whispers of dawn

Elric awoke with a start, the early morning light filtering through the small window of his room. The quiet seemed almost oppressive. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and quickly dressed, the memories of the previous day's eerie events haunting him. Sliding into his boots, he grabbed his sword, a familiar comfort against the unease knotting in his stomach.

Descending the stairs, he was met with an unusual stillness. The house, usually alive with the sounds of Kael's bustling family, was eerily silent. His footsteps echoed in the empty hall. Elric glanced around, expecting to see Kael's wife preparing breakfast or their daughter playing in the corner, but the room was deserted.

"Kael?" he called out, his voice breaking the silence. No response came. His unease grew as he checked the kitchen and living room, finding nothing but cold hearths and untouched plates.

Pushing down the rising panic, Elric headed back upstairs to Kael's room. He knocked on the heavy oak door, its sound dull and foreboding. "Kael? Are you in there?" Silence greeted him again. Taking a deep breath, Elric slowly pushed the door open. The room was empty, the bed neatly made, giving no indication of the family's whereabouts.

A chill ran down Elric's spine. This wasn't right. Kael and his family were never this quiet. He walked back downstairs, feeling like he was intruding in a place that had suddenly become alien. The house, once warm and welcoming, now felt like a cold shell. Elric decided to search outside.

Stepping out into the crisp morning air, Elric scanned the property. The crops swayed gently in the breeze, and the birds chirped, blissfully unaware of the unsettling stillness in the house. He walked around the property, checking the barn and fields, but found no sign of Kael or his family.

His eyes then fell on the shed behind the house. Kael had mentioned it was where he kept his tools and older valuables. The shed door, usually locked, now hung ajar. A sense of dread washed over Elric as he approached, each step feeling heavier than the last.

The door creaked ominously as Elric pushed it open wider. Inside, the faint light revealed a horrifying sight. Kael's wife and daughter lay on the cold, hard floor, their bodies unnaturally pale. The scene was grotesque, the life drained from their faces, leaving only a haunting stillness.

Elric staggered back, his breath caught in his throat, and fell to his knees. The sight was more than he could bear. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the horror before him. Forcing himself to stand, he took a shaky step closer, hoping against hope that he was wrong. But the reality was undeniable. They were dead.

Panic took over as Elric stumbled out of the shed and ran back toward the front of the house. As he rounded the corner, he was met with an impossible sight: Kael's wife stood there, her expression calm and composed.

"What's wrong, Elric?" she asked, her voice eerily normal.

Elric's heart pounded in his chest. "What are you?" he demanded, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.

The woman tilted her head, her expression serene. Elric's thoughts flashed to the axe he had seen, stained not with rust but with blood. The realization hit him like a physical blow. His mind reeled, trying to comprehend the impossible.

Without a word, the woman began to fade before his eyes, her body becoming transparent and then vanishing altogether. Elric cried out, clutching his head in disbelief. "This has to be a dream!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty yard.

A sound broke through his turmoil—a faint, desperate crying. Elric turned, seeing Kael's daughter running into the vast crop field. "Wait!" he called, chasing after her. The child's form flickered in and out of view, leading him deeper into the dense, swaying stalks.

After what felt like an eternity of running, Elric emerged into a clearing. The crops gave way to a dense forest, the trees standing like silent sentinels. In the distance, he saw a small house, dilapidated and barely standing.

Elric's gaze shifted to a group of three men in knight armor, their weapons drawn. He crouched behind a bush, his eyes widening as he recognized Kael, kneeling on the ground, his body bloodied and weak. The knights, also bearing injuries, closed in on him, their armor glinting dully in the faint light.

One knight, clad in dark crimson armor, spoke, his voice dripping with contempt. "You betrayed our kingdom and the Council, Kael. No one escapes the Council's wrath."

Another knight, wearing gleaming silver armor, stepped forward. "They thought taking your vision would stop you, but it seems they underestimated your resolve and your curse magic."

The third knight, his armor a sinister black with gold trim, laughed. "Curse magic is all about equal trades. They took your sight, but it heightened your other senses. You continued to defy them despite everything."

Kael's face twisted in a mixture of rage and despair. "You blindly serve a system that wants to destroy you!" he spat, his voice hoarse with pain. "You don't even understand the evil you perpetuate."

The black-armored knight sneered. "We serve the kingdom, and it's the kingdom's will to end you." His words dripped with disdain.

