Melisa enjoyed the warmth, she knew it wasn't real, but she wanted to stay here forever. Ivo was by her side, he had given up on taking the throne and had moved to the east with her.

They had a daughter called Hallen and a puppy which was more of a desert fox they had found separated from its mother.

She loved this life, no more fighting or scared that Ivo would be hurt, it was peaceful. But she had found herself drawing away from this life more often. Today was the worst of it, she had decided to draw water from the well just outside their shed.

It was a three room shed with an outer bar which she ran during the day and at night it acted like a hotel for passing strangers. Ivo ran a farm in the back and took the products to the local market to make sales, sometimes he took Hallen with him.

She was a smart girl, she had sand red hair with blue eyes and her skin was pale just like Ivo's, she was rather tall for her age and spent most of the day playing with her fox puppy when she could. The other time ivo taught her how to read and, when Melisa pretended not to notice, how to defend herself.

But things have turned sour, the neighboring village had been getting raids from dirt crawlers or foreborn giants that roamed around, they slaughtered the men, stole food, raped the women. The king has done nothing about it and simply just ignored it.

Probably because Ivo was here, and he thought he would likely handle it or the giants will get rid of him. Any way it went was a win for the king.

That morning, Ivo didn't want to leave her and Hallen, it was too dangerous to travel with their daughter. It was too dangerous to travel at all, but they had to sell the farm products, or they will go bad, and he had to buy straw for the animals in the barn.

She could see it in his eyes that he didn't want to go, but she had to convince him to with the excuse that she could still take done five men, this was a lie. She doubted that she could still lift her swords, but she wanted Ivo to believe her.

But when the giants struck, she was mistaken . They were bigger and faster and definitely in shape from their raids. She could barely protect herself and Hallen less the entire village.

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It was pure slaughter, Ivo wouldn't be back until the next day, she fought as many as she could, but they were just too much, she was engaged in a battle with one of the giants when she was knocked out.

Melisa woke up with a headache, she ran out of the village. The smell of blood filled the air, she ran through looking for survivors but nothing. Hallen was missing, she remembered. Hallen wasn't real, she remembered, she had to wake up, but she didn't want to.

She ran to the entrance of the village, a wall made of wood that once stood, there had been broken down, Ivo had built that wall when they first came here. In fact, he had built half of the village by himself because she would rather not be alone.

But the wall wasn't her biggest concern, it was the two bodies that hung on what was left of it, she knew who they were, she didn't need to run towards it. Her mind must be playing tricks on her. No way this is real, she remembered, but her body walked towards the bodies.

There they were hung on the wall, Ivo and Hallen swinging. She grabbed Hallen's feet trying to pull her down, strength had left her arms. Hallen's eyes were open, her bright blue eyes were now shades of gray, Melisa turned to ivo. His face was filled with terror, Hallen was probably hung first. He had to watch his little daughter die.

She felt down, tears ran down her cheek, she cried as loud as she could, slamming her fist again the ground multiple times. She turned to her right to see a dagger, she grabbed it quickly and turned it towards her heart.

Melisa had nothing to live for, her happiness had been taken from her. She wanted to end it all, but this wasn't real, she remembered again. Ivo wasn't dead, they didn't have a daughter. No, no daughter is dead already same with Ivo her husband.

But why does she sense that it is still a dream, yes, that was it. It was a dream. She had to wake up, she thought, she felt something crawling, tightening around her hand. She stared at the dagger, it was now a snake wrapping around her hand, hissing . It tried to bite her, but she grabbed it, throwing it off her.

She turned back at the hung bodies, they were staring at her, she scuffed back as the bodies dropped to the ground, you can't leave us, join us mama, Melisa I need you both of them said simultaneously.

She shut her eyes and yelled, jerking off the bed. Her breathing was raggy, the sun was out, and she was cold freezing, she grabbed the covers, throwing it over herself. Her cheeks were soaked from crying as her eyes scanned the room.

“Welcome back to the land of the living” Ethan said, he was in the far corner of the room. His eyes had bags to show he hadn't slept for quite some time.

Melisa stared at him for a while.

“You are a real talker in your sleep” Ethan added “and I know you just woke up and all, but we really have to go.”

He got up and knocked on the door as Georg rolled in with a chair, it was Ivo's old wheelchair.

“Where is ivo—I mean my lord?” She asked.

“I will tell you everything on the way” Ethan replied.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.”