As the sky turned a soft amber with the fading light of dusk, Ivon ran through the grassy valley towards the passage . The green plains around him began to darken as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows.
With a bow slung over his shoulder and a quiver of arrows bouncing lightly on his back , he gripped a fire log like a torch in one hand, the flickering flame casting fleeting shadows on the ground as he moved. His mind was set on one thing— the reaching the passage to participate in hunting wild beasts and defend his village .
His thoughts races the image of his father and mother at the village filling his minds. He needed to know if they were safe-if the village had held against the wild beasts .
The passage felt longer this time , each twist and turn dragging on the dim light. The flame from the flame flickered widlt as he ran, the cold air rushing last him. His breathing gre heavier but he pressed on , unwilling to slow down.
After what felt like an eternity, his legs burning from running ,Ivon finally reached the starting of the passage from where he along with the childrens first entered the passage to go out of village .
Slowing his pace , Ivon approached the stairs, the sound of his breathing loud in the suffocating silence. He raised in torch higher illuminating the rough stone walls that enclosed the stairway. As he neared the door, his heart pounded harder in the chest, a mixture of fear and anticipation clashing at him. As this was his first battle against wild beasts , with trembling hand he pushed the door.
But contrary to his expectations when Ivon pushed open the door , the cold night air air mixed with the smell of death hit him like a wall. The once-familiar village lay in ruins, bathed in the dim light of dawn. His eyes widened in horror as the blood-soaked ground revealed a grotesque sight—corpses stewn everywhere, lifeless bodies of villagers and soldiers alike, their faces twisted in terror, their limbs broken and torn and the silence of death weighed heavily in the air .
Ivon's heart raced widly in his chest, his breaths shallow and quick. His legs wobbled beneath him as nausea surged from the pit of his stomach. He staggered forward, his body shaking uncontrollably, then doubled over and vomited, the sight and stench overwhelming him.
Tears began to blur his vision, a primal fear gripping his heart. His mind screamed for this to be a nightmare, but the weight of the scene before him confirmed the terrible truth— his village was gone, consumed by a battle he had been helpless to stop.
Wiping his mouth with trembling hands, Ivon forced himself to stand. His face contorted in grief as his tears began to flow freely.
"Father.... Mother ..." he whispered, his voice choking in his throat. Desperation took over, and he stumbled through the carnage, his feet striking over the bodies , his eyes scanning frantically over the bodies. Everywhere he looked , he saw familiar faces- worker, soldier, maids people he had known his whole life— all lifeless staring into nothingness.
And then he saw — near the well , two bodies lay side by side, battered and broken, their clothing sokaed in blood. His breath caught in his throat and a cold dreadsetrles over him. His knees gave way beneath him as he rushed forward, collapsing infront of them. He didn't need to get closer to recognise them— his father , Thomas and his mother, Evilia.
"No.. no..." Ivon's cvoice came out as a cracked whisper. He reached out with shaking hands gently touching their faces. His father's strong protective feature were frozen in death , his body covered in deep wounds his arm missing .
His mother's body was broken her limbs mangled her once gentle face married by the violence of the attacks . Ivon's vision blurred as tears streamed down his cheeks and a hollow, empty ache spread through his chest.
"Wake up... Please..."he pleaded, his voice trembling. He shook his father's shoulder first , lightly at first then more forcefully.
"Father... Please... Wake up.... I need you.." His voice cracked in dispersron lacing his words . He turned to his mother , his hands resting other cold , pale cheek.
"Mother... Please.. don't leave me..." His cries greew clouder but there was no response.No warmth. No life.
An unsettling numbness crept into his bones, the realisation sinking in. They were gone. Ivon's body trembled as he clutched his parents, his obs wracking through him. He screamed their names into the empty air , the raw agonizing sound echoing through the ruins of the village . The silence that followed his cries was deafening , a reminder that no matter how much he begged , no one would answer .
As Ivon knelt by the bodies of his parents , he suddenly heared a unmistakable sound of laughter coming from his house gate and soldiers marching sounds . The cruel, mocking tone echoed through the hollow remain of villagers coprse, his tears froze and his breath caught in his throat . He immediately ran towards the hidden passage and closed the door , keeping a narrow slit open on the door to see what's happening and who they were ??
//Are they helpers or enemies ?? What are they here for ??!!
Read the up coming chapter to know the real situation 😉//