Astrum, aka the City of Stars, thrived with the energy of its people. It found its name when the first people settled around the destroyed land after a rock fell from the sky. It was known for luck, since the majority of the land had plenty of animals and naturally growing fruits. Back then, these settlers called it a gift from the stars.
Its people were just as energetic as the piece of meteor from the skies, always eager to work and help each other. Even after sunset, you could see people working, whether it was a tavern serving ale or people sweeping the streets. Astrum was a beautiful sight for all who came to enjoy its sights.
What helped the city recover and, in return, helped the whole kingdom be fixed after the invasion ten years ago was trading. Allowing trade from all over, including other kingdoms that surrounded Oryan, allowed coins to flow. Mercer came up with the plan, and with the tax to enter depending on the amount of goods, it also solved the food crisis.
Sami sighed to himself as he began recalling the new information he learned about Astrum that he hadn't been taught before. This had been since his grandfather had gone back to the academy, and Lyra decided she was going to spend the day hunting. Apparently, she disliked the fact that Sami ate more fruit than meat, so she went hunting to get a bunch for a meal tonight.
Not having to worry about work or food, finding himself with nothing left to do, Sami decided to take a walk around the city. Sami didn't realize how much he had missed while he was learning to read, make books, write, among other things, while growing up. As Sami continued walking, he discovered so many different stalls selling wares he had never seen before, all kinds of things like clothing and even weapons he had never paid attention to before.
Sami couldn't help but think about how his life used to be like everyone else's here, not realizing the amount of danger that waited without them knowing. People were going about their day, though most were going to work since it was so early in the morning. He saw children who weren't attending morning learning sessions running around, playing, and having fun.
He thought about how he himself would usually be stuck behind the counter, handing out books to new patrons, or other times sorting through new arrivals and putting them away, just bored, wanting an adventure, something new, sometimes stuck in his past memories, just being unaware of the secrets of this world, just like everyone else walking past him.
It had been a whole week of boredom since the Gbahali attack, and Sami had been dealing with it fairly well. After a brief discussion (more like Sami being punched in the head again), his grandfather agreed to transfer him to the Royal Academy to begin learning magic. Sami, while happy with the outcome, was still disappointed that it came at the cost of other trainees' lives.
Almost being killed by the Gbahali had made him realize how naive he was for wanting adventure with no skills. It was stupid to think he could avenge his parents without proper training. It made sense why his grandfather would call him an idiot every time he brought it up. Sigh, he could only shake his head at his foolishness.
Every now and then, he would see a city guard who'd nod at him; besides that, usually no one noticed he was there. Like a ghost, he didn't exist to the people around Astrum, never really making any friends or connecting to people.
The thought used to upset him. Now it was different; he could still feel the newfound energy coursing through his veins. The world felt alive in a way he couldn't describe. If anything, after learning about magic, it made him feel even more disconnected from others.
Sami absentmindedly found himself following his old trail back into the woods. It was only when the familiar bend in the path came into view that he realized he was heading towards his old clearing, the clearing being his home away from home. Even with his mind on heavy topics, his body took him to a safe place.
He felt it was easier to stay on the trail, thinking he could spend the morning there reflecting. Honestly, not even reflecting, more like finally coming to terms with finally leaving the city. Sami always wanted to see what the world could offer, and now he had a chance. Each step into the woods was full of excitement at the thought of what the future could hold.
After walking for thirty minutes, Sami began to feel suspicious. Today, the walk seemed different, as if it was taking longer, which was odd. Something felt off, but he decided to just ignore it. Sometimes he could overthink things, which wasn't healthy, so he tried to ignore the pit forming in his stomach.
As Sami ventured deeper into the woods, following a winding trail that seemed to beckon him forward, the early morning light began to fade into night the further he walked. Sami tried to go back the way he came, which only led him in a circle, causing him to end up where he started. The only path was forward; he was trapped.
