Status: Need to re-write and re-upload
Hearts Burst Into Fire
Any Means Necessary
The sky was clear and dark, a slight breeze stirred the air the fog had gone by now. A silvery cloud drifted over the mountains, its edges glowing with ruddy light cast from the harvest moon cradled between two peaks. Streams flowed down the mountains from the solid glaciers and glistening snowpacks. A cool mist crept along the valley floor brushing aside as my horses’ hooves hit the floor as I road through the night as fast as my horse could go. I was being chased by a group of the king’s guards. I couldn’t let them catch me and take me back to that place I’ve been captive in for near 11 years. I hated every minute of my time there. I blink and think back to how I ended up in such a horrible place.
*11 Years Ago*
I was sat in the centre of town listening to Brom the story teller tell one of his stories, my favorite story, the story of how the ruthless king Galbatorix came to power.
“He crushed all rebellion including the freedom fighters, known as The Varden. Those that survived fled to the mountains; there they hope for a miracle that might even their odds against the king.” He finished.
“Will there ever be peace? Won’t we ever stop living in fear all the time?” I ask, looking up at Brom from where I was sat on the floor right in from of him.
“Of course” he replied simply
“Will Galbatorix ever be stopped? What about the dragon riders, they can’t all have been killed, can they?” I ask
“Of course not, I’m sure there are still some riders out there waiting for the right time to show themselves. As for defeating Galbatorix that is a story worth telling, but the hour is late and you should be heading home. We wouldn’t want your parents to worry” Brom says
“But I wanna’ hear another story, please” I beg
“It’s late and your parents will worry” he states
“Okay, but tomorrow you’re telling me two stories to make up for it” I say playfully
“Okay, but be off with you now. I don’t want you to get in trouble” Brom smiles
“Okay, for you” I say and stand up and hug Brom then start running home.
I was nearly home now and it was starting to come dark I started humming a joyful tune when I heard horses and voices behind me on the road. I looked round and saw a group of soldiers stampeding my way they were still far down the path so I doubt they noticed me and I did what I thought best. I got off the road and hid in the ditch at the side of the road and waited silently for them to pass. After they passed I got up and continued on my way home.
When I got to my house the door was broken off the doorframe I stood there shocked unbeknownst of what to do. Suddenly without thinking about it I ran into the house and started searching for my parents. Every room was destroyed and everything was on the floor, I ran through every room trying to find someone. Then I saw my father sat up on the floor deep bloody gashes all over his face and arms his breathing was slow and he was making hissing sounds as if he was struggling to breathe he was cuddling my mother who had the same sort of wounds as him but she wasn’t breathing, her eyes were closed. I ran over to them and knelt down in front of them
“Father. What happened?” I asked quietly not to startle him he looks up slowly tears in his eyes and running down his bloody face
“Run!” He said “Get away from here. Now! Go, as fast as you can” he said quietly but demandingly.
“No, I can’t leave you here. I need to get you some help.” I state
“No, go. You must, your life depends on it. If the soldiers find you...” He stops due to coughing. “Father, please, let me help you.” I demand tears filling up my eyes he shakes his head “What, father, what is it?” I ask
“I’m not your father” he says hoarsely
“What? No, what do you mean you’re not my father” I push. I hear horses outside I look back then back to my father he puts his hand on my shoulder
“Run!” he says in his dying breath tears poured from my eyes his hand slipped from my shoulder and he fell backwards.
“No, father. No!” I say raising my voice.
Just then I get grabbed from behind and dragged up I turn around and see one of Galbatorix’s soldiers I instantly try and run but he grabs me and picks me up and puts me over his shoulder all the time I’m kicking and punching him doing everything I can to try and make him put me down. He takes me outside and another soldier on a horse speeds to a stop in front of him I’m still over the shoulder of the soldier facing the house
“Is this the girl?” he asks in a very demanding voice
“Yes sir” The soldier says
“Let me go!” I shout kicking “You are going to regret this, mark my words” I get pulled up onto the horse and I try and get away but then get hit on the back of the head and pass out.
*End Flashback*
I get drawn out of my thoughts by an arrow piercing me in my shoulder I manage to hold in my pain but I wanted to just cry out in agony. I kept going, every time my horses hooves came in contact with the floor it sent a pain through my entire body. The arrows kept flying I was close to Carvahall now. I can’t enter the village with soldiers perusing me so I stop my horse quickly and she rears up. Their arrows had stopped now, I get my bow off the saddle and start shooting at them each movement hurt but I endured. I get a few soldiers and they fall off their horses. Then I unsheathe two silver swords, one in each hand. One sword from my belt, the other from my horses’ saddle and as they got closer I charged at them. I cut the head off two soldiers as I rode past them. I sheath one sword back into my horses’ saddle. I start fighting the remaining three soldiers and the captain and soon it was just me and the captain left. We fought for a while both dealing a few hits to each other. I knocked him off his horse and I jumped off mine. I knock his sword out of his hand I put my sword up to his throat and back him against a tree
“Eleven years ago you were a nobody just a pathetic little eight year old girl that’s family were killed at my order. You’re still a nobody and your family are still dead” he says
“Also remember eleven years ago when that same eight year old girl whose family you killed, told you that you’d regret it? She’s finally going to get her revenge” I say
“So what are you waiting for?” he says spitting blood out of his mouth onto the floor and smiling evilly “Nothing” I say, his smile drops I swing my sword round and cut his head off. I stand there breathing heavily for a few seconds then kneel down in pain. My right arm cut twice and my waist and stomach from left to the middle dripping blood on my already blood soaked shirt. I try and reach the arrow in my left shoulder painfully but I can’t. My horse then comes over to me and nudges my right arm with her face. I look at her and get up painfully.
