Mare

The 17th Horseman

My Heaven

-The Charge of the 17th Horseman-

By Michael James

Part 1

You're my favorite

In the stable,

filled with horses...

“Okay Mara, your baby is almost out. Just one more big push.” Mara screamed loudly and the next noise, was her daughter. “It's a girl Mara, I'll put her in a blanket. It is snowing outside after all. Mara took her baby in her arms. The father came in from outside. She looked into her newborns eyes and called her Mare, as her baby smiled. The midwife told the mom she needed to rest. It had been 11 hours of labor, but Mara didn't hear a word the midwife said.

What was more spectacular was every one of the dozens of horses. Lowered their head to pay respect to the new horseman. The husband was told to expect this honor, but didn't understand it. He also didn't understand why she had to be born in the stable.

7 years later...

“Mama, look at me I'm riding her.” Jess the father, had raised a painted horse for his girl. He finally allowed Mare to ride her. Mara was watching from the window making lunch. At her side was Conquest, making sure she wasn't going to fall. Mara had been growing weak recently. It was her wish to live to Mare's 10th birthday.

“Cooking really isn't my thing master, but you should rest.” Mara told him to try not to burn the meat. “Death, why don't you help her to the sofa.” He walked in the kitchen and allowed her to use him as a crutch. Once on the couch Mara fell asleep. War came and put a blanket over her. While Pestilence and Famine were out watching Mare.

“The horsemen of the apocalypse have always served as the right hands to the horseman and her mother. Mind you they were not wearing armor. They were dressed in civilian clothes.

“Jess” shouted Conquest! Mare turned her horse to the house as he asked what he needed? Conquest only moved his finger to come. Jess asked Famine to make sure Mare didn't get bucked off or fall off. As her father went inside Mare moved from side saddle to regular riding. She gave her horse the name Vanilla and asked her to ride hard.” Vanilla started running away from the house, charging across the empty fields at great speed. Famine was right behind her on his horse.

“Famine race me, Vanilla, go as fast as the wind!” Famine would let her win even if she were an adult. And as expected, Vanilla's hoof prints became fire and she took off faster than a race car. Famine stayed with her as they crossed dozens of miles in minutes. Finally, they came to a town with a space port. As she stopped on the town boarder. A bunch of creepy guys swarmed her.

“Hey little thing, where did you come from? Why don't you get off that horse. We'll give you a good price for it.” Famine was watching to see what she could do. When Mare was done with them. Their skin was charred black as night.

“Did I do well Famine?” He asked why they were still alive? “I didn't feel like killing anyone today. Where do those ships go?” Many places, the ganta was a vast place with nearly no limits. “I cant wait to be old enough to get out on my own.” Mare watched the ships come and go on Vanilla for a while. “Got any coin on you? I'd like something to eat, you look hungry yourself.”

Famine was skin and bones as part of his legacy. He knew that was a pun though. As he said to her he had plenty, but she was to stay near him at all times.

After checking their horses, Mare walked through town holding Famines hand. A few people stared, but no trouble. He took her to a diner ship that hovered over the city. It fascinated her to be above ground. As she looked out of the force field.

“Famine you're my favorite, you know that? I am well aware you think you're the weakest of the 5. Regardless I've always liked you the best. Ever since I was 3 and I got scared during that storm. Mother and father had gone to some meeting with my kin. You held me tight during all that lightning and thunder. I fell asleep in your arms.”

“Milady...” said Conquest telepathically breaking the tension. Mare asked what did he want? “You've been gone a while. I guess you no longer need lunch saved for you...

Part 2

After she grew up

On another planet,

in a taken city...

“Master, you know you can just flood the entire area with fire. Is this charade really necessary?” Mare told Conquest that she wanted to have some fun. An invading army took the who nation and are executing many. It was time for her to make a name for herself. “Very well, Famine, you watch her like a hawk!”

On a high building...

“Oh I bet you don't like getting hit, don't you boy.” There were 5 guys and one captured boy on top of a modern earth 7 story building. These were wicked men just beating the hell out of the kid. It was the dead of night and all 3 moons were in the sky.

“Shut the kid up for a moment!”

“What is it?” Where was the light coming from over the hill? One guy held his hand over the boys mouth while they looked at the mountain. Which was surrounding one side of the city. It looked as though the whole mountain was on fire. What was really confusing was the flames were moving in a way they shouldn't.

“Sound the alarm..!”

Coming down the rock face,

with 50,000 horses of fire...

“Conquest... I want the emperor brought to me alive. Death, find the officers a kill them all. War, take the right. Pestilence take the left and Famine your with me in the center...”

“RIGHT” they all spoke at once...

