The arrest of the Seed, and her brother, spread quickly across the Outlands. Little by little, a crowd of curious travelers camped outside the chief's house, a growing sea of faces hoping for a glimpse. They were not allowed past the armed guards, but the sheer number of them was a testament to how fast the news spread.
The chief, meanwhile, demanded a reward from Kilo for capturing the Seed. He swaggered through the village, his chest puffed out as he boasted about her capture to anyone who would listen. Word arrived that Kilo, and his forces, were on their way, and the chief practically glowed with self-importance.
As the town prepared for Kilo's arrival, Yankee, the slave fighter, felt greatly unease. Ever since he first saw her at the arena, a restlessness had been growing inside him. The dream he had the night before, about the strange girl humming by the river side, her skin pale blue under the moonlight, had haunted him. Now, knowing who she was, a strong, almost physical urge to rescue her took hold.
Yankee's reputation preceded him. His broad shoulders strained the fabric of his tunic, a testament to his strength, and his effortless grace in the arena made him the talk of the town. Even as a slave, his master's favor and his own wealth which put most nobles to shame, made him a figure of awe and envy. But this girl, Sierra, troubled him greatly. He felt their destinies were intertwined, a tugging thread connecting his path to hers. Knowing Kilo's cruel intentions, he contemplated intervening.
"Fates' a cruel thing" He sighed, the sound a heavy weight in the silence. He'd have to buy his freedom first if he was going to get involved. He had the money, but the thought of leaving his life of comfort for this unknown quest felt like stepping off a cliff.
One night, the village was attacked by Phantoms. The creatures swarmed from the shadows, their forms like swirling smoke, their eyes glowing with an eerily light. They had learned that the Seed could be used to free their master, trapped in the underworld. Warning fires were lit, but the chaos was immediate. The sky was a sickly orange as the village burned. Mothers were separated from children, their screams lost in the roar of the flames, and fathers were torn from their families as everyone ran for safety. The chief sent out his finest warriors, but with their soldiers spread thin throughout the Outlands, they were quickly outnumbered.
Ingred, seeing an opportunity in the chaos, used this moment to break Sierra and Beth out of prison.
"What is going on?" Sierra asked, her voice trembling, as Ingred tried to unshackle her. The clang of the iron chains felt deafening.
"Phantoms. They're here for you," Ingred said, his own breath coming in short gasps as he worked the lock.
Sierra clutched Beth's hand tightly, her knuckles white as a cold familiar shiver ran down her spine, followed Ingred closely out of the underground cell. The sight of the village going up in flames brought back memories she had spent a lifetime trying to forget: the same orange glow, the same frantic screams. Her heart ached for the people she had come to know.
"Are you okay?" Ingred's voice, full of concern, snapped her back to reality.
"No, I feel bad for being the cause of these people's pain," hot tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving a wet trail on her smoke-stained face. She felt a deep, wrenching guilt, as if she were carrying the weight of the entire village's suffering.
"Then leave. The Phantoms will follow you if you go," said a voice from the shadows. Yankee emerged, his face grim, his posture a mix acceptance and determination.
"Yankee, oh man, I'm a huge fan..." Ingred stammered, scrambling for a handshake, but Yankee didn't move.
"Not right now, man. Your village will be wiped out, and it will be her fault. Do you want that?"
"No... not again," Sierra said, almost in a whispered plea to herself. She looked at Beth, a silent promise passing between them. "I'll go with you." A heavy weight settled in her stomach. She didn't know this man, but staying meant another village would pay the price for her presence. It was a choice between her safety and their survival. She had to choose them.
"But you don't know him," Ingred chimed in, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Really?" Yankee looked dryly at Ingred. "You think this is a good time for a chat?"
"No offense, but you're a slave. For all I know, you want her to collect the reward for yourself."
"Boy, I have enough money to buy you and your family..."
"ENOUGH!" Sierra yelled. The sound of her voice echoed over the screams and the roar of the flames. "I can't stay here, or your family will die. I won't sacrifice another family for my sake. I don't know him, but it's a risk I'm willing to take." She said this to Ingred, holding his hands gently as tears poured from her eyes. She felt a fierce, protective instinct for these people she had barely met, the family that betrayed her.
"Then I'm coming with you," Ingred said immediately, his bravado returning.
"Boy, you wouldn't last a day out in the Badlands," Yankee scoffed, his gaze already on the horizon.
"You'll leave your parents?" Sierra asked, her heart aching for him.
"I've always wanted to leave. I'll see them again... My dad has the strongest warriors, so he'll be fine... I hope." Ingred tried to look brave, but his eyes darted toward the burning village.
"If we're going, it's better to do it now," Yankee called out, spotting movement in the shadows. They hurried after him, and the Phantoms, sensing their flight was on the move, chasing them into the darkness of the BBadlands
"Where is the girl?" The chief burst into the underground cell after the dust had settled, his face shown a mix of fury and greed. He had seen his wife crying earlier and wanted to know what was going on, but after everything that had happened, he cared more about the bounty than he did his own family.
"She escaped... and your son is gone, too," the guard bowed his head, his voice barely a whisper.
"What... Ingred!" The chief tore at his garment, his scream a mix of rage and despair. He knew that the Badlands swallowed up those who dared to enter, and that his son might not return. The thought of losing his heir was the only thing that could overshadow his loss of the bounty.
Two days later, Kilo's forces arrived, a dark cloud on the horizon. Kilo himself rode in at the head of the column, his face a grim mask of cold fury. He slid from his horse and spat as he saw the sight of crushed bones, blood, and dead bodies littering the streets. He did not ask what had happened, and honestly, he didn't care; he simply took in the devastation. His eyes, like a burning rock, narrowed in anger as he learned the Seed had once again eluded him. The fury that had been simmering beneath the surface erupted. The chief and his entire household paid the price for their failure, their lives a brutal and swift lesson to anyone who would cross Kilo.
Wiping the blood from his steel with a white towel, a dark stain on the once delicate material, Kilo turned to his commander. His voice was a low growl, more dangerous than any shout. "Find her, and this time, don't come back until you do."