Charles jumped over the counter with an agility that didn’t belong to a man of his age.

He then took a deep breath before yelling at the top of his lungs as bits of flesh flew out of his mouth.

“I found one! She’s unaware! Join me in a delicious feast!”

Ayanna grabbed Ayden's hand and dased out of the store to find several people standing outside.

Their bodies were covered in blood and mud and several pupils filled their eyes.

“Ooh! Look at her! She’s so clueless!” One of the women blocking Ayanna’s way giggled through blood-soaked teeth.

“Hehe, yes. She will do most beautifully.” The man standing next to her agreed before suddenly dashing towards Ayanna.

In response, Ayanna kicked the man's chest, crushing his rib cage with her large foot and forcing blood out of his nose and mouth.

Charles slowly walked out of the store and raised his cleaver as high as he could.

“Help us, Ayanna! We’re so close! Free us from these idiotic fleshly tethers so that we may join the Transcendent One!” Charles yelled before lashing out at Ayanna.

He violently swung his cleaver but Ayanna grabbed his wrist, kneed the area behind his elbow bending it in the wrong direction and kicked him in the face, sending him flying to the side.

“Fine! We’ll have to take them by force!” One of the women screamed as she lashed out towards Ayanna, who grabbed Charles’s cleaver and threw it at the woman, lodging it in her skull but she didn’t stop there.

She turned towards the three remaining people and dashed towards the first one to the right and with chilling speed, she decapitated him by stabbing him in the neck with her dagger and twisting the blade around it.

Ayanna then dashed towards the next person as the headless body of the first fell to the ground.

The man tried grabbing Ayanna but she shifted her body to the right and stabbed the man in the temple with her dagger.

The final man watched as Ayanna pulled out her dagger from the other man’s head.

“Hehe, you… you’re robbing them! Who knows bow close they were and now they'll never see him!” The man yelled, but Ayanna simply kicked him in the face before dashing towards him.

“Why did you attack us?” Ayanna asked, although her voice was a barely audible wheeze.

“Because you have such juicy eyes... Yes, they would’ve helped us see him again.” The man coughed through a mess of broken teeth and blood.

“What do you mean?” Ayanna asked, even as an excruciating amount of pain assaulted her throat.

Ayden ran to his mother's side and placed his hand on hers.

“Mom, don’t speak.” Ayden pleaded.

Ayanna took a deep breath before stepping away from the battered man’s body.

Ayden walked over to the man’s head.

“Why did you want to hurt us?” Ayden asked.

“Oh… you’d have to see him to know.” The man said.

“See who?”

“Gi’ Kolarum.” The man wheezed before his movements completely stopped.

Ayden backed away from the man and mo Ed closer to Ayanna who keenly inspected her surroundings.

“What did he say-"

“Mom! Please stop.”

Ayanna nodded.

“He said something about a person called Gi' Kolarum. Do you know who that is?” Ayden asked. His heart was racing and his mind screamed in distress but he steeled his thoughts in an attempt to not add to his mother’s worries.

Ayanna shook her head.

“Mmm… Do you think we should go to town and tell the mayor about all this?” Ayden suggested. His eyes, as a result of his desire to aid his mother and what willpower could muster, had gained a sharpness that was similar to Ayanna’s who nodded and the two began their trip eastward down the riverside town's only road.

Dachaigh Gual was a relatively small town and was said to be the home to a handful of nobles who wanted to live out in the marshes for whatever reason.

Ayanna and Ayden eventually reached the walls of the town that was Dachaigh Gual.

They were made from dark slabs of rock and towered above most trees.

The two then came to a complete stop upon seeing a gory mess of mud, bone and flesh that lay in front of the town's wooden gates.

The heap of flesh looked like it belonged to a guard, something Ayanna deduced after seeing the broken spear next to it.

A strange howl then filled the air but Ayanna wasn’t sure whether it belonged to an animal or not.

She slowly pushed open the large wooden gates, revealing the dark singular street of Dachaigh Gual.

The town was quiet, even though its streets were lined by double-storey buildings.

Ayanna and Ayden made their way further into the town, toward the mayor’s office, which was the largest building at the town’s eastern edge.

It could be seen from the entrance as the street led directly to the mayoral office’s front door.

Ayden and Ayanna eventually arrived at the town's centre where their faces twisted with dread and terror upon seeing what awaited them there.

Countless corpses littered the ground and a lot of them were covered in strange red robes that were coated in a layer of what looked like ash.

The others looked like ordinary people who had met brutal endings.

Ayanna and Ayden spotted someone sitting by the fountain at the centre of the pile of bodies.

He too wore a strange red robe that had ornate golden markings on its sleeves and neckline.

The two cautiously approached the man to find that he was weeping.

Several blood splatters could be seen on his robe but it didn’t look like he was responsible for the mosaic of death that surrounded him.

Ayanna gently tapped on Ayden’s shoulder as they carefully walked over countless corpses.

