Vera Volga- Prologue

"Vera, never forget what I said. You ought to live. You are not alone. I will never leave your side. But today you must fly from me. You need to hide. Don't let them find you. Never allow them to take you. Do not follow their words. Listen to your heart and follow its voice. Your mother and father will always love you, so run, my darling, and don't look back." I can only concentrate on the ruckus downstairs of our building. They are coming. My tears are falling freely. I'm trembling from head to toe. However, my mother is beaming at me; How can she be brave and strong at a time like this?

"Mother, come with me," sobbing I said.

"No, Mother chose this. Vera should pick the correct path for himself from now on. But don't be afraid, and don't reveal your vulnerability to anyone. Vera, be courageous and powerful, and now go, run," implying that she shut the window door from the inside. I gripped the wooden window and peered through the little crack. I watched the royal guards of the Loistava kingdom rush into the chamber. Bravely gripping a dagger, my mother is poised to strike. She stabs one on his shoulder as he entered the room with her weapon, but another catches her from behind. They are stronger than her, gripping her like iron chains. She spat, kicked, and resisted. Why? Why? I asked myself a hundred times, but the answer still hides well.

"Raya, where is your son? Where did you stow him away?" A wicked voice entered. That's him. The cause of everything is him. Because of him, everything occurred. I stood on the sunshade, sweating on a cold night, grinding my teeth and watching in fear.

"Interesting, my son. I had no idea that a woman could have a child without a man. Logan, you're acting as if he's not your nephew that I gave birth to a demon," she burst out laughing. I watched as he smirked and viciously bashed my mother till she coughed up blood. I could do nothing except seal my mouth and see the heinous deed.

"You slut! wench! How dare you talk back to me? a lowly bitch! WHERE IS YOUR SON? Where is that bastard?" he roared like a maniac beast, his eyes were blood red, like an actual devil from nightmares.

"Why should I tell you?" Mother smiled spitting on his face, outraged, boldly.

"Find the boy, bring me his heart and Raya, kindly apologise to my brother when you see him above," he said as he seized his mother's blade and stabbed into her stomach, one, two, three, four..... how many? I don't know... I can't see or hear... the faint groan and warm tears streaming from her eyes. I witnessed life departing my mother's body, my whole body quivering like a rabbit trapped in a wolf's mouth.

"FIND THE BOY AND KILL HIM, IDIOTS," In a rage, Logan yelled and punched the wooden wall. The royal guards sprinted outside, quickly scouring the area for me. I have to run, I have to hide, I can't let them find me, I ran with all my might. I hear my own panting and gasps for air in the darkness all around me. How far did I run? Where am I? I sat in a corner, covered by night, shivering and wailing. I cried calling my mother, the shudder, the sound of blood gushing out and its odour, my mind shrieking. I want to vomit. I heard footsteps, who?

"THERE... I SAW THE BOY, HERE..." When a guard noticed me, I fled once more, holding my own life in my hands. I must live. I must survive. My heart kept reciting those words. How long and how fast a seven-year-old can run, I was caught by a guard. He pushed me down to the mud, punting me like an insect. I attempted to get away like a dragonfly in a toddler's hand, I struggled for my life but his sword swung quickly and sliced through the flesh of my back. "Aaarrggghhaaa....." I am going to die. I am being murdered. It's the end. Then, I saw a light right in front of my eyes. What? What is it? Death has come for me, I thought. Instead, a golden blazing fire clad me like its child, cradling me in its arms. Huh! it's warm, just like a mother. My body turned to light, the guard disappeared and I fled and hid inside the wood-stacked waggon, bleeding. It aches and I can't touch it as I witnessed my blood pouring from me. I'm going to die, mother, father, please... help... help me... Somebody...

"Vera... Vera... Vera... get up. Wake up, you fool," I jolted up from my dream, my past, puffing loudly, unable to breathe air, sweating profusely. "What happened? "Nightmare again?" Banami queried

"Huh!" I exclaimed, gradually calming myself; "Yeah, just some memories," I answered.

"Let go, kid, it's been ten years," he stated with a soft grin.

"Ten years? Ten years have passed already, huh?" I said, tightly clenching my hands. "I'm still that fragile kid, Banami."

"You are frail, Vera, but not as wimpy as that child I saved ten years ago. You have gotten stronger," he grinned.

I smiled, both Banami and I recognize how weak I am. The wood cart I hid that night belonged to him, a woodcutter from Nek-asrof. If I were to introduce myself, my name is Vera Volga, and I am currently the blind son of Banami Volga, a woodcutter and Incense maker. We dwell in a region known as Nek-asrof, sometimes known as "the unwanted," "the unclaimed land,".

My mother Raya was a slave prostitute in the Red district of Shoma the capital of the Loistava kingdom. She unexpectedly became the lover of a remarkable person in that nation, Willard Fermi Leighann, whom they referred to as the sun god, the leader, the monarch, and their king, my father. "Power has the ability to drive humans insane, much like a feral dog's thirst." Logan Fermi Leighann, the Duke of Lemuria and my father's only brother, bathed his hands in the blood of countless people to gain that power, including my parents. He now rules the country that has seen several battles, has been damaged by predatory gem mines and screams out in pain from starvation and chaos.

I don't know if I'm the only member of the royal family bloodline still alive. Today, though, I am merely a woodcutter who toils away for a little living on an unwanted piece of land. I am a helpless youngster who is unable to do anything to fight the monster who killed his family, stole his dreams, and took his life. I am weak and worthless. I'm such a loser.

"Vera, go to the forest; we need more Boswellia frankincense and tree barks," Banami, who was making the breakfast, said. I sat down next to him after washing my face and brushing my teeth.

"Yes, I understand," I said as I ate the steaming potato and wheat bread.

"Don't forget to cover your eyes," he said, gazing at me.

"I know," I gazed at the old mirror near us, my eyes were glimmering elegantly, they were golden. Loistava kingdom rulers are distinguished by their golden eyes. They are blessed by La, the sun deity. My father allegedly possessed healing magic. He once stated; "Vera, La granted me my magic as a gift, and since you are the only one of my children who have inherited Leighann's golden eyes, you will eventually gain power. You will be endowed with incredible strength if you are gentle and kind; yet, remember not to seize the blessing too quickly," I wasn't, but. On the day my mother died, I was manifested by La's blessing, and for a little while, I utilised my ability to escape from the soldier who had apprehended me. I ignited his body until he parted. My palm created a golden sizzling fire. After then, it vanished without a trace and never returned.

"Banami, I'm leaving," I said as I gathered my large wooden basket and two strong axes before heading to the Boswellia forest.

Why am I so frail, La? Why did you withdraw my power? Were you taking pity on me? Am I not allowed to use it? Or did you realise my identity? Can only royal men handle it? So why did you gift me with these eyes? Knowing that I'm a girl, La, why did you give me these golden eyes? I thought as I walked with the support of my walking stick, "I want answers."

"Huh! I should have said that earlier. I am a girl."

(TBC)