Under the pale blue serenity of the morning sky accompanied by the snail-paced movements of the silvery white clouds was a wide plain filled with grass that swayed as the wind breezed through the air, alongside are hundreds of black moutain sillhouettes towered over the plain from the far north of the horizon.
Atop a small hill on the plains stood a lonesome tree where a boy leaned against and with both of his eyes shut.
The morning breeze caressed the cheek of the boy causing him to slightly flinch before slowly opening his eyes. "..."
"Well Well.." - An individual with her hands atop her waist stood before the young boy with an eyebrow raised. - "..." - The boy stared at her with half-opened eyes. However after a few seconds of nonchalant blinking, his eyes suddenly jolted up as he felt a surge of adrenaline soar through his veins. "Si-Sis Lether!?" - The boy shouted.
Lether clicked her tongue. "Slacking off again..?" - She gave the boy a sly smile. "Looks like someone is not getting any dinner tonight." - She was enclothed with a blue kirtle dress and a brown towel wrapped around her waist. With her milk-like skin, greenish eyes and slender stature, she appeared to be in her twenties.
The boy flailed his hands around - "No-No! I already finished my quota..!" - Lether raised an eyebrow. "Look..!" - The boy pointed towards a large two-story wooden cabin neighboring the woods, at the cabin's yard there was a stock of lumber. Lether then turned her head unimpressed, she analyzed the lumber that was stacked atop of each other before staring at him for a few seconds however felt like a millenia for the boy. - "I don't like liars..." - The boy jolted up. "I'm not lying! I completed them this morning!" - The boy exclaimed, with a sweat sliding down his cheek.
Lether quietly stared at the sweaty boy for a few moments with furrowed eyebrows, before releasing an exasperated sigh. "Haah.. So. You really gathered those yourself?" - Lether pointed at the stock of lumber again, to which the boy quickly nodded.
"That's to be expected.." - Lether scratched the back of her head. The boy closed his eyes like a sad puppy. "Still.." - Lether crouched down and extended out her hand towards the boy. As her hand slowly landed atop the boy's head, his eyes slowly widened. "Good Job." - With a smile, she stroked the boy's hair.
-----
The boy lied down on the grass and faced the clear blue sky. His golden eyes stared on the floating white patches of steam on the sky while a thought was reverberated inside his head.
("Good Job" - Sister Lether.. patted my head today. But it was rather short because she was called back by the Orphanage Director, still..)
The boy clenched a small pile of grass.
(She rarely.. does that now...)
The boy looked down.
(It was different then..I wonder what's wrong...)
He whispered inside his head, as he returned his gaze towards the pale blue sky.
"Hey!" - The voice of a young, energetic boy echoed in the air. "Cale!" - The voice called, causing the young boy to instantly sit up from his sleeping position, he then turned his head towards the direction of the voice. "Cale! What'yya doing?!" - A boy, of similar age wearing a ragged leather tunic, and oversides brown pants came running down from the plains towards the hill, before proceeding to jump and lay down next to the Golden-eyed boy; Cale.
"Fereez..Why are you here?" - Cale asked. Fereez paused for a moment before forming a wide smile that reached all the way to his ears. "Why else!?" - Fereez leaned closer and covered the side of his mouth before whispering. "To skip chores..!" - Fereez then giggled, causing Cale to scoff.
"Won't Sister Lether get angry at you?" - Cale replied, looking towards the cabin nearby. Feerez'es smile transitioned to a sly smirk. "Then.." - He turned his head from left to right before speaking. "We just don't have to get caught!" - Fereez chuckled. But Cale wasn't cackling.
"Fereez.." - Cale uttered. "Ahahaha! Yes?" - Fereez replied. "Do you know..." - Cale looked up behind Fereez, causing the boy to raise an eyebrow. "Know what..?" - His sentence was cut short before he can finish, a tall shadow blocked out the illumination of the midday sun. This sudden appearance caused Fereez to slowly look up behind him with terror brewing up on his face.
