We Were There

Prologue

The sun shone brightly, the sky was clear. Yet the village below it was strangely quiet, like everything and everyone was holding their breath. 

Groups of people clustered in the streets, quietly muttering to one another. Only the children were unaware of the tension in the air. 

"Rex, come back!" A tall, five year old cried, chasing after a small, four year old. They darted between small groups of people and tripped over the slow moving animals in the road. "Rex!" A red headed five year old exclaimed. He stood in Rex's way, so Rex came to a halt. 

"Oh, hello Rion," he squeaked. The boy who had been chasing Rex stumbled to a halt. "Give it back!" He panted. Rex giggled and held out a hand sized, red rubber ball. 

"Here you go, Marvin." 

Marvin took the ball back, then pushed his sandy blonde hair out of his face. Rion ruffled Rex's dirty blonde hair. A few moments passed before a brunette, four year old waddled over to them. "Marvin," he whined, "I told you to wait up!"

Marvin shrugged, a smile on his face. He bounced his ball. "Sorry, Jace," he said. The four children were brothers, and, despite being born of the same parents, looked nothing like their mother, nor their father, except maybe Rex. The only thing all the brothers had in common in appearance were their green eyes.

"We should go home. Pappa will be waiting," Rion mumbled. His brothers did not listen. Marvin threw his ball at Jace, who barely caught it. A shadow passed over the sun and a lady screamed. 

Out of no where, the sky had turned black all at once. A man in gray armor with strange tattoos on his arms sat astride a ghastly beast. Rion and his brothers froze in terror as people began to scramble over eachother to escape.

"People of Esdraelon, I will spare you and your town under one condition," the man in armor called. Someone scooped Rex up and the poor, shivering child screamed. "Shush, now," the person said. It was their father. He was carrying a large pack on his back.

"Pappa!" Rion yelled, running to hide his face in his father's shirt. Marvin and Jace copied him. Their father stroked their hair. "We have to leave now," he explained. "To get away from the scary man?" Marvin sqeaked.

"Yes."

The man laughed with amusement. He had demanded for four children with great power, and the people were clueless. Then the man stopped laughing. He saw a graying man with four small children sneaking out the northern gate. The man was furious. These clueless people weren't clueless! They were covering the escape of his targets!

He let out aheart stopping roar and the beast he was riding screeched. Smaller versions of it descended from the sky and swooped down onto the city. They belched fire, burning everything in sight. The man, however, dove for the fleeing family.

Rion heard the horrible screams coming from the town. He began to look back, but his father stopped him. "Don't look back," he warned his sons. "You will have nightmares." His gaze went to the sky as a loud woosh filled the air. Their father suddenly shoved them all behind him.

Rion then saw the man and his beast. They had landed several feet away; the man had slipped off the beast's back. Rex pressed up against Rion. Marvin and Jace were hugging one another. Their father stood his ground.

Tears found their way into Rion's eyes as the man pulled out a long blade. Their father just stood where he was. "I'm scared," Rex whimpered, tugging on their father's shirt. "I want to go home." The man laughed at this.

"Well, you have made a foolish choice, hiding your children from me and my master. Fear, not little one. When this man is dead, you'll never feel fear again!" He exclaimed. That's when their father spoke and moved forward to meet the man. "These are my children, my life, my purpose. I am their guardian. And they will not be usd!" 

Their father attacked the man. "Kids, close your eyes!" He demanded. They all obeyed. A loud scream echoed, and then there was nothing. Only the crackling of fire eating away at the town.

The brothers opened their eyes. Their father was gone, the man was gone, the beast was gone. The town was burning to the ground and an eerie silence fell on their ears. They were alone. One hundred percent alone.