The Grey Revolution: Rebellion Against Scourge

Act One: The Dark Night

Ivan was panting heavily as he had to drag Adriana along with him through the Grand Forest that one chilling eve. This was followed by Grief and Scylla who were being mushed by his sister, Amanda. The five of them had to hurry as they could hear the sound of footsteps behind them and see flashlights illuminating off the nearby trees every so often within the darkness of the night. While his entire body ached, the anthro fox knew he had to find shelter for his family. He just had to.

"Here, in this river!" he would whisper to Amanda.

"You must be crazy!" Amanda replied.

"It's our only hope" Ivan said as he would grab Adriana and lift her up before heading into the muddy ditch.

"But padre, it's all muddy!" Adriana would exclaim.

Ivan would quickly cover her mouth as he'd motion for Amanda and Adriana's two siblings to all get into the muddy river.

While they all had their reservations, they would do what Ivan asked of them and one by one slide down into the muddy ditch. Scylla seemed to be shivering as Grief would stick out his tongue and grab her left red pigtail to yank her into the water with them.

This was followed by Amanda who was slightly hesitant, before she would notice a light off in the distance and quickly crawl in with them. As all five of the vulpines would get into the mudded water, Ivan would motion for them to brace up against the ledge as they could see flashlights shining above them.

The family would get to the side and brace against the muddy slope as they would all wait. Sure enough they'd eventually hear footsteps of a search party approaching. They would hold still as Ivan would hang onto Adriana and Amanda onto Scylla for dear life while trying to hide out from Scourge's goons.

"Ivan! Come on out you cowardly traitor! You can't hide from Scourge or us! We're gonna find you and skin ya alive! You bastard!" he heard as these thugs would fire their rifles up into the air with reckless abandon.

Ivan would close his eyes and try to focus. Soon he could hear the thugs slog right up over the ledge above them all. At this point all their fur were sticking up and Amanda started to offer a prayer to her goddesses. It would be dead silent for several minutes, except for the cool rushing water and chirping of crickets.

"Think they jumped into the river?" one thug asked.

"Nah, they had at least oh I dunno. Three kids with em? How about we just tell Scourge they died?" the second thug asked.

"Yeah! Ya hear that Ivan! You're dead if you ain't dead already! Ha!" the second thug said.

"Shut your trap, I don't want to be here all night. The boss won't suspect a fucking thing. Let's go" the first thug stated.

Eventually, the flashlights would move away. Scylla wanted to move, but she was quickly slightly shook by Amanda to not. It would be at least ten more minutes that Ivan would try to detect the thug's astral projection until he would give the all clear to Amanda and his children.

"They're gone" Ivan said to his family member.

"I hate you for dragging me into this tonight, fratello" Amanda remarked.

"We have no choice Amanda, they'd kill you too as well" Ivan replied.

"They could try.." Amanda simply muttered.

"I'm all wet dad!" Scylla blurted out.

"I'm sorry Scylla, but we need to find a way out of this river. Those bad men did something very bad to your mother" Ivan stated.

"Mom's dead Scylla!" Grief replied rather bluntly.

At this Adriana would begin to tear up and cry. While Scylla didn't know much about her mother or what death even meant she too would start to cry because her older sister was. Grief would turn his head to hide his own tears as all three kids were sobbing in the cold and wet muddy water.

"It will be alright my children. We shall make it through all this, I promise. Your mother will be avenged. One day, Moebius will see a brighter future" Ivan said as he tried to rub Adriana's hair while she teared up.

"What now, Ivan?" Amanda asked.

"We need to get out of this bog and head south out of the Berris Mountains towards Siag. It's the only place I know were we could go" Ivan stated.

"Siag? That run down ghetto?" Amanda asked incredulously.

"Si, I know it's not much but I have friends there. We have to go now! Come on!" Ivan said as he would motion for them to follow and would push Adriana through the water while trying to hold her above water level.

All five of them would trudge and move through the murky and abundant water of the river. Adriana was the shortest so Ivan had to help carry her as they would have to all four hold hands through the flowing current. Of course this meant getting all wet and dirtied, but this was their only way out. They were all miserable and afraid, but they would eventually come to the other side of the river.

There was a shallow part that had a mudded over ledge leading out over the river and into the rest of the Grand Forest. Ivan would lift up Adriana and lead the others up to it. The ledge was diagonal enough to where they could climb upwards, but it also was mudded over due to erosion. Ivan had to help Adriana by pushing her up and getting her to climb the few rocks to reach the top. While she was rather disappointed with getting her hands muddy, she knew to trust her father and slowly was able to climb up the rocks and onto the top.

This was next done with Scylla who was the youngest, and while heavier Ivan was able to successfully get her up as well. Grief was eager to impress his father so he chose to willingly climb up the rocks. He slid at one point making Ivan and Amanda's heart race, but he was able to regain his balance and shimmy up the rock crevice's until he was safely on top.

