Those Left to Wander

Prologue

The sky danced with a clashing of red and grey, as flames danced across the sky. Fire intertwined with the dark clouds, suddenly hammering towards the ground and destroying everything in its path. Many of the buildings from the village were suddeny flung into the air, abruptly catching fire and turning to mere ash in a matter of seconds. Many screamed and ran for their lives, dragging loved ones with them by the hand as some were too wounded to walk, or to small to make haste themselves.

Suddenly, more clouds began to stir, and suddenly hammered towards the ground near the settlement as well, somehow bursting into flames as well and making its way towards the village.

Clinging onto my father's shoulder's (for I was but a child around the time), I watched as I noticed a group of men dressed in rather rark robes I knew as the mage's guild move towards the frontline. They grasped hands, chanting in a language only faintly familiar to me. Suddenly, a wall of transparent blue and black rose between the fillage and one of the 3 bursts of fire and wind. With sudden impact, the culmination of wind and flame slammed into this wall. A large, bright white crack had suddenly formed on the wall as the mages struggled to hold their ground. Suddenly, the other two culminations of flame and wind changed their path, and also slammed into the arcane barrier. It shattered instantly. and the mages suddenly disappeared behind the dark clouds now touching the earth.

I became scared for my life and began to cry, hearing my father yell for my mother's name. "Amora! Amora! Where are you?!" My mother and older sister on this very morning left to fetch some pales of water. She seemed to be running late at the time, and we had no idea where she was when what became known as the demons' winds made impact on the southern part of the village.

"DAD! Please let's go! I wanna go home!"

"We aren't eaving your mother behind! We have to find her!" Suddenly, my father seemed to have noticed a familiar face, and ran quickly in a sudden change of direction!

"Elijah!" My father yelled, approaching the well armored individual.

"Commander! Only half of the civilians have been evacuated sir!"

My father put me down, and grabbed what I presumed to be one of his comrades from the olden days.

"Did you see Marjane?! Were Marjane and Elise among them!?"

"I don't know sir! I'm sorry but I haven't taken the time to notice!" I turned my head in response to a cluster of screaming, seeing another culmination of fire and wind make impact on the ground in the center of the village. This made for a total of 4 demons' winds.

I grabbed my father's armor wrapped 'round his leg, crying and screaming in fear. He grabbed me by the shoulders, got on a knee, and looked me in the eye.

"My son..." he said. "My son there will be trying times in your life. Many of which require you to be couragous and remain rational in thought. That is what it means to be a soldier. Understand?"

"No! I-I wanna go home!"

"There is no more home my son!" My father suddenly stood up to another demon wind suddenly slamming into the ground towards the East of the village, this one even closr to our position. My father looked towards Elijah.

"Listen to me! Gather members of the guard and escort who you can right now! We have to send off the boats!"

"S-Sir! There are still many civilians that haven't made it to the boats!"

"I know that! but we can't have the boats dwindle here and risk everyone getting killed! Send off everyone you can in the boats!"

"And what am I to tell those waiting to board Sir!"

"Tell them to make haste towards the roads! I sent Sir Giles and his men moments ago. Horses and wagons will be waiting but time is short and will leave momentarilly!"

"Aye sir! For the King!"

"For the King!" The two saluted eachother, and my father picked me up once again and ran to the direction of the main roads.

"Son! I want you to listen to me very closely! You remember Sir Gale, right?!"

"Y-Yes."

"We are going to meet with him by the roads! I want you to stay by his side no matter what!"

"N-No! I don't want to!"

"This isn't about what you want! This is about what needs to be done. I trust Giles with my life, you know this! He will keep you safe and I promise ou that I will be ok! I'm going to find your mother and sister! Promise me, promise me you will stay by Giles and do as he commands, no matter what!"

Though fearful in thought, I saw the truth in my father's word's. I wiped away my tears, and nodded.

By the time we reached the exiting roads, half of the town farthest away had either been burned to a crisp or torn to pieces. Many wagons were lined up, each one containing loads of people. In the front talking to another soldier, I noticed the man I knew to be Giles. Giles was my father's friend and brother in arms since he first enlisted. I've seen him few times before on my walks throughout town.

As my father approached him he looked our way and began to approach us.

"Eld! Thank goodness. you're alright."

"Indeed. It is good to see you to."

"Wait. Where is Amora? And Elise?"

My father put me on the ground, and firmly grasped Giles by his shoulderplate.

"Giles? Please... please tell me they're on one of these wagons."

Giles serious expression changed to that which showed sorrow.

"I'm sorry Eld. I'm afraid I have not."

"Shit. Shit." My father let go of Giles, briefly looking at his dirtied boots, then looked back at Giles.

"Giles I need a favor."

"Yes?"

"I need to take my leave and search for them. Do you think you could take charge of him?"

"I can get him on the front wagons, but I'm afraid I've also duties to attend to."

My father gave a hard sigh, looking back at me and back to Giles, giving a hard but understanding nod.

"Alright. That will do. Thank yo-"

The sound of my father's voice was cut of by a loud blast of wind slamming into the ground, sending debris from houses and buildings into the air. That made for 5 demond winds, but this one was close by and charging towards our direction.

"Shit! Giles! Take him and go!"

With those words, Giles picked me up and ran towards the front wagons. As I looked over his shoulder, I saw my father run back towards the village, and disappear behind a hill. From there I only grew with worry.

"G-Giles..."

When we reached towards the front wagons, Giles set me down on one of the benches.

"Listen. Everything is going to be alright. You know how strong your father is. Take heart, for I must regroup with my men."

I began to tear up and stutter.

"Listen! I have to help! I have to help the others! You stay in this wagon no matter what! Not until you reach the next town. Your father and I will meet you there, by a tavern named Old Man's Inn! Understand?!"

I nodded in response, for I could not gather the courage to speak without bursting into even more tears.

"Alright." With that, he moved away from the rear of the wagon and shouted towards the man steering the horses to take his leave.

I gave one last look towards the town I once called home, before watching it fall into an oblivion of flames.