I could smell death in the air, like stagnant rot, it made me want to throw up. Like from the smell alone I was already decaying. It was metallic, and so painful that it felt like there was a beast in my lungs. Everything burned as our little village was lit aflame. Anyone who tried to hide was uncovered and executed on the spot. There was no mercy. The attack had blindsided us; it happened in the dead of the night. I woke to the screams of my neighbors and friends. I was disoriented in the chaos. I stumbled out of bed and upon opening my door, there stood a fae man soaked with blood, the body of my mother at his feet.

My world fell out from beneath me as he reached out and grabbed me by my hair. Yanking me up to get a look at my face. The pain was excruciating, my legs dangling weakly as I tried to kick at him.

“Quite the spitfire, aren’t you?” His voice slithered through the air.

“There’s another kid in the room over here.” A voice called from my sister’s room. The man holding me carried me across the hall and into her room. Passing over my mothers’ corpse. And then my father. Blood painted the hallway. I was roughly tossed onto the floor. 

I looked up at her, she looked as white as a sheet and wrapped tightly in her blanket. “Farryn!” I wanted to comfort her, protect her, but I felt a harsh kick into my ribs, knocking my breath out of my lungs. I was too weak to do anything but tremble in fear of these monsters.

 “Wilder!” She cried and scrambled out of her blanket, wanting to get to me. The second man grabbed her collar and yanked her back, keeping us apart. I cried out, trying to grab her.

“Which one do you think would be better? The report said there was only one child, which do you think it is?” The second man spoke gruffly.

They scrutinized us with horrible, scary eyes. “The boy looks closer to the age we need. She looks far too young. She wouldn’t survive meeting the God now. But him? Worth a shot. If not, I am sure there are others in the village that we could use next.”

“Sounds good enough for me General.” The second man shoved her back onto her bed. She screamed and cried and tried to back up from him. She begged him not to hurt her.  

I was grabbed again; my arms and feet were tied with rope. I struggled, but these men were far larger than I. The first man grabbed my hair again, forcing my eyes to meet his. I heard my sister scream, and I tried desperately to look her way, the man held me firmly, wanting my full attention. “If you want to live, do as I fucking say, got it? I don’t want to cause any more damage to you. The Queen won’t like any cosmetic damage to her property. Got it?”

All I could muster was a sob, I saw a pool of blood forming from the corner of my eye and I just knew it was my sister. I was slung over the shoulder of the General and as he left the room, I saw my sister lying on her bed. Her nightgown was stained with blood.

The tree was in the center of our village. A large Yew tree. It had been there for centuries. It was the source of everyone’s gifts. During a special ceremony when we turned of age, we would touch its bark and cross the spiritual border in order to meet the God of Rebirth. We would then accept their blessing and return home with newfound power, something I was supposed to do next week. “Now we have two options here kid.” The general dropped me at the base of the tree with a rough thud. My skull cracked against the ground, making me see stars. “You can touch this tree and tell that god of yours to enter your vessel and leave with us quietly and maybe we will spare some lives in the process depending on how well you both cooperate. Or we can sacrifice you here and now and force it out of hiding.” He bent down to my level. “Now tell me which it is you want. I have a schedule to keep, and I don’t know how many other stupid kids there are to keep trying this bullshit with. Keep this easy on me and make the right choice.”

I felt completely numb. There were screams from every direction. Everything was on fire. I could feel prayers for our god to save us. But I couldn’t feel their answer. We were on our own. Abandoned.

I guess I didn’t answer fast enough as I was shoved hard into the tree. “It’s a shame. She would have loved you.” He pulled out a knife and pressed it against my neck. I was going to die. I had never felt so afraid in my life, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t scream.

I didn’t know what I was doing until it happened. Time felt like it had stopped. In those moments, somehow, I knew that creating an Infernal needed an equal sacrifice, and I could feel the answer to what the price I would have to pay was. The answer was in my heart. I closed my eyes and promised everything.

Take my Body.

Take my Soul.

Take my Pain.

Take my Fear.

Agony coursed through me. Burned its mark into my veins. My arms felt like they were being lit on fire. I was at the mercy of blinding pain. My body collapsed onto the ground as I was dropped. I looked up and then there he was. I could barely breathe as the force of power that exuded from him suffocated the air more than before. It was like his very existence took the very breath from my lungs. His body was pure darkness, it burned like black flames. With piecing golden eyes that were trained on only me. It was the first time I had seen an Infernal. I had never thought I would ever have to see one. Let alone be capable of creating such a monster. And it terrified me. But reality was crashing around me. I needed him. He was my only hope.

The fae General backed away quickly, his eyes darted to the knife he had dropped in the commotion, drawing a sword with one hand, and using his other to conjure up a celestial flame. It’s light illuminating the Infernal from behind. Making it look like he was stepping right out of a portal from Hell. “What have you done?!”

The ropes around my arms and feet loosened and I dug my nails into the earth. Pulling myself up to my feet. I held my palm out towards him, my hand glowed a blazing white. “Save me.” As soon as the orders left my lips, the shadowy figure turned to face the General. A new wave of agony coursed through me, causing my feet to stagger. A hot sensation burned trailed up my arms. Bands of flesh began to pull apart on my arms. My blood would fuel the new life I created. I fell to my knees; my body was failing me. I was losing far too much blood.

My eyes had only briefly closed, but when they opened again, I was on the ground. The earth was scorched black from ash. Disfigured bodies littered amongst the destruction; The sun was beginning to rise, illuminating the figure of one survivor who now bore a haunting image of my face.