Dawn Of Twilight

"Ahh, my head really hurts..."

When Tobi regained his consciousness, he had no idea how much time had passed. His body ached from every angle, mostly he felt excruciating pain from the swollen wound behind his head.

He bȧrėly had the mental energy to open his eyes, his vision was blurred from the exhaustion of crying so much. He had a splitting headache caused by both the headache and the severe lack of natural mana.

The scene in front of him seemed like he was riding in a horse carriage. As his body reacted to the stormy movement of the carriage, impacting on his wound. It was so painful, Tobi had to breathe in several mouthfuls of air.

Opening his already swollen eyes, he surveyed his surroundings.

What filled his vision were walls formed from metallic planks. Human figures that seemed to be bȧrėly five years to six, were all within his periphery, with their eyes closed as they rested. However, because of the haze, he wasn't able to make clarity of their faces, but they seemed to be in the same predicament as himself.

Within the group only Tobi seemed to be lying on the metallic floor, feeling the ice-cold subtle ground pressed against his bruised skin.

Tobi nonchalantly forces himself to seat up, he knew that if he doesn't try healing himself he would probably affect his already exhausted body recovery process. Using Mana Accumulator once again, though his mana core was still empty and his body exhausted, but at least now he could make proper thoughts.

That was before a sharp pain ȧssaulted his consciousness. The sudden pain arrived with many unpleasant memories along with it.

Tobi closed his eye, he did not want to think about anything else. His expression was that of pained, as every memory appear one after the other, like a flash track bouncing before his eyes.

Tobi cursed at himself and his bad luck. Every happy memory of his family appeared within his mind and was supposed to console him, to make him feel at ease. Yet every reminisce of it, made him incredibly guilty and angry.

'This is all my fault.' He roared at himself, 'I screwed up everything I touch! Why..why am I even alive.'

If there was one an ounce, of his family, staying alive without being harmed and tortured, he wanted as much of it. As he silently prayed for their wellbeing.

Their faces were like a torment stabbing the deepest part of his heart, a few drops of tears formed at the corner of his eyes, before hitting the metallic plank floor.

By remembering he sentence each of the people he said he loved and cherish to their early grave, the hatred he felt towards himself and the Holy Shrine increased without a limit.

The grief he felt was overwhelming, making him feel like his heart was getting squeezed by a vice. Ever since his rebirth, he had tried to make sure to keep everyone and everything under his control.

Ironically he was rebirth as a demonic child, he knew he wouldn't be able to endure what had happened. The pain wouldn't stop, what was the use of being a vampire if he couldn't even save his family.

It was useless all for nothing, over time the love his family had given him became his great shield, despite being a child known as a demon. They showed him so much love and affection, without regard for their everyday ridicule from their peers.

With such love his family had shone him, he thought he could change everything. 

With every little success, Tobi had managed to grow more confidence in himself and his family, as long as he followed that pattern, everything would work out well.

The beginning of his instinctual bad premonition and the arrival of the black steel knight of the Holy Shrine had dismantled his whole plan and crushed this illusion.

Being a captive, and his family's unknown outcome which would probably be worse than death, shatter the belief on which he had based his whole existence upon until this point.

He kept weeping, not only for his family but also for being useless.

"Hey, are you okay?...."

Amidst his agony, he heard someone called out, but he was too sad to care about it. The only thing he could think about was finding a way to make the pain stop.

But the voice soon began to urge him and was a bit unbearable, since he was still mourning. So he couldn't help raising his head to glare at the person, that was disturbing him.

He saw that the ones who had called out to him, was two male children almost the same height and age, more like a twin since they had a familiar appearance.

They had mid eyebrows, a large pair of brown eyes, a slight broad but pointed nose, and messy brown hair. Their built was a bit skinny, wearing dirty ragged clothes with a few patches that made them appear like wandering beggars.

Tobi lowered his eyes, for the first time in his new life. He saw kids his age approach him of their own accord without ridiculing him about being a demon child, and maybe they were also ostracized as a demonic child he thought.

And when he thought back to his time at the village, he realized he actually didn't get on with anyone except those six boys which were older than him, and Gloria.

Thus he contemplated, he had never spoken to any children of his age before, nor did he really care, first it was, without doubt, they were a complete bunch of strangers to each other, even if they had the same status as demon children.

Second, he had less interaction with people. And has always labeled it as a waste of one time, and extreme boredom. He didn't give a damn about two pipsqueaks, third, his mood had already been greatly affected from the start. 

Fourth, talking to strangers was akin to torture. But if he wanted a way out he had to compromise, instead of just allowing his emotion to slowly eating him up. 

"Nice to meet you, I am Tobi." He inwardly grumbled. He had to remain silent for a couple of seconds, before replying with an ice-cold warning glare.

"Nice to meet you too, my name's Elijah, and this is my twin brother Matthew." He said, pointing his hand to the boy beside him.

Tobi looked at both of them strangely, they appeared quite calm when concerning their overall situation. They might not even survive, after today or God knows what they would do to them.

Matthew had a puzzled look on his face as he stood there still, "Hi...." Matthew muttered with a pause.

"I ȧssume you don't want to starve, if you had awoken even for a few more minutes later, you probably wouldn't have been able to make it to dinner." 

Tobi pondered on what to do, even if he didn't want to eat. He couldn't avoid it, else his body might take longer to recover its vigor. 

Furthermore, there might be an escape time, refusing to eat might affect his plan when the time comes.

Just as he was in deep thought, a pair of little hands suddenly supported him to his feet.

"What are you thinking about?"Elijah asked with curiosity.

"Nothing" Tobi shook his head, he didn't trust the two kids he had just met.

When he looked around, he realized that there was no one else in sight within the spacious carriage. It was no wonder they had come to call him.

Tobi stood up while stretching his body. Although it still hurt in a few places, but it did not impede his movement, and the wound behind his head already had its pain relief.