Scene 4 - A mother’s wish and a daughters resolve

On a bloodstained blanket within a dark room lied a young woman on the brink of death. Despite being middle-aged her skin was quite leathery in appearance.

Thanks to working in the fields from noon to sunset. Although she was normally tan her skin color was deathly pale from lack of blood. Her hair was black as night, and her blue eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at the nine figures surrounding her.

On closer inspection, the figures were weeping too powerless to do anything to help her. They could only stay by her side in the little life that she had left.

She showed them a gentle smile, knowing full well she was going to die. Staring at her beloved family, the woman called Mother didn't know what to say.

Sol and Luna were holding each other's hands, sobbing in broken sentences, “Mum… you can’t… go you just can’t you can’t… you can’t!”

Sol, “You can’t die, you can’t! Who would make your special rye soup if you died?”

Luna, “Don’t go, mum, we’ll be good!”

Len sat silently tears streaming down her cheeks. Although her hair covered her eyes, her mother they held great sadness.

Their adoptive Mom wiped away Len’s silent tears and smiled, “Stay strong, my children.”

Xue’s face twisted in pain as she wept silent tears, uttering three words, “Don’t die… Mother!”

The minds of the nine youths were filled with a sea of sadness, only wishing for the heavens to save their mother. Yet the gods gave them no answer, watching on as the world rotted away until only sand and ash remained.

Desperately the mother tried to push away the feeling of death. Although she kept a smile on her face the moment of being stabbed replayed in the back of her mind.

She wouldn't have chosen differently if she could do it over again she had to protect the life of her dear children! Coughing up a mouthful of blood, she chuckled knowing her end was nigh.

Still, she didn’t fear death in the slightest, only fearing what awaited her family when she left them. The thought terrified her so much that her life flashed before her eyes within a moment.

Her breath turned shallow and blood flowed from her lips as she opened her mouth, facing her the ceiling, “My children… I don’t have much time… left in this world… my wound… is too deep to heal… I can’t even see you kids clearly anymore… My time grows short...”

A coughing fit hit her, and another mouthful of blood stained the dirty blanket. Some of it even splashed on the children that surrounded her in her final moments. But they paid no mind and moved closer to their dying mother.

Weakly lifting her hand to wipe away the tears coming from Vince’s sky blue eyes, “Mother you can’t leave! You can’t! Soon, mother, we’d have enough money to move out this godforsaken Kingdom. Then we could live on a little farm like we always talked about, right guys?”

With trembling hands, Vince grabbed his mother's hand, praying that things didn’t have to be this way. He prayed but the gods did not answer. One by one the siblings placed their hands upon Vince’s and smiled. None of them wanted their mother to leave them, but fate wasn’t kind to those who were weak.

“My sons, my daughters listen by chance the other day I met a man while walking home. He wore a wearing a brilliant blue robe that someone of status would wear and said.” She pauses, gasping for air. “He was looking for on any people that had awakened to take on disciples. This is your best chance my children with Rune awakened he'll take you away from this place.”

Sadness showed on the faces of her children, and some started to sob. With the last of her strength, she moved her free hand to silence them.

“Don’t worry about me… Take this card and head to the Tavern of dragons. Ask… ask for Master Mo leave together with my children. Now go, or even in death I will not forgive you for forsaking your family!”

Vince wiped the stained tears off his cheek and nodded to his mother's words.

Bowing his head towards her over and over again, “I shall carry out your will mother or the heavens strike me down!”

The young ones Nena, Sol, and Luna protested but were given a cold glare from Vince. Made all the more terrifying by the jagged scar underneath his eye shutting them up.

Everyone but Rune followed Vince’s lead bowing to their mother. She watched on kept holding onto her Mother's hand the entire time….

‘Rune must feel like it was her fault for this injury’, Mother thought.

But who can blame the heavens for being too weak?

The mother could only blame herself for her powerlessness. Shaking these useless feelings away, she motioned Rune to come closer.

Startled, Rune moved her ear above her mother's lips, still wet with blood.

With her dying breath, “I don’t blame you, my child, I lived my life for you kids so cherish your bonds and to take care of your brothers and sisters together with Vince...”

Her thoughts drifted towards Vince, she knew he would keep her children in order after her death. He was the second child she had taken into her home and turned out to be the eldest of her children.

Taking everything seriously, doing everything she told him to do with no backtalk. Of the nine he was the most mysterious, arriving before her door covered in countless wounds.

Rune cared for the boy for weeks while she went to work in the fields. She felt that the wounds were too much for such a small child, but surprisingly he survived his ordeal.

Eventually, the children that came after him looked to him for guidance. These kids had come one by one into her life. Out of all the years, she had lived, these last few had been the happiest few years in her life.

With a smile lingering on her face, mother passed away falling into the darkness, 'Be fearless my children."

Outside

Hearing the mournful crying inside a group of men felt like it was music to their ears.

The middle one in the group laughed, “Keep watch of them I’ll tell the boss we’ve found an awakened!”

“Yes, sir!”

Inside

Rune watched the end of her mother as if the world was ending around her. Her face had become demonic clenching her balling her hands into fists. They tightened to the point that blood began to flow into droplets.

The emotions of powerlessness and hatred washed over her in waves. Rune's fingers twitched as the urge to go on a blood-soaked rampage started to consume her reason.

Her mother didn’t deserve such an end. If she was strong enough Mother wouldn’t have died... If she was strong Hoss her father wouldn’t have given his life…

If she was strong none of this would have happened… If she was stronger... she could have killed those men without anyone dying. If only...she was stronger...

But remembering the words her mother and father left her. How they both smiled at her while dying, Rune's urge for slaughter fell away.

Her heart had gone hollow pushing the thoughts of revenge away. Fear took it’s placed focusing on how to keep her siblings safe. Be damned to let another of her family members die in front of her!

Along with this thought, her eyes narrowed with an eerie light, “We shall move on, as mother wanted. will live on as father wished… I'll focus all my energy to become stronger, to protect you all in her stead!”

Standing up she announced her ambition to her surrounding brothers and sisters. With newfound determination, she and Vince took lead heading along the east path. Moving towards the Tavern of Dragons, their only sliver of hope.

The sun slowly sank along the sky as the siblings walked along the road with a bundle of stuff held in ragged sheets. Before leaving home they also put Hoss inside covering him and their mother. Looking back one more time they saw the blood-soaked blankets covering them.

Clenched her hands in fury her knuckles whitened, but no more tears would be shed. No more sadness, only pure hatred danced within her glowing green eyes.

The siblings didn't see except for Vince who kept quiet. But even he didn't see a faint glow coming from underneath her clothes. On her left arm, a small silver bangle embedded with nine water lotuses shined.

One thought rang inside her mind, a searing blade twisting her and her beliefs into pure madness. Rune walked forward vowing to get stronger, to never lose anyone she held dear ever again.