Mornings in Stanston always began with the distant sound of hammering at the forges, the clinking of metal reverberating through the dirt streets. This was the way the small village greeted the new morning.
The thin, smiling boy used to wake up early, before the village came to life. He enjoyed the stillness of the morning, the way the sun rose through the forest.
This morning, in particular, was especially special for him. Taking a deep breath of the fresh, damp air, he grabbed his bucket of water from the well and ran toward his house.
On the way, in his rush, he almost bumped into a couple of villagers. Without slowing his pace, he continued running and waved one of his hands, as if apologizing from afar.
The two simple villagers stopped to regain their balance after the small collision and shouted toward the boy:
"Good morning! Congratulations, Cauã!" — Raising their hands in a gesture of greeting, they waved to the boy, who was already far away. They seemed happy, accustomed to the boy's energy and rush.
It had been ten years since Simão, the merchant, adopted him and rescued him from the clutches of the Raven House.
The name Cantu had been buried along with his past. Now, he was known as Cauã Broenni, the bastard who suddenly appeared in the village and was legitimized by the town's merchant and adventurer.
His arrival had caused quite a stir in the small village; the locals, curious and suspicious, watched him closely for many years. However, over time, Cauã was accepted by the community and became a beloved child among the villagers.
The modest village, with little more than a central square and a few wooden houses, was a hub for blacksmiths. Its inhabitants, though simple, made a living by extracting and selling metals. The village was surrounded by the vast forest that stretched to the south.
Despite the great distance, the place still belonged to the Raven family's county, though it was rare to see anyone related to the nobility in the region. The reason for this was Stanston's remote location, so difficult to access that even using it as a passage was not a good option.
To ensure the safety and income of his family, Simão made frequent trips to nearby cities; his main goal was to sell the village's spices, but he also gathered information about any movements in the area.
In part, he had quickly developed a deep sense of love and fatherhood for the child and worried about his growth. Though he wanted to keep him safe, he was torn between the desire to protect him and the wish to allow the boy to live a normal life beyond the confines of the remote village.
This feeling intensified when he saw the boy becoming attached to a dusty bestiary on the shelf in the room. At just six years old, he carried the book everywhere, and whenever he had a moment, he would leaf through it.
Initially, Simão thought that the small drawings between the pages were what attracted the boy the most. But after a few months of reading the contents to him, he realized the boy had already learned to identify the characters, and his love for literature had deepened.
So, whenever he could, Simão would bring a few books for Cauã, so he could learn more about the world around him. These gifts eased Simão's heart, who feared he might be depriving the boy of a fuller life.
This time would be no different. On his way home, Simão was excited and moved with some agility, eager to get back to his property and spend the day with his son, as it was his tenth birthday.
He entered the village with a hungry pace, and as he reached the end of the dusty road, the small cart creaked to a halt. Simão jumped off the saddle, securely tied the horses to a post, and walked toward the solid wooden door of his house.
Cauã, who was throwing water on the oven, the heat radiating in the air around him, stopped immediately when he heard the sharp sound of knocks on the door. The steam swirled in spirals within the stifling kitchen. The scent of warm food and burning charcoal filled the air, making the atmosphere cozy and welcoming. He grabbed the old linen towel and ran toward the door.
When the heavy wooden door opened, revealing Simão's figure, an involuntary smile appeared on Cauã's lips. His cloak was covered in dust, and the signs of a long journey were evident on his timeworn face. Simão had just returned from Raven, where he had traded spices and goods for the village. His eyes, always sharp, now shone with genuine happiness. With a leap, he opened his arms and exclaimed:
"Happy birthday, my boy!"
Cauã ran toward him and hugged him tightly. The scene was contagious, a genuine portrait of affection. Joy radiated from them, warming the atmosphere with the intensity of their embrace.
"Father! How was the trip? Did you find something interesting in Raven? Did you fight any terrible monsters? Sit down, I just heated the water. We can eat something and rest for a bit."
While drying his hands, he gestured to the wooden table at the center of the room. His movements were natural, but his eyes gave away that he was anxious to ask his father for something.
