Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-24510587-20190827231859/@comment-25828117-20190828143430

Bruma lay completely dormant in-between the snow-capped mountains despite the first morning light creeping up over the eastern Jeralls, bringing with it the first new day in what felt like ages. Not a single soul walked the streets and plenty of windows and doors were boarded up. Not even the cockerel of Old Grismur let itself be heard. There was only the sound of the wind sweeping by the stone walls of the city, the creaking of artisan signs hanging above door frames of shops and inns and finally, the tell-tale flapping in the wind of the eagle banner of Bruma.

Helian woke up in his cold bed. Not that drowsy kind of after sleep were you feel like you can peacefully drift back for another half hour or so, but completely and utterly wide awake then and there. Before he knew it, he was sitting up and listening to the silence outside and in the house.

Nothing... But something was different, something had happened. He felt as if he had woken up from a nightmare he couldn't remember, As was evident from the sweat stains where his upper body had rested and the vestiges of fright on his face.

The young lad tossed the blankets off and ran across cold wooden floorboards to one of the boarded up windows of his room. Thin rays of blue-white late morning light got in through the cracks. He could see not a soul outside, or even a lit street brazier for that matter. But then it dawned on him... The light was bright. The sky was clear. The long night. The Darkest Night, was over.

They had done it. Graicus and his companions had done it! As far as he was aware anyway. Helian didn't take the time to get properly dressed, rushing down from the loft in his undergarments and into the sitting room.

"Mom!" The young man called.

Mirella sat in the chair she had been sitting in since the darkest night took her faculties from her, with her eyes closed and her head slumped against the upholstery.

"Mom!" Helian repeated as he came to her side. Taking hold of her cold hands in his when he knelt by her side. "They did it! It's over, mom!"

Mirella groaned, her eyes were closed but a frown came to her face. As if she was being rudely awakened.

"H-helian, honey?" She mumbled with a tongue that felt like it was still asleep. Slowly her eyes opened and focused on her boy with no small measure of disbelief.

She couldn't believe it. He was back! He had returned! A tearful but weak smile came to her face.

"Y-you came back..."

Helian couldn't contain his own tears as he held up his mother's hands and kissed them for dear life.

"Yes, ma... I'm back."

Helian didn't want to let go of his mother. He had been so worried about her. Her hands weren't enough, instead he expanded towards a big all-encompassing hug, sobbing quiet tears of joy in her shoulder.

"My boy... my sweet, sweet boy..."

Slowly the people of Bruma came to realise that the terror had subsided. Some, couldn't believe it. Some were practically dancing with glee. And some were distraught and scarred. They would not share in the jubilation but merely ponder quietly. Quit unceremoniously then, the baker opened its door again. Her husband chatting liberally with the neighbors who had shown up to buy bread while she got the furnaces started again. The children of the city met at the old cemetery behind the chapel, telling stories about how they fought those monsters single-handed and the tales only got taller from there on.

Life found a way. Even if the path was fraught with danger.