Songs of praise rose over the festival like smoke from a hundred cookfires, warm, drifting, and impossible to ignore. Children danced between their parents' legs. Strangers shared the delicacies they couldn't normally afford. And no one checked their wallets.
Because today was the Festival of the High Gods.
Today was a celebration of everything good in the world. So today they'd eat their fill.
The town square was framed by rows of worn limestone buildings, their arched windows glowing amber in the lamplight. Cobblestones ran wall-to-wall, and festival banners did their best to make it all look a little less tired…
Everything in Baldia always looked tired.
"My citizens, welcome to the High God Festival!" A resounding voice silenced the music, and all of the families looked around until a little girl with pigtails pointed to the stage at the northern end of the town square.
"Daddy, it's the king!"
A man in deep blue robes and a crown heavy with jewels stood at the front of the stage, hands clasped...
Only after the citizens stopped applauding did he continue speaking.
"Today let us eat our fill, and give all glory to the High Gods who continue to bless us with the resources to live—"
Crack!
His eye twitched. The Baldians turned away, completely ignoring him as the sound of thunder rapidly approached from behind.
How dare a storm ruin such an elegant speech! I should have its head, he cursed inwardly. He'd practiced his speech all morning in the mirror, stumbling over his words until he got it down perfectly, so of course anything foolish enough to interrupt him was bound to lose its life.
Not only that, but it actually had the audacity to make a mockery of the High God Festival. The day of highest honor! The day the Baldians gave thanks to the Gods who gave them the strength to raid the Islands!
No, the storm would have to die. The king shook his head and straightened.
"My citizens, the night is young, and we have much to celebrate. The Raider Corps has captured more Islands than ever. The resources they have brought in have been of the highest quality, and here shortly, the captain of the first brigade will make an appearance to show his appreciation for the Gods… so continue through this thunder and do not let such a futile storm dampen your spirits!"
"Captain Jaelyn is coming?"
"Maybe I'll get his autograph!"
"Dad, who's Captain Jaelyn?" The pigtail girl tugged on her father's sleeve.
"He's only the most famous Raider there is, little miss! He once cleared an A-class Island all by himself and brought in so many resources that prices dropped by half!" A fat, drunk man overheard the little girl and blurted through burps.
"Is that true, daddy?"
Her father smiled warmly, knelt at her side, and brushed the dust from her pink dress that he'd saved a month to purchase.
"Yes, my little love bug. So remember when you see him to thank him for his service and tell him how much you appreciate everything he does for us."
"Will do, daddy!" Her eyes shone with admiration and wonder. Her father patted her head.
"That's my girl."
Then, the king coughed, readying himself to speak.
However, his eye twitched again.
Seriously!
This time, everyone's attention was drawn to two young men storming in from the beach, their faces terrified. Both were sweaty, but one was blonde and oddly handsome — the king couldn't help but note he'd do well as a favorite. The other was plain and pale with nothing remarkable about him…
His impudence will have him executed!
"RUN!" they shouted.
"Run? These fools must be drunker than me!" the fat man blubbered, his voice washed away by the approaching thunder.
Seeing that these boys were drawing more attention from him, the king ordered his guards to seize them. Ten or so men who had been blending in with the crowd lunged forward.
As they got closer, however, the king noticed the golden numbers beneath their left eyes. His heart sank.
"Stop!"
Damien and Luka stopped on a dime.
The guards surrounded them in a wide semicircle, clutching the hilts of their katanas.
If I don't do something soon... Damien's gaze swept past the guards to the children. They'll all die!
Just then, the king pointed at him with obvious disdain.
"Speak, Raider. Why have you disrupted the High God Festival?"
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Damien didn't need to say a word. The storm cloud had drifted to the shoreline, and everyone saw clearly what was responsible for the thunder.
Hundreds of flying beasts moved in perfect sync, a black cloud of fury. Their eyes were darker than night, their talons sharper than steel, and their serrated teeth a promise of agonizing death.
Screams erupted.
Then a stampede as parents grabbed their children and ran for their lives.
The king's face went pale before he bellowed, "Everyone seek shelter, it's an Island Break!" He gestured to his guards, Luka and Damien, who were frozen in place.
"Guards with me. You two, do your duty and hold them off!"
After the king and his guards turned down a back alley, families were left to find shelter for themselves, defenseless.
Crack!
The first beast descended, and serrated teeth clamped around a mother's neck.
"Mother!" Her son cried. Then his blood sprayed too.
"Like hell we're holding them off. We have to go, Damien!" Luka snapped out of his trance as the beasts thundered above him. However, when he pulled on his friend's arm, he was jolted backwards.
"What are you doing?"
Damien stood in place, unmoving, eyes wide in shock. Then he collapsed to the ground, pulling at his hair.
"AHHHHHHH," he screamed.
The Particles… It's too much! I can't handle this much hatred!
The Particles he'd sensed before were now closer, pressing against his body like an iron claw. They were full of so much bloodlust they made everything around him spin.
"Shit." Luka cursed. "I don't know what's going on with you, but I can't leave you here. Snap the fuck out of it."
He began dragging Damien's body to an outside bar with an overhead tent. At the same time, dozens of beasts struck like lightning, devouring more Baldians.
Luka dragged his friend behind the counter, unnoticed.
Screams tore through the frigid air behind them.
Should I help them?
The guilt sat heavy. With his strength, he might have saved someone, maybe even several. But fear had swallowed everything else whole.
"Go and kill them, you bastard… You pathetic excuse for a Raider!" The smell of alcohol assaulted Luka's nose like a freight train. He looked beside him to see a large man hiding behind the same counter, drinking from a bottle of whisky, and burping.
"You go out there. It'd take them a whole day to eat you and everyone else could escape." He fired back.
Crack!
"AHHHH."
Both of them quieted.
Just outside the bar, a beast cawed, and wet crunches followed.
The drunk man pointed to Luka, then outside, and mouthed, "Kill it."
Luka shook his head.
"Hell no." He mouthed, terrified. Then his gaze dropped to his heavy-breathing, unconscious friend. Damien was always the one to take the initiative. If they needed more meat? He'd find another vendor. More customers? He'd go door to door.
If the beasts spot us, we're dead. I'd have killed the only person who's given me a chance. I'd have killed my only friend.
Shit.
Luka calmed his breathing.
Calm. Feel the Particles, feel their will.
In the next moment, a sword of Particles shimmered to life in his shaky palm. Inhale. Exhale. His hand steadied and he peered over the counter.
Standing over a meter tall on its two legs, the Beast had its beak buried in a man's abdomen.
Don't think, just do. Just do, Luka repeated over and over. Then he hopped over the counter and charged at the beast with his sword raised.
It turned as well, baring its serrated teeth.
Crack!
His sword plunged through the beast's heart, and cold black blood spilled onto his hands.
Having never killed anything before, Luka thought he'd have some regret or feeling of wrongdoing, even if it were just a Beast. However, his face contorted into a manic smile. His heart pumped with adrenaline. It was a nice feeling.
"Atta bastard." The drunk peered over the counter, but didn't dare to come out as the beasts still roared from above.
However, as Luka retrieved his sword, he was flung into the bar by an unknown force.
Tiny black Particles rushed from the Beast's wounds…
Past him.
And right into Damien's chest, lightning flickering beneath his eyes.