Chapter 2

It was nightfall by the time Hush hit the bottom of the mountain. He had seen a village in the distance as he moved down the mountain. He was hoping to find it and that it wouldn't be abandoned. Mitano was talking the whole way down bringing Hush up to speed on the state of the world. He explained the war and the Traveler and the fall of humanity. He told Hush about the Fallen and their constant raiding of human villages. He told them about the warlords who were risen that ruled their lands with an iron fist. He even told Hush about a gunslinger he'd heard about once that used the light to infuse his hand cannon with fire.

As they got to the bottom of the mountain Hush asked, "So why did you choose me? Of all the people out there why did you pick me?"

"I'm not sure how to explain that. It's just a feeling we ghosts have. When we scan a potential candidate we just…feel it. If we don't have that connection we move on. With you, I had it. Some ghosts are still looking for their connection and may be for some time. Others found it within a day or two."

"So you scanned me and I just felt right?"

"Pretty much. It's hard to explain but it's the only way I can explain it."

Hush thought back, trying to recall his memories from his life before he was a risen. His memories failed him again. He couldn't remember his full name; he couldn't remember if he had a family, he couldn't remember where he was from, what he was doing when he died, or any of his friends. "So why can't risen remember their life before being risen?"

"I'm not sure on that one. Since the Traveler has gone dark we don't have the ability to ask this question. Other ghosts warned me that you wouldn't remember but not why. I think it might have to do with this being a second life or maybe it's because the Traveler didn't want each of the raised to know who they were previously to avoid…complications."

"Complications?"

"Well, if we connect with a criminal, we don't want them to know they are a criminal, or if they suffer from guilt or pain, we would rather have a risen that was not distracted and ready to fight. I can't say for sure that this is the case but the only one who can answer that hasn't been speaking for a few hundred years."

"Well it makes sense. Do you know anything about my past?"

"I do not. But based on where I found you, I would assume you were a soldier."

"Interesting." They continued to walk in silence for a short time as they were approaching the village. After hearing about the warlords Hush wanted to wait and see what he was in for when he approached the village. The ghost vanished from sight in a flash of light. Hush himself dropped to the ground and crawled under some bushes until he could get a view of the village itself.

After leaving the Fallen battle sight Hush went over his inventory that was strapped to his back in the ground. Most of it was rations that had long since expired but some of the items that he'd found were a binocular set, a map of the area, and some water bottles. The water bottles helped his thirst but he was starting to get hungry. The sun was beginning to set and the village was alive.

Hush pulled his binoculars out of his pack and started scanning the village. It was a small village. Both ends of the village were visible. The buildings were a mix between 21st century architecture and log cabins with the logs filling the gaps in the walls of the more modern homes. The people were wearing clothes that were a mix between traditional 21st century clothing and rags with the exception of the guards. The guards for the village were wearing armor similar in nature to the armor that Hush himself was wearing. They also had assault rifles in their hands and they were nonchalantly pacing around the streets and looking into the distance.

They all wore a dark blue armor except for one. There was a larger man who stomped around and shouted out in a gruff voice. Hush couldn't make out the words but could just hear the manner of his voice. It was loud and commanding. As he approached the others suddenly straightened up and quickly got into action running about to seemingly nowhere. This larger gruff man was dressed predominately in red but had sections of blue spattered around his armor. He must be the captain of the village guard.

As the sun dipped deeper in the sky the captain began shouting more aggressively, not just at the guards anymore but also the villagers themselves. They started running off after he yelled and entered various buildings. It would appear that he was telling them to retire for the night due to some kind of curfew. Or that they were expecting something to attack and he was telling them to get inside to be safe.

Hush was unsure which one it was so he opted to stay put and see if something attacked. He didn't want to be caught in between them in a fight especially out in the open. After several minutes the sky was dark and the village was lit with lanterns hanging high in the streets around the buildings. It was apparent there was no attack happening and it did appear to be a curfew.

"What's the plan?" Mitano asked.

"Well, I guess we go introduce ourselves."

"What if they aren't too happy to see a new face?"

Hush was quiet for a moment before saying, "Well let's just hope it doesn't come to that and wing it if it does." He sprung to his feet and started walking the distance between the forest edge and the village. It wasn't far but the village hadn't reacted yet so he figured it was far enough to prevent them from seeing him. Suddenly the village began to awaken. The guards were shouting and some of the lower lanterns were being moved about as unseen carriers were moving them around the village. Hush held his hands up to show that he meant no threat but then he realized the light was moving away from the village edge.

Hush, thinking they were being attacked on the opposite side, quickly picked up the pace to reach the towns edge as soon as possible. He debated drawing his hand cannon but resisted. He didn't want to look like a raider when he reached the village. He made it to the edge of the buildings and found them to be relatively deserted. There were no guards and no villagers. They hadn't come out of the buildings so Hush assumed they had gone to bed. There were no sounds of battle and if there had been the villagers would probably have fled. So what caused the commotion?

Hush followed the light until he reached the center of town. There, in the middle of the square, was a wooden platform with a tall log beam attached. Hush didn't know how he knew, but he recognized it as a gallows. On the platform, cast in the orange light of the lanterns carried by the guard surrounding him, was the red armored captain.

