The Kingdom

*****

Susori pressed back into the dark shadows of the doorway of a closed down shop. On the hill behind her the Palace was in flames and the last of the men her brother had spared to see her free of the city were no more.

One hand held her daughter to her even as her other arm held her newborn son. Her lips were all that moved as she prayed that both children remained silent. Even now she could hear the heavy breathing of the Gargon out in the alleyway as it ventured closer to where they hid.

The city all around her was in utter chaos as it was torn down by an army of darkness too unimaginable to comprehend. There were Gargons, lion men and many other twisted forms of man and nature, all of fallen Malachim design. Susori doubted that there would be a sole survivor left within the city by morning.

Just then the baby within her arms stirred and cried out loudly in fear at the sounds of a woman shrieking for mercy somewhere else in the fire and darkness of the city. The Gargon's breath huffed out and Susori knew the game of hide and seek was over.

Handing her son to her shaking daughter, Susori stepped out into the street even as the Gargon drew to a stop not 20 feet away. It towered over her by at least another 8 feet, but she'd had enough!

Raising a hand she pointed at the beast, "I've hid far longer than I already should have and now I won't any longer! I step out now in the faith I should have proclaimed earlier! I warn you now, if you take one more action to harm my family then you are in violation of my protection by the Most High!"

She stood there defiantly, a diminutive figure before the monster of half giant and half bull that had a spirit that knew only the reaches of evil and was capable of nothing less. With a roar it drew back in one hand a huge battle ax, but that's as far as it got. Warriors, wreathed in fiery robes with blades of pure fire, suddenly appeared and hacked down the beast where it stood.

Shaken, but renewed with resolve, Susori turned and reclaimed her son from her daughter. Turning, she went in the way indicated by one of the Malachim's upraised sword of fire.

They were Warriors beyond compare and she found herself in as great a fear of them as that of the enemy running rampant within the city. Rounding a corner, a group of lion men raised their bloody heads from feasting only to then growl and launch at her protectors.