The outpost is only just ahead. The Fang and Quillen sit at the front of the transport cart as it rocks and hobbles over the dried muddy road toward the land being assaulted.
This outpost is not located near a border or at a crucial location of strategic value, it is just a small checkpoint between a dense forest and open grass plains leading out toward the borders. This place is used to house travelling soldiers for a night amongst innocent civilians under the wolf clan and keep an eye for invaders. But they could not spot this threat and this place is being ravaged by an unknown threat.
Upon reaching the outpost, Quillen calls out "Slow! We are locked out!"
The Fang stands as the horses that drag the hefty cart canter to a slower pace, Jarjo pops over the Fang's shoulder as he gazes upon the sealed gates. It would seem abandoned if not for the smoke coming from behind the gate like a deceptive call for help.
"Those people closed the gate behind them?!" Jarjo says with shock.
"So?" Fang questions, or more accurately blurts out. We can't get the job done if we are locked outside…
"If it was still open, the invaders would move on past the outpost without an obstacle. So they sealed it to stop them!"
"And all it has done has stopped us from helping the idiots!" Quillen yells and turns to Jarjo, the calm collected commander returns as he notices the surprised faces of his peers, except for the Fang.
"Hik. Grab your axe and tear down a tree, we'll need a ram!" Hik grunts and lifts her axe over the shoulder as she grabs the edge of the carts railing and leans over, ready to run once the cart stops.
"So they chose death?" the Fang asks Jarjo.
The shock in Jarjo's system now doubles, first the commander lashing out, then the Fang making conversation? What the fuck is going on today?
"Well, they are choosing to make a sacrifice."
"For what?" he asks further. Jarjo can't help but feel the Fang loom over him, as if he needs to know the answer.
"Well, to me they chose to stop the enemy getting close to our city. By keeping them inside, it let us come here before they could spread out further in our lands." The Fang takes that in as he inspects the walls as if they are interesting all of a sudden,
"Oh, I do not think we have met. I am Jarjo."
"We have met. I'm just not good with names." He says. Jarjo smiles a bit and stands beside the Fang now instead of behind him, partly because he did not want to fall into his back if the cart hit a bump.
"Fair. I don't mind. Don't worry but, I got your back."
"I don't need you to protect me. You'll get in the way." The Fang states coldly.
"I know." He says, he elbows Fangs side, which incurs a displeased look,
"I just mean I will keep an eye on your back in case any cowards try to attack you from behind."
That made Jaco think of the night he killed those assassins outside of Nia's tent. I kind of had her back then too.
"Jarjo." he tenses up, "I've got your back too then." This gets a grin out of Jarjo, but the Fang keeps looking away as his ally looks all jolly.
"Great! Plus, it means I can actually see over your shoulder, Hik is too tall and I REFUSE to allow her to lift me on her shoulders!" Jarjo almost got a smile out of Fang, but he keeps the focus on the battle ahead rather than the chatter around him.
Then the gate opens.
Hik doesn't get to jump off the cart before the gates swing open with a mighty force.
"Charge on! Let's hit the enemy hard and fast NOW!" Quillen orders without questioning the very convenient moment because of his renewed vigour blinding his sense, but so too does the rest of the wolves in the cart as they shouting and hyping one another up for the battle to come.
The 2 carts shoot forward with the horses and they charge into action, before the Fang and Jarjo are whipped into the seats around them, Jaco spots the one who opened gate.
Cloaked and in shadow, this mysterious gate keeper stands aside as the cart blasts into the outpost, but the whole time Jaco watches the sharp eyes of this familiar stranger follow him, like prey. All he can make out is the wide and manic smile that shone bright in the dark. It was the type of smile that said they are excited for something, but if so, what would it be?
The Fang has to shake off the unease quick, because the centre of the town where the chaos was unfolding is what they were heading into. Further beyond all of that, the single street of the outpost leads to another similar gate, but this one is blown open. The wood cracked and warped open like a ripped open ribcage.
The Fang looks beyond the chaos, he watches families run back to them for protection and the enemy still fight against the last of the surviving wolves with no strategy or formation. That was when the cart slid to a halt and Quillen made the call,
"Push them back out the outpost! This cart will attack," he points his blade to the sister cart "your cart will make a line and defend the people! DO NOT LET THEM THROUGH!"
