Volley of Pyre

Ghost Town

The next morning everyone was up and ready to finish this never ending journey. Myers bought some food and refreshments from a salesmen at the inn so the day wouldn't drag on any longer than needed. Pikel was still grumbling over the incident that occurred the previous night. Koda on the other hand seemed quite distant, not speaking as much as usual. They said their goodbyes and left the inn walking towards their destination.

Koda was just staring straight on looking in deep focus. He kept recalling the information about the mines he learned last night. He feels this sense of determination to find the mines and his brothers as soon as possible. Then stressful thoughts flashed through his mind repeatedly. What if his brother is no longer at the corrosive mines?? What if he never finds the mines?? What does he do!?!?

He was screaming into his own head for what seemed like an eternity when Myers finally spoke up.

"I see the town on the horizon." He spoke while pointing towards a small sign very visible in the distance.

"About time I wasn't going to make it much further!" retorted Pikel.

The three picked up the pace as seeing the town gave them some type of new found energy. They entered the town through some back ally and made their way to the main square.

It was deserted.

"Where is everyone?" Asked Koda obviously confused

"I am not sure at this time of day the town should be overcrowded." Myers said this while trying to find the cause of all the silence.

That's when Pikel spoke up from a nearby market stand. "Myers I believe I found the reason behind this." His voice was dark and clammy.

Myers sprinted over to Pikel with Koda following shortly behind. Behind the counter top was a man laying on the ground not moving.

"Pikel help me sit him up we have to see if he is still alive." Myers grabbed one arm with Pikel on the other and leaned him on the side of his own stand.

The man was not bleeding on any part of his body so his diagnosis was a hard one to find.Or so it seemed.

Myers raised up the mans pant leg to show a almost decayed leg. On further investigation the mans arms legs and torso where mostly decayed but his head and neck seemed rather untouched.

"How is this even possible?" Pikel was completely lost.

Koda pointed to the ground near Myers feet "What is that?"

Myers looked down and noticed a shiny silver needle with a colored coating on the point. Using two pieces of cloth he picked the needle to eye level. Within seconds the needle began eating away at the cloth causing Myers to drop it back to the ground.

"Whoever did this is not to be messed with, we need to leave as soon as possible."

"Myers this guy is still breathing!" shouted Koda who had wandered away during the examination

Both Pikel and Myers sprinted towards Koda to see a guy beginning to come to inside a nearby store. As they got closer to the man they realized he was in the same shape as the others in this town only his chest and head wasn't decayed, sadly the same couldn't be sad for the rest of his body.

"..The sickness.." The man mumbled. The team looked at one another in confused.

"The one of sickness.... He...He did this.." The man reiterated.

"Who is the one of sickness?" inquired Myers.

As the man began to speak a needle shattered the nearby window and connected with the side of the poor mans head, eating away at the flesh instantly.

"Everyone down!!" Shouted Pikel as a flurry of needles began to pelt the store.

Koda glanced outside to see what was the cause of the attack but was knocked down by a nearby Pikel.

"Are you stupid kid your gonna get yourself killed!" Growled Pikel

Koda was still shaken " I'm sorry." He muttered

The slew of needles came to a stop and all returned to calm. After checking the area Myers gave the OK for the other two to come out. Koda was obviously shook up by the horror he had witnessed.

Whoever did this is very dangerous and should not be taken lightly.

"We need to leave now." Spoke Myers breaking the silence.

"I agree." Spoke up Pikel." That monster is liable to return and the way that attack just carried on I am not sure we can take it."

The three nodded and began evacuating the city as all plans were off at this point. Koda looked at Myers for answers but his face read he didn't even know what to make of the situation. Clearly whatever just happened is something he has never came across before.

The three had sped up for the trip back and were all clearly tired as the day drawn to a close but not near any inns so they decided to just camp out. The team shared a dinner and all retreated for their much needed rest.

Koda was awaken to the sound of what seemed like laughter. He had slept a little bit away from the others in hope of escaping Pikel's atrocious snoring. Koda stumbled half asleep back to the camp to find the others in a dire position. In the night it seems a team of imps had got the upper hand on the two and bound them with rope against trees.

"What the hell?" Koda spoke out without thinking about being noticed.

The imps heads snapped around to see what had interrupted them. Instead of rushing Koda they slowly backed into the brush while laughing maniacally.

All of a sudden Koda was slammed into a nearby tree with a massive force knocking the air out of his lungs . Koda struggled to his feet to see his attacker. What he saw was unreal a ghost from the past back for revenge.

It was Brokil.

Koda shuddered and shook in place clearly scared for his life.

"The man I was looking for! My my look how much you have grown I can barely tell your the same bitch that I saw cowering in the mines." Brokil let out a huge laugh at the end of his sentence.

"What do you want!?" Koda was panicked

"Just to catch up on old times of course." He smiled. " I asked those two but they wouldn't speak if you hadn't walked up their heads would have been rolling right about now."

Brokil began walking towards Koda slowly. Koda was frozen in fear he had no idea what to do. Brokil inched closer his fangs began showing more as evil thoughts passed in his head.

As the seeds of an all out brawl become more evident Koda noticed his severe disadvantage. In the hopes of finding someone to repair their equipment Koda gave Pikel his gauntlets the day prior. Without the gauntlets this fight is looking more one sided then ever before.

"Koda fight!!" Myers barked." This beast has no control over you anymore remember your training and end his pathetic life!"

"Yeah Koda kick this over-sized hogs ass!!" Cheered Pikel.

Koda's eyes began rapidly dilating as Brokil got within arms reach.

"Your smart to not fight back kid its much easier for me if you just allow me to take your useless soul."

Koda's eyes closed then in a flash reopened with his pupils being pure white. He dashed towards Brokil and with a quick swing connected a punch to Brokil's jaw sending blood and spit flying from his mouth.

The fight was on.