The grandmother gently closed her storybook and placed it back into the old wooden cabinet in the corner of the room. The oil lamp glowed softly, casting a warm atmosphere inside their small home. Leon, a little boy with messy brown hair, bounced around with excitement.
"Wow, Grandma! Was that a story about the legends?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Grandma chuckled softly, her wrinkled face radiating warmth. But before she could answer, Hiori—Leon's older sister—entered with a skeptical expression.
"Of course it's just a fairy tale, Leon," Hiori said, leaning against the doorway. "There's no such thing as an evil god. Gods are known to be kind beings who protect the world."
Leon pouted, folding his arms across his chest, clearly displeased. "Sis!? It has to be real! Why are you always so boring and never believe in anything cool?! Hmph! You're no fun! If your friends saw you, they'd boo you for being such a bore!"
A vein twitched on Hiori's forehead. "What did you just say!? You little brat!"
Without thinking, Hiori lunged at her brother. Leon burst into laughter, running around the room as he dodged her outstretched hands. Grandma could only sigh and shake her head, while the sound of footsteps and joyful laughter filled the house.
"Leon! Hiori! Come eat! Dinner's ready!" their mother's voice called out from the dining room.
They both immediately stopped running. Leon dashed excitedly toward the dining room, while Hiori let out an exhausted sigh.
"Ugh… that kid," she muttered before turning back to her grandmother.
"Come on, Grandma. Let's eat." Hiori smiled gently, then pushed her grandmother's wheelchair toward the dining room. As they walked, Hiori asked in a concerned tone, "How are you feeling, Grandma? Is your condition getting any better?"
Grandma let out a small cough, then smiled. "Of course, my dear. Your grandma's tough. Don't underestimate me, young lady."
Hiori let out a small laugh, feeling slightly relieved. Once they reached the dining room, she helped her grandmother into the chair that had been prepared near the table.
There, their father was already waiting, reading a sheet of paper, while Leon sat eagerly in his chair, waiting for the food to be served. The moment he saw Hiori arrive, their father lowered the paper and smiled.
"Good morning, Hiori. Did you sleep well?"
"Of course!" Hiori replied confidently, taking her seat.
Just then, their mother came out from the kitchen carrying a large steaming pot filled with a delicious aroma.
"Wow! What did you cook, Mom?" Leon asked with his usual excitement.
Their mother chuckled and placed the pot at the center of the table. "Curry. I went to the market this morning and saw that meat was on sale. It's been a while since we've had meat, hasn't it?"
Leon let out a cheerful cheer, while Hiori smiled in satisfaction. Everyone began scooping their food, enjoying the warm meal prepared with love.
However, outside their humble home, something was watching.
Beyond the window, cloaked in the night's darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes stared into the house with keen interest. Its form was hazy, like black mist blending with the shadows. A wide grin formed, revealing sharp teeth that glinted faintly in the moonlight.
"Hee hee hee... such a pitiful little family..." it rasped. "That boy... he would make a perfect vessel for Master."
The figure then vanished into the darkness, disappearing without a trace, leaving behind a faint chill that slipped through the window cracks. Inside the house, the family continued to enjoy their dinner, unaware that the shadow of evil had already begun to wrap itself around their fate.
---
The dining table was filled with laughter and warm conversation. Hiori, Leon, their father, mother, and grandmother basked in the joy of each other's company, savoring the lingering scent of curry in the air. Spoons and chopsticks clinked softly against plates, while Leon's cheerful voice echoed through the room.
After the last bite, their mother began gathering the empty dishes. Hiori stood up quickly from her seat. "Let me help, Mom," she offered with a smile.
"Thank you, sweetheart. You've always been such a good girl," her mother said, gently patting Hiori's head with affection.
Meanwhile, Leon had his own plans. Instead of helping, he darted upstairs. The wooden steps creaked softly as he ran toward their grandmother's room. Inside, the scent of aged wood and herbal tea filled the space. Leon went straight to an old cabinet carved with floral patterns.
His hands quickly reached for a thick, leather-bound book. The pages were yellowed with age, and the cover worn, but to Leon, this was a priceless treasure.
