Defender of Mirago

Chapter 3

Later that day as Rayble walked through the dusty streets of Mirago he expected to hear praise for his heroic deeds the past night and thanks for saving the town, but instead, he heard worried whispers. When Rayble asked them about the Korugals, they would reply, "Korugals? I'm not afraid of those pesky things. It's the red cloud that frightens me."

Rayble looked out beyond the town into the empty desert. The wind was mild and there were no signs of red in the sky. It was a clear, sunny day. But Rayble understood their worry. He could imagine them, as he had seen them many times before, coming slow and quiet from the distance, but once they hit they were all but. The red clouds brought with them vicious chaotic winds that would cut the flesh, slicing everything in its path. More than the Korugals, the red cloud was the largest threat to the town and a defender's primary enemy. Rayble had always been on the other side, locked within his home while the defenders would push against the wind, mostly letting only the occasional slices of wind through like flying swords passing by. His stomach dropped at the thought of being face to face with it.

He decided to walk more quickly through town to avoid chatter and meet up with his friend, Baygus. However, he couldn't avoid it. More voices of worry echoed throughout the town and grabbed onto him, getting heavier and heavier and pulling him down with it.

The red clouds, the red clouds, the red clouds...

He couldn't avoid it. Finally, he broke through Baygus' door and called out to him in a panicked voice.

"I'm right here Rayble, what's going on?" He said.

"I can't do it, I can't."

"Can't do what?" Baygus asked.

"The red clouds..."

"Nothing to worry about. Come on now Rayble, we just had a successful night against the Korugals, we should be celebrating." He grabbed Rayble's arm and brought him to his kitchen. Sitting like a centerpiece on the table was a sole Gufu Fruit. Simply from looking at the purple plump rarity, Rayble salivated, thinking about how juicy and sweet it would be. Baygus split it with a knife and the two sat down to enjoy it together in the cool of the house, away from the anxieties of the outside world.

Before they took a bite though, Baygus prayed, "Thank you, God, for another victory last night. You are the ultimate Defender of our town, and we give all the glory to you. Thank you for this delicacy we are about to eat, for always providing for us, giving us what we need when we need it. Amen."

After the two finished savoring every bite, they licked their dripping fingers, and sat back for a while in silence, staring at one another with a smile. Baygus closed his eyes and spoke. "There's nothing better than being a defender, don't you agree?"

"Nothing better." Rayble agreed.

Suddenly, a loud commotion could be heard from outside. Rayble's moment of euphoria had quickly ended and the drop in his stomach returned. The two boys rushed out the door.

Nearly a hundred strange travelers had arrived in Mirago.