Year 1240, Twelfth month
A whistle echoed through the icy forest, caused by the cold air gusts coming down from the Veldra Gray Mountains. The wind chilled to the bone, even through the thick wool coats.
On the outskirts of the village of Velmor's Rest, a log cabin stood next to a corral where the sheep and chickens shivered with cold, the latter seeking shelter in the coop.
A 5.7-foot figure approached a 6.2-foot figure. Their coarse, thick sheep's wool clothes, while keeping them warm, seemed to hinder movement.
"He's just turned twelve months old, are you sure it's a good idea to take him out, Garreth?" —concern flooded the voice of the shorter woman, Mildred—.
"Don't worry, what happened last time won't happen again" —Garreth replied confidently, turning to look at his little one.
The giant ball of white wool, held by Mildred, made a sound.
"Guuuu" —said the giant wool ball wisely—.
Through a small opening, Aedric's small eyes peered out, ready for his second round against the cold.
Garreth and Mildred remembered the first time they took Aedric outside, just a few weeks earlier. They forgot that their son was blessed by Ignis.
Aedric had started shivering with cold, but before Mildred could take him inside, the baby's instinct activated his blessing, and his entire body began to emit fire.
Both panicked at the miniature living sun Mildred was carrying in her arms…
Returning to the present.
Garreth began to chop wood with his axe, and the loud sound caught Aedric's attention.
Mildred smiled at the sight of her baby, that giant ball of wool that occasionally protested with a "Guuu".
Despite being self-sufficient, they still paid taxes to the Baron of their lands, Lord Renard Velmor.
Garreth had a contract with him to supply wood monthly to his castle, a connection he forged after 12 years in the army and his contributions in the integration campaign that subdued some northern tribes.
Thus, the Valoria Empire gained total control of the north, with the only current threat coming from beasts and monsters.
Although Garreth was only an average soldier who got lucky, his service was rewarded.
The Empire, with its policy of rewarding military contributions, granted him a plot on the outskirts of the village, where he could farm and raise livestock by paying only taxes.
For her part, Mildred was the second daughter of an average merchant family.
Since her older sister was more talented, she was sent to an academy to forge her own future., there she learned to read, write, do crafts, and use mana.
Although she was only a novice water mage, it was valuable for herself.
The Empire allows anyone to study magic if they have the money, and every man upon turning 18 must serve a year in the army.
This policy has turned Valoria into the continent's greatest military power, with a population of 1 billion humans, most of them trained soldiers.
The rhythmic sound of the axe against the wood was all that could be heard in the peaceful scene.
"Guuuuuu" —the wool ball growled with discomfort and a little anger—.
Perhaps not so peaceful.
Remembering her last lesson, Mildred entered the warm cabin at lightning speed, carrying the complaining wool ball with her.
Year 1241, First month
Inside the log cabin, the tempting smell of a stew permeated the air, awakening the ravenous appetite of the sleeping beast.
Aedric's eyes opened wide.
His nose moved like a bloodhound's, sniffing the air.
His wooden cradle, the majestic palace he slept in, began to sway as he moved from side to side.
—Guuu, guuuuuu, guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu —The beast demanded blood to feed: his chicken stew.
"Aedric, calm down!" —Mildred shouted with a playful smile from the kitchen—.
"GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" —The war cry had sounded. The apocalypse was about to fall on the cabin—.
"Lord Ignis, couldn't you have given him your blessing later?" —Mildred muttered worriedly to herself, asking for mercy at her son's scream—.
Today was Aedric's birthday, the first day of the first month.
They were lucky he was born on such an auspicious day.
To celebrate his first year, they sacrificed one of the chickens to make the sacred chicken stew, Aedric's favorite food.
Mildred wondered how her son was capable of producing those barbaric screams, but he hadn't said "mom" or "dad" yet.
"The food is almost ready, Aedric" —Mildred told Aedric from the kitchen—.
Aedric was about to announce another war cry, but something clicked in his brain...
Something...
The baby, upon hearing his mother's words, understood. A word that was repeated many times had a specific meaning.
Heavenly understanding illuminated Aedric's mind, who shouted with all his might.
—FOOOOOOOD! —was heard from the cradle—.
Mildred jumped in fright. Her head hit the ceiling with a loud thud. She rubbed her head, pained, as she turned around to see where the scream had come from.
Her eyes widened with excitement. She peered through the window and called Garreth at the top of her lungs to come inside.
Garreth entered, axe in hand, ready for anything that required his urgent presence.
"Are you okay?!" —Garreth yelled, scanning the room for danger—.
"Aedric said his first words!" —emotion overwhelmed her—.
Garreth looked at her in disbelief.
He rushed in thinking of an emergency and now they were telling him that.
—My wife needs to express herself better instead of screaming like she's being murdered— The man thought, slightly annoyed.
But suddenly, he forgot his anger. Emotion flooded him.
"And what did he say?!" —anticipation was reflected on his normally terrifying face—.
Before Mildred could answer, the voice of the emperor of the cabin was heard.
"FOOOOOOOD!" —it resonated from the other room—.
Both looked at each other, speechless with disbelief. Mildred and Garreth approached Aedric, who was yelling euphorically while standing in the cradle with his hands extended.
Shock hit them for a third time. They almost fell backwards.
"Aedric, honey, do you like chicken stew that much?" —Mildred asked her son, not expecting an answer—.
"CHICKEN STEW!" —words worthy of a god came out of Aedric's mouth—.
Shock hit them for a fourth time. They almost fell backwards again.
"Aedric, can you say "dad?" —Garreth asked, expectant—.
Aedric's lips closed and then slowly opened…
Both held their breath, waiting for their son's word.
