A/N Don't own this. I'm keeping Ella as a cliffhanger. Things will proceed as they would have had I continued with the other plot, but characters are going to be a little different, with a little more depth and unexplained backstory. I suppose I ruined it when I mentioned something in the last story that I should have but hey, good luck figuring out what I'm talking about when I'm being purposefully vague.

"The first time I met him was when I was maybe 12, 13 cycles old. It's been such a long time, but it really, this is going sound rather cliche, it felt like yesterday. I was an awkward child back then, hadn't become capable of social interaction before I got some of my ancestor's memories which balanced out my strange habits. It was an interesting thing, and we used to get the oddest looks when we traveled together, me and my gangly stoicism, and him, the bouncy ball who loved the world and always got up and smiled, no matter how bad things got. I wish I knew what that smile meant earlier though…"

The Kaiser's Thoughts, A Biography Compiled from the 59th Kaiser of the Nova's Personal Articles with his Permission

It was raining, clouds hanging lowly in the sky, and entirely too dreary for the boy's taste. It also happened to be Wednesday, which only contributed his worsening mood. The fact that he was getting beat up, again, in the middle of the woods on the way back home really didn't help either.

"So what now? No witch of a mom to help you now."

It was the usual suspects this time, the village brute, Cramin and the mad sadist Terrikon. They had a habit of beating up the boy at least once a day, in the forest or in the streets, it didn't really matter, everyone turned a blind eye to the bullies. No one wanted to help the witch's son after all.

A fist cracked against cheek, and he snapped out of his thoughts when a shape metallic taste flood his mouth. 'Oh,' he thought dazedly, 'blood.'

They were hitting harder and a lot faster this time. He could vaguely see them speak, but he couldn't quite hear them. After a while though something different happened.

"Knock it off."

Traian should have guessed this would have happened. He was passing by the outskirts of the woods when he heard faint noises in the forest. The gold eyed Nova knew he should have just gone home, let someone else take care of something that was likely harmless, but then again as the son of the mayor, it was his job to look at this type of things, to nip them in the bud before they became problems. So he headed into the woods towards the noises. He started off walking, but as soon as he got nearer, he could hear words coming from a nearby clearing, and picked up the pace.

"…stupid kid…what kind of name is….suits a pest…"

"Hey!" He called out, "What's going on here?"

The boy wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he knew something different had happened this time, otherwise the boys would still be kicking and laughing at him. Right now though, both of them were looking at something that he couldn't see, right outside his field of vision and as soon as his turned to face whatever they were looking at-

'Ow, ok, bad idea, bad bad idea'

He hated this, whatever it was, it was two things, a threat, something important enough to ignore him entirely, or both. Either way, he didn't want something that was any of those things to be out of his sight and unknown. His hearing was beginning to come back, and he found himself not wanting it to, he didn't want to hear the things they said about his mother, the things they said about him-

"…this is your last warning, get out of here and never bother this kid again."

…Huh?

Traian looked at the two boys that stood in front of him, carefully not looking at the boy crumpled behind him at the base of the tree. 'Ribs,' his mind whispered critically, 'two broken, wrist fractured at best, bruises, far too many, malnourishment, scars from past beatings-' 'Shut up.' Traian thought back.

"If I had it my way, the two of you would be dead, locked away forever, forgotten and left to rot in some prison far away. As it stands you could already get a good many cycles in jail for assault. If you get out of here right now and never touch him again, I'll keep quiet, and you'll get away without being imprisoned."

"Whoa, you're actually doing this?" The lean, rather dodgy looking boy on the left asked, "Don't you know you're defending the Forest Witch's kid?"

"Since when did identity matter in the treatment of others?" Traian replied coldly, "I don't care if he's the Destroyer reborn, who they are never warrants such treatment. It is actions, not birth or appearance that deserve judgement, and even that is for people who are trained and know of both sides of the story to determine what to do, not some thugs who decided they wanted to play rough with a kid half their size." The two growled but Traian continued, "Now scram before I scream." They blinked and Traian stared them down, "Mayor's son, something happens to me and everyone comes running. What happens when they see us here and I tell them what you've been doing? Who will they believe, me? Or the village delinquents?"

The boys look at each other, the rat looking at the brute, before they turn and run back towards the village.

Traian sighed slightly before turning and looking at the boy who was sitting upright looking as though he was in pain. "Hello," the grey haired boy said. "My name's Traian, what's yours?"

His first thought was distrust. "Why'd you help me?" he blurted out. "No one's ever helped me before, what do you want from me?"

The other boy blinked and he inwardly cursed at himself, 'too quick, I must have sounded desperate-'

"Must I have another motive to help someone?"

Black eyes blinked as the other-Traian, continued, "I just thought that you might need a hand you know? You looked really hurt and I would be a terrible person if I did not intercede on your behalf."

This guy was strange. Part long words, part nervous body language, with a weird stiffness he never saw in a person before. "Erm, ok," he said blankly.

An awkward silence rang through the clearing before Traian cleared his throat and held his hand out to the black haired boy, "So, mind if I walk with you to your house?"

On one hand the boy didn't want to be babysat, even if it was by a person who saved him a minute before, but then again. "I can't actually feel my legs," he admitted, embarrassed, "Would you mind carrying me back?"

Traian blinked before nodding at the request, "Of course, as the mayor's son I have duties to the people of the village. Don't see how this isn't one of them." Slipping his hands under boy's legs and back, he lifted the boy effortlessly, 'too light to be healthy,' he thought, before he turned.

"My house is over there." The boy in his arms pointed northward, deeper into the forest. He nodded and began moving in the indicated direction.

"By the way," Traian said quietly, "I never did catch your name."

The boy hesitated before saying, "My name's Magnus. Magnus Novack."

"Magnus." Traian sounded the word out loud, "It's a good name."

He would never forget the soft smile he got in return.