Way of the Wolf and the Raven: Story 4 – Righteous Lawbreakers

Story 4 – Righteous Lawbreakers

We unleash the fury of our guns and cannons onto the unexpecting British soldiers below us and within minutes, an entire platoon of them are dead. My company cheers in excitement and plan to celebrate, however, I know that they’ll come back with more so I start making plans for new defenses, counter attacks, and ways to hurt them on their own turf.

“Come on and relax a little. Vincent!” someone says behind me.

“Yes?” I say while still concentrating on my plans.

“Stop fiddling with those plans and celebrate our victory! You deserve it the most out of all of us for doing most of the planning. Leave the planning to the Revolutionaries.”

“They’re too busy dealing with the British in the main colonies. We need to fend for ourselves so that they have less to deal with. Besides, this is our land. I don’t plan on joining that union of states I heard they’re planning on making. I’m tired of being under monarchies and the persecution of heretics that make themselves the authority on scripture and tradition.”

“I hear you. I’m just saying that you shouldn’t worry as much.”

A shot rings out and hits someone in our group. Before we know it, we’re surrounding and our homes and farms behind us are on fire. Everything is a blur after that as I try to fight off our enemies while trying to save everyone I can and failing at every attempt. A burning house almost collapses on me after I useless try to save a family that was burning alive. Eventually, I somehow make it out of the area and rest underneath a tree. What’s even stranger is that I have minor cuts and burns on me as if I never put myself on the line for my people.

I’ll need the help of the colonies or at least help them first before they can help me to get my land back, but then they’ll probably want to take it for themselves or have some kind of compensation for taking it back for me. It’s either that or I submit to the British. I’m not sure what’s worse at this point. Ah! Someone almost shot me! Must be a British soldier who found me. We both exchange fire until it sounds like we both run out of ammo. My pistol does have one shot in it, but I want to save it for later and make the enemy think I’m out of ammo.

“How about we talk about this? You let me go and I disappear never to be seen again. It’ll make this easier for the both of us,” I suggest.

“I’m here for you so there’s no letting you go,” a man says.

“Here for me? What did I do?”

“You were the one who fired the first shot at the riot at Boston and also participated and organized the tea mess at the harbor.”

“I didn’t fire the first shot at the massacre though I am guilty of throwing overly expensive tea into the harbor, but why are you all the way out here instead of going after the others guilty of the same thing in the main colonies?”

“Don’t act like you know the reason, Raven. You and your kind have started a revolution that will only end in the bloodshed.”

“Oh, a Wolf. You’re far from your masters across the sea, aren’t you?”

“What? The Wolves are no friend of the crown. We merely tolerate them. We could’ve put the right people in power that would’ve given the colonies their independence if you didn’t mess up everything up.”

“Try telling a family who’s struggling to feed their children and a man whose life is being crushed underneath the weight of taxes to wait for something that they don’t know about it or know if it’s really for their own good.”

“As if you understand what that’s like. We know that you’re from a wealthy British family. It’s no wonder how you were able to get land, the tools and materials you needed to build a small town here, and the weapons to defend it with.”

“And what are you some poor homeless man I didn’t give money to on the street?”

“I probably was.”

“I thought the Wolves only recruited those in power.”

I hear someone running up to me and manage to block their attack with my sword. We then cross swords and duel it out.

“We’re not like the Ravens that just kill and force their own into positions of power like what you’re doing in the colonies.”

“And the Wolves don’t do the same? Don’t make me laugh.”

“They brought my family out of poverty!”

“They also put others into poverty or worse. Why do you think I’m here and joined the Ravens? At least they know the struggles the average citizen goes through and will let you live in peace without restraining you to the group.”

“The Wolves don’t restrain me. They gave me my own land in this new world for my family. The only thing I have to do is show everyone I come across the same kindness that the Wolves showed me. I can take whatever mission I want and I took this one so this new land can be at peace for my family and those who call it home.”

“It’s the same thing for the Ravens. We want to protect this land and the freedom it offers just as much as you. If you truly want peace, then stop this fighting, and let’s reach an understanding. We can make something out of this mess of a revolution by making the Wolves and Ravens come together and make a better future here.” I get some distance from the man before holding out my hand. “Deal?”

“Do you really think the largest empire in the world will just let us be when we’ve taken their land in this new world?”

“We can make them understand.”

The man seems to be curious about me and slightly lowers his sword. Come on and shake my hand. It’s getting tired from holding it out so long.

