The Lost Fables

Prologue

The night was calm and silent, nothing amidst the dark as the people of Levan slept soundly for the night. The people prayed for protection among themselves to their beloved Goddess, Cyleptiya, yet as the people slept an intruder crept at the boundaries of Levan. That night the Goddess closed her doors to her people. None of the people would know of this intruder, not even their own king. The beast crept silently and swiftly creating destruction throughout Levan. It wasn't until lives began to be taken that people started to realize what was looming on the horizon.

The sound of a woman's scream woke up a young child through all of the chaos. Frightened for what's to come, the child went to leave her room, not knowing what could possibly be happening. As she opened the door wide, she was welcomed with a blazing fire. The young girl cried out for her mother and prayed she would be safe, but as she peered down the hall, the most unforgiving sight caught her eye. Her mother lay sprawled by the wooden beam from the base of the collapsed roof that had impaled her burning body before the child's eyes. She couldn't bear to move from the fear that had enveloped her. She wanted to scream for her mother but the sight of her brought agony to the child.

A voice then called out to her, "Willow!" the voice sounded panicked and distressed. The child was pulled away from the sight of her mother's body and dragged outside of the burning building. She still couldn't bear to move, tears running down her soft, pale face. With a small shake, she seemed to come out of her trance. In front of her stood her older brother, Neil; he called her name once again. With grim and lifeless eyes, she looked to her brother. Her brother said nothing and hugged her tightly; he never would have wanted his sister to see such a wretched sight.

He pulled away from her and gave her a troubled look. Thinking back on what happened to his mother brought a stinging pain to his chest. He took a deep breath before he spoke, "Look, I know what you saw but right now we have to leave. I don't know where dad is-" He was cut off as screams of fleeing people filled the air, "Xtovia, they have invaded!"

Willow's eyes widen from the name Xtovia, "X-Xtovia?!" thought Willow. "I know they've been the enemy of Levan for decades but... everything has been fine recently! The king signed a treaty with them! Why would they attack now?!" She could hear cries around the area from the fleeing people as she thought. They were afraid, scared and lost.

Neil saw the look on her face and forced a small smile, "Come on we need to find dad, don't worry everything will be alright. I promise I'll keep you safe," He didn't want her to worry as she was just a kid. He felt a child shouldn't be going through something like this. They were about to leave until they heard a cry for help from inside one of the houses. The voice was familiar to both of them. Willow took off to the front of the house from where the cry was heard. She was going to take off into the burning building until Neil had stopped her. "Don't go in! I'll go instead, stay here and if any soldiers come by just go on without me!" More cries could be heard within the building, and Neil went off inside looking for their beloved friend. Time began to tick off the clock, the sound of guns could be heard from afar. Willow began to get more worried by the second as a buzzing sound roared through the skies. Her hazel eyes peered up seeing a monstrous blimp. She panically called out to her brother as she made her way to the blazing door. Two figures could be seen through the flames as they slowly made their way to Willow.

Neil knew they were going to need to risk everything and jump through the flames that filled the doorway. "We are going to have to run and jump through the flames, Felix! On my count, we run alright?" He coughed. They were all running out of time before the actual destruction began for them. Neil saw his sister through the flames and yelled for her to get out of the way. He and Felix got ready to run, "Ready?! Three... Two... One!" They both sprinted and leaped through the flames. Neil's shirt had caught fire when they made it through, he yelled as his skin burned. Willow screamed trying to put out the flames with Felix. Neil dropped to the ground and rolled around hoping that it would put everything out. After rolling around on the ground the flames had been put out. His body stung as he laid there not wanting to make a single move.