Several days later, Ellergest came to visit Kyle. It has been almost two weeks since he last saw him. After the awakening ceremony, Kyle's family was completely ostracized from the rest of the village and they were being discriminated. They were not even allowed to go buy food or anything, and very so often, people would stop by their house and throw stones at their home.
Children gathered behind the "Accursed Child's house" only to throw rotten fruit, vegetables, and blood to their house. They were living hell itself.
However, after finally managing to sneak outside of his home, as his parents no longer allowed Ellergest to come visit Kyle, Ellergest received no response from the house no matter how much he tried to call for his friend.
"Kyle! Are you there?"
The young Ellergest sighed, his golden eyes seemed saddened, losing their light. What had happened to his friend was something too harsh. Both his Spirit and his Talent were thought to be related to his "Curse" and some even called him the Child of Death now.
"Look, I don't care if you got that spirit, or even that Talent! You're my friend… I would never leave you behind! You hear me? Never!" Ellergest cried, knocking the door.
The small face of Kyle peeked through he window of his house, as he saw Ellergest knocking the door. His mother was currently sleeping while his father had ran off somewhere else, as usual.
"I just… want to talk… Look, I brought you some food and water too…"
Kyle gritted his teeth as he cleansed his tears and walked towards the door.
"Kyle?! Are you okay? Have you had something to eat?!"
"Because you're my friend! Open the door! Come on!"
"You shouldn't get involved with someone like me…"
"I only bring you trouble… I am cursed… I shouldn't get involved with you. I am going to ruin your life, like I've done… with my parents…"
"Kyle… I don't care if you ruin my life, you're my friend… You're like my little brother. You're literally… my family."
"I don't want to abandon you…"
However, the door slowly opened, as the little Kyle was crying. His clothes were tattered and he seemed to be all nasty, he hadn't taken a bath since the ceremony, it looked like his entire family had gone downhill since that day.
Ellergest hugged Kyle tightly, as he cleansed his tears with his clothes.
"Why do you keep coming when you know I'm trouble…" Cried Kyle.
"I-I already told you why! I don't want to lave my friend behind…" Ellergest said, head patting Kyle's white hair. "You're very important to me, you know?"
"…You're important to me too." Kyle cried, hugging Ellergest back. "I'm sorry for treating you badly, sniff…"
"It's fine… That's what big brothers are for. Come on, how about you take a bath?" Sighed Ellergest.
"We have no water…" Sighed Kyle.
"There's a river nearby, let's go there." Ellergest brought Kyle to the forest, where he was able to clean himself and also have a healthy meal. They even caught fish in the river and ended having them grilled for dinner.
Through the day, Kyle told Ellergest about his family. His father became an alcoholic and was wasting all the money they had into drinking himself to death. Meanwhile, his mother was sleeping all the time, and he often saw her consuming herbs and mushrooms she picked around the forest, well known for being drugs, so she could forget everything and sleep.
Ellergest grew more and more concerned, Kyle couldn't stay with his family any longer. However, Ellergest couldn't really invite him to his home either, his parents wouldn't allow it… It was a very bad situation.
At the end, Ellergest helped Kyle making a small camp in the outskirts of the forest, inside a large and old tree which was mostly hollow. Kyle didn't wanted to go back to his house anyways, as his father would beat him whenever he was back. This was one of the reasons his eyes were purple and his face all swelled up.
"What's going to happen to me, Ellergest?" Cried Kyle, as the night arrived.
"I… I will think of something. You've gotta be strong, you hear me?" Ellergest said. "For now, how about you make a camp here? I'll bring you stuff over time; you may visit your house whenever your father's not there and pick your stuff too…"
"Okay…" Kyle sighed. "It's cold…"
"I… I know…" Ellergest ended staying the whole night snuggling with Kyle to give him both company and warm, at morning, he quickly ran back home while Kyle decided to go back home.
As the weeks, months, and even years went by, the rumors of the child never truly disappeared. Kyle had gained a status similar to that of a ghost, haunting the village. Although his parents barely saw him and never spoke about him any longer, people would sometimes report to have seen a boy with white hair and red eyes with a black cloak walking near the forest.
, three years passed, people grew so restless that they began to extort Kyle's parents every day, the young boy had just reached eight years of age and had learned many survival techniques from Ellergest.
However, his magic scared him. He had discovered that whenever he used his magic, plants would dry out and little animals would suddenly die and lose their life. And often times, strange wandering souls would approach him. He was scared of his powers, and how they were related to death itself.
"Kyle, I'm back!" Ellergest quickly came back to Kyle's house, a small camp the two had built around this old and hollow tree, bringing some new clothes and a few other useful things.
"Ellergest…" Kyle quickly ran towards his friend, giving him a small bottle with a blue liquid. "You've done so much for me, yet I can never repay you… Here! I-I made this in secret…"