Through The Purple Forest

Genre: Adventure/Romance/Family

Disclaimer: The characters and the plot are mine.

Comment: Yeah. The prologue is probably going to be confusing. xD But, it'll make sense in the end. Not much to say here besides that I'm finally getting this story out, after all this planning. ^^ Hope you enjoy!

PROLOGUE

Sean was cold. Sean was wet. Sean was horribly frightened. He shivered into the basket he was hiding in. His father had left him, an eight year old, to fend for him self while he ran away. Sean just knew that was what his father did.

A scream broke out, making Sean jump a bit in surprise. He hoped the scream was just someone being mugged or attacked by a stray dog. Anything other than what he had been running from all night.

"W-What is that?" a woman yelled.

"It's a dragon!" someone else shouted. Next, Sean felt heat from his left. The dragon had set the building near him a flame. Besides the constant fear nipping at him, the warmth felt nice; it was a cold winter night, especially after diving into the lake with his father. He knew the village would be burned down in less than an hour. He needed to leave, now. But, where would he go?

Another scream and Sean was sure the basket was on fire now. He jumped out in a second, looking at his side to make sure he wasn't on fire, and then ran for it. He pushed past people in panic and ran straight for the woods. It wasn't the safest place he could go; actually, in his situation, it was most likely suicide. But, dying in that forest was better than becoming cooked.

Even as branches slapped his cheeks and he could taste blood, Sean kept on running. As he ran, he began to think about his father. Where was he? Was he alright? Did they get him? They couldn't have gotten him, his father was much faster than him, plus he got a head start. He must be okay... right?

Sean barely remembered early evening. It felt so long ago, yet, only a couple of hours had gone by since then. His father had woken Sean only after a few minutes of sleep. He told Sean they had to leave quickly. Sean did as he was told, only grabbing a few things his father instructed. They ran from their home to into the forest. The Purple Forest. That was the first time Sean had stepped into that forest. It wasn't dangerous, so he heard, but, his father had never let him go in. Until now.

About ten minutes after they left their house, Sean could see a bright light behind them. He wondered what it could have been, but, it hit him as the smell of smoke drifted into the air. His village was on fire. He started to ask his father what was happening, but, he just shushed the eight year old. For the next few hours, Sean and his father had been to two other villages, only to run into the woods again. Sean has caught glimpses of the dragon and a couple of other mythical creatures, such as ogres, goblins, and pixies; which are pretty painful if they touch skin.

Then, the last village his father had instructed him to stay in a basket that someone must have left outside by mistake. He never came back. Sean waited and waited and waited for his father to come back to get him. Finally, he gave up waiting and just sat there so maybe he could get some sleep after a long night. But, the basket wasn't too comfortable and then the dragon came.

After running a few minutes, his side started to hurt. This has happened all night, since, he normally didn't run this much. He stopped and leaned on a tree for support. That was when the exhaustion hit him like a carriage. His muscles hurt like hell and he could barely keep his eyes open. Slowly, very slowly, Sean slide down the tree, finally landing on his butt. As soon as he hit the ground, he was fast asleep.

He dreamt of his home, his bed, his mother. Oh, how he missed her. Her soft touch. Her welcoming hugs. Her reassuring smile. Why did she have to go and die at a time like this? A time where he needed her most. Just as she was embracing him, a noise woke him. He had always been a light sleeper, but, he wanted nothing more then to go back into his dream. Where he was safe, warm, and with his dear mama.

His eyes opened slowly to some bushes rustling. He wanted to run again, but, his body wouldn't move. This is it, he thought. At least I'll be with mama again. Sean watched as the thing in the bushes emerged and it was... a rabbit. Sean let out a soft, tired laugh; that was what he was so scared of? The rabbit stared up at Sean with big eyes, scared, but, at the same time relived.

Suddenly, a scream broke the silence around Sean and the rabbit, who, took off. Sean stumbled to stand up, recognizing the scream. The man sounded in pain. And, his voice was just like... his father's. Sean doesn't know where he found the energy but he started to run. He didn't feel the pain anymore, his mind was only on his father and who was making him hurt. Even if his father did ditch him, he was the only family had left.

Finally, Sean came to a clearing. It was still dark out, but, Sean could see movement near the edge of the clearing to his right. He also heard the screams. He began to run to his father's aid, but then stopped dead in his tracks. Someone, or something, was on his father. Hurting him. And, it was huge. Sean quickly grabbed a knife from his boots; something his father had told him to pack.

Sean walked quietly and slowly up to the thing, trembling. The screams of his father echoed in his ears, wanting to make the thing in front of him pay but also to run far away from here. To somewhere safe. Once Sean was about a meter away from the monster, he ran at high speeds and stuck it in the neck. The monster let out a ear piercing holler. It whipped around to sneer at Sean and then knocked him to his feet with it's large hands. That's when Sean saw that it was an ogre.

Sean didn't remember much what happened next, just that the ogre punched him in the chest and then tried to rip off one of his legs by his ankle. His father took this opportunity to grab the knife, that was still lodged in the fat of the ogre's neck, and started stabbing at his neck again. And again. And again. Most of the blood poured on to Sean. Sean was in a daze as his father tried to pull him out from under the dead ogre.

After what felt like too long, Sean was able to breath again. His chest hurt and he couldn't stand on his left leg, but, at least the ogre was off of him.

"Sean..." his father spoke. It sounded horse; the ogre probably choked him. Sean finally looked up at his father. Even in the dark, his father look to be in bad shape. His father fell down on to the ground, then he leaned on his left arm to support him enough to look at Sean through the darkness.

"Sean... go to the bushes over there... and give me the staff..." his father commanded, pointing to the bushes in front of him. Sean limped to where his father pointed and picked up the wooden, glowing staff. Sean was pretty sure this staff was the cause of all this, but, his father, of course, said nothing on this matter. Sean slumped down next to his father and handed him his staff.

His father gripped it hard against his chest for a few seconds, then started coughing hard. Sean sat there, waiting for his father's next instructions. The next few minutes went by with his father saying nothing, only coughing. And, when he did stop, he still said nothing. Finally, Sean whispered in the darkness.

"What do we do now?" he asked. His father let out something similar to a sad sigh. Then, silence again.

"Father-"

"Sean..." Sean jumped at the sound. "Take the staff..." Sean was surprised by this. His father had hung on to that staff as if his life depended on it. But, when his father extended his hand to give him the staff, Sean took it quickly.

"But, what do I-"

"Sean... take the staff... and run. Run to... the next village. Do not... turn back," his father commanded.

"But what about you?" Sean shouted. He couldn't leave his father here alone; hurt, defenseless, and weak. There was just no way he could leave his father... his only family left. Sean didn't know if he could take losing another parent.

"Do not worry... about me. But... do get revenge... Remember, these fairy creatures... took both your parents... lives." And, with that, his father slumped to the ground, gave a great cough and died. Sean's eyes widened and he got up fast, ready to run, only to fall back down from the pain in his ankle. He dropped the staff in the process.

Sean got up slowly this time, leaning on his right leg, and limped over to grab the staff and then left the clearing. His chest still hurt like hell and he was sure his left ankle was broken, but, his mind was set on what his father said. His mother was killed by one of these mythical creatures? But... everyone in the village said she died from a bear attacking her.

Sean's grip around the staff tightened. And now... those creatures had taken his father, too. He would get revenge, even if it killed him.

As the sun licked the sky, brightening the forest, Sean got to the village, a plan forming.

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That's it for the prologue. :o Hope you enjoyed. Review please! :3 I'll give you a cookie. 3