Lightningbreaker

by L. T. Thornhill

  Kabaka looked ahead, his face showing that he was deep in thought. “You know, you told everyone that it was time to stop him.”

  “I did. I think that is the one way we can make a stand,” said Matteo. “I was always thinking of defensive maneuvers, but I don’t think that’s going to work anymore.”

  Kabaka gave a soft laugh, not to mock the man next to him, but because he must have realized something. “Your defensive strategies have always kept you and those around you alive, Matteo.”

  The big man’s words struck home. Matteo could not find reasons to counter them. At the same time, he knew accepting them was wrong, because he understood that he could not always remain waiting for the enemy to strike.

  “What you should do,” said Kabaka, “is find a way to combine your offensive tactics with your defensive ones. Don’t always look to strike the enemy. Maybe you can think about holding the line with the allies you have formed.”

  Matteo stopped in his tracks and looked at the big man. The others noticed his reaction and halted as well, wondering what he would do next.

  “That just gave me an idea,” said Matteo. Before he could even begin to express his idea, he spotted Alonzo running up to him.

  “I think you need to see this,” said Alonzo, not even remotely out of breath.

  When the Kabakans reached the next clearing, making sure that they made as little noise as possible, a shocking sight greeted them.

  Six Shockers had somehow managed to catch a few of the prisoners, grouping them all in a small circle, and surrounding them, their Crossbolts at the ready. One Shocker had her weapon slung across her shoulders as she made her way around the frightened captives. Every now and then, she would point her weapon at a hostage’s head, taunting them into thinking that she would pull the trigger. That seemed to get a chuckle or two from the other Shockers.

  Shaury walked up to crouch beside Matteo. “Shall I arrange everyone?”

  Matteo did not waste time in responding. All he could see were people who were unarmed, and quite possibly close to death. “Let’s do this.”

  Shaury took the lead and no one questioned her. They understood how well she had organized everyone the last time and they understood that she imagined her strategy from a unique perspective.

  Once again, Matteo waited patiently while Shaury positioned the team. The Shocker who was pointing her weapon at the prisoners—likely the leader of her small team—had pulled out a young boy by his hair, dragging him out from the safety of the others and throwing him to the ground. The boy instantly began crawling backwards, his eyes filled with terror at the fate that awaited him.

  Matteo realized Shaury was still working with the team. If she didn’t come up with a plan soon, the boy would almost certainly be killed.

  The Shocker leader, along with two of her cohorts, raised her weapon. There was no warning. Three shots were fired right into the face of the retreating prisoner. Matteo watched in shock as he fell backwards, unmoving.

  The other prisoners began moving inward, as though that would keep them safe. They turned their faces away from their captors, perhaps hoping that it might turn them somehow invisible. It was a futile attempt and it was obvious from the way the prisoners acted all they were focused on were their fight-or-flight instincts. They were held captive by their own fears, as well, their rational thoughts almost removed from existence.

  The Shocker leader walked toward the remaining prisoners, a wolfish grin revealing the cruelty of her mind. She gave a quick glance at the prisoners and picked a young woman who was outside the cluster. Dragging the woman by her hair, the Shocker didn’t wait for the prisoner to recover. Instead, she aimed and shot the woman as she was dragging her, the two earlier cohorts taking a shot at the dragged prisoner, as well.

  Matteo could not wait for another victim to fall prey to the casual savagery. He needed to give Shaury a little more time.

  Before Alonzo or Kabaka, who were both beside him, could even think of protesting, Matteo stepped out into the wide opening. “Looks like Shockers are cowards, after all.”

  Every single weapon in the area turned to face Matteo. None of them had a single effect on him. In fact, Matteo wondered if the only reason he wasn’t shot immediately was because he did not show any fear. He truly was not afraid of being shot. Instead, he felt disgust. It was like a swamp of toxic waste was slowly bubbling up inside him, threatening to spill out and cover all the nearby Shockers.

