BOOM...
An explosion resounded, shaking the whole house.
Logan and Lina immediately understood: the bandits had a mage in their ranks.
The explosion woke Aelrin up with a start. Screams of fear resounded in the distance and through the window immense flames of fire danced in the night sky.
Lina straightened up abruptly, her gaze crossed by fear. But seeing her son wake up, she tried to regain her calm.
Logan, already standing, with a hard look, displayed an icy determination.
The explosions resounding in the distance, inevitably approached each moment.
Aelrin feeling that something unusual is happening says:
"Mom... Dad... what's going on? Why are the neighbors screaming? He asked in a trembling voice.
Lina looked at him for a moment, fought against the pain in her heart and looked for the right words.
How to explain such a horror to a six-year-old child?
The orange and reddish flames projected a disturbing light into the room.
Aelrin, upset by the situation, repeated:
"Mom... Dad... what's going on? He repeated, his little hands trembling and his voice filled with anguish.
Logan squats in front of him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. His eyes betrayed a burst of sadness that he could not erase.
"Aelrin, listen to me well... you have to take your sister and go hide in the forest," he said in a calm but sad voice.
Aelrin opened his eyes wide, disconcerted
"Huh... why? And you then? Why don't you come with us? He said in a trembling voice looking shocked.
Lina approached Aelrin and held him tightly against her, as if to give him a little comfort.
But she felt only fear and sadness.
"Don't worry my love... We're going to play a game, okay? She said with a smile, trying to hide the tremor of her lips, pretending the sweetness of an ordinary night.
Aelrin nodded, looking lost, tears in her eyes.
"Do you remember the little path behind the house? The one with the big trees? "
Aelrin nodded slowly.
"You will go with Lyra, and you will remain hidden. No matter what you hear, you must not go out. Wait for mom or dad to pick you up. "
"Me and dad will stay here for a few moments then we will come to pick you up. Wait calmly for our arrival and above all stay well hidden, that's the most important thing, okay? She said, letting a few tears flow.
Lina quickly wiped her tears and stared at Aelrin with a warm look.
"Don't worry, we will come to meet you with hot chocolate, and we will tell stories by the fireplace. As always, okay? She said while forcing a sweet smile.
Aelrin swallows, anguish knotting in his throat. He was terrified and didn't like this game.
Logan approached and put a hand on his head.
"Don't worry, you're brave my boy. And one day you will be stronger than me." he said with a warm smile that looked like a goodbye smile
"Now, protect your sister son, I trust you. "
A new explosion sounds, even closer. The windows vibrated under the power of the explosion, and screams of horror coming from the alleys tore the night.
Lina, with a tight heart, turned to Lyra and looked at her, she who was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of the hell that surrounded them.
"I'm going to wake her up..." she whispered while letting out a little breath.
She slowly approached Lyra. His hands trembling, but his voice remained soft and peaceful, as if not to panic him.
"Lyra, my treasure... wake up slowly..." she whispered, gently stroking his hair.
Lyra moved weakly, slowly opened her blue eyes.
"Mom...? She stammered, rubbing her eyes.
"Yes, my heart. It's mom. Lina gently hugged her and carried her in her arms, keeping her snuggled up against her.
"We're going to play a little game, okay princess? "
Lyra put her head against her mother's shoulder, still half asleep, but reassured by her warmth.
Aelrin, standing near his father, watched the scene still in incomprehension.
"Why do we have to hide? And why are you sad...? He whispered with a worried look.
Logan put one knee on the ground, putting himself at the height of his son. His strong but soft hand rested on the little boy's shoulder.
"Listen, Aelrin. As your mother said, everything will be fine. But currently you will have to hide in the forest and we will come to pick you up. Do you understand? "
Aelrin nodded, his eyes confused.
Logan stared at him tenderly and with a warm smile, he said:
"You're a big brother, Aelrin. And the big brothers, do you know what they do? He said in a calm and warm voice.
The little boy looked at his father, his lips trembling.
"They... protect their little sister? "
Logan smiled and pressed him against him.
"Exactly, you are strong and brave my son. You can protect Lyra for us for a moment. "
"Yes, dad..." Aelrin replied with her little voice.
