"Once upon a time in a little wood cabin a lady with skin of chocolate lay underneath a wool blanket on top of an oak wood bed on a queen size mattress. A little oak wood nightstand was on the left side of the bed. Polished brass handles were affixed to the tiny cabinet and on top of it was a black digital alarm clock that had four am flashing on it. At the foot of her bed was a closed slatted door and on the left side of the slatted door was solid oak wood door with a grey metal doorknob. Just then a blinding flash of light illuminated the darkness of the room from a window that was above her head, followed soon after by a giant boom that startled the lady awake. She sat up right, ran to her closet and grabbed a long wool robe and ran outside."
"What happened next?" Asks an eight year old Hunter with a light yawn. He laid his head on the lap of a twenty something light skinned woman who wore a pair of jeans and a black and blue striped t-shirt. She sat on a plush black couch with a red hardcover book in her hand that was titled Eagle and Flames. The room the two were in was only half furnished. A table was in front of the couch on top of an area rug that had an image of a few large winged birds circling around a smoky volcano. She closed the book and set it on the cushion next to her. "I'll read you the rest tomorrow, it's your bedtime now my little bird." The woman said and she picked Hunter up in her arms, she stood up from the couch and she carried him toward a back room. She walked down a hallway passing by different pictures of birds before stopping at a wooden door. The woman opened the door and she carried the sleeping boy toward a queen size mattress and laid him down on the bed. "Remember I need your help to sell some items tomorrow in the village," The woman said. Hunter mumbled a soft yes mam' from under his covers as he drifted off into dreamland.
The next morning Hunter and the woman stood on the porch of a ranch style wood cabin. The cabin sat on top of a hill which was surrounded by a dense forest. Hunter's mom wore blue cargo pants and a white blouse and a pair of boots and Hunter wore black jeans, a white t-shirt, and a pair of red boots. The two of them each carried one burlap sack over their shoulders that were filled with items ranging from; utensils to books. The two of them walked off the porch of the cabin and down a windy path and they soon entered the forest. Hunter and his mom walked in silence for a few minutes just enjoying the sights and sounds of the woods around them.
Hunter looked up, and he squinted his eyes as the rays shined through the canopy that the trees created.
Just then a blood curdling scream echoed through the forest shattering the calmness. Hunter's mom stopped in her tracks and she placed her satchel on the ground.
"Hunter, get behind me." His mom said Hunter got behind his mom and she looked around trying to pinpoint where the noise came from.
Just then a young woman around the age of sixteen limped from the tree line a few feet away from them. She had red hair that was matted with grime. Both of her eyes were swollen and purple, a stark contrast from her porcelain skin and her lips were dry and cracked. She wore a grey dress which was ripped and torn all over exposing a pair of black bra and panties. She collapsed on the ground rubbing a giant bruise on her thigh.
Hunter's mom turned to him, "Hunter, stay here." She says as she jogged toward the woman. "Excuse me, miss what's your name, what happened to you?" Hunter's mom asked. The injured woman looked up at her silver eyes and she had tears running down her face, "M...my name is Cecile and I was kidnapped from my home by a band of Orcs.'' She sputtered out of breath.
Hunter's mom kneeled by the woman and she reached inside her blouse pocket and pulled out a corked glass vial of clear liquid. "My name is Tanya, drink this, it will help." She says. Cecile takes the glass vial from her and pops the cork. The woman downs the fluid in seconds just then the bruise begins to heal.
"How do you feel?" Hunter's mom asks. The woman looked up at her with gratitude. "I feel better thank you." The woman said and she hugged her.
"Nalkramal ayh lat sma piggy!(Where are you little piggy)" A loud gruff voice said which caused the woman to break the hug and shake in fear.
Hunter ran toward his mom. "Was that orcish mom?'' Hunter asked. His mom nodded and she looked forward and she saw three massive figures appear a few yards ahead of where they were.
The figures were two males orcs and an orc woman. Each orc held a chain that was attached around the necks of three sickly green skinned goblins who were gnashing their sharp and jagged teeth as they pointed toward the three. Each orc was eight feet nine inches tall, their skin was gray and blotchy. The male orcs both had hair white as snow fashioned into a topknot on their heads and their faces were pig-like.
