《The Boy with Dragon Eyes》 The Orphan Boy ¡°It¡¯s the witch boy,¡± a tall child yelled. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± asked a small boy. ¡°He¡¯s the one who is always by himself. His mom was a witch from the East.¡± ¡°Him?¡± The small boy pointed at the witch boy. ¡°Is he evil?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, stupid.¡± The tall boy smacked the small one. ¡°His mom was evil, so that makes him evil, too.¡± The tall kid crouched down, grabbing a rock. He rose to his feet and leaned to the other boy, ¡°Hey, dare you throw this rock at him.¡± ¡°But my mom says not to throw stuff at people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. My mom says he¡¯s not a person. Plus, the adults do it all the time.¡± The boy pulled his arm back before flinging the rock at the witch boy, and warm, sticky blood gushed from behind the boy¡¯s black hair. He pressed his hand to the wound, and a fiery heat burned in his stomach. The wound stopped bleeding just as quickly as it started. ¡°See, his wound is healing too fast, and his eyes turned red. That makes him a witch. Let¡¯s get him before he uses his magic on us.¡± The kids tossed rocks as the witch boy fled. The young witch boy ran towards the blacksmith, and the smith chased the children away. A cold breeze ran up the witch boy¡¯s spine, carrying a sweet smell from the flower fields. The vibrant flowers swayed with the breeze. The witch boy longed for the days he lived with his mother, away from the villagers. The flowers faded from his view as the boy trudged down the streets until he came to a dank, dark alley.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The witch boy observed his reflection. His small hand was raised to his eyes, which were as black as could be. Power surged in him as he accidentally touched where the kids hit him with the rock. His eyes glowed bright red, and his pupils turned to slits. As daylight fell from the sky, the witch boy¡¯s reflection faded, revealing a family huddled around a fire through the window. The mom and dad wrapped their children in warm blankets, and they all cuddled while watching some moving pictures. The witch boy huddled in the warm trash across from the family, watching the images until sleep overtook him. ¡°Hey,¡± a gentle voice woke the boy. Who is it? ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± A girl with long brown hair and blue eyes knelt by the trash. ¡°That¡¯s a cool bruise you got there,¡± dried blood coated a tender bruise on the witch boy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Did your old man hit you or something?¡± A teen boy stepped into the moonlight. His pale skin reflected the light into the witch boy¡¯s eyes. His hair was white as snow, and his eyes were tinted red. The witch boy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The teen glanced up and down the alley as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. His eyebrows furrowed as he shifted from foot to foot. ¡°Y-you sure you want to be talking to me?¡± The witch boy questioned the two teenagers. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see why not,¡± the girl stood. She firmly placed her hands on her hips. Her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her head was shorter than the boy''s. As she smiled, her cheeks puffed out. ¡°Marcia,¡± the boy pulled her into the shadows. A drunkard walked past the alley, stumbling his way into his house. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°So,¡± Marcia ignored the pale boy, ¡°where is your mom?¡± The witch boy flinched, ¡°I don¡¯t have parents.¡± The pale boy¡¯s eyes softened, and his grimace turned into a frown. Marcia patted the witch boy on the head and smiled at him. ¡°Well then,¡± Marcia spoke, ¡°you¡¯re just like us.¡± Dusting herself off, Marcia turned to the pale boy. ¡°Hey Jonah, let¡¯s take him with us.¡± ¡°Okay, but only because¡ª¡° Jonah knelt in front of the witch boy. His smile stretched from one ear to the other. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a little brother.¡± Something to be Called By Jonah lifted the witch boy out of the trash and dusted him off. ¡°You¡¯ll love Master!¡± He dragged the witch boy out of the alley, past the dark buildings. ¡°Wait up, Jonah,¡± Marcia huffed. ¡°You¡¯re being rude. We don¡¯t know if the kid wants to come with us. We don¡¯t even know his name.¡± Jonah laughed nervously, ¡°Well, kid, what do you say? Want to come with us?¡± The boy shook his head up and down enthusiastically. ¡°Good, so what¡¯s your name, kid?¡± ¡°N-name?