1 Chapter One - Tranquility

The sun beat down something fierce that day. An old man wiping the sweat off his brow as he toiled in the moist soil of the late morn. His hands were coarse and calloced, wrought from long years of manual labor. He sighed and stood back, leaning on a wooden hoe as he peered off in the distance. Small thatch and clay huts dotted the landscape, with patches of farmland and lush green woods all around.

The breeze picked up for a moment as he relaxed, letting the cool air invigorate his body. It carried with it the smell of something he had long since grown used to, yet never ceased to put a smile on his face: the lunch his wife was surely cooking.

He turned, staring at the small hut he called home only 50 feet away and began to make his way back. He did a lot for the morning, finishing three rows of tilling. The man heard something as he drew closer, the sounds of high pitch laughter and playful yells. He smiled, knowing that his kid was faring well.

The back door wasn't much. A mess of roughly hewn planks tied together by rope. The building itself wasn't much either, with it's dilapidated clay walls and a rough thatch roof. He took off his shoes at the door, old brown boots that he purchased off a passing merchant two summers ago. He wished then he could get another pair, but the fancy fled fast as he steered his mind away from such dangerous thoughts. The man knew his place in the world, to work hard and live day by day. And that he did.

He sighed and pushed open the door, stepping into the small two room home to greet his family. Immediately a small child dashed up to him, a boy no more than 8. He threw himself at him and said, "papa! I made a sword look!". He looked up with large brown eyes and a messy head of black hair. The man knew that the stick the boy held was no sword, but still acted like it was anyway, saying, "ho! It's quite sharp isn't it" pretending to cut a finger on the small stick.

His wife was busy in the kitchen area, some fifteen feet away. They didn't have a lot of space, having but one bedroom where his wife and himself slept, while the boy slept in a small space in the corner of the main room.

The main room had all they needed: a large fire pit, a table, and of course the kitchen and larder. They got by with what they had and tried their best to be happy. Easier said than done at times. That day though everyone seemed to be in high spirits, even his wife Ada. "John" she called, and he replied with a quick, "yes?" She spoke up then, never turning from her work at the stove, stirring a large worn pot over the open flame. "Grab the tankards would you and set the table?" He immediately got to work then, his stomach taking charge as the smell of the stew clouded his senses.

It was all he could do not to march straight up to that steaming pot of deliciousness and take a spoonful, or two, or three for himself. He knew better though and stayed clear of Ada's domain.

John employed the help of his son saying, "get the tankards off that shelf there would you Alder?" The boy nodded and went to work, as quick as he could. The table was set quickly, and he poured some mead for himself and his wife, and a weaker version for Alder.

He sat down then and waited, and waited... His stomach growling as he stared out of a small window on the far wall. A large apple tree was out front, their family's prized possession. He planted the sapling as a child, and had seen to it grow up all those years later. He smiled, dreaming of fall and the warm cider Ada would make.

Past the tree was the village, a cluster of huts where the more privileged families lived, as he called them. The ones that didn't have to tend to fields and enjoyed more than what his family did. The envy was hard to deny, though he knew that they were good people, the smith and the duke. Though Gerald, the tavern owner, was downright nasty. A vile human in his eye. The man had robbed him of 20 coin of earning in a match of bones n dice. Saying that he cheated, having him thrown out. He knew that Gerald the bastard really just didn't want to pay up.

Since that day last winter he didn't go back to the tavern. He sorely missed the company of his friends there at times, and more importantly missed the 20 coin. He sighed and looked off past the village center past the hills of endless farmland, past the rows and rows of thick trees that made up the Ead Forest, to rest his eyes on the snow capped peaks of enormous mountains in the distance. 'The Grey-mist mountains' as they called them. He always wondered what lies beyond them. Wondered at times what life would have been like if he had been more adventurous, had left the small place he was born in to go off on some grand quest, or become a traveling merchant.

He brought himself out of the day dreams then and turned his attention back to his wife, who in her simple dress was bringing a large pot to the table. Her blue eyes were warm, yet her under-eye bags spoke to the burden she bared each day. Dawn to dusk he toiled the fields while Ada worked in the home, watching their son, selling their goods to the other villagers or passing merchant. There was little she didn't do and he was eternally grateful for her.

