by C T Scribe
50
Chapter 50
Tye felt a pang of relief as The Tall Man entered the room. He couldn’t believe he had recovered. From all the chatter he heard over the last few weeks he assumed the famed tracker to be out of commission for a long while. His face held that half crazed grin as he walked through the door. The guns at his sides shined as the fabric of his long coat flapped open. He seemed bulkier somehow. And his face, it now held long deep scars. Did the Uberbeast cause them, or was this residual damage from the rain girl. Did she disfigured him after the fight ended. The video feed cut out so there were a few moments he was alone in that alley with her. Teach showed no surprise as the famed Tall Man entered the classroom. If anything his eyes were slightly downcast. The man walked to the center of the Teach’s desk. The infantile body moving away allowing him to sit. He swung his feet onto the desk. In a low growl of a voice he said, “so this pathetic lot is who my dad got so fucked up demonstrating for?” Teach shook his head. Dad. The word struck Tye hard. He hadn’t imagined that immortals could have kids, but look at him. Aside from the scars he was near identical to his dad. He was bigger. His voice was lower. And his manners were different. The tall man was feared by all, but at HQ he didn’t carry himself in a way to evoke fear. The son however was obviously not the same. Teach seemed to cower away from him. Was he dangerous? So The Tall Man must still be in critical condition. Slowly with disgust in his eyes he examined the class. Occasionally sniffing hard through his nose as his eyes lingered over certain aspects of the females bodies. This guy was a pig it seemed. Without explanation of his sniffs or eye lingering he began talking. He was more recalling a story than talking to the class. The chair rolled back with his eyes as he started his tale.
“Long ago I had a family. I was born immortal never having to undergo the turn. While human babies were shaking rattlers I was making pistols materialize and bang in my crib. I grew as a human would to an age. The age of my choosing. I took on the appearance of my father. My mother was beautiful, but his looks dominated my shell. My famous father. Hero of the war turned top tracker for the cause. We trained at our home all the time growing up. In phase one of course. We had targets near and far set up. We ran and sparred at The Dragon’s Head. The Dragon always accepted me. My mother was a driver. One of the best, which is how they met. I came along shortly after. This was all such a long time ago. She didn’t drive a car of course, these were wagons. After the war some of the advanced units were left to fight so the main forces could retreat. My dad and his best friends were left on the front lines to defend the retreat. They say the front lines were tinted green and red from his fog and carnage. His men all died. All but him and his best friend Uncle G. You guys know him as the general. My mother was their driver. When only two arrived at the wagon she somehow bonded with them instantly. They were pursued of course, but my mom got them to safety and back to HQ. At the time we were stationed near Kenya. HQ locations tend to change over the decades and centuries. So they met, and she frequented him at the clinics. They fell in love after the war. They had me, and we were a happy family. It’s important to know that we were happy. Very few immortals were given the right to produce natural offspring. It seems we second generations are a bit volatile, but my dad was the hero of the war. We were given land inside HQ. We had our own prairie style ranch. At 10 I went to the school we generationals must attend to learn control, TrueWood Prep. At 15 I returned home, and my family was happy to have me. My dad took fewer missions then. His face grew tight as he paused. Not a dramatic pause, but one to collect his thoughts. The night they breached HQ was as normal as can be. We were matching bullets in the yard when the alarm sounded. HQ is a pretty quiet place. If you never appreciated it you should. When the silent air turned turbulent everything changed for us. My dad was called to the front of the battle, but he refused to go. The three of us set up shooting positions from our home. My mother wasn’t the strongest fighter, but she had learned to shoot from dad. Her blood weapon, a staff, was useless. You guys being so new probably haven’t met the smith’s yet. The magic weapons formed here can be used in place of the blood weapons you have. They’ll never be as strong. They won’t upgrade as you grow more powerful. They’ll break as easily as mortal weapons too. But, by combining energies they can take down an immortal. I watched the feed. Did you guys catch it? He dropped his guns and emerged with more powerful blast. He switched to his actual blood weapons. He was a bit rusty. They took too long to power up. And he…”
The words stopped. Sadness lurked in his face, but it was quickly replaced by anger. Tye was beginning to understand. The greenish blast. That was his true power. Or at least a rusty version of it. The man continued his story.
