A little introduction about myself:
I recently chanced upon Hive Blogs and Peakd and this community after playing Splinterlands. I read the description in the community and I feel that it resonated with me so much. "Many people think that they cannot write. Maybe a harsh critic or a careless word by a teacher was the originator of that idea." It reminded me that I wrote a short story many years ago when I was younger and I didn't feel it was good enough to share it with people. With this platform, I hope I can share some of my past writings (without judgement hopefully) after going through them once more and get some feedback on this platform. So, thanks in advance for your support and hope you will enjoy the story!
Chapter 1
Deep within the impenetrable woods of Doria, Maltov saw a shadowy figure. In the darkness, it was gathering speed and accelerating through the thick foliage. Maltov advanced stealthily and tried to close in on the figure. Suddenly, all was silent.
This wasn't the first time it had happened.
"Where did the mysterious figure disappear to?" Maltov wondered.
Well, there's always another night, he thought.
Now he must get back to the castle before the royal guards start their patrol. Tracing his path back, he suddenly stumbled upon a tiny yellow crystal on the outskirts of the castle gates. The crystal shone brightly in the darkness and seemed to be calling out for Maltov's attention. Hypnotised by its sparkle, Maltov reached forward and picked up the crystal from the ground.
Brushing away the surrounding mud and dirt, he examined it closely. There seemed to be nothing special about this crystal, except for its bright colour and smooth texture. Time was running out, so Maltov placed the crystal safely into his sling bag and continued his way towards the castle.
But he never made it back this time round.
The first rays of sunlight peeked out of the horizon and it signalled a brand new day for the city of Doria. On the outskirts of the city, the peasants started their work in the fields. In some distance, miners clinked and clanked away with their pickaxes in search of ore in the mines and woodcutters worked tirelessly on the edge of the woods. These people might look insignificant in the hierarchy, but they played a vital role in the city's progress. Rooted deep within the woods of Doria, the city was perfectly safe against intruders from neighbouring cities, but it also meant that the city was inaccessible to merchants and trading between cities was not feasible.
However, the Dorians have the gods to thank for providing them with an abundant supply of raw materials within the peripheries of the city. The availability of food allowed the citizens of Doria to lead their lives without worrying about hunger, and the presence of mines and forested lands enabled them to develop the infrastructure in the city.
The warehouses and granaries were located at the southern part of the city and Leo was responsible for the incoming and outgoing of the storage supplies. Old Leo was an octogenarian and he has been holding this post for nearly fifty years, ever since his father passed away. He liked this job, because it allowed him to keep his adopted grandson, Moya, by his side.
Twenty years ago, a rare fire broke out in a village nearby. Leo was taking a stroll in the vicinity after his evening duty, when he heard faint cries of a baby from a burning hut. Without thinking twice, he dashed into the hut and searched frantically for the baby. Kicking down the last door, he saw the crying baby, cuddled in the arms of a woman, whose legs were trapped under fallen debris.
Upon seeing Leo's appearance, the woman called out to him, "Please, take my son! Take him to somewhere safe..."
"What about you? Aren't you leaving with us too?" Leo interrupted.
"The Perisher has struck... He is after Moya, not me."
"Who is the Perisher?" Leo questioned.
Just then, cackles of evil laughter resonated through the village.
"Quick! There's no time to lose! Take Moya and leave now!"
Sensing the severity of the situation, Leo grabbed the baby and leapt out of the window. Once out, he ran all the way back to his sanctuary - the warehouse. Once there, he took a deep breath and placed the baby carefully on the bed. Suddenly, something caught his attention. He realised that there was a note in one of the pockets of the baby's clothes. He took out the note and it read:
To the new guardian of 'The Sons of Doria':
You have been entrusted with this important task of protecting 'The Sons of Doria'.
I knew this day would come, so I wrote this letter in advance. A few years back, a stranger visited our tavern and I happened to be there. He said that he could sense imminent danger in our village and city in the near future because the Perisher would annihilate the whole of Doria. However, as long as 'The Sons of Doria' were kept within the city till the age of twenty-one, the Perisher wouldn't dare to step into the city. After the twenty-one years, people would have to rely on 'The Sons of Doria' to save the city. The five of them would emerge on the 12th day of the 12th month next year, with a 'D' mark on their left palms.
Initially, all of us did not think too much as Doria has enjoyed years of peace all this while. We were protected by the surrounding woods after all. But my perspective changed, when I gave birth to my son on the 12th day of the 12th month the following year. And there was a 'D' mark in his left palm.
In case you have not realised, Moya belongs to 'The Sons of Doria'. For the sake of Doria, I hope you can protect him from harm till the age of twenty-one.
Beth
"Good morning, Granddad!" Moya greeted, bringing him back into reality.
He smiled and looked at the young man. He wondered if the other four sons were still safe in the city.
Little did he knew, the Perisher had claimed its first victim last night.