Year 0002, The Imperium
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During a cool, breezy day at the outskirts of this particular forest.
It was a type of forest that was untouched by any civilization because of its close proximity to the Great Caldera of Arkanus.
It had already grown too big, with its ancient trees reaching high above the sky, blanketing and darkening the entire forest floor.
It was dark, moist, and cold with eerily creeping beasts of the unknown that no one has ever seen yet.
The locals who knew this place as 'The Lonely Forest of Shadowfen.'
And here there were three children running outside the perimeter of the woods.
As if being chased by something sinister that wants them dead or eaten.
They were running away with all they have, with every gasp for air, they felt like they could fall down anytime, but they kept running unless they wanted to get caught and eaten.
There was a certain Centislug, as the locals called it, chasing after them.
While those who had braved to venture in the deep called them the 'Glistening Dread' (it is also the official name indicated in the Beast Index).
But for that certain Centislug, they were but a mere tasty meal that it could finally have after such a long, long while.
But for the three children, it was a nightmare incarnate.
---
It was an abnormal behavior for the centipede to get out of the deep forest where it thrives the most.
What could have driven it to do something so unusual only the forest has the answer.
Since this particular species of creature lived deep in the woods, where the atmosphere is dark and humid.
It was so out of its place to go beyond the norm of its daily life to be venturing out of the woods.
But perhaps it was because of the children or something deep within the forest's mystery that drove it to such lengths.
---
This creature is somewhat of a cross between a centipede and a slug, and if you combine them both, then a horrifying monster that could raise your bodily hair with its presence alone and if you stare at it for the first time.
Then you could only shiver and freeze in place, as all of your survival instincts would freeze and deprive your senses from running away.
It was a 'Primal Fear' that has been engraved to anyone that had to unfortunately face it.
This thing has hundreds of sharp viscous crawlers, it has a slimy body of a slug.
Along with its very large mandibles sticking out of its face, it also has its long protruding feelers which are enhanced many times than normal.
As it is mostly blind now and mainly uses it, to guide its senses, unless you're emitting too much bodily heat, then its dull-red eyes could still see you.
But if you are an experienced expert then there are other ways to not be seen by it and you could blind its eyes.
But there is a caveat to that, since it still has its enhanced feelers.
It uses it like its new pair of eyes, but a bit more superior than its previous eyes.
And since the deep forest was a place that little to no light could seep through.
You'd never see this thing coming at you with its incredible speed, agility, and stealth.
But now it was chasing the trio...
---
Late afternoon, before the tradgedy befell them.
The trio have just been kicked out of the Village Pipik, it was located a kilometer away from the perimeter of the forest.
The trio were children who were indirectly orphaned from the effects of the wars that have enveloped the land this past few months.
Their parents afraid of the rumors that circulated from the village, when some visiting merchants gave the village news of the outside world.
So they have decided to escape from their previous village.
But sadly they encountered another tragic misfortune, before they could arrive from Pipik Village they encountered a roaming group of bandits.
---
These bandits were as vile as their reputation speaks.
They asked for everything that they own.
But the adults fought back from this tyranny since there were children with them.
Now they could only protect the children and entrust them to make it out of there alive.
So they protected them and made them ran into the direction of Pipik Village, while they sacrifices themselves to protect them.
And now only the children were left behind to fend for themselves.
---
Pipik was the nearest village from whence their parents were unfortunately killed.
It was just a couple of kilometers away from it, and here the children could only sob for their losses as they took their solace there.
At first, they were accepted by the villagers to stay here, but as the days went by, more and more refugees had arrived.
They obviously were miserable, they went to stand near the gates a bit expecting that maybe their parents have survived and had followed them there, after a while of waiting no one came.
It only depressed them more when not even a single one of those who entered were their parents.
---
There were a lot of refugees who came because of the tentacles of war have finally swept their part of country.
And those newly accepted refugees promised to work for the village in exchange for letting them stay.
While the others were outright rejected entry and were told to turn back and look for another place.
As the village was already beyond the maximum capacity of people it could hold.
And this is what threatened the children's future here.
You see, while it was morally wrong, the elders and the chief were worried about their villages' state.
So they convened and made a difficult choice after they discussed the pressing issue of their increasing population.
The village could no longer sustain feeding these many mouths; a population that large would cause unnecessary unrest.
Especially since they needed to prepare to stock up for winter.
So they needed to cut some hard corners, and since the poor orphans were useless to them, they were among the few chosen sacrifices.
As it was their belief of not letting children work yet, so they have no value to them.
---
Since their value to the current situation reached rock bottom, they could not compete with the new adults.
That could help the village tremendously and prepare for the upcoming winter season.
So the Elders and the Chief spun a narrative throughout the village, that the orphans and those who couldn't work because of ailment and disability were leeches.
That would unecessarily drain their food stocks when winter comes.
Which, in some logical sense, was true, and that was the best thing they could do.
But still, it was inhumane and morally wrong.
But in the end they still kicked them out to reduce the mouths that they would have to feed.
---
This is what got them banished, from the villages' safety.
Worse they were kicked out of the village from the other entrance.
It was the one that is facing the famed 'Shadowfen Forest.'.
Even the children knew of the stories that surround this forest, as they heard stories about it from their parents.
'Erik,' the oldest among them, was 12, now almost at a working age, while the other two, 'Betty' and 'Bren,' were still 10 and 9.
In truth, previously the village elders offered him to stay as they found favor in him.
Since he was now almost 13, he was considered an adult, and he looked like a capable, diligent young man.
But in return of such favor, the other two should be kicked out and that was their condition for letting him stay.
But Erik couldn't agree with this line of thought; he still had his morals, and he couldn't leave his friends to fend off for themselves.
They should stick together; it is what their parents would have wanted for them to do.
It was the reason why he decided to reject the offer and be kicked out along with them.
It was such a conundrum for him, but his sense of justice prevailed in the end.
---
They stared at the Village entrance for a while, still quite shocked by their recent banishment.
They still had their lives and a few of their stuff with them, it couldn't get any more worse than that right?
They could very damn well manage, Erik thought to himself.
So after a bit of pondering he threw a question to the other two.
" So what should we do now?"
But before the other two could respond, the village alarm bells rang, they were being raided.
* DING! DING! DING!...
Erik could only clench his fist in disbelief, so he grabbed the other two..
" Come on we have to get far away from here now! "
They began running towards the direction of the forest, he knew it was risky but what else can he do at this point.
But if they just stayed outside its perimeter they'd be safe right?
Is what he thought.
---
A few moments in and the screams could be heard inside the village it seems they were breached pretty quickly.
As they ran away from the village, people inside were being butchered like a pig, women were raped left and right and it echoed behind their backs ...