Hragton's Weapon.

Long ago, in a time of hopeless emptiness. When the sun wasn't yet shining brightly, having just begun to take its place in space. On the small planets around the sun, life awoke, primordial at first, but already beginning its conquests, destroying others in the vicinity. On a small planet called Ciemniantoria. Our wonderful story begins.

On the 138th day after the sun ascended to its permanent place, where it was to remain for centuries. On Ciemniantoria, the people who lived there rose and began their daily labors of life and food acquisition. In a small cottage near the main square of the village called Turdygandel, our hero was born, a small boy named Hragton. His parents were supposedly simple folk, but his uncle was a great warrior, and it was from him that our little boy inherited the strength that had already enchanted his parents after birth. When they arose in the morning, as always, his mother looked into her son's cradle. What a cry of terror she uttered when she didn't find her son there. "

Husband, our son is gone, come quickly to me," the terrified woman said.

Her husband, Friatus, ran as fast as he could. "

What happened, my love, where is our child?" Friatus asked.

At that moment, they heard a child's cry, followed by a long laugh. They looked outside the cottage. Their surprise was immense at what they saw. In the yard in front of the cottage stood their little 2.5-year-old son, Hragton, and in front of him lay a dead, ape-like creature. The parents ran to the boy and hugged him. "

Is nothing wrong with you, son?" the mother asked.

Although the boy couldn't speak yet, the mother knew he was okay. The father looked at the dead animal and said, "

You're a brave man, my son; you'll grow into a powerful and brave man, like your uncle Pydron."

Then they took the son to the cottage, and the father decided to make something out of the dead animal. It was almost dinnertime. The meal was delicious, and after dinner, everyone retired to bed.

Our hero's family's rest lasted only three hours. After that, Hragton's mother was the first to wake up. She was a young, pleasant-looking woman of about twenty-nine, named Kleoptra. She came from the Kreofryng family, but her family wasn't wealthy.

As soon as she awoke from her rest, she set to work in the kitchen, as a woman should. Meanwhile, Hragton's father, who had already gone outside, was chopping firewood. Meanwhile,

on our planet and in the land where Hragton lived, a beautiful spring was in full swing. Flowers were blooming, sundews were appearing, trees were turning green, and birds were singing. It was time for fun and joy, but not for our little hero. His uncle Pydron, his father's brother, along with Friatus, his father, decided to begin educating the boy from a young age and teaching him the art of wielding laser weapons.

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Friatus had just finished chopping firewood when his brother Pydron appeared. "

Hello, dear brother," said Pydron. "

What brings you here?" Friatus replied, putting down his axe.

They greeted each other warmly, as brothers do. They shook hands and hugged tightly. "

I came to you about the boy's education. I want to take him to where I studied, as you remember," said Pydron. "

But he's only two and a half years old, brother, let him play again," Friatus said a little sharply, frowned.

Pydron, however, was stubborn. He himself didn't have a childhood like any ordinary child. At the age of three, his father tried to teach him how to wield a sword and become a true warrior, just as he had been raised by his father, Pydron's grandfather.

He thought for a long time, pondering what he could do to convince his brother of the truth of his opinion. He also knew that Cleoptra wouldn't let the boy go so quickly that he could begin training and interact with real warriors. At the age of 12, he already knew the proper stances, dodges, and the proper operation of the laser to bring down an opponent in the fewest shots possible.

He was still standing there, lost in thought, when Cleoptra emerged from the house. Seeing Pydron, she was overjoyed and ran to greet him. Pydron, as befits a warrior with principles, warmly greeted his sister-in-law, kissing her hand and then planting a kiss on her cheek. "

Hello, Cleoptra," he said with a smile, trying to conceal his reason for coming.

He didn't intend to tell Cleoptra the reason for his arrival just yet until he had spoken with his brother.

"Friatus, why don't you invite your brother into the house?" Cleoptra said, looking at her husband. "

Yes, please, brother, come into the house, we'll have a drink and talk," said a somewhat surprised Friatus.

Meanwhile, little Hragton woke up. He was overjoyed to see his uncle, whom he loved.

