Chapter 8: Unbridled Fighting Spirit
(Murphy's P.O.V.)
Stumbling over a piece of rubble that was concealed in the dark street as I made my way towards the remains of a weapons store, I needed to collect more ammo before those Templar magic users came back. From the discussions going about through the remaining men and women of the police force, it was decided that the fairy tale of magic was a believable possibility. They attacked us with blue light that came from the very air itself, or was directed from the light posts. It was like they were using a form of energy to use their attacks, but how that was something that nobody had the slightest clue about.
Walking through the door and looking over, I saw a man clad in pure black with a pitch black helmet look over at me. He was one of the swat men left alive after the assault on the town, or he was one of the few left that wasn't wounded or dead. I nodded towards him before he resumed cleaning the weapon before him, and I moved across the building and towards the ammunition piles that had been organized by caliber. With almost twice as many pistol rounds as assault rifle rounds, and a fairly sized pile of shotgun rounds remained; both eight and twelve gauge piles of boxes.
Moving over, I needed something stronger than a pistol, as those rounds bounced harmlessly off the metal plating of the Templar; even when their shield like fields of energy weren't active. A shotgun may not seem like a reliable form of weaponry with how far our targets were, but with how many men and women had been wounded in just the first two assaults, I had a feeling that I was going to need one in the next wave.
Grabbing one of the shotguns from a weapon rack, I looked over it, and saw it took twelve gage shells, so that was the ammo I was going to grab. Moving over and grabbing a box, I opened it and began to stuff slug rounds into the chamber, and it was only when I chambered a bullet into barrel that I was able to put the last bullet into the catch. Grabbing four boxes, two for each pocket, I grabbed a sling, and placed the shotgun on my back after I flicked the safety on. Moving over towards the pistol pile, I grabbed a case of .308 rounds, and moved over towards where the pistols resided. The pistols might not be able to pierce their armor, but I saw those open gaps, and if I can get them in those spots, it would be better to have a sidearm, especially if the shotgun runs out and they are close.
Grabbing a sidearm and slowly loading up the gun in my hands, I let my mind wonder, and I suddenly had an idea, but I quickly squashed it as soon as it had come. I need to try, even if it I need to go alone… he was in the military, and I'm sure he is in the thick of the danger…
Sliding the pistol into my empty holster and beside where a baton usually resided, I stuffed the pistol ammo in my pocket as well.
Closing my eyes as I leaned over the countertop, I let out a long drawn out sigh, but I couldn't allow myself any relaxation as those murderers were still out there. Pushing myself back to my feet, I turned around and wearily began to make my way towards the door, while also letting the cold air keep me awake…
(Lyon's P.O.V.)
Holding the violently shaking form of Samantha in my lap, I had given up on trying to verbally comfort her as her nerves were beyond shattered. Taking a deep breath as I pulled her tighter against my chest, she continued to bury her muzzle against my shoulder joint while she held onto my shirt with a desperate grip; almost as if she was using me as a life line. Ten minutes ago this shaking had started, and it was still going on now, and it was only half as bad as when she started at first, but I wasn't sure how long it was going to be until she was feeling better. I had my shotgun beside me and on my bed covers, but I looked towards the porch, and saw the forest across my damaged lawn. What had once been a beautiful landscape was now a destroyed battlefield, and it told of the fight that had happened not that long ago. Craters dotted my front lawn, and debris floated on the once pristine lake surface, and where it had once glowed from the sunlight; it only seemed to radiate death from the scenery around it. The turret emplacement that was now on my porch was an ominous reminder of what, and who, was constantly trying to get to my house. The only thing that kept them from actually reaching and then breaching my home was the wall of bullets that they constantly faced, but with my dwindling supply, I knew it was only a matter of time before they would breach my home, and I felt like that time would be tomorrow… or during the next assault wave.
Looking down as Samantha finally stopped shaking, I saw her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed to be relatively normal, so I turned over and leaned over her. My arms kept her held against me, and I was leaning over her as I began to take my arms out from under her back that she began to stir. By the time my arms were at her sides, she suddenly shot her eyes open with a fearful yelp, "L-Lyon, stay here!"
