Fate Undone: A Novella

Chapter I

I.

Whatever happens, her father's voice echoed, promise me you'll keep going. Promise me this.

Anna could hardly see the world around her. It flew by, joltingly, as the horse's hooves beat into the dark earth, its nostrils flaring with fear in the warm night air. The two other horses were in no better condition. They were all scared; they were all fleeing for their lives.

Anna tightened her grip around her sister's waist, clutching hard scales, as the animal rocked across the eastern field. Only the towering mountain range ahead sat still and the silent stars above. But here on the ground, it was not so peaceful. To either side, her brother and her father rode, urging their mounts on with equal desperation. They looked so alike in the gloom of this nightmare: the loose braids of their helms waving free, their cloaks tearing madly in the wind. Though the sky was black, the ground was orange, pockmarked by inky shadows thrown forward by the grasses and the horses themselves, lit by the raging fires from where they came.

Why is this happening? Anna thought. Why are they doing this? Why? She could feel the tears in her eyes stinging again; her throat closing up; her mouth trying to pull itself into a tight frown. The horse rocked hard—a stumble—but it kept going. Don't fall. Please keep us safe. Please, please, please. Anna's fingers tightened, she pressed her bare cheek into Eleni's coarse cloak. The stiff hauberk beneath clattered with the metals of a sword, spurs, greaves, gauntlets, bridle...

A horse whinnied from behind. Abraam glanced over his shoulder and cursed. "Nikos, pull back! Form a line!" He was so close, yet the wind ripped his voice away like he were hardly there. "Nikos!"

Anna's brother heard him, though, just as he had heard the other riders. As Eleni pushed her horse even harder, Nikos and Abraam slowly fell back. An arrow struck the dirt to the side, pulled away by the fleeting ground below. Another was heard, close enough that it cut the air. Anna turned her head, despite being so afraid that she might fall if she moved just an inch. Over her shoulder, past her dark strands of flailing hair, was Nikos; behind him was their father. The burning city glowed madly at their backs, coughing out plumes of thick smoke into the sky and tossing its demonic aura all over the field. Another arrow cut by them, loosed from the bow of their pursuers.

There were six Eressians giving chase thirty meters back, slowly gaining speed. Two of them had drawn bows. One rode with a sword out at his side, intent on using it.

Leave us alone! We did nothing to you.

But they would not let up. They were relentless and bloodthirsty—high on the drug of slaughter. And they wanted more.

There was a loud bleating of pain, a sudden thrash behind Nikos, and Abraam and his horse crashed to the ground. The man was thrown free, rolling across the grass; his horse tumbled and tossed a cloud of dirt into the air with writhing legs. The rushing terrain pulled them both back, right into the maw of their pursuers that split and circled their newest prey.

Anna cried out. Nikos and Eleni tugged at their reins, slowing but never stopping.

Whatever happens...

The Eressians were like wolves, giving up the chase with the promise of meat right in front of them. They arranged themselves, drawing weapons and issuing taunts. Abraam stumbled painfully to his feet and yelled back to his children, "GO!"

Promise me this.

In an instant, a horse charged. Abraam pulled out his sword and made a wild arc over his head, hewing the legs out from under the rider. The Eressian crashed and Abraam turned, ready to meet another. But he didn't see the archer from behind. He could only feel as the arrow popped through from the back of his calf, sending him to one knee. The archer loosed another, taking him between the shoulders. As a second horse barreled down upon Abraam, its rider flourishing a glint of steel, there was nothing that could be done.