Tired from a far more eventful day than expected, Yig hobbled home, a sack of tools, food, and other necessities strapped to his back. Birds chirped their evening songs as the fading light cast itself upon the rocky road leading to Yig’s front door.

  As he neared his doorstep, he heard the soft tapping of tiny feet along the path. He paused, waiting to see whatever it was step out from the dark and into the warm glow of the lantern hanging beside his door. What appeared was a small lamb, with a tender face and a large, round, fluffy coat of wool—still shivering in the icy cold night.

  “Hey, I remember you.”

  The lamb waddled up to Yig’s foot and cuddled against it.

  Yig opened the door. “Come on. I’ll get you warm.”

  “You’ve left prints on the floor,” Yig’s mother groaned as he entered.

  Yig lifted his feet. “What? I took my shoes off and everything!”

  “I’m talking about the sheep.”

  Yig turned to the lamb, which yelped happily. “Okay, I’ll wipe its feet.”

  “—and the floor!”

  Yig’s mother was rarely stern. She had just a few things that could irritate her, and when she got annoyed, few stayed around for the fallout. She wore her dark reddish-brown hair in two twirling tails resting on her shoulders. Despite just finishing cooking, she wore no apron— for a good cook did not make such disastrous mistakes that would call for one.

  “Do you have anything for dinner?” Yig asked, perhaps a little too casually. He had a tendency not to take situations as seriously as others expected.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “Oh, so I guess you think you can just walk in and get a free meal?”

  “Huh? I… Yeah?”

  “You’re right. I left it on the counter.”

  Yig dropped the sack and took a breath, the day finally done.

  After finishing a hot meal, Yig tucked himself into bed. The lamb had followed him upstairs a few times earlier. Wrapping her in a blanket and putting her next to the open fireplace seemed the only way to convince her to stay downstairs.

  With only a small candle by his bed to light the room, Yig opened his favourite book—the one that stood at the top of his shelf, sporting the most detailed cover depicting an enormous tree. He grinned from ear to ear as he read the words he loved once again.

  The long-reaching hands of the ever-swelling, ever-pursuing storm continue to strive for our decimation. Somewhere in the hundred worlds of Mechilpinna reside the gates to paradise. Our only hope for a brighter world lies behind those gates. The gates to paradise will decide our fate. We must pray despair does not find them first.

  Yig let out a large yawn, stretching his arms back as he did. Only then did he begin to feel the full strain his body had endured that day. He removed his muddy bandage, revealing the complex birthmark in the shape of a sword stained upon his arm, then added another bandage to hide it as his mother had told him to do—something she had insisted on ever since he was young. When he asked why, she just told him his arm was weak and needed extra protection. Yig disagreed, but never out loud. He leaned over to his bedside table, blew out the candle, pulled the blanket high, and shut his eyes.

  Days passed, and soon the night of the celebration arrived. The town hall radiated festivity as patrons bounced in their seats, laughing and smashing their drinks together.

  Natural light was scarce as the day drew to a close, but lanterns and candles with outrageously powerful flames bathed the wooden interior in a warm orange glow. The tables were arranged in a circular formation, with random gaps left for people to navigate their way around. Along the walls, extra tables were set up for vendors selling food and drinks, as well as spaces for attendants to leave gifts for the two celebrants.

  It wasn’t uncommon for the people of Chestnut Town to end their long workweek with a massive party, but today was a special occasion. Mona, the Mayor’s daughter, had turned eighteen earlier that week. On top of that, Yig was coming of age that very night. So the Mayor and several other influential town figures had decided to come together and organize this grand party, combining the two celebrations into one.