The Ashen Fortress

[Dawnika Snow]

The Vigilante took her sweatshirt off. The heat of the Ashen Steppes was almost unbearable to someone who is used to living in such a cold climate most of her life. Still, the black charred ground and clouds made her feel at home somehow.

The Ashen Fortress stood before the group up in the mountains, it was not until now Dawn realized Koal was gone. Nowhere to be found.

“Dammit the only reason I let him live was because I thought he was going to join us! Bastard! He feigned friendship to get away alive.” Dawn yelled out as she scanned the perimeter as if he was still around.

“Calm down.” Kuzuru said, “You can get him back soon enough, but first have business to attend to.” The group of murder hobos made their way up the large set of steps to their base where Kuzuru had the assemble in the newly forged meeting room. This blood pact thing seemed weird, but if it truly made them stronger she would not hesitate to stab her own hand. After the three secondaries of their group offered their blood, Dawn stepped up while summoning a small knife in her hand. With a twirl of the fingers and a quick thrust she jammed the blade into her palm and let her thick blood run into the well. The Vigilante hardly cringed as steel sliced through her flesh.

“If we’re all done here, I’d like to go check on my dog and get some sleep.” Dawn said wrapping her hand in her sweatshirt to stop the bleeding and turning to leave. Music blared from the headphones around her neck as she walked out of the meeting room. The dark hallways of the Blade’s Fortress were dusty from the recent construction Kuzuru provided. It made the vigilante’s nose tickle so much she sneezed few times. When she opened her room’s door, she was greeted by the excited dog within. Rouge came to Dawn quickly wagging her tail furiously in excitement. The owner came and closed the door, petting her loyal best friend and grabbing the dog food next to her desk. The empty food bowl was filled up quickly with her favorite food. Rouge chowed down on it just as fast as it was poured into her bowl. With her dog taken care of Dawn slid into bed where she would begin to take her nap.