The village was in flames.
Thick black smoke filled the air, and the sound of crackling fire echoed through the streets. Jou's eyes widened in horror as he saw the charred remains of homes, the bodies of villagers scattered across the ground. His stomach twisted in fear as he ran towards his house.
"Mom! Arri!" he screamed, his voice hoarse with panic.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw the lifeless body of his mother lying in front of their burned-down home. She was half-burned, her once gentle face now unrecognizable. Jou fell to his knees, cradling her charred body, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Mom... no... please..." he cried, his tears falling onto her lifeless form.
But then a thought struck him, jolting him out of his grief.
"Arri!" He scrambled to his feet, frantically searching the burning ruins for his sister. "Arri, where are you?!"
His heart shattered when he found her small, burned body not far from their home. She was unrecognizable, her life snuffed out by the flames that had consumed their village. Jou collapsed beside her, the weight of his sorrow pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.
The village, once full of life, had become a graveyard. There were no survivors.
As Jou dug a shallow grave for his mother and sister, tears streamed down his face. He placed their bodies gently in the ground, whispering a prayer for their souls, his heart heavy with grief.
Just then, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. He quickly hid behind a tree, his eyes narrowing as he saw a group of soldiers enter the village. There were ten of them, sent to inspect the aftermath of the fire. Jou watched them closely, his body tensed.
One of the soldiers spotted a young boy who had survived, wandering around in a daze, calling out for his father.
"After such a massive fire, how did this little chick survive?" one soldier mocked. "Hahaha!"
Another soldier, eager for blood, asked,
"Master, should I kill him now?"
Their leader, a man with a cruel smirk, nodded.
"Tie him up. Throw him back into the fire. Let him join his father."
Jou's heart raced as he watched the soldiers bind the boy's hands and feet. They dragged him towards the smoldering remains of a house, ready to throw him into the flames.
Without thinking, Jou leapt from his hiding place. In one swift motion, he grabbed the boy and ran towards the forest, the soldiers shouting behind him. His legs burned with exhaustion, but he didn't stop, carrying the boy in his arms as they fled deeper into the trees.