As he reached the storage chamber door, he inhaled deeply, eliminating the pressure that was surrounding him. He tried to push open the door slowly. It creaked and the sound echoed in the chamber. He felt a slight relief to know that the door is no longer locked. He exit the chamber slowly; carefully. In front of him was a large, broken chest; the object that his father put on top of the storage door to conceal it from others sight.

"Daddy,” his voice was shaking. Filled with fear and grief.

Whil looked to his front; his left and his right. He looked in every direction. The cerulean torch slipped from his weak grip and fell to the ground. Glass shattered everywhere. Every single part of his house was destroyed. The only thing that was still standing is the window; the plain glass pane that he and his father looked through before all the chaos happened. The clearing was no longer the same looking through that window. Which was once a lush green field is nothing but tainted beauty. He was so shocked to see such destructions around him. Everything that he came to know is gone. He walked around; looking at what was once haven is now nothing but a collapsed village.

At each side, dead bodies could be seen. Whil was scared but could not stop looking at each and every one of them. Looking thoroughly in hope not to find his father among them. Ygmod is now just a rocky land; a graveyard to those that have fallen protecting their village; protecting what they loved. Bracelets that were once creatures, worn by wielders of Ygmod, are scattered everywhere. Broken; cracked in defeat.

Besides Whil himself, there were a few more survivors wondering around aimlessly in hopelessness. In their eyes could be seen a cry of desolation and grief. Those that survived were Liam Travern, a thirty year old owner of a restaurant, Polly Canner, a thirty-six year old bachelorette, Quainne and Deanne Burrfield, a forty-nine year old twin, with no husbands, no children, Ray Iruz, a young twenty-two year old adventurer, two seven year old children; Alpherd Shield and Wyomey Brown. Including Whil himself, only eight people survived out of the estimated number of a hundred people that lived in Ygmod. Travern was the first to come to his senses. He called upon all survivors to gather around closer.

“Polly! Ray! Come on! Everyone, we have to stick together.”

As they’ve gathered, Whil stood far and eve’s dropped as he tried to get closer to the group slowly. They were discussing their next move to assure the continuance of their survival.

“What are we going to do now?” asked Polly to Liam.

“We have to inform the Guardian Embassy and the Sallestre Council!” answered Deanne quickly in fear and anxiety.

“Let us think before making any decisions. We have to keep on surviving. There are small children here. The Council and the Embassy are both in Forseed City. We have to climb up and down mountains to go there. Even if we are to avoid the mountains, it is hundreds of miles away from here. With not enough food supply we would not survive to even convey the message to them,” interrupted Polly.

“The closest town would be Joycelm. It will take us about a day if we walk from here directly to the north-east,” said Liam. “Am I right, Ray?”

“Yes. I can guide all of you there, I know a safer route,” Ray answered.

Whil remembered that his grandparents live in Joycelm. So he thought that it would be a brilliant idea for the group to go there. As Whil listened intently, Rover barked suddenly. He was snapped from his concentration of eve’s dropping and looked at Rover that eagerly barked at the group of people. The whole group of survivors turned their attention to the loud barking sound. They saw a young boy standing awkwardly from quite a distance. Liam tried hard to recognise Whil from afar. He knows Whil because Patton was his favourite customer. Whil went there once with his father for lunch and that once is already enough for Liam to remember him.

“Whil? Whilliam Rubbit? Is that you?” asked Liam. Trying to confirm his own guess. Whil nodded lightly. “Where’s your father, Patton?” he continued asking. Whil started to tear up again. “He…He’s…gone…I don’t…know,” answered Whil choking in his own breath; supressing himself from crying. Liam went closer to Whil to comfort him. He held Whil by his shoulders; then he said some calm and reassuring words to him. “It’s okay. As long as I’ve known your father, one thing that is very obvious of him is that he is always lucky enough to survive anything. Take my words for it. He will find you again one day. He will not stay gone forever without letting you know it. Be strong, Whil.” Liam held Whil’s chin up and wiped his tears. “Come now. We need to find whatever food there are left to survive. We all need to survive now especially you if you are to see your father again one day,” he added. Whil nodded. Strength inside his heart grew a little by Liam’s words. He put on a strong faith that his father is not among the dead yet and that he will meet his father again.

They all spread out in two separate groups to search for food for the journey. Whil and Rover followed Liam, Alpherd and Polly. They searched around the destroyed village for anything they can eat to survive for another couple of days. Whil walked around looking at Rover sniffing the ground. Rover stopped by a sack. He made the ‘puppy face’ to Whil to tell him something. Whil went closer to him to check what was inside the sack. Whil smiled as he saw the content in the sack. It was filled with a small amount of dog food. Whil took some and put them on the ground for Rover to eat. Then, he put the remaining in the blue scarf in his pocket. Whil looked at Rover eating so happily and smiled. He felt so warm inside of him. As for Liam, he went to his restaurant to see if there were anything left for them to bring for their journey. As for Polly and Alpherd, they walked together, scavenging anything they can for each other.

