Chương 1: Autumn Leaves

Remnya A soft drizzle caressed the bruises on Remnya's pale face, numbing the pain as she climbed to the highest branch of an old oak. The spot offered a privileged view of the hazy city beyond the orphanage walls. They weren't allowed to leave, but dreaming was free and helped her to forget the punishments. She curled up, allowing herself to get lost in the mysterious landscape. Droplets soaked her long black hair, where two tiny horns grew like thorns on a rose, a testament to her particular nature.

Perhaps that was why they had forced that device around her neck. Why was she the only one wearing a collar? That incident hadn't been her fault. In her thirteen years of life, there had never been time for weakness. The survival of the fittest was the norm in that prison they called home, an ancient building with decaying walls looming over a large front yard where the orphans drowned their misery every afternoon.

Breaking the rules was a great way to feel alive, but the caregivers showed no mercy to problematic kids. At least her bruises healed quickly. The sound of feet splashing on wet soil brought Remnya back to reality. Beneath her, her friend, Zeo, was holding a bag. She eased herself onto a lower branch and jumped off the tree, landing smoothly like a cat.

"Why are you here alone, Rem?" Zeo asked, wiping his thick-rimmed glasses with his white shirt.

"I wanted to see the city towers, but it's too foggy today." Remnya shrugged and brushed two strands of wet hair sticking to her face.

"What's that?"

"Oh, this is for you." Zeo drew a lunch box from his bag and handed it to her.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"Thanks." Remnya rushed to open the box and found a chicken leg dipped in mashed potatoes. The caregivers had punished her without food for two days, but Zeo always managed to get an extra meal from the kitchen where he worked. Her friend smiled, his cheeks turning pink. Zeo was one year older than Remnya, but his delicate face and malnourished body made him appear younger. He had long, pointy ears and messy hair that fell over his green eyes.

"Let's go back inside. It's getting cold." Remnya closed the box and motioned for Zeo to follow her. He rushed after her. They crossed the front yard, passing by a wooden shelter where the older kids gathered every afternoon; faceless orphans who always reminded Remnya she didn't belong there. She sped up her pace, trying to ignore the judgmental stares. However, the nasty murmurs had already started.

"Horned witch," someone whispered. Remnya clenched her fists but continued.

"Such a nice couple of freaks," sneered her roommate, Gina, as her friends laughed. Such comments had become routine. Remnya halted, stomping into a puddle of muddy water, and turned to them with a glare, heat building up in her chest. The girls exchanged scornful looks and gossiped. They always talked behind her back but never dared to confront her directly.

"She's so ugly, she doesn't even look like a girl." The high-pitched laughter from the group echoed in her head. Like waves of unjustified hatred, they cut her skin. As if a demon had possessed her body, Remnya began to walk toward them. But Zeo grabbed her arm. She looked at him, her teeth gritting.

"Let me go."

"Rem..." Zeo shook his head, his lips trembling.

"They're not worth it. Don't get in trouble again, please." The last time she had fought, her roommate had ended up in the infirmary, but Remnya was locked in the basement for one week, not without a previous beating. She stared into Zeo's tender eyes, and the demon in her chest seemed to calm down. Taking a deep breath, Remnya swallowed her anger. He was right. Her wounds were still fresh, and her time in the orphanage was coming to an end. It wasn't worth it.

She forced her ears not to hear and strode toward the building. Zeo tried to distract her and grabbed a book from his bag. Remnya was allergic to reading, but her friend always bugged her with interesting facts about the world.

"I found this at the library," Zeo said, displaying the cover of his new book. It read The Fourteen Wonders of Nature in faded letters.

"I was learning about the Nephilim."

"That weird thing again!" Remnya scowled at him. She hated his reading about the Nephilim. Everyone knew the last one had disappeared during the Blood War, the powerful creatures who protected Earth and brought peace thirteen years ago. Now, only a few hybrids remained, the offspring of Nephilim and humans. Zeo claimed she was one because of her horns and tail. Her tail was long and thin, with an arrow-shaped tip that she always tried to hide in her pants. Though Zeo insisted there was nothing wrong with her.

None of it mattered. All Remnya knew was that she was a freak in everyone's eyes. Her unique ability was to get into trouble and get beaten for it. If anything, being a Nephilim was a curse. They headed to the dorms through the main corridor. Windows on the left and drawings glued to the wall on the right. The scent of dampness lingered in every corner, and cobwebs danced around the pale lights. Visitors usually sat there to watch the kids play in the yard, then picked one like a puppy.

"I am making a going-away present for you," Zeo whispered, hiding his face.

"Really? What is it?" Remnya's eyes shone, forgetting her anger for a moment.

