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“Are you sure about this, Egg?” the dark mage from the tower asked him with concern. Minute stood in front of him, occasionally rubbing his hands together, a telling sign that he was uneasy about something.
Eggchan smiled at him reassuringly and looked at the sleeping child in his arms.
The half human, half demon hybrid softly snored, totally ignorant of whatever was happening in the world, curling closer towards Egg’s chest as if he didn’t want his peaceful sleep to be disturbed.
The child must’ve been listening to his heartbeat, a common trait among the demon species as they use the sense of hearing and smell to hunt.
It was adorable to see him relaxing to the sound.
“His name is Wemmbu, right?” Eggchan looked back at Minute, having traced the worried expression on his face.
Egg knows exactly why Minute was worried.
Before Eggchan got assigned as a first-class mage, he was under Minute’s guardianship.
Minute basically raised him, fed him, clothed him, taught him---everything.
It was normal for a parent to be worried about his child.
His child who was about to adopt another child.
“Egg… the elders told me about the prophecy. Isn’t it dangerous to keep him?” Minute couldn’t hide the mix of concern and fear in his eyes as it grazed the purple sleeping figure.
He looked at the child like he was a time-ticking bomb.
Eggchan’s grip on Wemmbu grew tighter. “That he’ll be the catalyst to end the age of magic? The elders are too scared to kill him anyway, why not just take him as an apprentice?” he says without a hint of hesitation.
Minute’s mouth hung in surprise. He shook his head with disbelief, having known that this was Egg’s way of telling him that he’ll be alright. “I guess I don’t have to tell you anything. As expected of this age’s greatest mage.”
He continues, his tone doused with fondness now that Egg has eased his worries, “I think you’ll do great as a guardian, Egg.”
Probably not as good as you, but I can at least try being a good teacher if I can’t be a decent guardian, Eggchan thought.
Eggchan brushed off the sappy remark from Minute, “Who else is supposed to take care of him? We’re basically the perfect match. A mage who can’t die and a problem child who people wish would just die.”
“Egg…” Minute’s face looked sad again, knowing that Eggchan’s immortality was a sensitive topic.
Egg had stopped aging the moment he hit 18.
At first, they thought it was merely because Eggchan was of angel species. Their kind always aged slowly. That belief soon changed when they went to war with an enemy nation and Egg volunteered to go in place of Minute because he was too injured to fight.
Of course, Minute was against it, Egg had just turned twenty and he barely had any experience with fighting.
His father feared he would die in battle.
Egg knew that he was going to.
But he still reassured Minute and talked about how he was training in secret all this time (a damn lie, that’s what it is. He was too busy reading magic books instead of training).
He marched on that battle without any fear nor regrets in his heart.
He’d already read all the books he wanted to read at the tower’s library.
He wanted to serve his nation and die in place of his kind father, who took him in when nobody wanted to.
He was supposed to die in that battle.
But the very moment an arrow pierced his heart, and another stab made it to his stomach, that’s when a fearful thought hit him.
He felt pain.
He bled.
But he didn’t die.
He couldn’t die.
No matter how many slashes he received, they healed.
No matter how much fire-attribute magic burned him to his bones, he still lived.
The earth rejected his ashes.
And that easily became Eggchan’s new hell.
After the war, he tried everything.
Minute had to beg him to stop. His father begged him on his knees for his child to stop hurting himself, but Eggchan just couldn’t accept it.
The elders said this was a gift, but he didn’t believe it.
This was nothing but a curse.
Why? That was Eggchan’s only question with life.
Why did he have to be cursed with eternal life?
The thought of having to watch everything he loved disappear before his eyes horrified him.
Eggchan does not dream of that time coming.
Eventually, he got tired of hurting himself.
Nothing worked.
There wasn’t a hint of scar in his body. He would immediately heal whenever he caught any sickness. His head would just grow back every time he accidentally got decapitated whenever his nation demanded him for another war.
His pain remained and so did his immortality.
He thinks he’s not that great with fighting, but the tower still gave him the title of a first-class mage.
More like a first-class doll. Always following what the tower tells him to do, he heard his fellow first-class mages say.
The more time passed, the more the wars lessened, and the more his nation grew in power.
The era of peace came and Minute grew older.