Gently, he hugged the book as if it were the most precious thing in the world. Without wasting a moment, he dashed back to his room, opened the book eagerly, and let the world of adventure embrace him once more.
Bathed in the golden light of the morning sun streaming through the window, Leon turned page after page, diving into the epic tale of the Seven Saviors—the legendary heroes who defeated the darkness and restored peace to the world.
His eyes sparkled as he found an illustration of a large man with steel-like muscles, clad in heavy armor that radiated an aura of might. The name was clearly written beneath the image: Andari Mikhailivoc.
"Wow… He must be really strong! Like a giant fortress protecting his friends from enemies!" Leon exclaimed in awe.
His fingers traced the image of Andari, imagining the figure standing tall on the battlefield, withstanding attacks with his massive shield while his enemies fell like dry leaves in a storm.
"When I grow up… will I be able to become like them too?" he murmured softly, but with a heart full of hope.
A wide smile spread across his face. The adventure in the book felt so real, so vivid. He imagined himself wearing iron armor, wielding a glowing sword, fighting monsters, and protecting those who couldn't protect themselves.
In his heart, Leon had already made a promise: one day, he would become a hero like the Seven Saviors.
Leon flopped onto his bed after finishing his reading, his eyes still gleaming with imagination about the legendary saviors from his storybook. But when he turned toward the door, he noticed someone standing there, leaning against the frame.
"Eh?! Since when were you there?" Leon jumped in surprise. "And why are you in my room?"
Hiori grinned and raised the broom in her hand. "Just got here. Mom told me to clean your room."
"Oh… okay then. Thanks, Sis!" Leon scratched his head, feeling a bit guilty since his room was often messy.
"No problem. I'm happy to help you too," Hiori replied with a gentle smile, then started sweeping the dusty floor scattered with paper scraps from Leon's folded toys.
Meanwhile, Leon got up from the bed and placed his storybook on the small table beside it. Suddenly, something crossed his mind.
"Hey, Sis, I'm going out to play with my friends! Tell Mom for me, okay?"
"Sure, I'll let her know," Hiori answered without looking up, focused on gathering dust in the corner of the room.
Leon darted out of the room and ran to the front yard. As he passed the window, he waved enthusiastically.
"Bye-bye, Sis!"
Hiori glanced out the window and gave a small smile before returning to her cleaning.
On the wide green field, Leon ran with excitement, searching for his friends who usually played near the big tree. As soon as he spotted them, he shouted,
"Hey, guys! What are you up to?"
"Oh, it's you, Leon," replied Jack, the oldest among them. "We're helping Devon practice water magic."
Leon looked over at Devon, who stood near a small stream with a frustrated expression. Devon's hands trembled slightly as he tried to control the water, but only a small, shapeless splash appeared.
"Ugh… I don't think I can do it. Maybe I'm just not talented..." Devon muttered, his voice gloomy.
Leon immediately wrapped an arm around Devon's shoulder, flashing a bright smile. "Why so down? You're the best at trap magic! You should be proud of that!"
Jack nodded. "That's right! If you can master trap magic, maybe with some practice, you can handle water magic too."
Devon looked at his two friends and sighed. "Yeah… maybe you guys are right."
To lighten the mood, Leon exclaimed, "Instead of moping, how about we play stone skipping at the river? Come on!"
"Sounds great!" Devon's eyes lit up again. "Let's go to the Miara River!"
The three of them ran off toward the river, letting the wind brush against their faces as laughter filled the air.
Once they arrived at the Miara River, they immediately got ready.
"As always, I'm gonna win!" Devon shouted confidently.
Jack grinned, picking up a flat stone. "You're already bragging before we've even started. Just wait—I'll be the winner!"
Leon puffed out his chest in dramatic fashion. "You two forget who's always two steps ahead? I'm totally gonna win this time!"
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Quit bragging and start throwing!"
They began the game, skipping stones across the water's surface, each trying to get the most bounces.
But after only a few throws, the sky suddenly darkened. Thick black clouds rolled in overhead, blocking out the sunlight in an instant. The warm air turned cold, and the wind picked up speed.