Simão, seeing the situation, felt that something was bothering him, the same feeling he always got when the boy was scheming something in his mind.
With a furrowed brow, he sat down in the wooden chair, but his sharp eyes quickly caught the restlessness in Cauã's movements. He knew the boy was mulling something over. With a sigh, Simão reached out and gently pulled the linen hood the boy wore to cover his silver strands.
"What's going on, boy?" he asked, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Cauã took a deep breath, as if gathering courage. His eyes shone with a determination Simão had never seen before.
"I want you to introduce me to the adventurers' guild, father," he said in one breath, his voice firm but filled with expectation. "I... I'm ready to live my own adventures. I know there's a world beyond this village's borders, and I want to see it with my own eyes. Learn to fight, travel, meet the creatures out there... that's what I want."
Simão leaned back in the chair, his smile slowly fading as Cauã's words echoed in the room. He watched him in silence for a few moments, assessing the boy in front of him.
"The adventurers' guild, huh?" he murmured, a faint sigh escaping. "Do you think you're ready for that? You know the road you're asking for has no return. They don't live adventures like in the stories, Cauã... They live on blood, sweat, and shady contracts. Are you sure this is what you want for yourself?"
As he waited for the boy's answer, the kitchen door opened, and Paulo Broenni, with a friendly smile on his face, entered carrying a steaming plate. He carefully set the meal in front of Simão, and the smell of roasted meat and spices filled the room.
"While you were gone, he didn't stop talking about it," Paulo said, laughing and giving Cauã a light pat on the back. "The boy hasn't talked about anything else. Looks like he's made up his mind."
Simão raised an eyebrow, now even more curious, and glanced sideways at Cauã, who let out a deep sigh.
With a heavy sigh, Simão rubbed his tired face. He exchanged a quick look with Paulo, who shrugged, as if he had expected this moment.
Cauã was no longer a child, but that didn't make his request any easier.
Still, Simão's thoughts began to drift from the situation. Maybe, somehow, stepping away from the safety of Stanston and pursuing the path of an adventurer wasn't so bad. It was risky, of course, but a life like that could take the boy far away... trying to keep him in that town would only make him hate his origins without even understanding them.
Even so, he couldn't ignore the danger. A mercenary and adventurer's life was full of uncertainties, and he knew Cauã wasn't yet ready for what awaited him out there. Yet, Simão also recognized the strength in the boy's eyes. The blood of Raven ran in his veins, and that determination was part of him.
"Maybe... maybe this isn't so bad after all," he muttered to himself, though fear still weighed on his chest. The farther he goes and the stronger he becomes, the more assured his future will be.
Simão looked at the boy in front of him, who waited anxiously for an answer. There was a dilemma: let him face the dangers of the world, or try to keep him in a life of relative safety, always in the shadow of his past. This decision could cost dearly, but it might be the only chance to finally free him from the Raven shadow.
"Alright!" he said, finally, the reluctance in his voice fading. "You'll come with me on the next trip. I need to introduce you to a friend. He can help us with the guild, and on the way, I'll teach you how to fight and survive on the road."
Joy erupted on Cauã's face like a ray of sunshine after a storm. His eyes shone brightly, and a wide smile spread across his lips.
"Thank you, father!" he exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement.
Paulo, who had been sitting at the table watching the scene, smiled with a nod of approval. He knew this was a unique opportunity for the boy, and his joyful expression reflected the relief everyone felt.
Cauã couldn't hide the excitement that was overflowing from him. The sensation of freedom and new possibilities was electrifying.
He would finally be able to experience and see everything he had only known through books.
Simão, noticing the time, turned to the boy, his voice full of fatherly warmth.
"Now, go prepare to lie down. It's going to be a big day tomorrow, and you need your rest."
The boy nodded almost automatically, but the restlessness stirred inside him. The thought of adventures and the unknown kept him on alert, and he knew the night would be long. Even as he moved toward his room, the excitement bubbled in his chest, making it hard to calm down and get a good night's sleep.
Meanwhile, Simão and Paulo continued talking in the kitchen, exchanging ideas about the upcoming trip and what might await the young boy on the roads.