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They all entered the cottage together. Peace and order reigned. Little Hragton was playing with his wooden laser and attacking a lying teddy bear. The cottage looked large, with a spacious kitchen with a large table. A room for entertaining friends. A bedroom for Hragton's parents. A pantry and a storage room for small belongings. There was also little Hragton's room and his toys, as well as some weapons, so that the little one could acclimate to his becoming a warrior. "

Hello, little warrior," said Pydron to the happily playing Hragton.

He patted his head and said, "He'll be a great warrior. You can already see in him the immense strength and determination I had as a child."

They all sat down at the table, and Cleoptra busied herself with serving the guest's meal. Friatus, meanwhile, went to the cellar to fetch a small barrel of homemade wine, to properly welcome his brother.

He had been gone for a long time, and Cleoptra began to worry about what had happened to him.

She said to Pydron, "Forgive me for asking, but would you mind going to the cellar to check on Friatus? He's been gone for so long?

"

"You know you can always rely on me," the tall, strong man replied.

He then ascended the steep stairs into the dark, cold cellar. Dust and dirt hung in the air, as did the intense smell of fresh blood. Pydron turned into a narrow corridor leading to the hiding place where the hosts kept the wine, and hurried along. It was good that he had a kerosene lamp with him, otherwise he would have been lost in the darkness of that forbidding place. When he reached the end, he was surprised to see Friatus lying limp on the ground. Blood was oozing from his thigh, but this was no ordinary wound. He couldn't have cut himself like that, nor could any animal they knew have left such a mark. The mysterious hole in his leg terrified them both. "

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What happened, brother?" Pydron said.

Then he added, "What's wrong with you? Who or what attacked you?"

Terrified, Friatus couldn't utter a word. He tried to point with his hand, and his expression was terrified, his eyes stunned. He was clearly already affected by some poison that had probably seeped into the wound.

Pydron tried to help his brother up, but he fell limply to the ground. Finally, he thought, "I think I'll leave you here for a moment and go get help.

I hope nothing more will happen to you," Pydron said to his brother.

He was slowly walking back to the entrance when he heard something. It was some kind of scratching behind the wall. He thought for a moment and returned to his brother. "I can't leave you here alone," he thought. He lifted Friatus onto his back and slowly moved toward the entrance. He walked blindly, for the lamp was no longer important to him; only his brother's life mattered. Pydron also thought about little Hragton. What would become of him if his father died?

He walked so slowly, constantly wondering what that scratching could be.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Cleoptra was losing her mind, and although she had already called the neighbors, they weren't arriving anytime soon, she was growing increasingly nervous.

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Finally, she heard the slow footsteps and heavy breathing of her brother-in-law. She ran as quickly as she could to the cellar door and opened it. To her surprise, Pydron was carrying her husband on his shoulders. She opened her mouth wide, trying to say something, but her brother-in-law dissuaded her:

"Dear Cleoptra, when I got inside and found my brother, he lay limp in a pool of his own blood, unable to utter a word."

With that, he placed his brother on a wide armchair.

"Some strange force must have left its mark on his leg, for I have never seen anything like it in my life.

" "But what... how..." The woman burst into tears. Little Hragton was crying too, so his mother hugged him to her chest.

"We must summon Verdaz. He is a great magician and healer; without his help, we won't be able to deal with this wound," Pydron advised.

"I will run to him as fast as I can, and you, please, take care of Friatus. I will put my son in his crib and set off; it's only an hour each way.

" The man replied, "Greetings, Cleoptra, and take care of yourself."

She ran out quickly, ignoring the ajar door. It was important to get help for her wounded husband as quickly as possible. If she were left alone in the world, without the support she had in Friatus, it would be difficult for her to cope with all the adversities of fate.

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Near the pool of blood lay a small blue fang. It moved slightly. Blood flowed in a thin stream towards it, and as soon as it touched it, it began to disappear. Roots emerged from the fang and dug into the ground.

Cleoptra ran as fast as she could, so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to notice the approaching cavalry. When she realized what was about to happen, she whispered, "Eldora." One of the knights quickly yanked her up and placed her on the back of his steed.

"You could have died; you're lucky I looked that way. You look strange, is something wrong?"

Cleo lost consciousness. The cavalryman sighed, drew his lightsaber, and rushed forward to clear a path for his companions.

