Red
Three days after my reluctant liberation I awoke to quiet bird song, a welcome replacement to the howling winds. I sat up quickly, emerging from the pile of blankets and clothes which I had been using for a bed over the last few days. The inn was over crowded with the snow storm so Ashe and I were forced to share a single room and being the gentleman I was I allowed her to have the bed. Tripping and stumbling on the blankets in my haste I hurried to the small window which let in the blinding sunlight, the likes of which hadn't shone in days. My eyes were met with an almost tranquil landscape, blanketed in snow.
"Ashe!" I shouted, turning back to face her. She lay face down on the bed, her response following a groan, both of which were muffled by the pillow. "The storm has passed! Come on we need to get going!" I said determinedly, pulling on various pieces of clothing and equipment. Upon hearing my words she spun quickly onto her back and swiftly to her feet as well, tripping towards me in her haste. I opened my arms and caught her, catching an elbow to the ribs as I did so.
"Sorry!" She squealed, regaining her footing and reaching out towards me with her hands, checking I was okay. The euphoria of the situation combined with Ashe's almost comedic fall caused both of us to erupt with laughter. A bout of laughter which ended awkwardly as we both realised the intimacy of the situation resulting in both of us looking away awkwardly. It didn't last long however as we quickly snapped out of it and reached for our stuff. Within a few minutes we were thundering down the stairs and towards the doorway. Ignoring the innkeepers demands for payment in out excitement. Neither one of us had the coin to pay anyway, most of the gold Ashe had we had already spent on accommodation alone, so we burst out of the door into the snow.
The two of us decided to split up and question some of the town's people in the hope that one of them may know the destination of the slave train. Donning Marc's old cloak I entered a small shop along what appeared to be the main street. An old woman sat behind the counter and appeared to be completely entranced by a book she held between her wrinkled hands.
"Excuse me?" I spoke softly, trying to get her attention. She lifted one wrinkled finger, stopping me before I could say another word. I stood awkwardly as she finished the page before looking up to me expectantly. "Do you have any idea where the slave train from yesterday is heading?" I continued ensuring the tattoo on my arm was covered by the bindings on my arms.
"No sorry dearie, but we have a discount on apples?" She smiled, holding one up towards me. I rolled my eyes as she continued to offer me equipment that ultimately I couldn't afford or even want. Regardless I looked around the store inspecting something in the window when my eyes caught a passer-by. A large gentleman, obviously not lacking in money, or food, strolled down the street, flanked by two bulky guards. He wore a huge purple fur coat, his neck weighed down by jewels and gold. But his most prised possession was marched in front of him, his arms bound behind his back and his neck connected to a chain held by one of the body guards. The other held a sword against the small of his back ensuring he kept moving. I recognised him immediately, as he was one of the only familiar and relatively friendly faces I had seen over the last few days. It was the air bender and I assume his new master I thought with disgust.
Slipping out of the store I raised my hood over my head and followed the party at distance blending into the crowds. I stalked them through the town, which was surprisingly big. I made a mental note to remember the route when I saw the party's ultimate destination. A large manor house separated from the city by a tall iron fence adorned with vicious barbs at the top. I swore and noticed cart approaching from the opposite direction, pulled by a pair of ostrich horses. Seeing my opportunity I broke into a run picking up a rock as I reached full speed. Jumping on a crate on the side of the road I launched myself through the air bringing the rock down hard on the head of the guard holding the sword.
He let out a grunt before crumpling to the ground. The second guard spun towards me drawing his sword and swiping at my chest, I jumped backwards and used a fire bending technique my father had taught me, summoning two fire daggers in my hands. I shifted my pose and took an aggressive stance, ready to attack at a moments notice. The guard looked shocked at the sight of the daggers but continued his attack regardless. Before he could attack however a blast of air knocked him off his feet and to the ground. I looked to my left realising the air bender had used his feet to deliver the blast. Non benders tend to forget it isn't just out hands that can control the elements I thought to myself.
Seeing the action the driver of the cart did exactly what I expected and tried to accelerate past us on the other side of the road. I shot a super-heated burst of fire, so hot it burned white as it connected with the wheels of the cart incinerating them instantly. The cart ground to a halt, its driver fleeing as I hurried over to the air bender. Using two fingers I fired a concentrated beam of fire and cut though his bonds and untied his hands.
