Worlds Beneath the Shadows

Chapter One The Hidden Truths

Valenus was jolted awake by a sudden crash against the wall. 

Groggy, he ran his fingers through his damp, wavy black hair. 

His bright blue eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness, faintly illuminated by slivers of light seeping through the bedroom window. 

Then came a loud screech, the sound of a plate shattering on the timber floor, followed by his mother's wails. 

Springing from his bed, Valenus grabbed a golf club and dashed towards the kitchen, driven by his mother's cries. 

He scanned the room for any sign of an intruder, but only the familiar, worn-out kitchen greeted him. 

For a moment, he recalls his friends teasing him about his retro home decor to lift his spirits. However, Valenus knew the actual cause of the damaged interior.

Valenus's smile faded as his mother whimpered behind the worn kitchen table. Valenus cautiously approached the source of her cries, feeling the rough texture of the timber floor beneath his bare feet.

Valenus felt a bone-chilling cold as he walked, shivering in the frigid air. His heart sank at the sight of his mother, Avelin, slumped over the faded green couch, her head buried in the cushion as she whimpered. He approached and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her for comfort.

Avelin lifted her head, her red, watery eyes meeting Valenus's. She forced a smile and asked if he wanted something to eat. Valenus smiled back, but his smile faded as he observed the changes in his mother - her once smooth face now lined with wrinkles. She once had pitch black as the night sky, but now her hair faded black and grey. He realised how much he had taken for granted.

As Avelin touched his face, her hand felt weak. Valenus gently moved her hand away, offering a forced smile, and responded, "I am not hungry. Are you okay?"

Avelin carefully lifted herself as she turned her back to Valenus, with her faded black hair blocking her face from his view as she tried to hide her tears.

Avelin responded softly, "Yes, Valenus, I am fine. The plate just slipped out of my hand, that's all." She slowly walked over to where the broken plates lay and attempted to gather them. Struggling, Valenus quickly stepped in to pick up the plates for her and dispose of them.

Avelin then turned to Valenus and said sombrely, "I'm sorry, Valenus. I don't want you to worry. I'm fine. Just having a bad day. After visiting your father in the hospital, it's hard for me to see him like..."

She stopped, realizing she had said too much, and forcedly smiled at Valenus. "Don't worry about me, Valenus. Honestly, I'll be fine in the morning. You have a lot on your plate, and I don't want to be another worry. Please, let me rest. I will be fine."

Avelin paused, slowly turning to Valenus and speaking softly, "How are you feeling? Seeing your father that way must not have been easy."

Valenus's eyes filled with tears as he tried to hide them under his short black hair. Taking a deep breath, he softly said to his mother, "I am fine. It's hard seeing Dad like that. I wish he could wake up, even for a minute. He looks peaceful. Please don't worry about me, Mom." After hugging his mother, Valenus returned to his bedroom, lay on his bed, and stared at the white wall, lost in thoughts about his father. He longed to talk to him again, to express his love and regret over their last argument.

Needing a distraction from his overwhelming thoughts, Valenus waited until Avelin was in bed. He then quickly grabbed the fantasy book he had been reading the previous night, titled "The Swords of the Unforgotten Memories: The Secrets Beneath the Ripples."