《The thorne of sotaria》


 The boy who seeks

    Chapter 1: The Boy Who Seeks Answers


    The village of Lunadell was a place untouched by the horrors of the outside world. No one here bore the cursed power of zeth. The lands were fertile, the air was crisp, and the people lived in peace isolated from the madness that had swallowed the world since the gods vanished.


    Yet, for Clive Rosefield, this peace felt like a cage.


    Sitting atop a wooden wall, he gazed at the endless horizon beyond the village. Rolling hills, golden fields, and the distant shadow of mountains in the far distance.


    He wanted to leave.


    A voice interrupted his thoughts.


    "Clive! Breakfast¡¯s is ready!"


    He turned to see his younger sister, Iris, waving at him with an impatient look on her face. She had her usual stubborn expression, her short green hair messy from playing outside.


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    Clive sighed, hopping down from the wall. "Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m coming."


    The Rosefield home was lively as always. His four siblings chattered over bowls of stew, his mother, Mirella, was scolding his older brothers for stealing extra bread, and his father, Gerald, sat at the head of the table, silent as he stirred his meal.


    But Clive knew his father had noticed his absence earlier.


    As soon as he sat down, Gerald¡¯s deep voice filled the room. "You were at the walls again."


    Clive paused. "So what if I was?"


    The room fell silent. His siblings knew better than to get involved when their father spoke like this.


    Gerald set down his spoon and looked at his son. "You need to stop this foolishness, Clive. You¡¯re fourteen. It¡¯s time to start thinking about your future here, in Lunadell."


    Clive clenched his fists. "My future isn¡¯t here."


    His father¡¯s brows furrowed. "You think the outside world is a place for a boy like you? The moment you step beyond this village, you¡¯ll see the truth. The lands are dying. Magic has turned men and women into monsters. Kingdoms are at war. There¡¯s nothing for you out there but death."


    Clive looked down, then slowly raised his head. "Then I want to see it for myself."


    A heavy silence filled the room.


    His mother¡¯s voice was soft, almost pleading. "Clive, honey¡­ Why? Why do you want to leave so badly?"


    He took a breath before answering. "Because I want to find out why the gods disappeared. Why magic turned into a curse. Why the world is falling apart. Someone has to find the truth."


    Gerald slammed his fist on the table. "And why does that ¡®someone¡¯ have to be you?! You have a home, a family! A safe life! Do you think those who went searching for answers before you ever came back?!"


    Clive didn¡¯t flinch. His father¡¯s anger was expected. But it didn¡¯t change how he felt.


    "I know it¡¯s dangerous," Clive said, voice firm. "But if no one tries to understand what happened to the gods, how can we ever hope to fix what¡¯s broken?"


    Gerald shook his head. "The world is beyond saving, boy. The gods abandoned us. That¡¯s all there is to it. You need to forget these foolish dreams before they get you killed."


    Clive bit his lip. He knew his father wouldn¡¯t understand. None of them would.

 A friends visit

    The tense silence in the Rosefield home was broken by the sudden sound of hurried footsteps. A moment later, a guard burst into the dining room, his expression grim and urgent.


    "Chief Gerald!" the guard panted. "Chief Aron is here to see you!"


    Gerald¡¯s expression shifted from frustration to surprise. He exchanged a glance with his wife before pushing back his chair.


    "Aron?" he muttered. "What¡¯s he doing here all of a sudden?"


    Clive watched as his father stood up, his usual stern demeanor returning. He had heard the name before Chief Aron of Ravenshire, a long-time friend of his father¡¯s. But something about this visit felt strange.


    "Let him in," Gerald said to the guard.


    Minutes later, the doors to the house opened, and in stepped a tall, broad-shouldered man with a red beard. His sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on Gerald, and his lips curled into a grin.


    "Gerald, you old wolf!" Aron laughed, striding forward with open arms.


    Gerald let out a rare chuckle. "Aron, you bastard. You should¡¯ve sent word ahead."


    "And ruin the surprise?" Aron smirked. "Not a chance."


    They clasped hands firmly before pulling each other into a brief hug. The air between them was easy, but Clive noticed the men who accompanied Aron five soldiers, each armed and standing in disciplined formation near the entrance.


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    "Come," Gerald gestured. "We¡¯ll talk in my meeting room."


    Aron nodded, and as they walked past Clive, the older chief gave him a glance, eyes lingering for a second before moving on.


