The sun began to set over the horizon, casting a golden glow. Jason's eyes were fixed on the smoke-filled sky, the smoke drifted into view, carried on the breeze from the direction of his village.
In a state of confusion…
Jason dropped the satchel and wood he had collected and sprinted toward the village. The more he ran, the more that mysterious voice grew louder, and more urgent. "Run, do not stop!"
The forest was dense, the trees blurred Jason as he ran, trying to gasp for air. He bursts through the edge of the forest, and his village came in view.
Smoke spiraled up from the village, curling into dark clouds and Jason's heart could not stop beating. He continued to race toward the village, his leg pumping furiously. The mysterious voice seemed to fade into distance, replaced by an eerie silence.
As he approached his village, he could see the flames devouring everything in sight, the smoke was so dense that he could not navigate his way. As he ran into the village, all he encountered were lifeless bodies laid and scattered on the ground.
Running to his house, he found it engulfed in flames, smoke choking the air.
"Jason why are you here? Run away, run away as far as possible!" Johan shouting
Jason replied in distressed, "W-what happened here? Who did this to our village? And I-I can't leave yet, where is my mother? Tell me where mother is!?"
"I was working then all of a sudden the animals in the forest started going berserk causing chaos within a matter of seconds this village was in flames, and as for your mother I don't know where she is, if you stay here you will end up like the others!" Johan shouting.
Jason answered with a serious tone, "I'm not leaving without her, you better get to safety old man."
Jason charged toward his house in search of his mother. He leapt through the doorway, flames licking his skin, burning him severely, calling out for his mother, his voice hoarse with fear.
"Mother! Mother, please answer me!"
But there was only silence.
He rushed out of the house.
And then, he saw her. She lay near the farm, her body battered and bruised, her eyes struggling to stay open. Jason rushed to her side, holding her tightly as she gasped for air.
Her words were barely audible, but they struck Jason with heaviness he had never felt before.
"Flames of the moon a-are enraged... Jason, don't despair, I will always be here."
Jason replied, "Mother, wait what are you saying? Save your strength let me go look for help, just stay here I'll be back."
His mother pulled him back and she said, "Don't ever give up on becoming a Mystic, no, the Archon. Fight for what you want and be a hero that everyone looks up to, always be the hero that smiles through the tough times and the pain."
"Just stay here, l will go look for help." Jason saying it with his voice above a whisper.
As he was running , through the village desperately looking for help, he only encountered a pile of lifeless bodies once again.
He rushed back to his mother but, found her not where he had left her. His mind became numb, not knowing what to do, he called out to her, but no response came, his chest aching, and his heart beating uncontrollably, but right after he heard a voice calling to him from a distance and he used his strength to go toward it.
The flames in the village were growing fiercer, and all he could see were shadows of two individuals, it looked like they were having a conversation then in the midst of their conversation, the unknown individual takes out a dagger and stabs the other individual, as he was running, trying to help the wounded stranger, as he got closer and there they were, this stranger was a female bleeding to her own death.
While panicking he asked, "A-Are you okay? Please, p-please don't die on."
The Lady responded, "You have to run from this place or else you will be their next victim."
"W-what do you mean their next victim!?" He stammered.
"As you can see I don't have much time left but I do believe you will survive this, leave before they get to you." She spoke.
Jason answered with his face straight, "I can't leave without my mother."
She spoke as her energy was running out, "They probably got to her, in this entire village, it's only us who are still breathing, but soon only you will survive this."
"As if I'm ever going to allow that to happen, I'm not going to let you die, come one hang on, don't give up as yet." He said this, he tore off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it tightly around the bleeding wound. Jason helped her up and took her outside the village where the fire had not spread.
Before passing out she said, "My…name is…Azumi and I would love to know the name of the person who managed to save my life."
"Jason, Jason Kazihono, rest here I'm going back to look for my mother." With his tone determined and serious he rushed back into the village.
While searching through the blazing village, and passing through the lifeless bodies, and he finally found her, not only was he happy but also at peace in the midst of the chaos. But…she was too weak to move or speak, Jason wondered how she even moved from where she was.
The smoke Jason was inhaling from the fire was just too much to bear, his chest was starting to feel heavy and he was very exhausted.
His mother opened her eyes to get her last glimpse of her son , Jason.
With the little strength she had she said, "You have to go, go somewhere safe, get out of this village. Promise me something kiddo."
Jason didn't seem to agree with the thought of having to go and leaving his mother behind.
Jason quickly responded, "Yes mom, I'm here and I promise to do whatever you ask of me."
With her last breath she said, "Be the person you want be and don't let anyone talk down on your dream, never forget to be kind to everyone you meet okay?"
Jason held her close, tears streaming down his face as he begged her to stay with him. But it was too late. His mother's body went limp, and she was gone.
Jason's world was shattered. He had lost everything in a matter of hours. His village, his home, his family - all gone. The flames of the moon, whatever that meant, had taken everything from him, not only that but the mysterious stranger as well.
He started hyperventilating, unable to move or speak, he collapsed to the ground, Jason's world went dark as he lost consciousness, his mother's lifeless body still clutched in his arms.
He was surrounded by the ruins of his village, the once-thriving community now reduced to smoldering rubble.