Chapter one

Epic 1

"I awoke with a splitting headache and a raging fever. I had never been sick like this before, and the intensity of my symptoms filled me with unease. As my mother entered the room with a bowl of water, her gentle touch on my cheek only served to heighten my fear. The fever hadn't broken, and she left to prepare me some tea, her footsteps echoing down the hall. Just as I began to feel a sliver of relief, a gunshot rang out from the balcony, followed by the anguished howl of our dog.

As terror seized my body, I cowered beneath my bed, doing my best to muffle the sound of my terrified breathing. I heard a sound from my window, and my heart leapt as I realized that someone was jumping in. I fought against the urge to cry out, the familiar fear gripping my heart and my thoughts racing a million miles a minute. Who was in my room? Were they armed? And what had happened to my mother?:

"Some things are meant to be," the voice growled. "Life itself is unfair. Make sure no one is left... slaughter them all."

As the voice echoed through the room, I panicked under the bed. I could see their mud-soaked shoes and smell the scent of the mountain - they must have come from outside. My mother's terrified cries pierced my ears, and I watched in horror as the teacup slipped from her trembling hands and shattered on the floor.

As I listened to her anguished pleas, time seemed to slow to a crawl. But then, in a heartbeat, it all changed. I heard the terrible crack of gunfire, and the room went silent. Trembling, I slowly peeked out from under the bed, my eyes drawn to the bloody crimson stain on the floor. My mother's lifeless body lay there, and the knowledge that she was gone hit me like a thunderbolt. I buried my face in my hands and wept, my sobs echoing in the room.

"Come on, you slum! You don't want to be caught, do you?" the voice yelled as I trembled by the window while watching them leave. I took a close look at the man's face. My eyes were already cloudy with tears, and I really wanted to see the face of the person who had taken my mother from me. Suddenly, a memory flashed before my eyes - a memory of my mother and me, laughing together in the kitchen as we cooked dinner. But the memory was shattered by the roar of the car's engine as the men drove away.

As the police pulled up to the house, I let out a low hiss, the fear sinking deeper into my chest with every moment. Before I knew it, the thought of my dad flashed into my mind. A flood of memories washed over me, each one more vivid than the last.

I raced to the living room, only to find my father's body sprawled out on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood.

“Everybody freeze!” the tall, thin officer screamed, his breath catching in his throat as he took in the scene.

I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder, and turned to the officer whom his face was calm and steady, but his eyes were full of concern. “Are you okay?” he whispered, the rough fabric of his gloves brushing against my skin. I could only manage a nod, as my eyes filled with tears, the dam finally breaking.

“We'll find them,” the officer said softly, his voice full of resolve.

As the day went by, the house was filled with different police forces, including members of the media.

"Lock the house and make sure no one else enters, except the inspector general and his crew," the head officer whispered.

"What about the child?" Ken asked, glancing at Kyrian who was already sleeping.

"Bring him to the station. Let's head back to the office," the officer whispered.

Ken carried the little boy in his arms, his eyes hidden under the folds of a blanket. He ducked away from the bright flash of cameras and the probing questions of reporters. The boy's face was hidden from view, a small mercy in this moment of turmoil. Ken could feel the director's eyes on him, filled with worry and uncertainty. The air was thick with tension as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the next move.

While Ken was carrying out his duty a news headline popped up from the Sun newspaper, it was about the incident and Kyrian being the only survivor.

”Guess we are late, the Sun newspaper already carried the information“. Ken mumbled with a hiss. His heart was already filled with so much pain.

”Bunch of dummies“. He whispered before Kyrian woke up.

”Where are we going?“. Kyrian mumbled in his trembling voice. His face was filled with anxiety, his legs didn't stop to tremble.

”To a safe place“. The director whispered, saving Ken from illusion. He was already pondering on what best response to give him.

Kyrian's eyes widened, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "A safe place? What does that mean?" he asked, his voice shaking. He looked around the car, taking in the grim faces of the adults. The air in the car was heavy as if weighed down by the fear and uncertainty that surrounded them. Kyrian's mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Ken met Kyrian's gaze, his expression softening. "It's okay," he said, his voice gentle. "We're going to take care of you."

The director nodded, his eyes never leaving the road. Just after his statement the car got attacked.

"We need to jump!" the director yelled, grabbing Kyrian's hand. Kyrian's eyes widened in fear, but he followed the director's lead and scrambled towards the door. The bus was moving fast, the trees outside blurring into a greenish-brown smear. The director pushed open the door, and the wind rushed into the vehicle, blowing Kyrian's hair into his eyes.

Kyrian could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, his heart racing in his chest. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The director gave him a quick, reassuring smile, and then they jumped.

The air rushed past them as they fell, the wind roaring in their ears. For a moment, Kyrian felt weightless, suspended in time and space. Then, suddenly, they hit the ground. The impact was jarring, and Kyrian felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He tried to stand up, but his ankle gave out beneath him, and he fell to the ground.

The director was already on his feet, his face pale. "Are you okay?" he asked, rushing over to Kyrian.

Kyrian nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I'm fine," he said, even though he could feel his ankle throbbing. The director helped him to his feet, and Kyrian leaned against him, taking a few tentative steps. His ankle felt like it was on fire, but he pushed through the pain.

Just then, they heard a terrible noise from the direction of the bus. They turned around and saw it careening towards them, out of control. "Run!" the director yelled, grabbing Kyrian's arm and pulling him along. They sprinted away from the bus, just as it went over the edge of a cliff and plunged into the ravine below.

There was a terrible crash, followed by.