Silence is never the symbol of peace, especially from a place where fate provides no chances.
Under the light of the seven moons lies a dense forest, currently broad with tranquility. Yet danger waits for the fool to commit the first action.
Twigs snap under the unseen darkness, beneath the deadly forest. Evil intent pollutes the air, strong enough to make the weak faint. Wild "creatures" hide and wait patiently.
The bold one dared the challenge, a fool already with little knowledge of patience, gambling their way through bewilderment. One wild howl! Music of chaos begins, the test of domination starts.
The fool howled, and the night finally revealed the horror from the one who sang the first song. Because of it, the forest executed a sudden shift that could be felt in the air, silence was about to end.
The creature's howl immediately turned into a loud screech. A bold challenger became a surviving prey, caught by the expecting predator, taking its last breath.
The hiding wild should have learned from that.
Yet the return of silence was short-lived. Now that chaos had begun, it wouldn't be easy for it to end. Others lost their restraint and slowly began to emerge, howling starts, the real chaos had now formed.
Beneath the wilderness, at the edge of the forest, from the distance, a piece of civilization still functioned to this day. A three-story house stood distant and alone. One wonders why it still exists amidst the danger.
Back to the forest! Things didn't take long to escalate. The forest was no longer merely suffocating, now it was also just as deafening. A place that never welcomes the weak, yet devours the strong. The game of the wild, made by fate, reached its climax.
Many began to surface through the open field between the forest and the house. As they charged closer to the man-made structure, seeking the place, the protection provided by distance was soon about to end.
As they charged, the wall outside the house glowed with a light made from a drawn symbolic circle. Immediately, all the creatures stopped in their tracks, fearing to go further. As the light grew stronger, their bold attempts slowly vanished, forcing everyone to retreat into the darkness. The chaos continued… until the sun shone.
One pull of the rope and the bell made noise, it was time to wake up! Morning came, and the orphanage started its day the moment the children rose. Those who got up first prepared the equipment they would use for the day's chores, as the meal was not yet ready.
Tardiness was not an excuse. Mother Lilith stood at the stairs, waiting for all the orphans to come down. Late children were scolded, and since everyone knew who she was and what she did, no one dared try.
Yet footsteps could be heard coming down even during mealtime. One child was late, approaching Mother Lilith.
"Good morning, Hanabi," came the strict greeting. The other children who noticed felt worried for the one who was late.
"GOOD! Morning, Mother Lilith," a sleepy child replied, forcefully awakened despite still being half-conscious. Yet his fear of her was enough to make him fully alert.
"Meal tastes good today," Mother Lilith suddenly softened her tone.
Hanabi spent most of his days at the market, often as a beggar. Yesterday, the market had bountiful leftovers, which allowed him to bring a lot for the orphanage. Yet he had brought too much, almost collapsing from exhaustion before he could return.
"Try not to overdo your body this time, okay?" came a gentle advice with a false smile. Hanabi only nodded.
After leaving the orphanage, he knew he was earlier than usual while passing the peaceful road toward the market. Yesterday's event was rare, but one could always wish for a miracle.
Summer had just begun, but the morning already felt like afternoon as the sun shone too brightly. He was thankful for the invisible barrier that covered the kingdom, protecting its inhabitants from abnormal weather. Because of it, he didn't suffer from extreme heat.
Arriving at the market after almost two hours of walking, Hanabi noticed it felt quieter than usual. He passed through the roads and stared at the empty stalls. The place had many empty ones, as far as he remembered, and it had remained unchanged even the first time he came. Everything had returned to the way it used to be. Yesterday happened fast, and now it had vanished. He knew expecting such an event again was unlikely.
He arrived at the wet market, the place supplying vendors with the products they sold. He knew he wasn't too early, but the place was quieter than expected. The workers waited, lying around as they prepared for the arrival of supplies for sorting. They were late today, which was uncommon.
The market was too lacking in visitors to be useful for a beggar. based on his experience, this morning silhouette, he knew, wouldn't change much later in the day. Not wanting to wait, he decided to stroll past the market.
From there, stores exhibited their wares as he passed. Blacksmiths, restaurants, potion shops, magic shops, libraries, and more, yet Hanabi felt he wasn't welcome.
Going further, he reached one of his favorite places, where the strong were common: the Adventurers' Guild. Though he couldn't go near, he observed from a distance. He greatly admired the strong, wishing to become one of them someday.
Positive thoughts lingered even after returning to the wet market to sort the leftovers properly.
However, a noise of marching footsteps caught his attention from a distance. He saw a group of knights stop near him.
The wet market had a wide open field, and they were planning something. Hanabi was told to leave, which made him wonder what was going on.
From afar, a pursuit was unfolding. Five masked thieves were being chased by an army of magicians and knights toward the market. The knights' early arrival indicated their plan, and those in pursuit were extremely cautious. They planned to rely on entrapment, signaling just how dangerous the situation was.
Not far from the scene, an empty stall offered Hanabi a vantage point. Though he understood the danger, such an incident was too rare to miss.
Soon, the chase ended at that very spot. The thieves were surrounded, with no escape. The sheer number of knights and magicians showed the danger everyone faced. Even masked, the thieves' eyes betrayed their determination to resist.
The knights executed their plan, slowly shrinking the circle. The caution revealed just how serious the threat was, making sure resistance would be futile. The thieves, realizing their fate, exchanged silent signals and set up their own secret plan.
The knights advanced, one and another charging to tackle a thief. Yet the thieves didn't back down and executed their own counter.
Two knelt, pointing palms forward. Two others covered their eyes. The remaining thief raised his arm as high as possible. A blinding spark of light temporarily immobilized everyone, including Hanabi, though only affecting their vision. The two kneeling chanted fog magic to hide further.
Shortly after, the knights recovered and charged into the mist, unaware of the threat. Before anyone could react, a blast erupted from the thieves' location, engulfing the area. The wet market was completely destroyed, debris flying everywhere. Smoke covered the aftermath, hiding the devastation.
The child escaped, feeling terror course through him. Distant enough to avoid danger, he watched the destruction unfold. He left his backpack in panic, bringing only the pouch that had been thrown to him before he left. He continued to run, While his heart was pounding.