Chapter One

The three small boys hid under the small bridge laughing as quietly as they could. In their fists were small rocks ready to be thrown at Roe when he passed.
“We’re going to get him this time,” whispers one, with the others nodding in response.
Roe to them was like a superhero. He was cool, smart, and even sometimes fatherly; more fatherly than their own fathers. Jacob thought he was motherly but the boys always snickered in his face wondering how that can even be if he is a boy.
Thinking it was about time for him to come through, Alex crawled from under to peek above. “I see him, I see him! Get ready.”
Right at the sound of footsteps exiting the bridge, the three ran out from under and began to throw at Roes back, or so they though when they realized that no one was there.
Timmy slapped the red head with his chubby hand, “Alex you said he was here.”
“I swear, I swear I saw him!”
“You know,” said a familiar voice from behind, “It’s not good to lie.”
They turned around to see Roe sitting on the rail of the wooden bridge. His short black hair was flowing in the small breeze and his dark brown eyes sparkled in the mid day sun. He was a skinny boy, not skinny like a starved man, but more of a woman. They sometimes wondered if he was a woman, but they could never see if he had curves like one from his large clothing. He neither had breasts from what they could tell.
Jacob was the first to drop his rocks and run to him for a hug, “Roe you’ve been gone for a day now, where did you go?”
“Yah,” said the two boys in unison running for their share of his hug.
Roe giggled, rubbing their pretty little heads, “I was on an errand for my pops. I would have never left if I knew you boys would miss me so.”
Seeing that Jacob’s glasses where smudged, Roe took the liberty of cleaning them for him and slipping them back on. “There, all good as new.” Together they all held hands and went in the town together.
Melone Town, how much Roe missed this place every time he left. Since the earliest of memories, this town was always in it. The small shops made from the owners themselves of wood and stone, the children running around the streets, the loud voices of sales going on in the market and the good prices of the shops where people eat and get supplies. And the smell, especially the smell of the Goldy's bakery. Roe loved this place as the place loved in return.
Where ever he went in town, whether just for an errand or just strolling around, the people, as they are now, would always say their hellos and give him things free of charge or for a good price.
“Roe!” It was Catherine a childhood friend rushing to his side. She cut right through Timmy’s hold on him and held his hand instead, “I missed you so much,” she said batting her green eyes. “Where have you been? My mother wants you to come over for dinner sometime this week.”
He blushed feeling her breasts rub against his arm purposely. He noticed that a lot of girls did that to him. Was he that attractive that girls would have to resort to this type of flirting for him to take a second glance? Did people think he would not speak to them unless they were so tempting to touch? Not that he wanted to touch them. “Um I would have to speak to my father about this.”
“You old hag!” Timmy slapped her on the behind and dodged her slap, “Roe doesn’t want an ugly girl like you!”
“Why you little punk!” The sister starts chase after her little brother, disappearing through the crowd.
The three couldn’t help themselves but laugh at the scene they were witnessing. That pair was like a cat chasing a mouse. No one, not even the townsfolk got weary from seeing them fight. Well, sometimes their mother got tired.
“Alex!”
Sighing, “Awe that must be my mum. Supper must be ready. I’ll see you later you guys!”
All that was left now was Jacob and Roe. They already made it out of the market place, now they were headed towards home. A dirt path is what they were walking on. To the left of them were grass plains as green as envy and the right were the farmer's territory. Strawberries, veggies, and such were growing everywhere; it was the spring time. Just a little further ahead would be their homes.
The two weren’t related by blood, but they always felt a tie between them as if they were real family. They are seven years apart with Roe being fifteen and Jacob eight. Since Jacob’s birth, Roe has always been with him because their parents were so close and literally too considering they are next door neighbors.
“So how’s you mom? I haven’t seen her in a few days is she getting better from her cold?”
“Yes she’s doing better now I guess.”
Mrs. Tynes has been sick ever since winter. The doctors continue to say it’s just a cold but it’s beginning to be hard to believe considering it’s already mid March.
A small smile appeared on his face, “Jacob, you have to be strong for your mom if you want her to get better. I can do everything I can for you but you have to do everything you can too.”
The small boy tightened his grip, “I have been since she got sick. She said because of me she’s getting better so she told me to go out and play today.”
The sadness emitting from the small boy twisted his stomach. How he hated sadness. He never knew why but he could never stand it. If life can be taken away at any given moment, why live life sad rather than happy?
Swiftly, he started to tickle him. No matter how much he fought and rolled on the dirt floor laughing and screaming for him to stop, he didn’t. Roe loved the sound of happiness whether it is from a human, an animal or even nature.
Tears escaping through Jacobs eyes were never ending. His stomach began to hurt and at points he couldn’t even get a chance to breathe! Now his glasses are falling off. “St-stop Roe. Stop. Stop!”
Roe rolled over to his side after being on top of him and breath plentifully as if he had been the one getting tickled. “Jacob if you ever show a sad face to me again I will tickle you until you sleep next time.”
Cleaning his glasses, “Okay, I won’t be sad ever again, but what if she never gets better?”
The elder boy messed with the small one’s hair, “My father says that all you need is faith; faith in the person and faith in your self. Come now,” he got up and let out a hand, “Lets go home.”

Prologue

“We only had her for a year Roger. I don’t want to let her go, not now when I have grown so fond of her.”
Roger held his wife dearly with the child between them in her arms, “Mary, you knew what was coming. We have to let her go or else she will die here with us.”
The town was overrun with the demon soldiers of Bazaar. Fire was a blaze in every home and the screams and cries for aid were in the air. Hearing that the troops had come into the town earlier the family made their way to the river side to meet up with a trusting companion.
Tears were running down the pale woman’s cheeks. Was it her fault her child was to be born under the Prophesy of Ashen? No, she knew it weren’t, but what she did know for sure is that she wanted her precious child to remain safe for the remainder of her days.
The footsteps and haggard laughs were approaching the couple faster; it was time to say their goodbyes.
The parents kissed their baby girl and held her tightly before giving her into the arms of a close family friend. The man held her gently and started his way up the Mystic River. Smaller and smaller the two in the boat were in the couple’s sight, disappearing as they went farther and farther away.
“Roger,” Mary embraced her husband sniffing, trembling, “She’ll be alright won’t she? She’ll be alright, right?”
He kept looking unto the distance at his only child, “Ashen saw this coming dear. If she is truly meant to save us all then she will be alright.”
They turned back to the forest of which they came through to face demon warriors of all different sizes, but all with eyes of red and black.
Roger pushed his wife behind him and drew his sword. A human stepped forth out of the band of beasts, smiling horridly. “The girl, where is the girl?”
“What girl?” Answered Roger, charging with all his might.