“The first wave of attackers weren’t ready for a family of high level marksman. My mother on the roof picked them apart with a magically forged sniper rifle. As quickly as they emerged over the hill she gunned them down. Head shots of course. I could see how proud my dad was as he readied for more troops. The green aura around his guns crackled like lightning. The grin spread across his face. He was in the front yard. I was a few meters behind him under cover of the stone fence. More enemies poured over the hill. Too many for mom to stop. My father was the fastest thing I’d ever seen. As the enemies passed mom’s shot line he lit them up. Running from one to the next. I watched in awe as the bodies dropped. Even now I don’t think I’ve ever seen such amazing combination shooting. As if they could feel each other’s movements on the field. Wolf and lion beast attacked from the hill. Wave after wave my parents put them down. The mistake we made was assuming our rear was secure. We never saw the wave coming behind us. They started shooting at my mother forcing her to retreat in the house. I met them with a frenzy of bullets. I tried to hold the line, but there were too many for me. Back then I was too weak to hold the line. My dad shouted for me to go inside and stay down. I remember watching his guns grow larger. Weapon manipulation is a rare gift. I watched as his fog spread out from him disabling the weaker enemies approach. With such speed he laid down cover fire behind him, and killing blows in front of him. For over an hour he kept them at bay, alone. He took shots, but never slowed. And then one enemy got too close. The female beast matched his speed. Her teeth were in his neck before he could turn. I screamed as he went down. I shot her. I stood over him bleeding out. My mother over me. Enemies still encircling us. It was the end I thought. Something happened in his mind in those moments. The fear of losing us. The curse I never knew he had snapped him. When he stood a demon controlled his body as he shot my mother. With more spiritual pressure than I could imagine he pinned me to the ground. Allowing the heat of his barrels to streak down my face scaring me. I cried. I cowered. He shot me in the hand and leg to disable me. Then knocked me out. When I awoke he lay on the field covered in blood. His gun inside his mouth. It wouldn’t fire. He tried to end it after seeing she was dead. His gun wouldn’t fire. I think his demon still had enough control to stop him. That’s what a curse can do. That’s the power of these demons we sometimes carry. Not to mention all the enemies I saw before he snapped lay dead around our house. If you have that curse in particular stay away from battle.”
He looked to Tye with that last remark. “Oh and only after you activate phase 2 can your attacks do more than the purple scarring. That’s only two of you I’m told.” Tye and Marco looked at each other. That’s what they activated at the proving grounds. That’s why they were stopped. It all made sense. Before it could set in however the silent air screamed in a high pitch. The man in the chair cursed before exiting the room. It was the alarm. The same alarm that sounded the night of the story they just received. They were under attack.
51
Chapter 51
Something is happening today the chameleon thought to herself. For months her only job was to blend into the buildings, and observe that repairman. The missions long and tedious were her commitment to the cause. If she had a choice that wouldn’t be it, but at her master’s word
all choices disappeared. He commanded her to watch for hours. Day after day in the high heat she stared at the exit she observed, and waited for the man to appear. Yesterday as he talked to himself once again she overheard someone called The Tall Man was in a magical coma. Martin was debating if he should try talking to Deb while this man was unconscious. As if her day couldn’t get any worse, now she had to listen to an immortal love triangle. She didn’t know love. Her life was that of servitude and compulsion. She had felt it once perhaps. That night when she shifted into the boy. She often fantasized about that night. How it felt to be a male in heat. She wasn’t sure if it was love, but the flush of emotions and lust for that woman overtook her for a time. She had to be aggressive during sex to stay in control of herself. That was the closest she had come to love. Despite her master using her on missions as he pleased, he didn’t touch her sexually. He showed little interest in her other than as a weapon. She should be thankful. For fulfilling his and his friends pleasures, they preferred her sister. They probably got some sick joy of making her watch. That thing in the cage meant less and less to her each day. With each change she became someone new. With each change who she used to be grew ever more distant in her mind. The darkness creeping over her soul was altering her. The life she had before was hazy. She couldn’t say when exactly, but she had long since lost the details of that girl she once was. She couldn’t recall her parents faces. She didn’t remember her old address. She had no memories of her friends from school. She was a tool for her master. Little else remained in her heart. After returning to her master and giving her report everything changed. The men didn’t go to the cage to pleasure themselves. There was no nightly murder for her either. It scared her to admit the trouble she had sleeping without her before bed ritual. Even now the blood lust covered her like perfume. The others had spotted more weaknesses in HQ. Similar to the one she observed, other areas lost their building like appearance. The beast beneath became exposed to the world. No one came to repair them however. It seemed when the man she observed fixed his spot, the other observed damaged areas healed and returned to normal. Today was different indeed. Today she observed the spot where that repairman would emerge, but instead of concealing only herself she concealed the entire group from the apartment. Nearly 20 beast accompanied her master. Many, many more waited near the other weak spots they had mapped the past few months. She wanted to kill. Her body ached for it. As usual the repairman emerged. Reaching the uncamouflaged wall he sat down. His usual routine. He talked to himself for a moment. She had to concentrate to keep them all hidden. The strain nearly exhausting her. She wasn’t sure if her master issued a command or a suggestion. The mention was enough for her to approach the repairman. Shifting into a beast herself she was atop him before he could react. She chose to end him by snapping his neck. Her favorite method of killing. She didn’t revolt from the crunch of life leaving his body. She allowed the beast to take control. Her mind was on autopilot as she ripped flesh and bone from his body. She alone feasted on him until no trace was left. She heard the high pitch screeching, but it didn’t matter. The group of beast had already entered the weak spots of the building. The legions of troops at the other locations were also breaching the buildings weak spots. Today was different, and she longed for the change. Today there would be blood.
