.: The Beginning of the End :.

Taliya woke with a start. The usual distant screams were now just outside her door. "What is it this time?" She thought as she silently put on her usual light blue dress. Just as she finished lacing her light brown boots, her brother, Daron, barged into her room.

"Oh good, you're awake and dressed" he said out of breath. "Come quick. The king's army is here trying to take over Tom's farm! Grab your weapons, I'll meet you there."

He turned suddenly and faced her.

"Taliya, please be careful" he whispered intently.

"Don't worry brother," Taliya said with a reassuring smile." I always am."

Daron nodded once and left as quickly as he had come.

"Poor Tom" Taliya thought sadly as she reached for her daggers, as well as her bow and arrows. "He always had the most rotten luck."

Tom, a happy-go-lucky fellow, despite his seemingly endless misfortune, had always been a friend of the family. He was still quite young, most likely in his early twenties, and had recently married one of the village girls, Cloe.

"Hang on Tom, I'm coming" She thought as she grabbed her midnight blue cloak and ran out the door.

Taliya gasped. It was worse than she thought it would be. There were soldiers everywhere and they were spreading fires, laughing all the while, as if it were just a game. Taliya shook with fury at the sight. She fought angrily with whoever was foolish enough to cross her path. She was a good fighter, both with long and short distance combat. She was stealthy and quick, thanks to the seemingly never ending training that her brother gave her. Her parents' brutal and merciless murder was he main reason Daron decided to train her. "You must learn to defend yourself, for you are a girl and there are men out their who will use that against you." She rembered him bitterly telling her.

She had had reached Tom's farm but there was no longer any fighting going on. She spotted Tom and his wife, Cloe, putting out the remains of the fire. The damage to their farm was not as bad as she had imagined.

"Oy, Tom! Are You two alright?" Taliya asked as she approached the ash covered pair.

"Yeah, thanks to your brother and his friends." Tom answered tiredly.

"If there is anything you ever need, you just let us know dear." Cloe added with a tired smile.

"Thanks you two." Taliya said gratefully. "Do you know where my brother might've run off to though?"

"Why, probably to go save someone else!" Tom said with a laugh.

Taliya laughed and with a wave ran back towards the center of her village.

Among the chaos, she spotted Tyler and Sophie, her two favorite kids, scared and confused. She ran towards them just as a soldier was about to bring his ax down on them. Quickly, she grabbed an arrow from her quiver, aimed and dealt the killing shot. The arrow landed right in the soldier's heart before he could even begin to understand that he was dead. The soldier fell back and landed with a loud thud.

Taliya reached the kids and hugged them, glad that they were safe. Then, she looked at them seriously.

"What are you two doing out here?" She asked with a frown.

"My house is on fire, and mommy told me to run to Sophie's house." Tyler answered.

"Well, two soldiers broke into my house and MY mama told me to run quick to Tyler's house!" Sophie said with a distressed cry.

Tyler hugged her. "It's okay Sophie, Tally's here now!"

Taliya gave the two reassuring smiles but wondered who would take cared of the two, for she doubted that their mothers had managed to survive. She shook her head. She couldn't think about that right now. She had to find them a safe haven, and fast. Suddenly, she smiled.

"Okay you two, you've done really well so far. Now I want you to go up to Tom's farm and ask him to let you both stay with him. Tell him what happened and tell him that I sent you" She said.

Tyler smiled and Sophie clapped her hands. "I knew you'd help us Tally!" Tyler said happily. "Come Sophie! Let's hurry!"

"Be careful! Stay together!" Taliya called after them as they disappeared into the shadows.

The screams were less and the fires were almost all out ... but where was her brother? Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him, hurt but still chasing after a soldier who looked about twice his size.

Taliya ran after him. "Daron, stop!" she yelled.

Daron turned, but so did the soldier. He had not realized that Daron had been following him. The soldier raised his sword, ready to strike.

"Daron! Watch out!" Taliya screamed.

Daron turned and tried to evade the attack but he was too late. Taliya saw and heard too clearly the sword slash with impossible force into his shoulder and down to his hip.

"NO!" Taliya screamed.

She grabbed an arrow and let it fly. It hit the soldier but did not kill him, for her vision had blurred from the tears in her eyes. She wiped them away, furious at this heartless man. She shot two more arrows, but he merely plucked them out as if they were nothing more than pins. She took out her daggers and began to fight close up, but it was useless. She could not think clearly. Images of her brother filled her mind causing her to lose her focus. His dying moans were no help either. The soldier grabbed her by the neck and brought her up so that his eyes met hers. She was forced to look at his face, filled with countless scars, and at the moment, menacing. She struggled against his grip but it was futile, for he was too strong. The soldier let out a cruel laugh.

"I'm sorry brother, I was not careful enough ... this ... time..." she thought as she slowly began to drift off into darkness. The sound of hooves and the drawing of a sword were the last things she heard before she hit the ground and darkness took over her.

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter xD

I will try to get a character page up... maybe even with drawings (I love to draw xD)

Also, this story is original, however some charcters might have some small similarity with some game/anime/cartoon character out there... I will make a note of those that do (any that I don't make a note of but you are reminded of a certain character... it was not intentional haha...)

Thank you suekay535 for reviewing!! smiles I will get the story up as fast as I can haha