The orphanage sat atop the highest hill, overlooking the small village nestled within the valley formed by five hills. The village of Five Hills, with its old streets of old cracked cobblestone and dirt and the common thatched-roof cottages, was a place Alaric cherished deeply.

Each hill had its own unique charm: the hill with the market bustling with traders and shoppers, the hill with the vast lush fields where children played in the farms on hot afternoons, the hill with the serene man-made lake reflecting the sky like a mirror, occasionally summoning storm clouds to replenish what was the village’s water supply, and the hill crowned by the ancient forest where Alaric had trained his body tirelessly.

Upon the slopes of the hills were scattered homes and settlements harbouring the population of natives Alaric had grown around.

The memories of growing up here, exploring every nook and cranny, flooded Alaric’s mind, filling him with a bittersweet longing.

Today, however, was a day that caused him turmoil. While he’d been looking forward to it, he was also reminded that he would be leaving the Five Hills for the first time in his life. He would be leaving his family for the first time in his life.

Naturally, a boy his age would be excited to explore the great unknown, but unlike most boys Alaric’s age, he loved his home a bit too much.

Why was he supposed to be strong? Simply because he was far too cool to be seen crying during a goodbye, especially since he was expected to return this very day.

[Too cool, huh!] Alia chuckled in his mind.

The chilly wind of the misty morning pinched his skin mercilessly, snapping him back to the present. Finn was hugging the last of the younger orphans, while Darla stood amidst a heap of little girls clinging to her as though she was their mother going on a journey to the great unknown.

This scene was the same as it had always been whenever this day came around each year. The orphans below the age of fifteen would bid the ones that had come of age farewell.

The only difference this time was that Alaric was on the receiving end of these farewell greetings.

And while he had already managed to extricate himself from the grabby hands of his loving family, one little still remained: Cody.

Cody still held onto his hand, as if holding on meant Alaric wouldn’t leave. If it meant the fiery-haired boy would stay strong a little longer, Alaric wasn’t about to deny him that time.

“Finn, if your guardian turns out to be a bunny, can I pet him?” a young boy with maroon hair and dark brown eyes named Jasper asked Finn.

Finn ruffled the boy’s hair, “You better pray my guardian turns out to be a bunny… because I’ll be telling them everything you said.”

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Jasper faked his fear.

“What’s wrong with this family? Fear me!” Finn screamed

“Never…”

“Sister Marla, where is Garin? It’s not like him to be late,” Finn cried.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Marla, who’d taken to ruffling Cody’s fiery hair, turned to the horizon absentmindedly, “You’re right, Finn. He always arrived in time to see the rising… sun.”

The caretaker’s face turned white as a sheet. Alaric felt her discomfort wash over him like a chilling wind.

The crimson rays of the rising sun fell on the caretaker’s face like heralds of a troublesome future.

Half an hour ago, Marla had stopped Finn and Darla’s bickering and spurred the children into a frantic frenzy. They’d bathed and dressed so hurriedly that they’d even tripped on each other amidst their hasty preparations, donning clothes that felt too lavish compared to their usual wear.

Even Finn had managed to slick back his stubborn bed-head with Marla’s miracle-working ointments. Despite their rush, Alaric had suspected they were so late that Garin would find them still getting dressed.

And yet, the sun was now rising.

“That’s impossible,” Marla paled.

Her kind face, which was usually composed, was now frozen in an inscrutable expression. The large tree by the side of the house, Old Thomper, shuddered in response to her emotions.

Alaric regarded the caretaker’s guardian with a worried expression.

“Sister Marla?” he called.

“Charms. Where are your charms?” Marla snapped, not giving Alaric the time to ask what was going on.

Alaric, Finn, and Darla pulled rugged-looking lockets from their pockets, holding them up for the caretaker to see. The pitiful trinkets were haphazardly crafted from silver, bearing no air of elegance.

Instead of looking stylish and elegant, they were mishapen disks with carelessly inscribed runes on their surface.

The caretaker inspected each of them carefully before sighing with relief.

“Put them on… and don’t you take them off until you’re safely back here,” Marla ordered.

Sensing the tension in the air, the three oldest children did as they were told and gathered around Marla, concern etched on their faces.

“Is everything alright, Sister Marla?” Alaric asked.

“Let’s hope so. Garin has never been late. I want the three of you to stay close to each other at all times. Don’t fight and listen to Alaric. Alaric, you listen to Alia.

It’s time to put all that practice you’ve been doing to a test, Alaric. Keep Alia’s presence concealed at all times.

And don’t forget to never take off your charms for whatever reason you might have,” Marla instructed. “I don’t know what’s happened, but…”

“Big Sister Marla, look!” Cody called out, pointing towards the opposite hill.

As though in response to the boy’s shout, a high-pitched sonar rang through the air followed by the sound of heavy wingbeats. The morning sun vanished from sight as a deep shadow was cast on the orphanage.

The body of a ginormous creature obscured the horizon itself. Its body fanned out like a beautiful cloth kite, extending outward into triangular tips and ending in a long ribbon-like tail.

Its underbelly was white as snow while the top of it shone a brilliant shade of azure.

Alaric had read of creatures like this in a book before, however, that book had specified that these creatures only ever lived in water. Garin’s guardian was a giant stingray that ruled over the skies.

Just like a kite, it continued to rise higher and higher into the sky as though the wind itself carried it. The beast had no legs to speak of, but it was clear it didn’t need any.

The colossal sheet of flesh simply glided through the air with the grace of a ribbon and the speed of an arrow.

Alaric had seen it before… He saw it every year on this same day, but it never ceased to amaze him. In a few moments, a large gust of wind announced the arrival of the enormous creature.

From afar, it was hard to see the leather harnesses running along the narrow parts of its front and back, fastening a long column of leather seats onto its back.

Seated atop the creature was a man in full white plate armor and a white cape blowing in the wind. A prestigious symbol of a Quill in an Ink-pot was embroidered into the white cape.

The stingray tilted to the side and banked to a stop at the road, floating a meter or so above the ground effortlessly.

The man atop the large beast took off his helmet and grinned widely. His hair was a brilliant shade of red, and sat atop his head in a messy mop. His chiselled build and commanding presence easily translated to power.

If not for the kind look on his face, anyone would have frozen in his presence, afraid to make the wrong move. Somehow, his presence itself was enough to tell someone of the sword resting at his side even before seeing it.

“Lady Marla, it’s been a while,” he greeted.

“You’re late, Garin,” Marla replied, a fire of urgency burning deep within her beautiful eyes.