¡± ¡°Yeah, what do other people call you? Like how my name is Marcia, and he is Jonah.¡± Marcia looked at the young boy with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°I guess my name¡¯s¡­ witch boy.¡± Marcia frowned, ¡°That¡¯s not a name.¡± The witch boy bit his lower lip. Jonah began pacing back and forth while rubbing his chin. ¡°I got it,¡± his smile grew two times larger. We¡¯ll call you Gruff because it sounds like tuff!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Gruff¡¯s heart beat loudly as he looked up at the pale teenager. He then puffed out his chest and flexed his arms. The teenagers burst into laughter. Jonah wiped a tear from his eye. ¡°I like you. I think we¡¯ll get along just fine.¡± Jonah and Marcia held Gruff¡¯s hands as they led him through the dark, lonely streets. Gruff looked up at them, and his breath caught in his throat. He tightened his grip on their hands as tears filled his eyes. They held his hand just as his mother did all those years ago. The forest grew closer, and the trees covered the ground with a darkness that made Gruff halt. He looked back at the village and released his grip on the teenager''s hands. His heart pounded in his ears, and he gripped his chest. Air refused to fill his lungs as he backed away from Marcia and Jonah. The two teens walked up to the forest with no hesitation. The morning sun rose behind the small boy as he watched the teens get further away. He wanted to call out for them, but his voice was trapped inside his throat. Suddenly, Gruff¡¯s frozen legs thawed, and something warm pushed him forward. Looking back, Gruff saw the little hut he once lived in with his mother. It sat in the middle of a growth of flowers right outside the village. Jonah and Marcia looked back at the boy, holding their hands out. Gruff held tightly to them as they led him into the forest. Light flooded through the trees, and the forest invited Gruff in. A New Start At some point, Marcia began to sing. Her voice was strangely powerful as it traveled through the trees like a leaf in the wind. Then Jonah joined in. His voice was loud and striking, like a bird¡¯s wings beating. The trees swayed as though dancing, and the wildlife sang along in unison. Gruff grinned as he listened to the two teens. By day we sing, And night we fight Here within the forest. The song we sing A joyful tune Ladada dada da. When night Arise protect your life, Danger¡¯s in The forest. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Adventurer¡¯s past They come to life Returning to The forest. They guard The night To people¡¯s Fright, Stay safe, Beware the forest. ¡°Hey Gruffy, why don¡¯t you sing with us? Do you not know this song?¡± Gruff¡¯s cheeks burned as he shook his head ¡®no.¡¯ ¡°Well,¡± Jonah rested his elbow on Gruff¡¯s head. ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll have to teach it to you.¡± Gruff gripped his tattered shirt. His ears burned as the two teens looked at him, ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I can.¡± ¡°Man, Gruff, you¡¯re bright red!¡± Jonah said. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean,¡± Marcia whacked him. The teen boy¡¯s lips twisted into a devious smile. Flinging his pack from his shoulders, he started looking through it. ¡°Here it is,¡± Jonah declared as he held up a wooden block. The pale boy moved closer to Gruff, shoving the object in the younger boy¡¯s face. ¡°What am I supposed to do with that?¡± Gruff pushed the block away. ¡°It¡¯s a harmonica,¡± Jonah said. Gruff stared at the older boy, tilting his head to one side. Jonah sighed. He held the block up to his mouth and blew. A shrill chirping sound escaped the block. Gruff covered his ears as the sound grew louder, ¡°Stop it, it sounds bad.¡± Jonah¡¯s bleach-white face tinted red. He rubbed the back of his head, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not good at playing the harmonica. But you should try it.¡± Jonah shoved the object into Gruff¡¯s face once more. Gruff held it gently in his hands. He slowly raised it to his lips, giving Jonah a side eye as he blew. The gentle note awoke the forest, and the birds joined in. ¡°Do you want me to teach you a song?¡± Marcia asked. ¡°No fair, I was going to teach him.¡± Jonah crossed his arms over his chest. Gruff waved his arms wildly, ¡°No thanks. I want Marcia to teach me.¡± Marcia stuck her tongue out, ¡°I win!¡± ¡°This time,¡± Jonah blew raspberries back at her. The Dark Side of the Forest As the sun set, Marcia and Jonah began to walk slowly. Their footsteps faded until Gruff¡¯s were the only ones heard. Their eyes darted back and forth at every little sound. Jonah¡¯s hand rested on the small hunting knife at his waist. ¡°Jonah,¡± Marcia whispered, ¡°It is getting dark.