A/N: This oneshot is set in a world that does not belong to me. To understand what's going on here, I recommend that you read 's books, The Majors: Who Let The Demon Out, and Cold Fury, the second book in the series. That said, enjoy a little oneshot about Xornoth's past before becoming a demon and whatnot! For information about Xornoth pre-corruption, check out Rainy's Character Index! There's two chapters dedicated to him; one for moodboards and one for facts and quotes :D

Also tw for minor violence, smoking, and semi-unaliving thoughts

Xornoth watched the other kids race out of the school, heading to their homes. Taking in a drag from his cigarette, Xornoth exhaled, breathing out a plume of smoke. It blended in with the faint smoke rising from their skin itself.

He was supposed to be in the school right now, since they had detention for not paying attention in class, but Xornoth didn't really care, so instead he was out here, smoking, and waiting for their only friend to show up.

As if thinking about him summoned him, Xornoth saw Demitrius walk out of the school and look around, before spotting him and beginning to jog in Xornoth's direction.

"What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be in detention?" Demitrius asked as he got closer, slowing down and leaning against the wall next to Xornoth.

They snorted, and said, "I didn't even attend the last two periods. Why would I be in detention?"

Demi sighed, and said, "Xander, you can't keep skipping. Just go to the classes and get it done with."

Xornoth frowned at him, but Demi ignored it and reached up to tug on a strand of black hair that had escaped from Xornoth's ponytail, but he paused when he saw purple at the roots.

"You forgot to dye your hair again."

Ignoring what having Demi so close by made him feel (they were NOT gay), he said, "I didn't forget. I'm going to let it grow out again."

Demi frowned, and said, "That's a stupid idea."

Xornoth was going to answer him, but then a teacher walked out of the now-empty school, saw them and Demi, and began jogging in their direction.

"Xander Kier Reynard," the teacher began as he came within earshot. "What are you doing outside of detention? With a cigarette, no less! Get inside this instant!"

Xornoth took an exaggerated breath with the cigarette before throwing it and walking towards the school, with the teacher stepping on his feet. Demi stayed behind, watching Xornoth go before shaking his head and going in the direction of his home.

Once they reached the school entrance, the teacher took the lead, heading for the stairwell.

Xornoth groaned. Stairwells were human torture devices, created specifically to destroy both the legs and the lungs.

He sighed dramatically, hoping the teacher would take pity on them and let him go home, but the teacher opened the door and began walking up the stairs, making it clear that Xornoth was to follow him.

They slowly began to trudge up the stairs, and by the time he got to the third floor, Xornoth was gasping for breath.

Taking the last step onto flat ground, Xornoth flopped onto the floor and loudly proclaimed, "SATAN HAS STOLEN MY WILL TO BREATHE!" Don't ask where they had gotten the breath to yell that.

The teacher rolled his eyes before grabbing Xornoth's arm and hauling him off the floor, and practically dragging him into the detention room, where a few other students were sitting at the desks. The teacher dumped Xornoth into one of the front seats, told the lady sitting at the teacher's desk, "He's your problem now." And promptly hurried out of the room.

One of the other students looked at them curiously, probably having heard Xornoth's dramatic yell, while the rest of the students ignored him in favor of brooding about their probably perfect, spoiled rich-kid lives.

About an hour or so passed, and eventually the teacher let them and the other kids go home.

Xornoth hurried down the street, trying to get home. It was harvest time, and he was supposed to be helping, but they had gotten stuck in detention. His lungs protested the rushed pace, and Xornoth had to stop and lean against a tree for a moment to breath. Their asthma was acting up today; it didn't usually bother him that much for that kind of pace.

Stopping was a bad idea, apparently, because a group of teenagers came out of nowhere and surrounded him. Xornoth didn't recognize the kids, but they looked like trouble. Despite their height and strength, Xornoth was a terrible fighter, and he definitely didn't stand a chance against this many people. Nevertheless, Xornoth raised their fists, refusing to go down without a fight.

