NOVEL NEXT Tearjerker
Things Happen. Escalate. Time passes. Eina Watches Her Tiny Babies Grow into Tough Children. The older Orphans, Except Petra, Turn Sixteen and leave to find their own fortunes. That left Four, plus Petra... Petra is eighteen herself now, And very much a beauty... Of the four remaining Orphans, one Has left to become Cheska's Assistant. The new orphanage already in use, run by Cheska And Elizara... Their relationship Advanced swiftly.
Two of the kids, both boys, Were Apprenticing To The Royal Blacksmith, And as such were in the Capitol... That left one, Who had been the youngest Boy. Ivan. At 12 years old, he behaved much younger, Due to being a bit Simple-minded. Eina was the only mother he knew.
Eina was happy, Her Children, Adopted and Born, Were happy. Moreover, Her relationship with Ronan, despite seeming stalled, was great. It was at the Royal Tournament two years ago, that Ronan, After Being a surprise entrant, Proceeded to get second place. Upon Losing in the final round to Seigfried, He Stepped off the Combat Stage, And immediately Proposed to her.
They've been officially engaged for two years now. The House was empty, Quiet... Petra, Hope, Faith, And Ronan were currently in the royal Capitol, Preparing Something. A surprise, They said. So it was just Eina and Ivan, and The boy was out Playing... Julia and Auron had gotten married last spring, And had a child on the way... Auron had proposed in the winter of the previous year, After theyd successfully Located and Purified the Source of the Miasma. Miasmus, the Will of Corruption, Having been destroyed before, meant that it wouldn't be back, either. Life should have been peaceful but... a year ago, IT happened.
An Outbreak of Sickness. Incurable. Following behind this disease were the Armies of the Northern Kingdom. Some IDIOT noble Antagonized them, and their Alchemists created the sickness... And now, they were invading. As the War-front neared Sulea, Eina was grateful That her girls were in the capitol. Even more so, when people began to sicken.
[Ivan's Room, Two weeks After Outbreak. Eina POV]
The Soldiers were occupying the town... I knew My children were safe, Most of the residents had been evacuated, been allowed to leave... but not the nobles. Meaning I, and Ivan, Were stuck here, hostages against The king.
I wouldn't have been able to leave anyway... Ivan is Sick. He was one of the first to catch the plague those Notherners Released. The town is empty, devoid of life... just Two Noble Houses left, The Horstchires Having been immediately Executed. They started this war, So death was unavoidable either way.
The new Paladin, however, Was away in the capitol, So as far as hostages go, it was only me.
And my heart was breaking.
"Cough! Mama... It hurts. Cough, Cough!"
I swiftly Pulled Ivan into a hug... my skill taking effect, But it couldn't cure him, only relieve the pain... They call it Blacklung, this Disease they've made. It effects Children, Animal's, and the elderly... Leaving the Able-bodied Adults Alone. Ivan was dying... and it was killing me.
[Two days later... Midnight. Ivan's Room. Eina POV]
I held him... held him so tight... my tears Flowing As if theyd never stop... This tiny boy, So Alike to my past self... Only moments ago... He looked into my eyes... and smiled.
"Mama... im... glad... you... came to... us. It doesn't... hurt now... You're so pretty... I love you... ma...ma..."
He drew a shuddering breath... and Left this world, with a smile on his face... and I held him... I held him as my heart broke, Held him as the pain nearly killed me... This sweet child that someone didn't love, Who was found Tied in a bag they'd thrown into a river, badly beaten... who was raised for five and a half years by Granny... and Six and a half by me... Always smiling... always cheerful, even when they were hungry... Ivan was the Heart of the Children, He kept them Hopeful in the darkest times... And now he's gone... Through the darkness, Through my grief, I heard the Northmen Lauging... They were cheerfully Drinking and celebrating, while My child Died... From a Plague of their creation... monsters...
I felt my chest grow hot... my vision blanked... And I heard a voice I didn't know come from my throat.
"MONSTERS! PAY... ILL MAKE THEM PAY!"
[Eina Sinclair, Race: human-bzzt-incompatible-redefining.... Race: Demi-God? INCOMPATIBLE. REDEFINING. RACE: humanoid(Earthbound Godess)... Compatible. Ascension %50.]
[Nameless Soldiers Report]
I saw it. I witnessed The Descent of a goddess, the punishment for our deeds... and I felt it. The feeling of a hand gripping my heart, the fear and hatred...and the deep sorrow... My Troupe, The Wolf Brigade, Were mercenaries... I believe that is why we were spared. A lion-man, two Wolf-kin, A Falcon-man, And A snake-lady... A five person Mercsnary unit... and myself... All that remains of an army 5000 strong.
She was beautiful, but deadly... Her eyes Burned with Amber light... and I felt The fear of a child who had upset his mother... I dropped to my knees... And it was over. The light was gone,and in its place was a young woman holding the corpse of a child in her arms... We didn't know then, but... the Entire Army, every Alchemy researcher, And the royal family and Government Of the Northern kingdom Vanished That night... Erased by an amber light. I stayed behind, when the others fled. I helped the woman Bury her child...For I knew, I was the only one to see... The goddess that descended... was her. Every child in the world, no matter how I'll, recovered at that moment... too late to save her own... And I knew That she was aware of that.
So I helped her... and Something appeared in my Status.
[A mothers Gratitude. You've helped the earthbound godess, Resulting in her favor. You will be protected.]