¡± ¡°We should set up camp before it gets danger-¡± Jonah peeked at Gruff. Flashing a smile, he asked, ¡°Gruff, could you get us some firewood? Don¡¯t go too far, though.¡± Gruff ran off for the firewood, looking to be helpful. The trees shrouded the sky, and the smell of bark and berry bushes wafted through the air. Gruff plucked all the berries from the bush. They dyed his hands red and smelled sweet, making his stomach grumble. Raising them to his mouth, drool spilled past Gruff¡¯s chin. Snap! The berries plummeted from his hands into some mud. Gruff turned, coming eye to eye with a rabbit. The boy stomped his foot on the ground, causing the bunny to hop away. Gruff grabbed what looked clean from the ground and shoved them into his pockets.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Back at camp, Marcia and Jonah seemed to be busy. Jonah was building a firepit while Marcia ran string around trees. ¡°Okay,¡± Jonah said excitedly, ¡°all set.¡± The older boy made eye contact with Gruff. ¡°Oh good, I was getting worried about you. Marcia started thinking you ate some poisonous berries or something.¡± ¡°Poisonous?¡± Gruff¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Sorry, we forgot to warn you.¡± Marcia patted the boy on the head. She looked down at his hands. ¡°Oh no, did you eat some?¡± ¡°N-no, I dropped them.¡± ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Marcia took the firewood from Gruff. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make yourself comfortable?¡± Marcia dropped the firewood into a small pit, and right before Gruff¡¯s eyes, a fire ignited like magic. The sun set quickly, and before Gruff realized it, he was asleep. He and his mother danced in the meadow. He stood on top of her feet as she swayed back and forth. Her short hair blew in her face, but she just laughed each time it got up her nose or into her mouth. Green grass and vibrant flowers swayed around the field, dancing with the boy and his mother. They spun around, and before Gruff knew it, his mother was gone. ¡°Gruffy,¡± a voice called out. ¡°Wake up.¡± Marcia knelt in front of Gruff. He rose from the ground and rubbed his eyes. Marcia pushed his hair away from his face. She looked worn out and was covered in dirt. ¡°Man, Gruff, you slept well.¡± Jonah smiled. His clothes were tattered, and he had a knife in his hand. ¡°We should get going. Master always says,¡± Marcia turned to face Jonah, ¡°It¡¯s best to start a journey early.¡± Family Gruff wrapped his arms around his stomach as he followed the two teens. With each step, his legs shook like Jello, and he gradually fell behind Jonah and Marcia. ¡°Hey Gruff,¡± Marcia said, ¡°are you okay? You¡¯re falling behind.¡± Gruff peered up at the two. With a shaky breath, he opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Jonah walked back to him and placed his hand on Gruff¡¯s head, ruffling his hair. Gruff nearly fell over when, suddenly, his stomach growled loudly. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Marcia asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Jonah said with a ridiculous smile. ¡°You¡¯re in luck because Master makes the absolute best food. It tastes like heaven!¡± Drool spilled from the corners of Jonah¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Jonah. Food can¡¯t taste like heaven.¡± ¡°No, it does taste like heaven.¡± Jonah picked Gruff up, placing the boy on his shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We are almost there. I can smell the bread and meat cooking.¡± Gruff¡¯s stomach roared. Smoke rose from what seemed to be a giant boulder. However, the boulder seemed to be open. The smell of food wafted through the forest, and a dog-sized ant scuttled to the scent, only to be barred entrance by a door closing on it.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Hey Gruffy, are you okay?¡± Marcia asked, and a loud gurgle escaped Gruff¡¯s stomach. The giant ant scurried away as Marcia approached the boulder. She pushed on the side, and it opened. ¡°We are home,¡± Jonah ducked through the doorway. ¡°Welcome home.¡± A woman turned to face the group. Her voice was gentle, and she moved gracefully around the kitchen. The woman¡¯s eyes skipped from Jonah to Marcia to Gruff. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°This is Gruff,¡± Jonah said, reaching up to the boy to gently place him on the ground. ¡°I named him!¡± Gruff¡¯s throat tightened, and his chest heaved. He wiped his face as he admired the table filled with food. A gurgling roar escaped his stomach. ¡°Well, someone is hungry.