Fallen Kingdom

• Sarah Biggs, Grade 7, Elizabeth Macarthur High School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

Wolves howled as the Savans tore into the kingdom, ripping up and destroying everything and anything they could find. Their leader, Savac, a ruthless man, barrelling into the castle, his mind set on destroying the one thing the kingdom had left - The Royal Family. Savac yelled his fearsome battle cry and charged at the king, barely giving him time to draw his sword. An epic battle, sword against sword, leader against leader. Savac slowly pushed the King back against the wall of the castle. They heard a scream, both leaders turning for a split second to see the Queen charging at Savac, a sword much too big for her in her arms. She swung at Savac, allowing her husband to grab their four-year-old son and run. The King glanced back as he ran, just in time to see Savac parry her attack with utter contempt and cut her down. A strange noise rose in his throat and only the thought of his son clinging to him kept him from leaping back to avenge his beloved wife. Savac’s men followed him, determined to end him. The King managed to run far enough that he was able to circle around and sprint toward the grand archway. Savac and his men intercepted him as he ran, causing him to turn and bolt away, toward the other end of the castle.
Despite his best efforts, the King found himself cornered on a balcony high above a river. He keeled down beside his son and whispered, “Leo when I distract them, you need to run back through the castle and find a place to hide until help arrives.”
The King rose and looked at Savac and his men as they arrived upon the balcony. Almost studying the men that had caused his prosperous kingdom’s downfall he said “farewell demons.” And with those final words he ran to the ledge of the balcony and jumped over.
As Savac and his men ran to the edge of the balcony, checking desperately that it was not some ploy to survive, Leo sprinted as fast as his four-year-old legs could carry him. One of the Savans noticed and screamed “He’s getting away!” Everyone looked up and leaped into action, bolting to catch up to the child. By that point, Leo was scrambling as fast as he could up some vines on the wall. He looked back and, seeing the Savans approaching, almost screamed with fear, trying to scramble up faster. Slipping off a foothold, Leo, now petrified with fear, tried desperately to continue climbing, and in a matter of seconds that seemed like an eternity, Leo slipped and fell, landing on the floor in a heap, a circle of blood blooming out from his head. Savac stood over him, a wicked grin spread across his blood splattered face and walked out of the castle, his business done. Or so he thought…