Chapter Five: If We Don't Come Back

A boy sat in the dining area with two older people, a man and a woman.

He smiled as he watched them eat and chat, he felt he was the luckiest person on earth to have such great people around him.

The food afront him was untouched as he had flashbacks of his childhood till presently and realized it had just been him and his parents.

He remembered when he was first taught his first spell and how he had thought on using it on fire which had almost got the house on fire.

He was helpless that he tried a water spell but nothing had worked, he just sat outside crying while the fire consumed everything in the house.

He had thought his parents would never forgive him if they saw it and had thought of running away, he had left the burning houses running so fast till his stomach began to grumble. Then he realized if he wouldn't get food to eat if he leaves.

So, he walked back home knowing what his fate was when he reached. His head lowered facing the ground, he hadn't been this hungry before .

When he got to what seems to be his house, he realized that everything was charred and the fire had slowed, he sat on the grass waiting for his parents to arrive.

After waiting for some minutes, he heard footsteps and knew they were back instead of running towards them like normally does. He just sat there on the grass, his legs closer to his face and placing his head on his knee.

"What happened here?" a masculine voice asked .

" Ooh geez, where's D'Liam?" a feminine voice asked sounding concerned.

Liam who had sat down where he wouldn't be seen easily, stood up and walked towards his parents head lowered.

" Mother.....Father ....I"

. " I ...am.....I"

" I am sorry.....I tried working on Fire magic" he said head facing down.

" ....and tried running away cos I was scared of what was going to happen but I was hungry so I came back"

" Please Father do not turn me into some squirrel, I won't do it again....I. .." Liam begged as he knelt down, his face messy with tears.

His parents held their laughter as they watched Liam begging them.

' Who runs away and comes back because they're hungry?....What naive child did you bring to this world Tilda?'

' Aww isn't he so cute....ooh Liam'

They both watched Liam cry for a long while without saying anything so as to teach him a little lesson before they decided to talk to him.

"Liam, your father isn't going to turn you to a squirrel or anything " Tilda said, using her fingers to wipe Liam's tears

Liam nodded.

" Maybe I will" his father said feigning a glum face

Liam burst out crying.

" No he won't, don't cry he is just messing with you"

Tilda nodded at her husband to go talk to me.

" Okay Fine"

He walked closer to Liam, lowering to his level and then wiping his tears.

" I was just joking Liam but that doesn't mean you did the right thing"

" You shouldn't try Any other spell except the one we have taught you"

" You already know why right?" He asked facing the charred house.

Liam nodded.

Later that day, the villagers had came to help them fix the house but it wasn't possible for it to be finished in a day and they had to lay their head somewhere.

A villager who was a widow with a child had volunteered to let them stay with her, they stayed with her till after a week when the house had been fixed.

Liam smiled as he remembered his childhood and how his parents had taken care of him even when he had been adamant.

" Liam what's wrong you haven't even taken a bite from your food"

" Do you think it's bad?" Tilda asked wearing a sad face.

" Oh no....no mum, it's great....uh it was just a thought"

Tilda who had worn a sad face nodded and then faced her husband and kept talking.

" I tell you Damian if nothing is done soon, there will be monsters roaming everywhere devouring everything on sight"

" The council had said they were on the issue, but I doubt they will ever come to an agreement "

" Since Kel is far away from the borders we should be safe for now but the issue at hand is the other villages who wants us to merge with them "

" I feel they would come here to start a war as they had promised and if they do, I don't know how we are going to survive....like I mean it's just the two of us and some unskilled guards "

" I can help" Liam who had just been listening chimed in.

" You will do no such thing, if anything like that should happen I want you laying low even ....."

A young man ran in panting heavily.

" They are.....They are here Masters"

He said interrupting Tilda.

" They arrived sooner than expected" Damian said.

" Okay gather the troops, we'll meet you at the square"

The guard nodded then ran off.

Tilda and Damian stood up to get prepared for war. Liam could see they were worried.

" Can I follow you?, I would be a great help to you guys and I....."

" Do not leave here Liam, just stay here and lay low" Tilda said interrupting him

" Even if we don't come back.... do not leave here" Damian chimed in hanging a messenger bag around his shoulder.

" I can be of great help to you....you said it yourself that I have great Potential why can't I use it now?" he asked at the Brim of tears as he realized he might not see his parents again.

" You're just 12 Liam...there's nothing you can do to help us besides you still have a great life ahead of you and it shouldn't be shortened when you can stay here in this house and be safe" His father said.

Tilda just stood there watching father and son when Damian nodded at her gesturing for her to come closer.

She walked towards them when she got closer she saw Liam's face messy with tears and that reminded her of the time he had used fire magic he had still been cute even with the tears.

" Mum I....."

" Sssssh" she shushed as she hugged him, Damian too joined in the embrace. They stayed that way for awhile before Damian had released himself.

" We need to get going" he said

Tilda kissed Liam on the forehead and waved goodbye.

" Stay low" they both said in unison and then left the house.

That day Liam had decided to obey them and not be adamant by staying low.

He had stayed low for what seems like hours and was glad when he heard footsteps.

' They're back'

He thought and ran off to the door without realising what he had just done.

He gulped on sighting two hefty men each holding a bloodstained sword, he had decided to run back but it was too late as they had seen him

They dragged him outside, he struggled with them and had thought of using his powers when he remembered his parents lecture.

He soon stopped struggling as he was worn out and watched as his house became distant as they they dragged him.

Tears could be seen on his face as he was being dragged away he knew that he wasn't going to ever see his parents or this village again.