by Dave Hazel
‘No, it’s an enemy,’ he yelled in thought to himself as he heard another arrow whistle by his head. He turned to where the arrow came from and watched the guilty Kachjen take an arrow from above while at the same time it was shot in the head by Lieutenant Finley. The rifle fire increased dramatically when many of Mykal’s people from the vehicles ran to join them. Almost all the Kachjens were down or dead. The few that stood their ground became as wild and vicious as the she beast acted when they saw she had been knocked to the ground.
The other Elves ran to Egoneal’s side to assist with Uminair. The five Elves picked Uminair up and carried him back to get him behind the vehicles. Mykal watched while looking for targets and he still wasn’t sure if Uminair was dead or alive. When the five carried him away his form was lifeless and Mykal felt bad because Uminair was the one Elf who knew more about the area than the others. Mykal didn’t think Uminair was alive since he saw no signs of life from the Elf who had been carted away off the battlefield. From the short glimpse Mykal caught of Uminair’s body, there was plenty of blood on his head and face. His injury seemed life threateningly severe. He didn’t want to lose this Elf.
**********
The overweight she beast got to her feet and looked at the giant who punched her in the face. Her rage at those who killed her clan, the anger she felt over the pain from what was clearly a broken jaw and missing teeth and the indignation over the fact that someone would strike her in the face, she the queen of her tribe, was blinded with fury as she turned to attack the giant. She had faced many foes over the years. She had always been victorious due to her cunning and deceitfulness and had always been triumphant over Zizmon-Tarl’s forces who could never corral her. So how dare this small force of strangers, that included Elves, think they were going to be dominant over her and conquer her clan? It wasn’t going to be. She would die first.
This ‘quarter size’ Anart was not going to be the champion of her when she and her clan had defeated Anarts in the past. She raised her sword and charged the giant with blind wrath. Shouting in the common tongue, she screeched, “I will not be defeated.” The words sounded distorted with her jaw drooping to one side from her injury.
**********
Mykal watched the heavy weight blonde get to her feet. Her jaw was broken and drooping to one side of her face. Blood and saliva drooled massively from her open mouth. She shook her head passionately and screamed loudly. Blood and saliva flew in all directions. Her thin greasy looking blonde hair fluttered wildly with her movements. Mykal could sense her anger and determination. He could almost feel each foot stomp to the ground. Though her face was almost human looking he could see the hatred and anger she displayed as she screamed and charged at Towbar with sword in hand.
Mykal didn’t know if something strange would happen such as the she beast having some strange magical powers or not. He feared something would take them all by surprise and she would perform some magical feat. If not she was walking into her death by charging at Towbar with her sword raised to attack. Mykal realized all the other shooting had ceased so all the Kachjens should be dead. He raised his rifle and aimed at Kachjensim, the queen of the Kachjens. He put the cross hairs of his scope on her head while she charged at his best friend. He waited to see if he would need to intervene.
It seemed like everyone stopped and watched the fat bloated she beast charge toward Towbar. When Towbar swung his glowing blue blade it seemed to happen in slow motion. The high pitched scream seemed to continue as he sliced through her neck and sent her head flying some twenty-five to thirty feet away. Her weighty body plopped down with a heavy thud and just remained there. With a quick jerk of her body, her legs kicked out and then she didn’t move again. The rush of blood from her neck flowed quickly and seemed to be swallowed up in the dirt of the path they were on. Towbar took a stance as if waiting for her to get up and keep coming at him. He waited about ten seconds and then lowered his sword.
“Damn, look at that,” Mathis gasped. He stood about five feet from the severed head that rested on the left side of its face. “Her damn eyes are blinking and she’s trying to talk,” he gasped again as he stared at the moving lips.
“Don’t believe her,” Roy Jr. laughed out cruelly. “That fat assed, bloated, Buddha named Kimberly is lying to ya.”
“What is going on?” Captain Diaz yelled when most of the men joined them and it appeared everything was under control. He ran to Lieutenant Finley.
