Chapter 2 Chapter 2

After ten minutes or so, I came to the conclusion that the blood was not coming out of my top. It didn't bother me in the slightest though. 

I was just about to make my way back inside when a scream erupted. It wasn't a baby's scream and nor was it coming from Jack and Lola's house. I instantly got to my feet and pricked my ears only to hear another and another and then a whole flood of chaos and panic. 

"What's going on?" I asked Magnus as I saw him marching across the square.

"We're under attack," he announced in a deep, sincere tone. "Get to safety now."

I felt that sinking feeling in my stomach, the sort you'd get with bad news and intense fear put together, as I watched hell break loose in front of me. Children  screamed and ran, parents clung tightly to their babies, terror flashed in everybody's eyes. Some of them had lived through Halimede's last attack; I could only imagine the dread their memories must have filled them wihth.

Running away was never my style but before I did anything, I had to ensure that the newborn baby, her parents and her aunt were safe.

"You have to leave now," I said bursting back into the house. "The village is being attacked."

They could already hear the events outside but it was the confirmation of my words that got every heart in the room racing. 

"Leave everything behind and run!" I ordered. 

They immediately snapped into action as I watched anxiously out of the window at the square. There was no sign of the invaders yet but the screams and growls were forever growing louder. Jack lifted Lola into his arms as she clung to their little child and Annalisa flung open the back door. 

"What about you, Luna?" she asked as Jack carried his family out.

"I have to stay here," I said. "Go."

She nodded and only hesitated for a second longer before following Jack and Lola. I watched them disappear into the forest before turning back to the square. What I saw quaked me to the bone. 

Men marching like machines into the village. Pummeling everything in their way. I didn't have the Praesidium Deae Astra- only a kitchen knife that I found in the draw. 

"Shitting hell," I hissed as I looked at the blunt, rusty tool and thought longingly of my paralysing knife. Of all the days to forget it.

I gave my self a second or two to push my fear aside before striding out into the square. I immediately noticed a little boy curled up rocking backwards and forwards by the water pump. A short wall blocked him from the sight of the invaders who were busy kicking down doors of houses and dragging their occupants out before setting alight to their every possession. The thought was heart-wrenching but the smoke provided me enough cover to reach the boy without being seen.

I slid beside him and out the sight of me he jumped and began to let out loud wails of woe. He was about five, six at the oldest and tears ran like blood down his cheeks.

"My Mommy," he sobbed. "My Daddy."

"Sssh," I said bringing my hand to his mouth. "You have to be quiet, okay?"

He screwed up his little face and although the tears still fell, they fell silently.

"We are going to get you to safety, okay? What is your name?" I asked.

"Teddy," he replied in a broken voice.

"Okay, Teddy. Can you take my hand?" I asked.

He nodded, wiped his eyes and took my hand.

"Now we are going to run as fast as we can. Can you do that for me?" 

He nodded again.

"Okay, let's go," I said before getting to my feet and pulling him with me. We raced across the square and in-between a gap in the houses. So far no one seemed to have seen us but we still had another street to cross before we got to the forest. 

"Teddy!" I heard a woman's voice cry.

"Mum?!" he replied. "Mummy!"

I turned my head to see a woman sprinting down the street in our direction. Just as she reached but ten metres away she was brought to a sudden halt. One of the beasts causing this evil had knocked her to the ground and was stood menacingly above her.

I grabbed Teddy, pushed his head into my side and slammed my hand over his mouth before pulling us both behind one of the houses. I closed my eyes and clung to the child as I heard his mother let out what I feared to be her final scream. I wasn't sure if the man had seen us, I wasn't sure if he could hear Teddy's muffled wails over the sounds of the village's destruction. He was young but old enough to understand. When I was confident the man had moved on to his next victim, I lifted the distraught boy into my arms ensuring that I kept his eyes down before hurrying across the street. He'd heard it and he didn't need to see it too. I couldn't even bring myself to look at what I knew was true for fear it would haunt me forever and I've never met the woman and I'm not five years old.

We reached the edge of the forest without any further obstacles and I ran for a few minutes before putting Teddy back on the floor.

"Keep running, Teddy. Don't look back for anything," I told him. "I have to go back and save as many as I can but I will find and you and you will be okay. I promise."

"My Mama always says I should never go in the forest alone," he sobbed.

"Your Mama is right but you are not alone," I replied. "I am here now and I will be back soon. Now run."

He nodded.

"Yes," he uttered before turning on his heel and running with more courage than I'd ever seen in a fully grown adult.