In his mind, he was small.

Everyone else was big, like elephants. Elephants with wise and old minds. People who knew what they were doing. He was merely just an ant. A small ant that only knew how to follow others.

And that's all he'd ever be.

-------

The boy named Virgil set off, down the mountain, heading onwards towards a place he knew nothing of. And yet he knew this, this minuscule thing, could and would change everything. The unknown, the torture of life, and the world's dark and ghastly grasps on him.

The boy, Virgil, had arms, skinny as toothpicks. His legs like the noodles from Bet's best dish. His eyes were sunken and dimed. Black as ebony, his hair the same. He was small for the age of 19. And if you had to take a gander at his height, you would presume he was hardly 5'2.

He'd been walking down a path for what felt like 3 days but he knew, by the sun's position, that it had been 30 minutes. He was already tired and the sun's rays, along with his asthma, weren't helping the trip at all. But he needed to keep going. The reward would be something so wonderful, even if it cost him so much.

As the sun hit midday, he was at a crossroads. A dual of signs sat before him. The one to the left, old and cracked with splinters sticking out, read, 'The Small Boy'. The other, pointing to the right, carved of marble and gold, read, 'The Mighty Prince'.

It was a test, he knew.

Knowing. Something that didn't occur to him commonly. But this time he knew what this was. And he knew the only way to pass would be to choose the things that he felt, whether it was literally correct or not.

And so he chose the sign to the left. Knowing he was nothing. A crumpled newspaper that anyone would leave tumbling in the light, summer's breeze.

He stopped. Looking at the path below him. The path which had been a mediocrely done cobblestone was now soil. Soil, it's only use was being stepped on. And he continued once more, knowing in his heart that this was the correct way.

As he went, a dark forest approached him towards the right and a sparkling and swishing ocean, the left. Once again, he met a crossroad with the common two signs. And yet, something was different here. There was a third sign; it was asking a question. The question being, "Whom do you love?"

Unlike last time, both signs had no distinct qualities. But they did, for sure, read two different things. The left sign, heading towards the ocean, read, 'Father'. And the one to the looming forest read, 'Mother'.

Virgil felt nothing towards either of his parents. There had never been any sense of love or affection in his family.

That being, this next question would be something hard to choose.

Virgil would soon regret staying at that sign for a long time, pondering the question. He would also soon regret not bringing any type of thing to protect himself. The events of the next period of time would bring him to a fate worse than any other; this one would leave him in a bottomless pit of despair.

The prospect of others.

-------

"What a stupid area of land this is! Everywhere you look, there's just grass. Grass. Grass. Grass. Where're the homes? The people? A tree? Possibly? I wish I could just tell him where to shove it and move onnnn. This is so boriiiing. It's not like I'm going to find him out here, anywa-"

The man, holding a sword and wearing an annoyed, yet still beautiful face, stopped. In front of him, only 10 yards away, was a young man, standing still on a dirt path, looking at something.

'Could this be...' He shook his head. 'Roman, you idiot. Why would he be out here?'

The man named Roman began to walk away. But stopped and turned back around to the young man, who was still there, totally clueless to the man behind him.

'Well, there would be no harm in at least checking him out. He could be a horrible bandit for all I know!'

--------

The hands.

Everywhere.

Grasping.

Grasping at anything and everything.

He knew none of this was happening, but it all felt too real. Like, exactly something from that nightmarish hell.

It looked exactly like that... that place he used to live in.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to at the very least make the hands disappear, they were the worst thing out of this nightmare.

When he opened his eyes once more, the hands were gone, and he was left alone at his old, 'home'. It wasn't his true home, and it never would be.

But. He'd no clue what else to refer to it as. And so he would go with home, even if it felt disgusting to call it that.

He walked around, knowing that as long as he stalled for time and didn't think about the hands or even worse, the faces, he could wake up in just a bit. And then it would all be over.

The rooms were black, like empty theatres. It felt like people should be there, that he should see him at any moment, and yet there was no one.

It all felt ominous. Nothing correct. But he kept going, trying his best to keep a positive mind. Something he always tried to do.

He went through the labyrinth of rooms and halls. Each one brought a horrible memory but he kept persevering.

