My story is called Ruin. It is set in a fantasy world where people live alongside spirit-like creatures called dezma and eldrin. Their world is in a constant decline as people turn their backs on the old world and start working toward a world where they can control their own destinies without relying on the spirits to provide things for them.
But more so, my story is about a single boy who is constantly trying to hold on to his childhood while his world around him is constantly changing and he is being thrown into the life of adult hood too young. But I'll keep this part short and if you read this rough draft and would like to know more, just let me know. I present to you, Ruin, Book 1, Chapter 1:
Ruin Book 1 : Bloom
Chapter 1 - The Garden of Love (W.T.)
Rough Draft
In the passing warmth that often flutters through autumn, interspersed between cool breezes and the occasional storm that warn of winter, two boys frolic their last days of youth away by their favorite pond. On the slopping hill leading to the pond, the boy's parents watched on, thinking of what is to come in the near future for their children. Yet, from where the boys played, the adult's troubled faces were blurred, and in their small world by the waterfront, everything was perfect for one moment.
The younger boy called out to his friend, "Hey Layden, I caught another one! That makes four for me, and, um, 2 for you! Hahaha!" The older boy scoffed back, "I'll show you Mark! Well you just watch, I'm gonna make a come back!" and he charged into a pile of grass so thick he practically disappeared for a moment. The boys were collecting beetles, one of their favorite things to do this time of year. Mark loved collecting different bugs and giving them made-up names, while Layden always gathered many of the same kinds, just to see which was biggest of the bunch.
This year however, the beetles were particularly scarce. Just as Mark gathered up his sixth of seventh bug, Layden shouted out, "Oh wow! Check this one out!" He stumbled out of the weeds with his hands clasped tight, as to not let go of his amazing discovery. Mark nearly dropped his whole jar of beetles in excitement. Layden, so typically reserved, never showed quite this much excitement from their games. "I bet you haven't seen one of these Mark, I think it's like, ten beetles worth of beetle! See?" Layden said. He opened his hands for an instance and just like that, a massive beetle flew out. Mark chased after it and shouted, "Oh wow, It must've had five horns and eight wings, and, and, and 13 legs! I want it!" Layden, always the more athletic of the two, quickly caught up to and passed Mark. "Oh no you don't! This one is mine and you know it!" Layden laughed as he caught up to the prized catch.
With surprising agility, the horned beetle flew just above the boy's reach on a large oak tree. It started climbing right away, and the two young hunters started to lose sight of their prize. Mark frowned, "It went up into the tree, what are we gonna do?" Layden was always excited to take on new challenges, and he taunted Mark, "Well I don't know about you, but I'm going up after it!" And just like that, he was climbing the oak with all the vigor of youth. Mark had no choice but to follow. He was much slower going up though, and in the illusion of all the twisting branches he lost sight of Layden. Still he climbed on until his friend's familiar voice called him over. "Mark, over here man. I got it." Layden was sitting on a large branch high up in the tree, the beetle crawled across his hand. "Jeez, you're too fast for me man. I knew you would... Wow! Look at that view! I bet we could see all of Nufalls from here!" The entire country-side was a'glow with the serene reach of the low autumn sunlight. Spirits dances on the wind and the river that fed their small pond could be seen winding and wrapping around the hill side. Birds flew by and nearly disappeared in the light of the sun. There was a silence as the boys melted into the moment and they both drifted into their different thoughts. The beetle they had fought so hard to catch readied it's wings and fluttered off, without either of the boys even noticing.
Meanwhile, Mark's parents and Layden's father sat on the glade, locked in more grounded thoughts. Augus was Layden's father, a tall man with a strong body and even stronger face that was only contrasted by a jovial smile. Mark's parents, Rachel and Nate, were of the same age, but looked a touch younger thanks to a simpler life on farm. Rachel was the image of a mature woman who hadn't lost the hopes of youth, while Nate still had such welcoming eyes that they melted away all worries when they fell across his loved ones.
But today, even those happy qualities were overshadowed by an overall air of uncertainty.
"I know it'll be hard on them, but next week, Layden is going to leave for Omilee. He won't be able to visit again for a whole year..." Augus sighed, "...If everything goes as planned, that is." Rachel hugged on to Nate's arm. Like the cool wind blew in the whispers of winter, Nate let out his own deep breath and said, "Well... I don't want to seem them torn apart, but It won't be long until my brother comes with some sort of official order to take Mark away from us too." Rachel cut him off, "I'd like to see him try it!" Nate laughed, "He's not that bad, I was only kidding. But you know he wants Mark to visit the gathering. They just... They just want to be sure." Augus stood up and looked down at his two friends. In his stern voice, he warned of dangers that lied on the horizon, "The threat of these creatures is bigger than you might realize. If your brother thinks Mark can be of any kind help to stopping them, you really should be ready to let him go. For all of our sake." Rachel lifted herself from the ground and Nate soon followed to her side. "If they really do only have a few days left to play as children, shouldn't we give them that much?" Rachel smiled. Nate shrugged at the thought, "I don't know what the future holds, but we can at least give them that." Augus agreed, "Yes... No matter how short it may be."
