Burning Forest pt2

Dominic quickly crawled out from beneath the tree and made his way over to the edge of the clearing, trying to catch his breath. He sat down and looked around him, he could still see the smoke rising from the nearby forest, he knew that the fire had reached the outskirts of the woods and was spreading ever outward. He could see a large amount of people wandering around aimlessly, some were falling to their knees and others were stumbling around in a daze. He could see people lying in the street, some were writhing in pain, others were just staring blankly into the sky. He could hear the sound of sirens in the distance, he knew that the firefighters were on their way to put out the fire, they had to hurry though, he knew it was already too late.

Dominic looked around him again, searching for the source of the noise. He could hear the faint sounds of people fighting, he could see flashes of light in the distance. It sounded like someone was being attacked by an animal or something similar; there seemed to be voices yelling in anger and fear. There was also the unmistakable squeal of metal against skin, followed by cries of agony.

Dominic turned his attention back to the city streets below him. People were frantically fleeing southwards, there must have been panic in the air as everyone scattered in different directions. Some ran westward along the sidewalk while others headed east, many were heading north into the alleyways with determination, even if it meant certain death. Others simply stood frozen, unsure of where to run next. This place is a madhouse! Dominic thought to himself.

The raven landed atop one of the buildings across the street, looking down at Dominic. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"I'm trying to find my brother," replied Dominic, standing up.

She chirped. "Your brother? Why would he want anything to do with this mess?"

Dominic paused for a moment before answering, he didn't know how much information she actually knew about the world outside these walls. Still, he needed to convince her somehow; he couldn't risk letting anyone else get hurt. "...he's not here anymore." He said quietly.

The raven shook her head. You've got to stop drinking so much, you're no good to me dead drunk. "Yeah right. I don't believe you..." Her voice trailed off, she tilted her head to the other side, giving him a curious look.

Then suddenly she hopped forward and placed two clawed hands gently upon his shoulders, turning him around to face her.

"...and neither should you." She whispered softly, leaning close to whisper directly into his ear.

You can trust me... she says. I am your friend now, remember? Your only true companion. And besides, what better disguise than those clothes you wear? No one will suspect the man inside them. All we need to worry about is getting out of here safely.

There was silence between them for a few moments. Then Dominic nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's go."

They began to head deeper into the forest towards the fighting, unsure what they were going to find as the figures overhead watched them, silently waiting.

Dom and Raven walked through the treetops, keeping low and silent lest they attract any unwanted attention. They moved swiftly, staying hidden amongst the trees until they came to the clearing ahead. The area was dominated by a massive crater which extended several hundred feet wide. A dark lake filled most of the space within it, making it difficult to tell exactly how deep it really was. Several bodies floated near its surface, all of whom appeared to have drowned in the murky depths. Dom could feel the heat radiating from the ground, evidence of the intense firefight taking place somewhere in the center.

He cautiously stepped onto the charred earth, careful to avoid leaving footprints behind. Even from afar, he could make out the shapes of men battling each other amidst the haze of dust and debris. Puffs of black powder smoke rose high above their heads, adding further confusion to the chaos.

With caution, Dominick crept closer towards the fight, carefully watching as the battle unfolded before him. First came the sight of three soldiers clad in full combat armor advancing on another figure who wore nothing more than tattered rags. As soon as the trio saw the rag-clad man, they immediately drew swords and raised shields, preparing themselves for attack. Their opponent, however, did not seem concerned whatsoever. Instead, he continued walking calmly away, seemingly unconcerned that he was outnumbered. His movements were slow, almost lethargic but still precise, nonetheless. While the three guardsmen focused on attacking the lone foe, he easily evaded every strike, moving backwards into the forest without hesitation. With such precision, it wasn't long until the armored warriors realized just how futile their efforts were. Despite their best attempts to defeat their enemy, the rag-draped man never once showed signs of pain nor concern when struck. In fact, he barely even flinched. One after another, the knights' attacks fell short, only causing them to fall farther behind in their pursuit. Finally, the last remaining soldier pulled back his sword and swung it downward, intending to end things quickly. But instead of striking flesh, he found only empty air. Before he had time to react, the cloaked man disappeared instantly in a puff of blue mist. It took a second or two before he recovered enough composure to return to his companions, shaken but unharmed.

A few seconds later, Dominic and Raven arrived at the edge of the clearing, landing lightly beside the man whose body remained hidden beneath the cloak of shadows. When he heard footsteps approach, both combatants looked up expectantly, alert for trouble.

"Well met!" called a familiar voice from nearby. Both fighters relaxed slightly and turned to see a young woman emerge from the foggy mists, wearing a simple tunic stained with dirt and sweat. Though clearly exhausted, she smiled faintly at Dominic, wiping some grime from her cheek.

In an instant, she transformed into a large white bird and flew away.