V. TANIA

Tania ran.

She knew she had to get out of town before it burns, but she couldn't help herself. Her legs were taking her to the burning building.

As soon as Serena left, Tania had took her most important belongings and took the gold of the dead to fkee. She didn't feel bad about stealing. She'd rather steal than die with hunger. When she went out, she saw the town burning.

' It's the same as before. They always burn the town where they find Serena.'

Of course she knew why they burned the towns. It was not just a way to destroy, but the Reyjin's were asserting their god's dominance over Zaeath, the dark god. They burned the towns in sacrifice to Rhael, the lord of light.

Suddenly her gaze shifted to a large inn at the other end of the road.

Kelly. She had to save her.

Tania had lost her family on her nameday. She was bought up by the innmaster as a servant. Kelly was the closest person to a family for her. Serena always showed hatred towards Kelly but Tania had always secretly admired her. Someday, she wanted to own an inn like her.

She reached the inn and went in the wrecked door.

"Kelly!" she shouted and ran in the kitchen. It was empty.

After a searching the first floor in no avail, she went to her room upstairs.

There she was, lying in her bed peacefully under a blanket like there were no troubles in her life. Tania went to the bed and shook her,

"Kelly! We need to get out of here!" She threw the blanket to the floor.

A scream left her mouth.

There was blood on the blanket and her body. A broze knife was plunged in her belly.

She took up the knife and her eyes welled up.

"West." her weak body limped from the door to the hall

She sobbed silently and kept mumbling to herself,

" It's from the West."

She went out on the streets and started in the direction of the woods. Her feet caught something and she fell in a bushel.

Tania had promised to help but now, Serena's words rang in her ears. She was just a maid, what could she possibly do? She could not go to war unless she wanted to die. Maybe she should really should consider her advice.

Go to another town, find a job, get married and die, away from the games of lords and knights.

Her hand suddenly felt something cold. She took up a silver coin engraved in Lunarian.

The mark of Aldegia.

She remembered Serena's words clearly. She had given the mark to her in hope. It was an honour given only to the royal household of Aldegia. Suddenly it hit her.

She could help with the war and for once, she knew what to do. There was no doubt, no fear.

She stashed the mark in her tunic and gathered her belongings.

She was going on a trip.