Yulia inhaled deeply, letting out anguished cries vibrating with despair. She was hoping to wake her family, plunged into a deep and irreversible sleep orchestrated by Henry, while simultaneously seeking to purge the boiling anger, the gnawing guilt, the weakness that made her so docile in the face of threats every time. Despite her screams, her desperate blows against the solid back of her husband, Tom remained unfazed.

She then moved gently towards the entrance of their home, her trembling fingers clutching the doorknob. She opened it with timid caution, checking if the two men had indeed vanished into the night. Once reassured, she crossed the threshold, her foot venturing outside into the night air.

Her eyes widened as an orange glow danced in the distance, a macabre dance illuminating the night with an alarming hue. Yulia nearly faltered, her knees buckling under the shock. The village... it was burning. The acrid smell of burning wood wafted to her, carried by the night wind stinging her eyes, a sign that fate was far from done with them.

Straining her ears, she could hear distant screams, those of the panicked villagers. The crash of the town hall bells then rang out, sounding the alarm with terrifying urgency. An attack, the village was under attack.

Yulia felt a cold shiver run through her. Her heart was pounding, her mind was in turmoil, but she couldn't afford to give in to panic. She needed to act, and fast.

She hurriedly returned to their home, her thoughts focusing on one thing: Tom. He was their pillar, their protector, and he had to be woken up at all costs. Without him, she and her daughters would have a grim fate.

Running to the well in their yard, she hastily filled a bucket with cold water, the town hall bells still hammering their anxious melody into the night air. The screams continued to be heard, desperate and terrified.

With fierce determination etched on her face, Yulia rushed back to her husband. Without hesitation, she overturned the bucket over his head. The cold water splashed his peaceful face, trickling down his hair, beard, and chest.

"Wake up, Tom!" She implored, fear palpable in her trembling voice.

As Yulia's tears began to stream down Tom's motionless face, a small voice suddenly rose behind her.

"Mummy, why are you crying?"

Asked Alice, the eldest of the two daughters. Yulia turned abruptly, surprised, to find her three daughters standing in the doorway, their eyes still misty with sleep, but evidently awake.

"How... how are you awake?"

Stammered Yulia, her surprise momentarily eclipsing her fear and sorrow. She was certain that Henry's enchantment had plunged them into a deep sleep, impossible to interrupt. Lily, the youngest, furrowed her brow and sniffed the air.

"It smells like smoke."

She said in a worried voice, her little eyes widening with fear.

Yulia stared at her daughters, realizing with an icy shock that the fire ravaging their village had probably woken her children despite the enchantment. A fresh wave of despair washed over her, but she couldn't afford to succumb to panic. She had to protect her daughters and to do that, she had to stay strong.

"Girls..."

She began, striving to keep her voice as calm as possible.

"We're in danger. There's a fire in the village, and..."

She stopped, hesitant, unsure of how to tell them that their father, their rock, remained unresponsive despite everything. The girls, although young, seemed to understand the urgency of the situation. They exchanged a worried glance before nodding in understanding.

"Quickly put on your coats and shoes, take only the essentials."

As the girls moved away to carry out the task, Tom moaned softly, his eyes blinking slowly. The smell of smoke had finally managed to pierce the veil of artificial sleep that surrounded him.

"W-why am I wet? And why does my back hurt?"

He mumbled, confused and disoriented. Yulia looked at him, her heart squeezing with relief to see that he was finally awake.

"The village is under attack, Tom."

She stated in an alarming tone, carefully avoiding mentioning her horrific encounter with Henry.

"We need to leave. Now."

The gravity of her words made its way to Tom, who clumsily rose from his stupor. He hurried to their bedroom, frantically rummaging through an old chest to retrieve a crossbow, a relic from a bygone era when he had earned his living as a hunter. After quickly testing the mechanism, he was relieved to find it still operational, a faint smile of satisfaction crossing his face.

Meanwhile, Yulia was wrestling with a woolen rug that covered a floor in front of the fireplace. She revealed the hiding spot containing their savings, a treasure amassed over long years of hard work. Her fingers slid over the gold coins which she was quickly transferring into a small purse, when a dull noise made her jump.

