His Ghostly Assassin

Prologue

Snow in the middle of a winter storm can create a blanket so thick that it can even smother fire, the wind can drown out any sound and keep it from traveling far, but this night, the raging fires and screams could rang out for miles. The white snow melted and the ash from fires caused a thick black cloud to roar through the small village that lay just beneath a sheltered cliff in just below the Japanese alps, where the territories were split in two.

Wood cracking from the heat of the fires, metal crashing together as swords clang together, screams from the people who raced through their own village rang from the cliffs and forests beyond. Arrows rained down and pierced the houses or the fleeing soldiers, dropping them into the muddy streets. Everyone was fleeing to their lord's home, hoping to find aid within its walls, but they would find none waiting.

Soldiers galloped past on their horses, many were wounded and trying to save their own lives, some shouted out,

"Run!"

"They have broken through the gates!

"They have breached the village! Flee!"

A fearful mother raced through the streets, holding her small son as tightly as she could. The boy was young, but he did everything he could to keep up with her. His hand ripping away from hers, had her spinning around, only to see that he had tripped over a loose stone and had fallen behind. The panicked crowd pulled her away for her child even as she fought to get back to him.

The boy cried out for her, but he quickly lost sight of her as she disappeared with the others. He coughed as the smoke became heavier, hoping to get away from it, he shuffled over to an abandoned home. He watched as more men came pounding through the streets, but these were different than the ones that he would hide from daily due to their cruelty.

Their robes and armor were colored with greens and browns. He had remembered his mother showing him those colors before, telling him that they were the ones the past lord's guards would wear. As they raced past, a few stopped near him. Even with the crackling from the fire, he could hear them.

"They've got it from here, where's the palace from where we are? You think he's in there or hiding somewhere else?" A man with scars on his jaw asked the two others standing beside him.

     "You three are the professionals, where do you think he would be hiding?" Another asked, wiping blood from his face.

     A man with scary black eyes looked around at all of the carnage, he seemed to be searching for something. "He is still hiding in your home; she has seen him. Do you still want the killing blow, Taron?"

     Taron finished wiping, most, of the blood from his face. Grinning, he nodded. "Yes. I want my father's blade to be the last thing to touch his neck as I avenge my family's deaths."

     The scary eyed man looked bored to the boy. "...fine. I will go and hold him for you." The boy gasped when he seemed to just disappear.

     "Speaking of vengeance, where is L? She was here just a minute ago." Scars asked.

     The wood from above him snapped from the fire rapidly burning through it. The boy screamed as some of it came crashing down on top of him, burning him. He tried to scramble from underneath the debris.

     "Oh fuck! Hang on kid!" The two rushed forward, but the scarred one pulled Taron back. "Shit, the fire is growing too fast. Fuck! L! Get over here now!"

     The boy struggled as he tried to reach for the two, who tried their best to get to him without being severally burned. When he felt something sharp clamp down on his leg, he screamed louder as he was dragged further into the building. The two shouted and sprinted towards the back of the building.

     Taron almost collapsed when he saw that the boy was now pulled completely away from the fire. "Thank the gods!"

     Scars walked over and checked on the boy. "Hey kid, you're going to be okay. We've got you now. Great job, L. Maybe next time give us a heads up that you are going to do that."

     The boy's vision was fading in and out, but he was sure of one thing when he looked at what grabbed him. The creatures bright blue eyes are what he saw first. Next was the large wolf-like head that was nudging his legs and feet.

     Scars paused and starred at the wolf for a moment before glancing down at him. "Can you feel any of that?"

     The child didn't answer, his eyes closed as he heard shouts and the creature loomed over him, its bright blue eyes shining against the clear, full moon sky.