Leon looked up, puzzled. "Huh? Why is it suddenly cloudy? It was so sunny just a minute ago!"
Jack frowned, a sense of unease creeping in. "We should head back. I've got a bad feeling about this."
"But we're not done playing yet…" Devon complained, still eager to continue the game.
"Idiot! This isn't just normal clouds!" Jack lightly tapped Devon on the head, then began walking toward the village. "Come on, let's get home before we get caught in a storm!"
Leon quickly followed Jack, also sensing something strange about the sudden change in weather.
"Hey, wait for me!" Devon finally gave in and ran to catch up with them.
But before they could get very far, a strange sound echoed from the forest near the river. It was like a whisper… or perhaps a soft, eerie laugh that rippled through the trees.
"Kikikiki…"
The three of them froze.
"D-Did you guys hear that…?" Devon swallowed hard, his face pale.
Jack grabbed Leon's arm tightly. "Let's. Go. Home. Now."
Without another word, they ran as fast as they could. But as they sprinted, a dark shadow within the forest seemed to creep closer…
And the sky grew even darker.
By the time they reached the village, their breathing was still a little ragged from the run. Even though they were back in a safe place, the uneasy feeling lingered in the air.
"See you tomorrow! Let's play again!" Leon said cheerfully, trying to push the strange event from his mind.
"Sounds good! Hopefully the weather's nicer tomorrow," Jack replied, giving a thumbs-up.
"Yeah, I'm in! Let's play again!" Devon added, his face brightening once more.
Leon grinned. "Alright! Bye, everyone!" He waved enthusiastically.
Jack and Devon waved back. "Bye, Leon!"
After saying goodbye, Leon walked home. But before entering the house, he saw his mother gathering the laundry from the line.
"Leon, you're just getting back, huh? Can you help me take in these clothes?" his mother asked gently.
Leon nodded quickly. "Sure, Mom! I'll help!" He eagerly grabbed the hanging clothes and brought them inside.
As they finished up, his mother suddenly looked up at the sky, a frown forming on her face. "Strange… Why did it get cloudy all of a sudden? It was sunny not too long ago."
Leon looked up as well. Heavy gray clouds now loomed above their village. "I was wondering that too, Mom. While we were playing, the sky suddenly turned dark. It felt… off."
His mother sighed. "Let's hope it's just a regular rain… Oh, by the way, your father's on duty guarding the village. Your sister and grandmother are in their rooms—probably resting."
"Oh… I thought they went out. I haven't seen them at all," Leon murmured.
His mother smiled softly. "They must be tired. Well, if you're tired too, go get some rest."
"Okay, Mom! I'll head to my room now!" Leon said, hurrying to his room and flopping down onto the bed. His eyes grew heavy, and within seconds, he drifted off to sleep.
Elsewhere, Hiori sat at the edge of her bed, gazing out the window. Light rain had begun to fall, creating a gentle rhythm on the rooftop. The wind blew harder now, causing the leaves in the backyard to thrash wildly.
"Weird… The weather's usually calm in the late afternoon. They said it wouldn't rain today, but now it's pouring…" she muttered.
She let out a sigh, then closed her window curtains. "Whatever. Not my problem." Hiori lay back down, trying to ignore the strange feeling gnawing at her.
Far beyond the village, something was watching them.
Behind the mist that clung to the dark forest, a pair of glowing red eyes pierced through the shadows. A towering figure stood tall, clad in pitch-black armor etched with strange markings that pulsed with an ominous energy.
Beside him, a horned man in a dark cloak shifted restlessly. "Commander Zagan… when are we going to attack this village?" he asked, his voice tinged with impatience.
Zagan, a broad-shouldered man with long silver hair, grinned wickedly. His eyes were sharp, like a hawk stalking its prey.
"Be patient, Valevar…" he said in a deep, calm voice that carried a quiet menace. "They don't even realize that tonight… will be their last."
He let out a low chuckle, but the sound echoed through the forest, sending birds scattering from their nests. The trees themselves seemed to tremble, as if sensing the dark aura radiating from his body.
Valevar grinned cruelly. "Let's hope they're ready to face their own nightmare…"
And with that, the blackness of night grew even darker.