The forest appeared darker now, the trees looming like silent protectors as Lucius dragged his injured mother deeper into the darkness. His small hands shook as he tore his shirt, forming a makeshift bandage for the wound on her forehead. Blood had already soaked through, and it was insufficient to stop the bleeding. Her leg was still badly injured, and she winced in pain with each step they took.
"Mom, we're almost there," Lucius whispered, his voice tight with fear and determination. He tried to stay strong for her, but inside, he felt like he was falling apart. His mother, the strongest person he knew, was now leaning on him, struggling just to stay conscious.
He knew the forest well. He had spent his days playing here, exploring every inch of it. If there was anywhere to hide, it was here. He led her toward a small cave, its entrance hidden behind thick vines. It was so well covered that even someone standing right next to it wouldn't see it.
"We'll be safe here..." Lucius muttered to himself. But as he looked at his mother's pale face, he knew he had to act fast.
The entrance was small, too small for any adult to crawl through, but just the right size for him. Lucius grabbed a large, broad leaf from a nearby plant, using the dagger he had taken from the pirate to cut it down. He quickly spread the leaf on the ground and helped his mother lay on it. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale.
"I'm going to get you inside, Mom. Just hold on."
Lucius dragged the leaf carefully, inching toward the cave's entrance. It wasn't easy. His mother was heavy for someone his size, and his arms were already weak from fear and exhaustion. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
The forest around them was eerily quiet, but Lucius knew the pirates were close. He could feel it. He had to get her inside. Now.
With one last pull, they slipped through the small opening and into the cave. Lucius carefully dragged his mother all the way to the back. The air inside was damp and cool, the only sound the soft drip of water echoing in the dark. He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her chest. She was still breathing, but barely.
Lucius gripped the dagger tightly, his knuckles white. He would protect her. He had to.
Outside, footsteps crunched through the underbrush. Lucius's heart skipped a beat. They were here.
Two of Jasper's crew members came from the trees, following the blood trail left by Lucius and his mother. One of them, a tall, lanky man with a patch over one eye, grunted as he knelt to examine the bloodstains on the floor.
"This is where it ends," he muttered, running his hand through the dirt. "Looks like whoever it was stopped here."
His companion, a short, stocky pirate with a crooked nose and a large axe strapped to his back, looked around, scratching his chin. "So where the hell is he?" He kicked at a bush, frustration growing. "I don't see nobody."
Lucius held his breath, crouching lower inside the cave. He couldn't see them through the thick vines, but he could hear every word they said. His grip on the dagger tightened. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, every beat louder than the last. He knew he couldn't fight these men. They were too big, too strong. But he would die trying if it meant keeping his mother safe.
The pirates circled the area, their eyes scanning the ground. The lanky one frowned, standing up and brushing the dirt from his hands. "This don't make sense. Blood doesn't just disappear."
The stocky pirate glanced at the waterfall nearby, its roaring sound filling the air. "Maybe... he jumped," he suggested, pointing toward the steep cliff that led to the falling water.
Lucius's stomach twisted. They were right near the cave, just a few feet away. One wrong step, one curious glance, and they'd find him and his mother. He stood up, placing himself in front of her, his tiny body shielding her. The dagger shook in his hand, but he kept it pointed toward the entrance, ready to fight.
The lanky pirate stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the ground. "It's possible. No one else would be crazy enough to stay here. But still..."
The stocky one shrugged, turning toward the cliff. "Well, if he did jump, he is dead now. Ain't no one surviving a fall like that." He chuckled darkly, tapping the hilt of his axe. "Let's head back. We'll tell Jasper we couldn't find him. Maybe the boss will let us have some fun with the others."
Lucius's grip on the dagger tightened, his breath shallow. They were leaving.
The lanky pirate gave one last glance around the area, then nodded. "Yeah, fine. Let's go. I'm not wastin' more time chasin' ghosts."
With that, the two pirates turned and disappeared back into the forest, their footsteps fading into the distance.
Lucius didn't move for a long moment. He stood there, dagger still raised, trembling from head to toe. He listened to the silence, making sure they were really gone. When he was sure, he collapsed to his knees, his body shaking with relief.
They were safe. For now.
