Chapter 87: High Noon
It was the morning of the iron alchemist tournament and there was a stir in the city.
The streets were swarming with people from all across Texionya; any and all who could afford the steep entrance fee. Dressed in their finests lavish suits and colorful dresses. Men wearing large and small hats, some tall and brimmed, others plump and round, made of leathers, straw, and felt. And the woman with their fine bonnets and velvet hats, pinned with dazzling rosettes, golden ribbons, and ostrich plumes. Each one of them headed up the western hillside, where the High Noon colosseum waited for their arrival.
Boone Rigger fidgeted with his gun belt, nerves awoken, hands trembling. He took a slow and steady breath, locking the belt. "Everything is going to be alright … breath … just breath."
He looked down at his Grandpappy, leaned over, and gave a gentle kiss on his forehead. "You and Ma Jean watch over us … and welcome any of us who ride into the prairie."
For once, his Pappy seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Eyes shut. Hands on his chest. Ready to be placed in his coffin and transported to his final resting place. Boone gave him one last kiss on his cold forehead than left the room, darting down the stairs, and into the room with the many chimneys.
A blur darted from the cellar, "Boone!"
The boy jolted back, reaching for his gun. Hands shaking uncontrollably. He looked at the boy with midnight skin and a scarlet robe then took another breath.
"Oakot, you testing me or something … I could've killed you—"
He grabbed his shoulder, and whispered, "you need to listen to me." His eyes white and wide, looking over his shoulder, nobody was there. "Don't go to the tournament …"
Boone eyebrows furrowed and he pulled his shoulder away, "I must … what's gotten into you?"
Oakot grabbed ahold of his shoulder and walked him to the corner where the jar was empty on the stand. He pointed, "the Psycrasites …"
Boone was puzzled, examing the jar that held creature. "What about 'em? Did it get out? If so, keep it away from my pappy … I'll need you to watch after them—"
"The Psycrasites are being used in the tournament. You must understand, I've helped my Master … Horrible things we did to the prisoners … ungodly things."
Boone wrinkled his nose, feeling uneasy. "I don't follow … I'm sorry. I must be going."
"The throat," Oakot swallowed, clutching his neck. "They reside in the throat. Shoot there or they will not stop …"
"What won't stop?"
"Shadowwalkers…" The boys head jerked and eye twitched.
Boone nodded, walking to door backwards. "I'll take that into account. You take care, ya hear." He opened the door and walked outside.
Jostice and Leslie sat up front in a wagon she had acquired, while the Yurk and Bork sat in the back, with room for many more. Boone climbed inside, taking a seat besides Grotknot.
"You alright, Laddy?"
Boone nodded, keeping his head down. It didn't help, he still felt Oakot's large round eyes on them.
"Fine … just go."
They should've left hours prior. The ride through the dense streets was slow moving, even at the suns early morning peak towards the east. They zigges and zagged, trying to navigate the crowds. Lucky for them, most the townsfolk still saw Leslie as their Sheriff. Even praising and waving a hand as she passed by, opening pathways in the crowd to allow them passage.
"Thank you," Leslie said, smiling and waving a hand.
Boone caught a glimpse of a young girl, not any older than he, but beautiful, with midnight hair, a ragged robe, and chestnut eyes filled with hope. She was one of the beggar girls. An indeginios to the southern lands, he believed. And her eyes spoke of more hope than he'd ever felt inside himself.
Kyina said, "be safe out there, Sheriff! We'll be rooting for you."
Sheriff smiled once more, "thank you …"
Once they had found distance, Boone leaned forward and asked, "who was that girl?"
Leslie said, "Kyina. One of the girls of the streets. As Sheriff, I worked hard to help those who were homeless, and she was their advocate, but my efforts were often ignored by the Mayor. And now that I think about it, unless it served his purposes, he never listened to reason."
Jostice spat. "That will go against him come reelection. The sick and the homeless make up the greater population ... them and the church folk. He made many promises, but kept few, only serving those with deep pockets. Enough to support his silly games…"
Boone looked and found the girl by the light in her eyes. A young boy on her hip and a young girl hanging on her hand. Even through the darkness and the crowd, she glowed. Dirty yet beautiful.
Another worth fighting for, He thought.
The wagon squeaked and the horses huffed on their way up the hillside. Rising higher and higher, giving them a birdseye view of the city below; a sea of brown squared tops made up the roofs while to the east, the large chapel sat glimmering in the dawns sun. A pair of marble horse statues at the front, standing on their hind legs, hooves towards the sky; Jasper and Romidar; the horse's that took one to the prairie lands.
At the top, Boone leaned back, arching his neck. The others did the same. "Would you look at that?"
"Wow, Laddy," Grotknot guffawed. "Never seen one as grand as this…"
High Noon towered to the cloud, made up of redstone canyon walls, ringed around the top of the hill. A natural fortification. Once used as the home of the Ogank tribe before they were smoked out by the pioneers, and chased into Liberty Canyon in the east.
"There's a maze of passageways inside the ring," Jostice said. "I've never fought here, only the biggest tournaments are held inside, but I've heard the stories. We need to stick together if we are to survive. There will be many alliances … and whatever else the Mayor has planned … stick together or you'll take a wrong turn and be on your own."
They all agreed.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone