FIDGET, BATRISHAN PRINCE OF DARKNESS

Melchior's Warning and the Medallion's Removal

By the time the festivities at St Alejandro's Chapel were finished along with the rain, the Denada Cortés family took their carriage back to their estate in the aristocratic neighborhood of Aldorada.

Due to his fame and amazing services to Aldorada, Hernan was always given opportunities to move within the apartments in the Aldoradian Royal Palace and get the privileges meant for the Aldorada Royal Court. However, he humbly kept declining the offers, saying that he preferred to continue living in the mansion where his family lived for countless generations and where he lived for most of his childhood years until he was old enough to join the military. Hernan knew that it was better to raise children in more open spaces, and the Denada Cortés estate had quite a large amount of land with a small, but efficient flower plantation that he created for his wife as a wedding gift. He hoped that his son William would be able to grow up in such a happy environment, but that wouldn't be possible since the latter was dead.

His hopes weren't for naught, now that he and Geneva had adopted Fitzgerald. He smiled as he watched Geneva cuddle and coo at the happy baby Batrishan until they arrived at their home.

"They're it is, Fitzgerald," he said as they got out of the carriage. "Your new home."

The baby gave a small look at the three-story mansion made of marble bricks, golden-framed windows, and red tiled roofs that faced him. A green garden with diversities of flowers, a lovely pavilion near a small fountain ornated with a statue of Apollo and rows of trees circled the mansion like a series of colorful blankets in front of one big pillow. Behind the mansion were the field were the flower plantations that Hernan possessed. From the porch, the magnificent city of Aldorada and the sea could be seen.

"You like it, don't you?" Geneva smiled as her son happily fidgeted in her arms. "Look, Hernan! He's so adorable when he fidgets like that!"

Her husband chuckled as they got inside the mansion. "I assume your going to nickname him 'Fidget' for short?"

"Hernan, you're too clever!" Geneva gave him a teasing push. "I would have never thought about it! Fidget…it is short for Fitzgerald."

They walked through the hallways filled with family tapestries, portraits, and furniture until they reached the dining hall. Carmen, their plump, dutiful maid and cook was sitting on one of the chairs, looking sadly at a pair of baby shoes she had knitted days ago in the hopes of giving them to her masters' son until the latter died. When she heard someone coming and looked up to see her masters entering, she quickly got up and straightened herself.

"Master Hernan! Mistress Geneva! I see you're back," she said as she bowed before them. "How was the celebration at St Alejandro's Chapel?"

"It was a delight, Carmen," Hernan answered. "Especially by what the Lord has blessed us with on this special occasion."

"Really? And what that might be?"

Hernan motioned with his head at the bundle that Geneva was holding in her arms. Carmen's face of confusion turned into one of happiness when she saw that her mistress was holding a baby in her arms.

"Why, Mistress Geneva! You've found yourself a new child! Why, my dear, congratulations!" Carmen leaned closer and noticed the baby's features. "Interesting. His features aren't human."

"Yes, we know, Carmen," Hernan said. "Fitzgerald is a Batrishan."

"Fitzgerald? After the saint?" Carmen looked at her master. "And a Batrishan? But I thought the news said that the entire species was completely wiped out."

"We thought the same, Carmen," Geneva explained. "But don't you see? The Lord granted him the gift of life and saved him from certain death. The poor, sweet thing was found outside of the Chapel, while it was raining, in a casket, by Friar Andre during the feast of St Fitzgerald, and after we lost our first son William. It couldn't have been a coincidence!"

Carmen saw how her mistress was happy and looked at Fitzgerald. "Outside in the rain?" she asked the baby. "You poor thing! Luckily for you, you found the best parents a child could ever ask for. I'm sure Master Hernan and Mistress Geneva will make you the happiest Batrishan on earth."

"Then I'm sure Fidget-that's his nickname by the way- will also be happy to have you as a nurse… if you'd gladly accept, Carmen," Hernan added.

"Of course!" Carmen said happily, clapping her hands together. "And to celebrate this, how about I make a celebratory meal to welcome the new addition of the family? And…wait. Master Hernan, Mistress Geneva, what is that thing around Fidget's neck?"

Carmen's mention got the attention of the parents. They looked down at Fidget and noticed that something buried within the baby's blankets and close to its neck was glowing. Using a gentle hand, Hernan pulled out something that appeared to be a medallion made of gold. They didn't know it yet, of course, but those who know are aware that this was none other than the medallion that Ashiva gave Fitzgerald barely a few minutes after he was born back in the Batrishan Sanctuary.

