Chapter 1 The Awakening to the Invasion 27/07/908

  Yonas awoke to a voice that seemed to echo from within his own mind, a strange blend of clarity and detachment. His eyes shot open, and for a moment, he lay still, the world around him blurred and indistinct.

  His breath caught in his throat as he heard some robotic voice speak.

  Welcome, Yonas.

  The higher being has bestowed future knowledge to you and all humans.

  You possess elemental aptitude. Prepare for the upcoming monster invasion.

  The monster invasion will begin in six years. Prepare wisely.

  A shiver ran down his spine. The words were stark and impersonal, yet the implications were as heavy as a stone in his gut. Elemental aptitude? Monster invasion? The higher being? His mind reeled, grasping for logic in a situation that seemed to defy it. His fingers clenched the blanket beneath him, knuckles white with the force of his grip. He swallowed hard, the taste of fear sharp on his tongue.

  "What... what is this?" he whispered, his voice barely more than a rasp. "Is this real?"

  A tremor ran through him, a mix of fear and the undeniable pull of curiosity. Whatever this was, it had told him. And if the words said were true, it told every single human on this planet.

  He sat up slowly, his movements careful and deliberate. His room remained the same—wooden walls lined with old carvings, a single window where pale morning light seeped through—but the air felt different, charged with a weight he couldn’t quite describe.

  His legs felt weak as he swung them over the edge of the bed. The wooden floor was cool beneath his feet, grounding him. He pressed his palms against his temples, trying to steady the whirlwind in his mind. "Okay... okay. Think, Yonas. What do I do now?"

  No answers came. Only the silence of the morning, and the soft creak of wood as the house seemed to breathe around him.

  "Mom? Dad?" His voice barely rose above a whisper, and when no response came, he forced himself to his feet. The hallway stretched ahead of him, dimly lit by the first fingers of dawn. His parents' room was just down the narrow hallway, and his younger brother Liem usually woke up with the dawn, just as he did.

  Every step felt heavy, as if the air had thickened, resisting his movement. The weight of the higher being’s message pressed against his chest, and he struggled to draw a full breath. Six years until a monster invasion. And he had elemental aptitude—whatever that meant.

  The door to his room creaked open behind him, and Yonas spun, his pulse thundering in his ears. Liem stood in the doorway, his bright blue eyes wide, a mirror of Yonas' own. "Yonas? Did you hear it too?"

  The words struck him like a hammer. His brother had heard it too. It wasn't just him.

  "Yeah... I heard it." His voice was tight, barely more than a rasp. "Did... did it say you have elemental aptitude too?"

  Liem nodded, his small frame trembling. "It did. And it said... monsters. Six years. What does that mean, Yonas?"

  "I don't know." Yonas knelt, bringing himself to eye level with his brother. He rested a hand on Liem's shoulder, feeling the boy's bones too close to the skin. "But whatever it is... we'll figure it out. Together. Okay?"

  Liem nodded again, and a fragile smile broke through his fear. "Okay."

  Yonas drew his brother into a hug, closing his eyes against the rising tide of uncertainty. They stayed like that for a moment, a lifeline against the storm, until the soft sounds of movement echoed from the kitchen. Their parents were awake.

  "Come on," Yonas said, standing and taking Liem's hand. "Let's see if they heard it too."

  Yonas sat at the kitchen table, the air thick with the unspoken weight of the higher being’s message. His parents moved around the small space with a sense of purpose, but their faces betrayed the confusion and fear they felt. His mother stirred a pot over the hearth, though Yonas doubted she had any appetite, while his father paced by the window, fingers twitching at the curtains as if expecting the world outside to suddenly change.

  "What does it mean?" His mother finally spoke, her voice thin. "A monster invasion? Six years... How do we even prepare for that?"

  "I don’t know," his father replied, his tone just as strained. "But it’s not just us. If everyone heard it, then... then maybe the kingdom will do something."

  Yonas exchanged a glance with Liem. The younger boy’s hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white. Yonas took a breath, steadying himself. "It said I have elemental aptitude. Liem too."

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  His parents turned to them, the room swallowing the sound of the crackling fire. "Elemental aptitude?" his father asked. "Are you sure?"

  Yonas nodded. "It said in my mind... It said I had elemental aptitude, and Liem must have heard the same thing."

  His mother’s brow knit together, and she lowered the spoon, leaning against the hearth for support. "Elemental aptitude... like Nasir?"

  "Nasir?" Yonas’ mind churned. His uncle’s name felt distant, a figure from stories of the capital. "You mean the one from the capital? The elemental swordsman?"

  His mother nodded. "He could sense and use elemental energy. It’s why he left. He was granted a home there."

  "And he's coming here," his father added. "He left last week. It was supposed to be a simple visit, but... fate, it seems, had other plans. This higher being announcement happened just as he was on his way."

  A fragile thread of hope wrapped itself around Yonas' heart. Uncle Nasir, the swordsman who had faced threats and seen the world beyond their quiet town, might hold the answers they needed.

  The weight of the conversation settled over them, and Yonas felt the walls of the small home closing in. "I'm going to get some fresh air," he muttered, pushing his chair back.

