“It looks like some of our work has been done for us,” Jayant said as he stood at the shoreline of Lake Marius, informing the Anbieter of the situation since he had arrived at the scene just before him. Above the walls that fenced in the houses, separating them from the shore, glimpses of injured and dying Titanian soldiers were seen lying at the entrances of various buildings on the other side of the town from the lakeside.
“Seems that the Angel Slayer set some traps on his way out,” the Anbieter determined. “Any idea on what their numbers look like?”
“About 50-70,” Jay said. “Of them, we have visually confirmed that 25 are downed by the Angel Slayer’s Utrium traps. No doubt, they will weaken him since they’re tied to his Reserve… well, never mind that. Companies A and B are already on their way to the village centre.”
“Company A will take care of the northern side of Marius; Company B will take care of the south. Have them spread out immediately when they reach their targets. Company C will remain at the lakeshore as backup with me. Don’t attempt to remove the wounded until there are no Angels left in the vicinity. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” Jay cried, before charging away from the pier onto the street that led to the town centre.
A good portion of the town’s inhabitants were able to seek shelter due to the Angel’s noisy entrance, coming from not the forests surrounding as was typical, but from its outskirts. There was no point in trying to be quiet for the Angels. Their objective was to create fear, to foster animosity towards Gareth who they suspected was being harbored by the people of Marius. Along the way, they would perhaps cut down a civilian, or maybe a dozen. Maybe burning a house or five down, depending on how quickly the Titanian soldiers wanted to leave.
“Very well,” the Anbieter breathed, before turning to his right to address another individual. “Stefan, you’ll remain here with Company C until—
He noticed that the boy he was supposed to give orders to was no longer at his side.
“Stefan? Stefan, where have you gone?”
He frantically pointed to a soldier almost blindly before he could be overtaken by frustration.
“You, look for Stefan!” he ordered.
-
“Gareth Koppel is not the man you think he is!” a Titanian commander shouted into a loudspeaker as their subordinates moved through the streets in an eerily calm fashion, striking down on some defenseless civilians with their hands and feet, while other townsfolk were violently hacked at for simply stating that their houses were not open to them. “He is a fiend! If you want to save yourselves, give us his location or face imminent, painful death!”
Blood slowly began to flood and coalesce from the house entrances into a shallow crimson river that run over the main road of Marius. Thankfully, it did not all come from the people of Marius. In fact, only some of it did. Those Angels caught within the traps Gareth had left were left alive, but crippled, unable stand or walk. Although the Black Shield soldiers wished to finish them off slowly and agonizingly, they could not. All they could do was slash their throats using their masterfully crafted Utrium swords, severing their jugular veins, or with enough force, their heads. Then, it was on to the next alien freak who found themselves unfortunate enough to fall in Gareth’s traps.
“Setting traps that are activated by the presence of Reserve…” a soldier said after having set a family’s home on fire for not being able to tell him where Gareth was. “Gareth Koppel has grown weak. He can’t face us head on like he did 10 years ago.”
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“His wits have certainly not faltered,” his partner said. “That makes him as dangerous as ever.”
The first soldier had spotted a relatively small figure running into an alley, certainly with not the speed or size for it to be a fellow Titanian.
“A girl,” he smirked. “Looks like easy pickings. How about we go… interrogate her?”
“Sounds like a plan.” his partner said with a vile expression.
A crackling sound went off behind them, which meant that somewhat had just left the house they had set ablaze.
“Did we not… take care of everything in that direction?” the second Titanian asked with a confused look to his partner.
“Not all of it.” a voice said, as a person emerged from the burning house. The door opening allowed them to catch a glimpse of the inferno they had caused, illuminating that area of town as it sat underneath a gloomy grey sky.
A masked male figure carried two unconscious adults out to the street, before placing them gently against a wall of a house that was not nearly as damaged.
“Damn Terran ape!” the first Titanian roared. He swiftly whipped out his pistol and fired it without discipline. However, the bullet was deflected by the blade of the human’s sword.
“You’re too short to be Gareth… but damn, do you remind me of him.”
“Stop making useless remarks!” the first yelled at the second. He shot again, and this time the bullet had just grazed his opponent’s shoulder. But this was only because the Terran had lunged to the side in time, and in one swift move, plunged his sword into the second one’s chest.
Not having enough time to aim his weapon at the Terran who had mortally wounded his comrade, he pivoted to tackle him to the ground. He elbowed him in the solar plexus but due to his integration with his Utrium armor it did not hurt him to where the wind would be knocked out his chest. The Terran groaned as his back slammed against the ground.
This is just like when Gareth were… no. I have to be stronger, he thought as the Angel sat up and reached for his mask, hoping to get a glimpse of his enemy before ending his life.
Time seemed to stretch as Stefan and the Titanian soldier rolled together across the ground, wrestling with one another. Stefan struggled to keep his older, stronger opponent’s hands from his mask.
Just because he’s trying to use his hands… doesn’t mean I have to use mine.
Stefan relaxed his shoulders, allowing the opponent to finally keep him anchored to the ground. Before the Titanian could think of placing another finger on him, Stefan gathered as much strength in his neck as he could, then headbutted the soldier in the nose. Stumbling onto his back and holding his face in astonishment, Stefan immediately took the opportunity to reach out across the ground and wield the gun of the first soldier he’d fatally injured. He didn’t hesitate to put a bullet in the side of the tackler’s head, before standing another and putting another for good measure.
As he stood up wearily, he felt a weight upon the holster where he had sheathed his sword earlier.
The other one’s still alive.
He quickly spun around and shot the initially injured soldier in the same fashion he’d killed the other, who tried to have the last laugh despite his organs nearly spilling out of his abdomen in a bloody mess.
Stefan, realizing the carnage he had created felt bile flow up his throat, but desperately held it back. He could not remove his mask, not for a second. The moment the enemy saw his face, it would be over for him. He rushed over to the two villagers he had rescued earlier, having entered their house just in time due to a backdoor that the invaders had neglected to account for.
“Are you two alright?” he asked in a calm voice, getting on knee level to address one of the two men he had rescued, who had regained consciousness.
“We need… medics…” he wheezed; his lungs coated in smoke fumes.
“Can I get your names before I leave?” Stefan asked, making sure that he would be able to find them as soon as he returned to get help.
“We are the Kroon brothers… hurry…”
Stefan immediately darted into the direction he believed that the rest of the Black Shield had gone in. The fight had caused him to be disoriented, and he couldn’t remember the direction he entered from.
Damn it… I should’ve stayed with the rest… I shouldn’t have gone off by myself… he thought anxiously, running until he could see some sign of his comrades.
If I can find Leon, those two will be saved.