Ashen Mind

Searing the Land

Flames licked at her feet as she ran. The forest around her, once frosted with snow, was now alight. The branches fell around her, making her staggered gait even more troubled. She did not stop to look behind her, because she knew that if she did, the inferno would catch her in an instant. Dragons would be upon her, and the only hope for her nation's survival would be lost. She gasped for air, but only smoke entered her lungs. She choked on the rancid gas, but she still kept going. Before long, she could see an opening out of the hellish grove, and her spirits rose, but while she was distracted, she had stepped right in front of a burning log. She began to fall, the log scraping her leg all through her descent. The landing was rough and painful, and her leg was now screaming in pain from her sliced flesh and slowly roasting muscles. Using her shattered lance as a cane, she propped herself up and continued to run.

She hobbled into the opening, eyes focused only on the ground. She could not risk another injury, lest she and her friends would all perish in the cascade of fire. After escaping the forest, she looked up towards her palace, but she soon wished she hadn't.

The castle was as alight as the forest, only it was not branches that were on fire. The bricks and stones of the palace itself were crackling in the immense heat, causing sections to fall off entirely. The palace, which had once stood for a solemn, snow-covered nation, had fallen completely to fire. She cared less of that, however, than what stood between her and her palace.

A man of unparalleled height held a woman in his hand, grasped at the neck. Two others lay at his feet, bodies scorched. They were barely recognizable as her friends beyond their armor and weaponry. The woman in his hand was swiping feebly at the hand around her neck, gasping for what bit of rancid, smoky air she could manage. Her blonde hair was smudged and burnt, her face and hands bloodied. The man did not pay any mind to her, however, his focus entirely on the woman who had just escaped the frying pan, and had jumped straight into his fire. His muscles barely bulged as he strangled the woman to death, her body soon hanging limp.

Tears would have filled her eyes if they did not evaporate immediately in the heat. She screamed, but without any more walls or trees to bounce off of, the echo was nonexistent. His voice was booming however as he laughed, proclaiming that he had finally conquered her realm. He sneered at the ridiculous peace she had tried to instate, and dropped the woman unceremoniously.

In his other hand was a sword taller than she, with blood encrusted even at the hilt. As he approached, she was unable to do anything but raise her broken lance in return, though she barely had the strength to stand. She shut her eyes in desperation as the man charged at her, his sword swinging higher than the stars.

But the blade never struck.