As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the village of Eldoria, Colim Argen Marlvarson returned home after a day of doing handyman work and other odd jobs in town. A broad smile spread across his face as he opened the door to his humble home, where he was immediately greeted by the sight of his wife, Cynde, and their two children, Marhea and Rodi. Without hesitation, he swept them into a loving embrace.
“I love you all,” he whispered, his voice filled with warmth.
Cynde smiled up at him, her eyes reflecting the love they shared. Marhea and Rodi giggled, wrapping their small arms around their father’s legs.
Soon after, they gathered around the table for dinner. The flickering light of the hearth bathed the room in a cozy glow. Rodi clasped his hands together and led the family in prayer. “Amen,” they all echoed, the word carrying a sense of peace and unity.
As they began to eat, Cynde looked up from her plate, curiosity in her eyes. “What was the conversation you had with Captain Tures yesterday? I’m curious, love.”
Colim’s expression softened as he set down his fork. “He was checking in, making sure everything was alright in the village. He’s concerned about the war, but I reassured him that we’re far from the frontlines.”
Cynde frowned slightly, her concern evident. “Do you really believe we’re safe here?”
Colim reached across the table to take her hand, his grip firm yet comforting. “Yes, we’re far from the frontlines,” he repeated, his voice steady and confident. “There’s no need to worry.”
Cynde nodded, though the worry in her eyes lingered. “I trust you, Colim. But promise me, if anything seems off, you’ll tell me right away.”
“I promise,” Colim replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. He smiled at his children, who were happily eating their meal, oblivious to the danger that lay beyond their peaceful village.
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The Night Attack
The tranquility of the evening was shattered later that night. The dogs, Coby and Copper, began barking ferociously, their snarls cutting through the stillness like a warning. Colim, half-asleep, jolted awake, his heart pounding in his chest. He had barely risen from his bed when the sound of shouts, the clash of metal, and the crackling of flames filled the air.
He grabbed the nearest weapons he could find—a gardening tool, a fork, and a knife. As he rushed downstairs, he shouted to Cynde, “Lock the doors! Take the kids upstairs!”
Cynde, her face pale with fear, gathered Marhea and Rodi and hurried them up the stairs. Colim could hear the tremor in her voice as she urged the children to stay quiet.
Bursting into the main room, Colim was met by the first wave of attackers. They wore the uniforms of Tora, their eyes glinting with malice as they charged at him. With a fierce roar, Colim swung the gardening tool, striking one of the soldiers in the chest and sending him crashing to the floor. Another soldier lunged at him, but Colim was quicker, jabbing the fork into the man’s throat with brutal precision.
A third soldier tried to tackle him, but Colim used the knife, plunging it into the back of the soldier’s neck. Blood spurted as the man collapsed at his feet. Colim’s breath was ragged, but he didn’t stop. Two more soldiers charged at him, but Colim, driven by a primal need to protect his family, fought with a ferocity he didn’t know he possessed. He slammed the gardening tool into one’s face, the force of the blow shattering the man’s skull. The final soldier swung his sword at Colim, but he ducked and stabbed the knife into the attacker’s gut, twisting it until the man’s eyes went glassy.
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Colim stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The house was eerily silent for a moment, the only sound the distant barking of the dogs. He wiped the blood from his hands and turned to head upstairs, to check on Cynde and the children.
But as he took a step forward, a sharp pain exploded in the back of his head. One last attacker, hidden in the shadows, had struck him with the hilt of a sword. Colim’s vision blurred as he staggered, darkness creeping in from the edges of his sight. He fell to his knees, powerless as his consciousness began to slip away.
Through the growing darkness, he saw Cynde and the children being dragged downstairs by the remaining soldiers. Marhea and Rodi screamed, their tiny voices filled with terror. “Papa, help!” they cried out, their words piercing Colim’s heart like a knife.
But Colim couldn’t move. His body was betraying him, his strength drained. The last thing he saw before the darkness claimed him was the terrified faces of his family as they were pulled out of sight.
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The rain fell in relentless sheets, turning the ashes of what was once a home into a muddy sludge. The once vibrant village of Eldoria now lay in ruins, its serenity shattered by the horrors of war. Among the debris, a figure stirred.
Colim Argen Marlvarson groaned as he awoke, his body aching and covered in soot. He was disoriented, his mind foggy from the fight that had left him unconscious. The smell of smoke and charred wood filled his nostrils, and it took him a moment to realize that the weight pressing down on him was not a nightmare—it was the remnants of his own home. He was buried under the coal and debris that had once formed the walls of his life.
With a surge of adrenaline, Colim pushed against the rubble, his muscles straining as he fought to free himself. The wood and stone shifted, allowing him to finally break free. He crawled out from the wreckage, his breath ragged, and staggered to his feet.
“Cynde?” he called out, his voice hoarse with desperation. “Marhea? Rodi?”
There was no answer, only the relentless sound of rain hitting the ground. Panic began to set in as he stumbled through the wreckage, his heart pounding in his chest. He frantically searched for any sign of his wife and children, his mind racing with fear.
And then he saw them.
They were lying together, as if they had tried to protect each other in their final moments. Cynde’s arms were wrapped around Marhea and Rodi, their bodies still, their faces peaceful despite the chaos that had surrounded them. Colim fell to his knees beside them, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch them.
“No... no, no, no...” he whispered, his voice breaking. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he let out a cry of anguish, a sound that tore through the silence of the rain.
“Why?” he screamed, his voice echoing through the ruins. He looked up at the sky, as if pleading for an answer, but none came. The rain continued to fall, indifferent to his suffering.
For a long time, Colim remained there, his grief consuming him. The world around him seemed to fade away, leaving only the pain in his heart and the lifeless bodies of his family. He had lost everything in a single, devastating moment.
It was then that he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The sound of horse hooves rumbled as they approached Colim, and then he heard the sound of a thud as someone dismounted. He looked up to see Captain Bernan Rhaynan Tures and his soldiers. They had arrived too late, their expressions somber as they took in the scene.
Bernan knelt beside Colim, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Colim,” he said softly, his voice filled with regret. “We came as fast as we could... but it wasn’t fast enough.”
Colim didn’t respond, his eyes fixed on the ground. He felt numb, as if all the emotions had been drained from him, leaving only a hollow emptiness.
One of the soldiers stepped forward, saluting the captain before speaking. “Sir, we found traces of footprints heading south... toward the other side of the mountains.”
Bernan’s expression hardened, a flash of anger in his eyes. “Right,” he said through gritted teeth. He turned to Colim, his voice filled with determination. “I promise I will bring you justice. They won’t get away with this.”
The captain and his soldiers began to leave, heading in the direction of the footprints. As they walked away, Colim remained still, his gaze distant. But then, slowly, his hand clenched into a fist, his knuckles white with tension.
He knew what he had to do.
Next Chapter: The Path Forward