His fear creeped closer.
And Wemmbu came into his life to change it forever.
3 years old
“You realize what you’re doing is stupid, right?” Eggchan looked at the purple menace who was currently biting his arm, acting like he was trying to tear it to shreds as Egg attempted to give the child a bath. Eggchan ignored the pain and kept on lathering Wemmbu’s hair with bubbles. He then rinsed him off with warm water.
Wemmbu snarled at him while backing into a corner once Eggchan released his hold of him.
It’s been a week since the child came to his house and yet he acted like this every time.
Scared.
Confused.
Alert.
He acted like Eggchan was going to hurt him every time. He’d flinch and run whenever he saw Egg.
It did improve after the first three days; he only ran when Eggchan got close to him. Egg thought he’d let him be for a while. He realized that he should probably take his time trying to ease the child’s worries.
Especially a child who was showing signs of abuse.
But Eggchan was not a man of patience.
He valued time dearly.
And he couldn’t just let a child starve because he refuses to touch his food.
Minute would kill me if he knew I couldn’t feed him for a week, Eggchan thought.
“What the hell am I even doing?” He murmured to himself as he stared at Wemmbu’s small horns that became more prominent with his wet hair.
Eggchan couldn’t help but let out a small huff of poorly covered laughter when he saw Wemmbu’s attempt to climb the walls. The child opted with plastering himself to the wall like a spider.
Wemmbu looked like a wet feral cat with his purple eyes blown wide, standing out from his black sclera.
He couldn’t help it anymore; Egg started laughing.
Wemmbu went from scared, angry, surprised, to just dumbfounded at why the weird man in front of him was laughing at him.
He didn’t know what to feel.
Eggchan rubbed the tears falling off his eyes when he heard Wemmbu’s stomach rumble, making the purple haired child grow red from embarrassment.
“Let’s eat dinner,” Egg says with a soft smile on his face.
“Careful, we still have lots of stew in the kitchen, okay? Take your time eating so you won’t choke,” he reminded Wemmbu as the child started coughing from how fast he was eating. The child just glared at him from his bowl as he stuffed his mouth with more bread.
Egg stared at Wemmbu, who ate with so much gusto he attempted to eat two breads at the same time.
His hair is still wet. He might catch a cold if he doesn’t dry it soon, Egg thought as he stared at the water from Wemmbu’s hair dripping to the floor.
“I don’t know why I even took you from Minute. I don’t think I have what it takes to raise a child.” He sighed, he’s never been this impulsive before.
“I wonder, are we going to be alright?” He continued rambling but Wemmbu didn’t seem to understand what he was saying.
He chuckled when he saw a bunch of crumbs sticking onto Wemmbu’s face. He unconsciously brought his fingers closer to Wemmbu’s face, in an attempt to brush them off.
But Egg froze, an inch away from Wemmbu’s face.
The child just stared at him silently.
Wemmbu leaned closer to his hand hesitantly, rubbing his face on it as if he was seeking warmth.
“I guess we’re gonna be okay.”
6 years old
“Don’t you think it’s time to send him to preliminary magic school?” Minute asks him as he sipped on his cup of tea. They both watched Wemmbu run across the backyard, screaming his heart out as he chased a bunch of butterflies along with the other kids from the village.
Eggchan used an illusion spell to hide Wemmbu’s horns and black scleras. He looked like a normal kid running around their neighborhood.
Minute had taken the time to visit him instead of spending his precious day off somewhere else.
I guess parents worry about their children too even after they've grown.
“But I guess you can always teach him at home instead of sending him off somewhere,” Minute continued.
“I haven’t taught him anything yet.”
“Huh? I thought you took him in as an apprentice?”
“I did. I just think it’s not time yet since he hasn’t shown any interest with magic just yet.” Eggchan didn’t want to force the child to do something he didn’t want to.
“I guess that makes sense. You’re busy with your duties around the village too, huh?”
Eggchan knows he has to move soon enough, though. In a village this small… word spreads around fast. No one knows he was a first-class mage here.
Much less know that he was the immortal mage.
The nation’s puppet.
He’s been here for 5 years, pretending to be a small-time mage with his cozy house.
It was a shame, the scenery here was nice too. But he can’t stay for too long, he’s already seen some of his patrons giving him a weird stare.