  Even the Shocker leader seemed to hesitate, as though she was looking at a strange anomaly in front of her. Deciding that perhaps she shouldn’t look weak in front of the other members of her team, she stepped forward, her weapon pointing at Matteo.

  “Well, well, well,” she said, sounding like that small catchphrase could suddenly bolster her confidence and understanding to new heights. “Seems like we have a price on our hands. And he just walked over to us.”

  A chorus of “yeahs,” cheers and whistles traveled around the Shockers.

  Matteo thought back to what Kabaka had told him. A combination of an offensive and defensive strategy would be the best approach. In the face of barbarism, however, defensive tactics would need to take a backseat. Matteo looked straight into the Shocker leader’s eyes.

  “I’m going to give you one opportunity to drop your weapons and walk out of here. No questions asked, and no one will be hurt. When I say one opportunity, I mean just the one that you’ll get once I’m done talking. If you don’t leave then, I promise that you might as well kiss any chances of coming out of this safe and sound goodbye. I will hurt you. I will abandon you here to whatever this forest throws at you. I will show no mercy. You decide.”

  There was genuine concern in Shocker leader’s eyes. She looked to her teammates for support, but received none. They were equally stunned. Instead, she raised her weapon at Matteo and began forcing a laugh. “You’re funny. For a person named Godlike, you sure don’t seem all that great.”

  Matteo counted backwards from five in his head. When he reached zero, he decided that he had given enough time for the Shockers to make up their mind. “So be it,” he said and shouted, “Kabakans.”

  Before the Shockers even knew what was happening, bolts of lightning shot out of the trees, striking each Shocker multiple times. Within a few seconds, all of them were on the forest floor, either writhing in agony or unconscious.

  Matteo turned to the prisoners. “Listen to me, all of you.” Every single prisoner turned to face Matteo. “I am not going to hold anything over you. I saved you all, but I did it because I wanted to, not because I want you to do anything for me. You are all free to leave.”

  Matteo counted six prisoners huddled together. He watched as they slowly detached from one another, now that the threat had passed. It was like watching the petals of a flower unfold itself to full bloom. Once they had all stood up, Matteo continued.

  “If you do want to fight back and if you want to throw back to the Shockers what they did to you, then you can pick up those weapons and get ready. We are going to strike them at dawn tomorrow.”

  Without another word, Matteo walked up to two of the unconscious Shockers and picked up their weapons. He spotted Shaury approaching him.

  “Will two Crossbolts be enough to create the spear?” asked Matteo.

  Shaury nodded, smiling. “Oh, they will do very well.”

  “We’re going to attack a few more Shockers. I want to get some more Crossbolts for you.”

  “Why? I can already make a spear.”

  Before Matteo could answer, he saw a prisoner walk past him and pick up a Crossbolt. The young woman seemed oddly familiar, but it took a while for Matteo to recognize her.

  “Aubrey?” said Matteo.

  The copper-haired woman glanced at him, eyes filled with sadness, as though they had witnessed enough horror for one lifetime. She looked down, unable to make eye contact. Shaury reacted immediately, walking up to the young woman and putting an arm around her shoulders. “You’
re safe now.”

  Aubrey nodded, a meek gesture that showed how much defeat the woman must have been experiencing at that moment.

  “We’ll get them, Aubrey,” vowed Matteo. “We’re going to make sure they pay for what they have done.”

  Aubrey looked up at Matteo, a light flashing in her eyes like an ember in the darkness. It wasn’t bright enough to create action, but it was a sign that hope had somehow resurfaced in the young woman. Matteo also saw her other teammates: Samantha, the young boy, and the other woman with dark hair.

  After each prisoner had grabbed a weapon, they stood waiting for Matteo’s command. Rather than speaking out, he simply withdrew, allowing Kabaka to take the space.

  “Listen to me, everyone,” said Kabaka. “We have suffered long enough. I know each of you bears scars of pain and hurt. But it is time to understand what you have gone through and deliver scars to those you sought to harm you. Remember, you are not going out there alone. We are with you.”

