Raven and Hammer: Rise of Almadeer

Short adventure to build up to amuch bigger one!

Raven stepped out of the tub wrapping the towel around her. Hammer was cooking from the smell of things. He was far better at it than she was. From the smell he was cooking steak. The boy took pride in his work, which made for the best dinners.

The festival was still going on and would be for quite some time. Hammer had made arrangements for them to go that night. Raven know the reason he wanted her to go so bad was to get her mind off the previous mission. Raven had already begun to find a middle ground in her own mind, but she figured it would be fun none-the-less.

She pulled out all the stops on her Seladonna up bringing. She wore a blue blouse with a small dip in the front neck line. Her skirt was white and stopped just above her knees. Her hair went up into a ponytail with two sapphire hair pins for decoration. She had been given those by her mother when she went into the Corp. She applied a hint of blue eye shadow and some lipstick.

Her nails were meticulously done with blue nail polish as a base and white dots just because. Her shoes were white and her leggings blue. She hoped she hadn’t gone overboard on the blue, but she couldn’t help but scream that she was a Blue Wing. She already knew that Hammer wore a blue tunic with black trousers. For the most part his outfit was unadorned, but he liked simplicity in his clothing.

When she was content on her looks she walked down stairs. Hammer turned to look at her as she came down the stairs. Raven flashed him a flirty smile and he smiled back. Raven just hung her head. Figures he wouldn’t notice.

“What’s wrong,” Hammer asked.

“Nothing. I’ve just spent hours getting ready to look perfect for you. That’s all,” Raven said pouting.

“Oh! You look very lovely,” Hammer said thinking that would make things better. Raven smiled at his failed attempt and just let it go. She sat at the table which was covered in silver. Hammer had made each piece himself for the day when he would have a place of his own. Perks of dating a smith Raven thought to herself.

Hammer brought the meal to the table setting a plate in front of her. He had made steak, veggies, and fresh bread. They ate their food while making idle chit-chat. Hammer was full of words.

“Hammer,” Raven said.

“Yeah,” Hammer replied. Looking up from his food with his steak half way to his mouth.

“Why don’t you talk to other people like you talk to me,” Raven said.

“I know you. I trust you. I am shy. Don’t know how else to say it,” Hammer said shrugging his shoulders, “I talk to the Element.”

“You talk to people, but you don’t really talk to people unless you absolutely have to,” Raven said probing Hammer for more info which she got.

“When I was younger I was just as loud and rough as any Zaron boy. I talked the most to my mother. The day she died, I had no words to say. Dad tried to talk to me, but for a year I refused to say a word. I finally found words again when I realized that my refusal to talk was killing my father on the inside. The day I said ‘Dad, I love you’ was the first day I saw my father cry,” Hammer said with tears in his eyes.

Ashamed for asking Raven apologized. Hammer shrugged it off telling her that it was ok. They finished their meal in silence and after the dishes they set out to the festival. The night outside was filled with music, lights, and smells. Hammer brightened a little when he saw little Hammer and Raven dolls being sold. Hammer laughed as he bought two.

“We are two very new soldiers. Why are we dolls,” She asked the vendor.

“You are young, and you have the look of heroes. You radiate potential and I will capitalize on your exploits even before they happen. You’re a hit already and I intend to make you famous,” The vendor said, “By the way call me Terrance.”

Hammer looked at the vendor with a curious look on his face before busting out in a booming laugh. Terrance looked a little fearful, but soon recovered. Raven giggled and hung onto Hammer’s arm.

“I want to buy two of me and two of Raven,” hammer said.

“Take them for free. And here are two more sets for your family. Small price to pay for what you will make me later. Please don’t be angry for making you into icons,” the vendor said.

“It is cool just as long as you help us now and again,” Raven said.

“What did you have in mind,” Terrance asked.

“Don’t know yet. But I know when to capitalize on an opportunity as well,” Raven replied.

“Ah! A fellow business person. Crafty aren’t you? You got a deal miss,” Terrance said shaking their hands. Hammer deposited their dolls into his satchel.

They bid Terrance farewell and walked through the crowd where many people greeted them with a raised hand or a hello. Raven and Hammer were happy to stop and chat. Raven chatted and Hammer smiled. What was a five minute walk soon became an hour long stop and go shuffle.

A huge stage stood in the middle of the city green with the best bards performing popular jigs or epic ballads. The current bard was singing about the Silver Wings and how they had saved the islands from invaders in the young years of the now flourishing floating kingdom.

Raven thought that Hammer looked quite child-like when they watched the fire breathers and fire dancers performance. The fire dancers would twirl their flaming rings and rods in intricate patterns often passing them to one another while the fire breathers blew flames to add to the magical quality of the performance.

“Raven! Hammer! Over here,” A women’s voice called out to them. They turned to see Spirit beckoning at them. Stone and Twister were with. Raven practically pulled Hammer over to them. Spirit sat down at the table Twister and Stone occupied. Raven and Hammer joined them. Stone was lit up with a rather large grin spread across his face.

“Excuse Stone. He is rather drunk,” Twister said.

“None for you two. Your too young,” Stone said with a loud bellowing laugh.

“We’re good regardless,” Raven said with a giggle.

“Is he like this often,” Hammer asked Twister in a quiet tone.

“Only when there is a party,” Twister whispered back to Hammer.

“Aye! I heard that! I’m in total control,” stone said before flipping right off the bench onto the ground in a heap of laughter. Twister sighed and stood up. As he helped up Stone he apologized and walked Stone home after saying good bye. Spirit exhaled loudly and shook her head. She poured Raven and Hammer a chilled pomegranate drink. They sat there for a while watching the performers.

