Chapter 2 : The Basement

'Turns out my name is not Ezzie', he thought in relief. He had misunderstood, thinking his name was Ezzie because everyone called him that. He always wondered why it was such a weird and girlish name. It took him three years, to learn his real name. 'It's Ezra... Ezra Artemis!' he declared in his mind, savoring the sound of it.

'Even though it's still a weird name, it's better than Ezzie,' he thought with resignation. His parents had a peculiar naming sense. For instance, they named his sister Azara Artemis. 'Hmm.., now that I think about it, hers is not that weird', he reconsidered.

He thought his parents also had unusual names, his mother was named Acantha Artemis, and his father, Adonis Artemis. He didn't often see his father at home because of his busy work. His mom told him that he was some sort of researcher who studied ancient antiques and old relics.

Nowadays, his mother teaches him regularly about several things, like how to count numbers and the names of colors and shapes. She also tells him new words and warns him about the dangers outside. This is how he learned all the names of his family.

She also told him stories of legendary heroes and mythical gods, captivating his imagination with their daring adventures and tales of heroic deeds. His curiosity was ignited by these ancient tales, and he eagerly absorbed his mother's stories and teachings with rapt attention.

Now three years old, with his charming demeanor, Ezra possessed a curious spirit that seemed to know no bounds. His black hair, soft and slightly tousled, framed his face with its dark hue, adding to his endearing appearance. His eyes, a vibrant shade of green, sparkled with curiosity and innocence, reflecting his lively and inquisitive nature.

Ezra was sitting on a bench in the living room of their house with his sister Zara near him, hugging him from behind. They were listening to their mother, who was telling them a legendary story.

"Do you know the story of Thalorin Stormblade and his Journey to the Promised Paradise?" their mother asked in a playful, mysterious tone. When she told stories, she always exaggerated like this. 'I still remember that vicious story of the fairies,' he thought, recalling his shameful past.

"Yes! I know, he is one of the great legendary heroes," Zara said with a confident smile. 'Apparently, Zara knows about this Thalorin guy,' he thought with interest.

With an approving nod, their mother smiled and said, "Yes, you are right, Zara. He is one of the great legendary heroes." With a pause, she continued, "So, once upon a time, there was a brave warrior named Thalorin Stormblade who lived in the snowy mountains. Thalorin was no ordinary warrior; he was blessed by the God of War and was so strong that he could cut a storm in half with his magical sword!"

"One day, the gods had a big fight, and the world became a scary, empty place. Thalorin had a vision from the God of War about a special place where he and his people could live happily."

Ezra, and his sister listened to the story with sharpened interest. Their mother continued, "Thalorin gathered all the mountain tribes and led them on an adventurous journey. They faced many challenges, like fierce storms and a giant, icy lake. Thalorin used his magical sword to cut the storm in half and asked the children to help them cross the lake safely by placing stones on the ice."

"Why did that help?" Zara suddenly asked, not understanding why they were placing stones on the ice. Anticipating the question, their mother said, "Okay, sweetie, imagine a big, icy lake that we need to walk across, but the ice is very thin and could break if we step on it. But Thalorin had a smart idea. He asked all the children to gently put small stones all over the ice. When they did that, the weight of everyone walking spread out across all the stones."

Seeing the confused face of Zara, their mother explained further, "Imagine you and your friends are on a big, floating raft in the middle of a calm lake. If everyone crowded onto one side of the raft, it might tip over and everyone would fall into the water, right? But if everyone spread out evenly on the raft, with some on one side and some on the other, the raft stays balanced and everyone stays safe and dry." their mother explained patiently

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Oh, I get it! So the stones made it safe to walk across the ice?" Zara said with a confident smile. "I knew you’d get it," their mother said. 'I don't think she got it,' he thought to himself, not bothering with the details.

Their mother continued, "They learned that by working together and thinking creatively, they could overcome even the toughest obstacles. Finally, after many moons of traveling, they reached the edge of the world and found the promised land. Thalorin led the way, and one by one, the tribes followed him to the other side. They found the Promised Paradise. It was more beautiful than they had ever imagined. The sun was warm, the rivers sparkled, and the fields were filled with fruits and flowers. They had found their new home."

