Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 2: The Smell of Smoke

A bell chimed, slicing through the air with a violent velocity. For a second, it seemed as though everyone stopped, listened, observed; and then within the next second, they all continued.

The bell signified a shutdown hour where everyone was supposed to close down and board up their businesses and go home, giving them enough time to where they wouldn't be caught outside with the dangerous Monstros at night.

This was the time Colt, Richard, and Raven would strike.

Herbert grazed next to a seated Raven and when he reached her leg, he nudged it. Raven stopped tapping her foot and gently lifted his head so they were making eye contact. "I don't have any treats." He snorted. "I know. I'm sorry," she teased, running her hand up and down his nose. His reddish-brown coat managed to shine despite the minuscule light. He leaned into her surprisingly soft touch for a second and with an over-exaggerated head roll, continued to eat. She began to thud her heel into the dirt.

The dark grey horse nudged his owner who was leaning against a tree. "I don't have any treats either," Colt mumbled. The horse snorted into the boy's face and used his head to push Colt off balance. He sighed and gently shoved the animal. "Tha feelin's mutual."

Richard and his black horse stood stock still, observing the houses and shops and fields.

The three waited until they saw people begin to go inside before they left the tree and headed towards the crop field next to the village – leaving their horses, knowing they would stay. A creek ran beside the field, stretching across the land and disappearing through a dense forest. The group had decided it was the main currency for the little village, which meant it had to be destroyed, and fast. They needed to move to the next village and not get trapped outside at night.

Richard's bat-like wings lifted him into the air.

"Bye," Colt said as he jumped over a three-foot stone wall that surrounded the entire field. Raven swung her body over.

"Bye," she responded as the two departed. Raven made it to her section – a corner – and pulled on the gloves, making them as tight as they could go. What was about to be done to this – and many other – villages had always been a point of contention for them. They were about to destroy the main currency for this village, no doubt making the lives of the peaceful inhabitants more difficult. The people always had to suffer in this game, forcefully being moved by those more powerful. But there was no other way around it. Suffering was inevitable.

She crouched next to the dried crop but stopped when the thunderous sound of horses came closer to her.

"You should be inside," a proper Britannico accent said behind her.

Raven cleared her throat and turned, recognizing the Knights as the new ones. Onyx thorns and branches wound around the brass and matte silver metal. Each Knight's armor was customized to allow varying shifts to occur.

"I could say tha same to yeh." Even Knights were supposed to be inside. Simply by looking at him, Raven knew he wasn't a strong Monstro. Different shades of blue swam in his eyes, and dark blue scales rested on top of his hands, indicating he was most likely a water Monstro. Apart from his sword, armor, and other Knights, he looked harmless. A tail swung behind one man. Sharp claws on another.

The leader observed Raven as well, finding her attire more than strange. Instead of a dress, she wore black leather boots, pants, and an overshirt. The overshirt had silver latches going all the way down to her waist, comfortably hugging her body. A loose, dirty white shirt was under it with the cloak swaying around her. "What are you doing out here? The bell rang."

"I have no idea." She stiffly shrugged, doing her best to buy time. Her section wasn't on fire yet, telling Richard and Colt that something was wrong.

The leader opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped, instead, staring behind her. She turned and watched graphite clouds of smoke rise into the air. A metallic shrill rang through the air, a sound she knew by heart. With a sigh, she faced him, finding the tip of his sword only an inch or so away from her face. The rest of the Knights aimed their weapons at her.