Marie the Shadow

War Victims

The Hiden Stone border area is the most frequently contested area between the two kingdoms that share a border. This is a subscription battleground. There are wars almost every year, whether between kingdoms or between criminals. A poor village, Haen village, is not far away. Natural resources are insufficient. If hunting in the forest failed, only the previous wars were used as a backup.

One of the residents of Haen village is Marie. The twelve-year-old girl was neither a superhero nor a seasoned fighter. She's just a regular young woman. It has no power or wealth associated with it. She assists her mother in the kitchen on a daily basis.

"On the right side of our house is the kingdom of Lamberg, and on the left side is the kingdom of Jan Nolen. We are sometimes part of Lamberg and sometimes part of Jan Nolen. In fact, we have been to another country," the mother said to her son.

"What kingdom will I join when I grow up, Mom? Jan Nolen or Lamberg?" asked the young boy.

"We don't have to get involved in their affairs, Austin. We don't have to put our lives on the line for the sake of the arrogant locals. We'd better have a good time," mother remarked.

Marie appeared from behind, bringing food. Her clothes have a number of holes in them, exposing some of her skin. Only a small portion of the legs and arms were covered by the shabby clothing. Hair that is long, beautiful, and straight, with no adornments. She took a seat to unload the food and turned to face her mother and younger brother. She said, "Enjoy it."

"Thank you." Austin grabbed the food and devoured it right away.

The mother examined the body of her daughter. "You're in good shape, Marie. It will soon be time for you to marry and have your own husband "she stated.

"However, I want to be successful and have my own home," the girl explained.

"We are destined to be women, Marie. It is our job to remain in the background. We don't have to think about where we're going to eat. You can live comfortably as long as you find a husband who is already settled," mother remarked.

Marie got back up and turned to face her brother, who was eating. "I'd like Austin to be able to attend the academy, Mom. That is why I want to work so that my fees are sufficient to cover all of my expenses," she stated.

Marie's mother stood up and approached her. I stroked the black hair of the child. "I know exactly what you're looking for, Marie. But what are our options? What kind of work would you like to do? Recognize that we are all born women. We are defenseless and easy prey. I also don't want you to sell yourself to help Austin pay for his education."

"I'm not sure," Marie said, peering out the window of her home.

Marie entered the kitchen again. She carried on with the activities that had been postponed. An arrow appeared in front of hers unexpectedly. The arrow sped across the waistband of the shirt. The skin on the inside of the clothes peeled off as well. She was clutching a bloodied waistband. From behind the wooden walls of the house, seen from the outside. She has seen a few female magicians. One of them raises an electric ball, which is directed in a specific direction. Their movement is extremely sluggish.

A large fireball was launched at Marie's location. She took a quick step backwards. The fireball, on the other hand, exploded and threw a sharp object. She came dangerously close to being hit by it. There was a fire in the kitchen. She took a large cloth and draped it over her legs. Marie dashed forward, eager to see her mother. There was no one inside. Cover the lovely arm with another cloth. She exits her home. When she saw the state outside, she was shocked. The royal soldiers killed a large number of people. Several arrows pierced the younger brother's body. She screamed, "Austin!"

"Run, my dear!" yelled a man.

The screams of the father figure were heard by Marie. The soldiers' weapons restrained his movement. Marie's father's body was sliced in half by a soldier's weapon. The wife grabbed the head that was rolling around on the ground. Marie's mother raised as much of her husband's share as she could. The mother sheds a tear.

"Father!" Marie cried.

Two soldiers arrived to restrain the woman from doing anything else.

"What about that woman, my Majesty?" a soldier inquired.

A man appeared, dressed in a suit of armor and adorning himself with expensive jewelry. The man approached Marie's mother and took her body in his arms. The mother's body was pierced by a poisoned spear. The mother's life has come to an end.

The man approached Marie, who was sobbing. Touched the body of the helpless woman. Because water is the main target, the face is supple and wet. "That's interesting as well. It's a pleasure to be my slave," he stated.

A knife was taken by the man. The knife was inserted into the hole in Marie's clothes, which widened the hole. Smooth skin is becoming more associated with happiness and a sense of belonging.

Fire arrows rained down on Marie as she stood there. It pierced the soldiers who were standing behind Marie. The man who was about to enslave Marie made a U-turn. "Hey, you guys have no idea when people are having a good time," he said.

Then came fire and electric balls, which rained down on the area. Marie was no longer being held captive. She was pondering ways to save herself. She bolted from the area. Dense trees have become the preferred option.

The prince did not want to lose in such a way. He gave the order to pursue the girl. Two soldiers are tasked with apprehending Marie.

***

Marie found herself in the middle of the woods. She grabbed a rather long piece of wood. The cloth that covers her legs has been opened wide to allow her to run faster. Her leg was unfortunately tied by a root. The root knot becomes stronger as it grows longer. The longer the roots spread throughout her body, the more she became immobile. Her entire body was wrapped in roots.

A man asked, "Where are you going, little girl?" He held Marie's tear-streaked face in his hands. She couldn't turn her head away from him. Marie's hair was pulled by the man, who said, "If you're wild, I'll make you my slave and instill in you the seeds of daily life. Because you will become the prince's prey, I will bring you before him. Maybe I'll be able to take you."

Some of the roots that held her body together had deteriorated. Her body already had a green crystal ball attached to it. Marie was set free from the thickets' shackles, but she became a prisoner of war. She couldn't help but cry. Either bemoaning the loss of relatives or contemplating the impending doom.

Two archers were far ahead of Marie. They wore uniforms that were slightly different in color but shared the same distinguishing features as the magician who had kidnapped Marie.

"Hi, we're friends," the magician said as he waved his hand.

The magician's heart was pierced by an arrow. His stick shattered and fell to the ground. He was in charge of a body that had been pierced by arrows. The wand was taken by Marie by chance.