Duskaea And The Fatum Family - Chapter 1

I hate superheroes. They always make me feel insecure and stuff like that. Well, who am I kidding. I’m just a useless kid seating by the window, looking outside as those heroes finish off some villain. I guess I will be a super villain, or maybe just a weak villain.

“Serus!” the teacher in front called me.

“Are you listening?! If you are, answer this

question.” the teacher pointed on the board.

It read “What’s name of the first person who coined the term “cell”?”

“It’s Robert Hooke ma’am.” I answered.

“Oh, you are listening then.” the teacher was surprised even though she tried to hid it.

There came a knock on the door. It opened. It is the new girl. Coming late in the first day of school. How irresponsible.

“Ms. Fatum, what do you think about your first day?! Coming late I see. Is that what you always do? Become late?” the teacher said angrily to the girl.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I swear I’ll never do it again.” the girl said in a soft voice.

“Just seat beside Mr. Serus Desperia.” the teacher assigned her beside me. She has grayish hair, with normal eyes.

“You’re a Fatum?” I asked her.

“Yeah, so what?” she said.

“Aren’t you supposed to be with them?” I

asked while pointing outside the window.

“Seems they’re already done with the villain,

so why should I?” she said.

I looked at the window, and the heroes are done with the villain. I sensed something familiar from that girl.

“Wait, are you insecure to them?” I asked insensitively.

“No, and please mind your own business will you!” the girl shut me down.

After a few hours of boredom, we were dismissed. It’s already night as I can see on my watch, it’s seven o’clock. I can go home late, like who will be worrying about me at home right? They’re already gone.

I went to a fast-food restaurant and ate there. I already need to go home after this, I have more assignments to do. I live alone in a house a little bit far away from the city, it is surrounded by trees. It gets creepy at night, that’s why I sleep early sometimes.

That girl though, she makes me feel different. She is a “Fatum”, yet she feels insecure about her family of heroes. Or maybe she doesn’t have powers like any of her relatives did. That’s even worse than my condition. When we say “Fatum”, it’s the name of the family of superheroes. They’re the only heroes in this world and no one else. Some people fear them for what they can do, some praise them for being good at heart, but I am different from them. I am envious to them, but I still can’t do anything about that. I’m just a normal human that doesn’t contribute enough to this world.

On my way home, something weird came up to me. I suddenly felt anxious. The swaying trees stopped at the time they were swaying. The butterflies flying by just paused.

“This is unusual.” I thought to myself.

I just continued walking towards the street. The street was quiet as always. No one really comes here at night. Some will only come here to cut some trees, or see the beautiful garden. I guess I really am alone in this area. I heard a branch broke from the side. A black-hooded man appeared out of nowhere. His eyes were hidden, but I feel that he looks at me with malice.

“Can I help you, sir?” I asked the man. He said nothing.

“Sir, if you want to go to the city this is the way.” I pointed the way at my back.

“Your ignorance of the truth will be your downfall.” the man said with a hating, deep voice.

“I’m sorry, sir?” I am confused.

“I will bring back Duskaea, and I will erase your existence, impostor!” the man yelled at me angrily. The man started to “glitch”.

“I will come back, impostor. And the next time we meet, expect that you’ll experience things worse than death.” the man said before glitching out completely.

“Who is that?” my voice started to tremble, and my body started to shake.

“Who is Duskaea?” my eyes started to cry.

Why is that name familiar?

I ran quickly towards my house. I banged the door, and it opened. I ran into my bedroom, and there I cried.

“Mom! Dad! I missed you. Please come back!” I cried and cried while uttering those painful words.

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I woke up from my pillow full of my tears.

“It’s still two o’clock in the morning. I should go back to sleep.” I thought to myself.

“There’s no time for sleeping, Serus.”

several voices uttered these words simultaneously.

“Wait, who is this?” I asked.

“Awaken us, and you shall have protection.” the voices replied.

“Wait, who are you first?”

I woke up immediately. It was just another dream. My question was not answered. They are somehow peaceful to be with, even though I don’t know what or who they are. Am I crazy? These voices are so mysterious.

Another day, another story. Or maybe the same, it’s always the same routine. I wake up, take a bath, eat breakfast, go to school, then come home again. Oh well, I’ll just get through this day.

The class ended with me sitting inside the principal’s office. I guess this is new. How exciting.

“Mr. Desperia, how do you plan to pay up for your debts here at the school, and mine too?” the principal was the one who raised me since my birth. He’s the one who found me along the streets, but even though he raised me, that doesn’t mean I had a good life staying with him. His name is Principal Ryan T. Cortez.

“Sorry, I can pay for a later time. I just need to find a job—”
for visiting.