“Now to Carvahall” I say breathlessly leaning against her I get up onto the saddle painfully “Good girl Ava” I say and pat her on the neck. We ride on through the night so close to Carvahall now. I was finally going home.
*11 Years Ago*
I was sat in the centre of town listening to Brom the story teller tell one of his stories, my favorite story, the story of how the ruthless king Galbatorix came to power.
“He crushed all rebellion including the freedom fighters, known as The Varden. Those that survived fled to the mountains; there they hope for a miracle that might even their odds against the king.” He finished.
“Will there ever be peace? Won’t we ever stop living in fear all the time?” I ask, looking up at Brom from where I was sat on the floor right in from of him.
“Of course” he replied simply
“Will Galbatorix ever be stopped? What about the dragon riders, they can’t all have been killed, can they?” I ask
“Of course not, I’m sure there are still some riders out there waiting for the right time to show themselves. As for defeating Galbatorix that is a story worth telling, but the hour is late and you should be heading home. We wouldn’t want your parents to worry” Brom says
“But I wanna’ hear another story, please” I beg
“It’s late and your parents will worry” he states
“Okay, but tomorrow you’re telling me two stories to make up for it” I say playfully
“Okay, but be off with you now. I don’t want you to get in trouble” Brom smiles
“Okay, for you” I say and stand up and hug Brom then start running home.
I was nearly home now and it was starting to come dark I started humming a joyful tune when I heard horses and voices behind me on the road. I looked round and saw a group of soldiers stampeding my way they were still far down the path so I doubt they noticed me and I did what I thought best. I got off the road and hid in the ditch at the side of the road and waited silently for them to pass. After they passed I got up and continued on my way home.
When I got to my house the door was broken off the doorframe I stood there shocked unbeknownst of what to do. Suddenly without thinking about it I ran into the house and started searching for my parents. Every room was destroyed and everything was on the floor, I ran through every room trying to find someone. Then I saw my father sat up on the floor deep bloody gashes all over his face and arms his breathing was slow and he was making hissing sounds as if he was struggling to breathe he was cuddling my mother who had the same sort of wounds as him but she wasn’t breathing, her eyes were closed. I ran over to them and knelt down in front of them
“Father. What happened?” I asked quietly not to startle him he looks up slowly tears in his eyes and running down his bloody face
“Run!” He said “Get away from here. Now! Go, as fast as you can” he said quietly but demandingly.
“No, I can’t leave you here. I need to get you some help.” I state
“No, go. You must, your life depends on it. If the soldiers find you...” He stops due to coughing. “Father, please, let me help you.” I demand tears filling up my eyes he shakes his head “What, father, what is it?” I ask
“I’m not your father” he says hoarsely
“What? No, what do you mean you’re not my father” I push. I hear horses outside I look back then back to my father he puts his hand on my shoulder
“Run!” he says in his dying breath tears poured from my eyes his hand slipped from my shoulder and he fell backwards.
“No, father. No!” I say raising my voice.
Just then I get grabbed from behind and dragged up I turn around and see one of Galbatorix’s soldiers I instantly try and run but he grabs me and picks me up and puts me over his shoulder all the time I’m kicking and punching him doing everything I can to try and make him put me down. He takes me outside and another soldier on a horse speeds to a stop in front of him I’m still over the shoulder of the soldier facing the house
“Is this the girl?” he asks in a very demanding voice
“Yes sir” The soldier says
“Let me go!” I shout kicking “You are going to regret this, mark my words” I get pulled up onto the horse and I try and get away but then get hit on the back of the head and pass out.
*End Flashback*
I get drawn out of my thoughts by an arrow piercing me in my shoulder I manage to hold in my pain but I wanted to just cry out in agony. I kept going, every time my horses hooves came in contact with the floor it sent a pain through my entire body. The arrows kept flying I was close to Carvahall now. I can’t enter the village with soldiers perusing me so I stop my horse quickly and she rears up. Their arrows had stopped now, I get my bow off the saddle and start shooting at them each movement hurt but I endured. I get a few soldiers and they fall off their horses. Then I unsheathe two silver swords, one in each hand. One sword from my belt, the other from my horses’ saddle and as they got closer I charged at them. I cut the head off two soldiers as I rode past them. I sheath one sword back into my horses’ saddle. I start fighting the remaining three soldiers and the captain and soon it was just me and the captain left. We fought for a while both dealing a few hits to each other. I knocked him off his horse and I jumped off mine. I knock his sword out of his hand I put my sword up to his throat and back him against a tree
“Eleven years ago you were a nobody just a pathetic little eight year old girl that’s family were killed at my order. You’re still a nobody and your family are still dead” he says
“Also remember eleven years ago when that same eight year old girl whose family you killed, told you that you’d regret it? She’s finally going to get her revenge” I say
“So what are you waiting for?” he says spitting blood out of his mouth onto the floor and smiling evilly “Nothing” I say, his smile drops I swing my sword round and cut his head off. I stand there breathing heavily for a few seconds then kneel down in pain. My right arm cut twice and my waist and stomach from left to the middle dripping blood on my already blood soaked shirt. I try and reach the arrow in my left shoulder painfully but I can’t. My horse then comes over to me and nudges my right arm with her face. I look at her and get up painfully.
“Now to Carvahall” I say breathlessly leaning against her I get up onto the saddle painfully “Good girl Ava” I say and pat her on the neck. We ride on through the night so close to Carvahall now. I was finally going home.