Monologue of Harith:
"Today feels so peaceful, as if nothing bad happen could possibly happen. The sun shines brightly, as if warming my heart full of joy. With my mother, i always feel safe, as if the world is just beutiful place full of goodness. There isn't a single dark shadow lurking in the corners of my mind. Only smile, laughter, and hope. Yet, beneath this tranquality, i never expected that something terrifying was approaching. Something that would change my life forever."
Monologue of Daro:
"Every day, i follow the same routine, drawing water from the river with my father, working under the scorching sun. Sometimes i wonder if there's a purpose to all this. Is this all i will do for the rest of my life? But then i see Harith, my friend, always cheerful and full of energy, and i feel that life is more than just routine. We have a future, dreams, and hopes. But for some reason, deep in my heart, there's and odd feeling i can't shake off. A feeling that today... Something is different."
Harith quickly climbed the stairs to his room to put on his clothes. After dressing, he returned to the kitchen, where he saw his mother preparing a basket for collecting apples later.
"Wow, Mom, you're cooking something delicious..." Harith said happily, inhaling the enticing aroma of curry.
"Hehe, yes, dear. I'm making your favorite potato curry. Please sit down, darling, and eat first before we head to the forest to pick apples," Emilia said with a warm smile, placing the curry on the table.
Harith eagerly sat at the dining table. "Thank you, Mom! Your potato curry is the best," Harith said before beginning to enjoy his favorite meal.
Emilia sat across from her son, watching him eat with affection. "Eat well, dear. After that, we'll go to the forest together. I'm glad you're joining me today."
Harith nodded while chewing, "Yes, Mom. I'm happy to spend time with you. Besides, picking apples together will be fun!"
After finishing his meal, Harith and his mother, Emilia, walked out of the house towards the apple orchard. The fresh morning air greeted them, with sunlight filtering through the trees, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Harith held the basket in his hand, while his mother began picking ripe apples from the branches and carefully placing them into the basket Harith was carrying. Harith looked very enthusiastic, a broad smile on his face as he helped his mother.
As he look at his mother, Harith thought, i will never let mom down. She is the queen of my life, who has raised a son like me with so much love. She created a cheerful, and kind child, and i always strived to make her proud.
Meanwhile, near the river, Daro was drawing water with a bucket alongside his father, Chiron. Several other children were also helping to carry water, working together to fill the village well. The sound of splashing water and their laughter filled the fresh morning air.
"Phew, this is tiring. This bucket is pretty heavy," Daro said, exhaling as sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He imagined Harith, who was probably happily picking apples with his mother. "Harith is probably with his mom, picking apples," he added with a faint smile.
Chiron, hearing his son's complaint, looked at Daro gently. "What's the matter, Daro? What are you complaining about?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
Daro looked at his father, still smiling. "It's nothing, Dad. I was just thinking about Harith. It would be nice if he were here helping us carry water to fill the well," Daro replied, shrugging his shoulders.
Chiron chuckled at his son's response, then affectionately ruffled Daro's hair. "Let Harith have fun with his mother. He spends plenty of time playing with you every day. Let him enjoy some time with her," Chiron said with a warm smile.
Daro nodded, feeling more at ease after hearing his father's words. "I understand, Dad," he replied, now with a wider smile.
Chiron chuckled again, pleased with his son's understanding. "That's my smart and considerate son," he said, playfully pinching Daro's cheek, making Daro giggle.
As Chiron and Daro shared a light moment by the river, the atmosphere suddenly shifted. A young girl appeared from the direction of the village, running with unsteady steps. Her face was pale, and blood was flowing from a severe wound on her body.
"Help... Help..." the girl's voice was weak and broken, causing Daro and Chiron to freeze in place.
Daro stared at the girl in fear. "Dad, I think she's the girl who lives at the edge of the village..." Daro said, his voice trembling as he recognized her.
Chiron, who had been laughing moments before, now looked shocked and panicked. His eyes widened at the sight of the girl's condition. "You... Who did this to you?!" he shouted, his voice filled with anxiety.
The girl lifted her face, which was etched with pain and fear. In a barely audible voice, she whispered, "Black... cloak..." before her body began to sway, almost collapsing to the ground.
"Hey, stay with us!" Chiron shouted, rushing to her side to prevent her from falling. But now, anger and worry burned within him. "Who did this?!" Chiron demanded again, his voice booming with restrained fury, his eyes blazing with deep anger.
Daro, witnessing the scene, felt an overwhelming sense of fear, but Chiron quickly gave him an order. "Daro, hide somewhere safe!" he commanded firmly, though his tone was laced with concern.