She moved with quick hands to ladle out the stew. A hearty vegetable broth with scant pieces of potato and cabbage. There were tiny bits of meat here and there. Scraps from the deer flank that he had traded a sack of potatoes for. The son did not need to be reminded to sit down and eat, his appetite just as strong as his as they plopped down on the simple wooden bench.

Their wooden bowls and spoons moved almost in unison as they ate, the meal over in a flash for the father and the son while the mother ate slower, taking her time to relish the meal she had so painstakingly made.

"Where are we at love?" Ada spoke up, resting her spoon as she finished her last bite.

John sat back and looked at her, taking in her aged beauty. Her blue eyes and auburn hair were a stark contrast to his brown eyes and black hair. Her smooth tanned skin nearly perfect besides the stray wrinkle here and there. She had a petite and beautiful face, and was viewed as the most fair of girls in the village when they were younger. He was the lucky man who got to marry her.

"halfway done... I'll finish today" he replied.

she nodded and smiled. A smile that could light up a room. It was genuine, and always had been. It was one of the things he loved most about her. He smiled back, and they just shared a moment of understanding for a moment. Of love and exhaustion. Of all the long days and the hard nights with their son, Of the poverty and hunger they faced, and how they always seemed to pull through together. They both turned away at almost the same time. Knowing full well neither could rest.

They had work to do.

Chores to tend to and fields to sow.

The work never ended, and they didn't ever want to fall behind.

Alder Called out at John as he stood, saying, "father! Can I go play outside?"

He laughed and picked up his boy, giving him a playful tickle as he said laughingly, "Of course! But you better be careful. Lest the monsters of the wood get you!" He roared playfully like a bear and spun Alder around in circles. The boy laughed and agreed to take care.

He put him down and turned to head to the door, hearing Ada say to Alder, "don't go too far, and come back before dark you hear?"

He agreed and John heard the tell-tale sign of a door opening and slamming shut as he guessed that he left out the front door.

He was about to head out to the fields when he turned to see his wife, so beautiful as she moved about the house. He stopped and turned, walking up to her to which she turned questioningly. "I'm actually ahead of schedule" he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She smiled as she understood what he meant and put down a rag she had in her hand. They both kissed then and she said, "Alder won't be back for a while. And I just cleaned our sheets..." John smiled and picked her up, making his way to their small bedroom as he shut the door behind him. They kissed more, deeper and fuller. There was little they didn't know about each other at that point. Their mouths familiar with each other's. Their bodies long explored. Yet the desire was still as strong as ever. Ada moved his hand to her breast, large and supple. He squeezed and felt a ping of desire, felt the urge grow stronger.John laid Ada down on the bed and they melted into one another. Afterwards John stood up and gave his wife one last kiss as she laid on the bed, half asleep.

He made his way out the door of the bedroom and towards the backdoor. He opened it and stepped outside, putting on his shoes before heading off to the field once more. He breathed in the smell of the dirt, the brightness of the afternoon sun as it lit up the world.

There wasn't much to his life, but he was happy enough with what he had. He picked up a hoe again and began to work. Raising it to scrape at the earth, digging out soil and weeds to make room for where the seeds would be sown. He focused solely on his work, before something caught his attention.

Sounds.

A bunch of rustling and movement coming from the woods at the edge of his farm. He smiled and realized it was his child. He must have been running around the woods with the fellow village kids. He used to do the same himself when he was their age. He ran with his brother George through the dense thicket. Chasing him with a stick in hand playing knights or adventurers.

The sounds grew louder though and it caused him to raise an eye to look. The smile he had thinking that he would see his son changed then and a new sensation washed over his body...

fear...

He knew what was coming.

He knew it the moment he saw a crude spear poking out from behind a tree. That which he thought the adventurers from last year had eradicated.

Goblins...

He dropped his hoe and turned to flee. Moving as quickly as his body would allow through the muddy soil. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw them. The small green figures no taller than his son as ten, twenty, or thirty or so emerged from the wood.

