Extermination is a Lack of Education

Who is the strange figure lurking in the jungle?

          His mother's scream made him turn on his heels and look back at the house. Flames curled out towards the dawn sky, reaching high for the clouds; it was so evil, yet in the dawn time it was a beautiful sight. Jake knew it was too late- by the time he could get inside the house, the small place he had made his home while he was growing up, it would be burned down, because his house was made of nothing but wood and straw, and the wood wasn't even fire-proofed. He couldn't have moved, even if he had been able to do something- his mother's scream piereced the air, and soon his father's joined the chorus, so Jake was frozen on the spot. He only came to his sense when the house next theirs also set afire, scarlet flames flickering at the sky.

            " Woah! " Jake said, the magnitude of the situation finally hitting his brain. The bell in the middle of the town had stopped chiming; most likely that meant the bell-ringer was dead or knocked out, the poor guy. More screams rose up, and Jake rushed into the nearest house that was not engulfed in flames. There was no going back for the others now.

            Jake searched for the source, and evacuated those he could. They waded the river, into the forest. The forest itself had not caught fire, because the river between it and the town. The forest was safe, and these houses were not.

            Where are the flames coming from...? Jake thought, gritting his teeth. He scanned for anything suspicious; all the houses were on fire, so anyone who was inside was most likely dead or evacuated. He almost gave up, when Spooky hissed at something-someone-in the distance.

            A hooded, cloaked figure stood a ways off, hands up, as if holding something above his head, something heavy. The hood was up, and Jake was not able to see his face from the distance. As he watched, the figure slowly lowered his right hand, pointing it staight at Jake, palm out. Curious, Jake just stood there- that is, until he saw the huge fireball that was being hurled at him. He was just barely able to duck and avoid it.

            " Neh!? " he grunted in confusion, as the fireball whizzed past his head. " What was that!? "

            Spooky shook himself in response, his fur poofed up to twice it's size, so that he was almost as tall as Jake's waist.

            " Go away... leave or my fire will burn you, too... I give you only one chance... " said the figure. " A chance I give only to you, as flare of kin... "

            Jake was too freaked out to think about it. Grabbing Spooky by his neck scruff, he turned tail and ran straight into the rivier, feeling the creepy man's eyes boring into the back of his head. As soon as he reached the other side, he ran faster than he ever ran before, without looking back. After several clawing and bitings, Jake dropped Spooky, who soon realized he would have rathered being carried, because Jake was running like a mad man.

            Of course, speed is not without its faulties- he ran smack into another villager he vaugely remembered.

            " Jake? " a boy about his age sat on the ground, rubbing his head. Apparently Jake had been running fast enough to knock him over.

            " Neh, " Jake replied. Taking a moment to look the villager over, he recognized the kid as his old friend Jerimiah. They often talked when Jake was on break.

            " Man... you look like crap, " was all Jerimiah could think of to say. Jerimiah is a shyish boy who is beautiful; his hair is nearly down to his shoulder and perfect blonde, and his eyes were a light blue. His facial expression always seemed like he was in deep thought, though most of the time this was not true, and many of his teachers could tell you how true it was.

            " Yeah. I've been doing lots of work. "

            Jake looked around. The forest was humungous.There were trees everywhere,an species that had branched off the large redwood trees long ago-they went straight up more than a couple feet, with leaves fanned out at about the middle on up. There were vines that went up the trees, and not much sun came through. If you stopped and listened, you could hear the sounds of the forest, serval types of squrriels, rabbits, chipmunks, skunks, raccoons, and even the occaional red fox or gray wolf. Brambles, moss, twigs and leaves covered the forest floor, a mix of colors between green and brown.

            " How are we gonna get out of here...? " started Jerimiah tentitively. It was obvious he didn't want to push Jake's limits; but it was even more obvious that "we" meant Jake and Jerimiah together. Jake smiled.

            " Sure, you can tag along with me. But only because I'm afraid the wild animals out here would eat you up, " Jake laughed, opening his mouth and mime-chewing, as if he were going to eat Jerimiah.

