A breakthrough of light speared its beam into the darkness.

  A pale orange glow soon followed and transcended past the horizon. Casting its light over the lands while pushing back the blanket of darkness that once covered the world and forcing those creatures that revel underneath its covers into hiding. Afraid of what was coming.

  Dawn.

  And with its presence, the town of Greenville awakened. Ready to bathe in the warmth of their protector hovering in the sky with all its glory.

  From its glory, down came its morning rays, shining on the once silent town, now alive with noise from the hustle and bustle of the townsfolk. Carriages led by either oxen or horses stomped their ways through the muddy road. Men and women traversing through the busy muddy streets. Children bursting out of their homes in excitement at the opportunity to take in the fresh air and warm glow.

  A warm glow that was blocked off for a few individuals who were hidden from the sun by their roofs, for the sun would be more hot than warm on their skins.

  The ringing of metal echoed through the streets reaching the ears of those around. Accompanying the ringing noises was the sound of a saw doing its job of splitting wood.

  “Hey, Gilbert, why don’t you let that girl go out and have fun. It's rare to get such a beautiful day like this.” The ringing of metal stopped as the man responsible made his way over to the side of his smithy to talk to his neighbors across the street.

  The sawing of wood was also silenced as the man responsible for the noise was the intended target of the large blacksmith. Gilbert glanced up from his work to spot the large bald blacksmith bearing a friendly smile that no matter the amount of troubles their town goes through would not go away. Gilbert observed his neighbor for a few moments before glancing over his shoulder to find a girl of ten winters with forest green eyes looking up at him with curiosity.

  Gilbert tilted his head over in the direction of town center before going straight back to sawing. The girl of ten seeing this jumped off the barrel in excitement and darted off to the town’s center with her midnight black hair escaping her messily made bun.

  Behind the girl was the loud echoing laughter of the blacksmith. “Look at you! Always trying to hide behind that cold exterior.” The blacksmith's laugh only got louder after witnessing the glare from his neighbor.

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  “Sam, leave Mr. Thane alone will you? He is doing his job. Something you should be doing.” A raspy voice entered the one-sided conversation with a scolding.

  Both men turned to the voice and found a white haired woman hobbling around the corner of the smithy with a glare that was sent towards the large blacksmith before quickly morphing into a toothy smile once she caught the eyes of Gilbert.

  Gilbert placed his saw down for a moment and bowed his head at the sight of the elderly lady.

  “C'mon mama. We were just talking.” The large blacksmith rubbed his bald head as he grumbled.

  The elderly lady, not bothering with her son, asked “Where is that sweet little girl of yours Mr. Thane? I was heading to the market and thought I could take her with me.”

  “You just missed her, Mrs. Granger. She headed to the Town Center to meet up with her friends most likely. If you see her, I’m sure she will offer a hand.”

  Mrs. Granger let out a chuckle “Yes, I’m sure she would. Not sure if I can say the same about my grand babies.” She side-eyed her son who was returning her stare with a big smile.

  “I can drag them out of their beds if you want me to mama.”

  “Hmph.” Mrs. Granger turned away and made her way to the town center.

  “She always says that but when I try to get Barry out of bed she glares the thought out of my head.”

  Gilbert glanced over and couldn’t help but pause at the sight of his neighbor who was wearing a fond smile as he watched the retreating figure of his mother. “Well, back to work eh?”

  The question wasn’t fully out yet before the sound of sawing was heard.

  Sam could only smile helplessly at the scene. “Man never rests.” before he could do the same and continue his work a shout from his mother stopped him.

  “GILBERT! GILBERT!” Gilbert halted his sawing and took a glance over his shoulder to find Mrs. Granger holding his daughter's hand tightly as they made their way over to him with worried expressions. Gilbert immediately dropped his saw and rushed to the two with Sam not far behind.

  “What happened mother?” Sam asked his exhausted mother.

  “Did something happen?” Gilbert took his daughter up into his arms and asked her as he did a quick scan of her to make sure nothing was wrong with her. “Are you okay?” Gilbert asked his daughter to which she nodded, bringing a sigh of relief out of him.

  With his daughter appearing to be fine, he turned to Mrs. Granger “What wrong?”

  Mrs. Granger took a moment to catch her breath but the moment she caught her breath she uttered words Gilbert hoped to never hear in his life. “They-they’re he-.” She took another breath. “They’re here.”

  “The Nightwalkers.”