Chapter Three: The Forgotten General Day two; 6:30 a.m.
His eyes slowly pull themselves open. Sleep has obviously drained life from the face. Cuts, bruises, and blood litter the beaten skin. The bloodshot eyes blink a few times, then widen for a moment. A hand slams on the ground in front of the face and the head lifts up. General Migel sits up and looks around at the unknown scenery. Around him appears to be the battle grounds of the war, the wasteland outside of Tolkeen. However, the city of Tolkeen is not there. There is nothing around. No dead bodies, no trees, nothing. Just the rolling hills, reaching past the horizon. As Migel looks down, he is utterly bewildered. His arm which had been torn off before has come back. It's not a synthetic arm either, almost as if it has grown back. Looking over himself, Migel realizes that his armour suit has taken severe damage, and is of no use any more. Taking the scraps of the armour off, he also comes to realize that all of his equipment has been removed, all except a pistol, a Desert Eagle. All the ammo that he had previously, has been removed, and some of it replaced with bullets for the Desert Eagle. Migel reaches to his waist and pulls out his radio. Turning on the radio, he only hears a light static. The frequency is set to the general line, but there seems to be no response from him pinging through. Satisfied that the radio has been broken, Migel tosses it away and walks out. Unsure of where to go, he wanders out in the vast wasteland.
Ten minutes of walking through the wasteland, Migel comes to what appears to be a hole in the ground which seems to lead into some kind of cave. Walking inside, Migel becomes a bit comforted that he has found something which could lead him somewhere productive. The ancient-looking cave opens up into a large, round area, which appears to be a place where someone must live. A gathering of grass and leaves are piled in a corner, forming a bed, with an imprint, showing that they have been used for some time. Along the walls, strange paintings are scattered. All the paintings seem to have been made with a very dark crimson red liquid, possibly dried blood. In another corner, stands some kind of weapon rack, wielding a collection of spears. The spears look as if they had been hand-carved from wood. With a wooden shaft and a sharpened point. Migel decides to go take a look outside if maybe there's any other holes, but when he turns, he finds that the opening has changed. It is no longer just a hole in the side of a hill, but almost like an underground hideout. A hole in the roof creates the entrance. A short rope ladder hangs from the hole, which failed to exist earlier. Migel decides to climb the rope ladder out and take a look around, to maybe find out where he is.
When Migel exits the cave, he finds that he is no longer in any kind of wasteland. Around him, long grass shines, trees are specked with the occasional bird or other animal, and a scent of sweet grass infiltrates the air. A cleared foot path leads out into the jungle and winds in the thick bush and breaks vision. Suddenly footsteps reach Migel's ears. Confused, but cautious, Migel leaps into the bushes to the side of the hole. He lays there a moment, checking that his body is concealed from view. The slow-paced footsteps come closer. A low, grumbling sound utters out, almost like that of a human, but just a grumble. The footsteps sound as if to reach the hole, then stop. The air becomes dead in silence for a moment. Migel then hears a peculiar sound, almost like sniffling. Migel's eyes widen, realizing that whatever it is that stands there, must be able to smell him. The sounds of sniffing stop, and a footstep crunches into the bush, coming toward Migel. Impulsively, Migel leaps up and swings around, pointing out the Desert Eagle.
Standing before Migel, a humanoid stares at Migel. It's face looks old and has plenty of wrinkles and scars in the pale grey skin. The humanoid wears nothing more than a rag, hanging around it's waist. It's skinny fist clench onto a pipe of some kind. All over it's body, it is covered with hundreds of cuts and scars. In it's chest are what appears to be a pair of bullet holes, both with dried blood around them. Another bullet hole resides in the demon's shin, in the other shin, a gash. The handle of a screwdriver protrudes from the top of it's shoulder, still pouring blood slowly over it's chest and arm. Migel looks at the demon man a moment, a bit shocked at it's appearance. The demon man freezes in a look of surprise, it's bloody mouth open wide, with trickles of blood and saliva drying on it's chin.
"Back up and drop the pipe." Migel says calmly, but intently to the creature. The demon man
remains in it's position of a dead stare at Migel. "I will shoot you." Still the demon man remains motionless. Confused and angry, Migel squeezes the trigger on the pistol, planting a bullet in the demon man's head, just above it's right eye. The man's head, pulls back, a moment, it's eyes shut tight in shock. It then brings it's head down, to face the ground before it. Raising it's head, the demon opens it's eyes in a harsh glare. Another bullet penetrates the demon's cheek, spraying a small amount of blood behind it. Realizing the shots aren't working very well, Migel fires a few more times, shooting it right in the face. The demon man remains in the same position, several bullet holes decorating it's face. Migel gets a confused look on his face and pulls the trigger again, only to hear a click of an empty chamber.
"Aw fu..." The demon suddenly lunges at him, knocking the gun out of his hands and shoving him off his feet. Migel quickly lashes out with his foot into the stomach of the demon, but it reacts like it was nothing. Raising the pipe, the demon takes a swing and hits Migel in the chest with it. It then holds it to the side and starts beating Migel in the ribs on his side, turning him over. Migel kicks out his leg again, this time hitting the scarred shin, and knocking the demon over. Quickly getting up, Migel kicks the pipe away, and starts stomping aggressively on the demon's chest. The creature's long arms spring out and grab hold of Migel's knees, and pull him down. As quickly as possible, Migel sits up and punches the demon right in the nose, breaking it and bending it to the side. The demon man lets out a loud shriek and grabs hold of Migel's throat. Migel's reflexes flair up and slam his hands on the wrists of the demon man's, then to the demon's neck. Squeezing extremely tightly, the demon cuts off circulation to Migel's head. Migel's grip on the thing's throat appears ineffective, and Migel begins to panic. Grabbing hold of the screw driver in the demon's shoulder, Migel tears it out the front of the creature's body. The vice around Migel's throat, loosens slightly, but still cutting off air. In a desperate attempt for his life, Migel thrusts the screw driver into the demon's throat several times, making a large mess of it's neck. The grip loosens completely around Migel's throat, and the demon falls back, it's head barely attached to it's body. Gasping for air, Migel sits up, looking over the demon man. He reaches up and begins massaging his throat. Migel glances at the screw driver for a moment, then tosses to the side. "God damn, thing almost killed me."
