“O’ all mighty lord of the rain and seas, please bless this food for our family to eat. O’ all mighty lord of the dream and sleep, let us have a great night’s rest after this meal.”. Emrys’ mother, Isabella Abes was a very religious woman, she always chanted these rituals in their little cabin in the isolated forest.

“Now then, shall we eat honey?”.

“Of course, Darling. Emrys have you worn your bib? We’re going to eat your favorite today! Roasted meat with gravy!”. He took out a handkerchief, preparing to feast on the saucy red meat before them.

Emrys’ father, Lance Abes was a humble man, he always had a smile on and hunted for his family. His smile brightened up the mood in their secluded home. He would take a fork from the brown wooden table they were sitting at to start feasting on the food.

“Yes Dad! I have it right here!”. Emrys bounced on his toes with anticipation as his mother served the meal. His mouth watered at the sight of the juicy roasted meat, that smothered in savory gravy, exuded a tantalizing aroma that filled the air. Emrys took his tiny knife and fork and began munching on the meat.

“Sweetheart, you're eating too fast, it’ll have much more meaning if you eat it slowly, and savor the taste of the meat.”. Her neatly bunned hair would gleam as the candle next to them illuminated as they were ending the night with a delicious dinner.

Emrys and his family were very isolated, they lived in a dark forest, often growing their crops and hunting for their animals. Emergencies aside, their interactions with the outside world were scarce or non-existent, as they favored seclusion and minimal social contact.

They did have a neighbor, he lived close but had a relatively large distance from them too. He would occasionally have meals with their family since he was a very good outside help who got them good materials if they ever ran out.

“So, our young boy is going to turn… 8? Tomorrow?”. Grinning warmly, he remarked while gazing at Emrys. With a gentle pat on the head, he expressed his joy at witnessing Emrys' rapid growth.

“I’ve invited Mister Smith tomorrow to celebrate your birthday Emrys, we’re going to have lots of fun tomorrow!”

Emrys' eyes widened in delight, his smile stretching from ear to ear. A naturally outgoing child, he possessed an insatiable curiosity, always eager to engage and explore his surroundings.

“Hooray! I can’t wait for Mister Smith to come to my birthday!”

As Emrys' parents concluded their meal, a mishap occurred when he accidentally spilled brown gravy on his leather trousers. His lips curved into a mischievous grin, inviting his parents' attention to yet another instance of him managing to soil his clothing once more.

Isabella, Emrys’ mother, gently guided him to clean up the mess he had accidentally made at the dining table. Afterward, she led him to his dimly lit chamber illuminated by a flickering oil lamp. Their humble home consisted of only two rooms, fashioned from sturdy oak logs that formed the foundation of their house. When large winds and storms occurred, many repairs had to be done within the house because of its fragile form.

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Isabella lovingly tucked Emrys into his pristine white bed, his eyes shimmering with anticipation for the day ahead. With gentle hands, she smoothed his tousled hair, transforming the messy locks into a neat arrangement.

Isabella would softly recite a bedtime prayer, her words a soothing melody for Emrys' peaceful slumber. “O’ Let my child have a good sleep during the night. Don’t let the unknown haunt him and the darkness come forth to our house.” She planted a tender kiss on his forehead before quietly exiting the room, carrying the candlelight with her and leaving the space cloaked in darkness.

“Mom!”. Emrys called out.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Isabella questioned, coming back into his room.

“Can you tell me a bedtime story before I head to sleep?”.Emrys grinned mischievously at his mother, determined to stay awake despite the late hour of the night.

“You sly little fox, you want to waste time so you can head to sleep later?!”. She smiled warmly and settled into a chair, carefully placing the candle on the worn study table beside the bed.

Her pink puffy clothes were twinkling in the room because of a fluorescent candle she placed on the table. She began telling Emrys a story of the great war of the sovereign deities.

“Once upon a time, there existed gods who built our world. They were known as sovereigns- now they’re commonly called lords. A lord with the name of ‘Lord of Verity’ descended upon earth, bringing a new era.”. She let Emrys digest the information as she paused.

“The Lord of Verity was the one to create the basics of society, he was a ‘messiah’ who made us to who we are currently. He was the one to create the doomsday calendar-” She got cut off since Emrys intervened in her story.

Emrys's eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke, his hands gesturing eagerly from beneath the blanket. "I want to hear about dragons and monsters!" he exclaimed. Despite his fatigue, he rubbed his eyes in anticipation.

Sensing Emrys's growing fatigue, Isabella began to sing a soothing lullaby, her melodic voice weaving a spell to guide him into a deep slumber until the dawn of his birthday.

…

Emrys awoke to the early morning light filtering through the window, casting a warm glow in the room. However, his excitement was dampened by the sight of swirling dark clouds gathering in the sky. It

He was bothered by this fact because he wanted to go play outside with the animals that resided on their farms.

I wonder if Mum and Dad are awake yet! I can’t wait to see what my birthday gift is!

Emrys swung open his bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway, his anticipation palpable in the way he moved. With each skip and hop, the wooden floor creaked beneath his feet, a familiar sound echoing through the quiet house. His excitement was unmistakable, evident in the rhythmic pattern of his steps as he made his way to his parents' room.

He reached his parents' light brown oak door, he’d knock on the door trying to see if his parents were awake or not.

“Mum… Dad… Are you awake…?”. Emrys said in his rhythmic voice.

The door to his parents' room swung open, and Lance's towering figure emerged, casting a shadow that stretched across the hallway floor. With a gentle smile, Lance scooped up young Emrys from the ground, he led out a large smile.

“Here my birthday boy is!”

“Heh! That tickles!”. He said being held by his ginormous dad, wearing his leathered clothes.