A summer drizzle started, light enough to drift on the wind, but heavy enough to bead on their skins. While their transformations had destroyed their clothing, neither of the ex-soldiers seemed bothered by the change in weather. Majunda remained seated on the ground, his clawless hands drooping to the ground, purposeless.

Jabal regarded the blood-splattered war veteran. In riskless fights, Majunda liked it when his opponents made him bleed, offering them flickers of hope before watching it fade. The hunters he had fought–Jabal included Renalia amongst them–had made a good showing. But they encountered a Majunda who simply wanted to play around before asking for Jabal.

For the hunters now coming for revenge, though, Majunda would obliterate them.

“Let’s get away from here,” Jabal said. “Before the other hunters come.”

“You said you got rid of them,” Majunda said, more accusation than question.

“I tried, but I don’t think they’re too happy with you injuring one of their own.”

“No. No stalling. You promised to tell me how to get rid of these cards.”

Jabal took a deep breath. “You remember how, when the Masked Ones forced the first cards into us, they followed each of us around continuously? Constantly asking how we felt, tracking what we did, taking notes on each card activation?”

“I guess? My mind was on other things back then. They gave me [Blade Claws] and I wanted to use it all the time.” In a small voice, he continued. “And since I couldn’t, I stole a knife and cut… I cut…”

“Yes, and they watched while you did it. Lieutenant Murchad only stepped in when you tried to kill another Lost Boy.”

Majunda slumped even further, recalling memories long since forgotten.

Jabal continued, his memories of the time no more pleasant than Majunda’s. “His role was to whittle away the parts of us that remained children and hone us into lethal weapons that could defend the Motherland.”

Majunda protested, “No, Lieutenant Murchad–”

Jabal held up a hand, stopping him. “I loved the Lieutenant like the father I never knew. We all did. The army knew what it was doing, giving us a father figure who kept us obedient, killing only those they wanted. Later in life, Lieutenant Murchad regretted his role in–”

“Where is this going, Jabal?” Majunda interrupted. “What does this have to do with removing my cards?”

“After the Masked Ones’ success with us, after we proved ourselves to be good little soldiers, they stopped monitoring us so closely. So even before I left the army, I had already started replacing the harmful cards with whatever my Core gave me. And whatever new weapons they issued me, I slotted them into the older ones.”

Majunda stood up, facing Jabal, anger causing the muscles to twitch. “You tricked me.”

“I didn’t say I found a new way to dispose of cards. But yes, I did trick you.” Jabal tensed as they eyed each other. “You can still replace those cards with your core. It’ll just take longer.”

“You promised,” Majunda snarled, morphing into his reptilian form. “You promised to help me.”

Jabal enlarged himself, placing him at eye level with the threat. “She is my daughter, Majunda. I won’t let you hurt her. And I do want to help. From my experience, having a family grounds you. You’ve said many times in the past that, as an orphan, you’d never have children as a soldier and risk orphaning them. But you’re not in the army anymore and can start a family of your own.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Majunda grabbed his snout with a scaled hand, his forked tongue darting out. “Look at me! I’m a monster. What kind of woman would want this?” He tapped his heart, repeating softly, “I’m a monster.”

“I was a savage when I met my wife, too. But she saw past all that to my real self. And whatever love I gave her, she gave me even more in turn. You can also find someone like that.”

“She sounds really nice. And pretty too. Maybe I should just take her for myself.”

“She’s mine! Don’t you dare!” Jabal shouted, raising a stone fist. The tension in his muscles snapped, and rage rushed in to fill the gaps, accelerated with an unconscious activation of [Strength].

Majunda smiled widely, showing his fangs. “Ah, there you are. There’s the Jabal I know.” Majunda took a half-step back into a half-crouch and extended his claws.

In the brief time it took to square themselves up against each other, Jabal assessed the tactical situation.

He could ignore the blades, [Stone Skin] rendering them harmless. Only [Corrosive Breath] worried him. But as long as he could [Blink] or [Haste] himself away from direct hits to his vital areas, his epic [Regeneration] would out-heal any damage. And while the lizard’s scales resisted piercing damage remarkably well, they offered scant protection against his enlarged and strengthened stone punch.

He couldn’t anticipate the arsenal of weapons his opponent acquired in recent years, but he felt confident in a one-on-one battle of attrition.

Surely, Majunda must have reached the same conclusion. The realization hit Jabal, sending a cold shiver down his spine and recasting their interaction.

The threats to Renalia. The desperate grasping for a solution. The sadness in his voice. Majunda didn’t make the long trek out here for some battle-crazed amusement. He came to end the monster within himself at the hands of his only friend.

Is mercy killing the only way, though? Jabal wondered. Majunda had rejected the slow method Jabal had used. But there weren’t many who knew how to remove cards from a deck.

The Order of Cards could definitely do it, but afterwards, they’d kill him for the war criminal that he was. Squad D would do the same, but murder him for fun.

Jabal knew of no other groups or individuals who could remove cards. However, he did have suspicions about one other person.

A couple of years ago, after Eireann’s last miscarriage, Granny had visited them to check up on her. Eireann’s gratefulness had faded into fear and awe as [See the Unseeable] revealed the old woman.

Jabal never asked Eireann what cards she saw, and knew she would not tell him, even if he did. But there had been only one other person who had elicited such a response from her: him, when he had stumbled into her as Airondale crumbled around them.

However friendly Granny was with them, he doubted she would share such a profound secret with Majunda or him. Doubted, too, that Majunda would make the journey to another foreign country. Besides, he didn’t know how to find Granny, anyway.

The anger evaporated as Jabal considered the alternatives, replaced by sadness.

Majunda must have detected a change in his stance, as he said, “Or maybe I’ll take your daughter. You know I like them young and fierce.”

Jabal knew Majunda meant to goad him. Majunda had always shown kindness to the orphans of war, from either side. Nevertheless, Jabal raised his fists. He would help his friend the only way he knew how.

By killing him.

Could he do it before the hunters get here, though? Jabal would have to take some risks to end the fight fast if he did not want any collateral damage.

As if summoned by his thoughts, the hunters seeking revenge appeared in the distance. At their vanguard ran the small figure of his daughter, to his dismay and pride.

Jabal clenched his fists in frustration, rock chips breaking off and falling to the ground. But the approaching hunters sparked an idea. “Revenge,” he said. “I can’t give you a family, but I can give you the chance to avenge ours.”

Seeing Majunda perk up in interest, he continued. “Between missions and public appearances, Squad D withdraws to a cabin in the middle of nowhere. You can ambush them like they did us. Kill or be killed.”

Majunda smiled. A smile that finally reached his eyes. “Join me, brother. I’ve heard they hunted you and your wife for many years. Together, we can end that threat once and for all.”