After the kids were safely out of the river, Ivan and Amanda both looked at each other as they nodded and would close their eyes before the both of them would begin to simply levitate out of the river and onto the ground adjacent to the three siblings. While there were not others around to raise suspicion, Ivan was worried about onlookers observing this bizarre feat as his shoes touched the ground.

"Do you even know which way is south?" Amanda asked as she would lower onto the ground gracefully after levitating.

"There should be a nearby road, we could perhaps follow it until we find a sign" Ivan stated.

"I am sure hoping you remember directions" Amanda remarked rather snidely.

"Let's go" Ivan simply replied as he would motion for his kids and her to follow.

The four of them would begin to move through the woods together while holding hands. Adriana would hold onto Ivan's while Amanda would force both Grief and Scylla to be dragged by her side's. While it was pitch black night time, their natural vulpine nocturnal vision would allow them to easily keep up with each other as they would go through the forest. As they would get closer and closer to the road however, the forest would begin to get more foggy as nightfall settled in.

This would spook the kids, but Ivan was too concerned with finding a proper trail and directions. Truth be told, Amanda kind of liked the fog, other than it would be slightly damp enough for her complexion. Eventually they would see the open trail from the edge of the dark forest as unknown to them, their own glowing nocturnal eyes would be rather creepy and stare through the night.

However, as they would come upon the road. Ivan would motioned for them to hold still as Amanda and the kids would all come to an abrupt stop. Ivan would close his eyes and try to communicate with his kids telepathically. As all their foxy ears would begin to twitch as if like tiny radars.

"Hide with the kids, I'll scope it out" Ivan said as he would unleash his telepathy to his sister and his children.

"Si" Amanda replied with her own telepathy.

"Do we have to?" Adriana would interrupt their psychic connection.

"Yes! Now hide!" Ivan said as he would motion for them all to crouch down behind a nearby rock.

Amanda would grab both Grief and Scylla and yank them behind a rock. Adriana would follow and Amanda would push each of their heads down as they would all four begin to hide. Ivan himself would go prone as he would lay down on the leaves and slowly crawl to tune into the footsteps that were approaching. However, they weren't the normal two sequenced steps, they sounded like the sound of one foot hitting the dirt while the sound of a stick was heard pressing down?

"The lineage is good, the lad and lass are best. Come on, marry the lad, marry the lass" Ivan would hear from an unknown source, which sounded almost like a middle aged woman?

He would continue to hide as his vulpine ears would follow the sound and twitch every so often. However, he could eventually see who was approaching through the fog. It looked like a woman in a dark black dress with a gardening scythe?

From the looks of things, the maiden appeared rather normal. A Moebian anthro bat woman in a black dress with dark hair. However, upon closer inspection Ivan would realize that she was limping on one leg as she would slowly crutch her scythe and use it to stabilize her footing. This sparked his curiosity.

There was no way this woman was related to Scourge's Supressionists. From the looks of things, the woman could barely maintain her footing and she looked too merry as she would slowly advance forwards. Perhaps she was just some farmer Ivan thought?

Ivan had a few options. First was to simply maintain his concealment in the leaves and let her simply pass. If she was a civilian and innocent then it was none of their business to meet. The second would be to try to subdue her and ask for directions, but then that would be problematic. Ivan could just come up to her in peace and simply ask for directions. However, this would mean she may get scared and flee. Finally, Ivan could simply have his family follow the woman. However, maintaining stealth with his entire family would be an issue. Especially with his rowdy kids.

He would first try to simply let her go. If she didn't know who or where they were, perhaps it was for the better. However, as she would approach while singing some odd melody she would suddenly stop. This would cause Ivan's muscles to become tense. She would then slowly turn around on her good leg and face him.

"I smell you there dear, come on out!" the woman said in a rather unnerving jovial manner.

Ivan wouldn't chance it. If she was able to run away and report to someone it would spell doom for his entire family. He would stand up and rush out in the night as his eyes would begin to glow bright green. He would stick out his left hand and it would suddenly illuminate with his green aura as it would form his Witch Blade construct.

"Listen, ma'am. I don't want any trouble. I am just lost, and I need directions" Ivan said as his heart would race, yet his hair would begin to flow supernaturally as his eyes would illuminate bright green within the fox.

"My my, you're one to get to the point! I like that! Still, be at ease, Bradanska".

"Bradanska? How do you know my name? Are you a spy for the Tyrant King? Answer me!" Ivan said now he was fully alert and his dark grey fur was standing up.

Was she some sort of assassin? Why would Scourge hire out some sort of walking impaired woman with a farmer's gardening tool who was wandering the road while singing? Still, she knew his last name. That meant either she knew something about him, or Scourge had a bounty on him.

