"Brother… It's cold."

A young boy at the age of seven or eight muttered as he hugged his father's jacket to keep himself warm.

Growl~

"Ahh... I'm also hungry." He added after he heard his stomach rumbling.

The rain was heavily pouring and it was chilling outside.

His brother couldn't do anything about their empty stomach so he decided to hug him instead to keep themselves warm. There was nothing else in their small house that can give them comfortable heat.

They haven't eaten any food since this morning and they heard the bell from the clock tower a while ago, so it should be past noon already.

Unfortunately, they can't go out to beg for food as the guards have prohibited them due to the current situation of the city.

"Don't worry… Father will surely bring us a warm meal. Just endure it for now..."

Their father was a coachman before but after losing one of his arms due to an accident, he lost his job and was unemployed ever since.

The money that he saved up didn't last long as none of their relatives helped them during these tough times.

"Ohhh… Is that father?'

As they were trying to keep themselves warm, they heard rushing footsteps from the outside.

The noise of the heavy rain didn't impede them from realizing that someone has arrived…

"Father!"

The two shouted after recognizing the man who just came… It wasn't due to happiness but due to worry.

Their father was injured. His left eye was swollen, his cheeks were bleeding from cuts and bruises, his feet were wobbling as if he would fall from any moment now.

"F-father… What happened?"

The oldest of the two was already thirteen years old and he had seen the dark side of this city.

However, this was the first time that someone would hurt his father. After all, even if he lost his job, he didn't commit any crimes and was quite known in the slums as a righteous person.

"D-don't worry about me. Here… Take it."

His father pulled out a tightly wrapped bread from his clothes. He made sure not to get it wet from the heavy rain.

"Go ahead, Kaiden, Rian… You have to eat it while it's still warm…"

The two young children hesitated for a moment but after smelling the scent of the bread, they couldn't stop their desire to satisfy their hunger.

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"Rian, let's leave some for father…"

"Ahh… Yes…"

There were only two pieces of bread and Kaiden was worried that his father hasn't eaten yet.

"I'm fine… Just bring me some water… I'm quite thirsty."

"Yes, father…"

Kaiden stood up as he left his father to rest on the chair. The water was just collected from the rain so it was still cold…

His father drank a little before he poured it on his face to wash his wounds.

Kaiden wanted to ask him what happened but it seems that he first needed to take a rest.

He could only sigh and clench his fist.

They were already living a difficult life but the sudden invasion of the foreign people had made it even more miserable.

The resources that were supposedly allocated to help the unfortunate people like them were being used for war.

Haa~

As he was about to bring more water to his father, a deafening sound suddenly dazed everyone in the city.

Boom!

Kaiden wished that the sound came from a storm's thunder.

However, this was a sound of an explosion due to an attack from the outside…

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The bell sounded to alarm the whole city.

The explosion was due to the collapse of the barrier fortifying their city's defense!

Soon, they heard the commotion outside and realized that they were indeed under attack by the notorious invaders… Only these people can break such a barrier in the first place.

"They finally reach this city…"

His father muttered in helplessness.

They were in Asravale City, the last city from the south before they can arrive in the capital city.

The invaders came from the south and they already conquered three small countries before setting their eyes in their Kingdom.

If they have arrived here, the five other cities and many other fortresses must've fallen into their hands already…

"Father… Do we have to escape?"

Kaiden asked. If the foreign people can rule them and bring prosperity to their land, then they wouldn't mind staying here and serve under their rule.

However, based on what he heard from the streets, these people just do as they please and they don't care about other people's lives just to satisfy their greed.

He's worried that they might be worse than the current leaders of this kingdom.

"Mhmm… This battle will be a huge one. All the apprentices of the Grand Wizard were currently stationed in this city so the fight will be intense."

Kaiden nodded as he understood the situation. These apprentices weren't some pushover magicians and they will surely put up a good fight against the invaders.

"Are we going to the northern gate?"

"F-father… I'm scared…" Rian said nervously. He already lost his appetite and didn't finish his share of bread.

His father looked at him and patted his head. He then glanced at Kaiden and said seriously...

"No… You just have to use a bit of your authority…"

"Huh?"

Kaiden was confused by his father's words… The man didn't explain much as he pulled a book or perhaps a diary and a medallion hidden under the floor of their house.

This was the first time that Kaiden had seen this secret drawer.

"Wear this medallion… I'll explain it on the way…"

His father leads them outside even with the heavy rain… They didn't bring anything with them aside from their current clothes and bread that Rian was holding.

Boom!

Another explosion was heard. But this time, it was closer to where they are…

"We need to hurry up—"

Bang!

A man dropped from the sky… The ground where he landed caved in due to the impact.

He's wearing a blue robe and was injured quite heavily.

They recognized the signs on his robes and realized that he's one of the apprentices of the Grand Wizard.

"Ignore it… Hurry up!"

Kaiden's father was also injured but he needed to lead his sons into safety…

Sounds of battle can still be heard as cries for help and despair rang throughout the city.

As expected, the lives of the commoners were not being spared in this battle.

They were unsure how long can the soldiers last against the invaders so they have to hurry and move…

"Rian, hold me tightly…"

"Y-yes…"

Kaiden just let himself be lead by his father as he carried his little brother in his arms.

Suddenly, his vision was blurred as another explosion stunned them.

Unfortunately, they were caught in the explosion this time.

But before he lost consciousness, he felt the medallion in his chest heat up and protected his body…