Chapter Eighty-Four: The Fires of that Day
Just like that, everything went fuzzy.
She had trouble remembering things, as if her mind was somehow wiping away her most recent experiences. As she lay there, staring up at the big blue sky through the pink flowers of a familiar cherry tree, she felt her anxiety dissolving.
It was almost as if she'd woken up from a bad dream.
Her shimmering amethyst eyes remained locked on the clouds drifting past. A warm breeze sifted across her body.
She blinked like an owl that had been woken up much too early and yawned. She felt groggy and rather confused, since she really couldn't understand why she'd fallen asleep outside... or even really where she was.
She was oddly disoriented for some reason.
Ella blinked again before her eyelids slowly drooped and slid closed for a few moments.
Then it all came back to her.
She was lying on the soft grass in the western courtyard of the Rochard Family Manor, under the large cherry tree where her father always sang his ballads to her.
Songs about knights and their princesses, who were always being rescued from evil monsters and bad men.
Her long, cloud white hair weaved through the lush green grass like strands of spun moonlight.
The last thing she could recall was coming here to count the clouds like she always did, so she must have fallen asleep without realizing it.
"What an awful nightmare," Ella mumbled, rubbing her eyes with another yawn. "Papa will want to hear about it... it was so vivid."
Finally sitting up, Ella stretched her little arms and curiously looked around.
Her silver hair slid over her shoulders and pooled across her belly when she leaned forward and rubbed her eyes with little hands. Then she looked at the flowers all around her and smiled, since she absolutely loved the garden that had been planted in the courtyard.
This was her father's garden, off limits to everyone but her family and the court Wizard's daughter, Amelia. Crawling across the grass on her hands and knees, she leaned close to one of the vibrant blue flowers and inhaled the scent of things green and growing.
Then she glanced at the sun and realized that it was most likely time for her to meet her secret friend. Eyes widening, Ella hastily climbed to her feet, completely mindless of her little grass-stained gown.
Feet bare, she ran down the path to one of the four exists, pulling on one of the giant double doors with all of her strength.
Little by little, it budged open, and she eventually squeezed into the hall. She almost ran into one of the maids in her eagerness.
"My word!" the old woman squawked, nearly dropping the basket of apples she was holding; she instantly turned and cast a reproachful glance at Ella, who smiled at her. "Lady Ella, be mindful of how you carry yourself! You're going to give me a heart attack with all that running about!"
"I'm very sorry, Miss Macey!" Ella chirped, giving a little curtsy. "I'll be more careful in the future, but I can't contain my eagerness, I'm afraid!"
The old woman's gaze softened in the face of her delighted smile.
"Off to play with that little lass Amelia again?" the woman asked, giving a faint smirk of her own when Ella bounced in place. "My, you two sure are getting along well aren't you?"
"Amy is great!" Ella exclaimed, genuinely meaning every word. "If I had a big sister, I'd want her to be just like Amy! But, oh, I'm running terribly late... I have to go find her! Do you know where she is?"
"Amelia is most likely in the kitchens," Macey chuckled, hefting her basket of apples. "I heard she was getting ready to go into town to purchase some medicinal herbs for her father."
"Thanks, Miss Macey!" Ella squealed, whipping around and flailing towards the kitchens. "Bye!"
"My word!" the old maid called. "Lady Ella, walk with some gracefulness, at least! You are the daughter of a count, not the son of a farmer! Such a little tomboy... tsk tsk..."
Ella merely giggled, skirts and beribboned hair flying as she tore down the halls toward the kitchens like the energetic little dynamo she was.
Somewhere, deep within the back of her mind, however... something felt a little off. As if there were an odd pressure just behind her eyes.
But then she made it to the kitchens, and found Amelia putting her bonnet on.
"Amy!" Ella squealed, running over and plowing into her waist. "Hi!"
"Oh!" the girl gasped, looking down in surprise. "Ella! You startled me!"
"Hi, Amy!" Ella laughed, looking up at her with adoring eyes. "I heard you're going into town today!"
"I am indeed," Amelia proudly explained, hefting the basket with a brilliant grin; one of her front teeth hadn't fully grown in yet, so her smile had a cute little gap. "Papa says that I'm old enough to go out on my own now, so he asked me to go get some supplies for him!"