He feels sorry that Wemmbu has to leave his friends soon.
“I don’t even know if the elders will approve of his schooling,” Egg says as he stared at the sunset.
“I can try talking to them, if that’s what you’re concerned about.” Minute tells him, offering him a small smile.
Eggchan tried to ignore the new wrinkles on Minute’s face.
It was probably because he smiled so much.
Minute continues, “Still… I’m surprised he hasn’t called you father, yet. At that age all you did was stick close to me and call me father,” he pretended to coo at Eggchan, making Egg roll his eyes at him jokingly.
But Egg too, had a smile on his face.
He does remember clinging to Minute and begging him to bring him to the library every chance he got.
He knew Minute was weak to the word father so he used it every time.
“Wemmbu’s smarter than he lets on. I think he knows I’m not actually his father.”
“Are you sure it’s not because you tease him way too often?”
“Oh shut up, father.”
“Wemmbu, what do you think about moving after a few years?” Eggchan asked Wemmbu as he merrily hopped while they walked towards the night stalls in the village. Eggchan held his much smaller hands, afraid that the child with way too much energy would run off to the forest again.
The village is currently holding a harvest festival, something that’s done every year. Wemmbu wanted to eat good food so he begged Egg to go.
Your cooking is kind of abysmal, the child has slipped on saying once.
Egg didn’t wanna deprive a growing child of good food so he agreed to go.
The child hummed, also thinking to himself, “I don’t mind.”
Eggchan looked at him with surprise, “But what about your friends?”
“I can always make new friends.”
“You’re that confident?”
“Yeah. I’m not like you, Egg.”
“Ouch.” Egg acted like the words hurt him (It did. It’s not his fault that he was too busy with raising a child to make friends, right?) but Wemmbu just gave him a side eye.
“I’m fine with going anywhere as long as you’re with me.” Wemmbu says without much thought.
It made Egg stop, his mouth agape.
“What?” The child asked him questioningly, pulling his hands to continue walking forward.
Egg ruffled Wemmbu’s hair with both of his hands, laughing his heart out that night.
This kid was way too smart for his own good.
10 years old
“Egg.”
“What?”
“I’m bored…” Wemmbu groaned in frustration, rolling around Eggchan’s atelier out of boredom.
“Read some books.”
“I’ve finished all of them.”
“Clean the house?”
“What more do I have to clean? This house will sparkle at this point.”
“Cook dinner?”
“I already did it.”
Eggchan removed his glasses with his right hand, taking his attention away from one of his new magic research projects.
“How about we learn some magic?” He finally asks Wemmbu.
Egg pointed to the bookshelf in the corner, “You haven’t read those books yet.”
Wemmbu sighed, “Magic is mehh… I can’t even understand anything in that book. What’s the point of learning a language no one even speaks?”
Egg laughed, “So you’re saying what I'm researching is useless?”
“No. I think magic helps a lot of people. I just don’t see myself learning it. It’s boring.”
“You just think it’s boring because you haven’t seen yet how beautiful and interesting magic can be,” Eggchan says.
“--and because you’re bad at it,” he continues to tease.
Wemmbu’s nostrils started flaring, “It can’t be that hard, right? It’s just magic! How can magic even be beautiful?”
Now that he ignited Wemmbu’s competitive nature, he grabbed his shoes and urged Wemmbu to follow him in the forest.
While they walked under the moonlight, Wemmbu silently shivered from the cold. “Egg… how far are we going? Isn’t it too late to hike the mountain?” Egg stopped to match his pace, then covered him with a shawl.
“Stop complaining and just follow me.”
They passed a river, a stony path, and another row of trees before they arrived in a field of what looked like flowers.
Wemmbu looked at the sight with disappointment, “They haven’t even bloomed yet, I don’t know why we hiked all the way here instead of just eating dinner.”
“Shush, watch.”
Eggchan chanted a spell quietly.
Wemmbu stared at Egg’s back. Egg never showed him before how magic worked in real-time. Even the illusion spells that he used to hide Wemmbu’s horns and scleras were pre-made spells on paper.
“Egg, can’t we just go home—"
Upon the last line of chanting, the lilies started blooming under the moonlight, making them look as if they were glowing now that the night has fallen.
