The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep. -Chanakya


Wolf Tantrum
Chapter 2: Of My Sins

Three months after the fall of the Gingham Conviction Militia's leader Marcus de Ganreau...

Rain.

It seemed like several years had passed since tears fell from carefully whisked cheeks. His eyes, resembling that shade of grey that harbored those cheeks, flickered as another drop fell onto his helmet. A tragic howl of thunder made the scene before the boy all the more dramatic. Standing only twenty feet away rose a temple. Engraved into the roof were holes, dripping with liquefied tin. The boy turned and tilted his head to accommodate the building thoroughly. His estimation said that it couldn't be any more than two stories up- this hypothesis was supported by his visor's calculation. Venturing further to the makeshift temple, he pulled his SMG from the seal along the length of his thigh.

At last, his back pressed to the smooth surface next to the door. One, he counted in his head. He bent his knees just slightly, letting every muscle constrict before tightening. This would give him the option to jump toward or backward from what was inside.

Two... In a span of .6082 seconds-noted with a smug grin- the boy checked for ammo, and undid the safety. Not that SMGs should have required such a small function to hold back the 'sprinkler'. For what could have been the last time, Spartan 313-Grey, brushed his fingers against the name etched into the barrel of the side arm. It had been ages since he last heard of her. Breathed her scent of 19th century gunpowder and tragic rage.

Three. Grey set his hips and twisted his torso to his right. Swiftly landing a foot against the door, it flew backwards, cold air and wet tears following sprinting after it. The distraction was enough to keep anyone inside running to not get hit. Grey pushed off of his nine toes. His form became nothing but a blur of cigarette ash as he walked inside and raised his gun to fire off at the man in the chair at the head of the room-

Only to find that he was slumped against it. Grey halted in his tracks, skidding to a stop just in time in front of the wide oak desk. He studied the way head rolled onto backwards at an acute angle with his neck bearing numerous knife marks to the world. Along the open wounds laid nearly-dried blood that had just stopped dripping moments before. Across the deathly face of the pompous warlord ran scratches. Each formed an overlying picture; there children, men, women, a church... It was as if someone drew all of the murders he is responsible for onto to his...

"Soul," Grey let the word drop onto a stale atmosphere. All of these homicidal acts meant nor will ever mean anything to the people who crumpled under the boot of Tony Zalo's fish-scaled boot. The Spartan inhaled. Exhaled. With Zalo dead, it left no chance of gathering intel on the whereabouts of alliances. Zalo's men were used to a little wear and tear, but didn't have the type of numbers that other militia groups could exert. Grey gave the temple a glance of appraisal. He was pretty sure he had about two minutes and thirty-four seconds to haul ass.

He only wasted about fifteen seconds carving the imagery before his dulled eyes into memory. Just another picture...Another face... All you have to do is remember it. Can you do that three-thirteen? Can you show me how well you can accomplish that task?

Oh...Well, that's too bad. Just another disappointment, Sarah.

. . .

Yes that's right, gut him. He's of no use to me now... I have her.

His lips twitched into an unsteady smile for leaving in time. Despite the shuddering ache in the back of his throat and cranium, he stumbled outside and trudged just far enough to avoid large debris. Eventually he discovered a cave hiding underneath a blanket of teal moss between two vast species of tree. The moss was peeled away to reveal a sanctum fit for a wolf.

A lone one.

Chest aches tended to come around more often. Especially since he took her.

Since you took away Revenue.

That name-holding more meaning than the denotative meaning of the word- would remain on the barrel of that SMG for quite some time.

Just until I see her, he soothed his conscience. Just until she returns.


Date: October 7, 2536.
Planet: Tramonto.
Continent: Malai.
Country: Tremble.
City: Rose.

Amongst the sunlight, a bird flew, eyes caressing the field seven yards below. It began to descend upon the slight movement in between blades of grass. Just as its beak split into two equal halves to swallow the worm whole, two larger jaws leapt up from a mound of dirt just two inches to the right; the sparrow was encased by the tiger.

A child-watching the spectacle take place from a relatively safe location and height- leaped into the air with a cry of appreciation at the tiger's ability to phase into the field despite its luminescent fur. The boy's lips curled into a grin that would alarm any mother of the bloodlust tucked away into those large sandalwood eyes that possessed more than a quarter of his face. Below, the tiger's stomach rumbled; it began to coil and move in waves of hunger as it swallowed the sparrow. Without taking a glance at the button on the switch, the boy's fingers pressed into it.

Another sparrow was released from one of the thousand of cages. Just as before, the tiger's pupils narrowed into slits of practiced maliciousness. It moved to crawl back under the mound of dirt. A button with curled script was pressed this time and the 'worm' appeared in the ground as the sparrow flew over the field by instinct.

The only difference during this practice was that he could not watch the sparrow engulfed into the heated darkness of a murderer's mouth. He was pulled by large hands into an embrace that made his nostrils flare and eyes water and the tightening pressure around his chest.

"Release me, you pompous fool!" He growled between clenched rows of straightened pearls.

The woman pouted as she did just as she was told. "My, my, Atlas; what has your little panties in a twist?"

Atlas snarled in warning, turning his attention onto the tiger. "You should learn to keep your trap shut, Medusa. Or do I need to make a call?" Atlas struck a finger in the direction of a digital pad in the corner of the desk filled with buttons.

Medusa sneered and tossed slick hair over her shoulder. "You know you're too much of wuss to actually do it," she paused to study a strand of hair that flew into her face with brutal calculation before continuing as if their conversation had never happened. "Good morning. How is Ares this fine Wednesday?"

He could only roll his eyes. "As if you truly care. Medi."

"How many times do I have to tell you not call me that?!"

Atlas chuckled at her outburst. "Why ever not?"

"You know damn well I want nothing to do with her," Medusa snarled.
The boy shrugged nonchalantly, sandalwood eyes tracing the dark strokes of Ares' stripes.

"You know, for a thirteen year old boy, you're awfully silent."

At that statement, Atlas frowned as he studied the tiger behind the glass of 'protection'. There was no change of technique when the second sparrow was released. He was sure of this. Such a fact was unacceptable. More treatments would have to be installed, he supposed.

"Gather the others in the chamber, Medi. I believe it's time for a change of location."

Medusa blinked in undisguised shock before smoothly applying her mask of subtle curiosity. "Oh? Does that include Hades and Kronos?"

"Yes."

She spun on heel and pressed the green button on the panel to open the door. Medusa paused, glancing over her shoulder the figure no bigger than five feet. "Ackerson?"

"What of him?" Atlas called.

"Has he disposed of the doctor?"

Atlas ran one trembling hand over his face. "No. Be patient; her skin is thick, but not untouchable."


A/N: Just as a heads up; this story is very dark and speaks in volumes as to the mind of someone who is psychotic. I should have gave a warning in the first chapter, but I'm deciding to place it here in the second because from now on, the chapters may or may not become gruesome, horrific, or seriously disturbing. So, proceed at your own caution.
Another thing is the few characters mentioned in the last bit may confuse you, but be reassured that they hold a significant presence. Thank you for reading!