To Break A Curse

Chapter 3

My eyes blink open and the smell of smoke instantly overwhelms my senses. Throat raw, I cough and slowly sit up. Why am I on the ground? Looking around, everything comes rushing back when I see a dense haze coating the remains of the village. What used to be my house is now a mound of ash and debris. Tears prick my eyes as reality begins to set in. Trying to stand up, I immediately regret the decision as a pounding ache forms in the back of my head. Wincing, I touch the sore bump and take a step backward. Stepping on something hard, I look down and see a large sword laying in the mud. A large red sword with Kirin engravings. That's when I see a body a few feet away lying face down with an arrow sticking out of his back— Kiri. Unconsciously, I back away and desperately scan through the thick haze. No one's here. There are just dozens of dead bodies, Kiri and Askiran.

"This isn't real. This isn't real," I whisper repeatedly, clasping my hands behind my head and forgetting the pain in disbelief. Everyone's dead. Marna's dead. The whole village is destroyed. So, how am I alive?

Glancing back down at the body and sword, I can only guess what happened. The Kiri must have attacked me from behind, his sword hitting the back of my head as he was shot with an arrow, knocking me unconscious in the process. I must have looked dead with the scratches and dried blood covering my body.

Suddenly feeling sick, I drop to my knees and throw up the remains of the berries I'd eaten earlier, a sour bitterness coating my tongue. Overcome with the putrid smell of vomit, blood, and smoke, I stumble as fast as I can to the river near the edge of the forest. Immediately, I trudge in until the water reaches my waist and desperately scrub the blood and mud off my body. When the sick feeling starts to wash away with the blood, I take a deep breath and submerge myself completely under the water, staying there until the cold makes me numb... until my mind is numb.

***

Sitting on the shore of the river, shivering, I try to come up with a plan. All I know is that I can't stay here. I guess there isn't a "here" anymore anyway. Marna told me to go North toward the Cold Mountain, but why? Why would she want me to go closer to Kirin lands? Besides that, the mountain is at least a five-day journey on foot, and I have no food, water, or supplies to stay alive. My body is sore and weak. I doubt I'd even make it two days before collapsing. And what would I even do when I got there? What is the purpose? The questions spin in my mind, making it impossible to think straight.

"What do I do?" I mutter to the wind, hugging my knees to my chest.

Maybe everyone's right. Maybe I really am too weak and helpless to make it on my own.

A low rumble sounds overhead and I look up at the dark sky just as a light rain begins to fall. Closing my eyes, I let the water splash over my face and inhale the scent of pine and cedar, focusing on the sweet aroma rather than the smoke still burning my throat. The forest has always been a place I've loved and hated. It's bittersweet. There are dark memories of Eida and the dragamon, but there are also good memories. Marna would always take me here when I was young to chase firebeetles that would light up the forest at dusk. I remember the feeling of complete freedom and contentedness lying next to her on the forest floor watching the beetles, like stars in a canopy of trees. Now when I look up, all I see is their burnt, black skeletons, a reminder of what I have lost.

How much of the forest is now burned? And how did the Kiri manage to make it this far west? They must have destroyed dozens of Askiran villages. How much of Tsvera is truly gone?
The neighboring village can't be more than a day's journey away, so I must go there and see if it still stands. It's my only chance to find supplies and see if anyone else survived. There's nothing left for me here. Marna was the only good thing about this place, but now that she's gone, I have no reason to stay. She was the only person who believed I had a purpose other than to be a Vog. She loved me even when the world told me I was worthless, even when they called me a Vog. I will prove her right, if not for my sake, then for hers. I will go to the mountain. As I stand, I take one last glance at the only home I've ever known and head north.

***

My wool sweater is almost dry now and rubbing uncomfortably against my skin. An owl hoots somewhere in the distance and I jump, shivering as the crisp night air dances through the tangles of my hair. It feels as if I've been walking for hours, growing more tired with each step. I want nothing more than to stop and sleep for a while, but if I do, I don't know if I will ever get back up. I must keep going. Gritting my teeth in determination, I force my lead-filled feet to move forward, one step at a time.

The trail takes a sharp incline up a steep hill. What used to be the steps are now covered in fallen branches, making it impossible to pass through. Grabbing the closest branch with both hands, I pull on it to try and free it from the mass but fail to move it even an inch. I take a step back and put my hands on my hips. The dim moonlight makes it difficult to see, but just right of the branches where the stump of a broken tree sits, I think I see a small clearing. Slowly making my way over, twigs and small branches snap under my feet as I try to climb to the stump. It's only a few feet away, if I jump, I can make it.

I was wrong. Just missing it, I land in a layer of thick, slippery mud that is now pulling me back down the hill. My arm flails in the direction of the stump and I grasp a handful of bark, abruptly halting my fall and coating my entire body with mud. Spitting out a mouthful, I grab the stump with my other arm and pull myself up to where I can find a decent foothold. Now it's much easier to crawl up as I use the fallen branches as a makeshift ladder.

Finally reaching the top, I look out over a large meadow and valley in the distance. The rising sun creates a dim glow over the horizon just beyond the valley and a slight sense of relief washes over me. Sighing, I walk toward it but stop when I feel the heavy weight of mud bearing down on my feet. Doing my best to shake it from my boots, I wipe my pants and sweater, able to get most of it off. Then I wipe my face with my sleeve, most likely leaving streaks of mud, but I don't care. A faint line of smoke rises from within the valley. That can only mean one thing.

Treading as quietly as I can, I wince every time a twig snaps under my boot as I make my way down toward the burning village. Keeping as close as possible to the edge of the treeline, my head swivels with every howl of wind or slight rustle of leaves. I don't know where the Kiri are, but I can still feel their shadows chasing me, threatening to consume the very ground I walk on.

The first building is completely destroyed. Moving toward the center of the village, an eerie silence descends over it, louder than the sound of my ragged breathing. It's deserted. In front of me stands what's left of their ceremony hall which would be my best bet for finding supplies.

Making my way in, I put my hand over my mouth and nose as I step over dozens of dead bodies, weapons, and debris. Inside, I immediately stride over to what I hope is the door to the underground cellar or armory. Shoving a large piece of wood aside, I heave it open and peer down into a faintly lit chamber.

That's weird, the candles should surely be out by now if everyone's dead. Climbing down the short ladder, I take the nearest torch and hold it out to scan the small room.

"Hello?" My voice echoes off the bare stone walls. With no response, I walk over to the empty shelves and rungs that would normally be filled with swords. Glancing around, I notice dozens of bows, spears, and knives still in their places, so what happened to the swords? My curiosity is short-lived. On the far wall, food rations and water pouches normally taken for travel line rows and rows of shelves. I smile and head over, setting down the torch. Unscrewing the lid to a pouch, I savor the water as I gulp it down and then tear open a cloth bag filled with dried meat and fruit. Shoving a handful of both into my mouth, I nearly choke as I eagerly chew way too much.

I don't even notice the shadow appear behind me until it's too late.