Memories came rushing back, he fell to his knees.
"Where are the others?" Amir held his head as he tried to endure the pain.
"He is back we can try again. The three of us might just be able to complete it." Aria helped Amir up as she tried to convince Oroc.
"By this time Solomon is almost at the gate. If by some miracle he does not summon us. We will have 3 pauses, we could not even do it with four. Besides he would forget in a few hours." Oroc said and walked deeper into the tunnel.
Amir still on his knees started to remember.
_As a baby, he was left at the door of an orphanage. Unfortunately, this was no ordinary orphanage. This place was run by a man named Hospice. The so-called orphanage was a beaten-down church. Though it was a church, god and anything good stayed far away from it. Hospice had no affiliation to the church but since he was using the building to house kids no one cared. Hospice D'here was a man with every disease known to man. This frail-looking man with unhealing sores all over his body took in Amir. He raised him as his own even giving him his name.
Hospice Cathedral was far from being a loving home. Immediately Amir turned six he started training. He studied martial arts, history, chess, and everything he could. At the end of his first year, he was given a pet. Amir chose a bunny he called Art which Art was not happy about.
Two years later all of a sudden Hospice asked that they should not be fed. Amir did not think anything of it. They were an orphanage and relied on the generosity of others. After three days, he got worried. He went out one day and a stranger gave him money.
He went home and told the Hospice about the money. He took the money from him and whipped him for begging. After a week Aria a girl who was taken in two weeks ago. Stole someone's pet and killed it. It was a puppy, a group walked in on her chomping on it.
This made the kids furious, and they ganged up on her. She held in tight to her food as they beat her. After a while, they stopped a kid tried to take the puppy from her. She bit him and ran. The boy with a few friends chased her.
"Give us the dog." the boy said when they caught up with her. Moments later Amir arrived and the boys turned to look at him.
"She has already paid the price for stealing it. Let her go." Leaning against the closed door Amir stood with arms crossed. The boy's two friends lunged at Amir while the boy fought Aria over the puppy. The first boy threw a punch and Amir dodged. He stomped him back. The other boy threw a kick which Amir caught and kicked him in the groin.
He pulled the boy off Aria as the other two lay on the floor.
"Leave," Amir said standing between them and Aria. They got up and left.
"Are you okay?" Amir asked and Aria shrugged as if she was protecting the puppy. He went to the sleeping quarters and walked over to his bed. The sheets were soaked with blood. He lifted his pillow to see a lifeless Art.
Immediately he knew who had done it. He roamed the halls searching for him. He found him talking to his friends as they laughed. He walked straight to him and punched him in the face. His friends attacked him hitting him from both sides. Shielding his head with both hands he fell to the ground. They continued beating him, kicking him as hard as they could.
All of a sudden Amir heard their footsteps receeding as they ran away. He got up to see his father standing there.
"How long has he been standing there?" Amir wondered as he limped right past him. He went to the sleeping quarters. He pulled the bedsheet and wrapped it up. He placed it at his feet as he lay on the bed. He did not know how long he was lying there when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
He turned around to see Aria with a bowl of soup. He sat up and took the bowl. He took a sip and immediately realized it was not soup. It was hot salty water with random leaves. He decided to have a taste of the meat. He took a bite and looked at Aria. He immediately let go of the bowl letting hit the ground.
Amir unwrapped the bed sheet, he lifted the pillow. After searching for a while he sat back down on the bed. Aria walked over to him with the bowl. She had picked the meat off the floor and put it back in the bowl. Amir smacked the bowl out of her hand when she got close enough.
"You had no right to cook Art. First, you steal a dog then you still and cook my rabbit. Leave I don't want to see your face. I don't want to be friends with a thief." Amir said at the top of his voice.
This got everyone's attention, they whispered pointing at Aria. She quickly ran and hid behind boxes in the training room. After a while realizing no one was chasing her, she got out.
There were punching bag dolls they used for training. Aria put a mop over its head as hair. She took an arrowhead and used it to carve eyes, then nose and mouth. While she was at it, she heard someone come in.
She ran and hid behind the boxes. She peaked and saw Hospice walk slowly with a hunched back.
"He looked beautiful. I have been meaning to do that. " Hospice said looking at the training doll. Aria got out of hiding.
"I think I have something you can use to make him or her prettier." Hospice walked dragging his feet to one of the boxes. He searched and took out a couple of colored chalks. He handed them to Aria who used them on the doll.
"You are a natural-born survivor, it is a shame they are too emotional. What I have been trying to instill in them for years. You got there in a week." Hospice said then saw what Amir was drawing. He walked over to her.
"Who is this?" Hospice pointed at a doll Amir had drawn fangs on.
Aria hissed and growled when Hospice asked.
"Monster, did monster hurt mommy and daddy?" Hospice asked but Aria did not answer. She focused on her drawing.
"Vampires? If there are vampires I can be healed.." Hospice mumbled to himself with a smile on his face.
"Would you like to show me where you saw him?" Hospice leaned in and asked Aria. He held her hand and then walked towards the exit.