"Ugh, these logs are so heavy-uh."

Lilly adjusted the cumbersome thatched bag, which hung loosely off her back; the straps dug into her tiny arms, irritating her skin. Her discomfort and exhaustion weren't helped by the hot, humid atmosphere of the forest. The suffocating air combined with the pungent smell of alcohol emanating from the nearby streams was nauseating.

"Quit Complaining already. We're almost back!"

Matthias pointed in front of him to a narrow dirt path which cut through the dense spruce treeline, illuminated by the blinding white glow of the midday sun.

"Anyway, if you hate hauling firewood so much, why'd you ask to help me in the first place? I'd be better off on my own without you slowing me down and complaining non-stop."

"Hmph! Quit being such a jerk! You're lucky I asked to help you at all! A gentleman like Alex would never make a fair young girl like me carry all this wood by myself he-woah WAH!"

Not paying attention, Lilly slipped on a small wooden branch beneath her feet and began plummeting towards one of the streams bordering the small dirt path, arm flailing.

"I got you!"

Fortunately, Matthias managed to grab Lilly's hand just before she plummeted into the shallow stream below.

"Are you some sort of idiot?! That's an alcohol stream. You're an Aurecan! You could have died if you'd fallen in!"

"And whose fault is that? Maybe if you had offered to carry some of my wood, I wouldn't have tripped and almost fallen in!"

Lilly could feel Matthias staring daggers at her, his feral brown eyes burning a hole in her soul. She could practically taste the animosity oozing from every pore in his body in the air.

"Maybe you'd like it if I pushed you into that stream and left you there, instead you good-for-nothing slack-off!"

"Y-You know, on second thought, I should apologise. I'll keep carrying my wood. Sorry for complaining!"

The two continued on the dry dirt path back to their village. Lilly opted to keep quiet for the rest of the walk to avoid shortening Matthias' already short fuse and winding up buried somewhere in the forest where no one could find her.

* * *

"Ahh, freedom at last!"

Lilly breathed a sigh of relief as she and Matthias dumped their firewood into a pile outside of Matthias' family home. They each stretched their backs, relieving their sore muscles; Lilly, in particular, had it pretty rough, there were red marks on her arms where the abrasive straps of the basket had scratched her skin, and her spine felt like it was going to shatter into pieces.

"Remind me to never ask you for help with anything, ever. Hearing you complain for half an hour was worse than having to lug all that wood back with me."

"Hey! That's not fair; you're used to doing this! And I'm a girl; it's easier for you to carry stuff than it is for me!"

"Matthias, honey? Are you being mean to Lilly again?"

An older female voice came from inside the rickety log cabin. Suddenly, a devilish smile grew on Lilly's face, a smile Matthias knew all too well, a smile that meant she was plotting something.

"Oh yes, Mrs Ronsdadt! Matthias was very mean to me; he called me an idiot and said he'd push me into the stream when we were in the forest; it really hurt my feelings!"

Lilly had just used a masterful strategy, one that she had used many times against Matthias with great effect, by twisting facts and presenting them in such a way that they would make an innocent person look like a devious scumbag.

"I-I didn-"

Matthias was about to rebuke the claims, but he realised he couldn't because what Lilly had said was, technically, the truth. He had fallen for a trap he hadn't even known was set.

"Matthias! That's not very nice! You should know not the treat your friends like that!"

"But, mum! She was complaining the whole way through and almost fell. She was being completely useless!"

"I'm not useless"

Lilly began the next phase of her attack; she began to fake sob loudly, all while staring at Matthias with a sinister grin. It was an award-winning performance, to be sure. No one would expect that such an innocent cinnamon roll of a little girl was actually a devious deceptive monster.

"Matthias! Lilly is a young girl. You should have known she wouldn't be able to carry that much! I think you owe Lilly an apology!"

Matthias paused for a second; his flustered expression turned to a scowl.

"You're a jerk"

He muttered before running off into the village square. Lilly's smug satisfaction turned to guilt. She knew she had pushed it a bit too far.

"M-Matthias! Come back!"

"I was only joking! I didn't mean to make you upset!"

She called out to him as she searched for him in the sea of wooden and brick-built homes, but she was unable to locate him, defeated she slumped down next to the tall Greystone town hall.

"I really messed up, didn't I?"

"What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore" "What if he hates me?" she thought. She whispered to herself. Tears began to form in her eyes, and she pulled her knees up to her chest, sulking on her own.

