A thick haze engulfed the frames of three passersby of the dense Romaran Rainforest, relishing in the company of their companions. The boots they adorned were constructed for the particular mountainous terrain that surrounded their home near the small Valley of Necko.
This little village was home to many races of monsters and mystical creatures alike, regardless of their status in this ever-growing and developing society. One would come to this place to get away from the daily power struggles that would constantly wreak havoc upon the citizens of the Yomair Empire. Constant battles revolving around the attainment of land and natural resources would cause the deaths of many loved ones. This place was an escape.
These figures contrasted in height and size as they sauntered through the wooded area towards their desired location, all while appreciating the warm and quiet atmosphere. The tiniest of the three, a young boy no more than 6, raced ahead of the others as the excitement of what was to come filled him with much glee. He giggled and steadily paced himself at the forefront of the trio, even occasionally jumping in puddles that accumulated after a full night of rainfall. The 2 older persons that coursed behind him cast fond gazes upon the toddler as they trekked with the necessities for their small family outing.
A harsh gushing sound could be heard in the distance as the trio neared a small clearing in the forest and came into the view of a large waterfall. The water splayed onto the nearby greenery as it cascaded down the mountainside, warm afternoon rays filtering through the clear surface causing rainbow effects to litter the sky. Several stray trees dotted the surrounding area, the most prominent one being a large light pink weeping willow that stood proudly on its tall and slim trunk. A light breeze rustled the dozens of bright and beautiful leaves, adding a calming sound to the appealing atmosphere.
The small boy wallowed in the eye-catching views as his sensations were overridden with a bliss that only a child could understand. The two adults who were previously trailing behind him were finally able to catch up with his tiny figure. The young and beautiful lady within the group giggled softly at his reaction to the scenery presented before him.
"Do you like it sweetheart?" she asked him as she gently pats his head of soft curls; the color reminiscent of the pitch-black darkness of the night sky, the luscious head of hair shimmering in the afternoon sun.
"Hmmm." he hummed excitedly as he nodded his head furiously and cast his gaze upon her.
"How do you know about this place mama?" he asked her curiously about how the woman knows about such an amazing location.
"Well it's the place your papa and I made our promises to be together forever." his mother answered in the fondest tone the boy had ever heard.
She cast her gaze upon the man who was now standing beside her, the two of them lovingly smiling at each other.
The young boy's eyes glistened at just how much in love his parents seemed to be, even at his young age he could tell they really cared for each other.
"I really love it mama." he proclaimed as a huge smile made its way onto his face.
He beamed at the lady in front of him and produced a small giggle to showcase his excitement.
She smiled endearingly at him and answered
"I'm glad you do. It's a very special place."
They made their way over to the large willow tree and set up their belongings. The mother spread out a large cotton and silk infused blanket over the many pink pieces of foliage that littered the ground beneath them while the two males made it their job to set out the many dishes that were prepared. The toddler had insisted on serving his mother the first set since she had worked very hard to make everything for them. He waddled over to her the best he could without dropping anything.
"Here you go, mama. This is for you." And with a bright toothy grin, he handed her the dish.
"Thank you very much, dear." She thanked him for the food and lightly pinched his plump cheek.
They all sat down, ate and basked in the warm sunlight that was being produced, a stark contrast to the cold dampness that was the previous day. They made use of every moment of their day together playing games, singing songs and just enjoying the company of each other, spending every second of the day as if it would be their last together, not knowing what would be in store for them.
By the time they had decided that fun should come to an end, the sun had already begun to set as bright oranges, yellows and pinks painted the sky in an intricately dusted pattern. The young child had already fallen asleep, the excitement of the time spent quite evident.
His father had picked him up and paced around while rocking him gently while his mother packed up everything just as neatly as they were before. They began to set off into the direction of the village as the sun sank further into the sky, those warm and memorable rays being taken with it. It took some time but eventually, their feet brought them back to the entrance of the small and quaint settlement that held so many of their most treasured memories. They passed many of their friends and neighbors, their eyes laying on a variety of species like elves and dwarves who were more abundant while there were fewer druids and devils in numbers. They made their way towards the back of the premises where their small and cozy cottage stood and entered the home that they filled with so much warmth and love, the product of that love resting snugly in their arms.
"Hey, there little buddy. How about we take a small bath before going to bed?" The man who held the child tried to stir him up from his slumber so that he could get him clean before he placed him down in his bed.
A small whine escaped his tiny lips before fluttering his eyes open and letting out a small yawn.
"Mmm." was his only answer before being led upstairs towards their shared bathroom.
The young lady watched them round the corner before heading towards the kitchen, placing the basket onto the wooden countertop and turned to put a pot on to make a cup of her favorite jasmine tea. A few minutes past as the water began to boil and she poured the steaming hot water into a small teapot and setting two cups down on the table. She waited for her husband to come back down after bathing and tucking their son into bed and didn't have to wait long before he was standing in the arched entrance of their cozy kitchen, casting a loving gaze upon her.