It was one of Eggchan’s favorite spells.
It was the spell that made him fall in love with magic.
The wind blew hard and the petals started flying through the air, making it look as though there were a bunch of shiny flowers dancing in the sky.
Eggchan could see the way Wemmbu’s eyes sparkled at the sight and how his mouth warped into awe.
“See? I told you it’d be pretty.” Eggchan says with a smile.
That same night while they were at bed, Wemmbu reluctantly curled closer to him. It made Eggchan raise his brows but the purple menace just begged him with a pout to teach him the glowy flower magic.
Egg happily obliged. Not after teasing him a few more times though.
14 years old
They soon moved to the Capital City so Wemmbu could enroll in a magic academy and pursue his studies there. Minute arranged everything for them, but Eggchan could only imagine how hard it must've been to convince the elders to let Wemmbu attend school.
Not when they’re so fearful about the fact that Wemmbu can end all magicians the very moment the prophecy comes true.
But Eggchan thinks they’re stupid. Nobody even knows if that prophecy will happen.
Wemmbu wasn’t even strong enough to destroy the world.
He won’t be, for at least another two decades.
Elders and their discrimination for dark magic users. They were just as discriminatory as they were with Minute.
But look who saved multiple people as a dark mage and made history as the best magic teacher.
It was Minute.
So Eggchan doesn’t understand why they were doing the same thing to Wemmbu.
He couldn’t help but remember Minute’s pained expression when Wemmbu showed him the lilies he successfully bloomed using his magic.
The lilies were either black, red, or purple. Far from the white lilies that they both saw in the field.
Still, Wemmbu thinks they’re just as pretty and Eggchan shared the same sentiment.
Thankfully, Eggchan knew enough dark magic to train Wemmbu. However, it still doesn’t change the fact that he mainly uses light magic. With Wemmbu’s talent and quick-learning, it would be a waste not to develop them and stay cooped in Eggchan’s old atelier.
So, they left.
“Aren’t you excited that Minute might be your teacher?” Egg asked Wemmbu while the carriage both rustled them from their seats.
Wemmbu sighed, “I’d be more excited if he didn’t make me call him grandpa every time we met.”
Eggchan bursts out in laughter. “You should at least call him that once. That’s literally one of his weaknesses!”
“No way.” Wemmbu snobbed him and opted to look at the window, wondering what his life would be like in the city.
Egg looked at Wemmbu’s somber face.
Aside from Wemmbu’s schooling, they had to leave because of Eggchan.
The rumors spread too fast.
Too many people were knocking on their door and whispered about how Eggchan didn’t age despite being in the village for almost 16 years.
It was about time to leave anyway.
But Eggchan couldn’t help but feel sorry that Wemmbu had to leave his friends because of him.
Maybe, when the time comes and Wemmbu grows stronger to live on his own, he wouldn’t have to leave the people he knew and treasured just for Egg.
He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that yet though.
But there was peace in knowing Wemmbu could attain happiness on his own someday.
Wemmbu apparently made friends on his very first day in his academy.
“A rival? On the first day of school?” Eggchan asked with interest. He smiled behind his spoon as Wemmbu started ranting about a guy named Flame in his school.
“He’s good and probably… better than me… but like–He’s too arrogant!”
“Is he?”
“He pisses me off! He called me an idiot for not knowing how to swing a sword. What can I do about that? You don’t know how to swing a sword either!” Eggchan felt a little hurt by his last comment, but it was true at some point.
Eggchan was only good with magic, not with physical combat. Maybe it was a good decision to let him study in a school after all. He’ll get exposed to many fighting styles this way.
“What about your other friends?” Eggchan asked while stirring his soup, a fond look on his face as he watched Wemmbu rant.
At least he actually looks happy now.
“They’re not my friends!”
“Whatever you say, Wemmbu.”
It didn’t take too long for Wemmbu’s friends to come over to their house. Eggchan cleaned his much bigger atelier and prepared a feast.
He was excited to meet Wemmbu’s new friends.
So, when six students introduced themselves to him, he couldn’t help but feel the blooming warmth in his heart.
Is this what Minute feels whenever he sees him and Wemmbu?
