In the vast, expansive woodland of Southern Aetheria, where the towering trees of the Kingdom of Luminara reached endlessly towards the sky, the sound of quick footsteps reverberated through the dense foliage.
A youthful child, not more than eleven years old, dashed amongst the trees with wide, frightened silver eyes. Running faster than he had ever imagined, his black hair flailed against his face as he pushed his body to its limits.
The monstrous Scrappes with gnarled claws and sharp teeth, made deafening roars behind him, shaking the air. There were at least twelve of them, their deformed shapes moving with a swiftness and nimbleness that contradicted their huge proportions. Their monstrous forms were filled with hunger and rage as they closed the gap, their glowing yellow eyes fixed on the boy.
