2 A New Beginning

With the early morning sunshine shining through the window of his room, Sawyer wakes up feeling refreshed and ready to start another day.

Although he woke up feeling this way, he actually had the most magnificent, yet gloomy dream during his sleep.

In this dream he was a mighty Warrior, with long brown hair flowing down to his rippling shoulders.

His face showed the signs of the years of countless combat he had engaged in, with a scar running from above his right eye, down to his cheek.

He wore a sturdy looking leather armor which had a slight aura emanating out of it, and he was equipped with two slender swords.

From the moment the Warrior had been woken up by the marching sounds, til the moment that the massive blade of Kelthor has come plunging down upon him, Sawyer remembered it all.

It had all seemed so real, and yet here he was, laying on his bed ready to begin the adventures of another day.

While laying in bed, he was glancing around at the surroundings in his room.

His room would be fittingly-described as small and lightly furnished, with just the bed, wardrobe and a roughly made wooden table and chair, seemingly made from the same material, clumsily pushed in under it.

There was a small amount of light in the room coming from the outside, through the slight gaps that appeared in the curtains as the summer breeze came through the window.

He could hear the sounds of his mother preparing food in the kitchen, with a loud crunch each time the knife went through the ingredients and hit the chopping plank.

Shaking off the words of the mysterious Ranger from his dream, Sawyer decides to get up out of his bed and make his way towards the kitchen.

He is greeted with the usual screeching sound when opening the door to his room, reminding him to ask his father to oil the worn-out joints.

After exiting the room, he walked into a short hallway which led into the main area of the house.

Before he even made it to the end of the hallway, he was greeted by the calming voice of his mother.

"Finally awake, my child. Come, sit while mother prepares morning supper."

Sawyer eagerly proceeds, sitting down at the main table before asking.

"Where has father gone?".

"He went to the village market to pay the Goldmaster our annual-tax, and we also need to buy more ingredients to prepare meals before the winter comes.".

His mother responded back matter-of-factly.

Sawyer tries to mask the sad look that washes over his face, but such a thing cannot be hidden from his own mother.

"Father waited until sun up before heading out, as to allow you time to wake up and accompany him, but he could only wait so long before heading out".

A look of understanding dawned upon Sawyer's face. The markets were a first come, first served environment, so you had to arrive early to gave any chance of getting the better deals.

Although he very much enjoyed their trips to the market together, Sawyer understood what was important.

Any person who hadn't paid taxes on time would face a severe punishment, usually a heavy beating.

The assault would be bad enough to cause damage, but not enough to prevent the person from tending to his work.

Thus, it was very rare to see someone withhold the tax payments, as nothing was really gained, but the consequences were heavy.

Deciding to await his fathers return, Sawyer heads out onto the front porch so he'll be able to easily spot him walking up the path towards their home.

Walking out onto the porch, Sawyer is greeted by the fluffy form of the his wolf, Shadow.

The wolf had become his trusted companion even since Sawyer had found her in the forest, with multiple injuries leaving her on the brink of death.

She was only a cub back then, abandoned in the cold forest by her pack.

Sawyer had decided the only right thing to do, was to take her back with him to the village and ask the Mortal Healer to help her.

His task had been successful, thus she had grown close to him from the beginning and the relationship had only grown as time passed by.

The name "Shadow" had come from his mother, when Sawyer first arrived home with the wolf.

The name came to her naturally as Shadow herself was coated with midnight-black fur, that seemed to blend in with the dark.

Sawyer and Shadow, an unlikely duo, waiting patiently beside one another for Sawyer's father to return home.

Forty-five minutes quickly pass with nothing changing when suddenly and massive explosion erupts from the direction of the village, instantly bringing Sawyer to attention.

From this distance, he can see fire blazing from the area of his village, with dark smoke rising high above into the sky.

Shortly after the first explosion, two more occur one after the other in the same area, filling the sky with smoke.

Seeing all this carnage right before his eyes, there is only one word running through Sawyer's mind.

"FATHER!!!"

Hearing the explosions, as well as the cry from Sawyer, his mother comes running out onto the porch, a look of worry appearing on her face as she approaches.

"What has happened, my child? Where did that sound come fr...."

She suddenly cuts off, finally seeing the carnage raging in the distance.

Tears start to appear in her eyes, building up and slowly declining down her face.

Quickly lifting her hand up to her face and wiping them away, she turns to look at Sawyer, a look of deep grief in her eyes.

Slowly walking towards him, she takes his hands into her own before speaking.

"We must leave here, my child. Your father has warned me of disasters such a this as there is no time to spare, we have both agreed on this previously, in such a case where this were to happen, quickly prepare your things. We will leave shortly"

Sawyer is completely dumbfounded, leave? Without first checking on the situation with his father, there was no chance Sawyer would be leaving. He quickly protested.

"I will not leave without father! Even if you don't let me, I will search for him. There is nothing you can say to stop me from going, now it's best if I go straight away, i'll be back shortly."

Without even waiting for a reply, Sawyer instantly takes off running down the porch onto the dirt path leading to the village at top speed.

He can hear his mother crying out for him, but stubbornly continues on his way, determined to find his father and know if he's okay.

The loose rocks on the dirt path cut his bare feet as he runs, Sawyer however continues to run as fast as he can regardless of the pain caused.

This could be defined as determination, never giving up no matter the circumstances. Although it could just as easily be seen as stubbornness, ultimately leading to a grave lesson for him.