Prologue

Long ago in a land once known as the United States of America, in a time where everyone had freedoms that no longer exist today, religious freedom had no price. Back then, everyone was free to practice whatever religion they pleased. That all changed the day the continents collided; an event that was much later given the name the Collision. For a time, there was peace but even a tentative peace can’t last forever. Only days after the Collision, the Vatican City sent its troops out across the newly formed continent. They had been authorized to destroy any and all resistance to the Conversion, the name the bloody event was given so that it could be celebrated. From that day forward, any person or family who was not Catholic was either forced to publically convert or die. Those who refused the Conversion, because they were atheists or didn’t give a shit if there was a God were shot in the town squares by firing squads. The rest of us, who Converted only to save our lives, continue to practice our own religions on Saturdays right under the Pope’s nose in underground Mosques, Synagogues, Temples, and Churches. A war has been going on since the very first Conversion Day, but its members now hide below ground where those above cannot seek them. Those underground know these freedom fighters as the Resistance, but to those above ground we have no name and no identity. Such was the world I grew up in. This world has known only fear, pain, sadness, and bloodshed. One that celebrates the bloodshed that created this continent. The one that claimed, through the prophesies of a gypsy woman, I was her savior the long awaited Black Flame.

1

Light. Light meant dawn. Dawn meant I had to get up, which I did reluctantly. My bed was warm and the predawn air was cold. All I really wanted to do was crawl back into bed and sleep until the Conversion Day bells called everyone to the town square. Unfortunately, crawling back into bed would not help my family make ends meet. So, in the watery predawn light I dressed. When I had finished, I pulled my honey-gold tresses into a ponytail and snuck past the twins’ room, peeking inside as I did. I knew that they would be asleep until the bells woke them, but it gave me a sense of security knowing that they were still asleep. As I slipped into the front hall, I removed the Stetson my father used to wear on days like these from its hook on the wall and his Colt 45. The Colt was for protection as much as it was for show. I slipped it into its holster on the belt and fastened it around my waist. As I stepped from my house, I closed my eyes and inhaled the sage scented air, just as my father had every morning before a mustang hunt. I closed the door and ran to the barn, eyes wide open. I flipped on the light and let all but the eight horses for the showcase and the two I would need for this morning out into the large pasture. Once the showcase horses had been fed, I went to Night Wings. Though I knew I shouldn’t take my time brushing him, I just couldn’t help myself. This was mostly due to the fact that he had been my brother’s horse and any time I worked with Wings I felt close to him. When I was satisfied, I saddled him making sure everything was adjusted for Zazi. By this time, Wild Fire was stamping her impatience. I went to her stall and led her out. I knew I would have to travel light today because any extra weight would make me unable to catch Remington, my phantom horse. That being the case, I opted for a bareback saddle; which was simply a piece of uncured leather with stirrups, and my father’s best leather bridle. When Wild Fire was saddled I led the horses into the steadily increasing light. I swung aboard Wild Fire and headed in the direction of my meeting spot.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

            I was early as I usually was, but the hill where Zazi and I met was only about one and a half miles from my house, whereas Zazi’s house was three miles away and in the opposite direction. The sun was just beginning to show it’s white-hot face when Zazi appeared. I tossed him Night Wings’ reins and as soon as he had mounted, I wheeled Wild Fire around. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Zazi was with me, and then spurred her into an all-out gallop. Before long, we were above the creek bed where most of our mustangs had been caught and where the band Zazi and I had been tracking liked to congregate. I pulled up on the vista that overlooked the creek bed and waited for Zazi to pull up beside me before turning onto the deer path that would take us down to the creek.

            By now, the sun was fully above the horizon. This meant the temperature would begin to rise rapidly. It may have been cool in the creek bed but I knew that away from the water the heat would kick in and in full force. It wasn’t long before I spotted our band. I pointed them out to Zazi but it took him a while to find them.

“The buckskin is Lady Browning; the grey Appy that’s kinda hard to see is Gunsmoke; and the black you hardly see is Remington,” I whispered to Zazi.

“So which one are we getting today?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“All of them, if you can manage to catch both Smoke and Lady,” I smiled.

“Is that a challenge?” Zazi asked.

“I’ll flush them to you and go after Remington. Got it?” I asked.

“Why won’t we do this the way we normally do?” he replied.

“Because Remington is smarter than Lady and Smoke,” I said turning Wild Fire in the opposite direction so I could circle around and come out behind the small band.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Remington will run toward the sound instead of away,” I said. “Now get into position.”

Zazi gave a single nod and I proceeded on the path leading to the rear of the band. I stopped every so often to make sure I was downwind of the horses. When I was behind them, I pulled out my father’s pistol. While I had told Zazi I’d flush the horses out, I failed to mention how so the shot I was about to fire would most likely scare him as much as the horses. Hopefully, he would recover faster than the horses but I seriously doubted it. I loaded a single shot into the pistol from the belt around my waist and fired.

            At first, nothing happened. I’d expected this and quickly holstered my father’s pistol. I had barely snapped the holding strap in place when all hell broke loose. Lady and Smoke broke left, right where Zazi had positioned himself. Remington broke right and was barreling toward me at full speed.