Smiling as I used one hand to gently yet firmly push her back down and onto my bed, I looked into her wide and frightened eyes. She desperately tried to resist my action, but I was able to overpower both her arms with just one of my own, and I said gently, "I need to refortify our… my home." I felt my eyes glaze over as my cheeks flared up at my mistake of words, before I continued, "If I don't this, they can very well just walk in and try to kill us from within this home."
"But Lyon…" Looking back into her eyes, I saw they were still full uncertainty, and I don't know why it felt right, but I leaned down and gave a soft kiss to her cheek, right at the start of her muzzle. The effects were immediate, and the feeling her palms slowly sliding off my back as she took in a sharp intake of breath. The kiss was meant to be brief, so as I withdrew, I saw the shock in her written all over her face and in her eyes, along with the small hint of a blush in her cheeks. Giving her a small smile as I began to full away, she didn't try to grab onto me again.
Once I was standing up, her eyes looked over slowly as her muzzle turned to face me, and the neutral but small hint of shock in her expression remained. She started to push herself up, but I held up my hand and she stopped almost immediately, "I will be the one to prepare our departure… we can't stay here anymore. Even though we can hold them back, the Templar have proven that they can destroy this house… don't worry Samantha, I won't let them get you; not in this life, or the next…"
Turning around and not waiting for a response, I walked out of my room with Samantha lying there on the bed, and even though I was tempted to go back for the shotgun I left on the bed, I thought it would be better if she had it in case I got overpowered. Walking down the stairs, where I looked towards the gaping hole in my home, I eyed the damage that was done, and I grimaced. There is absolutely no way I can possibly pay to even fix half the damage they have caused…
Pulling a broken piece of drywall off of my floor, I looked at it with a mournful expression as I knew that I had only enough money to fix a portion of all this, and even then, that wasn't guaranteed if I used standard materials. Moving towards my foyer, I looked over, and saw my quad had luckily escaped any damage, and it didn't even have any debris on it. That meant it would still work without any glitches, so taking that into consideration, I quickly moved over to my turrets, and started to break them down. If I was to leave my home, I would be damned if I didn't bring these weapons to the town to boost their defenses.
Taking down the two turrets, I brought them and their stands over to my quad, and set them down, before walking towards my basement door. The plan was to use cargo straps to secure the guns onto each side of the frame of my quad, while also placing the ammo canisters on the back; yet that would leave very little room for Samantha and me. I wasn't too sure on if I was going to take any assault rifles, but I would definitely get a backpack full of ammo onto the front handlebars of my quad. I knew that if I was being attacked with the force the Templar kept using, then they would undoubtedly shift their attention to the town once they realized I was gone.
Stepping down and into my basement, I saw the scrap metal, various ammo canisters that were either empty or being used for storage, and then I saw different accessories in a corner, such as; cargo straps, ropes, clamps, and many more items. Moving to that corner, I aimed to grab a few things from that area, but as I turned around, I felt my eyes lock onto the pieces of scrap metal, and I was forced into a memory of those blue lances of magical energy they used.
I might need to protect the tires… and Samantha since she is on the back…
Shaking my head, I would work on that miniature project after I had the weapons secured onto my quad, and if it looked like my quad could handle the weight, then I would think about adding metal plating around vital parts of the vehicle Samantha and I would be making our escape on.
…
(Rich's P.O.V.)
Riding in the lead Humvee as it roared down the highway, I felt a bad feeling building in my gut, and that started to make me nervous right away; though I didn't betray my unease to those around me. It didn't make for good morale if the troops under your command knew that you yourself were nervous, and if I even hinted towards how I was feeling, and then I would just be setting my men and women up for failure in the fight to come. I only knew that we were heading for a hard fight due to the feeling in my gut, and it was a feeling I had learn to come and trust, as it had saved me a few times when it made me more cautious. It wasn't something I was about to forget now that I had rank and I directed troops instead of being directed.
Looking towards the distant horizon, I knew in a few hours, my convoy of twenty Humvees, several BTR's, and a four troop transport trucks would arrive to our destination. Whatever had fallen to threaten Lyon, I knew I had only received a call if it was something truly worthy of needing the military's aid.
