RETALIATION

AuthorHouse

Contents

Raid.................................1Exposed..............................4Escape...............................14Lost Soul............................26Left Behind..........................47Hostile Takeover.....................61Faded................................74Poisoned.............................94Separation...........................118The Essence..........................138Origins..............................154The Vision...........................177New Beginnings.......................198

Chapter One

Ashe crept along the Force's camp silently as she lurked in the shadows. She knew that if she got caught before it was time for her to show herself, she would be the one with the disadvantage. The time was perfect to stage the attack. The sun had just barely fallen so the soldiers would be dining around the campfire. They would not be aware of what was going on around them until it was too late.

She kept her hand held tight to her sword handle as she waited in the darkness for an opening. These camp raids were her specialty. She knew exactly what to expect in the raid and she also knew of the Force's weapons. It would be easy for Ashe to sneak into the camp and do what was needed and then be out before the Force guards could call for reinforcements. Now was her chance.

Springing out of the shadows, Ashe unsheathed her sword and charged at the guards as they sat around the campfire. Many of them were cut down before any of the others were able to spring into action. Once the soldiers had realized what was happening, they scrambled for their weapons and came at Ashe with a look of determination in their eyes. It was a rare opportunity to fight a member of the Retaliation and the guards would take any opportunity they could to defeat one of them. They would not pass up this chance.

Ashe was easily able to block blow after blow, but that was when the unexpected happened. A taser spear was shoved in her side and she fell to the ground in agony as electric pulses shot up her spine. Immediately, Ashe forced herself to her feet and resumed fighting in desperation to stay alive. The guards began to surround her when suddenly one of them, located in the back of the group, raised his laser gun. Ashe saw the laser trained on her and instinctively jumped out of the way before the gun was fired. Instead of her being shot, the guard behind her was struck and immediately fell to the ground.

Where had all of this new technology come from? Merely weeks ago the Forces didn't have any weapons like this. It was her job to know about the Force's weapons and to be up to date with all the latest weaponry that had been created. So how were the Forces able to construct new weapons in secret right under her nose?

One of the soldiers threw something down at Ashe's feet and the guards around her cleared a circle around her. She tried to jump out of the way and was just barely quick enough to dodge the impact of the explosion. Although she was able to escape most of it, she was still sent hurtling into the trunk of a tree, falling limply to the ground.

The remaining guards came at her from the other side of the camp with their weapons raised. Ashe knew that if she didn't act now, this was the end for her.

Taking out the gun from the holster around her waist, she aimed at the guards but didn't shoot. Instead, she shot at the great Gummi ship located behind them. The bullets from her gun blasted the ship in its weak spot where the engine was hiding behind a scrap of metal and it began to slowly tilt forward. When the guards saw the ship falling towards them, they stopped their quest for Ashe's life and began to yell and attempt to get out of the way before they were smashed. Some of them were able to avoid the collision, but a lot of them were crushed by the ship's massive metallic body.

If the remaining guards had looked for Ashe, they wouldn't have found her. She had slipped into the shadows during the distraction she had created and just barely got away. She had finally gone up against something that she couldn't handle and was lucky enough to have escaped with her life.

{EXPOSED}

The road was bumpy and frost bitten early in the morning. The sun was just beginning to peek over the mountains while crisp, fresh air filled Ashe's lungs. It felt as if she had been walking the rugged terrain for weeks and she could feel her feet beginning to ache.

The wind plunged down from the skies, flipping her hair over her face. Ashe's stomach growled in protest at the lack of food for the past few days. Her sword lay in the sheath around her waist while her gun was placed in a holster in a similar fashion. Ashe was very beautiful for her age of nineteen. She had light brown hair with bangs that swept over her face while it was also long and straight that reached all the way down her back. Her eyes were ecstatic bright green in color against her smooth ivory skin, nearly freezing anyone in their tracks who dared to look into her eyes. Ashe was wearing a dress that flowed down to her lower thigh while long brown boots hugged her legs up to her knees. She wore a belt around her skinny waist with a sword hanging from its sheath and a gun placed in its holster. Despite all of her hardships in the past, her inner spirit still had hope and fire which came through in her everything she did. Everybody would know what she stood for and that she wasn't going to let anybody get away without a fight.

She was being hunted, but not just by anybody. The Forces were after anyone who was part of the Retaliation. The Forces had already successfully killed off most of the Retaliation's members and now only a few were left. . For years, Ashe has been hunted, and just last night, she had almost been caught.

The Forces were cruel with a desire to exterminate anyone who would not follow their command. About eight years ago, the Forces had attacked the Kingdom, killing nearly everyone that would not bow down to them. They had taken over, and, now the world was in turmoil. Nobody was safe anymore while there was danger lurking around every corner. Many people were getting killed everyday and because she was loyal to the Retaliation, it was Ashe's job to try and stop that from happening. While she could never take on the entire Forces alone, she could fight against the raiding parties that came to attack innocent people in their villages.

Ashe was a decent fighter. Ever since the evasion of the Kingdom which she herself had barely survived, she had been teaching herself how to fight and now she was well accommodated with the sword and gun. But only if she had known how to fight eight years ago, then perhaps she could have saved Prince Reylic ...

Ashe turned her head and pushed the thought from her mind. It didn't matter anymore. It was a long time ago and he was gone. The Forces had killed him.

As Ashe entered the perimeter of the nearby village, she placed a hand on her sword handle casually, but if any danger should approach suddenly, she was ready. She had chosen this little town to travel to because it was much safer than any of the bigger cities. There were no guards stationed around almost every corner and she would blend in well with the crowd. As long as she was here, she would be under no one's suspicion.

Every street in the town...