Kael's eyes blazed with fury as he screamed, "Did your precious kingdom also order the murder of my wife and child?" Tears mingled with the dirt and blood on his face as he fought to keep his composure.

The crimson knight chuckled darkly. "The Council member responsible used soul magic to bind their spirits to this realm, ensuring their agony would torment you until your end."

The cruel laughter of the knights was cut short as Kael, with a roar of pure rage, surged to his feet. He bellowed, "Flēogslaga!" His sword glowed with a blinding white light, and he swung it with all his might. A crescent-shaped wave of magic shot forth, slicing through the air toward the crimson knight.

The knight raised his shield too late. The magical attack slammed into him, sending him flying backward. Kael, fueled by fury, leaped forward, his sword poised to strike. But the silver knight intercepted him, delivering a powerful punch that knocked Kael to the ground.

The black knight moved to deliver a killing blow, but Elric sprang from his hiding place, his sword flashing. He parried the knight's strike, forcing him back. The knight stumbled, eyes widening in surprise. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice tinged with anger.

"A friend," Elric replied, his voice steady. He helped Kael to his feet, handing him his sword. "We fight together," he said, determination burning in his eyes. "We stand together against this evil."

Kael hesitated, but Elric's conviction was unshakable. "Combine our strength. We fight not alone, but united."

Inspired by Elric's words, Kael nodded, gripping his sword tightly. "Thank you, kid," he murmured, a tear slipping down his cheek. They turned to face the knights, their resolve hardening.

The black knight raised his sword to the sky, shouting, "Hæfensmīete!" He slashed downward, and a bolt of searing light shot toward Elric and Kael. They dodged, the ground exploding where they had stood moments before.

Elric charged the black knight, his movements a blur. The knight swung wildly, but Elric was too fast. He parried the knight's blows, forcing him back with a flurry of strikes. Meanwhile, Kael unleashed another "Flēogslaga," the magical wave crashing into the silver knight. The knight dodged, but the crimson knight, still recovering, took the hit full on.

The silver knight engaged Kael, their swords clashing in a rapid, brutal dance. The knights' armor clanged with each strike, sparks flying. They locked blades, each pushing with all their might. A warning shout rang out, but Kael barely had time to react. The crimson knight, battered but not defeated, unleashed a blast of freezing air. "Freótwyrm!" he cried, and the icy wind engulfed Kael, freezing him in place.

Kael's body shook uncontrollably, the cold seeping into his bones. The silver knight's sword ignited with a fiery blaze. "Bārnfýr!" he shouted, the flames licking hungrily at the blade. He charged, swinging with fierce intensity.

Kael parried desperately, but the knight's attacks were relentless. Each blow sent waves of heat searing through his body. Memories of his wife's warnings about his incomplete armor flashed through his mind. He managed to deflect three strikes, but the fourth cut deep into his arm.

As pain and fire overwhelmed him, Kael remembered his wife's voice, her gentle admonitions about wearing full armor. He smiled through the pain, her image a beacon of hope. His thoughts drifted to the night he had followed her outside, her ghostly form walking through the shed's locked door.

The present snapped back into focus as Kael locked blades with the silver knight again. The fire burned up his shirt, searing his skin, but he refused to yield. Summoning every ounce of his strength, Kael overpowered the knight, disarming him. With a roar, he shouted, "Flēogslaga!" putting all his strength and willpower into the slash.

The magical strike shattered the knight's armor, sending him flying into a tree with a loud crack. Kael staggered, his body finally succumbing to the injuries and exhaustion. The flames on his shoulder were extinguished by a blast of freezing air from the crimson knight. "Freótwyrm!" he cried again, the cold air numbing Kael's pain but freezing him solid.

The crimson knight, barely able to stand, approached Kael, lifting his sword slowly. "How do you like that, Kael? I'll cut you down myself."

Kael, shaking with cold and pain, ducked under the knight's swing and thrust his sword forward, piercing the knight's armor. They both fell to the ground, the knight's sword clattering beside them.

Kael fell unconscious. In his mind, he saw the moment he first met his wife. She was a fierce warrior, her strength matched only by her beauty. They had flirted and fought side by side, their bond growing stronger with each battle. The memory of their last fight together, surrounded by defeated enemies, filled him with a bittersweet ache.

"I promise I will protect you," Kael whispered in his dream, tears streaming down his unconscious face.