"Wow!" Ella gasped, eyes widening with delight; she instantly jumped up and down. "You're so grown up! I can't wait until I'm nine years old! Papa says I can't leave the house unless one of the maids comes with me!"
"Well, that's because you're still only five years old," Amelia giggled, leaning down and tapping her nose with a little finger. "Don't you worry. If you're ever bored, just come to me and I'll take you anywhere you want to go!"
Ella paused and looked around, making sure nobody was close enough to hear.
Then she looked at Amelia and leaned close.
"Can you take me to see my friend again today?" she whispered, grinning widely. "I want to tell her about Daddy's new song! It was so lovely, and she always likes the ones about dragons!"
"But of course, and this time, we won't even have to sneak off!" Amelia giggled, grinning widely; her blue eyes gleamed behind her round spectacles when she stood up. "I think it's positively wonderful that you've befriended one of the beast folk, Ella. You may not realize it, but your actions could change the whole world!"
Ella's eyes widened and she gasped.
"The whole world?" she whispered, looking at Amelia with rapt awe. "Really? How?!"
"Well, everyone thinks that the beast folk are like all the other demons," Amelia explained, hefting her empty basket. "Since you've actually managed to befriend one, it could change the belief that all demons are monsters! Plus, from what you've told me, your cat friend sounds lovely."
"Oh, Amelia, she really is!" Ella gushed, wriggling around. "She's so nice, and warm, and she talks to me like I'm a grown up! She doesn't treat me like a baby! And, oh, her fur is just so soft... even softer than my favorite silk blanket! When she hugs me goodbye, it always feels so nice!"
"You'll have to introduce me to her sometime," Amelia whispered, beaming brightly. "I'd love to meet her! Perhaps someday, when we're both a little older, you could even talk to your dad about her being your friend and he'll allow her to visit our city! Doesn't that sound wonderful?"
"Yes," Ella wistfully explained, then frowned a little, "but Daddy doesn't like demons."
"Well, he's bound to come around someday, what with you having such a wonderful friend like Nimh," Amelia sighed, then leaned down and took her hand. "Come! I'll see if I can get you outside the gates. You need to make this visit quick, though, because I need to go shopping!"
"I promise I'll be fast," Ella chirped, bouncing up and down. "You have my word!"
Amelia grinned, and the two of them left the kitchen together, walking through the manor across the marble floors with their hands interlaced. After heading down the grand staircase and walking past the enormous grandfather clock, they traipsed towards the front doors.
Pushing the left one open, the girls began to head outside when a deep voice stopped them.
"Ellameira," someone called in a bemused tone. "Your dress has grass stains on it."
Ella instantly whirled around, grinning her biggest smile.
Her father was at the top of the stairs, standing tall and proud.
His dark skin glimmered like bronze in the dim light, and his fine ebony hair gleamed like spilled ink when he ran an exasperated hand through it.
A thick goatee, trimmed carelessly, framed his angular jaw. His eyes, dark and almond, looked down at her with loving warmth and gentleness.
Even from across the room, she could see that he wasn't really upset with her.
"I was sleeping in the flower garden!" she exclaimed. "That must be why!"
"Again?" he asked, leaning on the banister with a raised eyebrow. "Now, why would you ever want to sleep outside when there's such a lovely feather bed in your room?"
"Oh, no!" Ella instantly protested, eyes going wider. "I love my bed, daddy! It's just, sometimes, when the sky is all blue and the sun is warm, I go out into the gardens to look at the clouds! I never actually mean to fall asleep, but I always get so sleepy!"
A tender smile slid across his face.
"Well, then I guess I'll have to order you some knickers," he chuckled, making Amelia gawk in total surprise. "If you really desire to romp and play outside in the grass like a boy, you must at least be dressed properly. Old Macey has been worked into a tizzy trying to get the grass stains out of your dresses."
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Ella mumbled, pouting a bit. "I didn't mean to upset her."
"Don't worry, Poppet," he murmured, slowly making his way down the stairs and across the hall towards them; when he stopped just in front of the doors, he sank down to one knee and pulled her into a warm embrace. "All I want is for you to live your life happily, Ella. You may do whatever it is you desire as long as that smile of yours remains bright, my sweet."
