Fire.

Burning fire.

On the houses-

And on the people.

“What the hell-” Kayle let out a breath.

“Kayle!” I grabbed him- staring.

“Y-yeah?”

“Go-go to your family, I’ll go to mine!”

“Ri-right!”

Kayle ran the other way, but just then he came back-

“What?”

I didn’t stop-

Through the fire-

Through the screams, through the things running about devouring-

“I don’t have a family!”

We were both shaking and it was really hard to speak-

“I thought you had a father?”

“No, I don’t! That was Bambo!”

“Oh, right!”

We chuckled.

Why?

Perhaps to distract ourselves.

Perhaps to stop the dreadful thinking that we were really, doomed.

One-

Just one of those things had wiped out two of us and probably would have killed all four of us.

How we survived?

I didn’t know.

But one thing I did know-

This was not going to go well-

“ARGHHH!!!”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Screams all around us-

People were dying.

Some were dying from the fire, some, from the monsters and some just running around screaming-

“Grr-”

Oh no-

One of those things-

“Go-” Kayle said, his sword in front. “I’ll take care of this-”

Burns, cuts- bruises- we were tattered.

Kayle, much more than me, and yet-

“Take care? Mmhh…” Giggles. It sniffed. “Wait, why do you have Borche’s scent?”

Red eyes.

Scales across its body.

Somehow a little different from the one we fought before.

But one thing was for sure- the damn thing was powerful as hell.

“Oh, your pal?” Kayle grinned. “It was fun seeing its head roll around like that. I even kicked it like a football.” He chuckled loudly- gave me a push. “Go-”

Gritting my teeth- I quickly ran.

I didn’t know if he could do it.

I didn’t know if he could last against that thing.

And I didn’t want to either.

I just wanted to believe.

Believe in him that he’d be okay.

Damn it!

I ran past everything-

Every single damn thing, even my burning neighbors-

Finally making it to my home-

But-

It was already on fire.

And there was a thing holding my father-

“Father-” I spoke-

“Star-” He managed, blood spilling out slowly from his neck- yet his lips curled, teeth showing. “Run… Son.”

As the thing bit into him-

The monster.

“Ah, you must be the son they kept talking about….” The high-pitched voice came out.

My father dropped on the ground-

“They?” I spoke.

“Ah yes, the other two as well…” Teeth, jagged.

It was thinner than the others and had a plump chest covered in scales.

A female one…

“You killed them all?”

I slowly unsheathed my knife- it was the only thing I still had.

The grin widened. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned about yourself?”

I could hear my heart- why was it going so fast?

My breath- I couldn’t control.

My vision- going slightly burry-

With tears?

My father-

My sisters-

Gone?

Just like that?

A slightly salty taste- my blood… I was perhaps biting too hard on my lips.

“Yes-” I said, pointing my hand forward.

I knew I couldn’t outrun it.

I knew I couldn’t win against it.

And I knew-

Perhaps-

I was going to die here…

“Mage? You know magic?” It snorted. “With that amount of mana?” Thunderous laughter as it checked me out.

“BURN!” Runes surfaced- as a blue fireball blitzed forward- immediately setting the damn thing on scorching flames.

Scorching blue fire-

‘Blue?’

I’d done this before-

But it was never blue-

Even just a few hours ago-

Damn it!

The thing screamed- but I somehow went past it- “Father!” I yelled-

“Run-” He managed, going out cold.

Still breathing-

‘Thank goodness!’

I ran inside, both my sisters were on the floor-

Both bleeding-

Grabbing them-

They-

Cold bodies-

Dry blood…

“Dead-” The words came out.

The fire burned bright- and not.

Yet, my body-

Had gone cold.

No…

Argh!

Sharp-

Sharp pain on my neck-

“They were too weak you see-” It whispered-

Shing!

I swung my knife like a maniac- and it jumped back; bleed dripping from its cheeks; a fresh cut. “How scary. You had me scared back then you know….” It licked its lips- “And rather tasty blood… hmmm….” Teeth showing. “I see…. I see… why not?” It grinned.

“Why not- what?” Every word drained my breath- harder and harder to breathe.

Vision going pale-

Throb-

“Argh!”

My head throbbed-

It throbbed- hard-

Damn it-

Why now!?

“You see-” The thing came forward- my vision continuously swayed. “This village, is a hindrance. I hope you don’t mind.” A wink- her feet rose up- above my head-

And slowly-

But surely-

Came down.

Thud!