Straightening up as I saw the driver shift lanes and closer to the shoulder, I knew that even though it would've been better in the public eye to use C130 planes; it would've taken too much time to prepare and get clearance, and then wait for additional clearance from the other base to land. It didn't go to say it wasn't going to be a hassle to arrive how we were, but as we zoomed past the civilian vehicles, I could only hope that it would end up being necessary…
…
(Lyon's P.O.V.)
Looking at my small, yet armored quad, I saw how heavily laden it was. It had an additional hundred plus pounds in weapons and ammo on its frame, and then it had another addition of fifty or so pounds of overlapping metal plating. Once Samantha and I got on it, that would give it yet three to four hundred pounds of living meat to its already heavy load. I myself had four pistols on me, with one on each side of my hip, and then covering the sides of my legs as well. To add more weight to myself, I had an assault rifle resting in front of my body, and I was going to have the shotgun I left upstairs resting on the handlebars of my quad. That wasn't all however, not by a long shot. I was going to have Samantha carry a backpack on her shoulders that was padded down, but be loaded with all my pistols, and even ammo to support those weapons. All in all, my quad was going to be expected to carry around enough weight to strain its shocks. I was proud though, as the quad looked like an armored beast meant for war, and given the chance, it was going to prove if it was ready for it. At the first sign of trouble, Samantha and I are going to take this and retreat to the town.
Moving towards my stairs, and then moving up them, I made my way up the stairs so that I could go calm down Samantha even more if she needed it. If she wasn't in need, then I was going to secure the last turret emplacement I had made for her to use on the second floor.
Once I made it to my bedroom however, I stopped and looked towards Samantha, and she looked towards me with fear, because in that moment that I stepped into my room; we both heard a bone chilling roar in the distance. It was such a blood curdling sound that it made my blood freeze over, and it sounded like whatever it was that made that sound, was big… bigger than I cared to find out. When the roaring sound finally died down, Samantha looked towards me with a fearful gaze, and she began to shake even more as she said, "Dragon…"
…
Well that means a change of plans!
Moving towards Sam, I grabbed her hand as I grabbed my shotgun with the other one, and I said, "We are leaving, now!"
Making my way towards the stairs, I ran down them as I let go of Samantha's hand, and I grabbed a backpack at the bottom of the stairs and held it up, "Take this and put it on."
Moving away from her and over to my quad as she began to work the straps over her arms, I slid the shotgun into a holster I had placed over the front of the handle bars, but well out of the way of the clutch and gas. Taking this chance to move back towards Sam, I saw she had the backpack on, and that was when I pulled her closer to me and the quad. "Alright, pay real close attention to how I get on, because you're going to need to do the same… and you will need to be extremely close to me to fit on it."
Placing one foot on the step of my quad, I swung my other leg over the seat of the quad, before I practically sat on the tank of the quad. Looking over towards Samantha, she quickly imitated me after a louder roar sounded from the hole in the front of my house, and I nearly gasped when I felt how tight she wrapped her arms around me.
Starting the engine to the quad as my gut suddenly adjusted to Sam's grip, I felt the strong roar, and then purring of the quads engine beneath me, before I flicked it into gear, and jammed my thumb forward. As the quad lurched forward, Samantha gripped my gut even firmer than before, and we were soon flying off the porch, before the shocks groaned from the impact with the ground after a four foot descent.
I looked up and saw the Templar just now breaching the edge of the forest, along with a huge, black dragon. My heart did a painful spin before it was in my throat, and I quickly turned my quad, and raced into the forest, and towards the town that was five minutes away, but might be faster to reach as the weight on my quad achieved better traction.
…
Hitting one last ditch, my quad roared into the air as Samantha clung to me tight enough to cause a few pangs of pain to my body at different times. Landing, the quads shocks once more creaked as my axle screamed in protest from a blown lubricator in one of the tires rims. Racing towards the hastily built barricades at the corner of the street, I saw a few faces appear around the corner of the street, and from this distance, I could see the surprised expressions. The sound of my engine heaving pitifully gave me some concerns, but it managed to get to the barricades without dying, at which point another mighty roar sounded from deep in the forest.