Both of the male orc's eyes were a sharp azure color and both had large great swords strapped to their waists with vines and they were both clothed with leafy loincloths. The orc woman was clothed in a leafy fundoshi and in her left hand she wielded a silver colored serrated blade claws. Her face and body were also like her companions, just a little slimmer. Her hair was the color of mud and it was long and unkempt and her eyes were the color of crimson. She reached her non bladed hand toward her chained goblin and she patted its head. "Mir job, Tiberius such ij mir boy.(Good job, Tiberius, such a good boy)" The orc said and she passed her chain to one of the other orcs. "Der kurrauz ve fushaum lat ig, jiak got kigiji.(Go back to the camp you two, I got this)" She said in orcish as she walked toward Hunter's mom, the two male orcs nodded their heads and walked away with the goblins in tow.
Hunter's mom stared at the approaching orc and the injured woman's eyes filled with terror. Hunter's mom tried to stand but she was stopped by the woman holding onto her arm. She stood up to her full height and she slipped her arm free from the woman's grip. The orc stopped a few feet away, she stared at the injured woman and she cleared her throat "Come on little pig we've been looking everywhere for you." The orc said she took a step towards the woman and Hunter's mom stepped in her way and she pushed her back. The orc stumbled a bit and she stared at Hunter's mom with slight agitation. "Why don't you bully someone else." She said to the orc in defiance.
The orc sized Hunter's mom up and down and she smirked, "Sweet I get to take two little pigs." She said and she charged at Hunter's mom with her bladed hand poised to slash her. Hunter then ran in front of the orc with his arms opened wide. "Don't touch my mom!!" Hunter yelled. The orc looked at him and she raked her claws down the right side of his face. Hunter fell down and he rolled on the ground screaming in agony. The orc woman stood up and she stared directly at Hunter's mom. She lifted her right leg up and she brought it down onto Hunter ceasing his movements.
Hunter's mom upon seeing her son's brutal demise charged at the orc woman enraged, "DIE!" She yelled as she charged the orc
A few hours later a loud click sounded out and Hunter's body was covered in fire. After a few minutes the flames died down to smoldering embers and his eyes opened up. He sat up with a start and his amber pupils glowed brightly for a second before returning to normal. He started to look around and he saw the body of his mom, the body of the woman, and the body of the orc. Hunter stood up and he walked over to his mom.
Both his mom and the orc were on their backs and unmoving. The orc woman had the indentation of fists all over her body and Hunter's mom had three large gashes on the left side of her chest. "Mommy, mommy, wake up we got a lot of sales to make." Hunter said getting closer and closer to his mother. When he got to her body he saw her eyes staring up lifeless.
Hunter fell to his knees and he laid his head down on top of her chest and he started to sob.
"Mommy, mommy wake up." He said crying he stood up and suddenly the orc's body sprung up and she dived on top of Hunter. She wrapped her hands around his throat and she started to strangle him. Hunter started to struggle; he clawed at her wrists trying to loosen the grip to no avail. The orc looked down at Hunter and she smiled at him, "You know your mother put up quite a fight, she even managed to put me to sleep with the massage she gave me, but here's a silver lining you'll be joining her real soon." She said applying even more pressure. Hunter began to see spots as he felt himself slip in and out of consciousness just then his eyes started to glow and orange flames began to wrap around his hands, Hunter placed his hands on her right wrist and the fire on his hands covered the orcs body in a fraction of a second. The lady orc jumped off of Hunter giving him time to breath as she yelled in agony. The orc rolled on the ground trying to snuff the flames out but her attempts were for naught as everytime she thought she was out the fire would reignite and continue to burn until the orc crumbled to ash on the forest floor.
