False Assumptions

(POV Tanya)

Waking up the following morning I stretched out my arms and let out a hearty yawn. I probably should have gone back to school before falling asleep, but it's too late to change anything now. Looking out the window, I could tell it was still early in the morning, yet I was probable going to be late for my first class anyways. Throwing my uniform on I bounded out of my room and quickly stumbled past my mother on my way out of the house.

" Good morning." I said in passing, on my to the door.

" Where are you going dear?" My mother asked in slight alarm.

" School of course; I'm pretty busy with it most days." I affirm not stopping in my path to the door.

"Oh, I thought we told you. The school has stopped all classes until the current crisis is resolved. They said that the guild needed every hand they had to help."

" Well I guess I'm not going anywhere then ... Actually, Maybe I can find someone to tell me more about how finding Alice and Ravi went." I wanted to believe they were alright, and by now they must have been found already. After all Miss Hemiko promised they would be okay.

" How does cooking some breakfast with your dear old mother before you go? We haven't done that in a while, we can make your favorites~." My mother offered with a smile.

I couldn't help but smile back. It wouldn't matter if I went now or later to check up on them, and it has been a while since I've spent time with my mother. If Hemiko wants me to trust her, I will.

" It has been a while hasn't it. I'd love to." I spin back around and move to my mother's side, embracing her as she lightly kisses the top of my head. Perhaps spending time with my mother will relieve some of my anxiety.

" Now what should we make?" I asked, to which my mother shrugged.

" It'll be a surprise for the both of us."

Collecting the ingredients we felt like pulling out, we began assembling a relatively sizable list of ingredients, when I noticed something odd." Mother, where are Father and brother?" I asked pealing a potato with a small kitchen knife. My father woke early to work out in our fields, but my brother didn't typically go to the western gates for work until a bit later in the morning. He should still be around somewhere, but it seems he's already gone.

"They said they had something to do this morning. They also mentioned that they would be back soon." My mother replied.

" Oh, any Idea as to where they went?" I asked making some light conversation.

" No, I haven't a clue." My mother replied again.

My curiosity began to get the best of me as I tried to speculate where they were, but there were too many places to think of. I couldn't get closer to an answer. " Do you know when they'll be back?" I asked, before realizing the question had already been answered. My mother affirmed she had no idea when they would be returning.

" Didn't you say they wouldn't be long?" I asked in a teasing manner." But now your not sure ... hmmm suspicious." Contrary to the reaction I was expecting my mother seemed to tense at the joke.

" Are you alright? Did you not sleep well?" She seemed a little off since I mentioned the two of them.

" I'm fine darling, you needn't fret over me. I'm just having a bit of a ... morning." My mother collected herself.

" It's a shame, I wish Dad and brother ..." I didn't get to finish as my mother interrupted me.

" How about we stop talking about them for now!?" She said in a relatively harsh tone, causing my knife to miss the potato, and graze the edge of my fingers.

All my previous playfulness was immediately replaced with concern. As I could see the distress seep onto her face.

" Mom, What's wrong? Tell me." I tried to comfort her, she was definitely worried about something. She had always been kind and considerate, if not a little meek. Yelling was not something she did often, in fact I have only seen her raise her voice a few times in my life. Each time of course, accompanied by one of my family members doing something unequivocally stupid.

" It's nothing dear, Why don't you go light the stove. I'd be a great help." She had composed herself but I wasn't about to let her brush this aside. Her concern had taken root in my head, and I can't handle another thing sitting in the back of my mind eating away at me.

" Mother, tell me what's going on. If you won't tell me I'll go hunt down Jason and find out myself. I'm not a little kid anymore you can't keep hiding things from me." I begged, my brother and father seemed to be the root of her concern. I could feel the barbed chains of fear begin to grip around my heart again.

Taking a deep breath, my mother looked me in my eyes, and I could see her overflow with worry. " You're father asked me to keep you here for a little, he said it wasn't safe, but ..."

"... They're about to do something very stupid." I finished, to which she nodded. And grabbed hold of my hand. She was trembling.

" Why didn't you stop them!?" I snapped a little more harshly than I intended.

My mother began to tear up. "They refused to listen ... I tried but-"

" The I'll go stop them." Sipping towards the door I felt my mother's grasp on my shoulder.

" No you will not!" Her eyes were red but her voice hed a conviction that told me any future attempts at leaving were futile.

I stood a bit vexed, I hate it when they treat me like a frail little kid, I know I'm not invincible, but I know I'm strong enough to leave the house, and I refuse to just sit around again. 'I can take care of myself thanks, I don't need you and dad making these decisions for me.'

I almost speak my mind but the desperation in my mother's eyes kept me silent. I could feel something was wrong. I didn't know what but this whole situation didn't sit right with me.

" Fine. I'll listen." I say placing my hand on my mother's to try and comfort her.

Staring at the messy kitchen I no longer had any desire to stick around to either eat or cook, so despite the slight bit of guilt I felt leaving my mother, I lit the stove and went to my room.

