“Sound the alarm!!” yells a guard on the current siege tower of the tallest fortress, “Prepare the spears!” The clinking of metallic armor and weapons echo through the hallways. Screams of terror ring out as explosions are heard outside, the giant bell rings; 'DONG!!! DONG!!!’, I open my eyes and wake to see a fair maiden sitting by my bedside, desperately trying to get me out of here. “Gewal! Please, we need to get you and your brothers to safety, hurry!” 

The maiden quickly got me a pair of clothes to wear, right as more explosions sound off and the bedroom shakes, knocking me and the maiden to the floor. I rush to my feet and, as quickly as I could move, change into the clothes I was given, “Ma’am, what's going on?” I ask as she gives me a bag to carry. “Oh uh,” she hesitates to give me a response, so I decide to check through the nearby window. “Gewal, wait!!!”

 I briefly see the ground in blue-whitish and red flames and then I was pulled away from the window. I looked up to see the gleam of metal and something red...BLOOD. I almost feel as if time froze as my eyes slowly adjust to the bright light; I see the maiden in tears and shock, something with bright white wings behind her, and a blade sticking through the maiden’s chest dripping blood. I scream and run to the door only to hear more explosions from outside. 

As I enter the hallway, it is a mess with bricks and paintings all over the floor, blood splattered on the walls, and the roof collapsed in several of the split offs. I run as fast as my young legs could carry me to the nearest door and swung it open. To my horror, the roof had collapsed behind it and barricaded the room. I turn and a loud crash sounds through the torn up hallway. I look down and in front of the now busted down door is a giant creature with wings similar to a bat, with horns on its head and eyes as dark as ambers. It turns it's head toward me, grins, and readies itself to charge.

 Instinct took over me for a moment and I ran towards the creature; wondering what in the Underworld I was doing. It bends it's horns towards me and rushes closer, I dodge last minute to hear a loud thump and it curse. Upon further inspection of the blood and fur, I realize it's a female Demon, I quickly get up and run through the busted door that she came through earlier. The next hallway looks like it used to be the Royal Hall, right before the throne room, before this chaos. The stained glass windows on the walls are completely shattered except one on the end nearest to the two giant iron/wooden doors of the throne room. The tables are flipped or destroyed, blood splattered everywhere, and the few chandlers that once hung beautiful are now busted on the rugged floor.

 I carefully make my way around the large stone slabs that had fallen from the roof, the dead bodies of Human, Angel, and Demon strung everywhere, and slowly worked my way to the throne doors. I could see outside more clearly and could see as buildings were aflame and bodies flew or were thrown into the air. I also saw strange pillars of light appear after each explosion cloud amongst the fire, buildings, and dying plant life. The explosions, the screams, the blood, it was slowly driving me to a state of paranoia and insanity that made me want to sit down, curl up, and pray for safety...if there was anyone to pray towards.

 I instead, determinedly ran through the doors, thanks to a large sized crack, and remembered that there was an underground catacombs behind the massive throne I used to play in with my brothers against my father's wishes and the king's approval. Seeing that the throne room was mildly unaffected by the chaos gave me a sense of hope in the bleak and grim hour. I rushed to the left side of the throne and pushed with as much strength my scared body could push with. 

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“There you are, you pesky little brat!”

 I turned to see it was that female Demon from earlier and my hope was quickly replaced with despair. “Hahaha! That's the look I love to see before I end your pathetic little lives,” the Demon grins and she charges towards me, horns lowered and ready to pierce my face; as such I froze in fear as I stared death square in the face. Seconds away from being squished against the wall, I close my eyes expecting to be hit when I suddenly hear a screech, scowl, and sword clang.

 I open my eyes to see the Demon struggling with her horns entangled with a metallic arm? This person was grey all over and turned and smiled, “Run kiddo, this is your chance to live,” before the Demon grabbed the arm and shoulder, and like pulling stakes from the ground, tore the arm off clean from the metallic creature's body, urging a scream from it as I witnessed it's head get cut off with the arm the Demon tore off. I don't hesitate any longer and give one final shove to the throne, finally enough space for me to slide through.

 “Damn Changers, I'll get you next you brat, you Humans don't stand a chance!! You hear me! Your dead no matter where you run!” The Demon yelled at me as I ran down into the depths of the basement to the catacombs. 

I slowly felt that the Demon was right and I had no way of living but hope and determination lead me further into the darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two centuries later

“Gewal, won't you spread your insight about the great war? I would love to know the war strategies that the Angels and Demons used to annihilate the Changers and us from the lands now possessed with the Reliving,” this girl bounces too much I thought as I give a glare that basically spelled out ‘I really don't want to answer that question.’ 

“Come on, Gewal Dimin. Why won't you tell me anything about the World Awakening War?” 

“Because one, I was but a child and second, it was a horrific moment of history that I lived through personal,” I growled hoping she would stop, “Oh and should I mention that there are other people you can go to for the exact same information, Cyreliea?” 

“Ugh, I was elected the head of the king's war and weaponry department for the safety of our nation and race from horrible things like the World Awakening War, so why can't you just tell me what I need to know to further our races security!” Cyreliea scowls, clearly staring me down, “Not to mention, you were also the one who even came up with the plasma weaponry in the first place.”

 I sigh and decide to look around, hoping to find some way to avoid the current subject. The green and blue lights of energy crawl the walls like water, the big circle table in the center of the room looks like the black holes in space threatening to devour the room. The luminescent lights overhead blend with the atmosphere of the cold outside on a winter day, chilling but comfortable. I finally turn back toward Cyreliea to see her hands on her hips, foot tapping impatiently, and glaring at me for a response, “Don't we already have enough security thanks to Ziman? Besides, don't you think the A/C lights are a bit too bright for today?”

“Damn it Gewal, I'll pry the information from you somehow, even if you do die,” she frustratingly turns and walks towards the wall that suddenly separates, as soon as she is a few feet from it, to reveal a beautiful hallway. As soon as she is a few feet away the wall on the other side, it collapses towards each other, reminding me that we have automatic doors.

“Finally, she leaves, I thought she would never stop pestering me...for today I guess,”  I stand in the silence a bit longer before finally taking my leave.