"It smells lovely in here," he stated as he sat in the chair opposite her at the table.
She smiled softly.
"I made some jasmine tea." was her reply as she poured some of the sweet liquid into both of their cups and served him his share.
He silently accepted his cup and took a sip of the warm fluid, the taste instantly relaxing his tense muscles.
They both sat in comfortable silence.
"Did you have fun today?" she asked him as she placed the cup in her hands onto the polished surface.
"Of course I did. Spending time with you and Min will always be a delight to me," he responded with a small smile.
"I especially enjoyed making the pendants."
As he said this he produced the shiny ornament that hung around his belt, gently rubbing the smooth surface of the gem that made up the piece.
"It's so cute how Min insisted that you two make matching ones." she chuckled at the memory of the toddler fussing that he wanted to match with his papa.
"I mean how could I resist that adorable pout?" He cooed as he to reminisced on the scene.
"He reminds me of you."
This caused her to blush slightly as she picked up on his undertone.
He got up from his place in front of her and gracefully made his round of the table, getting her to stand up as he sat where she once was and placed her to sit on his lap.
"I mean it when I say both you and Min have been the best things to happen in my life. The two of you light up my world like nothing else." he mused, slinking his arms around her waist.
"If I hadn't met you when I did I probably wouldn't be the same man I am today. And I thank you for that."
She places her hands on both of his cheeks and caresses them gently, her palm gliding over the softness of his skin.
"I too am grateful for meeting you." Was all she said and all she needed to say.
She placed a small peck on his left cheek and then one on his lips as they decided to just sit in each other's company.
Tik Tok
Tik Tok
The clock's hands churned as two figures laid side by side in their shared bed, simply enjoying each other's embrace. They had both fallen asleep after having talked about anything and nothing.
It was just after 3 in the morning when a loud blast could be heard in the distance.
This commotion jolted the two awake and only confused looks were exchanged. They slightly hesitated but were quick to their feet as they hastily threw on some extra layers and made their way downstairs where the clear screams of other villagers could be heard. The man made his way to the door to see what was going on and spotted the town's low ranking Dwarven market owner.
"Hey Mila, what's happening?!" he shouted.
She turned around when she heard her name being called and settled her horrified eyes on him.
"Oh my, it's horrible. An army of undead soldiers came out of nowhere and started attacking. Their aura is something I've truly never seen." she tried her best to explain.
"What? An undead army?" his tone was quizzical as his expression became even more worried.
"They've already slaughtered so many of the others." she cried as the memory of her fellow villagers fell to the feet of their attackers.
"I advise you to leave as soon as possible before they make it this far in." she stated as she turned to run towards the back that led into the mountains.
He turned to look worriedly at his wife and she reciprocated the look.
"What should we do?" she asked him as she bit the tip of her thumb.
"Our first priority is to make sure Min is safe."
Just as he said this the small child had wondered around the corner after hearing the commotion.
"Mama? Papa? What's going on?" he asked as he sleepily rubbed at his eyes.
His mother bent down on her knees and held the child firmly by his shoulders.
"Min, sweety, you need to listen to mama carefully. Do you understand me?" As calmly as she could she gazed into his large wondering eyes.
"Mama what's going on?" He asked again, now even more confused and slightly scared.
"You need to run as far away from here as possible. Follow the back path that leads to the mountains and do not look back." She ignored his question and instead instructed him on what he needed to do.
"But mama, aren't you and papa coming with me?" He questioned not knowing how horrible the situation was. All he wanted to know was that his parents would be there with him.
"I'm sorry sweetheart." Was her only answer as she got up from her knees and made her way into the kitchen.
The boy was now left with his father who went up to him and picked him up.
"Papa..." his voice quivered as he rests his head in the crook of his father's neck.
The man ran soothing rubs over the boy's back and he rocked him from side to side.
"You're a brave boy, do you know that?" He noted as he held the boy tightly.
Min stayed silent as only his soft sobs could be heard.
"Your mama and papa believe in you." He continued knowing that this was all probably so overwhelming for the toddler.
His mother came back with a small coat and pouch in hand, the bag filled with different foods and other trinkets to help keep him safe in the wilderness.
His father placed him down so that she could wrap him in the piece of clothing and hand him the bag.
"Remember what mama told you? Be a good boy and leave and don't look back."
Placing one last peck on his forehead she held him in a tight embrace, her reluctance clear before eventually letting him go. The small boy was her livelihood so to say she was feeling nothing but regret would be understating her current emotions.
His father also gave him one last hug before leading him to the back of their estate, making sure it was all clear before letting him go free. Hesitation was clear in his movements as he turned to look at the somber expression that plastered his father's face.
"You have to go now before they make it this far in." he urged him to leave.
A sad lopsided smile was the last thing his two teary eyes saw as he nodded and did as he was told. Not another word of protest as he made sure to do what his parents had instructed of him.
When he was sure the toddler was far enough from sight he closed the door and took a deep breath, making his way towards the woman that waited for him at the front.