“Fine,” the man says as he shakes my hand.

“Thank you. Once the revolution ends, we can fight over the rules of the land.”

I really didn’t think that would work.

“We already have members in the colonial government as a backup. The Wolves will have our way in the end.”

“We’ll see.”

“What? Do you think the country will become a mix of a republic or a democracy like they’re planning? That won’t work out for you because the ones who solidify their place in the land will determine its direction.”

“You’re acting as if the Ravens aren’t doing that as well. I know most of the revolutionaries are Ravens or at least sympathetic to our cause.”

“Really? Name them.”

“If I did, then you would tell your Wolf buddies. Now, come on. Let’s get out of here. I’m tired and those British soldiers that attacked my home must still be around here. What’s your name?”

“Alden.”

“The name’s Vincent. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Sure.”

Vincent and I argue about whose group and way of living is better all the way to the nearest town. I’m not sure which is more painful. My minor wounds or the ear pain that he gives me. I even collapse to the ground and pretend to be in pain.

“What’s wrong?” he asks as if he’s actually concerned.

“It’s nothing. Actually, your constant inane arguments are starting to take their toll on me. I’m not sure if I can make it.” Ah! He kicked me! “What was that for?”

“Idiot.”

We make it to a doctor who treats my wounds and tells me to rest for the day. Strangely enough, the doctor doesn’t ask why I was injured, but I guess people are more concerned about the revolution ending and being free here rather than other people’s business. Alden and I rest in our own rooms in an inn and decide to plan on what to do next tomorrow morning. A noise in the night wakes me up. Listening closer, it sounds like the screaming of a woman. I grab my sword, rifle, and pistol and follow the sound of the noise to find some British soldiers, a couple dead bodies, and a few colonists all of which have blood on them.

“What’s going on here?!” I ask with my pistol drawn.

“These redcoats came here and wanted to take over this house. They killed these people who were just trying to defend their home,” a colonist says.

“That’s not true! We’re defectors that are trying to warn this town about the approaching threat of soldiers that were sent here to take the revolutionary army by surprise. You must prepare and be ready! They’ll be here in a few days!” a British soldier explains.

“Don’t listen to them! We should just ignore their lies and kill them for their crimes!”

“Please you must listen to us! Here. We’ll drop our weapons to prove our intentions.” The soldier drops his weapon while the others hesitate to do so. “Do it, boys!”

The rest of the soldiers drop their weapons and hold up their hands.

“I believe them. So, how did these people die then?” I ask.

“They died defending their home!” a colonist says.

“They did. They didn’t believe us and we had to defend ourselves,” a British soldier admits.

“Then give them a proper burial. We have preparations to make tomorrow.”

“But these British-”

“These British are risking their lives to save ours. Now, do as I say and leave them alone. Apologize too if you have any humanity in you.”

I leave the scene and go back to the inn and immediately fall asleep, but it feels like the night instantly switched to the morning because I’m waken up by a ruckus outside. What is this now? Did the British leave this town because it was so noisy? Going outside, I find a crowd gathered around an execution area where the British soldiers from yesterday are about to be hung. They’re being accused by the same people of yesterday of false charges. Damn idiots. I force my way through the crowd, draw my pistol, and point it at them.

“What is going on here?! I thought I told you to these men alone!” I say.

“Back away, crown sympathizer, or would you sacrifice your life for these men because you believe they’re innocent?” one of the colonists says while I’m surrounded by men with swords in their hands.

With a single shot of my pistol, I free the soldiers by shooting the part of the noose that’s connected to the top beam. I then pull out my sword before being surprised to find Alden by my side with his sword and pistol drawn.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“You didn’t think I wouldn’t about what happened last night or what’s happening now? People like you need me to take you out of messes that you started,” he answers.

We then fight and kill the colonists before we face the crowd who yell at us for what we’ve done.

“Listen to me! These men are innocent! They came here to warn us about a British force coming this way! You have to listen! Quiet down!” I say before Alden shoots his pistol into the air.

As the crowd quiets down, he says, “Let the man speak! What are you, the royal courts?”

“We decide what’s right and wrong around here and, in this day and age, the British are not allowed on our land!” one woman says.

“This is our land and we won’t let anyone tell us what to do,” another says.

“What are you all, gods? You can’t decide what’s right or wrong,” I say.

“Why not? The royals and the clergy do it all the time!” a man says.

