Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 10: The Village Ablaze

The three stared out the window of their room, all staring at different things. Sitting on the window seal was a new letter from the Messenger. The group had a system in place where a messenger was stationed at every necessary village, passing the note from Farian to Farian to make it as efficient as possible, thus explaining the quick return.

The letter stated that things were moving quicker. That the plan wasn't working yet. That the Mundus Royals were still coming to the Farian Kingdom to discuss the Treaty, despite rumors no doubt spreading about the destroyed village. But, one was nothing, two was a calculated attack; and Raven knew how much of a coward the Mundus King was. She was only surprised he hadn't backed out already.

'He's still going to come through.' Those words were burned into all their eyes.

That was the reason they were staring out the window, one looking at the barely visible Mountain tops, another looking at the passing poor, and the other staring at the worn path leading to the Market. They had to make two decisions. They had to choose how to travel and they had to choose how to destroy this village.

After a few seconds, Colt sighed. "I think goin' through tha Mountains is our only chance at catchin' up."

"I don't see any other option, honestly," Richard said.

"I agree," concurred Raven.

All knew this decision was close to death. So, collectively, they sighed.

"So do we agree that we are goin' to go through tha Mountains?" It sounded like they were agreeing to their deaths.

"Yeah." Colt ran his fingers through his hair.

All eyes turned to Richard. His zoned out gaze staring at a patch of dried blood. "I don't see another way," he finally said. Raven and Colt had bought a map for the Mountains, nearly running out of all their money, but they didn't want to use it.

Raven's heart lurched forward as the realization that Herbert couldn't come crashed down on her. She had known that he wouldn't have been able to come, but now that it was a reality, she cursed it.

"What do we want to do here?" Raven asked, trying to get her mind off that fact.

"It's not a farm village or supply village," Richard commented, "just a resting village."

"Is there anythin' to burn?" asked Colt.

"It's a passin' village, yeah?" Raven asked. They nodded. "That's how they get their money, supplies, etcetera." She paused and thought again.

It felt like they were missing something.

"This village is olready a dump," Richard said, voicing his knowledge. "Tha night Monstros are gettin' wilder, but tha day ones still need a place to live, money, an' food. We need to make it so they have to move inward."

"Their Market," Colt said.

All their eyes trailed up to the Market that housed the most disgusting food ever.

"I think that's it," Richard said.

"So we take out tha Market?" Raven asked.

"Yeah," they both said.

Raven breathed in through her nose. "Ok, let's prepare."

***

"Raven, take left. Colt, right. I'll cover tha back," Richard ordered, his body stiff and voice stern. The two kids nodded as everyone threw their newly acquired coats onto their horses. All the coats were black with brown fur outlining them; leather lined certain parts of the jackets at random, and all had hoods. "Meet at that hill." He pointed, and Raven and Colt recognized it as the one where the Halifs had been hung.