Sin of Greed

CHAPTER 2

“Papa! Let me go! I need to find Gran-gran!” Mago punched and kicked his father giving every throw all the strength he has.

He earned a yell from his Father.

“I told you be quiet!” Minato held him tighter.

He knew that if he ever loosens his grip on his son, he’ll never be able to find him again with these many people around them. They run towards the city. Minato and the others are out of breath but they need to get away or they will be slaughter by ‘them’.

“But Gran-gran needs me!” Mago begged his father to let go of him.

His juvenile mind can’t handle the thought of his Gran-gran be taken away from him. No, he will do anything to be with his Gran-gran.

“I told you stay still! Why don’t you listen to me?!” Minato raised his voice not because he was mad but because of the pressure building up on him and to those people who are already running to save their lives.

“Y-You… You don’t love Gran-gran, do you? You don’t love him! That’s why you left him!” Mago’s sobs echoed through the head of his father.

The only thing in Minato’s mind right now is to make sure his family is safe even though he’s heaving for air he will not stop until they’re safe.

“Mago, Mago. Listen to me, Gran-gran will be alright, okay? You don’t know it, but he is strong!” Magdalene said with a smile giving her everything to hide the fear and worry from the tone of her voice. Mago looked at his mother with his eyes and cheeks covered with tears.

“E-Even you? Ma?” the look in Mago’s eyes are pure pain of betrayal.

His parents didn’t love his Gran-gran? Mago’s trembling voice began to take courage.

“No… No! I hate you! You left Gran-gran because you hate him! I hate you both!” He punched and kicks his way out from the grasp of his father.

He easily escaped his father’s tight grasp due to the fact that he is tired from running for too long with him on his shoulders along with heavy baggage. In an instant Minato’s grasp loosen and he accidentally dropped Mago.

The kid immediately stood up and run to find his Gran-gran. With his small body he easily slips through the stampede.

“Mago! No! Comeback here! Mago!” Minato yelled as he tried to run after his son. But with his size people easily push him away from his son and swept him with the flow of mass.

“Gran-gran! Don’t worry I’ll save you!” Mago said.

His mind was on his grandfather as he run his way through the crowds to the place where they left grand Olei. Loud thunders are scary but he endured it for losing his Gran-gran is much frightening.

His small lungs are aching for air and his feet are sore from running, his body is numb from the hits he received from people.

As he arrived to his village that is now abandoned -the rain starts to fall. The thunder starts to get louder and the lightning starts to get faster and sharper.

“Gran-gran! Gran-gran!” he yelled through the sounds of pouring rain.

His sandals and clothes are now covered with mud. But he didn’t care. He is sure that his Gran-gran is really cold by now. He went from abandoned house to the other hoping he will find him. But he only greeted by the cold walls and silence.

His eyes are blurry, he can’t see anything clearly due to heavy rain and steam coming from earth. He dropped on his knees panting for air because he have already surpassed his limits long ago.

“Gran-gran!” for the last time Mago yelled loudly and the splatter of rain is the only answer he got.

Until, he heard loud screams approaching him. His eyes lighten up with hope. But as soon as the smoke faded, he saw people with weapons… no, they’re not humans.

His eyes are wide like saucer. He can’t believe what he is seeing right now. Despite of the cloudy surroundings he can clearly see what is arriving. He never thought that the stories of his Gran-gran are true.

Goblins are real. The monsters that destroy anything their eyes set upon. Murdering people, mutilating them until they die of blood loss.

“No… No… This is not real,” he murmured.

Fear- That’s what he’s feeling right now. He can’t move any of his muscle because of terror and fatigue.

It took all his remaining strength to stand up and take cover to the nearby bush. Herds of wild small green things dash towards his village. Their war screams are like screams of the demon itself resonating through the whole place.

There are hundreds of them- No, maybe thousands.

As they run in front of the bush he is hiding, Mago can’t help but cupped his mouth fearing that even he made a small sound he knew he’s dead. Lots have passed from his hiding spot and yet he can’t see the end of their colony. His whole body is shaking from the cold water pouring from the bruised sky.

‘Papa, Mama, Gran-gran, Help.’ He shuts his eyes and silently cries hoping this is just some nightmare and he will wake up with the gentle kiss of his Gran-gran on his forehead.

‘This is not real.’ Silent cries reverberate inside his head.

Until, a riotous explosion resounds that immediately made Mago open his eyes. He takes a peek from the bush and he saw who made the powerful blast.

There in front of the bewildered and wounded goblins stood an old man. Mago can’t clearly decipher every detail with the thick smoke coming from the location of explosion.

But he can barely see the white hair and beard that sways with the wind. The posture that tells the man had survived many battles.

Yet the eyes of the aged man gave away his identity.

Mago can tell that, that man is…