THE WATCHER'S;BEGINNING

CHAPTER TWO;THE MAKING

I was born on a small craggy and parched farm on the outskirts of Willowshowl. There was little to distinguish our hometown from any other fading boomtowns on the outskirts of civilization and yes, life was simple, a trek down a slope yet filled with great memories and happiness that I still hold onto dearly like it's my will to live. My father was a farmer and a very good, ambitious and ferociously determined one at it. He was always present even when far away. He was always accepting, always generous, always loving. Forget school, he taught me values. Call it a curse or call it a blessing, I'd die for my father. My mother was a trader, she was precocious when she loved, she loved for real, and when she smiled, it could light up our souls instantly. She was an iron woman. Brave. Everything was nice. Years had gone by fast and I was an eleven-season boy and in all the eleven seasons I had lived, I never imagined my parents to have done anything other than work on the farm. Now as I think of it maybe I should have inquired about their past. Maybe then I would not subtly rue them for keeping me in the dark, for hiding a secret that changed my life drastically. Then everything changed in my life and I could vividly remember what happened that silent, tragic night. We were having dinner as we sat around our homemade mahogany dining table when we suddenly had a knock. My parents looked at each other with surprise and indescribable fear painted all over their faces and I felt concerned. My father kept on glancing at the door while my mother fidgeted with the cutlery. Why? What would trigger them so bad? The mood was tense, I could feel the blood flowing in my veins. I was about to voice my discomfort with the dining atmosphere when suddenly we heard a voice.
"Mr. Writhin and Mrs. Malia, would you please open the door,'' a husky voice thundered. Both my parents made no move to open the door and I was about to stand up and do so when a clammy hand gripped me.
"Who are you?" my father asked feigning calmness in his heavy breath.
"It's them," my mother whispered to my father, getting up from her chair. I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Get him to safety!" Father beckoned mother. Another knock came, this time a bit louder than before. I was really curious as to why they weren't opening the door and why the panic.
"What is going on mother?" I kept asking but nobody gave me an answer.
She took me by my hand and hurriedly shuffled her feet dragging me along leaving my father still staring at the door with dread. We came to a halt and after she opened the dingy and dilapidated attic, she turned to me and I remember her words, "Son! I need you to stay up there and don't come down no matter what happens, okay?"
"What is happening mother?" I asked her in shock with fear written all over my face. I saw tears in her eyes, one of the very few times I had seen her cry. She knelt before me and cupped my face in her hands.
" Nothing my sweet child. It's all going to be alright," she answered gently stroking my hair as my father came and knelt before me.
"Son we love you, okay? Always remember that and no matter what happens we will always be there for you, in here," he said placing his index finger on my chest "some things are just meant to happen, it's beyond our power to change it and maybe one day you will understand all this," after which he wrapped me in a tight hug. He then let go and mother followed the same suit.
"Son ,greatness awaits for you but as you travel the path that leads to it, never forget who you are and your roots for those will be your biggest assets in life. Your destiny awaits you. I love you son," she said as tears rolled down her cheeks "we are sorry for everything my dear boy." I didn't know the weight of the words they said. She then took off a shiny chain necklace and put it around my neck.
I was still clueless of what was happening and this brought my fear to new heights.
"Remember who you are Ladin and he will find you," father said as he helped me up into the attic.
"Mother what is going on? Father!" I shouted after them as they locked the attic up leaving me inside it.
I could not contain my tears as I peered through a small hole in the attic opening. I could see everything clearly as my father held a dagger in his hand and then opened the door cautiously. There was no one there until all over a sudden a man jumped in taking my father by surprise. He was armed with a sword and my father's dagger looked mediocre next to it.
I watched as tears kept on drenching my face, " What is going on?"I kept asking myself. The desire to assist in any way was burning inside me.
The man and my father stared at each other with rage and anger all over their faces. He came at my father swinging his sword at him which father missed swiftly. Two more swings and father was still standing without a scratch on his body. Suddenly my father held his sword hand and twisted it disarming him. He then ran his dagger into his neck as blood spurt out of the man's neck, I jumped back, shocked at the scenery. Without a warning, five more men entered and surrounded my father but abruptly mother came to my his aid as they stood back to back. Mother had a sword in her hand and in a shake of a lamb's tail swords started clinging into each other. Father and mother were unstoppable as they sliced all the five men's neck without a single bruise on their body.