“Thank you so much for inviting us–uh—?” Parrot’s words hung from his mouth, unsure of what to call Eggchan.
Wemmbu’s purple eyes met Egg’s cold blue ones.
Eggchan smiled, “Just call me Eggchan. I’m Wemmbu's older cousin. I'm looking after him while he studies at the academy. I’ve heard so much about all of you!” He easily diverted the topic.
Eggchan pretended not to notice the frown on Wemmbu’s face after he’s said their prepared script whenever someone asks who Egg was to Wemmbu’s life.
“Can’t I just tell them you’re my parent?” Wemmbu asked while he washed the dishes, his expression was strained.
“Do you even think of me as your father?” Eggchan asked back, his tone didn’t change one bit.
Egg was just like that sometimes.
Too straightforward.
His words will hit you right where it hurts.
Especially not when you demand the truth.
“...”
“See? Besides, it’ll raise suspicion if you told them I’m your father. You know how the villagers started bothering us at our old home?”
“They won’t do that—they’re not like them!” Wemmbu says defensively.
“Oh I'm sure they’re great people, Wemmbu… it’s just… we can’t tell them yet.”
I look far too young to be your father, was left unsaid.
“Anyway! Have you guys eaten yet? I prepared a lot of food!” Eggchan said excitedly as he clasped his two hands together, his eyes shining as he looked at Wemmbu’s friends.
Wemmbu, on the other hand, looked constipated.
“E-Egg, there’s no need…we can just buy food outside–” he attempts to deflect the attention from Egg, but Wifies cut him off.
“Wemmbu, it’s rude to decline an invitation to eat at a classmate’s house.” The other five students nodded.
“You guys don’t understand at all. Egg is–” Wemmbu gets cut off again but by Theo this time.
“We’d love to eat dinner here if you don’t mind having us!”
“Oh my! Of course I don’t mind. C’mon, take your seats so I can set the table.”
Wemmbu gives up, leading his classmates to their dining table.
The moment each of them took a bite of Egg’s food, they collectively grew silent, each sweating as they shared knowing looks.
Wemmbu sighed, “See? This is why I told you that we should eat outside. Egg is a terrible cook.”
“I’m not!”
“You are.”
“I’m not!!”
“Egg, give it up. Look at their faces, I don’t think they even want to chew.”
17 years old
“Egg, can you be honest with me?” Wemmbu asked randomly in a very quiet afternoon.
Egg’s grip on his writing tool tightened.
“Why don’t you age?” Wemmbu had a serious expression on his face.
There goes the big question, Egg thought.
It’s not like he could continue hiding it anymore, anyway.
Wemmbu has grown taller than him, his voice also taking a much more noticeable dip.
It was hard not to notice that Eggchan looked more like his classmates than his guardian.
He barely looked like Wemmbu’s parent anymore. Back in the old village where they lived, everyone just thought he was a young father. But it was hard to use the same alibi when Eggchan looks like Wemmbu’s younger brother instead.
“I’ve been wondering for a while.. but I never got the chance to ask. It’s just… my friends have been asking me the same question and I realized I didn’t know what to tell them.”
I don’t know much about you, Egg, but you know everything about me.
It’s unfair.
Noticing that Eggchan was silent, Wemmbu figured he wouldn’t be getting any answers.
At least probably not today.
“Sorry for bothering you, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to–”
“It’s because I’m cursed, Wemmbu.” Eggchan says, fully abandoning the writing tool in his hand.
His smile looked bitter, far from his usual cheery and random self.
Wemmbu’s brow scrunched together, “What do you mean you’re cursed? Wifies told me it might be because you’re an angel hybrid—”
He stopped when he noticed Eggchan gripping his hands tightly, to the point where he bled as his fingernails dug deeper.
Wemmbu couldn't get any words out.
“I can’t die, Wemmbu.” Egg uttered like it pained him to say those words.
“Time has long stopped for me.”
18 years old
The second time Wemmbu saw Egg lose his cool was after his graduation.
His friends opted for a graduation party at his house, and it was fun. Eggchan was banned from the kitchen so they had no problems with their food either.
They talked, laughed, sang, and drank their hearts out. Wemmbu especially felt happier because he saw his friends getting along with Egg.
Nowadays, Egg felt more like his friend than his guardian.
