The Embers Book I: The First Fires Of War

Chapter Nine: We Burn Them All

Chapter Nine: We Burn Them All

The day was passing in a dull drag with only the morning training with Mylar and Jamie taking up any long amount of time. Their history class was boring seeing as their teacher had decided not to talk about the first battles of the war, and instead focused on why Culhuthe was so determined to wage war. Taylor would've normally been fascinated but his mind was adrift elsewhere thinking about the coming mission to draw out the Cyturion locator and was becoming impatient wishing to get it done now, he felt ready now.

Afterwards he said goodbye to Jamie and wondered off to the Artillery ruins, it had become a hideaway of sorts for him and he always felt at peace there, unlike anywhere else on the site. Which he found out was called Lavernock Point from a man in his mid-twenties called Hernandez from Mexico who'd only been on site for a few months, and probably the only other person aside from his two caravan mates that he'd spoken to. The ruins were named Lavernock Battery; it was the most northerly access to Bristol and Cardiff. Having been completed in 1870 it was built to protect the channel approaches to Bristol and Cardiff shipyards not long after the short lived war between Britain and France that followed the French Revolution.

 It was also outfitted with searchlights, and newer weaponry around the time of the Second World War used to protect a shipping convoy bound for Bristol and Cardiff. It was fascinating and when Taylor arrived he found himself going over the entire place wondering about the history that was made here. How such an amazing feat of warfare which was so important was allowed to fall into the condition that it remained in, it certainly was a shame. The rest of the site was open to the public until a year ago when the company who owned it declared bankruptcy and was forced to sell the place, Ryne had paid double what it was worth but he never gave a reason why when asked about it.

It was eerily quiet today aside from the odd squawk from a passing seagull which only emphasized the peace and calm that Taylor felt there. This was the calmest he'd felt in the last three days he sat out on the grass allowing the sun to warm his skin as he closed his eye's taking a deep breath and exhaling again. It felt like he'd been sat there for hours but in actually fact it was only about twenty minutes by the watch that Ryne had left for him in his caravan. Seeing as he wasn't allowed use of a phone in case it was tracked somehow not that he had any intention of calling anyone all the people he cared about were here with him.

It reminded him that he needed to see his parents, he hadn't spent so much time with them and he also needed to ask Jamie about what was happening about his parents. Especially after his mother ran away screaming her head off after Jamie was set aflame before her very eyes. He was still angry about it, yes it was a shock but it was so cruel of her to react that way. Maybe he saw it that way because of how understanding his family had been and just couldn't understand, who knows.

Taylor hauled himself off the grass to go and see his family when he looked up Lara was stood by the edge of the trees surrounding the artillery ruins. She twiddled her fingers together nervously as she met Taylor's eye's and looked afraid to speak up as she opened her mouth once to form words, but then to close it again and continue fiddling with her hands. This was a different side to the very angry girl that Taylor had come to know since arriving here and couldn't help but wonder if Kimiko had talked some sense into her about her hatred for him.

 If she had it was a miracle as whenever they spoke he could practically feel her malice rolling off of her in waves shocking him every time they hit.

"Kimiko told me that she'd told you what happened with my family and why I've been so difficult with you since you arrived." "I owe you an apology it wasn't fair for me to put the blame on you for my misfortune you only just found out about who you are so it's not your fault that you were born into Arturios bloodline" said Lara she kept her head down as she spoke.