[Ravendust]: 343.Kaigen

The air smelled of dank silence and mystery in the early hours of the morning. Kaigen sat back on her heels, staring up at the slowly brightening sky and wondering when the rain would come. it had been nearly two weeks, and still the lands remained dry. Her waterskin was empty- she had had the last mouthful the previous night, and even that hadn't been pleasant, nor had it relieved the ache in her throat.

Her eyes flashed in the darkness as she caught sight of her quarry- a small group of bandits that had kidnapped a child from a nearby village. Rumor had it that they were werewolves- and the full moon was to be that very night. They were busy, she could see figures flashing through the streets, heavy bundles strapped to their backs as they prepared- for what Kaigen hadn't the slightest idea.

She was rather skittish when it came to being near humans- a trait that she had gained through years of betrayal- starting in her third year when her family had been slain by their closest friends and she passed around between the villagers- worked and beaten to the brink of death by each.

At the age of eight Kaigen had fled the village in hopes of finding a place to stay. Each companion she met along the way, however, had had an ulterior motive. She was a bit wary of rescuing the child, but there was a reward for her safe return. Kaigen hoped that there would not be very many people when she returned. If there was one thing she wasn't good with it was remaining composed in a crowd.

Slowly the sun rose and bathed the land in it's brilliant, ruthless glow. Kaigen hid herself behind a large outcropping of rocks, wiping the sweat that had already begun to form from her brow. She didn't even have a plan.

Instead of waiting for an idea to come to her she slunk down a small incline, careful to keep close to the ground where she wouldn't be seen until it was too late. Three guards had been taken care of before the confusion broke out and bandits began to comb the area around their village in search of the intruder.

Kaigen quickly began her search while they were preoccupied. She slipped past several of those searching for her with subtle ease and began to seek out the lost child. Her ears perked at the sound of sobs nearby and she crept carefully into the building from which it emitted.

Inside she saw nothing, and her eyes took several long minutes to adjust to the dim lighting. The room was bare except for a few crates- several of them reeked enough that Kaigen was forced to cover her nose as she explored, looking for whomever had been crying.

The whimpers, however, had ceased. “Hello?” Kaigen's voice was soft, almost hoarse from days of disuse. She rarely spoke aloud, but now her voice was needed. She needed to reassure the child that she was no danger. That she was there to help. In other words- Kaigen needed a miracle.

Her feet crunched over broken glass, and her eyes narrowed as she searched the room for any signs of the child. Her eyes eventually came across a small section of the floor where the wood didn't quite line up. There was a small gap, large enough for several fingers to ease beneath it and lift a section of the wood.

Kaigen did just that. Dust flew up from the opening, causing her to sneeze and snap her eyes closed against the onslaught of mussed air. After a minute she was able to descend into a pit of darkness.

Every sense stood on end as she allowed the door to close behind her- it wouldn't do to have herself caught in the middle of a mission after all. Kaigen made her way through the darkness- pouring some of her shadow abilities into her sight so that she could see almost as clearly as she could in broad daylight.

Chains rested against the wall, some of them harboring dried blood along the cuffs where prisoners had tried frantically to get away. She shuddered- not wanting to ever find herself in such a situation again. Kaigen caught sight of several small figures pressed together against the wall, terror rising off of them in waves as they listened to her approach.

There was more than one captive. The realization hit her hard, and Kaigen had to stop and strengthen her will to keep from fleeing right then. She had a mission, and she would complete it. These people were in the same situation that she had been in for five long years. What did the bandits want with small children? She couldn't help but wonder whether or not it had anything to do with the rumor about them being werewolves.

In the corner, chained to a far wall were four children. All of them were filthy and terrified. Their wrists were chaffed from multiple attempts at escape, but from the looks of it, Kaigen could tell that they had given up. She set her mouth in a firm line and approached them, her hands clenched into shaky fists at her side. Why was she so afraid? They were only children, something that she had been so very long ago. “Do not fear me.” She said as she knelt before them, “I am here to help you all escape.”

Eight eyes widened in bewilderment, and one little girl ventured to speak, “How?” She questioned, tears streaming from her azure eyes.

Kaigen shook her head and put a finger to her lips, signaling that silence was the key to their fleeing unnoticed. Quickly she snaked a shadow into each of the locks that bound them, and immediately the children were free. “Follow,” Kaigen said simply, “and be silent.”

Immediately she led them to the area that she had entered- each one of them clutching at the hand of a companion, and one of them daring enough to keep a hand on the back of her shirt. She stopped beneath the door and listened for any signs that there was somebody in the building- there was none.

Kaigen pushed the floorboard that had allowed her access to the small hollow beneath the house and was engulfed immediately in dim lighting- something that made her blink away the last remnants of the shadowy mist that had swallowed her when she had descended into darkness.

The children, too, were quite dumbfounded when they could see again, and they nearly cheered for delight. A cold glare from Kaigen silenced them immediately. Silently she led them from the house and through the streets- delighted that the bandits were still searching for her somewhere in the distance. They eventually made it to the trail that had led Kaigen to the decrepit old village, and were to the outcropping of rocks that had hid her so well. “Stay,” She said firmly, drawing her sword, she would have to deal with these bandits before nightfall- if they really were werewolves she had very little time in which to deal with them before their power was at it's peak.

The truth was that werewolves were not limited to appearing at the full moon. Many people thought this, but it was far from the truth. They could transform at any given time, but it was on the night of the full moon that they were nigh impossible to defeat. Kaigen shuddered, she would need to kill them all soon or face the consequences of leaving them live.

She quickly thrust the children into a small opening in the rocks, telling them not to worry, if she didn't return soon they were told to leave the minute that the sun rose. She lugged several large stones to the opening and covered them from sight. Kaigen then set herself to the difficult task of seeking out all of the bandits.

She was hard pressed for time- already she could dimly see the moon in the sky, morning had passed quickly for her, and noon had crept past her whilst she had searched through the village for the missing child that had turned out to be several children. She had at most two hours until sunset. Kaigen shuddered at the thought as she happened upon the first of the searching bandits.

Her sword had buried itself into his throat before he'd had time to react or call out to his companions. She began to pick them off one by one- leaving another fragment of her time with the bodies that had begun to add up. Kaigen had no idea how many more she had left to kill, and time was short.

Kaigen shuddered as darkness descended- she was going to have a long night. Howls sounded around her as she crawled through waist high grass, terror knotting in her belly. She had to lead them away from the children at least. Kaigen sheathed her sword and stood. Her feet pounded almost to the pace of her heart as she began to run away from the children and the old village.

After nearly an hour she slowed her pace to catch her breath. The night was silent, too silent for her tastes. Kaigen stood near a village, glaring down at it with slight distaste. Her lean form crouched low to the ground as twigs cracked nearby. That was when she was attacked.

She released a small yelp of surprise and drew her sword seconds before gleaming, knife-like teeth closed around her blade. She gasped in shock as claws tore into her stomach and warm blood flowed freely from the wound.

Narrowing her eyes she reached into her boot and with a flash of metal, buried a knife into the beast's neck. She was relieved when it yelped and ran away from her. Almost dizzily she made her way into the village, towards a tavern. She didn't want to go into town, but she was low on supplies.

Kaigen stumbled through empty streets until the light of a tavern drew her forward, even though she saw several figures near it and could hear multiple voices inside. It was all she could do to keep on her feet, let alone contemplate running. The children, she was sure, were safe.