"It's a surprise." He giggled. Remnya smiled and patted her friend's back.

"I guess you were right, after all."

"About what?"

"If I kicked Gina's face out there, we wouldn't be able to spend our last days together," she murmured, and the spark of joy quickly faded away. Silence. Zeo dropped his gaze and rubbed his hands together.

"When are you leaving?" Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"I don't know, but the old hag said soon." Remnya swallowed while mixed feelings tangled around her heart. She would finally have a family, something she had dreamed of since she was a toddler. But what about Zeo?

"You need to learn how to defend yourself before I leave!" She raised her fist.

"I know, Rem..." Zeo sighed. All he wanted was to read and learn in peace. Instead, he was the target of cruel jokes and the boys' punching bag.

"Wish I didn't have these ugly things." He tugged his ears.

"I think they're cute." Remnya smirked.

"Anglish ears, was it?" Zeo's eyes widened. He had shown her a book about the legend of the Anglish, a mythical race said to have been hunted to near extinction by the Nephilim. They concluded Zeo looked like them and that Remnya would have to kill him one day. Only the boy laughed at that joke. They sat on a humid bench in the courtyard separating the boys' and girls' dorms.

Remnya's stomach growled as she opened her lunch box, but before she could take a bite, Zeo jumped from his seat and put his hands on his head.

"I forgot my book in the kitchen!" She put her lunchbox aside.

"Let's go get it."

"Don't worry, Rem." Zeo smiled and gestured at her to stay in her seat.

"I'll go for it myself and be back before you know it." Before she could reply, he dashed into the corridor. His shoes echoed against the tiles until they faded into the distance. * Remnya raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was hiding something, but preferred to trust his word. She grabbed her plastic tableware, eager to try the food, and slowly took the first bite.

Smiling, she savored it, enjoying every ounce of flavor, knowing how lucky she was to have at least one meal a day, unlike other orphans who had to fight for a plate of food. Remnya observed the younger kids playing in the courtyard. They rarely made fun of her, so she tolerated them and even laughed at their antics. As minutes passed, the drizzle turned into a shower that punished the ancient structures of the orphanage and flooded the floors.

The kids sought shelter while Remnya finished her meal, wondering why Zeo hadn't returned. She waited by the corridor, leaning against the wall to avoid the spray of water from the roof. The autumn rain had always been unpredictable. In the distance, she spotted a little girl running toward her. Remnya called out to her, "Amy! What's wrong?"

"Zeo is in trouble!" The little girl had tears in her eyes. Her blood froze.

"Where is he?"

"The backyard!" …

"I'll take care of it," Remnya said, wiping the tears off Amy's cheeks and squeezing her soaked body tightly between her arms.

"You go back to your room and change your clothes, okay?" Amy nodded, sobbing, and then Remnya rushed toward the scene. Remnya sprinted through the corridors, dodging kids and caregivers in her path. She kicked the back door and bolted outside. Her worn sneakers and socks turned brown as she hopped over mud puddles. Her heart raced at the thought of what lay ahead, but her legs moved relentlessly. Under the branches of an old maple, Remnya spotted her friend.

Zeo lay on the ground next to a pile of debris and trash, surrounded by three boys. His glasses and book were buried in the mud, and blood spilled on his shirt. A menacing shadow loomed over her friend. She recognized him, Liam. A tall boy whose face reminded Remnya of an angry rat.

"Get up!" Liam yelled, burying his foot in Zeo's back. Trembling, Zeo placed his hands on the moist soil and tried to sit up, but before he could regain balance, a fist smashed against his face, sending his head slamming into the ground. Everyone laughed as he bit the dirt. Remnya clenched her fists and sneaked behind a dead trunk, fury burning her insides. She recalled her last encounter with them, the night they had locked her in the bathroom and tried to force her to kiss a boy.

She glanced at two mossy rocks dug into the soil. They were huge. Liam grabbed Zeo by the collar of his torn shirt, forcing him to stand, and pushed him against the tree. Zeo's green eyes glistened with tears.

"Butter! Pull his pants down," Liam ordered an overweight kid who followed him everywhere. Butter walked forward, making Zeo flinch and bump his head on the tree.

"No, please, don't!" He cried while Butter yanked his belt. Instinctively, Zeo smacked Butter's hands, trying to keep them off him. The resistance was brief. A punch in the stomach shattered Zeo's will to fight. He writhed in pain and let out a muffled squeal.

"Shut up!" Liam grunted, gripping his throat.

"Santi, hold his hands!" he commanded his other friend.

"Isn't this too much?" Santi asked, grimacing at Zeo's sobbing.

"The old hag is gonna get mad at us!"

"The old hag doesn't care." Liam sniggered.

