The smoke burned in my lungs.
I ran through shadows and flames, dodging bodies, frantic footsteps, and screams of horror. The village was drowning in chaos. Burning houses, wood splintering, warriors ripping doors from their hinges, dragging out anyone in their path. Their faces were twisted, unrecognizable, consumed by the thirst for vengeance.
I knew them. They had fought by my side. They had been my brothers.
Now they were beasts.
I slipped between them, moving fast. I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t think of anything except her.
The cabin appeared before me, untouched. Still hidden among the trees, just beyond the fire’s reach.
Not for long.
I picked up my pace, dodging a warrior wielding a machete, his eyes lost in the frenzy of the raid. He didn’t see me. Didn’t recognize me.
I did