Hunter walked over toward his mother's corpse and he sat there with a forlorn look on his visage. Cecile sat up upon hearing the death screams of the orc, she looked at Hunter who sat by his mother's body, "H...Hunter." Cecile said, uncertain of the words to say. "What happened," he asked in a soft tone, looking at his mother's body. Cecile smiled somberly and responded "Your mom fought tooth and nail after she saw you get stomped on. She charged that orc wench and she took it down and sat on her chest in a full mount and she started to rain hammer punches on the orc's body in rapid succession before she was stabbed. I fainted after that from fear." She said,
"Cecile!" The voice of a man yells. She smiles. "Paw Paw I'm over here!" Cecile yells back minutes later the sounds of galloping grew closer and closer and soon an army of armored guards exited out of the tree line and they flanked the area. The guards all had different colors of paint painted across their helms. They all had short swords out and an old man who was about in his late seventies stepped out from behind the guards. He stood at six foot five and he wore a white tunic, a green silk robe, black slacks and silver shoes. He had a rapier blade with a gold pommel and grip held tight in his left hand. His skin was rosy pink and his hairline was receding leaving behind only a strip of hair. His body was in pretty good shape considering his age. Cecile ran toward the old man and hugged him and he returned the hug. "Grandpops thank goodness you arrived." She said he let the hug go and he looked at her. "Are you ok?" He asks and she nods. "I am, but that boy's mother over there died protecting me from the orcs that kidnapped me." She said he looked at Hunter on his knees catatonic as he stared down at his mother. Cecile's grandpa looked at her,"His name is Hunter and his mom's name was Tanya." Cecile said. "What do you want to do, child?" Her grandpa asked. "I want that woman to have a hero's funeral." Cecile said. "What of the boy?" He asks. "Do not worry, I know exactly what to do." Cecile says she broke away from her grandpa and walks over towards Hunter. She kneels down next to him, "Hey Hunter my grandpa and his buddies are gonna to take you back to the village." She says Hunter turned to look at her with a forlorn expression. "Why did my mommy die?" He asks. She was taken aback by the question for a short time before she regained her composure and answered. "She died protecting me and because of that I want to help you out the best way I can." She says smiling at him. Hunter looked up at her and he wiped his eyes of tears he smirked. "Thank you Miss. Cecile." He says.
Cecile stood up and she reached down with her hand extended toward Hunter. He took her hand in his "Guards, would you kindly pick up his mom." She days. Two guards came forward carrying a long wooden stretcher. The guards laid the piece of wood on the ground next to his mom's body.
The men reached for her body but were stopped in their tracks from a death glare from Hunter. The guard by the mom's feet was five foot ten and he was a portly fellow, the color on his helmet was red. The guard by her head was five foot eleven and he was skinny. The color on his helmet was orange.
"Whoa, easy there little man we need to move her onto the stretcher to carry her." The portly man says in a mousy voice his. "Yeah, Shelton is right young man." The skinnier guard said with a slight rasp in his tone. Hunter looked up to Cecile with uncertainty on his face, "It is true Hunter. Guards proceed, Hunter let's go."
The Guards placed his mom on the stretcher and they picked her up. "March!" Cecile's grandpa said and the guards went back the way they came.
A few hours later Cecile and Hunter walked under a giant wooden archway. The group made it into the village as the sun set on the horizon. "Ok everyone get some rest. Shelton take the boy's mother to the undertaker. Sheldon go with him so we can get a statue made of her." He ordered as he walked down the road. The two guards that met Hunter earlier saluted. "Yes, sir." The skinnier guard said. They picked up her body and they carried her away. Cecile grabbed Hunter's hand. He looked up at her, his eyes red from crying. "Come Hunter I will show you where you will sleep tonight." Cecile said and the two walked after her grandpa.
Cecile and Hunter walked through a town constructed of brick and mortar. The two walk down a long road. The roads they traversed had been paved with bricks and wooden poles were erected along the road every pole was topped with flames that bathed the roadways in light. Hunter looked down at his feet and he shuffled slowly beside Cecile and he sniffled. Cecile's eyes cut toward Hunter for a few moments then she looked forward, "Hunter, I've been where you were once." She said, "How so?" Hunter asked, his gaze still on his feet.
"My mother was my grandpa's daughter, she was the princess of this land. She fell in love with my father who was one of my grandpa's personal guards. They had me a few months after they were wed. We lived in a small cabin deep in the woods. We lived in that cabin for ten years. We… We were happy until one day we were attacked by a band of orcs and goblins. My mother hid me away in a closet full of rotted and fresh onions. She told me to stay quiet and she closed the door. I saw the door of the cabin was ripped off its hinges and two burly orcs entered. They spoke orcish to each other and they attacked. They did things to my parents before they killed them and then they left."