"O-o-okay," Daro stammered, his voice trembling as fear enveloped him. He ran as fast as he could toward the forest, not caring where he was headed. In his mind, the forest was the only safe place to hide. Daro thought that the entire village must have already fled to the forest to save themselves. Yet, the worry for his father, Chiron, lingered in his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Chiron himself hurried toward the edge of the village. His eyes caught sight of blood trails scattered everywhere, causing his heart to race even faster. Not long after, he saw a group of figures in black cloaks approaching their village.
"W-what is this..." Chiron whispered, his eyes widening, his body suddenly frozen as he felt the terrifying aura emanating from the cloaked figures. The dread surrounding them was so overwhelming that it made it hard for Chiron to breathe.
"W-who are you?" he asked, his voice shaking, his eyes filled with shock and fear that he couldn't hide. But his body couldn't bear the weight of such immense terror. Trembling, Chiron collapsed to the ground, helpless before the cloaked figures who radiated pure horror.
The villagers who had been working together to carry water immediately fled for their lives, but not all of them managed to escape. Some were struck by arrows that flew swiftly, piercing their bodies and leaving them helpless.
The black-cloaked soldiers on horseback approached Chiron with an air of arrogance. One of them, speaking with a voice filled with hatred, said, "Follow us, or you will all be executed brutally. Choose. We seek to enforce our teachings—worship Faruza, not the false god Hyaman. It's all lies and nonsense."
Hearing this threat, Chiron clenched his fists in fury. "What do you want, you bastards!" he shouted, charging forward to punch the black-cloaked man standing before him.
But in a flash, one of the black-cloaked men swung his weapon. In a single brutal strike, Chiron's head was severed from his body and fell to the ground. Blood gushed from his neck, and his body collapsed lifelessly on the spot.
Caraline, who witnessed the scene from a distance, froze, her entire body trembling violently. Her eyes widened, fixed on the horrifying sight before her-her husband's head separated from his body. A cold numbness enveloped her as if the blood in her veins had stopped flowing from the overwhelming shock.
However, one of the black-cloaked men noticed Caraline's presence. His cold, merciless gaze locked onto her. "Looks like there's another lesson to be taught," the man muttered, as he began walking towards Caraline, with death in every step.
Meanwhile, Harith and his mother, Emilia, tried to escape as quickly as possible. Emilia was desperately trying to protect her son, determined to get Harith to a safe place. But the fear that gripped Harith made him ask in a trembling voice, "M-mother... W-who are they?"
Emilia's heart pounded, her body fueled by adrenaline as she ran. "Don't worry about it, my dear. I just need you to be safe," she said firmly, pushing forward.
But suddenly, an arrow shot from one of the black-cloaked men struck Emilia squarely in the back. Her body jolted forward as intense pain coursed through her. Emilia cried out in agony, tears streaming down her face. "Run! Get out of here!" she screamed, her voice filled with suffering.
Harith, seeing his mother gravely injured, screamed hysterically. "Mother! Uh, ahh! What do I do?!" Harith couldn't hold back his tears, trembling as he stood there, paralyzed with fear.
Despite the unbearable pain, Emilia shouted with all the strength she could muster, "Go! You have to go! You must carry on the Zlader family name!!!"
Harith, shocked and trembling, finally nodded reluctantly. He turned and ran as fast as he could, leaving his injured mother behind. "I-I'm sorry, Mother..." he mumbled with tears streaming down his face as he ran away with all his strength from the terrible place.
Daro watched the scene from afar, his eyes wide open and his heart shattered.
His emotions were deeply disturbed by seeing his father, Chiron, beheaded cruelly, and his mother, Caraline, treated brutally. Daro's body grew cold, his hands trembled, and waves of nausea mixed with sadness and fear hit him forcefully. "M-Mother, f-father," he murmured quietly, barely able to make a sound. His tears flowed freely, wetting his cheeks.
Quickly, Daro turned and ran with all his might, delving deeper into the forest.
His steps were hurried, his breath ragged, while his sobs grew louder.
Around the temple, a horrifying sight spread. The lifeless bodies of children, men, and young girls lay on the ground, their blood staining the earth. There was no mercy, no remorse, only continuing cruelty.
"No one wants to follow Faruza's teachings. We must search again and force them to join!" one of them shouted enthusiastically.
Triumphant cheers sounded from mouths hidden by black robes, as if destruction and murder were forms of entertainment for them. They were satisfied with the devastation they had caused, and with that satisfaction, they began to leave the village. Their horses' hooves clattered, raising dust and ash into the morning air that still carried the chill of the previous night.
Meanwhile, in the distance, smoke from the burning temple rose high, a silent witness to the cruelty that had just occurred. The once-peaceful village was now just a shadow of the happiness that once was, consumed by the flames of unbounded cruelty.