1 Prologue

"No, this-this can't be happening." His voice wavered as he walked into the chaos.

The village once peaceful and so full of life was no longer. The burning buildings collapsed before his eyes and the roads were painted with blood.

There were no screams for help.

The villagers' mangled bodies were piled up one after another. Their faces morphed into a permanent cry for help. The men who had tried to fight back were nothing but charred corpses, their heads lifelessly detached from their bodies, if he looked close enough he could still see the fear in their eyes. He went around closing their eyes one after another, his hands shaking as the reality of what had happened sunk in.

Even the women and children were not spared. They laid protective over their children in a last effort to save them from the demons, but it was all in vain. They were killed together. Their hearts torn out from their chest, their skin mangled beyond recognition. No mercy was given.

He ran through the village, tripping over the mangled bodies as he went. "No, please, no." He choked out, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill.

He had hoped that at least some houses had been spared, that some villagers had been able to hide away during the slaughter, that at least one person had survived. But the further he went, the more his hope was shattered.

His house had been spared by the fire. Hope welled up in him like a storm, but just as quickly as it came it was dosed by a cold fear that overcame his body. The door to his house had been ripped off. It lay torn to pieces in the front garden like a warning for those unfortunate souls who thought that this house would be safe.

He walked with shaky legs. His breathing came out short pants. He placed a hand over his chest trying to stop his speeding heart, but it was useless. There was a crunch under his foot. He lifted his foot and his heart stopped.

A jade hair pin with delicate pink flowers lay shattered on the ground. It was a gift he had given his wife for her birthday. It had been a perfect day. The flowers were in full bloom and she was laughing while their daughter played in the garden. He scooped the hair pin up wanting to hold it to his chest, but the jade pieces slipped through his finger and fell onto the floor with a plop.

Blood splattered onto his boots. He didn't need to look to know what was in front of him. Their bodies were mingled together in a pool of blood. His wife's arms still wrapped tightly around their daughter's small body. Their eyes were open and they had a peaceful smile on their blood stained faces.

His legs gave out and he fell to the ground. His sword clattered beside him as the blood seeped into his robes.

Why? Why couldn't he get here sooner?

["They can't be here, you know that."

"They do not have the means to cultivate. It would be best for them to live in the village nearby"

"We need you."

"No. There are no excuses. As a Sect Leader it is your duty to protect the world from Demons."

"They will be fine. You will only be gone for a little while. Besides the Demons haven't been spotted in this area."]

His fist clenched and the tears that had threatened to fall finally fell. It was their fault. If they hadn't insisted that they live down here, if he had been here then none of this would have happened.

He crawled towards their bodies. Scooping up his wife's mangled body, he held her head gently and began to silently weep.

This shouldn't have happened. He could have prevented this, but they just had to force the rules. Rules that only applied to him.

He pried his wives hands away from their daughter, letting out a choked sob at the crunch of skin and bone. His daughter was so young, so pure. Her bright blue eyes were just like his, filled with wonder and curiosity. They stayed that way until the very end.

She was only five. Not old enough to understand what was happening. His wife must have realized that and kept her close. They had died together. The hole through both of their chest told him that.

With shaky fingers he gently closed their eyes. "Goodnight my Jade." He placed a gentle kiss on both their heads.

His tears fell onto their pale faces and he curled into himself. Letting out a strangled cry he wept alone in a village that was no more.