Chapter 2

A warmth incomparable. One that ensures safety. One that conveys love. He could feel it all around him. The comfort led to a still calmness. There was no need for him to open his eyes to know that he was held by a larger embrace. One that he would always remember.

"Leydr has grown taller" was all his father could think after seeing him work the soil alongside himself. The boy's hands were starting to look similar and yet profoundly different to his father's. The calluses where the norm for them, and the sweat something they had grown to ignore. Their large straw hats were their only protections against the sun's scorching rays. Somehow, all this hard work, didn't seem too heavy to Leydr. That persevering comfort was always present when around his family. He knew that no matter how hard he worked, as long as his family was there, he could keep going, and everything would be alright.

Leydr was a a clever boy. Every now and then, he would scurry off into the wilderness, to find the other houses around his family's fields. One in particular being the one at the foot of the mountain, their mountain. A mountain so tall its tips were white. This house was small, but soundly built. It belonged to what seemed like an incospicuous old man. A well established member of their town.

Leydr had a special kinship with him. The man would tell stories of his days past, and teach him all manners of things, he would share old pieces of equipment he used to use in his old days, and most fascinating to Leydr, the man would show him his sword. 

Leydr's father was a peaceful man who had never even willed to use a blade, but Leydr was somehow intrigued by the idea of it. "He has this thirst, this boy, a thirst unlike no other" he used to say to the boy's mother when she would come pick him up after having realised he was missing. His family always knew that they could always find him there, learning something new and fascinating about the world out there.

The boy would sneakily practice with a stick, obssessed with the notions the old man had taught him, while trying to avoid his parent's gentle scoldings. His mother was never too happy about his behaviour, specially when he would tell her about the things he had learned about the outer world, like how his old friend had known a wizard in the past. His sisters on the other hand were always excited to discover new things. They idolised his powerful adventurous flair.