by Dave Hazel
“Ask them up in front of us if we’re going to be able to continue moving behind these trees or are we pinned down,” Mykal shouted to Mathis.
Rifle fire could be heard from the front of the formation, but Mykal couldn’t see what they were doing due to the slight bend of the river and his position behind the trees. While he waited for an answer he aimed at the enemy who started to step out from behind their trees to take aim with their bows. “Find a target and shoot their ass,” Mykal yelled.
His first shot drilled into the forehead of his enemy and then he quickly fired off another five rounds hitting four of the five he sighted in on. Several rifle shots, several machinegun bursts and a couple of M-203 grenade explosions disrupted the attempt of the enemy to attack with arrows.
Mykal heard the same response down the river from them. He believed the enemy was just throwing men away and Mykal hoped they would be able to continue moving since they did have the trees to cover them. The trees were a great aid to block the many attempts of the enemy’s attacks while they continually moved from tree to tree. Mykal’s frustration was that he couldn’t see what was ahead of them. “Mathis, anything on whether we can keep going or are they stopped up front?” Suddenly return fire of rifles and machine guns with some explosions in the distance told Mykal he wouldn’t get an answer just yet.
“They’re kind of tied up Myk,” Mathis replied.
There was a sustained rat-a-tat-tat of machinegun fire. “Is anything special going on?” Mykal asked since Diaz had requested not to waste ammunition.
“Okay thanks,” Mathis spoke into his mouth piece. “It sounds like they’re trying to come across in boats again.”
“Damn, these guys don’t give up,” Mykal said with a sigh. “Let’s keep our eyes opened and try to move to the front to help those guys.”
One of the soldiers slipped and fell on the rocks. “I’m alright, I’m alright,” he shouted while being helped to his feet. “I was watching the opposite bank and lost my footing.”
“You didn’t twist your ankle or anything, did you?” Mykal asked and suddenly some of his men opened fire on the enemy across the river.
“No, I’m alright. It was just foolish on my part,” Corporal Little Thunder scolded himself. He stood his ground and aimed his M-203 and fired a 40mm high explosive round across the water. The explosion struck where several were gathered. It looked like two could have been killed and three others seemed to be injured.
“Nice shot Marine,” Mykal laughed and gave Little Thunder thumbs up.
“You got that right Myk. I’m a Marine! I’m a lean, mean, killin’ machine,” Little Thunder growled and then laughed. The entire group rushed down the river using the trees as cover so the enemy couldn’t shoot arrows at them.
When the front came into view Mykal saw six boats drifting on the water with many dead bodies floating in the water near them. Several bodies also lay dead inside the boats. There were also numerous dead across the water lining the beach. To Mykal’s horror and shock he saw four of his people dead in the general area where the fighting took place. Single shots rang out while Mykal rushed to Diaz and Finley. “What happened?”
“We were caught by surprise,” Finley answered. “We’re lucky more didn’t get hit,” he added and pointed to all the arrows stuck in the ground. “Towbar’s warrior Jenelan was struck in the head. He helped carry ammo cans for the machine gunners. Jenelan and Staff Sergeant Schmidt were hit at the same time in the first volley of arrows. Schmidt looks like he took one right in the heart. As the chaos started and the second volley of arrows started to fly in, Private First Class Jenkins was pulling his M-60 around and he was struck with three arrows at the same time. Jenkins was hit in the neck, left bicep and his left thigh.
“I’m so impressed with Jenkins Myk,” Diaz said and looked devastated that one of his Marines had been killed. As badly as he was injured he still wanted to man his M-60 and provide cover for his fellow brothers,” Diaz added referring to all those fighting with Jenkins as his brother and not just his fellow Marines. “His assistant Hooperman came to take over the 60 and Sergeant Toloson, a Green Beret, acting as a medic came to help Jenkins. Jenkins neck injury was very bad Myk. He was bleeding out. While Toloson was working to stop his bleeding, Toloson was hit by an arrow in his side. It went in the rib cage and when he turned to the pain he caught another arrow in the chest. He passed away while trying to direct others on how to treat Jenkins.”