Sami felt a cold shiver down his back, as if something was watching. Not knowing what to do, he started walking forward again. Dark beckoned him to keep moving. His ring, as if in response, started to light the way, as if to give him confidence not to give up.
The trail eventually led Sami to a hidden clearing, different from the one he was used to. It was void of all animal sounds; the only noise was his breathing and footsteps. In the center of the clearing, partially concealed by overgrown vines and moss, was the entrance to a cave. Curiosity piqued, Sami cautiously approached, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and fear.
The air around the cave's entrance was cool and damp, carrying the earthy scent of moist soil and decaying leaves. A shiver ran down Sami's spine, not entirely from the chill. The cave seemed to exude an aura of mystery, a silent invitation that tugged at his curiosity.
Hesitantly, he reached out and pushed aside the tangled vines, revealing the dark maw of the cave. Sami had always loved stories of hidden caverns and forgotten treasures. Before the Gbahali attack, he always dreamed of finding lost treasure. In his heart, he always wanted to go on adventures and rescue people.
Sami realized he was thinking too much, took a deep breath, and stepped into the cave. His footsteps echoed in the stillness, as he chose to be brave and begin his first real adventure. In response to his thoughts, his ring glowed even brighter, though the ring itself didn't feel warm at all. It was just comforting, as if reassuring him he'd be safe.
The deeper Sami ventured, the more oppressive the dark felt, seeming to press in on him from all sides, the only major light being his ring. The sound of water echoed eerily in the cavernous space. His footsteps were muffled by the damp earth.
As he rounded a bend, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in shadow. A faint, pulsating glow emanated from the far end of the chamber, drawing Sami towards it. The object pulsed as if it noticed him in the room. In his mind, he was only focused on approaching the wall.
As he approached, the wall began to open up, and a shadow figure came out, falling to the ground with a loud thud, making Sami jump at the noise. Sami began to move closer to the shadow to see what it actually was. Using the ring as a light source, he began to examine it from a little ways away.
Sami almost wanted to gag from the smell of the creature. It smelled of stale blood and decayed body parts. The closer he got to the creature, the harder it was to see. It appeared the creature was absorbing the light from the ring. Slowly, the monster started moving, each limb cracking as it began to gain mobility.
The creature, if it could be called that, was humanoid in shape. Its skin was dark, as if its entire presence was made to absorb light. Its eyes glowed with an unnerving crimson light; no pupils could be seen as the eyes simply burned. Its mouth was a gaping maw filled with rows of jagged teeth, with a long tongue lolling out.
Sami's breath hitched in his throat. He quickly scrambled back, away from the creature as it began to stand. It was a little bit shorter than him, but not by much.
"Fresh... Blood," it hissed, the voice raspy as if it hadn't been used in months, though the voice did sound oddly feminine. The creature moved slowly towards Sami, like a predator stalking its prey. "I... I... hunger..."
Sami's body began to shake as he saw the tongue lolling from its mouth. "I... I... I don't," he stuttered, trying to start the sentence but failing due to his own fear. "I don't have any food. But... but if you would follow me to this cave... I... I could help you get fo... food."
The creature ignored Sami's words, instead lunging at him. Its clawed hand outstretched to try and grab him. Sami instinctively dodged out of the way. The creature moved slowly in his eyes, as if it was making its way through water. Compared to the Gbahali, this monster moved like a snail.
The monster, after recovering from the failed lunge, let out a loud roar. Sami felt a dark presence invading his mind, trying to wrest control of his body. The ring on his finger began to glow brightly as the world around him began to grow dim. The monster began to walk towards Sami, who couldn't even move.
The monster ran its tongue across Sami's face, savoring the taste of its first meal in centuries. Sami's body was still frozen as the creature, with a loud scream, brought its fist up and threw a hard punch with as much strength as the creature could manage, hoping to make a swift end for the boy, ensuring he died and couldn't fight back as it drank the boy's blood.