102922-wildstars-cant-be-broken-smoke

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Greetings Ladies and Gents and Chua,
 
I've written a tale about some of my characters and would like to share. I may write more depending on some rl things. Anyway, here it is. Thanks!
 
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Wildstars Can’t Be Broken
 
One: Smoke
 
The forest path wound down from the rocky upper reaches of the plateau into the river valley below. Ancient trees reached toward the sky, engulfing everything in an emerald glow beneath the canopy. Wind danced through the leaves and brushed her hair across her forehead. She stood perfectly still, except for one quick twitch to her left ear. 
 
Where were the birdsongs? 
 
Beside her, Yola took a shaky breath. “What is it, Xila?” she whispered. 
 
She shook her head slowly. 
 
The wind rose again and the acrid scent was unmistakable. Smoke. There shouldn’t be fire burning this far from the village. The cousins exchanged a quick glance. There was no need for words. In unison they bounded down the path, racing toward the source of the fire. 
 
Xila’s mind was racing. The last unexpected fire had been many years ago when she was a child. Lightning had struck the old growth, and her grandmother had been able to keep the burn under control. There had been no sign of a storm today. 
 
The smell of smoke was growing stronger as they raced silently through the trees. Then, they heard a noise neither of them had heard before: a whirring followed by a thump, the sound of wood cracking and a tree falling. The cousins ducked and crouched behind a bush, panting. 
Xila turned to Yola, whose brilliant green eyes were wide with fear. 
 
“Did you feel that? Something tore that tree out of the ground!” Yola’s voice shook and tears filled her eyes. Xila merely shook her head, blind to what came so naturally to her cousin.
Suddenly there a buzzing shriek shattered the air. They flattened their ears to their heads and cringed in terror at the alien sound. It was as if the ground beneath there feet trembled. Again and again the noise came, and the sound of trees falling filled their heads. The Aurin embraced until it finally stopped. 
 
Xila pried Yola from her, taking her by the shoulders and looking at her sternly. “We have to get back to the village.” Yola nodded, frightened but determined. 
 
Taking her cousin’s hand, and with a deep breath she began to run. Again the noises began. 
 
Whatever was making that horrendous sound was directly south of the two Aurin. Luckily, the village was farther to the east. Xila abandoned the path and struck out through the denser wood. She knew the forest well, far better than any other Aurin in the village, and she easily navigated them around the mysterious noise and the growing fire. Soon the air was hot and heavy. The emerald light grew dark.  What few animals they saw were fleeing in terror in the opposite direction. 
 
Xila realized the fire was spreading faster than she thought. 
 
It was getting harder to breathe, but they couldn’t stop. If they didn’t reach the village they could easily be killed in the blaze. Yola, to Xila’s surprise, did not falter and kept stride. At last, they broke through the trees into a clearing. But it was a clearing that didn’t belong. 
 
Skidding to a halt, Yola dropped to her knees. 
 
The trees. What had happened to the trees? 
 
A swath of forest had been slaughtered, from the south east and heading north. Trees lay on the ground cracked, trampled and broken. Flames leapt up in the forest beyond the path of destruction. Xila turned her head to the north. Through plumes of smoke she saw it: the tree destroying beast. It was gigantic, wielding massive blades and spitting fire. 
 
“No,” Yola whispered. “No, no, no.” 
 
“Come on,” Xila said, grabbing Yola’s arm, but her cousin pulled away. “We’ll die if we stay here!” Xila shouted at her. “And so will everyone else!” It was enough to pull Yola to her feet. 
Taking her hand once more, Xila pulled her along south, following the path of chaos. They finally found a break in the fire and cut across. It wasn’t far to the village now. The fire must have been spreading from the strange monster, and surely grandmother would know a way to stop it. The Weave could hopefully be used to reason with the creature, whatever it was. But then, to the south, far away, they heard it again: the buzzing shriek of the creature. 
 
“Another one?” Yola nearly screamed. 
 
“Hurry!” Xila said, her stomach knotting. 
 
The fire was getting worse the closer they came to the village. They were both coughing and fighting for air as they ran. Another noise reached them, a strange rattling pulse. What was that?
 
Again and again the sounds followed by what? Screaming? Laughing? Both? 
 
Xila released Yola and drew her daggers, one in each hand. Yola drew her bow in response. The noise and screaming grew louder, a chaotic cacophony of horror. The fire crackled and raged around them. The village came into view through the trees. Aurin were running and screaming, being chased by small furry creatures dressed in strange armor. They had some sort of weapons that fired like crossbows, but much faster. Xila came out of the trees like a blur. Surprising one of the creature she caught it right in the throat with a swing of her dagger, pulling back swiftly and rolling out of the way. 
 
Racing along she leapt, pouncing on the next from behind, dropping each dagger into either side of it’s neck where she saw gaps in the armor. Her skills as a hunter were paying off well. 
Behind her, Yola stuck to the trees, moving swiftly as she rained arrows into the attackers. She would bring one down, then dodge for cover, keeping out of sight as best she could. Other Aurin were fighting as well, but Xila realized were already laying dead. The creatures had weapons that were faster and more powerful. The villagers were outmatched. 
 
