Chapter 4: Maniac's mask

I hear the door open and immediately stand at attention before saluting "The chef's say breakfast will be ready soon sir, Good morning Doctor".

"Ah haha, Sensational my boy, please . . . take a seat" Dr Schugel sat at a nearby table, I elected to take a seat across from him.

"Thank-you Sir" I quickly grab some K-brott and butter and start eating, I don't want to miss target practice today.

"so . . . How are you progressing?, my research on your frankly unique energy signature has left me slightly out of the loop" Schugel asks between bights of K-brott and beans.

"of course sir, I have been keeping up to mark with all my classes and training, Kirtvin says im excelling in marksmanship, although I have been struggling in strategy classes" . . .

We talk for a few more minutes before heading to our respective duties, I quickly head to the shooting range while slipping my gasmask on, Over the last year at this base I have managed to get into a pretty steady schedule, Iv been learning to fly and shoot better, and Dr Schugel Is researching my energy to optimise my Core; now named the "T-94-H", During this time they have also allowed me access to general education as well, And apparently im getting my Codename soon, With a slight smile on my face and a spring in my step I make my way towards the range.

I didn't bump into anyone on my way so I made good time, when I arrived I found the range empty, like usual, I frown slightly at the disuse of this oh so sacred place, hopefully the next batch of mages train in this area, then I would have some range-mates, Focus, I crouch low with my legs wide apart and arms braced along the length of my gun, My darling, two meters of steel wrought death and destruction, I lower my eye to the open optic and lineup the shot.

breath in - breathe out *DOOFcKRCHa - ClunK* breath in

I smile in satisfaction and cycle the action listening to the clunk of the chain operated 20mm mag feed, I look downrange seeing my target missing its torso, whoever decided on wooden targets is an idiot.

I glance over absently, Hmm, still ninety-nine shots left today.

For the rest of that morning I practiced shooting.

Two years later

*bang, bang, bang* "Sturm" *bang, bang*

I wake abruptly from the disturbance at my door, sitting up and stepping out of bed I move to my dresser. "I'll be out in a moment" I shout as I quickly slip on my Undershirt and Insulated heavy combat trousers, Picking up my gasmask I slip it on as I approach the door, Pushing open the door I quickly stand too and snap out a salute "Dr. Schugel Sir"

"FINALY" He thrusts my core and flight tech into my arms "GET TO THE FLIGHT FEILD NOW" I reach for my jacket and gloves *claCK* I feel his slap land on the back of my head causing me to stumble slightly "I SAID NOW" Abandoning my overclothes I take the kit and run to the test field slipping it on as I go.

*CraCkle* "Is this working?, Yes?, good, SO- my boy, you are currently the only mage on base"

"may I ask why doctor?"

"Brigadier General Zettour needed any excess mages on the eastern front for a advance!"

"ahh - ok, why am I u-" *CraCK* I see a bullet ping off my hastily erected barrier spell "WHAT?, SIR I AM UNDER ATTACK!"

"yes my boy!, Thats why we called you out so early, You are the only empire mage on in the area"

" . . . Yes sir, Requesting information on the enemy" I rack the bolt on my Solothurn pulling a round into the chamber *CrCHUNK* mhhm smothe The warm morning sun softens the bite of the wind on my bare arms and barely covered chest and abdomen

"no no, only one sugar in my coffee . . . Is this microphone still on?"