The front door, which she had neglected to close in the rush, had let an intruder in. A burly man stood in the doorway, a wicked smile twisting his features. He swept the room with his gaze, his expression filling with a vicious pleasure at the sight of the women present. In his hand, he brandished a weapon menacingly.

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise!"

He growled, his smile widening in a way that sent chills down the spine.

"What have we here? A mother hen and her chicks..."

Fear in Yulia's heart doubled, the beats echoing in her ears like drumbeats. However, she refused to give in to panic. As the intruder advanced, he grabbed Chloe, the closest to him, his guttural laughter echoing in the room as he proclaimed:

"And there's one..."

But his sentence was abruptly cut off. A sharp whistling sliced through the air, almost immediately followed by a muffled, wet sound, the kind that evokes the thought of overripe fruit bursting. The man's eyes widened in surprise and pain, and his grip on Chloe's arm loosened. A groan of pain escaped him as he brought a hand to his forehead, meeting the fletching of a crossbow bolt embedded there.

For a moment, he remained standing, as if his body refused to believe what had just happened to it. Then, his knees buckled and he collapsed on the floor, his hand still gripping the bolt. Dark blood began to flow from the wound, spreading quickly on the wooden floor.

As suddenly as he had appeared, the man lay dead, leaving Chloe shaking, but unharmed. Tom burst into the doorway of their bedroom, a crossbow firmly anchored in his hand. The deadly mechanism of the weapon was already reloaded, ready to claim as many lives as necessary.

"We're leaving!"

His tone was firm and his gaze determined. He extended his hand to Yulia, helping her to her feet, before guiding them all outside, leaving behind their home and the corpse that defiled their floor. As they crossed the threshold, Tom deliberately overturned the candles. No trace of their passage should remain, especially the body lying in the middle of their dining room.

The neighboring house belonged to a farmer who owned a horse and cart. Despite the confusion and chaos, Tom had a plan. Yulia carried Lily nestled against her chest and Chloe tightly clenching her hand, they hurried toward the neighboring house, located slightly downhill from theirs about a hundred meters away. Despite the pain gnawing at his leg, the blacksmith led them, his step as sure as if his leg had been intact. Alice, with a resolute look, followed her father faithfully, matching his long strides.

Despite their fear, they moved forward, driven by the urgency of their situation. The crackling of the fire that was beginning to consume their own home behind them signaled that there would be no turning back.

The silvery glow of the moon bathed the surroundings, highlighting the silhouettes of the house, the barn, and the horse tied nearby. However, contrary to the apparent tranquility of the scene, sounds of destruction came from inside the house. Shouts of brutal voices echoed in the night, indicating that the bandits had already invaded the place and were indulging in their sinister work.

The looks exchanged between Yulia and Tom were heavy with understanding, their eyes reflecting the harsh reality of their situation. There was neither time nor means to lend assistance to their neighbors - a mission of survival was all they could undertake now. The night air, charged with the smell of fire and chaos, seemed to tremble around them.

"We need that horse," Tom murmured, his voice barely louder than a breath. He turned his gaze to Alice, locking eyes with her clear ones.

"Alice, you've ridden the neighbor's horse before. I'll cover you while you get him."

The young girl nodded.

"His name is Little Grey!" She declared proudly.

"Perfect, so you'll fetch Little Grey as quietly as possible, alright?"

Determination shone in the girl's eyes as she bobbed her head. With the plan set, they moved, slipping along the property in a silent procession. The back of the barn was their destination, a strategic point where Tom could watch over Alice while keeping his precious crossbow ready to launch a deadly bolt at anyone threatening her.

When the child's silhouette merged with the darkness, Yulia guided her two younger daughters to the back of the barn. Their knowledge of the place came from the many times they had helped their neighbor in this barn. A specific entry point, an unrepaired opening known only to them, allowed them access inside.

Darkness engulfed the barn, but the familiar smell of hay and animals was comforting. Yulia moved a plank to let a beam of moonlight filter in, revealing the sturdy and unused cart. Perfectly suited for their escape, it was designed to bear heavy loads.