"This is where the fun begins!" Jarjo murmurs, almost without believing his own words, as he leaps off the cart. Jaco is still shaken, only being put back into the fight as Hik grabs him and shouts,
"Hey, no time to admire the sights Fang. Time to get to your favourite bit, the fighting." The Fang grunts loudly, shrugs off her arm and drops into the grassy land and marches his way to the enemy. Hik breathes in deep and slots her helmet on before stomping into the ground to make her move as well.
Fang catches up to Quillen as the wolves divide and conquer. They lead their warriors straight to the centre of the chaos as its trail goes all the way back through the single street that stretches forever, the forges and workshops burn on both sides and further up a storage hut soon replaces its stock with a swarm of raiders.
"Fang," Quillen shouts over the noise, "Get the store hut, stop 'em from taking our stuff!" the Fang nods and moves with haste at the order.
The brothers split up, the Fang sprints toward the small group swarming the outpost's stock house while fending off any enemy who gets in his way as Quillen charges the pillaging raiders at the centre of town with the wolves close behind back.
Fang quickly sprints past skirmishes and catches up to the raiders. He closes off their only exit with his own body and walks slowly to the closest one, his back to the Fang.
That raider who is lifting barrels falls back into the Fang as he approaches. They fall forward, but do not panic as they realise who he is,
"he… hehehe" They rise slowly and smile at the Fang, much like the person who opened the gate…
Then the rest of them drop their items and surround the Fang before he can make a move, now all 6 enemies draw weapons, but only stand casually at a distance from the Fang, like spectating a show or event. The Fang grows incredibly anxious, which is a first for him. His hands shake no matter how tightly he holds his sword.
The one who fell continues his giggling up as the group spread out away from the Fang now, and then the rest seem to find it funny too, because that is when the others joined in. The Fang stands there in stance ready for the first move, but they do nothing.
"It's you… the one with white hair… the Fang of the wolf clan."
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he screams over the laughing, but they drown him out, like the screams of a victim on a pyre being denied by the very flames that consume them.
That is when he felt the intense heat, and he witnesses an orange outline erupt behind the giggling raiders. He finally spots the 7th raider, an absolute giant of a being, has smashed a lamp into the hay covered ground, and the flames illuminate the room. Around them the flames grow and spread easily like spilled water.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Do you want to kill us all?" the Fang screams over the never-ending laughing, it does not even fade as one of the legs of the giggling raiders is set aflame, they only laugh it off, bending over in a mix of pain and hilarity.
"… are you still so passive?.. Will you to scared to act, just as they said?"
Who the fuck are these freaks? They just laugh and stare at me…
That is when the Fang realised, he had also just been standing there staring as well, doing nothing. He does not like how vulnerable he feels amongst the still laughing and burning raiders. Fang's body eventually makes him move, the sight of the fire creeping towards him brings back a deeply buried memory that flashes before him.
He dashes backward toward the enemy at the doorway without thought or hesitation and thrusts his sword into them. It drives through them. And yet, they still just smile. The Fang's body continues to push them outside even though his mind is somewhere else right now.
When he gets control again, he is on top of the still, impaled raider. His sword is still deep inside their chest but the Fang watches the reflection of his sword showing the silhouette of 6 fiery shades following him. Each one dark and smiling grimly.
They once again surround him, all of them are either burning or burned, but they all still smile and laugh as they stare at him. Then the raider below the Fang picks his laugh back up. This drives Jaco over the edge mentally, he rips his sword out of their chest then impales them again.
It only intensifies the laughing, the hoarse, breathless laughter goes on as the Fang drives his sword into their guts again and again. They just won't stop!
And neither does the Fang until that raider grabs his throat.
The Fang freezes under the pressure and is made to look into the raiders eyes as the last few cackles are released along with their life. The Fang violently pulls back and falls onto his back. The laughing stopped. He rises, soaked in his enemy's blood as he takes his shaky stance and screams,
"JUST FUCKING ATTACK ME!"
"You are just as scared as they said you would be… But you aren't at peace no more… you are an animal of war now… just as they hoped…" the Fang turns to his left toward the most burned raider. They stare deeply into Jaco as if they know him, then after a weak croak and giggle from their cracked burned lips, they drop dead from the burns, and it only incites the rest to laugh uncontrollably all over again as they surround the isolated Fang.
"Back up bitches!" An axe appears behind one of the laughing raiders and it bites into their shoulder, they fall to a knee as a dark haired being dashes past them and jumps behind the Fang.