“Myk, I’m not an emotional person,” Lieutenant Finley said and paused as his words started to break. “But Toloson knew he was hit badly. He told us what was wrong with him and he knew it wasn’t good, but he still kept trying to tell two of the other soldiers how to treat Jenkins. He wouldn’t let them work on him until they worked on Jenkins. He kept saying he was sorry that he got hit,” Finley said and nearly broke down in tears. “He was sorry that he got hit,” Finley repeated and paused again. “The poor kid was dying and he was sorry he got hurt.”
“Awh damn it,” Mykal whispered when he saw how broken Finley was. ‘These boys in our military are friggin A-1,’ he thought.
“I told him he didn’t need to be sorry,” Finley gasped slightly. “But he kept saying he was sorry because he couldn’t help. He wanted to help and he said he knew he was dying. He knew his lung had collapsed and he said he knew he was bleeding internally badly, and yet he was sorry. I knew of him back in the world Myk. We crossed paths a few times on our last assignment before coming here to Towbar’s world. Toloson always cared about others before himself. He asked me to tell his parents that he loved them. Then he looked at me and said ‘Lieutenant Finley, I’m really sorry I got hurt,’ and then he breathed out, he slumped down and he just stopped breathing.”
Mykal felt terrible for so many reasons. The loss of the men, the loss of such men like Jenkins who though injured still tried to battle the enemy to protect his warrior brothers, and men like Toloson who blamed himself for being injured because it prevented him from helping others. He felt bad for Finley since this was the second person who caused such an emotional response due to their loss. The first was Marine Corporal Howard who had been killed by a giant spider when they were lost on this side of the world just last month. Finley’s sister was married to Howard’s brother and Finley said he blamed himself for not protecting Howard better.
“Right after Toloson passed, then Jenkins died,” Finley said and turned away to walk off his hurt.
“I think we should move out Myk. It looks like the enemy has stopped trying to attack us for the time being,” Diaz said and looked at Starling, Leeno and Blair who approached them.
“Where are the Hawkmen? Lanorear and his clan,” Mykal asked when he didn’t see the strange creatures anywhere around them. The Hawkmen were supposed to be their allies but since Mykal couldn’t see them he wondered if they were involved somehow.
“They are out flying around the area to make sure we’re not going to walk into a trap.” Captain Diaz answered.
“Okay. I was just--” Mykal stopped himself before he announced his distrust in front of his true Elvin friends.
“We should hasten our pace,” Starling said when the three Elves joined them.
“Do you guys know anything about this army we’re dealing with?” Mykal questioned the three. “Do you know why they’re not letting up on us?”
“We believe they are soldiers of the Evil One,” Blair replied. “We believe they have their own home fortress in this area and they are responsible for maintaining the lands under their control for him, the Evil One.”
“I would believe they are not relenting due to the great losses they suffered,” Leeno added. “Your men would appear to be strange to them. With the addition of Dwarves and Elves I would believe they will not stop until our heads are mounted on their walls like a great war trophy.”
“They do not have much to show for the losses they sustained,” Starling added. “And since they are forces of the Evil One, they are not used t
o suffering such losses.”
“Do they know the Hawkmen are helping us?”
“We are not sure if they know the Hawkmen are helping us,” Blair said. “However, the Hawkmen did attack the soldiers during the first battle with them. So I would believe they know the Hawkmen are showing hostilities toward them. We do believe they have the knowledge of the Hawkmen being cursed under the Evil One thus being slaves of him and somewhat allies with them.”
“Therefore this would create some type of confusion,” Leeno added. “If they believe the Hawkmen are allies to them they must wonder why the Hawkmen are assisting our strange mix of a group.”
“I spoke to Lanorear about this,” Diaz said. “I asked him if they were concerned with the possibility that some soldiers might notify the Evil One that he and his clan assisted enemies of his soldiers. Lanorear told us that he was not very concerned. Since there are so many strange and different creatures in these lands Lanorear did not think the information would make it back to the leadership in the palace.”
