Chapter 5

After the meeting wrapped up, I decided to entrust the responsibility of drafting the complaint letter to the village elders. With their experience and wisdom, I felt assured that they would handle the matter with the seriousness it deserved.

The elders then summoned their trusted messenger, a remarkable bird named Heku. Heku was no ordinary bird; it possessed a unique ability to breathe fiery lava, capable of reducing any would-be thief attempting to intercept the letter into mere ashes.

Given the gravity of the situation, Heku was reserved solely for critical and urgent communications, earning it both fear and reverence among the villagers. With the task at hand, the elders quickly penned the letter, outlining our grievances and concerns, and entrusted it to Heku for swift delivery to the king of Ivorya.

As we gathered near the sea bed, the salty breeze tousled our hair, a reminder of the task at hand. I addressed my friends, a sense of determination in my voice.

“Friends, our first step in defending our village is to bolster our ranks with more creatures,” I began, casting a glance around the group.

“Albus, your expertise lies in fire magic, correct? I need you to venture out and seek creatures aligned with your element,” I continued, turning to my friend.

“Can I take Aradia with me?” Albus asked, a hint of eagerness in his voice.

“Of course, Aradia, as an expert in air magic, your skills will be invaluable,” I replied, nodding in approval.

Aradia smiled, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “And we’re a couple, so we make a great team,” she added, squeezing Albus’s hand affectionately.

“Indeed you do,” I agreed, a hint of warmth in my tone. “Now, Luke, as our earth specialist, and Serenar, as an expert in water magic, I need you both to gather creatures of your respective elements.”

Luke and Serenar exchanged a nod of understanding, their determination evident. “We’ll get started right away,” Luke affirmed, his voice steady.

“Good. Hunter, Elysia, your expertise lies in weather and nature magic, correct?” I continued, turning to the next pair.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Hunter replied, his gaze unwavering.

“Then I need you both to gather creatures attuned to those elements,” I instructed, emphasizing the importance of their task.

Drax and Cyra, specialists in metal and alchemy magic, nodded in agreement as I assigned them their task. Kai and Morigan, adept in crystal and arcane magic, exchanged a knowing look before setting off to fulfil their duties.

“Roy and Luna, your expertise lies in time and gravity magic, correct?” I asked, turning to the final pair.

“Yes, that’s right,” Luna confirmed, her voice tinged with determination.

“Then I need you both to seek out creatures aligned with those elements,” I instructed, a sense of urgency creeping into my tone.

Lastly, I turned to Seraphina, my trusted companion. “Together, Seraphina, we will oversee the operation and ensure that everything runs smoothly,” I stated, a note of confidence in my voice.

With our tasks assigned and our mission clear, we dispersed, each of us embarking on our respective quests to gather creatures to defend our home. As I wandered through the village, making adjustments to our plans, I couldn’t help but reflect on my age for the first time.

At nine years old, I was shouldering responsibilities far beyond my years, acting as an adult in a world fraught with challenges. Yet, as the afternoon sun cast its golden glow upon us, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie and belonging as we gathered together.

For the first time in nine years, we chatted and laughed like the children we truly were, our worries momentarily forgotten in the face of our shared mission to protect our home. And as the day drew to a close, I felt a glimmer of hope in my heart, knowing that together, we could overcome any obstacle that lay in our path.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, we gathered at the gate of our village, our hearts heavy with determination and resolve. We waved goodbye to our parents, promising to return in seven days’ time, our minds set on the task ahead. With a final glance back at our beloved home, we set out, our footsteps echoing in unison as we embarked on our journey.

As we walked, the camaraderie and sense of purpose that had fueled us in the days prior began to wane, replaced by a growing sense of unease and foreboding. Each step felt heavier than the last, burdened by the weight of our shared responsibilities and the unknown dangers that lay ahead.

On the seventh day, when we finally returned to our village, our worst fears were realized. Instead of the familiar sight of our homes and hearths, we were greeted by a scene of utter devastation. Our village lay in ruins, reduced to little more than a graveyard of broken dreams and shattered lives.

Shock and horror gripped us as we surveyed the scene before us. Not a single soul remained, the once bustling streets now eerily silent and desolate. Every building lay in ruins, their walls torn asunder and their roofs collapsed in upon themselves.

But it was the sight of the bodies that truly chilled us to the bone. Mutilated and lifeless, they lay strewn about the village square, a grim testament to the savagery of the attack. Even the children had not been spared, their innocent faces twisted in agony as death claimed them.

Amidst the carnage, a message awaited us at the main gate of the village, a cruel taunt from our unknown assailant. Signed only as “ENSLAVER,” the message spoke of a king of enslavement, proud and unrepentant in his actions. He boasted of his power and dominance, proclaiming himself the ruler of the planet and the master of all who inhabited it.

With the help of an alchemist, he claimed to have prepared a twisted gift for us, a grotesque offering born of malice and cruelty. The bodies of our loved ones, preserved for eternity, their flesh ripe for the taking and their souls condemned to eternal torment.

As the full weight of his words sank in, a cold fury ignited within us, burning bright against the darkness that threatened to consume us. We vowed then and there to seek justice for our fallen comrades, to hunt down this “ENSLAVER” and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all.

And so, with hearts heavy and minds ablaze, we set out once more, our resolve unshakable and our spirits unbroken. For though our village may have fallen, we would not rest until justice was served and our home reclaimed from the clutches of darkness.