The Great Calamity

Holden at the tender age of six woke up to the sound of thunder as rain pounded on the roof of his family's wooden household.

Holden's household sat on the outskirts of a quaint little village.He looked out of his window and looked out to the small village occasionally being lit up by flashes of lightning.

Holden still groggy from his sleep thought he was dreaming or more accurately,thought he was in a nightmare...

From the flashes of light he could see the outline of a massive party of beasts and monsters marching their way up the hill too where his village sat.

Holden has never been more terrified and he even pinched himself too make sure he wasn't still sleeping.Unfortunately,this was real and this day would infamously become known as The Great Calamity!

Holden finally waking up from his stupor rushed as fast as his little legs could carry him too the safety of his parents room.He had always felt safe around his parents who were considered the protectors of his village.

His dad,Arnold Wayfarer originated from a royal city,a place so far that Holdens little brain couldn't wrap his around the distance.Arnold had been a royal guard for the Ruling Family of his country before he met his wife and retired.

Arnold had went too a renowned blacksmith to have his sword repaired and there he met his future wife,Amanda the blacksmith.

As a child Amanda was stubborn ,strong willed,and most importantly had a deep passion for blacksmithing aswell as a talent for it.Amanda had forced her father to teach her how to forge despite being a woman and became wildly successful.

As soon as Arnold set his eyes on the beautiful blacksmith he had fallen madly in love and would find ridiculous reasons just to go to the blacksmiths and admire Amanda!

She soon caught on and Amanda,also being smitten by the impressive looking guard accepted his advances.They quickly became a couple,then they got happily married,and three months after their marriage they had a child,Holden.

Holden,having the genes of a beautiful woman and a sturdy man,Holden was destined to be an interesting character.He was a stunning baby with a shallow patch of bright blonde hair most notably,he had a unique feature,and that was his eyes.He had piercing blue-green eyes with pupils that instead of being black were pure gold resembling twin suns.

They doted on Holden and resolutely decided to get away from the city and its dangers.Arnold resigned from his post with honors,and Amanda left the smithy she had been working at for countless years.

They relocated too a beautiful village atop a hill in the middle of a thick forest where they happily raised Holden and Amanda opened a small smithy.

Arnold being a powerful guard was tasked with protecting the village from the occasional monster that wandered too close too the village or came too feed on the livestock of the village.

They raised their son into a strong boy as they tought him some basics of swordsmanship and blacksmithing that he soaked up like a sponge.Proving to have a talent at both they continued to teach him as they raised him.

...

Holden ran into his parents room gasping and trembling slightly.He quickly shook his father and mother

"Father theres a swarm of monsters outside rushing up the hill!"

Arnold having just woken up was drowsy however when he heard his sons warning he immediately became alert and a piercing light filled his eyes.

Arnold,trusting his son quickly donned his armor and equipped his sword that he had always kept by his bed.Arnold and Amanda rushed to the window and when they saw the army of monsters their pupils quickly contracted as they realized they might not survive the night.

Arnold even with his numerous years of experience had chills run up his neck as he saw the vast army of monsters that covered the hills and continuously emptied out from the north side of the massive forest.In all his years as a guard and soldier he had never seen such a fearsome group of monsters and beasts!

Arnold and Amanda were both very cautious people and had set up preparations in case bandits sacked the village and they had too escape and so they managed too quickly packed up their important belongings and rushed out of the house with Holden in tow.

They mounted the two horses that had been generously gifted to them by the village elder as compensation for Arnold's years of protecting the village.Screams of panic resounded throughout the village as the residents woke up too find an army on the horizon.

Young able men rushed to line up on the outskirts of the village with axes and crude weapons in hand as they prepared too face the fearsome army too give some time for their loved ones too escape.

However they were just young men from the country and the fear was palpable in the air as their knees shook and hands trembled.The young men knew they might not survive and yet they still were determined to make time for their familys too escape.

Even though the village was obviously not the focus of the warband they still sent out a massive party of beast-riding monsters to hunt down the humans.As Amanda was prepared too get on her horse with Holden in hand she noticed her husband hesitating...

Arnold gazed out to the young men lining up too protect their loved ones and the sense of righteousness which had long since gone dormant woke up with a fiery burn.He looked torn as he looked at his family and then looked at his fellow villagers ready to give their lives.

He knew he wasn't the passionate young man he once was however the feelings in his chest told him what he had too do.Arnold knew he could not accompany his family too safety.

"Amanda...I have too help"

Tears formed around Amanda's eyes because she knew what words he was going too utter ,she knew her husband,and she knew his spirit would not allow him too sit idly by as his fellow villagers risked their lives.He wouldn't be the man she loved if he did.

She cried,kissed,and embraced her husband for the last time as they exchanged words of comfort too each other.Arnold then embraced his son tightly with redness coming to his eyes as he uttered what would be his last words to his son.

"Holden, you were destined for greatness the day you were born with suns shining in your eyes.Holden,live righteously and with no regrets you were born too protect others.I only wish I could see what a great man you will become".

Tears formed in the reliable man's eyes and he choked up as he spoke too his son

"I have too go do my duty now...goodbye son.Be Brave.I love... you".Arnold reached down and kissed his son on his forehead as rain continued too descend on them.

Holden despite being a young child was quite intelligent understood the situation clearly as he carved the words of his father, the man he admired most in the world into his heart.