"Thank you," Ella happily chirped, giggling as she hugged her father back. "I love you!"
"I love you, too, Poppet," her father chuckled, kissing her forehead before glancing at Amelia, who was grinning widely. "Hello, Amy. I take it you're taking this little rascal for a stroll?"
"Yes, My Lord!" Amelia chirped, giving an awkward curtsy. "I am going out to buy some medicinal herbs for my father! Ella wished to come with me, so here we are!"
The man's smile was a warm one.
"Well, keep an eye on her," he murmured, setting a gentle hand on her arm. "Lord Olagrell has come to visit me today, and he wishes to introduce me to his family, so I'll be quite busy."
"Uncle Olag has a family?" Ella asked, feeling dubiously surprised. "Really?"
"Of course he does, silly," her father laughed, giving her a smirk. "He has a wife and two sons, in fact... one of which who is about your own age. Now, I have matters I must attend to."
"Papa, will we be eating supper together?" Ella asked, blinking at her dad. "Or will you be busy?"
"I'll see what I can do," he sighed, giving her an apologetic look. "Running a country is a big job, Poppet, and I have many responsibilities. But I will try my absolute hardest to sneak away from my duties, if only to peek in and give you a hug at dinnertime."
Ella's face broke out into a grin.
"I love you, Daddy!!" she cried. "You're the best!"
"I love you, too, my little Snow Lily," he chuckled, straightening his scarlet tunic and heading for the stairs. "You girls be safe! I'm going to talk with Dimitri about some important business now."
"We will!" Amelia called, then looked at Ella with bright eyes. "Your father is wonderful!"
"So is yours!" Ella happily exclaimed, grinning as they walked out the door and moved down the path towards the giant iron gates that separated their home from the rest of the city. "Your daddy is the funniest person I've ever seen! Last night at supper, he sneezed fire like a dragon!"
"Again?" Amelia sighed, smacking her forehead. "Oh, Papa... how embarrassing."
While they walked, two guards opened the iron gates and smiled at the girls.
"It was really funny to watch, actually," Ella told her, waving at them as she and Amelia strode onto the cobblestone streets. "Are all wizards as funny as your daddy?"
"I'm not sure," Amelia explained, giving her a look. "I've never met any other wizards."
"Oh," Ella sighed, then started skipping around. "Well, that's okay! Your daddy is still the funniest to me, even if there are other funny wizards out there!"
As they made their way into the sprawling stone city, everyone she passed smiled and waved at her, and she eagerly reciprocated.
She loved going into the city, because every single person she passed happened to love her father as a ruler, and that love had spread to her as his child.
They walked past countless shops and gorgeous stone buildings.
Two dark-haired children ran out of a nearby house and nearly crashed into Ella and Amelia. The two of them were laughing and giggling about something, but her eyes brightened a little as she watched them happily run off towards a candy vendor she'd seen earlier.
Despite the late hour, everyone was already working hard. Men were toting heavy things around, women were selling baked goods and other paraphernalia in their shops, housewives were mingling together and helping the men with other tasks, and children were playing with each other and their dogs.
The sight of it had her smiling, eyes sparkling like they always did when she beheld her home.
The twin blessings of warm sun and bounteous forests afforded a simple, but very pleasant life.
Travelers would visit for trade and merchants would haggle with people, but when all was said and done, friends and family would gather to talk and laugh at the taverns.
Everyone had a home.
Everyone was happy.
And it was all because of her grandfather, who had helped build this city from the ground up.
Not to mention, Chisago was a truly beautiful city to live: the white-stone architecture of each building was hand-crafted to perfection.
It was known to outsiders as the White City.
"Hear ye! Hear ye!" a distant voice called, echoing out amongst the bustle. "The King's prophet has issued a warning to the citizens of Chisago that catastrophe is on its way! Join the honorable King's ranks and help us be rid of the demons that plague our forests!"
Amelia halted.
Ella blinked when she found herself unable to keep walking and confusedly turned around.
"'Tis time to lay down your lives and pick up a sword," the voice continued. "Before it is too late!"
Amelia stiffened and jerked her towards the commotion.
"That's not true!" she hollered, making the guards turn their heads in surprise. "Papa says the King's prophet has spoken this same warning for the last two years, but no demons have shown up to harm us!"