"Do it! It'll be fun."

"He's a coward, too," Butter said, slapping Zeo's hands away. A loud thump resounded throughout the yard, and suddenly Butter's hands were paralyzed. His eyes rolled back, his smirk vanished, and his heavy frame collapsed on the ground like a sack of cement. Liam noticed the bleeding wound on his friend's nape and a rock next to him. His eyes scanned his surroundings until he spotted the culprit standing a few meters away.

"Leave him alone!" Remnya yelled, drawing back her arm to throw another rock.

"The horned witch!" Liam roared.

"Go away, or I'll open your head, you jerk!" Remnya shot a menacing glare, her eyes spitting fire. Liam was twice her size, but Remnya was taller and stronger than most boys. Liam hesitated and glanced at his friends. Butter was on the ground, groaning in pain, while Santi hid behind a tree. He bared his teeth and snatched a broken metal pipe from the trash pile next to him.

"Come on then, bitch! If you dare." Remnya swallowed. Instinct screamed at her to flee, but her heart refused to abandon her friend. Bracing her shoulders, she tightened her fingers around her only weapon and hope. With a violent jerk of her right arm, she threw the rock as hard as possible. The projectile missed Liam's head by inches, scratching his earlobe with a trail of sand and mud. Like an enraged animal, Liam charged at her, shouting unintelligible curses.

Remnya stood still with her pupils locked on his movements. He aimed his weapon at her head. But she ducked and leaned back, avoiding his blows. Furious, he stomped at Remnya again. She leaped aside, kicking his knee as he blindly passed next to her. He groaned with frustration and swung his pipe aimlessly. Remnya evaded all his clumsy attempts, but as she took one step backward, her foot slipped into a mud puddle. Using her palms, Remnya avoided the fall and pushed herself back to her feet.

However, when she lifted her eyes, she saw Liam over her, ready to land a full blow on her face. Unable to evade it, she closed her eyes and waited for the impact. It never arrived. Zeo jumped on Liam and pushed him to the ground. Remnya felt a burning pain on the side of her face. A long red line had formed where the sharp edge of the metal cut through. Her blood boiled with anger and frustration. Despite her reflexes and agility, she couldn't fight him, not with solid metal threatening to break her.

A heavy thump echoed in her skull, and suddenly, everything was spinning. Remnya staggered as acute pain spread through her head. Before she could react, thick arms wrapped around her from behind. Butter. The bully had recovered and crushed her body with a tight grip. Liam's high-pitched laughter poisoned the air as he kicked Zeo away. He lifted his weapon and advanced toward her. Remnya twisted, unable to break free from Butter's grasp. He was twice her weight and matched her strength.

She regretted not using a heavier rock. His head was so thick that he barely received any damage. She kicked his legs with her heels and tried to headbutt him, but he was shorter than her, and she couldn't reach his nose.

"Hurry!" Butter screamed, desperation in his voice as she buried her nails into his stomach.

"Liam, don't do it, man!" Santi shouted from behind the tree.

"Shut up!" Liam roared as he loomed over Remnya. If he hit her, her chances of leaving would crumble. Nobody wants to adopt broken kids; that's what the adults always said. And who would protect Zeo? Without her, her friend would suffer worse punishments. As long as they existed, they would continue to cause harm. She had to get rid of them. Remnya felt her heart burn as if dipped in boiling water. Her hands hissed as they dug into Butter's skin.

An unbearable heat flowed through her veins like magma until it erupted through her skin. A crimson flash blinded her, and tongues of fire caressed her face. Butter uttered a terrifying shriek and released Remnya just in time for her to dodge Liam's hit. A sharp crack split the rainy air as the metal pipe smashed into Butter's forehead, and a spurt of blood showered Liam's face. Remnya couldn't understand anything until she stared at her arms. They were covered in crimson flames, burning her clothes.

She panicked and sprinted toward the nearest bathroom, leaving a trail of embers and sparks behind her. She stormed into the bathroom and turned the shower on to put out the fire. She panted and trembled, her heartbeats hammering in her brain. With dilated eyes, Remnya scanned her skin, terrified of the horrible burns she had gotten. There was nothing. Her skin was intact, smooth, and pale as usual. She lifted the remnants of her burnt shirt in front of a cracked mirror. Her stomach, arms, and legs were undamaged.

Remnya brushed her hair with trembling fingers. She could swear it was on fire, but it was still as long and silky as usual. Even the terrible pain in her head had disappeared. Leaning against a corner, Remnya dropped to the wet floor. She curled up, burying her face between her knees, and trembled as guilt tore her insides apart.

"What did I do?" she mumbled, her voice cracking.

"I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to..."