Cera

The world shook as a roar echoed through the canyons, and the mountains, and the hills of Cera. Shouts and screams could be heard as the tall, magnificent castle towers began to fall. Hundreds of villagers that surrounded the castle began to run in fear of losing their breaths. The king and queen, who were enjoying a simple, calm night who were suddenly struck by fear as their bodies shook with the life they had built up into a palace. The princess that had a cauldron of fire next to her legs, with letters in her hand, watched as her pot of heat fell over and caught her rug in endless fire. Beginning to stumble; the princess quickly standing up and running out of her tower she called home. She ran down the hallway with trembling feet and wild eyes. 

“Father! Mother!” The king and queen heard their child calling but they were already outside the castle. The princess watched in fear as the gates chains melted and it began to fall down closing any escape for the girl. Guards saw the princess, then the gate. They began running towards the castle once again but in vain, the gate slammed down before either party could make it underneath the solid metal. The princess screamed and grabbed the metal bars. 

Her hands were scorched and she stared at them for a moment before looking into her parent’s eyes with fear and panic. She slowly realized that there was nothing to be done, she had wished to be free but now that she had that… 

The king and queen watched slowly in sorrow, their daughter turns away from them and straight into the hot, white blaze. The queen lost all control from the few tears running down her cheeks to sobs and calls towards her daughter. And that was the day that Cera lost their princess. 

2 years later 

Nobody paid attention to the small girl who weaved her way through the crowd of people. She grunted as a large man bumped into her side, she winced at the pain looking down at her hands, then put her head up and kept going. Finally pushed out of the current of people the girl entered a small tent that sat in the middle of a village called Frane just outside of Cera. 

The girl sighed and put down her bag, the top opened and out spilled food that she had stolen from the small market. Laying down on her mat that she made herself; she opened her eyes and put all of her attention to her gloved hands. The black cotton that covered her small delicate fingers held a mystery that the girl would never tell. She stared at her fingers as if she was asking them why she lived this way. Lost to world, the girl found herself in her mind – all alone with her thoughts. 

Villagers bustled about, moving through their kingdom, hundreds of people held tightly onto their baskets or children as they moved through the crowd. But up above, someone that no one could see was watching them. The girl sat on her window sill, her hands were moving simultaneously with her small loom as her eyes followed the people that looked small and insignificant below her, tears fell softly onto her worn-out dress; her silky hair falling onto her waist. 

“My daughter, why are you despaired?” Her father walked through the door, his hand still holding onto the handle. The girl put on a smile and faced her father. 

“Nothing father, I am well.” Her father held a soft smile that was gentle and soft, which surprised most people since he was like a giant. He entered her room and he walked up to his pride and joy and put his hand on her cheek. “You cannot hide your feelings from me my little light.” The girl smiled at her nickname he has called her since she was born. 

“It’s just,” the girl sighed and looked out the window again. “Why can’t I leave? And go to the village?” It was her father’s turn to sigh and put his massive hands on his daughter’s shoulders. 

“You know it’s dangerous, with all of these bandits running around, my first job is to keep you safe.” The girl nodded, her eyes welling up in tears. 

“Of course father, I understand.” The man gently took her chin to look at him. 

“I love you my little light, don’t ever forget that. And I’ll always be there for you.” The girl nodded with a smile on her face as she was filled with warmth and comfort as her father took her hand and they walked out of her room, hand in hand. 

The girl was awoken from her memories by a scream. She instantly stood up and went to investigate this mysterious scream. She stepped out of her tent to see the fire. Her little village was being attacked by bandits. This was the fifth attack this week. She watched as they threw another torch onto a tent. The girls face turned into something of pure hatred. 

Something built inside of her, resentment and anger. She told herself quietly that she wouldn’t let this happen; not anymore, she was going to end this once and for all. She ran around her tent and began running around her camp, she snuck behind one of the bandits and knocked him out dragging him around the tent. All that the bandits could see was a red blur before their eyes gave out and blackness covered them in their sleep. She did this to 10 other bandits, knocking them all out, and hiding them. But then she came in front of a bandit who held a torch. 

“So you’re the one who has been taking out all of my men.” His voice was dark and hoarse as if he was trying to sallow a rock that was lodged in his throat. 

“You shouldn’t have made it so easy.” Her voice was scratchy as if she hadn’t talked in a long time. Her face was cold and shut down as his had a smile that made her cringe on the inside. His head suddenly cocked sideways; then looked back at her with eyes filled with chaos. 

“Tell me, do you like fire?” He said waving his torch around like it was a simple child’s toy that couldn’t hurt anyone. A stupid grin covered his face, making the girl just want to slap him and wipe it off. 

“I’ve been burned before, your little torch doesn’t scare me.” She kept a cool façade on her face but just looking at the fire brought back such terrible memories. The bandit smirked at her and began circling around her. She followed his movements and jumped when he pretended he was about to attack. Her glare was deepening at his antics, she was becoming even more annoyed by the minute. He finally came out at her with his sword on full thrust. She blocked with her small dagger, she turned her body around and jumped back from the bandit. He thrust his flame towards her body. She froze. Bright flashes covered her eyes, and even though nobody else could see. She saw fire. 

What she saw was an endless fire abyss that developed you in, told you that you were welcome in their fiery arms, then slowly once you trusted it, the unfathomable inferno would torture you, but you can’t leave, you’re already one of them and they trap you for eternity. 

Waking up with a familiar pain on her stomach. Taking a deep breath, there it was. The white-hot blaze she remembered, it hadn’t changed one bit. The bandit stared in shock as the girl didn’t react to the hot blaze he stabbed her with. 

“I told you, I’ve been burned before. That was nothing to me. You are nothing to me. You are like a worm; small and pathetic. Go back underground where you belong.” She punched the bandit in the face knocking him out. She was surprised then when she heard cheers from the townspeople as they all came out of hiding from the houses that were still standing. Then from all sides, a swarm of Cera’s castle guards came into the village. 

“We heard your village was being attacked, the king sent us to save you.” One of the guards said. 

“We do not need you to save us,” the elder of the girl’s village stepped forward, “We have already been saved from these relentless attacks by this young lady right here.” He waved an arm towards the girl. The guards look towards the girl, standing with an exposed stomach with burns, hair that looked like fire, and gloves that were singed revealed scars covering her palms. 

Anybody could see that her hands had been burned before, but what had burned them? Was the question that floated through head and head of everyone surrounding the girl. 

“Who are you girl?” The Captain asked but before she could even think of speaking, a voice from the back of the guards spoke up. 

“None of you recognize her? Not even by her hands.” The guard stepped forward and everyone saw the youngest warrior in the King’s guard, but one of the most skilled. The Young Warrior stepped forward and looked the girl in the eyes. They held eye contact, neither of them blinked as the villagers held their breath, wondering who their savior was. Only the elder saw the electricity that flowed through the Young Warrior’s eyes and the mysterious girl that none of the villagers recognized. 

“Well, who is she, boy?” The Captain interrupted, the Young Warrior dragged his eyes slowly away from the girls. It was like the world was paused in slow motion, however, neither the Warrior or the Savior wanted the world to speed up again. The Warrior turned and faced the crowd. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your savior, Princess Cera.”