"Be at peace. I bring good tidings, you are lost?" the woman asked.

"Si, I am" Ivan simply replied.

"So tense are we? I am Wanda, Wanda the Wanderer. I can aid your family and yourself. But first, let me see them?" Wanda replied to him.

"If you plan on harming my family, this won't end well!" Ivan replied.

"Now why would I harm, the children of Aurelia?" Wanda said as she smirked.

"Aurelia, that name Ivan knew well. It was his grandmother. But how did this woman proclaim to know his ancestor? Scourge mustn't have sent her. Not even Scourge knew of Aurelia."

"Si, but no tricks. You're out numbered" Ivan said as he would turn around and stare.

"You can't be trusting this insane one?" Amanda protested mentally as she would continue to hide behind the rock.

"There's one of her and two of us. If she tricks us we kill her, now please come out" Ivan replied telepathically.

"You trust too easily, fratello" Amanda said as she would suddenly come out from behind the rock and slowly walk towards them with her foxy tail swaying.

"You look the spitting image of Aurelia my dear" Wanda simply said as she would smile and look at Amanda.

"Tell us what we want to hear, or so help me" Amanda simply replied.

"Nope! I said all of your family. I want to see the younguns too! Hoo hoo! Consider me, an old family friend" Wanda simply replied.

Both Ivan and Amanda were hesitant to comply with this demand and reveal their more vulnerable family members. However, Wanda seemed to be rather calm and she apparently had much knowledge on Amanda and himself. Ivan would walk over and motion for them to come out as suddenly all three of Scylla, Grief, and Adriana would sheepishly come out from behind the boulder and walk slowly up and behind their father.

Amanda was less impressed with how Wanda was being demanding, if Ivan gave the signal she'd ignite her own powers and silence the wretch. However, from the looks of things Wanda was sort of observing them like she knew them. she seemed calm, albeit too calm.

"The Bradanska family, all here on this night! Oh Aurelia is a lucky one! A fine linage indeed! Hoo hoo!" the woman said in a bizarre and kooky accent.

"Si idiota, now spit out what we need to know!" Amanda replied in a passive aggressive manner clearly getting agitated.

"Just like your granny! Of course dear, why it's right ahead of me. Siag is that way, not much of it but if that is where you're wanting to go!" Wanda said a she smiled and pointed her scythe on front of her to the east.

Amanda's eyes would suddenly begin to glow bright green as her hair would begin to fly up. This meant she was about to attack Wanda, but before she could Ivan would put his left hand over her and shake his head. Amanda would slowly sigh as her eyes would turn back to normal green and her hair would fall down.

"Thank you, Wanda" Ivan simply replied.

"Oh thank nothing of it dear. Anything I can do for the grandson of Aurelia" Wanda said as she smiled.

"Grazie, now we need to take our leave. Addio" Amanda replied as she would clutch Scylla and Grief's hands.

"Going so soon? Can't we stay and chat? Perhaps have a nice herbal tea with your kids and ourselves?" Wanda asked, in a now disappointed manner.

"I'm very sorry, Wanda. But my families' lives are in great danger. Unless, you can help us further" Ivan replied.

"Oh no dear, I get it. Moebius is a wild place is it not? Hoo hoo! You run along and let old Wanda to her own devices! Go on, get out of here! Ha ha!" Wanda replied in a jovial and yet slightly deranged manner.

"Va bene, come along Ivan" Amanda said as she would yank on the kid's hands for them to follow her.

"Grazie, Wanda. I wish you well" Ivan said as he nodded before turning around and lifting up Adriana as they would all five proceed towards the east.

Wanda would simply smile to see them all walk away deeper into the fog. As they would all proceed to vanish into the foggy night however, Wanda would smile and turn to her side. She would wait until they were out of sight before she would begin to talk to seemingly no one there in a deranged manner.

"Marvelous kin you have, Aurelia" Wanda said as suddenly a black mist on the trail would come out from the ground and envelop to what looked like a ghost.

"Si, grazie for helping mio familiga in their hour of need, Wanda" a ghastly figure would reply coming out of the ground.

Her eyes were growing red and yet she looked like a specter dressed in dark red. While this ghastly individual had long flowing greyish white hair. She would slowly turn to face Wanda. As she hovered there in the fog her long transparent hair would flow.

"A debt is paid back my old friend. As I told you I would. Now, come. Let us enjoy this night together while it is still the witching hour" Wanda said as she would motion for the spirit to follow behind her.

"Si, lets" the spirit of Aurelia would reply.

The woman with the scythe and the ghost would slowly begin to follow the family through the fog at their own pace. The Bradanska's however were now far beyond the both of them as Ivan would lead Amanda and his trio of children through the fog towards the slum city of Siag during that midnight.