“I wanted to tell you both that you performed very well at the outpost. It was very a quick, fast paced counter strike. It was an easy way to break you two in. I hate to say it, but you will face far worse later in life. This is a hard life to be sure, but I know that if you two stick together you will be just fine. Stick together and become an unconquerable force of nature. We are a team, but we won’t be here forever. One day it will be you two instead of me and Stone mentoring two new soldiers. Your partners and that showed on the field of battle,” Spirit said as she hugged Raven, “Love ya kid. Just don’t die on me!”

 

“I’ll try not to,” Raven said.

 

“I won’t let her,” Hammer said fiercely.

 

“Down boy! Down! If there was ever a more loyal boy to his girl it is you to her. I know she will be fine with you there,” Spirit said. Hammer nodded emphatically. Spirit leaned over and kissed his cheek. Hammer blushed and Spirit chuckled. Every thing was perfect and then things got out of hand. The screams started just off the green in the industrial section of the city. Spirit shot to her feet with Raven and Hammer shortly after her. Without thinking they ran to the source of the screams.

 

When they reached the power plant a young women ran out of an alley with blood gushing down her dress. Her hand clutched her head. Raven caught her as she stumbled. She examined the wound.

 

“Go on! I have her,” Raven yelled. Spirit nodded. Hammer and Spirit ran into the alley to find a gruesome sight. A young man lay clutching his slashed throat. Blood poured out from beneath his fingers. Three large men looked up.

 

“Oh bloody hell. Frost! He was a Blue Wing, Hammer,” Spirit cried out as she pulled two fighting knives. Hammer had his dagger out that his father had made for him. The men dressed in all black, but the insignia on their left pants leg caught Hammer’s eye. Three black stars on a green shield.

 

One of the men rushed Spirit. His blood splashed across the wall as she split his throat wide open. He made gurgling sounds as he stumbled to the ground. The look on Spirit’s eyes said don’t screw with me. The other two were much wiser than their partner. They watched and calculated Hammer. The men ran straight towards Hammer and Spirit. The two Blue Wings readied themselves. As the men neared closer they jumped launching themselves off the alleyway walls. One made it over Spirit only to meet a dagger in his chest. Raven looked him in the eyes as she pushed it in deeper before twisting it hard. The other man was not as lucky as to die. Hammer Reacted too quickly catching the man by his throat pinning him to the wall.

 

Yanking out her dagger Raven let the man drop.  As the man fell he whispered something that caught Raven's ears, but she did not know what it meant.  She made a mental note to tell Hammer later.

 

"Rise Allameer!"

 

“The girl is on the way to the hospital,” Raven said rising up from the man's body. 

 

“Good! Hammer keep that bloody coward alive! Ease up, hammer. He needs to be able to talk and choking him to death wont do it,” Spirit ordered. Hammer gave the man only enough air to survive. Four Red Wings rushed into the alley. Hammer handed the man to them. They bound and gagged the man. All the soldier save the ones holding the man spun around to salute the figure who stood before them.

 

Commander Angel stood tall with distinguished looks and graying hair. He was still in his prime even in his sixties. His Blue cape flapped in the wind. His aids took the man from the Red Wing city guards. Commander Angel walked over to Frost kneeling next to his body.

 

“Don’t leave yet,” He told his aids, “We will give Frost a soldier’s burial. I came as soon as young Raven brought his wife to us. You three did well.”

 

“Sir! Forgive us for not making it in time,” Hammer said to the commander.

 

“Son, sometimes you just can’t save them all. No doubt Frost was caught off guard. It happens to the best of us,” the Commander turned towards the prisoner, “You have killed one of my own and harmed an innocent civilian. I will have my answers from you and then I will personally make you beg for death.

 

The man spat in Commander Angels face. The Blue Wing Commander wiped his face and in one swift movement, swifter than hammer thought possible, cut off the man’s ear. The man hissed in pain leaning forward. He blacked out when the Commander brought up his knee into the man’s face.

 

“Remove this dog from my sight. Third Wingman Spirit, write up a full report with Wingman Hammer and Wingman Raven on the incident. Notify Twister of what happened, I will make sure the Far-runners and Frost’s Element know of his death tonight. Oh and please make sure Stone takes care of his hangover. I want him t work tomorrow. He is worse when he drinks than when you two,” Commander Angel eyed Raven and Hammer,

 

“Make sure he is ready for work.”

 

“Roger Sir,” Spirit said as she and the other soldiers saluted.

 

“What a night. I had liked Frost too. Oh uh,” Spirit vomited everywhere, “We need to get away from this blood for my sake. Another job well done, but I fear Hammer was right. I will talk to Twister about it and hopefully it will make it to the Commander with as much haste as militarily possible. I need sleep,” Spirit said.

 

“We will meet you in the morning then in the Element Four office,” Raven said. Spirit nodded and walked off towards her apartment. Raven leaned against Hammer. Hammer held her close.

 

“Why do you fight my black bird,” Hammer asked Raven surprising her.

 

“Tell me why you fight first,” Raven replied.

 

“I fight for you,” Hammer told her.

 

“As I you my strong, strong Hammer,” Raven replied. He carried her piggyback all the way to their house down the block. It was good to live in the center of the city close to everything. Hammer fumbled with the key to the front door for a bit, but managed to get it unlocked. As he neared her door Raven held out her arm against the door.

 

“Can I sleep with you tonight Hammer,” Raven asked with half closed eyes.

 

“Of course,” Hammer whispered.

Author's Note

Just a short one to build up to the war with Almadeer!
#3