Fire

Prologue

I need to get to the shelter; it's our only hope, thought of the man with a flowing red cloak that ran through the forest. The forest loomed overhead as though evil lurked just above the treeline. Shadows danced and played with the mind of the man in red as he made his way through the darkness of the woods. It had been days since he spoke to another and the loneliness combined with his own paranoia all but consumed him.

The journey was almost over for at the edge of the forest stood a small building. This building that held so much hope resembled little more than a shed of the verge of collapse. The man stopped and rested behind a tree and waited. Soon after a man rose from the ground in front of the building dressed in the same style cloak as the first, expect his cloak shone green. The wind picked up and formed a mini tornado close to the shed. As the wind died, a man in a yellow cloak was formed from the dying wind. The three men turned their attention to the babbling creek that flowed out from the forest. Slowly a fourth man in blue materialized from the water an stood tall. He met the gaze of the three that came before him and nodded. Together all four converged and entered the building in silent understanding.

Once inside the barren building, the man in red placed a sword on the solitary table that occupied the center of the room. A collective sigh from the others followed and each hid their face into their hood.

"So, we're done for," the man in yellow stated, breaking the silence.

"The Protectors are gone. There is no left that can fight the Darkons," wept the man in green.

"Brothers, we must be the ones that fight," exclaimed the man in red. "Our Protectors may be gone, but they have always been replaced. We just have to look for them."

"How can we find them when the Darkons track our every move, and have spies in all of our lands," Blue retorted. "They have grown in power and fill the lands with their evil. I have seen good men fall to sin because of the Dark Ones!"

Red peered into Blue's sapphire eyes. "The protectors will come back to save us and the sword is the start of our journey. It may take time but we shall prevail." 

Blue stood silent. His breath became short. "I'm sorry my Brothers, but I cannot allow my people to die while we wait for a savior," Blue stated with depression and fear in his voice.

On cue knives appeared in the chest of Green and Yellow and both fell to the ground. The figures that replaced them were completely covered in shadows. Red stared in disbelief at the betrayal. He turned to Blue as if get an explanation, but Blue's face was turned away from the execution. As Red turned to grab the sword a searing pain began in his chest. Looking down Red saw the end of a knife in his chest and felt the warm breath of his murderer behind him. Red fell to the floor and reached to Blue as he laid dying.

"My part is done, you have the sword. Now please let my people go without harm," cried Blue.

"Oh we shall see," rumbled the deep voice of one of the murderers. "All that's left now is tying up loose ends, beginning with you." Red's last thoughts were of the traitor being killed by the same men he wanted protection from.