He entered another room, starting to feel as though he would wake up soon. But something was different about this room. It had a bed, a desk, and a bathroom, as did all the others. But something was lying on the bed.

A black cloud. And as the young man dared to step closer he saw a face that he never wanted to see ever again.

A head of black hair, a slight grin, and a debonair suit. He always looked like that. And the young man had and would never forget any of him. No matter how many times he tried to clear his mind or start anew, that man would always haunt him.

He had wished he wouldn't have had to picture him and never had to see him, even in his dreams, but of course, he let his mind wander. And now the slim man in front of him was nearing.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" His voice held the accent of a place that he had left but never forgot. It sent shivers down his spine. His knees began to buckle. "Why are you so scared? I thought you'd be so happy to see me." The man feigned kindness, and a mocking expression of worry was plastered on his face.

"I- You aren't real. You- You're gone. And I never ha... have to see you e-ever again."

"Aww, you're really telling yourself that lie? How sad..." The man held his pale hand out towards the other man's face.

The other, now quivering, man, made to step backward, but there was no backward. He was stuck in his place as the man brushed the hair from his eyes.

"Now then. You can stay here, with me, forever. You'd like that. Wouldn't you?"

The other man tried to protest a no, but nothing would come out of his mouth. A numbing effect had fallen over his body, and now he wasn't able to move. And as he looked around to try and find anything that would help him out of this horrible situation he noticed black tendrils starting to climb up his body. Securing his place in that dreadful room.

The man began to walk away, but before doing so, he reached his hand out once more, this time grasping the other man's shoulder harshly. He could now see his face clearly. Pale face, with sharp cheekbones. Black eyes that would sometimes seem luminescent. And right now, there was a glint in his eyes. A glint that he regrettably knew.

"You do, don't you, Patty?"

A jolt and he was awake.

Tears had formed in Patton's eyes, and now they'd started to leak out. His breaths came in huge puffs. His legs were trembling; he could barely see a thing due to the blur in his eyes and his lack of glasses.

A hand grasped his shoulder once more. And the sudden fear from earlier enveloped him once again.

He harshly pushed the hand away from him, the nightmare from before a prominent memory in his head. But as he whipped his head to face the person in question, his once mortified expression melted into relief.

"Re-Remus."

-------

A gentle breeze nipped at Logan's cheeks. The ending of the afternoon had brought with it sparkling stars. Alpha Semleade the brightest of all. He heard the music playing in the town center. And he smelled the fresh pasties of the local bakery. Everything seemed happy as he walked around the small village.

But he knew there was something behind that lovely facade. And he was at the epicenter of it.

The bag on his back jumbled around, even as he tried to stay as quiet as a jmphylde. He had packed his bag, with the essentials most needed for the night, and hopefully the next few weeks, such as food, water, and books, a plethora of books.

Walking through multiple twisting and turning alleyways, he tried his best to stay out of sight of others. Well, there was really only one person he had to make sure didn't find him. The village folk wouldn't bat an eye at Logan suspiciously walking around. Unless they wanted to be killed.

But he'd most definitely do something to him. Or even worse, Em-

A snap of a twig came from behind him. It was barely a sound. Something Logan could usually write off as his cat, Munshi, following him, or maybe a stray dog. But at a time as of right now, he had to be sure that it wasn't anyone else following him. Especially him.

He slowly turned his lean body around, tensing his legs just in case he had to run. He adjusted his glasses, squinting in the dark to see if anything was there.

A small glow of light from the street about 20 feet away allowed him to see somewhat. There were walls on either side of him, each built out of shabby and crumbling rocks. He moved a bit closer to where he heard the sound come from and saw a broken twig laying on the path.

'There doesn't seem to be anyone here, so it was most probably some small animal that scampered away as I neared it.' Logan breathed deeply, trying to calm his jittery nerves. 'I need to look at things from a positive perspective. I'll soon be out of here. Yes, that's it. I'll soon be long gone from this place.'

Logan turned around, beginning his trip once more, back on his way down the alleys.

But before he got barely 2 feet from where he once had been, a low voice came from behind him.

"You still can't see a thing, even with those glasses? You really are a sad sight, Logan."

