. After you are cured, you'll pay me back for the time spent."

The merc clicked his teeth. "That sounds awfully convenient for you."

"You get to live without the pain of that curse for the rest of your life." He retorted, not denying a thing. "And who knows what knowledge you might pick up by my side."

"So you're a doctor and a teacher too?"

"I like to be helpful."

There were a lot of things to consider if he agreed. He still didn't trust this guy but if he was his only chance at undoing the curse, he couldn't outright reject the offer.

Next time, things might not end with just coughing up black blood.

"Say I agree to this proposal, how would it work?"

Ailred smiled with satisfaction. 

"You'd leave with me so that we might pursue the knowledge we lack."

"I'd have to leave." He echoed, thinking of Xander and Nik.

"Obviously. You can't expect me to circle back here every time I find something new." The elf huffed, looking offended. "I do have my own affairs."

Silence fell between the two, though both sides knew how the matter would end. There really was only one option for Qin Rong if he wanted to live.

"I'll think about it."

At that, Ailred chose to set the matter straight. Negotiations were over.

"You have until tomorrow at midday. I've spent enough time here already."

***

For the rest of the night, Qin Rong considered what to do.  Sure, he'd promised to stay with Nik and Xander but he really was no closer to figuring out how to undo this curse.

If this guy could help, then it would save him a lot of trouble.

Heck, even if it wasn't true, he could still use this as an opportunity to learn more about the world. Books were fine but the world was more than just words on a page.

Yet if he accepted, he'd be abandoning the boys after such a terrifying experience. There were a lot of things Qin Rong wanted to say to them. He wanted to explain himself, so they wouldn't be scared of him. He wanted to talk to Xander so he could help that child through his struggles.

But could he truly give up this chance to free himself from this curse?

If he stayed, he would definitely die. He could feel the inky black curse dig into his flesh. This curse was definitely going to kill him if he did nothing.

He could explain himself at any time. He could apologize and kowtow to the children until his tongue fell out. He'd have his whole life to make it up to them. But if he died, that was the end of it.

And he refused to die so easily after getting this second chance at life.

There were things he wanted to do in this life, things that would be hampered if he remained cursed.

So he made his decision.

***

Xander slept restlessly. The previously cool night air became smoky and sluggish. A strange smell filled the room, making his body feel heavy. Scared, he opened his eyes, his murky vision landing of a familiar figure.

Pale skin, vibrant blue hair, and golden eyes sitting on the bed beside the two boys. Nik was knocked out by the mist but Xander was able to awaken despite the weakness.

Strangely, he could tell Qin Rong was talking but his words were muffled and hard to hear.

"-I had a lot of fun with you guys. I've never had people I could trust and rely on. It's a little sad I only found this now, after dying but... I'll miss you guys."

"Rong?"

"Just go back to sleep, Xiao-Xan." He said softly, stroking the child's head as he moved away.

Like a distant light, Qin Rong slipped from sight, leaving the room in darkness. Xander struggled to stay awake, not wanting to lose that faded image of the faery's back.

But sleep overtook him and he would curse this night forever.

Cause his precious faery left and didn't return.

***

Perhaps it was just that luck was not on Qin Rong's side that night. He had hoped his words would be remembered but they weren't. All the child would remember would be his retreating back as he left them, the words muted by his own cries.

He had hoped his note would bring comfort the next morning when they two realized he was gone but it hadn't. Xander and Nik were children. Things were simple and even when explained, they couldn't truly understand his vague explanation.

But it had to be fate when, months afterward, Qin Rong returned to that solitary manor in the woods only to find a home long since abandoned.