As the fire horse broke through the ranks burning enemies as they went. Famine asked if she thought this through? Mare asked what he meant? Were they just slaughtering the invading army as went or was there a purpose? Mare told him, that he knew her grudge against the emperor. His entire army will burn.

In a church...

“My girl... please give me my girl back!” The captain shot the father as he drug the girl away. This 14 year old was fighting him as much as she could.

“Lock them in and set the building on fire. I'm taking this girl across the street for a little business.” They paused when they saw the fire in the distance getting closer. “Deal with it, come on you little whore.” One of his men screamed out rider. Death was going as fast as a motorcycle right at the captain. He cut him in half with his scythe clean as a dandelion head. The girl screamed to help them in the church. Death turned around and was hit with hundreds of bullets in a matter of seconds, but it did nothing. About 45 soldiers stood there wondering what would happen next.

“May you all feel my wrath” he said in a ghastly voice.” Every one of their facial entries blazed out fire from within and they all died. Death turned his horse and took off.

Towards the front lines. Any good soldier would do this. They opened fire at the approaching doom. However, the horses were literately made of flame. It was more pointless than stabbing water with a sword. Conquest was making his way to the ship port. Where he knew he would find the emperor. While the other 3 horsemen led the charge. Until Mare saw a 5 year old boy in the street.

Like a collective, the horses knew from Mare to only attack the invaders. Mare stopped Vanilla, and helped the boy up onto her horse. She told him to hang onto her.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Mare. Tell me are your parents nearby?” He told her a lot of parents were shot in the massacre. He went looking for help leaving a whole bunch of his friends in hiding. “Where are they?” In the gym over to their left. “Famine!” He turned his horse to look at her. “We got a slight detour, lets go” she shouted. Famine screamed at her to stay with him, as she took off.

At the gym...

“Alright you little slaves, lets get going.” Several dozen soldiers led the children out of hiding, in chains. “Wait, hey, I know this little girl. Aren't you some aristocrat's daughter?” She shook in fear as the soldiers detached her from the group. “Get the rest of these little runts back to our ships. I have a little score to settle with this one.”

Part 3

The Detour

In the gym,

in the shower room...

“Please don't hurt me.”

“Boss, the fire is getting closer. We do not have time for this!” He told his man to shut up because he wanted to enjoy this. “Fine sir, you do your thing, I am leaving.”

As he exited the gym and onto the street. He saw Mare coming at him like a fireball out of a canon. He soiled himself and dropped to his knees. This soldier started crying knowing his fate. As Mare closed in on him with her weapon ready. Famine was long behind her and she wasn't going to wait for him.

“One who smells of waste. Where are the kids?” He told her everything and just asked her to make it quick. “I can agree to that.” A wall of fire went past him and his body became a statue of ash. “Boy, stay here with my horse.”

In the shower room...

“You actually thought I was going to touch you? Ha... don't flatter yourself. No I'm just going to cut you up and take pictures for your parents.” Behind him was a wooden door. In the center of the door came a hole burning with fire. It expanded in a circle until the metal door frame was red hot. “I thought it might be you horseman. You seem to have a large vendetta against my emperor.”

“Little girl are you okay?” He laughed that Mare came just for the little brat. Talk about wasting away precious time. “Soldier, I've had enough of you.” His body became a statue of ash.”

“Miss, are you going to hurt me?” Mare shook her head no, then turned it to the equipment room. A few dozen soldiers rushed in. Answering their colonels panic alarm.

The weights and racks, pretty much everything metal. Melted in an instant becoming red hot liquid. This too, included their guns and weapons. Very soon the ceiling fell on them and burned to ash a moment later. The girl was more scared of Mare than the guy that was going to cut her up. Famine ran in on his horse through the debris.

“Master please do not run off on your own!” Mare asked if he saw the boy with her horse? “Yes he is outside, why?” His orders were to take the girl and follow her charge...

In a large rig like vehicle,

that was full of captured kids...

“Why are you looking at me with those angry eyes, brat?” The boy told him to unchain him and he would show him fear. “Oh, it looks like we got us a fighter guys.” The soldier didn't unchain the boy, but he started beating him to a pulp.

“HANG ON” screamed the driver! The rubber tires melted into paste as the cargo part flipped on its side. This boy managed to get free from his chains. Taking a dropped pistol on the floor. He shot all of the dazed soldiers. When he got the last girl free. The metal back door melted in an expanding circle.

“You kids okay?”

“Who are you woman, what do you want from us” the boy shouted. As he pointed the gun at her? Mare melted only the barrel and told him she was a friend, not a foe. “Who are you?” She was their invaders reckoning. But now wasn't time for introductions, they needed to flee “We have nowhere to go, milady.”

