DRAGONSREACH HAS FALLEN.
The roof collapsed and the supports that had held up the ancient castle for who knew how many millennia fell with it. The throne at the top of the room had a pillar on it. Beneath that pillar was Jarl Bulgruff. He was trapped and it was painfully apparent that he would not survive much longer without a potion or healing magic. I looked for the Jarl's mage and realised with a sick feeling in my stomach that he was dead. I was about to look back at the Jarl for any way to help him when the body of the mage moved. For a brilliant moment I thought he was alive. That we were saved. But instead a young boy crawled out from under him. The Jarl's son was alive. The mage could have used his magic to hold up the rubble above himself but instead he sacrificed his life for a young boy who treated him like crap. I was about to step towards the boy when I remembered my duty. "No" I told myself firmly. My duty was to protect the Jarl. I stepped towards the Jarl. "Recruit. You survived. My children. Where are they?" his voice was raspy and it pained me to hear him like that. I felt sick looking at him. His leg was nearly severed and I wanted to throw up. I eventually managed an answer. " Horgar is alive sir. I haven't seen Grella. It is of my understanding that she was on the top floor sir. Im sorry." As I spoke I realised that my voice was just as raspy as his. The smoke we were inhaling was not helping. Immediately I realised Horgar was breathing it in like us. I ripped my sleeve of and formed it into a makeshift bandanna. "There you go son. Don't breathe to heavy. The air is just as dangerous as the collapse was" he took the bandanna and looked at me. He was crying but seemed determined not to show it "Is father alright? And what about mother and sister?" I looked at him and realised that he was determined to help. "take this." I ripped my other sleeve off and handed it to him "Put pressure on you fathers wound. Don't let go. I'll find your mother and sister. I'll get you all out of here." He looked at me with the same steely look his father had when he had to issue an execution. Scared and sad but determined. I took one last glance at the Jarl and seen the tears in his eyes. I walked to the stairs and was greeted with a mountain of bodies. Looks like all the other guards tried to escape. The roof collapsed and no one had made it. I didn't have high hopes for the upstairs but I had to try. I took a final glance at the once grand entrance hall and felt as if a piece of lead had dropped into my stomach. From the slightly elevated angle I was at I could see her. Ysolda was lying there. Blood pooled around her and she was still. I knew she was dead. I suddenly realised how Horgar felt when he couldn't find his sister. I had to move on but I promised myself that I would bring her home. I would bring my sister home. Even if it killed me. I steadied myself and stepped over a body up to the middle floor. I didn't know what had done this but I would kill it. I stepped forward and walked into the fire.