Dark Raven: An Assassins Tale

Made of Stone

The wind blowed in the town square as I walked along the cobblestone path. I breathed in the smell of fresh bread and cajoles baking in the Italian bakery down the street. Chickens fan around, scrambling from being crushed beneath the feet of the villagers. Small children ran swiftly through the crowds of people, chasing each other along with small mutts tagging along behind. I smiled as a small girl with silky long black hair ran past holding a doll. Her pale skin was almost as white as mine. Her light blue eyes glistened in the sun as she chased after her small dog with her friends laughing. Se reminded me of myself when I was younger. And her three friends. A girl and three boys. How ironic that happened. It brought a tear to my eye as I remembered my childhood with Jay, Mega Star, Matthew Frost, and Shy Fawn. My mentor trained Shy Fawn and I while two others got the three boys. I believe there names were Starling, and Oak Shade. Anyway, the small girl with black hair came up up to me. Her face became solemn as if something had just disappeared from her life. She pointed at the gold coins grasped in my hand.

"Please..." She murmured. I know from every child in this town that has gone up to someone pleading, is for food. I pushed her ragged hair out of her face and put my hand on her cheek. I smiled at her small pale face. Then I stood up and grabbed a loaf of bread from the stand, dropping down two coins as I gave the child the loaf. She smiled at me with the brightest eyes. Beautiful light blue, almost gray like Night Shine.

"Make it last. Now, run along." I whispered to her as she ran back into the crowd of people. I felt a tap on my shoulder as I stood staring. I turned slowly to see Megastar behind me. "What is it now, Short One?" I sighed. He looked at me with a panicked expression.

"Bandits..." He gasped. I whipped myself around as I heard the bloodcurdling scream of a woman as she was brutally stabbed in the back. She plummeted down and landed limply on the cobblestone path, blood pouring from her head and the puncture wound in her back. Four men leapt from the open window the woman had fallen from. One pulled out a bow and began shooting at random citizens. I pulled out my bow as Megastar took out a longsword.

"Ready, Schwa?" I said, my bloodlust growing stronger. He nodded, glaring at out enemies in front of us.

"Let's go." He said as he sprang forward hoisting himself onto a rooftop and jumping from the ledges over to a bandit. He stabbed him in the shoulder and ripped the extremely sharp sword out his arm. The man kicked Megastars legs out from under him and pulled out a knife, aiming at his heart. I quickly pulled out an arrow and drew my bow back. I let it go and the arrow bolted forward hitting the man straight in the chest. The man let out a small choked breath and fell to the ground. I made my way over to him, putting my hood over my head.

"You alright?" I said. He nodded.

"Yeah. I'm fine." His eyes widened.

"What?" I said in a slight panicked voice.

"LOOK OUT!" He yelled as another bandit cane up behind me and grabbed hold of my neck. I planted my feet on the ground and lifted myself back up, flipping myself over him. The man fell to the ground as I look out a dagger and slashed open his stomach. He man fell limp on the ground, dead. Another man ran up and punched me in the face. Megastar ran over and put his sword through the mans neck. He pulled it out and cut open his chest. As the third man fell, we heard the gruff voice of the last bandit.

"You're gonna regret this, Megastar..." We turned out heads to the man who was standing there grasping a little girl, no more than eleven. Her eyes were stained with tears and her little blue satin dress was marked with blood.

"Miranda!" Megastar yelled.

Oh, god... He had Megastars sister... I thought as I pulled my second dagger out.

"Put the girl down." I said calmly. The man smirked.

"Make one more move, and his knife goes through her throat." He said. "Now, give me your money." He said. Megastar stepped forward.

"Never..." He growled.

"Fine then... So be it." The man hissed as he took the knife and lifted it into the air. The man brought the knife down across her throat. Miranda let out a distorted choke and fell limp, blood pouring from her slit throat. Megastar breathed deeply, his breath full of rage. He screamed and lounged at his sisters killer. He slashed at his chest and arms. He kicked the mans legs and the man fell, sliding off of the roof. A loud crack split through the air as he hit the stone path. Megastar and I jumped off the roof and went over to the man, lying in a bloody heap. His neck was in a crooked position and his eyes eyes still wide open with fear. Megastar stood there staring at the man.

"Why..." He said dropping his sword.

"Megastar... I'm so sorry..." I whispered. I looked back over at Miranda's killer and back at Megastar. "Who were those men?" I asked. He shook his head.

"I... I don't know. But whoever they were. If there are more f them out there. We will kill them..." He said eyes closed. "We will find them.."