Chaos reigned. A great kingdom, once a beacon of prosperity, was now a symphony of screams and fire. Towers that once pierced the sky crumbled into dust, their stone weeping molten gold. The air, thick with the acrid stench of smoke and burning timber, choked the cries of its people as they scattered like frightened mice. Laughter, cold and triumphant, ripped through the inferno, mingling with the guttural roars of a monstrous wolf, its shadow dancing against the flickering flames. Homes, vibrant with life just hours ago, were reduced to skeletal remains, monuments to a swift and brutal conquest.
Through this infernal landscape, a woman in a once-pristine white dress, now caked with dirt and stained with her own blood, stumbled. A crimson stream snaked from a gash on her forehead, and two barbed arrows protruded from her legs, each step a fresh agony. Yet, she ran, propelled by a primal force, a tiny bundle clutched fiercely to her chest. Her breath hitched, ragged and shallow, as she plunged deeper into the ancient, whispering forest. Her energy waned, her vision blurring, until a colossal, gnarled oak offered a momentary reprieve. She collapsed behind its immense trunk, the rough bark scraping against her raw skin. "My Aric..." she whispered, her voice a fragile thread, choked with tears. "You must be strong. Remember where you come from. You are our family's hope; you have to live." She pressed a kiss to the baby's soft head, the warmth of his skin a stark contrast to the cold dread gripping her heart.
A sudden, sharp snap of a twig nearby jolted her. Her heart, already a frantic drum, hammered against her ribs. Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through her exhaustion. She strained to peek around the tree, her breath catching, expecting a monstrous shadow or a glint of a warrior's blade. Instead, a woman emerged from the dappled light, carrying a woven basket brimming with ruby-red cherries. "Aaaaah! Oh my bloody god, what happened to you?" Rina exclaimed, her voice laced with genuine shock and concern, as she hurried towards the injured woman.
"Don't come near me!" Alaira cried, her voice trembling, instinctively tightening her hold on Aric. Every instinct screamed danger. Rina, sensing her fear, stopped a few paces away, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "No, no, no... it's alright. I'm a good person, don't be scared." Her eyes, kind and unwavering, met Alaira's. Slowly, Rina knelt, pulling a clean linen towel from her waist. With gentle hands, she began to dab at the blood on Alaira's face. The touch, unexpectedly soft, momentarily dissolved Alaira's terror, replacing it with a fragile sense of safety.
The respite was fleeting. Not even five minutes had passed before the ground beneath them began to vibrate with a low, ominous rumble. The distinct, heavy thud of an approaching beast, followed by the rhythmic tramp of countless boots, echoed through the forest floor. Rina, however, seemed oblivious, her brow furrowed with concern for Alaira. She's just a normal person, Alaira realized, a pang of desperate hope and despair warring within her. She grabbed Rina's hand, her grip surprisingly strong despite her weakness. "Y-you have to leave! Please, protect my son!" she pleaded, her voice cracking. Rina looked bewildered. "I can't do that; I can bring you to my place," she replied softly, her gaze still full of compassion.
But the sounds were growing louder, closer. The air itself seemed to hum with a dark energy. Alaira's eyes, usually a deep sapphire, shifted, turning a dusty, luminous blue, and a strange, cold hum resonated deep within her bones. Rina gasped, startled by the sudden, otherworldly transformation. This is it. I have to protect Aric. No matter the cost, Alaira thought, a fierce, unwavering resolve hardening her gaze. "They are after me. Please, take my son and run; I will stop them!" she whispered, her voice now imbued with an unfamiliar strength. She kissed Aric's head one last time, a tear tracing a path down her cheek, tasting of salt and sorrow. With trembling fingers, she unclasped the intricate blue diamond chain from her own neck, its gem pulsating faintly, and carefully placed it around Aric's tiny neck.
"Wh-what happened? I can't just leave you—" Rina's protest was abruptly silenced. A sharp, golden arrow, tipped with dark feathers, whizzed past them, embedding itself deep into the tree trunk with a sickening thud. Rina shrieked, recoiling in terror. "Please, protect my baby," Alaira urged, her voice now a desperate plea, pushing Aric into Rina's arms. Rina, tears streaming down her face, looked from the terrified baby to Alaira's resolute expression. She understood. She had to leave.
"I will protect him, don't worry," Rina vowed, her voice thick with emotion, and turned, fleeing deeper into the forest. Her own tears fell freely, her chest heavy with the impossible burden of leaving a mother behind.
Alaira stood, her gaze unwavering, as the hulking, scaly beast, a creature of nightmare with eyes like molten gold, lumbered into the clearing. Behind it, a contingent of shadowy figures, their faces grim and cruel, emerged from the trees. One man, perched atop the beast, a sneer twisting his lips, dismounted. "You can't run far, Alaira. Your kingdom has burned to ashes, and your people have become our puppets," Vorrath taunted, his voice dripping with malice. But Alaira didn't flinch. "Your tyranny over our people ends here, Vorrath."
His clan erupted in harsh laughter, their mirth echoing through the desecrated forest. Vorrath, his eyes glinting with a dark satisfaction, raised his bow, an arrow already nocked. "Where's the baby?" he demanded, his voice sharp, but Alaira remained silent, her defiance a tangible force. "You really want to die?" he pressed, a flicker of something unreadable – frustration? regret? – crossing his features.
Vorrath's face contorted with rage at her continued silence. "Where's the baby!" he roared again, his voice raw, hoping to break her. But she offered nothing. His jaw tightened. He had no choice. With a snarl, he released the bowstring. The arrow, a deadly streak of gold, flew towards her chest.
Just before the arrow could pierce her, Alaira closed her eyes. A profound stillness settled over her. She felt herself lifting, floating into the air, her body shimmering with an intense, otherworldly blue light. Vorrath, mid-stride, froze, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and dawning horror. "No... NOO!!!" he screamed, a guttural cry ripped from the depths of his being, a sound of profound anguish. Her body pulsed, the blue light intensifying, swirling into a blinding vortex. In the blink of an eye, a sharp, deafening explosion of light erupted from her, consuming her entirely, leaving behind only a faint shimmer of blue dust that drifted to the forest floor.
Vorrath scrambled down from the beast, moving in a desperate, agonizing slow motion. He lunged forward, his hands outstretched, as if to catch her, to hold her once more. But just as his fingers brushed the air where she had been, she was gone, dissolved into nothingness. His scream, raw and heartbroken, tore through the silent, smoke-filled forest, a testament to a loss far deeper than mere victory.