Book excerpt: The ashes burned my eyes. The heat from the flames burned my face. As my mother helped me out of the house, I remembered my father and sister's cold, lifeless bodies on the kitchen floor; the arrow that had pierced their hearts would be in my nightmares forever. As my mother held me close to her chest, I could feel her arms embracing me tightly, almost so tight I could barely breathe. I was soon to forget about that as I heard her heart pounding inside her chest. I could hear her breathing heavily as her tears engulfed my face. I could still feel the burning of the ash in my eyes. The fire soon became a twister of death that covered our house. As she continued to run, I found myself mirrored in the eyes of my mother. I saw eyes that would soon find a life as a worrier. Was this my destiny, a lonely warrior only wanting revenge and death? I looked away from my mother's eyes and away from my reflection, away from the lonely life I saw I would lead.