Alone, under the morning's sweltering sun, a child stood stoically with a heavy steel sword in his hand.

"Hyah, Hwh, Haa"

Since the sky was stained crimson, the boy swung his sword, his hands now bloodied and back steeped in sweat.

“Hyah, Huh, Haar, Hoo”

Sharp but affectionate blue eyes followed the boy's forms.

"Let's end it here."

A handsome, well-toned man pushed himself off the courtyard's marble railing and walked toward the boy, placing his large calloused hand on his shoulder.

"Well done today, Merdoc. We bleed now, so we don't die later. Go and grab some breakfast before visiting your tutor."

"Certainly, I'm famished after that. Thank you."

The man opened his mouth, but before any words left his lips, a tremendous explosion shook the premises. Delicate ornaments, eardrums, and windows were all shattered.

The man grimaced and looked toward his son, who was now sprawled on the ground, trying to stem the profuse bleeding from his ears.

'I'm sorry, son. I'm sorry your father is not strong enough.'

With a gaze full of affection and sorrow, the father crouched to his son and rested his hand on the boy's head. Then, miraculously, the bleeding stopped, and Merdoc's perforated eardrums began to repair.

"Quickly, go to our residence and meet your siblings; your mother is probably also with them. Then, follow your brother and escape through the deeproads. Don't worry about us, just run and don't look back… I love you, son, and I'm proud of you." Saying this, Leonius turned around and ran towards the breach.

With lachrymose eyes, Merdoc watched his father's firm back and long golden hair disappear around a corner.

'Fuck fuck fuck! I thought our walls were impenetrable… How could this happen? Were we betrayed? Will we be able to push them back? Will my father be alright? What will we do once we escape?'

Frozen, Merdoc now sat in solitude in the center of the courtyard. Thousands of thoughts whirled through his head, but they did nothing to ease his worries. Instead, his breathing became more erratic, and his hands started to shake.

Isolated, a boy sat in a seemingly peaceful but battered courtyard. The scene's idyllic tranquility starkly juxtaposed the clamor of steel wails of death not far away.

Drawing a deep breath to stabilize his emotions, Merdoc tried to analyze the situation rationally.

'Whatever's transpired, I lack the power to help… I should first find my siblings and pray my father can push the Sol-dier's back. Only the lady can save us now. Yivlä nobiscum.'

With grim resolve, Merdoc quickly navigated the castle's labyrinthine corridors until he arrived at a goliath stone door decorated with intricate runes.

Placing his palm on the stone, the runes lit up a brilliant blue, and groaning, the door opened inwardly, revealing Merdoc's brother, Madric, sister, Ema, and mother, Lily.

Before Merdoc could step beneath the towering baroque-stained glass windows to enter the colossal atrium, Lily ran forward to embrace her son.

With each step, her long silver locks danced beneath the dawning sun, and against her slight bags, her resplendent golden eyes provided a sense of corrupted beauty.

"Merdoc, my wonderful son, you must be brave now and haste to the hidden passageway with your siblings. I don't know how long our forces can hold, but I need to join your father in our last stand. Don't worry about us… You've seen how strong we are. We will escape and meet again in the capital. Everything's going to be okay. Remember, your Father and I love you very much."

An unseen tear slipped from Lily's eyes as she said this, knowing she would never hold her son again, knowing this would be the last time she saw her children. Deep down, Merdoc knew this too, but only being eleven, he naively believed, or at least wanted to believe, his mother. When has she ever been wrong before, anyway?

"I know, Ma. I love you too. How long will it take until you can meet us in the capitol?"

"I don't know, little one. It might take a while."

At this moment, the smallest started to cry again.

"*Sniffle* Ma, I don't want you to leave. What if Merdoc bullies me again?"

Discreetly wiping her eyes and turning around, Lily responded in faux confidence and nonchalance.

"Don't worry, sweety, your brothers will look after you, and we'll all be together again before you know it."

Placing his hand on her shoulder, Madric further reassured Ema.

"We'll be sure to take care of you, so don't worry."

Soothed by her brother's assurance and deep, tranquil voice, Ema calmed down and ran towards her mother for one last hug.

"Take care, my children. I love you all very, very much."

Then Lily vanished, teleporting to her husband's side.

Staring at the spot his mother last stood, Madric sighed.

"Okay, you two, stick close and follow me."

"Okay." "Yes, Maddy."

"Ema, for the millionth time, my name is not Maddy… Do you think… Ah, whatever, we don't have time for this."

The two little ones followed their brother's confidant gate, walking deeper into the keep until they arrived at an extensive library.

"Are you ready for a cool magic trick?"

"Umhmm," Ema was the only one to respond.

Madric ambled toward a shelf and took out an unassuming aged red leather book, opening it to the two-hundred and thirty-seventh page. Then, pulling a knife from his waist, he cut his thumb, allowing a few drops of blood to fall onto the opened page. From where the blood spilt, mesmerizing and increasingly intricate patterns spread until the page opened a bloody maw.

"Descendant of Mer, it seems you have begotten upon troubled times. For what reason have you summoned me?"

"We seek safe passage to the outside."

"Hmmm, that can be arranged. Safe travels, little ones. Oh, and remember, curiosity can kill; some things are best left unseen."

With that, the bloody mouth enlarged and swallowed the children, leaving the library tranquil once more.

Overcoming the oppressive darkness, yellow lights slowly flickered on, revealing an expansive chiseled quartzite passage. Ancient engravings of bloody battles and abominable beasts speckled the walls. Each carving oozed a chilling feeling of death; their gazes peered into the secrets of the children's souls, observing their every movement.

Recalling the grimoire warning, Madric turned to look at Merdoc and Ema.

"Don't stare at the sculptures… There's a barrier preventing anyone from leaving our keep with magic, so we'll have to travel on foot until we make it to Viscount Demeetry's. So stick tog… Merdoc, are you okay?"

Wiping the ebony liquid leaking from the corner of his mouth, Merdoc responded.

"I'm fine, don't…"

But before he could finish his sentence, Merdoc began wheezing and then hysterically retching. Dropping to his knees, each cough caused his body to viciously shudder as more putrid viscous raven fluid spewed from his mouth.

Barely discerning his brother's frantic shouts and sister's woeful wails, Merdoc's vision faded to black.