Screams. Fire. Gunshots. Metal scraping against metal.
Rojo tripped as he scrambled out of bed. What was going on? He quickly dressed, grabbing his rifle as he bolted towards the door of his bedroom. Before he got there, he slid to a halt in front of his mirror. Smoke clouded the sky as several masked figures ran into the village, more coming by the minute.
The Red Fang.
Running out into the hall, he almost ran into his frightened mother. She clutched him close, not minding the weapon strapped to his back.
"What is going on?" he asked.
"I don't know," his mother's face was pale.
Rojo's father, Verde Blanc, picked up his rifle and headed to the door. "Stay here," he ordered.
Rye whined and nudged Rojo's arm as he sat motionless at the desk, staring at a blank sheet of paper. He never liked it when his master was in this frame of mind.
"Can we take a walk after class?" Rye asked.
"I don't feel like it," Rojo answered, crossing his arms and scribbling something on the paper.
"Not at all?" Rye bemoaned.
"No," Rojo said, erasing what he had just written. "Get one of the others to."
"I don't want the others." Rye replied. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," Rojo sighed.
Gunshots ricocheted around the house, mowing down everything in its path. His father stood under a window, exchanging shots with the red fang members. Fire lit every building in town and the men tried to provide an escape for the woman and children. The bodies of Red Fang littered the ground in front of their house.
Rojo tried to help, but his father pushed him back shouting for him to protect his mother. They huddled together in the center of the house, trying to stay low.
To their horror, his father collapsed. They ran to his side, Rojo grabbing his rifle and taking his father's place.
"Rojo," his father coughed. "Rojo."
"Rojo."
He looked up surprised as Cloud leaned closer. He shook himself and realized he had erased a hole through the paper. Curse his absentmindedness.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I'm taking Rye for a walk, he's been whining at the door for a while," Cloud answered.
"Won't you take me?" Rye pleaded.
"Alright," Rojo nodded. "Thanks."
Cloud nodded, "Sure."
"Run for Vale. Your mother and I love you," his father coughed, blood splattering his lips.
Rojo looked down at his father's rifle. He wanted them to come with him, but his feet propelled him backwards towards the back door.
Like a coward, he ran that night.
But never again.
The Red Fang was going to pay for what they had done to his family, to his village.