“I want everyone to check on those we killed,” Mykal yelled loudly for the men near him. “And if there are any who are still alive I want them dead.”
“Are you okay?” Mathis asked Mykal. He was flanked by Vick Daring and Ben Milnar who had been videotaping most of the battle.
“I’m fine. How about you guys? You guys doing okay?” Mykal asked and watched the discussion between Captain Diaz and Lieutenant Finley. Mykal felt terrible. Finley looked like he wanted to break down. With his increased hearing he heard a part of Finley’s complaint.
“…I lost another of my Green Berets,” Finley snapped and looked like he was going to shout as they stood there staring at the motionless body of Aubrey. “Aubrey was just trying to make sure that damn dog wasn’t injured. With his kind heart toward animals he just wanted to help the injured animal and they attacked us with arrows. I’m so pissed off. We were lured into this trap by a damn dog. Now Aubrey’s wife is left alone with a little baby boy and six dogs.”
Mykal eyed the form of Aubrey who looked to be lying in a fetal position. The arrow protruding from Aubrey’s forehead was disturbing. Blood rolled down his head into the dirt beside the water that spilled from his canteen that he used to try to help the supposed injured dog. The two arrows in his chest added to the finality. Mykal walked away. He didn’t want to hear or see any more. “Hey Towbar, are you alright?”
“Yes my friend,” Towbar said and smiled while he cleaned his six foot sword.
“I honestly thought she was dead when you punched her in the face,” Mykal gasped. “I didn’t think anyone could get up from a punch like that.”
“I will tell you my friend. I was surprised with the beast’s toughness and durability. I thought I struck the creature with enough force to kill it. Obviously I was wrong. It got up and attacked me.”
“Is everyone else okay?” Ratner asked when he and a couple of Marines rushed to them.
“No, Sergeant Aubrey of the Green Berets was killed and so was one of Hidtotim’s men,” Mykal answered. “Something happened to one of the Elves too,” Mykal added and looked toward the vehicles.
“The Elf is being treated by the medics,” Ratner said. “I think he will be fine, but he has a big ol’ nasty knot on his forehead. I think it looks worse than it actually is. What happened? You guys were only out here for a few minutes.”
“They friggin tricked us and set us up for a trap,” Mykal answered. “They had their dog trained to act like it was injured,” he said and explained everything the way it unfolded. “Like idiots we let our guard down because we thought the dog was injured and needed help,” Mykal said and shook his head. “I’m one of the idiots who wanted to help the injured dog.”
“The dog was trained well,” Roy Jr. said while he reloaded his rifle. “I really thought the doggie was hurt. I also wanted to either help the dog or to put it outta its misery. But the damn dog belonged to that fat assed, blonde haired, bloated Buddha looking bitch that reminds me of my old girlfriend Kimberly,” he said in a serious tone that caused Mykal and Randy to laugh.
“I’m not laughing,” Mykal said and turned his head. “But you had to hear the stuff that was said just before they attacked us,” Mykal explained to hopefully take away from what came across as being disrespectful laughter in the face of their dead.
“And just like my old Kimberly, that fat bitch woulda sucked the life outta us if we woulda turned our back on her,” Roy Jr. continued to be humorous concerning his ex-girlfriend.
“I do have to point out thou
gh,” Randy spoke up to defend his brother. “This fat bloated beast didn’t grunt as much as your Kimberly used to grunt around the dinner table.”
Those who heard him, laughed hysterically despite the death and injuries sustained.
Mykal didn’t want Captain Diaz to think the men were being insensitive and cruel in the face of their losses. He didn’t care if they laughed about the death and suffering of the Kachjens because they initiated the attack and ‘got what was coming to them’, but Mykal did ache over their losses. He knew it was hard to tell by their uproarious laughter.
3.
