The sun was blood red, just like it was on most parts of the Desert. It was hiding behind the dirty clouds, that, being so dark colored, looked portentous to anyone who hadn't got used to their nature, Few where the people who could directly see the sun's rays in a regular basis. A soft breeze raised some dust that hid the sight of a distant, purple colored cloud. Some hopeless vultures flew afar.

The silence cracked from the slow steps the young man's flip flops took, inside the yellow sand. As he climbed the sanddune his white hair started to gradually appear.  His dark skin was the next thing to be revealed, with his eyes following. Their extraordinary cobalt blue color, brought a special antithesis, when compared to his face.  The young man's brightness seemed to sparkle. He wasn't more than sixteen years old, with a regular height. He had a small scarf wrapped around his neck, colored to match the white of his hair, his woolen sweatshirt and of his corresponding shorts. In his back a small backpack, made of cloths, hung.

His pace was slow and steady. His look was calm, but tension was hiding underneath it. His one arm seemed to be helplessly suspended, as he walked. It was painted in blood, which originated from a wound that he had on his shoulder. The small streams stained the woolen cloth on its inside and outside. Some drops fell from his tired fingers every time he made a step. He climbed to the top of the dune and stopped for a moment.

In from of him the desert extended as far as the eye could see . Some sun rays, coming from afar, had pierced through the clouds and were hitting the sand.  There probably was a lot of time until sundown. He observed a set of house detritus closer.  The walls were standing filthy, being slowly destroyed by the sand. Who knew how long ago this village, the young man was now watching closely, was ruined.  His eyes tightened. A thin smoke was coming from some of the devastated house. Is there someone else here? he thought to himself.

The smoke was so flimsy and was desolated soon enough that he wasn't able to notice it, until he climbed the steep dune. His eyes looked the debris for more leads. He could't find anything but he felt as if someone was near, monitoring him. He descended with slow steps, until he reached an abandoned stone-made road that was covered by knolls of sand. Following this path, he arrived at a completely leveled village with only its small fountain remaining intact, in the middle of a round plaza. The young man passed by it, ignoring the small scorpion that strolled on it, making a delicate sound with its feet, the only to accompany the one of the air running through the wreckages and the one the young man's steps made.  

Behind a building and in the shadows a figure was hiding, seeming as if it held the wall, trying to follow the boy's moves. Similar shadows where all around him. The young man continued to walk until he reached the center of the plaza. He, then, looked around him, crossing his legs on top of the dusty stone tiles, holding his wounded arm. He looked at the floor and concentrated on the droplets that fell from his fingers. His shoulder was burning and the cloth there was torn revealing his ripped skin.

Suddenly a stampede could be heard. From the empty windows, barrels of automatic guns, pointing at him, appeared. Soldiers with gray uniforms, holding weapons, surrounded him. In their faces, disgusting smiles where seamed,as some of them poured out a sardonic laughter.

"Your money, kid" someone shouted.

"Yeah, you're helpless"

The young man left his arm, raising his eyes. A powerful wind seemed to be released from them as a series of black circles where engraved around them  Some of the soldiers gulped and stepped back.

"He's just a kid. We'll tear you apart" shouted someone laughing.

"Just a kid, huh?" a deep and playful female voice sounded.

Behind the soldiers that had surrounded him, a woman of medium stature presented herself. She was wearing a khaki-blue military trench coat that on top of it had the stars of a Kapitan. She had short squared white hair and wore a big eccentric pair of sunglasses with orange lenses. He lips where vermilion and were smiling.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Indeed, what business does a kid have in this hellhole? What's your name?"

«Katsuo. Zen Katsuo.» said the young man, whilst look her strongly.

"What do you want in our town, Zen Katsuo?" she asked seriously.

"I want to go to Amber City. Someone is waiting for me there."

"Oh, I see" said the women with an understanding look. Her expression changed immediately afterward though, and her eyes become as slim as a serpent's. A large smile etched her face. "In that case you should have someone with you, in case someone tries to hurt you. You know, this is a very dangerous part of the Desert. Especially if you carry so valuable objects, like the one around your neck."

Some soldiers burst into laughing. Katsuo stepped back, holding the hidden, under his scarf, medallion that hung around his neck.

How did she notice it? he thought frowned.

"If you're wondering how I did it, let's say it's a natural talent of mine. "That's enough talk, though" she said extending her hand towards Katsuo "Give it to me."

He stepped back again, leaving his wounded arm.. He put his body in a battle position.

The smile disappeared from the face of the woman.

"You won't have a second chance..." she said looking at him wickedly.

He tightened his fists and sprung with his one foot towards her. His body darted with precision, as he aimed for her chest. A bang was heard and something like a thin white beam, pierced through Katsuo's belly. Everything around him turned red. He fell to the ground, with a small stream of blood pouring from his mouth, as he groaned.

In the woman's hand there was a small revolver, whose barrel was fuming.

"Tsk. I hate to kill the weak." She approached Katsuo and kicked him so he wont lose his consciousness and to make him look at her. He could barely open his eyes. "Oi, kid, you awake? Good." She snatched the medallion from his neck, breaking the small chain that was holding it, in the process. He eyes shone; "An Epigrapher! Hey, kid! Whom did you steal this from?"

Katsuo coughed and spit blood.

"I didn't steal it. It's mine."

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. Whichever the case, this stone will keep us happy for many months to come. Hear that you incompetent rats? We just got rich." The men around her cheered, mocking the young man, who was lying in the sand without hope. 

"I must admit I didn't think we were that lucky." The woman in the horrible smile approached him and pointed her gun to his head. "Thanks anyway." she whispered as the shadows in her eyes seemed to dance in the tempo of madness. "Bye now." and her finger went to the trigger.

The time no bang was heard. The air, now, seemed to be torn up and a blue glow illuminated the square. The radiance went through the woman's body. 

She retained the same expression for the next moments, staying completely still.

"What?" she said whispering.

She released the gun from her palm as blood spout from her chest, as if a sharp blade pierced her. He body seemed to be in great stress and her neck was stretching to reach her back. Her mouth was open, even if she was muted from the nightmarish pain. She fell to her knees.

Her men stood stunned. Some of them pointed their guns to the young man, ready to pull the trigger.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Kapitan, Kapitan ?! We need a medic!" they screamed.

Suddenly silence seemed to fall. Everybody focused to the unnatural blows of the wind.

"W-What is going?!" somebody yelled.

A blue beam appeared immediately afterward, and thrusted, almost instantly the soldiers that where standing around. Calmness fell for some moments, until blood started to gush in jets from the cut bodies of the soldiers. Some of them have been hit only at the chest. Others have also lost their arms, when the light beamed through them. "What...is going...on?" whispered one of the soldiers falling down.

Now, everyone had collapsed to the ground, with their bodies producing irregular twitches. In the town's entrance a shiny figure appeared, walking slowly, having the dark sun at her back.