In his room, Cauã lit a small candle, the flame flickering gently as the soft light danced on the wooden walls. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his favorite book on the shelf, lost in thoughts about the adventure that awaited him. His heart beat fast in his chest, a mix of anxiety and excitement for what was to come.
As he tried to calm himself and put the day behind him, a small noise at the window caught his attention. He turned, his senses sharpened, and saw a dark silhouette outlined against the moonlight. A raven had delicately landed on the window, its piercing, gleaming gaze fixed on Cauã.
The bird seemed almost supernatural, its black feathers gleaming in the candlelight. Cauã felt a chill run down his spine as he locked eyes with the bird, which seemed to carry mystery and wisdom. The raven tapped its beak against the wooden window as though it wanted to catch the boy's attention, and for a brief moment, Cauã wondered if the animal was a sign, a messenger perhaps for his first adventure.
With a hesitant gesture, he approached the window, his heart racing. The raven continued to stare at him, and Cauã could feel there was something deeper behind those eyes. With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, he wondered if the bird's presence was connected to his desire to live an adventure like those in the books.
The raven, with a slight tilt of its head, seemed to beckon him closer, and Cauã felt an almost irresistible urge. The bird tapped its beak against the wood again, stepping forward on the window ledge as if calling him on a journey. The restlessness in the boy's chest grew, and his curiosity took over his mind.
He hesitated for a moment, but determination surged through him. "What if this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?" he thought. With the candle in his hand, Cauã moved toward the window, the light casting shadows that danced around him.
Without a second thought, he placed the candle on the nearby table and, with a swift leap, jumped through the window. The night breeze brushed his face as he landed softly on the ground covered in dry leaves. The raven waited, its wings fluttering lightly as it looked back, as if making sure the boy was following.
With one last glance at the safety of his room, Cauã followed the raven, which flew low, cutting through the darkness of the forest ahead. With every step, the boy's heart raced with the adrenaline of the adventure, and the sensation of escaping the ordinary enveloped him like a cloak.
The moonlight illuminated the path, and the raven, with its black feathers shimmering under the silver light, seemed to be the perfect guide for this unknown journey.
Cauã followed the raven, which glided through the darkness of the forest like a living shadow. With every step, the moonlight filtered through the dense tree canopies, casting a play of shadows and light that danced around him. The air was thick with the earthy scent of dampness, and the whispering leaves seemed to form murmurs, as if the forest itself was whispering secrets.
The vegetation around him was dense and vibrant, with serpentine roots that seemed to want to trap him as he moved forward.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached a clearing, where a large stone stood tall in the middle of the forest, covered in moss and lichen.
The raven landed in front of the rock, gazing at Cauã with a mysterious gleam in its eyes. It was as if the bird held a deep secret, something that yearned to be discovered.
Then, a disturbing sound pierced the silence of the night: the cry of a newborn baby echoed, resonating in the darkness like an anguished call. Cauã looked around, curious about the sound he had just heard, trying to locate where the child might be. But as he searched, he noticed that the mist, which had not been there when he arrived, had now risen around his feet, enveloping him like an ethereal, cold veil.
Lifting his eyes again to the bird, which stared at him with an almost hypnotic intensity, the young boy felt a shiver run down his spine. In a whisper that cut through the mist, the raven spoke, its deep voice reverberating through the trees: "WAKE UP!"
Cauã felt a surge of energy, and suddenly, he opened his eyes, finding himself in his bed, the morning light filtering through the window slats. The dream still echoed in his mind, but the sense of urgency and connection to the forest lingered, leaving an unsettling question in the air: had it just been a dream?
Still dazed from the vivid dream, he turned his head toward the window. A dark gleam caught his attention. When he approached, he noticed something resting on the window: a black feather, gleaming as if polished.
He took the feather between his fingers, the smooth texture contrasting with the roughness of the wooden table. The presence of the object stirred a mix of confusion and fascination in him. "This can't be just a coincidence," he thought, remembering the vision of the raven and the deep feeling it had left him with.