  When he was done, the prisoners looked more confident. Where once he could see hesitation on some of their faces, he saw a new boldness. Some had their backs straightened, looking like they had just received a boost in confidence. Perhaps that confidence wouldn't last long, but at least it was enough to create a slight fervor in their minds.

  Matteo walked up to the big man and pulled him aside, away from the earshot of the prisoners. “How many Shockers are there in Valhalla?”

  Kabaka didn’t even wait for a beat before he answered. “About three hundred.”

  “That includes the Shockers who were guarding the forest, right?”

  Kabaka shook his head. “No. I noticed that we had taken down twelve Shockers in total. There must be around two hundred and eighty remaining, at least.”

  Matteo looked around him at the survivors. “Weren’t there thirty-two people in total when we left for the forest?”

  Kabaka nodded, examining the prisoners and their worn-out faces. “So many lost. I wonder if they tried to escape the forest.”

  “I am inclined to believe that was the case. Sometimes, people take the most dangerous option available to them, only because they think that even a sliver of chance at freedom is worth fighting for.”

  “Do you have a plan for tomorrow?”

  “I do now. Even if we are only eighteen people left, we are going to make a big difference.”

  Kabaka smiled. “I like your confidence.”

  Sending one last look at his newly formed team, he turned to the big man.

  “Let’s go get our freedom back.”

  Level 11

  Eighteen prisoners, now called Kabakans, stood at the edge of the forest, facing the town of Valhalla.

  Eighteen people. Against nearly three hundred fully-armed Shockers.

  While those weren’t good odds, Matteo knew that only a sense of cunning might be able to save them at this point. Shaury had once again taken to arranging the Kabakans strategically, ensuring that they were spaced out to provide maximum confusion to the Shockers, but close enough that they could rescue each other when the time came. All eighteen Kabakans faced the town, from the very same side of the forest Matteo had emerged from when he had first entered Valhalla.

  Kabaka walked up to Matteo and crouched beside him. “That’s a good call on the Shockers.”

  Matteo nodded. “I didn’t predict it.”

  “Either way, it’s odd that they would choose a Striker skill, but I suppose they might have been waiting for melee weapons. Instead, they were given ranged weapons and asked to fire.”

  “When I first made the jump to escape, only a single bolt of lightning struck me. At that time, I hadn’t wondered why. When I watched Kenji strike Aubrey with so much accuracy, I began to wonder why I wasn’t hit. I mean, so many shots and only a single bolt managed to strike my leg.”

  Kabaka nodded, understanding the implications.

  Matteo continued. “It was when Xipe Totec mentioned the skills, it hit me that, maybe, just maybe, the Shockers weren’t so organized after all.”

  “It still makes me wonder why Zeus did not provide enough melee weapons. Although I cannot say for certain what happened. Apparently, the god only communicates with Olympus.”

  “We’ll see about that,” said Matteo.

  Boran had taken the Griffin Claw with him and had the most arduous task of them all, for now. He had to walk the outer edge of the forest until he was on the opposite side of the rest of the Kabakans. Matteo wondered how long it would have taken the young man to accomplish that feat. There was no time to ponder that now.

  Looking down the bowl-shaped land and especially at the town in the center, Matteo noticed the Shocker army surrounding Valhalla. They were standing just beyond the circle of tents, checking their weapons and getting ready to enter the forest.

  At their center, Matteo could spot Olympus, flanked on both sides by his two most trusted companions and surrounded by a few men.

  “Adonis.”

  Matteo looked at Kabaka, confusion lighting up his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that.”

  “Olympus’s name, it’s Adonis. The woman we all call Iron Maiden is Basilia, and that other young man besides him is Brontes.”

  Matteo nodded, glad to have a name for each of the people he would even face. It didn’t make them sympathetic, but it definitely did transform them from being divine beings with incredible powers to just human beings with incredible powers. The difference was welcome.