Lying in my bed my curiosity began to congeal upon the bitterness left by my families blatant disregard for my growth over the last year. I wasn't strong by any means, not compared to some of the real fighters, but I wasn't weak enough to need to be sheltered. It's always been like this. my brother and father would be out doing something while mother keeps me locked away in the house. I've tried to show them I don't need to be coddled anymore, but Nevertheless I keep getting pushed around by people with the excuse that it's not safe for me. Since when has the world ever been safe? When will the time come where it would be considered safe for me to be a normal person?

As my thoughts and irritation began to morph into temptation with the thought of ignoring my parents and sneaking out; I tried to find other things to occupy my time with.

My wandering gaze eventually rested upon my little caustic companion, my toxic terror. I call him Mikey. Mikey is the little toxic sludge I got one of the first days of school. He's kinda cute once you get to know him a little, or at least watch him jiggle about. I keep him in a small glass container, one of the few things I've found he doesn't like to eat. That's not to say he can't, but he only melts his home when I forget to feed him. Sometimes I feed him random plants and things of that nature, other times I catch some of the mice and rats I occasionally come across out in the fields to him. His favorite meal though seems to be the mice.

Mikey's gotten a bit bigger over the past few months, and his color has changed a bit too. He was initially the size of my pinky finger but now he is about the size of a mason jar. He's also faded from a near black to a swirled forest green. I wasn't sure at first but I think he's some kind of slime monster. He isn't hostile though so I may be wrong.

" Mikey, what am I supposed to do." I muttered gently poking the small slime with my injured finger. The point where my finger hit him pushed in causing a small ripple to flow across the rest of him before rebounding and grabbing a hold of my finger. Tasting the blood he attempted to push up and consume the rest of my hand but I pulled back too fast. I swear I saw him slump in sadness.

" Should I just leave? I mean I'm sure they would forgive me eventually, and I know that this would be the only way they'd ever let me have my own freedom. I still don't want to worry mother." The place where Mikey grabbed my finger was a faint red color and stung a bit causing me to glare at him. In response he jiggled defensively, and I let out a small laugh. Mikey is far more lively now than he ever used to be.

I was playing around with Mikey for a minute more, but I couldn't rid myself of my curiosity and irritation. Lost in thought my finger began to burn and I realized Mikey had stretched up to grab my finger again. At first I though he was just hungry and trying to eat my finger like always but it didn't hurt like it did when he tried something like that. Despite the pain, I felt oddly comforted at the feeling, and found some sort of answer.

" We'll go together how about. I'll try to find brother and father, then we can figure this out. Things go south, we run. Simple." Mikey began to jiggle excitedly, "You're such a peculiar thing you know."

Delicately opening the window to my room, I slipped out and quietly made my way down to the first floor and out, bringing the little mason jar holding Mikey with me. If anyone would know where my brother is, it's his friends at the guard station back in the city, so that was my first destination.

My journey to the city wasn't very long but I couldn't help a growing sense of uncertainty fill me. The fields were empty. Almost always there were a few people out tending to crops or plants, and even during the winters when things don't really grow there is one person or another trying some outlandish Idea a traveling merchant sold them to prepare for the next year, but right now there was no one. The isolation made me feel sick. Luckily I had brought Mikey along.

Making it to the city I found the first human other than myself and I felt myself relax a bit. More and more people came into view, but something was out of place. Things felt stiff, people were on edge, and I could tell from the way they were moving around, that they were scared.

The chime of a shop door opening behind me startled me as an older lady emerged frantically beaconing me to get inside. I was unsure of what was happening but I felt she would tell me soon enough, so I complied.

" What are you doing out young lady?" The woman asked in a sharp tone, " Where are your parents? What were they thinking letting you out at a time like this?"

I knew it, something was wrong. Playing the fool, I reply. " What do you mean? I was just running to the store for my mother. I figured it make her happy if I got back before she started breakfast. I'm sorry, but I have to hurry."

Prying my wrist out of the older ladies hand, she seemed to become more gentle with me but her worry was still readily apparent.

" What's wrong? Are you alright?" I asked innocently, delicately holding onto the ladies hands.

" It's those cursed Demi-Humans. They are trying to kill us all." The woman's fears breached whatever was keeping her together, and she began to tremble, "My Husband and Son, and a many of the other Men went to confront them over what they've been doing, but I'm nervous. Anyone who can create something as horrifying as the blighted creatures, are truly monsters. I'm worried they won't come home safely."

Gently cradling the woman in my arms, I barely managed to keep composure, " Where did they all go, that's so dangerous? Wherever it is I'm sure they're alright." I was afraid I already knew what was going on, but I needed confirmation.

" They went Demi-Humans Forest." The woman replied, seemingly called by my efforts to soothe her.

After ensuring she was going to be alright, and asking a few more questions, I immediately ran out of the store, and bee lined my way to the forest I had been in just the night before. As I had feared people in the town had been fooled into thinking the Demi-humans had created some sort of blight that spread between forest animals in an attempt to overrun the city.

