To you 500 hundred years later

  Chapter 1?—?The Book

  “Mom, don’t take this book away from me,” I said softly.

  “Don’t you remember? Our great-grandfather gave this to us. It’s our legacy.”

  She smiled. “I know, son. I was only joking.”

  Then she sat beside me and opened the worn pages.

  “Let me read you the adventures of your great-grandfather. Let’s begin, honey.”

  Volume I

  To you, five hundred years later.

  At that moment, I realised something horrifying.

  Our village was a pen.

  Humanity was cattle.

  The enormous demon-like beings were tearing apart the village shield?—?the very barrier that had protected us from them.

  “Why were you crying in your sleep, Taro?” Sasha asked.

  “I was crying?” Taro replied nervously. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

  “I won’t,” she said. “I always cover for you.”

  “You’re the best sister,” Taro smiled.

  “We have enough firewood,” Sasha said, looking at the darkening sky.

  “Let’s go home. Night is coming… and those creatures might come out soon.”

  “Okay.”

  “Oh wow,” their mother said when they returned.

  “Someone worked hard today. This will last us a whole month. Thank you, both of you.”

  “Our pleasure,” they replied together.

  That night, as Taro and his family slept, a distant noise shattered the silence.

  “I’ll go check it out,” Taro said.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Suddenly, a villager screamed—

  “Run! Run! The shadows are here! Run!”

  Taro’s father had left when he was little.

  Now, he was about to lose everything else.

  They were too late.

  Too late to realise the shadows were already at their doorstep.

  “Run, Taro, run!” his mother cried.

  “I won’t survive… but you must.”

  She pushed a book into his hands.

  “Take this. My last gift to you.”

  Taro stood frozen.

  A soldier grabbed him and dragged him away —

  but his sister was left behind.

  From a distance, Taro watched as his family turned to bones.

  He could do nothing.

  “Sir,” Commander Alex said later, kneeling.

  “A village was attacked by the shadows. Should we send soldiers?”

  “No,” the king replied coldly.

  “Don’t waste our troops on those filthy people.”

  “The ones who survive will receive help. The rest can die.

  This way, we save soldiers and resources.”

  “Sir… don’t you think this is immoral?” Commander Alex asked.

  “I said no,” the king snapped.

  “The world is dying. The Kingdom of Ezui declared war on the most advanced kingdom, and since then, this has been happening.”

  “If you wish to die like them, then go.”

  “I apologise, sir,” Commander Alex said quietly.

  “I will obey your orders.”

  Was the king cruel?

  Or would this decision lead to the survival of the people?

  Next Saturday:

  The First Scout Expedition