"The God Emperor protects those willing to die." – Captain Ludwig Vorhees, Cadian 71st

Clouds raced overhead on the fourteenth day behind enemy lines. Cadet Pearson's condition was getting worse. His Chaos transformation seeped onto his chest, and began to develop its own nervous system. No one could get near him. Every time one tried, the mutated skin cracked and spat at them. Cadets Xander Parlan and Larz Benny remained on guard as Cadet Wade I'bsa stepped into the tent once more. The beast hissed, but I'bsa didn't care. He walked over and struck the beast in the chest with the butt of his lasgun. The beast yelped and its stomach cringed. I'bsa glared at the beast.

"Cut it out Johnny. I know you're in there."

The beast's body cringed again as something began to swim under its skin. I'bsa jumped back, lasgun readied. The object bulged from his skin, ripping and bursting blood vessels along the way. Blood began to trickle down his side as the object came to a halt on Pearson's chest.

"J…Johnny?"

I'bsa leaned close, when suddenly the object rapture Pearson's chest. Blood spewed everywhere as the beast shouted. I'bsa was drenched, his eyes wide and his face pale with fright. Larz and Xander raced in the minute the heard a loud pop.

"Wade," Larz peered around rapidly, "what happened?"

I'bsa was speechless. His eyes lay deadlocked on the object that now embedded itself in the gory mess. The object blinked slowly, fluttering two flaps of skin like eyelids. Larz couldn't handle it. He gagged and threw up to the side. Xander covered I'bsa's eyes.

"Don't look…Don't look!"

I'bsa clamped his eyes shut. The beast's third eye gazed at its new surroundings and blinked uncontrollably. Xander led I'bsa out of the tent and looked at Larz.

"What now Mr. 'let's not kill him because we might save him?'"

Larz wiped the sides of his mouth with the sleeve of his uniform. He glared at Xander and then glanced at Pearson. Water slowly began to fill his eye sockets as his shadow towered over Pearson's body. The mutated eye on Pearson's chest blinked once more. A faint voice began to emerge from Pearson's lips.

"End my pain…"

Larz and Xander exchanged gazes at Pearson, who opened his eyes slowly. A white cloud blocked out his pupils as he spoke again.

"It's over for me. If I am brought back, they will kill me anyway. I am the weapon now. They will hunt for me until I am found."

Larz lifted his lasgun, but Xander pushed it back down. "I can't do that Johnny."

Pearson cringed. The mutated eye stared at Xander's hand brushing up against a sleek silver blade. His voice turned into a whimper.

"Please…you must…It hurts."

Xander's hand lifted the blade out of its sheath and concealed it under the sheets.
"You can do it Johnny, just fight it."

Larz's eyes glanced down at the concealed weapon and then back to Pearson and nodded, trying to encourage Pearson to fight the infectious Chaos enemy. The beast whimpered and it seemed that what little good was left of Pearson was trying to fight off the mutation. Without warning, Xander raised the long blade and stabbed it into the mutated eye. Pearson's voice shrilled as Xander twisted the blade inside the eye. Larz turned in shock and dove at Xander, tackling him to the ground.

"What are you doing! Have you gone nuts!"

Xander stared at Larz, his face expressionless. "I'm doing what should have been done before all of this started."

Larz let his emotions get the best of him and with clenched fists, swung his hands at Xander, digging them deep into Xander's face. The sound of crunching cartilage and rupturing blood vessels filled the air. Xander's nose erupted in blood, splattering Larz's tunic. Xander fought back, brining his fist up, embedding it into Larz's jaw. Larz toppled off of Xander as Xander sat up. Larz rubbed his now red cheek. He knew his jaw had been bruised for when he tried to open it; it felt like thousands of needles were stabbing him repeatedly. Xander pounced on Larz and the two began rolling around on the ground, slamming punch after punch into each other. Both boys refused to give up. They would rather see the other bleed to death than do anything to stop.

Cadet I'bsa walked back in to witness the two in a never-ending grudge match. He shouted and fired his lasgun in the air. Larz and Xander paused and stared at I'bsa.

"Guys! What are ya doin'!"

"Wade, this is none of your business. Go away."

Xander stood up slowly and retrieved a towel to put over his nose. Blood tickled down his face as he looked at I'bsa and Larz. Larz rubbed his cheek and wiped a now bloody lip. He too stood up and pointed at Xander.

"When we return home, I'm having you court-marshaled for striking a field commander. As for Johnny, we'll tranq him 'til he can't move and then move out. Command wants a Chaos weapon and so we'll give them a Chaos weapon."

Xander growled and stormed out of the room, throwing the bloody towel to the ground. He looked out towards the ends of the city, then back to the tent. I'bsa rushed around, gathering any tranquilizer he saw. He popped syringes, darts, pills; you name it, into a small pouch, while Larz hoisted the now unconscious Pearson over his shoulder. Xander checked on his ammunition. He had half of a cell left inside the clip of his lasgun and three-quarters left of his last back-up clip in his pocket. He knew that if they ran into the enemy, they were in trouble. The three of them would not be able to handle a full ambush. The sun began to set behind the large building structures of the citadel when the boys moved onwards towards friendly territory.