“Hello?” Ayden called out but the man continued to weep as he tightly clutched a silver necklace in his hands.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Where could he have gone?” The man muttered shakingly.

“Sir?” Ayden asked, unsure if the man was talking to him.

“I… we did everything right and yet... he took everyone but me." The man sobbed before looking up at Ayden.

His eyes then widened before a gentle smile formed on his face.

Ayanna squeezed her dagger and took a defensive position in front of Ayden.

“You… you were forgotten, weren’t you?” The man mused.

“What do you mean?” Ayden asked.

“You must have slipped through her hands, as divine and all-loving as they are.” The man nodded to himself before looking down and wiping away some of his tears.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about but can you tell me what happened here?” Ayden asked.

“Oh, but of course, Prionnsa Crùbach. Using ancient teachings, I sent my plea to the great One, Gi' Kolarum. He answered my prayers and with cold eyes, he granted my wish.” The man recalled.

“What did you wish for?” Ayden asked.

“Ascension.” The man answered as his blond hair hung from his head, covering some of his deep wrinkles and tanned skin.

“I thought that we could end all suffering if we were within the collective bosom of those above but it would seem that their grand plans match not with ones as fatuous as mine.” The man sighed deeply.

Ayden and Ayanna exchanged puzzled looks.

“What happened to all these people? Did the great one kill them?” Ayden asked.

“No. After lord Gi' Kolarum granted my wish, a large portion of my brethren burst into glorious flames before turning into ash. Another portion turned into Beasts that feasted on the eyes and flesh of the untouched.” The man explained while scratching his cheek.

“Why were they eating eyes?” Ayden asked as the knot that had been forming in his stomach twisted further.

The rising sun brightly illuminated the horror within Dachaigh Gual and it made Ayden’s skin crawl but he focused his thoughts on the rambling man.

“I’m not sure. I think they want to gain multiple perspectives on his highness or maybe they want to ascend using eyes as a means but what do the eyes offer?” The man rambled just as a howl filled the air.

“I see… What are you going to do now?” Ayden asked hesitantly.

“Mmm… I’m going to rest for a bit before continuing my work.” The man nodded.

“Oh... alright. What’s your name again, sir?” Ayden asked as the man looked up at him with hazel brown eyes.

“My name is Bruce and I do hope that we meet again, Prionnsa, for I believe that I am close, yes. I’m so close.” Bruce whispered before offering Ayden his golden necklace.

“Take it,” Bruce wheezed.

Ayanna grabbed the necklace and keenly inspected it.

After a moment or two, she handed it to Ayden who inspected the marking etched onto the face of what looked like a simple shard of a dark stone.

Ayden couldn’t read but he was certain that the rune wasn’t a common letter or phrase.

However, the more Ayden looked at it, the more… familiar it looked. It was a circle with a simple dot at its centre.

“I beg that you hold onto that while I gather my thoughts,” Bruce softly chuckled.

A scream then pierced the air.

“Mom, I think we should go back home,” Ayden suggested.

“Oh, staying near here wouldn’t be very wise. Our eye-starved friends are on the move. Searching, relentlessly.” Bruce said.

“What makes you so sure they'll come for us?” Ayden asked.

“Because if I were them, I'd do the same,” Bruce smiled as Ayden and Ayanna slowly walked to the gate.

“Farewell for now, Prionnsa!” Bruce yelled through a grin.

“I hope that when we next meet, I’ll get to see you in full bloom!”

After leaving the town, the two ran towards the riverside town but before they could get very far, a large shadow flew above them before crashing in front of them.

The two came to an abrupt stop as the dust cleared, revealing a large dog-like creature with countless pupils within its red eyes. Its large, twisted body was covered in patches of fur that looked like they belonged to other dogs and its hind legs were very similar to those of a horse.

Its muzzle was drenched in blood and it had an unusually large number of dagger-like teeth in its mouth. Some of which grew to pierce its own lips.

The creature growled prompting Ayanna to hurriedly snatch Ayden’s dagger.

She then reversed wielded the blades and, as if on cue, the creature lashed out towards her but just as it got closer, she kicked the it in the face sending it flying to the left.

Ayden stepped away as Ayanna jumped onto the creature whic loudly hissed and barked while trying to get back onto its feet.

Ayanna, however, didn't allow any of its teeth or claws to touch her skin as she stabbed the creature in the head several times before getting up and crushing its neck with stomp.

A panicked Ayden hurriedly ran up to Ayanna.

“Let’s hurry home!” The boy cried but Ayanna shook her head.

“We must keep moving,” Ayanna breathed as before continuing walking toward the docks.

“Why?” Ayden asked as they walked past the bodies of Charles and the other people who had tried to attack them earlier.

“Because I think that things are about to get really dangerous around here,” Ayanna whispered as her sharp eyes surveyed their surroundings.

“Alright,” Ayden nodded before joining his mother on their boat.

As Ayanna rowed up river, Ayden’s mind finally began fully taking in all that had just happened.