Sliding to a stop after shutting off the engine, Sam and I got off my battered vehicle, before we were being met with the towns defenders; who had all clearly seen better days. Ignoring all their questions, I grabbed what appeared to be a police officer, and I brought him closer as I began to undo my turrets, and I said, "Take these, set them up at key areas of attack, and prepare for the biggest fucking fight of your life! I have their entire army right behind me, and I'm sure I made them pissed!"
Handing the turret to him, I grabbed a backpack from the front of my quad and tossed it to one of the other men that was holding only a pistol, and I said, "That is ammo, spread it out, it is mainly for assault rifles!" Grabbing the waiting backpack from Samantha, I threw that backpack at another person, and said, "Pistols and more ammunition!"
"Lyon! By god, I thought after that explosion you wer-"
I interrupted Murphy as I quickly handed him a pair of assault rifles I had managed to secure under the armor of my two back tires. With the sight of how many guns I was taking from my quad, a few jaws did drop, and I even had all the weapons on myself as well, and that was before I took the shotgun from my handlebars and placed it onto my back.
"L-Lyon, Templar!"
Samantha's warning was enough time for me to quickly snatch up my other turret, before kicking the stand open, and grabbing one of the ammo canisters from the back of my quad and placing it on the side and locking it into position, I said urgently, "Sam, fire!"
Stepping aside as she quickly began to go through the loading procedure, I brought my own assault rifle up and began to fire in bursts at the Templar that had stepped through the forests edge, and I saw bullets flashing off their armor, before the red hot tracer rounds from the gun Samantha was operating began to actually penetrate and kill the first wave. It was only after five had dropped from our barrage did not only they bring their shields up, but also the defenders of the town began to fire as well, and the wall of bullets managed to drive back the Templar into the forest, and I saw a truly fearsome sight land in the middle of the street.
Shifting my fire to the black shadowy form of the dragon, Samantha did as well, and I even managed to hear her whimper over the sound of gunfire, but that ceased once the dragon let out another terrifying roar of anguish. I covered my ears as the high but still low pitch of the roar caused a horrible pain into my head, and I looked over and saw Sam shaking as the gun in her hands began to cease firing.
A blue flash of light came between her and I in a moment of the brief quiet, and I saw the cause of this all sneering at me, before he punched me across my jaw, and he said in a mocking voice, "Come and face me at your home if you want your keidran whore back… and hurry, or she will be killed for sport by yours truly."
I lunged towards him as I felt a shout come from my throat, but before I even reached him, he grabbed Samantha, and simply vanished. "NOOO!"
Grabbing at the empty air, I was only reminded of where I was at when someone grabbed me and yanked me back, and the spot where I had just been was bathed in black fire. A heat so powerful that I flinched washed over me, but I ignored that as I stood up, and I ran to my quad after the fire died down, and I quickly turned my quad around, and it rocketed off now that it wasn't loaded down with quiet as much weight.
I ignored the shouting behind me as rage clouded my mind, and I drew one of my many pistols, and the dragon leaned low to the ground as I approached, but it wasn't my target… no… the Templar behind him and beyond were. Firing my pistol rapidly at the troops behind him, I felt a growl come from my throat, before I threw my pistol at them, and then drew another pistol, and continued my advance. I fired slower, and more accurately this time, feeling each recoil rock my arm back, and I absently registered the approaching Humvees to my side, before I dashed between the dragons legs, and plowed through the shields of the scattering Templar. Those unfortunate enough to not avoid the front of my quad were quickly killed or wounded as the thousand pounds of metal and man crashed into their backs and sucked them underneath the powerful wheels.
Without another thought, I raced past them, and quickly avoided the trees around me, and raced to rescue Samantha before that Templar could harm her in any way. With each passing second, dread clouded my mind and made me feel even more frenzied, and that only drove me to press past the limits of my normal speed, narrowly avoiding trees as my quad barely drifted around them…
(Rich's P.O.V.)
Nearly bolting up in my seat as a dragon landed on the road ahead of us, I felt an immense amount of shock take hold of my body, but that wasn't all. It seemed like bullets had been flying past the dragon, before they all shifted to its body. Taking the radio from its stand, I keyed in the channel for my convoy, before I shouted into it, "All forward vehicles fire, fire at will!" Putting the radio back, I looked at the stunned driver, and I said, "Take us to the center of the town!"
