KINGDOM OF MAGIC

Rising tension... And fading memories? (2)

That same evening, Castro, Xero and Jolie went back into their rooms later that day, and said nothing until it was time to eat in the hall. Castro furrowed his brows as he realized they hadn't used their savings to buy any food, as the dining hall in the building next to the colosseum gave three square meals daily. Even the refreshments they had in the afternoon was gotten from there.

Surely Zora isn't funding this whole thing alone... Right? Castro thought.

Then, he put this irrelevant thought behind him as he walked towards Xero and Jolie, who were already sitting down waiting for him. He sat down as the three of them looked at each other, not saying a word.

"It was fun when we still lived there..." Jolie said, breaking the ice. Castro opened his mouth, unable to utter a word.

"It wasn't as fun as you think though, but it's worth remembering. "

The Langnon trio looked down at the table silently waiting for the meal about to be served.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Two years ago. In the destroyed Langnon village.

Tears streamed down from Castro's eyes as he looked at the charred figure in front of him. It was his mother, who had used her own magic to protect him while she was slowly roasted by the fire in their burning house. The paths that led them outside the house was blocked, leaving his mother no choice. He was on his knees, remembering the whole gory event that unfolded before his eyes. Soon, he wiped his tears and went around the house, hoping to see any survivors. At the back of the house, he saw a body with arrows fired at its back, with some of these arrows piercing through his chest from the back. The body was of medium build, wearing a green shirt folded up with grey trousers, it was a man. Opposite this body was his head, his face wearing a shocked expression. It was his father.

Castro just looked at the scene in front of him with a rather blank demeanor, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He then searched around the house, but he could not find the bodies, or heads, of his elder brother and sister.

Eventually Castro, snuffling, began trotting away from his house, headed in the direction to Xero's house. He had decided it was best to check how everyone was doing, as sulking in his house won't do him any good.

On the path, he saw many bodies. Dead bodies. Some didn't even have heads, some were halved laterally and longitudinally. Some were charred, some frozen solid, some coated in blood. Whatever, or whoever had done this left destruction and death in it's wake. He was asleep when the house fire had started, so he didn't have an inkling of what or who did this.

When he got there, there wasn't even a door to knock on, so he just let himself in.

"Xero, Auntie..." Castro called as he went into Xero's room. He opened the half destroyed door, but not before passing a body whose head was smashed in, blood all over the floor and clothes. It was Xero's father.

"Xero?" He looked as he saw Xero holding Jolie, who was still sobbing silently. Almost immediately, Xero slowly burst out in tears.

"Xero, w-what happ-ppened?" Castro stuttered, his eyes watery.

"Sheila's dead!" Xero cried out in full burst, holding Jolie tightly. Castro stared into space, his mouth and eyes wide open. Streams of tears went down his face, but his expression still remained that of shock. Soon after, he opened his mouth.

"Who did this to us?"

"Why were we targeted?"

"Why u-us?"

" W-w-why this vi-village?!"

He gritted his teeth as tears flowed from his eyes and he stared in silence. He wiped the tears as he had done last time and looked at Xero and Jolie, Sheila's younger sister.

"Anyway, it's not safe to stay here... Let's check out the village. " Castro said, sniffling.

"What if there's still danger outside?" Xero asked.

"It's better than staying here and letting the danger find us..." Castro said blankly.

"Hmmph." Xero shrugged his shoulders and, holding Jolie's hand, they went outside Xero's house. They went to the marketplace, where they buy food from, as not everyone in the village was a farmer. It was totally destroyed, with fire still burning in some stalls. It wasn't too surprising at this point, they watched their family die!

They went in deeper and saw villagers, most of whom they know, standing and sitting in a corner of the market. They decided to stay with them. Soon after, soldiers came to the village to scout for survivors, it wasn't long till they checked the marketplace too. Once the soldiers were sighted, the youth and adults among the villagers became apprehensive and stood battle ready. The soldiers calmed them down and said they were from Rein Kingdom, and were here to take them in as refugees. After not so much deliberation, the villagers decided to follow the soldiers to Rein Kingdom.

The soldiers led them to somewhere just outside the entrance of the village and, after counting the refugees who numbered not less than a hundred, told them they will settle there for the night. Being people devoid of any mental strength, they nodded in agreement. Groups began to form in the Langnon camp and they began to liven up and console each other. Later, food supplies the soldiers brought was used to make a tan, slightly less viscous, porridge like food for them. The refugees were called to take plates which they would use to collect the food. Castro, Xero and Jolie lined up to receive food and in a few minutes, it was Castro's turn. The soldier serving, on seeing Castro's disheartened face, leaned forward to him.

"It's Rein-style meat stew, I know you'll like it!" She gave a warm smile, which made Castro smile lightly. He collected his plate and stood at the side to wait for Xero and Jolie.

Groups of refugees sitting around a bonfire eat the strange food while reminiscing about the loved ones lost. Only a few people needed consolation, it seems they still had tears left to cry. Castro, Xero and Jolie ate their food while silently looking around, numb to the pain around them, until a soldier, specifically the same one that served Castro, came to the front of the refugees.

"It's best you get some rest. We leave for Rein Kingdom by sunrise. Carts that will carry you all will be delivered to us by then."

She left their midst, her eyes filled with sympathy and concern. Well, the rest of her showed nothing of the sort. She hoped this news would be a mood booster for the people. She approached two of her comrades and drank water out of a bottle.

"I really hope them getting a new chance at life would be good news for them..."

"Huh? Do you hear yourself Gwendlyn? These are people that just survived their village turning into a bloody battlefield! Let them be, they'll be fine soon enough. " The comrade smirked and patted her on the shoulder.

Gwendlyn looked in the direction of the refugees, her facial expression softening.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Dawn came and the slightly choking smell of ash wafted through the air, the fire that erupted throughout the village had died out slowly due to lack of oxygen. The refugee villagers woke up one by one due to a sound and looked in the direction of the source. It was Gwendlyn, who had been clapping and shouting, bidding them to wake up.

"The carts have arrived, please follow me!" She said, moving and waving her hands, directing them to the carts.

Carts pulled by strong horses blocked the way out of the village area. They numbered fourteen large carts for the refugees, and two for the soldiers, sixteen in total.

After the refugees were counted, and the area was checked for any more survivors, they set off on their journey to Rein Kingdom.

Tall and short trees, as well as shrubs and grasses of different shapes, sizes, colours and heights were the order on the roads that the carts plowed. Many of the child and teenage survivors were astonished by the vast and bright vegetation, as opposed to the youth and adults, whose sadness and anger could not be quelled by meer vegetation. The two carts that was meant for the soldiers were at the front of and behind the carts containing the refugees.

Castro, Xero and Jolie enjoyed the scenery for a while, but they slept off moments after.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Two hours after high noon...

The horses stopped at a cluster of buildings. A tunnel of sorts was ahead of the horse path, about twenty yards away from their destination.

"Where are we?"

"Where is this place?"

"What is that tunnel looking thing in the distance?"

These were the questions in the minds of the children that came out of the cart. Some of the youth knew this place, but the adults alighted the cart without batting an eye to their surroundings. This was because they already knew where they were.

"That over there is the gate leading tho the inner circle of Rein kingdom, we are in the outer circle. That's what you're thinking about, right?" Gwendlyn said from behind looking at Castro, Xero and Jolie, who jumped in fright. She waved her hands, apologizing for startling them.

"And that place is your new town." She said, pointing at the cluster of buildings they stopped opposite.