It is hot.

  Too hot.

  I open my eyes, taking time to come back to my senses. I try standing up but fall back to the ground.

  I don't remember falling.

  It hurts.

  I place my right hand on my forehead. Blood drips down my temple. Looking at my bloody palm, I still don't realize what kind of situation I'm in.

  "Is this a bad dream?"

  My head throbs, pulsing with each heartbeat.

  Thinking this might be a dream, the vision of a flash comes to mind. The heat surrounding me suddenly registers. The carpet below me smolders, edges curling black. I jump up to get away. Three stumbling steps back to balance myself. My body feels heavier than usual.

  "Cough, cough, cough." I cover my nose and mouth.

  What happened? Why is everything burning?

  The air suffocates me. Smoke fills my lungs with each breath. I look to the other side of the room. The door sits behind the burning carpet.

  Crack.

  I look up. The chandelier fractures, crystal prisms catching firelight before it crashes down onto the carpet, igniting the flames higher.

  It's impossible for me to get through now.

  Turning around, I spot the window. My only escape route. I rush to it, gripping the handle tight.

  "Haaaa!" My hands slip, slick with blood.

  The metal sears my palms, but if I don't do this, I'll die here. Where is Shinza? He said he'd protect me no matter what.

  Wiping my sweaty palms on my nightshirt, I try once more. The window doesn't budge. My hands burn worse. The fire creeps closer, heat radiating against my back.

  If I could break the glass, I would, but Father told me it was made from special glass to protect me from attacks.

  I put all my strength and weight into it. The window finally opens. I nearly fall forward, catching myself before tumbling into the flames.

  I look out. I have to jump, but I'm on the third floor. The ground swims far below in the darkness.

  "Father told me my guardian spirit will protect me from dying."

  With that thought, I jump. The ground rushes up to meet me. I squeeze my eyes shut.

  I brace for the impact, but the ground feels cold against my skin.

  Opening my eyes, I'm startled that I haven't become mashed meat. Not even a broken bone.

  I stand up, looking behind me. I hoped only my room was burning, but the whole palace blazes against the night sky. Flames lick out of every window, smoke billowing in thick black columns.

  "This can't be..."

  I start running, searching for help. My small legs tire quickly. I don't even make it to the main entrance before my lungs burn and my muscles cramp.

  My stamina is terrible. I should've taken training more seriously. Mother, you were too kind on me.

  Hearing voices from the side of the garden, I change direction.

  The path leads to where the maids live.

  I hide behind the bushes in front of the maid's apartments. One man in a red cape and silver armor stands at the entrance, a lion emblem emblazoned on his chest plate.

  That isn't the emblem of our soldiers.

  To the right, bodies pile on top of one another. Maids in their nightclothes, limbs twisted at wrong angles. Blood pools beneath them, soaking into the grass. The coppery smell makes my stomach turn. Another man drags a maid by her blonde hair from the apartments. Another girl scrambles after them on the ground, fingers clawing at the dirt.

  "Let me go, please spare me." The maid pleads through her tears.

  Her friend grabs the man's boot. "Please, kill me instead. Spare her life. She's still young. Have mercy."

  The soldier looks at her, then at his companion. He tosses the maid he's holding to his friend. "Hold her well. I'm going to have fun with this one."

  "Please don't hurt Sany anymore." The girl closes her eyes, turning away.

  "Hey, make sure she looks."

  His friend slaps her hard enough that her head snaps to the side.

  "Are you sure this is alright?" the friend asks.

  The soldier grabs Sany by the legs. "Yeah, it's fine. After I'm done you can have fun too. It's not like this kingdom has a future anymore." He starts removing his armor plates, unbuckling straps.

  "Then I don't mind fooling around." The other soldier smiles at the maid he's holding.

  "Why are you doing this?" She tries looking away but gets slapped each time she does. Soon her face swells, features distorting.