When a few nearby women chuckled and Ella blinked, the guard waved his hand.
"You misunderstand, young lady... we are just as reluctant to decree this as you are," the man said in a clear, firm voice. "We are under oath to give these warnings, because when the prophets speak, everyone in the capital heeds them."
"Why?" Amelia demanded. "Why do you all heed them?"
"Because they really do have the power to predict the future," the guard explained. "These prophets are none other than the Primordial Sprites of the north! And their leader has saved the King's life on many occasions!"
"So what?" a young woman called, rolling her eyes. "Who cares about some old glitterbugs that can see the future?! We've got a mage who can conjure a mountain of fire using nothing more than the force of his own willpower!"
"The demons will attack, and soon," the guard called back, furrowing his brows. "You have to take up arms! The King himself sent us because wants everyone prepared! Is it really so horrible to have a bit of forewarning before a disaster strikes? Most often we don't have that sort of luxury, so you should take advantage of this rare gift and put it to good use!"
Ella didn't agree, but the guard's words were smooth and people were beginning to nod.
That's when Amelia stepped forward again.
"How do you know if the demons are truly coming?" she demanded, catching the attention of everyone around her by stepping forward and flicking her glasses up her nose. "I can say that clouds are green and the sky is pink, but that does not make it true."
The two guards frowned at her, but the villagers waited for the answer.
"Aren't your people taught respect?" the second guard inquired. "Or do you let little girls challenge the royal guard whenever they want to?"
"Quite the contrary, respect is taught from the moment a child is born," Amelia sweetly retorted. "I am only nine years old, but like most children in this city, I was taught to stand up for what I believe in the moment I was old enough to comprehend what belief is. And that is why it seems to me that we define respect a bit differently than you."
"She's right," a nearby man finally called. "Answer the question."
"Well... personally, we do not have the details," the first guard shouted. "Details are being handed out to the people who take up arms to fight against the demons! We are merely couriers, so please, let us continue reading: after that, we will be on our way as usual."
Ella blinked a few times when Amelia turned around and pulled her away.
"Folly," she muttered, letting out a huff. "They're putting your friend at risk, Ella."
"They won't hurt her, will they?" she asked, eyes widening. "What if they see her? Nimh always waits for me near the gate in the same spot! If she's seen..."
"Oh, don't worry... nothing will happen. I promise," Amelia sighed, shaking her head; then her eyes landed on a nearby shop. "Wait right here and don't move. I need to go buy the herbs, but the man who runs the shop is a little... odd."
"Odd?" Ella asked, frowning in curiosity. "Like your daddy?"
"No, he's a little different than Papa," Amelia muttered, shaking her head. "Just stay here."
When she trotted off, Ella clasped her hands behind her back and obediently stayed where she was.
Well, at least until a candy vendor went past: beaming brilliantly at the sight of hardened honey pops, she skipped after the vendor all the way down the street and around the corner.
Then she stopped, realizing she hadn't asked Amelia for a coin.
She was just about to turn around and return to where she'd been when it happened.
It was in that moment that a thunderous sensation slapped against the air, sending a wave of debris flying up the streets from the south. Ella's long hair was blasted forward by the gust of wind that assaulted her from behind. In fact, she even stumbled a little bit from the force of it.
After a moment of coughing and sneezing, she slowly turned around and looked out at the rising cloud of smoke coming from the southern wall in confusion, just like everyone else.
Every single person in the street had stopped talking and was now looking in the same direction.
People started looking at each other with apprehension when a distant rumbling made the ground vibrate beneath their feet.
Then, distant screams suddenly rose up, and Ella blinked in confusion when she saw a man running up the street.
"It's...!" he panted, eyes frantic with terror. "IT'S THE DEMONS! THEY'RE COMING!"
Gasps and cries immediately filled the air, and everyone began panicking.
"Go get your swords!" another man shouted. "Get the women and children to safety!"
Ella jumped when another concussion came from the southern wall, sending a second wave of wind and debris roaring up the cobblestone street.
The distant screams soon began to grow louder, and louder.
"Amelia!" Ella cried, finally running back around the corner. "Amelia! I want to go home! Where are you?!"
She was nowhere to be seen... but then, like a river of living bodies, a wall of screaming people came tearing around the corner.