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°I can give him my share,¡± Jonah pointed at his chest. ¡°That¡¯s very generous, Jonah. I think it would be best if we all shared some of our food. I made plenty today, after all.¡± Gruff stood in front of the table, twiddling his thumbs. ¡°Gruffy, what are you waiting for? Come sit down.¡± Marcia pulled out a chair. Jonah picked him up and sat him down. ¡°Let me get you a plate,¡± the woman walked off and returned with a plate. Then she began to pile food onto Gruff¡¯s plate. She was tall and muscular. Her long brown hair tied up with a string. The scar on her face was intimidating, but her smile was warm. ¡°Let me introduce myself before we begin eating.¡± The woman said, ¡°Hello Gruff, I¡¯m Nancy. But these two call me Master.¡± ¡°Do I get to stay here?¡± Gruff shifted in his chair. ¡°As long as you wish to, you can stay here.¡± ¡°I would like that.¡± ¡°You three must be hungry. How about we start eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Jonah looked at Gruff. ¡°Eat all you want, Gruff.¡± Gruff shoveled food into his mouth. Barely taking time to breathe between each bite. Tears rolled down his face, making the food taste extra salty. Birthday Week A blaring alarm jostled Gruff from his sleep. He fought off his blanket from on top of him. The alarm clock¡¯s buzzing filled the room, and Gruff sighed. The pungent smell of cricket stew wafted through the air, and his toes curled as Gruff¡¯s bare feet touched the tiled floor. Rushing across the room, he quickly reached the door, where a loud creak broke the continued buzzing of his alarm clock. Milk spewed out of Master¡¯s nose and mouth just as she noticed him enter the room. Jonah rolled back and forth on the couch; his roaring cackle added to the morning noise. ¡°What happened to your hair, Gruff?¡± Gruff rushed to a nearby mirror to find his pin-straight black hair became a multicolored afro. ¡°That''s real funny, Jonah. Change it back!¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Jonah stuck his tongue out, and Gruff charged at him. The older boy quickly pinned Gruff to the ground and sat on him. ¡°Make me pipsqueak!¡± ¡°Let me up, you turd!¡± Gruff pinched Jonah on his side. ¡°Oh, we are resorting to name-calling now, are we?¡± Jonah cackled. ¡°Jonah, act your age and let poor Gruffy up.¡± Maria pulled Jonah up by the ear. Gruff quickly found his way to his feet, ¡°Change it back, you jerk!¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Jonah rubbed his sore ear, ¡°Normal.¡± Gruff¡¯s hair fell to his forehead. ¡°You guys are no fun.¡± ¡°Why do you insist on torturing Gruffy like this every year?¡± Marcia firmly placed her hands on her hips. Gruff turned red, ¡°Marcia, I told you not to call me that!¡± Master once more began laughing, ¡°It looks like we don¡¯t need a Christmas tree this year. Gruff¡¯s face can light up the room.¡± ¡°Just like Rudolpho,¡± Jonah poked Gruff¡¯s face. ¡°Happy birthday week, little brother.¡± A sinister smile crept onto Jonah¡¯s face, and Gruff rolled his eyes. Cricket Stew? Gruff directed his attention to Master, ¡°So why cricket stew?¡± The stinky stew sat on the counter, along with a note. ¡°My sister-in-law sent us some stew with a message from Luis. I think she thought it would lighten our mood.¡± ¡°Did they send lousy news?¡± Marcia drained the stew down the sink. ¡°Marcia,¡± Jonah stopped her. He clicked his tongue, ¡°Now it¡¯s going to smell like Auntie¡¯s stew in here.¡± ¡°Shit, you¡¯re right!¡± Marcia turned on the faucet, running water down the sink. ¡°Well, we will only have to put up with it for a few days. They sent us a mission.¡± Master turned to Gruff, ¡°Sorry, kiddo. We will be leaving on your birthday.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s probably for the best. If we are preparing for a mission, Jonah will have less opportunity to prank me.¡± The room went silent as the four looked at each other. Jonah grinned from ear to ear, ¡°Who says I won¡¯t just prank you after the mission?¡± Gruff barred his teeth at the older boy, ¡°You¡¯re an adult; act like it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re an adult; act like it.¡± Jonah spun around the room with his arms up like a chicken. Marcia and Master shook as they laughed, ¡°Gruffy, you know he only acts like this with you because you react, right?¡± ¡°No! He acts like this because I¡¯m the only other guy in this house.¡± Gruff stormed out of the room, and the three burst into laughter. ¡°Ew!