Dark Lord: Rise to Power

"So," Arin gently patted Auriya's shoulder, "tell me about you two. How did you end up here? Where are your parents? Is there any way I can contact them so you can be reunited with your family and friends?"

Auriya did not reply but grew very quiet. Lumiyan turned his head and looked at his sister. Arin noticed that the little boy was trying hard to suppress his tears. Arin felt a pang of guilt, uncertain about what he had said wrong but realizing something was amiss.

He looked at Auriya, who was staring at the moon. Her gaze was empty, or perhaps she was looking far beyond the moon and distant stars, deep into the past. In the soft, pale moonlight, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. The alien moon's silver light wove delicate threads across her darkened face, casting an ethereal glow upon the tiny, glistening teardrops pooling in the corners of her eyes.

Arin felt perplexed and decided to change the topic. But before he could stop her, Auriya began speaking, her voice trembling. "They are… they are there." She stretched her tiny hand to point at the moon. "My mother told us that when our people die, they go to the field of sky and hunt in the eternal glade of Suhaniya."

"But Dad would say," Lumiyan interrupted, his voice quivering, "after our people die, they go to the Golden Field and enjoy the abundant harvest of Dahaniya."

"Suhaniya and Dahaniya, who are they?" Arin asked softly.

"Suhaniya is the Goddess of my mother's people," Auriya said with a sad smile, "the Dusk Elves."

"And Dahaniya?" Arin asked, his curiosity piqued.

"He is the God of Abundance, revered by my father's people," Lumiyan replied, "the Dawn Elves."

"Okay," Arin nodded, "but why were you kids roaming alone, away from your people?"

"My parents always lived in a remote place. Their only friends were Uncle Nerath and Aunt Sora," Auriya replied, her voice tinged with sorrow.

"So, how can I contact them?" Arin asked, feeling a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation.

"You can't," Auriya said with a sad smile. "They died with my parents."

Arin's heart ached. "Tell me, what happened? Tell me in detail."

"My parents, Uncle Nerath, and Aunt Sora were a team. They went adventuring together. But after we were born, my parents took turns staying with us while the other accompanied Uncle and Aunt. They agreed to continue with a three-person team until I was old enough to take care of myself and this idiot brother of mine," Auriya replied, her voice heavy with emotion.

Arin glanced at Lumiyan. This time, he did not make faces or act childish. Arin felt both impressed and heartbroken.

Auriya continued, "One day, Uncle Nerath and Aunt Sora came to our home. They looked gloomy and did not greet us like before. That night, they did not celebrate as usual. Instead, the four of them talked all night. I could hear my mother sobbing from the other room, but I could not check because my brother would wake up." Auriya paused, took a breath, and then continued, "The next day, Father and Uncle Nerath went somewhere. Mother and Aunt Sora packed things up. When we woke up, our parents were ready to leave. Uncle and Father brought a horse-drawn cart. Mother told us they were taking us on an adventure. Lumiyan was excited and hopped on the cart. I knew Mother wasn't telling the truth, but I didn't dare to ask. I followed my brother. Father lit a torch, and my mother joined him in setting fire to the house. I felt they were crying, but the fire crackling drowned their hushed sobs. We did not understand, but we were sad as it was our only home since childhood. We could not control our tears, and Mother consoled us on the way." Auriya paused again. Arin could hear her voice growing heavy as if her tiny throat was choked with tears.

"Okay, let's end here…" Arin tried to stop her, but Auriya continued, "We rode for two days, stopping in a village to resupply. On the third day, passing through the narrow cliff of Mountain Deraz, we were ambushed by bad guys." Auriya stopped, gulped to suppress her tears, and continued, "Mother told me to run away with my brother to the nearest town. Aunt Sora told us to wait for them at the Adventure Guild in that town."

"Oh, that's good," Arin said excitedly, "then we just need to take you there, as your parents, and uncles and aunts must be waiting for you!"

Auriya smiled weakly and pulled up her shirt to show her back. It was burnt. Arin, without a beating heart, felt it skip a beat, as this reminded him of past trauma. Before he could say anything, Auriya continued, "Just as we managed to get down from the cart, there was a huge explosion, and we fell from the cliff. My back was burnt, but my only concern was to protect my brother. I wrapped him tightly in my arms as we fell, and then I lost consciousness."

"So what happened after that?" asked Arin, unable to contain his curiosity.

Auriya replied, "I woke up on a mat inside a hut. My brother was beside me, waiting for me to wake up. I discovered I was lying on my stomach. As I tried to get up, Lumiyan stopped me, saying I had medicine on my back and should stay down until the scars healed. I asked him how we got there. Lumiyan replied that he did not know, as he had also just woken up. He was waiting for me to wake up, instead of moving around, to protect me in my unconscious state."

Arin smiled and patted Lumiyan's head. "You are a gallant knight, aren't you?" Lumiyan gave him a genuine smile, appropriate for a child his age. Arin ruffled his hair affectionately, and Lumiyan slid closer to him. Arin put his hand on Lumiyan's shoulder and waited for Auriya to continue.

Auriya smiled as she appreciated how her brother, after all these traumatic incidents, finally felt relaxed and secure around an adult. She thanked Arin in her heart and continued, "After a while, the bad guys came inside the hut and smiled at us. They gave us bowls of porridge with vegetables and asked us to eat and rest. We ate and fell asleep. But the next time someone entered to take the empty bowls, I woke up. Still groggy, I decided to stay down and close my eyes. The person who took the bowls left, closing the door. I overheard people talking outside. They probably forgot or did not know that Dusk Elves have great hearing, which I inherited from my mother." Arin sensed pride in her voice. For the first time, he noticed something positive in her tone. He patted her head, and she gave him a cute, childlike smile, just like her brother earlier. Auriya continued, "So, I overheard them discussing handing us over to someone. One wanted to sell us to slavers, another to a prince. Then I heard a third voice, who stopped them and said he had a better contract, something like 'Conclave' or 'Enclave.' I couldn't hear properly at the time."

"It's 'Conclave,'" Lumiyan suddenly interrupted. "I heard it too."

"You weren't sleeping?" Auriya was surprised.

"No, I was," Lumiyan replied, "but as soon as I heard 'Conclave,' I woke up. I've often heard my parents and uncle mention the name. Whenever someone mentioned 'Conclave,' everyone else went silent. So, I knew it was bad. That's why I woke up as soon as I heard the name!" Lumiyan spoke like an adult, trying to give his valuable input and establish his importance. Arin felt amused but did not interrupt.

"Now that you mention it," Auriya replied, "I noticed it too. Anyway, I decided we had to run away. I woke him up and made a plan to escape. That night, when one bad guy came to give us food and was about to leave, we quickly darted past him and ran. They chased us, and that's how we met you." Auriya stopped, took a deep breath, and suddenly said, "Thank you!"

This 'thanks' was unexpected for Arin. He pulled them to his chest and said, his voice choked with emotion, "No need to thank me. From today onward, you two have a big brother. I won't let anything happen to you!" Arin felt a lump in his throat. When he was their age, he had longed for someone to tell him the same. At least he could say it to someone else now. He felt happy to become the person he always wanted to have around.

"But you smell, brother," Lumiyan said, pressing his nose.

"Yes, you do," Auriya replied, frowning and wrinkling her nose.

Arin pulled both of their cheeks with each hand and said with mock anger, "Say that again!"

"Brother, we are sorry!" they cried. "Spare us!" All three laughed loudly. Two Revenants patrolling heard this, and it seemed their rotten lips had a smile.