So Logan began to look at Aelrin with an affectionate air and thought:
" Unfortunately I won't see you grow up my son. What an unworthy father I am, I don't even have a memory to leave you. "
He stroked Aelrin's hair before getting up.
"I trust you, son," he said in a warm voice.
Lina approached them holding Lyra, now wide awake, but still calm. Logan then approached Lina who held Lyra in her arms and hugged them.
Then, he leaned towards Lyra and kissed her on the forehead
"I hope you can forgive us one day... And that you will remember our faces," he whispered in Lyra's ear while letting a small tear flow.
Lina, having heard Logan's words, held back her tears and gently placed Lyra in her brother's arms.
"Hold the tight against you, okay? Don't let her go, no matter what you hear or see. Even if you're afraid. "
"But... why don't you come with us? " asked Aelrin in a trembling voice.
Lina leaned towards him and hunged him for a long time, her tears flowing silently down his cheeks. She quickly wiped her tears and then smiled tenderly at him.
"We'll just finish tidying up the house... and we'll join you. "
Then she stroked his hair and whispered:
"When you see a light in the forest, will we agree my heart? "
Aelrin nodded, her heart heavy and held her sister tightly who did not understand anything about the situation in her arms.
Then, They all went to the back door and Logan gently opened the back door.
An icy breeze enters the house, carrying with it the smell of rain, smoke and blood.
The red flames illuminated the night sky, the howls of the bandits and the villagers pierced the silence of the night like invisible blades.
Aelrin pressed Lyra against him. The little girl had slipped her arms around her brother's neck, resting her head on his shoulder, still half asleep.
Aelrin, with tears in her eyes, looked at her father for a moment, then her mother, then outside.
He didn't want to go.
He didn't want to leave them.
Logan put a hand on Aelrin's head and roughly shook her hair. He leaned over to look him in the eyes.
"Remember, it's just a game? Logan said with a reassuring smile
Aelrin nodded timidly.
Lina knelt in front of him one last time, gently slipped a scarf around his neck and tenderly stroked his cheek.
His gaze shone with infinite warmth, but silent tears flowed from his eyes.
"See you soon my angel," she said in a soft but broken voice.
"Promised? Said Aelrin, looking his mother straight in the eyes.
Lina hesitated for a second. Her eyes got wet, but she forced a smile.
"I promise you, my heart. "
Logan also knelt down, and embassed his whole family with a last gesture.
"In the forest, when you see a light, know that it is us. So wait for us wisely and don't move. "
Aelrin, the slightly soothed look, nodded.
He didn't really understand what was going on, but he believed and trusted his parents.
Lina tenderly kissed Lyra on the forehead, then Aelrin and pressed them against her, her heart on the verge of explosion.
"I love you. More than anything in the world my treasures. "
Logan got up and began to look at them for a long time, as if to engrave this image in his heart.
"It's time. Come on, quickly now. And above all... don't turn around." Logan said in a soft but firm voice.
Aelrin took one step, then another and crossed the threshold of the door.
Without understanding that it was the last time he saw his parents, he stopped for a moment and turned to them.
"I love you..." he said in a warm voice.
Logan smiles weakly, tears in his eyes.
"We love you too," he said with a sad smile on his lips.
Aelrin turned around, hugging Lyra well.
The icy rain began to fall harder, masking the tears on his cheeks.
He advanced... without turning around.
When the silhouettes of her children disappeared in the darkness of the trees, Lina brought a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob.
Logan gently closed the squeaky door.
And in the silence of their already condemned home, he whispered:
"Forgive us... but it was our only solution"
The door had just closed, the squeaking vanished in the heavy silence of the house.
Lina remained frozen for a while, her hand still resting on the handle, her eyes lost in the void. Her heart was beating loud, stronger than the explosions in the distance, stronger than the fear in her.
Logan stood behind her, his gaze fixed, his fists clenched. A long sigh escaped from his lips.
"They're gone..." he said in a breath.
Lina nodded slowly, then slowly walked away from the door, tears still shining on her cheeks. But in his eyes, something had just changed. No more hesitation.