¡± Jonah exclaimed from the other room, ¡°I can still smell the cricket stew.¡± Mission Prep Gruff went out into the forest with Master to collect fruits and berries to can. ¡°Master, why did Marcia have to go to the village?¡± Gruff pouted. Master rubbed the top of the young boy''s head, ¡°There is no other blacksmith nearby. And even if there was, that smith is very good at his job. I¡¯m unsure if I would trust anyone else with my sword.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you guys go to the village. It¡¯s better if we go to the Shaman¡¯s village.¡± ¡°No way am I going over the mountain each time I need my sword sharpened. Plus, no offense to the Shaman blacksmith, but they aren¡¯t as good as soa PEl¡¯s smith.¡± A rustling caught the attention of Gruff and Master. ¡°What is it?¡± Gruff licked his lips. ¡°Looks like we are having rabbit stew instead of cricket stew tonight.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± Gruff raised his bow and aimed at the rustling. As the rabbit popped out of the bushes, he leased his bow, hitting the bunny right between the eyes. Master patted Gruff¡¯s head, ¡°You¡¯re as good with the bow as you¡¯ve always been. This is a big one!¡± The rabbit hung halfway down the woman¡¯s torso. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it back home, and I¡¯ll look for a few more berries.¡± Gruff hopped up and snatched the rabbit from Master, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this beat Jonah¡¯s biggest rabbit catch?¡± Master smiled softly, ¡°I believe you are right.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to rub it in his face.¡± Gruff rushed off with the giant rabbit in tow. ¡°That boy just can¡¯t wait to get back at Jonah.¡± Another rustle sounded in the woods. Master quickly ducked behind a large thicket. The lean man strolled through the woods. His eyes were glued to the mountain. As usual, he moved with an ethereal form, as if he wasn¡¯t real. Master moved slowly behind a tree, not once taking her eyes off him. The man raised a hand to blot out the sun as it set beyond the mountains. Master shifted. Crack! The man turned quickly to face the noise. Master''s breath caught in her throat. His blood-red eyes looked straight at her. ¡°I trust you won¡¯t get in my way this time.¡± The red-eyed man walked off, and Master fell to the ground. He looked exactly like he did the last time she saw him. Brother The house was silent as the four people filled jars with different fruits and berries. The team worked in tandem, and each one carried out their task and handed the jar off to the next person in line. A large cricket chirped loudly outside their window, and Master set down the last jar. ¡°We should head to bed.¡± Jonah yawned with his entire body, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me twice.¡± ¡°Jonah,¡± Master stopped the pale man as he began to walk away, ¡°Don¡¯t stay up all night planning pranks.¡± Jonah froze in place, ¡°I would never.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. We have a lot to do before this mission.¡± ¡°But Master! It¡¯s tradition.¡± Master raised an eyebrow atThe author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Jonah, and he heaved a huge sigh, ¡°Fine.¡± He grumbled while stomping off to his room. ¡°Hopefully, you will get a break this year.¡± Master ruffled Gruff¡¯s hair. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± ¡°Now go to sleep.¡± The bedroom was dark, and Gruff stared at the ceiling as he lay on his back. A soft rustling could be heard from the other side of the room. ¡°Gruff,¡± Jonah spoke, ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t be able to prank you this year.¡± Gruff turned to his side. He squinted across the room, ¡°Jonah, you know you don¡¯t have to distract me from my birthday anymore, right?¡± ¡°Well, it became a tradition for me, though. Also, sometimes I worry. Master and Marcia don¡¯t share a room with you. So, I feel they don¡¯t know how bad your nightmares were.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡± Gruff turned back onto his back. ¡°Okay, but I will still prank you at least once a year. It¡¯ll be a big one.¡± Gruff smiled to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± Days of Peace Jonah and Gruff sat in silence in their shared room. Jonah carefully tended to his prized sword while Gruff double-checked his travel pack. Master called out from the other room. Jonah placed his sword on the bed and headed to the living room, and Gruff followed closely behind. ¡°What¡¯s up, Master?¡± ¡°Are you packed yet?¡± Master looked up from her book. ¡°Of course I am.