"Boo"

"Wah!"

A loud whisper tickled the inside of her ear, causing her to recoil back in shock. She looked to see Matthias laughing hysterically, steadying himself against the wall next to her, trying desperately to catch his breath between snorts.

"H-Hey! I was looking all over for you. I really thought I upset you!"

She stomped over to Matthias, who was still trying desperately to stop laughing. She puffed her cheeks and began ramming her fists into Matthias' arm, just hard enough to sting but not hard enough to actually do any damage.

"I was really worried about you! I thought you really were upset. I was scared that you had run off or something. I thought that...

She paused, lowering her head, hiding her face under her short white bangs.

"I thought you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore."

She nervously awaited his reply. Matthias extended his left hand and flicked Lilly on the forehead with his index finger.

"O-Ow!"

"Idiot!"

He said in a semi-playful tone.

"You may be annoying, useless, and a big jerk sometimes, but we made a promise, right? Friends, forever and ever, never break the pact, or you'll be turned into a rat, and I'm just sayin' I don't want to be a rat."

"You don't want to be turned into a rat....that's the only reason?"

"Well, would you want to be turned into a rat?"

"No, ya jerk! I was expecting something like 'and I would never want to lose you as a friend'. God, I'm surprised Wendy likes you. You're literally the most unromantic boy ever."

"I was kidding...and what the heck was that supposed to mean?! If anyone is unromantic, it's you. You daydream about Alex so much you almost died because of it! Imagine going on a date with him and falling off a cliff because you were too busy ogling!"

"Well excuse me fo-"

"Hey, Matthias, Lilly, what's up!"

A voice called out to the two interrupting their argument. They turned their heads to see a tall blonde boy with deep blue eyes, about 2 years older than the two, walking briskly towards them while waving.

"Speak of the devil, ey?"

"Sup, Alex!"

"Sup, Matthias! How's the Academy been?"

The two exchange a hearty high-five before reeling it in for an even hearty "bro-hug".

"It's been fine, but Soul-Summoning academy is way more difficult than regular magic school. Dude, the amount of homework is far too much. I've been trying to keep up, but there's just too much to get through."

"Well, maybe if you studied more, it wouldn't be so hard, right Lilly?"

He pointed to Lilly, who flinched, her face turning redder than a tomato, she tried her best to respond to his comment, but all that came out of her mouth was a disjointed word salad.

"Wha-Oh-Uh-I-Um Yeah s-study more mhmm."

Being the oldest of the three, Alex acted sort of like a big brother to Matthias. He was the role model Matthias strived to mirror and the one he could rely on for advice and support. Of course, Lilly didn't see him that way. She had been infatuated with him since he first moved into the village. Although it wasn't exactly hard to see why, he was athletic, smart, kind and handsome, a lot of the girls fawned over him, and Lilly was no exception.

"Easy for you to say. You're studying basic magic. You just have to memorise how to draw a crest and channel your mana into it. Me and Lilly have to use our mana to manifest the elements. It really takes a lot out of you, man."

"Wouldn't it be easy for you to say that too? Look at it from the other side of the coin. You can do magic without needing a crest, summon soul weapons, and use any elemental magic you want. A lot of people would love to be in your position too. Don't take your position for granted, Matthias."

Alex smiled, patting Matthias softly on the back. He didn't want to admit it, but Alex was right. Soul Summoners get preferential treatment thanks to their unique ability to use magic without having to draw a magic crest. Of course, that treatment also meant that soul summoners had to work extra hard to push themselves above and beyond their limits.

"M-Matthias???!!!"

A shrill shriek echoed through the air. Matthias could feel his heart sink to the floor. He recognised that voice all too well. It was a voice he came to fear from the bottom of his soul.

"Kyaaa!!!!"

"N-No, please, don't!"

Before he could even react, a small blonde girl wearing a white sundress charged at him at full speed knocking him to the floor, wrapping her arms around him and forcing him into a suffocating bear hug.

"Gah! W-Wendy, I-I can't breathe!"

Wendy ignored Matthias' pleas and continued to snuggle him like some sort of human-sized plush toy. Meanwhile, Matthias' struggled to release himself from her surprisingly tight grip.

"It's been sooo long since I saw my Matthias'. I almost forgot how soft and cuddly you were."

Matthias could see Lilly in the corner of his eyes, trying her best not to crack up, seemingly getting over her initial embarrassment very quickly.

