Past the window of the small cottage was a sky filled with gray clouds that poured down on the budding crops. The perfect time to contemplate what's in store for the future, don't you think?

Yes, usually it would be the time to sit by the crackling fire with a warm cup of tea. Yet, this particular day made such impermissible. Past the tall buildings in this ordinary city was a siege that had come as a surprise to this once quiet town. So what would have been a quiet vacation for most, had now become a day of mass hysteria as population ran for safety.

Though there were still people processing this unexpected progression. One of them was a woman in her late twenties. Her body was extremely pale like she had not seen the sun in weeks. Looking closer, there also seemed to be several sores and cuts along her legs and arms. It was also hard to miss how her bones defined themselves against the skin. Her eye sockets were especially pronounced with the dark circles and deep blue eyes. Her dusty, blonde hair was also matted to the point of no return.

Had a unsuspecting child stumbled upon this poor women, no doubt they would scream.

"Marcus, oh why Marcus…" the unkempt lady said in a feeble tone.

On her knees in front of a wooden case, the woman was close to bursting to tears. Clothes, food, and other nick-nicks seemed tossed in without much care. One of the items was a small, wooden toy. A pair of small hands went to reach it.

"Mother, when are we going to meet Father?" the little girl said in an inquiring tone.

"Lilith…" the woman turned to face the girl,"W-We're just about to leave…you have everything you need?"

"I have Mr.Rulip and my handkerchief you made me mother!" she replied,"...What's wrong, mother? I'm scared."

"L-Let's see…"

To be honest, it was clear the woman has no idea what was important or not - it was not like she was trying, either. Her mind was elsewhere as she stared into the mess laid in front of her.

Not that long ago, her husband decided to join his brother in helping the evacuation. She was against this due to a few, yet significant reasons.

While it was a sudden attack the people behind it was not unknown. The moment the bell rung and later shaking of the ground, people knew it was the Demonic West; Kaplan. A rather new kingdom that people predict would amass an empire in a decade. This is due to their army, which the few survivors seem to all claim its centered around the "dark arts".

As of what that entails, there are only rumors. But in general, it seems to have the power to create purpose once imaginable in ordinary objects. Among the ruins of some cities, humanoid statues made out of mud and rock seem to support such a theory.

Despite her rightful concerns, he remained persistent.

''You know I cannot leave behind Tulip's family, right? They have a lot of children, and her mother-in-law can barely walk.' She recalled his gentle smile,'It's the least I can do for the help she gave us during Lilith's newborn years.'

She was always weak to his requests whenever he gave her that look, this moment being no different.

Replaying that moment in her head as her guilt only grew, the booming of slamming doors slowly became more audible as it the solders grew closer. At a particular moment, the daughter yelped.

The woman quickly covered her daughters mouth; her eyes expressing immense fear. This caused the daughter to cry and begin shaking. But she mimicked her mother's behavior and covered her own mouth, muffling whimpers.

Feeling her heart pick-up flight, the woman gathered all remaining in her bag and tucked it under her arm. Leading her daughter through the backdoor, she also took a kitchen knife like Marcus said to.

Make no mistake, this woman was still very well terrified. As she grasped onto the knife, her hand was shaking almost to the point that it rendered the weapon useless. And while she finally managed to leave the house, it was clear she was anything but ready.

After all, for the longest time the only thought that came to her as she weaved through the backstreets was if this was finally where she would die.

Though perhaps that's what gave her a moment of relief to notice her daughter. It was obvious the girl was terrified but that was never truly internalize. But as caught glimpses of her face when looking for where to go next, her heart began to ache. That feeling only grew until she remembered that ever since she was born, she always wanted to protect her from nightmares like this.

Despite marrying the man of her dreams, often she would experience panic-attacks that even Marcus was unable sooth her out of. Eventually, a doctor suggested to him a way to cure his wife's hysteria.

'Giving her something to invest her energy into will prove an effective distraction. Additionally, a child is one of the greatest joys a woman can experience in her life time. I suggest you bring this up with her before she's past the age where it would be safest.'