"So, let's get ready. "
She straightened up and wiped the tears on her cheeks with the back of her hand. Then, without a word, with a hard look, she went to the corner of the living room, lifted a slab from the floor.
Under the slab was hidden a small secret cache where there were finely sharpened daggers and a small quiver accompanied by a bow.
Logan, for his part, slowly drew the sword he had hung on his back and began to stare at it for a long time.
His gaze darkened when he saw his reflection under the blade of the sword.
"I thought I'd never hold a sword again..."
Lina approached, the daggers on the belt, the bow in the back.
"We promised ourselves never to fight again. But tonight let's do it for them," she said with a warm smile trying to relax the atmosphere, even if she was stressed herself
Logan let out a chuckle.
"You're right," he said in a warm tone while looking Lina in the eyes.
They exchanged a melancholic smile. Then Lina tied her weapons, and silently went to the window to take a look. She tried to breathe calmly to calm the tumult in her chest.
Logan silently approached her and began to look warmly at Lina, holding a dagger in her hands, her blue hair floating in the air, illuminated by the reddish and orange lights emanating from the flames.
"Even in such a desperate situation you always stay with me." Logan thought while feeling a warmth in his heart.
"You're ready? Logan said in a warm voice with a smile on his lips.
She gave him a determined look, a smile on her lips.
"Since when have you been asking me this question? Of course I'm ready," she said in a warm and determined voice.
So Logan and Lina looked at each other, exchanged a smile of connivance and checked each other naturally, despite the catastrophic situation.
BACK TO THE PRESENT
Aelrin, with bright eyes, told his story to Lucas. The knotted voice and tears in the eyes.
"That night... I completely didn't know that this would be the last time I see my parents," he said, raising his head and staring at the golden leaves of the Solnycto.
A silence was imposed. Lucas moved by the story, said nothing, but his look betrayed his emotion.
Aelrin inhaled deeply trying to calm down.
"Just a few hours later, after hiding in the forest. A huge blue glow strouted from the village. Even hidden in the forest... I saw her. She clearly illuminated the night sky"
As Aelrin spoke, a golden leaf of Solnycto came to gently rest on his nose. He smiled weakly, closing his eyes and letting a tear flow.
He lowered his head again and in a calm voice he said:
"After spending the whole night in the forest. In the early morning, we rushed to the village, "said Aelrin while trying to stay calm.
"At the entrance of the village we... we witnessed a scene that we can never forget. Most of the houses were in ashes, the ground... red with blood. Corpses... almost everywhere on the ground and some were even... burned. A huge silence weighed in our village and the air smelled of a smell of burning and blood, which almost made me vomit. "
"This day your highness I was so scared that I collapsed to the ground for a moment, but I wanted more than anything to see my parents again"
"So, I rushed to our house. But... there was nothing left except the ashes. "
"As I looked at our house, I remembered that Lyra was by my side, so I turned my gaze to her... and she was devastated. Her tears flowed silently from her eyes, so at that moment I gripped her tightly against my arms and while trying to reassure her by telling her that our parents had surely fled and that we must look for them. "
"She had then calmed down slightly and I took her in my arms. We had almost gone all around the village, and suddenly we saw a few survivors far away from gathering around something. "
"As we approached them, a neighbor saw us, approached us and hugged us for a long time, looking reassured. "
"We were happy to see that a friend of our mother had survived, but we wanted to get closer to the crowd hoping to find our parents, perhaps injured or weakened but alive. But our neighbor in tears prevented us from approaching while trying to get away from the crowd. "
"My heart slowed down and I was curious to know why a crowd had gathered in this place but the fact that they wanted to keep us away from it increased my curiosity, so I began to look carefully in the direction of the crowd to know what they were looking at. "
"And there this moment your Highness..."
Aelrin's voice broke again.
He paused for a few seconds, raised his head, his face being illuminated by the sun's rays was filled with tears that he could no longer contain.
A breeze blew and began to shake his hair revealing the expression on his face and the tears flowing from his eyes.
"They were there... in the middle of the crowd. "
"My father on his knees, holding... our mother's head in his arms. "
TO FOLLOW...
Ps: If you want a special chapter on the fight of Aelrin's father, do not hesitate to mention it in the comments