Lost In The Callallis Maze

chapter 1

It was a normal evening, the sky was cloudy and cold. Pap returned from hunting with his group, his leather armor covered in blood and scratches. His horse was whimpering and out of breath. Along the path, a torn silk thread fluttered in the breeze.

Pap had brought a wild boar; it was bloody, and its heart had been gouged out. Pap leaned over the boar's corpse and asked Veller to help him gut it. Veller was soon to be turning fourteen, and I suppose Pap wanted him to start gaining experience.

Hesitantly, Veller complied. I was too afraid to watch any longer and went inside our house where Mam was preparing vegetables for cooking. I asked if I could help. She was pleasantly surprised and let me. She handed me a knife and told me to cut the potatoes into pieces while she went out to grab firewood. It was a decision I would regret.

While I was about to finish slicing the potatoes, I heard a loud thud. Startled, I went out to check. Just as I was about to open the door, Pap and Veller hurriedly came in. Pap shouted at me for trying to head outside. Veller had a sack of meat and was panting furiously. Before I could ask anything, Pap rushed to his room and bumped into the table, sending cookware and wooden spoons clattering to the ground.

He put on his leather armor and grabbed his sword, immediately heading out. As I took in the situation, Veller put the sack down on the table and sat down with a heavy breath. He explained to me that a group of barbarians had raided our village. I was taken aback and said that Mam was still out getting firewood. Veller went silent and was bewildered. Shouting "No, no, no," he took one of Pap's spare swords and ran towards the shed storing logs and wood planks. I felt that I should follow him, and I did.

The air was warm, and houses were on fire. On our way, we witnessed a barbarian butchering Uncle Klieo and his wife. He spotted us and ran towards us. Veller quickly blocked his attack and, in the blink of an eye, pushed the barbarian back and slashed him. However, he was too strong and quickly got back up.

Just as he was about to strike Veller, an arrow pierced the barbarian. It was shot by Uncle Liam, a friend of Pap's. As he approached us, he asked why we were out and scolded us to head inside.

Veller explained that Mam was still out, and Uncle Liam, shocked, came along with us. As we were getting closer to the storage shed, we saw a trio of barbarians about to kill Mam.

Veller dashed towards the group of barbarians while screaming, and Uncle Liam shot arrows at them. However, we were too late.

They beheaded Mam.

Veller and I paused in silence.

Veller lost it; he was shaking and crying, but he still got himself together and tried to fight the barbarians.

Veller's blade was stuttering and weak, yet still persistent in battle. He struck a barbarian, but the attack was too shallow. Just as the barbarian was about to strike back, Uncle Liam's arrow gravely injured his leg.

One of the barbarians darted towards Uncle Liam and me. He pushed me aside as the barbarian's mace bashed Uncle Liam's head. His blood scattered across the grass and on me. I was too startled and afraid to fight back.

In the moment when I was about to be hit by the barbarian, I heard a swish of an arrow as he fell down. Pap and a group of hunters had arrived at the scene.

Veller had been fighting a fellow child of his age thus far and was gravely injured. Pap struck the barbarian child down, frowning upon him as if pitying him.

At that time, I fell unconscious and was told that it was due to stress and exhaustion. When I woke up, several people who had died were being buried. I remember watching Father and Veller crying their hearts out for hours. Grandpa even collapsed, as he was sick at the time. I was too stunned to even cry.