The Adventures of Arturo Vol. 2 Death in the Family

Chapter 1: One Cold Night

As the trio make their way to the Town of Peaks to confront Isaac and to rescue Alice. The further north they get the colder and more harsh the weather became. It's already been three weeks since they left the Town of Glimmer, their new town of operations. They've stopped in multiple smaller villages along the way to resupply, Shin and Arturo have been training hard together and Sara has been researching different medicinal herbs. Sophia has also been bonding with the twins, but still hasn't truly accepted them as people to trust. Arturo turned 14 during the their three week trek, his birthday is in the middle of winter. The trio is still another week away from the Town of Peaks.

"It's getting real cold and windy isn't guys." Shin said shivering.

"You're right, we need to hunker down soon or we're not going to make it through this storm coming. Even with my higher body temperature, I don't think I could survive either." Arturo replied with concern.

"Let's go over to that cave over there." Sara pointed.

"I'll throw some needles in there, to scare off anything that's inside."

Shin threw two charged needles inside the cave and activated both to cause an explosion.

"Nothing? I'll go inside to check things out." Arturo walked in.

"All clear guys!"

Shin and Arturo took time to secure the entrance of the cave, while Sara set up a fire and the rest camp. The trio shared a good meal together and went to bed early to sleep through the storm.

"Arturo.... Arturo.. can you hear me? Arturo! Please help me..."

"Huh...What!" Arturo sprang up from a dead sleep.

"What's wrong Arturo? Did you hear something." Shin questioned curiously.

"No, it was nothing." Arturo laid back down and went to sleep.

That following morning, the blizzard died down and was safe to travel again.

"Alright guys! Everyone ready?" Sara asked the two boys.

"Ready! And I think Arturo is already outside."

"I'm here. Just waiting to go" Arturo waved at the other two.

The group left the cave they called home for the night and continued to the Town of Peaks. The rest of the journey is a fairly simple trek just past a high canopy pine forest.

"I don't like this feeling Arturo, something is waiting for us in this forest."

"Hey guys, keep your guard up Sophia just told me that there's something dangerous lurking about. Sophia join me." Sophia descended down and wrapped herself around Arturo.

"Sophia? Can you walk at all, We've only been traveling together for so long, but it seems you've only clung to Arturo."

"I can, but cannot at the same time, long story short. I am not from this plane of existence, if I were to walk on this ground I would scorch the landscape, if I were to touch you I would burn your skin. I am bound to Arturo, so I can only be free if I'm touching him."

"Hmph, what if you hold his hand or something at the same time?" Sara said with a smirk on her face.

"Let's see." Sophia grabbed Arturo's hand and placed her foot on the ground and began walking.

"You can't walk can you?" Shin said rolling his eyes.

"No, I can't, we don't walk where I'm from."

"Haha, don't worry Sophia, just hang out on me."

As the group were sharing laughs walking through the pine forest, they failed to notice a group of thieves stalking their shadows. A sound of an arrow whistled through the air going straight towards the trio.

"Get down! Get behind the trees!" Arturo yelled while the land was being speckled by arrows.

"Holy s*** Arturo, what was that?"

"I don't know Shin but we're about to find out. Do you see those rocks over there?"

"I do yes."

"I want you and Sara to run over and hide behind them, I'm going to release a cloud of ash to cover us. Go Shin run! Rising ash cloud!" The trio ran to the rock successfully.

"Let's just keep running guys."

"That's not going to work with these guys Sara, there's probably more of them and we don't know where they are. We'll have to fight them." Arturo said trying to catch his breath.

Shin sat with his hands covering his face rocking back and forth.

"What are we going to do! What did I get myself into, I'm not a fighter! I'm freaking out guys."

"Enough Shin! Grow up we're adventures now!" Sara yelled at Shin.

"Alright this is what we're going to do, they're going to find us here if we don't start moving. We're going to run back to the cave we stayed in last night and regroup. It's not far away and more than likely they won't follow, but we'll have to run separately, smaller targets you know."

"Okay!"

"Let's do it..."

"On me guys, 1..2..3! Rising ash....."

The bandits grabbed the trio and subdued them on the ground.

"I don't think so, not this time. You think you're the only ones with fancy tricks, we're the Pelt Bandits. We never miss our targets, you're coming with us."

The bandits blindfolded the trio and dragged them back to their hideout to their master. A hulking black wolf named Ulrik, with piercing green eyes and razor sharp teeth.

"What do we have here, a group of dirty kids. What is the meaning of bringing these little bastards to me." Ulrik questioned his followers.

"They're for you master, they have magical essence within them. The one with slicked back hair is especially interesting. The others have potential too."

Ulrik rose up and began circling around the trio. He walked up Arturo and took a deep smell, giving him a haunting smile.

"I can sense a great power within you kid, I feel the heat radiating off of you. I'm going to save you for last. Bring me the other male!" Ulrik walked back to his slumber.

One of Ulrik's henchman grabbed a kicking and screaming Shin.

"Don't touch me! Help me Arturo, Sara please! I can't die!"

Arturo and Sara started fighting back but were quickly beaten down by the other bandits. An unconscious Sara had both of her arms dislocated and was tied up to a log. Arturo had stakes nailed into his palms and chained to the ground.

"Shin..... don't go.. Sophia please help me..." Arturo said faintly before falling unconscious.