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In small, quiet, located close to calm river village lived young white haired boy with bright blue eyes. His name was Phainon and he was happy and energetic kid who could be found all around the village and nearby areas.
Helping around his village, playing with animals or spending time in his favourite place not too far away from his house under huge old weeping willow near river were things he was doing regularly.
Phainon was bright and cheerful kid that everyone around adored, but unfortunately he was lonely. His parents were often very busy with work and in his village there weren't too much kids in his age and the ones that were often were very busy helping around their own houses or learning new skills leaving white haired boy all alone.
Phainon being good kid didn't want to trouble anyone and always found something to do alone. That's why right after finishing his chores Phaimon went straight to his favourite place.
After leaving his home he already started planing what he should do when he will get there. Should he took his well hiden fishing rod and try catch something or should he went for a swim or maybe just sit under tree and rest? That were just few things that he prepared during many visits there, but no matter what he would choose Phainon was sure that he will have great time.
But his plans immediately changed when he noticed unknown silver haired boy who was standing near river and was focusing his eyes on water.
Phainon slowly approached boy and then when he was close enough finally spoke up. "Hi, who are you? I don't remember seeing you around before."
Silver haired boy got scared and started falling to river. Phainon wanted to catch him, but in the end both fall to thankfully shallow water.
Phainon quickly looked down at smaller boy and noticed scared golden eyes that were fastly looking around. Phainon has never in his life seen such a beautiful colour, silver haired boy eyes alone made him lost track of time. When he finally woke up from his daze he quickly standed up and stretched his hand to silver haired boy.
"Sorry I didn't want to scare you. My name is Phainon, what is your name?"
Smaller boy was carefully observing Phainon every move and soon after taking some deep breaths took offered to him hand and immediately got pulled out of the water.
"I'm Caelus."
"Nice to meet you Caelus." After saying that Phainon energetically shook silver haired boy hand that he was still holding and after that finally let go. "What were you doing here? I don't remember seeing you around before."
"I was just resting this place is really very special and you wasn't seeing me here because... that's because I live with my family far away from here. It my first time to go so far from home."
"I see, so after we dry do you want to play with me? We can do whatever you want, I have prepared here many different attractions. What will you say?" Asked full of hope Phainon and again stretched out his hand to silver haired boy.
Caelus hesitated for a moment, but after thinking carefully about it for a while and seeing genuine intentions coming from white haired boy, soft smile showed on Caelus face and he slowly took Phainon hand. "Alright, but just for a little."
"Yes! You will not regret it, I will show you so much interesting things around here."
Just like this 'just for little' changed for hours of different games until it started to get dark.
"I was having great time with you Caelus, but I need to go home before my parents start to worry. I'm sure your parents will worry too."
"I was having fun too, have a save trip."
When Caelus wanted to turn around Phainon gently caught his hand in his own.
"Will we see each other tomorrow? After afternoon I should be done with my chores, so we can play again. Of corse if you want to, no pressure."
Suprised look fastly disappeared from Caelus face and changed into soft smile. "I will try to be there tomorrow. Now we better go home."
Phainon was beaming with happiness after hearing that and came back home with huge smile on his face.
Next day Phainon was doing his chores with even more energy and never diapering smile from his face. Everyone around noticed that he is even more happy than regularly, but thought that it just him being their beam of joy that again is happy with something small like he often do and decided to not interrupt him during doing his duties.
Phainon fastly finished everything and went straight to the river. When he arrived there he didn't notice his new friend, but thought that's probably because he was very early, so he decided to sit under the tree and wait.
Before he even noticed Phainon fall asleep and his head started to slowly slip down, but in the end he didn't hit hard ground. When Phainon felt that he bumped on to something soft he fastly opened his eyes and noticed that his head was lying on Caelus arm who was softly looking at him with his curious golden eyes.
Phainon fastly jumped and looked to the side to hide his slightly red face. "When did you came here? And why didn't you wake me up?"
"I came here not too long ago and you was looking tired, so I decided to let you rest longer."
"Lately works were very exhausting around village, also I was excited with getting new friend and play with you that I was having problem with sleeping." Said honestly Phainon and rubbed his head.
Caelus looked suprised at taller boy. "Friends you say, already? Also you should sleep well before you will have no strength for anything or worse end up getting hurt."
