mom? dad? please say something..
are you guys playing hide and seek too???
please..
someone...
Ruven knew what happened.
He knew that lightning rain wiped out the entire village, but he just couldn't cope with it, after all how could he?
He lost everything that was dear to him. His friends, his family, everything.
Ruven didn't awaken his burst ability yet, he was just a locksmith in training. He didn't even have any combat experience, he was just an innocent child, like all of them.
Maybe they managed to escape, I should search for them, maybe they're somewhere in the forest waiting for me. I should find shelter first, it's still raining heavily.
Said Ruven as he left to find shelter, but he couldn't bear it in his heart to leave Ataraxia, the place where he lived his whole life till date.
After searching in the forest, he found a cave, it seemed empty from the outside so he went in.
Just for one night, I'll set off to find my parents the first thing when i wake up.
I can do this.
Ruven said to himself as he tried his hardest not to cry. He found a raised ledge in the cave, which was dry and decided he should sleep there. It could barely support Ruven's body, but the cave was wet.
One thing he didn't realise is that he didn't dry himself and that he was still wet from the rain.
He was sleepless the entire night.
I'm so tired. I couldn't even manage to get a single wink of sleep, not to mention I'm still cold from the rain, at this rate I might die from pneumonia. I should see if i can start a fire.
Ruven didn't know how to start a fire, all he knew about it was from the time where he saw some people from his village demonstrate it as a part of a survival guide.
By morning the rain had stopped, it was bright and sunny. Ruven was wondering about why it was raining so heavily yesterday, and how it's sunny out of the blue.
But he didn't question it as he didn't have the time to do so.
He went outside of the cave and try to get some heat from the sunrays, but he didn't know that he wasn't alone in the cave.
The sunlight hit Ruven's eyes, and it stinged him. He wants to think that last night was just a dream and that his parents are fine, but the fact he came out of a cave with a cold stopped him from thinking about it.
Still he had a shred of hope that they were fine.
I just realised, I've had nothing to eat since last night.. Where can I find something to eat out here in the wild? I'll have to rely on fruits, but I'll have to stay careful as well. After last night, many animals will be out to hunt.
Ruven was right about that last part, but he didn't know he was going to be a prey.
As he felt a gaze from the cave, he looked at it. Dark and lonely, it sent shivers down his spine, but he didn't question it and he marched on into the forest, again.
I should try to find the village, I might find some useful things from there.. If everything's still intact. I couldn't really get a good look last night. I couldn't see even if I tried to, the moonlight and the lightning were the only thing throwing light in my path.
On his way, he found some footprints, thinking it was of some dangerous wild animal's he hesitated to go on. But what could he do? he didn't have a choice.
He out on a brave face and went on. He was being followed. Ruven spent almost a whole day roaming around in the forest. As to his expectations, he couldn't find anything at all.
It was almost night time and Ruven was hungry. He hadn't eaten for almost to days and he started to feel dizzy. He almost gave up, but he realised something.
The trees were starting to look familiar. Some of the tree were burnt, as if strucked by lightning. Realisation struck him, it was his village that he spent most of the day looking for.
Yes! Yes! I finally found it! I'm back to Ataraxia! I might find a weapon or some food here! not that I can use a weapon.... I'll get a map, maybe I could find a way to get out of here.
Yes, Ruven had the survival instincts of an ant, but for a 7 year old boy from a remote village, it's surprising he even got this far.
He tried to search for the storage spaces of his village, all were still there, but somewhat damaged. It had cracks and holes here and there. When Ruven went there in hopes of finding something to eat, he found critters, who had eaten almost everything up.
Only bits of bread and some berries here and there. Ruven didn't complain too much and ate it, as he had no other choice. Hour by hour Ruven grew more tired and weary, and wild beasts more hungry.
Not soon after, he heard a sound of a twig snapping behind him. Ruven turned around slowly.
His eyes grew wide, as if his worst nightmare came to life. And it did. Red eyes staring from the bushes, as if waiting for the right time to pounce on Ruven. That's when he saw it.
