The Night It All Burned II

Diana didn't respond, her eyes wide as the leader of the witch hunters lifted his sword and pronounced their mother's death sentence.

Flor locked eyes with her husband as tears ran down her cheeks

Her husband thrashed against his bonds, his muffled cries of anguish tearing through the night.

The leader drove the blade forward, piercing Flor's chest. She gasped, her body jerking as the steel tore through her heart. Blood poured from the wound, staining her dress as she slumped to her knees.

Aurora quickly used her hand to cover her sister's mouth to muffle her sister's scream. She wanted to scream, to hurl herself into the clearing and fight, but she knew it would be suicide.

Flor's vision blurred, but she forced herself to keep looking at her husband. "I love you," she choked out, her voice barely audible.

Aurora and Diana watched in horrified silence as the lead hunter wiped his bloodied blade on Flor's lifeless dress, the crimson stains spreading across the fabric like a cruel mockery of her sacrifice. Their mother's body lay motionless on the cold earth, her eyes open and fixed on the sky.

Their father, Marcus, knelt just feet away, his face soaked with tears as he fought against the ropes binding his wrists. "You bastards!" he roared, his voice hoarse with grief. "She was defending her family, you cowards! She wasn't a threat to you!"

The lead hunter sneered, grabbing Marcus by the collar and hauling him to his feet. "A threat?" he repeated mockingly. "She was a witch. That's threat enough."

Marcus's jaw clenched, his sorrow giving way to unbridled fury. "You're nothing but killers. You hunt innocent women and children because you're too afraid to admit your fear. You're cowards-all of you!"

The hunter's face darkened, and without warning, he struck Marcus across the face with the hilt of his sword, sending him sprawling back to the ground.

"Tread carefully," the hunter growled. "Your words carry little weight for a man who willingly lay with a witch and spawned her cursed offspring."

"She wasn't cursed!" Marcus spat, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "She was more human than any of you butchers."

The hunter's expression turned cold. He nodded to two of his men, who dragged Marcus to his knees and forced him to face his wife's lifeless body.

"For your crimes of consorting with a witch, housing her, and protecting her filth, you are hereby sentenced to death," the lead hunter proclaimed, his voice devoid of emotion. "May this serve as a warning to anyone foolish enough to follow your example."

Marcus's body trembled, not with fear but with rage. He raised his head, his tear-streaked face set with defiance. "You can kill me," he said, his voice steady despite the quiver of grief. "But you'll never break us. My wife died protecting her family. She died with honor. You'll all rot in hell for what you've done."

The lead hunter's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Perhaps," he said, raising his sword. "But you'll be there long before us."

Aurora couldn't breathe as she watched the blade gleam in the moonlight, her heart pounding as if it could shatter. Diana clutched her arm, her nails digging into Aurora's skin as they both stared, frozen in helpless horror.

"No..." Diana whimpered, her voice barely a whisper. "Papa..."

The sword came down in a swift, merciless arc, and Marcus's body slumped forward, lifeless, beside Flor's.

Diana let out a piercing scream.

The hunters turned, their heads snapping towards their hiding spot.

"There!" one of them shouted.

Aurora grabbed Diana's arm and yanked her to her feet. "Run!"

The forest was a blur of dark shapes and twisting branches. Aurora's lungs burned as she dragged Diana through the underbrush. The sound of hooves and shouts grew closer with every step.

"They're catching up!" Diana cried, her voice choked with sobs.

"Keep running!" Aurora urged, though her own legs felt like they might give out.

But the hunters were faster. Horses surrounded them, cutting off every path of escape.

"Two little witches," he sneered. "What a prize."

Diana's terrified sobs filled the air as the scarred hunter yanked her forward, his rough hand clamping around her wrist. She thrashed against his grip, but it was futile-he was too strong, and her struggle only seemed to amuse him further.

"She's got some fight in her," he sneered, yanking at her cloak and tossing it aside. "Don't worry, little witch. We'll make this quick."

"No!" Aurora screamed, struggling against the two hunters holding her down. Her arms were pinned painfully behind her back, but she didn't care. All she could focus on was Diana, her sister's small frame trembling as the men circled her like predators.

"Please!" Diana cried, her voice breaking. "Don't do this!"

The scarred hunter ignored her, his calloused hand roughly grabbing the front of her dress. With a sharp tug, the fabric tore, exposing her pale skin to the cold night air. Diana let out a shriek, desperately trying to cover herself as the men laughed, their leering eyes fixed on her.

Aurora's chest heaved with panic and fury. "Stop it! Leave her alone! Take me instead!"

One of the men holding Aurora chuckled darkly. "Patience, little witch. You'll get your turn."

Diana's cries grew more frantic as the scarred hunter shoved her to the ground. "No, please!" she begged, her voice hoarse. "Don't-"

He silenced her with a backhanded slap, the force of the blow knocking her head to the side. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she whimpered, curling in on herself.

Aurora's screams grew more desperate as the men descended on Diana, their cruel laughter cutting through the night like a blade. They pawed at her, ripping away the remaining shreds of her clothing, their jeers growing louder with every tear of fabric.

"Please, no!" Diana sobbed, her voice barely audible now. She tried to crawl away, but one of the hunters grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her back toward them.

Aurora's vision blurred with tears as she fought against her captors, her wrists raw from the ropes binding her. "Diana! No!"

The scarred hunter looked over his shoulder, smirking at Aurora. "You'll get to watch, sister. Consider it a lesson."

As they held Diana down, the first man positioned himself over her, a sickening grin on his face. Aurora's screams echoed through the forest, her throat raw and her heart breaking as she was forced to witness the unthinkable.

By the time the hunters were finished, Diana lay motionless on the ground, her once-bright eyes dull with pain and despair. One of the hunters stood, wiping his hands on his cloak as he looked down at her with disdain.

"She's no fun anymore," he said coldly, drawing his sword.

"No!" Aurora shrieked as the blade plunged into Diana's chest. Her sister's body jerked once, then went still.

Aurora's scream tore through the night, raw and filled with agony. The hunters turned toward her, their mocking laughter ringing in her ears. "Now, where were we?"

Something inside Aurora snapped. Heat built in her chest, spreading through her limbs, until it felt as if her very blood were on fire.

The laughter stopped.

Flames erupted from Aurora's body, engulfing everything in their path. The hunters screamed as the inferno consumed them. Horses reared and fled, their manes alight.

The fire spread, swallowing trees and underbrush, until half the forest was ablaze.

When the flames finally died down, Aurora stood in the ashes, her bindings burned away. Diana's lifeless body lay crumpled at her feet.

Aurora dropped to her knees, cradling her sister's broken form. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her tears falling onto Diana's bloodied face. "I'm so sorry..."

She rocked back and forth, her sobs echoing into the silent forest. Grief and guilt clawed at her chest, but as she looked at the smoldering remains of the hunters, something new took root.

Resolve.

Aurora clenched her fists. She had lost everything. But she wouldn't let it be for nothing.

"Diana," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I'll make them pay. I swear it."