“Sir, the men are just about ready,” Sergeant Ratner said when he came upon them.
“Let me just grab my stuff,” Captain Diaz said while reaching for his backpack that he had dropped onto some brush beside some rotten logs of old tree branches. “Oh dang it,” Diaz shouted in fright as he snapped back his hand and jumped back a step.
To their surprise Captain Diaz had a four foot snake attached to his left arm just past his wrist. The bright blue, red and purple colored serpent did a wild dance as it hung from his arm. Suddenly the pain registered with Diaz which forced him to yelp while trying to remain still. Diaz looked like he tried to relax to allow the serpent to let go and slither away. While he stood still, the pain increased, and the snake seemed to burrow down even harder onto his arm. The brightly colored serpent did a wiggly dance from his arm and then the snake flicked its tail upward to wrap completely around Diaz’s arm.
Mykal quickly pulled his sword and swung it which ignited into a fiery red flame. When he pointed the flaming blade to the head of the creature it suddenly loosened its bite and dropped to the ground where it slithered away. The bright colors of the snake were beautiful and eye catching. The snake had a very thick body with long black stripes down the length of its curving frame. The head, shaped like a large triangle was zigzagged with orange streaks over the bright blue crown. It slithered away into the trees.
Captain Diaz had two holes in his arm that produced blood. Swelling started immediately where the punctures occurred. “Oh boy, that hurt.”
Starling, Leeno and Blair stood stunned and looked back and forth to each other while Captain Diaz stood there and tried to shake off the pain. “Do you feel fine?” Leeno finally asked.
“Yeah, except for the bite, the puncture wounds,” he scoffed and tried to laugh off the pain while he opened and closed his hand.
“Are you sure?” Blair asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure. Why?” Diaz asked and looked at their rarely shown expressions of concern.
“Yeah, why do you guys look like you seen a ghost?” Mykal asked. He tried to lighten the mood. “I guess that’s any time,” he joked due to their fair complexion. “But why are you so concerned? What’s wrong?”
“That serpent is a deadly creature in our lands,” Starling answered. “In your language its name would translate stunning bright viper. It is also known as a two-step viper due to the fact once one is bitten the victim will not get much farther than two steps before they succumb to its deadly venom. It carries a most deadly poison,” Starling added and looked surprised that Diaz didn’t seemed to be bothered by it.
“Well, I’m not worried about it,” Captain Diaz said confidently while he eyed the two puncture wounds in his arm. He looked as if he suddenly became angry. “I believe it was an attack by my enemy the devil, Satan, but,” he nearly shouted to get his point across. “I’m a child of God bought and paid for with the blood of Christ!” Diaz declared defiantly. “The devil has no hold on me. I’m protected against such tactics,” he preached and got fired up as if angered by such a silly attempt on his life. “I have an example of the same thing happening to the apostle Paul in the book of Acts in the twenty-eighth chapter. Because of my God, I will not suffer any ill effects,” he declared boldly and looked into their surprised expressions. “And just so you know,” he held up his arm so they could see the entry wounds. “The fangs of that creature went deep. Here, look. But I serve a faithful God and I will not be stopped on this mission God has me on.”
They all just stood there and looked at him with speechless amazement. Even the emotionless Elves looked surprised. Gunnery Sergeant Ratner finally broke the silence. “Is that why some of those church groups back in the hills play with rattle snakes?”
Marine Sergeant Moss pulled a dressing from his medical kit and applied the bandage after cleansing the opening of the two puncture wounds.
“No!” Diaz almost shouted. “There is nothing in the Bible that tells us to tempt God by playing with such creatures. What those people do by playing with rattle snakes is pure nonsense. God never told us to play with rattle snakes. Sometime when we have time I will gladly explain all of that for you. But for now, we must move out. Understand this, I am a child of the one true God and I am under his protection. I will not suffer death from this snake bite. Alright people, let’s get this show on the road.”
