Bryant's house was not actually in the village. It was in Cohron, yes, but Cohron was the name of the territory as well as the village. It was also the most fortified building in the territory and probably the entire mountain range.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5Qr3Mcxa0 維尼
It looked like a strange beast crouched in the woods, made of pink and white quartz left rough on the exposed area. Its roof was slatted, made of dark gray slate. The windows were little more than slits, and the doors, when closed, were nearly impossible to find. It was a low-roofed single story structure and looked like it was built to withstand a siege- which it was.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB7Zz3q3P4 維尼
Bryant pushed open the front door. If it hadn't already been slightly ajar, it would have been much harder to open, although he himself wouldn't have had trouble finding it. Like Adan's house, his house had doorknobs. Unlike Adan's house, none of the doorknobs were on the outside of the doors.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡAivP1nn7te 維尼
He went through the house silently, but his mother still seemed to know he was there when he came into the kitchen. It was at the other end of the house and the back door, which was closed at the moment, was there.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXsL6IxPo5 維尼
Bryant had been waiting for that day for weeks. His mother, Raven, had told him she would show him something amazing. And when Raven said amazing, she meant it.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9s0hJxo6oK 維尼
There was a block of stone sitting on the counter. Bryant had a strong suspicion as to what it was for.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡKB8DMyVSd6 維尼
"Hello," said Raven. Her back was to Bryant and had been since he'd entered the room.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlFzF4HQWa 維尼
"Hi, Mother. I have food today. You don't have to get some. I saw a moondeer earlier, too. It was a doe."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡe06Q69iljG 維尼
"You did, huh? I saw one too. Actually, I see those more often than I see you anymore. What's going on with that?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAgGsJqLl7 維尼
"Injustice, that's what."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQg9ky87vh 維尼
Raven turned around. "Oh, really?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡAieL028k3S 維尼
"Remember in spring when I stayed home for two days and disappeared the next night?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9QsbHNizI 維尼
"Of course I do, Bryant. Do you think I could forget that? I thought you might have run away or gotten killed by something. What happened?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyfWaLt6rH 維尼
"I almost did die. And it certainly didn't seem to be a problem for the villagers to forget it."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vX5kjyjMu 維尼
Raven dropped her accusing tone and changed it to one of concern and a little bit of shock. "Who?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBm1dcNVQa 維尼
"Everybody except for Ben, Sensei, Lisa, Eva, and Mikael."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtCA3vRnnp 維尼
"Everyone but your friends. And what did they do?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc5dNz4zku 維尼
"It's too traumatic to even think about. Please don't ask."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T01CewTTW 維尼
"I'm your mother. I have a right to ask. Now, what did they do?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOnvz0GjqV 維尼
"I was tied to a tree all night without my coat. I almost froze to death. The last thing I remember from that night is feeling sleepy."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgt5XwXgCR 維尼
Raven stood suddenly, accidentally knocking her half-formed clay falcon off the table. It fell onto the floor, flattening many of its intricate details. She lifted it back to the table and said, "Someone, or something, must have saved you. If not, you would be dead."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxqkLWG7RM 維尼
"I don't know what happened after I fell asleep."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb2RN35eSM 維尼
Raven looked as though she had a few doubts about that part of Bryant's story, but, like Adan, she knew enough to leave it be.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLJRgosZ5R 維尼
"I'll go on and show you what I promised, then. Watch very carefully and tell no one."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡybmQ7ofq6Z 維尼
She went to the block of stone on the counter. Bryant could see a flaw in the side he faced. It appeared to run through most of the block. He watched as his mother drew a deep breath and then let out a sound beam of sorts. He could hear it, but it was so focused that it seemed faint, even though he knew it must be very loud.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpI4y8DWu9 維尼
The stone began to quiver, then to crack along the flaw as the sound beam pounded it mercilessly. It split open with a sharp crack. Raven then stood back and sat down at the table, already tired from her effort.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3zsgWyCTC 維尼
"Now try that," she said. "It comes from far back in the throat. I don't expect you to make a strong beam this early, maybe just enough to stir some of the dust from that. Don't worry- you'll sound funny at first, but so did I."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQo8dN5NwV 維尼
Bryant did try, but his first attempt was only a pitiful whistle that died out quickly. The next try wasn't much better.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrRn0TeoRF 維尼