In the sad way that time always seems to go, the sun began to set on their day on this tiny paradise. Mark stood on the branch, leaning against the trunk of the old oak. he smiled as he thought of all the possibilities of leaving his tiny town and exploring the vast world he saw out in front of him. Layden sat still on the edge of the large branch, lost in his own thought as his young heart began to swirl with the taint of worry and uncertainty. Then he muttered, as if he was having trouble pushing the words through his teeth, "I wish... we could be like this... every day." Mark was jarred out of his little world for a moment and his smile faded. He tried to console Layden, "What are you talking about man? We can come back tomorrow, or next week, or next month, though I bet it'd be really cold by then and..." "Mark! You don't understand. We'll never get this time back. We can't be kids forever, I'm... I'm leaving soon." Layden teared up a little, but shook them away, he knew he was getting older and had to be tough now. No time for tears. Mark had known that Layden would be leaving one day to train for the guards, but he had no idea it'd be so soon. Mark settled into a seat next to his friend and put on his usual smile, "Well then, lets enjoy what time we have left!" Just as Layden was starting to perk up, a call from their parents came up into autumn air.
"Mark, Layden, It's getting dark!"
"Time to go"
"You two can play tomorrow!"
The two fumbled down the maze of branches and rough bark. Mark slipped on his way down, and his father was there to catch him, the best that he could anyway. They all started heading toward the road home when Mark got a great idea to cheer up his friend. "Layden, you should stay over at my house tonight! We can play some more games and I can show this cool thing I found in the woods by my house, it's covered in honey flowers!" Mark said in all of his excitement. More than anything, Mark didn't want his friend to leave, and if he was going to go, he wanted to soak up as much time with him as possible. Layden was ecstatic about the idea of getting to spend more time with Mark. His troubles of going to guard training were swept away on the cool breeze of the evening. "That sounds great, please dad. Just one night?" Layden begged his father. Augus smirked, "Just one night, huh?" He turned to Nate and Rachel who smiled back, and Rachel replied, "I think we can manage that."
As they all made their way to the parting roads that lead to their different homes, Augus gave one last warning, "Now Layden, I'll be over tomorrow to get you, remember everything I told you, and BE CAREFUL!" Layden laughed, "No problem dad, I'll keep vigil over the house! haha!" Augus smiled and they parted ways with Augus and started heading toward the light of the setting sun that still lit Mark's home with the dim glow of the season. As they approached the house, they discussed all the simple things of their simple life, like "whats for dinner" and "what do you want to do tomorrow" and "Don't forget your chores mister!" Somewhere along the line, Mark stopped to beg his parents once more, "Hey Mom, Dad, I want to show Layden this cool thing in the woods! Can we go?" Please?" Nate looked at his wife and remembered all the warnings he had heard lately of strange creatures appearing out of thin air and attacking people. "Should we?" Nate said, partially looking for guidance and partially seeking approval. Rachel grinned and looked back at the boys, "You still have about half an hour of sunlight, make it count. Be inside before it gets dark though, promise me!" Rachel said in her usual radiant way.
"We promise!" The boys said in unison. "Come on!" Mark said excitedly as he started running toward the woods, Layden was quickly to follow. "I'm sure they'll be okay out there. Besides, there haven't been any reports of those, things, out here in Eyru." Rachel said, trying to pep-up her uncertain husband. But Nate's mind was already off the topic, because he had noticed a strange carriage by their old farm home. "My old brother's back. I wonder what he wants now." They walked in to the backside of their house, where Nate's brother was sitting in the kitchen, making himself at home. "Alfwin, do you always let yourself into people's homes? Or am I just special?" Nate jabbed jokingly at his older brother. "No Nathan, just you. I can always feel at home in this wonderful home you've built..." Alfwin said, pulling his brother in for a hug, "Ah, and Rachel, you don't seem quite so thrilled to see me. No love for a wiry traveler this evening?" Rachel turned away with an unusual coldness, "What did you come back for? I don't want to hear anymore of your hair-brained prophecies or literature, or whatever it is that you've brought this time!" Alfwin was shocked at her reaction and laughed, "Oh, but Rachel, don't you know all I brought this time was a rose, just as radiant as your smile!" Rachel chuckled a little, but her mood didn't change much. Alfwin looked out the window at the sun that was swiftly setting over the hillside. His presence gave everyone mixed feelings. As a man, he was beloved by nearly everyone whom he met, and people were always happy to see him. However, for Mark's family, Alfwin always brought some sort of bad news, something he felt was inevitable for their family, though Nate and Rachel denied every warning he gave. His cheer faded to a more stark voice as he gazed out at the sunset, "So, the boy. Where is he?"