After he slammed his foot onto the accelerator, I got onto the turret, and yanked the lever back, but right before I began to fire the heavy .50 Cal gun at the dragon, I swore that Lyon was on the quad that zoomed between the dragons legs, but I ignore that as it shifted its attention towards my convoy as the Humvees behind me opened fire, and I followed suit, peppering its body with rounds that seemed to effortlessly pass through it, or made little effect on it.
Its roar made my driver swerve a bit, but I just shifted my aim, and began to aim for its glowing red eyes, where I knew every creature's weakness lay. Holy Hell this can't be fucking real, yet how is it even here and actually part of reality!?
Turning the barrel as the dragon began to shift its focus; I saw its massive wings spread out, before the explosive shells of a BTR began to collide with the underside of one. Massive rips appeared in the black membrane, and if it wasn't like a comical yet scary illusion already, it let loose a mighty inferno of black fire. Ducking into my seat as the fire scorched the top of my Humvee, I did my best to get as low as possible as the black and scorching flames licked into the top of the Humvee, setting the top alight.
Looking out the front glass window pane, I jerked the steering wheel to the side, and watched a massive foot come down where we had been going a moment before. "T-Thanks General!"
"Don't mention it staff sergeant, just get us to the center of this damn town!" I shouted, and I hopped back out the top of the Humvee as the flames disappeared, before an explosion sounded from the back and near the trunk. Must've got the extra fuel tank…
Wrapping my gloved hands around the turret handles, I shifted my aim to the rear, before I began to let my gun do its work, and watched black puffs appear along the back spine of the dragon, before it reached down and snatched up a Humvee in its giant muzzle, and I watched in horror as it literally breathed fire into the top of the turrets hatch, while also clamping down with its mighty jaws. The resulting explosion consumed its entire head in an orangish yellow ball of flame, along with its own black flame spewing out from the center of the flame.
As both colors of flame disappeared, the two halves of the Humvee fell, with one half crushing a turret atop a BTR, and the other half was rammed out of the way by that very same BTR. Shifting my fire towards the head of the mighty beast, I watched as my rounds actually caused another roar to sound from the beast, until it leaped over the convoy and landed on one of the towns many buildings. Command isn't going to believe this!
Ducking down and into the Humvee, I grabbed my helmet, before activating the helmet cam, and returning my attention towards the dragon, before watching it slash the side of the already mangled BTR in the side, creating a massive gash in its side, but luckily not harming those within. While it did that, blue streaks lashed out from the forest to viscously slash off the many Humvees, with only a few being damaged… that is, until a massive blue thunderbolt speared through a Humvee's glass paneling, and I watched those in the front seat being burned alive, before that Humvee careened into the side of a building.
No… this was supposed to be a quick reinforcement operation… we need to get this under control! Ducking back into the Humvee, I snatched the radio up, before I began to speak into it, "All troops not manning vehicle turrets or driving, disembark and engage the enemy. I repeat, all units not essential to vehicle operation, disembark and engage the enemy!"
Switching the radio to long distance and to the nearest base, I spoke in a calm and collected voice while the sound of gunfire permeated the vehicle compartment, "This is General Rich of the United States Army base, requesting support to a town besieged by enemy troops. Town is named Flounder, and I am requesting immediate respons- TURN NOW!"
The sound of screeching tires and a miniature explosion behind us, the troops in the back screamed out in pain as they were caught by a blue fire like substance, and I dropped the radio transceiver as sparks cascaded from its paneling…
-:Marine Base, Fifty miles away:-
As the sound of gunfire and screaming echoed into the large and open communication room, every single person present jumped into action as an explosion ended the transmission. One man, a low ranking trooper, ran out of the office to inform the commanding officers.
After he ran into the room that was unknowingly to him holding a meeting, the CO's and two generals faced him, and an officer that had at first been startled noticed the young man's rank, and was instantly in his face and shouting. "Do you know what is going on Private? You just barged in on an important meeting without the courtesy to even knock first! The audacity of such an interruption is beyond belief, and I will personally assign you latrine duty, do you hear me!? Do you have anything to say for yourself Private!?"
The stunned and stiff man nervously swallowed before he boldly said, "Y-Yes sir! T-The t-t-town o-"
"Well, spit it out already Private!"
