《Runaway! 1: The Boy Whose Name Rhymes With Fire》 1. A Long Night Every story starts somewhere. And sometimes, it starts with a story of its own. To tell this story to its fullest, I, the narrator, must first take some time to explain where this great story starts and of what it is about. The story, as you may have heard, is a tale of a boy by the name of Jake Phyr. Who is Jake? Why.... he''s a monster hunter and a capable one at that. Incredible even. And as for where our tale begins... It starts off in the land of Vesturia. And then, one may add, what is Vesturia? Why... that is easy. Vesturia is a land of plenty, filled with happy children filled to the brim with the meals their mother made them, gallant gentlemen fully clad in their armour, laughing about their daily routines, and, the young women, chatting about all manner of things Truly, a town filled to the brim with joy, love, and the simple things in life. In the vicinity, one can hear a pair of young men wrestling while a crowd cheers them on, and in another area, a drunkard can be heard making loud jokes to the amusement of his onlookers, and a woman can be heard scolding her child for breaking something. Very much so what one would expect from this city. However, Vesturia is no small town, no. In fact, it is quite large. Quite fitting, one may say, as it is the capital of a far greater land.... Vanamour. The great lush land of Vanamour. Millions of acres of fat, lush honey filled land, ripe for the enjoyment of those who live there. On top of that, Vanamour is a peaceful land, as, at least for the moment, there are no "particular" ongoing social conflicts. Yes, that is correct. The land of Vanamour is not just a plentiful land but a peaceful one at that.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. One filled with multitudes of people all from different walks of life, be it farmer, hunter, warrior, builder, and all of, as one could say, a similar bloodline. Yes, all those in the land of Vesturia carry the blood of its progenitor. It''s patriarch, if you will. A mighty man he was indeed. And not only to these people did he give birth, but also, to the knight''s bloodline. Hmmm? Knights? Well, I''ll have you know that the land of Vanamour is chock-full of knights. As a matter of factly, it is every little boy''s dream, well, perhaps not every boy''s dream, to become a knight and to serve in the military duty of the nation. Such duties are, as one my expect, tasks that may require one''s risking of one''s own life, and are, hence, a test and a showing of one''s own bravery. One could say that a knight''s rank is not only a sign of his skill but also a symbol of the horrible terrors he has endured. And quite a number of terrors there are. Hostile nations such as Rovara, violent monsters that one could only dream of, and magical catastrophes that threaten to lay waste to several souls, if not the entirety of a nation itself. Truly... Vanamour has its work cut out for it. But, the knights of Vanamour, and most especially, those of Vesturia, are far better equipped to deal with these threats than one would initially imagine. With their incredible strength, speed, and ingenuity, truly, there is no fighting force on this land nearly or even partially as strong as that of Vesturia. Armed with sword, shield, spear, long sword, and the like, these warriors are by far the greatest in all the lands. And a great fighting force such as this oft finds itself feared across the lands. Gritty and determined. This is the reputation held by all those who were the badge of a knight in all the lands. A truly powerful force, whose mettle is rivalled only by their refusal to surrender. No one would mess with a well trained knight. Absolutely no one. Especially one from Vesturia. And, even more especially, the head of the knights. A tall balding man, whose very stomps are said to, and do quiet literally, shake the earth. His name... General G¨¦rard. A man of, not just incredible wit, but also incredible mental strength, to say nothing of his incredibly muscular build. He and he alone heads the knights Order, and to do that, a strong man in mind and body he must be. Leading the many sub divisions of the Knights Order, this man finds himself well versed in all their techniques and methodologies, be it intelligence, law adn order, defense, monster hunting, and the others as well. A well learned man he is, and a respector of the Knight''s philosophy. Under his charge, has the city of Vesturia seen peace. Incredible peace, in fact. Seeing as no great war has started. Above him in the hierarchy is the king of the knights. A bold man, to be sure. One who heads the nation into a peaceful stride. All those under the nation of Vesturia, no, even Vanamour, find themselves quiet pleased under his rule. After all, it is under his rule that such peace has taken over this nation. So..... ... one such as you, the reader, may begin to ask, .... ...well, what does this all have to do with Jake? Well.... for that story to begin, you, the reader, will have to