Knights of the Nine - Beginning of the End

Chapter 2: Red Wave

The flames throw ashes up into the air. The air now smelling like smoke. Three bodies lay, almost lifeless, on hide beds. the wind picks up and blows the fire out.

A rustle in the deep forest fills the dead silence. Eyes peer out from a tree. One 9f the bodies fling up, his eyes open. Connecting with the other eyes.

'Hoo' screams out from the eyes and the body of an Howl shows itself. The human body lays back down, acting dead again. The Howl screams again, only flying away.

A shift in the wind makes the smell of smoke go deep into the hide beds. Coughing startles the, almost dead, bodies. All three of the bodies fling up.

"Stop coughing! You're going to bring them back!"

"Sorry! That smoke is killing my lungs."

"Shhh, movement! To the west."

The three fall back down onto the hide beds. The crunching of sticks and leaves break the silence. A dozen men or more begin to show themselves, to dark to make what they look like.

"Are you sure these bodies are dead?" A figure calls.

"Aye, they got to. No way they can't breathe for that long. An' if they are... we'll wait 'em out!"

"OK."

The dozen men sit down and remake the fire, making light again. They sit and wait, smoking out of their pipes. One of the men stand up and whips out a sword.

"I swear I will kill these fuckin' bugs!"

"Shut your trap, Gabe."

Another man comes out from behind a tree.

"We should have a couple hours before these bounty hunters waltz up on our little camp these buggers cooked up for us." He set down his bow and arrows on a stump beside him.

"Well, how long before these fools wake up?" Another asks.

"How do we even know if they are alive?"

"We wait 'em out! That's how we know. And we can spend an hour maybe two at most." The man with the bow says.

They, again, begin smoking out of there pipes and drinking ale from the bottle. One of the bodies on the hide beds shift. The men all stand up and get their weapons ready.

Another body shifts. The area becomes silent. The wind no longer blowing. The third body shifted and the men became more aware.

The three bodies burst up and begin attacking. Then men fly back and, most still surprised, begin to fight back. One of the bodies kick out the fire. The land now is fully surrounded by blackness.

The three fighting the dozen men.

"Kill them! Kill them!" The leader of the bandits yells.

More men burst out from the trees. These men are covered in red clothes. They throw knives and stab with swords. The three still fight but with more help. The other bandits perish in fright.

"Thanks for your hel-"

"Let me stop you right there, lad. You have our little Joan. Hand her here."

"These are the Red Wave. My people, my family." Joan says.

"I wouldn't mind if you left." Jeff says removing a cloth from his face.

"Thanks a lot, Jeff." Joan whispers under her breath.

"Come here, Joan. It's me; Beg."

"Derek, I'm sure you understand, love. This is my family. I won't forget how you saved me."