“Head for the mountains bordering the capital. That's where I'm telling everyone else to go. And take these two with you.” The aristocrat girl and boy who went for help came into sight. The strong boy dropped the gun, and trusted her advice. But when he saw Famine, his fear of her came back. When they looked to be safe. Mare got on Vanilla and rode hard to the city center, with Famine close behind.

In a church shelter,

some time later...

“Father, the city is on fire, we need to flee!” The priest asked where would they go. The invasion army would surely collect them upon sight. And would probably kill them all. “And what would you have us do, burn to death rather than running for our lives?!”

“Perhaps, there's another option.” The crowd looked to the entry way. A strong fearsome man stood there. 50 soldiers at his side, and in the center of them was the emperor himself.

“General, am I safe” asked the emperor, as he cowered more than the people. His general ordered the soldiers to shoot everyone. The priests last words were...

“You have brought the fires of hell upon yourselves!”

Part 4

Leave him to me

In a last ditch effort...

“Stand your ground men!” The last of the soldiers had built a barricade and soaked it with water. Hoping it would slow the fire horses down. As the stampede drew near. They stopped, with their hooves burning a holes in the street tar. The soldiers guns and blades melted to liquid. And Mare rode Vanilla slowly right up to the barricade. “What do you want from us?” The emperor has not yet been found. Where was he? “If we tell you where he is, we're dead men anyway.”

“Very well, I see 43 soldiers. I'm going to burn you all alive at the stake one by one, until someone talks. Death string up the quiet one in the back of the group.”

“The church with the blue angel” the quiet one shouted loudly! Mare looked at him saying to step forth. “I swear to you that its the truth.” She wouldn't hurt him, he had her word, now come. As he walked through his fellow soldiers. They all looked at him muttering the word traitor. Mare told Conquest to help him out of the crowd. They didn't need to hear another word. Giving him lots of room, he walked up to her horse. “Are you to claim my head?” No she had other plans.

“War, take him to my ship, and let him take a bath.” War helped the confused guy on his horse and they rode to the mountains. “You all have been so helpful” after speaking she incinerated the lot. Except two 14 year old boys were spared. “I suggest you both find your way home.” Mare turned her horse and with her 4 generals, took off to this church. Mare knew exactly where it was. Her fire horses were her eyes.

In the church...

“You... you have to get me out of here.”

“Calm yourself lord emperor, I believe we are safe here.” As soon as general finished speaking. They heard a bang above. “You soldier, trade clothes with the emperor immediately.”

68 seconds later...

“WAIT... JUST WAIT A MOMENT!” Mare had already melted all their weapons. Just for kicks and scare tactics. Death ripped a hole through the blast door, rather than her melt it. She asked the general, what reason would she have to wait? “We don't know what we've done to anger you. We are hoping a deal can be made.”

“Single combat.” What? “You will do single combat for the right to walk out of here. You represent your company, if you die and so will they.” He asked for a weapon. “No, Death... fight him fist to fist.” The general took off his heavy weight armor.

“With all do respect master, leave him to me” Famine requested. The general laughed at the bag of bones. He was a wall of muscle, there was no way he could win. Mare told Death to stand down. “I appreciate this master, shall we?”

“Ha! I let you have the first punch. Lets see just how weak you are.” Famine slammed his fist into him. The general went in the air right into a wall.

“I'm old age, hunger, and the inedible loss of life. The things no one could ever beat. Our match was over before it began. He got up to his feet with a bit of blood oozing out of his mouth. He took a stance and slowly walked up to him. “Lets play!” Famine threw two missed punches. His opponent combined his fists and slammed down. Famine put his palm up and did not move an inch in the meet. Followed by his palm to the guys neck and snapped it like a tooth pick.

“Well done my friend. Now, where is the emperor?” Death suggested the man in fine clothing. “Yes, you step forth.” As he walked up to her she asked where the real emperor was? He blurted out he had a family, a wife, two girls and a son on the way! “Tell me who the true emperor is.” He was the man cowering behind the back of the soldiers. The emperor ordered all his men to die for him!

“Emperor Gins! I tracked you down. Because you were responsible for many horrendous acts. But most importantly, you killed a little girl yourself. I loved that girl and had planned to raise her. She was like family to me and I heard from one of your men that you tortured her for kicks.” He promised her everything he had, money, land... slaves. “Goodbye Gins!” Then she made his body became a statue of ash.

Back on her ship,

hours later in the stable...

“You look good all cleaned up.” He turned in a panic from brushing a horse. “You are a slave soldier yes?” He wasn't even a soldier. He was fodder for the emperor. “I had a feeling you were a rancher, when I saw you. And I sensed you would be good with horses.” More confused than ever, he ask why he was here? “I figured by the way you staring at me. You wouldn't mind being my man.” He gasped from disbelief, hearing her words. “Could I ask your name?”

“It would be my honor to wed you. My name is Mynt.”