Oh, how Logan hated that voice, low and sly, always sounding like there was a smirk playing on his face.

"Logan, can you hear me, or do your ears work, neither?"

Logan gritted his teeth, wanting to make a rude retort. But instead, he remained with a calm exposition, trying his best not to act suspicious in any form.

"I can hear you... Janus." It felt wrong just to say his name, but if he didn't, Janus would immediately have his suspicions answered.

"Ah, that's good. Now then, may you answer why you're out in the middle of the village at 12:16 a.m.? I was very concerned when I didn't see you next to me. And you know what happens when I'm concerned." Janus said, a kind exterior masking a threatening interior.

Logan could hear Janus beginning to walk towards him. He didn't like it but he had to deal with it, for now. For only a bit longer.

"Oh, I merely was out watching the people of the village during this year's festivities. I must have forgotten to tell you about it. I am sorry, sir." He made sure that his voice was stable so that nothing he said could nor would be detected as a lie.

"You really are bad at lying, huh?" Logan tensed at the words. "You walk around suspiciously like you're trying to find a way to leave. And you want to make me believe you aren't leaving this beautiful home of ours. Haha. What a lovely lie you've created." Logan could tell Janus was enjoying this conversation. "And tell me why you would need a neatly packed bag, of all things, at an innocent little festival? Hmm?" He said, his voice turning darker with each word coming out of his vile mouth.

"There, um... it was-"

"Yes. Do tell me."

Silence filled the dark and gloomy alleyway. Logan could barely see the stars anymore. Everything was going blank. Dark in his head. Something that never happened.

"Very, very interesting, Logie." Logan blanched, cringing at the nickname.

"I-"

"And what's this?!" Janus reached his hand out towards the back of Logan's neck (since Logan still hadn't had the confidence to be able to face towards the man behind him). "Where did Matix go? Don't tell me you killed him just so you could leave!" His voice suddenly turned softer. "All he wanted to do was protect you."

Logan's cool had reached its max, and seething anger flowed throughout his blood. He whipped around, an indignant look on his face, as he said, "Protect me?! Anything of yours would never protect me! I removed Matix so I could leave this hellhole! Leave the whole of this revolting place!"

A smile crept onto Janus' face. Contrasting with the look of utter shock fell onto Logan's.

"You- How did you-?" Logan tried to back away from his adversary, knowing he was perpetually screwed after what he just admitted. But Janus wrapped his arm around Logan's shoulder, pulling him closer to himself.

"Oh, it was nothing much. You're very easy to mess with. I'd say it's fun. But even then I still really have to applaud you this time for your work. You got so much further than last time."

Logan slumped. The adrenaline he had once carried was now totally gone. Just a distant memory. As most of his life felt like.

"But... " Janus sighed dramatically. "It is a shame at how horribly you hid Emile. You could've at least brought him with you."

Logan's face shot up in shock. He moved Janus' arm off of him and stepped back. "How... How... How in the hell did you find him?!"

"I know every inch of the castle, the grounds included. When you're already looking for one person, it's easy to find another." Janus said this all with a smirk, tenfold of his usual.

Logan's face melted from shock to fear in one fell swoop. And then he was at Janus' side.

Supplications filled Janus' ears, asking him not to hurt Emile.

Janus moved his hand towards Logan's chin, lifting it up so they were looking eye to eye, something that Logan hated, but if it saved Emile, he'd be fine with it.

"You know I'd never hurt him." Relief flooded Logan. But Logan's relief soon vanished as Janus said with a smile, "That's only saved for you."

Something coiled around his leg. A searing pain erupted in it, quickly spreading all over his body.

And then everything was black.

-------

Hello, my dudes! This is the first chapter. It took me like a month to complete (well, the editing process). I just finished with some hardcore editing, which was fun. I hope this chapter was enjoyable and I'm sure there are still some mistakes. But it happens! All of you have  agreat day and stay safe!

Stay safe, my lovelies~

P.S. I just finsihed the Technoblade livestream and it was super fun. I really like MCTY's. There super cool. And DreamSMP has so much lore. (I need to catch up on so much of it.) Do any of you guys like those YouTubers?

Now bye for real this time!