"I know, I know but I promise that I will try my best not to do it again even if I will need to try every methods." Then Phainon looked straight at Caelus with hopefull eyes. "We was having great time yesterday, so I thought we could became friends, but if it's too fast for you then sorry." Said getting more fast and quiet white haired boy and lowered his gaze.
Caelus shook his head, then put his hand on Phainon arm and fastly answered. "Don't worry, I was just suprised because... that's no matter. I just wasn't expecting to become friends so fast, but I have nothing against it."
Phainon immediately brighten up and hugged his new friend tightly. "Thank you my friend. Now let's not waste more time and let's go play!"
Their bond was growing stronger with every meeting, there wasn't time when they would be bored with each other and always have great time. They played many different games and often swim and look for interesting things in water what Caelus loved to do the most.
One day Phainon brought to their favourite spot his grandparents old travel diary. It was book full of information of many beautiful places and their adventures with some even with legendary heroes. Young boys were reading every little story with great interest.
"When I will grow up I want to travel too and maybe I will be able to became great hero like the ones from stories. Hey Caelus will you travel with me?"
"Hm... I don't know. Should I? Are you sure that you will not get us lost right after stepping out of your village?" Said teasingly Caelus.
"Hey it was just one time thing, I will not get lost again!" Said confidently Phainon and then looked with determination straight into gold eyes of his companion. "So what will you say partner will you travel with me?"
"I will." Answered without hesitation Caelus. "Somebody needs to make sure you will not end up in some big troubles again."
Phainon immediately got very happy and with hug tackled Caelus to the ground.
"Thank you! We will have a lot of amazing adventures together and I will pretend that I didn't hear last part."
Caelus only shook his head and hugged Phainon tighter.
"Also Caelus?" Phainon looked unsure on his grandparents dairy.
"What is it?"
"Do you... no never mind, let's do something together!"
Caelus wanted to ask what was on Phainon head, but seeing him energetically gesticulating while telling yet another story, he decided to let it go this time. After all Phainon should tell him faster or later.
Next time when they promised to meet Phainon got very busy and was late for their meeting. When he finally got there he noticed that his friend isn't there.
'Did he got bored of waiting and go home? Or he also got busy? I will wait a little and see.' Thought Phainon and went in direction of big tree. Before he was able to sit down pair of cold hands covered his eyes. Then he heard quiet voice near his ear.
"Guess who."
"Hm... who else could it be other than my best friend and dear partner Caelus!"
"Correct you deserve prize. Now I will take my hands, but keep your eyes closed and turn around to me. No cheating."
"Fine, fine on it." Phainon decided to do as he was told and fastly turned around with eyes tightly closed.
"Now stretch your hand out."
Phainon again done what his friend told him to and second later something round and cold landed on his hand.
"You can open your eyes now."
When Phainon opened his eyes first thing he noticed was that Caelus clothes were slightly wet what wasn't anything new knowing how silver haired boy loves water, then he looked at his prize and saw beautiful golden pearl in his hand.
"How did you get it? I think I can't accept such expensive gift."
"Don't worry about it. You said you want to travel, so I want to give you something that will work as lucky charm, so your adventures will be safe. So keep it close."
"If you say so, then thank you I will cherish it and just you wait I will get great present for you too." Phainon then hugged tightly his friend and again looked at pearl. "I need to admit that this pearl is really beautiful, but your golden eyes are more beautiful!"
Caelus only gently shook his head and then hid his face in Phaimon arm to hid his slightly red face.
Everything was going the same with then meeting whenever they could, near their favourite place until something started to be off. Awkward dark clouds were coming from South and with each day they were coming closer and closer and water in their favourite river that was always calm became very restless.
Phainon also noticed that Caelus was often looking warry in the distance and was ending their meetings faster saying only that Phainon need to safely come back home.
Some days later to Phainon village came messenger with information that evil monsters started to roam around and were destroying everything that stand on their way.
Everybody started to fastly pack the most important things and getting ready to leave village. When Phainon fastly packed himself and after double checking if pearl from Caelus is save, he fastly sneak from his parents to check if his friend know about incoming danger.
When Phainon arrived to their favourite place where they promised to meet that day, instead of seeing beautiful golden eyes of his dear friend who loves to sit near river and play with calm water, he ended up not seeing any even little signs of Caelus near now storming water only dark fog in the distance.