¡± Jonah scratched the back of his head. ¡°But just to be sure, I¡¯m gonna go ahead and check that I have everything.¡± Gruff and Master watched Jonah walk out of the room. They looked at each other before snorting, ¡°He didn¡¯t pack a thing, did he?¡± ¡°Of course not. He¡¯s been off doing who knows what.¡± ¡°I know what. He¡¯s been setting up a prank this entire time.¡± ¡°But he said he would only do one a year.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not counting the pranks he pulled before promising that. He said they weren¡¯t good enough.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Marcia?¡± Gruff pulled out a seat and sat down across from Master. ¡°She headed out to get more supplies.¡± Gruff looked over at a bag sitting in the corner of the room. From what he could tell, the thing was packed to the brim with provisions. ¡°Are you two packing for an army?¡± Master chuckled softly. Her attention waned between Gruff and her book, and her eyes were glazed over as she stared blankly at the book. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Master sighed. Her book thudded closed, without marking her spot, ¡°That man is back. The day we went berry picking-¡° Master shuddered. ¡°That man looked exactly like he did all those years ago.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there some creatures that are like that? Enchantresses and elves and the like?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡± Master clasped her hands together and leaned into them, ¡°Something about him feels dangerous. That red-eyed man. He reminds me of someone my master warned me of when I was small.¡± Gruff gulped, ¡°What did she warn you?¡± ¡°A disaster will hit when the man with blood-red eyes comes out of hiding.¡± ¡°B-but not for us, right? Disaster won¡¯t hit for us.¡± Gruff looked at Master. Master flinched, ¡°Oh! I don¡¯t think so. I-I¡¯m just worried about the village. There was a prophecy floating about back in the day. We should be fine. After all, he ignored us back then, so I¡¯m sure he will ignore us now. Now, do me a favor and check if Jonah is actually packing.¡± Gruff got out of his chair. He looked back at Master once more, and she smiled. The door creaked shut, and Master placed her face in her hands once more. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± Later that night, everyone gathered. ¡°Happy birthday, Gruffy.¡± Marcia ruffled the taller boy''s hair. A little chocolate cake decorated with seventeen candles and cut-up strawberries sat in the middle of the table. ¡°How did you fit so many candles on such a tiny cake?¡± Gruff asked. ¡°Honestly, I had a hard time, but once Jonah started sticking them on the sides, we somehow got them all to fit.¡± The little cake was lit solely by the flickering candles atop it. A warm feeling grew in Gruff¡¯s gut as he looked up at his family as they purposely botched the happy birthday song. ¡°Make a wish and blow out the candles.¡± Master said. Gruff closed his eyes tightly; I wish to be happy like this forever. Gruff blew, and the candles went dark one by one, leaving only three in the back still lit. ¡°You missed some,¡± Jonah teased, ¡°now you won¡¯t get your wish.¡± He quickly stole a strawberry and plopped it in his mouth. Gruff punched Jonah on the arm before leaning over to blow out the last three candles. ¡°Don¡¯t say such ominous things,¡± Marcia said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your wish will come true, Gruffy.¡± Marcia cut the cake into four pieces and handed each person one piece. ¡°Happy birthday,¡± Master plucked the strawberry from her cake and shoved the bite-sized piece into her mouth. Jonah did the same. Master then pushed her plate over to Gruff, who snatched the strawberry quickly. Jonah moved his hand away, pulling it behind his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to actually eat it, you know?¡± ¡°No one believes that for a second,¡± Master patted Jonah¡¯s back with a force that almost sent him flying. Happy Family ¡°Gruff! HAPPY SEVENTEENTH!¡± Gruff woke suddenly from the sound of Jonah yelling. He jumped out of bed with fists held high when the alarm went off again, ¡°Gruff! HAPPY SEVENTEENTH!¡± Gruff smacked the alarm clock, turning it off. It has been seven days since Jonah¡¯s promise, and so far, he has stayed true to his word not to play a prank. However, if Master¡¯s hypothesis is correct, he will likely pull off a big prank by the end of the day. ¡°Where is Jonah?¡± Gruff asked as calmly as he could. ¡°He is setting up an elaborate birthday contraption to prank you.