~In a village, on the outskirts of an kingdom~
In the village head's house, inside a simple looking room were several people seated along a long wooden rectangular table. The people across the table were seated with frown upon their faces, but not a single one of them dared to utter a word.
Just then the person sitting at the end between the two sides sighed and softly said
"Ahh, we were fortunate that this year's army recruitment didn't cripple our defences. If things don't change then we will be left alone to fend for ourself in this wilderness without any good soldiers."
As if getting the clue, a man in his late sixtees adorning a long beard said
"But village head, the next recruitment is ten years from now. We have a whole lot time to bolster ourselves."
"You don't understand, Elder joe. All our good soldiers were all taken ruthlessly by the army leaving us with just enough to secure our perimeter. And I know better than anyone that we can't turn our men who are left with average talents into formidable warriors in ten years without making their training a living hell." The village head took a pause and let his eyes wander accross the room, when no one objected, he continued
" What we need to focus on are young warriors who have just gained their abilities and can be easily moulded into specific roles." The village head finished his words.
"But what should we do" another Elder Dane asked.
"Elder Dane, if every solution could be found by me then there wouldn't be a reason to be an elder. Don't you think?"
Elder Dane fell into silence after hearing this. After a second, elder Joe gave a suggestion
"How about we open the 'sanctuary' for youths?" Elder Joe suggested.
"It's suicide!, Are you out of your damn min--" Elder Dane furiously retorted but his voice was cut of by the village head.
"Silence Elder Dane. Elder Joe even we adults haven't explored the 'Sanctuary' completely, you better give me a sane reason for bringing this ridiculous idea."
"Of course Village Head, I'm not saying we should do it now as I know even we adults haven't explored it properly. But what I suggest is that we open it in eight years. While in the meantime we send soldiers to slowly explore the 'sanctuary' much as we can." Elder Joe continued
"By the time eight years have passed, the newborns and little kids will be able to get a hang of their newly awakened abilities and will become more than eligible for bracing the dangers head on." Joe finished what he started in a calm voice.
"It's still dangerous. We'll be sending those kids to their deaths" Elder Dane was still adamant.
"It's not a bad plan" Village Head's voice rang in the room.
"But-" Just as Dane's voice was heard, Village Head raised his hand and shaked his head .
"Then it's confirmed. Eight years from now, we will open the 'Sanctuary' for young bloods. while we in the meantime will explore it more.
Does anyone have any complaints?"
All the Elders silently shook their heads. Even Elder Dane can only remain silent.
'Bunch of fools I'm sitting with' he thought but kept the thought in his mind.
"Then this meeting is adjourned." The Head said and people slowly walked out of the room.
______
~At the same time, in the village.~
It was a normal day for the people. The sun bathing the world in golden light, the flowing of rivers giving a feeling of serenity, the low voices from afar carried by the medium of wind.
Everything seemed to be okay except for a particular house, where echoes of cries and shouts rang.
Inside the house, the wailing of a lady lady gradually getting weak can be heard accompanied by two other voices of women.
The lady looked all bloody as if she could die any moment from all the pain and blood she lost which was lying still on the floor, despite that she endured the pain while furiously gritting her teeth. The biting force behind those seemed enough to even crush pebbles.
"Just a little more" one of the two voice said.
The lady didn't seem to hear those words and slowly started to fall in slumber.
Just as she was an inch from loosing consciousness, a muffled cry of a baby could be heard.
"Almost out. Don't close your eyes now!" Said the voice of a woman.
As if hearing those words, she forcefully tried to remain awake to the best of her abilities.
'This is the least I can do for you' she thought and fought a battle with her own consciousness for as long as she could.
Soon after what seemed like years to the lady, she heard a constant cry of the baby with other voices.
"It's a boy" The woman said as she went by the lady's side to let her see the boy.
The lady although barely concious through her sheer will, held the boy with her bloody hands and when she saw the boy's brown eyes, deep buried emotions surfaced up in front of her eyes in the form of tears.
She felt like the pain was all worth it and she could live happily from now on, but alas, she knew it was all a pipe dream and had a feeling that fate has something else in store for her.
"I'm sorry that you will have to face the whole world alone, But I will always be there with you" she looked at the boy and said while sobbing.
Just as she said that, a small wisp seemingly made up of lightning with sparks surrounding it, came out of her chest and entered the boy's chest.
The boy looked in her eyes as if sensing something unfamiliar, and when he saw the crying lady, he started crying even louder.
The lady seemed to know that her time was nearly over and could feel her body becoming number slowly, but she mustered all her will and energy at once and uttered a single word.
She didn't knew why it came to her mind at the time but she was sure that it came from the bottom of her heart.
"Arthur...." She said.
Just like that she lay there like a corpse at the bed made up of rock, her body covered with blood and her hands tightly holding a crying baby as if she didn't want to part with the baby even in her death.
Her name was Victoria.....
And this is the story of the person for whom she fought with death just to give him a chance to live even at the price of her own life.
This.... is the story of blood.