He held a beautiful woman by her upper arm next to him. She appeared to be no older than 17 or 18 years old and she was pushing him and fighting and trying to break his grip but he held strong. He was in the middle of a speech as well calling out in that deep gruff voice of his. "-curfew exists for the sake of our protection. If the village were to be attacked, the guards wouldn't have time to worry about you. You would be a distraction and one that we cannot afford and all for a boy no less." The crowd of guards were silent. "For the crime of breaking curfew, I bestow upon you the punishment of ten lashings."

Hush couldn't believe it. From what he heard, this girl snuck out of bed to meet a boyfriend and she was going to be whipped ten times for it? He felt sick to his stomach. It got worse when the captain tied her hands above her head, hanging from the gallows, and ripped off her shirt, exposing her in front of the whole guard. The captain stepped back and Hush could have sworn he was smiling at her as he did. He enjoyed this. One of the guards standing closest to the platform stepped forward and handed the captain a long whip. It had a thick leather handle and three strips of leather coming to individual points as it was drug across the ground as the captain gave himself space between him and the girl.

The captain pulled his arm back to swing but Hush couldn't let him do it. "Stop!" he shouted. The captain turned and looked right at him as did all of the guards. Hush had his hands up to show that he wasn't brandishing any weapons but even then a second later a single sniper round slammed into his chest, right where his heart was.

However, the shielding provided by his light stopped the bullet and disintegrated it a mere inch from his chest. The shield immediately went down and Hush was exposed but he survived the shot unscathed. Without even thinking, as though it was instinct alone, Hush's hand fell to his thigh and wrapped around the handle of the hand cannon.

He pulled it up just enough to allow the tip of the barrel to clear the holster. His hand froze vertically and then rolled back instantly. The barrel of the gun was now aimed at the top of the building where the sniper had just fired from. He squeezed the trigger and the gun burst out a round. The round flew true and a second later a body fell from the roof of the building. Hush finished bringing the hand cannon up, ready for another target.

It was at this moment that his brain caught up to his body. He couldn't believe he'd moved so fast, that he'd been so accurate. Was this the light? Or was this training from his past life? The guards all stared at Hush, their mouth agape. The captain was the first to react, tossing the whip to the side as he drew a pistol from his thigh. "He's a light bearer! Kill Hi-," he wasn't able to finish the sentence. A second burst from Hush's gun flew true, hitting the captain in the lower jaw and exiting the back of his skull.

Three more guards began to level their rifles at Hush and with three more shots they all fell down. His shield was charged again by now. Another sniper took a shot giving his position away. He was a terrible shot though and the round missed. Hush fired his sixth round and the sniper fell back into the room from the window. Even though it couldn't be confirmed right at this moment Hush knew he'd killed him.

He turned back to the rest of the guards but they all threw their weapons to the floor. One ran onto the platform and untied the girl, covering her in a coat that he'd taken off himself. He quickly rushed her off the platform and towards her home while the guards that remained put their hands in the air and were awaiting their fate.

"I'm not going to harm you. I only came to seek shelter and food," Hush said.

"You killed our captain and five of our friends!" yelled one of the guards in the back.

"Only after being fired upon and threatened. I am sorry about your friends, really I am. But I will not stand around and allow myself to be killed either." The guards were quiet. Hush had no idea what they were thinking. "So, will you allow me to stay?"

"We have no food to spare and our shelters are scarce on the best days. Our warlord, Mindan Kull, requires a tax and all of our extra food goes to him," said one of the villagers who had begun to come out of their buildings once the gunshots ended.

"Mindan Kull huh? That's interesting. Does Mindan know that there were Fallen up on the mountain getting ready to come assault you? Would he have protected you?"

"Well, we as the guard and the captain you killed were assigned to this village by Mindan to protect it. He awards the villagers with protection for their tax of food," replied one of the guards.

"I see. So I should keep my move on huh?"

"It would probably be better if you just off yourself. Once Mindan finds out another warlord is traversing around his kingdom he is likely to hunt you down himself. He enjoys a good sport. You were as good as dead the moment you stepped foot here," said one of the exceptionally angry guards standing closer to Hush.

"Well I think I can hold my own and I will continue on my way. However, if that woman who was set to be punished is punished in any way, I will come back and slaughter any one of you. Am I understood?" The guards all nodded. "Good," he finished as he started walking away from the guards. He broke to the left and approached one of the guards he had killed. It was a clean shot through the chest. Hush grabbed the assault rifle off the ground as well as the ammo the guard had on him.

"You can't take that! That belongs to Mindan!" yelled that same angry guard.

"Then he can come and find me and take it back," Hush said without looking back. He walked over to the sniper that fell from the roof and picked up the sniper rifle off his body. As he was clearing the ammo off the body he noticed it was different. The rounds for the sniper rifle were charged with solar light. Hush knew that this rifle will do some damage. He strapped the sniper rifle to his back and stuffed the assault rifle in his bag. He reloaded his hand cannon, took one last look at the crowd that had gathered, and left.

As he was leaving the village on the edge of the town a woman called out to Hush. He turned back and saw that same woman he had stopped from being lashed run out to him from between the buildings. She was wearing a new shirt that had a faded image of a triangle and a light being refracted from it. She handed him a bag and simply said, "Thanks for protecting me," and ran off. Hush opened the bag and saw that it was full of dried meat, cheese, and bread. He smiled. It was nice to know that not everyone was as rotten as the guards. He was going to find Mindan and release his hold of this area. One way, or another.