The next morning proved to be a blur for Ceri.
The sunlight barely filtered through the plumes of smoke that rose from the city. The thundering vibrations from last night were now closer than ever before, vibrating everything that failed to flee from it's path.
The tumbling and crashing of a small, glass figure from off Ceri's bedside table was the final thing that willed her to finally wake. Her eyes flutters open as another glass trinket fell from her dresser and rolled about the floor helplessly. The vibrations and crashes slowly became louder and louder and seemed to have multiplied, becoming more frequent as the faint screaming intensified and reached her ears.
She finally tugged her blanket from off her body and swung her legs over the edge of her bed before she hopped up onto the cool wooden floor beneath her. She stumbled to the window, the house shaking vibrations almost forcing her to tumble over.
With her hand firmly on the windowsill she gazed through it's wooden frame. Her green eyes widened in fear. To the edge of the city a man's head peaked over the houses, followed by another head and another.
Her legs froze in shock and disbelief as she leaned closer towards the window, peering through the plume of smoke that disrupted her line of sight.
With her nose pushed up against the window and all thinking faculties gone out the window, her left eye let out a single tear that rolled down her round tan cheek. Her body began to shake as she let out a small cry, the destruction and screaming finally registering in her young mind.
She watched as one monstrous giant reached down and picked up a human who seemed dwarfed compared to it's size, snapped it in half and threw it into it's enlarged mouth not even taking a moment to chew that flesh that sat on it's tongue. Thick crimson liquid splashed out between it's teeth and dribbled down onto it's chin as the lump in it's throat moved down slowly before disappearing into it's bottomless stomach.
Tears flooded from the twelve year old's eyes as her legs finally gave out, causing her to collapse onto the floor. Frantically, she crawled away from the window only stopping once she met the back wall. Her arms instinctively wrapped around her small legs, pulling them to her chest as close as she could.
She remained in a daze as the monsters crept closer and closer, the blood that ran down their chins increasing with every snap and gulping of a human body they took.
Just as a large resemblance of a hand reached across her bedroom window, her bedroom door crashed open revealing a panting figure in it's door frame.
She failed to notice as her eyes remained trained on the hand that was slowly reaching for her bedroom window. In an instant, said window was ripped from the wall it was sealed into. Dust and smoke billowed into her room causing her to finally shut her eyes.
The humanoid hand reached into the newly formed hole towards her, coming just a few inches away from her knees that were cradled into her chest.
Just out of it's reach, she finally looked over to the door. The man who was previously there was now sprinting towards her through the cloud of dust that surrounded her.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms, his hand covering back of her head as he turned back towards the door preparing to sprint just as fast, if not faster through it, down the stairs and into some sort of safety.
Before he could do so however, Ceri's voice reached his ears and rang in it pleadingly. "Rini!" she called out, her arms reaching around the neck of her savior, out towards the stuffed rabbit that laid on her bed, covered in dust and debris.
The man stopped instantly and swirled on his right heel, turning back to grab said stuffed animal just before the giant's hand crashed another hole into the wall of Ceri's bedroom. Grabbing the bunny and tightening his grip on Ceri, he finally turned back towards the door and ran through it without any qualms of leaving or any curiosity as to what the giant has done or wanted to do.
Handing Ceri her now dusty stuffed friend, the man scaled down the steps, jumping every other one, before finally reaching the front door and running through it.
As his foot met the ground, the giant's foot crashed into the roof of Ceri's home, crushing everything – or everyone – that was unfortunate enough to remain inside.
Ceri's eyes sparked with a horrid thought. "Mama," she whispered to herself, her heartbeat beginning to race, "Mother!" she called out again, her left hand reaching around the neck of the man carrying her.
"Ceri," the man finally spoke. His voice rang in her ears, soothing her and ringing with all familiarity.
"Papa?" she asked, pushing against his chest to get a glance at his face. Her eyes lightened once she recognized that it truly was her father. That he had come just in time to save her.
All fear, worry and confusion left her body for just a moment as she curled her arms around her father's neck, being careful to hold onto Rini in her right hand. "Papa," she sobbed quietly into his strong right shoulder.
His hand free hand came up and rested on the small of her back, rubbing small consoling circles and he continued his sprint through the narrow alleyways of the inner city.
To Ceri, for just a moment, all the turmoil that surrounded her disappeared. Anything could happen now and she would feel as safe as ever, now that her father, the Military Chief for the village Hanase, was holding her obviously taking her somewhere safe.
Tears continued to roll out of her eyes onto her cheeks as she cradled her head into the crook of her father's neck.
"What happening?" she asked softly.
Barely picking up on the question through the crashes and cries for help that surrounded him, he tightened his hold on his daughter and increased his speed, his footsteps pounding against the dirt path beneath him. His struggled to maneuver through the crowds of panicked people and nearly fell among the debris that continued to fall around him.
Not receiving a response, she repeated herself louder, "What's happening? Where's mama?"
"Mama wasn't inside when I got there," he responded, avoiding her initial question. "I looked everywhere but I didn't find a sign of her." His voice was calm and soft, which was usual for the 30-odd year old man. His usual boisterous demeanor left him when he was faced with a situation that threaten his daughter's life.
Ceri grew silent as she looked up at the giant that stomped and grazed through the stone houses, picking up any moving thing and throwing it into his mouth without hesitation. Her red hair blew towards her face, wrapping around her eyes as if strands of blood were flowing through the air.
