The warm sounds of laughter echoed throughout the festival.
"Here, Garin you can take it!"
Carol offered.
"Oh, really is that for me? Aren't you nice!"
Garin smiled, just as he was about to take the pastry…
-Boom!
Garin leaped over to cover the kids and Elda.
*What the hell is going on?*
Thoughts raced through his mind.
He quickly got up from his protective stance.
*Wait a minute! Lalia is she okay?*
He mentally asked anxiety creeping in.
*No, she went to look for Taylor at their home. The house is a few kilometres away from the village, so she should be okay. Right?*
With that thought he took a breath.
"That's not important right now."
The words slipped from his mouth.
Screens echoed through the air.
Sharp and panicked.
"Elda could you loook after the kids?"
He asked urgently.
She nodded her expression firm.
"What do you think? I can still handle a weapon, I haven't rusted that much."
With those words of reassurance Garin rushed.
*First priority: I should get the villagers to safety! And find out the source.*
As he ran he spotted a market stand tearing dangerously on the edge.
He noticed a little boy in the middle.
Without hesitation Garin drew his blade.
-Swoosh!
He sung it with immense speed and force.
The stand flew aside.
Narrowly missing the child.
Though he was using a fraction of his strength it was more than enough.
He quickly picked up the little boy, who was still crying.
"I wan't my mommy!"
The kid yelled.
"Don't worry kid—"
His words were cut by a frantic cry.
"Theodore…! Theodore…!"
Garin stopped scanning the surroundings.
Then his gaze landed on the distraught mother.
He rushed to her.
"Is he yours?"
"Theodore!"
The mother grabbed the boy tightly.
"Try not to lose him again, okay?
Garin said with a cool smile.
The woman stared at him for a brief second, her heart nearly skipping a beat.
"T-Thank you."
She stammered.
"Don't worry you can thank me later. Now get to safety."
"Hey, over there!"
A man riding a wagon signalled for the mother and child.
Garin spotted several other wagons.
Just then a man shouted orders.
"Everyone, get in the wagons to get to safety!"
The villagers scrambled around the wagons.
"Let me go in, I don't wanna die."
A woman shouted in panic.
"Please, I beg you take my child!"
A mother pleaded holding a child.
Barely a year old.
"Get out of my way!"
A desperate man pushed through the crowd.
"Garin, there aren't enough wagons to fit them all."
A man shouted.
"Sigh…!"
Garin took a deep breath.
Then stepped forward.
"Alright, everyone listen to me! Women and children first!"
Garin commanded.
The man quickly ushered forward.
One mother held her crying child.
While the man who seemed to be the father comforted them both.
"Please be back in one piece!"
She pleaded.
"Don't worry! I'll be right behind you!"
He reassured as he leaned in for a kiss.
The child's cries filled the air, not understanding what was going on.
The father felt a lump on his throat rise.
"Take care of him."
He trembled as he fought away tears.
For him tears were a sign of weakness.
A burden man shouldn't show in front of their families.
"That's all of them!"
Another signalled for the driver.
-Wip!
"Hiyaaa!"
As the wagons rolled away.
A tear slid down from the father's cheek.
Then.
-Drop!
He quickly wiped it off.
"Don't worry Glenn they'll be safe."
Garin patted Glenn's back.
It was the only form of comfort he could offer.
"There were still some left!"
Liam's father said to Garin.
"Don't worry we'll look for more wagons."
Garin scanned the area.
"Don't worry you will be safe!"
A man holding his day said.
Garin spotted a wagon.
"There's a wagon!"
"Where?"
A man asked.
Garin lead the way as he exclaimed.
As the three followed him.
As they got closer Garin began recognising the wagon.
What he saw made him shake with unease.
The owner of the wagon—Mr. Harvey, the always so cheerful farmer, who Garin knew for his lovely attitude. Garin had always helped him out, finding it annoying at times, but yet he had always shared his stories with him—good and bad ones.
Yet, now he was lying almost lifeless on the floor.
A breath escaped from the old man's mouth.
"T-Ta…k…e….it."
He murmured, his eyes pointing at the wagon.
Then….
"…."
….Silence, indicating the end of his life.
Garin stepped forward.
Then gently closed Mr. Harvey's eyes.
The man besides him covered the eyes of his innocent little girl's eyes.
"Is he…?"
Garin pasused for a moment.
Then released a solemn.
"Yeah."
The man placed his child on the wagon.
"Do you know how to drive?"
"A little bit, yeah."
Garin replied.
"But whose going to protect the left over villagers?"
The man paused unsure.
Just then Elda and the children came running.
"Come on, kids! Your always energetic when you're causing mischief."
Elda called out.
"Yeah, but our legs hurt!"
Carol chimed in.
"Don't worry we'll find a wago…."
Elda spotted Garin and quickly looked eyes with him.
Picking up the tired Carol.
"There you are!"
Elda exclaimed with a heavy breath.
"Elda! Did you run into Lalia by any chance?"
She nodded her head sideways.
Liam rushed to his father tears running down his cheeks.
"Dad! You're okay!"
"Yeah, yeah why wouldn't I be?"
He embraced him back.
Suddenly Elda's expression turned grim.
"That wagon….it's…"
"…."
Garin noded silently.
Then Elda fell on her knees.
Covering her mouth in shock.
As she saw the lifeless body.
Eli and Carol standing behind her.
They were unaware of the gravity of the situation.
"Elda, I need you to drive the kids to safety."
Garin instructed.
"But—"
She interjected.
"What about you?"
"Don't worry! I'll stay here and help more people.
Elda knew there was no arguing with Garin.
His logic was without flaw.
With no objections she got up and hurried to the wagon.
Feeling the horses tremble beneath her touch.
She gently brushed their smooth fur to calm them.
Meanwhile Garin, Glenn, Liam's father and the man worked together to settle the children into the wagon.
"You should with them!"
Garin said looking at the man.
"But…."
"No buts! The kids need someone to watch them while Elda is driving. Plus your daughter needs a father!"
With those words the man climbed into the wagon.
-Wip!
"Hiyaa!"
The wagon moved as they made their escape.
They watched the wagon slowly disappear.
*Lalia and Taylor, please be safe!*
Garin's thoughts spiralled out of control.
*Taylor, please take care of your mom for me! Until I can make it there! So please, just wait for me…*
"Let's go!"
Garin instructed.
Glenn and Liam's father followed.
*….I'm coming!*