Boone and Lyolis walked through cart-after-cart, all filled with people from all across Texionya. Some returning home to Sundown City while others were there to gamble and duel in the upcoming Iron Alchemist Tournament.
Boone and Lyolis entered the last train cart that was chaotically stacked with briefcases, crates, and barrels of what Boone believed to be liquor. "This way he," he whispered, ducking and climbing his way around the boxes."
Suddenly his ears caught a voice from the back; the voice of a stern man. "What did you do with our Brusk'Kab!"
"No where…" Another voice boomed.
Boone turned towards Lyolis, "Rynan is in trouble."
Her eyes widened, "I believe that is —"
Boone allowed her words to trail while he bent down to his knees and squeezed between two barrels; Be pushed himself forward, climbing over luggage until the large, curly-red haired boy came into view. He stood twiddling his thumbs, eyes wide as saucers.
The man next to him didn't seem like a man at all, but boy that was not much older than Rynan. With a complexion similar to Lyolis, eyes just as earthy, and built like a bear; thick and filled with muscles. His hair was long, black and braided; and his gaze was cold as the caboose.
"Where is she!" The boy grabbed Rynan by the shirt. "What did you do to her?"
"He didn't do anything," a young girl squeaked beside him. She had golden hair and eyes the color of ice. "Only what she had requested. He told me so…"
Boone was about to stand to when the Cyoakian girl pushed past him, climbing to her feet. "Zoar!" She yelled. "What in Totem are you doing? Release him!"
The Cyoakian boy turned toward the girl. "Princess?"
"Princess?" Boone rose to his feet, dusting himself off. "You never said you were a Princess."
"This is not the time…" She spoke sharp as arrowheads. "Now I said release him!"
Zoar nooded, scowled up at Rynan then jolted him backwards. "Princess," He pointed, "this boy-thing was the one who attacked me."
Boone raised an eyebrow, chuckling. "Rynan? You must have your feathers crossed...Rynan wouldn't attack anybody." He looked to the giant boy who lowered his head. "Right?"
Zoar's chest rose and he folded his arms. "If that were true, have him empty his pockets…"
"Sure thing...Rynan, do as he says." Rynan stiffened as the pink from his skin paled. "Come on, Buddy." Boone nodded. "You've got nothing to hide."
The young, blonde girl grabbed his wrist, staring up at him. "Go on," Tonsi said. "It'll be ok..."
Rynan fidgeted then drove his enormous hand in his pocket. It took several seconds for the hand to reappear, clenched.
Zoar said, "Open you hand, boy!"
Boone eyes narrowed, "Calm down there, Chief." He shifted his attention back on the giant boy. "Go on, Rynan...Open you hand."
The boys bottom lip trembled as his thick digits peeled away from his palm; Boone's eyes sparkled from the metal in the boys hand.
"You see…" Zoar grabbed the piece of iron, lifting it above his head. "The lock—"
"He freed her!" Tonsi said. "After you all attacked him."
"Attacked him? He attack us."
Lyolis grabbed her braided hair and stroked it nervously. "Why would you do such a thing? You could have killed him." She pointed to his face. "His eye was swollen for days."
"She asked me to," Rynan said. "To protect the Chief; I must not let her go free… And when I broke the lock she told me to leave and that she would stay." He rubbed his thumb against his palm. "I wanted to help her, but I couldn't…"
"Lies," Zoar swore. "You do not speak to Brusk'Kab."
"And why not?" Tonsi said, her eyes growing bluer and colder. "The Apak were known to speak with animals with the use of Alchemy." She turned towards Rynan. "And Cyoakians have the alchemy to turn to beasts..." She looked at Rynan. "Why can't he?"
Boone chuckled, "Rynan is my best bud — since we were tinies — no way he can speak to animals. He would've told me..." Boone looked to the giant boy and his face wrinkled.
"I wanted to tell you," he said, kicking aside a piece of luggage. "The matter just never came up…"
"Never came up?" Boone rose his fist. "What do you mean, never came up? You and I was Wildgun and Mammoth the Kid — you're telling me you could speak to animals this whole time?"
He nodded slowly.
Boone felt he air leave his lungs. "I thought we was friends — the best kind...Why would you leave me in the dark?"
"I'm sorry, Boone."
Boone shook his head, "first Ma Jean, then Pappy, and now you…" He lowered his head and turned his back to them.
"We all have our secrets," Tonsi said. "Including me…"
Zoar looked to the Princess then gazed directly downwards.
Tonsi walked over to Boone. "Look at me," she said softly. The boy turned and found her eyes; they swirled of bluish-white crystals while her skin glowed like sun rays on snow. She lifted her hand and brought to his face; Boone flinched to the icy flesh. She closed her eyes and her warmed his cheek. "You have much sadness in your heart," she said, "have you lost somebody recently?"
The boy focused, hand trembling. "I have…"
"It was all for a purpose," she smiled, reopening her eyes. "You have a gift Boone — one you're not ready to use, but when you are it'll show itself." She smiled then walked over to Lyolis placing a hand on her cheek. She gasped. "And you, Princess, you have a beast fighting to be seen…And when you're ready she'll show herself." She lowered her hand and Lyolis put her own in place. Finally the girl walked over to Zoar and touched his face; she jumped and squealed, placing a hand to her mouth. "You, young Zoar, have much fear inside of you… One that you're hiding behind —"
"Enough!" He pulled her hand down. "Do not touch me, Witch."
"Zoar?" Lyolis said, running to his side, "what has come over you?"
The boy threw the lock and it clanked off in the back of the caboose. He breathed heavy. "They lie, Princess. Come...We must leave."