Cecile began to choke back tears as painful memories of the past came flooding back into her mind. Hunter looked at her and he squeezed her hand.
The pressure of his hand snapped her out of her mind and back to reality she looked at him and she smiled behind her tears, "How do you get through it?" Hunter asks, Cecile shrugged her shoulders, "It varies from person to person but if you want to talk I will gladly listen." Cecile said. Hunter nodded and the two of them continued to walk through the town. A few minutes later they passed a giant iron gate behind the gate were tall rose bushes. The two walked along the gate until they stopped in front of a giant iron gate that was in between a brick archway. The gate had a chain wrapped around the bars of the gate, the chain had a silver lock on it. Cecile reached inside her blouse and she pulled out a skull key. She grabbed the lock and she placed the key into it and she unlocked it. Once the chain was unbolted she grabbed the lock and she wrapped the chain around her left hand, with her free hand she pulled the right gate door open. "Welcome to my home Hunter. You can stay here before your mother's funeral." Cecile says.
Hunter looked down at his feet. "Thank you so much." Hunter said, he looked up at her. Cecile smiled at him and she jostled his hair, "You're very welcome now let's get some food." Cecile said she gently pushed Hunter forward, He stepped onto a brick path that was between two massive fields of rainbow colored tulips. Hunter looked around the fields with shock and awe, "I planted every flower in these fields. It was my way to cope." Cecile said. Hunter remained silent, he stooped down and he plucked one of the flowers. "Cecile, does it get any better?" Hunter asked.
She kneeled down and she also plucked a flower, "Yes and no, the reason I was kidnapped by those orcs was because I went to my old house to pay my respects. If I wasn't there maybe you and your mother would be together still. I'm sorry." Cecile said Hunter grabbed her hand and they walked up the brick path towards a large house.
They entered the abode and Cecile saw the tired and defeated look on his face. "Follow me Hunter." Cecile said, the two of them walked into a massive lobby and passed two giant marble sets of stairs. they walked down a dark marble hallway, they then stopped in front of a closed door. "This is a guest room, you can stay here for as long as you want." Cecile said she opened the door to a small dark room, "Good night Hunter." Cecile said she then walked away.
Hunter looked inside the room and spotted the shape of the bed and he walked over to it and he laid down on top of the covers and he fell asleep.
Hunter woke up in a daze in a bedroom decorated with images of birds on the wall. He smiled wide, 'It was a dream.' He thought as he sat up. "Mom!" Hunter yelled. "I'm in the kitchen, little bird." The voice of his mother said he jumped out of the bed and he ran out of the room into a temple deep within a forest. The walls of the temple had images of birds in flight etched on the walls. The faint sounds of drums and chanting echoed throughout the temple and Hunter began to walk toward the sound. He walked for what seemed like hours, the more he walked the more chants began to get louder. He then stopped in front of a giant stone door and he placed his hand on the door…
Hunter's eyes opened and he sat up on a king sized bed in a light blue room that was decorated with portraits of woods. An open doorway was a few feet at the foot of the bed and there was a closed one next to it. A tall nightstand was on the left of the bed and it had an unlit lantern on top of it. Soon Cecile entered the room with a silver tray in her hand with a glass of water on it. "Oh, good you're awake." She walked over toward Hunter and she handed him the water. She snapped her fingers and a pair of pale skinned and bald twenty something individuals appeared in the doorway. They both wore high collared butler's uniforms, the two people looked similar the only difference was that one of their eyes was blue and the others' were violet. "Yes, Madam Cecile." The two said in hushed tones. Cecile handed Hunter the water and she handed the tray to one of the people. "Once he finishes with the water, take him to the washroom and give him a change of clothes. I'll be in the greenhouse.
Bring him to see me once he's done." Cecile said the two nodded their heads and Cecile exited the room.