The second group consists of the twin sisters, Ray and Wyomey. They went to the other side of the village to search for anything to help them survive the next couple of days. As they were searching, Quainne stumbled upon something peculiar. It was a book. An oddly peculiar book. On the hard cover was writings of old; writings of Thredenin. It was written ‘Fruun Ur Ublyur’. She picked it up and opened it. Inside it as well was written with the old language on every single page in the book. She could not understand a single thing written in it. Even so, she kept it with her as she had a feeling that it would be of great importance someday. The book was not that thin but not that thick as well. It was quite small. So she slipped it in her small satchel that she always bring around.

After quite a while of searching, they all regrouped and got themselves ready to move to Joycelm. The sun is above their head and they’ve finished packing up. Ray led them to their destination as Ray was a traveller and he knows the safest way to Joycelm. He kept a highly detailed map in his journal with him all the time. He only travelled around Sallestre so far. Of the two states of Sallestre, that are Gallenhied and Farbos, he have only completed the map of Gallenhied. Luckily, Joycelm is within Gallenhied. So, they left their destroyed village and head straight to find help and salvation elsewhere. After a long walk, the sun is falling closer to the horizon. They stopped to take a short break.

“This place seems quite familiar,” said Ray trying to remember the way to Joycelm. He took out his journal and had a look at it. He then put it down for everyone to see.

“So, you see here, we’ve passed the deep slope just now. Up ahead would be a thick forest. The townsmen in Joycelm called it the Whispering Forest. It is said that…”

Ray’s voice faded in the background as Whil didn’t bother to listen much. He turned his attention to Alpherd and Wyomey. They were sitting so quietly on a big rock. Whil was seven and so were they. They all lost their parents at such a young age. Whil approached them and tried to introduce himself to them.

“Hey, I’m Whilliam Rubbit.”

“I’m Alph. This is Wyomey.”

It was short and it was awkward. Quite an ice breaking conversation. The adults’ voices came back to Whil's attention.

“So, it is decided, we are going to follow the Serrumpt River avoiding the Whispering forest,” Ray repeated the decisions they have made together. Ray closed his journal and slipped it back in his satchel. They continued their journey towards Serrumpt River. By the time they’ve reached the river, the afternoon deepened to dusk. Everyone was tired, hungry and thirsty. They set a place to sleep and the women ready the food for everyone to eat. After dinner, everyone shared their stories around the warmth of the fire.

“I was a teacher actually,” said Polly. “A kindergarten teacher. It was fun while it lasted. I love children but never had my own though. I have never found anyone for me yet. You know, my other significant half.”

“Oh dear. Don’t you worry, child. There is always someone out there for you. I don’t know about us though. Haha,” said Quainne laughing while looking at her twin Deanne.

“Well, I’m sure that you both will find someone too,” added Ray.

“Oh, I don’t know. We both are getting quite old though. Having each other is already enough so far,” replied Deanne to Ray’s statement.

While the adults were sharing their tales, the children were doing their own things. Alpherd was walking around, Wyomey was just sitting by the fire beside Polly, and Whil was feeding Rover the dog food that they found back at Ygmod.

As Whil was feeding Rover, a voice suddenly appeared directly behind him.

“What’s its name?”

Whil was jumped a little. As he turned his head around, he saw Alpherd behind him.

“Oh, Alph. He’s Rover,” Whil replied

“I’ve always wanted a dog.”

“Really? Well you can hold him if you want.”

“Thanks,” said Alph. He crouched down and slowly stroked Rover’s head. “Beautiful dog.”

They had their first real conversation. After the adults have cleaned everything up, they went straight to bed. Ray and Liam took turn staying up to look out for any wild animals, bandits or any trouble heading their way. Whil couldn’t sleep well though as he kept on waking up. His surroundings were not the same as how it used to be. Before he fell asleep, he hoped to dream of his father but there wasn’t a single dream that accompanied him that night. Only darkness.

The next day came. The sun rises. Whil opened his eyes. He was shocked for a while to find himself on the ground. He thought yesterday was a dream. All the adults were already awake and have packed up most of their things. Whil straight away got himself ready and took Rover with him. After everyone was ready, they continued their journey. The soothing morning breeze followed them along the way. As noon comes, they’ve arrived at Joycelm. As they entered the front gate of the town, the people turned their attention to the group of survivors. One of the townspeople approached them and was shocked to see the messy looking group of survivors.

“Oh dear God, what happened? Where are all of you from?”

Everyone there came closer and closer towards the survivors. Everything became louder and louder. All the voices, all the birds chirping, all the weeping pierced Whil’s ears. Whil covered his ears. He then closed his eyes. But still he can hear everything very loudly and very clearly. He was confused and scared. What is happening? He asked in his head. He screamed. He yelled. But it won’t stop. Suddenly, a female’s voice whispered his name aloud to his right ear. Whil opened his eyes. All the loud noises stopped. He was on a bed. He was in his grandparent’s house. He was in Joycelm, in the town of Drees.

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