"Alex, please get Wendy off me. I'm gonna die."

Matthias turned his head to Alex with an expression you'd expect to find on a lost puppy. Alex seemed completely unfazed by the chaos unfolding in front of him, maintaining his signature jovial smile.

"Alright, Wendy, that's enough! You're hurting Matthias."

Wendy looked at her brother then, for the first time since arriving, took a look at Matthias' terrified face.

"Oh, Matthias, I'm so sorry. I would never want to hurt, my darling, my angel, my precious Matthias."

She stared at him drooling, like a rabid animal, before climbing off of him, which only added to his discomfort.

The townhall clock tower chimed, indicating the beginning of the hour. the sound rang throughout the town and into the grassy plains beyond the village before being absorbed by the leaves of the tall spruce trees in the forests surrounding the area, crows spread their wings flying southward to avoid the irritating noise.

"Hey, Matthias, Lilly, why don't we go to the riverbank? Wendy's been wanting to show off the water magic she's been learning!"

"Sure, but just make sure she doesn't splash any on Lilly, or she'll get sick."

"Oh yeah, I forgot the springs here originate in Mount Reinwas, so they're alcoholic. Maybe it's better no-"

"I-I can handle it! I'm not some baby! I can handle getting splashed a little bit!"

Lilly folded her arms, puffing up her cheeks. It was clear she was only putting on a show for Alex. Matthias knew as much. Lilly was an Aurecan, a species of human with cat-like tails and ears who hail from the neighbouring kingdom of Aureca and who are, unfortunately, genetically allergic to alcohol. Matthias witnessed this first-hand when Lilly accidentally put her hand in a bucket full of spring water near the town's distillery and got very ill for about a week.

"Whatever you say, Lilly...maybe you're just trying to get sick so that Alex will come and take ca-"

Lilly turned bright red and put her hand over Matthias' mouth. Pressing her palm into his face as hard as she could.

"Say another word, I dare you."

She whispered in a hateful, menacing tone.

"Guys, relax. If Lilly says she can handle it, I'll just have to take her word for it then."

Alex said, smiling at the two, Lilly released her grip on Matthias, and the three began walking towards the small riverbank next to the village.

* * *

The alcohol was palpable in the air as they approached. Lilly covered her nose, trying her best not to be affected by the strong odour. Matthias, on the other hand, couldn't even notice a smell. Unlike Lilly, he was completely immune to alcohol. He was, after all, a Westerian, a race of humans descended from wolves who, unlike Aurecans, had lost most of their animal-like features, apart from their eyes and general instincts and who also had a natural immunity to alcohol and its effects thanks to the fact that they evolved next to mountains whose plants would naturally decay and release alcohol into the waters.

"Here we are. Come on now, Wendy, don't be shy. Show them what you learned!"

Alex bent down to his sister's height, patting her on the shoulder. Wendy clenched her fists, readying herself.

"Ok, here I go!"

She began arranging river rocks in an elaborate combination of shapes and lines, all encompassed by a circular border of pebbles. The three watched on in anticipation as she crafted her crest.

"Ok, I'm done! Hope this works!"

She closed her eyes, straining her body. The border of the crest began glowing a neon blue, the river rocks shaking as little arcs jumped between them. Everything seemed to be going well until.

"H-Huh?"

The river rocks suddenly lost their glow and fell stagnant again. Wendy opened her eyes. The crest had, for whatever reason, failed.

"B-but it was right, wasn't it?"

"Let me take a look"

Matthias stepped forward onto the riverbank, carefully looking over Wendy's crest, analysing each and every structure within the maze of rocks.

"Hmm, well, you got most of it right, Upside down triangle for the element of water, a circle to represent the mana in your body, you also used the right line structure so that the water obeys your mana, but you forgot the second circle on the outside to represent, the gods."

Matthias kneels down and begins placing more river rocks around the crest, creating a perfect circle.

"There! that should do it! Try now"

Wendy once again closes her eyes, straining her body. The rocks begin lighting up the same neon blue glow, but this time the small arcs that formed around the rocks connect with each other forming a complete circuit around the entirety of the crest, suddenly the water in the river begins levitating in perfect spheres, the sun refracting off of them and creating waves and patterns on the riverbed below, it was quite a spectacle.

"I'm doing it; I'm actually doing it!"

"Great, but focus on maintaining your mana flow. Otherwise, you'll lose it."

"Wow, Matthias nicely taught, you could grow up and become a great, magic teacher, Y'know?"

