20 years ago...
The small village of Rosemeer wasn't even on a map of Stormhold with no more than a dozen households living there. The harsh landscape by the mountains made it unreachable in the winter with the villagers used to fending for themselves in the coldest months. Though mostly cut off from the rest of the land, it was one of the happiest places to grow up in. The land was rich with resources making good trade partners with surrounding areas, including the Palace.
The village of Rosemeer was all Evora knew and all she had cared about. Her childhood was a happy one with her parents and three brothers and two sisters.
Until one fateful night when Evora was only fifteenth years old.
"Quick children, you must hide!" Her mother ran into their bedroom with a sense of urgency. The fear her eyes alerted Evora to help wake the rest of her siblings up.
"Mother, what is it?" questioned Evora
"They have come" her mother whispered gravely.
"Who?" Evora bit her lip as she picked up her youngest brother who was barely two years old.
"There isn't much time to explain but the three ancient witches have come" her mother explained as she ushered them into the basement.
"But why have they come?" Asked Evora
"We aren't sure yet, your Father is trying to reason with them. Now stay quiet until I come back and tell you it's safe" their Mother tried to give them a reassuring smile but Evora could see pass it.
Their Mother had left them in the basement but it did not shield them from the horrors they could hear above them. First they heard the screams and then they felt the warmth of the fire that started to surround them as smoke started to fill the basement.
"We have to leave now!" Evora commanded her siblings as her youngest brother wailed in her arms. Evora ushered her siblings up the basement stairs as they inhaled the smoke blowing onto them.
"Everyone hold hands and run!" she called as they all formed a chain. Evora then guided them quickly through their burning home. They hadn't been long enjoying dinner together and their Mother telling them bedtime stories before the horror had been unleashed on the village.
Evora was not prepared for the sight before them, she wish she could of shielded her siblings from witnessing the scene. Half the villagers already lying lifeless on the ground, all their houses on fire, the smoke rising up in the night air.
And then Evora spotted the three figures in the midst of it all. Magical sparks coming from their hands releasing more pain and hurt onto the village.
Evora looked round frantically for her parents, holding for a glimmer of hope that they were fine. Then spotted her Mother lying against a haystack, not moving.
"Mother!" She screamed as she handed her younger brother to her sister and ran over to her.
"Evora..." her mother mumbled, blood pouring from her side.
"Mother? Let me help you, I'll find Father" she panicked as she tried to suppress the wound.
"It's too late for us, Evora. Look after your siblings my love" her mother told her as her breathing came to a stop and she become lifeless. Evora couldn't stop the cry piercing out of her soul, the pain she felt was like a stab to the heart.
The world felt as though it moved in slow motion as she felt someone dragging her to her feet, pulling her away from her mother as Evora held out her arms to try and reach her, not ready to let go.
"This is the last one, Lamia" said the witch holding onto her. Evora stood in horror as the three beautiful women surrounded her.
"Where are my siblings?" She questioned, the dread washing over her as they referred to her as the last one.
"Do you mean those, my dear?" The one they had called Lamia answered pointing to a pool of lifeless bodies close to them.
"No!" cried Evora as she fell to her knees as she choked "How could you?"
"Easily. Children are perfect to keep up a youthful glow" sneered Lamia as the other two witches laughed with her.
"You may be beautiful but I see you for the monsters you are!" Spat Evora, the feeling of death being so near made her oddly brave.
"Are you going to let her talk like that to us, sister?" One of them smirked to Lamia who was clearly in charge.
"I think I am actually. You see, I want you girl to tell the horrors you have seen here this night" smiled Lamia
"Why?" Whispered Evora
"Reputation of course" Lamia was now smirking.
"You would burn down a village and slaughters its people for reputation?" Evora cried as she still saw the bodies of her family surrounding her.
"My dear, I would burn down this Kingdom" she sneered as they all laughed.
The youngest looking witch who was slimmed built with shiny raven hair then grabbed her arm and dragged her to a nearby post, all that was left of one of the houses, still warm from the fire. Evora tried to struggle but her young body and weak state of mind struggled to fight and with her family gone, what else was there?
The witch tied her to the post forcefully, the rope already too tight round her wrists.
"You will pay for this" Evora bravely threatened.
"That's what they all say" Lamia smiled "Sisters, let's go. Our work here is done"
As quick as they came, the witches were gone leaving nothing but pain and destruction in the wake. Evora felt sick to the pit of her stomach, she closed her eyes not wanting to look upon her family who laid close by. Guilt rushed through her suddenly as though she couldn't breath. She immediately blamed herself for the death of her brothers and sisters. Evora had only left them all for a minute to see to her Mother but the witches worked fast, and she would have to live with that. But she wasn't sure how she would cope with the pain.
The rope around her wrist allowed her enough room to tuck herself into a ball on the ground and pour her heart out, wishing that it was one horrible nightmare.