Suddenly Tonsi turns towards the back of the train. "Something is coming," she says, "we must hurry…"
Boone drew his attention to the back window. He past them and looked outside; the train wheels hammered on the rails while the dunes were seen then faded into the horizon.
His eyes looked upward; Clouds of black and gold twisted towards them; rolling over the lands and covering everything to the north in darkness and soot.
"The sandstorm—"
"No," Tonsi shook her head. Eyes shut tight. "Something else...something sinister."
Boone swept the horizon one last time. He shook his head, "I don't see nothing—"
A black blur dissolved from the cloud, thrusting towards the train. Boone leaned closer to the window, squinting; the blur split into several blurs, spreading like smoke, pursuing with the power of a stampede.
"What is that?" He asked, the other walked over and peered out behind him.
"Looks like a herd of Bison…" Zoar said, "The storm must have them spooked."
Lyolis nodded, "There is something odd about those bison."
"Yes." Rynan agreed. "They are too small…"
Boone shook his head, "That's because they're far away, you big dummy."
"Oh, right…"
The blurs drew closer and their outlines more defined. Boone squinted: Twenty bison with riders masked in bandanas, clutching shotguns and revolvers.
"Bison riders?" Boone said, "that's not possible—"
"Yurks!" Zoar said, "they're the only known people who can tame such beast…They're on the attack."
"Impossible," Lyolis said, placing a hand to her lips. She heard of their fury and their relentlessness to kill. "This train is heavily guarded…It would be foolish to attack us."
Zoar turned to her, "The Yurks are no fools...We must make haste towards the front of the cart."
"I agree," Boone said, spinning around on a boot.
"Follow me!"
The five of them ran through the carriage, pushing between barrels and over luggage, reaching the back door.
"Ladies cross first," Boone said, opening the door; a gust of wind swept through the carriage attacking his hat; he pressed it down with a hand. "Hurry!"
"Thank you," Lyolis said, passing from one carriage to the next.
Tonsi smiled, "Thank you;" and followed.
Rynan smirked, "That was very kind of you…"
"Get!" Boone said, kicking the boy in the rear.
Rynan pouted then struggled between the doors of the two carriages.
Zoar looked down at Boone sternly. "I do not trust you, Coei'ma"
"And I don't care," Boone said. "Now get before you get us both killed."
The man grunted and chased after them.
Boone followed behind and together the five of them moved from carriage to carriage, dodging stewards and passagers who walked down the aisle.
At the third carriage, Boone stopped and peeked out the window: the bison riders heads bobbed and shoulders dipped as their beasts hooves drove through the earth moving alongside the train.
"Keeping moving!" Boone waved, running down the aisle behind them.
The passangers looked out the window and their voices rang.
"Yurks!" a man yelled. "They've come to kill us all…"
The carriage erupted in panic; arms and legs flying as people glanced out the windows, eyes wide. The bulgy steward raised his hands. "Everybody stay and your seats and stay calm." His voice trembled.
The five of them got to the end of the third car, stopping at the door.
"Our parents are on the other side." Lyolis said, we need to tell them what's going on.
Boone nodded, "You two go first!" He said, opening the door; the wind caught it sweeping it from his hands and crashing to the wall where it stayed , pinned. "Go!" He waved his hand
The girls leaped between carriages, crossing over the couplings. Zoar followed.
Boone looked to Rynan, "you're next!"
The giant boy nodded, grabbing the door frame; suddenly a dark, large object appeared between the carts, shifting and keeping pace with the train.
"Yurk!" Tonsi pointed.
The bison rider yanked a revolver from his waist, lifting the barrel towards the train.
"Rynan… Get back!"
The giant boy turned and the man fired; the couplings exploded as metal flew and flames danced; The train shook and rattled on the rails. Boone left the ground, floating through the air, and slamming against the wall. He groaned.
Rynan shook in the door frame while red and orange flames rolled up the wall and faded in the sky.
"We've been disjointed." Boone said, clutching his side as he rose to his feet.
Their caboose slowed as the other pulled away. Rynan looked at Boone and bent down, grabbing him by the coat.
"What are you doing—"
There was red in the giant boys eyes; Rynan lifted the boy and heaved him through the air. Boone soared like a falling bird until he fell into the front cart, rolling to a stop. He grunted.
Rynan took a step back and then leapt, flying over the gap he grabbed the rail, one foot inside. Zoar leapt up and grabbed the boys free hand.
"Hold on," he said, leaning back as he pulled.
Rynan's looked over shoulder, the wind mangling his hair while the rails swept beneath the train.
"I'm going to fall."
"Not if you fight!" Zoar groaned, "now use your strength on three." Rynan nodded, his eyes wide with fear. Zoar yelled, "One. Two. Three—"
They two boys pulled and pushed with all their might and Rynan fell like tree into the cart.
He breathed heavy, "Thank you."
Zoar pushed the giant boys arm from his lap, "this does not mean we are friends."
Rynan smirked, slowly rising to his feet. "You sure? That was a very friendly thing to do."
Zoar crossed his arms. Lyolis and Tonsi smiled. Boone chuckled.
"You've got that right," Boone said, looking up from the ground. "Where did you learn them moves?"
Rynan shrugged…
Zoar snapped, "those were the same ones he used on us...A mindless fury!"
"One of his many gifts," Tonsi said.
Lyolis nodded, "I'll say!"
Rynan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what came over me. It's like the weird feeling...Kinda like a pain in the back—"
There was a crack in the wind and Rynan fell with a thud.
Boone's mouth dropped, "Rynan!"
At the end of the cart stood a man with a bandana and a top hat; skin orange as sand and face painted red as blood. The gun in hand smoked as he drew a tomahawk from his belt. He pointed it at Boone, "Kek'nok'ya!" He spat and then he charged.