Chapter One: A New Path

My hometown was ravaged by a horrific war, my Family missing after a blast separated us in a tunnel that we were using to escape. I can only presume them as dead. Their bright golden eyes and their dark black soldier uniforms that they would parade around town in are all that I can remember them by, their faces a blur in my memories as I continue to live on.

Thirty-Kilometres from the border.

I managed to limp a couple of kilometres away from the initial impact, it really didn't matter how far I crawled, limped, walked or ran, fighting always lingered around me. Common spells such as fire balls and ice spikes were more efficient than big powerful spells like summons, magic circles, barriers and cross-linked magic that would take the effects of both spells combining them to create an outcome that boasts something more offensive like. These spells were constantly being let off all around me, I couldn't see the spells, but I could hear them as I continued my way to the border to escape this hell hole. As I continued my journey towards the border I spotted a small village, the first village in what felt like years.

Twenty-Five kilometres from the border.

My jaw hung low, taking in as much air as I could as I began to slow down for the first time since I left the village, my small legs struggling to carry me. When I eventually reached the village, my legs finally gave out as I collapsed to the ground and passed out. When I awoke it had finally reached night, but the air was oddly cold, and everything was silent, had the fighting stopped? Had I escaped the fighting? Nonetheless, I scavenged the town for resources, finding water, and other long-life foods. It was still nighttime by the time I left the town and still quiet.

Twenty-Five kilometres from the border.

I really thought I should have stopped in the town for the night, but the danger of staying in the town much outweighs the dangers of walking this unmapped terrain. I had no need for a normal torch, the only magic I could use was a purple ball of fire, it wasn't bright, but it was light, something that was pretty, something that could show me the way. It wasn't long before I ran into trouble.

"Get away!" I screamed, as loud as my little body would allow, the forest was dark, my purple flame wasn't nearly enough to brighten up the area, but I knew, there was something huge and alive right in front of me, 'A Snake? Maybe a Bear, possibly a magic beast?' My small brain racked itself with thoughts, and it came to a conclusion...Run! I ran as hard as my body would allow me, my lungs strained as I struggled to breathe in the cold air. The loud crashing became louder and louder, the trees falling behind me were getting closer and closer as my body began to cease functions. But it just had to be my luck, I tripped, my head hitting the rocks beneath me causing blood to spill from the front of my head.

Twenty-Five kilometres from the border.

'I was only Ten years old, why did I have to suffer, I didn't do anything' I thought to myself while curled up into a ball pressing my palms against my eyes trying to hold my tears in. There was a moment of silence before the strike, it came down loud and hard as I felt my feeble body crush under the weight of an unknown creature that I didn't even see. 'My flame lied to me, my parents told me it would guide me to safety. Safety they said! What a lie, they always lied to me!'. I continued to wail and cry.

Twenty-Five kilometres from the border.

"I'm...Still alive?" I grip my stomach and rub my chest feeling for any of the injuries I had just suffered, nothing, everything was fine, the blood on my forehead was gone along with the injuries I sustained. "It was a dream..." after a pause of realization, much like in my dream I began to cry again, but I quickly steeled myself and went to the same parts of the town as I did in my dream to gather supplies, though it came as a surprise when I found everything in the same spots that they were in in my dream. Once again, after gathering my supplies I left for the border, trekking a different path as to not encounter the same beast as I had in my dream. I'm not sure if that dream was a nightmare or a secret blessing, but I can say for sure that it saved me.

Twenty-One kilometres from the border.

I've finally stopped to rest, I'm hungry, Tired and thirsty, my parents taught me that being dehydrated was deadly and that its hard to work on an empty stomach. I think they were right, even though i gathered supplies, I've been too determined that I forgot to eat or drink, I think my mother would be mad for neglecting my health right now. "Sorry mum" I whispered to myself as I looked up at the starry night sky, the only thing I can look up to at these times. I then conjure my purple flame, "And you're the only thing left to guide me" I again whisper to myself softly before falling asleep for the night in the tallest tree I could find in the nearest area.

Twenty-One kilometres from the border.

Upon waking up I'm greeted with bird life, pretty birds all roosted in their nests as well as on the same trunk I was sleeping on. It was a nice surprise, despite the human wars, wildlife is the same as it's ever been and forever beautiful. After admiring the birds, I slowly climb down from the tree, still feeling weak I make sure I hold on extra tight to the tree. I get to the ground and eat some of the food I scavenged from the town a day prior before continuing onwards towards the border.

Eighteen kilometres from the border.

It didn't take me long to reach the next town from the forest I had slept in for the night, luckily for me this time, the town seemed to have an active population. Despite being a fare distance away from the ongoing battles, it was still affected by a lack of food, and a starving population, people were digging through piles of trash to find scraps, such as peelings of fruit. I continued my way through the town, finding myself somewhat lost in its unique layout. After an hour or so of wandering I once more conjure my purple flame to guide my path, this time it wasn't making me walk just a single path, but giving me the option to choose from multiple paths, this was the first time it had ever happened, I was a little shocked that I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't in the dreamworld like I was the night prior. For the first time in my life, the purple flame gave me options, so I chose, the purple flame took me down a dark street. Although it was daytime, the path I had taken was dark, but calming, I could hear the chatter of people inside their homes, peaceful conversations, bickering, crying and laughter.

I continued down my chosen path and found myself standing in front of a little girl who was holding her knees on the ground beside a pile of garbage, she looked no older than me, but much dirtier, her clothes were so worn that they surely must have been past down for generations. She was frail, you could see the outline of her spine clearly when looking at her back, her hair long, black and unkempt. Despite its unkempt appearance it lacked all the so-called dirty things you'd see like nits and lice as well as other creepy crawlies you might see.

I looked to my purple flame for guidance, it was evidently pointing to the girl who was right here in front of me, I thought it a hassle to have another mouth to feed, but the purple flame tells no lies, I'm all it has too after all. With little hesitation, I grip the disheveled girl's wrist and begin to head towards the border once more approaching the final stretch.

Twelve kilometres away from the border.