Mercenary Squad 9 Chapter 5

Mercenary Squad 9
Chapter 5


Making Yourself Known

Despite their best attempts to avoid confrontation, Gabriel now had a fight on his hands, and it wasn’t going to be easy. The dragon hybrid was easily 8ft tall compared to his 6ft. His arms and legs were covered in red scales, tough as any armor while Gabriel had only his silver fur. His chest was broader, his muscles were stronger, and unlike Gabriel who was calm and collected, the dragon was seething at rage from his failed attempt to intimidate the “fresh meat.” Smoke rose from his human nostrils as his eyes burned just as hot and bright as his inner fire. His red ponytail like hair almost looking as if it were the flames rising from his head.

“Forgive me for not being scared of your little light show. Fire isn’t really something I’m afraid of. After all, both my sister and I are from the lands of the Magus, so simple fire breathing and flame attacks just look like silly magic to us.” Gabriel said cooly as he slipped his sword back into it’s scabbard on his side with a click.

“Not afraid of fire huh? Well then you can be afraid of this instead.” Gabriel watched as the dragon reached his hand behind his back and removed what he thought looked like a long handled axe, but with a small click another blade appeared on the opposite site turning it into a heavy battle axe. The weapon alone looked like it weighed a great deal, probably more than Gabriel himself could lift, yet his opponent in a show of force swung it down with one hand causing the ground around him to shake. “There’s no need for us to fight. I was merely defending myself and my sister. I don’t want this to spiral any further out of control.” Gabriel said reaching for his sword, and wrapping his hand around it’s handle ready to pull it out as fast he could in case of an attack.

“You don’t have a reason? Well I do!” The dragon wasted no time in rushing at him. He swung the axe horizontally intending to cleave him in half but Gabriel stepped backward, easily avoiding the axe’s head as it swung past. As he prepared to move again Gabriel felt the same tingling he had felt back at the military base, only it was more focused. Time seemed to slow down once again as his breathing steadied out and his vision narrowed to focus solely on his opponent.

What…what is this? He asked himself as he stared at the dragon who was very slowly but surely bringing the axe back up in a rising diagonal sweep to attack his exposed chest. Everything…everything is so slow…it’s almost like…I can sense his movements and react to them. As the axe began to get closer Gabriel took a step to the side and grabbed it as it went past him with both hands. With a strong grip he heaved the axe with the intent of throwing its wielder into one of the nearby barracks. The world came rushing back as his body reacted just as he had imagined it grabbing the axe with lightning fast speed and hurling his attacker into the barracks weapon and all. It was as if the entire moment in his mind had been some kind of vision of what his actions would accomplish.

The feeling of surprise and exhilaration took time to set in as the wooden building collapsed on top of his attacker. “What…what was that…and how did I do it?” He asked himself looking at his hands. He didn’t get an answer as the effect kicked in again this time narrowing in on where he had thrown the dragon into the building. Like a red blur the dragon cam barreling out of the rubble but to Gabriel it was if he was just taking a casual stroll toward him, mouth open flames leaping from his throat. He seriously wants to kill me! How the heck do you stop a rampaging monster like this? His mind raced at incredible speeds trying to come up with some kind of solution to this oncoming attack.

His mind immediately focused on lethal options such as leaping over the dragon’s head and breaking his neck as he landed. His mind played the scenario out at full speed for him, as he leapt over his target and snapped his neck after quickly reversing his footing from his leap. No…I just got here. I don’t need “murderer” on my dossier. The vision faded as he imagined another scenario. Perhaps…if I could prevent him from using his weapon, maybe I could break his arm. The vision once again showed him his scenario as he dashed forward catching the dragon’s arm as he swung his axe down, and punched it as hard as he could causing a loud cracking sound and the dragon to roar in agony. Perfect. That’s what I’ll do.

Satisfied with his plan the world came back into focus as the dragon charged right at Gabriel his axe in the air. With a quick step Gabriel caught the dragon’s arm as he brought down the axe to cleave the young wolf in half, and with a mighty roar he slammed his fist into his attackers arm. A resounding crack was the result of his maneuver and his opponent howled in agony over his broken arm and collapsed in pain to the ground. “This fight is over.” Gabriel said kicking his opponents axe out of that way after it had fallen to the ground. “Your arm is broken, and you probably have a minor concussion from getting thrown into that building. You would be wise to just back away and look for medical attention.” Satisfied with his words he turned on his heel and walked off, Macha following behind him shocked and amazed at what she had seen.

“Get….get back here! I’m not done with you! This fight isn’t over yet you little runt!!” With resounding strength the dragon was back on his feet and charging after Gabriel and Macha. His claws were extended and all he wanted was to see the wolf’s blood on his hands, nothing else mattered at this point. Gabriel knew it was coming, even his ability didn’t have to warn him of that. Once again the world ran in slow motion as he pushed Macha out of the way, turned on the balls of his feet and cocked back his fist as the dragon got within a few inches of him. Yet at the last moment Gabriel’s rage surfaced. He didn’t want the dragon to leave them alone, he wanted the dragon to suffer.

“YOU FOOL!!” With a mighty roar of his own he angled his fist upward and with a impactful “CRUNCH” his fist plowed right into the dragon’s cheekbone. He could feel bone break and shatter as his fist impacted and with a quick forceful swing downward he drove the dragon into the dirt face first. His opponent in the dirt Gabriel decided it was best to leave before things got worse but his plan was halted by the arrival of armed Imperial soldiers their sights trained on both himself and Macha. He didn’t even have time to explain as twenty red dots appeared on his and Macha’s bodies the lights coming from the soldiers rifles indicating they were ready to shoot.