Hunter drank the water and he placed the glass on the nightstand. He got out of the bed in the same clothes he wore the previous day. The servant with violet eyes says, "Hi, my name is Angel and that is my sibling Keegan." Angel said her voice was light and airy. They held out their hand and Hunter shook it. "Hello, my name is Hunter."
With the introductions out of the way the three of them walked out of the room and into the halls of the estate. They walked through a long hallway; they passed over portraits of forests, horses, and well dressed men on horseback. They got to a metal sliding door and the twins slid open the door revealing a bathroom. Hunter entered a large bathroom, in the bathroom was a toilet with a closed lid that was right in front of him, a stained glass window with a depiction of a red rose on it. The window was above the toilet which let in colored rays of sunlight.
On the left of the toilet was a shower with an opaque sliding glass door. There was a red shower mat in front of the shower and on the right of the toilet was a ceramic drop sink that was placed into a polished oak wood cabinet and there was a soap dish on top of the sink. "Ok, Hunter, the towels for your shower are underneath that sink. We will return in a few minutes with a change of clothes for you." Keegan said. Hunter nodded and the two servants walked away.
Hunter entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the sink and he opened the door of the cabinet. The inside of the cupboard had a piece of wood, various colors of dry towels and washcloths on top of the wood and on the bottom portion of it had various bottles of cleaning chemicals.
Hunter reached into the cupboard and he pulled out a red dry towel and a blue washcloth and he closed the cabinet door. The bathroom door opened and Keegan walked in with a bar of soap in their hands followed by Angel who had folded jean like shorts, a folded red cotton shirt, and cotton socks. Keegan handed Hunter the soap and Angel placed the clothes on top of the toilet. "These are your clothes and soap." Angel said, the siblings bowed and exited the latrine and closed the door. Hunter placed the dry towel on the toilet lid, he walked over to the sink and he grabbed the soap. He looked up at the mirror and his scarred face looked back at him, he turned away and he took off his shirt to start his shower.
After his shower Hunter dried himself off, got dressed and exited the bathroom. When he stepped outside of the washroom he stood in between Angel and Keegan who stood with their arms crossed.
"So you're finished. Keegan will take care of the bathroom while I take you to milady." Angel said. Keegan walked in and Hunter followed Angel.
Angel and Hunter walked throughout the mansions' halls. The walls of the halls were made of a faux brick material. Unlit torches were attached on both sides of the hall, Angel and Hunter stopped in front of a wooden door. The door had a large brass door handle attached to it. Angel grabbed the door and they pulled it. The door slowly creaked open as Angel stepped back and pulled again. The door swung open, rays of sunlight filled the hall which caused Hunter to close his eyes from the brightness.Hunter eyes opened just as Angel placed their hand on his shoulder. "Come, Hunter." Angel said and the two of them walked out the door and stood on a concrete stoop. Hunter looked on in awe at the sight that was in front of him. A stone path separated one hundred acres of a flower field. Stone statues of animals, children, women, and men were dotted across the field. Hunter stepped off the stoop "What's this place?" Hunter asked as he walked up to a statue of a child a little younger than himself. "This is a stone garden. Cecile's grandpa carved all of these statues himself." Angel said, Hunter nodded his head as he stared at the carving with interest. Angel placed their hand on his shoulder getting his attention. Angel pointed at the stone path, "Walk this path and you'll be at the greenhouse in a few minutes." Angel said Hunter nodded and he started to walk. A few minutes later Hunter came across a massive dome structure. The walls of the dome were made of opaque plastic threaded between steel girders but, roof of the dome was made of glass and a giant megaphone was on top of it. Hunter walked up to two large metal doors. A tiny keypad with a camera in it was on the metal door frame by the right door.
Hunter raised his hand to knock when Cecile's voice loudly came out of the sound system on the roof startling Hunter. "Hey! Hunter, I'll open the door and let you." She said, still a little shaken, Hunter nodded his head.
A buzzer sounded and the giant metal doors began to grind against the stone walkway. Hunter peeped his head in and he saw a room full of sunlight and plants of many sizes, colors, and types that sat on tables and hung from the ceiling.