"The town of Flounder is under attack sir! A general was cut off as his vehicle supposedly e-exploded, sir!" Shouted the young man, feeling dread filling his mind.
The officer, who happened to be the most experienced drill instructor, had nothing to say one the young man finally got that out, before he quickly covered his surprise with another question. "When was this message received Private!?"
"T-Two minutes ago, sir!"
Before the DI could say anything else, one of the Generals stood up and said, "Alright men, code red, get your troops mobilized!"
…
(Lyon's P.O.V.)
Drifting around the last bend in the forest and heading directly for the clearing in my home, I felt anger burning in my chest stronger than ever before. It wasn't a feeling I was used to, but it filled me with so much strength and power, it frightened even me. Pushing my concerns to the side as my quad roared into the clearing where my home lay in shambles, I felt a small amount of additional anger being added to the ever growing inferno. Yet it wasn't until I saw Samantha lying there on the ground, and in a huge metal cage, did I feel like it boiled over to the top.
Running towards her as I took another pistol from my body, I dropped to my knees as I placed the pistol inside the cage and near Samantha as she looked up at me with a pained and teary gaze, and she whimpered as she tugged at the metal collar around her throat. "Don't worry Sam; I'm going to get you out of here…"
Grabbing the bottom of the cage, I began to lift it up, before she began to desperately push me, and I looked into her fearful eyes. Before I could ask her what was the matter, she looked past me as she opened her mouth, yet nothing came out; though I still understood her unspoken message.
Before I could respond to the threat, I saw a blue glow surround my body, before I was suddenly flying through the air. Landing roughly on my back as all my air left my lungs, I rolled over as a piece of roofing rained down from the sky. Even with the lack of strength or air, I got to my feet, and pushed myself up while withdrawing my last pistol as I faced my antagonist. Fighting to get air into my lungs, I began to fire my pistol, with most the rounds missing, or ricocheting off of his shield that he took around him. While he withdrew his sword and started to advance towards me with a laugh that ticked me off beyond belief, he spoke in a haughty voice, "You may have thought that you could save this pathetic keidran, but you thought wrong. After I'm through with you, I will skin your little… toy, alive!"
I looked over and saw her eyes widen in fear, and that was before the Templar in front of me swung his sword towards me, and I narrowly avoided the sharp looking blade. I had just managed to get some resemblance of air back into my lungs, but I wasn't given any respite as I forced to duck and roll out of the way, and when I came out of the roll, I raised my pistol and began to fire in his direction. When my bullets only bounced off his shield, I resulted to a barbaric method as I threw my pistol at him as hard as I could.
"Do you think that you can fight me, a TEMPLAR!? You are sor- ARH!"
My pistol hit him right below his eye, and I watched in amazement as it seemed to bypass his shield instead of simply shooting away like the bullets had. Strange, I still have my shotgun, maybe his shield is down.
Quickly shifting the shotgun strap around and bringing the barrel to bear down on my target, I didn't bother taking it out of its holster as I pulled the trigger, and the loaded shell blew through the leather, but it unfortunately bounced off the glimmering blue force field, yet it still knocked him back.
As his hand came away from his face, I saw a cut directly below his eye and his skin starting to turn a shade of purple as he began to bruise already. He gave me a horrible sneer, and I chambered my shotgun, before I fired another round. "You may destroy my home, but you will not harm Samantha!"
Sliding the forearm of the shotgun back as I loaded another shell into the barrel, I pulled the trigger back, but my shot went wide and high as his sword collided with the underside of my gun, barely missing my fingers in the process. Letting momentum do its work, I let the strap fly off from around my neck, but I wrapped my fingers around it and brought my gun back around; using it like a mace more than a gun. Since bullets can't pierce his mana shield, let's see if using a gun like this works again.
The small amount of time he had left, he brought his forearm up with his sword to block my attack, but as the gun made contact, the end of the stock still wrapped around and collided with the back of his helmet. I moved out of the way as he stumbled forwards, but I wasn't able to escape a powerful punch to my gut, and as I keeled over, he slammed his armored elbow into my back; sending a sharp lance of pain up my back. As I collided with the ground, I groaned, before I was kicked in my side.
