“Hahahaha! Bet you can’t find me Luther! Try your best!”, shouted a high pitched voice throughout the crowded streets. Pedestrians observed from the side as the children rushed by. They unconsciously released smiles at the cute sight before they strode on.

“Just you wait! 10, 9, 8…”, a small child around 100 centimetres tall with short ragged black hair counted enthusiastically as he closed his eyes by the side of the road. He had a slim figure and behind those cupped hands two shining blue eyes that shouted out pure joy.

“3, 2, 1! Be ready or not, here I come Damon!”, Luther sprinted as his small frame supported him in his search. He passed streets abundant with markets that sold anything that ranged from fish of the outer parts of Asteria and bread specially cultivated from the farmers of the town. He looked back and forth in a hurried mess as he tried to find Damon. Gradually coming to a halt as he found another friend of his, Mason. He was older than Luther by two or three years, but had a nice and caring personality.

“Hey Mason! Have you seen where Damon went?”

“Playing hide and seek again are you Luther?”

“Mmmhhhhhmmmmmm.”

“Isn’t this cheating…?”

“No. I’m just being smart!”

Mason sighed, he was rather mature for his age, but he still found joy in the little games that kids played.

“I think he went… that way. Near his dad’s where he makes equipment for the adventurers. Want me to come with you?”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

They sped off as dust was left in their tracks. Damon’s dad was the town’s blacksmith and usually stayed hidden within his workshop. This however never diminished his reputation for being a great man who earned the respect of the town. Because of him, many people frequented the town to maintain their weapons or buy new ones. And following his steps, Damon believed to become a great blacksmith himself. Luther’s dad however was a farmer who also frequented the blacksmith to acquire equipment. This lead to Luther meeting Damon, where they created the first part of an everlasting friendship, or so they believed.

As Luther came to a halt, before him stood a massive black stoned building around 3 metres tall. Smoke emptied into the skies as it left through the chimney. Farewelled by the sound of hammers beating against metal in a metallic rhythm.

‘Where is he…. Where is he….’, Luther studied the outskirts of the blacksmithery as he searched for Damon.

‘Is he cheating…? Could he b-’

Luther’s thoughts were cut off as screams split the serene comfort of peace that the town held. They echoed forth from the west side as raging flames burst into action. Lighting the streets with despair and fear. It ignited the mass of people to run as adventurers and guards willing to fight ran to the frontlines and those driven by fear ran away.

“Wh-what?”, Luther stood confused and awe struck as he listened to the pained and deathly wails of the town. Orcs, Kobolds, and Goblins had entered the streets. Releasing their long suppressed thirst for blood as people fell to their bombardment of knives and clubs. Ending their long but fragile lives. It all happened so suddenly, Luther was in distraught as he watched what could only be called traumatising for a child his age. Blood, gore, death, it was pure carnage.

Mason stood nearby Luther as his mind raced with thoughts. But one thought in particular drove him to move, the fear of death. He dashed away as he left Luther to fend for himself, he was just going to slow him down he thought. Better alive than dead! But if it were karma or fate, he tripped as the crowd of people trampled over him. Monsters soon began to converge towards his way as he screamed and shouted. Only ending by the quick and sudden incision to his jugular.

****

Luther had already taken in enough of the site as he steadily backed away, realising that Mason was nowhere to be seen. Tears slid from the rims of his eyes as his slow pace picked up into a sprint. He raced for the blacksmithery as he circled towards the other side. Finding a small hole present in its structure. He climbed within as he entered the dark and empty space beneath the blacksmithery. Fear coursing throughout his very being as tears streamed down his face along with his constant whimpers.

‘Wh-what’s happening.... Where’s mom, dad…..’

But as Luther sat there in the darkness, he felt a slight warmth behind him inciting him to turn. There he saw Damon, cowering in fear as he himself jumped back in fright.

“D-Damon…”

He released a small sigh as he shuffled back into place. Unlike Luther, Damon seemed more composed as he stayed silent and focused.

“W-what’s happening?”, Damon asked, he likely knew what it was, but he just wished, if only slightly, for it to not be true.

“I don’t know… I think, m-monsters are here…”

Damon looked up from the ground to Luther as he settled his eyes back into place.

“W-what about our parents? What about them…?”

Luther stayed silent as he dwelled on the thought. His fear of death slowly converted into a pain of loss as tears streamed forth once more. He began to whimper as he brought his knees closed to him.

“Wh-why… why did this have to happen…”, he mumbled between his muffled cries.

Damon shuffled next to him as he placed his arm around Luther. His green eyes and distraught face comforting him as he too dealt with the pain.

“It’ll be alright… it’ll be alright….”

They sat there, distraught and driven by fear in the company of the darkness and themselves. Waiting for the pain and suffering to end, and as they finally went outside, a sight heartbreaking met them. One they would never forget. One that would forever engrave itself into their numb and fragile minds.