The World Aflame Book 1: Rise Of A Nation

The World Aflame Chapter 2: The Hunters

                  The World Aflame
By: Stratford Ukena

Chapter 2: The Hunters

      "Aria! Hurry!" I yelled as we stumbled along in the underbrush of a dense forest. The smell of pine needles and fresh dirt clung in our noses the deeper we went. The forest was alive with the crack of bullets smacking into the giant oaks around us. The baying of blood hounds and police dogs filled the space where the stillness of the forest should''ve been. Me and my sister ignored them and ran on; away from the small wood log cabin we had called home.
      Are own parents had called the government on us and now we were fugitives. We ran and ran. I was carrying nothing but a katana my dad had gotten me for my 13th birthday which was pretty much useless at the moment all I could do was cut through the foilage and large plants that barred our path. Why a katana you ask... well maybe i''ll tell you that story another time.
     As we ran the noise got farther away until we had thought we had lost the hunters. I looked back, my sister's Auburn hair had fallen in her terrified face and she was trembling with the effort it took to keep going.
       "John why did mama not want us?" she asked. I took a deep breath
     "I don't know Aria, I really don't know." Tears formed in my eyes as I thought about how my own mother had turned away when I had pleaded with her to not let the government take me and Aria.
      "John are you going to give me away too?" Aria asked. The tone of her voice stopped me in my tracks. There was such sadness and resignition in her voice that it hurt me to the core. I knelt down next to her and put my hand on her shoulder. I looked into her eyes and opened my mouth to reassure her but I glimpsed a glint of metal in the underbrush.
       "Aria, Watch out!" I screamed and I threw her out of the way. A shot rang out and I closed my eyes in fear. But I didn't feel any impact.
      " Oh shit this one's a energy user. We need melee experts up here immediately. I opened my eyes and saw a shimmering green field of energy surrounding my body. Energy flooded my body and strength poured throughout every part of my body. Aria's eyes went wide when I looked at her.
     "Bubba what..."
      "I don't know Arie but it seems I can't be hurt by their nasty weapons. So stay right there and i''ll take care of the evil guys. But cover your eyes because it might be scary okay?" She didn't say any thing she just closed eyes tight and put her hands over her ears.
      I looked over at the sword I had been carrying and I couldn't believe what I was about  to do. I mean killing someone that's some pretty deep stuff. But it was either me and my sister or them, and I didn't have time to hesitate.
      First I took stock of their number three hunters barred are way out.
     I clutched the sword tightly as I charged the first one. When he saw me coming his eyes widened in fear. He was middle aged red hair cut short with a red curly beard.
       "Wait y....." was as far as he got before I shoved my sword through his gut. He grunted, then with a whimper he slumped to the ground blood pouring from his body.
     I stood to face the next man blood covering my hands and face.
       "Why you little monster! I'm going to wear you as a hat!" I said nothing for my mind was focused. He attacked me with a bat and I dodged to the right as brought the blade up diagonally across his chest. He flew past me and fell to the ground where he didn't get up. The third and final guy looked at me with nothing but fear, then turned tail and ran into the forest. I let him go. I didn't need to fight them.
     Instead I walked over to Aria who had her eyes closed and her hands over her ears. For a moment I just stared at her she was my sister and she was afraid I needed to protect her any way I could. If that meant killing anyone who would harm her then that's exactly what I would do.
      Slowly Aria uncovered her ears to listen.
      "Bubba are you there?" She asked her voice tight with pain and fear.
       "Yes Arie i'm hear," I said as I wrapped her in a hug. "And i'm not going anywhere." A thought struck me and I took off the silver cross necklace I always wore. I wrapped it around her neck and clasped it together.
       "Brother why are you giving this to me?"
       "Because I want you to have as a sign of my promise to always protect you." At this Aria's eyes lit up in joy.
     "Okay bubba I will!"
      " Now let's get going." I said softly
      "Okay!" She replied with that I led her off into the forest.
       Now I sit here with my feet dangling over the Brooklyn bridge, my heart is filled with guilt. I swore to protect her yet I let her get taken.
     I gripped the silver cross necklace in my hand. It had been all that I had found inside our ruined makeshift shelter. Next I partly unsheathed my katana and stared at my reflection in the blade for a moment then resheathed the blade. I hardened my resolve and stood up. I was going to make the hunters sorry for kidnapping my baby sister. It was time I did some hunting of my own, And it wouldn't stop until I found my sister safe and sound.
    With that thought I launched myself off the bridge and drawing on my energy I flew off towards the south ready to reek some havoc.