Some were covered in soot and dirt, other in red fluid. Men and women alike, some carrying children, others carrying each other, fled in terror.
Ella backed away, not understanding what was going on, and sank down in the corner of an alley, watching as the people fled. One of them dropped near the edge of her hiding place with something sticking out of his back.
She stared at his face.
Brown hair, dark eyes, and his mouth open.
He didn't even blink.
Didn't close his eyes.
Just lay there with his mouth open.
Frightened and confused, she finally decided to go home on her own and ran out into the streets. She was bumped and jostled by people who couldn't see her until a plump woman wearing a soot-stained apron and white bonnet spotted her.
"My lady!" she cried in horror, tearing over to her and gripping her arm. "Come! Come! You should not be here! We need to get you out of here!"
"What's going on?!" Ella wailed, looking around in a panic. "Why is everyone running!"
"Just be silent!" the woman shouted, lifting her up like a sack of potatoes and throwing her light form over her shoulder. "We have to run away! I'll take you to your father's home! Just be silent!"
With a frightened expression, the big-boned woman bolted down the street at top speed, using her free arm to keep her skirts up.
Then they turned around the corner and a torrid wave of heat hit them both. The woman instantly shrieked and backed away, clutching Ella's backside.
"What is it?!" Ella shouted. "Is something wrong?!"
"GODS ABOVE!" the woman shrieked, covering her mouth with her sleeve and turning to run in the opposite direction. "HELP! HELP US!"
When Ella lifted her eyes and looked at what the woman was running away from, she screamed. Seven fur-covered creatures with big, disgusting horns were tearing after them, completely covered in blood. And behind those monstrosities was a wall of bodies and fire.
Ella could only scream as the heat washed over her body, staring at the burning walls of her city with wide eyes: but as she did so, she suddenly realized that something wasn't right.
She unexpectedly felt as though this had happened once before.
Something in her mind fuzzily began to stir through the panic.
People left and right were being tackled by the monsters.
Their screams rang in her ears and all she could do was watch in horror as their blood began to paint the white stones red. Before she could even begin to realize what was happening, Ella was somehow fleeing for her life.
All around her, demons were tearing screaming people to pieces and painting the earth with fountains of crimson.
Houses were on fire, and screams came from burning windows.
There were clashing people and demons all around her: ahead of her, behind her, on either side... all around was madness.
These beasts were in the lunatic rage of combat and thirsty for the blood that was drenching the ground. Ella jolted and she screamed at the top of her lungs when a demon finally caught the woman carrying her.
She went rolling across the stone and scrambled back up.
"RUN, YOUNG MISS!" the woman screeched, kicking at the slavering demon. "RUN! RUN TO YOUR FATHER! THE COUNT'S MANOR IS RIGHT UP THE ROAD!"
Ella pushed at the ground with her bare feet, watching in sheer terror as the demon finally got her. She couldn't look away as the beast tore her throat out... her screams and flailing grew weaker, and weaker. The woman's bonnet fell off as she flailed on the demon's teeth, grey hair tumbling down to lie in a puddle of blood, but somehow, Ella pulled herself out of her stupor.
Bursting into tears, she clawed her way back to her feet and sprinted down the street. She heard snarls behind her, but she couldn't do anything.
All she could do was run.
So she did, she ran with everything she had, crying hysterically.
And as she ran, the sound of the clock tower bell began to clang, far in the distance. The sound of it rang out across the city, gonging a warning as the blue sky turned dark with smoke and fire.
Ella was stunned to return home only to find the gates busted in.
The whole house was on fire and the guards she'd waved at only an hour before were dead.
"DADDY!" she screeched, tearing up the path and running through the open doors. "DADDY!"
She coughed, looking at the burning walls in horror, and tore up the grand staircase, running down the red carpet halls.
All around her, things were burning, including the floor.
Making her way around flaming debris, she struggled to get to her father's study. Upon making it to the huge double doors, she struggled to pull one of them open with all of her strength... but without warning, it smashed open of its own accord and her father fell to the ground in front of her, clutching his left arm.
