• "No! D-don't come any closer! S-stay away f-from me! Ahhhhh!" I screamed.
    "Aeva Evangale. You have...ssstolen sssomething very dear to me. The heart that ssssleepss within the marked one will wake sssoon and with it the Angelic Dessstroyer. That heart sssshall be mine." ???
    "Ahhhh! L-leave me alone!" I exclaimed. Someone shouted my name in the distance of my inner prison. "Aeva!" I looked in all directions but nothing except flame, darkess and lingering souls overwhelmed this place. Yet again the voice shouted, "Aeva! Wake up!"
    "W-who are you?! What do you want from me?!" I replied. Then as if someone had pulled me back from the grave, the prison walls shattered and light filtered through my sullen, waking eyes. A hazey figure soon appeared in the corner of my eye. "Aeva, are you alright? You were screaming all night long." Johann's voice seemed to have great concern riding upon it as he spoke. His worried face now came into view as my vision returned.

    "W-what happened? The children!! I must-"
    "The children are fine, you saved them last night. A reckless action I might add. What the hell were you thinking?! We could've lost you!" He said with his anger rising.
    "I-i'm sorry. I-I had to protect them, they were going to die if I didn't!" I reasoned
    "Don't worry about it now. You're safe thanks to the general's quick thinking. He ordered me to take you and the children to safey in this forest. It almost cost us the battle but our own reinforcements came, luckly."
    I looked around to notice large trees and a small creek surrounding the area. The children were to my left, still sleeping next to the fire as Johann was kneeling beside me with medical herbs. I reached for an agonizing pain in my spine that kept me from getting up. When I touched it, the stinging sensations ripped through my entire body. "Augh! This wound, it-"
    "Relax! As you pulled your little stunt, an arrow went straight into your back. Luckly, it missed your spinal cord. I'm surprized you're alive. You should feel better in an hour or so."

    Another horn sounded in the distance. This time however, it was slightly different. A distress call? "That's the general's call! This is bad. There's smoke coming just beyond the entrace of the forest. Where the village was. I have to go." Johann muttered.
    "You can't just leave me here defenseless! What if the Desmair find our camp? What then?" I asked.
    "I'll be back I promise." He said as he hurdled onto his horse and rode off to the village.
    "Damnit! He can't be taking off like that." I said. My eyes shifted back to the sleeping children, when I noticed a glowing mark on the boys left arm. The signia of the Royals.