"Wooo~.....Woooooo~..."
"My baby..."
"Can't you just stay for a few more days.."
Lucas didn't know what to say, as he stood there like a frozen statue while his mother hugged him and cried, shedding a flood of tears to the point that his T-Shirt had gotten wet.
Although he wanted to calm down, his mother was crying as if this was the marriage of her daughter, where the daughter who was living with her parents was now going to the in-laws after marriage.
"Mom, it's alright. I am not going away for too long. If you miss me too much, you can visit me in the capital after I come back from Ralph. I already bought an apartment."
"What really?" Eleanor's flood of tears suddenly stopped and she looked at Lucas with a delighted expression.
"Then wait for some time. I am coming with you now." Eleanor muttered hurriedly, wiping her tears.
"Eleanor?!"
Eleanor heard a loud gasp from Leonard and turned her head to cast a gentle smile
"Honey!"
Leonard's whole body shivered after seeing the smile of his beloved wife, but he knew that she was scary like a demoness underneath that smile.
He shook away the illusion and patted Eleanor's shoulder and said, "Eleanor, this is something you shouldn't interfere with for now."
"You can't protect Lucas in your shadow forever. It's time for Lucas to spread his wings. You over caring about him is cutting off his wings."
Eleanor's expression stiffened on hearing Leonard's words.
"I just wanted to be with my son. Watch him play, grow and smile. I know I am being too much."
"He returned just a few days ago and now he has to leave again," Eleanor grumbled with a sullen expression.
Lucas smiled bitterly on hearing her words.
His stay in Aegis was planned for one month but due to some unforeseeable circumstance, he had departed a few days earlier.
He got a call from Julian that there had been a movement from the Orcs' side.
By the end of winter, Orcs would invade the northern region in search of food which would lead to a huge destruction, and all transportation would cease in a few days in this event.
But who knew that they were going to start the march early this year and if Lucas didn't return now he would be trapped here for two months which would be a disaster as he was one of the representatives of 1st Year Horizon.
The imperial troops would sooner start their marching and a full-on battle would ensue soon and Lucas would be trapped in the conflict.
Lucas held his mom's hands while his mom stared at him with concerned and affectionate eyes which were deep as the ocean.
"Mom, I am really lucky to have a mother like you." Lucas cast a smile and pulled out his hand.
"Mom, promise me that you will visit the capital after my return."
"Yes, Mommy will visit the Capitol soon. Stay safe, my son."
Leonard gave a parting hug to Lucas after which he got on the wagon and started to move forward.
As Lucas's wagon disappeared, Eleanor stared at the scene and asked, "Will the orcs make any trouble?"
"Don't worry, I will ask the escort to protect him from the shadows," Leonard muttered.
......…
Lucas was a little saddened by the sudden departure.
"Haah! It was so peaceful recently, almost similar to my previous world. Is there a need to spill blood now and then just for power and greed?"
"Can't people just sit at home, eat popcorn, watch movies, or play video games?" Lucas lamented about this world.
It was too cruel and since he had already become part of this world, he had to do this.
Lucas, whose head was a little bit messy due to all kinds of things going on, was suddenly startled as the carriage stopped abruptly, throwing him off.
"What happened?" Lucas asked the coachman.
"Sir, there is some trouble ahead."
"Huh?"
Lucas opened the door to see what happened out there. As soon as he stepped down from the carriage, he was startled to see a huge bunch of people walking on the road.
His eyes narrowed as he saw various wounds on their body.
Though the woman in lead seemed to be in good health, the man beside her was in bad shape and riddled with scars.
Lucas walked towards the group of people.
He found a man in his 40's with a face filled with wrinkles holding a low-end spear that didn't even have a rank, who seemed to be the leader of this group.
"Is there a problem ahead? Uncle, why are all of you injured?" Lucas asked politely.
"Child, seeing the direction of your carriage, I warn you to return. We are the survivors of Orcs' massacre."
"The Orcs have already destroyed 13 villages and are moving towards Northern Pass. Once it is breached, they will move towards the central plain."
"What?" Lucas half-shouted, aghast.
"Orcs had already started their invasion?"
"No, it's not a full-fledged force, yet. They are just scouts sent to see the situation but those bloody orcs were unable to contain their blood thirst and start the massacre."
A man spoke while clenching his fist.
"Just how many were there? What is their strength?" Lucas asked.
"There were around 100 of them. We don't know their strength since we are all unawakened."
"We are currently moving to the city of Aegis. We plan to stay there for the time being while looking for mercenaries."
"Will the City of Aegis even be safe under the Orc's attack?" Lucas asked with a worried tone.
"It will be safer. The City of Aegis is the only city in the far northern region. So, there are many awakeners there. Until Imperial forces arrive, the mercenaries there are more than enough to hold them."
"Moreover, every year survivors from all over the northern region would evacuate to Aegis but who knew that these damned orcs would start their raid early?"
"I see." Lucas nodded with relief. He didn't know why but he felt that his father might be involved in this.
Lucas looked around the huge group of people and injured children who were crying unable to contain the pain while their mothers were trying to coax them even though they were in bad shape.
A small girl was crying at the top of her lungs and fainted, it seemed that her father had decided to stay back to buy them time.
Many people may have already sacrificed themselves for these people to come out alive.
Lucas stared at the tense and eerie atmosphere that prevailed. Lucas had to make a decision.
He clenched his fist, thinking about what he could do. Since the first round of Orcs were scouts, their level surely would be low.
With a single decision, Lucas can save many people from here on or let them die under the Orcs' feet.
Lucas stared at the man who seemed to be the leader of this group and took out a dozen of potions and handed them over.
"Uncle, I only have this much. Please dilute them and use them to treat you all."
"Wait, aren't these too precious for us?"
The man shouted with a panicked expression and refused, but Lucas's figure started to melt into shadows.
"Nothing is more precious than one's life."
"Take care."
And he completely vanished before their eyes.
Editor: Sam0207