Zara clapped her hands, and he followed and clapped too. Seeing their enthusiasm, their mother resumed the story, "Thalorin gathered everyone and spoke to them. 'We have faced many challenges, but we did it together. We trusted each other, helped each other, and never gave up hope. Remember, no matter how difficult things get, if we stand together and stay brave, we can achieve anything.' And so, they lived happily ever after in the Promised Paradise, always remembering their hero, Thalorin Stormblade."

Finishing the story with a happy ending like any typical children's story, their mother asked, "So what did you learn from Thalorin?" Their mother always asked questions to know what they had learned. "We have to become strong like Thalorin," said Zara, smiling. Their mother turned to Ezra. "What do you think, Ezzie? What did the hero teach you?"

Caught off guard by the sudden attention, he trailed off a little and said, "...um, to become brave like the hero?" he answered. Their mother's smile widened, then she said, "Yes, both of you are right. We have to be like the hero Thalorin, who is strong and brave. And the story teaches us that when we are brave and work together, we can overcome any challenge and find happiness."

With the moral of the story, their mother concluded the tale. She always tried to teach her children something from her stories. Seeing their mother was done with the story, Zara whispered something to Ezra, then she stood up from her seat and ran off somewhere. Ezra chased after her.

Unlike before, Ezra found that he could move his body more easily now. He could walk and even run without difficulty. His body and mind were slowly integrating, and his memories were beginning to surface. However, he didn't dwell on them. Instead, he preferred to go with the flow and enjoy this bizarre yet serene life... at least for the time being.

He was currently in pursuit of Zara, spurred on by his sister's adventurous spirit. She had excitedly shared the news of a discovery and urged him to follow her lead. With her penchant for exploration and curiosity about the unknown, he eagerly joined in, simply intrigued by what his sister had discovered this time.

Zara halted a while later, finding a secluded spot in the hallway. She glanced around to ensure they weren't being watched, then she took out something from her bag tied around her waist.

"Ezzie, guess what I found in Mom's closet," she exclaimed, showing him a large iron key. "It's the key to the basement." His eyes widened; he had never been into the basement before. Their parents had always prohibited them from going there. "Really?" he asked, excitement creeping into his voice. His sister grinned. "Yes, today we are going to explore the basement." With that, she began to lead the way downstairs.

As they walked, he asked curiously, "What do you think is in there?" Zara paused, considering the possibilities. "It's an old place! I think it might open a secret door or a hidden treasure chest," she replied. His eyes widened. "A treasure chest? With gold?" he exclaimed. Zara grinned mischievously. "Maybe! Or it could be a secret room full of toys! Or it could be where they keep all the candies!" His expression turned serious. "Let's find this place!" he declared.

As they ventured deeper into the basement, the air grew colder, and a sense of unease settled over them. Zara inserted the key into the old, rusted lock and turned it. The door creaked open with a deafening groan. Stepping inside, darkness enveloped them, but Zara had come prepared with a candle lantern that cast a feeble glow around them.

The room was filled with an eerie stillness, broken only by the sound of their own footsteps echoing off the walls. Rows of shelves lined the chamber, stacked with ancient tomes, yellowed parchment, and bottles of mysterious liquids and powders. A faint odor of decay hung in the air, sending shivers down their spines.

As they cautiously made their way through the labyrinth of shelves, the candle casting long, dancing shadows across the room, their breaths quickened in the eerie silence, every creak of the old floorboards heightening their anticipation

Then, they heard a sudden creaking sound, they froze, Their hearts skipped a beat, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end. For a few tense seconds, they dared not move, both too scared to confront whatever might be lurking in the darkness. Summoning all his courage, Ezra slowly turned, his gaze sweeping the dimly lit room.

Fear creeping in his chest, he searched for the source of the sound, then he saw!, a movement, in the darkness. In the corner, there was a big human shaped shadow!, He looked at the shadow then the shadow looked back, at him, A chill ran down in his spine.

Frozen in terror, he watched as the shadowy figure slowly stepped towards them, when the towering figure reached near them, the dim light of the candle lantern fell upon the shadow revealing the figure, then his eyes went wide.