My muscles ached in protest from the hours of intense training today.

  I finally finished my fifth session before leaving my father's training site, not caring that he may scold me for leaving the training site without him being aware.

  He's been harder on me and my younger brother Cyrus about communicating our whereabouts after our mother passed. He became more protective of us after we lost her. I was five when I witnessed her final moments.

  She died shortly after Cyrus' birth. Her body being extremely weak and fragile while carrying him, and during labor she gave everything she could for him to make it - including her own life.

  My father Roman hasn't been the same since his wife, our mother Nadia gave her final breath pushing out his son. The people of Autumvale, our hometown hosted a ceremony honoring her death.

  I pushed down the tears at the memory, taking a deep breath not wanting to dwell on that thought for long.

  My muscles ached again reminding of the day I've as I reached the staircase leading up to top floor where my room was. I ascended the steps passing Cyrus on the way up.

  "Tired already sis?", "You're slowing down already in your old age", he teased.

  "I'm only 22 Cyrus", I said rolling my eyes continuing up the steps. "Besides, I could still easily take you down regardless if I'm sore or not."

  "Maybe, but I'd make you work for it" he said

  chuckling.

  "Mhm", I hummed not wanting to indulge in his teasing any longer. I got to my room letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding and shut the door, clicking the lock.

  A white reflecting light catches my eye from my room window, I walked closer to it finding peace in the full moon tonight and watching the people of Autumnvale slowly disperse to their homes.

  We were grateful to have a leader like my father constantly giving his all to our small town, sometimes I don't understand how he did at times but I still try my best to support and help my father, despite my own mental struggles.

  Backing away from the window I headed to my bathroom across my room turning on the shower, relishing in the sound of the water hitting the tiles. I undressed examining my body in the mirror.

  My long black hair fell down to my stomach, almost covering my breasts, which seemed to be getting heavier. Not that I was complaining at all. My gray, silver eyes traveled down and I cursed silently grimacing at the painful bruise on my rib I got at the training site earlier today from my father.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  I casted the negative thought to the side glancing at my flat, toned stomach and hips that had a nice curve to them, something I was very proud of to have as woman. The mirror started to fog and form droplets due to the steaming shower and I decided to get in.

  My head went first wetting my hair and the rest of my body followed. A low moan rumbled in my throat as I closed my eyes letting the hot water wash away the dirt and sweat from me. My shower lasted a bit longer than I planned but it was very much needed. Soon I was laying across my bed face down enjoying the quiet.

  Or at least what I thought was quiet until I heard a distant boom outside. My suspicion didn't raise until a second one sounded causing me to snatch my knife under my pillow and dash to my window. I looked out to the right hoping Cyrus wasn't in the town's shed experimenting with gunpowder's again.

  What I saw on the left made my heart drop. Fire was spreading quickly in our small town. No, no, no I thought as fear spiked through me. I was outside in an instant frantically looking for my father and brother.

  The people of Autumnvale were screaming and running, trying to carry valuables and their loved ones with them. Tears stung my eyes threatening to spill but I kept them at bay trying to panic and breakdown amongst the chaos around me.

  "Serena!" My father shouted, I whirled sound spotted him running towards me. He shouted for me to grab who I can and evacuate as soon as possible. I couldn't understand him too well because if the screaming and bombs destroying our town.

  "Where's Cyrus?!" I shouted back at him. "Can't find him" my father responded. My tears fell from his response. Cyrus was missing....

  "I'll keep looking for him, you help evacuate as many people as you can" he ordered. I looked away from him shaking my head. "Who did this?" I cried choking out a sob, taking in the horrible scene of fire and death brought on Autumnvale.

  "I don't know" he responded keeping his expression as calm as possible, trying his best not to break in front of me. "How many exits are open?," I asked. "Only two now" he answered, eyes scanning the destruction.

  "The nearest one is down that way," I looked to where he pointed to the one leading into the forest Autumnvale was hidden by. "Don't wait for me when you reach it." he said causing my eyes to snap back to his. I opened my mouth to protest but his hard expression told me nothing I could say would change his mind.

  My father took my head in his large hands, and I closed my eyes as he leaned down pressing a kiss to my forehead whispering an I love you. I opened my eyes to say it back but he was already gone.

  Another explosion snapped me back to reality. I found the nearest family to me, urging them towards the exit as my father instructed. We passed a mother with her child on the way up. I stopped going back and pulling them with me. "Go! Keep moving —head to the forest! Don't stop!" I yelled. The mother nodded frantically clutching her baby to her chest, following the family ahead. I turned helped other families trapped from fallen debris, trapped inside their homes, and around the spreading fire.

  I don't know how many people I had with me now, but we were close to the exit, almost escaping the ambush. I glanced over my shoulder double checking for any survivors, when I heard the familiar sound of the flaming ball of fire. It came down in front us so fast I didn't see it till it exploded the exit front of us.

  The shockwave sent my body flying into distant fallen trees. I couldn't hear as smoke and fire clouded my vision and lungs which were now aching as I looked around for the families I tried to evacuate but couldn't see them. I knew they met their end when I smelled burning flesh from the fireball hurled at us. A painful groan left me as I tried stand, but my body was too weak. I grabbed my side that was pierced with a spiked piece of wood. Blood gushed I as pressed on the wound hoping to stop the blood flow.

  My head was spinning as I looked around to see if anyone was left to help me. Instead I was met with the raging fire that has now consumed our entire town. My breaths became more and more shallow as I fought to stay conscious. I laid back into the large trunk of the tree I was blown into, not attempting to stand anymore.

  I silently promised myself that if I survived this, I would find and kill those responsible for this ambush.

  I would kill those who blew up Autumn and everything in it.

  I would kill those who took my brother.

  And I would kill those who killed my father.