"Hernan…what is that?" Geneva gasped. Before her husband could even answer, the medallion began burning, causing to Hernan to let go of the medallion and for Fidget to start crying.

"Hernan! Remove that thing at once!" Geneva said, holding on to her baby. "Fidget could get hurt!"

Instantly, Carmen took a towel from her pocket and quickly used it to pull the medallion off the baby and settle it on the table. The medallion stopped burning, but it looked as if nothing happened and it was leaving behind golden smoke just for the heck of it.

"Carmen, why don't you give Fidget a nice, warm bottle of milk while my wife and I discuss the situation? Hernan asked quietly.

"Of course, Master Hernan," Carmen said. Geneva, sad to let go of her son so soon, gave Fidget to Carmen, and watched as their most trusted servant cuddled their son in her arms while going to the kitchen.

"Hernan, what on earth is this medallion?" Geneva asked.

"I don't know, Geneva," Hernan said. "Let's consult Melchior."

Ten minutes later

Melchior appeared-literally- twenty minutes later in the dining room.

Melchior was a living saint. He was a mage, once king, who traveled from his kingdom to Israel to witness and bless the Lord's son at the latter's birth. For years, Melchior was summoned to bless newborns and for years he gladly and kindly did his job. But so many years of blessing did eventually lead to a well merited retirement in a quiet, peaceful farm in Aldorada. When Hernan's messenger came saying that Aldorada's infamous captain needed the mage's help concerning his son, Melchior initially refused until the messenger mentioned that Hernan's son was an adopted baby son. After checking his crystal ball to confirm the messenger's honesty, Melchior transported himself to the mansion of the Denada Cortés.

Once he arrived, the couple explained to him the situation and showed him the medallion.

"The medallion is a Batrishan's birthright," he said as he examined the medallion. "When a Batrishan is born, their god Ashiva gives them a special kind of medal. The metal defines the Batrishan's born social status and the metal's value depicts the Batrishan's value as an individual."

"So what does it mean for our son Fitzgerald?" Hernan asked.

Melchior showed them the depiction of the medallion: a four-armed Batrishan wielding fire in his hands while a crowd of Batrishans bowed before him. "This is a depiction of Ashiva, the Batrishans monotheist god of balance. He is giving his secret element, dark fire, to his selected followers," he explained. "The medallion's design and metal proves only one thing: the baby Batrishan, Fitzgerald as you named him, was born within the Batrishan priests."

Geneva looked a Hernan. "I knew this wasn't a coincidence, Hernan! He was a priest's child found in front of a chapel on a holy day!"

"Uh, you should be a bit concerned about Fitzgerald's value," Melchior warned.

The parents looked at the mage. "Whatever do you mean?" Hernan asked.

"Well, as you can see, the gold used to craft the medallion is rather bright. In Batrishan traditions, the brighter the medallion is, then the more valuable its owner is. And according to records, it is a rarity to find an extremely pure and valuable medallion designated for the Batrishan priests like the one Fitzgerald has."

"Then it's good, isn't it?" Geneva insisted. "It means that Fidget will be a very valued and pure Batrishan."

"Well, I did notice this." Melchior turned the medallion to the other side so that the Denada Cortés could see. To their shock, they saw what appeared to be a small darkness expanding itself like the roots of a disease carrying mushroom.

"Melchior, what is that?" Hernan asked.

"I don't know, Captain," the mage said silently. "But from the way I'm sensing it, the purest of all Batrishan priests came with the darkest of all Batrishans. Should your son ever be exposed to the smallest deed, sight, or amount of evil, than he will be contaminated by evil as fast as a plague contaminates a country and become the darkest villain any realm would ever see."

Geneva sobbed while Hernan clenched his fists.

"No, I won't let that happen," he said. He quickly left the room and came back a few minutes later with a small green crest with paintings of deer on it. He took the medallion from Melchior, who didn't react, and put it in the empty crest.

"I will raise my son to do everything for the best," Hernan declared as he locked the crest with a small key. "He'll follow the code of honor and humanity. He'll be raised in the happiest environment and will stay clear away from evil."

"I'm warning you, though, Hernan," Melchior said seriously. "You can't keep the medallion away from Fitzgerald too long. The medallion will eventually find its way to its master and the latter will have to know the truth."

"I understand. But until then, Fitzgerald mustn't know anything!"