Phainon hoped that this means that Caelus is safe and sound with his own family and wanted to go back when he noticed one of monsters roaming around. When he wanted to sneak quietly backwards he was so focused on enemy in front of him that he didn't notice another one coming from behind. He was only able to hear it screech and was preparing himself for impact only to hear somebody screaming his name and moment later land on the other side of river.
When he looked up he saw scared golden eyes.
"Stop standing in place and run!"
Phainon finally woke up from daze, then fastly grabbed Caelus hand and together they started running.
They run as fast as they could, but merciless monsters were right behind then. Finally after another turn they end up being stuck between monsters and waterfall behind them.
Caelus looked down the waterfall and then at his friend thinking about something. "There is no other way out here. I think we will need to jump, but... but don't worry I will try to..." Before Caelus was able to finish they heard noise coming from behind the monsters and soon they saw two warriors defeating first monsters with what seem like ease. Two heroes soon defeated all enemies and fastly came to two young boys.
"Are you two alright? If you are hurt we have medics in our team, they will help you heal any wounds." Said first hero when second went to look around for any threats.
Phainon fastly looked at himself and then at Caelus that nodded and showed him that he is unscratched.
"Thank you for saving us, we're fine."
"That's good, but you shouldn't wander around, it's very dangerous because those monsters are unpredictable and leave corruption behind. Come we will take you two to the village."
"I... I will go to my family then. It's in opposite direction of village." Finally spoken up Caelus.
"It's very dangerous to go alone, I will go with you to make sure you will be fine." Said female hero that joined them after checking if no more monsters are hiding around.
"I will be fine on my own, I will get there in no time."
Young woman came closer to him, looked him in the eyes with understanding and showed him some kind of symbol that Phainon felt like he seen somewhere before.
"Don't worry, I will help you get there fast and safe."
Caelus nodded and looked at Phainon. "Alright I will go then, I know you wanted to see and warn me, but please never again put your life in danger like that. Promise me Phainon."
"Sorry, but now we know that you're gift works well."
"Phainon."
"I'm sorry, I promise to be more careful, but I couldn't help it, I was very worried about you."
"Good, and I understand otherwise I wouldn't be here if I wasn't worried about you too." After saying that Caelus fastly hugged Phainon what he quickly reprociated. "See you then and again avoid any problems."
"See you and you too, after all you was the one that got into one last time."
Caelus laughed softly and went away with woman waving to his friend who energetically waved back and went back to his village.
When Phainon finally arrived he got scolded by his worried parents and promised them to not worry them like that again.
Then together with other villagers after talking to heroes who told them to move to safer place because regions around got strongly corrupted by monsters and are danger to any life, moved closer to city where thank to it protective barrier they were finally safe.
Phainon after hearing that all monsters got defeated, often wanted to came back to his and his dear partner place to see if Caelus is there, but still roaming corruption and his worried parents efficiently held him in their new place.
That's why even more inspired by great heroes that he heard from his grandparents and ones that saved his life Phainon decided to become one too.
That's how very hard training started for him. Every day without break Phainon was training thoroughly his condition and fighting skills hoping that some day he will be able to save lives from any evil. His parents even though they were greatly worried for their beloved son, never discouraged him, but believed in him with their whole hearts and even helped him find good trainers in city and place to get his skills improve.
Years passed and Phainon became very strong and skillful young man and was preparing himself for his first task. Before leaving his house he looked one more time at golden pearl with which he never separated, that's his the most cherished thing because is from his dear friend that he never forgot about and missed dearly. After hiding pearl carefully in his pocket, he went straight to village that needed help.
Phainon heard that something ominous is roaming around forest and is attacking people and animals that are unlucky to pass near it.
When he arrived close to mentioned place Phainon squeezed pearl in his pocket and went out to investigate. Road seemed calm, but Phainon know that lack of any animal sounds in the forest especially singing of the birds, is a bad sign. He started slowly coming closer to place that local villagers said to be place when attacks started. When he was investigating area Phainon heard sound of broken branches coming from bushes.
He immediately took out his sword and carefully observed direction from where noises were coming. Soon he heard growling and saw pack of what looked almost like huge hounds with ominous green energy radiating from them.
As fast as they showed up as fast they ran in Phainon direction, who skilfully avoided their attacks and was able to contract immediately.
