The village of Lunadell was a place untouched by the horrors of the outside world. No one here bore the cursed power of zeth. The lands were fertile, the air was crisp, and the people lived in peace isolated from the madness that had swallowed the world since the gods vanished.
Yet, for Clive Rosefield, this peace felt like a cage.
Sitting atop a wooden wall, he gazed at the endless horizon beyond the village. Rolling hills, golden fields, and the distant shadow of mountains in the far distance.
He wanted to leave.
A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Clive! Breakfast's is ready!"
He turned to see his younger sister, Iris, waving at him with an impatient look on her face. She had her usual stubborn expression, her short green hair messy from playing outside.
Clive sighed, hopping down from the wall. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."
The Rosefield home was lively as always. His four siblings chattered over bowls of stew, his mother, Mirella, was scolding his older brothers for stealing extra bread, and his father, Gerald, sat at the head of the table, silent as he stirred his meal.
But Clive knew his father had noticed his absence earlier.
As soon as he sat down, Gerald's deep voice filled the room. "You were at the walls again."
Clive paused. "So what if I was?"
The room fell silent. His siblings knew better than to get involved when their father spoke like this.
Gerald set down his spoon and looked at his son. "You need to stop this foolishness, Clive. You're fourteen. It's time to start thinking about your future here, in Lunadell."
Clive clenched his fists. "My future isn't here."
His father's brows furrowed. "You think the outside world is a place for a boy like you? The moment you step beyond this village, you'll see the truth. The lands are dying. Magic has turned men and women into monsters. Kingdoms are at war. There's nothing for you out there but death."
Clive looked down, then slowly raised his head. "Then I want to see it for myself."
A heavy silence filled the room.
His mother's voice was soft, almost pleading. "Clive, honey… Why? Why do you want to leave so badly?"
He took a breath before answering. "Because I want to find out why the gods disappeared. Why magic turned into a curse. Why the world is falling apart. Someone has to find the truth."
Gerald slammed his fist on the table. "And why does that 'someone' have to be you?! You have a home, a family! A safe life! Do you think those who went searching for answers before you ever came back?!"
Clive didn't flinch. His father's anger was expected. But it didn't change how he felt.
"I know it's dangerous," Clive said, voice firm. "But if no one tries to understand what happened to the gods, how can we ever hope to fix what's broken?"
Gerald shook his head. "The world is beyond saving, boy. The gods abandoned us. That's all there is to it. You need to forget these foolish dreams before they get you killed."
Clive bit his lip. He knew his father wouldn't understand. None of them would.