By the time he arrived at his family's home, Azriel had decided what he would do. He ran into the stables and brought Pegasus, his mothers' old horse, out and attached it to the wagon. He rushed inside and began dragging objects out to it. When everything was loaded up, he went inside, ran up the stairs and into his parents' room. His mother lay asleep on the bed. He moved over to her and began waking her.
"What?" she half spleepily croaked.
"You have to get up." he said, as he opened the windows up in an attempt to get her awake.
"What?" she repeated "Why? What's happening? Why aren't you with Kurr?"
"The town's being invaded by the Knightmare Hordes, mother. They'll be here any minute. You can't stay here." blurted Azriel, sending a look of shock to his mother's face, which once again turned to it's perpetual look of despair.
"You go, Azriel. I want to stay here." she said.
"But," Azriel stuttered "But you can't. You'll die if you stay."
"Don't you see, son? I want to. Ever since..."
"Mum, that's stupid. It was a still birth, for Saber's sake.Get over it!" His mother sat, looking dumbfounded. She simply stared at him, and his will crumbled. He went to apologise, but decided against it, simply picking her up, grabbing a few blankets, a few family potraits drawn by Enran the artist and headed down the staircase.
"What are you doing, Azriel? Let me go! Put me back! Let the savages come for me!" she begged, but Azriel wouldn't listen. He got her outside and into the cart, astonished by the fact that he had found the strength to carry her.
"Mother, if you truly love me, you'll take this cart to Sanctum city, and wait there. I'm going to help dad against the invasion."
"But, Azriel, you can't..."
"Mum, Hope needs as much help as it can get now. If I don't give mine, then I'm a coward. And like I, if you truly care for me, and don't want to see me broken, you'll try as hard as you can to get to Sanctum...to survive. Please, I beg of you, find it in yourself to not give up." he pleaded. His mother saw the desperation in his eyes, and knew she had to.
"Alright, my Azriel. But if I'm to promise to keep going, you're to promise to get back to Sanctum and find me when you and your father have gotten rid of these invaders." she said
"I promise." Azriel agreed. His mother kissed him on the cheek, and pulled on Pegasus' reins, making the horse start up. Azriel waved goodbye as he watched his mother ride away. Whatever he di, he had to remain brave right now.
The Hope Guard had been standing to attention two kilometres from the town from five minutes now, awaiting the arrival of the barbarians. Some began to doubt Empyrean's forecast, believing the Hordes had just been inthe area, but had not planned to attack. Samara sat in the middle of the ordered masses, atop his huge armoured horse, silently vigil for the coming danger. He did not doubt his friend's warnings what so ever. Long had he worried that the Hordes would strike, and today appeared to be one of judgment. The sky was heavy with emotionless, colourless grey, the pigment of weapons. It was a warrior sky. Samara had seen many, almost as if the gods, if any existed found this colour fit for the threatining bloodshed. Concentration was intense, as everyone fixed their eyes on the horizon, awating the coming of much carnage. They were of course surprised when a huge spiked fireball came hurtling overhead, and crashed to the ground in fron of them, crushing to death four men and horses, turning their bodies to ash.
"WHAT!?!" bellowed the startled Samara, as he saw the Hordes coming up from beind, half of them already tearing the town apart.