They had been driving for about forty-five minutes when Sergeant Barry slammed on his brakes jolting everyone from their comfortable resting positions. “Everyone stop! Everyone stop!” Barry yelled to those inside his vehicle as if they had been making noise. “Yes Sir. Yes Sir,” Barry whispered into the radio. “Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound,” he ordered as if he was on the verge of panicking. “Get us as close to the trees as possible,” he barked at Sergeant Simmons who sat behind the wheel. “Make it so we can pull out quickly if we need to.”
Mykal knew that asking questions wouldn’t be helpful so he watched and listened to see what information he could detect and glean before any was to be given. Like all the men with him he grabbed a tighter grip of his rifle and waited for the order to disembark. He looked at all the men in his vehicle and they had the same confused fearful expression the others had. The whispering murmurs were kept quiet because all the men knew their interfering inquiries wouldn’t be helpful.
Mykal looked to Towbar. He sat there and seemed to be intent, focusing on something other than what was taking place in the vehicle. Mykal’s concern was that an army of Zizmon-Tarl’s forces were approaching down the road. Towbar touched his ear as if to say that he was listening. The giant then locked his thumbs together to form a large W with his hands. He then started to move his hands as if flapping wings. Towbar then pointed up meaning that something was flying overhead.
Mykal focused on listening and with his increased hearing he heard the faint sound of screeching. It was the sound of a loud, very large, dragon flying somewhere in the area. Suddenly Mykal fought to keep from allowing panic to take over. He didn’t think they would do well if they had to fight a dragon, and definitely didn’t want to be stuck inside a vehicle if a dragon came after them. He looked at the ring on his right hand and knew he could escape if it came down to it by turning invisible. He realized he had the craving to turn invisible and had been fighting the urge for a few days. He knew he was thinking a very selfish thought, but if a dragon attacked and destroyed his entire team he could get away by hiding and not be seen.
‘No!’ He thought with a hateful anger that clearly expressed itself on his face. ‘I’m not gonna be a coward and abandon my men. What the friggin hell is wrong with me?’
“What troubles you my friend?” Towbar whispered.
“Nothing,” he whispered back and looked to Sergeant Barry who placed his finger to his lips and pointed to the radio. He had a look on his face that showed he was in an uncomfortable position. He would never tell Mykal and Towbar to be quiet but he had received orders from Captain Diaz to implement complete silence.
Mykal gave a broad smile and thumbs up. He nodded to Barry to let him know he agreed and Mykal felt bad that he had to be told to ‘shut up.’ The last thing they wanted was for a dragon to find them because someone didn’t have the discipline to remain quiet.
About ten minutes had passed when Mykal heard a different much closer squawk. He recognized it to be the call of Lanorear the flying Hawkman. Mykal turned to Sergeant Barry, but like all the other vehicles they were turned off to take away any noise.
“We have the okay to start up the vehicles,” Mathis declared after listening to his radio handset from his portable radio. “Mykal and Towbar, Captain Diaz would like you guys and Sergeant Barry to meet him at the front of the vehicles.”
Suddenly there was a mad chorus of voices asking each other what the sudden drill of complete silence was all about. All the men exited the vehicles but they set up a defensive perimeter around the vehicles. One of each four man fire teams for the six vehicles climbed up into the turret just in case they needed either of the two big weapons attached to the vehicle. Some of the men were laughing and some of the men admitted to being fearful of the unknown and admitted to becoming more fearful once they found out a dragon had flown over head.
“So what was that all about?” Mykal questioned when he joined those at the front of the vehicles.
“Lanorear stopped our convoy and warned us that a dragon was approaching,” Captain Diaz answered.
“Thank you Lanorear,” Mykal said and bowed his head when he thanked him as a show of respect.
“It was our pleasure,” Lanorear said and squawked. “We did not know the intentions or the destination of the dragon, that flying beast,” he added and flapped his large bright wings as if he was getting himself comfortable.
One of the Hawkmen stood on the ground speaking to three of the Elves. One of the three Elves had a large camouflaged bandage wrapped around his head. The other three Hawkmen maintained a flying circular pattern over them, watching for any potential problems.