"Sir? . . . This is Sturm to research base, Please inform me of the enemies numbers and bearing" *CraCK* I feel another bullet ping off my barrier

"huh, oh yes, This is Research base, enemy approaching airfield from the south-east, currently two kilometres out, four separate energy signatures, approaching at below average speed, intercept before they reach the airfield, Research base out" *CraCkle*

I spin round focusing south-east attempting to spot my mark, Glancing down I spot them . . . barely thirty meters off the ground and moving at around ninety miles per hour Is this a stealth maneuver or are they badly trained I raiseaneyebrow under my mask as I raise my weapon lining up the bead on the closest one, I quickly check my ammo type before firing EAP? must be new

brace, start applying force forward, breathe out *DOOFcKRCHa! - ClunK* I immediately cycle the action and return to a firing position, using a mage sight spell I attempt to verify my hit, the squad has scattered and my target destroyed, his chest is a smoking crater with his right arm missing, Must have had his barrier up "This is Sturm; One mage down"

"Roger"

Hmm- *CraCK* three bullets ping of my barrier, Why aren't they using mage bullets? "This is Sturm; please identify these magic signatures, they are showing odd behaviour"

I line up my next shot, the rightmost mage, obviously attempting to leave my line of sight *huff*, compensate for lateral movement, brace, start applying force forward, breathe out *DOOFcKRCHa! - ClunK* myshot hits high right exploding on contact with the mages barrier, as the smoke clears its obvious that the exploding round still did good work as blood gushes out of a gash in my targets neck, not neutralised then, brace, start applying force forward, breathe out *DOOFcKRCHa! - Chunt* empty? who gave me a half loaded mag, the round hit dead on her head, it detonated on contact the internal shaped charge blasting forwards, the headless body tumbled backwards through the air rapidly before hitting the ground with a wet thump.

"This is Sturm; target down, got eyes on target three, target four lost get me a location on them"

slinging my weapon over my shoulder I start gliding forwards, I check the cylinder on my revolver, five shots no backups hmph, slapping the chamber back into place I start accelerating, reaching over one-hundred miles an hour momentarily before starting to slow for strafing I close the gap in no time, blasting formula, raising my arm as I glide around my target in a stable radius I line up my shot, brace *CraCKtch*, the blast hits his barrier forcing him back and creating a burst of smoke, perfect, I grin as I close the distance using the makeshift smokescreen, penetrating formula Jἄ?, I grin as I fire off three rounds into my target, each round blasts a hole through his barrier before passing cleanly through his chest.

may you find enlightenment by the hearth of god "This is Sturm; target three down, Still requesting Info on target four"

"um, yes . . . about that, Dr Schugel says we lost track of target four just after target one went down, w-we think he escaped"

I sigh listlessly "Roger, Am I to pursue?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT, YOU ARE IN NO WAY COMBAT READY, NOT TO FORGET THAT YOU ARE A UNIQUE SPECIMEN, YOU WILL NOT BE DOING ANY OFFENSIVE MISSIONS UNTILL COMMAND CLEARS IT, AM I CLEAR?"

I hear Dr Schugel raving over the radio "Yes Sir, Returning to base, please get me a resupply, preferably full mags this time"

I hear one of the younger researchers over the radio "OH-, Of course, How were those rounds?, did they preform well?"

"They were effective, I still prefer Tungsten-UAP and Frag rounds" I stumble slightly as my boots hit the ground, the weight of my rifle slightly to much for my young body magically enhanced it may be.

Three years later

I awake slowly, today is a range day, Dr Schugel is busy with a new project, The entire facility as abuz.

we have new recruits coming in today for training using the facilities, a new batch of mages apparently, even outside of the excitement from that; there is also the excitement from the news of a new war hero 'White silver', a young female mage, apparently already a good soldier at the young age of nine managed to defeat a number of hostile mages without consideration for her own health, I cant help but grin, I hope I get to meet her at some point.

I hop out of bed grabbing my standard gear, a set of insulated heavy combat trousers, a lite undershirt in a T-shirt style, my new special order GP-5 gasmask, some three finger gloves and my heavy clay-grey combat boots.

clipping my Schirmmütze onto my right sleeve and belt I grab my rank, I grin as button the red bordered black slide onto my sleeve.

I quickly snap a salute out before heading out of my room, New people! this must be gods gift for my fourteenth birthday, With a skip in my step I make my way into the cafeteria.