Braylin felt a sense of pride as he walked through the arena, his scorpion-beast following behind him like a trained hippogriff.

Spectators were in awe, some actually had their jaws hanging open. Braylin allowed himself to smile as he walked to the exit of the arena.

BANG!

People jumped, including Braylin. His scorpion-beast, who he named Thyrsus, raised his tail in alarm, looking ready to strike. Braylin whipped his head around and saw an explosion peeking over the high edge of the arena. He gasped, fear filling him and leaving his muscles locked in place.

"RUN! FLEE, THERE IS GREAT DANGER! EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!" one of the judges called through their hands, his face filled with terror. Braylin realized with a jolt;

The officials didn't know what was happening. It wasn't going to be alright.

Adrenaline began to course through his system like a virus, Braylin turned to Thyrsus hurriedly, the beast seemed to get the message as he remained perfectly still.

Braylin gulped, prayed for luck and jumped on. He had to climb for a while, once reaching the saddle he got himself in position "Let's go." Braylin ordered and congratulated himself for not choking up in the middle of his sentence. Thyrsus raised himself, paused;

Then dashed.

For looking like a giant insect Thyrsus moved fast. Braylin braced himself and held his breath. Everything seemed to move in a blur, explosions going off, screams, some corpses, fires breaking out, the arena collapsing once they escaped.

it felt surreal.

Braylin made a decision "Stop!" he commanded loudly. Thyrsus ceased movement as if he had ran into a wall.

"We are going back for my family." Braylin said and pointed at a small cluster of nice-looking houses, a few of which were on fire.

Thyrsus got the command clearly and turned awkwardly, much like a crab, and then continued on his way.

Braylin's mind was alight with worry, was his mother ok? His father? His younger sister? their happy faces flashed through his mind as his light blue eyes clouded over darkly.

They reached the group of houses, there was a large fire spreading through them,

Then Braylin saw it,

The cause of all of this,

A golem.

Golem's were creatures without their own wills, living puppets. They could be created out two basic substances, rock and clay. Except after being used in a war they were forbidden.

Braylin was too young to have ever seen one before, this was his first time seeing one, and it was terrifying. It was made out of a light kind of rock, it's core glowing ominously blue, and it's sad excuse for eyes glowed as well; Making it seem eerily humanoid.

Then he noticed what is was facing.

His house.

Braylin's expression became horrified as he saw five other golems join the first, all of them were identical, except some were clay. They first one reached down into the burning rubble which once was his house, the thing then took out his unconscious mother and sister, the other hand roughly grasping his father. His mother had a large gash down her face, the blood staining her brown hair sickeningly. His little sister's blonde hair was short and some of it singed off, his father's short blonde hair was untouched but he appeared to have a broken leg, the limb hanging at a sick angle.

Braylin felt the tears running down his face, though his expression did not crumple, it remained still as if he was a statue.

'I have to do something!' he told himself, his eyes remained somewhat lifeless as Thyrsus sensed his intentions and moved forwards faster than before. Braylin could see the golems up close now, holding his precious family as if they were ragdolls.

Before he could approach them further they turned and walked off, their huge legs gaining more ground then they could cover.

Braylin felt as if the world should stop spinning. He didn't notice the fire raging around him, he was numb with grief, tears running down his face he looked at the sky, his bangs shadowing his face.

"Why...?" he bitterly choked out, he didn't know who he was talking to, the universe perhaps. If not that then the people - the monsters - who did this.

The worse realization was that only mages could create golems, so he knew it was another war breaking out.

He had lost everything.

With that he screamed his grief into the heavens.