Sheila cowered against the cliff face, her arms wrapped protectively around her child, Hendrick. "Please, please, we'll do anything, just don't kill us," she begged, her voice trembling with fear. Three soldiers loomed over her, one of them aiming a laser beam blast weapon directly at her head.
A woman in a sleek cyber suit, adorned with the insignia of a two-star general, stood before Sheila and Hendrick. Her expression was cold and unyielding as she read from a transparency tablet. "By order of the Imperium leader, any individual caught practicing sorcery or magic will be sentenced to death, along with their family."
Sheila's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Hendrick, trying to reassure him. "It's okay, it's all going to be okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. As she spoke, she subtly touched the ground with her hand, casting an unknown spell that went unnoticed by the soldiers.
As the soldier's finger tightened on the trigger, Hendrick's eyes widened in terror. In a split second, he pushed his mother away from the target, saving himself but putting her in harm's way. The soldier fired, and Sheila's body jerked backward as the blast ripped through her chest.
"I'm sorry, Hendrick," she whispered, her voice fading as she gazed at her child with a mixture of love and sacrifice. With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Sheila turned Hendrick away from the fatal blast and threw him off the cliff, saving his life.
"Mom!" Hendrick cried out as he fell, his eyes fixed on Sheila's gentle smile as she sacrificed herself for him. The fall seemed endless, but the magic Sheila had cast earlier responded, growing vines from the cliff face that caught Hendrick and slowed his descent.
The vines eventually shattered, and Hendrick plummeted the remaining distance, landing hard on the rocky ground below. His head struck a jagged rock, and everything went dark as he lost consciousness.
As Hendrick lay there, the only sound was the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the faint memory of his mother's smile lingered in his mind, a bittersweet reminder of her ultimate sacrifice.
The sun cast a warm glow over the serene river, its gentle ripples reflecting the morning's tranquility. A man, donning a traditional bamboo hat, stood at the river's edge, his fishing rod held patiently in his hands. "What a nice day and a nice morning," he murmured to himself, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.
As he gazed out at the water, his line suddenly jerked, and he felt a strong pull. "Just a little bit more," he said, his voice filled with anticipation, as he struggled to reel in the catch. He grunted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the resistance. "It seems big," he observed, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice.
The man's muscles tensed as he pulled harder, his fishing rod bending under the strain. He took a step back, his feet digging into the soft earth, and began to reel in the line with a steady, determined motion. The silence was broken only by the sound of the water lapping against the shore and the creaking of his fishing rod. With each pull, the man's anticipation grew, wondering what kind of catch he might land.
"Owen!!" a woman's voice called out from a distance, her tone laced with urgency and concern. Owen, the man fishing by the river, looked up from his rod, slightly irritated at the interruption. "Ah, I'm kind of in the middle of something, honey," he said, grunting as he struggled to reel in his catch. "Can't it wait?"
The woman's voice grew closer, her footsteps crunching on the gravel path that wound its way along the riverbank. "Owen, I found a body!" she exclaimed, her breathing slightly labored from running. "I think he fell from the cliff!"
Owen's expression changed from annoyance to alarm as he looked up at the woman, his eyes narrowing with concern. He carefully set his fishing rod aside, his grip on the rod momentarily loosening as he gave his full attention to the woman. "What? Where?" he asked, his voice firm and serious, as he stood up and began to walk towards her.
The woman, likely his wife or partner, looked pale and shaken, her eyes wide with distress. "By the big rock, near the waterfall," she replied, her voice trembling slightly. "I was out for a walk and... and I saw him. He's not moving, Owen. I think he might be dead."
As they arrived at the location where the woman had claimed to have seen the body, they were met with an empty space. The woman's brow furrowed in confusion, her eyes scanning the area as if expecting the body to suddenly reappear. "I saw the body right here," she insisted, her voice laced with uncertainty. "I think he or she might have gotten up and left," she added, though her tone suggested she didn't quite believe it herself.
Owen, seemingly unconvinced, shrugged and turned to leave. "Honey, let's go home," he said, his voice calm and soothing. However, their departure was interrupted by a rocky sound coming from a nearby location. The noise was faint, but it was enough to pique their curiosity.
"I think the sound came from behind this rock," Owen said, his voice low and cautious. He carefully made his way towards the rock, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of movement.
