Tome of Paladins : The DawnLight

12. Gavin???

…

"… Hey…"

"… … Hey…"

"… Wake up…" Sweet voices heard amidst the gentle breeze of the winds, and the chirpings of the birds. There is also a pair of little hands that keep nudging at the little boy, who lay himself on the green meadows.

A boy slowly opened his light hazel eyes to the blue sky that endearing at the faculty of someone perceptions. With white fluffy heap of water vapor, floating and gliding through the grace of the air.

He turned his face slowly upon a head full of soft mass of black hairs, delicate chubby cheeks and…

The boy then creasing his eyebrows. He frowning, because her face seems obscured by something that put a line onto his brain cells.

"Mom… Mom… He's awake." She shouted loudly to her back, following by the boy following after her sight.

Then a woman with the same black hairs that as dark as the night sky, which is similar with the little girl walk approaching them. And still, with a face that concealed by the grey fog.

She put her knees to the downy touch of the grasses, then asked tenderly, "Hi there, I'm sorry if my daughter disturb your rest? But, why are you here?"

The boy turning mute. He looks at her with solemnity, critically trying to remember her…

Her face…

Her name…

But he seems can't manage to recall, no matter how much he tried.

"Hey, my mom asked you?" The little girl interjected grumpily while pouting her lips at the boy.

"Careful with your manner, sweetie." The woman then scolded softly at her daughter. She then back asking another question to the boy who now busy, intensely looking at her who trying to put the best and kindest smile so as to not startling him badly, since she's afraid he is a lost boy who happens end up in this park that only by permissions from the Rysch Nobility would anyone could get inside.

"Hmmmm… Hello again… How did you get inside, little boy?" Seeing she is still being ignored, the woman then used another approach on him,

"Hello… I'm --- ---, and my daughter name is --- ---, how about you, little boy? What's your name?"

… …

After a few moments without any reaction from the boy, the woman clearly doesn't want to gave up yet.

Suddenly, the boy for the first time finally spoke, "… I… did not have a name."

His answer startled the woman and her daughter.

The daughter are the first one who coming over to her senses by asking him rapidly, "Why didn't you have a name? Aren't you have a mom? Why don't you remember your own name?"

"---, please behave!" Again, the woman chide her, begging her 6 years old daughter to be more polite when talking.

But following after, the boy's ears started buzzing, putting him into a state of being deafen, by whir of grating from the frictions of the irons that just turn up suddenly.

He then clutching at his head that started to getting discomfort, till it turning into a stabbing pain.

Until it turned into a needle that keep piercing him like a porcupine. Putting his consciousness fading.

Bit by bit…

Till everything's disappear…

And what was left are only darkness, with hazy image of someone that seems panicking.

…

On the darkness that bitterly numb and blinded all of his perception, he could somewhat hear a conversation,

"Let's think of a name for you, little boy. Hmmmmm, but you really didn't have a name or anything's that maybe left by your parents?"

"… No… But I had this."

"Oh, wow… What a beautiful necklace. Look, the pattern lined to just like a G. This must be connected with your parents, or it is actually clue to your name. Hmmmmm… Anyway, we need to think over a good name for day to day basis for you. Let me think it over… … Hmmmmm."

"… …"

"Ah... Yes, that name's is perfect. Gavin. It's means Godsend. To sum up, you're existence is important, even if you're not yet seeing it. There's reason why you born, like what people say, there's always purpose to everything… Don't always think like you're someone that cast away by your parents, or they don't want you. There must be something's that happen resulting with you left alone. You're precious, okay. So live well, and. Eat well. Alright, Gavin?"

"… …"

"You don't like it. Well, I'm born of a poor family, so I never go to school. And… And, I only read some cheap books from some rundown store, ha ha ha. I'm sorry, if you don't like it, we can try to…"

"I like it."

"Huh…"

"I like it… Gavin. It's good and nice, to hear."

"You sure? We can change it to something more... better."

"I'm sure. My name is Gavin… I… Will live well, and eat well…"

"Oh… You're so adorable. C'mon, smile… smile…"

…

…

Tori or just let's say Gavin, suddenly opened his eyes. What greet him is a face of a startled girl who are in her fourteenth years old age, while holding onto a handkerchief. She had dark brown hair with some dyed pink and blue on few of its strains, alongside sky blue eyes that brighten up upon seeing him awoke.

