Chapter 2: Shadows of Grief

The house felt like a tomb. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of the wind through the broken windows, was a painful reminder of what he'd lost. Kido wandered through the empty rooms, touching familiar objects – his father’s worn leather gloves, his mother’s favorite lightning-shaped hairpin – as if trying to conjure their presence. It didn’t work.

He hadn’t slept properly since the attack. Nightmares plagued him: twisted shadow monsters with glowing red eyes, his parents screaming, and that… light. That strange, pure white light that flickered at the edge of his vision, promising power he didn’t understand.

During the day, he was numb. People came and went – neighbors offering condolences, members of the Hunter Guild asking questions, even a stern-faced representative from the Mage Council. They spoke in hushed tones, their words hollow and meaningless. Kido just nodded, his gaze fixed on some distant point only he could see.

The financial strain hit hard. Marcus's small savings were quickly depleted by funeral expenses and the cost of repairing the damaged shop. Kido’s mother, Lila, tried to reopen, but the atmosphere was heavy with grief, and the customers stayed away. She forced a smile for Kido's sake, but he saw the worry etched on her face, the way her hands trembled as she handled the weapons.

"I can help," Kido insisted one afternoon, trailing after her as she sorted through a shipment of monster bait. "I know the inventory. I can talk to customers."

Lila sighed, setting down a jar of glow-worm attractant. "Kido, honey, I appreciate the thought, but it's too dangerous. What if those shadow monsters come back? I can't risk you."

"But Mom–"

"No, Kido. This is my responsibility. You focus on school."

School. Just the thought of it made Kido’s stomach clench. How could he possibly face his classmates, knowing that their parents whispered about him behind his back, calling him "the magicless orphan"?

He tried to help her in the shop to show her what's really happening.

“Alright mom but I want to show you something real quick if you don’t think I can do it after this I'll never help you at the shop if you don’t think I can do anything”

Lila looked at Kido with curious eyes as he went to the sword and pulled it out. It looked like the sword had no weight or anything no magic at all but as he pulled the handle it glowed with bright light as his inner potential seemed to burst to.

His mother was surprised it was only for a second but she had a smirk still

"Kido I thought you were magic-less kid huh"

”Well mom, I guess I proved you wrong huh”

His mom was so happy she started to cry…as Kido got closer to wipe the tears away his moms head got shot off an unknown person killed Lila. All over Kido’s face. “MOM!”

He went to grab the killer, and noticed it was the shadow monsters back for even more. Shadow monsters can’t be seen but the White Legacy can see just how to kill an invisible person. As he grabbed the sword and went to hit the monster disappeared into the shadows. Something or someone was helping them but the question is who?!?

Devastated. Depressed. Wanting to kill everyone and everything in his way. He lost it. His power got so high that he ended up blowing the entire shop killing everything around his path this became a disaster for Kido as he no longer has a shop or a family is truly an orphan now.

He cried and cried until he slept.

"It's not fair," he told Zara one day during lunch, his voice barely above a whisper. "Everyone else can do magic. They can protect themselves. I'm just...useless."

Zara squeezed his hand, her purple hair shimmering with soothing blue light. "Don't say that, Kido. You're not useless. You're the most determined person I know. And you're a great friend."

"A friend who can't even help his own mother," Kido muttered, pushing his sandwich away. He had no appetite.

Zara frowned. "You can be there for her. You can help her keep the shop running. You can remind her why she's fighting."

That night, Kido had another dream. He was standing in a vast, empty space filled with swirling white light. A voice, ancient and powerful, echoed around him.

"You are the White Legacy,” This said multiple times

He bolted upright, gasping for breath. The dream felt so real, so…significant. What did it mean? Was he truly destined for something greater, or was it just a cruel trick of his imagination?

He looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists. He felt… different. Stronger, somehow. As if a tiny spark had ignited within him, waiting to be fanned into a flame.

He stood up from his bed.

He' was going to the place of nightmares. Where his parents last stood and where he will find some answers.

He opened the front door and started running until he was at the shop. He started getting really angry and sad. Noticing small things he was able to react faster than before he was able to run faster he was even able to jump to certain heights that he couldnt before but that didn't ease the pain.

Kido started to shout out loud.

"Everyone wants to get me I just wanna protect all of you!"

There are multiple people looking at Kido because of all the shouting. They start feeling bad for Kido

An Old Man goes to approaches Kido and ask.

"Kido are you okay"

Kido stares at the old man but feels suspicious of some kind. But Kido still said to the man

"I am good Sir"

"Son, I feel your sadness, your anger, your hate. I am here to tell you. You can never do anything about the evil that is gonna come into this world."

"SHUT UP GET OUT OF HERE I CAN DO EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING"

The old man disappeared out of thin air.

Kido was shocked he realized all the sadness he had this entire time.

Kido, after the entire anger issue with the old man, realizes now he has nowhere to go he only knows 1 person.

Zara.

He goes to Zara's house and knocks. Zara opens up the door with puffy eyes.

"Kido...I"

Kido hugs Zara tightly.

As Zara's parents come by they ask Kido.

"Where are your parents, Kido?"

Kido starts crying again.

Zara's Parents let Kido in to explain everything. After 2 hours of explaining Zara's parents felt extremely sad knowing what Kido has been through. They are mages that are not strong but they know a lot about it.

"Kido, we are going to take care of you as our own but. We are not the strongest mages but we vow to protect you with all our might! Is that good enough for you son"

"Thank you"

Kido felt like he belonged to a family again.

Zara's families are strong supporters of the Hunter Guild they always sell weapons to them.

Kido went to go help store weapons with Zara's Parents as hours went by Kido noticed something odd what are shadow monsters doing here?

Kido asked Zara's Parents

"What are shadow monster doing at the Hunter Guild?"

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