Fang glowed orange. Pydron glanced at the wounded Friatus, who had suddenly stopped moaning. He thought this was a good omen.

At the same time, the cavalryman heard a terrible bang nearby. He stopped and looked around. Kleoptra was still unconscious. He noticed figures moving in the distance. He heard a voice, "Hey, you, from your horse."

He obediently dismounted, turned, and saw three men in neatly tailored, spotted green outfits, holding long, black tubes with handles.

He took Kleo in his arms and said, "She needs a medic, do you know anyone like that?"

Then everything faded; he was back on his horse, riding, slicing through branches, his companions following him. The glow of the fang faded.

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Cleoptra ran with all her might in search of Verdaz, a magician and doctor known throughout the village of Turdygandel.

She reached a small, modest cottage and noticed a light burning. She approached the door and knocked, expecting the cottage's owner to arrive. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps behind the door, and it swung open. "Greetings, Cleoptra, what brings you here?" Verdaz said. "

I have urgent business; my husband is wounded and suffering greatly," whispered Cleoptra, exhausted from running. "

What do you expect of me, child?" the magician asked, rubbing his chin. "

Let us go to my house and examine Friatus's wound," said Cleoptra.

They gathered quickly and went to Verdaz's vehicle, which was parked behind the cottage. The vehicle was so strange, it took Cleoptra's breath away. They climbed in and set off towards Cleoptra and Friatus's house.

The night was dark and beautiful at the same time. Cleoptra and Verdaz had just arrived at the house, and the magician quickly ran to the room where Friatus lay. Friatus's friends had already gathered in the room, waiting to see what would happen. The girls who had arrived there also tended to Cleoptra, soothing her and entertaining little Hragton.

Among the crowd, one of the girls noticed a handsome boy watching Verdaz tend to Friatus. She called him, and they went outside. Meanwhile, Verdaz decided to take Friatus to the hospital located nearby in the castle of Deloitte, two kilometers from Friatus's cottage. The group carried him to the mage's vehicle and set off quickly, so as not to waste time.

The next morning, Friatus woke up in pain in the hospital. He remembered that after going down to the cellar, something had knocked him to the ground, and he had only been supposed to bring wine to welcome his brother. He remembered only fragments of events: the quick descent down the stairs, the long corridor, the blood... The woman tending to him showed him his bandaged leg. The woman told him that his condition was serious. He almost died during the blood transfusion. It turned out that he could be saved, but only by going out to fetch a special flower and preparing a special ointment for the wound.

This task was to be undertaken by the boy who had watched Verdaz tend to Friatus. This boy was Pospolit, 20 years old, skilled in warfare and fond of dangerous tasks. Verdaz had already sent a man called Brakus, a servant of the magician, to bring Pospolit to him.

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Brakus set off on foot, as he was a man who couldn't drive or ride a horse, and it was 20 kilometers to where Pospolit lived. Brakus had many adventures along the way. It was already his third day on the road, and after almost an hour's walk, he reached the inn at Czarny Dzik, where he ate some food and treated himself to a little mead. There, he met his friend Sabil. After a short conversation, he learned from him that he was going to his father's house in the village where Pospolit lived and would gladly take Brakus. They chatted for a while longer and then left together to set off, as time was very important to Brakus, and he couldn't waste another minute. In the hospital at Verdaz Castle, he was caring for Friatus, whose health had again declined.

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Leaving the inn, Brakus and Sabil noticed that it was getting dark and decided to spend the night at the inn. The night was calm, and in the morning they had to leave early.

In the early morning, Brakus left the inn, yawning loudly. He had a deep premonition that something unpleasant was about to happen to him. Just like yesterday, when the wolves chased him, or the day before, when the bears devoured his food supplies. He was almost afraid to leave the inn and go to the settlement to bring Pospolit to Verdaz. However, he had promised the mage he would complete the task and was determined not to disappoint him. (Brakus lived alone in a small hut on the mountainside, and saw people only once, maybe twice a year. Besides, they considered him mad and feared him like the plague. Wherever he went, something strange happened, usually something unlucky.) Having no other choice, because he always kept his word, Brakus pulled his purse from under his mattress and calmly set off, having first taken Sabil, who was also yawning, with him. They headed for Sabil's house, from where they would travel to the settlement.