"DADDY!" Ella shrieked, instantly grabbing onto him. "DADDY! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
"Get out of here! Now!" the count barked, shoving her violently to the ground; before she could react, he lifted a sword she hadn't seen and parried a blow from a dark shadow that lunged at him from the flaming room. "RUN, POPPET! GO FIND DIMITRI AND GET OUT OF HERE!"
"No, Daddy!" Ella cried, practically hyperventilating. "I don't want to!"
"Baby, run!" he shouted, casting her a frantic look. "RUN!"
It was the fact that he looked at her that caused it to happen: the attacker lunged again right at that moment and the blade it was holding sank into his stomach.
Her father wheezed as the weapon was jerked in and out of his body twice more.
Ella could only sit there, frozen, as the figure straddled his waist and pinned him against the burning carpet. The arm holding the dagger rose, then halted.
She watched with a stricken expression as the form slowly turned in her direction.
When two brilliant green eyes landed on her face, she blinked, then looked closer... and to her shock, she saw a face she knew.
"Nimh?!" Ella squeaked, instantly crawling forward. "Stop! Please! That's my Daddy! He's the one I told you about! The one who sings me stories! Please stop, Nimh! Please!"
"So... this is the count who sang all those pretty lies?" the cat woman purred, fur-covered face unreadable; her whiskers quivered as she tapped her chin with the flat of the blade. "Hm, but why should I stop? He was right, after all."
"What? But why do you want to hurt my daddy?!" Ella whispered, mouth trembling in confusion and fright. "Aren't you my friend?! Friends don't do that! That's naughty! No, that's worse than naughty!"
"Friend...?" the woman asked, then let out a low chuckle, which slowly but surely grew into a very loud, maniacal cackle. "Friend...?!"
Ella's eyes quivered, pupils contracting into little terrified pinpricks as she continued laughing loudly.
"Baby," her father whispered, dark eyes glazed, "run..."
Without breaking eye-contact, the laughing demon raised her arm and brought the dagger down on her father's chest. Ella flinched, unable to move. To scream. To cry. To do anything.
Mouth open and body shaking, she could only sit there and watch as Nimh stabbed him again... and again... and again.
And the whole time, the cat never stopped smiling.
She never stopped laughing.
She looked deep into Ella's eyes and simply continued stabbing her father until he lay still.
"We were such good friends, Ella," Nimh giggled, lifting the dagger and licking his blood off it with a crazed gleam in her large green irises. "This attack was only possible thanks to you! Thank you so much for helping me! You were good to me these last two years... it's almost a shame that I have to kill you. But because we were such good friends, I'll make sure I do it slowly! That way we can spend just a little more time together."
For the first time that she could remember, Ella knew true fear.
She began to crawl away, shaking her head as the demon stood up, glowing green eyes locked onto her face. The evil smile being directed at her was frightening: waving the bloody dagger around, Nimh advanced, blood-soaked brown fur rippling in the firelight.
Before Ella could react, the woman pounced on her and gouged the knife into her side.
Ella screamed at the top of her lungs as the blade was raked from her waist to her thigh. Then, grinding the blade so deeply into her leg that it hit bone, the demon ripped her skin open in a long, deep line all the way down to her ankle.
"I'm going to kill you!" she cackled, green eyes locked onto her own tear-blurred ones. "While you bleed to death, let's tear you limb from limb, why don't we?"
"No!" Ella shrieked, bursting into hysterical tears and screeching at the top of her lungs when the woman stabbed her leg twice more; then, Nimh stood back up, and with yet another fit of maniacal laughter, stomped on her chest. "PLEASE! STOP! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!"
As she wailed, Nimh tossed the dagger aside.
Then she twisted her body and gripped Ella's foot.
And with a savage yank, she snapped her leg at the knee.
Ella screamed so loudly that her throat practically tore itself.
With a savage dart of her head, Nimh opened her feline jaws wide and bit down.
Ella screeched as she was dragged across the carpet by her broken limb, whole body being jerked around by the force of the woman's savage flailing.
The teeth in her skin, coupled with the agony in her shattered bone and severed skin, was horrid.
She began to feel lightheaded.
But then, someone came to her rescue.
With a flash of silver, Nimh was no more and the teeth connected to her jaw slackened. Two arms touched her, and a cry rose up from down the hall.
"Hang on, child," a familiar voice whispered. "I'll heal you.... just hang on."
