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I dreamt... I dreamt of an orb... a purple orb. Its darkness bled, enveloping me. Its darkness radiating, then it enveloped land... then sky... then sea. --Tenebre
I awoke...
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For some reason, I woke up in my father's arms today instead of my crib.
"Oh, sorry there little Solan, did I wake you?"
Father's bags under his eyes seem to be darker this past month. This is strange.
"No dada," I should try to act more like a kid.
"Alright then, lemme put you down."
Yeah, he's acting really strange...
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I usually spend my days, when I'm not studying or being annoyed by that woman, walking around the house (it feels amazing to be able to walk and not crawl) and occasionally going outside and riding on my dad's shoulders around the courtyard while watching him train his body.
On one particular day, while watching father train on a dummy, father's personal butler came in hurriedly...
"Sir Mortan, I have bad news... The demons are becoming more hostile and are becoming more bloodthirsty in the west side of our land..."
My father looks tired... so tired.
"I see then. Thank you, Laydin, for the report. We can go in more detail when I reach the briefing room."
"Yes, Master Mortain. I shall await there." Then Laydin hurried off...
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"Sorry little Solan, it seems I'll have to cut my training session short. I'm sorry."
Hmm, how should I respond to something like this?
"It's ok dada. You tired, you sleep."
My father started to tear up and hugged me.
"I'll be back later, ok?"
Then he carried me inside and handed me off to a maid before walking off to his quarters, it seemed...
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The following days I've gotten to see father less and less. He's been busy planning an attack on the demons and monsters to the west... unfortunately, I won't be able to analyze his sword style and his magic usage.
Mother's been the exact same — always clinging to me, and weirdly enough, sometimes she disappears for hours, sometimes even a day, before coming home and saying it was a business trip. After the 23rd time, it kind of seemed suspicious, but knowing that woman—
"Halt at the gate, commoners!"
Huh? What's going on outside the gate?
"Please help us! We have nowhere to go, our village was destroyed!"
I should go check this out...
"We do not have the resources to help all of you people—" the guard was cut off.
"Let your village chief through and tell me what happened in the briefing room. Meanwhile, try to help the villagers and give them food while I'm gone." Mortain said.
"Yes sir!" The guards shouted, while some of the villagers praised father, saying things like, "Oh, you're so kind and generous, my lord."
Father then went with the man into the house, and I'm really interested in going in and listening... but I should hide while I do.
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"Now then, tell me what happened that caused the destruction of your village."
"Well sir, it began after we noticed more demons in the forest than usual, and they were more aggressive than what they used to be. And that continued for about a month, until one day at the dead of night, a whole horde of them working together attacked the village, killing hundreds and injuring over 60 people. They burned everything down with what I could make out to be... magic."
"WHAT?!" My father shouted, slamming his fist on the desk hard enough to crack it.
"This is insane! They haven't been this active in years, and for them to use magic? This is insanity! What could this even mean? I need to send a letter to the royal capital and speak with my advisors. Please leave the room. There will be food waiting for you, but you'll need to wait for lodgings. I've sent a letter to a nearby lord for shelter."
Seems like father is really thinking hard... but he looks slumped and broken. It makes me feel weird. Whatever.
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As I watched father write a letter later that day while sitting on his lap, I noticed his hand shaking, sweating profusely, rubbing his temples like he's fighting a headache that would never end...
I sympathized with it. I understood what it was like to be thrown responsibilities after responsibilities and shouldering burden after burden with nobody saying a word and just watching.
"Dada, you need sleep," I tried to say it in a way that would make him think.
"I see. I will soon, Solan. Don't worry."
He patted my head a bit harshly.
"Ow, dada."
"Oh, I'm so sorry Solan. Let me hand you off to the maids."
He carried me to the maids and handed me off to them.
He's working himself to death...
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