The winter frozen the usual shitty smell of the slums. Snow covered the streets in brown, in places yellow, slush. Darkness of the night chased out of the streets all honest people leaving only scum and the ones with nowhere to go.

The winter doesn't like poor people.

Aimon walked next to a frozen body inside of a ditch.

It doesn't like drunk people either.

Aimon shivered in cold. He was hungry, tired and cold. But inside his heart burned a great fire of determination.

He arrived at a church of Ysaya, a small building without any ornaments at the border of the slums.

Aimon knocked at the small side door of the temple. They opened immediately, startling the boy.

"Ysaya provides, seeker."

There a tall man in simple robes appeared. He towered over the boy, surrounded by a strange, eerie atmosphere.

Over all he schould appear to be an image of a benevolent priest. A nice, calm smile, folding hands, a small greeting bow. Each element on its own was a part of an upright man.

Seeing all of them together in the same time... It was like a doll someone carefully grafted.

"I... I am here to make a [Pact]."

The priest tilted his head, looking at the small, dirty boy in front of him. He made a barely noticeable frown, a humanlike expression that felt so alien to his face. He looked around, at the empty backstreet.

"What do you offer?"

His voice was deep and calm. He looked at Aimon with contempt, seemingly doubting his ability to offer anything of value. Aimon knew what he was going into. A deep shit. Shit that would take more than a lifetime to clean. Well, he was born deep in shit already, what's the problem with a little bit more.

But he decided. A fire of determination lightened up his blue eyes

"I will... offer my life and soul."

Silence after he said it was defeaning. The cleric was looking at him, judging. Thinking.

"What is that you desire in exchange?"

"My sister is sick. I desire a [Miracle] of [Health]."

"Oh, that is why... You are doing it for your sister?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, she is the only family I have left. Please, I beg you. Without help she will die. Please! "he kneeled on frozen earth and bowed down, hitting ground hard with his forehead  "I know my life is not worth much... but please!"

Aimon started sweating despite the cold. A knife of fear gutted his stomach.

The priest looked down at a child kowtowing in front of him. For a long while.

Its unfortunate Aimon didn't see the inhuman smile on his face.

"Do not worry, child, this night was chosen as the end of all of your suffering." He turned around and whispered something to someone behind him. Then he reached for a heavy and warm cloak that was hanging next to the door.

"Lead the way, child. We need to go get your sister."

"Yes... yes! Right away!"

Ameion jumped on his feet.

"Right this way! Its not that far away, at the crossing of the Saint Berevet and of the Smithing streets."

"I see."

"They walked in silence for a while."

"How...", Aimon was afraid to ask. "What will my job be?".

"Do not worry, child. You may ask me all of the questions you want. First you will go through the initiation ritual, to become one of the family. Then you will understand what your job is."

"I see..."

The cold air burned with every breath, as Aimon led the priest to his home. 

"How schould I call you?"

"You may call me brother Nero."

"I am Aimon. It means a guardian in old language."

"Beautiful name with beautiful meaning. Was your mother educated?"

"Mom taught me how to read and write. She wanted me to find a better job...", his voice trembled  "She worked hard for us."

"A good woman."

"Yes, brother Nero. The best. She was hurt during job... and didn't recover."

"What was her job?" the question was met with silence, but Nero waited patiently.

"...she was a whore. Mum was a whore. Beaten to death by one of her clients."

The silence after those words was heavy.

"Do you know who?"

"No. I was too busy trying to salvage money and save what I could. But I will find out."

Aimon met the gaze of Nero. His voice grew deep, heavy with a hate that shouldn't be possible in one so young.

- I will find out, brother Nero.