"Gotta get out of here." Aurelien breath shuddered, struggling to effectively move his thin frame.
He was currently halfway through the chimney, both his palms tightly placed to the brick walls. Sweat dripping down his face, some sinking into his exposed eyes. Causing an acidic reaction, hurting his vision and making it hard to clearly see in the dark room.
'I can't give up now.' Pushing himself further, the cottage rumbling was against him. Opposing his every movement, like a sick game testing his resolve to hold on to life.
But still he didn't give up. He couldn't, not yet, without knowing the truth of his parents condition. If they were still alive.
Bam!
A much bigger bang was made by the beasts outside, shaking the cottage. Shifting it off balance, with multiple bricks and wood from the rooftop crashing down.
"Mhm!" Aurelien sharply grunted, his left hand slipping through from that impact. Sending his body off balance, barely hanging on with just his right hand and left leg.
"Stupid beasts.. At least give me a fighting chance!" Aurelien yelled without a care in the world. His tone carrying enough power to be voiced out, despite having a considerable thin frame.
Bam! Bam!
The beasts ignored his rants and didn't stop, dealing damage to the already crumbling cottage. But aurelien didn't care, no! Whatever was left of his declining mental state had longed snapped, during his parents departure for two whole years.
"Yeah~ That's right, you're all a bunch of cowards and bullies. Hiding behind your numbers and strength, picking off your preys little by little." He retorded, struggling to maintain balance through the chaos unfolding.
His throat was dry, indicating the lack of moisture from the last drink of water he had 2 hours ago. But that was the least of his problems right now, faced with a much bigger threat.
"For years, you've always been lurking around repeating this same old rhythm. Aren't you tired of this!? Cause I for sure am." Aurelien spoke with valor, reprimanding whatever fear initially compelled him.
'I don't know what I'm doing, but this feels almost right.' He thought, not stopping one bit.
"You hide during the day and only strike at nightfall, isn't that a coward's perspective. If you were truly savage beasts, then you'd have the balls and face me!" He blurted out the exact words that came into his mind. Almost like they were scripted by someone else, and logged into his cerebral vertebrae.
Bang! Bang!
The clashing turned fiercer, dismantling parts of the cottage fast. Low gruttal sound, accompanied by eerie screeches reached his ears.
"Of course, it meant nothing. At the end of the day you're all a bunch of mindless things." His tone was low, whatever spark of flame he'd thought he mustered extinguished.
'Who am I kidding~' His lips curled into a sick smile, the bitter dawn of reality setting up on him. 'I was stupid to think I could actually make a difference.'
Letting out a low sigh, there was no point struggling now. He was halfway up, but he had barely enough strength left under this constant rumbling.
And he doubted he could make it out in time, before the building came crashing down on him.
"Either way I'm screwed." Accepting his fate, something unexpected happened.
"Huh? They've stopped." Like a command, the savage beasts outside suddenly halted in their attacks. Receding back to the shadows, from whence they came from.
'Could it be? No, that would be stupid.' The thought of his little heartfelt speech sent the beasts back popped in his mind, but he quickly debunked that as absurd.
From the stories his parents told him about the outside world, it was cruel and cold. Crawling with savage mindless predators that hunted their preys, and didn't stop until they were dead.
Power driven humans that sought glory and domination, irrespective of how they acquired it.
...…
"The truth is aurelien. There's no better side to the coin, it's all a facade created to keep the citizens at bay. At the top influential status at the top." A woman with black hair, styled like long curtains spoke.
Her soft palm placed to the cheek of a boy with bright golden hair, no less than six years of age.
"Do you understand aurelien? Never try to venture out this walls again. This is the best safety you'll ever need, in the blossom of our arms." The woman continued, to which the boy paid no heed. Basking in the warmth of her body temperature, proceeding to embrace her in a hug.
"Sigh~ You're too innocent for this world aurelien, I fear you won't be ready for what's about to come." Her heart sank at that thought, the tears in her eyes building up.
"Come on now Lyra, our son is just as strong like his dad." A burly man with short gold hair butted in, crouching down besides the duo.
"Isn't that right champ?" He smiled, ruffling the little boy's hair. Earning soft laughter from the child.
Shifting his attention up to the woman, he could see she was complacent about his words. The conflict in her eyes clear as day, along with the struggle to keep her emotions in check.
Placing his hand to her shoulder, a bright smile formed on his face. "It's alright Lyra. I understand your intentions, but he'll have to face the truth sooner or later."
He lightly uttered wrapping her in his arms, along with his son.
"I know, it's just.. So hard kael." She muttered, burrowing her head in his chest.
"I know, that's why we'll do our best to prepare him together."
...…
The perfectly pictured scene played out perfectly in his mind, ending with a cliffhanger.
"T-that was a memory from 12 years ago, but why am I suddenly recollecting it?" It was a bit weird, his mind has brought up that scene now of all times. But he didn't think much about it, the goal in mind now was to get to the top of the chimney.
"If the beasts have retreated back now, could it mean there's someone nearby?" That was the only possible scenario he leaned into.
It was clear his words had no effects on the beasts, but maybe someone or something did. 'Could it be them?'
His parents were just common travellers, scavenging on the remnants of whatever spoil they could lay their hands on. Which resulted in nothing most times, despite a hard day's toil.
But still, he knew they'd do anything to ensure his safety. No matter the risks or odds stacked against them.
"If they're still alive then I have to go help them." The below level was already blocked by some planks of wood, that'd fallen from the ceiling. So he couldn't head down and take the front entrance.
"Always aim for the element of surprise." He muttered the second rule of survival, instilled in him by his parents.
Placing his hand back to the confinment of the chimney walls, he clawed his way forward.
Out of the sooth and dust clouding his vision, entering into his system. Making him choke on his own breath, but he persevered through the pain.
"No pain, no gain." He repeated in his head like a mantra, the possibility of his parents being alive fueled his motives more.
"Phough phough! I- I made it." He coughed up black substance, probably from the mix of coal and dust he just inhaled.
"It's quiet."
Looking downwards, there wasn't a sight of any beast or movement his eyes caught. Even the air had turned much calmer, shifting directions from it's usual route.
"If they're not here, then it could only mean one thing. Something of interest attracted them, but what?" There wasn't any mention from his parents about another point of interest, that could steal the beasts present here attention.
Except for the craving of human flesh and rising of chaos and bloodshed.
Surveying the area a couple of times, there wasn't a beast that'd come in contact within a 15 meter radius from his location. Which while couldn't necessarily be considered a good thing, provided temporary relief.
"Looks like they headed that way." Gauging by the shape of the imprint on the muddy ground, he could determine these beasts were hooved creatures. And from the small sizes, they were probably no more than antelopes or lesser hooved mammals.
Contemplating on whether to check out the source of attraction, he stopped. First there wasn't any credible information or hints these were his parents, or even humans for that matter.
Second this was a dark forest, brimming with things of the unknown that wanted him dead. For all he knew this could be an ambush to lure him out.
And last but not least, he wasn't sure something or someone definitely attracted the beasts. He wasn't aware of their patterns or how coordinated they were, so he decided to stay and keep watch.
"I'll just have to stay here until-" His words stopped in his throat, with an abrupt scream.
"Ahh!!"