He stepped fully inside the building and the doors closed behind him, he looked up and he saw tiny holes drilled into the glass panes. "Cecile!" Hunter yelled and he stepped forward, Cecile stepped out from behind an umbrella sized tree. She was dressed in a dark green cotton tank top that was tucked inside a pair of white shorts and she had on a pair of black rubber boots and she wore a pair of red and black leather and rubber insulated gloves. "Welcome, to my green house Hunter." Cecile says she motions Hunter to follow her as she walks away, Hunter follows her in between two tables filled with potted plants, on the left and right there were nine tables on each side. Cecile sat down on a swivel chair with her back toward Hunter. She sat at a metal desk. The desks' had three drawers; two on the left and one large drawer on the right. On top of the desk was a black mug with the words, "Number one Botanist" written in white paint on the mug.
The mug was next to a large rectangular plastic bin filled with soil. Five strange looking flowers were planted inside the bin, the stems of each flower were colored red, with four green colored leaves at the bottom and the bud of the flower was colored yellow.
Connected to each corner of the bin were battery powered portable heat lamps. Cecile turned around to face Hunter, "Hey, Hunter, are you feeling any better?" Cecile asked. Hunter remained silent and he looked down to the floor.
Cecile frowned then she perked up, "Hey do you want to see something cool?!" She asked with enthusiasm as she motioned him closer and she turned around toward the desk. Hunter walked over as Cecile opened the top left drawer and she rummaged through it and picked up a small cube that had a smooth metal bottom, tiny speakers were screwed in on every side, and a blue button was screwed in on the top she then closed the drawer.
He stood next to her on the right side of the desk as she was turned off all four heat lamps. She placed the device in the middle of the patch of flowers and she pressed the button.
The sounds of a snare drum came from the device and then all of the flowers' buds started to open. The flowers were in the shape of a rose sans the thrones, and the colors were bright and vibrant ranging from deep reds and blues to bright yellows, oranges, and blues.
"These are just some experiments I've been working on. I spliced rose seeds with different kinds of fruit seeds to see if I could create a new flower. Go on, pick one." Cecile said. Hunter reached out his hands and he plucked the yellow one and he took a whiff, "This one smells like a pineapple. My mom used to wear this pineapple scented perfume." Hunter said. Cecile looked at Hunter with a smile as he closed his eyes and he sniffed the flower. "Hunter, I wanted you to see me to ask; What was your mother's name and what happened to the orc? Because when I woke up she had vanished." Cecile asked. Hunter placed the flower on the desk, "I burned her."
Cecile looked at Hunter in shock. "Wha… What, do you mean you burned her?" Cecile asked. "Well she was strangling me and just as I was losing consciousness I placed my hand on her wrist and she was set ablaze." Hunter said. Cecile placed her hands on her chin. Just then Angel and Keegan entered the greenhouse. "Lady Cecile, your grandfather, has asked for Hunter's presence." They said in unison Cecile nodded and she stood up. She picked up the flower from her desk and she handed it to Hunter. "Alright Keegan take Hunter to my grandpa, Angel a word please." Cecile says. Keegan nods and ushers Hunter out of the room. They close the door and the two walk out of the greenhouse. The two of them entered the house, they walked through the halls toward the marble stairs.
"Head up the stairs and you'll be in the master's study." Keegan said Hunter walked up twenty five steps at the top of the stairway was a door made completely of bronze. A giant dragon head was etched onto it, there was an iron ring attached to the door by a chain. Hunter grabbed the ring and he pulled the door open revealing a massive room that was filled with giant stone blocks of different styles and colors. Hunter walked past the monoliths in the room toward Cecile's grandfather who stood in front of three giant white, green, and gray marble blocks with his back toward him. "Hello, sir." Hunter said, the old man turned around and greeted him. "Hey, young man. You can call me Clarke. I called you here to ask you some questions." Clarke says, Hunter nodded, "What was your mom's birthday and her favorite color?" Clarke asks.
"Her birthday was February twentieth, two thousand two hundred twenty four and her favorite color is gray." Hunter replied.
"Why gray?" Clarke asked with a smirk.
"Well my mom said that gray has been her favorite color since the skies were gray when she was blessed with me." Hunter said.
