Night settled quickly over Rakkor.

By the time Aeris and his mother finished reading, most of the village had already disappeared behind closed doors. Lanterns glowed beside windows, infantrymen stood watch along the walls, and the distant sound of horses marked the beginning of the Knights' evening patrol.

Inside Aeris's home, however, the greatest struggle of the night involved getting one nine-year-old boy to eat his vegetables.

"Eat it," Eira said.

"I did."

"Aeris."

"I ate some of it."

"You moved it underneath the bread."

Aeris slowly lifted the bread.

Several pieces of boiled carrot were hiding beneath it.

"They moved."

Eira stared at him. "The carrots moved."

"Garvoks are active at night."

"Those are vegetables."

"That's what they want you to think."

Eira continued staring.

Aeris stared back.

"Eat the carrots."

"Yes, ma'am."

Aeris reluctantly stabbed one with his fork and inspected it as if it had personally insulted him.

"If I become a god, I'm getting rid of carrots."

"Then I will personally pray against your ascension."

"Betrayal."

"Eat."

"Tyranny."

"Aeris."

"Eating."

Aeris finally finished dinner and was sent to bed shortly after.

He lay beneath a thin blanket while moonlight entered through the small window beside him. Outside, the village had become quiet. Every now and then, he heard the footsteps of an infantry patrol or the distant barking of a dog, but otherwise Rakkor seemed asleep.

Aeris was not.

He stared at the ceiling.

Then rolled onto his side.

Then onto the other side.

Then back again.

"Maybe gods don't need sleep."

"Aeris."

He froze.

Eira's voice had come from the next room.

"I wasn't talking."

"Go to sleep."

"I was praying."

"Pray quietly."

"Yes, Ma."

Several minutes passed.

Aeris closed his eyes.

Then opened them.

"Soleia probably sleeps."

"Aeris."

"Good night."

Silence returned.

Then-

BONG.

Aeris's eyes opened.

One deep bell echoed across the village.

Then another.

BONG.

He sat upright.

A third strike followed.

BONG.

This was not the evening bell.

Voices suddenly filled the streets outside.

Aeris rushed toward his window, but Eira entered the room before he reached it.

"Away from there."

"What's happening?"

"Come here."

"Is it a Garvok?"

"Aeris."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Get away from the window."

"How many?"

"I don't know."

"What if it's ten?"

"Aeris."

"Twenty?"

"Away."

"Fifty?"

Eira folded her arms. "Do you want the Garvok or me to kill you first?"

Aeris stepped away from the window.

"You."

"What?"

"You'd probably be faster."

"Bed."

"I'm already awake."

"That wasn't a suggestion."

Outside, infantrymen rushed through the streets carrying spears, shields, and torches. The village gate had not opened, but shouting could be heard from somewhere near the eastern wall.

Aeris climbed back into bed.

Eira waited.

"Stay there."

"I will."

"Aeris."

"I said I will."

She gave him one final suspicious look before leaving the room.

Aeris waited.

Five seconds.

Ten.

Twenty.

He slowly lifted his blanket.

"She didn't say I couldn't look from the floor."

He crawled toward the window.

Keeping himself below the frame, Aeris carefully raised his head until only his eyes were visible.

The street outside was full of movement.

Infantrymen ran toward the eastern gate. Villagers hurried into their homes. Torches were being lit along the walls.

Aeris pressed his face closer to the glass.

"Come on..."

He couldn't see anything.

Then came a scream.

Something slammed against the outer gate.

Aeris jumped backward.

Another crash followed.

Wood cracked.

Several infantrymen raised their spears.

"HOLD THE GATE!" one of them shouted.

Another impact shook it.

Then one of the wooden supports snapped.

A dark shape forced itself through the opening.

Aeris stopped breathing.

The creature crawled into the village on four long limbs. Thick, dark-purple hide covered its body, and its back hunched unnaturally high. Pale eyes reflected the torchlight.

Then its mouth opened wider than Aeris thought any creature's mouth should be able to open.

For several seconds, he simply stared.

"That's... bigger than the picture."

An infantryman charged.

"FORWARD!"

Three soldiers lowered their spears.

The Garvok rushed them.

It struck the first shield hard enough to throw the soldier onto his back.

A second infantryman stabbed the creature in the side.

The spear went in.

The Garvok barely slowed.

Aeris's eyes widened.

"Oh."

The creature swung one of its arms and knocked another soldier into a wooden cart.

"Ohhh."

The third infantryman backed away.

"Maybe don't fight that."

The Garvok charged again.

"Definitely don't fight that!"

"Aeris!"

He nearly jumped through the window.

Aeris turned around.

Eira stood in the doorway.

"What did I say?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"So you crawled across the floor?"

"It was quieter."

"Away from the window."

"But there's actually a Garvok!"

"Which is why you should not be standing beside the glass!"

Another crash sounded outside.

Aeris immediately looked back.

"Aeris!"

"Just one second!"

A horse entered the street.

The rider wore dark steel armor and a long cloak bearing the crest of Rakkor's military.

A Knight.