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Chapter Five: Nightmare
A
small
village
nestled
within
the
heart
of
a
dense
forest
resounded
with
the
lively
chatter
of
its
inhabitants,
each
engrossed
in
their
daily
activities.
Some
were
busy
fetching
water
from
the
nearby
creek,
while
others
fell
trees,
herded
cattle,
or
nurtured
their
gardens.
"Alatar
Saliton!
Wake
up!"
a
short
woman
with
flowing
brown
hair
and
piercing
blue
eyes
called
out.
She
gently
shook
a
drowsy
young
boy,
who
groaned
in
reluctant
annoyance.
"Mom!
I
don't
want
to
get
up...
Can
I
just
stay
in
bed
today?"
The
boy,
sporting
short
brown
hair
and
brown
eyes,
reluctantly
sat
up,
stifling
a
yawn
as
he
stretched.
"No,
you
can't
skip
training
with
your
father.
He's
preparing
you
to
be
the
next
protector
of
the
village,"
she
urged
with
a
warm
smile.
"Alright?"
Alatar
grinned
in
response.
"Alright,
Mom!
I'll
get
ready."
With
a
wave
of
goodbye,
his
mother
left
the
room,
promising
breakfast
upon
his
return
from
training.
Alatar
quickly
dressed
in
a
white
tunic,
brown
pants,
and
black
boots
before
heading
to
the
kitchen,
where
his
mother
was
preparing
breakfast.
"Go
on
and
meet
your
dad
for
your
training,"
she
encouraged,
setting
him
on
his
way.
Alatar
nodded
and
stepped
outside,
grabbing
a
wooden
sword
and
leaning
against
the
wall.
As
he
traversed
the
village,
he
exchanged
greetings
and
smiles
with
the
villagers
engaged
in
their
routines.
Upon
reaching
the
creek,
Alatar
spotted
his
father
awaiting
his
arrival.
A
tall,
well-built
man
with
shaggy
black
hair
and
a
beard,
Alatar's
father
turned
to
greet
him
with
a
smile.
"Son!
Are
you
ready?"
he
asked,
lowering
himself
as
Alatar
rushed
toward
him.
"Yeah!
And
if
I
beat
you,
I'll
become
the
new
protector
of
the
village!"
Alatar
declared,
brimming
with
enthusiasm.
His
father
chuckled,
patting
Alatar's
head.
"Seems
you
just
woke
up!
Rising
earlier
is
a
must
if
you
aim
to
be
the
protector."
"I-I
got
up
earlier!"
Alatar
retorted,
a
blush
creeping
onto
his
cheeks
as
he
attempted
to
tame
his
bedhead.
"Explain
the
bed
hair,
then,"
his
father
teased.
"But
today,
I've
got
someone
to
aid
your
training.
Why
settle
for
one
protector
when
we
can
have
two?"
Alatar
appeared
puzzled.
"What
do
you
mean?"
"Yo,
Ala!"
a
voice
interrupted
from
behind.
Alatar
turned
to
see
a
boy
around
his
age,
sporting
fiery
red
hair
and
yellow
eyes.
Clad
in
a
sleeveless
tunic,
loose
pants,
and
fluttering
belts,
he
stood
ready
for
action.
"Darwin!
Are
you
joining
my
training?"
Alatar
asked,
brimming
with
excitement.
"Absolutely!
Let's
take
on
this
old
geezer!"
Darwin
exclaimed,
leaping
forward
with
flair.
Alatar's
father
was
taken
aback.
"L-Language!"
he
thought
to
himself.
"Should've
spoken
more
with
Darwin's
grandfather
before
he
left..."
Amid
laughter,
Alatar
readied
his
glowing
blue
sword.
"Ready,
Dad!"
With
fists
raised,
Darwin
proclaimed,
"The
Magic
Sword
and
Fists
Combo!
Unbeatable!"
His
father,
wielding
a
sword
but
not
unsheathing
it,
engaged
in
playful
combat.
Darwin
lunged
forward,
aiming
a
punch
that
missed
as
Alatar's
father
adeptly
sidestepped,
causing
Darwin
to
tumble
into
the
creek.
Alatar
cautiously
approached
his
father,
who
parried
his
son's
sword
with
its
sheath.
