A Collection of Fantasy and Science Fiction Short Stories - Special ...

Aken began to run towards his home but I wrapped myself around him and pulled
him back with all of my might. “No! It’s under attack. If you go over there you’ll get
yourself killed.” He struggled against me and I did the only thing I could think of to keep
him from leaving. I kicked him straight between the legs.
His body crumpled to the ground, his face twisted in a silent scream. I whispered
an apology and dragged him over to some bushes. “We need to stay hidden. The attackers
probably don’t know you weren’t in there.” I felt him nodding beside me, and we lay
there for hours, well after the screams died down and the sun came up. I used my
firemagic to raise my body temperature and stayed close to Aken so that he wouldn’t
freeze. I didn’t like the closeness of our bodies, but I bore with it as I didn’t want him to
die, even if he was foolish.
When it seemed like the attackers were not going to return, Aken and I cautiously
made our way toward the burnt ruins. It was amazing that just yesterday the manor had
been standing perfect and tall, bustling with life as people traveled in and out. Now it had
been defeated, its insides ripped out and burned. We saw many bodies littering the
ground, most of them burnt so badly that they were unrecognizable. I nearly vomited
several times and was surprised when Aken showed no signs of it bothering him.
He walked through the maze of debris and bodies, carefully looking at each thing.
I realized that he must have been looking for answers. Why this had been done, if his
family was alive, what valuable things had been destroyed or stolen. He was quiet
through it all, his clenched fists the only sign whatever contained emotions he was
feeling.
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