The demon of the Cold Valley

Chapter 1 Part 6

When me and Arvil exited out of the bakery the emerald sun was inching closer and closer to complete the conclusion of its journey. as we marched forwards, each of us carrying a single satchel on our other end. from the road ahead of us, men and women exited from their homes to proceed with the days labor -few of them went to the lord's temples to pray for the children and the weather. but...most of them went to proceed with their daily labor such as fishing, farming, hunting, pelting, mining, butchering, sculpting, smiting, and so on and so forth. so many opportunities were present in our village, for we were this close to the snow and sea, and jungle behind our backs. in all the three seasons in our valley-men and women will be kept busy. hard labor for hard men and women.

Even after we covered more than half the street, my companion chooses to remain silent. absorbing the whirlwind of emotions that he experienced with the Daran family. all three of them were so energetic and entrusted that when we are in their presence we forget the rest of the troubles of the world. and the man beside me was thinking something, and his lips was twisting at the corners, his words was just about be spilled. yet he was not proceeding with that instead, with sweat precipitating across the back the man continued to walk forward.

"Whatever you want to ask you, can ask Arvil? no matter how hard the question I will try to answer to best of my ability."

We had reached the end of the street, turning right than immediate another right, we marched forward. and form here the road began to widen, engaging the space between either side of the road, with this close to the epicenter of the city, where all the lady's and lord's temples were located.

The road was paved with cement and stone. even though small potholes were present, but...most of them were patched up. and as we marched forward, three kids came running towards us, with smile etching from one corner of the mouth to another end, and behind them chasing closely was a woman who sprinted with a stick in her hand. Both of us watched the chase as all the three children played with the woman, as they ran circles around her, almost toying, and playing, like a mouse that plays and toys with housecat. and frustration spread through her features thus tiring her body, her breathing and panting increasing with each breadth.

"Before my day begins on every day I slap myself once. do you know why that is?"

We bypassed the children and their mother, as he paused for a moment, so that his feet and mine matched our pace, our feet and body walking side by side as we continued further.

"See in my corner of the empire or across most of the empire. There is no warmth. There is no compassion. There is no joy. what left is only pain, misery and death. and we predicted the same here. when me and my brother came here ...I do not know which of us was surprised the most...to see so much of joy displayed here quite open. made both of us jittery and anxious. we had to pinch and slap ourselves to understood that a mythical city like this truly exists, not in the lands of euphoria, but in our empire. There is so much compassion, joy, and warmth amongst you people, amongst each other and with each other, that for the outsider looking in...it is harder to believe or to accept. most of the outsiders that come into village are surprised and startled at the response we receive here. it is a strange notion- The peace, the laughter, the banter, and bickering. We are not used to this. From where we came. Everyone is out looking for only themselves, and their blood. There is no community like here. There is no selflessness like here. I do not know what holds for our future. but I am glad that I came here. I am glad that I met you and everyone here. And I pray to all the lords and ladies that hope does not leave the cold valley of the empire, for that is in scarcity, and it cannot be replenished."

As the man concluded, a breadth of silence passed, proceeding that passing my left satchel towards my right, and lifting my left shoulder and planting it above his shoulder blades, seeing my action the man's neck twisted and faced me at such a startled action of closeness and camaraderie. and seeing the laughter dancing at the corner of my lips, his eyes widened.

"I am also glad that you came here Arvil. when we requested for a junior assitanct from the empire. all of us were afraid and anxious as to who they would send, and how much corrupt that individual will be. But...when we saw you, and the work and the hours you put in we understood that we were lucky that they sent a guy like you to us."

Turning left once our march slowly grew to halt as we reached our destination, squeezing his shoulder blades in reassurance once my arm was retraced from his shoulder, and proceeding that plucked both of his satchels from his arms. Exhaling a breadth once, his shoulder slumping, without another word the man beside me walked away from me, as if the pain and burden that he carried on his shoulders would weigh more than hundred tones. as if the essence and acquiescence of life itself was drained out of him, seeing his slumped back and lowered neck, barely had he walked two paces before my lips interrupted the man again.

"Arvil...you were never an outsider or a stranger-man. You are one of us."

Hearing my response, instead of lifting his shoulder, turning, and easing his burden, and speaking to me, my words spoken behind him had the opposite effect. for his legs and his arms began to twitch and vibrate, as without another word the man moved on, while his neck and head bending forward as if my words have stabbed him and punctured through his heart, and my eyes exhaling a breadth once watched till his shadow left the street.

Of course, as much as I wanted to say this and confess to Arvil my lips would not move anymore. Because even though this is a community filled with people who care for each other, who love each other, who cherish each other, and who protect each other.

One thing cannot and must not be denied is that the men and woman of the village are ordinary civilians. They worship the gods, and they fear the devils. and whenever there are the matters of gods and the devils, when there are the matters of the lords, and the ladies involved there is blind superstition involved. and whenever there is blind superstition involved there is darkness that has no rhyme and reason that strikes and strokes within their heart. And his younger brother ever since he opened his eyes experienced that wraith of darkness first hand.

Cold valley might have been the greatest heaven in the empire for the outsiders, and even for the one who lived here it might have been the same, but for my little brother it is different. for my little brother it is a living breathing hell, and he is the devil that not only reside within that hell but rule it. Such is the hatred and darkness that my younger brother consumes and conquerors, Arvil did not know this, most of the outsiders that had come into the valley over three years do not know this, but...those of us that stay here do.

And the worst of all of this is that no matter how much we try we cannot do a single thing about it.