    Inside the meeting room, Gerald poured Aron a drink and sat across from him.


    "So," Gerald began. "What brings you to Lunadell?"


    Aron took a sip before grinning. "Can¡¯t an old friend visit without a reason?"


    Gerald narrowed his eyes. "Not you. You always have a reason."


    Aron let out a hearty laugh. "Alright, alright. You got me." He reached into his satchel and pulled out a small, ornate box. "I got you a gift."


    "A gift?" Gerald raised an eyebrow.


    Aron opened the box, revealing a beautiful relic with golden and blue stripes. The craftsmanship was exquisite, glowing faintly under the candlelight.


    Gerald frowned. "Where did you get this?"


    "A runesmith," Aron said proudly. "Paid a fortune for it."


    Gerald hesitated before carefully picking it up. "You know magic relics are forbidden in these lands."


    Aron waved a hand dismissively. "It¡¯s just a good luck item, old friend. Nothing dangerous."


    Gerald studied the relic for a moment before sighing. "You and your nonsense¡­" He placed it back in the box. "But I appreciate the gift."


    They talked for a while, reminiscing about their youth, laughing about old stories, and drinking like they had in the past. But when it was time to part, Aron¡¯s expression turned serious.


    "Before I go, there¡¯s something you should know," he said quietly. "There have been strange attacks lately. Whole villages wiped out. No survivors."


    Gerald¡¯s face hardened. "Who¡¯s responsible?"


    "No one knows," Aron admitted. "But it¡¯s not bandits or raiders. The way these villages were destroyed¡­ it¡¯s unnatural."


    Gerald clenched his jaw. "Are you sure about this?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t have come all this way if I wasn¡¯t," Aron said. "Keep your guard up, Gerald. Something¡¯s coming."


    Gerald watched as Aron and his men left through the village gates, his mind heavy with concern.

 The first step

    Later that evening, Clive helped his mother with chores before heading into the village with his best friend, Eric. The streets of Lunadell were quiet, bathed in the warm glow of lanterns.


    Eric, a tall boy with brown hair and sharp eyes, smirked as he glanced at Clive. "You look pissed. What happened this time?"


    Clive sighed. "Argued with my father again."


    Eric chuckled. "Let me guess he told you to stop dreaming about the outside world?"


    "Something like that," Clive muttered.


    They walked in silence for a while before stopping in front of an old, worn-down shop at the edge of the village. Eric gave him a confused look.


    "Why are we here?"


    "You¡¯ll see," Clive said.


    Inside, an elderly man sat behind the counter, polishing a glass orb. He looked up as they entered, nodding in recognition.


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    "You finally came for it, then?" the old man asked.


    Clive stepped forward and placed a small pouch on the counter. "Thirty silver coins, as agreed."


    The old man counted the coins before pulling out a rolled-up parchment and placing it in Clive¡¯s hands.


    Eric peered over his shoulder. "A map?"


    Clive nodded, carefully unrolling it to reveal a detailed layout of the surrounding lands kingdoms, roads, mountains, and borders.


    Eric¡¯s smirk faded. "Clive¡­ what are you planning?"


    Clive didn¡¯t answer immediately. He stared at the map, his fingers tracing the unknown lands beyond Lunadell.


    "I¡¯m going to leave the village," he said.


    Eric sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You¡¯re really serious about this, huh?"


    Clive looked at him. "Yeah."


    Eric shook his head but smiled faintly. "Then I guess I better make sure you don¡¯t get yourself killed."


    Clive chuckled. "I¡¯d expect nothing less."


    Meanwhile, back at the Rosefield home, Gerald sat with his advisor, William, a sharp-eyed man who had served as his right hand for years.


    "Something¡¯s not right," Gerald said, rubbing his chin. "Aron isn¡¯t the type to visit without a reason. And that relic he gave me it¡¯s probably enchanted."


    William nodded. "That, and his warning about the village attacks. It¡¯s too much of a coincidence."


    Gerald exhaled. "We need to be ready. If Aron is right, then something dangerous is heading on our way."


    "And what about Clive?" William asked. "He won¡¯t stay here forever, soon enough he''ll grow up to be a man and eventually leave.


    Gerald¡¯s expression darkened. "I know."


    He stared at the flickering candlelight, not knowing that the peace of Lunadell wouldn¡¯t last much long.