“I gave my word that I owe a debt of gratitude to the Dwarves of your group,” Lanorear continued and nodded to Norg who was braiding his beard into lengths of rope to hang from his chin. “I gave my word that I would not desert my Elvin brothers,” he added and squawked. “I also declared that I have a debt of gratitude I would like to repay to the Dwarven folk present,” he squawked and looked at the Dwarves. “And I have made a commitment to the likes of you Mykal, for your commitment to my Elvin brothers. “Your group has given a rare demonstration that some humans can be kind and accepting to my brother Elves.”
“As far as I’m concerned they’re like my family so I will defend them with my life,” Mykal replied.
“You have proved that time and again my human friend. Thus I will give you the same respect and help when I have the ability,” Lanorear said and gave a loud squawk as if it was a signature to his statement.
“Thank you. I really appreciate that and thank you once again for the warning,” he said and looked at Starling, Leeno and Blair who looked just as joyful as when he first met the three Elves.
Standing beside the three Elves stood Lieutenant Finley who seemed particularly subdued. Mykal knew Finley was upset since two of his Green Berets were missing and would have to be presumed dead since there was no chance for them to find them now. Lieutenant Finley’s negative emotions multiplied after Sergeant Aubrey was killed earlier in the day and made worse by the fact that Aubrey was killed after being lured into a trap to do an act of kindness. Mykal knew the officers weren’t supposed to play favorites and show special treatment to certain soldiers, but it was clearly visible that Lieutenant Finley had a special affinity for his fellow Green Berets. Mykal had no doubts Finley would defend and support everyone on their team, but his heart was knit tighter to his fellow Green Berets.
“Lanorear, do you know why the dragon flew overhead?” Captain Diaz asked. “Was it just a random thing? Was the dragon looking for someone or was it part of a normal patrol of the area?”
Lanorear stood there, looked around to everyone while he thought and then squawked. “I do not know. When you say part of a normal patrol I do not think I understand the meaning.”
“If we owned this land we would have our people patrol the area to make sure uninvited people do not enter the land,” Diaz answered as simply as he could. “Just like when you told us your job as Hawkmen was to watch for intruders on behalf of the One, it would be the same thing? Do you think the dragon was on a normal patrol?”
“No. I now understand what your meaning is. I would have to say I do not think the dragons would be used for such tasks,” the tall colorful Elf-bird replied. “I would personally believe the dragon flying over our position would just be a random
occurrence.”
“Good. So based on your experience you don’t think we will have more dragons flying around us to find us?”
“I would not believe so,” Lanorear answered. “We Hawkmen are used for such a task. If you have no further questions I will depart with my clan and look through the skies or as you would say, we will patrol the skies to ensure no more dragons will approach this direction unannounced. We will also fly over the road ahead to alert you to any soldiers approaching this location.”
“Thank you Lanorear,” Captain Diaz said and waved to him as he walked away to speak to the Elves before he departed.
“Sir, would you like us to have the men take their lunch break now since we’ve stopped?” Gunnery Sergeant Ratner asked.
“Sure Gunny. That would be a good idea,” Diaz replied and watched the Marine and Green Beret, Sergeant First Class Lemon walked off to notify the men of the meal time. “Hey Mykal and Towbar, I hope I haven’t over stepped my bounds,” Diaz paused and made sure he had their attention. “But I told Lanorear that when this was all said and done they, the Hawkmen, would be welcomed to come back to the Pass with us. Myself with Starling, Leeno and Blair had spent a great deal of time speaking to Lanorear and I also told them there may be a person who might be able to take the curse from them. So I hope I didn’t over step my bounds,” Captain Diaz repeated.
Mykal almost answered but stopped to look at Towbar.
“My friend is Nidious and he may be able to help them with their curse. That is fine Captain Diaz,” Towbar said in a warm friendly tone. “If you trust them and believe it will be beneficial to our cause to rescue Doninka I will honor your word. I trust you as a leader and I trust your decision making.”