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“I live to serve!”
We reach the fields where the equus are then spurred into a full sprint.
“Let’s ride! Hyah!”
We disappear into the treelines, becoming shrouded in the dense woods as the palace grows smaller behind us. Animals speed away at our approach as we embark down rarely-used routes towards the village Slyth spoke of.
Not many traverse through these woods. Folk in the outer villages tend to keep to themselves.
Hopefully, that means Vippera knows nothing of those settlements. This road shouldn’t have any enemy eyes on them.
“Is the ride long?” asks Rory.
“We have some distance to go so keep strong. Soon, we’ll be out of danger for the time being.”
“Once we reach this cottage of yours, we need to formulate a solid plan. Taking down Vippera isn’t going to be easy,” I tell them.
“She’s one resilient piece of work, got to give it to her.”
“Guys, what’s that up ahead!?” exclaims Rory.
There comes a faint glow over a hill we ride by. Stopping our equus, we turn and trot to the hill’s edge.
“Wait a minute, I think this is my hometown,” says Rory, picking up the pace. “What the hell is going on?”
She rides ahead.
“Slow down!” I call out.
“Rory!” yells Slyth. “Stay with us!”
We ride up to join her on the hill’s precipice, where we’re greeted by a nightmarish sight. The glow emanates from torches, held in the hands of an entire enemy legion that surrounds Rory’s hometown village.
The houses have been ransacked as doors and windows are left broken, with animals running loose all around. Barns are lit up in a fiery blaze, stalls turned upside down with goods and belongings strewn everywhere.
On their knees are the townsfolk, some of whom have already been slain, They lay in a small pile at the center of it all. Towering over them is Vippera, holding a torch of her own as she peers down at two figures being dragged toward her.
“Holy shit…” mutters Slyth. “Zalith, this is what I was warning you about! This is what she was planning, but we’re far too late!”
He rants on but I hear nothing of his words. My attention is focused on the two people whose faces are revealed by the glow of Vippera’s torch. King Tikzorcu emerges from behind his daughter, unsheathing his sword and pointing it at the necks of my parents, both of whom return defiant stares.
25
AURORA
The scene before me is the work of my deepest, darkest fears. My hometown is surrounded by Vippera’s forces who have turned the village into a hellish nightmare. It almost doesn’t look recognizable.
To see King and Queen Andakya at the mercy of Vippera and Tikzorcu is something I never thought would happen. To us humans, King and Queen Andakya were never fair figures to admire but we always imagined them protecting us from the enemy. Seeing them on their knees just like everyone else reduces them to nothing.
Among the captive villagers is my father. I never wanted to bring him into this, always willing to go through anything just to keep him out of harm’s way. From this distance, I can’t spot him, only further deepening my anxiety that the worst has already happened.
“My… My father…”
A reassuring hand lays itself on my shoulder.
“Rory, I know your father is there somewhere, but we’ll be dead if we go in there. We need to hold back, they haven’t spotted us yet.”
“And leave everyone to die?” I snap.