By the time the Fang turns to this small guardian, he sees Jarjo deflect an incoming blade and strikes his assailants jaw, taking the now silent raider down for the count. Hik attends to the raider in front of the Fang, launching her axe at the nearest head. Fang springs to action as Jarjo defends against the next attack and he is left to the last raider.
He swings at his enemy, but they do not block. The Fang watches as the blade strikes through the arm then it digs into their exposed chest.
They do not scream. They only maintain eye contact with him, they even hold a sword in their remaining hand, but it does not rise in defence or survival. Soon the sword hits the ground as well as their knees. The Fang listens to their pain sewn grunting that they can no longer hide anymore, but the smile remains.
Jarjo and Hik finish off their own enemies who seemed to have grown aggressive only now. unlike their peer who the Fangs sword was inside of, they raised their blades without hesitation against these unwelcomed poeple, the Fangs allies did not see this docile nature of these raiders.
Jarjo finishes his enemy with a final stomp to the spine as Hik catches a breath after a close call from the relentless raider that tried to claw out her eyes. When he turns to the Fang, he is on a knee. From behind it would seem like he is mourning for his victim. But the heavy breathing and shaky hand on his sword shows a side of him Jarjo has never seen.
He approaches the Fang, gingerly,
"Good job holding them off Fang."
"…" The Fang stares forward, the laughing rings on in his head like white noise above the blazing house. However, his body takes over again and forces him to stand as Hik marches towards them,
"What the fuck happened? What did you do?" the Fang snaps back to the fight around them, he shakes his head, now composed and able to function like a soldier again.
"One of the crazy bastards smashed a lamp and caused that fire." He turns to the store room, flames spitting out of the window, "It caught fire and did that." Hik moves up to the building cautiously, as she does so, Jarjo nods to him and says,
"I told you Fang, I have your back." Fang grunts disapprovingly and walks up to Hik as her temper fires up at the realisation of the extent of the damage.
"Damn it, that's this outposts supplies destroyed! There is no way to salvage all the food and materials they burned… Screw it. Come on guys, let's regroup with the commander." Jarjo nods and starts to jog with Hik. The Fang follows, but not before looking back one more time at the burned bodies of those raiders.
Each one holding a twisted smile still.
Quillen walks over and weaves between the fallen around him. He looks over those not wearing the blue Wolf uniform and attacks anything moving. He bashes the exposed back of a potentially living raider, then he is impaled to finish the job.
But they barely scream, just groaning in pain as they die with a slight grin. What's so funny asshole, you're the one who is dead.
Quillen turns and swings his shield again into a survivor's rising head. Crunch. The leather helm doesn't provide much defence to the crushing blow he drives into their skull. Quillen turns to the scrawny survivor who's blood drips onto their blue shirt. A wolf?..
Quillen just catches that suspicious cackle. A survivor lays upon multiple bodies like a bed for a king behind him. Quillen retaliates against this witness by slamming his shield down on their throat following with a stab in the same spot, then his opponent flops dead like the pile they lay on. That… that wasn't my fault! You bastards did this.
The Fang, Hik and Jarjo return with others as they walk into Quillen and the rest of the vanguard cleaning up the leftovers from their fight. Fang finds it surprising that the battle was already over.
It is a mess, but an orderly one. He can see the wolves who fought from the beginning had fallen in front of the large building that was this outposts equivalent of a town hall where the surviving citizens are now being taken. He can also see that the enemy is done for, they all fall dead in front of the line of dead wolves, some even retaining that smile that is now burned into his mind.
"It's… this was…" The Fang hears this over the deathly groans and panic of the citizens, one of the wolves comfort his comrade as he rocks back and forth, Jarjo approaches them as Hik moves on to help with the clean-up. Fang listens in on this broken man though.
"You alright mate? What's the matter? We won." Jarjo asks, he nods to the wolf with the broken man to help out their commander and takes over in caring for him. But they do not leave his side.
"I cut one open… his back exposed like a fresh rack of ribs on an animal… but he didn't flinch." Jarjo looks over to the Fang, but all he can offer is a distant stare, something else taking over his thoughts now,
"He turned toward me, then screamed like he had an orgasm and kept attacking the wolves who were defending the place in front of him. That's when I stepped back and realised; we were attacking from behind, but all they were interested in was the wolves in front of them, completely driven to kill all of THEM, not us. Not even ONE of us got hurt as we slaughtered them. We couldn't stop them from getting what they wanted..." Jarjo feels a cold shiver run through him.