Emerging from the darkness, a beast with the head of a lizard, the body of a bear, and claws as long as an adults's forearm. Ruven's mind went blank as soon as he looked into the eyes of the creature. Even a 7 year old could sense the bloodlust coming from that creature. Ruven's couldn't move a single inch, he was struck by fear.
Come on, come on, come on! Why can't my body move?! This is the worst time for something like this to happen!
The creature took one step at a time, closing the distance between it and Ruven. Ruven finally came to his senses and ran like the wind.
He didn't spare any time to think about what he should do or what he shouldn't, all he could think about was to run.
The creature wasn't slow either, but it walked slowly, as if toying with its prey.
Ruven kept on running, but he was getting tired really quickly as he didn't have sufficient food to eat. He ran through trees hoping the creature would lose track of him, but he was proven wrong.
The creature was just a few lengths behind him, but Ruven wasn't fast enough. Slash! the creature striked little Ruven with its claws. To a normal human the slash wouldn't be that deep, but for 7 year old Ruven it nearly killed him.
Unable to bear the pain, Ruven stumbled down on the ground. He screamed in pain for a long time, but the creature smirked, as it was music to it's ears.
He couldn't get back up, the pain was unbearable and his legs gave out, he ran out of stamina and his muscles started cramping.
The creature finally had it's share of fun, and went in to take a bite out of Ruven. But then something unusual happened, as soon as the creature's teeth came in contact with Ruven's skin, it got paralyzed.
When it came back to its senses after a few seconds, it tried to bite Ruven again, this time it got an electrical shock.
Could it be?
Yes.
Ruven awakened his Burst
But he wasn't able to use it as he was nearly on the verge of death.
Ruven mustered up all his courage and tried to crawl away. He didn't get that far though. The creature snapped out of the shock and this time ready to eat Ruven.
That's when something pierced through the creature's neck. Before he could see what it was, Ruven's eyes started blurring. He could slightly see things. Then he saw a figure with armor, or atleast that what Ruven could make out.
The figure said
"Little boy, you are safe now, though you seem to have lost a lot of blood, but fret not, I'll take you to the closest medical centre. You can rest now, child."
When Ruven heard those words, he relaxed his body, but due to the loss of blood he fainted.
The knightly figure carried Ruven and leapt from one tree branch to another with great speeds and reached a city in a human civilization.
There, the knight rushed into the nearest medical centre and had him admitted.
"I'll take care of all the expenses, just save the boy, I'll do the paperworks as well"
Said the knight towards the staff, without wasting time, the nurses took Ruven into a room and hooked him up to a bloodbag, but it made Ruven's condition worse. One of the doctor's noticed it, and had suspicions about Ruven being a VoltenCrown. So he ran to get another bloodbag, with a special marking only he knew about.
When given blood from this bag, Ruven's heartrate stabilized.
While this all was happening, something unusual was going on in Ruven's head.
He was back in the village, the houses were still there, but it was occupied by none. he roamed around the village but didn't see unusual. But when his eyes went to the lake, he saw a figure sitting under a tree, A mysterious man, wearing a hat and holding a sword. When Ruven approached him he noticed that the mysterious figure was holding a lock, which had a skull on it.
The stranger's eyes met Ruven's.
"Hey mister, do you know what happened to the people of this village? I see nobody over here, wasn't the festival supposed to be here today?"
But the mysterious figure just kept staring at Ruven.
He then replied,
"You're here early, don't worry kid, The villagers have just gone to gather fruits and mushrooms and berries for the festival, they'll be back, soon..
But as for you, it's not your time yet kid."
Ruven nodded, but asked
"But who are you? I've never seen you here, are you new?"
"No. I've always been here, with you. I've been here since you were born, right now and I will be here for you after everything. I'll wait for you to find the key to this lock I hold. And when you find the key, everything will start to make sense. The door awaits you. The lock awaits you. I await you."
Suddenly, Ruven felt as if he was being pulled. When Ruven opened his eyes, he couldn't move a single inch. His torso was covered in bandages, his legs were plastered and he couldn't move his left arm.
Then the door opened, a doctor entered the room.
"Hey kiddo, you feeling better yet? you were in a bad state, how did it even happen, but you can answer all of that later. But I need to know one thing right now."
"Are you a VoltenCrown?"