When the news had reached Polis and the Council, orders came down to solidify their position on the other side of the Gate. It had been apparent that the breathable surface of this strange new world was now a valuable resource in the Metro, but would make Polis Station and the Order a potential target for the Red Line and the Fourth Reich. Of course, they had the numbers to drown the Polis Rangers in their own blood if they were willing to risk their own political reputation with the rest of the stations. Despite these fears, Artyom didn't mind it. Here he was, feeling the wind blow against his face without any poisonous air or a concentration of radiation.
The young Ranger looked up at the moon above, seeing its light shine down upon the Polis Guards protecting the western entrance. The position consisted nothing more than metal sheets placed beside sandbags with heavy machine guns swinging from one side of their limited cone of fire to another. Although the typical soldier of their home guard would litter the place with flashlights, the Spartan Order had sophisticated methods that were tried and true. Almost everyone at their stations had their night vision goggles active. As for the others, their night vision scopes compensated for their lack of goggles.
The abandoned tents found in the area had returned to becoming homes to their occupants. Colonel Miller oversaw the defenses while Uhlman cracked a joke every so often to keep the guards relaxed despite the colonel's discouragement.
Artyom sat in his chair, polishing his Kalash nicknamed - Bourbon, a tribute for the man who promised him this weapon. His companion would have been alive had he been quick to his defense, but the bandit already had his gun at the ready. Feelings of regret came over him as memories of those he failed earlier. The two Rangers who died trying to enter D6 and the independent station that fell to the numbers of the mutants overrunning their defenses. He wished the best would have happened to them and the loss of life could have been avoided if he stayed vigilant and strong.
Out from the command tent, Uhlman joined him as he laughed. "Oh boy, I did it now."
Even when the world had ended, humanity still found ways to find humor at the worst moments. "What punishment did Miller bring to his 'favorite' soldier?" Artyom asked, curious about his fellow Ranger's fate.
"Simple, I have been chosen for recon duty once again to defend against the invaders who dare threaten the Metro." Uhlman replied sarcastically. "Turns out that making a joke that his daughter is a rabbit is one way to get on his bad side."
"He has a daughter?" Miller never mentioned her.
"Yeah, I can see why. Who would want to approach the colonel's baby girl without an assault shotgun to the face? You'd have to have a lot of courage to even try and that's not counting Miller's approval."
"Why? Are you somehow interested in her for some reason?"
"Not really? I don't see myself capable of being an in-law to Miller without pissing him off every time he sees me." Then he laughed. "However, I can see you getting in Miller's good graces."
Him? Uhlman had to be wrong. After what he had done for the past few days, the colonel didn't seem likely to believe him. "Uhlman, I highly doubt it. I didn't kill the Dark Ones when we had the chance to kill them. I don't think Miller wants to risk that."
"I'm sure you didn't hear the news, but the situation at Exhibition seems to be going back to normal."
"That is good news." Never had Artyom had been relieved to hear that. "Exhibition was going to break after what they were going through."
"I thought it would be nice for you. I just hope those Dark Ones you keep mentioning don't bite us in the ass later on."
"If anything weird happens, I'll be the first to tell you."
"I don't know, do they control your mind?" Uhlman questioned.
"That dead Dark One at Ostankino Tower tried and it didn't go too well for him."
"Brahmin is taking a look at the body, but he states someone put a couple of revolver rounds in it. I didn't expect it would be you of all people."
"I'm full of surprises." Artyom replied. "After all, I did survive the Moscow State Library."
The Ranger nodded his head in acknowledgement of such a feat with a chuckle. "Point made."
Despite the mood of the camp, a familiar feeling entered his mind, the very same that he had at Ostankino Tower and on his way to Cursed Station. There were a couple of possibilities that Artyom reasoned thanks to his previous experience. Either there was a strange event occurring or the Dark Ones were nearby.
His deduction came to a close when a whisper confirmed his fears. "Danger is close… people need help… chose to save or stay…" After his peace with the Dark Ones, an action had to be made.
The young tapped Uhlman by the shoulder, catching his attention. "Artyom, what's up?"
He had told the colonel that he could understand the Dark Ones, it was time he made use of his connection. "The Dark Ones just contacted me. They say there are people nearby."
"How do you know they're not lying?"
"I know." Artyom stated in a firm tone. "The Dark Ones know how to deceive, but they're terrible liars."
"If I end up dead because you're too trusting of these things, I'll haunt your ass for eternity."
"What is worst than a real ghost? An Uhlman cracking up bad jokes every time." Soon, the duo made their way towards the colonel's tent.
Captain Severus Adranos and his cavalry were ordered by their commander to raid for any caravans or travelers attempting to bypass Italica due to the siege. They would pay for their ignorance through their loot and their women. He had expected the campaign to go well for his men, but the dead lords on some hill would not do. Although resorting to pillaging was looked down by many other mercenary groups, it was also a sign that the company was suffering financial problems from their employer.