"They weren't here to take the base? Only kill who was here?" his comforting friend questions,
"What kind of enemy is that? How can a force be so devoted to a mission, is it hate? Or some new tribe we've never seen?!" Jarjo pats the disturbed ally's arm as he stands, he hides his shakiness with a sprint toward Hik now that the clean-up is over, the Fang has already moved on before Jarjo even noticed he walked off.
"So they killed ALL of the outposts guards even when they were surrounded?! None of them tried to escape?" Hik questions the guilty looking Quillen as the vanguard regroup in at the centre with the citizens.
"Saw it myself. Not one of them attacked myself or the soldiers. Only civilians or the wolves stationed over at that line there. They killed every wolf over here and took out the store room too. Speaking of which, Fang." Quillens turns to him with a disappointed look, "I thought I told you to secure the store room?" The Fang looks back toward the burning store room starting to crumble, thankfully it stood alone away from anymore buildings, but it was still a massive blow to this place.
"I failed. It won't happen again."
"Whatever…" Quillen marches toward the torn open gate and bashes his shield to catch everyone's attention, he orders his men to secure the people, kill the fire at the store room and begin repairs at the gate, his speech and act plays out as Hik whispers to the Fang,
"You know, you can usually take 'em out quick. Quicker than we could have arrived."
"Then why did you bother showing up?" he questions. Even though it is dark, he stares back into Hik's mask where he knows her eyes will be.
"Jarjo had a hand in that. For some reason he thinks you need help in a fight..." Hik removes her helm and clears her face of her hair, meeting Fang's stare with equal attitude, and squares up to him face to face. (Well he would be if he didn't only measure up to her neck.).
"Do me a favour, don't get him killed like you do everybody else." She leans down to put her fore head to his, "Cause you will regret it."
Fang scoffs and pushes back before leaning backwards and swinging his sword onto his shoulder,
"I didn't ask for his help, that's on him. And last time I checked, it is 4 – 0 to me, Hik... So bring it whenever you feel ready." he walks away but maintains eye contact as he moves on toward Quillen. Hik sloppily spits on the ground in front of him as he passes by, difference then would be that you've actually pissed me off, you team killing bastard.
"Let's get a head count and get some repairs planned as you guys repair the gate, it is the most important part here!" Quillen dismisses the group and grabs his brother as he moves on,
"With me Fang, I want you with me on the watch tower." Fang complies without complaint, knowing he is just watching over him like a handler for a circus animal.
The coming hours are spent reinforcing the defences, even with a blown gate, they make a line shields standing by at the gate as the rest of the vanguard including Hik and Jarjo kill the stray fires and start to make a temporary repair with a bundle of fences nailed together.
Jaco sits up on the lookout, observing the dark unforgiving wilds of Wrah with Quillen behind him observing the people, trying to find any weaknesses in the fortress they could have used to get in earlier initially. It was clear the blast that opened the gate was from inside, so someone let these raiders in..?
As Quillen thinks to himself, it is the tail end of the sun fall as it glides past the clouds of night. The sunset slides down the orange sky behind the tree line beyond the outpost. The place soon erupts with controlled flames impaled on torches throughout the outpost, mainly in the square full of celebrating citizens and jolly warriors. The whole street is dotted with market stalls still filled with instruments, toys and even theatre costumes of varying characters with one of the carts being used to house the 30 dead soldiers from this battle, still spacious to carry anything else they must bring.
But all Jaco can do is think about was what he should do about Nia, he doesn't want to kill her or try to avoid her. For some reason, the only thing that kept back those crooked smiles, was thinking about her, like a safe place for his slipping mental health to disappear to.
Disappearing…
"No other outpost has been attacked since the Bull Clan disbanded, right Quillen?"
"No sightings from the local villages, and we made sure of that when we defended that fortress, they had to get through it to get to here. It'd take a few days to make it this close as well with all of our patrols and outposts, so we would know well before today. But even then, how did they hit us without us even noticing them?"
"Also." Jaco interrupts with, scanning the wilds once more
"What we really need to be careful about is why the fight ended so quick? Wasn't there an army when we showed up? And why only attack the outposts wolves but not us? Something is up…"
"Ha, funny Jaco. But I usually don't go to you to do the thinking." Quillen's laughs off his opinion and returns to observing his friends and warriors he calls family,
"I made a guess that there is a new drug, it'll just be a trick, I say from a local tribe or whatever found it."
The grass crunches under harsh boots, blades graze across the leaves and even the wind is unsettled.
