When Everything Burns {Mianite/CaptainFoxx} ✔

Chapter 1: The Beginning

Chapter 1: The Beginning

(??? POV)

     'They can not catch me. I cannot let them. I have too much to lose,' I thought as my feet pounded against the Jungle floor. I'd been running for what felt like ages, but couldn't have been more than an hour. Adrenaline coursed too thickly through my blood to allow me to stop running, though my lungs said otherwise. The calls of the men had faded away long ago, but something in my brain didn't trust my ears.

     Finally, I dared turn my head to look behind me. Nothing. 'Oh, thank the gods.' I leaned against the tree, letting my heart rate slow down and my lungs recuperate from the mad dash. I slowly let my body slide down the tree until I reached a sitting position on the grand tree's roots. After a while of sitting, I stopped panting.

     "They came too close today," I muttered. Ever since my small village had been undertaken by the new kingdom of the realm Ruxomar, nothing had been the same. Though promised security, we were treated like criminals. Our wages were slices in half, and the prices of goods had rose until we became exactly what we were treated as. Thieves, criminals, and scum.

     I was a good man. I took care of my beautiful wife, Rosella, and my darling daughter, Alexa, to the best of my abilities. I avoided stealing until I absolutely had to. I held out until Alexa had fallen ill a few months ago, and the kingdom doctor had required the rest of our money as payment. Three weeks ago, my ankle had been struck by a guard's arrow as I escaped with a few fruits for my family. No matter how much I did to ensure it healed well, the space between the king's men and I seemed to diminish with each escape I was forced to run. Today there hadn't been enough space, so I was chased into the small jungle outside of the town.

     Brushing myself off, I stood from my spot on the ground. Turning South-West, I began walking back towards my humble abode, where my family was no doubt beginning to worry about me. I peeked at the sky when I found an opening in the canopy. "Dusk is approaching, but if I speed up a slight bit I'll still be home before any creatures spawn," I stated aloud, weary of the silence.

     "No, I will make sure that you do not." I spun around to find a royal guard walking from behind a thick tree wielding a bow, with arrows in a quiver peaking from over his shoulder. New-found thief instincts kicked in. I took off in a dash, bobbing between the dense jungle. I snuck a glance behind me as I ran. The guard did nothing but stand there. He looked me right in the eyes, and slowly shook his head. A look of almost remorse flicked through his eyes as he tore his eyes from mine and called "He ran. Smoke him out," to the brush behind him. I didn't have time to ponder what he meant before a flaming arrow whizzed by my head, searing the side of my cheek before hitting a tree in front of me. Within seconds, the tree began to blaze, sending the others around alight with fire. More arrows flew past me, causing more fire.

     There was a sickening moan from above me. I looked up, and a flaming tree branch was falling towards me. "Oh dear Mi-" I was cut off back the crash of the branch landing in front of me, blocking my path. I veered to my left, and kept running. By now, the air was thick with horrid smoke, invading my lungs and pushing out the oxygen I needed. 'If I do not get out of here soon, this will be my resting place.' I continued to sprint through the jungle at a stunning pace, yet no matter which way I ran there was always a fallen branch or a wave of fire to block my path.

     No more. My legs gave out from under me, and I crashed into the heated ground. "No!" I sobbed meekly. "Rosella, Alexa, I am so sorry! I promised that I would always be there for you!" My crying was interrupted by hacking coughs. Sitting back, I lifted the hem of my shirt and looked at my tattoo. Years ago, before I had met my wife, I allowed a friend of mine to tattoo a small flame just above my hip. 'It is ironic how I will die by the very thing I stained my skin with. I really am going to die here.' Something inside me snapped with that realization: that something was a burning rage. Shaking, I lifted my head to the ember flecked sky. "Rosella, Alexa, I may not be able to fulfill my promise to protect you, but allow me to promise you this. This kingdom will pay for what it has done to us. That I will ensure."