It was a beautiful day indeed.

High in the cloudless sky, the sun blazed, but it wasn't too hot. The weather seemed just right, the whole day seemed just right. Brakus was in a truly good mood; he no longer remembered his terrible misfortune and quickened his pace, urging on the still-sluggish Sabil. When they reached Sabil's hut, Sabil ran to the stables and led the horses out. They quickly harnessed them to the wagon and set off as quickly as possible, for time was pressing on Brakus.

They had been riding in the wagon for some time when Brakus was startled by the sound of a scuffle coming from the roadside thicket to his right. His heart sank, thinking of the wolves and bears he had encountered earlier.

Whatever it was, it was approaching the wagon.

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Something enormous was approaching the wagon. Brakus tried to listen, but from the noise, he couldn't deduce what it could be.

Do you hear the same noises as me? - asked Sabil.

I can't hear anything, what's going on? - replied Sabil sleepily.

At that moment, the horses reared and became very frightened, flaring their nostrils. Fear was evident in their eyes. The murmur of voices was already so clear that Sabil's eyes widened as if he had been doused with cold water. "

What's happening, Brakus, let's run away as quickly as possible," Sabil said, and fear showed on his face. "

I won't surrender," Brakus shouted, drawing his sword

. Suddenly, from the bushes sprang...

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a strange creature, enormous in shoulders and 3 meters tall.

Sabil woke up drenched in sweat. He didn't know where he was. It seemed to him that he was having a nightmare, but after waking, this state of consciousness persisted. He looked around the forest. The pale light of dawn was filtering through the heavy tree branches. Unidentifiable shapes were emerging from the twilight. He lay on the wagon in his shirtsleeves. He lit a lamp and rubbed his sleepy eyes. He didn't recognize this forest, he didn't recognize his surroundings at all. At the spot near where Brakus sat, there was no one standing, only the horses, but they seemed absent. Sabil didn't remember what had happened, yet the ground was clearly marked with the imprint of someone having been there. He couldn't for the life of him remember what he was doing there or how he had gotten there. He rose from the wagon and approached the horses. Drawing back the curtains, he noticed they were as if dead. This unnerved him. He couldn't even remember what time of year it was. He walked to the back of the wagon. Who knew, maybe he was dazed? A madman who had escaped from nowhere. At the back of the wagon were Masterton's book, thick black-rimmed glasses, some pills, and a box with rings and a single cross on a chain. Beneath was a bottle of liqueur, which Sabil promptly opened. Sipping the delicious liquid, he leafed through old writings bearing the mage's seal. The sun was already setting over the forest. The forest was vast, although the trees and details were rather strange; they must have been created in a strange way. Sabil drew his sword. The elegant steel pleasantly caressed his hand. It fit like a glove, but despite that, Sabil couldn't remember ever buying it. He looked at himself. He was a slim, brunette man in his thirties, very well-groomed and well-groomed. Short hair curled playfully around his face, giving him a youthful charm. Dark eyes framed the hazel color of his pupils. His complexion was slightly swarthy. He resembled an Italian, but in truth, he couldn't even remember where he came from. He couldn't even remember his name. All this slowly began to terrify him, as he didn't know where his friend Brakus was. At that moment, he heard the sounds of fighting in the distance; they were quite distinct and greatly alarmed Sabil. He decided to head towards the sounds, sword at the ready.

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He looked around the forest again, searching for any signs that might indicate Brakus's location and what he was doing. Some signs were next to the wagon, others looked similar. He tried to reconstruct the first events after the creature had appeared. He swung his sword left and right, as if to cut through the air, and entered the forest, right into the sounds he'd heard earlier in the distance. Not wanting to waste time pondering what was happening, he approached the next trees. The sword could no longer be swung so easily, and Sabil was shaking with fear for himself and Brakus's life. He struggled with them for a moment before he managed to unblock his mind and regain his strength to fight. With a slight trepidation, he gripped his sword and pulled it toward him. A cold sweat of fear and an instantly growing dread washed over him. There was NOTHING beyond the large tree, and he already thought Brakus would be there. He continued walking, looking around carefully.