Through the pain and haze in my eyes, I reached a hand over, and pulled his foot towards me as I rolled over, and I took him down with me. While I grabbed his gauntleted hand, I bashed his only hand into the ground, and I held it there, before I suddenly felt a force shoot through me, and a blue glow surrounded us as electrical pain surged into my body and through his fist… which I was holding…
…
(Rich's P.O.V.)
My men had so far managed to drive that cursed beast, which could only be a mythical dragon, to the edge of the town. Heavy thumps from BTR shells barraged the dragon and the tree line where the blue jolts were erupting from. Many of the Humvee's were operational, or the guns were literally melted or destroyed beyond usage from heavy objects falling onto them. Luckily, three were able to be used, with only one of them having the Humvee capable of movement, and Lyon had brought some deployable turrets of his own. Looking over as I directed my men, I saw one of the towns swat members replacing the empty turret canister with one he had acquired from a damaged .50 Cal turret.
Focusing back towards the dragon, I unpinned a grenade from my chest, before throwing it high and far with a calculating arc. When it exploded, it was practically next to the shoulder, "There we go!"
My shout of victory was short-lived as the dragon seemingly shrugged off the damage it had just sustained, but that wasn't all, as its piercing red and black gaze shifted to me, before it roared loudly. I felt my jaw clench up as it began to approach me, ignoring all the rounds that were hitting it, and only recoiling from the few BTR shots that hit it. I knew death when I was looking at it, so I didn't bother to move or retreat, as I would rather die facing my killer, than with my back turned like a coward. "General, get out of there!"
Glancing out of the corner of my eye as I saw my men waving towards me, I shook my head very briefly, before turning my attention back to the rearing dragon. Smoke began to seep out of its mighty muzzle, before its chest began to rumble with a threatening and ominous noise. Its muzzle opened up, and just as I saw the black flames roiling around in the back of its throat, I closed my eyes, accepting the end of my life. I did what I could, but that wasn't enough…
VE-BOOM!
BOOM!
My eyes shot open as dual pressure waves roiled over me, and that was when I saw two F16 jets roar overhead, with a trail of black smoke trying, and failing, to take them out of the sky. I watched in stunned awe as the missiles left two large holes in the dragons shoulder, and when it turned its attention back towards me, I knew today wasn't the day I was going to die. Watching the two jets arc into the sky, before coming back around for another pass, I dove behind a Humvee, before high caliber bullets and missiles rained down from the sky, causing the mighty dragon to roar in pain as it was surely effectively being dealt with. I didn't dare peak out of cover as the bullets from the jets began to spray in a wider area, and I hunkered down some more as they began to felt the Humvee I had taken cover behind.
After the two F16's roared overhead once again and banked away from each other and into a wide 'V' turn, I heard the sound of tanks coming from the distance. Before one even came into sight, the sound of an echo reached my ears, and I looked over the top of my cover to watch as the dragon's head blew apart in a cloud of black smoke. I cheered loudly as more shells began to explosively blossom all around its body, and the more it became smoke, the stronger the cheering began to come from the town, and all efforts were soon shifted to the forest, where blue streaks of lightning began to shoot out. Like natural lightning, it was highly destructive, but they didn't seem to be able to hit their intended targets, since they would harmlessly explode off of the walls of buildings or send asphalt into the air.
Grabbing my fallen M16 rifle, I moved around my cover, and began to take shots towards where I was sure the strange attacks were coming from. After we clean this up, I need to take a platoon and go help Lyon!
…
(Lyon's P.O.V.)
The sound of distant battle reached my ears, but I was drawn back to my dire fight in front of me as I used my shotgun to once more block an attack from the enraged man in front of me. I was tired, beaten, and struggling to achieve an upper hand, and it was like his attacks were being fueled by an unknown energy source. "You can't fight forever!" The longer I fought, the weaker I got, yet he strangely seemed to never waver in strength, as his attacks remained as hard as ever. I had cuts lining my body, along with a bloody lip from where he had managed to get below my guard and punch me. It wasn't to say he wasn't hurt either, just nowhere near as badly as I was.