“On your knees.” One of the soldiers said without lowering his weapon. “He started it. I was only defending myself.” “ON YOUR KNEES!” The soldier repeated with a shout. With a grunt Gabriel did as he was told and got on his knees, Macha doing the same next to him.

“Striking one of the Emperor’s mercenaries is a high offense. What’s your rank?” The soldier said lowering his weapon to approach them. Gabriel took his time with his answer as he looked over the soldier. He was clad in traditional Imperial uniform; green camo with brown and black splotches. His uniform was surprisingly clean despite the mud surrounding them and Gabriel could see that he wore the insignia of a sergeant quickly calculating that he was in charge of this patrol that cornered them.

“My sister and I are new recruits, only rank 10.”

“Striking a mercenary of higher rank, injuring one of the Emperor’s mercenaries, and then trying to flee the scene. The punishment is 50 lashes.” The sergeant said with a matter of fact tone.

“WHAT?? He started this whole thing and we’re being punished? What kind of rule is that?” Gabriel roared but the soldier responded by lifting and striking him with the butt end of his rifle. The blow knocked Gabriel to the ground and stung as he got back on his knees. “Know your place! Unless you want to be punished further. Take them away.” The soldiers approached and Gabriel could feel their tight grip on his arms as they got him to his feet before putting a rifle barrel against his head and ordering him to march. “You have no right to treat us this way…we were defending ourselves!” Gabriel protested, only to have another rifle butt smash his face as he walked. He felt blood flow down his cheek but kept silent as the soldiers led both he and Macha to the far western half of the fort where the Imperial garrison was.

“Macha…I’m sorry. We just got here and I’ve already got us in more trouble then we needed.” He said looking at his sister, who to his surprise only smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I have a feeling we’ll be breaking a lot more rules as we live here.” She winked at Gabriel, but it didn’t make him feel any better. This was sister, his only family that he could talk to and consult with, and here he was getting her in trouble. That always seemed to be the case in his mind. Even back in the academy for training, whenever he did something wrong, his sister was always by his side, suffering the punishment in silence. His mind continued to wander as they finally reached the garrison and were lead to a small concrete building with a few windows where they were roughly tossed inside.

“Your punishment is set for later in the day, as for now enjoy your time in the Imperial prison.” One soldier said before slamming the door and leaving the two siblings with each other and their thoughts. Gabriel took the opportunity to look around their “accomadations” and wasn’t surprised at what he took in. It was a prison alright with two mattress’s for laying on, what looked like a bucket for waste removal, and nothing else. “Well…this is cheery.” He said sitting on one of the mattresses with a sigh.

“Cheery isn’t exactly the word I would use Gabe, more like…dreadful.” Macha said as she sat next to him, her wings folding in and out as if she were stretching them.

“Listen…Macha I…”

“Don’t say anything Gabriel. I know you’re sorry, but like I said earlier, don’t worry about it. Instead, worry about how you’re going to make it right.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your attitude, and your whole demeanor. For once can we try and go somewhere without you picking or starting a fight?”

“Hey I didn’t start that fight!”

“No but you sure finished it! Have you ever thought that maybe you could just I don’t know…walk away from a fight?”

“That guy was trying to kill me!”

“And you almost killed him! You’re no better than the man who attacks you, if you attack him back!”

“I didn’t attack him, I defended myself and you!”

“ME?? I wasn’t involved in the fight! You just took it upon yourself to beat that guy down! Defending yourself or not, I wish for once you would just walk away!”

“Wolves don’t walk away!!”

“YOU’RE NOT A WOLF!!!” Macha screamed as her wings shot outwards, the force of them knocking Gabriel into the wall as he looked at her panting from her outburst. “You are a human, trained to be one of the Emperor’s best soldiers, yet for some damn reason you think you can do it all on your own. You think you can take anyone, you think you can beat anyone,  and you think you can fix everything, well you can’t! One day someone is going to come around and beat you within an inch of your life Gabriel! Do you understand that you can’t do this alone?”

Gabriel looked at his sister, angered by her words, but mostly shocked that she even raised her voice to him. She hardly ever raised her voice, and it was mainly because she never needed too. She was smart enough and crafty enough to out talk and out wit anyone without using her voice, yet here she was yelling at her own brother. “Just think about that okay? Just think about how you’re going to do it all on your own.” She said as she laid down on her mattress, brought in her wings and dozed off leaving Gabriel with his own thoughts.

“What is there to think about?” He asked quietly as he got up and looked out one of the windows. “I can do it on my own. Maybe not now, but when I get stronger I will be able too. I will bring justice to all those who defy the Emperor, and I will make myself known as the Wolf of the forest who nobody could stand against.”

“Gee…with that line of thinking you’re just asking to get your tail handed too you.” A young voice said from outside the door as it slowly opened. The voice in question had come from a young man with long black hair, that hung past his shoulders. Bat wings could be seen tucked behind his back, thick black hair was on his arms and his eyes were silver and pale white. “If you really want to do all that, then maybe I can teach you a thing or two.”

“And you are…?” Gabriel asked  crossing his arms. “Silas Heelsix. Commander of Fort Silva, and all mercenaries that live in her, and you're Gabriel Ames. You just got here, and I already know everything about you."