“You already said those words before, how can I trust you then?” he cut me off with a sigh at the end.

“I’m really sorry, sir.” I sincerely apologized to him. He’s worthy of my feelings, since he’s the one who sacrificed almost everything to save me from death. I honor him.

He sighed at first. “Serus, I don’t really care about the debts, and I’m just joking about paying me. I just want you to work hard. After all, trying your best, even in failure, is always the best shot in life.” he said.

“But I don’t know any job. I could only cook, because that’s my favorite lesson that I learned from you.” I replied.

“Well, if that’s the case, I have a recommendation.” He said.

“What is it, sir?” I asked about the recommendation, turns out what I hate will also be my great opportunity.

“The Fatum family needs a housekeeper, a cook, and a babysitter for the incoming week. Well, it’s peculiar, since they’re superheroes, why can’t they let their kids do it right?” sir Ryan actually said it.

“That’s my question.” I said.

“Well, don’t mind it. After all, they would give ten thousand dollars every week. It’ll just be for a month, Serus.” He said with his mouth grinning.

“Stop grinning, sir. Fine, I’ll do it, but just for the money. I still hate them.” I replied.

“C’mon, it’s not their fault. Let your past go. It’ll not help you cooperating with them.” He told me.

“My hate for heroes will never change. They’re all fake, and let’s stop it here, sir. I don’t want to argue with you about this, but I will do it for the money.” I said, hiding my anger.

“Okay, just be careful. You’ll be with those bizarre people, so it means bizarre events might happen too.” He said.

“Always am.” I calmly replied.

“You will start tomorrow, Serus. They’ll be nice to you, and behave nice to them too, okay?” He worried that I might start a tantrum or something.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s not like I can defeat them with just a frying pan right?” I replied.

“I know. Anyway, it’s already night, you can stay at my home for a while. I’ll get your things tomorrow too.”

“It’s okay, sir. I can handle my own at my house.”

“I insist.” He said willingly.

“Okay then, sir. I won’t argue with that.”

We started to fix our things and get out of the school. Sir Ryan’s house was not that far from the school. It was just behind the whole building after all, but there’s no gate there, so we’ll need to circle our way first in order to go there.

“Before getting home and all, want to grab some cheeseburger?” He asked me.

“No. You’ve done so much for me, this’ll just be another debt.” I responded to him.

“Don’t think that. I said I was just joking, and also this is the first time we would eat some fast-food together again.” He said back. He bought two, large, cheeseburgers, and brought it home with us.

We talked about a lot of funny things. Some about my embarrassing moments, some about his. Here I thought, it would become just my normal routine, but I guess he forgave me.

“I’m sorry about what I’ve done before.” I apologized.

“I can’t forgive you.” He crossed his arms.

“Why?” I asked.

“You crashed my freaking car, Serus! How do you think I would feel after having my brand-new car broken by my trusted, adopted son?!”

“It was an accident!” I replied.

“Well, I forgave you already, but you need to get some money to pay the school.” He said, I sighed with relief.

“Now, get to bed. You can stay at my room upstairs, and I’ll be sleeping here on the sofa.” He uttered.

“What? That’s unfair. It’s your room, you should sleep there since it’s “your” room.” I answered back.

“I still have paper works to do, Serus. Don’t worry about me, now go off to bed.”

“Fine, but only this time okay? Next time, I’ll be the one who’ll take care of you.” I uttered.

“Don’t worry. I can handle myself. Now, sleep and be ready tomorrow.”

I went upstairs to his room. He has posters of many fictional characters such as Wolverine, Captain America, Superman, Iron man, and every fictional superheroes. That’s our difference. I hate superheroes, while he loves them. I went to his bed covered with an Iron man blanket, and the pillows are also covered with Spider-man pillow covers. I started to close my eyes slowly, until I fell asleep.

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This will be the worst week of my life. I am now outside the Fatum’s big house, and ready to knock.

“This is awkward, I can’t do it.” I said to myself.

My phone vibrated. It’s a text coming from sir Ryan. It read “Carry on, Serus. You can do this.”. Now, I feel like he’s teasing me intentionally.

“Hey!” A blonde girl with pigtails approached me. She was about my age, sixteen years old.

“I suppose you’re the cook?” She uttered.

“And I supposed you’re the ‘hero’?” I uttered rudely.

“Hey! Don’t be rude! I’m Beatrix by the way. Beatrix N. Fatum.” She said.

“Yeah. It is ‘nice’ to meet you.” I uttered sarcastically.

“Well, we still don’t know you, so why not come inside and introduce yourself to us.” She told me.

“Here it goes.” I uttered to myself.