Crystal Guardian

2

A tiny speckle of light blinked in the distance, no bigger than a star. Aldric pressed his nose against the misty window and stared out across the fields. The light pulsated as if being forced from the shadows from which it had been hiding.

A tremor ran through the house. The pane in the window rattled violently and Aldric fell to the floorboards clasping his ears. Something was falling from the sky, bringing the thunder down with it. Blinding light gushed through the window, spreading and devouring all in sight. When it became too much, Aldric rolled over, shuffled into a corner and held his legs up to his chest.

Flames scorched through his window, singed his tatty curtains before being sucked back out into night. He didn't witness the fear his father had etched on his face as he realised exactly what rested in his beloved field. He also did not see the starved, bloodthirsty beasts slink from the wreckage unscathed. Neither did his father.

Aldric kept as still as possible. A long silence followed, broken by a collaboration of voices. Young and old, men and women. Overcome by curiosity, he uncurled and tiptoed around the shards of glass. Words were lost to him as he gazed upon the wreckage steaming in a crater. Aldric stole down the rickety staircase two steps at a time, stopping at the front door.

***

The crops were dead. Chesley cared for nothing else. He would hunt down the fool responsible for destroying his livelihood.

A tall man dressed in black approached. Chesley raised his sword but the familiar face put him at ease.

'Take your son and leave,' said Graison, lowering his own weapon. 'Let the authorities handle this.' Chesley raised his head, eyebrows narrowed, but Graison looked away. 'I didn't mean to offend you but it's not your place anymore. Your son needs you. After all, you left us for him.'

'What's going on?'

'Jagophites.'

Chesley's eyes glossed over.

'I'd do anything,' he said. 'Anything to stop this from happening all over again.'

'I know,' Graison sighed, 'but your son...'

Chesley turned to look at him lingering on the doorstep.

'I'll get him to safety,' he said. The image of his son alone and vulnerable pushed him into panic. He hurried back to the humble yet dilapidated house they called a home and shoved the boy back into the house.

'What is it?' said Aldric. 'What's out there?'

Dismissing his son's enthusiasm, he grabbed a shabby brown shoulder bag off a peg, rushed into the pantry and opened a trunk. He shoved a load of fruit and vegetables into the bag, muttering under his breath they were precautionary, before throwing it aside.

'Are you going somewhere?' said Aldric.

Chesley stopped. After a short hesitation, he gathered everything up and thrust them into his son's arms, along with an old sword.

'No,' he said, 'you are.'

'Why? What was that? Why aren't you telling me?'

Chesley raised a finger to his lips and without moving his gaze from the door, whispered, 'you can get out the back. Go to December's Place. You'll be safe there.'

'Can't I go to the village? K would let me stay with her.'

'Do as you're told. The village won't be safe for long. You're not to go back for anybody, you understand?'

'But K's my friend and if she's in danger-'

'We're all in danger,' said Chesley. 'You have to listen to me.'