They who came from heaven
Prologue: A blaze that marked the beginning
The city was burning. Nobody knew why, nobody knew how, but it was. Its inhabitants were fleeing their homes, leaving behind belongings and cattle. The animals were screaming, panicked but unable to run away. Even the stone castle was charred, the heat blackening the stones as if they were wood.
After many long hours, hours that seemed like days, the incendiary blazes died down, leaving the destroyed Baron behind them. The people returned, shedding tears at the sight of their beloved town, mourning their loved ones who had been trapped by the deadly flames. It took no more than a few days to begin the rebuilding of their home, their hearts heavy but determined.
They built and they repaired and they built again. Their wounds were scarring and their souls were mending. Their lives kept on going and the pain even began to soften after a while.
They didn't know that every single settlement that grazed their planet also fell prey to the fire. They didn't know that what they believed to be a tragic accident was part of a carefully detailed plan. They didn't know that somebody or maybe many were watching them from faraway and smiling and laughing and crying. They didn't know that they were a living bait. They didn't know that the fire signified the beginning of the end.
But they did know that the bodies of their king, queen, captain of the guards and chief engineer had not been found.
