I ran until my chest hurt. The echo of footsteps behind me faded, but I didn't dare look back. I rested behind the pearl fountain in a hall, pressing my body against the cold marble. The water that once glittered under the moon was no longer clear. It ran thick and red, rippling like veins of blood. The smell was sharp, metallic.
I forced myself up and slipped through the next corridor, heading for the kitchen. My bare feet splashed in something wet, and before I could step further, a hand shot out from the dark and caught my wrist. I gasped, but another hand clamped over my mouth.
It was Denba. His face was streaked with dirt and blood, his eyes sharp even in the dim light.
"Quiet" he whispered, glancing behind me. His voice was low, rough. "Did you see anyone else? Where are the Queens?"
I shook my head, my words trembling through his hand. "I can't find Rhye. We got separated a while back. I just kept on running and running and everyone's gone Denba" I whimpered on his shoulder.
Denba's expression softened for a moment, but his jaw was still tight. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe."
He looked like he had just stepped out of battle, his chest rising and falling heavily. Still, he took my hand and pulled me along. We moved quietly, every sound feeling too loud in the silence.
When we reached the hall leading to the High Queen's quarters, Denba motioned for me to stay back. Two enemies rounded the corner. Before I could blink, he was on them. A sharp movement, a muffled grunt, and they were down. His blade dripped, and his breathing grew heavier, but he didn't stop.
We kept moving, passing through the cracked doors of the Queen's section. The torches there flickered weakly. Then we saw them— a group of soldiers huddled near the far end, beside them, the princesses, terrified, surrounded. The scene froze me in place.
Denba's grip on his sword tightened. He looked at me once, his eyes saying what words couldn't. Then he stepped forward into the shadows.
***
We see Rhye ran through the forest, her breaths uneven and quick. The trees blurred past her, their branches clawing at her cloak as if trying to pull her back. The sound of pursuit echoed faintly behind her—rustles, snapping twigs, the low growl of voices carried by the wind.
She didn't stop. The forest floor was uneven, roots jutting out like traps, but she kept moving until the sound of rushing water filled her ears. A river stretched before her, wide and cold, the current moving fast over slick rocks.
She turned once, eyes scanning the shadows behind her. Something shifted there, just out of sight. The decision came without thought. She ran forward and leaped into the river.
The shock of the water stole her breath, but she kicked hard, fighting against the current that tried to drag her away. Each stroke burned through her arms, but the other side was close enough to reach.
When she finally crawled out onto the bank, dripping and gasping, she turned to look back. Across the river, the forest seemed to swallow itself in smoke and shadow. In the distance, far beyond the treetops, the castle stood with black and white smoke twisting above it like a broken crown.
Rhye's eyes lingered for a heartbeat, then she turned away and ran deeper into the forest until the trees swallowed her whole.
***
Soldiers stormed through the outer gates, shouting in a language thick with rage. Steel clashed against stone. The sound of hooves pounded through the streets as they pulled carts filled with spoils and prisoners. Houses were torn apart, doors splintered, roofs caved in. The cries of mothers and children mixed with the crackling of fire.
The banner of the Qua Zi Empire fluttered above it all, phoenix emblem against the burning night.
At the heart of the carnage stood the First Son of Qua Zi. His armor dented and smeared with black blood. His face was shadowed by the firelight, his eyes sharp like molten metal. In his right hand, he held the severed head of King Wsalf by the hair.
The army gathered before him in silence. Even the flames seemed to bend toward his presence.
He raised the king's head high. "This," he roared, his voice deep and raw, echoing through the ruins, "is the fate of all who defy the Empire! Their walls will fall, their names forgotten, their gods silent!"
The soldiers struck their weapons against their shields, the sound rumbling like thunder.
A girl wearing a red cloak is seen being put on a horse by one of the soldiers sent with Denba by former King Wsalf, the horse gallops away from the castle through the forest. The girl turns out to be Jamaine.
"Today," he bellowed again, "we cleanse this land of weakness. From their ashes, a stronger world will rise!"
A roar erupted from the thousands before him. It was not the cheer of men, it was the growl of beasts who had tasted victory. They surged forward at his command, spreading through the streets like a flood of fire.
They dragged out the remaining villagers, tying ropes around the young and agile, tossing them into large steel cages fixed behind horses. Some screamed, others were too weak to fight. The elderly who couldn't move were struck down where they knelt, their bodies left where they fell.
Children clung to their mothers, faces streaked with soot, but the soldiers didn't stop. They tore through every corner of the kingdom, leaving only smoke and silence behind.
The First Son watched it all with a face of stone. The head of King Wsalf dropped from his hand, rolling down the marble steps. He turned to the smoldering castle and raised his sword.
"Burn it," he said.
The flames roared higher, swallowing the last symbol of the fallen king.
***
During the broad daylight, the one-armed soldier led the girls and I out of the Castle's broken walls through a hidden pathway through the remains of the roads and city. The memories of brother Denba and Crystania in it's former glory will always remain in my heart.
The one-arm soldier walked ahead of us, his sword drawn, his eyes sharp. He didn't speak much, only turned now and then to be sure we were still behind him. The other girls kept close to me, their eyes wide with fear. Every sound made us freeze. The soldiers weren't far; we could hear their voices, their laughter.
We kept to the shadows, slipping behind fallen carts and broken walls until the last house gave way to open fields. The forest waited ahead—dark, deep, alive with the sound of wind and birds. If we could just reach the flowing river not too far away, we'd be safe.
"Go," the man whispered. "Don't stop. No matter what happens."
We started running. My legs trembled, my chest ached, but I didn't care. Freedom was close. The trees were only a few steps away when a scream tore through the silence.
I turned. One of the princesses had stepped on something.
A snake.
It lashed out, sinking its fangs into her ankle. She fell, her scream echoing so loud it attracted some enemy soldiers and their mutts.
"Run!" the man barked, his voice breaking the shock.
We ran. I could hear the soldiers shouting behind us now, their boots pounding closer. The man turned back, sword raised, and charged toward them.
We reached the river. The rushing water crashing over rocks. The bitten girl didn't hesitate. She jumped first. I screamed her name but it was too late. She hit a rock in the middle of the river and went still.
The others looked at each other, pale with terror. One jumped and hit another rock, her body twisting before the current swallowed her. Another slipped and vanished under the water. Only one made it across, collapsing on the far bank.
I turned back. The man was still fighting. His blade moved fast, his face streaked with blood and sweat.
"Go, Korj!" he yelled. "Jump!"
I shook my head. "Please, come with me!"
He started toward me, but before he could take another step, the soldiers surrounded him. I saw the glint of swords, saw them pierce through his body one after another. His shout cut short.
Something sharp tore through the air. I felt it before I saw it, an arrow burying itself deep into my chest. Pain exploded through me. I stumbled backward, the world spinning, the sky tilting.
Then the river caught me.
Cold, wild water pulled me under. I tried to fight it, but it was too strong. The sound of the soldiers faded, replaced by the roar of the current. The last thing I saw was the blue sky disappearing above the waves.
And then everything went dark.