Saviors Turned Advisory

"What is this?"

Olivica walked over and sat on a rock in the corner of the cave. "I'm sorry, Boone. I tried to reason with you."

"What do you mean?" The boy asked Olivica. He turned to Quincy, pointing. "Aim that thing somewhere else-"

"We have no other choice." Quincy bared his teeth, the light in his eyes faded. "This was all your family's fault."

"Quincy stop ..."

"Shut up, Olivica!" He cocked the rifle. "Your Grandpappy promised us ... promised that he would help us save our ranch ... so we betrayed them Yurks ... and then he died."

"Quincy!"

"I said ... shut. up."

Boone felt the tears find his eyes. He tried to fight them back but they rolled down his cheek, falling from his chin. 

"And then I found something ... in all that fucking chaos I found my prize." Quincy's lip trembled. "A red, rubied ring sitting in the yard. It was attached to a finger, but I threw that aside because I knew how valuable it was ... I knew that it was the mayor's ring ... and the Sheriff, Jostice Beatpost, had stolen it."

Boone shook his head, "you think it's Jostice's and my Grandpappy's fault this happened? You're wrong!"

"Just listen!" Quincy drove the stock into his chest, Boone gasped, stumbling back."

Olivica leaped to her feet. "No, Quincy ... please, stop!"

He looked to her frowning, then swallowed, focusing on Boone. The shadows masked his olive flesh. Only the white in eyes showing. 

"I took that ring to the Mayor. I said, I found it, and all I want is to give it back in exchange for our ranch. You know what the Mayor did?" Quincy chuckled. "He threw me in jail ... said I stole it ... then threatened to change me into one of those things ... destroy my ranch ... and hang my sister if I didn't comply with his needs."

Boone caught his breath, standing straight. "And what did he demand of you," He coughed.

"Simply, keep you and your friends from winning the tournament ... and that's what we aim to do." Quincy puffed his pipe, nervously.

Olivica nodded. "We don't want to kill you, Boone. When we found you we could've let you die, but chose to save you instead-"

"I wish you had," Boone said. "Then I wouldn't have to see what you've become."

"The ranch is all we have! It's the only thing we have left of our parents ... we can't lose that too."

Boone took a step forward. "Then help me. We're all part of the Mayor's sick game. Help us win this tournament and we can defeat him together." He took another step. "He wants us to turn on each other ... don't allow him to." Boone reached out a hand.

Quincy quivered, looking into the boys eyes. He twisted at his hips and drove the rifle forward. "gets... back!"

The poison had Boone weak and he collapsed on the ground, moaning. Something cold against his fingers. 

"Quincy, please, stop hitting him. This is not what we agreed to."

Quincy walked over to his sister, "what else am I to do? Tell me ... he won't sit still."

Boone grabbed the bottle, seeing the clear liquid inside. Moving slowly, he brought the bottle to his hands, unscrewing the lid and poured out the contents inside. 

"I don't care. This is not how we are going to do this, you understand?" 

Suddenly their bodies faded from view and all Boone saw was the cave. He held the bottle close to his heart. 

"Where did he go?" Quincy said. "Did you seem him leave?"

Olivica voices trembled, "he's used the mist magic ..."

Three blasts echoed through the cave, metal ricocheting off stone. Bullets whooshing past Boone's head, drilling through earth. He held his breath, heart pounding. A wrong move or noise would surely give him away. 

The girl screamed, "what are you doing?"

"We can't let him get away!"

"Boone." Her voice echoed. "I'm sorry ... forgive me.

Light peeked through the rear of the cave, sending a streak across the chamber..

Quincy steps were slow and cautious, his breath heavy.

Boone kept still. If I'm going to get out I need to get beyond them ...

After a brief silence, Boone watched a metal, wooden barrel protruding from thin air; slicing through the fume. He sprang, pushing the rifle towards the ceiling; the rifle cracked off. 

With his momentum, Boone appeared on the other side of the mist, slamming on top of Quincy. Bottle in hand; he swung, glass shattered on skull. The boy on the bottom winced and screamed, twisting. Stronger than Boone from the years on the ranch; Quincy overpowered him, swinging around and mounting on top, 

Quincy brought the barrel to Boone's throat and cocked the rifle. Blood oozing down his face. "You should've stayed put-"

There was a clash and Quincy fell limp. Boone grunted, the boy's weight on his chest. Olivica stood over them, hands shaking. 

With little energy remaining, Boone shifted, and pushed the limp body from him. He sat up, gasping. 

Olivica kneeled, bringing a finger to Quincy's nose. Then closed her eyes, relieved. 

"Is he ... alright?"

Olivica's voice shook, "go ..." 

Boone stood to his feet, staring. "Are you alright-"

"I said, go!"

The boy nodded and showed himself out. 

It was lonely and cold on his way north towards the town. If he was lucky, Mitch hadn't done anything reckless yet. And Jostice and Leslie were safe and uninjured. 

The town was farthest north of the colosseum. Nearly large as Ghostbound; lamplight illuminated the many shops and stables. And decks and facades that wrapped around the front of each building, making the town seem as though it was one large structure. Behind the town, the canyon wall jetted up towards the sky, while water beat like drums from the falls between the canyon.

Boone heard the squeaks of rocking chairs before a group of silhouettes faded into view. Each gang member on the porch; a rifle, knife, or revolver in their hand.