wait for a while, .... ... because this story will be told at its best.... ... if the sun goes down. Yes. This great tale starts at a night. A night like no other. But also, a night that started like any other. Perhaps one could say that only the night knew how strange it was. Perhaps, even the night itself was unaware of what was about to happen. Yes, even the night. For who could have foretold this night''s coming events? To that, I tell you, dear reader, no one. Absolutely no one. 2. The Hessengers The land of Vesturia. A massive city surrounded by a large wall on all sides. On the horizon, from all sides as well, one could see thick lush vegetation, massive trees and, what one could only describe as "the sounds of nature going to sleep." And going to sleep it was, seeing as it was already quite late into the night. Inside the city walls, the children of the nation were begrudgingly returning to their beds, as their exhausted mothers finally took their time to turn the lamps off, so they too could return to their beds. The knights, finally done with their daily rounds, could finally return to their homes, leaving the rest to the night watchmen. As for the knight watchmen, they themselves found themselves doing what they would always do. Remaining vigilant. Needless to say, it was a peaceful night. Not a worry in the minds of the people. In the nation of Vesturia were four stations. Each station held onto by a series of guards. Guards, each with the ability to kill on site. However, an interesting thing happens in the night. One can perhaps call it a failure born out of fear. The simple matter being, that while they themselves were capable warriors, they were also aware of how dangerous the outside world was. And so, they remained cautious. Cautious enough that their eyes were constantly on the look out for danger from outside the walls. 15 minutes earlier.... Jefferson: I truly hate the night shift, Coleson. Name: Jefferson Jambers Age: 35 Description: Buff bearded guy Occupation: Knight, gate guard, rank C- Weapon of choice: Spear Threat level: C Fun fact: He does not live through this. Coleson: Agreed brother. Name: Coleson Carter Age: 34 Description: Lean man Occupation: Knight, gate guard, rank C Threat level: C Weapon of choice: Bow and arrow Fun fact: Also does not live through this. But in spite of our warriors incredible grit, determination and vigilance, they did indeed find themselves dead a mere 15 minutes later, their bodies soon lay dead, bloodied and brutalised, from inside the sentinel walls. The sentinel towers, as one would call them were small sheltered areas on the top of the walls, fully equipped with bow, arrow, cannon and ballista.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. One could call it a well put tgether main stay on a wall whose main purpose was defense. However, said sentinel tower also made it impossible for one to see what was happening on the inside, leaving those on the outside unaware of what to expect. An interesting situation... especially considering that that was also a problem, if one who wasn''t supposed to be there, somehow found oneself there. Vance: That was easy. Name: Vance Hessenger Age: 29 Description: Physically fit Occupation: General shinobi of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: B Fun fact: Sometimes, his beard itches. But he will never cut it! Jon: Agreed. Name: Jon Hessenger Age: 26 Description: Also quite fit Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: C Fun fact: Is the little brother of Vance. Actually really looks up to him. Vance: Ok then- Onwards! Jon: Hmm! Twas a truly peculiar night, but had the two knights there been less rather than more vigilant perhaps they would have noticed that danger lay not only from the ground beneath them , but also, from the trees, several metres from the castle, surrounding the wals from all sides. Such is fear. Teaching the sons of men that by guarding against that which is feared, that they somehow gain the ability to tell the future. Pure rubbish. However, that has little to do with our tale, seeing as the men of the Hessenger clan simply hurled the dead bodies out of the castle walls. Each corpse fell out with a thud. A wet, disgusting thud. And the men soon thereafter wasted no time in going on with their plan. Jon: Your plan was impeccable brother. To think that mere darts would murder those men. Vance: Hmph. Of course, .... As the young man spoke, he opened his bag, revealing what would appear to be a piece of paper with drawings on it. Vance: ... no one would expect an attack from the trees. He then placed the piece of paper on a table and looked upon it, almost as though to inspect it. Vance: Not especially a long range dart. Jon: Absolutely, I... Vance: Hold it! The older brother halted the younger without a second of remorse. Vance: Signal the others. And the younger, obedient as he was.... Jon: R... right... Now, of shinobi were these people, but of strange sort were they also, seeing as.... ... they also had magical powers. Magical