For the Lost

Prologue

A red sun is half hidden by the dark mountains in the horizon. Wispy clouds float lightly in the air, while the blood-red dusk looks menacingly over green valleys and scattered lakes and ponds. A rabbit hops out from beyond a bush, pauses timidly, and proceeds to head straight for the patch of fresh greens on the other side of the clearing. The pair of eyes looking from under the pile of leaves a few feet away narrow, almost in humor, as the Grey wolf jumps out and heads to the rabbit's den. Inside were the baby bunnies, huddled in a corner. Their large eyes stare fearfully at the jaws of sharp white teeth, but they have no way to escape their fate of being in his stomach.
Suddenly a zing sound is heard, and a metal rope attaches itself to the wolf's bushy tail. He yelps, and try to run away, but the rope holds fast, and it reels him in, his claws digging into the ground as he struggles for freedom. His still struggling body finally lay against a pair of black boots and his back is almost covered by the hem of a black leather trench coat.
"Just like a man. First you gotta get a tight hold of them on their tail, and then just drag them in." The woman holding the automated rope dispenser taps it on her other gloved palm, nonchalantly looking at the large wolf at her feet. "Then you have to test their stupidity..." Just as she finished speaking, the wolf snarled and without a warning, lunged at her neck. Without flinching or moving an inch, the woman pressed a trio of buttons on the dispenser and a buzz is heard as the wolf snarls fade into whimpering, the fur around its tail slightly smoking from the electricity. "...and lastly, you show them who's boss." A feral grin crosses her face.
"Vastira, don't be so cruel to the poor soul." A tall, androgynous figure with black hair and skin the color of vibrant chestnut walks up behind her, glancing serenely at the wolf, who is now just calmly lying on the ground, cleaning its paw. On the left side of his face is a tattoo of an ancient mediation symbol, etched onto one Selected from each generation, while his body is covered with white slacks and a bright blue scarf. His torso is bare.
The smile doesn't leave her face. "No, Penny. It's not cruel as long as you don't kill them."
A woman with a soft gait, an ample chest, and waves of curly brown hair glides to the den, where she kneels to look in. She smiles softly. "Tira had a reason, Pen. They're all okay." At first her hands reaches into the den to pet the bunnies, but then a shadow falls upon her face, and she draws her hands back. She stares at her hand, drops her head, and gets up. The light silky dress-pants flows gently around and behind her.
Vastira rolled her eyes. "Mhm-hm. Alexia's right. I saved the bunnies. Woo-hoo! Now they can be our dinner." She released the grip on the wolf's tail, and retracted the rope, sliding the dispenser into a thigh-holster. The wolf looked at her. She looked at the wolf.
He got up, licked her hand, and then laid down again.
Someone behind her released a large breath. "Geez, Tira. How can you ever be so calm when an uncontrollable ferocious animal is right there?!?" Vastira turns around, and puts her hand on the speaker's shoulders.
"Meem, it's all about skill and practice."
Staring disbelievingly at Vastira were light brown eyes, on a petite and delicate face, ringed by large brown curls. Her mouth curved into a frown. "It's Mimi, Tira. I hate that nickname." Pause. "Plus, aren't you hot in that crazy black getup?"
"Baby, I'm always hot."
Mimi scoffs, while Penny curls his lip. Alexia doesn't even notice. She sits on a rock and stares into the distance.
Mimi strides away from a grinning Vastira, who crosses her arms and stares at her retreating back. Khaki capris, a two-layer white and green top, and a green hat, along with an impressively thick belt, completes the team leader's image.
She stands on the edge of a hill, looking down into the valley. Small piles of cinders lay in circles.
"They were just here not too long ago."
Alexia closes her eyes and breathes in deeply. She slowly opens them. "There's two different scents. One going that way," she said, pointing towards the mountains, "and one going that way." Her finger changes direction, toward a lake where a flock of black crows are flying and cawing over.
"But we also have," Penny included, his mouth barely moving as he talks, "a team right on our heels." He glances over at the individual members of the group. Peaceful, deceptively-innocent Alexia, strong and stubborn Mimi, forceful and cynical Vastira.
"What are we going to do?"
"Well, for Natas's sake we can't move to two places at once," Vastira adds, rechecking the pistols and knives on various part of her body, "but we also can't stay here."
Mimi takes out a throwing star from her side pouch. "That leaves us with only one choice." Her hand glides over the edges and contours of the weapon.
"In order for us to avenge the murder of our village..." Penny begins.
"...we must kill them all." Alexia whispers.
"Without being killed first," Vastira adds.
"Lethal Q," Mimi begins, "our joint journey must stop at this point. Our goal to form a Team was not to bond, not to have dreams, not to play around. It was merely a tool for us to start somewhere, in our hunt to bring down those who have brought us down."
Penny draws out something from his chest pocket. In his palm are four amulets, each having a different symbol sewed onto the packet.
"For Mimi, we have Earth," he murmurs, "as stable and solid as the land we tread upon." He hands her a brown amulet. He gives the green one to Alexia. "For Alexia we have water, as gentle but as unpredictable as can be." He hands the red one to Vastira. "For you we have Flame, as passionate and voracious as the brightest light from the sun in the sky." He clasps the blue amulet. "And for me, I have the air, everywhere but nowhere."
All at once, the four put the amulets around their necks.
"We have two Fighter and two Seekers in our midst. Alexia and Vastira, you will go to the Vortex Mountains. Penny,you will be with me, and we will seek the other team. Remember our goal."
Alexia's eyes widen. "We're definitely splitting?"
Mimi looks down. "Yes. As leader, I must make it so we don't lose sight of why we are here. Remember that. And when you stumble across wealth, shun it."
"When you begin to dream, wake up." Penny's gentle voice carries as far as the wolf's ears.
"When you start to doubt, remember our dying parents' faces." Tears roll down Alexia's face.
Vastira pulls out a Magnum. "And when you see love, shoot it."
"Lethal Quartet, don't forget!" Mimi holds up a ceremonial knife, of which there was only four of the same kind. Each member draws out their own, handmade and handbeaten, on the cold stones of their village's ravaged streets.
With one last glance at each other, they split into their respective groups, and set out.