She lay staring up at the ceiling as her body was suffused in golden light. The pain in her body faded immensely, but she still felt so weak that she could barely move.
Down the hall, a healer was attempting to revive her father, but her view was cut off when she was lifted into Angelo's arms. His rugged face was stained with blood and soot.
"Ella," he breathed, brushing her hair out of her face. "Hang on, sweetheart, I'm getting you out of here!"
She watched through half-conscious eyes as the flames licked up the walls of her home.
Then the halls began to pass, and she was being carried down the stairs through the fire itself.
When Angelo stopped, and abruptly set her down, her eyes widened since she saw two more demons standing above the bodies of several of her family's servants.
Including Macey.
With a savage war cry, Angelo tore at the creatures with the ferocity of a lion, but Ella could only stare at the faces of the people she loved.
Inez... Benita... Thorolf... Nicoli... Old Macey... they lay with their eyes open, covered in blood.
'Get up...' she silently pleaded. 'Get up! Please, everyone, get up and run! It's not too late! Please!'
But she was wrong.
It was indeed too late.
She burst into tears when nobody moved.
Then Angelo was back; dragging her into his arms, he bolted out the front door and charged back into the chaos overtaking their city. The smoke from the fires was blinding: she tried to take a breath, but started coughing and choked since she wasn't able to.
Screams echoed all around her.
Angelo was unexpectedly knocked off balance by someone and Ella dropped to the ground. Before either of them could react, a man was on top of her.
Not a demon, but a man.
Snickering, he slid his hand up her dress, and she screamed when he attempted to pull her underwear down. She scratched and hit at him, but he hit her back.
He full out punched her in the face.
Right around that moment, Amelia came running around the corner. Lifting her hand and letting out a shriek, her palms started glowing bright orange.
Seconds later, two jets of fire exploded out of her fingertips and engulfed the man's head; then she turned it on the man fighting with Angelo, setting his whole body alight.
When he started screaming and began to run around, batting at himself, the psycho trying to molest Ella let go of her to claw at his flaming face and hair.
Amelia took the opportunity to leap forward before he could recuperate and started stomping on his head.
"SHTAY DOWN, DOG!" she screeched, spitting blood out of her mouth with each word; chestnut hair thoroughly disheveled and blue eyes frenzied, she repeatedly kicked his burning head. "SHTAY OFF HER! SHTAY OFF HER! SHTAY OFF HER!"
"Amelia, stop fighting and run!" Angelo angrily bellowed. "You have to get her out of here!"
He was right: their home was falling apart and nothing could save it.
Children who had just been playing were crying their eyes out. Women were screaming and pressing themselves against the nearest walls. Men were shouting, trying to get everyone to safety. The demons were still killing the innocent, leaving none behind. And worst of all... there were still many families trapped inside the burning houses.
The bell ringing in the distance added to the screams rising from every corner of Chisago.
Homes were on fire... memories were going up in flames.
Blood was everywhere.
When Ella curled up into a little ball, crying her eyes out, Amelia worriedly fawned over her.
But then, before their very eyes... burning buildings off in the distance began to collapse.
Amelia's eyes slowly widened behind her glasses as the towering white walls surrounding the city started buckling inward on themselves.
The walls, built hundreds upon hundreds of feet high, imploded with distant rumbles that shook the ground nearly two miles into the city. Then the white stone towers, which were some hundred yards away from the walls, toppled over, smashing houses and stores alike.
Amelia let out a wail when more buildings began to crumble, closer and closer.
"To the clock tower!" Angelo cried, catching their attention. "Run to the clock tower! It's our last line of defense! The guards are holding their ground there, and all of the citizens are being evacuated to the top of it! Run! I'll meet you there!"
Amelia instantly jerked Ella upright by the scruff of her dress.
"Come on!" she sobbed, jerking her around by the shoulder; Ella was dragged out of the way as an object that looked horridly like a rooftop smashed into the ground only a few feet away. "We have to run! The Godsh won't give ush anosher chansh! Let'sh run to the clock tower!"
Ella glanced at all of the collapsing buildings in horror as flaming quarry rained down on them.
She didn't waste any time arguing.
With the city collapsing all around her, she could only run, hand in hand with Amelia. She heard heavy footsteps behind her and assumed that Angelo was following them, but she didn't take the chance of looking over her shoulder to find out.