Hesitant at first yet gave in soon after that signature smile of his. And during her term, it seemed to have worked; her mood swings were rare, and even then they were not as aggressive.

Soon after the birth, however, things turned for the worst. Holding her for the first time made her realize the pure, untainted life she made. And as she dove further into that concept, the her fear of ruining her like she was grew unbearable.

She remembered she screamed, relinquishing the swaddled newborn to her midwife and demanding the two leave. Behind her she began to spout what can only be described as elaborate nonsense; wholeheartedly, she felt as though she'd kill her.

From that point onward, she had a habit of locking herself away; even refusing to breastfeed Lilith, which forced Marcus to seek help from Tulip just to keep his daughter alive. Even with her husband's attempt at reason, she insisted that it was all in her daughter's best interest.

Though now, a passive approach would not protect that precious innocence of hers.

Heart beating out of her chest, she quickened her pace. She knew their best chance was the forest, and because of her earlier actions she was pressed for time. But if she could barely maintain this sort of pace, who's to expect her daughter to be?

After stumbling to meet with her mother's face, Lith's leg slid from the mud in an unnatural position. In agony, the girl screamed before dropping to down to nurse her ankle. Her items scattered on the floor, including her precious stuffed bear.

Quickly she went to control the situation, but by the time she got her daughter to calm down she heard the soldiers shout towards them. With no other choice, she dropped her bag, tucked in her knife, and picked up daughter before making a run for it.

Each step she took were heavy and pronounced as she tread the flooded alleyways. Feet sunk so deep, she was very soon running barefoot in the mud.

Malnourished, she had little to no muscle to really support a child, much less while running. So it's not difficult to imagine the immense pain she was enduring in both arms and legs.

The whole time her lungs were suffering, too. No longer was she breathing - it was instead heaving to help the heart handle the stress being thrown at it.

The whole thing was something you could only believe it if you saw it with your own eyes; like a bird flying with a broken wing. It was improbable yet somehow, a miracle occurred.

But, miracles can only do so much. Just when she was about to cut through the street to lose them in another alleyway, she slipped at the turn, tumbling her into the street.

"Mama!" the girl followed after her.

"She's a feisty bitch, isn't she?" one of the solders said, "Grab 'em".

"I'm...I'm obey" gasping for air, she reassured her daughter without removing the men from her sights. With her left arm, she managed herself upright onto her knees as she felt around for the knife.

"Look, lady, it's over. Save your energy, there is no use resisting."

He was right, and she knew it, too. The only option was surrendering, but then what? The woman did not know where they would end up, or if they would even be together.

'What would they do to her...' she begin to think,'Would they, like him, to me...'

Before she knew it, her knife was lodged into one of the solder's right leg. Her eyes grew wide, turning up to meet with the man's.

The person themselves also seemed taken aback before he returned the gesture by kicking her in the jaw.

Head curled into her body and tasting blood, she turned her eyes upwards only to met with another kick to the side.

"Shit, why did you have to do that, you bitch!"

"Agh-"

In anger, the solider struck his sword down through her hand; stapling it into the ground. He then reached for the knife.

"D-Don't hurt Mama!"

In front of her she saw her daughter, standing in front of her with arms spread out to hide her away from the three men.

"N-"

Before she could say anyway, the man slapped her away. He then crouched down, grabbing a chunk of her hair to pull her face closer to his.

"You did this, you worthless whore." he hissed through his teeth, "Take the girl!"

"No, d-don't! T-Take me, please!" she plead to the man, sobbing.

"Like I said, this is all because of you."

After that, he took her own knife and slit her throat. Blood flooding down into her windpipe, she choked.

Flung back onto the ground, she was now forced to watch daughter being pulled away as her consciousness grew dimmer, and dimmer...

Before her body was laid to rest, as her own blood pooled with the rainfall, the words of the solider echoed in her head.

This could prove useful.