The Crimson Empire:

Chapter 5

Most of the day had passed since the crew had dropped off Eir with Doran. They sat quietly, eating the late lunch that was made. They were in the bottom of Keeper's bar in the basement, a secret place for the trio that allowed them to rest. Leo had finished sharing the details of the dreams that he had been experiencing.

"So, you're traveling back to your memories? Did you get hit hard on the head?" Slug asked, finally breaking the silence.

"That much is clear," answered Axilya.

"You could be nicer to me," Leo sighed.

"We trained together; you should know that this is me being nice," she retorted.

She had a point, Leo thought to himself. "Either way, I do not understand why it keeps happening."

"When did it start happening?" asked Axilya.

"It has been happening for a while now since..." Leo looked down at his bandaged arm. Slug and Axilya knew that was enough of an answer for now. "But it has gotten more frequent, so I thought I would share."

"Slug, you are the most read of us. Does this sound familiar in any of your books?" questioned Axilya.

"Nah, it does not sound familiar. But I think I could find answers if we go to the Bleeding Mountain," Slug suggested, clearly disdaining that idea.

"We will find answers elsewhere then," Axilya said, reassuring Slug.

Before Leo could chime in, there was a sudden burst as the door was pushed open. Keeper was helping a hooded figure walk in with a small arrow sticking out of its leg.

"We have a problem, Leo," said Keeper. Keeper was a tall, muscular man with dark brown eyes. His skin was far darker than Leo's.

The person pulled back their hood before the crew had much time to react. "We have been attacked. They took the kid and took some of us as hostages," yelled Gitana, who was Doran's wife. Leo quickly moved to help Gitana reach a safe spot to rest her leg.

"Where is Doran? Who attacked?" asked Leo sharply.

"I do not know who attacked us..." she said, tears started to form in her eyes. "Doran's... Doran's dead."

Leo quickly moved to the door with Slug and Axilya right behind him. He knew that Keeper would help Gitana. Leo would make sure to help the attackers so that they would meet the end of his blade...

 *

Rust had been part of the Black Claw Gang for a while and enjoyed every minute. He had worked hard to earn his position of power, though truthfully, he did not have much power, but he had enough. He knew his place; he would never be as powerful as the boss or the boss's captains, but he did not need that. Rust had all the power he could want because he could make others feel powerless. He felt as powerful as the boss when he could hear the lack of power in people's tongues as they spoke to him. He could feel powerful as he could demand almost anything, and it was done without question. Rust quickly learned that his power was fear, as it is in everything.

Rust felt that power at this very moment as he stood over some nomad's body. He was given a very easy task: attack a group that had left Sirenfoss and capture a kid. It was an easy job for him and his small crew. The group had barely put up a fight, or rather, they didn't get a chance to put up a fight. His crew killed a good ten of them when the leader surrendered, yet despite the death, the leader wasn't afraid. It was at that moment Rust felt the anger build up in his arm, and before he knew it, the leader was bleeding out on the ground with six stab wounds from Rust's dagger. That is when the fear came to the nomadic group, and Rust felt warm in power's warm embrace.