Making an error, I saw his sword slicing through the air from my fatal mistake, and I shouted out in agony as his sword bit into my shoulder, and sank into my flesh, before coming to a bone jarring stop as it collided with the metal plating in my arm. I fell to my knees as the pain brought tears to my eyes, and it was then that the blue glow that surrounded his body began to dissipate, before he said in a snide, yet delighted voice, "Finally, you have fallen! You may have been able to stall me for this much time, but once I have dealt with you and… her… I will move on to first conquer that town, and then the next… before the Templar will rule this realm…"
"ARGGGHHH!"
When his blade slid from my shoulder, I clutched at the bleeding wound, but I was soon hoisted up into the air without being so much as touched, before I fell back to the ground. I groaned out some more, before the Templar man said in a surprised tone, "So, you managed to drag this fight on long enough to drain me of all my mana? Well, that won't matter, as I don't need to defend against you any longer… and it isn't like your little toy can do anything from within that cage… especially without even a single weapon to use against me… HAHAHAHA!"
I felt his hands grab my shirt, before he began to drag me towards her cage, and it wasn't until I was dropped in front of her bars did he speak again, "Kiedran, you may now speak… you should hurry and say whatever you want, as I will kill him soon enou-"
POP POP POP!
…
…
The sound of a body hitting the ground reached my ears, before I felt dizziness taking over my mind….
…
"L-Lyon…"
"L-LYON!"
Shaking my head as I fought back the black envelope of sleep, exhaustion, and death, I pushed myself up as I saw Samantha looking towards me with tear filled eyes. Pushing myself closer to the cage, I was soon being supported by her waiting hands as I once more slipped into a brief relapse of unconsciousness…
…
...
I awoke to a shaking sensation, and I looked into Samantha's fear filled eyes, and I heard her say, "H-Help me get out of this c-cage… I c-can't do it myself…"
Nodding my head, I grabbed the cage, and with her help, began to lift it. Once it was high enough, I locked my one functional arm as the other throbbed dimly, before I whispered out quietly, "G-Get out…"
I wasn't sure if she took my warning, because a few seconds after I said that, I felt blackness envelope my senses, before I was pulled into the black abyss once again…
…
…
…
Grogginess…
Pain…
I came back a few minutes later, only to feel like my shoulder had been wrapped in something, but I felt a rocking sensation as something warm and wet continued to fall down onto my cheeks. I was too weak to even open my eyes, but with what little strength I had left, I resorted to listening to Samantha's quiet sobbing fits, along with her quiet mutterings.
…
When my hearing came back to me soon after, it sounded like Samantha was far away, but also extremely close, and I heard her speaking, "I l-love y-you… L-Lyon… *sniff* p-ple-ase… d-don't die…" I felt something extremely warm being applied to my cold lips, but my mind was too sluggish to register what it was, or come up with any feelings, before I began to drift off once again.
…
"Spread out, find a tall light skinned man wearing civilian clothes. Lyon came out here, and it is dire we find him alive!"
Though I was now struggling to even retain any hearing at all, I heard Sam sniff, before someone shouted out, "Sir, over there, by the corner of the porch!"
She shifted a bit, and I felt more warmth enveloping my back, and when the sound of footfalls stopped approaching, I heard an oddly familiar voice speaking. The voice began to slowly lose all traces of sound, and it began to fade out, but I still heard, "It is alright… I am a friend…"
A.N.: Hello everybody, and welcome to the closing chapter. Depending on the reviews I get, this will either be the end, or I will write another chapter to put a full closure to this story. This chapter was one hell of a fight scene in its-self, but I think I did better than I had originally expected, but that is up to you all to decide… well, get to it!
GrimlockX4: was this what you expected or hoped for? ;D
3-D Jak: lol, I made no such reference to that!
K.S. Reynard: So, I tricked you just how Lyon did to Samantha, huh? Well, I like being a tricky devil, as wording something like that takes a small amount of skill, and a good sense of humor! Also, I got 5k words done in 3-4hours, but it would've been faster if I hadn't kept taking so many breaks. As for how we type that fast, it comes with going with the flow, and literally coming up with what you want as you go, instead of stopping and thinking about what you wish to put down. It has nothing to do with speed, because even though I type like that, I need to constantly make changes as I type the wrong letters or words, or add the wrong letters into what I'm doing. I even counted it as I was typing out your reply… I did it at least 5 times were I needed to go back and fix errors.