Chapter 1
Rien hit the floor inside the caravan hard. So hard in fact, that he passed out. When he came too, all he could remember were the screams. The screams of all the people in his village as the raiders attacked; the screams of his family as they were flushed out of their burning house right into the blades of the bandits. He didn't know it yet, but those screams would haunt him for the rest of his life.
They didn't kill him. Rien wasn't quite sure why just yet. Maybe he was too pathetic, maybe it's because he was defenseless. Rien didn't know. He didn't care much either. He looked around at the other captives in the caravan. Rien didn't recognize any of them. They all looked older then him, with dark, sad faces. There were bangaas, moogles, vieras, nu mous, and humans too, like him. He turned to the bangaa next to him and tried to ask him a question, but was quickly shushed by him. He tried again and received the back of the bangaas hand as an answer.
He cried out softly in pain. As he looked at the faces of the others, he realized they all shared the same emotion: Fear. They were all afraid of what happened if they should talk.
Then Rien noticed the human guard riding in the back of the caravan along with them. He had a cruel, merciless expression on his face. His blade was out, and he was stroking it with his left hand, testing its sharpness.
The caravan stopped. The others around him all tensed. The back door of the caravan was opened and they were all escorted out by another three guards. The guards forced them to line up in a row as a chubby nu mou came to inspect them.
"This isn't what I asked for." The nu mou said with a disgusted look on his face. "I wanted strong males, ones who could actually do the work I want from them. Not weak filthy women and children." The nu mou got to the bangaa beside Rien and snarled, whacking him with his staff and knocking over in one swipe. "Pathetic…" The nu mou muttered. The guards that had escorted them here started arguing with the nu mou, and curses began to be thrown at one another.
"Quickly, young kupo! You must run, now, while they are still distracted." A nearby moogle whispered to him and winked.
Rien didn't need another hint. He bolted and ran for his life. He had made it into the town before anyone noticed. He turned back and peered out from the safety of the shadows. He would repay this favor someday, Rien swore.
Rien needed to disappear now, he had nothing, and he was just shadow in the darkness. He would need to learn how to survive on his own. Rien crept off into the depths of Cyril.