Arriving at the village center, Jacob's father's words echoed in his mind: 'A thriving market with independent sellers and friendly trading is what you'll find here!'

This is how he would persuade strangers of the value of the village.

Nonetheless, to the boys, the village marketplace seemed more like a fancy hangout spot where only village members bought and sold their goods. The marketplace had a central path with small shops and cafes. All buildings were modern, thanks to the Gierchen governor's policy changes. But the best part for them was the fountain, which elegantly rose into the sky and let out water from somewhere deep underground. It was a gift from the royal family to a knight who lived there long ago.

They just used the fountain as their hangout spot. It was empty most of the time as the villagers usually stocked up on water to last for long durations. Before they could sit down, however, they could start to hear loud chattering in the crowd. Normally, this wouldn't be strange as it was a marketplace, but the content of their talks urged them to listen more intently.

A war had broken out. There were no warnings, no preparations, or orders. Troops from the neighboring nation of Isha had suddenly started invading the outer villages. Destruction had been cast everywhere. Because Gierchen was close to the border, most people immediately started discussing their plans before the worst-case scenario may happen.

"That does seem strange. Why would Isha suddenly declare war when tensions have lessened these past months?" Daniel mumbled silently to himself, his face showing a frown of concentration. Jacob, however, changed his mind about hanging out for now and started to panic.

"That has to be a misunderstanding Daniel? No way we're having a war! This is too sudden," he said, trying to sound calm, but fear clearly struck his face.

The center was filled with an increasing number of people, many of whom had visible distress on their faces. The fear of war was something that the common people had to actively deal with. Since the great "Weltkrieg", many nations had tense relations. The war was so horrendous that it was regarded as the worst thing to happen to humanity. Although the war had ended, border raids were still common, and people in the southern regions of the continent were actively suffering from famines and bombings. Especially the three great powers, Evyne, Isha, and Ophasteus, were still in conflict in many areas of their ideologies and cultures.

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Before anyone could start a meeting to address the village's situation, something big happened:

booom--

An explosion hits the outer edge of the village center, and something catches fire. Screams of terror could be heard from the crowd. Some soldiers and guards unsheathed their swords and made their way towards the origin of the sound. Others escorted the people out of the center while trying to maintain order. Jacob's body froze with pure and utter dread. His hearing was muffled and his heart hammered. But there was no time to panic now.

"Jacob! We have to get out of here! Come on!" He knew Daniel was trying to help him but just couldn't get himself to move. His eyes began to tear, his inner coward ate him up. Bravery was something he had always deemed dumb and now he knew why. Weren't all these soldiers running to their deaths? And for what? Other people? Why wouldn't they help themselves and their families? How could they sacrifice their lives for strangers?

In a moment of panic, Daniel's instincts kicked in. He grabbed his companion's wrist, pulling him away from the impending danger. All around them, the sky was turning a deep shade of red, a terrifying sight that filled them both with fear. As they looked up, they saw that the red hue was caused by fireballs raining down from above, each one deadly and destructive. The world around them seemed to be falling apart, and they knew that they had to move quickly if they wanted to survive. Upon starting to run, they were met with a devastating scene of flames engulfing people, burning shops, and resounding screams.

The outskirts of the village revealed a tragic sight. Gierchen lay in ruins. The Tempsis River, once peaceful, bore witness to the destruction and death. Lush greenery was replaced with devastation, and desperate cries filled the clearings reaching even the homes of the kids.

As they were approaching their homes on the hills, which were at a considerable distance from the site of destruction, a realization suddenly dawned on them. Both Jacob and his companion felt a shiver run down their spines, and Jacob spoke the first word since they had left the village.

"No," he said, the shock on their faces was reflecting on the crimson-stained doors of their homes. The people they held dear were lying in the soil, motionless. It was clear that they had just lost their loved ones.

Jacob saw them, clear as day. The bodies of his parents, his father's arm wrapped around his mother, arrows poking out of their backs like flowers on a grave. Tears were leaving his eyes, making them look like small waterfalls. But it wasn't fear what he felt. It was rage, pure and deep hatred.

Meanwhile, Daniel just sat motionless his face pale and breathing almost nonexistent. But his fingers were clawing so hard, that his palms started bleeding making his rage evident as well.

As both looked at their parents' lifeless bodies, the thought of revenge arised, setting them into a new path they hopefully would prevail on.