Chapter 1

The Boy Who Fell

I was exploring the forest near my home when I heard a loud bellow. 'Probably Gorillaphants hunting,' I thought.

As I neared a cliff, I saw a limp figure land on the ground not fifty feet from me. I rushed forward. It was a young man, no older than I. "Wake up!" I cried, to see if he was alright.

I shot up in my bed. "Just a stupid dream…" I muttered. I rose from my bed and got ready for another day on my humble farm.

My name is Aria. My parents died when I was young, and I went to live with my uncle. When he died a year ago, he had no direct bloodline to pass his land down to, so I received it. I stayed here, having no more family to go to.

As I worked on my breakfast, I thought about that strange dream I had. 'I wish I could remember his face,' I thought. The only thing about the boy that I could remember was that he was handsome.

My day proved uneventful. It was dusk when I decided to take a walk in the forest. I was about five minutes into the forest when I heard it.

A bellow. This time, I knew it wasn't Gorillaphants.

I ran as fast as I could towards the cliff. A figure slammed into the ground with a bone-shattering impact.

I rushed over to him. "Wake up! Please!" I begged him. He had armor on, that was darker than the midnight sky, with a blood-red trim. Though unconscious, he clutched onto a black box. I slid it out of his hands and laid it down next to him. I repositioned myself above him, and laid his head down in my lap. I looked up at the top of the cliff. 'It's at least a hundred feet from the top. He's lucky to still be breathing,' I thought. I began to stroke his face as I thought about what was to come when he awakens…