¡± Master folded her arms behind her back as she walked to the kitchen whistling. Gruff followed, ¡°Did he tell you what the prank was?¡± ¡°No, he knew I would rat him out. He only told me he was preparing one. He must be pretty confident about it.¡± ¡°I guess he would be. He is the self-proclaimed prank master, after all.¡± Master and Gruff laughed at the title Jonah had given himself when he was fifteen. ¡°I will admit that his pranks have gotten better, but the stuff he pulls does not measure up to Marcia¡¯s pranks,¡± Master said. ¡°Where is Marcia?¡± Gruff sat at the kitchen table.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°She went to the village. I forgot to add something to the list yesterday, so she offered to go back. She should be home within the hour.¡± Gruff grimaced, ¡°Are we still taking this mission? Isn¡¯t that man still around?¡± ¡°I think he is, but we don¡¯t have much choice either way. We are the only battle-ready Guardians in the area, and our mission is for the village''s safety. It would be irresponsible of us to ignore this threat, especially since the villagers cannot defend themselves against monsters.¡± ¡°They can die for all I care.¡± Master raised her eyebrow, ¡°You know how I feel about you talking like that.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Marcia walked into the house. ¡°I got the supplies for the safehouse you asked for. Getting it at this hour was a hassle. That village is like a ghost town from dusk till dawn. It¡¯s like no one lives there at all.¡± ¡°They have lost a few people to the monsters in the forest.¡± Master stated, ¡°This is why this mission is so important.¡± Pop! Everyone rushed to the back door to find it blown open by a gross, gooey Jonah. The poor guy tried to scrape the goo from his arms and legs as Master, Marcia, and Gruff burst into laughter. ¡°Damn it! It wasn¡¯t supposed to go off yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time we get going.¡± Master cackled. ¡°Go get your stuff.¡± ¡°At least let me clean up first,¡± Jonah complained. ¡°You should have thought of that before planning such a messy prank.¡± ¡°But I wasn¡¯t the one who was supposed to get messy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you get for playing pranks on Gruffy.¡± Gruff, Marcia, and Master all laughed as they headed inside to grab their packs. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Fine, but clean up quickly. I don¡¯t want to camp in the mountains tonight.¡± Duty of the Guardians ¡°Gruff, do you know what a Guardian is?¡± Master asked. The small child looked up at the woman with sparkling eyes, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A Guardian is a person who protects other people. They use magic to keep monsters away from villages.¡± ¡°Cool!¡± ¡°Would you like to become a Guardian?¡± Gruff shook his head frantically. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Do you still want to do it?¡± Gruff woke to a violent shaking. He slowly opened his eyes, and Jonah¡¯s blurry face looked back at him. ¡°Hey dude,¡± Jonah said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn to keep watch. I need my beauty sleep.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get any uglier. So, just let me sleep for five more minutes.¡± Gruff¡¯s blanket was ripped from his arms. ¡°Give it back. It¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll only get colder if you don¡¯t get up. So, quit your whining.¡± Jonah laid on the ground, wrapping himself in Gruff¡¯s blanket. ¡°Jerk.¡± Jonah chuckled.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Are there any dried fruit? I need something to keep me awake.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have any. We are restocking the safe house with it. Now shut up so I can sleep.¡± Gruff stifled a laugh. The safehouse reminded him of one of Jonah¡¯s pranks. ¡°It was his idea,¡± Gruff pointed at Jonah. Master crossed her arms. ¡°It was initially my idea, but Gruff was the one who decided to use magic.¡± ¡°But you were the one who set off a chain of lightning through the safehouse.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t-¡° Whack! The two boys rubbed the back of their heads. ¡°It was both of you who almost destroyed the safe house. You¡¯re just lucky that there wasn¡¯t any serious damage.¡± Marcia cleaned the broken bottles of preservatives from the safe house as the two boys were being scolded. ¡°Now, stop making Marcia clean up after you!