Unknown by Poppy Page B

hammering harder with each step, screams and clashing of swords echoing from outside and the smell of smoke almost choking her.
At the top of the tower, Llyliana and four of the servant girls sat on the floor. They all jumped when Aya burst in.
“Aya!” Llyliana sobbed as the Elf approached her. “What’s happening? Are we going to die?”
“Not yet,” said Aya gravely. She knew she must be brave, for the Seer. The last servant girls were crying quietly, their arms wrapped around each other. They were at the top of the south tower now, no safer than anyone else. The creatures that had attacked them could easily set the place on fire, or worse.
“Where’s Neecrid?” asked the princess. “Is she...?”
There was a silence, where Aya nodded slowly. Neecrid’s terrified, blood covered face flashed before her eyes and she clutched her fists tightly to stop herself from crying. One of the servant girls suddenly wailed. “I don’t want to die!” she cried.
“Quiet,” Aya said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Let’s remain calm. We have to lock these doors. Help me!” she snapped, and the servants jumped to their feet, the crying one trembling with fright. Llyliana’s shimmering white robes were stained with blood and dirt. She stood near her hammock, tears spilling down her cheeks, nursing a wound on her arm as the servants helped Aya block the door with the little furniture they had. Aya ripped the loose sleeves from her own robes and wrapped them tightly around the princess’s wound. Llyliana sniffed and nodded in thanks.
There was a single window on the east side of the room. Aya glanced outside, and immediately wished she hadn’t.
The sight was terrible. The street was covered in dismembered bodies of women and men, at least fifty E lf corpses to one body of the grotesque, beast-like creatures who had ambushed them. Countless Elf houses were on fire, E lves who had not died were screaming for help, or trying to crawl to somewhere safe. The air was thick with smoke and stank of blood. They heard the distant triumphant cries of the attackers, the clashing of weapons, and the screams of helpless Elves. Aya turned from the window, feeling sick. How could it have been that only a few hours ago, the very same street was so lively with happiness and celebration? Would this ever stop?
    “Where are you going, six-one-twenty-seven?” Shade ran alongside Villid. “To find more Elves? Is this battle not satisfying you?”
Villid stopped, dropping his weapons to his sides as his tribe leader looked down at him expectantly. “Yes,” he said. “I mean, no, it isn’t. I am going deeper into the village. Go and join the battle… sir,” he added through clenched teeth.
“Nonsense,” Shade laughed harshly. “The only thing better than a fighting enemy is a cowering one. The little house behind us held some easy prey. How I love the Elf children,” he licked his lips, grinning nastily. Villid felt rage pummel inside him, and forced himself to turn and sprint faster towards the southernmost tower, hoping that Shade wouldn’t follow him. Something told him that the Seer was in the tower ahead; he had to find her immediately.
    “If we are found,” Aya whispered as they pushed furniture against the door, “We will take the escape tunnel. There is a chance we can bypass them,”
“Where will we go?” Llyliana asked nervously.
“The old temple,” a plan was formulating in Aya’s mind. “To the west. It is outside the forest, but it has to be safer than here right now. There, we can get help...”
“Who will help us?” Llyliana interrupted. “We have no allies... the water Elves are extinct...”
“The Dragons!” one of the ladies suddenly gasped. “We can pray at the temple...”
Aya nodded. “Llyliana, you’re a Seer. You can communicate with the Dragons,” she said, looking at the scared elf girl. “They will help us.”
Llyliana nodded slowly, sniffing. “I pray at the east tower every day, but