powers? Why... yes? These shinobi had mastered many magical arts. And among them were... Jon: Incantation! Hive mind! ... spells that would allow many to comminucate. As he said these words, a light stone in his pocket begun to glow a light blue, and he, presently pulled it out. Why? To speak to it, of course. Jon: My brothers, have you succeeded? And, the rock being as magical as it was... Voice: Yes, sir! All acccording to the general''s instructions. Name: Derrick Hessenger Age: 25 Description: Blond with long hair Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: C Fact: Can speak to squirrels, apparently. Voice 2: Here as well. All is according to plan. Name: Jason Hessenger Age: 29 Description: red head, muscular Occupation: Lieutenant general of the Hessenger clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: B- Fact: Is really good with women. Voice: Yes! We shall have our quarry yet! Name: Fin Hessenger Age: 26 Description: blond, muscular Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger clan Weapon of choice: Knives. Threat level: C Fact: Is one of Jon''s closest friends. Jon: Excellent! The younger brother exhaled in relief, but not before taking a look at his brother in happiness, as little brothers tend to do. Truly, a younger brother always looks up to his older. Jon: Are you all ready to carry out our plan? Derrick: Yes sir! Jason: Affirmative! Fin: Absolutely brother! Jon: Most excellent! With one more look to his brother, he started... Jon: Older brother... Vance: Understood. Now listen... Now, to explain the end of Vance''s plan, one would first off have to have a better understanding of the walls of Vesturia. The wall was square in shape, with each vertex having one sentinel tower. This provided a massive amount of protection, seeing as each tower had plenty of room to guard over, with each guard only slightly overlapping the other. However, said stationing also came with a massive weakness. That being, that if for any reason just one tower was under attack, especially an internal one, well... I do believe that the reader can do the Maths. All that being said, there being four shinobi speaking by the spell: Hive Mind, and there being four towers, well, it goes without saying that, yes.... each and every tower... all of them.... with nothing but dead guards... and scheming shinobi. 3. The Hessengers Mission Dear reader, do you know what it means to lead? To raise a man from the woodworks to the war. From a farmer to a hunter. From a slave to a free man. Why, yes, of course, you''ve heard quite a bit about that, haven''t you? But... do you? Every man who has ever led successfully knows this truth, be it intrinsically or extrinsically knows this. The voice. So, dear reader, you may ask, what is the "voice?" Why, ... the voice is a simplistic thing, at least in the first dimension. However, in the second, or perhaps third, it becomes clearer as to what drives a man to listen to a leader. There be a saying. A saying... "iron sharpens iron, brither sharpens brother." Or, as a wise man once said, people are the simple result of what those around them bring out of them. To that, dear reader, you may ask, why? Well, to that, I have not a clear answer, but, a question. Who would you rather, a man who calls out greatness, or a man who calls out weakness? Of those, be the judge, for one of the two will lead you, and the other, not. Such is human nature. A burden upon every leader to radiate assuredness, power and goodness. Not only from without, but also from within. To do this, a leader must spend several hours, questioning his or her own motives. Yes, a leader must be a good thinker, but also, a leader must question his or her thoughts. Such is the burden of leadership, and the burden with which this man Vance spoke...If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Vance: ... all of you. With the sound of his voice, they all stood silent. Be it what they were doing, throwing out corpses, pulling out their papers, or checking their weapons once more, they all stopped silent. Such is the power of a leader. Vance: Our goals are just and simple. The leader himself, took to an upright pose, mcuh the same as a general giving orders to his men. This was so, in spite of the fact that his men were not with him in body, but only in sound. Vance: (exhaling) Our enemy is.. shorthanded, as our intelligence has forewarned us. The younger brother Jon took a deep breath, in great awe of what was to come. Vance: All the knights of the First and Second Order are not among them. All the shinobi nodded their heads in response to his statement, a nod of affirmation. Truly, their quarry was at its weakest. Vance: They find themselves on patrol, searching out several incidences on the border. Simply put, there is no hope for this city. It was then, that the man by the name of Vance Hessenger took a deep breath. Truly, this is the weight of a leader. The weight of their dreams, the weight of their fears, the weight of their troubles. He could feel them all on his shoulders. Vance: We shall