Rise Of The Scoundrel

11. Krull

The social foundation he had been born into was subpar at best, forcing him to spend the first ten years of his life constantly on edge, fearful of being reprimanded by the man he both loathed and admired most.

"We are never bringing you to a dinner like this again, do you hear me?"

Will's small frame trembled in the backseat of his father's luxury vehicle. He had been playing with the only boy his age at the party, searching for toys to play with. However, the home owners had older children, one down in a village while the other worked in the Garrick, making the likelihood of  toys being very low.

After some unsupervised exploring through the large home, they eventually discovered boxes of old toys, photos, and some clothing. Relieved they had found something of interest, they began to play. However, when the home owners wife came searching for them and found them playing with, unbenounced to the boys, her deceased son's things, everything went to hell.

The boy had been horrifically killed in the Trial, the Garrick bringing back what was left of his body and presenting it to the family. They had chosen to cremate their son, and his urn was placed in the storage room along with his things from when he was a child.

Will got to his feet quickly when she began her fit, unsure of what to do. Hell really broke loose, however, when his shoulder bumped the shelf, sending the urn to the ground and shattering it. A fine layer of ash then covered the toys along with the boy he had been playing with, who then began to cry due to the chaos.

"Are you listening, you rotten child?" His mother hissed again from the front seat. His eyes flashed to hers in the rearview mirror before returning to his hands, which were clenched together tightly. He heard a snicker from beside him, his sister Iris amused by his discomfort.

"Ridiculous," the woman grumbled under her breath before turning to face the road.

"This child of yours is no Krull," the giant man in the driver's seat abruptly snapped, startling the woman out of her thoughts.

Will winced at his words, tears welling in his eyes but refusing to let them spill over as Iris watched him closely, waiting for Will to crack.

"My child? Oh, please."

"He's no brother of mine," Iris sneered as she crossed her arms and puffed out her chest. Her superiority complex was advanced for her age.

"Iris," the man warned.

The girl shrugged. "I'm just saying."

They arrived home, everyone exiting the car quickly. Will jumped out and walked around to the other side, hoping to reach his room before he was scolded any further. A foot suddenly jutted out into his path, sending him face-first onto the concrete. He groaned and placed a hand over his nose as a maniacal laugh came from above, and a heel dug into his back.

"How could you ever expect to be considered a Krull when all you do is fuck up, Freddy?"

Will's brow twitched at the name, twisting around and swatting her foot away. She laughed at his state once more, then began walking towards their house, heels clicking along the pavement.

"Krulls don't get tripped up, Freddy," she called over her shoulder, hair bouncing with each step. "They trip others and then kick them while they're down. All you do is fall, and every time you do, I'll be there to kick your sorry ass."

He gritted his teeth and tried not to cry as he brought himself to his feet, his back hurting from her assault. Traveling across the lush garden and passing the large marble fountain filled with koi fish, he entered the double doors to his home. Though, it had never really felt like home to him.