The ashes before Strife

Episode 0 : The Silver Necklace ; 3

So not knowing what else to pick I crawled over onto the saddle but as I was about to reach the top of it I felt a cold shiver down my spine I then looked at my mother who was making a very scary face.

My father then immediately picked me up and said "you know what Sarah this is a stupid test anyways, why not just see how he turns out as we raise him?"

Every single world was instilled with fear, I unknowingly latched onto my father as well from the fear as my mother made a fake smile before responding "is that so dear? I guess I'll have to trust your word then won't I?"

There was a bloodlust mixed into the sentence that matched with that of a wild beast, my fathers attempt at defusing her worked to no avail until finally Alfa approached from behind and grabbed her shoulder then said "why don't we take him to the hoard miss Barbaten, there's a large amount of stuff there so he can take any item of his choosing there and treat it as an heirloom."

This worked in grabbing my mother's attention as all the bloodlust had dissipated as she pondered in a cute way allowing my father and me to breathe.

Then after a few seconds of silence my mother agreed with a cheeky grin on her face and walked out of the room, my father then thanked Alfa graciously and I reached out to her trying to get her to carry me which surprised her.

She tried to refuse but my father then encouraged her to until she finally caved in.

Alfa then carried me while following behind my mother and father heartily humming a pleasant song that I tried to mimic but failed. My attempt made Alfa chuckle and praise me while rubbing my head, I had started to think of her as an older sister at this point.

It was a warm feeling that I enjoyed, then finally we arrived at an old stone house at the border of the city and my father checked if anyone was following while Alfa and I entered.

He then came inside and pulled out a strange key that looked like an arrowhead, he then swept some fallen planks of wood away with his foot and placed the key into a hole obscured by the natural darkness.

Then part of the floor rose and my mother struggled with lifting it until Alfa gave a helping hand revealing a staircase lit up by several glowing blue orbs in the sides of the corridor. We entered one by one with my father being last as he closed the hatch and inserted the key into another hole in the wall.

We then walked down the stairs in almost complete silence until finally, Alfa spoke "you're gonna love this place, little guy. It is full of trinkets that your father and I have collected over the years together."

I couldn't help but look at her funnily considering collect meant steal in her dictionary.

We then arrived in a room with lines of bookshelves filled with expensive-looking jewelry and items, there was a weirdly shaped vase that looked like Picasso had drawn on it which surprised me.

My mother then tried to take me off from Alfa but still traumatized from her scary appearance earlier I latched onto Alfa's azure coat not wanting to accept my mother's embrace which caused my father to burst out laughing

"hahaha, that'll teach you to try and threaten your son dear hahaha!" He then quickly backed away when she stared at him and stood silently whistling to himself

My mother then pinned Alfa against the wall and said "Oh my, it appears Caydes grown quite attached to you Alfa. I'll let you carry him for now but I'll have him back before we leave this place."

My mother grew more frightening with every word for both me and Alfa who quickly ducked under her arm and headed to a bookshelf with only bracelets in its rows.