AYARU

Third-Person POV: “What do we do Aloysius? They will keep coming, we can’t fight them all off” the woman pants. A man and a woman stand near a fountain, the woman holds a sleeping baby in her arms. “I will do all I can to protect you and our baby” the man named Aloysius responds. The moonlight shines bright, really bright, and the reflection of the moonlight brightens the land, as though the sun was out at night. The woman sensing danger nearby casts a spell on the three of them, making them invisible to the eye. Armed bandits pass beside them, but they can't spot the hidden figures beside them. The armed bandits leave and the woman quickly teleports them out of that place. “What do we do now Aloysius” she asks her mate. “This is planned, they are all over the place” Aloysius replies “Let’s leave this place first” He walks, guiding his mate and child as they walk through the forest. They continue walking, then the baby starts crying “waah! waah!! waah!!!” The crying gets louder as the mother tries to calm the baby down. The crying doesn’t stop, it gets louder, drawing the attention of the enemies. It doesn’t take long, they are found and surrounded. “Adira and Aloysius” a sinister voice calls out causing Adira to activate a shield around her, her mate, and her child. “Let me have the child, and we can all leave here peacefully, no harm caused” Aloysius growls at the man who dared to ask for his child. “Never! None of you will lay your filthy hands on my daughter” He snarls Adira and Aloysius stare at each other communicating telepathically and nod simultaneously. The woman opens the shield and the man attacks those nearest to him and creates a path for the woman to flee. Adira runs, without looking back, silent tears fall as she leaves her mate behind to face the enemy. She doesn’t get too far. She is struck by an arrow, which is laced with some kind of toxin that weakens her, and she teleports. Meanwhile, the man faces the enemy, his fighting skills grant him an advantage over his enemies. He flawlessly kills and injures his opponents, ensuring none follow the path his mate passed. All of his opponents were killed, except one, the leader. Aloysius questions the man, but his efforts are in vain as the man commits suicide, not willing to reveal any truth. He searches the body of the man and finds an emblem, a very familiar emblem. He remembers his mate and rushes in the same direction she ran. “Please be safe, please” he prays silently. The woman clutching her wounded side, holds her baby and tries to lull the restless baby to sleep. “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky…ugh” she grunts in pain as she sings. “Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are” she continues and the baby is finally asleep. The baby sleeps comfortably in her arms. The woman cries silently, using her bloodied hands to adjust the wrapping cloth. She finds a pack border and stealthily enters to avoid being caught by pack warriors. She finds a tree that has a gap in the roots and carefully lays the baby there. She stares at the baby. “Sleep my child, for the journey ahead, is far too great for you” she wearily leaves. The sound of people coming over. She hides behind the tree watching the possible fate of her child unfold. “I told you, Duncan, rabbits are harmless, you could have been nicer if you planted some carrots, who knows, they would have probably left your other crops and your farming boots alone” the woman complains to the man beside her. “waah! waah!! waah!!!” the baby cries out. “Is that…a baby?” the woman stops, and the man stands directly before her. She looks around trying to trace the sound of the crying baby. She spots the tree where the baby lies and runs toward it as though she is drawn to it. The man runs after her. “Elda, Elda, stop, it could be a trap, Elda, wait up!” The man pleads as he runs after his mate. Elda stops in front of the tree and picks up the wailing baby, discarding the bloody wrapping cloth. She calms the baby down. Duncan scans the environs for any lurking danger. He warily stares at the baby, the giggling baby uses her small hands to reach out, as though asking to be carried. The couple stare at each other and agree to carry the baby back home with them. “Forget rabbits, we’ve found something more precious, let us take good care of her, right Duncan?” The woman asks. “Yes Elda, we should” He agrees and guides his mate and newly found child back home. Adira who had been watching the whole thing, sighs in relief realising her child has been found by good people. She clutches her side in pain and quietly leaves the area. She keeps walking, her body becomes weaker and weaker. She finds a cherry blossom tree and rests there. “Aloysius, she is safe” she passes out. Aloysius trails the scent of his mate, he finds the bloodied wrapping cloth material on the floor, he fears the worst for his mate and child, he continues trailing his mate, he later finds her limp barely- breathing body, he rushes and holds her body in his arms. He weeps at the loss of his child, a child he can no longer raise. He angrily holds the emblem he found earlier with anger and fury. “I will finish them all” a promise he will keep. “I will make them pay… all of them” Tears flow from his eyes as he makes this promise. He carries the body of his mate and walks into the darkest depths of the forest. Meanwhile, the baby has been bathed, dressed, and fed, she now lies asleep in the cradle. Duncan examines the locket found on the baby’s neck. He shows it to his wife, they see a name and nod in agreement. The name of their daughter has been decided.