The Return of Devius Horon

In the morning, at the Belona clan castle. The sunlight through the glass illuminated the faces of the men sitting in the highest room. Each sat in a long line of eyes staring at the tiny figure moving below as if watching the best circus show in the world. The man in the long black coat, wearing the hood that covered his face, spoke in a hoarse voice that broke the silence. "You're good, Rack." The man sat in the middle, legs crossed, eyes narrowed, so no one knew what he was thinking. Each breath of smoke alternated into the air and then dissipated. "That's its fate," Rack Belona said slowly. "He'll be grateful later for what I've done," The man in black grinned and replied, "It's best to oversee him. You know he's the son of that monster; that bloodline is unchangeable." Rack Bolena pouted contemptuously and said, "I can make him useless; I can make him forever useless." Below, Horon bent over to clean up the manure that Edden's horses had discharged after they ran amok that morning. Horon was so used to this job that it was only moments later that the lawn in the garden returned to its original beautiful state. Horon had planned to go back into his small room to shower. After all, the rotten smell of horse manure would make him hate it when he sat at the breakfast table. Not far away is the practice area of the chosen ones for tomorrow's competition. Horon just stared longingly and then turned and walked towards the warehouse to store his belongings. Edden saw Horon from afar; he winked at the person next to him and gestured toward Horon. Horon's old crumpled shirt didn't cover Horon's lean back as it touched the cold stone floor. Monias grabbed Horon by the neck and pulled him away like a dry sheet of wood, blood dripping and seeping into the ground filled with expensive flowers. "Monias," Edden squealed. "You'll have to wipe yourself off the filthy blood you dropped on the grass," "OK," Monias replied. Monias threw Horon down at Edden's feet and wiped his hands away as if he had just touched something foul. Horon's disapproving gaze lit up and then faded. The Land of Blue is only for the strongest Alphas; they have the right to bully and dictate to anyone weaker than themselves. Horon had protested many times, with no one to protect him, not even the man he always called his father. Edden's foot kicked Horon's shoulder, forcing him to kneel like a lowly slave. It was starting to rain, but their prank showed no signs of stopping. The wounds on Horon's back burned, rainwater mingling with the blood that fell on Edden's feet. Immediately, he removed his black leather shoes and shoved them into Horon's mouth. "Shame, Horon Belona," Edden growled with an angry face. "The Belona clan can't give birth to such a useless Beta. Surely your mother was clumsy with another man and gave birth to you. Be grateful to my father for his boundless altruism in accepting your mother. So you had to lick off these filthy drops of blood before my father found out." The sandy soil and the rotten smell of shoe leather against Horon's nose made it impossible for him to breathe. The rain was getting more torrential. Horon didn't know how many of his tears had dissolved into the rain. "His mother was a servant; was that true?" Monias asked maliciously. Edden's eyes, still pinned to Horon, replied, "Answer, Horon Belona. Say that your mother is the lowest servant in the Belona clan. And tell them how she gave birth to you." Horon didn't know if he was shivering from the cold or angry. She was the first and probably the last to give him warmth among hard people who cared only about fame and power. They could insult him, but they didn't talk about his mother. She was the cleanest and most sacred part Horon wanted to protect. He propped his hands to the ground as he slowly stood up, his mouth still clutching Edden's leather shoes. The eyes that had always been patient were no longer calm. Just as he was about to face Edden, a small thin figure with silver-speckled hair blocked in front of him. "Mr. Edden, Mr. Rack wants to call you up to the meeting room," Jesica said urgently. "See," Edden said to Monias. "They're the same, useless and shy like the hamsters out there," Before leaving, Edden deliberately kicked Jesica on the back, causing her to collapse onto the grass. Horon hurried over and hugged Mrs. Jesica's water-stained body. He used all his remaining strength to sprint towards the warehouse. Only then could he use the wood chips inside to warm his mother. Lucky that no one was chasing them, Horon used the remaining haystack to light a small fire. He sat Mrs. Jesica went down and ran off into the torrential rain. As he walked past the living room, Horon's eyes wandered into the warm interior filled with delicious food and a bright red fire that never went out. Horon's feet stomped into puddles heading towards the warehouse. Horon always knew that he was useless, so he did not dare to ask for too much, but he was still the son of Rack Belona – the head of the wealthiest clan in the Land of Blue. They should give him and his mother a place in that house, even at the lowest. When Horon returned to the shed with his faded coat in his hand, Mrs. Jesica dried her clothes and stared blankly at the door. Her face was flushed from the heat of the fire. "You shouldn't go near the main building," Mrs. Jesica said in a whisper. "They won't bless people like us," "I know," Horon replied obediently. "Are you going to the competition tomorrow?" Jesica asked softly. "Yes," Horon replied. "This is our last hope." Two guards dragged Mrs. Jesica into Rack Bolena's office in the evening. After the door slammed shut, Jesica's back trembled, and every time she went to see Rack Belona, it wasn't a good thing. Rack Belona looked down at Jesica from above as if looking at an ant that could kill at any moment. "Remember what you promised, Jesica," Rack Belona said. "His life will end as soon as he knows who he is. You know what I mean?" Mrs. Jesica stamped her head repeatedly to show her intentions. Perhaps Rack Belona knew what happened this morning, and he was deliberately warning her. Mrs. Jesica looked Rack Belona in the eye for the first time and said with a smile, "You can't hide anymore. Horon Devius is not a mediocre person." Rack Belona's hands gripped Jesica's neck as if he would break it at any moment. Trying to hide her panic, Mrs. Jesica chuckled, "Admit it, Rack Belona, you're scared," "Tomorrow, I'll show you who should be afraid of," Rack Belona said confidently. Mrs. Jesica returned to the room below the basement when Horon was fast asleep. She could glimpse her thin face and tanned skin from the sun from the holes in the ceiling. Without a warm blanket to cover, Jesica returned to her place and quickly fell asleep. Horon often had to get up earlier in the morning than others. Because the horses needed to be eaten and cleaned before Edden woke up, it was colder than usual this morning. Horon looked at the black sky before him and sighed. Today was his last chance. Either recognized or will die. He could only choose one of those two things. When the living room sounded cheerful, Horon finished his work. He walked into the room feeling clean, but Edden wasn't satisfied; he packed the pile of leftovers on the table and set it onto a plate to look like an awful place. Edden waved a friendly hand at Horon, "Hurry, Horon. The game will start, and you will lose if you are hungry." Jesica bowed her head low so as not to see the subsequent development. Because she thought that if Horon touched the pile of food, she would rush up to knock it down on the table. But in the end, she didn't have that courage. She had something more significant to protect, and once Horon was alive, they had hope. Rack Belona watched in silence as Horon stuffed all the leftovers into his mouth, and Lady Paole looked so beautiful sitting next to him as if it had nothing to do with her. "Let's go," Rack Belona said. Edden obediently walked beside him, and Horon fell behind because of Edden's powerful push. Mrs. Jesica took Horon's hand and whispered in his ear, "Son, as long as you are alive, we still hope.”