Strange whispers slithered into Kaelen's ears, faint and urgent, crawling through his mind like shadows. He was a sixteen-year-old boy, sitting atop a tall tower, his eyes scanning the bewildered faces around him. People whispered words he couldn't understand, and the air pressed down on him, heavy, as if every breath carried its own weight, almost suffocating him.
He whispered to himself, his voice trembling:
"Why… why am I tied up?"
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness swept over him. His head felt heavy, and his eyes fluttered under a strange pressure. Shadows devoured the edges of his vision. Then he saw something horrifying: his own blood slowly seeping away, as if his life was slipping through his fingers.
Death.
Questions stormed his mind relentlessly:
Where am I? Why am I going to die? Where is my grandfather? What did I do to deserve this? Damn it.
The whispers grew louder, merging with the screams of the trapped people around him, unable to move. Each passing moment felt like a stab to his body and soul.
And then… he saw her.
A girl in a black cloak running toward him, her eyes wide with fear, tears streaming down her cheeks. He didn't hear her voice, yet he felt it. He whispered inwardly:
"You… your face eases the pain of these cursed dreams."
Then darkness swallowed him, replaced by a stern, clear voice:
"Kaelen! Kaelen! Wake up quickly, you lazy boy!"
He opened his eyes to find himself in a dimly lit room. In front of him stood an elderly man, tall and imposing, exuding a sense of vitality despite his white hair and beard.
"Kaelen, are you alright? This is the third time you've screamed!"
Kaelen, only ten years old in that memory, smiled:
"Grandfather!"
He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes and laughed as he shouted:
"It was only a dream!"
A smile appeared on his grandfather's face, but he noticed Kaelen's sweat-soaked bed, then glanced at a painted portrait of a man and woman, presumably his parents, looking at each other. He sighed before leaving the room.
Still laughing, Kaelen ran down the wooden corridor. Suddenly, a shout pierced the silence:
"Take this, you fool!"
His grandfather's voice rose with concern:
"Kaelen… not again!"
Kaelen dashed into the backyard, where he found himself grappling with three boys, his fists clenched, eyes blazing with determination.
"Say that again, you brat!"
One of the boys, choking with fear:
"I give up…!"
His grandfather shouted:
"Kaelen!"
Kaelen released the boy, but his grandfather grabbed his hand firmly:
"Didn't you promise me you wouldn't fight again?"
Kaelen replied defiantly:
"You said only animals ruin the garden!"
The truth then emerged: these boys were stealing from his property. One of them, eyes brimming with tears:
"I swear I only came today… I didn't know it was yours."
Kaelen narrowed his eyes:
"Liar!"
The grandfather intervened firmly:
"Alright… since it's the first time, we'll forgive you. But if it happens again, there will be no mercy."
The boy fled, and Kaelen muttered sarcastically:
"Fool."
The grandfather rested his shoulder on Kaelen:
"Did hitting that boy satisfy you? Are you content?"
Kaelen replied:
"At least I took a bit of his skin."
The grandfather shook his head:
"Only fools solve their problems with violence."
He began inspecting his small farm, the wheat, watermelons, and tomatoes, while Kaelen approached smiling:
"Tomorrow, help me set up the fence, Grandfather."
The grandfather smiled: "Yes, we'll do it tomorrow."
---
Night fell, and the crickets sang in the dark. Kaelen lay in bed, his mind buzzing with the day's events. A knock sounded at the door, and his grandfather entered, carrying his lantern:
"Will you be alright alone?"
Kaelen smiled:
"Yes… I'm no longer a child."
"If you need anything, call me."
"Yes, alright."
"Sleep quickly; we have work early tomorrow."
Kaelen turned under the covers, his eyes restless: would he dream another nightmare?
---
Hours later, the rooster crowed, and the door knocked simultaneously. His grandfather entered:
"Kaelen, breakfast is ready."
Kaelen opened his eyes in surprise:
"I've been awake for a while…"
He looked out the window, admiring the beautiful morning, then rushed to the table. The aroma of soup filled the air.
"Wash your face and hands, then eat your breakfast," said his grandfather.
Kaelen smiled:
"Afterward, we'll build the fence."
"Yes."
Kaelen stepped outside to wash his face but noticed a torn tomato on the ground:
"Is this from my farm…?"
He ran toward the fields, worry and panic rising. Suddenly, he froze, eyes wide, heart racing.
Around him… the entire farm was destroyed. Crops trampled, soil scattered, watermelons smashed. Everything was in ruins, as if an unknown force had passed through.
Kaelen screamed, a cry of pain and anger that shook everything:
"Impossible… who did this?"
This was only the beginning… a greater, mysterious struggle awaited Kaelen on his journey, something lurking in the shadows, whispering that this was no accident.