Ryan awoke on the cold, wet ground. He jumped up as he saw that the convoy was no longer with them. Ryan hastily searched for his companions and found their sleeping bodies within yards of the place he had lain.
�Laine, Laine, wake up!�
�Hmm�just a few more minutes�� she mumbled in response and let out a yawn. She obviously had no idea of what was going on.
�Rosa, get up. No one is here anymore,� Ryan tried again, this time with his other companion. Unlike Laine, Rosa darted up from her sleep and looked around. It was if she had rehearsed for this moment.
�What�s going on Ryan?� she said as she stood up to meet his gaze, �And why are their tracks leading back to the village?�
�I don�t know but you wake Laine up and I�ll find Chris and Leigh.� Ryan set off searching for his other comrades. For some odd reason, he couldn�t shake off the feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong and he knew it.
Chris awoke to find that he had regained all of his strength, and that a certain someone had nestled herself underneath one of his arms and was snuggled on his chest. This must have happened after I went back to sleep�which was after that kiss�what a kiss. His mind snapped back to reality as he realized where they were, on the ground. The convoy was nowhere to be seen. He carefully maneuvered out of the comfortable position he was in, trying not to wake Leigh. Just when it had seemed to work, she stirred. Chris held his breath, but he released it when she curled into a ball and her breathing leveled. He turned around and immediately saw Ryan coming his way.
�Ryan,� he whispered, �what the Hell is going on?�
�I don�t know man. I just woke up about five minutes ago. It looks as though the dumped their cargo and high-tailed it back to the village.�
�Why would they go and do a thing like that?�
�I don�t know, but they did leave the carriages about a half mile to the east; they must�ve wanted a fast journey. Hell, without all that cargo, they could be there already.� Ryan didn�t know how true his statement was until a dim light appeared to the south.
�Fire�no�No!� Chris screamed. �This was a setup�what could they possibly want with Saradush? It�s just a small town!� His shouting obviously drew attention as Laine and Rosa were soon standing behind Ryan, in awe of what they saw. Leigh was to her feet and slowly walking over to Chris. She put a hand on his shoulder and he turned to face her. She was crying, Chris noted, as were Rosa and Laine. Ryan was blankly staring.
Suddenly, Ryan shifted his gaze towards Chris; �You remember that rumor a few weeks ago, right? About how a guy named Ruglia was seen around Saradush. He was labeled a heretic�they must�ve been troops sent by the remains of the church to wipe him out!� Although the Glabados church had lost many of their faith to a new religion known as Germonik, they still controlled quite a military. One that even King Delita hesitated to move upon. �Don�t you see? They made up the plot about Beoulve and Riovannes! All in an effort to remove those who could best defend the town to make their job easier.�
Chris�s head spun, all of this over a stupid disagreement of religion? They will pay�Glabados will never rise again�this I swear.
Rosa was busy sobbing on Ryan�s left shoulder and Laine was about to break into tears on his other one. Ryan still focused his penetrating gaze on Chris, �What do you plan to do?� he asked, noting the obvious tension in his demeanor.
�What do you think I plan to do? I�ll kill them! Every last bastard! I�ll kill them all!� Chris shouted half bawling. Leigh was just looking at him, feeling his entire anguish throw his eyes; hazel eyes now red with hatred. There was a flash of lightning and a figure stood in front of them.
�Hatred is not the way to vanquish a foe. Nay is forgiving their transgressions, but who are you to judge what is or is not forgivable in the eyes of God? What gives you the right of Judgement?�
�Who the Hell are you and what the fuck are you talking about?!� Chris shouted at the figure.
�I am the light to those who have none. I am the proverbial knight in shining armor to those who need one. I am both the light and the darkness at once. I know betrayal and treachery beyond that of Lucavi.� The figure paused and gazed at the group, with eyes as to cut into their very souls. �I am Ramza Beoulve.