Chronicles Of The Seeker

Aqua stepped out of the cab with quiet grace, his sharp eyes scanning the bustling streets. He turned to the driver, curiosity evident in his expression.

"Um… Mr. Driver?"

The young man met his gaze, his face tensed with apprehension. "Was the ride uncomfortable in any way, sir?"

Aquarius, realizing the man was afraid of receiving a bad review, quickly corrected the misunderstanding.

"No, not at all," he reassured. "I just wanted to ask—what exactly is today?"

He paused, giving the driver a moment to register his words before gesturing towards the lively streets. "It's just that I see children everywhere, playing, and every district seems to have a toy store..."

Before he could finish, the driver burst into laughter. Aquarius frowned, feeling that the reaction was unreasonably rude. He was about to respond when the man, still struggling to suppress his laughter, finally spoke.

"I'm sorry, it's just—" he chuckled again, shaking his head. "I didn't think I'd ever meet someone who didn't know what Children's Day was."

Aquarius blinked, taking in the information. 'That's right. Today is February 13th… so it's Children's Day.' His gaze darkened slightly as a realization struck him. 'But I boarded the ship on January 17th. Did I… sleep for nearly a month?'

He quickly turned back to the driver. "Are you absolutely sure about the date?"

The driver gave him an odd look before replying, "No offense, kid, but do you live under a rock? Every news channel and social media platform has been talking about it—especially after Mikey, one of the most beloved pop star group leaders and actor, announced he might take a long break for… unknown reasons."

Aquarius processed the information before offering a short nod. "I see. Thanks."

Without another word, he waved the driver off and stepped into Street 4.

As he moved through the district, Aqua noted the similarities and contrasts between this area and the city center. The buildings here were smaller, tightly packed with various shops, plazas, and malls. The streets were nearly overflowing with people, the air thick with the sounds of chatter, laughter, and carnival music.

Determined to reach the docking area where the ship had been stationed, he slipped into an alleyway, navigating the narrow passage with ease—until he came to an abrupt stop.

To his left, a group of tall students, likely high schoolers, loomed over a smaller boy. Their expressions carried the unmistakable air of bullies reveling in their own cruelty.

Aqua sighed, rubbing his temple. "Why the hell do delinquents always have to be so idiotic—especially on a day like this?"

Without hesitation, he approached. "Hey, you brats. Cut it out."

The group turned to him, unimpressed.

"Do you want me to call your—" Aqua paused mid-sentence as a thought struck him. Wait. Why do I keep calling them 'kids' when they're probably my age… Now, standing directly in front of them, he suddenly felt very and insignificantly small in comparison.

'Damn. I hate kids who grow taller than their age. Why can't you just be the same size as your peers?'

Clearing his throat, he straightened his posture and tried to maintain his composure. "I don't know what you guys are trying to prove here, but whatever it is, stop."

The leader of the group, a broad-shouldered teen, looked at Aqua with disdain before breaking into laughter. His two lackeys quickly followed suit.

"Listen, dude," the leader sneered. "I'll give you three seconds to scram, or I'll smash that pretty face of yours."

'That… felt oddly rude,' Aqua thought. ' Alright. Time to act as tough as possible. '

A slow, mischievous smile spread across his lips. "Alright, fool number to three." His expression shifted, his gaze sharpening, voice dropping to a chilling tone. "Scram."

The three high schoolers stiffened.

They have always lived by the law of the jungle, and in that moment, they felt it—the presence of someone far beyond them. To Aqua, he was simply trying to sound intimidating, but to them, he was felt like something else entirely. A snake. No—a dragon.

The leader glanced at his left-hand man, who was already trembling. He leaned closer, whispering, "What the hell is wrong with this guy?"

Without another word, the bullies turned on their heels and ran, not daring to look back.

Aqua exhaled in relief. 'Phew. I actually thought they might decide to beat me to death.'

His attention returned to the bullied boy, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Aqua crouched down, carefully picking up the kid's scattered belongings before handing them over. He offered a faint smile.

"You okay, little one?"

The boy nodded, his voice slightly shaky. "Yes, I'm fine… thanks to you."

'Oh. A polite kid,' Aqua mused. But before he could respond, the boy continued.

"But technically, we're the same age. You're not that much taller than me. And judging by your build, your weight isn't much different either. So calling me 'little one' is really quite irrational and slightly stupid, don't you think?"

Aqua's smile twitched. His eyes half-lidded as he sighed. "Even so, I did save you. Calling you 'little' doesn't seem wrong."

The boy, unfazed, countered, "That's like saying if a policeman saves an elderly man, he then gets to call him 'little one.' Doesn't that sound like an adynaton?"

'Wait. What the hell is an adynaton?'

The boy continued murmuring, lost in his own world of logic.

'Ah. I see now. So he's that type. No wonder he was bullied.'

Before Aqua could say anything, a gentle yet firm voice called out.

"Lucas!"

Aqua turned his head and found himself momentarily stunned.

A young woman, likely his age or perhaps a year older, approached them. Her golden eyes shimmered under the streetlights, framed by long lashes that matched her flowing blonde hair. She was dressed simply—a plain white shirt neatly tucked into black trousers, paired with silk gloves—yet her presence alone was enough to captivate.

But it wasn't just her appearance. There was something about her—something ethereal.

For the first time in a while, Aquarius found himself blurting out his thoughts.

"Pretty."

The young woman blinked, visibly taken aback by his blunt remark. Then, unexpectedly, she giggled.

"You're really weird, you know that?"

Aquarius quickly snapped back to reality, clearing his throat. But just as he was about to respond, something shifted between them—a recognition neither of them had anticipated.

Their gazes locked.

Both their expressions changed.

They said simultaneously.

"You too."