The wind beat fiercely down upon the icy fields of Agryphia. The land was harsh and cold during this season, and a gray fog enveloped it.
A young badger ran desperately through a cornfield. Caitin couldn't see more than two inches in front of him through the fog. He rasped and panted, wheezing for breath. Behind him, the sound of a galloping horse came rapidly. He ran as fast as he could, tripping over his feet but always pulling himself back up.
Then, out of the fog behind him, rode forth a majestic black steed. Its rider, a tall ferret, clad in all black gear and wearing a dark cowl over her face, rode up alongside Caitin and leaned to the side. There was a slash of metal and gurgled scream. Caitin's head flew off his neck like the cork of a bottle. Cloud, the ferret, caught it on her sword as she turned her horse around. She glanced at it, let out a delighted whoop, then drove back into what would be the base tonight.
***
The town had been massacred. Every last civilian had been stabbed, gutted, and most importantly, decapitated. Their heads lay in a large brown sack on the ground next to a burning bonfire. Three vermin lounged around the fire, and three more picked the houses for loot.
Cloud sighed and took a bite out of a drumstick and glanced around at her team of cutthroats. Near the fire were two stoats, Rayzlok and Tesla, lounged. The two were like brothers, both physically and mentally. Rayzlok was a poisoner; Tesla a thief. The two refused to work with anyone but each other.
Nearby, a tall elderly fox with a glass eye picked a piece of meat apart while glancing at a philosophical text. Daedalus was the most intelligent and cunning of the group, an expert in disguise and sabotage.
Picking apart a large house to her left was Ahks, an overgrown rat with a violent temper. Ahks was a liability, moreso than anyone else on the team. He had to constantly be reassured of his status or else he was likely to go berserk. Still, when combat went sour, there wasn't anyone else you'd rather have had on your side.
Busily setting a nearby shack on fire was Icefang. Icefang, a handsome wolf mercenary, had been with Cloud longer than anyone else. The two had a long history; there even had been some romance between them. But that was years ago, back when Aegisthus still ruled the land.
And then there was Ember. Cloud had run into Ember a few weeks back, off the northern coast. She'd apparently been some sort of pirate captain; she had the earrings and tattoos to back it up. Her ship had been sunk, or so she claimed. Ember had asked for protection and safe passage into Ogygia, the Agryphian capital. Cloud was dubious, but Ember had had the money and jewelry to pique Cloud's interest. When, halfway to the capital, they were set upon by a pack of thieves, Ember had managed to take them all out at once. Cloud had invited Ember onto the team.
In retrospect, she mused, that may not have been a wise decision. Ember seemed flakier than most; she'd been dubious in killing the townspeople in this latest mission. Emotionally, she was a ticking time bomb; just yesterday she almost took Tesla's arm off with that goddamn dirk. Oh well, Cloud reasoned. She'd deal with Ember when it became necessary.
Icefang walked up and lay down next to Cloud.
"Yes Icefang? You look unhappy." she asked
"I dunno..." he shrugged. "This whole business just...well...I guess I just miss the good old days."
"Those days are passed, Ice." Cloud shrugged. "Aegisthus is dead."
"I know I know. It's just that, well, look at us! We just slaughtered a town of civilians, took their loot, and framed a bunch of fishermen (who, may I add, we also slaughtered) for it, just to make that goddamn Empress look good."
Cloud fiddled with a dagger. "It's business, Ice. She pays better than anyone else, and is the most trustworthy employer we've ever had."
Icefang narrowed his eyes.
Cloud sighed. "Alright, second most trustworthy. But Aegisthus is dead. He was a great king and he ruled the land and paid well-,"
"But that bitch Tsar backstabbed him and took over his kingdom."
"Hey...you might want to watch that mouth. You know how mindlessly patriotic Ahks can get."
Ice put his head in his hands. "I don't know anymore. I guess I once felt we were perfect anti-heroes, ideal mercenaries and tough guys. But now...now we're just petty thugs."
Cloud leaned over. "Listen, Ice...things are going to change. With the way Tsar is ruling this land, there's going to be a revolution. And when that happens, it's all gonna change. Either we're gonna find work with some new and better rule...or we're going to be labeled murderers and we'll have to flee and find better work elsewhere. But I can assure you either way...we milk Tsar for all she's worth and when times start to go sour..."
"I guess...it's just that..." Icefang searched for words. "Don't you ever want to be more than just a mercenary? Maybe ever ruling this godforsaken country? I mean, we've got some of the most intelligent beasts in the country here...why are we wasting our time following orders when we could be making the orders?"
Cloud laughed and ran her hand down Icefang's cheek. "Oh Icey...aspirations of greatness...that always was your weakness."
Icefang sighed and got up, leaving Cloud alone.
Cloud would be right and wrong, in the end. There would be a revolution. But for the seven mercenaries of the Agryphian fields...things would only get worse.