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  As the first soldier finishes removing his armor, I rush forward, stone clutched in my hand. I bring it down on his head as hard as I can. Something cracks. The man crumples to the ground, motionless.

  "You bastard! Haven't they taught you how to treat a woman? This is no way to treat a lady, even if she's a maid." I glare at the other soldier.

  They all freeze for a moment, processing what just happened.

  The second soldier shoves the maid down and kicks me in the stomach. "And who do you think you are, kid? Do you know what you just did?"

  Pain explodes through my middle. I can barely stay upright. My vision blurs at the edges.

  Trying to stand, I feel something rising in my throat. Bile. I force it back down.

  "Young master?" the younger maid whispers. "Run away."

  Sany glares at her. The girl suddenly covers her mouth.

  "Hahaha." The soldier starts laughing. "So you're the prince. Hahaha... I'll surely get a bonus by taking you as a trophy." His expression darkens.

  Sany rises behind him, stabbing him with a dagger she picked from the unconscious soldier.

  "Bitch." He shoves Sany away. A trail of blood arcs through the air.

  The younger maid then smashes a rock against his head.

  Blood flows endlessly from his skull. She drops the stone, staring at her trembling hands before her legs give out.

  Sany clutches her side, breathing hard. "I don't think I'll make it."

  I hurry toward her. "Don't say that, Sany. You're going to be fine."

  "My lord, you'll grow into a fine man, but for that you'll have to survive." She presses a hand to her stomach.

  Blood seeps between her fingers. Her face grows pale, lips losing color. She doesn't have enough willpower to stop the bleeding now.

  I try placing my hands over the wound. She stops me with a weak grip, shaking her head. "Don't waste your time on me, young master."

  "Wasting my time? You saved my life. I'll be forever indebted to you." I try lifting her onto my back. "I'll take you somewhere safe." My legs buckle. I fall.

  If I can't even carry her, how can I hope to save her?

  "You're so kind, but you helped me too, so we're even." She smiles, though it doesn't reach her dimming eyes.

  "Even? A royal debt is worth more than anything. I still owe you everything." I hold her hand, tears streaming down my cheeks, hot and blurring my vision.

  "Flaire... please take care of the young master. Take him to safety."

  The younger maid's eyes widen as she turns. "What, me?" She looks between us, seeking confirmation.

  "This is my last wish. As long as the young master stays alive, there is still hope for the Kaldurian family. As someone who served them for a long time, I know they can make a comeback. So please, serve him in any way possible."

  Flaire rushes to her side, nodding. "Count on me."

  "Then I'm satisfied." Sany's smile freezes. Her chest stops rising. Her hand grows cold in mine.

  Flaire gently closes Sany's eyes before reaching for me. "Please, young master, let me get you somewhere safer."

  I can't describe what I'm feeling. Sorrow? Emptiness? I don't know, but after she stops speaking, I feel a void opening inside me, dark and hollow.

  I take Flaire's hand, letting her lead the way.

  I might be a child, but she doesn't run very fast. Maybe she's injured too.

  My brother!

  My mind snaps back to full clarity. I remember my brother is nowhere to be seen. Neither are my parents.

  "Flaire, do you know what happened to my parents?"

  Flaire stops abruptly. I bump into her back.

  "Hey, warn me before stopping like that." The collision doesn't hurt much, at least.

  "Master Decim... I don't know what happened. I saw a light, then woke up to see my colleagues getting murdered one by one." She pauses, voice shaking. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what happened to your family."

  I pull my hand away, running toward the palace.

  "Young master! It's too dangerous to go alone!" Her voice fades behind me.

  I need to find someone. My brother. Mother. Father. Anyone. My body feels like it's about to give up at any moment, muscles screaming, but I push forward.

  I reach the main door. It stands wide open, hanging crooked on bent hinges. Hints of flames still flicker inside. Everything has burned to ash. The smell of charred wood chokes me. Bodies lie everywhere, unmoving, skin blackened. I cover my nose with my sleeve.