He didn't even get a punch in.

Something hit them from behind, and Xornoth went down as the other teens swarmed in with a myriad of punched and kicks. He curled up, trying to protect his head and stomach from the vicious teens.

At some point they stopped beating them up and began searching his pockets, but by then Xornoth was barely conscious. After thoroughly looking and taking everything they had of value, the teens left him on the ground and disappeared.

Everything hurt. Xornoth was pretty sure one of their arms was broken, and his ribs hurt a lot, so one of those might have been broken as well. Luckily, none of the hits actually broke skin, besides the bone coming out of their arm, so Xornoth wasn't in danger of blood loss.

Forcing himself back to consciousness, Xornoth managed to struggle into a sitting position, and they realized that he wasn't even in the same place anymore. They must have actually passed out at some point, because now he was in an alleyway.

Trying to think of a way out of this situation, Xornoth began to panic as their arm began to throb. Hyperventilating was very bad, because then his asthma started up, and now his lungs hurt too. In the middle of a full-blown mental breakdown, Xornoth began to cry quietly.

I couldn't even defend myself. I'm useless.

My parents didn't even want me. They shipped me off to a kingdom on the other side of the world to get rid of me.

The world would be better off without me in it.

Xornoth didn't notice the shadows begin to stretch towards him until they were twining around their legs and torso. He couldn't even muster any more panic as the shadows wrapped completely around them and the world disappeared.

The world hurt you.

Xornoth's head snapped up as a voice echoed inside his head. The pain had faded when the shadows had wrapped around, and although he was still terrified, the panic attack was winding down, though something didn't feel quite right about the way it was fading.

I can give you power. No one would ever hurt you again.

"What do you mean?" Xornoth asked. Things like that weren't possible.

I can assure you, it is very possible. You could have power beyond anyone's comprehension.

Xornoth didn't know what that word meant, but they assumed it meant something big. The fear was fading faster now, and he thought, Power... I could get revenge on my parents for abandoning me.

That made him pause. He had made his peace with being thrown away... or had he? Maybe he was still angry about it, deep down, and the opportunity for revenge was bringing it to the surface.

Yes... That's it. You want revenge. You want power. Those who hurt you could pay for what they did.

While, oddly enough, the offer was tempting, it didn't feel right. There was something about the thoughts of revenge that made him want to run, although the part of him that wanted revenge was rapidly becoming larger.

"Can I think about it?" Xornoth asked the weird voice. Maybe if they had some time to sort out his thoughts, they could figure out what he really wanted.

Take all the time you need... I won't be going anywhere.

The shadows slowly receded, and Xornoth was surprised when they realized that all the injuries he had from being mugged had completely disappeared.

That is only a taste of what you could have, if you let me give you power.

Xornoth looked at themselves in amazement; it was like the injuries were never there. "Who are you?" he asked, with awe in their voice.

I am Exor.

Exor? But... Exor is bad? Xornoth thought in confusion. He didn't remember much from when they were in Rivendell, but he did remember being told about Aeor and Exor, the two stag gods. One good, one evil. Xornoth was pretty sure Exor had been the bad one.

History is written by the winners... My brother defeated me and painted me as the bad one, so that he could take all the power and glory.

Your brother has done the same...

Scott was happy and pampered as a prince of Rivendell, while Xornoth was out here in Mythland, forgotten. They didn't know what had happened to their sister, Phoenix, but he knew she wasn't in Rivendell anymore, either.

That makes sense, Xornoth thought. "I still want to think about it." They said aloud. "Thank you." Xornoth added as he belatedly remembered their manners.

Exor didn't reply, and Xornoth began walking home again, this time thinking of all he had learned.

Revenge... is that what I want?

Xornoth wasn't sure. Part of them said no, part of him said yes, although the part of them that said yes was winning out. Why did it feel like someone else was saying yes, not him?

They had a lot to think about.