As they drew closer, a faint voice whispered out from behind the rock. "Stay back... or I'll... I'll harm you." The voice was barely audible, and it was clear that the speaker was exhausted and scared. Owen's expression softened, and he held up his hands in a calming gesture.
"Don't worry, we come in peace," Owen said, his voice gentle and reassuring. He slowly rounded the rock, his eyes locking onto the figure behind it.
As he saw the little boy, Owen's expression changed to one of concern. "Jesus," he whispered, his voice laced with worry. Hendrick, the little boy, looked terrible. His head was still bleeding, and his skin was deathly pale. His eyes sunken, and his body trembled with cold.
"Don't come any closer," Hendrick warned, his voice trembling. His eyes were wide with fear, and his small body seemed to be shrinking away from them. Owen froze, not wanting to scare the boy further. He exchanged a concerned glance with the woman, who nodded slightly, understanding the situation.
Owen took a slow step forward, his hands still held out in a calming gesture. "Hey, it's okay, little guy. We're not going to hurt you. We just want to help. Can you tell me what happened?" he asked softly.
Hendrick's eyes darted between Owen and the woman, his gaze filled with a mix of fear and uncertainty. He seemed to be weighing his options, unsure of whether to trust these strangers. After a moment, he nodded slightly, his body relaxing ever so slightly.
Owen and the woman slowly approached him, careful not to make any sudden movements that might scare him further. As they drew closer, Owen could see the extent of Hendrick's injuries. His head was bleeding from a gash above his eyebrow, and his skin was pale and clammy.
The woman gently knelt down beside Owen, her eyes filled with compassion. "Hey, sweetie, we're going to get you some help, okay? Can you tell us what happened?" she asked softly.
Hendrick's eyes welled up with tears, and he sniffled, his voice barely above a whisper. "I... I fell," he stammered. "Mom... mom ."
Owen's expression softened, and he exchanged a concerned glance with the woman. "It's okay, buddy. You're safe now. We'll get you all fixed up," Owen said, trying to reassure him.
As they spoke, Hendrick's eyes began to droop, his body swaying slightly as he struggled to stay awake till he finally passed out
"Let's take him to the hospital," the woman suggested, her fingers flying across the dial pad as she tried to reach the emergency services.
But Owen hesitated, his brow furrowed in concern. "Wait, if he's coming from those hills, he might be one of those who was sent for exile," he said, his voice low and cautious.
The woman's eyes widened in understanding. "But he's just a child," she protested.
Owen nodded, his mind racing with the implications. "I know. We'll have to patch him up here till he's awake and recovered, then we'll ask him what's going on."
Just as they were about to tend to Hendrick's wounds, an AI voice chimed in, its tone crisp and clear. "Mr. and Mrs. Miller, you have visitors." A holographic video popped out of Owen's cyber arm, displaying the Imperial Guards waiting at their door.
Owen's expression turned serious, and he whispered to his wife, "Take the kid to the basement." She quickly scooped up Hendrick and hurried down to the basement, covering him with some clothes to conceal his presence.
As Owen opened the door to greet the Imperial Guards, he forced a smile onto his face, trying to appear nonchalant. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" he asked, his tone dripping with fake enthusiasm.
The tension was palpable as the Imperial Guards stepped forward, one of them holding up a tablet with Hendrick's image displayed on it. "Do you happen to see this kid?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room suspiciously.
Owen's response was smooth, but his eyes betrayed a hint of worry. "No, we haven't come across anyone," he said, shaking his head.
The Imperial Guard's expression turned stern. "Okay, if you've by any chance seen this child, you know what'll happen. Anyone who opens their door to this kid shall be sent to death."
As the Imperial Guards were about to leave, they heard a faint noise coming from the basement. One of the guards perked up, his ears tuned to the sound. "What was that?" he asked, his hand on the door handle that led to the basement.
Suddenly, his comms device beeped, and a voice echoed through the device. "Sector 88, you've been summoned for a task at the Death Dungeon." The guard's eyes lit up, and he turned to his crew. "We have a new task. Let's go."
With that, he abandoned his investigation of the basement, and the Imperial Guards quickly departed, leaving Owen and his wife to breathe a sigh of relief.