Legacy: A Hero Has Come

Book 1: Chapter 3

A cold air breezed through the valley, caressing against Roland and Josephine's nude bodies as they coddled against each other. They remained asleep, but Roland gradually awoke and shivered. His hands rubbed against his eyes as he looked around, remembering the lake and debauchery he and his friend performed.

It's so dark. What time is it?

Revelation crossed his face as he glowered at the sky. The sun had disappeared, and the shattered moon took its place, drifting above the earth while a myriad of stars kept company. Roland climbed up on one of the boulders and looked over at the horizon, his gaze beaming at the amber glow arising from afar, and then slumped when he got down.

He was supposed to be at the party before dark, standing on stage as he and his father gave a speech, commemorating his abandonment of childhood and taking up the rains of manhood. Unfortunately, he blew it as he mentally beat himself up.

I was taking a short name, and then I completely fell asleep. Father is going to be so furious with me once we get back home. He saw Josephine still had her eyes closed, peacefully, as she snoozed. A droplet of sweat formed on her temple. And I think Solomon is going to kill me for making his daughter a woman.

Roland shook Josephine awake. Her eyes quickly fluttered up, and she sat up. She stretched her arms and groaned as she groggily turned to her lover.

"What's the matter?" She asked. Josephine watched Roland gather their clothes, erratically tossing hers back as he donned on his own.

"Get your clothes on. We have to get moving." Roland panicked. "We overslept, and the party had already started."

Josephine sprang up and put everything on, her overalls becoming difficult but managed to strap the buttons in time. She shifted her glower at Roland, a cross-shaped vein forming on her temple, and the two sprinted to the woods.

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Josephine grumbled while keeping up with Roland's speed.

"I told you taking a nap in the valley was the stupidest idea!" Her voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the forest. "For God's sake, we are going to be in so much trouble when we get back!"

Roland and Josephine ran through the forest with lightning speed. They tried to focus their way out, retracing their steps while following the glow in the distance, but the night sky and the darkness it cast still made it harder to navigate as they watched their footing, though almost tripped on a couple of protruding roots.

He glanced over his shoulder and scowled. "First of all, you didn't tell me it was stupid. Secondly, shouting is not going to do anything for us, and need to focus on finding our way out," Roland remarked. The sheath of his sword swinging around his arm. "As long as we follow the light, then we'll be home free and get...to..."

Roland's pace slowed down, his loafers dragging against the soil. Catching up to him, Josephine was about to ask why he stopped when she heard a loud shout, followed by several more. They were out of the woods, but Amber Hills was in flames, watching some of the villagers drawing water from the nearby wells and streams, and working together to put out the fire almost to no avail. The rest, however, tended to the injured as they also took care of the dead.

"What the hell happened?" Tears trailed down Roland's face.

Roland stumbled forward, his legs shaking and body growing numb. The village stood for a hundred years, and it was coming down in a matter of seconds. The only home he knew was no more. He couldn't think clearly, nor understand what was going on. He wanted to scream, but his mouth wouldn't let him as his heart felt like it was about to break. Josephine snatched his hand and snapped Roland out of his daze as he saw her face contorted in dread.