Sometimes, Wemmbu doesn’t know how to feel about that.
But he and Egg were fine with it and that’s what matters.
It was supposed to be a happy day, where they would all just let their worries slip away.
By dawn, most of his friends had already left except for Wifies and Parrot, who said they would stay so they could help clean up.
Until they heard a frantic knock on the door.
No, it wasn’t even a knock.
It felt like someone was trying to break their door down.
Eggchan turned to Wemmbu and his friends, “Hide with Wifies and Parrot, I’ll take a look.”
“But Egg–” Before Wemmbu could say anything more, Parrot grabbed his arm to hide not too far from the door.
Eggchan opened the door with a serious look on his face, ready to strike down if this was an intruder.
But to his surprise, it was the light mage from the tower, Branzy.
Branzy looked pale and his clothes were a mess. It looked like he ran to get here.
Eggchan started having a bad feeling. Branzy was one of Minute’s closer friends.
He remembers Minute telling him that Branzy almost never goes outside the tower.
“What happened to my father?” Eggchan asked, his eyes blank.
He had a feeling.
“Egg….Minute has…”
But he was still trying to deny the reality.
“Minute is gone.”
After Minute’s funeral, Eggchan shut himself in his room.
He never opened the door for a week.
Until the week became a month.
And the month turned into two.
He wasn’t letting anyone in.
Not even Wemmbu.
He wouldn’t even open his door for meals. He was starving himself to death constantly and it pained Wemmbu to realize that.
He guesses Eggchan was really immortal.
Even when he doesn’t eat, he could still hear the cries behind the door.
Wemmbu never got tired of knocking and calling for Egg every day.
He still cooked Egg’s meals.
He ate alone at the table, sometimes his meals would taste salty because he didn’t realize he was crying too.
Sometimes he couldn’t cry because his friends would make the effort to eat with him.
He considered breaking the door after the first month but he was so afraid Egg would end up hating him so he never did.
Instead, he slept outside Egg’s door, wondering what else he could do for him.
.
Near Flame’s home, there was a field of flowers. Flame remembered showing it to his friends one time. He always passed by it on the way home and the flowers always seemed to calm him down. He’s never one to care about plants much but he guesses things have changed after he became friends with Lomedy.
What he didn’t expect though, was passing by the field at 1 am after his late part-time shift, and seeing a familiar purple hair near it.
“Wemmbu?” He called out to the figure who was crouched at the flowers, looking like he was busy with something.
Flame knew of Wemmbu’s situation.
They all did.
They all pretend they don’t see Wemmbu’s red rimmed eyes whenever they eat together at his house.
So it was weird to see that Wemmbu was even outside.
Flame’s gut just told him that he had to get to Wemmbu.
So he did.
“Wemmbu?” He tapped his friend's shoulder but Wemmbu just wouldn't stop with what he was doing. He peeked at his shoulder and saw that Wemmbu was actively casting a spell to the flowers. He was doing it one by one.
Flame failed to notice it at first because it was dark but half of the field of lilies were now black, red, and purple.
Then he heard the sobs.
He carefully crouched beside Wemmbu and saw how much of a mess his friend looked. His skin was pale, his eyes were red and puffy from crying, and his clothes were dirty from the slightly wet soil. He looked like he was in a daze as he continuously casted a spell.
Flame’s gaze went to Wemmbu’s nose, seeing that blood was steadily pooling out from it.
A sign of severe mana depletion.
Flame couldn’t help but feel more mad the moment he saw the dried blood on Wemmbu’s shirt.
Has he been doing this the entire day?
It made Flame’s voice wobble. “C’mon bro, let’s get you home,” He lightly tried pulling Wemmbu away but the demon hybrid shook off his arm.
“No,” he heard Wemmbu sniffle.
“Bro, I can’t just leave you here. Parrot and the others are gonna be worried about you..”
“I can’t leave yet.”
“Yet?”
Then he heard Wemmbu’s voice break, frustratingly pulling at the flowers.
“I can’t turn these lilies like how Egg made them for me. They’re a different color—”
Then, he heard him cry harder. “They have to be the perfect color, Flame.
So Egg can feel happy again.”
bonus concept art: Egg braiding Wemmbu's hair :))