strike as fore planned. With magic and with destruction. Jon: Hmph. Fin: Hmph. Jason: Hmph. Derrick: Hmph. And then, the other shinobi. Other shinobi? Why, yes. There were indeed other shinobi. These shinobi travelled in four two man cells. These cells being, Vance and Jon, brothers in arm, and brothers by blood, Fin and... Voice: Hmph. Name: Kyle Hessenger Age: 28 Description: Muscular, however, oddly short Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: C Fact: Almost always seen chewing something. ...., a pair known for their oddities, Jason and ... Voice: Hmph. Name: Thorton Hessenger Age: 27 Description: Muscular, blond and thick haired Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: C+ Fact: He once beat a mere child up for taking a sip of his water. A mere child I say. ...., a pair that mixes as well as oil and water, yet one that manages to bring refreshing results, and lastly... Voice: Hmph. Name: Ray Hessenger Age: 29 Description: Muscular, spiky haired Occupation: Soldier of the Hessenger Clan Weapon of choice: Knives Threat level: C Fact: Believes in the power of smiles, a charming one he is. ..., Derrick and Ray, a pair that believes in positivity, and brings light to the world. Each one of these tow man cells now had control over one tower. Each pair, with one holding onto their own white stone, and the other, in patient submission to their leader, waiting. Simply, waiting. For what, one may ask. Why, for instruction. Know ye not... that a leader is to lead? And the lead to be lead. Such is Vesturia, such is Vanamour, and such is humanity. 4. A Leaders Voice Why, perhaps I was a bit too... unclear about the true meaning of a leader. And of that, perhaps the man by the name of Vance Hessenger would be a great example. Vance: I say now, my brothers, prepare your arms for battle. He lifted his right and left arm, essentially doing what those of the modern age would call... a T-pose. On his right, a single knife, and on his left, a strange magical ring floatong above his palm. Vance: Remember your training, my brothers. Lift up your arms. And, as he said this, in each two man cell, every man not holding onto the light stone, made the same pose. Vance: Take your pride unto your hearts, my brothers. For who we are. For who we always have been. From his words, a resounding pride resonated in all of their hearts. For who were they? Truly. Vance: On your right hand, the arm that defines the mark of the shinobi in you. And, on your left, the arm that defines the artistry of a wizard in which you have all been well learned. Kyle, Thorton and Ray: Sir! Vance: Take unto your hearts, the blood that flows unto your veins. And then, what could only be referred to as a siren song. A siren, you say? Why... yes. Have ye not heard of pirates and shipmen being lulled into destruction by these mischievous mythical creatures? Why... of course. Using their hypnotic siren song, they lure unsuspecting shipmen to their doom.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. But... why? Why does this song truly capture them? Truly... a mystery of the ages. Some may say that there is something truly hypnotic about the voice. Others may say, that, oh yes, the voice is indeed calling unto something. After all, as a wise man would say, if it can call you, you must be able to hear it. Therefore I say, perhaps, when if a siren can seduce you, perhaps your following is not a sign of your weakness, no. Perhaps, it is a sign of something hiding inside of you. Something that you, dear reader, may be blatantly unaware of. That much being said... Vance: Our enemy... the knights... are fools. His brother, Jon, even while holding onto the stone, nodded in tears. Such is the admiration a younger has for his older. Vance: Mere cowardly fools. Know ye all not what foolishness they believe? Their teeth all gritted, their toes moving within the soles of their footwear. Truly, they all held the same sentiment. Vance: They see our magic as sin, foolishness, and beneath them. Soon after, Vance Hessenger slowly dropped the magic ring unto the paper, where it then sank. Vance: They see our shinobi blood as evil, corrupt and darkness. His right hand, then placed his blade upon his paper. Vance: Begin the spell, my brthers. And with that, simply with his voice, he brought their thoughts unto being. They followed his lead, doing as he said to, and doing as he did. Vance: These knights... these prideful fools.... they find themselves believing in... what... honour? And then... like poetry, his own countenance, yes, even his very voice changed its tone. Like poetry, they all rhymed. Why... is that not true of every great speaker of this world? For they all, yes, they all, believe wat they say to the very core of their soul. That, my dear reader, is true power. Vance: Honour means not using magic, honour means facing an opponent head on, honour means being good to others, honour means beng neither a wizard, nor a shinobi. Truly, the lines did rhyme. Vance: So, my dear brothers, tell me. How do these people see