Light, Glorious Light

Flight of the Free

A pair of reavers dressed in soot colored rags, faces painted like white skulls, tossed an oily smoking wad at the wall.  It hit with a wet sound and clung to the metal and wood.  Choking black smoke filled the air, burning the eyes and ravaging the lungs.  They fell back, but one was picked off by Yellow Sun snipers before she could reach cover.  Akiva, Maira, and Foxy covered their mouths and noses with rags, and used the black smoke to conceal their escape.

A rag covered white faced reaver ran into their path.  She hastily loaded a crossbow while laughing like a Gongdo Shroom addict.  Foxy dove for cover behind a collection of barrels.  Akiva and Maira rushed the giggling woman.  She turned the weapon on the former, and May struck her across the neck with her chain.  The woman gasped and grabbed at her throat, her weapon forgotten.  The crossbow fired as it hit the ground, missing Akiva by inches.  Akiva struck the woman in the chest with her pick.  Together Akiva and May took the reaver to the ground, and beat her until she no longer struggled.

Foxy jumped on Maira's back, swinging a rock.  Maira and Akiva were caught by surprise and slow to react.  She hit the collar on the valkyrie's neck and the metal clicked open.  May tossed the girl aside, her restraint falling to the floor.

"Touch me again, and I'll kill you!"

"You can't protect master with chain."  Foxy rose to her feet, rubbing her arm.  "Take crossbow, be useful."

May looked from the girl to Akiva.  Akiva shrugged, and searched the body.  The reaver stank of Gongdo, crude oil, and a lack of bathing.  Like the others, her face was painted in the design of a skull.  Black Smoke Reavers.  Akiva avoided them as much as possible.  They weren't as savage as many of the other clans, but they were all insane.  They set fires and killed for the pure joy.  Prisoners were burned in their evening fire dances to The Queen of Flames, the mythical spirit they worshiped.  Akiva found four bolts, and two bottles of Boom Water.  She handed the bolts to May, and kept the bottles as well as the filthy padded satchel which held them.

Rifle fire came dangerously close and, not knowing whether they were stray shots or Yellow Sun's trying to kill them, the trio continued their flight.  They were running towards the outer wall, avoiding the largest concentration of smoke.  They ran past a group of empty shacks, the occupants having run off in response to the war horns.

A voice shouted, "Get down!"

They dropped to the dirt as a group of Black Smokes rushed around the corner.  A Yellow Sun fired into their midst, hitting one before she was riddled with bullets.  Akiva tossed a bottle of Boom Water at their feet, and urged her companions to run.  The glass shattered and the reavers burst into flames, their oily rags providing excellent fuel for the fire.  Seeing how effective the water was, she secured her satchel with extra care.

Reavers from both clans fought throughout the settlement. The three found themselves doubling back on their own tracks to avoid getting caught in the middle of it all.  They managed to reach within spitting distance of the outer wall without any more incidents.  There was a massive hole in the side of the battlements, the guard towers were manned by corpses, and a quartet of Black Smoke tumblers sat within the breach.

Foxy skidded to a halt.

"That's the way out."  She pointed to the hole in the fortifications.

"We can see that, girl."

"Used to be back door."

"Must be how these Black Smokes got in... Kiva, their entire horde could be on the other side."

Akiva didn't answer.  She was almost asleep on her feet.  She wanted to sit down, just for a little bit, but they needed to get away before anyone noticed they were gone.