It all began in a small village called Esperanza, located in the region of Ruphen, far removed from all civilization.
Rumor had it that a curse plagued the area, a terror that had once triggered a mass evacuation.
However, a single, nameless community decided to stay.
For your bravery and your right to live, protection and resources are granted to you! Protect the Great Crater! the king had declared during the Swacrod Era, a time of pure abundance.
Now, fifty years later, in a new era, Esperanza had fallen into a deplorable state.
The Great Crater had become a massive dumping ground for the entire kingdom.
Year after year, they brought refuse and the bodies of the sick.
And, little by little, the stench began to rise.
With that, the quiet life in Esperanza slowly became inhumane.
We cannot live like this, it is pitiful...
Yes, this shouldn't be possible. Why is the king doing this to us?!
Essentially, the current king was treating the Great Crater, once considered holy proof of an ancient battle, as nothing more than a landfill.
It was believed to be a bottomless pit, but the smell wafting from it was proof enough that this was not the case.
Human bodies, waste, and rotting animal flesh... the entire mixture, concentrated in a single place and intensified by stagnant water, made existence there impossible.
Thanks to the strong northern winds, they had been able to endure it, but the situation called for a radical change.
Let's see, we have to do something...
A broad-shouldered man, standing over six feet tall, stood at the center of a round table.
Beside him sat an older woman, Sister Lilyth of the Church, his second-in-command.
We cannot just stand idly by, he continued. I mean, not only does the king use us as a landfill, but he has cut off all resources... Furthermore, no merchant wants to come near us. No one will buy our timber, which was our pride, and we cannot afford to go to the market city because it is a journey of months...
So, what do you suggest, Patrick? Lilyth asked. We have no other choice but...
The man looked at her seriously at the suggestion. She said nothing more, leaving the thought hanging in the air. He already knew what she was referring to.
Are you really still on about that? You know it is quite risky. If we are discovered...
If we stay here, we are going to die! she said, raising her voice and interrupting a worried Patrick. It is hard for me to leave this place too, but what other options do we have? The children won't last long here, and others are already planning to leave.
Lilyth took a sip of water and sat down.
The idea of leaving terrified her.
She had lived during the previous era. She knew what Esperanza was like when it was a good place to live, but now she also knew how harsh life had become and how impossible it was to sustain.
You are right. Sometimes, as a leader, you must do the riskiest thing so that the people may prosper.
Lilyth let out a sigh of relief.
I was worried you would make a stupid decision, like confronting the king. You are no longer that boy who played with sticks. And if we stay here, the toxic air and hunger will end up killing us. We have no other choice, Patrick.
And so, the decision was made.
Although fleeing was the best option, it brought with it various dangers: monsters, bandits, hunger, and exhaustion. Nevertheless, it was the only way to survive.
Meanwhile, in a house next to the church, a nine-year-old boy was jumping all over the place.
Darian, get over here, young man! his mother shouted, exhausted. Are you doing all this just so you don't have to go with your father to his meeting?!
Exactly, Mom! he huffed. I don't want to stay here or play with little kids...
However, he was trapped by his mother in a tight hug.
You are also a little kid, you know? That is grown-up business.
But I want to fight, Mom! The boy kicked in a futile attempt to escape the embrace. Let me go!
The door opened suddenly, revealing the very man from a moment ago, Patrick.
Dad! Tell Mom to stop holding me and let me go fight with you!
But Patrick didn't answer him.
He only looked at the mother, Elara, with a gaze that scared the boy.
Dad? I have never seen you like this...
Hello, family. We need to talk about something important. Can you sit down, please?
Patrick sat and waited for them. Both looked at him with curiosity, and also with fear.
Did something happen, honey? Don't tell me that...
Yes, it is time to leave this place. I already spoke with the Sister. There is no turning back.
Elara placed her hands on her belly. It was still small, but if the journey lasted for months, she might give birth along the way.
You are right. Darian couldn't grow up in this air, and neither could our baby. It is already affecting me greatly.
Patrick sighed heavily and approached his wife, caressing her belly.
I will protect you, my love, no matter what happens on the road. And you too, Darian... He ruffled his son's hair. Don't let me find out you're not listening to your mother, young man.
Darian tensed up in his mother's arms.
I will behave, I promise.
Darian had a lot of respect for his father, so he scared easily. He didn't want to lose his trust, but sometimes it was hard to go against his adventurous boyish impulses.
That is my son. He smoothed Darian's hair back down, as Elara had glared at him. I just bathed and combed him, her eyes seemed to say.
I will protect you all! My future little brother and Mom, nothing will happen to them!
And thus, Patrick's family prepared for a difficult journey.
The next day, the entire village was gathered.
And by the entire village, I mean barely thirty-five people.
All were descendants; there wasn't a single elder among them. The only one who had lived through the Era of Prosperity was Lilyth.
At 65 years old, she was the eldest of Esperanza.
People of Esperanza! It is time to flee! It is clear that hope still reigns in this place and that we all have a promising future! However, staying here means stagnating, and stagnation means death! That is why we propose leaving immediately!
As expected, the murmurs began.
How could we leave just like that? My wife is pregnant...
What if they attack us on the road?
We don't have enough provisions for months of travel...
What happens if the children get sick?
Where are we even going to go?
The northern forest is full of beasts...
They say there are bandits on the old route.
My son can barely walk long distances.
And what if the king finds out we abandoned the crater?
Sister Lilyth was a woman of great patience and understood every murmur. However, when they calmed down, she decided to speak again:
I understand your concerns, but everyone here is family... If we stay here, the children will not grow, and they will fall ill. Furthermore, since we have no resources and cannot trade, the stench, added to the hunger, will be catastrophic. All things considered, taking the Path of the Dawn toward the promised land is safer.
Young Darian watched everything from a rooftop.
If we want to survive, we have to go toward adventure! he shouted at the top of his lungs.
After a few hours of countless murmurs and doubts, the people finally decided that the best option was to march.
Will this be the start of a new era for these people to walk through lands with no master?