  Outside, the world was untouched by the chaos in his mind. The sky stretched pale and empty, a sharp breeze cutting through the morning stillness. He grabbed his practice sword, the wood worn smooth by years of use, and made his way to the patch of dirt behind their home.

  Each swing, each step, became a rhythm, a distraction from the fear gnawing at his thoughts. His muscles ached, the burn of physical exertion a welcome relief from the cold grip of anxiety. He moved until his arms trembled, until his breath came in ragged gasps.

  When exhaustion finally claimed him, he sat in the dirt, his sword resting across his knees. He stared at the horizon, where the sun bled into the sky, turning the world a muted shade of amber. His mind drifted, and the weight of sleep pulled him under.

  In the dream, shadows twisted around him. He stood in a world painted in blood and ash, the air thick with a metallic tang. A creature moved in the periphery of his vision, its silhouette sharp and wrong. It had green skin, slick and taut, and stood a little shorter than him. Its limbs were wiry, its fingers ending in claws that scraped against the ground. Yellow eyes pierced the darkness, and when it grinned, its teeth were needle-like, too many for its narrow jaw.

  The creature's breath came in wet rasps, and its claws dragged through the dirt, carving lines that smoked and bled. Yonas couldn’t move, his body locked in place as the creature crept closer, its eyes never leaving his.

  A sudden, sharp noise pulled him from the dream. Yonas sat up, his room cast in the pale grey of early morning. His skin was damp with sweat, his pulse a wild drumbeat in his chest. The dream lingered; each detail etched into his mind with a clarity that felt more like a memory than a vision.

  He swung his legs over the bed, grounding himself on the cool wooden floor. Outside, the quiet hum of his parents' voices drifted from the kitchen. They were still talking, their words too soft to catch. Planning. Worrying.

  Yonas closed his eyes, the creature's yellow gaze seared into the darkness behind his lids. He knew, deep in his bones, that it wasn’t just a nightmare. The creature was real. And it was waiting.

  Yonas trudged down the stairs, each step heavy with the remnants of his unsettling dream. The wooden planks creaked beneath his feet, the familiar sounds grounding him as he approached the kitchen. The scent of porridge hung in the air, mingling with the faint smoke from the hearth.

  “Good morning,” Yonas mumbled, slipping into a chair at the small kitchen table. His mother turned from the pot, offering him a gentle smile, while his father leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

  “Morning, Yonas,” his father replied. “Did you sleep well?”

  Yonas hesitated, the image of the green-skinned monster with yellow eyes still vivid in his mind. “Yeah... I guess.”

  His father sighed, running a hand through his hair. “They’ve found a new monster in the woods. Apparently, it’s green and short with sharp claws.”

  “Stop trying to scare him,” his mother said, her voice gentle but firm. She stirred the pot with steady motions, but her eyes betrayed the same worry etched into every line of his father’s face.

  A drop of cold sweat slid down Yonas’ back. His fingers tightened around the edge of the table, the wood biting into his skin. His mind raced, the details of his dream aligning too neatly with his father’s words. Was it a coincidence? Or something more?

  “Yonas? Yonas!” His mother’s voice pierced the fog of his thoughts. She stood closer now, a crease between her brows. “Are you alright?”

  Yonas forced a smile, nodding quickly. “Yeah, sorry. Just... a bit tired.”

  His mother studied him for a moment longer before retreating to the hearth. “We used the communication rune,” she began, her tone lighter, almost hopeful. “We asked if Nasir could take you with him when he arrives. He agreed.”

  His father’s expression softened. “We know how much you’ve always wanted to be an elemental swordsman. And with this elemental aptitude... well, you need to learn to control it. Nasir can teach you, and he can keep you safe.”

  Yonas’ eyes widened, a mix of surprise and excitement lighting his features. “Really? I can go with Uncle Nasir?”

  His mother smiled, the expression a rare comfort against the storm of uncertainty. “Yes. You’ll be safe with him, and you’ll learn so much. It’s the best chance we can give you.”

  “Thank you!” Yonas leapt from his seat, a genuine grin breaking through. His dreams of learning the sword, of seeing the world beyond their quiet town, seemed closer now—more real.

  His father chuckled; the sound strained but sincere. “He’ll be here soon. Grab some clothes, your sword, and anything else you want to take. You’ll need to be ready.”

  Nodding eagerly, Yonas darted up the stairs. His room seemed smaller now, each item a piece of the life he would leave behind. He packed carefully, folding clothes and tucking away small keepsakes. His sword, still polished and sharp, lay atop his bag. He tucked his scarf into the sack, a small comfort to take with him.

  Time slipped away as he moved through the motions, his mind a blend of fear and hope. He wondered what Nasir would be like—if he’d still remember the boy who had clung to his leg the last time he visited, or if he’d see only the promise of a new apprentice.

  A sharp knock at the door cut through the quiet, sending a jolt through the house. Yonas froze, his hand still clutching his scarf. His parents’ muffled voices reached him, and he knew.

  He rushed down the stairs, his heart pounding as he reached for the door. His fingers tightened on the handle, and with a deep breath, he began to pull it open.