Chapter One: A Family's Morning
The sun had barely risen over the kingdom of Tenoria, casting a warm glow over the sleepy town. The Warwick family stirred to life, beginning their daily routine. Aiden, a bright and curious young boy, rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he made his way downstairs to the kitchen.
His mother, Lena, was already preparing breakfast, the aroma of freshly baked pancakes and brewing coffee filling the air. Aiden's father, Liam, sat at the table, sipping his coffee and reading the morning news.
"Good morning, kiddo," Liam said, ruffling Aden's hair as he took a seat beside him.
"Good morning, Dad," Aden replied, his eyes fixed on the pancakes. He just couldn't wait to taste his mother's pancakes again. They were always so delicious. Even his father looked up once in a while to check if breakfast was ready so he could dig in. Aiden grinned.
Lena smiled as she placed a plate of food in front of Aiden. "Eat up, sweetie. You need to get ready for school." Aiden's grin widened at the sight of the delicious breakfast. He immediately picked up his utensils to take a bite. As he did, he sunk into his chair, this was indeed worth the wait.
As they ate, Liam looked at his family as he began to explain his plans for the day. "I have to leave for a few days, guys. GUARD has received a briefing about a mysterious phenomenon, and I need to investigate it."
Aden's eyes widened with excitement. "What's GUARD, Dad?"
Lena chuckled, " Honey, you forgotten again. Your father has told you countless times already". Aiden grinned, "Really? I don't remember" Lena chuckled as she ruffled his hair.
Liam smiled, happy to explain. "GUARD stands for General Units for Advanced Research and Defense. We're a top-secret government organization dedicated to uncovering the truth behind unexplained phenomenons and protecting the kingdom from potential threats."
Aiden smiled, " That sounds amazing, Daddy is so cool!"
Lena nodded as she turned to Liam. "What's the phenomenon this time?"
Liam hesitated but smiled as he said, " The Nevara Anomaly"
'Clank!!'
Lena's utensils dropped as she abruptly stood up. She shook her head as a look of horror appeared on her face. " No, NO!! The Nevara Anomaly?! Are you crazy?! That thing... We don't even know what it is. It's been declared an S-Rank threat by the Magistrate"
Liam stood and coaxed her as he said, " Which is why we, the GUARD, need to find out why. It's only been declared an S-Rank threat because of the heat signatures. We will be ready. The Council of Mages, The Ministry of Defense Corps, they all have our backs. I will be safe"
Liam hugged his wife as the look of horror slowly eased up. After a minute or two, the two finally separated. Lena wiped her tears as she said, " Alright, honey, be careful. Make sure to come back home immediately after you are done. Do not waste an extra minute there!"
Liam reassured her, "Don't worry, my love. I'll be fine. I'll be back in a few days."
After breakfast, Aiden and his mother stood at the door as they said goodbye to Liam. Liam kissed them both on their foreheads and told them to wait for his return. Aiden was all smiles as he asked his father to bring something home. He just couldn't wait for his return.
....
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Aiden and Lena waited anxiously for news about Liam's mission. They had heard rumors of strange occurrences and unexplained events that had happened in the area of the Nevara Anomaly but they had no idea what was happening to Liam.
Aiden missed his father dearly and cried himself to sleep every night, wondering when he would return. Lena tried to stay strong, but the uncertainty was taking its toll. They could only pray for his safe return.
One day, while Lena was shopping at the market square, she overheard some people whispering about the sudden disappearance of the GUARD members. She heard the women say all sort of things like how the people of Jaros, a city near the area, had said they heard a strange sound the night before her husband's return day.The news sent a shiver down her spine, and she quickly darted back home, her heart racing with worry.
When she arrived home, Aiden was already there, her eyes red from crying. "Mom, what's wrong?" he asked, seeing the concern etched on his face.
Lena immediately bent down and hugged him. She was seeking comfort from his embrace. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong. "Let's wait and see, sweetie. Your father will come home soon."
But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, Lena's hope began to dwindle. She knew that something was wrong, and she feared the worst.
...
Knock. Knock.
Lena, who was in the kitchen, heard the knock. She went forward to open the door and was shocked to see one of the King's guards at her door. The guard sized her up and down and said, " Are you the wife of Sir Liam Warwick?"
...