"We have been running for how long now?" Lena yelled at the boy ahead of her.

"Probably thirty minutes. How the fuck am I supposed to know?" Lucian yelled back while making a turn on the path. He had evaded swiftly from slamming right into a tree trunk.

On the other hand Lena, whose physical ability was never very remarkable, struggled to keep up with the fast boy.

The two had managed to get past the courtyard of the Dragonesian Castle, in disguise of low ranked Dragonesian Guards. Not a single guard had the seeds of doubts towards them, which they figured was probably because almost their entire face was covered with a cloth and a bucket hat (and their nature being foolish). Now these guards especially loved to collect different types of hats, and at times, even covered their faces. Hence, it only proved to be an advantage for Lena and Lucian. However, the low ranked Dragonesian Guards were nothing but fools, given that they were more interested in collecting hats of different kinds, styling themselves in their bland and ugly uniforms, rather than carrying out their tasks.

When the two had managed to reach the entrance to the front building of the Dragonesian Castle, one of the higher ranking guards had approached them. Moreover, had asked them to reveal their faces.

Lucian had done enough research of the low ranked guards, but what he had overlooked was the fact that lower ranked guards were not allowed to enter the front building.

As a consequence, Lucian and Lena had to make a dash through the front building. Most of the guards present there did not bother much, seeing two low ranked guards running through the hall. However, upon observing two highly ranked guards yelling at their colleagues to halt the imposters, they failed to take into account that Lena and Lucian were already out of the building.

Lena for sure lacked agility, but Lucian did not. And so, the boy had grabbed onto the girl's wrist and pulled her with him as far as possible and away from the Dragonesian Castle and Palace premises.

And now they were on the run with the high ranked Dragonesian Guards, who had transformed into their dragon forms, searching throughout the forest and looking for the two.

There was dark, red, raw blood, everywhere. Pieces of human flesh scattered around and mixed with the abhorrent blood.

Alana staggered on her feet and dropped onto her knees. Confusion struck her when she felt no sorrow, disgust or even a sense of emotion at the vengeful sight. Why she was feeling so powerful all of a sudden, remained a mystery. At one point, a contemptible thought crossed her mind. The thought of being a dictator, ruling over people, and having all the power and strength of the whole wide world, in the grasp of her palm.

Alana's eyes grazed over the several dead bodies lying on the destroyed ground, in pools of blood. She was inside the ruins of an architecture, it appeared. There was no doubt that those bodies belonged to humans, but there were countless Dragonesians lying dead too.

The dark-raven haired girl walked through the numerous bodies, moving some with her own feet, as if they were all useless.

And then she paused. There were two bodies, hanging by their neck on a tree branch. Blood was gushing out of the slashes on their chest and stomach. Alana, feeling a certain weight on her hand, looked down to find a bloody sword, instead of her precious dagger. And then, there was blood all over her other hand, and some splattered across her face and attire. Alana was drenched in blood. She knew she had assassinated several innocent souls not long ago, but did she feel even an ounce of remorse?

No.

Alana's stoic eyes went back to the two bodies. There they were. Lena and Lucian hanging.

And then the most horrific thing took place.

"Alana, my dear daughter."

Alana's eyes widened at the voice she had heard twelve years ago. The familiar voice she had missed.

With tears in her eyes, Alana turned her gaze around to meet with the woman, whom she once called mother.

"Mamma," Alana sobbed like a baby, while the older woman opened her arms, wanting to embrace her daughter.

Alana immediately ran towards the woman to feel the warmth she had been missing for so long. It was all over. Her mother was back. Alana had found her mother. She was not dead.

Slash.

A blood-curdling scream erupted from Alana's mouth, when she found herself slashing her own beloved mother across her chest, with the very sword.

Alana did not even think of such an obnoxious thought, but it was as if her own body was working against the flow.

"Mamma!" screaming the way she had at the age of six, Alana cried her heart out as she held the bloodied woman in her arms.

She had just killed her mother.

And then, Alana woke up covered in sweat. She flapped her arms, trying to steady her vision and looking for water on the bedside table. After chugging down some good amount of the lukewarm water, Alana took time to collect her lost thoughts and bring back her rapid breathing and heartbeat to a normal level.

Fear.

For the first time ever, Alana felt deeply frightened with the mere thought of her nightmare becoming a reality. What if it did become a reality? Would she really go to the extent of butchering off so many people?

You have been trained to kill animals. What are a few humans to you, Alana Thornheart?

Alana flinched at the sudden vicious thought she just had. It was still late in the night. And she needed sleep to steer her thoughts away. However, when her gaze went to the single bed beside hers, her eyes enlarged in shock and anxiousness, simultaneously.

There was not a sign of the crimson-eyed boy on the bed. It even seemed that the bed was completely untouched. In fact, Alana now noticed that the door was left ajar.

Alana climbed down from her bed and walked forward to close the door. If Leon wanted to do everything on his own accord, he should. After all, he had known Alana for only a day. And they were nothing more than being acquaintances that Alana would go out to look for the Dragonesian.

Alana did the exact opposite.

"Damn it," the girl cursed at her own concerned self, but reassured herself saying that the concern was only natural now that the two were being chased at the same time.

With a lantern in her hand, Alana went out of the room, and across the dark hallway.

"Do you think they will give up looking for us?" Lena gasped for air as she leaned against a tree, exhaustion already taking control of her senses and body, alike.

"I really cannot tell anything with surety," Lucian sighed beside her, "What I have heard is that they are looking for Alana and apparently, the younger Dragonesian Prince too. We are not that important like them, so the probable chance is that, they will leave us."

"And the other probable chance?" gulping down the lump that had formed in her throat, Lena asked even though she knew the answer all too well.

Lucian gazed up as the sky abruptly went darker and thunderous clouds gathered, as if signifying the arrival of something ominous and threatening.

"We might get caught and executed."

Lena held her head, as fear for her life once again distorted her brain, "It's is messed up. This is exactly why I did not want to leave and risk everything."

"Stop worrying now," Lucian said, giving an assuring pat on

Lena's shoulder, "We did the right thing. Besides, I can see an inn not far from here."

Lena's eyes lit up at the mention of the inn. She immediately stood up as her eyes searched for the wooden structure and sighed in relief after noticing it, "At least we will have shelter to spend the night."

"But the only problem is that, we do not have money—"

Lucian furrowed his eyebrows at the pfft sound that came out of Lena. When he looked over to her, she only said, "We managed to sneak out under the eyes of vicious Dragonesians. What possible danger could we encounter while trying to sneak into an inn?"

With that being said, a smug smile appeared on Lucian's face, "You are right. This will be a piece of cake for us."

But they were both wrong.

Very wrong.