Mirror Quest

I was awakened by the sound of my parents' shrieks and the smell of thick, black smoke creeping into my bedroom through the crack beneath my door. "Krea, wake up! Fire!" I heard my mother hysterically scream from the room opposite mine. Soon after came the sound of scrambled footsteps and muffled speech. I didn't require a second command. I swiftly jolted up from the bed in which I lay and ran for my door. I pressed my palms upon it, feeling the heat which radiated from the other side. I knew it was risky to open, but I had no other means of escape. If I remained confined to my bedroom, the fire would soon reach me and swallow me in its flames. I took a chance and threw the door open, immediately dropping on all fours to the floor. "Mother, father? Where are you?" I managed to choke out. No response. "Mother! Father! Please, answer me!" I called out once more, coughing and gagging on the smoke which threatened to smother me. Soon, I heard the sound of my father's voice beckoning me to the basement. I wasted no time and quickly headed for the basement where my parents awaited.

"Mother, father!" I said, exchanging embraces with them. Before I could say anything else, a canine whimper came from the corner. "Ollie!" I exclaimed as I ran to my best friend and wrapped my arms around him. The shepherd's snow white coat was now dusted by soot and ash which now covered me, but I didn't care. All I cared about in that moment was that my family was safe and sound. As soon as I finished giving Oliver some reassuring scratches behind his large, erect ears, I stood up and walked back to my parents with him at my heel. "What caused this fire?" I asked. "The wicked king, Merek, somehow discovered that we were in possession of the Mirror of Althalos." My father said, pulling a handheld mirror out from underneath his shirt. "It was created by a powerful sorcerer by the name of Althalos. It is said that this mirror has the power to bestow uncanny abilities on those who look into it. If it falls into the king's hands, who knows what he may do with it. We cannot let it fall into his possession." He further explained. I flashed a glance at the mirror my father held, averting my eyes from my reflection which stared back at me. "How did our family come to possess such a powerful object?" I asked. This as only one of the many questions which swirled around my head, and trust me, I would've liked to ask them all, until the sound of distant shouts and cries of soldiers filled our ears.

My father led us to the escape tunnel in the basement crawl space which was there since before we moved into the house. "Listen carefully, Krea," my father began, handing me the enchanted mirror, "take the mirror, find Althalos' hut in the Sacred Wood. Only he is capable of destroying it. Your mother and I will hold off the king's army." I stared back at my mother and father, shaking my head. "No! I'm not leaving without you!" I said, my voice cracking. Tears were forming in my eyes. I couldn't leave without them. I refused. "Please, Krea. I promise we'll be with you s-" my mother's words were cut off when a soldier roughly grabbed my parents from behind. Before I could act, Oliver bounded over and attacked the soldier, sinking his teeth into his hand. "Let go, you mangy mutt!" The soldier barked, throwing Oliver off of him. "Mother! Father! No!" I yelled. "Go, Krea! Go, now!" My father yelled back at me before the soldier slammed his head against the wall, causing him to black out. I was frozen, breathing heavily and trying to comprehend the fact that my parents were taken hostage before my eyes. Oliver nuzzled me, which caused me to snap back to reality. "Neither of them have it. The girl must have it. Get her!" I heard a soldier shout above me. I knew that now was my chance to escape, even though it meant leaving my parents behind. I knew it was what they would want me to do. "Ollie, come." I commanded the shepherd, crawling through the tunnel to freedom as fast as I could.

I was halfway there. I could taste freedom. Until a soldier caught up to me and grabbed my ankle in a tight painful grip. I yelped in pain, wildly kicking at him to no avail. He began to pull me backwards through the tunnel, back to where I witness the capture of my mother and father. That is until Oliver turned around and latched onto the soldier's hand until my ankle was free from his grip and he retreated. "Good boy!" I praised, now moving at a much faster speed. Soon enough I came face to face with freedom. "We did it, Oliver. We made it!" I rejoiced as I crawled out of the tunnel followed by Oliver. I looked around, finding myself in the middle of the woods. "Well, buddy, we'd better get as far away from this tunnel as possible before any soldiers are able to follow us. A place to sleep would be nice, too." I said, patting him on the head and gesturing for him to follow.