The return of Tom and Alice with Little Grey was a relief. Yulia kissed her brave daughter, tears pearling in her eyes, then hurried to help Tom hitch the horse to the cart. Meanwhile, Alice helped Chloe and the trembling little Lily board. Blankets and sacks of grain were arranged to camouflage the children while leaving them just enough space to watch where they were going.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Once the horse was hitched, Yulia checked her children's setup while Tom, his crossbow always within reach, nervously scanned the surroundings. Their urgent situation echoed their pulse in a distressing symphony, each minute stretching like an eternity as they prepared to flee.

The young woman took the reins of the cart. Her fingers tightened firmly around the worn leather, her determined gaze fixed on the road ahead. Tom, on the other hand, slipped to the back of the cart, camouflaged among the sacks of grain and blankets. His daughters huddled against him, his crossbow loaded and ready to fire in case of a threat.

In the suspended silence of the moment, Tom cast a last look at Yulia. The moonlight bathed her face, revealing features tightened with worry. Her eyes, though determined, betrayed deep anxiety, a reflection of an almost insurmountable fear of not escaping this desperate situation alive.

"Go! And never stop, no matter what you see, you must not stop!"

"Go!" Tom ordered, his voice unwavering despite the whirlwind of emotions besieging him. Yulia nodded, gathered her courage, and with a resolute gesture, cracked the reins.

At the sharp snap of the reins, two men burst into the barn, surprise painted across their faces. Caught off guard, one of the intruders managed to leap aside, narrowly avoiding the speeding cart, while the wheel mercilessly crushed the foot of the other. A piercing scream, akin to a cat whose tail had been trodden on, echoed in the night.

The alarm was raised, but already the cart was pulling away, disappearing into the darkness. Yulia held tightly to the reins, her breath ragged, her senses heightened. She had driven a small cart before, but never at this breakneck pace. The path, far from a straight and smooth road, was littered with tight turns and unexpected obstacles.

Behind her, her daughters whimpered in fear. Tom, by their side, began to speak in a gentle yet firm voice.

"Girls... I don't know how this night will end. But know that your mother and I will do everything we can to get out of this situation."

Lily, the youngest, burst into tears, overwhelmed by the tension, the jolting of the cart racing down the plateau, and the fear of the brigands in pursuit. Alice and Chloe took their little sister in their arms, holding her tightly.

"Whatever happens, never let yourselves be caught. If your mother and I are captured, I want... I want..."

Tom stopped, struggling to articulate the hard words. He sniffed loudly, attempting to regain his composure.

"If Mom and I are caught, run, hide as far away as possible. Don't come back for us, we'll manage. Understand?"

The two elder ones nodded, tears glistening in their eyes. They understood the implications of their father's words. However, Lily, the youngest, did not see it that way.

"No! I want to stay with you. I don't want to leave you!"

Hearing her daughter's wavering voice, swearing she would never abandon them, Yulia could not hold back her tears. Despite this, she gritted her teeth and promised herself that, once this dreadful night was over, she would embrace her daughter and never let her go again.

The cart sped at a breakneck pace when the village of Ys loomed on the horizon, an apocalyptic tableau of flames and smoke. The roofs of houses were ablaze, and the screams of inhabitants carried by the wind reached their ears, a symphony of despair and terror that sent chills down their spine.

Yulia had no choice but to charge forward, gripping the reins with all her might. Brigands, caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the vehicle, scattered in their path. The wheels of the cart struck the road's cobblestones with incredible force, shaking the wooden structure and raising a cloud of dust.

As they neared the village, a handful of horsemen emerged from the flames, launching into pursuit. Their wild cries echoed in the night. Tom, at the rear of the cart, firmly held his crossbow, despite little grey's heroic efforts, they were gaining ground.

His steel gaze swept over the pursuers, measuring distances, and movements, choosing his target with cold and calculated precision. He only had about ten bolts left in his bag. Each shot had to count. Waste was not an option.

With deadly accuracy, he loosed two successive bolts that sliced through the night air with a sinister whistle. The projectiles hit their targets, eliciting screams of pain from the horsemen they pierced. The impact of these sudden deaths resonated among the pursuers, a wave of fear enveloping them. They hesitated, their horses slowing under the uncertainty of their riders.

Yulia, her eyes fixed on the chaotic path ahead of her, could sense the change. The noise of the horde of horsemen behind them had faded, replaced by an unnerving silence. The absence of arrows whistling around them made her hope they had managed to distance their pursuers.

"Tom!"

