The Omega: The Sceptre Of Halydon

chapter three

CHADYL

"Mother!" I screamed as I ran into our burning hut. "Cressida!" Where was my mother and my sister? The whole village was in disarray, our people were fleeing, some were getting torched alive.

Who was doing this to our people? Why would they do this? My heart pounding and my body quivering in apprehension. My friends and I had gone for an afternoon swimming and fishing, only to return to find this.

"Mother! Cressida!" Oh Phoenix Mother, please let them be fine. But even as I searched for them in every nook and cranny of our hut, I could not find them.

I ran outside, confused on how and where to start finding them.

"Burn the witches and wizards, burn them all! The Alpha said to burn them and bring anyone who managed to survive as slaves." I heard someone shout from the distance.

The Alpha? What have we done to deserve this from that cruel Alpha of Dark Crystal pack? Why would he order his men on us? It was no news he hated our clan but it was not enough reason for him to attack without justification.

I tried not to be seen and hoped that my family was alright. I had no idea how long I searched for but I finally saw then, they were hiding in one of the old stables, they covered themselves in hay.

"Chadyl." I heard a familiar voice whisper yell, I took two steps back and saw it was my mother beckoning on me.

I was overjoyed seeing her, and the fact she was fine. "Where's Cressida?"

"I'm here." Cressida waved, then waved me over. "Quick Chadyl, come in before they see you."

"Hey, you." A voice called, I froze in my spot. I wanted to run but I could not because my mother and sister were there, I needed to protect them. And I could not join them, it would only expose them more.

I glanced to see they had quickly covered themselves again. I turned to the guard. "What do you want with me?"

I was hit with a stick from behind, I fell from the impact and scraped my knee. A guard was at my back. "You dare question us?!" The one who had hit me bellowed.

"I only asked a question." I was hit again and soon, both of the guards began to beat me mercilessly with their sticks.

I tasted blood, and my body hurt badly.

I heard subdued crying from the hay, even the guards heard it too and stopped. "Someone is there."

No, I could not let them get my family. Cressida was the one crying, I knew. She never had the mind to see me or mother in pain, she was quite emotional. "No." I managed to stand but one beat me down with a stick.

I tried again, and managed to get up. I grabbed one of them, pulling him away from my family. I limped to their front, attempting to block their path. "S-stay a-away..."

I was pushed aside, and hit again. As one of them were about to walk into the dilapidated stable, and scatter the dried hay, a huge portion of the fodder flew into his eyes. Mother grabbed Cressida who kicked him hard, he screamed.

I tackled the second one and through sheer luck or maybe the Phoenix Mother was with me, was able to overpower him and get his stick. I hit him as many times as I could. "Run both of you!" I directed the yell to my mother and sister.

"Let's go together." Cressida insisted.

I knew it was not going to be possible to run with them, the guards would chase us. I needed to be the distraction while they escaped. "No. Go! Mother take Cressida and get out of here! It's too risky."

She grabbed Cressida who cried that she did not want to leave me alone, and they fled. The guard I was hitting pressed my rib side and I screamed, I had a bruise there when they had been hitting me.

"You stupid wizard, I'll show you." He rolled out of my attacks with his stick and extended his legs to kick me. Holding my ribcage, I lost balance and fell. He pounced on me again, and hit me with more viciousness this time.

"Your family almost blinded me." A strong kick landed on my stomach, I grunted in pain. The guard who had hay thrown into his eyes was back, and the revenge in his voice was unmistakable.

I could not fight them anymore. I was weak, tired and battered. The hard strokes of the sticks, and kicks I was receiving was making me feel powerless and on the verge of death.

"It's enough. Let's take him to where the few captives are." One of the guards finally said.

They picked me up and roughly pulled me to where the others were held, my heart broke as I watched the place I'd called home all my life crumble into destruction.

"Chadyl!!!" My heart pounded when I turned to see one of my friends crying for my help.

He was being tied to the stake, dried twigs at his feet. "No...no.." I tried to struggle to be free from their grasp but I was too weak to even win that small battle, they hit me again.

I screamed when the torch kissed the twigs and fire spread instantly, I could only watch in horror as fire ate every part of my best friend up. Tears fell when I remembered his parents had met the same cruel fate when he was just four.

He had vowed to one day seek vengeance but that was never going to be possible. "You're evil! You and your Alpha!" That earned me another brutal hit of their sticks, I did not care.

Our village was just a small settlement of witches and wizards who had been seen as the cursed type, and were chased out of the main Phoenix clan. Take myself for example, I was a wizard who had no powers.

Rikko, my best friend, was said to had brought his parents who were very powerful witch and wizard bad luck. Cressida had grown a small, strange wart just below her chin and she had been accused of having dark powers, they had thrown both of us out, mother had gone with us both.

"Let's go!" The men had dragged me to where the other captives were.

My eyes still on the burnt figure of Rikko, I struggled to hold back tears. "I'll seek that vengeance for you, Rikko."