Chapter Text
There once was a kid who lived in a cottage, this little boy was known as Willow. he was living a normal life in the woods with his parents, it was peaceful, sometimes he'd go out at night and watch the stars. he loved the stars more than anything, someday he wishes he had someone special to share these nights with but for now he laid on the lush green grass gazing at the stars alone. One morning he woke up to some loud shouts and a second later a loud crash that sounded like a glass has been broken, the little boy went to go check and what he saw left a deep root of dread. There laid his parents in a dark pool of blood and some men and woman in armor, swords in hand and some of the blood stained on their leggings and some has gotten on their armor. He quickly rushed to his room and hid under the covers, hoping they wouldn't find him.
Tears pricked at his eyes, and he tried his best to stay silent. Loud footsteps echoed from the tiny cottage, then the footsteps stopped at his door. a second later it was broken down and five to seven men appeared in the room. Immediately noticing the boy, they took him, but they never harmed him once. the boy struggled and kept hitting the person who held him, but nonetheless they didn't budge. after a few minutes of struggling, he gave up, deciding that no matter what he does, nothing will change the fact he's being taken. for slave reasons or just to kill him.
he just gave up and let them take him wherever. A few hours later they were on a carriage, and he was just staring out the little window that they gave access to him, surprisingly they didn't show hostility and explained to him that his parents were very bad people, he didn't want to believe it, but they showed evidence. So, he didn't struggle anymore and just let them have their way, they told him he was going to have a new home, one with a loving family and he got excited, wanting to meet this new family but he was also nervous, along with just seeing his parents dead with his own two eyes yet he didn't mind about that. Suddenly he started feeling a pain in his chest, growing worse by the second. the soldiers quickly checked up on the boy then suddenly Willow opened the door and ran out, despite the carriage still moving, he ran and ran deep into the forest, the soldiers chased after him, searching, yet they never could find him.
[Somewhere in the forest] He was running, no... I was running to where I don't know. but I do know I kept running and running not caring about where i was going. sometime later I ended up in a clearing, I sighed in relief as I looked around the place, 'a calming atmosphere' I thought, so I sat in the middle of it all, the feeling was strong where I was, then I had an urge to dig. right under me, then I found something, a mask of some kind, it was calling me, telling me to put it on. so I did. then I passed out.
"Where am I?!" The boy said, looking around the pitch black void. "Worry not little one, for you are just dreaming" another voice called out. He looked around and came face to face with a cloaked figure wearing a mask. The mask felt familiar as he observed how he looked, but no other features could be seen. So he started to question him. "Who are you..?" the little boy asked. "Why, I am Alex, the last descendant of a forgotten race" the assumed to be male said.
He looked suspicious of the male, but ultimately stood up, looking around and finding nothing, to which he heard the same male speak. "Looking for something?" Alex said curiously. "Where... are we..?" a hint of uneasiness could be heard in the little boys voice.
And so Alex stepped forward, outstretching a hand towards Willow, but the little boy backed away in caution, not fully trusting the other. This caused the older to sigh, then walked over slowly with a gentle soothing voice "I have no intentions to harm you little one, I am merely wanting to give you a gift!" Alex had gotten 5 feet from Willow, as the little boy started to ease up a little, oh how naive..
"Well.. okay then!" the little boy had showed a smile, one of complete trust, not surprising as he is a child. "close your eyes little one" Alex had instructed as he was reaching into what seemingly was his pocket inside of the cloak. After hearing that the little boy closed his eyes, giddy with excitement at a new friend and a gift.
As Alex reached into his pocket, he pulled out a mask similar to his own, placing it onto the little boy's face. Soon after, the little boy began to scream with agony, as the mask burned itself into the boy's flesh, the smell of burnt flesh could be smelt throughout the area as Alex watched it happen.
The little boy clawed at the mask, trying to tear it off as he kept screaming in pain, yelling to get it off of him as tears were somehow flowing down his chin. Yet Alex stood idly.
"You will wake up soon little one" Traces of the same warm and friendly tone was gone as he spoke coldly, resting his hand on the little boy's head as he shoved him harshly, which caused Willow to wake up in the middle of the forest, everything seemed normal.
He looked around and sighed in relief, putting his hand on his face, to which he felt something other than flesh. The mask was still there, it didn't seem to budge in the slightest. He slowly started to panic, his breathing quickening as he tried his best to remove the mask, yet it only did more harm than good as he screamed in pain that jolted throughout his body, a punishment for trying to take it off you could say.
As he had recovered, he had a thought 'Who the hell was he..'
After pondering for some time he stood up, dusting himself off as he tidied up his clothing and gazed up at the sky, as the color was a beautiful and golden orange, along with the scarlet red mixed in, signaling it was an early day as the sun peaked over the dense trees.
He had been mesmerized at how beautiful the world had been in front of his very eyes, as for years he was sheltered and could only gaze at the starlight that had filled the sky during the chilly and beautiful nights. When he finished taking in the scenery, he started to venture into the woods from where he had came from to check if the guards were still there, waiting for him. He felt nervous at the thought of being taken and adopted into another family as he still missed his parents regardless of their criminal acts
'I wonder if the world is more different than I thought...' He had thought to himself. He collected his thoughts, shaking his head as he started to get a move on, navigating the dense and darkened forest, trying to retrace his path, jogging his memory of where he had come from, eyes darting all over the heavy foliage and the thick darkness, checking for a sign of danger or even just the slightest bit of safety. Snap A branch snapping resounded behind him as he swiftly looked behind him
...It was a squirrel. He facepalmed and sighed loudly, cursing himself for getting scared of an animal as he kept walking. It had been hours as he kept walking through the forest, surprised he ran this far, his legs had been aching for awhile now and his now sore leg felt weak, as if he'd buckle down to his knees and pass out due to exhausted, but as the sliver of hope began to slip away from his mind, he had heard shouting as men clad in full protective silver armor, running up to him as they held him, his legs finally giving up on him as he sighed in relief.
~Timeskip~
The sound of a voice talking had been just random gibberish as he stared at the floor, the man in front of him was the royal doctor, trying to ask him medical questions and all that jazz, to which the man snapped his fingers in front of Willow, to which he finally came back to reality, staring up at the man in a leather coat who had yellow eyes, golden blonde hair and a well toned figure with skin that looked to be smooth to the touch. He was surprised that the man had been good looking, but he tried to remember his name. For the life of him he couldn't remember so he asked instead.
"Hey-Hey..... If you don't mind me-me asking.... what is your name..?" He asked the man, who had kneeled down and stared at eye level with the kid.
"The name is Malachi Hawthorn, how about you little buddy?" Malachi had asked Willow, speaking in a soft tone, staring at the other who-he still wondered why-had that mask on.
"...Willow Blackwood."