Hiraeth's Journey
The wind howled through the twisted branches of the ancient forest, carrying with it the scent of pine and damp earth. Hiraeth stumbled over gnarled roots, her breath ragged, her heart pounding in her chest. Why were they chasing them? She had no answers, only the desperate urgency of her mother's grip on her hand.
"Hurry up, Hiraeth!" Her mother's voice was strained, eyes wide with fear. "I can't let them get you!"
Hiraeth's tears blurred her vision as she stumbled forward. "Mom, why are they chasing us?" she cried out, her voice echoing through the dense foliage.
Her mother's face was etched with determination. "We are the last of our kind," she whispered, her breath hitching. "They hate us, despise the power we hold. They think we are demons, but we aren't."
Hiraeth's mind raced. Should they fight back? The thought of taking a life weighed heavily on her young shoulders. "Should we not kill them then?"
Her mother's smile was both sad and proud. "You will grow up to be a great warrior," she said, her eyes locking onto Hiraeth's. "That much I can tell."
But then, a gunshot shattered the forest's tranquility. Hiraeth's mother gasped, her eyes widening. Hiraeth followed her gaze to the crimson stain spreading across her chest. "Never forget," her mother whispered, her voice fading. And then she crumpled to the forest floor, leaving Hiraeth alone.
Rough hands seized her, pulling her away from her mother's lifeless form. Hiraeth's screams echoed through the trees as she was dragged toward a waiting plane. The man who held her had skin as pale as snow, freckles like constellations across his face. His eyes bore into hers, green and unyielding.
"You will be coming with us now," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Hiraeth fought against her restraints, her heart torn between grief and rage. She would honor her mother's dying wish. She would survive. And one day, she would reclaim her power and seek vengeance against those who hunted her kind.
The plane's engines roared to life, drowning out her cries. As the forest disappeared beneath her, Hiraeth vowed to never forget. She would become the warrior her mother believed her to be, and she would change the course of their shattered world.
YOU ARE READING
The Conquerers
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