"DUNE!" the brothers turn to the wild calling, looking toward the dense forest ahead, a single flame illuminates a lone raider.
The person demanding the commander's attention is a brutal looking woman, skin scarred and burned all over the left side of her face and arm, her experience shown on her flesh. In front of her kneels a trembling man, wearing the colours of the wolf.
"A little birdy told me of a nice home we could take, and you are all that is in our way now!" Quillen quickly turns to his men.
"Protect them from the oncoming fight! Keep the civilians in that hall and kill the lights, hide their location just in case."
The woman lowers her torch, the glow highlighting the captured wolf's features. Jaco instantly recognises him. The scared kid from that fort?! The Fang recognises the scared look in his eyes, the fear of death looming over him. The same look. He was scared I would kill him too.
"We outnumber your little vanguard by the way!" the darkness around her then erupts into a wall of flames, easily 100 raiders stand in anticipation of what is to come. Quillen shakes in fear of the glaring number difference.
"H- how?! Where did they come from?! Who are they?.." Quillen questions under his breath like a defeated whisper.
"I knew there must have been more…" the Fang whispers to himself. Although, he isn't exactly happy about being right.
There are only 40 tired wolves to oppose the 100 fresh and grinning raiders. Jaco's eyes are fixed on the prisoner however. He is not that much older than himself, but they could not be any more different.
"Leave, or we will just kill all of you anyway! I think killing the Dune boy would get your chieftain all riled up to start ripping up other clans like ya grandad!" her cackle echoes under the moon and its supported by agreeing grunts and cheers by her smiling army.
The deafening silence that follows is unbearable, death lays parallel to the wolves. The Fang leaps down from the tower and sprints to the make shift shield gate with blade in hand and a goal in mind. Kill these bastards. They can smile all they want while I rip them apart!
Quillen follows, knowing they are out of options,
"You, get every wolf over there ready to defend those people, we will hold them back! But in case a few get past us, be ready." Now only 32 nervous fighters to fight 100 hungry raiders…
"Are you going to take them ALL on, huh brother?" Quillen hisses at the fired-up Fang.
"If I fucking must, Quillen. Unlike you, I will not just give up and die when the battle isn't in our favour, you fight on until you win, or die trying."
Quillen looks down in embarrassment, of all the damn people to lecture me… Though harsh, Fang has a point;
This may be the first dire and bleak situation that Quillen has faced in his career as a commander.
He stares down at his Wolf pendant hanging on from his neck under his chest plate, a gift from his late mother and a reminder of what he fights for. For my people, my family, the Wolf clan.
He takes off the chain and wraps it around his hand, leaving his sword with one of his men who are on their way to defend the citizens as they fight.
"You better come back for this" the wolf states, not wanting his commander and friend to die. Quillen looks back, raising his fist and showing the hanging wolf head in hand and the resolve in his eyes.
At the gate, Quillen's wolves join him and the Fang, that's when the Fang notices the chain in Quillen's hand, and is wary,
"You sure about this?"
"If I take out half, then we have a chance to win before they can get inside." The Fang nods and takes a step behind him along with the rest of the soldiers.
Quillen places his fist to his forehead as his men retreat behind him,
"Help me out here mother, I need strength."
The moon now hides behind the clouds, as if it was trying to avoid watching what is to come. Quillen walks 100 paces away from the gate with the wolves behind him at a distance in front of the shield wall 5 men long. Quillen plants his shield down into the dirt and closes his eyes. He raises his fist in the air.
As he gradually opens his fist, the hand emits that powerful radiant energy inside all Wrahian's. The thunder rolls. The skies darken and light softly glows blue from Quillen hand, a rebel against the harsh orange flames before him.
The thunder dies and the world slips to a quiet whisper, all that can be heard is the wind and the nervous breaths of everyone behind him. The raiders finally charge, their impatience at boiling point and unable to hold back any longer.
Then a flash of light occurs, and lighting strikes Quillen's palm.
The raiders stop their charge for now in awe of what they are seeing, Quillen closes his fist and slowly walks forward, eyes still closed as the lightning above dissipates. They charge again.
Quillen opens his eyes, and like a deity of the skies, he releases the fury of the sky upon his enemies, the wolf skull glows blue and vibrates as he thrusts his palm towards his enemies and a blinding flash is followed by powerful lighting, burning and killing dozens of people in 1 sweep. The wolves charge at his sides, using the enemies' confusion to their advantage.
