My Fate System

Nikolai looked around for the next monster as the kid struggled behind him. Looking back at his handiwork, Nikolai was quite proud. The squirming Niko struggled to untie the ropes that Nikolai used to restrain him but to no use.

"Let me go! You won't obtain the skill if you harm me!"

"I'm not harming you; I'm simply tying you down," Nikolai said as he pulled on the end of the rope for Niko to walk after him.

"I can't believe I grew up to be a kidnapping monster with long horns and ears," Niko said with despair. "I refuse to grow up!"

"We all did, so join the line," Nikolai looked for the next monster. "So, tell me what happens after I gather the talismans."

"You give it to me, and I can open the door for you," Niko smirked with surging confidence. "However, I won't do it," he said with an evil smile that mirrored Nikolai's a lot.

"No wonder Lex and Yuxi hated me," Nikolai sighed as he stopped and took out his blades. "Then I guess you are useless, so might as well redo the trial."

"No, wait!" Niko shouted as he saw the blade approaching his neck. Nikolai stopped as the scimitar rested on the child's skin. "If you kill me, you lose qualifications to get the skills forever. You failed to protect. There's no coming back!"

"I'll lose a skill, but you will lose a life," Nikolai grinned. "We are not on equal grounds, kiddo."

"I can't believe I'm you..." abhorred Niko as he looked at him. "We can give each other the things we need, or we can both lose," the kid offered as he stared into Nikolai's eyes.

"Aha," Nikolai squinted his eyes in interest. "And what do you want in return for the skill?"

"I want you to turn a new leaf and become a good person," Niko said seriously.

"Then I hope you are ready to die," Nikolai almost laughed at how naive his younger self is. "I can never change. I'm incapable of it."

"I don't think that you are incapable but rather unwilling," the kid looked different all of a sudden, as if he was looking into Nikolai's soul. "If you don't agree, then we'll have a different deal."

"And what is that?"

"I want you to find out how Shon died and who killed him," his younger self was unwavering this time. "If you also refuse, then you can kill me."

"I don't remember this matter meaning a lot to me," Nikolai frowned. "He left this world, and that was the end of it."

"There are a lot of things that you chose to forget, lest they break your mind." Niko's eyes began glowing white. "Let me show you what you chose to forget."

Nikolai's eyes stung as he tried to shield them from the light, which exploded from Niko's body. When he regained his vision, he was looking at a wooden ceiling full of cobwebs.

"What the hell..." muttered Nikolai as he was about to stand up, but a face suddenly appeared from beside him. 

'Cursing is bad,' gestured the young boy with silver hair. 'The priest is waking up soon. We need to run!' After the mute gestured, he jumped out of bed and ran to the door.

"W-wait!" Nikolai snapped out of it and rose from the bed. The silver head turned to face him with confusion. "Are you... Shon?"

'Who else could it be?' Shon gestured with confusion. 'Sleepy idiot,' he grinned as he mocked Nikolai before opening the door and looking outside.

Nikolai stared at the young boy, who was barely ten. He had a hard time recognizing his face because it had been so long since he last saw it, but where was he now?

'Is Niko reminding me of Shon?' wondered Nikolai as he climbed down. 'For what purposed?'

Shon turned to face him and gestured for Nikolai to follow him. Then, as if he had rehearsed it countless times before, Shon led Nikolai outside the orphanage.

The sunlight was warm, and the returning feelings of adventurous uncertainty returned to Nikolai. Shon's hair looked as if it was sparkling in the light, and he could almost feel a holy presence from him.

After he had seen a lot of the world, Nikolai realized that Shon's appearance was far from ordinary. As if the gods' combined efforts were poured into chiseling his features, the boy looked otherworldly.

'Why are you daydreaming?' Shon nudged him awake before pulling him into an alley. After that, the two traveled away from the orphanage until they reached the better parts of the city. Then, Shon took out a sack of proper clothes they had before the two changed.

Nikolai remembered this plan of theirs, and it was the most successful one. He was the one who suggested it to make use of Shon's beautiful face.

The clothes they wore were relatively clean, but Nikolai's clothes were a bit shabbier. The two would then act as if Shon was a lost noble kid and Nikolai was his servant before going into shops and buying things.

Of course, the two wouldn't pay. Instead, they would say that Shon's family would compensate the shop before walking away haughtily. Most shops didn't dare disrespect a son of nobility, so they simply waited for their compensation or gave up on it.

'We are ready!' Shon grinned as he showed off his clothes, and he indeed looked like the favorite son of heaven. His appearance was enough to grab the attention of a few people whenever they walked around.

"Yes, young master," Nikolai played along as Shon gave a grin before playing with his hair out of embarrassment. The two then walked into the first store, and they took a few flowers from there.

After seeing how he looked, they didn't even have to play the act, as the flower lady gave them to Shon. Nikolai was amazed how much appearances could change a person, as most never spared a glance when Shon was wearing torn clothes.

They went into a different store, where they sold the flowers under the pretext 'my mother bought me too many flowers, and I decided to sell a few.'

It worked again.

Of course, no one would give precious things, only what they could spare. Nikolai and Shon knew the limit to their act, and they kept their haughty attitude while ensuring that whatever they snatched wasn't too valuable to offend a noble.

"People are so shallow," Nikolai shook his head with regret. "As long as they see a pretty face, they suddenly turn generous."

'That works best for us,' Shon counted the money in his hand, and it was enough for a good meal. 'Let's go!'

They knew better than chewing too much, and they always kept their acts small. Sometimes they begged, sometimes tricked, but would always stop when they had enough to eat and give to the priest.

However, Niko didn't show Nikolai this day without reason. It happened when the two were walking to the restaurant.

"Wait there, little fella," someone grabbed Shon's shoulder as they were walking down an alley. Nikolai suddenly lost control of his body, as if he was now seeing something that couldn't be changed.

Shon turned to the man with fright, and so did Nikolai. When he saw the man's face, he found it to be familiar. It was a younger version of someone he knew.

'Scarman?'

The man he had various encounters with, and one of Hyde's many lackeys, was now standing in front of him. Nikolai could have never guessed that he met Scarman as a child, only to forget about it.

"Let go of him!"

Nikolai heard himself shout as his younger self took control. He saw his hand reach out to Shon to pull him away, but a kick landed on his side, which made him fly away and slam into the wall.

"Cough," the air was kicked out of his lungs as Nikolai fell to the ground. He watched as Scarman slapped the struggling Shon, who could do nothing but emit indistinctive sounds as he tried to shout for him.

"I saw what you walk out of the alley with different clothes, and here I thought I found myself a noble prize," Scarman said as he grabbed Shon by the neck and strangled him.

Shon began kicking in the air as his complexion turned blue. As Nikolai tried to stand up, he found himself to be trembling in fear. The fear took hold of his body and prevented him from moving.

'Move!' Nikolai shouted in his mind for his younger self to do something, but he couldn't move a finger. The fear was crushing him, and he saw that Shon's struggle was getting weaker.

'Move!'

'Move!'

Then, he moved, and Nikolai's younger self ran forward to grab Scarman's arm. He bit with all of his strength, but it was futile. Scarman threw Shon before punching Nikolai in the face, sending him flying again.