us? As fools? As contemptible? As wrong? Nay. As with many a siren, one may soon ask oneself. What is it that makes a siren song so compelling? Of that, my dear reader, I may say, that every siren song tends to have something of... a question. A question, you say? Yes. A question. A question that it brings within you. A question that it brings to make you curious. And furthermore, a question that it promises to answer. An answer? Yes. Know ye not that this question was meant to be answered? That this question was meant to awaken a curiosity in you? That... perhaps, ... this question seduces you, with the promise... to learn? To learn? Why, yes. Perhaps it has fallen off of man to know this, but to learn, yes. Indeed to learn, is a beauteous thing. A thing... that all of human kind truly loves. A thing. Learning. That being said, all their ears perked up. All ready to hear the siren song. For, what question would it bring? And also, what question would answer? The question lying deep within them. The question that even they may have not known of. 5. A Siren Song A leader''s siren. And.... so it begins. Vance: Believers in honour, believers in righteousness, believers in "morality." The great man sighed. Truly, everything rhymes. Vance: Believers in love, believers in battle, believers in fairness, believers in custom. The looks on the faces of the men said it all. They all saw it. The words of what he spoke. Only now, in true being. Every word, bringing unto them a new, perhaps more solid definition of reality. Or, perhaps simply a promise. After all, at times, a promise is all a man needs to get off his feet and get going. Vance: And... of course, because of what they believe, because of what we believe... these people look upon us with... disgust. The men''s breaths resounded in the air. One could here their agreement even without the words being said of it. Truly, they all, each and every one of them, believed, lived and received of what he said. It was not only his words, no. It was also their lives. Truly, everything rhymed. Vance: To them, we are sin. Nay. We are that which one should never be. Truly, everything rhymed. Every word, almost as though carefully calculated to stir their hearts. However, this was not so. How so, dear reader? Do you know the answer? Well, perhaps the answer may be seen as a purpose rather than ideal. Purpose rather than ideal, you say? Why... yes. Perhaps a leader can truly lead from the ethos of purpose, rather than from the ethos of ideal. What is that to say, say you, perhaps? Why... that is to say, that perhaps leadership is more of a calling, and less, much less of an ideal. After all, know ye not that a man be inspired before he do a great deed. Yes. That is humanity. Vance: And to this great nation. This nation that surpasses all the nations in the land.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The nation of which he spoke, being the great Vesturia. Vance: Yes, this great nation, my brothers. To it, what do we say? Truly, everything rhymes. From the hate, even unto their own relationship with the way they see the eyes of the people of this land. Dear reader, I say to you. When everything rhymes, nothing can be undone. Truly, the more it rhymes, the more permanent it becomes. As he said these words, their eyes all looked forward, no not forward, but forward. As to what they were looking forward for, that would be a good question. For an answer, for a purpose, or... for something they expected. The answer here, is... an answer. Hmmm? Know ye not that the last option, even though dramatisised, need not be the correct one? And of the answer, why... it was the answer of the first question. The question unto which all their hearts hearkened. The question... what new thing shall ye tell us of... brother? And of that... that new thing. Yes. What is it? Vance: Tell me my brothers, what do we say of it? What do we say to it? And even still, the brothers remained in their stances, waiting all the while for his command. And, even more, for his words. For his words would define them that night. Nay, even grow them. He held his tongue but for a moment, almost as though waiting for an answer. Perhaps he was, perhaps he was not. Of that, dear reader, I tell you, he was. Vance: That is easy, my brothers... It was then that a scratching sound could be heard. Yes. A scratching. Of what, you may ask? Why, it was a strange cause indeed, but the cause, was magic. Vance Hessenger had placed his knife''s blade upon the paper, and was there and then "cutting" at it. However, what followed was not a cutting of the paper, nay. It was the formation of an insignia. The odd formation of a sign. Of a symbol. And a bright one at that. What kind of symbol? Well, seeing as he has only started, we must wait for that. That being said... Vance: ... we are shinobi-wizards. Through and through. And his words, even unto their impoversihed hearts, ... Vance: We are not less, nay. We are not weak. Nay. We are not sin. Nay. We are great. We are just. We are power. ... watered them