As I approached the wooded tree lining, I found a large mass of people divided directly down the center. One side was full of armed Humans the other, Armed Demi-Humans.

In a panic I ran towards the divide between them as fast as I could hoping I could possibly stop them.

" We've put up with your presence for long enough!" I heard one of the human men say, " We have been kind to tolerate you, but now you have taken advantage of our kindness, in your disgusting plot to take us over. This demands recompense."

I wrung my hands around the glass bottle Mikey was currently lying within until I felt it crack slightly. ' What the hell was he talking about?' I knew the people had skewed opinions but this man was spouting blatant lies. The roar of agreeance from the people behind him made me sick to my stomach. How could people be so blind?

Pushing my way up to the front, I couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw the familiar voice that had just spoken. My own father was leading the group, my brother and a few of our neighbors were right up there with him.

" Father?" I choked out in disbelief. The voice I had heard earlier sounded familiar and it just now connected, Father was the one speaking. But why would he do something like this? He's not a bad person, so why?

His eyes cast down and met mine. His face turned to immediate panic, and so too did the person standing next to him. It was my brother.

" What are you doing here!? I told your mother to keep you at home! It's not safe. "He dropped onto one knee and grab my shoulders, "Go home now!"

" No, I'm not going home! What are you doing here!? Why are you doing this!?" I resisted smacking his hand away. My father's face darkened and I realized this was the first time I'd ever talked back to him.

" I'm getting rid of a small problem, but it doesn't concern you. Go home to your mother. Now!" My father growled at me throwing me towards my brother. " Take her home."

Stepping back I shake out of his grasp as I struggle to order my next words. I couldn't come up with anything, all the things I wanted to say. To try and stop him, to try and understand him, I simply couldn't get them out.

I continued stepping back slowly shaking my head until I hit someone, and felt myself restrained. My brother looked down at me sympatheticaly, but I could tell that he wasn't going to listen to me, even if I begged him to stop our father.

" That's one of the brats from yesterday isn't it?" A voice piped up drawing the crowds attention.

A man with a slim build and elongated ears stepped forward armed with a spear. He was one of the ones that had tried to run us off yesterday.

" I knew it. She had come into our home to steal secrets. She's one of them after all. I bet she would be glad to see us all die wouldn't she. That's why all of this started. Isn't that right you sick little girl." The man then began to agressively approached me.

" Don't you dare touch my daughter. " My father said drawing his sword and moving to intercept his path.

As they moved to engage each other, everyone else tensed in preparation for a fight.

" Oh yeah what are you gonna do big guy?" The Elf man jeered.

My Father's hands turned white as his grip tightened around the pommel, but before he could act a series of cries resounded.

On the ground laid dead a pair of humans, throats slashed, and a rat faced demi human with a sword stuck straight through its heart. Upon seeing this my brother Picked me up and began running out of the center of the ensuing conflict.

Soon screams of pain and rage filled the air as both sides began to violently crash. Waves of magic and a wide variety of hazards began to reshape the landscape of the field as both sides desperately tried to kill the other. People who were not fit to stand amongst the true warriors were killed in an instant, as the seasoned veteran fighters immediately took center stage. This was nothing like The fight I had been in before, they were truly, desperately, trying to kill each other. Even from a distance I could tell they weren't going to stop till one side was completely dead. The earth trembled before the fury of the warring Humanoids, and I right along with it.

"... Dad ..." I muttered. I hope he would make it out ok. Digging my fingers into my brother shoulder, he slowed down to a walk before stopping. One look at his face completely drained of life, and I could tell he was thinking the same thing I was. Gazing back at me almost as if for permission, I writhe out of his arms.

The sound of screaming voices had faded a bit, but I could still hear them. I could imagine my father as one of the ones apart of the ghastly chorus and I started to cry. Looking up at my brother I grabbed ahold of him firmly. "Save father. I'll be fine, just get back home safe."

Nodding hesitantly he turned to run back to the fighting. Watching my brother run back to the fight filled me with an inexplicable sense of terror. My entire body screamed to move to go stop him to get out of here, we weren't supposed to stay here any longer, but I couldn't just leave my dad behind, so I ignored it, resolving to stay put until he returned.

A sudden feeling of familiarity overwhelmed my senses, in sync with the sound of shattering glass. A debilitating pain seared my abdomen, as I look down to see my stomach become completely torn open by the blade protruding from it.

Looking behind me the man that had started this all stood behind me, a gleeful smile spanning his face as I fell to the ground. His mouth opened and closed but all I could hear is the violent thundering of my terrified heart. As I slipped of the front of the blade and collapsed to the floor.

Something delicately lifted my hand and I turned to see it was Mikey. His body was droopy as he covered my hand completely, as if trying to hold it. My hand burned slightly, but it wasn't like the pain from the wound on my stomach, it was oddly comforting. Closing my eyes I tried to relax, this was it, now I know why mother was so scared, they were right I wasn't strong enough. I should have listened.

" I'm sorry, mom."