"Oh, finally, you awake Tori. I thought you're in some kind of nightmare, so I help you wiped up your sweat." She said with an indescribable smile, while tucking gently at the strain of her hair to the back of her ear.

She then looking at Gavin carefully, who now irritated her off with how the tucking hair method doesn't work on him. 'What is he? A block of wood.'

She is using a sky blue jacket that seems to big on her petite body, with jeans that torn on its knees.

Gavin then sat up, looking at the clock that pointed at three a.m while kneading at his head that feel wobbly.

He continued by looking around the room he's now at with his white shirt and black pants.

With white color setting, the room are quite familiar to him since what he first took notice is the ceiling that had an artwork that look like a graceful and exquisite butterfly that mainly colored with boysenberry purple, along with other color that complimented the beauty and refreshing emotions, that put anyone who looked at it for more than a second, will found their inner side serene and tranquil.

Though, if looked at it longer, ordinary humans will find themselves involuntarily doze off. Or worse, dizzily drunk for a whole single day.

It was created by one of the Justice Enforcers head, who specifically asked the painters to drawn it according to his detailed requirement. It only created on this abandoned clinic with countless spine-chilling night stories, that actually purposely spread, since it was also one of the lid to cover the hidden private clinic that solely means to treat Justice Enforcer members on this city.

…

After looking around and convinced that he's not dreaming anymore, he then replied to her statement with a nod, "Thank you, Irra… But, do you know what's happen with tonight's mission?"

"Your welcome. About that, it's done. It accomplished, perfectly."

"... Good then? Why are you here?" He said with mixed feeling, 'I'm careless. Seems there's other criminal that hiding, then knocked me off. But... why do i feel something's fishy.' He thought inside, remembering that everything's going dark after defeating the man in black. Before he could took off that man mask, he seems end up fainted because of something.

'But I didn't feel any blow. What is it that knocked me off. Uh, my memory seems fail me.'

"Why can't i be here? Hehe, Now i remember. This is the second time you fainted. So weak." She said, cheerfully teasing him.

Gavin only lowered his eyelid while looking at her untastily, trying to ignore her remark that felt stinging at his pride.

"Where's my phone?" Gavin asked.

"Here, weakky..." She said, sludgily. Seems aren't done yet with the tease.

*Clack*

The sound of an open door suddenly pulling their attention to it.

What greet them is a man's head full gingery color, who peeked at them with his head. There's a scar on the side of his left cheekbone, connected to his ear.

"Yo, i thought you both busy flirting. Sigh. Tori, you're so bland and stale like an old man..." He then shoved hard to the inside of the room.

"Don't block the way." Said the irritated woman's voice behind the door, following by a woman that gettin' herself inside.

She had a face, similar with the girl called Irra. The same blue eyes but with light brown hair that braided on the end, which now resting gently on her left shoulder.

The woman then throw something at Gavin. "Here's Tori, your new mask."

"What's happen with my old mask?" Asked Gavin, unaware about the old mask he asked are dirtied by his blood.

"I don't know. I'm not the one who took you here. Here's your jacket." She said while gave Gavin what she hold on her hand. It was the hoodie he used when goin' over before the mission.

"Thanks." Gavin then quickly wearing the mask and the black hoodie, putting it aside to the back of his mind about why, they took all of his clothes, and changed it with white clothes and pants. "I need to go. Bye." He then hurriedly running outside of the room.

"Huh, why are you in such a hurry." Said the man, which Gavin replied by swaying his hand, gesturing no explanation.

... ...

While the ray of the sunlight peeked itself, from the striation that separated it between hours of the darkness, and sidereal period of the day.  It glimmered through tall tress of the forest and the buildings of the city, leaving shades that contoured of what it passed.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

"Gavin, are you awake?" The sound of soft knocks from the other side of the bedroom heard, following by someone asked Gavin who now reluctantly opened his eyes.

"... I'm awake. What is it?" He asked, puzzled. Peter rarely woke him up on holiday's. Knowing fully he like to doze off until the day slightly high above the sky.

"I'm going to the orphanage for a visits. Your meal is on the table. You can heat it up yourselves. And one more thing, Rick invite us this evening for a meal."

"Alright. Just go." He said half grumpily. Then continuing his journey on the land of the dreams.

... ...