There was blood everywhere as I kept on staring in disbelief . Suddenly I heard a loud laughter echoing throughout the whole house. I tried to look for the source but there was no one, my view was limited to the front door. My parents were standing shoulder to shoulder as they tightened the grip on their weapons.
"I never thought you two could hide on a farm, wow!" the voice thundered.
"Just leave us alone Eber!" Father barked.
"I heard you two have a son now, Ladin right?" It kept on rumbling.
"Leave him out of this Eber. He is just an innocent child!" Mother replied with rage.
"You know I can't, at least not after knowing his destiny,'' blurted the voice."He will be a great person one day and you know it's too bad you two won't be there to witness it."
"Show yourself you demon. Don't be so vain to think that you'll ruin me, wreck me and destroy me. I am the only one who has the power to do that !" Father barked.
"Gladly!" It replied and before I could blink I saw a sword run right through my father's chest. I could not contain my shock as I Iet out a loud gasp and in matter of seconds both my father and mother were lying on the floor, blood oozing out of their chests as they stared deep into each others eyes. I had broken into a soft cry sitting there shocked and watching as another sword went into my father's neck.
"NO! Please stop!.... Michael!" My mother shouted and started crying. Her cries were bitter and heartbreaking. Despite her wounds she clung on to my father's chest and caressed his face all the while crying.
"I love you," my father whispered with blood spurting out of his mouth.
"I love you too," mother replied as her crying continued.
Father turned slightly and stared at the attic and his eyes saw the hole. "I love you son," he moved his lips taking his last breathe and finally closed them.
"Father!" I shouted in despair but it's like no one could hear me. I had become a mess as both blood and tears dripped down my face for I had bitten down on my lip hard when I saw my father and mother fall. I desperately wanted to do something but even breathing had become difficult.
Suddenly a shadow appeared and which then turned into a man. I could only see his back but I knew he was responsible for this. He stared down at my father's lifeless body and then at my dying mother, "I wish it didn't have to end like this," he said and after a brief moment he left and went out.
Motor suddenly returned to my limbs as I struggled for a while but I finally broke the lock and immediately I did, run out and knelt besides my mother. She looked at me, her skin already turning pale, "Son be who you are meant to be. You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to us and I know life won't be easy for you but always remember we will be with you all the way. Be kind of heart and be brave of heart and mind and no matter what happens always wear that necklace, it will protect you. My son, I love you, remember that always," she said midst her coughing.
"Mother please! Don't leave me! Mother please!" I kept on begging as tears cascaded down my face like tributaries of a never ending river. Drops of tears dropped from her dark pooled eyes as she took the last glimpse of her son's face, "Oh! My dear son. I love you ."
She said cupping my face in her hand. She slowly shut her eyes as her hand dropped limply to the floor.
"Mother ! Mother! No! please don't leave me! Mother I love you! Please no! Mother!" I kept shouting as I buried my face in her blood stained clothes.
Suddenly I heard someone shouting ,"Burn the house down!"
On hearing these words I stood up, stared around in despair for a moment that's until a bottle filled with ethylin was tossed which immediately lit up in flames . I could smell smoke. Those animals did not even spare their bodies, I thought bitterly. I took one last glimpse at my parents and one thing ran through my mind and this was a promise. "I promise I will make those who did this pay, one day," I said to myself as I looked back at my dead parents one last time and took off running as fast as I could. After I had gotten some distance away from the house, I turned once more and stared at the burning house. I wiped off the tears that were still making their way down my cheeks and strengthened my resolve. One day I thought as I started running again, one day will come when all who had a hand in this will pay. I could still remember everything that happened, my parent's last words ran through my mind over and over and the picture of their dead bodies stuck deep inside my sub conscious. I kept on running not knowing where to go but I knew one thing for sure, I had to know the truth about my parents from where it began to why it ended like that , I had to find Eber and make him pay.