"Mama...left me." she whispered, her tears intensifying. "Didn't she, papa? Mama left me because she never loved me!"
"Ceri!" Her father exclaimed, shaking her lightly, but enough to regain her attention, "I'm sure your mother has good reason for what she's done. But now isn't the time. Do you remember what I've always told you?"
Ceri's silence returned as she rose her left hand to wipe the new and old tears from her cheeks. Everything behind her was destroyed, and it was just a matter of moments that everything before her would have the same fate.
She began to question the safety of her and her father's life as she watched two monsters, pick up a single person and rip them in two, their blood falling onto the ground like heavy, colored raindrops.
"Are we going die, papa?" she asked, her voice eerily calm.
Her father remained silent as he ran around a corner followed by another. His hand reached up to push Ceri's head into his shoulder, attempting to cover her eyes from whatever atrocity was occurring behind them.
"What have I always told you, sweetie?" he repeated, his drive increasing once he saw the back gate before him in the distance.
Ceri took a moment to respond, "That which does not kill me, will only make me stronger." she whispered, her head still rested in the crook of Celc's neck.
"That's right! Good girl," he replied proudly, a silent tear escaping his eye. "And I promise you, you will not die today or anytime soon. Not by those damned things," he added with a fiery spark in his words.
"Promise?" Ceri asked, her hope returning just slightly.
"I swear to you, on my life Ceri." her father swore, before finally slowing down eventually to a halt.
The sound of a river bed reached Ceri's ears causing her to raise her head and to look behind her shoulder. She looked up before her and saw that they were now out Hanase's walls and heading towards Wall Rose's gates that sat just across the ravine.
She looked around her at all of the panicked people who were pushing and clawing their way to the first boat that would carry them to safety. The cries of help and for a savior rang in her ears, burning themselves into her memory.
Her father's voice called her attention back onto him. "Now Ceri," her father began as he pushed his way through the masses of people, "I must leave you now."
"No!" Ceri protested, pushing herself to look into her fathers identical green eyes, "I'm not leaving without you," she added, tears again forming in her eyes. "I can't."
"I'm not giving you a choice," her father responded with a curt chuckle. "You've got to get to safety, love, and for now that means separating."
"Will you come find me?" she asked, her tears rolling down her cheeks into her mouth. The salty taste lingering on her tongue.
"I won't need to," he responded, a smile forming on his face, "I'm right here and always will be," he added, resting his hand on the left side of his chest.
"But I want you here, with me!" she objected, forming a grip on the collar of his shirt, "Please don't leave me, papa."
"Shh," he hushed, motioning to another military member who had already boarded the boat. He pulled Ceri away from his body and lifted her higher, handing her to said military member. Once she was safely on the boat, her took his index and middle finger and pressed it against his lips before pissing it against his daughters right cheek. "I love you, be strong for me." he whispered to her, allowing another tear to escape his eye.
His eyes shifted to look at the man that he handed Ceri to. "Take good care of my daughter, Joseph."
Joseph nodded his head curtly, his red hair shifting slightly. "And you brother? What do you plan on doing?"
Celc smiled. "I plan on fighting, but I needed to get my daughter here first," he responded looking into the fearful eyes of his daughter.
To the right of him, a military officer called out that the boat was at full capacity and for everyone to remain calm so as to wait for the next one. A roar of retorts and complaints erupted from the large crowd as they cursed said officer and all who found refuge on the boat.
Celc watched as his daughter looked out among the crowd and up to the impending doom behind them. He watched as she took in a deep breath before letting out one last cry, "Hurry, Papa. I'll catch you! Please, just jump-."
She paused as she watched her father pull a necklace from out his shirt before he pulled it up around his head, off his neck. Stretching, he managed to hang it around Ceri's neck, a sad, small smile painting his face. "I love you," he repeated. "I love you."
"Papa," Ceri whispered as the boat jerked into movement.
"Be good to your uncle," he commanded loudly against the cries behind him, "Do as he says, and never leave his side!" he paused, "Joseph, take care of her! Protect her with your life!" he continued running along the the boardwalk. "Promise me!"
"I promise!" Joseph responded, wrapping his arms around Ceri to pull her away from the edge of the boat.
Her green eyes remained locked with her father's identical ones, she never looked away, even when the monsters crashed through the once protective gate. Everything around her grew silent. Everyone and thing around her disappeared, leaving just her father behind, a smile on his face as he rose his hand to the left side of his chest and keeping it there until Ceri was out of sight.
Just before the boat was completely out of sight, she saw him mouth the words "I love you," before turning on his heel and running back to the turmoil that he had done so much to escape from.
Ceri let out a stressed gasp, her breathing hitched inside her throat as she attempted to call after her dad. Her uncle gently pulled her close to him, into his chest as she let out loud, uncontrollable sobs into his orange and white military shirt.
She buried her head into her uncles chest as her left hand rose up to clutch the gold cross that now hung around her neck, as her right hand clutched Rini, who's once happy face now reflects those of whom surrounded it.
AN: Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my story. :) If you enjoyed it, please do tell me by reviewing/favoriting/following, it would mean the world to me. 3 If you didn't enjoy it for whatever reason, do tell me! I won't improve unless you guys tell me what I need to fix/improve on.
Thank you so much, again. :)