"That's exactly what I sounded like on my first tries," Raven said in amusement. "Just keep trying. You'll get it sooner than I did, if your skills at mimicry are what they seem to be."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuuNnZmgBs 維尼
He tried again, and again and again until he managed to focus the sound. He did it multiple times in a row and knew that he had it figured out. It wasn't strong, but it was something.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGs7BEHDJo 維尼
"That's great, Bryant. Practice, and you'll be better than me eventually."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSZeEUxfpK 維尼
"Are you sure?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIoCuVkRCP 維尼
Raven smiled. "Of course I'm sure. I'll get some water, and then you can help me fix this falcon."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tMN0anVKT 維尼
She opened the back door and went to the well. A rustle in the bushes made her turn her head in time to see three strangers, obviously not ninja, erupt from the cover of the undergrowth. They all attacked at once, but Raven managed to hold her own until the one who appeared to be in charge pulled a gun from his belt.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrczEX7Pf4 維尼
The noise also alerted Bryant, who poked his head around the door to see what was going on. It was a mistake.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbaJnuCZ4j 維尼
He was seen, and the one with the gun said, "Him too. Leave no witnesses."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlxzt7FePJ 維尼
Before Bryant could shut the door, one of the men was inside, leaving him no choice but to flee. The halls of the house were narrow and full of turns, and the ninja was quick and agile, giving the stranger a disadvantage. But the building was not large, and the lead Bryant gained was small.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ovN9pv0zl 維尼
Exiting the house, Bryant closed the door behind him to gain a few more valuable seconds. If he could climb a tree and hide before the man got out, he might have a chance. He ran, unrolling his hood and sleeves, but was just barely up a tree before there was an odd pfak sound and something strangely hot sliced into his calf.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9WRPjdm5b 維尼
He had been shot in the leg he was using to support his weight. He nearly fell, but barely managed to catch himself before he slipped out of the tree. Even so, the tree was a rowan, and the bark was smooth. This branch was one he could not hold onto forever.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGTQnu0X36 維尼
Bryant stabilized himself with his other leg and looked down at his pursuer. The man had a gun of his own, which he was pointing at Bryant.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTBFr4yWJH 維尼
"Come down now," the man said, "and I won't have to shoot you again."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FdQ0roEH0 維尼
Bryant looked around. He had no escape route, and the leaves of the rowan weren't dense enough to hide him. Even if he did manage to climb into the area where the trunk split into limbs, he had already been seen. He could not hide now.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lPfmbis3F 維尼
He threw several shuriken at the man and used the distraction to get as far away as he could- not far, due to his injury. He could ignore the pain, but he was still slowed. Unfortunately, he was slowed enough for the man to catch up and pin him down.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK6nj8etWX 維尼
He spluttered on a mouthful of duff, spitting out enough to hiss defiantly, "You will die, bottom feeder!"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpRpzC85Q4 維尼
The man only laughed. "Ha! That's cute, squirt. Did you read that somewhere?"8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZSWzJtMTM 維尼
Bryant reared up and twisted out from beneath the man, readying himself to jab him in the throat with stiffened fingers. But the man pointed the gun- a shiny air pistol- directly at his face and said, "Just try it. We don't need you- only your mother."8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2haWRu9C7 維尼
Bryant had no choice but to surrender. He patiently endured the binding of his hands and the man's cocky comments about his appearance, although many of them bordered on cruelty.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyKM6Haqad 維尼
They got back to where the others were waiting and started to move out. Bryant wasn't sure he wanted to know where they were going. His mind was full of scathing retorts to the man's continuous remarks, but he didn't dare to say anything. The man still held the gun to his head.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡPs6ZOho4oi 維尼
Bryant and his captor were in the back, just behind Raven and hers. He was beginning to lose hope in the situation when the gun was pulled away from his head. This was followed by the man's neck being effortlessly snapped by a pair of strong hands.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9KvwOCm8m 維尼
It was Ben Asaka, the blacksmith of Cohron. He let the body down as quietly as possible, indicated to Bryant to stay there, and moved on to the next stranger. That attempt did not go nearly as well. Raven was freed, the stranger was eliminated, and the leader noticed.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ85RMqImT6 維尼
The man turned, drew his weapon, aimed at Ben, and missed. He fired again, and the next shot was just as poorly aimed: he hit Raven. She went down, distracting Ben long enough for the man to get away. Bryant didn't know what happened next; in an occurrence common to his kind, his subconscious decided he'd seen enough. He was out before he realized what had happened.8964 copyright protection519ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCoKAq8UgM 維尼
ns3.236.234.223da2
