Moaz stared at Rwaine silently for a long moment. Rwaine waited for an argument. He expected questions, fear, maybe even rejection again but none came.
Instead, Moaz slowly smiled, one filled with warmth.
"Yes, let's do that," he said with a smile.
Rwaine blinked in shock. For a second, he genuinely thought he heard wrong. His brows slowly furrowed as he stared at the old man carefully, trying to see if he was joking.
"Are you serious old man?" He asked.
"Yes Rwaine," he said with a deep smile.
The answer came so easily. No hesitation, no anger or fear. Something inside Rwaine softened immediately.
For years, he had always prepared himself for rejection before speaking his mind. People feared him before even listening to him. Even when they smiled at him, there was always discomfort hiding underneath.
"Thank you." Rwaine's voice came out low, but the happiness inside it was impossible to miss. Hearing those words filled Moaz with joy instantly.
Before he could even react, Rwaine suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. Moaz nearly lost his breath from the force.
"Oh my it's like you've gotten stronger with the new skin," Moaz said.
Moaz burst into laughter immediately. The sound echoed warmly around the quiet forest. For the first time in days, Rwaine truly looked happy.
Not forced, not pretending, he was actually happy. Moaz quietly stared at him afterward.
The smile on Rwaine's face looked so pure that it almost hurt his chest.
"I have never seen him this happy and I promise never to take the joy away," he said to himself.
His eyes softened with emotion. No matter the consequences... No matter the prophecy... He only wanted Rwaine to smile like this forever.
"Let's go for house hunting," Moaz said with a smile.
******
The city was brighter than Rwaine remembered. People walked across the streets loudly while merchants shouted from every corner trying to attract buyers. The smell of roasted meat, bread, flowers, and dust mixed together in the air.
Rwaine slowly looked around with quiet wonder in his eyes. Everything felt alive.
The large buildings. The colorful banners hanging from shops. Children running through the streets laughing loudly. Even the wind felt different here.
Moaz quietly watched him from the side.
He could see how happy Rwaine was. The way his eyes moved around curiously. The way he paused to admire little things.
The sunlight touching the rooftops. Birds flying above. The sound of water flowing from the city fountain. It made Moaz emotional.
Ever since he was tasked with taking care of Rwaine, they had spent most of their lives hidden away inside that cave. Far from people and far from life itself.
But now, seeing Rwaine walk through the city so openly made something warm settle inside his chest.
Still... Fear remained hidden underneath it all.
The prophecy,his family and the people who wanted Rwaine dead. Moaz clenched his fingers quietly.
A part of him still felt guilty for hiding such a huge truth from him all these years. But maybe it was for the best. All he cared about was Rwaine's safety and happiness.
After all... He was his son. The two of them eventually stopped in front of a large house.
Rwaine stared at it carefully before pushing the gate open.
The moment they entered, a woman walked toward them slowly.
"Thank you for deeming our house fit for your accommodation," the woman said.
She had a round beautiful face and a curvy figure. Her lips curved into a smile almost immediately the moment her eyes landed on Rwaine and they stayed there.
Every few seconds, she adjusted her hair or straightened her dress just to catch his attention.
But Rwaine barely noticed. All he cared about was finding a new home. The woman led them further inside. The house was massive.
Sunlight poured in through tall windows, lighting up the polished wooden floors beautifully. The living room had enough space to fit several couches comfortably, shelves carved into the walls.
Even the air smelled clean. At the back of the house was a beautiful garden with trimmed flowers and a small stone path leading toward a peaceful sitting area.
Rwaine slowly looked around quietly.
This place felt nothing like the cave. Moaz suddenly pulled Rwaine aside carefully by his sleeve.
"Rwaine, this house is too big. It would be too expensive, where will we get the money to afford the rent?" Moaz scratched his head nervously.
Rwaine looked at him calmly.
"Father, do you like the house?"
Moaz glanced around again. Honestly...
He loved it.
"I mean I love it, it's spacious and better than the cave we lived in but we can't afford it. Let's just leave and look for something cheaper," Moaz said.
"We'll take the house," Rwaine said quickly.
Moaz immediately tugged his sleeve again in panic. "How are you going to pay?" Moaz whispered with a forced smile.
"Don't worry, let me do the worrying," he said.
The woman smiled immediately after hearing that.
"Well since this is your first time staying in the city I can give a discount. For newcomers," the woman said.
"Discount?" Rwaine raised his brows.
"Yes," she replied softly. She pushed her hair behind her ear slowly, revealing more of her face while staring directly at him.
The truth was simple. There was no such thing as a newcomer discount. She only wanted his attention.
"Thank you," Rwaine said softly.
His calm response only made her smile wider. He walked her outside afterward while Moaz remained inside admiring the house.
The streets outside had become quieter now.
The woman walked closely beside him.
"You can always reach out to me when you need anything," she said seductively.
Slowly, she tried placing her hand on his shoulder but before she could touch him,
Rwaine grabbed her wrist gently and stopped her immediately.
She gasped softly. Then smiled shyly.
"I was just trying to kill the fly," she said trying to hide the embarrassment.
Rwaine stared at her quietly before letting go of her hand.
"You don't have to, it's just going to bite not kill," he said calmly.
