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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHLgz16Yok
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPOEHITICV
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwNz6VHiiJ
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4qIlZJsY8
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNXArEiknV
There was a block of stone sitting on the counter. Bryant had a strong suspicion as to what it was for.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBs4ay0RRi
"Hello," said Raven. Her back was to Bryant and had been since he'd entered the room.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOn1xI0haY
"Hi, Mother. I have food today. You don't have to get some. I saw a moondeer earlier, too. It was a doe."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXMnxe1Qzp
"You did, huh? I saw one too. Actually, I see those more often than I see you anymore. What's going on with that?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡMP0eUbMU2D
"Injustice, that's what."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDsAFZjFgu
Raven turned around. "Oh, really?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFrr2ZF4Qe
"Remember in spring when I stayed home for two days and disappeared the next night?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC4vQYGDTJ
"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?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6nJG2J0I0
"I almost did die. And it certainly didn't seem to be a problem for the villagers to forget it."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡunFWOIVuNL
Raven dropped her accusing tone and changed it to one of concern and a little bit of shock. "Who?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡJinNNeMtRF
"Everybody except for Ben, Sensei, Lisa, Eva, and Mikael."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8MAStDBtl
"Everyone but your friends. And what did they do?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYIhUw0Q1O
"It's too traumatic to even think about. Please don't ask."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK60xUeko6
"I'm your mother. I have a right to ask. Now, what did they do?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BfMc7fPJJ
"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."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡakHSCCpDsq
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."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5by5Jsk3Q
"I don't know what happened after I fell asleep."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3rGQEN5tx
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDRwwu8W7B
"I'll go on and show you what I promised, then. Watch very carefully and tell no one."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzHy7Mhz7l
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡpypRffv3lZ
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaCsH9WQ64
"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."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtD82KVkk3
Bryant did try, but his first attempt was only a pitiful whistle that died out quickly. The next try wasn't much better.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKC4BRk7UG
"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."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vRJXyTToZ
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQtBZwlVQF
"That's great, Bryant. Practice, and you'll be better than me eventually."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwpBB1tV9n
"Are you sure?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfTtZQ1SJq
Raven smiled. "Of course I'm sure. I'll get some water, and then you can help me fix this falcon."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHhmigSEcI
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbeJMPLfLU
The noise also alerted Bryant, who poked his head around the door to see what was going on. It was a mistake.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnawQanS36
He was seen, and the one with the gun said, "Him too. Leave no witnesses."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVOzi7QaL3
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5e7P1WBhI
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV5GrWROOU
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7QKH8RxiD
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbJPiyQfa8
"Come down now," the man said, "and I won't have to shoot you again."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡXG33nvZejN
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fUZ0C7Raq
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLCeAUNraX
He spluttered on a mouthful of duff, spitting out enough to hiss defiantly, "You will die, bottom feeder!"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7DDa08aes
The man only laughed. "Ha! That's cute, squirt. Did you read that somewhere?"copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnHSnHuvzE
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."copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4pxj0s6sC
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32KHFVIN5X
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3kXVIFqde
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58jvGCv8IY
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM0vtFqbtw
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.copyright protection177ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JztGvblVo
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