52
Chapter 52
Tye and Marco exchanged one glance before springing to action. Teach had explained everything so fast before bolting from the classroom. From the moment the alarm sounded Teach began to grow. Second by second his body morphed through the ages. His baby form quickly gave way to a child, teenager, and ultimately an adult body in his early thirties. He was average height and build, but he took on a savage aura. As the only two in the class capable of fighting in phase two, Teach put the two boys in charge. In that one glance they both silently revealed neither of them knew how to control their fighting level. One moment after the glance the boys made the plan to head to the lower levels of HQ. The plan was to run and hide. Tye was itching for a fight, but until he knew how to control his phasing he’d be at a disadvantage. The class now consisting of the twins, the dark skinned girl with the long braid, two shooters, one sword wielder, one annoying boy with a war hammer, four others that never stood out to him and Tye and Marco were already on the move. There was a girl missing from class. She won her proving grounds battle using a light trick. Tye saw the footage of her battle, and was impressed. She was given a special training today with the Smith’s. Tye wondered if The Dragon’s Head Gym would reveal itself to the entire group. It would be a perfect place to hide. So far it hadn’t as they continued their descent to the lower levels. The fighting had started. The siren was replaced by battle. The growl of the beast near deafening. The warriors of HQ met the growl with a warriors chant. They were all ready for war in an instant. Tye wondered just how many battles each of them had already faced.
Marco didn’t want to be in charge. He let Tye come up with the plan. He didn’t question Teaches decision to leave the two of them in charge. He could tell they were the most powerful, but the others could fight. If only they hadn’t knocked him out at the proving grounds, he would have a better idea of how he changed phases. The sounds of the battle stirred his soul. That power frequency tugged at him to head back up and fight. That was the whole point. The turn, the proving grounds, and giving up his whole life was for this moment. Those bastards killed his brother. He paused. Everyone behind him stopping. To his side Tye was having the same internal struggle. Once again exchanging looks Tye persuaded him to keep going. As they turned the corner in the hall, the group froze from fear at the what they saw. A giant beast was before them. Half of a body hanging from its mouth. More bodies at its feet. It’s drool pooling with the blood creating a crimson stream below its snout. Another set of feral eyes appeared behind it as well. The beast flared it’s nostrils catching their scent before finishing it’s meal. In one gulping crunch the body was gone, and those feral eyes were staring directly at them.
Deb was headed to the Infirmary. She should be battling. She should be with the general, Teach, and the others. She wondered if Martin was safe. The thoughts dissipating as fast as they formed. She was headed to her loves body. To protect him. It was no coincidence the beast came now that he was in this coma. That woman in the yellow raincoat, was she working with them? Deb didn’t know what to make of all this. She met him during the last invasion. After he lost control. After he killed his wife. Not him, but that evil lurking in his mind. She was working in the infirmary. She had turned roughly 10 years prior, and had never seen the full force of the war. Her skills siphoning and redistributing auras and chakras was invaluable. The head scientist constantly gave her more and more work. She was assigned to use her gifts on the infamous Tall Man. All her other tasks were to stop immediately. She was solely responsible for piecing this one man back together. Now, all these years later, she would piece him together again. Nothing she tried had worked these past few days, but she knew he’d return. Just like she knew he’d always come back from the field. She’d probably never admit that again, but she never truly let him go. She couldn’t let him go. As she neared the infirmary a female fren stood between her and the sick ward. Not the wild untamed beast flooding the city of late, but a high level werewolf stood before her. She looked almost human. Her wool vest would be cute in another setting. The swirl of different shades of brown flowing through the fabric. The pattern was actually shifting before her eyes. The fur rippling with life. Her hands and forearms were covered in wool like fur, and her boots were lined with same wool-like fur. One tail stemming from that wool vest wrapped around her waist. Deb hadn’t seen a fren commander in some time. Reaching into her own jacket she returned her hands with the brass knuckles atop them. She knew there would be someone coming for her love, and she was ready to defend him.
