And Fire Followed

LOCATION: HOLLOW CREED — OUTER RIDGE PATH

They were running.

Not from fear but towards it.

Serin led the way, cloak whipping behind her as she cut through the ridge trail. Two Hollow Creed scouts followed, boots pounding the dirt, their breath sharp with dust and smoke.

They had left the convoy behind — interrogation done and message sent.

But what Serin saw now, on the horizon, wasn't peace waiting.

It was smoke, rising, thick and wrong.

Her ribs still ached. Her side hadn't stopped hurting since Shadowedge but she didn't slow down, she didn't even look back.

Her boots skidded on gravel as she reached the ridge and looked down.

The Hollow Creed was burning.

Tents torn apart. Horses scattered. Soldiers dying or already dead. The white steel of Ashvale's Creed of Chains marched like ghosts — precise, unmerciful, everywhere.

"No," Serin whispered.

Her side throbbed — that same rib she hadn't let heal but she ignored it.

She gripped her sword, tore her cloak, and ran downhill, straight into the fire.

---

It wasn't a battle, it was a slaughter.

Serin cut one soldier across the throat, dodged another's blade, then elbowed him in the face. She didn't stop moving.

Two Hollow Creed scouts saw her, barely alive, barely holding weapons.

"Retreat to the tunnel!" she shouted.

They nodded and ran.

Another explosion hit the left flank and the ground shook but she kept going.

Smoke rolled in heavy now. Fires climbed over broken tents like they were alive.

That's when she saw him.

Nareth. Backed into a corner, blade broken in one hand, dragging an old woman with the other. Two soldiers had him flanked. Ashvale armor, white steel and gloves.

Serin didn't think. She screamed and dove forward, blade flashing.

The first soldier turned, too late.

She ran him through, straight through the neck. Pulled back, kicked the second one in the ribs, then slashed down his leg. He dropped. She didn't even finish him, just grabbed Nareth's arm.

"You alright?"

He stared at her, blinking hard. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Yeah well… plans change," she panted.

Then a blur of shadow and silver tore through the smoke behind them slicing down two Creed soldiers before their blades even finished swinging.

Rivenna.

Her Voidsteel blade hummed, slick with ash and blood.

Serin blinked. "Rivenna?!"

"I never left," Rivenna muttered. "Just didn't expect them this soon."

Nareth stumbled back, staring. "You should've run—"

"I'll run when I'm dead," she snapped, eyes already on the ridge above. More soldiers, too many.

Nareth looked over her shoulder. "We're gathering everyone left. Tunnels under the ridge still lead out west. We can make it. But you both have to come. Now."

Serin didn't speak right away. Just looked past him, the mothers crying, the wounded being carried, the way some kids were barefoot.

Then she looked at the ridge, the fire, the steel still clashing and the screams. Then—

"No," she said.

"What?" Nareth's eyes went wide.

"If we all run, they'll follow. They'll catch up. Someone's gotta hold them off." She touched her side. That rib again. She winced but hid it quickly.

"We can't hold the line," Rivenna said low. "Not forever."

"I know," Serin said. "But we buy them time."

Rivenna's jaw tightened, like she wanted to argue but she didn't. She just nodded once. "I'll lead them out."

Nareth looked surprised. "You?"

"They'll follow me," she said. "They're scared. They need a blade that doesn't shake."

She turned to Serin one last time, something burning behind her words.

"Don't die here. Not yet."

Serin nodded then looked at Nareth and smiled "I'll be fine."

"You're lying," Nareth said. "I can see it in your face."

Serin gave a small smile, tired and cracked. "Doesn't matter."

Nareth grabbed her arm. "Let me stay."

"No," she said firmly. "Lucan, Jareth and Rivenna needs you. Zekk too. You're going to help lead what's left."

He looked at her like a father would, torn, proud, and afraid. Then nodded, like someone who knew heroes were always the first to fall.

Then another voice spoke up behind them.

"I'll stay with her."

It was Rehn. Blood down his cheek, sword shaking in his hand but his eyes were steady.

"You sure?" Serin asked.

He nodded once. "I'm not leaving you."

Serin turned back to Nareth.

"Go."

Nareth went, not for himself.

But because her choice was already made, and old men know better than to argue with fate.

---

A few minutes later, they stood behind broken carts and scattered supplies.

Serin, Rehn, some fifteen others, all that was left to fight.

They didn't stand to win. They stood to give others a chance.

The Creed of Chains kept coming. Row after row.

Serin gripped her blade with blood on her knuckles and pain in her side.

"Hold," she whispered.

And they did until they couldn't anymore.

---

The smoke made it hard to breathe.

Serin swung again, her blade scraping against iron, pain stabbing under her ribs with every movement. Her cloak was half torn. Her breathing was uneven. Blood stuck to her fingers and she wasn't sure if it was hers anymore.

The bodies were piling.

Mothers, fighters, kids. It didn't matter. The Creed of Chains came like a storm and didn't stop.

Then someone swung at her from behind.

She turned too slow. The clash rattled her bones, almost made her drop her blade. She stumbled back, pain screaming up her side then she looked up.

It was him.

Verrick.

He stepped out through the chaos like he was walking through smoke that belonged to him. His armor looked clean, his grin? Not so much.

"Well," he said. "Didn't expect to find the captain bleeding this bad."

Serin didn't answer. She raised her blade again.

"Still standing," she said, even if her voice cracked at the end.

"For now" Verrick said with a smirk and moved fast.

They fought.

It wasn't clean and it wasn't graceful. It was ugly, hard, and fast. Metal slammed. Sparks flew. Her ribs burned with every step. Her footing was already breaking due to the pain up her side.

She barely blocked his next swing then he knocked her to one knee.

And said "Should've followed me, Serin. Could've died standing, not crawling."

He raised his sword for the final strike but it didn't land.

Because Rehn was there. He'd thrown himself between them.

The blade sank into him deep and he fell but Serin caught him before he hit the ground.

His hands were shaking. His mouth was trying to say something but the blood was faster.

"No, no no no—" she whispered as she pressed against the wound but there was nothing to stop.

Rehn looked at her once and said shakily "If there's another life… I'd still follow you, Captain."

He tries to smile but doesn't quite make it. Then he was gone.

Verrick didn't say anything. He just pulled his blade free and turned to his soldiers.

"Take her," he ordered, voice sharp. "And gather what's left."

A few Hollow Creed were still standing. They didn't fight anymore. They just dropped their weapons. Some were crying. Some were too tired to feel anything.

"Send riders," Verrick added. "Nareth and Rivenna escaped. Hunt them down."

Serin didn't move. She was still holding Rehn.

And for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like a soldier anymore.

She just felt broken.

To be continued...