"Nah, I don't wanna be a teacher. I wanna use my magic in the military and become a soldier."

"A soldier? Don't you think that'd be a bit boring, though? There hasn't been a major war in over two hundred years, and I doubt one's just going to start up out of nowhere."

"You don't know that! Besides, there's a whole lot more to being a soldier than fighting, soldiers protect people from wolves and bears, and they catch people who break the law. That's why I want to be a soldier!"

Alex paused. He looked at Matthias before letting out a laugh. This took Matthias by surprise. Was he mocking him? Matthias got a bit defensive, his cheeks turning a little red out of embarrassment.

"W-What...why are you laughing at me? You don't think I can become a soldier? I'll show you! I'm more than strong enough."

"No, no, it's not that Matthias, it's just that....how do I put this? Well, I'd never expect an answer like that to come out of you..."

He paused. A smile grew on his face, almost like the smile you'd see a father give to his son, the kind that says, "I'm proud of you".

"You're a good kid, Matthias. Don't give up on that dream. Who knows, maybe one day you'll become a general serving the king himself."

"Nah, I'm going to apply to be a ranger. I could never leave you guys behind. Besides, I don't think I'll actually be good enough to be the king's right-hand man..."

"Yeah, if anyone were to become the king's righthand man, it'd be me!"

Lilly abruptly interjected herself into the conversation, uninvited. She couldn't miss the perfect opportunity to get a one-up on Matthias.

"And since when did you want to become a soldier?!"

"Since, ever!"

"Yeah, right, ya big fat liar, you're only saying that to look better."

"And what would you know! I'll have you know that I also want to protect the citizens of this kingdom!"

Lilly puts her hand on her chest in a mock patriotic salute, trying her best to look sincere.

"Please, you couldn't even carry a bunch of logs without falling over. I doubt you'd be able to protect anyone."

Lilly's face turned bright red, she had forgotten all about the incident earlier, lulling herself into a false sense of security, and just when she wasn't expecting it, Matthias used it against her.

"Well I-I-I."

Before Lilly could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound coming from the forest to the south. It seemed to be getting closer and closer.

"W-What's that?"

The two looked at Alex for answers, but he seemed just as confused as they were. They all looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"S-Should we check it out?"

"Yeah...I'm curious to see what's going on. Come on, wendy, we're going!"

Alex shouted over to Wendy, who was wistfully splashing around in the river, having the time of her life.

"Aww, Ok."

Her face drooped, and she hung her head as she quickly ran over to join the other three who were already on their way to the centre of the village, sprinting as fast as they could, so they could get there in time to see whatever it was that was causing the racket.

* * *

Upon entering the village centre, the three were faced with an odd scene, dozens of men on horseback clad in hardened leather and chainmail armour, bearing the crest of the kingdom. One of them, a tall bald man in his mid-thirties, was talking to the village elder. The man seemed frantic. They seemed to be trying to rush the conversation and get as many details out in one breath as they could.

"I-Is that the military? What are they doing here? Was there a wolf attack?"

Matthias asked. It was an odd sight to see the military actually enter the village, especially so many of them at once. Usually, they'd just send a single scout out to report to the village elder about any nearby wolf sightings, but seeing what looked to be an entire battalion's worth of men was very unusual.

"No, couldn't be a wolf attack. There's too many of them..."

The soldier seemed to change his tone. He went from frantic to frustrated. What was a normal conversation seemed to have devolved into a full-on argument? The three listened in closely to what the men were saying.

"I'm telling you, old man, you need to evacuate right now! There are hundreds of them coming this way. If you don't get out of here right now, this entire village is going to be bathed in blood."

"How the hell do you expect us to just pack our things and leave just like that!? We may be a small settlement, but there are still around a hundred of us. It'll take at least a day and a half to get all our belongings pac-"

"To hell with your belongings!! What the hell aren't you getting about this?! Just get some wagons ready, pack as many people as you can in them and leave!"

"We can't just leave our livelihoods behind. We have homes, businesses, and pets here!"

"I'm not going to argue with you, you either all leave now, or you all stay here and die. That's your only option."

"Captain!"

Another soldier calls out, signalling for the captain to come quickly. It was clear they were on borrowed time, but for what?

"I'm leaving. Consider your options. You've got, at best, a few minutes before they break the defensive line. If you aren't out of here by then, you're done..."