She bit back her tears as she ran through the city... towards the clock tower.
Their last refuge.
The guards standing before it instantly parted and let them rush inside.
"GET UP TO THE TOP OF THE TOWER!" one of them bellowed. "DIMITRI IS AT THE TOP OF IT!"
"PAPA!" Amelia wailed, bursting into tears of relief. "Let's go, Ella! Papa is in the tower!"
People of all ages fled up the spiraling stairs with them, running for the top of the tower.
Once they arrived, Ella immediately doubled over and fought to catch her breath.
She twitched and looked up in fright when the building abruptly shook on its foundations.
All around her were groups of people, many of whom were injured, and the rest who were sobbing hysterically or panicking.
Amelia instantly spotted her father, the court wizard, standing by the edge of the tower, chanting something under his breath with focused blue eyes.
His gaudy blue robes billowed around him as he stood there.
"What is happening?!" a woman cried, looking at the city below in horror as more buildings began to collapse. Even from so high in the air, with the sound of the bell gonging so loudly in their ears, the screams coming from below were deafening. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
"Demons!" a wounded guard barked, looking up with a calm flick of his eyes when the tower shuddered again. "We're under attack! Demons have overtaken Chisago! We need to move!"
"Where are we going to move?!" one of the other soldiers bellowed before pointing at the burning city below. "The entire town is on fire, and there are bloodthirsty monsters slaughtering people down there! Those are our families! Our friends! How in the name of Asgrog's forge are we going to get out of this place?! And where can we go?!"
"We'll hold our ground!" Dimitri coldly told them, shooting everyone a glare. "This is our city. No matter what happens, as long as we survive, we can rebuild... and with me here, those filthy creatures won't make it within a hundred yards of this tower. Let them try."
Ella scooted over to the wall and stared off into space, shivering violently. Then she lowered her eyes and looked at her blood-stained white dress.
Lifting the shredded silk, she examined her side and her leg.
The wounds had been closed, but only to the point where they'd stopped bleeding externally. Her entire leg was scarred and bleeding beneath the skin from what she could see.
Amelia noticed this and gasped, tearing over to her father.
"PAPA!" she cried, shaking his robes; he turned and looked down at her, but when she opened her mouth to speak, blood ran down her chin and she choked on it.
His eyes instantly jolted open wide and he clutched her face with both hands.
"Amy!" he gasped, falling to his knees and looking at her mouth. "Baby, what happened?!"
"My thongue!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It hurths..."
Dimitri Von Dolan's eyes narrowed in unholy fury and he gently waved his arm.
"Open your mouth," he commanded, hands exploding with golden light. "Now."
When Amelia did as he said, Dimitri touched the wounded organ with gentle fingers and closed his eyes. Within minutes, her partially severed tongue had been completely healed.
"Thanksh," she whispered, breaking down into tears; lunging forward, she embraced her father tightly, then pulled back and gestured at Ella. "But Papa, Ella's hurt! She's hurt real bad!"
"Let me see," he muttered, hurrying over and lifting her dress; his eyes widened when he saw the extent of the damage, as well as the shoddy healing job. "Gods... even if I heal this, I won't be able to prevent it from scarring up, and her muscles are damaged beyond repair."
"She'll be all right though, right, Papa?" Amelia asked, voice growing fuzzier and fuzzier.
"I don't know, sweetheart... I don't know..."
Ella's mind began to drift away from the visions. Like smoke, they began to blur... and she fell away from herself, cascading down through darkness.
She felt a flash of lucidity strike her, then, and with a jolt she realized she wasn't five years old and that everything she'd just seen had already happened.
"Well," someone said in a low, growling tone. "I wasn't expecting to see something so interesting... nor did I realize who you were. This is a development I didn't foresee."
"Who... are you?" Ella whispered, staring at the darkness with a hollow sensation in her chest. "Why did you do this to me?"
"You already know who I am, little mortal woman," the voice hissed. "I did this because I felt it was necessary. And I will continue doing it until I know what threats you pose to my people. Every night."
"I hate you," Ella whispered, closing her eyes as she drowned in the black.
"Good."
With that last word, everything went completely black and she lost consciousness.