Mykal waited until everyone dispersed. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yes, I promise you Myk,” Diaz said in a much calmer tone. “I’m fine, really. As soon as they told me what the snake was I really believe God laid it on my heart that nothing is going to happen to me from its deadly poison. Just like when we were trapped under the mountain and I told you I wasn’t going to die there. I really believe God wanted you to see this. I’m referring to me being bitten by such a dangerous deadly snake.”
“Me? Why me?”
“I believe that God is trying to show you that He is trying to get your attention and He wants you to know that He is in complete control, that He is a mighty and powerful God. He is Almighty God and He created everything in existence and by faith I know I will not be harmed by this attack. That’s why I didn’t even try to suck the venom out of my arm,” he declared confidently. “If God is using me to get your attention, I’m okay with that. Only hurry up, for crying out loud, and make a decision for God already,” Diaz joked. “I don’t know what the next thing will be for God to prove He is in control.”
“Well, if God really is in control, then why did we have to lose so many people so far?” Mykal asked with a seriousness that countered Diaz’s attempt at humor. “In the last four days we’ve lost twelve people. I don’t think I can keep up with this anymore,” Mykal said and looked to the ground as if embarrassed to admit that.
“I don’t understand everything God does Myk,” Diaz replied and sounded as if he flicked a switch and suddenly became as serious as Mykal was. “But I want to be obedient so I will continue to follow Him whole heartedly with an unwavering commitment to my LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.”
“Alright, let’s make sure we talk about this later,” Mykal replied when he noticed others were listening. He didn’t want others to think he wanted to hear Diaz’s ‘religious talk’. “What are you thinking as far as going back to the Pass and getting some replacements and more supplies?”
“I honestly think we should wait a little bit longer Myk.”
“Why is that?”
“If we had people who were seriously injured I would say we would have to go back right away to get them treated,” Diaz answered.
“What about you?” Mykal gasped. “You have the two puncture wounds in your arm from a deadly snake.”
“I’m fine Myk. I really am. I’m protected by the hand of God in this,” he pointed to the olive drab green field dressing covering his arm. He turned to his Marine medic. “Thank you Sergeant Moss,” he said and then turned back to Mykal. “We need to ask ourselves, do w
e want to go to the Pass and take Lanorear with us, or do we want to leave them here and hope we can meet up with them when we return? This entire situation with the Hawkmen has me a little on edge.”
“Yeah, I can see that. I agree with you on that completely,” Mykal replied. “Let’s wait until we camp for the night and we’ll talk about it. You’re right, cuz if we take the Hawkmen to the Pass they could actually be eyes for Mister Zee and then they could be used by him to use the green fog to attack us in the rear of the Pass.”
4.
While Mykal sat alone he allowed his mind to play tricks on him in the form of guilt and condemnation. He blamed himself for the deaths that occurred earlier in the day. He looked down at the ring on his middle finger and desperately wanted to turn himself invisible. Being invisible he could go across the river and destroy the army that wanted to harm them. He knew he could annihilate their entire force without being detected.
As he sat there looking at the ring he knew it wasn’t just about fighting the enemy, but rather just the fact of using the magic ring to satisfy the craving that clawed inside him. He truly wondered if he had a problem similar to what a drug addict must experience. Mykal realized it wasn’t just a want to turn invisible, it was more of a need to turn himself invisible. In reality he knew the ring also played with his emotions whether they would be sad and melancholy corresponding to how he felt over the death of people they lost, or the anger and hatred he felt for those who did him wrong and wanted to harm him.
“Are you troubled my friend?” Towbar asked after looking at the expression on Mykal’s face.
“No. Not really. I’m just wondering if we should camp here,” Mykal whispered. “We’re kinda trapped on this beach. We got the wall of the gorge to protect us on this side,” he pointed. “But if they try to sneak over at night on the water we might get caught off guard. Not only that, but if they were smart they would sneak over on boats and land people behind us and in front of us and then come straight at us with their boats. We would be completely surrounded. Then they could hit us from three sides and we would be trapped by the gorge wall.”