"Hmm.." - With a smile and throbbing veins on her forehead, Lether stood before the two boys with hands on her waist. Her eye twitched as she looked down on the paralyzed Fereez. "Just won't have to get caught. huh..?" - Lether uttered, causing the young Fereez to immediately bathe in sweat, his eyes were minimized as he looked up to her in horror. "So? Got anything to say for yourself before I pulverize you?" - With a nice smile, she began to roll up her sleeves. "Bla.." - Fereez utteted. "Hm? Bla?"
"Fereez Blasting Off!!" - With great vigour, Fereez raced towards the plains with a smile on his face, however Lether chased after him with a furious expression. "Hey! Get back here!" - Fereeze's chuckles filled the air causing Cale to giggle a little. "How fun." - He whispered.
After a while, the atmosphere began to transition from blue to orange as the sun slowly bid its goodbye.
Noticing the color of the sky, Cale glanced at the setting sun. (Its getting dark soon..) He slowly stood up and made his way towards the two-story cabin near the woods.
By the time he got there. "?" - Cale noticed a tall, burly masculine man laboring tirelessly as he pulled up huge buckets of water from a well. The man wiped a sweat off his forehead before glancing at the water-filled buckets neatly arranged beside him. "Okay.. That's 20, should be enough for the night..Hm?" - With a deep voice he uttered, before noticing the young boy. "..Cale! Where's Lether and Fereez?" - He asked. Cale shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, I thought they got back already.." - Cale replied, glancing towards the plains. The man briefly paused before responding. "..Well, I think they are just out buying necessities.." - He looked behind him. "Probably won't take long." - Cale nodded.
"Well how about you lend your old man a hand?" - He smiled towards Cale. To which the boy was shaken. "Re-really all of that!?" - The boy's eyes widened. "Yeah.." - The man's eyes sharpened. "Or are you too weak to lift one?" - The man replied, with a sly smirk. Cale paused for a few moments before uttering. "You.. Challenging me?"
With a wide, eerie smirk and predatory eyes devoid of the childish innocence he previously exhibited, He said in a cold, deep tone. "Let's Go."
...
"Hup..!" - With a final push, Cale lifted the water-filled bucket he was embracing onto a wide marble shelf. "Phew.." - He sighed before wiping a sweat off his forehead. "Right.." The man crossed his arms and analyzed the neatly arranged buckets. "That should be the last of it." - He glanced at Cale and flashed him a small thumbs up. "Great Job!" - Resulting in the corner of Cale's lips to rise. "Always."
Though, their exchange was broken off by a sudden loud, blood-curdling howl originating from the shadowy forest nearby. The man glanced towards the source before looking up to the sky, all the light was gone and what remained was the small freckles of light scattered amongst the blanket of darkness.
He squinted towards the forest before whispering. "Better get back inside, Cale." - Cale stood up and dusted his shirt. "Alright, Let's go Mister Baskir."
(I never really understood it...)
Cale glanced at the forest
(But the adults always told us to never go outside at night..)
(Apparently monsters go crazy here.. for some reason.)
Before they could take another step however. The sound of a creaking door entered their ears, they quickly turned their heads towards the direction of the noise and there, a small young girl with wavy blue hair emerged wearing her pajamas. Seeing this scene, the man's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Mira.. Didn't I tell everyone to NEVER go out the orphanage after the sun goes down?" - The man squinted at her, making the little girl flinch. "B..But.." - She lowered her gaze and averted her eyes, her soft, mellowish voice failed to reach the ears of the two. "..? Speak Louder Mira" - The man ordered.
"Si..Sister Lether..And Fereez.." - She uttered, sending a small chill down the man's spine. "What happened?" - He asks.
"the-they.. aren't here yet."
As Mira finished her sentence. The scream of a woman echoed throughout the forest, causing Mira to clasp her hands cower while Cale and the Man instantly locked their gazes towards the source.
"tha..that voice.." - Mira whispered.
Baskir's facial expression grew darker. - "Short Notice Hunting Duty.." - The man whispered, before abruptly turning to Cale startling him a little. "If I'm not back within five minutes..." - He uttered slowly covering his fists with white bandages.
"Send [HER]"