They weren't there to be friends with anyone. They were there to kill. To plunder and ****. To eat their crops and their children. To lay waste to their village and everyone in it.

John yelled then. Not knowing if anyone would even hear but hoping they would. "Run! Goblins! Goblins!"

He huffed and puffed as he reached his home, flinging open the door to find his wife right in his face. She seemed just as terrified as he though much more confused. She peered past him out into the field and saw what he had seen and she dropped a broom and said, "Alder... oh god... John.."

she turned and bolted for the front door. John not far behind. He only stopped to grab a small short sword he kept over the fire pit. They were out front in a flash together, looking left and right down the dirt path, for any sign of their son.

Nothing..

They looked everywhere and only saw the panic of what seemed to be other villagers catching on to what was happening. People coming from their homes in the distance to probably spot the horde of goblins off near the woods.

They fled. All of them.

John and Ada joining them as they took off down the path away from their home. Yelling in unison, "Alder! Son!" All the while.

The sword was awkward in his hand as he ran. He wasn't used to the hilt, and had never really used the blade. It only made him feel better to have in their home because he knew the woods had some monsters in them. He held it tight though and was prepared to produce the blade from its sheath at any moment.

"Graa! Graa!" The green beasts called, their high pitched warcry carried over the farmland and made the couple pick up their pace.

They moved to the woods on the opposite side of the village where a small waterfall and creek were. It was their kids favorite place to play and they thought if he was anywhere he would be there.

About halfway they they came to a halt. The adrenaline pumped hard in John's veins as he turned to his wife and tried to assure her it would be okay. He did this because in front, past the road near the wood he saw them.

More goblins... scattered packs here and there In every direction. Running around chasing the other villagers, killing cattle. Uprooting vegetables in fields and ransacking homes. The screams of people filled the air, and the smell of blood and fire began to grow stronger.

"I love you Ada.." he said, "stay behind me.. run if anything happens to me." He looked into her eyes once more as they stood on the dirt path, just outside a large stretch of farmland.

The woods were not far away then but with the goblins there he wasn't sure they would make it. "Take care of our boy Ada.." he said as he turned to charge the group of three or so in their way.

Goblins weren't strong, far from it. But their tenacity and their numbers made them dangerous.

He drew the short sword and held it awkwardly, trembling slightly as he drew near the first one. They had stone weapons, and wore little over their scrawny frames. He swung hard at one holding a spear. The creature yelled out with it's ugly pig nosed face before it fell to his blade. He grew confident then, thinking, "I can do this.."

A moment later though a sound made his heart drop, "aaaah!" A scream, close by. He turned to see two goblins on top of Ada. They were clawing and biting at her and ripping apart her clothes. He yelled in rage and began to sprint towards her but he wobbled and fell.

He sat on his knees stunned. Confused as to how he had gotten there.

He noticed a stream of blood pooling below. It was coming from his stomach where a spear was poking through it. All at once the pain overtook him and he yelled.

The adrenaline pumped stronger as he swung the blade wide at whatever was around him. It struck something and he noticed a goblin fall to his side, it's head split from where the sword had hit it. He yelled at the goblins on top of his wife. They were trying to defile her.

She cried and flailed, hitting one with a large stone as it fell. The other didn't stop though and soon enough another joined, taking the place of it's dead kin.

He crawled towards her. She was only thirty feet away. He could save her. If only he could stand.

He tried, and tried. But only managed to crawl. He was twenty feet away... then fifteen. And opted to yell and hurl stones. Stopping nothing as he watched one of the goblins **** her while the other held her down, biting at her and clawing her.

He could see her tears as she was powerless to do anything. Hear her screams of pain and agony. He cried himself. Cried at how powerless he was. How useless he was. At his own pain but moreso his wife's.

"Ada.." he tried to say. But he had gotten weaker. "Ada.." he reached out, trying more and more to crawl.

For a moment he thought of his son, at the day they had just been having and the tears came faster and faster. Till he felt a large 'thud' on the back of his head and he fell in the dirt.

His consciousness faded.. he stared at the scene with his wife before him as he took his last breath. All at once he began to slip away. He felt it. He knew it was coming...

instinctually almost...

Until the life in his eyes faded entirely...