The man runs back to his men, and they start hightailing it back to the forest, on their stallions, leaving the village alone. The look on his face was one of anxiety and conflict. It was clear he was struggling to even begin to think.

"W-What the hell's going on...?"

Matthias muttered to himself. His hand began to shake slightly. He didn't know what was happening or why, but he could tell from the conversation he had just witnessed that things were going to get serious.

"Everyone! Gather!"

The village elder seemed to finally have made up his mind. A crowd began to form in the village square, and people began chattering amongst themselves. They were all just as confused as Matthias was, not knowing what to make of the spectacle they had just witnessed.

"I have been informed by the military that the Kingdom of Westeria has been invaded by the empire!"

A collective gasp emanated from the crowd, and the whispering and chattering grew louder and greater in number. The atmosphere had shifted from one of curiosity to one of anxiety.

"I-Invaded...that can't be true...we've been at peace for two hundred years, right? right?!"

Matthias looked to Alex for answers, but Alex just stood there, stunned, unable to speak a single word. His face was one of horror and shock. It seems that the realisation of what was likely about to transpire had just hit him.

"We have been ordered to evacuate, leaving all our belongings and pets behind."

The crowd erupted into a riot. People began shouting and screaming at the man. It was understandable. No one wanted to lose their homes, their valuables, or their entire livelihoods, and people didn't exactly know whether or not to believe the military or not. Years of peace and prosperity turned public opinion against the military. They were seen as an unnecessary tax hole, and many called for demilitarisation. Maybe this was just a stunt for the military to try to prove their value to the public once again. These sentiments were shared among many in the crowd.

* * *

"We're being invaded? N-No way...they said in school we signed a peace treaty! A-And the old emperor was good friends with the old kings!"

Lilly finally broke the silence that had grown in the group. It was less conversation and more thinking out loud, but she couldn't handle the quiet. She needed to say something, anything, so she wouldn't be alone with her thoughts.

"That's what they told us..., but people break promises...people lie..."

Alex said coldly. His expression was blank. The whole situation had given him severe emotional whiplash. On the inside, he was terrified. Thoughts, scenarios, and ideas played out in his head over and over again, silencing any rational thought.

In the distance, people reluctantly prepared wagons and horses, loading up as much of their belongings as they could, ignoring the old man's words. They gutted their houses haphazardly, throwing pots, pans, furniture, painting, and other knick knacks on the carts. Some didn't even bother doing that, opting instead to lock themselves in their homes, some out of fear of losing their precious homestead and others out of defiance and arrogance.

"I-I should go help. My family pack..."

Lilly said, walking briskly over to the large collection of wagons that had begun to form on the outskirts of the village. Matthias and Alex stood motionless in the nowempty village square. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in for Matthias. 200 years of peace had been shattered in an instant, security and comfort had been replaced with anxiety and fear, nothing would ever be the same anymore, and just when things seemed like they couldn't get any worse, Matthias heard the familiar sound of rumbling in the distance. He froze, craning his head southward towards the forest. He could see a mass of men on horseback clad in segmented plate armour, waving an unfamiliar flag.

"T-They're here..."

Matthias watched on in horror as the hoard of soldiers drew closer and closer to the village. Spears and swords were drawn. One by one, the townsfolk slowly caught on to what was happening. Panic ensued as people began trampling over one another trying desperately to get on a horse or wagon, fights broke out in broad daylight over who was getting on what wagon, convoys of carts and horses began leaving in droves, some half full and some packed to brim with people, so much so that people were falling out of them as they traversed the bumpy forest paths, some of them being unfortunately run over and killed by the horses and wagons that came after.

* * *

Soon the soldiers had reached the outskirts of the city. They soaked wooden torches in alcohol and threw them at houses, setting them alight. They sat atop their horses with smug expressions as they destroyed livelihoods and took lives. They seemed almost satisfied with themselves like they were bringing about some twisted form of justice.

"We need to go now!"

Alex, finally breaking out of his trance, grabbed Wendy's and Matthias arm's practically dragging them through the hellscape that was once their hometown. Matthias glanced around him. People were screaming, running, and trying their best to survive the slaughter that was taking place. The air was thick with the smell of blood and smouldering wood. It was sickening, Matthias felt like dry heaving, but he kept his composure, not wanting to slow Alex down. Suddenly, Matthias felt a tug on his arm, and he whipped back around to see one of the soldiers had grabbed Wendy's hand.

"Where the hell do you think you're off to?"

