Ashbringer

Chapter 3 - Blood and Ash

Down on the surface, twilight was setting in, casting a shadow across the earth. In the gathering dusk, a small, dark body landed behind the cover of a lone tree in the sleeping market district.

Keeping out of sight, Clarice made her way to the slave market.

The market was busy. It always was. People came from all over to sell and buy prisoners, livestock, and goods there. Of course, the main attraction was the lines of posts with ropes running through them. Naked slaves were tied to them for sale and for people to grope and ogle as they passed by, no dignity given to any of them. Nearly all of them were pale and bruised from countless beatings. She watched as an older male lion walked up to a young female dog and grabbed her by the throat. The poor girl cringed as he yanked her head up and looked her over, before giving her a good smack that made her cry out. "How much for this bitch?" He asked the seller.

"She's not worth much; just a dog. Best for scraps or hard labor." The seller said, rubbing his hands together.

"My client likes to butcher his livestock. Loves the struggle. She doesn't need to last long, just make a lot of noise."

"Of course, I'm sure she's a screamer. Want to test her out?" The seller handed the lion a bullwhip. Blood splattered the slaves retrained beside her as her back was torn open, the lion smiling with sick satisfaction as he assaulted the helpless slave.

"Hey!" Came a familiar voice. There was a panicked cry as a sword was drawn and uncertainty filled the space. A brash young fox with an unquenchable rage was charging through the crowd towards the lion. Vered.

"Ah, fuck," Clarice muttered as she peeked out from behind a shop corner.

Two guards rushed towards him as he slashed the ropes binding the slave to the post and opened a rift at her feet. She vanished, seeming to fall through the ground.

"Why you-! That's my property!" The lion snapped. The seller shrank back. He hadn't been paid, but seeing the look in Vered's eye, he knew he shouldn't dare speak.

The lion lunged for Vered with the whip. Vered caught the end and yanked, tugging the lion forward, who let out a surprised cry as he found himself sinking down onto the blade, piercing through his chest. Vered gave the blade a sharp twist then yanked it back out and shoved the lion to the ground, dead.

Clarice was rooted to the spot, knowing she'd be outclassed and outmatched if she interfered. Not to mention, he may not have known she was aiding him and been caught in the crossfire. She couldn't risk it, and yet there was a lot of coin at stake. Even more so, the idea of the flesh trade made her blood boil.

With swords brandished, the guards flanked Vered, closing in on him from behind. Two gunshots shattered the still night air as they both dropped like flies, blood pooling under their bodies. Vered spun around and stopped as he noticed his adversaries had been taken care of, then he quickly moved to cut free the other slaves at the market.

There came a loud clapping from nearby as a stranger approached him. "Bravo. It's time someone finally stood up to these beasts." They said in a smooth voice.

Vered raised his sword and took a defensive position. "Who are you?"

The newcomer put his hands up, his face obscured by a hood. "Easy now, just a friend, really. I have nothing against you or what you're doing. In fact, I would like to help you."

"Your name," Vered demanded, curling his lip.

"Xanthos. Now, is the blade really necessary?" The newcomer said with a pleasant smile as he shirked the hood back. He was a jaguar with pale fur and metallic rosettes that looked like gold leaf, which shimmered in the evening light, the gold spots on his face like a crown of jewels adorning his head, and he had a proportionate number of eyes.