Deafening screams echoed through the night, abruptly waking you up from your deep slumber. You squinted your eyes open.

“What’s going on?” You slipped out of bed and went to the balcony. Your eyes widened as you saw what had happened. The city was burning. Flames were spreading wildly, destroying everything in its way. Smokes curled up into the sky. The air was dusty. Shrieks and cry of pain could be heard everywhere.

Immediately, you went back to your room and grabbed the spear placed against the wall beside your bed. You opened the door and you could see the maids running, crying for help. You grabbed the hand of a young girl.

“What’s happening?!” You demanded. The girl ignored your question and yanked her hand away, running away. “Hey! Wait up!”

Confusions were running in your head. Curious, you decided to just ask your father. As you turned around, a guard blocked your way.

“Sunghee, move. I need to speak with my father.”

“Princess, we need to get out of here, fast.”

Sunghee grabbed your hand and tried to pull you with her. You slipped your hand out of her grasp and went pass her sneakily.

“Princess! No!”

You marched through the thick crowd to your father’s throne room. Chaos erupted in the hallway as people were rushing to head to the gate. Questions were running through your mind. People were pushing one another. Some fell through the ground and ended up being trampled. You tried to help but you kept being pushed.

Everything was a mess. The pictures on the walls were hanging dangerously. The mosaic glass windows were shattered into pieces. Bodies sprawled everywhere. Alas, you ignored everything and decided to just head to your father. You were worried of his condition. He was an excellent warrior. The best one in your kingdom. But, he was old. Surely he was not as strong as he used to be. Considering the chaos that had just happened less than a day, this enemy must be someone who was really strong or he was an insider.

You slipped through the thick crowd and made it to your father’s throne room. You were about to turn the doorknob when you heard a chuckle coming from the inside. You opened the door slightly and peeked inside.

Your father was on the floor. He was propping his sword, Fang of the Chimaera, for support. His face was pained. Bloods trickled down from his forehead.

Your gasped but then you close your mouth. Tears welled up in your eyes as you saw a dead body beside your father. The Great Mother. Her body laid on the floor, lifeless. It was an unruly sight as you saw her body tattered condition. His hands were twisted in an odd way. Her head were twisted backward. Who would do such a thing to a delicate old woman like her?!

“Tsktsktsk. You have gotten old, Wang. You were not the warrior you used to be.” A man covered in black robes approached your dad. You could not see his face as his back was facing you. At the sight of him, you knew he was the mastermind behind this attack.

“I should have known, you Typhonians could never be trusted! I swear I’ll crush you to the ground!!” Your father roared.

“It’s too late for that.” The mysterious man took out a dagger from the inside of his robe. The handle was white like bone. The blade was so sharp that it glinted like the stars. The star of evil. He was about to stab your father when you broke into the room and marched toward him with your spear ready to penetrate through him.

“I’LL KILL YOU!!”

The man was surprised and he was barely able to escape your attack. He jumped back and was in his fighting stance.

You let go of your spear and kneeled beside your father.

“Appa, are you alright?”

“What are you doing here?! You’re supposed to get out of the city!” Your father growled.

“What do you mean?! I would never leave you alone” You refuted. Tears rolled down your cheeks. Your father immediately softened. You were his most prized treasure and he would do everything to ensure your safety.

“Aww, how sweet. A reunion of father and daughter.” The man snarkily taunted. He ripped his robes and what you saw was something that you had never seen before. It was not a man. It was a monster. His lower body was green and scaly. His tail was like a scorpion, with a pointed end. His upper body was rocky and hard. It was made of stone.

*What kind of creature is this?!*

“My daughter, I begged you. Please, go away. You are our kingdom’s only hope my dear.” You father gazed lovingly into your eye.

You shook your head vigorously. “No, if I die, I’ll die in honour. Dying fighting for the sake of our kingdom and for you.”

A sigh was let out of your father. He knew how hard-headed and stubborn you are.

Suddenly, the monster dashed forward with his tails pointing at you. Your father pushed you to the side. The tail ended up stabbing him. You stared at the scene in horror.

“APPA!!”

You grabbed your spear but before you even managed to stand up, you were thrown into the walls by the monster. Your head hit the wall and it started to bleed.

You father cut the tail of the monster. The tail still stabbed on his body. He immediately started flailing his sword here and there but the monster was able to avoid it with ease.

“You’re getting slow, old man.” The monster punched the King’s stomach. Your father grabbed his hand and threw him backward.

He twirled his finger and conjured a storm toward the monster. The monster leapt up and jumped over the storm. But your father was ready with his sword at the other side. As he leapt, you father pointed his sword upwards and chooped off one of his legs. The monster growled in pain but the attack was not enough to kill him. He staggered with his one leg.

“Uggh”

The monster pointed his finger at your father. Laserbeams were emitted from his fingertips. Your father ducked every single one of them. Though one narely managed to hit his shoulder.

*I could never beat this old man, unless......*

The monster shifted his gaze at you. Your father realised what he was thinking.

“NOOOOOOOO!”

Everything happened so fast. Your father threw himself in front of you as the laserbeam shot through his body.

“Father!” Tears streamed down like waterfall. You ran towards his body. Shaking it violently, you called for him. His hands travelled to your face and caressed it gently.

“My....daughter.....I’ll....always...........love...........you.” His hand fell back lifelessly.

“Such a pity.”

You glared at the monster that had killed your father. He slowly approach, grabbing your chin roughly, admiring your beautiful features.

“You would be a most beautiful gift to my master.”

You spat on his face and he slapped yours.

“How dare you!”

Then something grabbed your shoulder with a blinding speed.

Before you knew it, you were facing Sunghee whose face was sweaty, jumping from the rooftop of one house to another.

“Shh, don’t cry princess, you’re safe now.”

You tried to believe her words but you knew you were anything but safe.