She shouted over her shoulder, her voice slightly trembling.

"Did we lose them?"

Tom, still on alert, turned around to assess their situation. His gaze scanned the distance, searching for any sign of movement in the darkness. He only saw the village of Ys, reduced to a distant blot of flames and smoke. The horsemen were much farther now, their silhouettes barely visible.

A sigh of relief escaped Tom as he nodded in response to Yulia's question.

"It seems they've given up…"

Yulia and Tom's hearts were filled with renewed courage, a feeling of unwavering determination that refused to yield to the dark circumstances surrounding them. Without reducing their pace, they galloped along the dirt path, leaving behind the burning village that was once their home.

Little Grey, strong and faithful, gave everything he could, forcing his muscles to respond to each tug of the reins. His panting breath echoed in the darkness. Despite the imminent danger, the night landscape whirling around them had an almost supernatural beauty, the twinkling stars casting a mystical veil over their desperate escape.

After two hours of frantic running, Yulia finally slowed the cart to give the brave, exhausted horse a chance to catch his breath. The children in the back, who had been jostled uncomfortably throughout the escape, could finally feel their heart rate slow and their breathing ease. Lily, the youngest, snuggled against her mother, her eyes still filled with fear, but also a budding relief.

"Are we safe, Mom?"

She asked in a gentle voice, filled with hope. Yulia looked at Tom, who nodded with a cautious expression.

"I believe so, darling,"

She responded, smiling slightly, her heart filling with tenderness for her brave little girl. The little girl seemed to relax at these words, a shy smile appearing on her face.

"Mom, could you sing me the Demon's song?"

She asked, seeking comfort in the familiar melody. Yulia nodded gently and started to sing the song that Lily had always loved. Her voice, soft and reassuring, mixed with the sound of the cart's wheels and the horse's breath, creating a bubble of comfort during the taxing ordeal they were undergoing.

Once her song ended, a calming silence settled in the cart. It almost seemed they could forget, even for a moment, the danger that had driven them to flee their village. Their hearts a little lighter, Tom and Yulia shared an understanding look.

"We are going to head to the capital,"

Tom declared. It was a long and perilous route, several days of journey through terrain that wouldn't always be friendly. But they trusted in their ability to find everything they would need in nature.

As they were about to leave the plateau, they spotted a group of five horsemen approaching rapidly from their right.

The sight of these men sent a shiver of apprehension up Yulia's spine. She pulled on the reins, coming to a halt, as Tom hid at the back of the cart, his crossbow once again ready to defend his family. The five horsemen were advancing quickly, their silhouettes looming menacingly against the horizon. Their escape might not be over yet.

As they got closer, a sudden realization lit up Lily's face.

"It's Henry!"

She exclaimed, identifying one of the hooded figures. Yulia, felt the bitterness she'd had in her mouth thinking back to the last time she'd found herself with him, anxiety visibly distorting her face.

"Henry will save us again, won't he?"

She asked, her tone brimming with naive hope. Yet, Henry remained silent, his non-answer suffocating the glimmer of hope budding in the little girl's heart.

Suddenly, one of the horsemen, more imposing than the others, sprang from his mount and strode towards their horse, a sword in hand. Before they could even understand his intentions, he plunged his sword into Little Grey's flank.

"No!"

Lily cried out, her eyes wide with horror.

"You hurt Little Grey!"

Her voice trembled with shock and sorrow, and her tears started to flow. Michael turned towards them, his face impassive under the moonlight. With a trembling hand, Yulia pushed Lily towards her older sisters, a shiver of apprehension running down her spine.

"Take care of her!"

She whispered, her anxious gaze not leaving the horsemen. The girls nodded, holding Lily even more tightly against them, their pale faces betraying their fear.

"This is nothing personal,"

He said in a cold voice.

"But no inhabitant of Ys must leave the plateau."

The words were as relentless as the sword he still held in his hand. A new wave of despair washed over the family, their hope shattered by the cruel reality of their situation.

Huddled in the shadow of the cart, Tom held his crossbow firmly, ready to defend his family at all costs. His finger hovered over the trigger, his gaze fixed on the horsemen in front of them, ready to react to any threat. Despite the atmosphere heavy with tension, a veil of determination enveloped Tom, ready to do anything to protect his own.