Lucius stayed crouched in the cave, his small frame tense as he listened for any signs of the pirates returning. The forest outside had fallen silent again, save for the distant roar of the waterfall. He took a deep breath, his heart still racing in his chest. But the pirates were gone. They hadn't found them.
He turned toward his mother. She was lying still, her face pale, her chest rising and falling weakly. Lucius knelt beside her, his fingers brushing against the blood-soaked cloth he had tied around her head. It wasn't enough. It wasn't stopping the bleeding.
"I'm going to find something for us to eat, Mom," he whispered, his voice soft but shaky. "I'll be quick."
His mother didn't respond, but Lucius forced a small, determined smile. She was hurt badly, but he believed if he could help her rest, she would recover. She had to.
Lucius slipped out of the cave quietly, moving through the forest with familiarity. Even though fear still gripped his heart, his survival instincts kicked in. He knew the forest like the back of his hand. There was a spot not far from the cave where fruits grew in abundance. He ran as fast as he could, trying to stay focused, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach.
His feet crunched softly against the forest floor as he found the fruit trees. Without wasting a second, he climbed one of the lower branches, grabbing the ripest fruits he could find. His fingers worked quickly, filling his small arms with as many as he could carry.
As he headed back toward the cave, a soft breeze rustled the leaves overhead, bringing with it the faint smell of smoke from the burning village. The pirates were still there, still tearing apart everything Lucius had ever known. The anger that had been simmering inside him since the attack began started to boil again.
He would make them pay. He had to.
When he reached the cave, he slipped inside quietly. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw his mother lying in the same spot where he had left her.
"Mom, I brought some fruits," Lucius called out, his voice hopeful as he held up the handful of food. He waited for a response, a weak smile, anything.
But there was nothing.
"Mom?" he said again, his heart beating a little faster now. He stepped closer, dropping the fruits beside her as he knelt down.
"Mom...?"
Her face was still. Her skin looked even paler than before. Lucius's hand trembled as he reached out, gently touching her shoulder. She didn't move.
"Mom, wake up..." His voice was shaking now. He leaned closer, his fingers brushing her cheek. It was cold. Too cold.
His breath hitched in his throat as the horrible realization crept in.
"No... no, no, no..." His voice cracked as he shook her gently, tears welling up in his eyes. "Mom, please... please wake up..."
But she wasn't breathing. The blood-soaked cloth he had tied around her head was drenched, a dark stain spreading across her forehead. The wounds had been too much. The blood loss had been too much.
She was gone.
Lucius's world shattered in that moment. His heart twisted in his chest, a sharp, unbearable pain spreading through him. He fell to his knees beside her, his hands shaking as he reached for her again, desperate for some sign that she was still there, that she could still be saved.
"Mom!" he cried, his voice breaking, louder this time, as if shouting could somehow bring her back. But the silence in the cave was deafening. She was gone, and no amount of screaming or crying would change that.
Tears streamed down Lucius's face, hot and unstoppable. His chest heaved as sobs wracked his small body. He curled up beside her, his face buried in her lifeless arm. "Please... don't leave me... please..."
But the warmth of her body had already begun to fade. She was cold. Her soft breaths had stopped. And the boy who had only wanted to protect her was now alone.
The tears kept falling, but something inside Lucius changed. Amid the sadness and the grief, a fire began to burn—a fire fueled by rage, by pain, by a deep, unrelenting hatred for the pirates who had done this.
Lucius's sobs slowly quieted, replaced by the sound of his breathing—ragged, shallow breaths as he stared at the ground. His small hands clenched into fists, his fingernails digging into his palms until they almost bled.
He lifted his head, his tear-streaked face twisted into an expression of raw anger. His young eyes, once filled with fear and innocence, were now hard and cold. His tears dried as something dark settled over him.
"You..." he whispered, his voice barely audible at first. "You... damned pirates..."
His hands gripped the dagger tightly, the same one he had used to kill the pirate earlier. He didn't understand the power he had awakened, but he understood one thing with perfect clarity now.
They would pay.
"You'll pay for this," he growled through gritted teeth, his voice shaking with fury. "I swear... you'll all pay..." his eyes red from crying.