With his employer dead, the best way to pay for such inconvenience was to search for something equally valuable for his time and gold spent in some far distant land. Severus hoped that once he had enough, he would bring his company and depart from these lands lest he risk the wrath of the Imperial Armies of Sadera.
The captain's eyes scanned from a ridge overlooking a small road that was the closest to the route to the capital. He had ordered many slaves to remove the corpses and signs of ambush to keep his targets unaware of the danger they found themselves in. On a night such as this, the mercenary captain saw humble villagers carrying torches and riding their carts unaware of the siege that had taken place a few miles out. Whatever valuables they had, he would see to it coming into his hands. If they didn't have any valuables, there better be women to compensate for their 'safe passage' around Italica.
Severus tightened his reigns and glanced over his shoulder, only to see his men encamped away from the ridge. His aide-de-camp was beside him with his horse stomping at the ground. "Gaius, alert the men. We have a caravan passing under our watchful eye and they must pay the toll."
The silent rider shook his head and rode off to the rest of the camp with haste. There was a quota to be filled and the Shadowswords would enforce it.
A great commotion could be heard around the camp, but the men were quick on their feet and began to ride out of the camp with a force of fifty strong. About two dozen would be enough to keep the camp from being overtaken by the slaves.
When the force was assembled, the captain met with his lieutenants to maximize the profits. "Gaius send your men into the depression on the right flank. Should the caravan attempt to flee, cut them off from the rear and strike down those who attempt to break the encirclement. Lucius, your men are to secure the forest on my left flank. If they do move into the forest for protection, kill them."
"Yes sir." The two lieutenants said as they broke their respective numbers away from his main force.
If the peasants had numbers they had skill and quality of arms. At best they'll use their carts in a defensive formation to keep the cavalry out, but peasants were not known for such tactics unless they had a veteran from the men-at-arms. Thankfully, the main army of renegades and ex-soldiers could be requested to dispatch this rabble should anything get out of hand.
Severus grabbed his reins and descended off the ridge as their prey stepped into the den of the jackals.
The twelve-man Ranger group kept radio silence throughout their travel out of the forest as they followed after Artyom. Although the colonel was against the idea of recklessly following the Dark Ones, the mere fact that there were people in this world made the young man wonder. How could someone live so long in ignorance when everything had gone to hell.
The Ranger jogged after the Dark Ones, whose shadows left their marks as they descended occasionally glanced back after him. They were trying to lead him somewhere and whoever was in danger needed their help. While he jogged through the forest, he had to contend with the sheer amount of weight his submachine gun brought on his person.
When he finally caught up with one of the Dark Ones, he saw the creature turn around and point ahead. "Threat before you." It said before disappearing.
A quick rustle from behind his back was enough for the Ranger to turn, but he saw Colonel Miller and the others catch up. "Artyom, it better be good. You might be wasting my time."
Artyom shook his head. "No sir, I think the Dark Ones wouldn't do anything without reason." He said. Then he glanced over to last place the Dark One had pointed to. Underneath the moonlight, shadows of men riding upon strange creatures had preyed upon carriages of people screaming for their lives. The sight of men being cut down, children being cuffed, and women dragged from their people was disturbing.
"Rangers, get ready. I think we might have stumbled upon something bad." Colonel Miller stated. "Break radio silence, things might get hot."
The Polis Rangers raised their weapons as they slowly stepped forward and brushed aside the bushes while observing the situation at hand. "Do you guys see what I'm seeing?" Uhlman commented. "They're riding horses."
"Shit, you're right." Another replied. "I haven't seen a horse in a long time."
"What the fuck are they doing?" Miller commented. "They're killing people for no goddamn reason.."
Artyom readied his Kalash. "Sir, orders?"
"They got numbers and we don't have the manpower to hold everyone off. I don't think we can help those people without getting ourselves killed. I hate to say it, but we have to sit this one out."
He wanted to break orders and help those people, but he could also understand Miller's hesitation. To lose a Polis Ranger for such people made him wonder, but his instinct to help those poor souls trying to fend for their lives as the brutes tore them apart with their numbers. "Could we pick them off from a distance?" It was of course an obvious suggestion when a potential enemy consisted of people riding on creatures and killing their victims with very large knives.
"I got an idea, we use the trees for cover and create a killzone into the forest." The colonel stated. "Everyone, find a tree and climb it." Then he glanced over to the young Ranger. "Artyom, you are going to draw them into the forest, but run your ass off when that happens."
"Yes sir." Artyom acknowledged.
"Rangers, get moving!" Eleven of the twelve soldiers dispersed in search of their own tree before climbing up the bark with their bare fingers.
Alone and given the freedom to conduct a rescue, the lone Ranger readied his Kalash and walked up in the open field with his flashlight on. With the speed those creatures gave to their riders, he had to be quick and efficient in rescuing the survivors as best as he could. Although Artyom was giving his position away, those fires on the carriages would have made it hard for him to see with his night vision goggles.