Clarke nodded his head, "Ok thanks for the information Hunter." Keegan and Angel appeared in the room on either side of Hunter. Hunter looked at the twins in a double take. "Ah, Keegan, Angel. Take Hunter back to Cecile please?" Clarke asks as he turns back to the blocks of stone. The twins nod their heads and they usher Hunter out of the room and they close the door as they exited. Hunter stood by the top steps waiting for the two of them. "Hunter, Cecile told us what happened and how you ended up here, we're sorry for your loss." Angel said placing they're right hand on Hunter's shoulders and giving it a squeeze. Hunter remained silent, he removed Angel's hand and he walked down the steps followed by Angel and Keegan. Cecile was at the bottom of the steps. She wore a white tank, black sweats, and a pair of white sneakers. She greeted the three with a warm smile, "Hey, Hunter, what do you want to do today?" Cecile asks.
"I want to go back to the place we were attacked. I want to get mine and my mom's bags." Hunter says. Cecile nodded her head, "Angel, Keegan could you two please escort Hunter to the attack spot?" She asks, "Where was the attack?" Keegan asked. Cecile reached inside one of the pockets of the sweat pants and she pulled out a folded up piece of paper. "It's about a few yards away from here. On this piece of paper is a map of where it is." Said Cecile. She handed the paper to Angel and she walked off.
Angel put the paper in their pants pocket. "Alright let's go." Angel said. The twins and Hunter walked out of the door and they walked out of the estate.
A few hours later, the three of them were walking through the woods. Keegan had the map in their hands looking over it, "According to the map there is a large white tree with low hanging branches a few yards away and when we get there we take a left." Keegan said as They folded the paper and placed it back in their pants pocket. A few minutes passed and the three of them stopped in front of the tree. Hunter turned left and he was held back by the twins. Hunter looked at the two, "What's wrong?" The two of them placed a finger to their lips and they knelt down and they slowly crept toward a tree line. Hunter followed them soon, just then Hunter heard the sound of snarls and growls as the three of them got closer to where his mom was killed. Angel and Keegan then hid behind some trees because on the other side in the clearing among his and his mom's bags, were the three goblins and the two orcs that were with the orc that killed his mom.
Angel and Keegan looked at each other with uncertain looks on their faces. 'Darn, did you bring a weapon.' Angel signed to Keegan, 'No, I didn't. I assumed that we didn't need any.' Keegan signed back. While the twins signed to each other, Hunter was watching the Goblins and Orcs as they were milling about. One of the orcs picked up one of the bags and ripped it open. Silver lockets, gold pendants, and dolls made from cloth and porcelain fell on the ground. The other orc picked up the other bag and ripped it open and the book his mom read to him fell onto the ground. The orc picked up the tome and sniffed it, the orc brought the book toward its maw and it bit the book in half. The orc then spit and threw the damaged book on the ground in disgust.
Hunter's eyes began to glow and he began to walk forward toward the creatures. The twins tried to stop him but were too late as Hunter stepped into the clearing. The goblins and orcs stared at him as he looked at them with rage in his radiant amber eyes. "How dare you destroy my book." Hunter said his fists clenched and small wisps of smoke started to waft from his body and he slowly started to walk toward the creatures. The orcs snorted in derision "Drepa iav (Kill it)." One of the orcs ordered and the three goblins all charged at Hunter on all fours. Once they were in striking distance Hunter threw a wild right hook at one of the goblins and his fist connected with its jaw and its body was then engulfed in flames. The creature let out a guttural sound of pain as the fire consumed it and reduced it to ash. The other Goblins stopped in their tracks and the orcs and goblins stared at Hunter in shock at what just occurred.
The other two goblins shook the shock off and ran forward. They unhinged their jaws and they clamped their sharp teeth into Hunter's forearms as soon as they bit down and drew blood Hunter's body was engulfed in flames which set the goblins ablaze. The two creatures let out an inhuman shriek as their bodies burned.
The orcs stared at the scene with fear in their eyes. The two orcs began to run away until their heads exploded in viscera as two bloody pebbles fell to the ground followed by their bodies. Keegan and Angel stepped into the clearing and they stared at Hunter's with expressions of shock and awe.
