Chapter 8: Raider Attack!

Fireblade sat outside, watching for anything unusual. Right now, anything could go wrong; poison, acid darts, forest fire, earthquake, tornado, maybe even raiders. Fireblade hoped nothing would go wrong. Right now, he needed a little peace so he could recover from those visions he recieved the day before. Shizuka and Karuzama understood, but other people wouldn't understand. Fireblade heard a rustle in the bushes, and then some shining silver. Fireblade stood up. "Come out and show yourselves!" He yelled. A man with a gun appeared. Fireblade walked bravely to the person. "Hello, ready to get killed?" He taunted.

The man loaded his gun. Oh, shoot! I said the wrong thing... what do I do now? Fireblade wondered. Then the man shot his gun at Fireblade. He barely missed Fireblade. Then other men with guns came out and shot at Fireblade. "Raider attack! There's a raider attack!" He yelled. Shizuka came out side. "What are you doing, Fireblade?! Get inside and protect Karuzama!" She ordered. Fireblade nodded, and ran into the house.

Fireblade and Karuzama were in the darkest part in the house. "What's going on, Fireblade?" He asked. "Raiders are attacking. I want to help Shizuka fight, but she told me to protect you." Fireblade said. "You're a person, too, Fireblade! You can't let everyone tell you off! Make your own decision this time. You can still protect me by fighting the raiders!" Karuzama encouraged. "All right, Karuzama. I want to fight, anyway!" Fireblade exclaimed, and rushed out the door.

When Fireblade left the room, he saw fire. Immediately he dashed back into the room with Karuzama. "Karuzama, there's a fire outside! We need to leave!" Fireblade yelled. He saw no windows in the room in this light.

Then, the fire reached the room. It illuminated the room. Karuzama spotted a window. "Fireblade, there's a window over there!" He yelled. Fireblade saw where Karuzama was pointing to, and he kicked the window open. "Karuzama, follow me!" He yelled. Karuzama ran to Fireblade, and they jumped out of the window together.

"Karuzama, take shelter in the forest. Go to Silent Star Lake! You'll be safe there!" Fireblade yelled, "I'll help Shizuka!" "But I want to stay here!" Karuzama complained. "Okay, then take shelter away from the house, at least!" Fireblade ordered. His green eyes stared into Karuzama's amber eyes. Karuzama closed his eyes and said, "Okay, I'll leave to a safe place."

Fireblade ran to Shizuka. She was dead, and the raiders turned around and saw Fireblade. He gritted his teeth. "Why you...." He said angrily, and lunged at a raider and bit his neck. He jumped off him onto another raider and killed him as well. This was not what Fireblade needed; a kid out in the undergrowth, a fire, and now a dead mother. He yowled, "Stay away from here! You're making my life and everyone else's life a misery, and we don't like it!"

Fireblade killed another six and then he grew weak. Sure, there were only thirty one left and he could handle them, but he was greatly outnumbered. Then, he felt himself change. It was only a moments notice when he realized that he was a fiery tornado with four swords sticking out. He maneuvered around killing all the raiders.

Karuzama heard Fireblade yell, "All the raiders are gone!" He ran to Fireblade, and the first thing he noticed was Shizuka's dead body. He glared at Fireblade. "Why did you kill Shizuka?" Karuzama asked. "I didn't! The raiders killed her." Fireblade replied. He stood up, and Karuzama lunged at him. Fireblade started running away into the forest. "I didn't do it, I didn't do it!" Fireblade screamed. He ran into the forest and climbed up a tree. Fireblade looked around for Karuzama. He was gone.

Fireblade has done something he didn't want to do, but in the end, he did it to save his life and Karuzama's life. Karuzama is under the illusion that Fireblade killed Shizuka, and Fireblade didn't do it. Now that he is set on the right path, he is determined to stop Karuzama from doing bad things. But what bad things? Fireblade doesn't know. But Fireblade does meet this beautiful catrea. Who is she, exactly, and what business does she have in Tiger Forest? Read on to find out!