¡± They knelt, picking up broken glass, and Master led Marcia out of the safe house. Gruff watched the fire with a smile. The moment passed, and the light faded when the kindling went down. He rose, and a cold chill blew through the mountain, snuffing out the remaining kindling. Through the darkness, two blazing red eyes stared at Gruff. He froze as he watched the man emerge from behind a tree, observing Gruff. His red eyes glowed briefly when Master rose from her sleeping bag, and Gruff looked over at her. She turned and laid back down. Looking back at the forest, the man was nowhere in sight. Time drifted, and it was Marcia¡¯s turn to keep watch. Gruff woke her, and she rubbed her eyes and told him to sleep. Rolling to his side, he rocked himself back and forth. The red-eyed man flashed through his consciousness, and he forced himself not to think. Sleep came slowly. The Mission Master signaled the team. Her fist raised beside her head. She focused on a cave a few feet up the mountain. It sat on a ledge overhanging a fatal cliffside. All around the entrance, the snow was coated in red and brown, suggesting that the monsters were actively coming and going. Master, Marcia, and Jonah spoke, ¡°Shrouded in darkness.¡± The team blended into the shadows, disappearing. Gruff spoke the same spell and watched as his hands blended into the shadow of the cliff. Faintly, he could see Marcia as she passed through a bright area up ahead. Gruff entered the cave, his hand shot up to his nose and he pinched it shut firmly. Animal corpses were scattered across the cave floor, and rotting flesh and feces were smeared on the walls. Worried he might leave footprints in the muck, Gruff spoke, ¡°Cover in shadows, dark pathway.¡± Shadows rose from the corpses, forming a path just above the cave floor, and Gruff stepped onto it. He walked over the piles of corpses and into a new section of the cave. It was strangely warm inside despite the lack of light. Gruff shed his jacket as he ventured further into the cave. His hand gliding against the walls, and he squinted his eyes in the darkness. ¡°Darkness to light.¡± The letters wrapped around Gruff¡¯s eyes, slowly making the cave more visible. ¡°Ssss,¡± Gruff¡¯s pressed his back against the cave wall as a monster moved around the corner. Its head slinked from side to side with each step it took. His split tongue jutted out repetitively, and his snake-like head glanced around. The monster slithered through the tight space, and Gruff felt his heart pounding as its hand was inches from his face.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The snake-like creature groped the wall, and Gruff shifted to the side. The monster pressed against the wall when a stone caved in, and an enormous door appeared. The snake clumsily made his way to the enormous door, which opened slowly. Shifting sideways, Gruff forced his way past the monster, entering the surprisingly well-lit room. Magic drained from Gruff quickly. He shuffled to the side of the chamber underneath the shadow of a small table and took a deep breath as his magic stabilized. ¡°How were patrols?¡± A monster sitting on a throne asked. His stomach protruded outward as his last meal squirmed inside his belly. Gruff glanced around the room. The artifact they sought sat by the throne, mounted on a scepter. His eyes drawn to it. It glowed brightly, and somehow, it felt familiar. How did something so beautiful make these cold-blooded monsters feel the need to wreak havoc? The shimmering crystal orb filled his attention until the monster on the throne bumped the table, making something roll. Gruff¡¯s attention drew to the right of the crystal orb when he noticed another sitting on a table beside the throne. Gruff thought back to his mission. The note had mentioned an orb, but there was no mention of color in it. ¡°Boring as always.¡± The monster answered, ¡°I never have anything to do. The scouts kill all the humans before they make it here.¡± ¡°Humans are rather weak, but there is a chance that Guardians will show up.¡± The monster on the throne glanced at the two orbs. ¡°We must be cautious.¡± ¡°We need not worry about Guardians. I heard they left the Northern Nation long ago. When the Kings of the North ran them out.¡± ¡°Damn fool, do you think that the Kings have the power to run out all the Guardians? Do you know how stubborn those do-goofers can be?¡± The monster glanced at the orbs once more, ¡°Also, they aren¡¯t the only people we need to worry about.¡± ¡°Are you on it about that red orb again? I don¡¯t see why you keep it if it¡¯s so dangerous.¡± CLANK! The noise drew the attention of every monster as a rotating metal plate rolled around on the floor. The sound grew as the plate spun quickly. That¡¯s when Gruff noticed a familiar silhouette.