Hello! Thank you for checking out this story! Before we get started, I just wanted to give out some warnings.

TW: swearing, violence, FACE+Mexico+Spain, historically accurate terribleness + warnings to come?

(Prologue)

Foreign shouting plagued the air. It was a cry of war, or perhaps it was cruel rejoicement of their victory over the small tribe. Nothing was certain for the children. If one were to listen close enough, they may hear the echoes of laugh. But they had no such pleasures of being able to notice such fine details. Their rapid heartbeats, and the crackles of the fires raging only moments away. It amplified louder and louder, exceeding all other noises. Dread suffocated the air, as the students clung to one another. Arms wrapped around eachother. Fruitless hopes of comfort and protection.

The door flung open with a splintering bang. A dark silhouette of a figure stood, holding a strange object in their arms. The flames taunted them, as they danced behind the shadowed person. Pleading screams and sobbing filled air of the small school building.

A voice stood out above the screams. "Please!" a young girl begged in her native tongue, "I don't want to die!" The others' cries echoed louder.

The intruder closed the door behind them, revealing themselves as their teacher, Minnehaha. She rushed towards them. A charred, burnt object laid in her arms, with a blanket wrapped around it. It didn't take long for the students to understand what the object was.

It was a child. An infant by the looks of it. The child must've been trapped under the flames for some time. It was difficult for the students to look at without becoming ill. The children immediately quietened at the horrific sight. They believed the baby was dead. After all, no newborn could survive such a terrible thing.

Yet, the baby proved them wrong, as it began to shriek ungodly cries.

Minnehaha glowered, looking each of her students in the eye. "What do you think you're doing? If you're not going to help, be quiet! If I were one of them, do you think I would spare your lives because you asked?" she bellowed, shouting over the child's screams. The students shrunk away from her, inching closer to the walls. They huddled closer together. Their teacher sighed, rubbing her forehead, wiping the built up sweat and soot onto her fingertips. A sudden string of coughs choked Minehaha, forcing her to sit down by the students. She had inhaled too much smoke tonight.

She sighed, holding the baby in her lap. Stroking the side of his head with the pad of her thumb in an futile attempt to calm him. His tears streamed down his face, leaving trails in the thick layer of ash. Every few seconds, he would let out a violent cough, trying to expel the smoke from his weak lungs.

"Minnehaha, i—is it going to be okay?" the young boy on her right—Aputsiaq was his name—asked her in a shaky voice.

In spite of his concern, Minnehaha refused to dignify that question an answer. All the children were her students, whom she has practically raised for years. She knew they were not as stupid enough to believe the child could live. No matter how young or old they were, they knew. To pre-tell the infant's eventual fate aloud would be redundant and cruel.

Her gaze trailed down at the baby. Holding the back of his head as gentle as she could to keep him upright. He looks so helpless, she thought. She licked her thumb, and wiped the digit over the baby's cheeks. Cleaning off the little amount of residue that she could. It was a pointless action, she knew, of course. In the end, it didn't matter if she scrubbed him until his skin was raw and blistered. The child wan't going to make it. But, damn it all if Minnehaha didn't at least try to do something. Anything, to, at the very least, feel like she was helping the dying little baby boy in front of her. She closed her eyes.

Crackles and murmuring of the fire resounded throughout the room. Crashing could be heard nearby; homes and buildings collapsed onto the foundation. The flames were getting closer. In a few moments, the building will catch fire, and there will be no where left to run.

They would no longer be able to hide. This was it, the ground below them would be the ground which they die on. It was their death sentence. A slow and painstaking, painful death of dozens of children and herself.

Self-preservation crept in her mind, and began to demand her to abandon everyone and flee. Without the children, she might be able to escape. She might be able to weave through the incinerated rubble. She might die trying, but there was a minute chance she might make it. Screw tradition, screw honor, screw pride. The people who enforced such laws were dead, it didn't matter if she forfeited her dignity for her life.

It made sense to Minnehaha, but as much as she tried, she couldn't actually do it. Pride and honor were the core of the tribe. Everything they've fought for, everything taught, it would all be for nothing if she left.

She had to be strong for everyone. For the children, for herself, for everyone who has lost their lives tonight, she had to be strong. Tears begun to well in her eyes, but with a shaky breath, she swallowed them back down. Minnehaha held the child closer to her chest, embracing him.

She prayed to any higher power that was willing to listen. She tried to recall the names of all the gods and spirits she has heard of in her lifetime, and silently cried out to them. For a blessing. For peace. For help. Anything.

This one thing, it was all she wanted from a higher power. She wanted to protect these children, then she would be satisfied. She would need nothing else, and would never complain again. Not about her work, not about the children, not about her family, nor her husband. Nothing. If she could sacrifice her life, so these children could have a future, she would do so in a heartbeat.

Yet, in the end, it was foolish thinking. The spirits and gods, she prayed to remained deafeningly silent. No one came to their aid.

All of them were destined to die that night.

Well, that was light-hearted wasn't it? The next chapters won't be as dark, promise.

Wait, what's that?! Hey look! It's already up. The next chapter! Quick go to the next chapter now! Hurry before it disappears! Go! Go! Go!

(Just kidding, it's not going anywhere.)

Thanks again for checking this story out, and have a nice day. :)