The Twin Trees: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The End of the Beginning 

Once we were settled at the inn, I told my Dad the old stranger’s story and he told me what he knew. 

“It is the wishing tree,” he said.   “A tree that grants one wish every 100 years on a golden moon.”  

“Hey Dad, yesterday I saw you limping.  Are you okay?”  

“Yes son I just cracked my leg on the fall into the river. It will be fine though.” 

“Okay Da.”

(An alarm bell rings”!!) 

“Dad, what’s that?” 

“Son, that is the alarm bell for which we are being attacked. SON GO NOW!”  We ran out of the inn and started running through the streets.

“It looks like the town is being raided by bandits. Blood thirsty ones at that. Son, go to the raid shelter you will be safe there.”

“What are you doing Dad?, Come with me!”

“Son, other people need protecting. I am going to the armory.”

“But Dad!”

“SON I SAID GO!!”

I ran to the underground shelter with other townspeople. I heard knives hitting shields, screams of pain, and gunshots from revolvers. When we heard nothing we went outside. Every bandit was dead and very few armed defenders were left alive. 

“Where is Dad?” I thought.  “DAD! DAD!”  I looked around for five minutes before I found his body on the ground lying dead with a knife in the one weak point in his armor.  I was so sad, time just stopped for me.  My Dad was gone and I could not go back to my home.  Three days later a few individuals went with me to his funeral including the Mill family, the Mayor, some people of town.  Three towns folk said that my Dad saved their lives and showed them where to hide. The funeral was mostly silent until the Mayor spoke.  

“As Mayor, I deem this individual as a hero of the town.”  I was proud that he was my Dad and that he used his strength, courage, and quick thinking to help people.  I wanted to be like my Dad and learn to defend people like my Dad.  

A couple days later I was taken into a foster family. My new Mom and Dad's names were Rachel and Zach. I even had a brother the same age as me. His name is Tomis. Two days after that the mayor made a Defenders Academy where individuals were trained to defend people. Tomis and I went to the academy and trained there for many years until this very day. Meanwhile, the Empire and the Union joined forces to try and find the wishing tree.  So far they have been unsuccessful.  This is the end of the beginning.  And now my story really begins.