The next day, Andrew had finally stopped thinking about it. Talcan picked him up and they went back to the park, their place of their initial meeting. They had fun, chasing squirrels, feeding birds, and the like. And all was good. This went on for another month or so.

Then, Talcan was at the orphanage when Andrew woke up one Saturday morning. He was talking to the man that ran the orphanage. Andrew walked in, and they both looked at him.

"Ah, speak of the devil. Haha, Andrew, come in, come in, I believe you know this gentleman."

"Hey, Talcan, whats up, and why are you here so early?" Andrew asked, still a little groggy.

The owner cut in, "Why, didn't he tell you? Talcan is here because he wants to adopt you."

Andrew's jaw dropped as Talcan grinned. And with that, Andrew and Talcan became roommates. Talcan, after the first few days of meeting Andrew, had come to think of him as a little brother; and Andrew vice versa.

The very same day Talcan adopted Andrew and they went to his house, Talcan followed a trail, well trodden, to three graves and put

a flower on each.

"Fifteen years exactly."

-------
A week after the adoption, Talcan decided to tell Andrew about his powers and about the demons. He's his brother-like figure; he can't keep something this big from him. So, he took him to his training spot, a big clearing with trees cut down and scorch marks on them.

"What happened here?" Andrew asked.

"Andrew, I have to tell you something." Talcan took a deep breath and proceeded. "There are some people, who have… gifts. What I mean is, so people have special powers that they use to fight with. And humans aren't the only ones; there are creatures out there, demons, they're…"

Andrew cut in, remembering that night, "You mean like the demon you killed using your powers?"

"You saw that?" Talcan shouted, shocked.

"I didn't mean to, that night, I saw a big black flare, and I was trying to see what was wrong. Then I saw you, with your arm outstretched, and the demon carcass that was incinerated." Andrew answered, apologetically.

"No big deal, I just wish you had told me, I spent all yesterday working on how to explain all of this to ya." Talcan said and began to chuckle. "Well, now, let me show you the basis of my powers." As he said this, he held his arm outstretched and created a black flame in his palm. "This is my power. The black flame, passed down by my father, just as this sword is." He said, pulling his sword out and showing it to Talcan.

-------
"So, now that you know, I can tell you about that day, fifteen years ago last week." Talcan said as they took the path heading back to the house. "When I was twelve, my parents and best friend, were murdered, by a demon. And that day, I found out that I was a half-demon." Andrew froze and Talcan turned around. "Oh, don't worry, I'm a good guy. I'm not like them."

"Oh, ok," Andrew said and grinned.

"When I found out why they were killed, I couldn't stand living in this world unless he left it. And, I'm standing here now, aren't I?" Talcan let out a small chuckle, not going into the details of that fight.

"Well, they said my parents died in a wreck, but they would never let me see their bodies, they said it was because the wreck was so bad, and I was so young, but, as the years passed, I started to doubt that. I don't know, I just felt like, I had a right, they were my parents and they couldn't keep me from seeing them. But, now, all I have is this photo of them." Andrew finished by handing Talcan a picture that he always has with him.
Talcan took the picture, and instantly remembered an incident four years ago.

He didn't think much of it at the time, just two more to the hands of a demon, and one more demon to his. "Andrew, they did lie to you."

"Huh?" He asked questioningly.

"I remember these two, or, what was left of them, four years ago in two months, right."

"Yeah, but how…" Andrew froze. "A, a demon?" he asked, seeming a little shaky.

"Yes, and he was quite power at that. But he fell to me."

"Well, at least, now, I know the truth," Andrew said taking back the picture. They walked the rest of the way back to the house in silence.