Chapter 0.1: Arcane Awakening - Part 1

Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter.

Raindrops fell in torrents from the sky filled with thick dark clouds.

"Nnngh! P-Please, stop…"

Eleven-year-old Azrahel whimpered in pain as his captor roughly pressed at his wounds with his foot.

Azrahel was soaked in blood and could barely move. 

A rope with spikes was used to tie him. 

As if his bounds were not enough to immobilize him, he was stomped upon by a soldier of the Black Sun Alliance.

These terrifying soldiers suddenly came to ruin their peaceful lives.

Despite the stormy weather, the one stepping on Azrahel grinned wickedly. 

The soldier's eyes shined with mirth at the sight of Azrahel's suffering. Having the power to torment them was getting into his head.

Disgusted, Azrahel gritted his teeth and held back a scream as the soldier pressed at his wound with more pressure.

"Nnnngh!!!"

Azrahel would rather hold it in than let his captor revel more.

But the pain was too much. 

Azrahel could not stop more tears from escaping his golden eyes and dropping from his muddied face.

He stretched his hand, trying to reach out to his father Vaelros who was wrapped in thick thorny chains and was being dragged away by more soldiers of the Black Sun Alliance.

Lightning flashed briefly showing the gruesome scenery, blood had dripped down the muddy puddles of water Vaelros body was dragged through.

Their father was heavily beaten up by the soldiers as they insisted on crimes he did not commit.

'Can't we do something?' Azrahel thought.

If things simply continued like this, what if they never see their father again?

They could not possibly let their father be taken away from them.

Azrahel gulped and called out to his twin, "E-Etheron!" 

But when Azrahel glanced at his brother, they were in the same plight.

Etheron clearly wanted to do something as well but they were too weak against these people.

"Please, don't take our dad!" Azrahel begged.

What else could they do against all these people?

Etheron understood without a word and joined Azrahel in trying to plead with the soldiers again.

"We're farmers. I've never even seen my father fight against an army. Please stop…" 

"Farmer? So that's what he's playing at now?" one of the soldiers said mockingly.

"Hahaha! That's the funniest thing I've heard," another soldier commented.

The soldiers glanced at the twin and laughed as well.

"Hahaha…..These sinners are trying to make themselves look innocent," the soldiers' laughter resounded eerily.

Azrahel and Etheron glanced at each other and tried begging again while the soldiers seemed to be in a good mood.

However, the young twins' pleas fell on deaf ears and were further drowned by the whistling wind and rain, and whatever madness was engulfing these soldiers. Or, they were mad from the start.

"Just shut it and do as you're told. Sinners must accept their punishment," the soldiers glared.

Azrahel's head drooped gloomily as he realized there was no talking or begging that would work on these people.

It was clear the soldiers did not care one bit about whatever the twins had to say.

Was this the end?

Hopelessness washed over Azrahel.

But, Etheron gritted his teeth and looked up defiantly to the soldier watching him.

"Nnnngh!!!"

Erethon mustered all the strength he could on a useless attempt to break free.

"You! Free me and fight me fair and square if you're so strong!" 

Erethon dared to challenge the soldier as he desperately tried to break free despite the pain piercing his body.

The more he wriggled, the more cuts he got as the thorns of the rope dug into his skin.

"Whoa! Take a look at this kid! Hahaha…"

The Supreme Jailer who was with the soldiers mocked Etheron's effort.

"These sinners must be punished accordingly. Soldier, take the whip and beat some sense to him again," the Supreme Jailer instructed.

Azrahel and Etheron froze as the soldier assigned to the latter once again brought out his whip.

"Just be obedient and naïve like your weak brother there and you'll live! Want to play a hero?"

The Supreme Jailer sneered at Etheron, his eyes looking down as if pondering how many of the latter's bones should be broken into pieces.

"Whip him!" 

The soldier immediately obeyed.

Whoosh!

"Argh!" Etheron screamed in pain, but his eyes remained determined.

"P-Please, stop! We'll behave," Azrahel pleaded on his twin's behalf.

But, the Supreme Jailer disliked the look in Etheron's eyes and said, "Again!"

"Arghh!!!!" Etheron gritted his teeth as the pain from the whip came even stronger.

"Again, until he learns his lesson," the Supreme Jailer sneered.

"P-please, stop! Please…" Azrahel cried but to no avail.

They whipped Etheron again and again until he screamed and shrieked, all the while, they ignored Azrahel's pleas for them to stop.

The thunderclaps and the whistling wind could not even hide Etheron's shrieks and screams of pain.

Vaelros, who had been unconscious, woke up from the sound of his son's voices. His whole body was screaming in pain, but he mustered the strength to sit up.

"!!!" 

Vaelros was petrified at the sight that greeted him.

Azrahel's body was bloody and filled with cuts as he desperately tried to reach out to Etheron, but was always pulled back by the soldier assigned to him.

Etheron looked like he was barely alive and conscious from all the beating inflicted on him.

'NO!!!' 

Vaelros could not possibly lose his kids. Not again.

"STOP!! Leave them alone! They're just children. Come at me instead!" Vaelros screamed at soldiers.

"Oh, you're finally awake? Unfortunately, the weak have no rights," the Supreme Jailer sneered at Vaelros and once again gave the signal for Etheron to be whipped.

As the jailer turned to Etheron to watch him get whipped once more… 

Pweh! 

Everyone froze.

Etheron spat out at the Supreme Jailer, who was known for hanging kids dry out in the scorching sun.

"DAMN KID!!! You filthy worm! Spitting on a high ranking official like me!"

The Supreme Jailer's eyes almost turned red in fury as he gave a death glare at Etheron.