            " Not funny dude. "

            " Is so. "

           

            So the teamed up pair walked along the forest path that Jake knew so well from his hunting adventures, helping villagers go one way or another on the way. Often Jake would come out here along this very path and hunt for the family. While helping the villagers,he did not offer any of them to join him; instead, he pointed them in the westward direction where they could go to the next village over. However, they were heading southward.

            " Why are we going this way? " Jerimiah asked.

            " Ask Spooks, " Jake said, pointing to his cat, who was leading the way confidently by at least a couple yards. Jerimiah laughed at this, and ran ahead to the cat.

            " Hey, Spooky, where we goin' ? " Jerimiah said to the cat. Of course, Spooky flicked his tail in disgust, and walked further ahead. Jerimiah stood there in shock.

            " Ouch, " Jake said. " You just got rejected by a cat. "

            Jerimiah scowled and started walking backwards, so he could talk to Jake better. While doing this, a shape- a dark shape, a similar one to the one from the village earlier-popped out behind Jerimiah, and before Jake could warn him, Jerimiah was caught.  Jerimiah went silent.

            " Psh. Extermination is a lack of education. Which do ye prefer, little one? " said the figure, having caught Jerimiah by both arms, Jake could now see, and if Jerimiah tried to kick his heels back, the figure stuck his knee out, stopping it. Jake ran to catch up.

            " Um... educ-c-cation, p-please, " Jerimiah sputtered. The figure laughed and motioned Jake over.

            " Yal are a bucket of laughs, " it said, letting go of Jerimiah. " But yal really shouldn't walk backwards in this here forest. "

            Jake and Jerimiah silently looked him over. He wore a black cloak, with a hood. He had no face; his hood covered it. On his left side, he had a hilt for a sword,which mostly likely had a sword inside, and a small blue pouch tied to it. He was not the same figure from earlier, because he was slightly smaller and talked different, but he was creepy still, all his own.

            " Listen here, boys. I be Grant, at yer service, " he said, putting out a boney hand. " Come with me. I'll take yal to headquarters. "

            " Headquarters? " Jake asked. Grant nodded.

            " Yeah. Yal said you wanted education, right? Lesson one: never put yer back to the opponent. "

            " Wah...? " said Jerimiah. Grant babbled on.

            " We are the going to the Avaint HQ. We are the mortal enemies of the Shadow Firez, and their master who's name is forbidden- He Who Cannot Be Named. Saying his true name is punishable by death. It's considered trauncy. "

            " Avaiant HQ? ShadowFirez? Wha...? " Jake answered, confused. It was now official that Jerimiah probably wasn't gonna talk again for some time; he did not do well with strangers.

            " The ShadowFirez are a group ruled by the demons the Evil Lord ( He who Cannot be Named) and his mate who calls herself Rori. They burn down villages, and torment people. We don't know much about them. What their goal is, we don't have a clue, " Grant continued. " I do know, how'ver we need to stop 'em. Burning down random people's houses ain't right, not by my book. The Avaints- named for the Avian who started it- are a group of people who prac'ice weaponry and magics of sorts, and have now risen up to defeat the mighty ShadowFirez and their many minions. We need ev'ryone we can gets. "

            Jake's face was showing large amounts of shock. " The guy in the cloak who burnt down our homes! The one who said the weird things!  "

            " Yep. Probably him. It's unusual though- he doesn't usually come to the towns hi'self, and even then he just over-watches. Though, there twas once when he went to a village and destroy'd it single hand'ly. And he spoke, which is... unheard of.  "

            " So, are we there yet? " Jerimiah whispered to Jake as the forest came to an end, and the sunlight hit their faces with loving warmth.

            " No, " Grant answered, his ears like a cats. " I gotta steal a boat first. "

            What!? Jake thought. Did he just say " steal a boat " ?

            They looked at Grant, and all he could say was this.

            " Stealing a boat is education. Come on.  Education or extermination. Take yer pick. "

            The duo watched as Grant turned his hand towards them, and Jake saw a little fireball forming.