Chereads / Essence of Alveria / Chapter 2 - Shadows of the Past

Chapter 2 - Shadows of the Past

The Village of Emberfall

The air was thick with a horrid scent of smoke and eerie glow of fires that surrounded the village and burned cottages. Demonic creatures walked through the narrow streets, their eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

Marcus and Elara, Azai's parents stood shoulder to shoulder in front of their modest home, wielding sword and staff with a fierce determination.

Marcus, a burly man with weathered hands and a steely gaze gripped his sword— the very same sword he had forged with pride for years in his humble smithy. Beside him, Elara, a slender woman with kind eyes and a healer's touch, channeled her magic through her staff, ready to protect her family the only people to have survived the demon attack.

"Stay behind us Azai. We'll keep you safe." Marcus told his six year old son.

"We won't let them harm you, darling." Elara said.

Azai wide-eyed with fear yet determination to be brave just like his parents, stood just inside the doorway of their home, watching the unfolding chaos with a mix horror and awe. His heart raced as he clutched a small pendant— a gift from both his mother and father gave to him.

"Here they come..!" Marcus yelled out raising his sword.

With a roar, Marcus charged forward, as he clashed with the nearest demon— a grotesque creature with horns and claws that dripped with blood.

*SKRRKK

"Hold fast, Marcus! We can't let them break through.!!" Elara exclaimed.

Elara's staff glowed with a soft soothing light as she erected barriers of shimmering energy, shielding Marcus from an attack he couldn't guard.

Her hands trembled with exertion, but her resolve remained steadfast— a mother's determination to protect her son at all costs.

"I won't be afraid. I won't…" Azai whispered to himself, his small frame trembling with fear and adrenaline, watched in awe as his parents fought with courage.

"Stay strong Azai..!! We're holding them back..!!" Marcus told his son.

Despite their valor, the demonic forces pressed relentlessly, overwhelming the defenders with sheer numbers and dark magic. Marcus and Elara fought as hard as they could, yet the odds seemed increasingly dire.

"Marcus, watch your flank..!" Elara voice strained as she casted healing spells on to her husband.

Marcus spun around, his blade slicing through an ogre, but another demon lunged from the shadows, knocking him off balance.

"Ugh..!!!" He voiced.

as he felt a huge claw pierce his stomach.

"Marcus…!!" Elara yelled as she watched Marcus bleed out. filled with rage she runs towards him hitting the creature with her staff knocking its head off

*KRRRKK

"Ugh..!!" Elara yelled out in pain as a monster sliced her back open.

"No..!! Mom, Dad..!!!" Azai yelled out running towards them with tears fell down his face.

A surge of raw emotion flooding through him, without fully understanding how he summoned the Elemental and Shadow essence within him, manifesting as tendrils of fire, lightning, and darkness that swirled around him.

"Stop..!!" Azai's voice trembled while he screamed.

The tendril coalesced into a protective barrier around Aiden, shielding him from harm as he stepped into the fray grabbing a fallen branch he infused it with elemental energy.

"Agghhh…!!!"

With a cry of defiance, he struck out at the demon who attacked his parents, his strikes fueled by a mixture of fear, anger and an overwhelming desire to kill the demon who killed his parents.

*SSSSKK

Slicing the head of the demon who killed his Mom and Dad, Azai ran towards his parents kneeling down shaking them to see if they're alive

"Mom, Dad..??" Azai whispered in emotionally.

"No… No… Please no..!!" Azai yelled out crying looking at both of his parents lifeless bodies on the ground.

"Aggghhhhhh….!!!!!" Azai screamed in Agony. unknowingly to him activating his lightning ability

*KRRRKKKK

Black lightning came from out his hands attacking all the demons around him before fainting to the ground in exhaustion.

————————-

*Next Day

"mmm…" Azai groaned in pain as he opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar roof he quickly shot up with terror in his eyes.

"Oh..! you're up." A lady who sat next to his bed exclaimed.

Azai looked around to see multiple beds around not knowing what was going on.

"Ah.. My name is Mary and You're at an orphanage where all the children who lost their families from different villages come."

"the guards found you laying in the village surrounded by lots of demons, may I ask what happened..?" Azai heard the lady.

"Uh… uh… I killed them…" Azai responded remembering the events that occurred

Mary widened her eyes in surprise making a note to inform the guards.

"because they attacked my Mom and Dad… Where are they..??" Azai asked.

"I'm sorry but.. they didn't make it.." Mary told him expecting tears to fall down his face however he had no emotions on his face.

"How do you feel..?" She asked

"What do you mean..?" Azai asked.

"Are you sad, scared, anything..?"

"No.. I can't feel anything…"

Due to the traumatic experience he could no longer feel anymore emotions.