"W…wow Hunter that was amazing." Keegan said, "Yeah, that was impressive but we have to get out of here. Those orcs will be back in a few hours." Angel said. Hunter looked at Angel and Keegan and he walked toward the orc's corpses. He stood in between the bodies and he knelt down. He placed his hands on the chests of the orcs and the fire that covered his body moved onto the bodies and reduced them to ash. Hunter's eyes returned to normal and he fell forward exhausted but, before he hit the ground Angel caught him and picked him up.
"Hey Keeg let's return." Angel said Keegan nodded and knelt down and picked up the pieces of the book and the two of them walked back to the estate.
The next day Hunter, Angel, and Keegan all stood by the front door of the house wearing three piece black suits. Angel and Keegan both had white pocket squares and Hunter had the yellow flowers from Cecile's greenhouse in his pocket.
Just then Cecile walked down the marble steps, "Alright let's go." Cecile said.
A few minutes later the four of them stood in front of an open wrought iron gate. There was an iron sign above the gate that read "Flower Meadows Cemetery."
Hunter took a deep breath and Cecile squeezed his hand. Hunter looked up at her and she smiled at him. Cecile and Hunter then walked through the entrance followed by Angel and Keegan. They walked for a few until they came across a group of her grandpa's soldiers. The soldiers spotted the group and they parted. They created a path where Cecile's grandfather stood behind an oak wood podium next to something covered by a large sheet. Cecile went up and stood by her gramps whole, Hunter Angel and Keegan stood in front of the soldiers. Her grandpa cleared his throat "My soldiers, I have gathered you here to honor this young man's mother who put her life on the line to save my granddaughter." The soldiers in attendance clapped their hands. Hunter looked around at the scene and he smiled at the fact that these complete strangers who never met his mom are honoring her for her good deed. "Cecile here told me that she wanted to say a few words." Clarke said. He stepped away from the podium and Cecile stood behind the platform. "Thank you gramps. Miss Tanya I never met you but I wish I did." She looked at Hunter who was staring at the crowd with tears on his cheeks. She looked back to the crowd. "So, in order to honor her my grandfather made this." Cecile said. She motioned toward the sheet and Clarke removed the sheet to reveal a twenty foot tall grey marble stone statue of his mom in a long flowing dress. Hunter looked up at the effigy and tears started to well up and fall from his eyes. In addition to the marble it was also trimmed in gold the statue stood on a tall and wide podium, the podium had a flat brass plate bolted onto it that had etched onto its surface 'Tanya 02-20-2224 ~ 04-2250' "Now let's have a moment of silence." Cecile says. She bows her head followed by everyone else sans Hunter who walked toward the statue. He pulled out the flower and he placed it on the podium. He reaches out and he touches the statue, 'I love you mom Rest in peace.' he thinks to himself he returns to the crowd as they all lift up their heads. After the ceremony there were a few smatterings of soldiers milling about. Angel and Keegan left hours ago to continue their work at the house, but before they left they handed Hunter his book which was fully repaired and Clarke left with them
Hunter then placed his book and he sat with his knees to his chest in front of the statue then Cecile stood next to him.
"How are you feeling Hunter?" Cecile asked. He let out a long sigh, "Better still hurts, but better." He said picking at a blade of grass next to his feet. "Miss Cecile." A voice says from behind them. The sudden intrusion startled Hunter to his feet and his eyes glowed for a brief second before going back to normal. Cecile and Hunter turned around and saw a couple who looked to be in their early thirties. The man stood at five foot eight and he was scrawny. He had porcelain skin and crimson eyes and his hair was long and flowing. He wore a hooded crimson cloak and tan boots. He stood next to a six foot six Amazon of a woman. Her skin was like the night sky and the irises of her eyes were gray. She wore a t-shirt, jeans and a pair of black leather steel toed boots. Cecile walked over toward them and she gave each of them a hug. "Oh, great you're here. Hunter, these are Angel's and Keegan's parents, Paul and Tina Greystone."
"Greetings young man. We heard what happened to your mom and we are sorry for your loss."
"We also heard from Miss Cecile and our kids that you have power similar to Paul's so we would like you to live with us." Tina says.
Hunter stared at Tina in shock for a few seconds before he said.
"Okay."