He rapidly blinked as he recalled every time someone attacked Ayanna and the color of blood blarred into his mind.

At some point, all he could see was death and red which washed out the sounds of the rushing waters of his mother's rowing.

Ayanna noticed this and so she stopped rowing for a moment.

Ayanna then placed her hand on Ayden’s head and for a moment, the boy's mind froze as he looked into his mother’s eyes.

Ayanna smiled and just as she did, a tear fell from the boy's eye.

“Why- why is this happening?” Ayden whimpered.

“Why did Uncle Charles try to hurt us? Why is any of this happening?” Ayden asked cried as more tears fell.

Ayanna gently rubbed his head until the last of Ayden’s tears fell.

She then continued rowing and it wasn’t long before they reached the homeward dock.

After carefully mooring the boat, Ayanna took Ayden’s hand and helped him off the boat.

The two then entered their home and began packing their things into two large leather bags.

“Where are we going to go?” A somewhat despondent Ayden asked.

“Sùith,” Ayanna softly answered as she and Ayden took one last look at their home.

“Are we going to visit Uncle Randal?” Ayden asked as he followed his mother out of the house.

Ayanna nodded before realizing that she had forgotten something.

She rushed into the bedroom and retrieved a certain old leather bag.

She handed it to Ayden and gestured that he look through its contents.

Ayden did as instructed and his eyes widened as he noticed something rather peculiar.

He then retrieved a certain golden necklace from his pocket and compared the circular rune on the stone to the markings on certain parts of the pages he held.

“Mmm… maybe we should ask Uncle Randal if he can make any sense of this,” Ayden sniffled.

Ayanna nodded before she and Ayden turned to leave their home.

However, before they could take their first steps, they heard a call coming from the north.

“Hey! You there!”

Ayanna and Ayden turned to find a mud-drenched man wearing a peculiar looking grey onesie.

He held a spear in his hand and his long wet black hair hid his eyes.

“What is it Mr.-?" Ayden started saying, but Ayanna placed her hand in front of the boy, silencing him as the man slowly approached.

He then hunched over, seemingly out of breath.

“Why in the world would you build a house in the middle of these damned marshes?” The man coughed.

Ayanna noticed that there was a large iron chain around his left foot.

“Mom and I don’t have a problem moving about so- hey, aren’t you a prisoner?” Ayden accused but the man shook his head.

“That’s the thing, I was wrongly imprisoned and brought to this death pit of a town to be executed but not a moment passed after I escaped before I was attacked by a monster only a madman could’ve summoned from his twisted dreams.” The man shook his head.

“So you escaped from prison,” Ayden droned as Ayanna raised her daggers.

“Yes but misunderstand me not, I speak with you with only one intent.” The man bowed his head in a surprisingly graceful manner.

“What do you want?” Ayden asked.

“It looks like you two are headed on some sort of trip. Mind if I keep the house warm while you’re gone? I promise-"

“No,” Ayden snapped.

“Why not? I promise I’ll take care of the place.” The man smiled awkwardly.

“We don’t care! That’s our house and we’re not gonna let some criminal call it home.” Ayden scoffed.

“Aww… fine. Then why don’t I join you on your trip?” The man whined.

“Not happening. We’re gonna leave and you’re going to march onward into the wilderness.” Ayden said coldly which made Ayanna smile, much to the man's visible dismay.

“Come on, I’ll die if I’m attacked by any more beasts!" The man cried.

“I don’t care! Move on or my mom will seriously hurt you.” Ayden threatened with widened eyes.

“Fine!” The man grunted before storming off to the south.

Ayden sighed as Ayanna lowered her blades.

The two then made their way to the little dock where they boarded their boat and began their journey.

.

..

Not thirty minutes had passed since Ayden and Ayanna got onto the boat yet they could see the muddy man walking along the side of the river.

“What are you doing?” Ayden asked, mildly amused by the fact that the small man was waist-deep in mud.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just following the river, is all.” He grumbled as he laboured away.

“Why don’t you go north? There’s some big mountains that you can live in if you wanna be safe.” Ayden suggested.

“No. I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that place.” The man shook his head.

“I've heard some bad things too but it sounds a lot better than swimming in mud-"

Ayden felt Ayanna tap on his leg.

“Yes?”

“Maybe we should let him come,” Ayanna whispered, much to Ayden’s confusion.

He raised his hand, silencing her as he allowed himself to figure out why she wanted the muddy man to tag along.

Ayden sighed as he realized that his mother's intuition was a thing of mystery so he turned to the right and took a deep breath.

“My mom says that you can come along,”

“What?”

“I don’t know either, just get on,” Ayden said only for the man’s face to light up.

“Really?” The man asked with a bright smile.

“Yes. Now hurry before I tell my mother to change her mind.” Ayden hissed prompting the man to recklessly jump into the river, washing away the mud that caked over his body.

He then quickly swam towards the boat and promptly sat next to Ayden, wet clothes and all.

“Ugh, what’s your name Mr?”

“The name's Jean.”