Beloved

Chp. 37

Khael

10 years ago

Crackle...crackle.

The heat and smoke from the fire was seeping right through me. I covered my face with my arm as I desperately searched for my brother. Everything backfired and ruined our plans. Nakoa and his men were quickly surrounding us to stop us from escaping their territory.

The surrounding cabins rumbled down as the fire engulfed the whole village. The screams from the village reverted my attention to the Ceneans. Innocent lives were sacrificed. But as cold and brutal it seemed, when I thought of what they've done to our village and people, I couldn't find a pinch of empathy for them.

Just when I was about to leave, something stopped me. There was a hand shaking as it gripped onto my ankle. When I looked down, I was met with a pair of grey eyes. It was a young woman that was trapped under a wooden door. Her face was smudged with ashes and her eyes pleaded desperately for my help.

She had a green aventurine pendant and a tribal mark peeking out on the side of her neck. My eyes furrowed at the sight. She was a Cenean. Even as she saw my hesitation, she continued to beg for help.

"Please...I have a child..my son."

She was exhausted and her words came out as a weak whisper. Her eyes lowered and at the same time the tears that were gathered around the corners trickled down her heated cheeks as she placed a hand on her stomach.

I couldn't hear her next words as it came out raspy. She was drained of all energy and struggling to breathe. If she breathed the smoke any longer, she was surely to die.

That child would be raised to be corrupt and rotten as one of their own kinds. He would be an enemy of my people, having us live in fear again. Saving this woman for the sake of her child would be betraying our people. I didn't know what had gotten into me but even in this truth, I couldn't leave.

"Hold on. I'll get you out of here."

At the time, I didn't know it was a promise I couldn't keep. My brother as well as the others found me trying to help her. He had the others head out ahead of us and came running towards me. He covered his face, squinting from the intense smoke.

"Khael, this place will collapse any second. We need to leave now!"

"Wait! There's someone still here."

I attempted to reach for the debris that fell on top of the woman but Ansel pulled me away ignoring my words.

"You're putting everyone else in danger from your thoughtless behavior!"

The walls continued to collapse around us and soon we heard the yells of the Cenean warriors closing around us. Their arrows hit against the wooden walls and one had pierced right through Ansel's back and his leg.

My hands shook as I peered down at his blood smeared on the palm of my hands. My eyes widened and I was frozen in place. I had to wake up. Get a hold of yourself.

I looked across at Ansel collapsed on the floor. Everything became a blur and the yells I heard in the back became a murmur.

Ansel...

Ansel! Ans-

*

My eyes shot open as I panted to collect my breath. My eyes wandered finding myself beside Lilith in our room. It was only then I found myself calming down.