Quillen continues to electrocute groups of foes in front of him. The lightning just chains to the next one and the next, sharing the excruciating pain. Jaco sprints past it all on the far right, not even killing those near him.
Quillen kills 30, nearly 40 as they try to take him down, but Jarjo jumps in, smacking a rod against a raiders forehead and sweeping the next one, Quillen quickly shoots a burst of lightning at the fallen enemy,
"I've got your back boss, I'll protect you!"
But he cannot keep this up, it doesn't not seem clear for now, but this is now wearing him down fast, his fingers are stained black, a burning hot sensation starting to settle in. He grabs his shield now having to rely on his team mates to protect him from both sides as he blasts the centre, he can only bash his enemies as they surround him.
Despite all the power he has shown and all of the raiders he has slain, they do not let up their assault. Do these freaks not know fear?!
Jaco cuts away from the vanguard, Quillen's attack is the only focus of every raider and he nearly reaches the boy, their eyes meet and for once it is not fear in his eyes, it is hope. That eye contact is broken by her. She takes stance in front of the boy, now uninterested in her prisoner.
They are getting overrun, the numbers starting to take effect and wolves are now dying, fast. Quillen's fear is coming true, it will be him next. But I slaughtered so many with my radiance… we should be winning. I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE IN THIS PLACE!
Quillen takes a deep breath as he pushes back his enemies and moves behind his allies fighting for their lives side by side.
He charges his radiant energy once more, but this time the light is much more intense, his hand trembles and the energy emits light through the gap in his fingers.
One of his wolves stare back at him as the light grows ever fiercer, somehow, she knows what he is going to do. Quillen screams out,
"I'M SORRY!"
He thrusts his fist forward, a bolt of lightning flies straight into the centre of the battle, and soon spreads out as it hits a wolf in the back.
As it makes contact the lightning fragments outward like a jagged web and hits everything in its path with a shock, both raider and wolf alike.
Everyone drops to the ground.
Now only 6 are left to stand back up. Quillen's whole arm is black, the pain raw and he cannot move it without being paralyzed by that pain. The guilt starts to set in, he cannot tell how many of his own people he had killed, but he spared at least 3 others.
The final one a hysterical raider. She is completely crippled by her laughing fit that makes her fall to her knees and wheeze painfully into the burned dirt.
"Sir" Hik places a shaky hand on his soldier, "You got the job done." She squeezes it tightly and smiles, but Quillen can see a deep black burn in her arm where her sleeve has burned up, she is one of the lucky ones.
But what about the rest? They died fighting to protect me alone.
"Help… help over here." Quillen just witnesses the bulky body on top of Jarjo being too heavy for him to rise up, Hik is already by his side as Quillen slowly walks over the dead. Jarjo finally rises up and checks on Hik before himself, thankfully they are both alive and well. Jarjo, untouched by the lightning, looks around, his eyes meets Quillen's, but they do not hold the same respect Hik's had moments ago.
"Where's Fang?"
The dead raiders blood boils, you can hear the hiss and crackle of dead flesh as Hik and Jarjo look toward the forest's entrance.
Jaco holds the boy in his last moments, their tears roll into the burned grass, he puts his hand over Jaco's as if a form of comfort, then all his eyes show is the cold void of death.
He reached the boy, but as Quillen launched his desperate attack, it hit the boy violently as the Fang and the boss of the raiders fought it out briefly.
Jaco looks behind him as he picks his sword back up and let's go of the boy. The once loud and wise women, now scared, but livid.
"I just wanted a home." She begins to sob, her voice crackly and unstable. She walks toward Jaco, staring at him with mourning eyes. Jaco just looks at both of them, a kid his age wanting to live and a warrior who wanted the same.
"We left the bull clan to escape this shit! We were just made to fight, kill and pillage, what life is that!? We were going to fight for a home that WE deserved… but it should have been easy… no resistance. No… no more fighting after tonight. This was it, they said, that's why these freaks were with me… that bastard killed my brethren and TRICKED ME, didn't it?!" the boss falls to a knee and weeps as she calls out in a defeated tone,
"Coran… my dear Coran… I can't believe I let come with me to end up here…"
Jaco turns around to see the pile of corpses, burned to a crisp, unable to tell who was a wolf. The power of the lighting so great the earth is scarred along with its victims. When Jaco looks further at the massacre, he watches a sinister grin approach him rapidly. The woman runs at him.
"Watch out!" Jarjo calls out.
