//------------------------------//
// Prelude of Fire 
// Story: World on Fire 
// by Duskbreaker 
//------------------------------//

	With ears ringing, breathing heavy, and vision blurry I struggle to my hooves. A pain in my shoulder causes me to let out gut wrenching cry. I turn my head as far to find the source of the pain, only to make out what could only be a large piece of shrapnel jutting out of my flesh. I call out for somepony to help me, but to no avail. I can feel the blood dripping down to my hoof. I have to go find help. I try to take a step forward, but trip on a pile of debris. The pain so unbearable I nearly black-out. I manage to recover and taste iron as spit out some blood. I call out for help a second time again with no answer that I could hear. I grab a hold to the shrapnel with magic and give it a gingerly tug to see how deep it is, and my shoulder explodes in agony. I couldn't pull it out even if I wanted to, but just then I feel something yank it out with an immense force causing me to fall to the ground passing out.

"I think he's waking up," I hear a young filly say.
"Then you should probably go play with the other children. He'll need a little bit of time to situate himself," a stallion says. I try to take a good look around, but the room is bright for my unadjusted eyes. 
"Is she your daughter?" I ask the stallion groggily.
"No, she's just another refugee, like yourself. She has taken a keen fascination to you ever since you arrived here. I told her to leave you be and let you get your rest. That she didn't know you, but you know children. They don't care, they never do. It doesn't who you are, or what you've-"
"Did you say refugee?" I ask interrupting what he was about to say.
"Well not yet at least, but I'm afraid we all might be soon. Refugees just sounds better than victims if you ask me."
"Where are we?"
"This is Manehattan General, we brought here after the attack several days ago."
"The shrapnel?"
"Ooh I am sorry for that, but-"
"That was you!"
"Yes, you were bleeding out, and I need to cauterize the wound with magic. You can thank me for you life later."
"What caused all this?" I ask more in general than to anypony directly.
"We can talk more tomorrow morning," he says ignoring my question. "Right now you to get some rest" he tells me and begins to leave, but stops. "My name is Dr. Cross bytheway."