Plump tears mixed with rain and rolled down young Holden's chubby cheeks as he tried his best not too allow the sadness show on his face.He gave his father a tight hug before Arnold stood up saddled his horse and rode too the front of the young men.

Arnold rallied the men with a determined cry and rode into battle like the valiant knight he was.They charged straight at a pack of beasts resembling massive black wolves being ridden by various creatures of the darkness.The army consisted of various monsters from a hulking orc with a mouthful of sharp rotting teeth, to a shadow vaguely resembling a knight with piercing blue lights where its eyes should be.

Holden looked back as Amanda rode their horse hard with the escaping families in tow as they made their way down the hill and into the forest.He managed too see his father single handedly fighting numerous monsters on "wolfback" as he courageously obtained the monsters attention away from the young,inexperienced men.

...

As the fight drew on Arnold became surrounded by dead bodies of both monsters and humans alike,however as the relatively small scale battle continued on the courageous young men were severely outmatched by the hulking monsters riding on fearsome beasts and soon there was only Arnold.

Arnold was surrounded by gore,and blood as black as ink stained his armor as he taught with all the energy he had left.There were numerous clubs and swords swinging down at Arnold which he expertly managed to evade however there were just too many to escape them all.

He slowly accumulated damage and fought with reckless abandon,determined to bring down as many monsters as possible as his glorious life came to an end.Arnold simply did not fear death,even though he was in the prime of his life he had live a full one.He fought as a soldier,dutifully protected his kingdom,met the love of his life,and had a beautiful child.

He managed to spot his son looking back at him while escaping and made sure too make his son proud as he slashed and beheaded monster after monster.Eventually his arms began too tremble from exhaustion and his legs burned from his strenuous effort.Even being experienced as he was,he managed too make a fatal mistake.Arnold,exhausted hadn't managed too dodge an attack on time and was brought too his knees when a massive club shattered his knee cap.Arnold managed a weak smile while gritting his teeth before the creatures of darkness swiftly took revenge by ruthlessly empaling Arnold with numerous swords till the point that he resembled a pin cushion.

And that was how Arnold Wayfarer,a flame that burned brightly and violently,was extinguished.He died an honorable death protecting his family.He died with no regrets other than not being able to live on with his son and wife.

Arnold's final resting place was atop a mountain of his dead foes equipped with the armor that had carried him from his youth till his death.Sword in hand,he died a true warriors death.

Holden saw his fathers last battle against the darkness and a torrent of burning hate and vengeance flooded his little body.

He saw his father with cracked and stained armor being pierced through with various weapons and Holden swore an oath of vengeance against the darkness as tears filled his brilliant eyes.

In his heart,were his fathers last words and the scene of his valiant death which would shape the life of the young man into the life of a hero.All his fathers numerous lessons of survival and swordsmanship flashed through the boy's heart as he tearfully said goodbye too his beloved father.

Amanda looked back aswell and tried her best to maintain a strong facade for her son.Yet tears still managed to roll down her beautiful face.

Unfortunately the families weren't out of danger yet...Their horses were vastly outmatched by the wolf steeds that the monsters rode as they chased after the fleeing families.

Holden saw as the wolves slowly caught up and tracked the families through scent,as fear clouded his eyes.He saw families being torn apart by the wolves and mauled by the monsters as screams filled the air and the stench of blood ran heavy.

The rain continued to pour as the monsters continued their hunt.The most infuriating thing for the young Holden was the fact that the filthy monsters smiled as if they were playing a sport instead of murdering families.His eyes stung as he witnessed the scene and soon their family which had left first was the only one remaining.

Holden saw his strong mother's eyes obtain a steely look to them as if she had decided upon something.Amanda knew that there was very little time left and knew that if she didn't do something now both her son and herself would perish making her husbands sacrifice in vain.

Their horse was exhausted and it breathed in heaving breathes as if it were on it's last legs and Amanda handed the backpack she had been wearing too Holden.She quickly scanned her surrounding and found a pond of mud that had become wet due too the rain and quickly formed an idea.

She then turned too her beautiful son and said her last words too him.

"Holden honey,you must survive and be wary of the forest...There are friends of your fathers at the capital,find them and they will take care of you.we don't have much time but know that I love you,follow your fathers creed and live up to our expectations!"

She lovingly patted Holdens head with one hand as she then explained her plan,"Hide in the mud pond and cover yourself well too hide your sent,the only thing I can do for you is distract them.Me and your father left various items for you in the bag aswell as a map too the royal city.Remember Holden you must survive!"

Unwillingness filled Holdens eyes as his strong,steely mother kissed his forehead and swiftly dropped him into the mud then bravely backtracked too the hunting party.

"Mother please...don't go!"

Amanda looked back at her son waist deep in the mud and smiled softly.she swiftly turned too the left as soon as the hunting party spotted her and she galloped into the woods wielding the forging hammer that was always tucked into her belt as fast as her dying horse could go,making sure too avoid where Holden was dropped.

Holden felt his eyes sting as he stood alone in the pouring rain surrounded by darkness.His pupils gave off a faint glow as he determinedly rubbed mud all over himself from head too toe aswell as his backpack.

Holden even as a small child knew this was the only chance his mother gifted him with and he wanted to make sure it was worth it.He slowly sunk into the mud until his little body disappeared with only parts of his face covered in mud showing.

He then heard terrifying laughter and the neighs of a horse.He heard multiple sick crunches until there was a unwilling scream and the forest went silent.He knew his mother had not go out without a fight.That day young Holden's entire world came crashing down.