He does not move, he freezes like that night with Nia. His sword bloodless. As he turns behind him, he watches a raider plunging its teeth into the broken women who was about to stab his back. She slips to the ground with her boss as she also succumbs to her wound, a broken sword deep in her guts, through the large black scorch mark running up her spine.
Jaco can see her face as they both pass on. Though the blood stains her teeth, her grin gently falls and her tears emerge as he makes eye contact. As if proud if her sacrifice for him. Why would you do that?
Jaco walks to Quillen and the survivors, Jarjo is the first to speak,
"I'm sorry Fang. I couldn't chase down that raider, I tried but…"
"Hey its fine." The Fang says, he bumps his fist against his shoulder and smiles softly for a change,
"If you didn't shout out, I wouldn't have seen the shadow behind me and it would have been me in the ground. You had my back, again. Thank you."
Jarjo fights back tears, he punches the Fang's shoulder in respect and steps back, Fang's false smile drops as Hik looks down at the Fang before softly saying,
"I am sorry about that kid."
"Just another casualty." Hik leans over to him.
"It wasn't you I had to worry about getting Jarjo killed then, huh?" Fang scoffs irritably as he approaches his unresponsive brother.
"Let's get out of here." Fang whispers. Quillen nods and looks back at him without any of the guilt he is responsible for. As if the ones around him died to the raider's hands, you were always good at that…
"Guys…" Jarjo calls out, but it sounds chocked. Something grips at his throat they could not see. They gather at the gate. The shield wall is gone. No bodies.
Fang stares into the street ahead. But he cannot see a thing. The torches are out, but it has not rained. And then there was that silence. Where was the scared citizens? Or why was no wolf standing at the gate?
Fear. It is fear that had its hand over Jarjo' throat.
Fang nods to Jarjo and Hik, he slowly walks into the empty street as Hik and Jarjo stand at Quillen's sides, though they are injured, they still have a duty to carry out.
The Moon slowly peaks over the clouds as the silence takes over now. Its light is a suitable substitute for a torch, Quillen allows himself to look up at its bright white skin that glows onto them.
That same glow highlights the blood leaking out of the hall. Fang stops on the spot as the moon continues to gradually join them. Soon Quillen sees the blood flowing too.
He barges past Hik and the Fang before they can organise themselves. Quillen looks inside the still lit hall.
Everyone is dead, snapped limbs, broken open heads and the colour of blood decorates the whole room like paint. Quillen collapses,
"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED!? WHYYYY?!" Quillen screams at the top off his lungs, the death of a whole village, the guards and his allies too much for him now.
"Who-" Quillen looks to the centre, the wolves who stood in defence, now lay in defeat. He sprints up, but Hik chases after him. We have no idea what did this! What is he doing?!
Quillen kneels over the wolf who held his sword, 'you better come back for this' he said to him. Even in his last moments the wolf did not abandon his commander's weapon, only keeping it safe in his back.
Hik erratically looks around, but only blood waits in the corners, above them, somehow a body is limp over the rafters of this building, blood slowly dripping onto Hik's shoulder.
Quillen tries to lift his sword, but the body is heavy, and he can't do it with one arm. Hik holds in her frustrated sigh as she helps him retrieve his weapon.
As Hik helps Quillen, the Fang's attention is elsewhere. Jarjo turns back to him as they grab the sword. But the Fang is staring out toward the opposite building.
Jarjo follows his stare toward the dark void inside the twisted wooden door frame, the Fang moves forward one step, then another as his breath grows in pace under the cold air. He stops at the doorway. And waits.
Jarjo has never seen the Fang like this, and Quillen and Hik think the same way as they regroup and watch the fearful Fang from a distance.
The roof to this building must be damaged, the moon begins to bring light to the dark.
Jarjo glances down at the floor, it is filled with red, a completely crimson floor. As the light of the moon slowly reveals a boot, the light leads to the leather shin guards that are on strong legs under black cloth trousers, then to the belt that is decorated in black feathers that hang over the sides and back of their thighs.
Fang forces himself to look straight forward, where the familiar smile retreats before the moon reveals them. As the light rises past there black vest and gauntlets that are also decorated with both feathers and chunks of bone and blood, the other wolves can finally start to see this dark being from where they are, seeing the leather and cloth shine in the light, black feathers lightly decorate the joints and straps across their body.
Their black bloody cape hangs dead over their shoulders like a hung criminal, then light finally hits their head.