unto a bloom. Reminding them of their pride... Vance: And of this land, what do we say? Why... that is easy. Once he said these words, tears could be seen falling off of his brother''s face. Truly, a boy inspired into manhood by a man. The man by the name of Vance Hessenger took a few steps back from his work, so as to inspect it. Fire. Why, yes. The symbol was a simple one. A drawing of fire. A single outline, yet, with a simplicity that one would almost call childlike. Yes, that was the spell. Vance: Of this land... we say.... Now... Incantation.... As he said these words, a loud scratching surfaces. In all the other three, yes, all the other three towers, had the shinobi wizards also begun to scratch the paper. However, as before, the paper was not cut, merely, an insignia formed. The leader, Vance simply waited patiently. Not a word escaped his lips. Not a word escaped his soul. He simply waited, hearing unto himself the sound that came from the light stones. The words he had spoken rung through their hearts with every flicker of their blades. Each dash, each twist of the knife as they drew their own flames, yes. Each movement under the meditation. Those under them.... and what they thought of them. The leader had spoken, the siren had sung. And once all flames had been drawn, the leader''s eyes took to his own flame, that had begun to glow a firely red. From the light stone, in patient meditation of his words, they all said it. Kyle, Thorton and Ray: Incantation... For that is the word that must be said before a spell is cast. Incantation. Indeed, it must be spoken. Vance: Well met, my brothers. Of this nation, we say... Now, he looked unto his paper once more. Their hearts all breathing in and out. Vance: .... to this nation of fools, we say.... And with the pangs of the struggles of a leader, with the birth bangs of a great idea, yes, then did he speak the words... Vance: Incantation! And they all followed.... Ray, Kyle and Thorton: Incantation! As for the last words, the words upon which they focused, the words upon which their hearts were fully rested, the words upon which their hearts had decided. Vance, Ray, Kyle and Thorton: Luna''s Ring Of Fire! They said it all in unison, their hearts decided, their beliefs united, their hearts never wavering, their minds in sync. And, dear reader, I do say, that it was at that very point that the whole wall, yes. The entire wall... burst into flames. 6. The Burning Wall There is only one for it. Mass hyteria. Mass hyteria? Why, what is that? Well, I imagine, dear reader, that you believe that mass hysteria is what happens when something goes horribly wrong. And, of that, you would be wrong. Perhaps, a flood, or... fire rains from the sky, or, perhaps something, say, a dragon lands from the sky, blasting all around it with its fiery breath. That, in and of itself, is never the cause if mass hysteria. Why, I must say, the true cause of mass hysteria is never the action, but the swaying of the hearts of men. For if men could calm their hearts in a flood, is there truly mass hysteria? Nay. Mass hysteria only occurs, when you lose your heart. But, then again, can you blame the lads for losing hope? When all is confusing and all seems lost... When all seems hopeless and all seems gone... It is hard to look up into the sky and believe for good to come. Truly, I say unto you, it is hard to believe in good to come. But, dare I say, be a strong man, and believe, for that is the art of a strong man. Believe. As for the people of Vesturia, such a concept was long gone. Their walls, in the dead of the night, torched, their sights lit by the flames only to see what, utter chaos. The heat of the flames could be felt most especially by those living near the walls. Their walls... their defense... compromised. There was only one understanding to it. Fear. Fear, you say?Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Know ye not that fear drives a man from his heart, for when one, persay, remembers the one he fears, does he not quiver. But before that, he was wise and strong. Dare I say, to be a strong man, never lose your heart. That being said, ... .. the people of Vesturia, majority being mere townsfolk, and the majority of knights being far too inexperienced to deal with such a calamity, well.... there was only one end to this story. The people ran and screamed in fear, their hearts in their hands, their bodies on their legs. True terror indeed. And, who could blame them? At such a time, at such a night, in such a situation, what could one say... truly... what could one say? Other than... Woman: Heeeeeeeeelp! Name: Winnifred Floringale Age: 22 Description: A beauty, indeed. Occupation: Maid Weapon of choice: Broom Threat level: F- Fact: Is a lover of many a wine. And the woman as did the people of Vesturia flee. Flee from the fire. However, there was yet a thing even in the fire that they knew not of. Why... yes. Even more in the fire. What would that be, you may ask? Why... it was... the Hessengers, of course. As for the fire... why... yes, you guessed it quiet well. It was merely a distraction. A distraction? Far too much for one? Do you, dear reader, genuinely believe this was more than a distraction? My.... Sharp eyes you have. And sharp wit. Believe not everything you see.. But believe your gut like your life depends on it. Moving along... Vance: Torch their houses, burn their cattle, storm their lives. Jon: Sir! His brothers as well could be heard from each stone. Fin, Derrick, Kyle, Thorton, Jason and Ray: Sir! All brothers in arms, in pairs of two, jumped from the towers unto the ground. Unto the ground, you ask? Why yes. These men were well trained. Well trained enough, that a mere, mmm say, .... 