"Guuuuuuuuuuu!" —exclaimed Aedric with his great wisdom—.
Both slammed their heads against the wall twice in a row.
After a moment, the whole family sat down to enjoy the long-awaited chicken stew. Aedric especially enjoyed it, to no one's surprise.
Year 1242, Second month
Footsteps crunched in the snow as their boots left tracks along the path.
In the distance, a small wall of stone with black wood was visible, guarded by guards with spears. Through the opening one could observe many people and large constructions.
Heading towards the entrance of the village of Velmor´s Rest, Mildred smiled radiantly, her white skin and light brown hair shining under the sun's rays, while her hazel eyes completed her beauty.
As she navigated the village of about 3,000 inhabitants, she thought about her son, alone at home. Knowing how much he hates the cold, he wouldn't leave the cabin.
Garreth had gone to Baron Renard's castle to drop off the month's firewood and receive his payment.
The road was filled with commoners like her. Although her socioeconomic position was above average, she wasn't very welcome among some women. But she had a great friend, Lysa, from whom she always bought spices and condiments.
Lysa was a tall woman, about 6 feet, with pale skin like snow and delicate features. Her hair, jet black like the night sky, framed green eyes that recalled a spring forest. As the daughter of merchants, she dedicated herself to selling in the central square, in front of the clock tower.
While Mildred was talking with Lysa, a little girl came out from behind the stall.
She was practically a reflection of her mother, although her short, messy, and disheveled hair differentiated her.
The little girl was pushing a box with her feet instead of her hands, and Mildred noted with curiosity the unusual way she moved.
The girl seemed to be the same age as Aedric, about two years old.
"You hadn't told me you have a daughter" —Mildred's eyes opened slightly in surprise. She had known her since she moved, but had never told her about the girl—.
"Oh, she is Rinella" —Lysa hesitated, a trace of nervousness on her face— "She is my daughter, but I wasn't sure how you would react…"
Mildred observed the girl carefully, who flinched under her gaze.
Then she noticed something odd: under her coat, the sleeves were tied up to the elbow.
"Could it be that she doesn't have arms?" —the question came out slowly, careful not to offend—.
Disappointment covered Lysa's face.
"That's right. When people found out about her existence, they felt uncomfortable and moved away, thinking I had given birth to a cursed child." —The venom in her voice became apparent as she remembered— "Some even dared to question why I hadn't abandoned her or done worse things…"
Lysa approached her daughter and picked her up, seeking comfort in the girl's embrace.
"But she is my daughter, and I love her just as she is, no matter what they think." —Maternal affection filled her voice as she finished speaking—.
Mildred approached her with soft steps.
"I am not like those ignorant people, Lysa" —A warm smile appeared on her face—.
She greeted Rinella, but the little girl hid on her mother's shoulder, using her messy hair to cover her face; that is her way of protecting herself.
"She is a very cute little girl. Bring her home when I finish my shopping. I am sure Aedric will have fun playing with her. Until now, he hasn't met anyone other than Garreth and me."
Lysa was moved to tears, but held them back.
"I gladly accept the invitation" —she said, smiling—.
Rinella looked at the floor; although she didn't understand the words, Mildred's kind tone comforted her.
This woman didn't look at her with ugliness, unlike others, and Rinella didn't know how to feel.
Meanwhile, in a cabin far from the village.
Aedric was running in circles at high speed. Although he was two years old, his feeding and constant activity had given him unusual athletic ability.
He ran as he did in his strange dreams, where he was taller and moved quickly along a path.
When he got tired, he took a small wooden axe his father had given him for his birthday.
He began to repeat Garreth's movements, enjoying the game.
Inspiration came when he got tired of wielding the axe.
He remembered that in his dreams he lifted something heavy up and down. He was about to try it with his mother's chairs when the door opened and he heard Mildred's voice.
"I'm here, my dear son," —she said with a sweet voice—.
Aedric froze with the chair in hand.
He looked at her with a silent promise; if the chair were alive, it would tremble before the boy's gaze.
He ran to the door, but stopped short when he saw something unexpected.
Another woman entered the house with his mother, and behind her, a small, thin girl.
It was the first time he had seen anyone outside his family.
Aedric's mind was in chaos and his only response was his old communication system.
"GUUUUUUU!" —a guttural cry came from deep within him—.
Mildred was speechless; Aedric already knew how to speak, but he reacted with the same cry of surprise from months ago.
Lysa and Rinella were not as surprised.
They thought Aedric's cry was out of fear of seeing the girl without arms.
Aedric quickly approached Rinella and touched the tied knot where her elbow ended.
The girl lowered her gaze; her hair covered her face.
Aedric, by instinct, felt that he had made her feel bad.
He remembered how his parents comforted him when he was sad; his mind made a brilliant connection: imitate Mildred.
Aedric moved even closer to Rinella and wrapped his arms around her in a warm and clumsy hug.
It was the first time he hugged someone who wasn't his parents.
Rinella, for her part, felt an explosion of strange feelings.
Her face, icy from the outside cold, heated up like an erupting volcano.
The shrieks of Mildred and Lysa echoed through the entire forest, both from tenderness and the shock of seeing their children in that situation.
Lysa, initially disconcerted, was happy to see that her daughter would finally have a real friend.
Meanwhile, outside the cabin.
Garreth was returning from selling the firewood to the Baron. After hours of travel, he was finally returning to his warm home.
Outside the cabin, he heard the excited shrieking of two women.
Garreth started, confused.
—Guests? That would be the first time we've had guests other than the tax collector— The exhausted man thought.
He slowed his pace, trying to arrive as late as possible.
The shrieking did not encourage him much.
—End of Chapter 1—