  I might've reacted too slowly. Maybe I came too late.

  I try finding a way to my parents' room, but the grand staircase has collapsed. I head toward my brother's chambers instead. The doors hang ajar. A man in armor with a bird emblem sits slumped against the wall. It's Shinza.

  As I approach, I see half his face is painted in blood. It drips from a gash across his forehead. He looks up as if only now realizing my presence.

  "Master Decim." His voice trembles, rough and weak.

  "What happened to you, Shinza?"

  "I tried fighting, young master, but unable to summon my spirit, I couldn't fight effectively."

  "Shinza, tell me. Where are my parents and my brother?"

  Shinza averts his gaze, looking at the scorched floor.

  "I couldn't find you in your room after the fire died down. When I came to check on your brother, he wasn't there..." He takes a deep, shuddering breath. "And your parents... I'm sorry, but they're dead."

  This is a joke, right?

  "You're joking, right?"

  Shinza doesn't answer. His silence confirms everything.

  "For now, let's focus on your survival." He stands, swaying slightly.

  "What about my brother?"

  "Think of the worst, young master. It would be best."

  He lifts me onto his shoulder before running out of the palace. The images blur past. I can't describe anything, can't process it. Everything becomes colors and shapes and smoke.

  At some point he stops on a tower, scanning the area below.

  I spot Flaire in the distance. "Hey, over there, Shinza. She's with me."

  Taking a look, he leaps in her direction, landing in a crouch.

  She falls backward, trembling. She takes a deep breath before standing back up.

  "Are you helping the young master?" she asks.

  Without answering, Shinza scoops her onto his other shoulder.

  "There's a port not far from here. This place is a ruin. It's best if we get there as fast as possible."

  His pace accelerates. The jarring motion makes my stomach heave.

  After what feels like hours, we reach the port. It's swarming with soldiers. So many that I think they're at war with the port itself. Each one wears a different emblem: lion, fairy, bat, pig, rose, shark. The emblems of the other grand kingdoms.

  But why are they all here? I thought only one of them started the war, but they're all here. United against us.

  Shinza takes a deep breath, then sets Flaire and me on the ground. "Please, maid. Take care of him."

  "What?" I ask, grabbing his arm.

  "I'm going to give my life for you, young master. It's the only way for you to make it through."

  "I've already seen this happen with Sany. I don't want you to die, Shinza. Who'll protect me if you're gone?"

  "The maid. Whatever her name is."

  Flaire frowns.

  "You've become a grown man. Well, you're still seven years old, but you're the last hope of your family." He coughs, blood flecking his lips. "I'm not asking you to return for revenge. But if you can have a wonderful life, I'll be very happy."

  He stands, preparing to run. "I'll cut through them. You, maid, get a boat and start rowing."

  Drawing his sword, he screams one phrase. "Long live the Kaldurian!"

  I watch him charge into the mass of soldiers. Slicing and getting sliced. No spirits manifest. These are just normal soldiers. Others turn at the commotion, leaving their posts.

  They disrespected us this much. They didn't even send their spirit users.

  A path clears through the soldiers. Flaire grabs me, running through the opening Shinza created. We jump into a boat and push off into the mist rolling across the water.

  Arrows whistle toward us. Flaire shields me with her body. I feel three impacts, hear her sharp intake of breath, before we vanish into the fog.

  Her breathing grows ragged and shallow.

  "Please, don't leave like that. It's an order. Please don't die."

  She smiles at me through the pain.

  After what feels like an eternity, we reach a shore. I pull out the arrows, hands shaking, and wrap her wounds with strips torn from my nightshirt.

  Her eyes close, but her chest still rises and falls. She's breathing.

  I look up at the night sky and scream until my throat burns. "My father! My mother! Sany! Shinza! Even my brother... I swear I won't stop until you feel the same suffering! I'll kill all of you!"