  “Thank you, Kabaka,” said Matteo.

  “You are welcome.”

  From that moment on, no one spoke. Matteo watched the Shocker army arrange themselves. They would be spread outwards in a circle, expanding until they reached the trees. This would allow them to go through the forest and take out the survivors quickly. Or turn them into slaves, which was the most likely scenario.

  Eventually, Olympus—and Matteo would now think of him as Adonis—began to rally everyone. They were beginning the march toward the trees.

  “Here they come,” said Kabaka.

  Within minutes, the entire circle was organized, with people sending messages in a chain to ensure everyone got the right orders from their prince. Adonis himself faced away from Matteo, much to his dismay. In the end, it wouldn’t matter at all.

  After the Shockers had checked their weapons, Adonis gave the command and waited for it to travel to the other side. There was a ripple of movement, starting with the last person who heard the message and quickly reaching the first person who had sent the message, who was standing right next to Adonis. Matteo watched the ring of Shockers expand outward as they began to near the trees. They didn’t move quickly; it was as though they were enjoying a leisurely walk.

  “Why are we not all aiming for Adonis?” asked Kabaka.

  Matteo understood that each and every Kabakan wanted to quickly eliminate the leader of the Shockers. He just couldn’t see that happening successfully. “Not only is he quick, but we don’t know how much health he has,” said Matteo. “We can’t risk it. We might as well focus on taking out as many of his troops as possible.”

  The Shockers had almost reached the midway point. Matteo knew that apart from Kenji and Emiri, the rest of the Kabakans weren’t exactly sharpshooters. Which was why he had decided to give them the opportunity to get as many shots into the Shockers as possible. To achieve that, he had to ensure that the Shockers themselves were close enough to provide an easier target.

  That brought the question of the enemy firing back at them, for which Shaury had come up with the idea of switching positions. Essentially, a Kabakan would fire from a particular spot, then stealthily move to another spot and then fire the weapon again. This would give the illusion that there were more people attacking the Shockers than there really was. The Kabakans had to make sure that the Shockers did not guess how many of them were there for as long as possible.

  The Shockers had reached the midway point.

  Matteo turned to his right and look
ed across one side of the bowl-shaped land. More specifically, he was looking at a particular tree—one where he knew Shaury would be hidden. She would give a signal that would only be seen by him, since none of the Shockers knew that she would be there.

  “Get ready,” said Matteo. Kabaka retreated into the forest behind him, using its cover to reach the center of the line of prisoners.

  The Shockers had crossed the midway point and were closing in on the forest. Their weapons were not held at the ready, possibly because they couldn’t imagine the prisoners ever attacking them.

  Matteo checked his weapon. He wasn’t a particularly good shot, but at least he would make sure that he got as many hits as possible. Adonis was busy talking to his teammates when he suddenly raised his hand. Within a few breaths, the entire army had come to a stop.

  “This is not good,” said Matteo. He looked at where Shaury was hiding, but saw no movement. The woman might be confused, as well, wondering if it was the right decision to wait longer or to start shooting.

  Adonis called one Shocker and spoke to him, pointing at the forest. Without delay, the Shocker nodded and began walking toward the line of trees.

  There was no doubt that Adonis was as cunning as he was brutal. This was one of those moments that proved it. Matteo checked Shaury’s position once again, hoping for a signal. None came.

  “Come on, Shaury,” said Matteo. “We have to fire right now.”

  The Shocker had crossed half the distance to the trees, his Crossbolt held out in front of him. Yet, the signal from Shaury did not come.

  If the Shocker reached within a dozen feet of the tree line, then there was a real possibility that he would be able to spot one or more of the Kabakans. Even though they were hidden well, they might not entirely escape the attention of someone who was focused on finding hidden people.

  Matteo watched as the Shocker came even closer. He couldn’t let anyone be discovered at this point. There was no way he would risk the life of a Kabakan. If that meant he had to give himself up, so be it.