Frozen Lakes and Forest Fires

Prologue

The air was heavy with an unnatural stillness.

The serenity of the sky did not fit with the events of the day.

It looked like it could be any other day if not for billowing columns of dark smoke that grew from the smoldering piles of ashes and crumbling ruins of once elegant and expansive structures.

A lone figure stood amongst the ruins, armor covered in soot and blood. He was struck by the silence. After so much horror and tragedy he was expecting an endless chorus of crying and screams but the silence....

The silence was worse.

It felt as the entire world was waiting for an exhale that would never come. Everywhere felt like a graveyard in the dead of night.

Silent with the unease of anticipation.

So many lay around him, never to rise again.

His friends, neighbors, acquaintances.

His brothers in arms.

All gone before their time.

Betrayed by one they trusted above all others.

He felt a presence come up behind him and his survival instincts kicked in. He swung his body around and bringing the knife in his hand up as quickly as he can, the point coming to rest on a man's throat.

"Easy my brother."

He exhaled in relief, letting his knife hand fall and pulling the other man into a one-armed embrace, slapping his hand against his back several times.

"Goddess, it is good to see you. I was starting to think everyone had perished."

"Nearly," his eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings. "We need to get out of the open. They could still be in the area. Too many of our brothers have perished this day. I refuse to lose more."

"How many?"

"There are only six of us left."

Six

Such a small number.

Such an insignificant number.

There were more than twenty of them a few hours ago.

That doesn't include all the innocent bystanders. The entire town, the entire community torn to pieces in an effort to destroy just a few.

So much senseless destruction.

So much senseless loss.

For what?

"It's time Brother. We must leave, now, before all is lost."