But something about his aura made her nervous instantly. There was calmness in him but also danger.
"Thanks for today, if you may excuse me I have other places to be ma'am," Rwaine bowed slightly before walking away.
The woman stood there staring at his back in complete shock. Then suddenly she giggled loudly to herself.
"He is beautiful."
As Rwaine walked through the streets, he suddenly noticed the weather changing strangely.
Dark clouds slowly covered the sky. At first, he thought it was simply about to rain.
But then, everything became darker. Rwaine slowly looked up. His brows furrowed.
If he remembered correctly, it was only midday. Yet the sky looked like midnight.
The once noisy streets slowly became silent.
Still, Rwaine kept walking.
Something caught his attention, a shadow standing inside an alley ahead of him. Rwaine immediately stopped walking.
His eyes narrowed carefully. The shadow slowly moved closer. Something felt wrong. He quickly turned around and froze.
The busy street behind him was gone. It was empty, no people, only darkness. Then more shadows appeared. Ten of them
They slowly surrounded him from every direction. Rwaine stepped backward cautiously. His heartbeat began rising rapidly.
He quickly tried running the other way—
But another shadow appeared instantly in front of him.
The same thing happened again and again.
Every direction he turned, they surrounded him. The shadows slowly moved closer.
Their bodies twisted unnaturally as dark smoke poured from them.
Rwaine clenched his fists tightly. The shadows suddenly lunged toward him but before they could touch him, a huge force suddenly grabbed his body violently.
Everything blurred around him instantly. The darkness vanished.
And the next second, he crashed hard onto the floor of the House of Mirrors.
He quickly pushed himself up while breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
His eyes darted around the familiar room nervously until they landed on Latisha standing nearby.
"What were those?" He said looking worried.
Latisha stared at him painfully. Her eyes looked full of fear.
"Rwaine what have you done?" Latisha said with pain in her eyes as she stared at Rwaine.
"What do you mean?" He asked confused.
"Don't tell me you're also going to condemn my new skin?" He scoffed.
Latisha slowly walked closer. Her face looked troubled.
"Why did you do this to yourself?"
Rwaine laughed bitterly.
"Really, now that's the next thing you're going to ask me. Latisha put yourself in my shoes for years the pain, isolation, humiliation, torture I had gone through because of those damned cursed deformed skin."
His voice rose loudly, echoing violently across the House of Mirrors. The mirrors around them trembled slightly.
"Rwaine, some things were not meant to be messed with," Latisha said.
"I don't care, I love me this way and I will forever be grateful to the person who gave me this skin," he said.
Latisha's face immediately fell. "Oh no,"
"You said you're all powerful but you can't even do this miracle for me," Rwaine said.
Pain flashed across Latisha's eyes.
"That's not fair, I had saved you countless times. I was there Rwaine, isn't that miraculous enough?"
Rwaine looked away.
"Whatever you say I won't argue," Rwaine said and wanted to walk away.
But the moment he touched the edge of the room, boom!
An invisible boundary slammed against him violently and threw him backward. Rwaine crashed hard onto the floor.
"Seriously, are you going to trap me in here?"
Latisha ignored his anger completely. Instead, she stared at him seriously.
"Whoever gave you this skin did he speak of the consequences?" She asked.
"No."
"Who did it?" She asked.
Rwaine smirked slightly.
"I thought you know all things?" He mocked.
"Rwaine I need you to be sincere at this moment whoever did this to your skin does not wish you well," she held his hands.
"Thanks for your concern Latisha, since you know it all just guess who did it and stop disturbing me." he replied coldly.
Latisha suddenly snapped.
"You idiot I lost few of my powers because of you, you're cursed and the more I help the more I face the consequences. Rwaine they'll come for you,"
"Who?" He asked looking confused.
"The prophecy protectors."
Rwaine scoffed loudly.
"I don't care, there is nothing that can make me change my skin back to that horror,"
Latisha's expression softened sadly.
"Rwaine I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt,"
"Says the woman who wanted my eyes," Rwaine raised his brows and scoffed.
Pain crossed Latisha's face immediately.
"I can't protect or help as much especially now that you've broken laws, my powers will be limited."
Rwaine slowly looked down quietly. For a moment, silence filled the room. Then he sighed.
"I'll be fine, I'm cursed anyways so death should be close. Please open the boundary," he pleaded.
Latisha stared at him sadly before slowly removing a bracelet from her wrist. The bracelet glowed faintly with silver light.
"Take this bracelet, do not take it off," she warned.
Rwaine frowned slightly while taking it from her. "I thought you said you can't help,"
"Rwaine, listen to me. This bracelet keep it on everyday,"
"What is it for?" He asked.
"It is a protection that hides your location from the prophecy protectors as long as they don't find you they won't be able to harm you," she said.
Then she slowly raised her hand. The invisible boundary disappeared instantly.
Rwaine looked at the bracelet quietly.
Then he looked back at her.
"Why are you doing this? I don't worth it," he said.
Latisha's eyes softened gently.
"As time goes on, you'll realize you worth it. Go," she said.
Rwaine stared at her for a moment before finally nodding slowly. "Who are these prophecy protectors?"
"It's better not to know them."