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I couldn't look away. Everything around me was burning, my whole world was up in flames. The smell of burning flesh invading my nose, and the screams of never-ending agony drowning in my ears.
Eyes overflowing with betrayal, horror, and hatred embedded themselves in my back.
“You’re a witch,” Their voice is so soft, the confusion deafening, “You’re a witch!”
Tears fall down my face, leaving tracks in the ash on my cheeks. Hands desperately rub on my pants as if to wipe away the magic staining them. My voice refuses to work. I want to deny it all, I have to deny it.
‘It wasn’t me’
‘That was all an illusion’
‘I love you, please believe me’
Nothing comes out, my mouth won’t even open. All I can do is try to wipe my hands of the imaginary stain and watch as my last chance of a home begins to question everything.
“How do you have magic? When did this happen? How long has this been a secret?!” The last question was screamed across the space that was slowly becoming wider and deeper.
I try to shake my head no, but the tears fall faster, and my vision blurs. My hands then move to clutch at my shoulders, to ground myself against the onslaught of all the lies I told, the half-truths, the secrets finally coming to light.
The ash and dirt pick up, the bones of enemies crunch underfoot and the ringing of blades being drawn begin to filter through the haze but eyes beginning to harden with anger is all that holds my attention. Leather-clad hands pull at my arms and force me to my knees. Rocks dig in and ash mixed with dirt kicks up.
Thunder crashes along the skies and I can’t make eye contact as a bruising grip clutches at my face and forces me to look as they drop their sword, still coated in blood, and scream tears falling “ANSWER ME, PLEASE!!”
One of the men holding me down shoves harshly and his command is drowned out by the roar from above, followed by another clap of thunder a shadow covers the battlefield, and the knights scatter. Archer tries to rush to me as the crimson dragon swoops down but is tackled by another knight and dragged away kicking and screaming “Let me go! I have to get to her!”
Their words become unintelligible as I’m picked up from the ground but all I can see is Archer who is openly sobbing