Wendy looked up at the man, terrified. Her body began shaking tears ran down her face.

"Hey! Think we could get a good price for this one?"

He said to his comrades, they approached the group, and all of them stared at Wendy. Inspecting her as if she was some sort of antique item at a roadshow.

"Get your hands off of her!!"

Alex shouted, his primal rage apparent. He grabbed the wrist of the soldier, attempting to pry the man's hands off Wendy's arm. The man looked at Alex. He seemed offended, almost disgusted, as if he had just had his arm smeared in manure.

"Get your filthy paws off me, cur!"

The man drew his sword and thrust it forward, blood sprayed out of Alex's chest and Alex fell to the floor gasping and wheezing as blood filled his lungs. Matthias' eyes widened as he saw his friend, the person he looked up to, his brother from another mother, lying lifeless on the ground in front of him. Matthias fell to his knees, covering his mouth with his hand.

"N-no....no...."

"Alex!!!!"

Wendy let out a shrill shriek trying to reach her hand out to her brother, but the men pulled her back. One of them put their hand over her mouth, silencing her screams. A pool of blood formed at Matthias' feet. It soaked into his clothes, but he didn't feel it. His body had gone numb, his mind blank. He looked up at the men in horror. They returned his gaze with a disgusted glare.

"What should we do about this one?"

The men looked Matthias up and down.

"He's one of those Westerian pigs. Put the animal out of its misery."

"With pleasure."

One of the men unsheathed his sword, raising it above Matthias' head. Matthias felt his heart beat faster and faster, his brain still couldn't process what was happening, but he somehow still knew this was going to be the end for him. He wanted to react, do something, but his arms and legs wouldn't move. The scene that had just unfolded kept playing back in his head again and again. He closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

"I-I'm s-sorry, Alex..."

He let out a single sob before, hanging his head low and waiting for the blade to strike him. His life flashed before his eyes, the events of that day on loop in his mind. Was his family going to be upset? How would Lilly feel when he dies? Is Wendy going to be ok? Why was he too weak to save Alex? Why couldn't he save Alex?! Is this even real? Questions flooded his mind in a barrage, but soon it wouldn't matter. Soon he'd be dead.

* * *

"Get away from him!!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream followed by a loud "Twang" filled Matthias' ears; his eyes shot open. In front of him, he could see Lilly wielding a glowing white dagger. She used the flat side of the blade to deflect the great sword that was destined to end Matthias' life. She strained every muscle in her body, trying her best to resist. Miraculously she managed to force the man's blade back. She lifted her arm and cut the man's radial artery, causing him to bleed profusely and drop his sword. Without hesitating or thinking twice, Lilly grabbed Matthias' hand, lifting him to his feet. The white dagger in her hand dissipated into thin air as she and Matthias sprinted away from the men.

"B-But, Wendy! A-Alex!"

Matthias pointed to Wendy, who was still being restrained by the men and Alex, whose body was lying face-first on the ground, his blood beginning to soak into the soil. Wendy shut her eyes, trying her best not to cry. She knew she had to be strong. This was life or death, and if she buckled now, both of them would die.

"We can't..."

"B-but."

"I know...I know...Ok..."

Lilly hung her head, and despite her best efforts, tears began rolling down her face.

* * *

The two successfully managed to make it. Before the last wagon had departed, Matthias' mother pulled the both of them onto the flimsy wooden cart. The driver whipped the horse into gear and the cart began rolling along at full speed, the smouldering remains of the village slowly disappeared from view. Matthias looked at his dirty, sore hands. He started sobbing loudly, he was finally able to process what had happened, and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"I-It's all my fault...I couldn't do anything...I sat and watched as those....bastards killed him! Why couldn't I do anything!!!!!"

Matthias began slamming his head against the wooden walls of the wagon. Blood dripped from his forehead as he battered himself repeatedly.

"Stop! Matthias, please!"

Lilly and Matthias' mum pulled Matthias back from the wall, restraining him, his body went limp, and he placed his head on the wall gently this time.

"Why..."

A mixture of blood and tears dripped from his face forming a puddle on the floor of the carriage floor.

"I'll kill them... all of them...all of those bastards. Every single last one of them! They'll pay for what they did. I'll make sure they do! And I won't stop until they're all in the ground..."

He slammed his fist on the ground. A spark had lit the flames of revenge in Matthias' heart, a fire that would never be extinguished, not until he saw justice for the events that had transpired that day, not until justice was fulfilled.