120 foot wall, give or take a few feet, was child''s play to jump off of. Hmmm? 120 feet is a lot? Well... to that I say, believe ye not everything you hear. That much being said... Vance: Brother! Jon: Sir! Vance: Find yourself close to me. Jon: Sir. Ah... brotherly love...phileo... Truly a wonderous sight to see. With that, each brother soon found themselves on the ground, landing with a thud. Well, that was, of course, with the help of a grappling hook, with which they slowed their very falls to the ground. Hmmm? Said I not to believe not everything you hear? Hmmm... Very well, I shall try to be less... hmm.. cheeky... with the story. Meanwhile... ... the brothers Hessenger had soon landed on Vesturia''s very soils. Truly, a perplexing manouvre. A four pronged strike from all sides... ... led only by two shinobi each. A peculiar manouvre to be sure. One that would without a doubt fail, had they not first set the city walls on fire. And now, dear reader, I suppose your question is this? What is Vance up to? To what end is this endeavour? How far shall he go? What is to happen to the people of Vesturia? And even then... where are the knights? And... most importantly... where is the boy by the name of Jake Phyr? Well, of that I tell you, you mustn''t wait much longer. Nay.... not much longer, for soon he will come. And smite these shinobi. But... for now...., please, do enjoy my narration of what the Hessengers did indeed do to Vesturia. Hmm? Not interesting. Why... we shall see about that, now shan''t we? 7. What A Shinobi Hunt Those of the modern age are simply.... unaccustomed to the ways of the old. The battle, the bloodshed, the torment. Mmm yes. A livelihood that many a soul would call... death, horrible and suffering. A livelihood that many in the modern age would call.... hmmm... I do believe the term is dark. Moving on... Vance: My brothers, ... move! And so they did, without a second guess, or a second thought, as shinobi would. So, dear reader, dare I ask, know ye how a shinobi hunts? Why... ye, of course, know of how a knight hunts. A knight hunts with valour and vicious ferocity in their eyes. Yes, with a viscosity they move through the air and the land, fighting their enemies, leaving nothing hidden and nothing unperturbed. Truly, it is the way the proud fight. Those proud of their power, those proud of their beliefs, and also, those proud of themselves. However, the shinobi are, themselves, the complete opposite. A shinobi spends countless hours training.... for battle. Battle? Why, you must be mistaken. Shinobi do not fight. Well... that would be incorrect, as several shinobi do indeed... "fight". However, a shinobi''s true calling in battle is not to fight, nay, it is to avoid a fight. Or, rather... to avoid a fight he cannot win head on. For this reason, these shinobi chose to strike Vesturia at its weakest. That is simply the way of the shinobi. However, dear reader, dare I ask... does that make the shinobi any less proud of their arts? If the shinobi and the knights are opposites, does that make their prides opposite? Is one proud in a wrong way and the other in a right? Are the shinobi correct or are the knights? To this, dear reader, I leave to you to decide. That much being said... Vance: Turn off your communication brothers. Jon: Hmph. Yes, he did indeed say that. The simple reason, of course, so as to focus on the hunt. And all brothers in arms did as he spoke, turning off their stones, leaving them all... as they would say... incognito. All alone, without a soul to count on. Well... I suppose that was not true. They did indeed have their brothers in arms at their side. Yes. Indeed. Truly and truly, it is a good thing that a man have someone to watch his back. Be that not the case, and doom is certain upon his body and soul. And of the hunt, dear reader, you may ask, what is it that a shinobi hunts? Why... the simple answer to that lays in the simple question. What is of worth to a man living in these times?Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Gold, jewellery, money things and perhaps clothing and food. Yes. For that reason, fools will indeed go to great lengths. Why, many a fool indeed. Hmm? There is more to it than that in this case? Dare I say, dear reader, sharp you are. Sharp you are indeed. Moving along... Vance and his brother quickly rushed into the fray, making certain of many a thing. Vance: Remember the plan, brother. Jon: Hmph. It was a simple thing to be sure, rob civillians that had long since lost their hearts. However, in this case, yes. Even in this case, a shinobi would think twice before striking. After all, even the lightning lands on the ground, does it not. For even lightning strikes with sureness, and so, for a human to strike with sureness, he must be certain. Vance: Keep your eyes out for knights. Jon: Sir! Such was their dynamic. As brothers in battle, it was no longer brother, older and younger. Nay. It was brother, leader and soldier. Such is battle. Such is war. The brothers Hessenger rushed atop the buildings, as the knights found themselves rushing to the scene, all the while busying themselves with finding the cause of the fire. There were several of them, each rushing towards the fray, all in spite of the people rushing for safety to the inner parts of the city. These knights were not nearly as well trained. However, for their bravery, they must be awarded. Yes. Even for something as simple as coming to the battle. Even that is worthy of praise. Voice: We mustn''t tarry, brothers. Name: Alfred Siegefire Age: 34 Description: A muscular bearded man Occupation: City patrol knight, rank C Weapon of choice: Spear Threat level: C Fact: This mighty man finds himself running laps every day, why yes, every day. And besides him was yet another man. Voice: Yes sir! Name: Wilfred Jambers Age: 31 Description: Muscular bearded man Occupation: City patrol, rank D Weapon of choice: Sword and shield Threat level: C Fact: He is worried for his brother. Yes. His now deceased brother who was once guarding the castle. Shame... really. These two and two others did indeed rush to the fire, completely missing the shinobi running across the buildings. Vance: The enemy has been avoided, brother. Jon: Yes sir! Vance: I can only hope the same fortune finds itself amongst our brethren. Jon: Yes... sir. And what fortune they would need, one would say. Seeing as all knights from all directions finally took courage and started their descent from the inner halls to defend their state. And many a knight they were. Many enough that the majority of the Hessengers would soon and eventually be caught up and hunted down. Yes, that was likely. After all, the nation of Vesturia was not unwise enough to leave itself completely unguarded. However, that was a matter of perspective. Take your time to ask yourself this, dear reader. What are the odds that a knight would think to look upon the air rather than the ground for his foe? What are the odds... when what lay in front fo them was, ... yes.... a burning wall. Voice: Water! We need water! Name: Colin Bravestone Age: 35 Description: Muscular, bearded man Occupation: City guard, rank C Weapon of choice: Single sword Threat level: C Fact: Through and through, this man finds himself a farmer and a poet as well. And water didst they bring unto him. Buckets and buckets from men carrying it from wells, lakes, be it even rivers. Yes. These men would stop at nothing to end the tyranny of the flames. As for the shinobi that were also wizards, what would one say unto them? Their mission was simple. Voice: Fire! Name: Brandon Johnson Age: 33 Description: Large muscular man Occupation: Knight, meal hunter, rank C Weapon of choice: Bow and arrow Threat level: C Fact: He enjoys playing in the snow. Yes. Even a grown man can love the snow. Tis nothing to be ashamed of. And of his words, truly, he was correct. There was indeed a fire. And a mighty one indeed. However, as you may have guessed dear reader, or, perhaps presupposed, I would not have brought light to that without reason. Hmmm? You think I would do such a thing? Very well... That much being said, the wall was indeed on fire. But... that was not the fire of which the man by the name of Brandon Johnson was concerned. No. In fact, it was of the fire that was then burning their buildings. Their buildings? Yes, indeed. Even their very buildings were then on fire. So, then, dear reader, you may ask, how so? Hmmm? How be it that flames travelled from the wall to the buildings it was meant to protect. Well, perhaps I simply neglected to tell you of how the flames slowly spread to the buildings Yes, yes. That is a possibility. But... my dear reader, I tell you that there is yet another potentiality. Yes. Yet another. That the shinobi themselves spread even more flames. Hmm? An incantation? Why did I neglect to mention that? Well... I.... Hmmm.... moving on.... Vance: Burn them... Jon: Sir. As the man by the name of Vance Hessenger led his brother along with him to the fray, burning all they could. Jon: Incantation! Flames of Rage. And with that, the man by the name of Jon Hessenger felt a heat upon his hands, a heat that soon turned to flames, flames that soon fell out of his hands, burning everything in sight. Buildings, cattle, pasture... even the few unlucky souls that failed to flee from the mercilessness that lay before them. Vance: Let them all know, brother. Let them all know. Jon: Hmph.