Ashren’s pulse thundered in his ears.

The princess knelt in front of the Night Hunters, hands raised, voice shaking as she begged the leader to spare the village.

He couldn’t watch it anymore.

He leaned close to his friend beside him.

“My uncle’s body… it’s behind the bakery ruins,” Ashren whispered through clenched teeth.
“Please… make sure he’s not left alone. And keep the kids safe.”

His friend grabbed his arm.
“Ashren, wait—what are you doing? They’ll kill you!”

Ashren forced a thin, broken smile.

“I can’t sit here and do nothing.”

He gently placed the two children behind his friend.

“You’ll be okay,” he whispered softly.
“I promise.”

Then he rose to his feet.

The entire kneeling crowd froze in shock.

Night Hunters snapped their aim toward him.
Even the leader paused, curious.

Ashren pointed at the princess, voice shaking with rage.

“You…” he said.

“You’re the princess.”

She looked up—terrified, crying, confused.

Ashren stepped forward, his voice growing louder, angrier, slipping between hurt and disbelief.

“You knew this would happen from the beginning,” he shouted.
“All of this—the Hunters, the danger… You brought it here!”

The princess shook her head, tears blurring her vision.

“No… no, I didn’t mean—”

Ashren’s voice cracked.
“My uncle died because of this! Our homes burned because of this! Because of you!”

She flinched as if struck.

The leader watched, amused.

“Go on,” he murmured. “Let the boy speak.”

The princess sobbed softly, her voice trembling.

“I didn’t want anyone involved… I never wanted this… I tried to hide… I thought I could slip through quietly…”

Ashren took another step, fists trembling.

“You should have told us who you were,” he said, voice raw.

“You hid it. You made us trust you. You acted like a normal traveler, but you… you knew Night Hunters was after you! You knew this would happen!”

She whispered, broken:

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… I didn’t want anyone involved…”

A Night Hunter stood guard beside her, tightening his grip on his weapon.

Ashren’s anger burned so hot, for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

Then—

His breathing shifted.

His body stilled.

His eyes sharpened.

And in one desperate, instinctive act—

Ashren lunged at the guard beside the princess.

Not heroically.
Not magically.
Just a boy acting out of raw survival and fury.

The guard barely reacted in time.

Ashren slammed into him with all his strength, using surprise and momentum

Ashren ripped the weapon from the Hunter’s grip—
and before anyone could even shout—

he aimed and fired.

The shot struck the fuel tank on a Hunter transport.

BOOOOM!

A wall of fire burst upward, flames roaring violently

Ashren didn’t wait.
Didn’t think.
Didn’t hesitate.

He yanked the princess’s hand.

“Move!”

And immediately dragged her behind the rising fire, letting the explosion block the Hunters’ line of sight.
Heat blasted across their backs as they dove into the smoke.

Behind them, Hunters shouted in shock, scrambling.

Hunters raised their weapons—

but the leader lifted his hand sharply.

“Don’t shoot.”

The Hunters froze.

“If you fire now,” the leader said calmly,
“you’ll hit the princess.”

He watched the flames rise higher.

“They won’t get far.”

Ashren pulled the princess behind the burning wreckage, disappearing into the smoke-filled alleyways.

She wasn’t crying anymore.
Her tears had already fallen.
Now she simply stared ahead in shock—
silent, pale, trembling.

Ashren didn’t let go of her hand.

Behind them, the village burned.
Ahead of them… no path, no safety.
Only whatever came next.

To be continued…

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