"You'll
have
to
do
better
than
that,
So—"
He
halted
as
Alatar
swiftly
dropped,
grabbing
his
father's
leg.
"Now,
Darwin!"
Alatar
shouted,
and
as
the
water
splashed,
Darwin
leaped
from
the
creek,
landing
on
his
father's
back.
"What's
this?!
What
are
you—?!"
Alatar's
father
struggled,
pinned
by
Alatar
as
Darwin
retaliated,
brandishing
a
fish
and
planting
it
firmly
on
his
father's
back.
"We've
got
him,
Ala!"
Releasing
his
hold,
Alatar's
father
wriggled,
the
fish
causing
discomfort.
"AH!
GET
IT
OUT!"
Alatar
and
Darwin
stepped
back,
exchanging
nods
before
simultaneously
lunging
forward,
kicking
Alatar's
father's
chest,
and
toppling
him
onto
his
back.
Brandishing
his
sword
triumphantly,
Alatar
declared,
"You've
lost!"
Grinning,
Darwin
prepared
to
strike.
"Gotcha!"
His
father
sighed.
"Firstly,
that
wasn't
even
fair…"
With
a
flop,
the
fish
fell
from
his
back
into
the
creek.
Eyes
gleaming
with
excitement,
Alatar
realized,
"That
means…"
His
father
sighed
again.
"That
means...
you
two
are
now
the
protectors
of
the
village.
But
I
must
train
you
to
ensure
you're
fully
prepared."
Darwin
interjected,
"Ala
and
I
are
heading
into
the
forest
for
more
training."
The
father
smiled
gently.
"Very
well,
but
stay
safe."
Confusion
clouded
Alatar's
expression.
"We
are—"
Before
he
could
finish,
Darwin
seized
his
arm
and
dragged
him
into
the
forest,
barely
managing
to
hold
onto
his
sword.
As
they
ventured
deeper
into
the
woods,
playfully
chasing
each
other,
Darwin
pondered,
"Hey,
Ala,
what
will
we
do
when
we
train
someone
else
to
be
the
protectors?"
Shrugging,
Alatar
replied,
"I
might
become
a
teacher,
like
my
mom,
teaching
others."
Curiosity
piqued,
Darwin
prodded,
"How
do
you
do
that
magic
stuff?
Did
your
mom
teach
you?"
Nodding,
Alatar
confirmed,
"Yeah,
she
taught
me
to
control
it.
She
says
I'm
special
since
I
can
use
it,
but
it
might
be
something
else—"
BOOM!
Startled,
both
boys
jolted
at
the
explosion
echoing
from
the
village.
Determined,
Darwin
urged,
"Alright!
Let's
show
them
what
we
can
do,
Ala!"
and
sprinted
toward
the
village.
Hurriedly
following,
Alatar
pleaded,
"Wait,
Darwin!"
Struggling
to
keep
pace,
he
eventually
lost
sight
of
his
friend.
Amidst
screams
resonating
from
his
village,
Alatar
witnessed
witches
and
demons
wreaking
havoc.
His
mind
raced:
"Where's
Darwin...
Mom...
Dad…"
Stealthily,
he
maneuvered
through
debris,
dodging
flames
and
devastation.
Closing
his
eyes,
tears
streaming,
he
whispered,
"I
have
to
reach
my
house...
make
it...
make
it..."
Cresting
a
hill,
he
spotted
his
home
in
the
distance.
Entering
cautiously,
Alatar
called
out,
"Mom...
Da—"
A
hand
clasped
over
his
mouth,
pulling
him
into
a
nearby
cabinet.
Confused,
he
gazed
up
to
see
his
mother,
her
expression
filled
with
terror,
as
she
shut
the
cabinet.
Thuds
resounded
outside,
and
through
a
crack
in
the
cabinet,
Alatar
and
his
mother
observed
hooves
and
a
colossal
demon
sniffing
around.
"I
can
smell
him...
he's
near,"
the
Demon
growled
as
a
cloaked
woman
entered.
"Capture
him
alive,"
Alatar
uttered
a
muffled
cry
as
the
Demon
barged
through,
creating
a
tense
silence
as
the
woman
advanced
toward
the
cabinet.