Looking around, Migel finds the Desert Eagle once again, and grabs the pipe as well. Upon examination, Migel finds dried blood stains on one end of the pipe. Migel turns around and walks to the hole and starts looking around. Finding little else than the path, Migel decides to walk through the jungle, in hopes of finding something which might help him come into contact with the army somehow.
After walking for a little bit, Migel comes to what appears to be a swamp. The swamp's murky green water has specks of blood throughout it. Bits and pieces of rotting flesh and bones litter the swamp grounds. Migel's nostrils burn to the strong scent of decay, and he brings his arm up to his face. Migel releases the empty clip from the gun, and throws it into the deeper water, then reaches for another one to reload the gun. Just as he cocks the pistol, a few ripples spread out across the water. Migel, thinking the worst, backs away from the swamp water. In the deep water, a shape begins to rise to the surface. First, a pair of long, thin horns, then a head and body. The eyes, triangular with thin pupils, and huge gaping maws open, ready to attack. The arms at it's side differ from each other, one being irregularly larger than the other, both with long, clawed, fingers. It's ribs bearing through it's skin, and the imprint of a screaming face, presses up from it's stomach. One leg, long and slender, with a long, clawed, foot attached to the end. The other leg, more muscular, and has three joints, with a smaller foot on it's end. All over it's body, it is littered with strange patches, almost like it has leprosy. The demon stands there, somehow standing on water, staring intently at Migel. Migel stares back, paralysed.
"Why did I have to wake up something like that?" Thinks Migel in regret. The great beast remains there, glaring at Migel, barely moving, just water dripping off of it's body. A slight groan finds it's way out of the beast's throat. The monster's foot then rises, and moves forward. Migel instantly, holds up the Desert Eagle, ready to fire. The beast's other leg takes a step. Migel loses his second thought and opens fire on the beast, penetrating it's skin on it's chest. The demon breaks into a run at Migel, it's jaws stretched out, and saliva flying from them. Migel starts backing
up, while firing. The bullets appear to have little effect on the creature. Raising it's larger set of claws, the demon leaps through the air at Migel. Instinctively, Migel jumps to the side, and rolls, dodging the attack. When Migel gets up and aims his gun, the beast is gone. He sharply whips around, searching for it, aiming the pistol everywhere. There's no sign of the monster.
"What the hell?! That thing is too damn big to disappear like that!!" Suddenly a thought strikes, that the demon probably could've submerged in the swamp again. Giving the swamp a bit of an inspection, Migel finds no evidence of the monster. A ripple erupts from the water, suddenly. Migel instantly aims the gun at the water. A heavy breath sounds from behind him. Migel's eyes flare up immensely. Quickly he whips around and fires the gun twice into the beast's stomach. The beast throws out it's bigger arrangement of blades, slashing Migel's side and pushing him over. Migel drops the gun with his fall and reaches, helplessly toward the pistol. The beast suddenly throws it's face right in front of the gun and lets out a bone-cracking screech. A pipe suddenly sails through the air, striking the assailant across the face, knocking it to the side a little. Migel takes the opportunity, to get up and hits the beast in the neck again with the pipe. A sharp pain injects into Migel's lower chest and stomach. Migel looks down to see the demon's hand pressed against his body, with it's index finger buried in his rib cage. Realizing that the demon now has the capability to destroy his ribcage, he swings the pipe down on the demon's arm, pulling the claw out the hole it came in through. Slamming the pipe continuously against the swamp beast's chest and head, it slowly falls under his power.
"Die you stupid piece of shit!! I'll teach you to stab me!!" The beast cowers under the flailing pipe and the cursing man. Migel stops and stands up, looking down at the severely beaten antagonist, breathing heavily. Migel steps back and throws a wad of spit on the demon, and curses it again, "Piece a shit..." Turning around, Migel is taken aback. His face glazed with confusion. Standing before him, is the demon man that he thought he had killed. It's neck covered with cuts, and it's nose still broken to the side. It's face looks like that of excessive anger. In it's right hand, it wields the screwdriver, used previously to kill it.
"What the hell?!?! I killed you!!" The demon man rolls his eyes back into his skull, and lets out a hellish scream, it's mouth opened wide. The pipe suddenly stuffs itself into the demon man's mouth. The pipe retracts and slams into the demon man's chest a few more times, pulling it to the ground, once again. "Show you for screamin' at me." Migel clutches his ribs and examines them, finding blood pouring relentlessly out of the gash. Migel looks around for some kind of cloth aside from his clothes, and finds some kind of rags on the demon man's waist. Migel takes the rags and wraps them around his ribs, to prevent the bleeding.
Satisfied that his wound is sealed, Migel looks back at the swamp beast. A strange kind of crimson smoke arises from the beast's body. The wounds on it appear to be healing slowly. The blood remains, but the holes have began sealing themselves. "What the, " Migel stares at the body of the swamp beast, laying there on the ground, it's hand beginning to twitch, "Damn things can't even stay dead!"
Migel turns and starts running through the swamp. The swamp doesn't appear as the safest place, but is the only place which could lead to something. Stomping through the dark, murky water, Migel charges off. A siren blares out in the distance.