When he defeated first one he noticed that it immediately disappeared in cloud of green smoke. It didn't take Phainon long to defeat rest of hounds, but he knew that where was pack there need to be main lider, so he immediately moved in direction from where hounds were coming from and in the middle of forest where was clearing he noticed even bigger hound radiating with red energy.
Phainon steadily tried to approach monster, but unfortunately beast noticed him and tried to attack him with its huge paw. Phainon used his sword to block attack and got good distance from hound.
Thanks for ages of hard training Phainon was able to avoid every attacks and when he got chance he came closer to beast and with one strong strike defeated it. Phainon again squeezed pearl in his hand and quietly thanked his friend for always watching over him.
After some thorough looking around to make sure than no more monsters are hiding in shadows, Phainon came back to village to ensure that they will be safe from now on.
Villagers were greatly grateful and after making sure that their saviour didn't get hurt they prepared feast for him.
That was how his hero story begun, from that moment he got more and more different missions from some simpler ones like taking care of some playful, prank loving small creatures to huge monsters which were threatened cities. Soon he got himself a lot of followers that like him wanted to help others and together they became great hero team.
After defeating yet another hordes of enemies Phainon and his team decided to take a break and because they were close to his old village, that for some time was finally free from corruption, they decided to put their camp there and celebrate together.
It already got late everybody were celebrating happily eating, drinking and singing to their hearts content. When Phainon finally got free from his team mates asking him to tell them again the same stories he told them at least hundreds times before, he decided to stretch his legs and walk around. After taking a few steps he immediately felt pull to go to his and his dear friend favourite place and before he knew it he already was there, but immediately stopped in place.
In the distance he noticed beautiful man, clothed in delicate robe, gently swaying in the middle of river, small droplets of water were shining like crystals around him. In moonlight he looked ethereal taking Phainon breath away.
When silver haired man noticed Phainon he stopped moving and fastly some river water flew straight in hero direction. Phainon quickly shielded his face with his arm, but when he took his hand down he noticed that man disappeared.
"Wait..." Phainon wanted to go after man, but got immediately interrupted when he felt cold hands covering his eyes.
"What such a great hero, known around world is looking for in place like this?"
Phainon smiled and reached for pearl in his pocket. "I'm looking for Naiad, but not any regular one, the one I'm looking for have beautiful golden eyes and may be a little clumsy from time to time, but he is my dearest friend and partner that gave me this lucky pearl." Phainon then took pearl from his pocket and with his free hand he took hands covering his eyes down. "I missed you greatly my dear Caelus."
Phainon put back pearl, then turned around and looked straight in suprised golden eyes that he dreamed to see again for what felt like forever.
"So you knew about who I'm?"
"I was suspecting that after reading my grandparents log about mystical beings and seeing your behaviour, immeasurable love to water and this pearl that's very rare one and can only be found deep in the bottom of the waters in just few places around here, but I knew for sure when this female hero showed you the same symbol you had on your pendant it was written there that it symbol specific to your kind."
"Why didn't you ask me about it then?"
"I wanted, but I saw how warry you was when talking about your family and from where you came from, so I didn't want to scare you off, I was afraid that after that I will never be able to see you again." Said sadly Phainon and looked to the side. "I was so scared that I will not be able to see you anymore. After corruption disappeared from around village I was often visiting this place, but you never was here. I really was scared that I lost you forever."
Caelus gently cupped Phainon cheek and made him look in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there. After this attack corruption was so strong that I wasn't able to come back, but now I'm here so cheer up I hate to see you sad."
Phainon smiled brightly and tightly hugged Caelus. "You don't even know how much I was dreaming of this moment."
"I think I know because I missed you greatly as well and was always hoping that we will be able to meet again." Caelus comfortably laid his head on Phainon chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.
"Caelus?"
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, what it is?"
Phainon then from his other pocket took out small box. "I know you agreed for it when we was kids, but let me ask again will you travel with me my dear partner?" Then Phainon opened box reveling beautiful necklace with blue sapphire cut in the pear shape. "Will you take my gift and agree to make me the happiest hero in the word?"
Caelus gently caressed gem and then with smile looked at Phainon. "I already promised you that and you know that I never broke any promises. Now help me put that on."
Phainon was beaming with happiness and immediately helped Caelus wear neckless after that he gently took Caelus hands in his own and kissed them gently. Caelus laughed softly and brought Phainon closer to himself, then they started to slowly dance in the moonlight.