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tried to tell you,” said Agnes, grinning with satisfaction. “He’s a freak. The boy doesn’t even have a heart.”
    In an exaggerated, almost rehearsed manner, the woman wobbled on her feet. Only the intervention of the man, who caught her, saved her from crashing into the floor.
    “A boy with no heart?” squealed the woman. “I want a boy who is capable of loving. A…” She inhaled deeply. “A monster with no heart could never be capable of such feelings.”
    The man felt the need to add his own opinion to the mix. “I suggest you throw that kid out to the wolves. Though I doubt even a wild creature would want to feast on such tainted flesh.”
    “I would,” agreed Agnes. “But I love my children too much to do such a thing. Even if they are mistakes of nature.” She waved over at the hallway that led to the other rooms. “Please follow me. I have plenty of other regular children that I'm sure you’ll find to your liking.”
    The couple followed, not bothering to look down at the boy.
    Sobbing, Xalen opened the door, running out into the storm. He wanted to die. He wanted to stop feeling this pain that raged within him, a pain that told him he would never belong. How could he? As Agnes had so eloquently put it, he was nothing but a ‘mistake of nature.’
    But the boy’s wish did not come. He walked and walked, delving deeper into the wild. His skin shivered as hail and rain bombarded him from every angle. He fell to his knees, surrounded by only trees and a howling wind, and awaited the end. His energy was all but drained, but suddenly, his body swelled with an intense wave of energy. The metal piece in his chest glowed a bright white, almost as if the power of the ice itself had been absorbed by it.
    Lost and confused, the boy sobbed into his arms for what seemed an eternity. When he finally got back to the orphanage, the rover was gone. Agnes was pacing the entrance hall, her heavy footsteps thumping loudly.
    “Good. You’re not dead,” she said as way of greeting. “Warm my water and get my clothes ready. I just sold a boy and will be eating out with my friends tonight.”
    “Yes, Ma’am.” Xalen kept his head down as he headed to the clothing room. Never again did he put himself before any of the potential parents that came to the orphanage.
    To his surprise, Reave did not express the slightest sign of shock or repulsion. “It may be made of a different substance than mine, but it’s a heart nonetheless. Embrace your difference. It is what makes you who you are.”
    Xalen wanted to scream at him. How could he embrace something that had caused him so much misery throughout his life? He wanted to tell Reave that he knew nothing of his pain. That he knew nothing of how it felt going around, with a physical scar showcasing to the world just how much of a freak you were. But as he readied his rant, he caught sight of the terrible burn mark on Reave’s face. He gulped, swallowing down the speech he had so eloquently written in his mind.
    Unable to form any more words, he remained quiet as the ship landed and its engines turned off. The door slid open, and Xalen’s jaw almost dropped. The ship had landed in the middle of a large field. At their side were countless other ships of different shapes and sizes. A path of polished stone spread before them in a straight line. There was a large red gate that seemed to reach to the clear skies. It had a golden, snake-like rim running through the top. It shined brightly under the light of the blue sun. Two massive open doors were at the center of the gate.
    “Wait until you see the inside,” said Reave, motioning for Xalen to follow.
    Their footsteps crunched softly as they walked down the straight path of white stones. Moments later, when they reached Zizor’s gate, Xalen’s mouth opened even wider. He had spent so many years living within the dull walls of the orphanage, that he had to rub his eyes to make sure they weren’t being deceived.
    The