They wear a large mask, its structure much like a deceased bird's skull. The beak hangs over where their chin is and their eyes are concealed by the dark glass fitted into the mask. Their hair and ears are hidden under a mane of black fathers that drop down to its back. Behind them lays 2 bodies, a wolf and a citizen twisted a part and contorted beyond what should be possible, like innocent, helpless animals an experiment gone terribly wrong for this sick surgeon.
None of the wolves behind the Fang know who this is. Jaco's eyes widen and scream with hatred, his mouth fills with spiteful teeth, he growls and grabs his sword tightly as if he is trying to choke it.
"…" the Fang doesn't not speak or make a sound.
In this "Crow's" deep, demonic voice, it raises its hands mockingly and replies to Jaco's as if it read his mind,
"Guilty!" It laughs, taunting the last wolves before them.
"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAHH"
Jaco sprints inside. He has snapped.
The wolves can only watch on, their energy spent and hope gone, they can barely fit inside in the dark, cramped room. Quillen comforts himself by tending to his sword behind Hik and Jarjo, not even caring what will happen to his brother.
Jarjo wants to move but part of him can't, like how the fear took his voice, now it has his will to fight, Hik is frozen in place as she spectates the rapid Fang attack, and miss every single hit.
The Crow gracefully dodges every hateful swing, it continues to taunt Jaco,
"Bad start. Come on, make me at least block an attack!"
Crow pushes him and slaps the back of his head with each missed swing. He swings round and slices downward, right on its head. Jaco is frozen in place as he watches the crow catch his sword mid swing, its hand wrapped around the blades edge,
"Thaaaat's better. Take a break." Jaco lets himself breath as if following its orders, but the Crow drops his sword and launches a fist into his chest and Jaco is blown back into the blood behind him, stunned and in pain.
The force brings forth the dark figure. It looms over him as he rises from the blood and bones of their victims, the taunting makes its return as the Crow laughs away.
The Crow throws his sword back and taunts him with a finger curling up slowly, beckoning him to attack again.
He falls for the bait. Lashing out and abandoning his blade, as if the time to pick it up would be take too much time from him to murder this thing.
The attempt amuses the Crow, it blocks every strike Jaco throws at it, letting him run out of breath and energy, then hope. Soon enough Jaco can barely lift his arms in exhaustion.
The Crow grabs him by the hair, brings him close and says; "You are not strong enough to beat me… Fang."
The Crow lets go and carries out a barrage so quick and unpredictable Jaco cannot even defend himself, his swift, tempered reactions failing him.
It targets his ribs, the joints in his shoulders, then his legs. Its hands blend between crushing punches, extended fingers like daggers and unstoppable palm strikes. Jaco just screams and growls as he tries to block, but he can't.
However, he refuses to fall back, unwilling to retreat from this assault, instead he leans forward and takes all the punishment the Crow is giving.
The Crow finishes its combo with a final palm strike to Jaco's cracked chest plate, it shakes his ribcage unnaturally and he's forced to take 3 steps back from the force alone.
It shakes its head, as if disappointed by his performance.
Eventually it walks past the defeated Fang casually without worry, leaving behind Jaco with his injuries and thoughts.
He stands completely still, tears begin to build up, but he refuses to let them out, he bites his tongue as his heart beats unrelentingly, the taste of blood even very feint as he tries to cope.
"ARGHHHH" he finally lets out a wounded scream and collapses to his knees, he smashes the floor with his fist, blood sticking to his skin, a tear plummets into the blood eventually. He screams, growls and acts like a wild animal wounded by a cruel hunter.
The Crow laughs callously at its complete dominating victory, proud of its handy work, both in the Fang and the wolves around it.
"One day you will be ready to actually give me a warm up! But this is a great a start…"
It stops beside Quillen. The wolves arm themselves but don't move. The Crow bends down and pats Quillen's black arm very gently,
"Look after him, will you? He's got so much potential and I am so excited to see what he will become after tonight. Oh, and I wanted you to know, that I found a lil' hole I was able to break open to get in here. You might want to see to that my friend." It stands back up and releases a satisfied sigh,
"Ta-ta! For now… Hahahahaha!".
It laughs and finally leaves the wolves in their sorrow, walking out of the blown open gate into the wilds of Wrah.
The Crow's cackles fade into the night while the slow, delicate drips of innocence blood flow. Now only cries and silence are heard. Quillen stands, not knowing what to do anymore, having his own men killed by himself, the people he swore to protect now gone and this new monster of Wrah.
Jaco's screams echo over the land, unending in his rage, pain and what other deep emotions that rips away at him.