Whispers echoed in Kaelin's ears, low and urgent, crawling through his mind like crawling shadows. At sixteen, perched atop a tall tower, he could barely make out the blurred faces around him. People murmured words he couldn't understand. The air pressed down on him, thick and heavy, suffocating like it had a weight of its own.
He whispered shakily to himself, voice trembling:
"Why… why am I tied?"
A sudden dizziness hit him, his head throbbing, eyes fluttering shut under a strange weight. Shadows swallowed the edges of his vision. Then he saw it—blood slowly dripping from his own body, seeping away as if life itself were leaving him.
Death.
Questions slammed into his mind all at once:
Where am I? Why am I going to die? Where is Grandpa? What have I done to deserve this? Damn it.
The whispers grew louder, overlapping with the frozen screams around him. He tried to open his eyes, but the world blurred, and the people standing nearby were locked in place, unable to move. Every passing second tore at him with pain he could almost feel in his bones.
And then… he saw her.
A girl in a black cloak ran toward him, wide-eyed, tears streaking her cheeks. Her voice didn't reach him, but he felt it somehow. And in that instant, he whispered in his own mind:
"You… your face eases the pain of these cursed dreams."
Darkness consumed him, and then a sharp, commanding voice cut through:
"Kaelin! Kaelin! Wake up, you lazy boy!"
He jerked awake to find himself in a dimly lit room. Before him stood an elderly man, tall and fit, hair and beard white as snow, but eyes sharp and full of life.
"Kaelin, are you alright? This is the third time you've screamed!"
Ten-year-old Kaelin's face lit up with relief:
"Grandpa!"
He took a shaky breath, closed his eyes, then let out a loud laugh:
"It was just a dream!"
Grandpa's stern expression softened, though his gaze lingered on the sweat-soaked bed. Then he turned toward a hand-drawn picture of a man and a woman—perhaps Kaelin's parents—smiling together, and sighed before leaving the room.
Kaelin, still chuckling, ran down the wooden hallway. A sudden shout broke the morning calm:
"Take this, you fool!"
Grandpa's voice rose in concern:
"Kaelin… not again!"
He sprinted to the backyard. There, Kaelin was grappling with three boys, fists raised, determination flashing in his young eyes.
"Say it again, you brat!" he yelled.
One boy, choked by fear:
"I-I give up!"
Grandpa shouted, his voice sharp:
"Kaelin!"
Kaelin released the boy. His friends tried to strike him, but Grandpa grabbed Kaelin's hand firmly.
"Didn't you promise me you wouldn't fight again?"
Kaelin shot back, defiant:
"You said only animals ruin the garden!"
It became clear—the boys had been stealing from his property. One, tearful and trembling, stammered:
"I swear, I only came today… I didn't know it was yours!"
Kaelin's eyes narrowed:
"Liar!"
Grandpa intervened, calm but firm:
"Enough. Since this is your first offense, we'll forgive you… but next time, there will be no mercy."
The boy fled, and Kaelin muttered mockingly:
"Stupid."
Grandpa placed a heavy hand on Kaelin's shoulder:
"Did hitting him bring anything back? Are you satisfied?"
Kaelin glanced at the boy's scraped skin, shrugging:
"At least I took some of his hide."
Grandpa shook his head:
"Only fools solve problems with violence."
He moved to inspect the small farm, rows of wheat, watermelon, and tomatoes glistening in the morning sun. Kaelin, smiling, approached:
"Tomorrow, help me build the fence, Grandpa."
Grandpa nodded, smiling:
"Yes, tomorrow we'll put it up."
---
Night fell, crickets chirping in the darkness. Kaelin lay on his bed, his thoughts spinning from the morning's events. A knock on the door: Grandpa entered, lamp in hand.
"Will you be alright alone?"
Kaelin replied confidently:
"Yes… I'm not a child anymore."
"If you need anything, just call me," Grandpa said.
Kaelin smiled: "Yes, yes."
"Now sleep quickly. Early work tomorrow," Grandpa added.
Kaelin turned under his blanket, his mind restless. Will I dream another nightmare tonight…?
---
Hours later, the rooster crowed, and a knock echoed at the same time. Grandpa entered:
"Kaelin, breakfast is ready."
Kaelin opened his eyes in surprise:
"I've been awake for a while…"
He peered out the window, marveling at the beautiful morning. Normally late to rise, this was a rare moment for him. He rushed downstairs. The smell of hearty soup filled the room.
Grandpa gestured:
"Wash your hands and face, then have breakfast."
Kaelin, cheerful:
"After that, we'll work on the barrier."
Grandpa nodded: "Yes."
Kaelin carried a bucket outside to wash up. His eyes caught a torn tomato, lying abandoned on the ground.
"From my farm…" he whispered.
Heart pounding, he ran toward the fields, dread growing with each step. Then he froze. His eyes widened, pulse racing. Around him… the farm was ruined. Crops flattened, soil scattered, watermelon smashed and broken, vines torn apart. The entire place lay in devastation, trampled by some unknown force.
Kaelin screamed, a raw, desperate sound, shaking the air:
"Impossible!"
This was just the beginning… the first sign of a larger, darker struggle waiting for him, something lurking in the shadows, whispering that this was no accident.