Xila looked around, frantic. She caught sight of her brother, Dox. He had seen here and was trying to get her attention, crouching just outside the large tree that housed the Matria, her grandmother. She hurried toward him, dodging for cover from a hail of death as she reached him. Yola was skirting through the woods. She was able to take their attacker down from her location, then she ducked back out of sight. 
 
“What’s happening? Were’s grandmother?” Xila said, trying to catch her breath. 
 
“She’s been,” Dox shook his head, unable to continue. 
 
Dead. Xila could feel it radiating off of him. The Matria, her grandmother, was already dead and she hadn’t been there to protect her. 
 
“She tried to use the Weave to open a portal but she got hit from behind.” Dox was saying. “ The Queen is trying to evacuate everyone, but without grandmother I don’t know if we can open the portal.” 
 
“What? The Queen knows about this?” She was shocked. 
 
Dox nodded, “It’s not just happening here. Grandmother said it was everywhere. We got word just moments before the attack began.” 
 
That didn’t make sense. Where had these monsters come from? 
 
“Yola can do it,” Xila said firmly. “She can open a portal.” 
 
“Are you sure? Yola hasn’t reached her full power yet.” Dox looked doubtful. 
 
“She can do it. We have to get everyone out of here.” Xila’s eyes scanned the trees. “There, she’s hiding just over there. I’ll try to gather everyone else. You go and get her started. Try to stay out of sight.” 
 
Dox frowned. “Be careful, Xila, these things, I don’t know what they are, but they have no mercy in their hearts.” 
 
“I can see that.” She said. 
 
Dox turned and raced toward the forest where Yola was hidden. Xila turned and peered around the great tree. The attack had slowed. The creatures were walking around, shouting at each other in a strange language. Dead littered the ground, but not all were Aurin. Xila moved around the tree to the other side. The village was a ring of houses and trees with large root structures that opened up into burrows below. Most of the houses were already ablaze and if any Aurin were trapped she was worried they could have already been killed by asphyxiation. 
 
She came upon one small Aurin boy curled up under a large root. “Anthel,” she whispered, recognizing him. He was crying with his hands over his mouth, trying to keep quiet. Xila lifted up on her toes to peek over the root. His mother laying dead only a few feet away, one of the creatures was digging through her pockets. “Look at me,” she whispered to the boy. “You have to be strong, runt that way. Dox and Yola are in the forest. Run fast!” He stared at her with huge magenta eyes, but nodded and began running. 
 
She watched him take the first few steps, then turned. The fire had filled her spirit with rage. She vaulted over the root. Materializing through the smoke the creature did not see her approach. She slit it’s throat. It gasped for air. And she pushed it back on the ground and knelt over it. 
 
“Death.” She snarled. The creature could not understand her word but knew the meaning. 
 
At that moment, another loud noise came from the sky. An intense wind began to blow. The creatures all focused their eyes upward and began firing their weapons. Xila looked up, confused. A monstrous flying creature appeared, dropping down from the sky. She could see some sort of people riding it, carrying weapons similar to the creatures. They exchanged attacks, and the strangers cut down many of the attackers on the ground. Xila flattened herself against the tree as some of the people repelled to the ground. Some of them were small and looked similar Aurin but without tails or ears. Others were giants that appeared to be made of stone. They went in pursuit of the fleeing attackers. 
 
The flying creature lowered and landed at the center of the village. No, it wasn’t a creature. It was some sort of contraption. 
 
Rescuers? One of the giants spotted her and hurried toward her, putting up his hands to show he was not going to hurt her. He shouted something at her, pointing at the flying creature. She stared at him, unsure what to do, but his eyes were filled with compassion. 
 
“My family!” She said, pointing toward the forest. “I need to get to my family.” 
He looked in the direction she was pointing and seemed to understand. He turned to the others  and motioned them toward the trees. They nodded and two of them hurried in that direction. Xila then motioned to the burrow. “Others may still be alive.” She said, hoping he would understand. 
 
He nodded but pointed at the flying machine. “No,” she said, “I will go last.” She pointed to the next burrow. With her grandmother dead and Yola not fully trained, there was no Matria to lead the survivors. He seemed to understand and motioned toward the next burrow. 
 
Together the two of them searched the burrows, but found no one else alive. Yola, Dox and Anthel were already aboard the strange flying machine. Only then did Xila climb up beside them. Inside there were seats. A smaller female creature helped her sit and strapped her in. The woman said something to her, and Xila just nodded. She hadn’t realized how tired she was. 
 
The flying machine began to lift off. The four Aurin turned to look down at the ruin of the forest. As they lifted higher in the air they saw the fire burning far away to the horizon. Other tree destroying monsters could be seen. Xila began counting them but stopped when she reached a dozen. It was making her sick.
 
“Why is this happening, Xila?” Yola sobbed. 
 
“I don’t know,” Xila whispered. “I don’t know.”	
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