The Fireborn Chronicles: The Lost Maiden

Prologue: The Lost Maiden

Her heart had felt like it was on fire.

It continued to beat, and that was because there was a sense of dread hanging about in the air. A chill went down her spine as she could hear the cluttering of footsteps from the silence. The room was dark and chilly, and there was nothing lively about it. It was the perfect place to hide.

The footsteps were getting closer. She held her breath and prayed to the gods that they would not find her in this room. She had hoped to gain strength and courage from Rhunon the Wise, one whose name filled her heart with joy. She prayed that he would save her from the monstrosity that befell her.

"Search everywhere!" She heard a voice shout from the distance. "She can't be far! Search for her or our lord will have our heads!" 

Then she heard some noise clatter from the outside, as she had assumed that some furniture had been smashed. "Where is the elven maid? Tell us or the little girl dies!" The voice boomed again, which made her eyes darken.

The only hope that she had to survive was this dwarf family, who was sheltering her in secret, and that they would not tell anyone about her presence in the village. But it was hopeless; she had feared that they were never going to sacrifice their daughter for the sake of a runaway elf. It was not the nature of the dwarves. She had noticed that they were kind enough to let her stay, but it wasn't long before she knew she was running out of time hiding.

"Wait! Don't hurt her!" She heard the dwarf father exclaim. "We'll take you to where she is staying, only if you do not lay one finger on my child."

Her pursuer laughed in response, and then she heard dozens of plates crashing onto the floor. "Do you intend to threaten me, you fat lump of a man? I could finish your pathetic family in less than five seconds. That is what you all should receive for letting an elf stay here. What would Lord Morkazaan say?"

The name of that man gave her another chill down her spine. He was regarded by many as the most feared man in Czahunlia, whose evil plots had almost turned the entire continent into a wasteland. But he had been defeated long ago by Czahun the Almighty and had never been seen afterward to this day. The fact that her pursuer had ushered this name only frightened her more.

"You talk of Morkazaan? Bah, are you supposed to be some follower of his? Are you a worshipper of his ideals? You disgust me," The dwarf replied in an angrier tone. She had hoped that this family would protect her now from these pursuers, now that they had angered the father.

Amidst the argument, the baby that she had been holding to all this time had just woken up from the noise and was now frightened, crying and reaching her arms to her mother's face. No! Little one, we are doomed, she feared. 

"It seems we have found the elf," her pursuer said after hearing the cries of the baby. "Now please step aside." She had tried to calm the baby now, but it was to no avail. She had wanted to protect her child, but in the end, she would share the same fate as her mother.

No! I cannot die here; I must escape for my child!

Her will to survive became stronger, and she gained the courage to face her pursuers in battle. If anything, she wanted to protect her child at all costs, even if she had to die for it. She took out a knife she had hidden in her shoes, raising it above her white and tattered dress until the blade was at level with her eyes. She hoped to attack her pursuers in surprise once they would barge into the room. She left the baby on the bed she had laid her on and walked silently towards the door to creak it open.

"Please!" She heard the mother dwarf scream. "She has a child! She is all on her own! She mustn't be that important! Leave her and begone!"

 The elf maiden had lowered her head, knowing that this family's fate would end a tragic one. Then she heard more plates crashing onto the floor, and there seemed to outcome a struggle. Five seconds later, the struggle stopped, and there was silence. What just happened? She thought. Then she heard a scream and then the sound of a sword unsheathed. She creaked open the door and saw something horrific.

The dwarf family who had taken her in had all been killed, and there stood her pursuers, three of them, in large and unrevealing cloaks with hoods over their heads, turning to the noise of the door creaking. No, no, this can't be happening. It all happened so fast, she worried as her thoughts were rushing all around in her head, and only a sense of panic seemed to dance around her mind. She started having thoughts that all her hope had now been lost.

"Well, well, well," the pursuer hissed, "Looks like we've found our little lost lamb, boys." The man who had killed the dwarf family steered his eyes toward his target, and a dread feeling of despair started to surge over her. As her heart beat faster, she dropped the knife she was holding, slammed the door shut, and used all her might to try to move the cabinet to barricade the door. However, there was no time, as the door smashed into scattered pieces of wood that surrounded her as she fell to her knees. Her baby cried even louder from the noise, and the man slammed his foot into the ground, causing the elf to tremble in fear.

Before Andriel could have a chance to escape, the pursuer rushed over to her and grabbed the maiden by the neck, holding her up in the air like she was a dangling ragdoll. "Andriel of Ilasloyka," he hissed, "You've been a hell of trouble to find, and our lord is losing his patience. He seems to have no interest in you now, so that means you have to die."

As she struggled to free his grasp, she tried to force a couple of words from her mouth. "Y-y-you will never succeed," she stated. "My c-child is not yours to harm, l-leave her be and kill me here."

The man that was holding her neck snarled and spat at her in disgust. "You insolent wretch," he cursed at her, "You are nothing but an elven maid! You speak of our rebellion like it is you who are but the victim. I have seen your kind and what they are capable of. They are all arrogant and act wise, but they know nothing! Nothing! And soon once our people have been reborn, we will retake this land and form it into a place where everyone can live in unity, free of segregation and hate." He tossed her to the ground and unsheathed his sword, covered in blood.

"I care not for your beliefs," she choked out, gasping for air. "The only thing I care about now is this child. Do what you will with me and leave her. I will return to Lord Blazen if I must."

The men behind them were whispering, with what looked to be a disagreement. The commanding officer silenced them both and turned to Andriel. "Do you think," he stated, "That we can abide by your offer? We have received orders to eliminate you both, by Lord Blazen himself. There is no overturning this, and we are not merciful. You will die here along with your beloved child." She trembled in fear as she crawled towards the baby's bed, listening to her soft cries. The man soon walked towards her, a sword now in his hand.

"Please!" She said in desperation. "I will live there for the rest of my life; please do not harm my child!" 

She did not want to lose her daughter, even if that meant that they might never see each other again. The only thing she wanted was to give the child a happy life, away from the one she had been forced to live upon from the teenage years of her life until now. The Land of Morkazaan, the fallen member of the Eternal Eight, was where she had been, living under the rule of Lord Blazen of Magnarock, one of the provinces of Morkazaan. It was a life she had longed to forget, but never could, as the places where she had been and the things that she was forced to do had haunted her ever since she was taken and brought there.

"I have told you before," the officer snarled, "Lord Blazen has no further use for you or this child. You know about us and our objective, and for that, we cannot let you live." There is no hope, she thought, there is no hope for any of us. There will always be violence, no matter where you go. It is all but the same, even if that violence is for peace. There is no hope......

Her baby's cries were evermore louder like she was calling for her mother to hold her in her arms, to be comforted once again. Tears fell down her eyes, knowing that this baby's life was for nothing, knowing that her own life was nothing but a service to a man whose ideals were nothing but madness. The sword grazed her chest, inches from her stomach. She lay back on the bed's side and did not resist. Her fate rested with Rhunon the Wise, and that made her happy.

Goodbye, my sweet Silva. I do hope that we meet again when you and I will be reunited in the afterlife. Maybe then will we receive the happiness that we so desire. This cruel world is not meant for you, so maybe this is for the better.......

Her last thoughts ceased to exist as she collided onto the floor, now lifeless and lost of hope.