A scream tore through the dream like a cw across the throat.
Eyes snapped open into darkness. Beyond the window — a filthy orange pulsing glow. The nose was hit with the stench of smoke, singed hair, and something cloyingly sweet that made the stomach clench.
The heart hammered as if it wanted to break free.
“Mom…?”
Silence. Only the crackle of fire and distant, already broken wails.
Another cry came from the street — not fear, but realization: this was going to hurt terribly, and it was going to st a long time.
I ran to the window. Fingers trembled on the sill.
The world had ended.
The vilge was burning. Roofs colpsed with wet, sucking sounds, throwing out sparks and bck smoke. People crawled along the street. Someone dragged a leg, leaving a dark trail. Someone clutched a charred bundle to their chest — once a child.
And among them moved they.
Tall, hunched shadows with obsidian horns. The spears in their hands weren’t weapons — they were extensions of bone, crusted with dried blood. Eyes — dull crimson coals.
One of the demons stopped over a fallen woman. Slowly drew a cw across her cheek, licked a drop of blood from his finger — as if tasting wine. Another growled something in broken, guttural speech — short, gloating. The third simply stood and watched. And smiled.
My legs buckled.
“DRAKE!”
Father’s voice cut through the chaos like a bde.
He stood in the doorway. Bow drawn. A fresh streak of blood on his cheek. Not his.
“To me. Now.”
I burst outside.
Heat smmed into my face. Hair crackled. Nearby a roof colpsed — a dying rasp still came from under the debris.
Father grabbed my shoulder — hard, bones grinding.
“Run to the forest. Don’t look back.”
“What about Mom?!”
“We’ll find her. Move.”
The ground shuddered.
Out of the smoke stepped an ogre.
Taller than a house. Skin covered in ulcers. Tusks the length of a forearm. In one paw — a human femur, still clinging to shriveled tendons.
He saw me.
He smiled.
And charged.
My feet froze to the ground.
Father was already moving.
Sidestep. Knife fshed — short, precise.
The bde sank under the chin. Bck blood gushed — thick, reeking of rust. The ogre roared. Father didn’t pause.
Second strike — into the eye socket. Crunch. The eyeball dangled on the nerve. Third — into the throat. The artery burst with a wet pop.
The ogre colpsed, still twitching.
Father wasn’t even breathing hard.
“Run.”
We sprinted down the street.
Father moved ahead — fast, no wasted motion. I struggled to keep up.
Ahead — Mom.
She was running. Dress torn. Left arm hanging useless. Blood dripping from her fingers.
“Drake!”
The st spark of hope in her voice.
The air sang.
Whistle.
An arrow punched between her shoulder bdes. The tip burst out the front, below the sternum.
Mom stopped.
Looked down at the shaft.
Then at me.
Silence.
Her legs gave way.
Father caught her.
Blood poured over his hands — hot, dark.
“No… hold on…”
She lifted her gaze.
First to him.
Then to me.
Her lips moved — no sound.
Her hand touched my cheek. Fingers left a wet smear.
“Drake…”
Her voice was already just air.
“Stay… kind…”
Her hand fell.
Father froze.
The world went mute.
He gently lowered her to the ground — onto mud mixed with ash and blood.
He stood.
His eyes — alien. Dead.
“Drake.”
The voice was a blow.
“Run.”
“Dad…”
“Remember what I taught you.”
He turned.
Walked toward the demons.
An arrow flew. One dropped, clutching his throat. Another — straight into an eye. Skull cracked.
But there were too many.
A spear struck his side. Came out the other.
Father coughed — bright, frothy blood.
I screamed.
The sound drowned.
Another spear — into the thigh. He dropped to one knee.
A demon stepped closer.
Father still tried to rise.
I turned.
And ran.
Branches shed my face. Feet slipped on wet grass.
Behind me — heavy footsteps.
I looked back.
Between the trees burned red eyes.
The demon followed.
Unhurried.
As though he knew — there was nowhere to run.