“They may decide the laws and the rules in their respective fields but they do not decide what is right or wrong either. No human can. The times do not decide it either.”

“Aren’t you deciding it by telling us what to think?” one colonist points out.

“I’m not. I’m telling you the truth. If there isn’t anything that’s always definitively true, then you end up in situations like this where you’ll hang innocent men because you’re biased against them or you get tyrants like those in the British empire that thinks they can do whatever they want to the colonies just because they own them. You’re no different than them if you impose your false truth on others and do so for whatever excuses you have. The sun doesn’t become the moon on a Sunday, men don’t become women in July, and God doesn’t become the devil in the summer. If you understand what I’m saying, then you know that we do not decide what is true and what is right and wrong. We can only find the truth and live by it and when we do this, we are truly free.

That is why we’re breaking the laws imposed upon us by the empire. We’re taking back the God-given freedom that’s due to us. These men tell us that the British are coming to deprive us of what is rightfully ours. Shouldn’t we take up our arms and fight? Isn’t your freedom the reason why we broke away from the empire or did you come out here to live like degenerates like run away children? Stand with me against those who would oppress us and protect what is yours!”

The crowd cheers for me and starts to organize themselves.

“Vincent,” Alten says.

“What? Something wrong with my speech?”

“No. It’s just that if you’d say something like that earlier to the crowds that you lead and to me when we fought then the Wolves wouldn’t have tried to come after you.”

I turn to the soldiers, “How much time do we have?”

“A couple days at best,” a soldier says.

“That’s fine.”

“Really?”

“No, not really but it’s better than it being tomorrow.” I turn back to Alten and say, “Tell your allies what I said and bring as many as you can. I’ll do the same and plan out how to defend this town from there.”

Alten agrees to do this and we get our allies and all the guns and cannons that we can get. When we come together, our allies are wary of being together.

“This has to be a rare sight. Ravens and Wolves working together for a common cause that will create a home in a new world,” I say.

“It’ll probably be the only time in history that this will happen,” Alten points out.

“Then let’s make this battle look like it. For freedom! For truth! For all that is good in the world, we will have victory!” I say as the town yells in one battle cry.

The town, Ravens, and Wolves get into their positions as we eagerly await the British, and eventually, they come right where we want them to be. They fall into our traps as group after group falls to cannon fire and barrages of gunfire. Once larger forces arrive, we retreat into the town and use the buildings, corners, and stacks of boxes and wagons as cover. Again, just like the battle that destroyed my home, this one becomes a blur of fighting, death, and loss. The strangest things that I remember seeing are Ravens and Wolves, strangers and enemies sacrificing themselves for one another. I think I even saw Alten trying to save me, so it must’ve been a delusion.

By the end of the battle, the town lays in burning ruins along with its townsfolk with the only people left standing are a few Wolves, Ravens, and a single British soldier that told us about this attack.

“Finally…victory,” Alten says as he sits beside me.

He’s all burned and banged up like I was. Like I am now that look at myself. The pain of the battle kicks in as I find it a little hard to move.

“We just secured the independence of the colonies, but no one will remember it. Most of everyone who witnessed it are dead or half dead and it’s going to take a while to get to the next settlement,” I say.

“That’s fine with me.”

“That’s fine with me too as long as the colonies decide not to fight each other.”

“You know they eventually will like how the Ravens and Wolves will go back to fighting each other after this.”

“Yeah, here. Let me throw the first punch.” I give Alten a little push on the chest with my fist and he has the nerve to return it with an actual punch in my gut. “Are you never not going to kick me when I’m down?”

“It was a punch this time. Besides, the real battle between us is ideological, not physical.”

“Okay, then here’s an ideological first punch. Wolves is a dumb name to go by because we Ravens mock you by calling you dogs or mutts. You guys can’t come up with anything that mocks us in the same way. What are you going to call us? Birds?”

“How about fowl or chickens?”

“Fowl is a good one. I never thought of that to be honest with you.”

“Haha, you’re a moron.”

“Come on now, you have to come up with an insulting bird name for the Ravens. It’ll greatly help you mutts in your ideological war with us. Don’t you know that name calling is a powerful tool?”

We then start our long journey to the nearest settlement joking and talking as if we were all friends. Seeing this makes me believe that the colonies will have a bright future. No, I do believe it. The Ravens and Wolves will guide the people here to make it better than anything in Europe, Britain, and the entire world.