A battle cry from the right flank had caught his attention as a rider screamed out to him. The armored rider rode his mount towards him with a long weapon directed towards him. In quick succession, Artyom raised the sights of his Kalash and needed to pull the trigger for only a moment. Only one bullet fired as the silencer lowered the sound of his weapon. Through his scope, the rider's head pulled him back off his saddle. Despite the creature cooperating with its now-dead owner, it slowed down and walked away.
Artyom watched the creature for a moment, but was caught by sounds of a woman screaming. He continued forth and made his way towards the mess of carriages that were littered across the open field. As he made his way closer, he noticed they were going in a single direction with slight deviations. Then he stumbled upon the bodies of a few who littered the ground. The screaming grew louder as the young man followed the origins of the sound while avoiding few of the burning carriages and wagons.
When he arrived, he grew horrified at the sight of a woman screaming as she held up a man in her arms. Yet, the person's body remained lifeless with blood stained on his strange clothes. However, the woman was not the only one there as many other people huddled together in fear of the riders circling them like nosalises closing for the kill.
One of the riders rode out of the circle and dismounted from the creature before stepping forth with his long knife. He spoke to the huddled mass in a language far from the one Artyom had ever heard of, but it was clear he was confronting them.
Then someone from amongst the prisoners walked up and feel to his knees with his hands put together and before the man. The tone of his voice pleading with the warrior confronting him.
It seemed like he couldn't meet his demands as he lowered his head before the warrior.
A strange feeling fell over him as he noticed something about the people and the riders. They were all looking at him as his flashlight shined over them. Shit, he forgot to turn his flashlight off.
The man confronting the people drew his blade towards him and shouted for the other riders. It was clear he was the man in charge, but now he was spotted. Few of the riders dispersed from encircling their prey and made their way after the lone Ranger.
Artyom ran back as he saw the riders easily going past the broken down carriages and wagons. Despite being heavily outnumbered and being chased by those faster than him, Artyom learned one thing in life in the Metro - fight like hell.
He turned around and planted a claymore in the direction where one of the riders followed directly after him. The man laughed with his spear drawn, but his life ended before his very eyes with a momentary beep. The explosion flashed before his very eyes and the creature he rode to battle with.
The Ranger heard one of the horses whine from his left flank, only to see two riders turning around the corner with their blades at the ready. Without hesitation, Artyom dispatched the two riders with a few bursts from his assault rifle before continuing to draw the riders away from the main strength of their numbers.
A projectile flew past his head, almost similar to the bolts he used in the Hellsings, but as he turned his head there was a rider coming after him as he pulled a string from a strangely-shaped weapon.
Artyom tossed his curiosity aside as he gunned down the horse with ease and watched as the rider flew off his horse and landed head-first into the ground. Before he had the opportunity to reach for his weapon, a quick trigger finger forced him to rest in the dirt road permanently. Then he heard the sound of thunderous movement come from the main group. Apparently, they found him to be more of a threat than those people they were harming.
The young man slipped his Kalash onto his back as he pulled out a weapon he chose a long time ago. It was a weapon designed for this very purpose. The Abzats - when you absolutely need to kill everything in sight. He readied the weapon and pointed the barrel in the direction of the riders, they were going to experience hell in a form of a shotgun cannon.
When the group of riders were in sufficient range of the weapon, Artyom pulled the trigger and watched a single blast of a shotgun shell tear a rider apart. Then he repeatedly tapped the trigger as his enemies succumbed to the firepower they faced. At best, the young man had to worry about the ammo, but the worst was the weapon jamming because it spewed out too many shells.
After the Abzats shot its final shell in the ammo box, the bodies had piled themselves onto one-another as the wounded moaned and cried. He quickly placed a fresh box in his heavy assault shotgun and made his way towards the civilians trapped by those who also tried to kill him. Based on the numbers of the enemy, Artyom deduced he killed a good portion of the men sent to kill him while the others were probably worried about keeping the civilians in check.
Artyom switched to his assault rifle once more and found their leader ready for him… with the innocent woman's neck pressed against his blade. No, he had decided to play dirty against him. There had to be other ways to eliminate them and keep them from hurting the others. Yet, there was still help from the very creatures he desired to destroy. "He is here… they will suffer…"
The people who had taken these civilians as captives now found themselves subject to a power the Polis Ranger had seen before. Artyom had seen it at first hand and he knew what kind of power the Dark Ones were capable of. Those warriors who harmed the civilians were already dead men. He watched as the appearance of the Dark Ones terrified the captive people while bringing terror to the men who made them captives in the first place.
Bodies fell, not to the weapons that brought physical harm, but to the psychic influence that destroyed their minds. These warriors fell without question before they writhed on the ground, crying in their language like children. Then the creatures of the new world had disappeared, leaving only Artyom to remain amongst the dozens who were subject to harm.
With the threat eliminated, there was only one thing to do. The Polis Ranger activated his radio and called for his fellow brothers-in-arms. "Colonel Miller, the Dark Ones have eliminated the threat." Artyom reported to his superior. "It's clear for us."
He could hear the colonel's voice on the other side. "Well done, lad. I want a head count of how many people we're looking at."
Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.