Legend of Parocaav: The Quest for Redemption (First Draft)

Chapter XLVI: Village of Singe

Angry screaming can be heard getting louder as the Bringers approach the town. Sounds of crying and shouts of fear overpower the yelling. Drayk and Roku dash through the entrance to the town. Roku has her twins drawn and Drayk is holding flames in his hands. The townsfolk stop making noise as silence falls upon them. The two faceless soldiers turn around to face the Bringers of Hope. Their yellow eyes looking back them.

"The Bringers!" One of the soldiers exclaims.

The other soldier tries to run away, but he is shot to the ground by a fireball. A smirk spreads across Drayk's face. He glances over the remaining soldier, who is frozen where he stands. The soldier may be masked, but fear is written all over him. Drayk raises his right hand, to point it at the Elite Soldier.

"No wait!" The soldier shouts.

"Give me one reason why not," Drayk demands.

The soldier pulls his mask off and says, "It's me you guys!"

Drayk and Roku go silent. They look at one another and back at the man before them. It couldn't be.

"Xel?!" Roku bursts out after a prolonged moment of silence.

"Glad you didn't forget about me Roku!" Xel laughs.

Roku runs over and hugs Xel. She looks at him, then slaps him across the face. Then, she walks back over next to Drayk as she sheathes her swords. The fire in Drayk's hands burn out as he lowers his arms. All of the townsfolk look at the three of them with utter confusion.

"You were crushed by that building," Drayk states.

"Luckily for me I wasn't crushed, just buried," Xel explains, "I was volunteered by a few Elites to trek all the way out here with them. Sickening to wear this uniform."

"You.... said you d-didn't know them.... you didn't.... s....say you were the one who helped them escape from Sota," the soldier on the ground groaned in pain.

Xel kicks the soldier in the head and jokes, "You would've killed me on the spot had I told you different."

"I can't believe you're alive.... and here above all places!" Roku smiles real big.

"Yeah well...." Xel begins to say as he looks away from them, "You're not safe here."

"I am well aware of that. This country isn't exactly a safe haven by any means," Drayk agrees.

"That's not what I mean," Xel tells him outright.

"What do you mean Xel?" Roku asks.

The townsfolk all start to walk away from the three of them. The threat is over, so they are going back to their daily routine. The only one left is an old man. His grey eyes are watching their movements carefully.

"He means that you are not safe in this town," the old man speaks, making them all look over at him.

The man walks over to them with a stern look on his face. He faces Drayk directly and peers into his eyes. Then, he does the same thing to Roku. His stern faces cracks away as a smile spreads across his face.

"So, you really are the Bringers of Hope. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Taum, the leader of this Resistance outpost," Taum explains with his smile still gleaming.

"Why aren't we safe here Taum?" Roku asks him inpatiently, hoping to get her questioned answered.

"The Pyroreaper," Xel answers for the old man.

"Is that what they call her outside these lands? Weeeell. Sounds like she made quite a name for herself," Taum teases, "The lady your friend is speaking about is Claire Piro."

"Piro?" Drayk mutters to himself.

"She is the one in charge of this part of Fire Country," Xel explains further, "She rose to power when Lance and the Elites claimed Froz. She played a huge role in that attack."

"We can talk later. I'm sure you two would like to rest and have a bite to eat," Taum interjects as he starts to walk away, "Come, and welcome to Singe."

That night ~

Roku is fast asleep in the bed to the room Taum had given them for the night. Drayk is sitting on the floor with his back leaning up against the bedside. The conversation they had replaying over and over in his head. The name Piro was stuck on his mind. It couldn't be a mere coincidence. Piro was his mother's maiden name. To his knowledge, his mother didn't have any siblings or anything.

He isn't quite sure what to believe he knows anymore. His father turned out to be worse than he ever thought possible. Sammi is still alive. Xel is still alive. He could have sworn they were both dead. His head begins to hurt from pondering everything over for so long. Hours have passed and he can't stop thinking about everything that has happened.

"Leon...." Drayk sighs under his breath, "I wish you were still around. I have so many questions left unanswered."

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. Not wanting to think about this anymore, he climbs into the bed next to Roku. He kisses her forehead and lays down on his back. His eyes staring straight up at the ceiling. Roku rolls over and rests her head on Drayk's chest. He smiles and kisses her forehead once more. Soon, he drifts off the sleep. Sammi's face is the last thing he sees as his consciousness fades away.

The next morning ~

Taum is already in the main room sipping on some coffee in a mug carved from a lava rock. Drayk walks into the room, letting out a big yawn. A few moments later, Roku hops into the room. Her face lit up with a huge smile.

"Is she always so perky in the morning?" Taum asks jokingly.

"You have no idea," Drayk yawns.

"I am a ball of energy! What can I say?" Roku laughs.

Roku sits down next to Drayk and holds onto his arm. She smiles real big at him as he kisses the top of her head. The enticing aroma of fresh coffee fills the air. A young man walks in with a freshly brewed pot of coffee and pours the Bringers each a cup. Yelling from outside breaks the peaceful silence of the early morning. A little girl comes running into the house with panic on her face.

"Grandpa!" The little girl yells with urgency in her tone.

"What's wrong little one?" Taum asks.

"It's.... It's.... Piro!" The girl cries out, "She's here, and she wants to see the Bringers of Hope!"

The little girl buries her face in Taum's shoulder. Her fear has reduced her to tears. Roku looks at Drayk with a look of concern. This lady must be horrible to these townsfolk. She had never seen a child show much fear in her life. Roku jumps to her feet and runs outside. It takes a second for Drayk to comprehend what just happened, then bolts outside as well.

The streets of Singe are scarce of its citizens. The only person out is a middle-aged woman with blonde hair. Her hair is only shoulder length and she has bright blue eyes. A red headband keeps the hair out of her face. She is dressed in the uniform of an Elite general, very similar to the one Kraag wears. Crests of the Fire Clan are stitched onto her shoulders.

"Little Drayk, how you've grown so much over the years," the woman jokes, her voice as calming as his mother's, "It's been so long. You don't remember me I'm sure."

The look on the woman's face is almost saddened by her own words. She looks into Drayk's eyes as she walks closer to him. As she gets closer, he starts to see images of when he was three years old.

"My sister never talked about me after your third birthday. Said I was making a mistake for joining the Elites," The woman says with a crooked smile, "I am your Aunt Claire. You can call me Piro, or The Pyroreaper though."