"The ostrich horses!" I said to him urgently as I spotted four more guards emerge from the compound ahead of us. He nodded and picked up the unconscious guards sword as he hurried towards the panicking animals. As experienced as I was I didn't like my odds against four armed guards in an enclosed space. I mean sure I could beat them with ease I smirked to myself but it could take up precious seconds... or even minutes. Besides I reasoned with myself ,trying to stay calm as the adrenaline coursed through my veins, there were still a few civilians either in the midst of fleeing or taking cover nearby. No, I needed to play defensively I reasoned as I executed my plan. I breathed deeply, raising both of my hands with slow precise movements. Gaining strength with each breath I focused my chi, creating a wall of fire between the guards and us, much to their surprise. I strained to keep it in place as I backed towards the horses that were now free and being soothed by the air bender. Once I was sure I had adequate time, I lowered my arms as the fire wall did likewise and mounted one of the ostrich horses. Turning to face the bewildered guards before I left I opened my mouth to leave them with a witty comment or sarcastic reply. What escaped my lips instead was no where near as dignified.
"Whoops" I gulped, eyeing the buildings on either side of where the flame wall once stood, both ablaze from my actions. I tapped the air bender on the arm, gaining his attention and nodding towards the hellish scene. Rolling his eyes, he sent a large gust of air towards the houses, extinguishing the fire before the two of us urged out animals down the tight streets of Strongfall. I assumed the lead, retracing my steps back to the high street. I heard a shout and looked behind me seeing several of the town guard riding their own ostrich horses after us. I swore and kicked the flanks of my own mount as the air bender and I swerved through the crowds, hopping over stalls and crates on our agile mounts. Stealing glances behind me I was frustrated to see the town guards easily keeping pace, their own Ostrich horses steadily gaining on ours. Desperately I looked around for anything to slow them down and too my delight I spotted a humongous cart overflowing with what at a glance appeared to be... cabbages? It didn't matter I thought it would do the job. Reaching forward I fired a precise jet of fire, causing the contents of the cart to spill out onto the street behind us. eager to see the results of my trap I looked behind me.
"NO! MY CABBAGES!" A man screamed, falling to his knees by the side of the road as most were merely trampled by the ostrich horses but a few had frozen hard enough in the sub zero temperatures of Strongfall to trip a few of the giant mounts which tumbled to the ground, much to my delight. My joy was crushed however as another squad of mounted guards erupted from a near by alley, reinforcing the ones still in pursuit and easily replacing the number of their stunned comrades.
Despite the reinforcements we managed to reach the high street, the guards still hot on our heels, there were various screams as we tore down the busy road. My eyes darted left and right until I spotted Ashe staring at me open mouth as we rapidly approached her. I reached out an arm for her as we drew near, trying desperately to stay on the mount. She snapped out of her daze just in time to reach for it, swinging nimbly onto the back of the creature "Give us a hand?" I say breathlessly looking behind us at the annoyingly persistent guards. With two people on the mount we were beginning to slow.
"I swear to god I leave you alone for five minutes!" She shouted back as she and reached towards the tall rooftops above us. I glanced up to see an avalanche of snow heading straight towards us. Swearing again I kicked the flanks of the Ostrich horse again, desperately trying to accelerate. Ahead of us the air bender looked back nervously as we just escaped the avalanche. The guards behind us however were completely engulfed by the piles of snow.
I cheered as we neared the end of the main street and approaching the gate. A cheer that was cut short as I saw it slam shut. This time it was Ashe who swore. Thinking quickly I handed Ashe the reins.
"What are you doing!?" She shouted reluctantly taking them as I stood up carefully in the saddle.
"Just trust me, Ashe, give me some ice between us and the gate. And please try and cushion the landing?" I said sternly afraid of my own plan. "Hey Gusty!" I shouted getting the air benders attention, "Give me a boost!" I finished watching as Ashe covered the last hundred meters of road in a thin layer of ice. Briefly praying to the spirits I launched myself from the saddle, flipping in the air and over the air bender the ice came up to meet me and I slid down a small slide before appearing shakily in front of The air bender before being shot forward by a gust of air. I reached out behind me with both hands and shot out twin jets of white fire to propel me forward even faster. Once I reached the last twenty meters I switched them in front of me and bathed the wooden gate in a sea of fire, charring it black before surrounding myself in a flaming inferno and crashing into it roughly. As I hoped the gate shattered into charred pieces as I lost my footing and tumbled into a heap on the other side of the gate. Groaning I climbed to my feet just in time to see a group of arrows heading towards me from the walls flanking the gates. I quickly kicked out incinerating a few but one managed to strike my calf, passing clean through and protruding obscenely on either side. I growled in pain as I saw the air bender and Ashe approaching and passing through the charred remains of the gate. In a welcomed role reversal I reached towards the air bender's hand and swung thankfully into the back of his saddle, firing off a few streams of blazing fire to cover our retreat. The two animals thundered onwards down the road and through the deep snow. Ashe and I let out a cheer as we slipped out of range of the archer's arrows. Disappearing behind a low hill. I groaned as I felt my conscious slipping once again, just about having time to glance at my leg which was bleeding profusely before everything once again went black.