Chapter 2: The Night of Awakening

Far away in a distant world in the dead of night, a guard of the Kingdom of Ronayah rushed through the downpour of Endlost Forest as he rode on horseback.

While looking frantically from side to side through the dense foliage, he noticed a faint red glow to his right, hidden behind a thicket and the drooping branches of a towering tree.

As he began to come to a halt, the sound of the soaked leaves squelching under the horse’s hooves could be heard

The two other guards accompanying him began to slow down behind Alten, the head guard.

He turned to look, trying to see through the dense foliage to confirm he wasn't mistaken in what he suspected he saw.

The guards were out here on this cold, wet night searching for a pair of twin infants who had been kidnapped from one of Alten’s lifelong friends, Solan, the patriarch of a relatively high-ranking noble family in the area, the Kazantrias.

It was supposed that the perpetrator was the infamous Crone of souls, Veldra Deadwood. Why would she do something like this to a family with powerful connections? Who knows?

But either way, it was Alten’s duty as the head patrol guard of these lands to carry out justice and aid the people of the region.

Local folklore says that she was some sort of witch who had lived in the depths of the forest for the past 500 years.

Typically, she didn't interact with outsiders and wasn't seen by them whenever people passed through.

In fact, no one knew exactly where she lived, and since she is known to be hostile and dangerous, there was no reason to take the risk of looking.

Very few people travel through this part of the country anyway since there is only farmland, forest, military stations, and noble estates, such as the Kazantria household, which lies at the end of the forest near the border of Ronayah and the Kaisha empire.

Alten dismounted from the horse and stepped closer to the shrubs at the side of the path. He turned to wave over his men so they could join him.

Alten drew his sword from the sheath at his side and slashed at the thicket, and they stepped through one behind the other.

This area of the woods would have been pitch-dark if it weren't for the red glow of light in the distance, as they kept walking slowly through,

What appeared to be a cottage had come into view.

Inside the hut at the center of the room, on top of a circular table, lay awake the week-old twins, wide-eyed and wrapped in white blankets.

In the corner of the room, the old Crone, draped in a dark cloak, took a glass jar from the shelf and glanced into it. Inside was a sparkly black powder made from crushed magic crystals.

She spread the dust all over the table and around the babies, forming a magic circle.

In her raspy croaky voice, Veldra cackled:

“ha ha ha! Now that I have these children in my hands, I can finally commence the soul sacrifice spell to rejuvenate myself and regain my strength and youthfulness.

Finally, after months, I'll be able to reboost my magic potential and manage to continue keeping my whereabouts concealed before any infuriating wretches stumble across this place.”

The old Crone needed a fresh, pure soul to initiate an ancient, forgotten ritual using the age-old magic techniques so that she could extend her own lifespan in exchange for these innocent lives.

Almost no one in this world can use this power these days since the majority of the knowledge has been lost to time, or people can't use it now either due to a lack of magic potential or understanding.

Veldra lifted the cloak covering her head and slammed her hands face down on the table. Then started chanting the spell's incantation. The circle began to glow red, swirling all around until the entire thing was lit up. As this happened, the babies let out a cry.

“I command thy power of our ancient fallen God Memphis, take these untainted souls as an offering and renew me with the blessing of new life Soul relinquish!”

As she exclaimed, she raised her arms and took a knife from beside her and, without hesitation, sliced at her hand, dripping blood on the table.

A white cylinder of light proceeded to rise from within the magic circle engulfing the infants and raising them about 30cm into the air above the table.

“Yes, yes! I feel it, my skin unwrinkling, the strength returning to my limbs.” - She gasped a sigh of relief as she felt her face rejuvenated.

At the same time, just as the spell had completed, the children dropped back down to the table, eyes closed, and not making a sound.

Outside, the guards would see a beam of white light coming from the center of the hut, as they rushed ahead, Alten readied his blade and kicked the door open with the base of his right foot.

Startled, the witch turned to see the head guard aiming his sword at her with speed. “Blade burn!” Alten yelled as his sword turned a fiery combination of orange and red. Flames grew at the sides, and the blade pierced right through the middle of Veldra’s chest. “Now die miscreant.“ He said with a disgusted expression.

Blood sputtered from her mouth while falling to her knees. She scowled, ”Too late, soldier.” She smirked. “The sunborn family will never forgive you.”

He pulled the blood-coated blade from her body, giving it a swift flick to shake off the crimson droplets before sliding it back into its sheath.

He turned to join the other guards, boots creaking against the wooden floorboards as he stepped toward the table.

“They’re unconscious, sir… but their blood still flows.”

Alten gave a short nod, relief briefly flashing across his face; the search was over.

By the time they stepped outside, the rain had stopped. The forest stood in a dead silence, broken only by the occasional drip of water from the branches above.

The three guards mounted their horses, which had been waiting nearby. The men bundled the infants carefully in soft blankets and held them with the utmost care.

They rode slowly towards the manor, careful not to jolt or harm the twins, the sound of hooves muffled against the softened earth of Endlost Forest. The air was cool and heavy with the scent of wet leaves, and in the distance, the dark outline of the Kazantria manor began to take shape.

Just as they reached the forest’s edge, the horizon began to glow, and the first rays of the morning sunshine rose over the land in warm gold. The timing made it as if the sun itself had welcomed the twins home.