Marco attacked first with his twin swords. The combo of slices were both quick and powerful. The beast recoiled slightly from the at
tack. Until of course no blood spilled from the wounds. No purple marks appeared either. Unsure if the attack was strong enough to pierce the thick animals fur or if he had been in phase one, Marco leapt back to the group. The rest of the class had their weapons drawn. With a glance Tye and Marco instructed them not to attack. Without shifting into phase two the attacks would do little but get his classmates killed. Marco focused on the rage building inside of him. Focused on the frustration he felt when fighting Tye during the proving grounds. With no warning Tye rushed forward to keep the beast at bay. A&B taking the lead. Marco couldn’t help noticing how much bigger the weapons had become. Tye as well had packed on more lean muscle. Modestly he kept his clothing loose to conceal his physical form, but Marco could still tell. That speed he faced during the proving grounds was on full display. The combo attacks as well, the two blobs disappearing and reappearing with choreographed precision. When did he improve so much? Marco realized he hadn’t improved in such a short time, but he was holding back in their fight. He couldn’t be sure if it was intentional or not, but watching him fight the fren now made his true power clear. Searching through the void with his senses he tried to feel if Tye was in phase two. Sadly he couldn’t sense any higher malicious intent or power shift in him. His strikes were jostling the beast about the corridor, but none left actual bludgeon marks. Tye himself hadn’t taken any damage, but A&B were covered in smaller scrapes and scratches. The other classmates wore faces full of fear as they looked at the fren. They weren’t ready for this. None of them were ready for this. Marco looked for a way to escape, but the sounds of more fighting loomed behind them. Marco felt his feet leave the ground before he sensed the body flying through the air at him. Tye slammed into him with such force it pushed the two boys and the other classmates behind them halfway down the hall. The smaller beast hiding in the shadows sprang forward. The larger beast holding its position down the hall. Marco got up first to stop the near lethal swipe of claws for his throat. Swinging his sword with all his strength wasn’t going to buy them much time. He felt claws slice into his thigh. Toying with him it seemed, the beast cut shallow slices into his flesh. Tye joined the fight next evening the odds, but both boys were still being over run. One of the blobs rushed to Marcos aid after another swipe of claws left his arm bleeding and limp. With one of Tye’s weapons in front, the boys used them as shields to defend as they were slowly pushed back. The smaller beast in nearest them crouched low in the hall waiting to pounce. Even these smaller fren stood taller than the passage they were fighting in. The large beast still kept its distance. It was the muscle densely with thick fur. It made sense to the boys the monstrosity would move more slowly, but the smaller beast made up for this it overwhelming agility. Together the trio formed a lethal machine. Tye shouted the words first, but Marco had been thinking them since he was first knocked back. “Run.” With all their newly gained speed the class ran down the hall. Tye left A&B to slow the monsters down. It was mere moments before a swipe of the larger beast claws made them vanish. Tye felt the familiar sensation as they returned to him. They were already weak from the fighting. He doubted he could use them again for awhile. So they ran down one hallway after the next. The large beast leaving the imprint of its massive frame along the path it pursued. The classmates ran back up the steps. The sound coming from above was equally horrific. Screams, shrieks, and explosions littered the air with audible fear the further they climbed up. Marco took the lead. Using his sensitivities to mana he could better lead the class away from danger. Tye flanked the rear. At first it was to keep the beast at bay, but with each turn and twist he found himself barely keeping up with the class. His wounds were bleeding heavily now. When did his breathing turn so ragged. Nearly walking he lost sight of the classmates. He felt his head hit the ground first. He embraced the darkness. He welcomed it. Mari was somewhere on the other side of the black. The demon in his head looked on disapprovingly, but he didn’t say anything. He just needed to rest. His body was shutting down. Just as it had after his long training sessions. Just like those workouts. He hoped when he woke up Deb would have food sitting by his face.