With
a
swift
kick,
Alatar's
mother
thwarted
her,
seizing
Alatar
and
guiding
him
through
the
rear
of
the
house.
She
implored,
pushing
him
away,
"Run,
my
child!
Get
out!"
Alatar,
in
shock,
stuttered,
"But,
Mother!"
His
thoughts
were
interrupted
by
his
father's
arrival,
bloodied,
wielding
a
shattered
shield.
"Son...
listen
to
your
mother,"
his
father
urged,
stepping
forward.
"You
need
to
g—"
The
wall
shattered,
and
the
Demon
emerged,
flames
engulfing
its
hand
into
a
chained
mace.
"There
he
is,"
the
woman
declared
as
the
father
positioned
himself
protectively.
"Give
us
the
boy,
and
we'll
end
your
lives
swiftly."
Smirking
defiantly,
the
father
moved
Alatar
behind
him.
"Run,"
he
ordered,
unsheathing
his
sword
and
dropping
his
shield.
Alatar
retreated,
and
his
parents
engaged
in
a
harrowing
battle.
"ALATAR!"
A
voice
called
from
his
left.
Spying
Darwin,
he
witnessed
the
horror
unfolding
before
him.
"Don't
leave
me...
please..."
"D-Darwin..."
Alatar
turned,
witnessing
his
mother
engulfed
in
flames,
her
gaze
fixed
on
him
with
a
final
smile,
while
his
father
fell
to
a
mace
thrust
through
his
chest.
Fearful,
Alatar
watched
his
father
retaliate,
piercing
the
Demon's
head.
Locking
eyes
with
him,
his
father
gasped,
"RUNNNNNNNNN!!!!"
Alatar
sprinted
into
the
forest,
evading
fireballs
and
chaos.
Dodging
amidst
trees
and
bushes,
he
finally
reached
an
open
field,
the
setting
sun
before
him.
Exhausted
but
determined,
he
smiled
weakly,
"I
can
make
it...
I
can
ma—"
A
searing
pain
struck
his
back,
and
he
collapsed.
"Huh?...
What
happened..."
I
can't
move...
I
can't
feel
my
body,"
darkness
encroached.
Alatar
awoke
on
an
altar,
surrounded
by
witches
carving
into
his
back.
Agonizing
screams
escaped
him,
tears
flowing
uncontrollably.
"Now,
as
the
blood
of
The
Old
Demon
King
flows
through
your
veins,
you
wi—"
The
witch's
words
halted
as
an
arrow
struck
her,
chaos
erupting.
More
arrows
freed
Alatar
from
his
chains.
A
familiar
voice
urged,
"Alatar!
Run!
Avenge
our
people!
Destroy
them!"
"D-Darwin's
Grandpa…
I-I
promise…
I'll
destroy
them
all,"
Alatar
vowed,
his
face
etched
with
newfound
rage.
Crawling
to
a
nearby
creek,
dirty
and
fatigued,
he
washed
his
face.
A
sinister
voice
echoed,
"Poor
child."
"Who's
there?!"
Alatar
demanded,
his
heart
racing
with
fear.
"Look
down,
child,"
the
voice
urged.
Alatar
glimpsed
his
reflection,
twisted
and
distorted.
Confused,
he
swiped
at
it.
"You
are
becoming
aware...
aware
of
my
presence,"
the
voice
sinisterly
echoed.
"You...
where
are
you?
Who
are
you?!"
Alatar's
panic
surged,
unable
to
comprehend.
"I
am
inside
you,
child.
I
am
in
your
blood,
your
soul.
I
am
the
Demon
King
Samael.
I've
come
to
take
you,
Alatar
Saliton."
Alatar
screamed
as
a
fiery
blaze
ignited
on
his
back,
morphing
into
the
form
of
the
Demon
King
Vorgrimm.
"I
will
use
your
body
as
my
host
and
reclaim
my
throne,"
the
Demon
declared,
reaching
for
Alatar's
face.
Alatar
jumps
up
from
his
bed
in
a
cold
sweat.
"Stay
Away!"
he
yells
as
he
blocks
his
face.
Frost
looks
at
him.
"You're
awake,
Alatar;
it
seems
Mira
was
right
after
all.
Now,
who
is
Vorgrimm?"
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Quest - Reading Lv.10/1
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