The Gift of Volkeye

by Marque Strickland

  “Their distracted!” the woman yelled. “Let’s go!”

  As this group raced from their cottage, they found the other prisoners, in the adjacent homes, saw this as an opportunity as well. Every family for themselves, the people scattered into the city.

  5

  As Felix watched half of Kruxum’s torso disintegrate, an explosion, to his left, threw him to the edge of the trees. He tried to land on his feet but only wound up spraining his ankle. As he lay in agony, he looked in the direction from which the shots were fired and saw a strange beast, the likes of which he’d never seen, emerge from the trees. Though Felix knew he couldn’t have been seeing properly, because from here it looked liked the animal had metal arms and legs! It had a masked face and was deadly fast, running on all fours. Suddenly it came to a halt, in a standoff with the Karnovs.

  One of them, foaming at the mouth, stepped forward to show off its size. It was enormous, muscular like no other Karnov, and even on all fours he stood eight feet tall. In a haughty laugh at the tiny, lone creature before him, the beast let out a growl that would’ve made the bravest man in the world soil his undergarments. However, this gesture came too soon, for he’d grossly underestimated his foe.

  Teshunua had no patience for these antics and reached out dozens of feet and slapped the beast, dragging his claws across its face. The beast was so taken aback that it only stood there, eyes wide. It was only when the Karnov felt the stinging sensation of four deep cuts stretched across his face that he realized Teshunua had called him out.

  As the creature bolted forward in blind rage with its brethren following closely behind, his prey disappeared before his very eyes! It was only when the Karnov felt razor sharp claws digging into its back, that he realized this was an unfairly matched fight.

  The beast thrashed about, attempting to throw Teshunua off. As he reared on his hind legs, Tesh dug his claws into the throat, slashing about until the lot of its head was just hanging by skin. Finally, heaving with all his might, Teshunua threw his enemy’s head several yards into the distance. It was a strenuous gesture, as the head alone must’ve weighed ninety pounds!

  Like a dog that had just run through a puddle of water, Teshunua shook himself free of blood, showering the coats of the Karnovs surrounding him. Some of them appeared terrified. Others were enraged. And just a few of them, both. Now having seen what he was capable of, they knew best not to underestimate Teshunua. They awaited his move.

  “Stay and fight, or run…it doesn’t matter. I’m going to kill all of you!” Teshunua said as his deeply magnified voice projected throughout the area.

  The Karnovs were taken aback, hearing this animal speak in the same tongue that their masters, Phyllamon and Murlach, communicated with. They knew then that they were dealing with a deity of some sort, who’d taken the form of an animal. Perhaps this one was in relation to the witches who’d slaughtered many dozens of their kind, several weeks previous (only a few had escaped their wrath, making it back to the castle). Bent on avenging their brethren, the beasts attacked.

  Teshunua, in a move similar to the one Lyn Sha had used on them, leapt in a spin attack, firing at everything below. However, his aerial assault was short, for he could jump nowhere near as high as Lyn. When he touched down, he turned and found the Karnovs in hot pursuit of him. Teshunua bolted away.

  He was overwhelmed that he could outrun creatures of this size and speed, cutting right and left as their jaws snapped at him, attempting to cleave him in two. Teshunua was now toying with the beasts, knowing that it would be a miracle if they could do so much as scratch him. However, he got a little bit too arrogant and was head-butted in the rear by one who caught up to him. No matter. As he slid backward, he cuffed the earth and hoisted himself in the air, whizzing past the rank breath of a Karnov that meant to swallow him whole. The beast’s jaws enclosed around both of Teshunua’s arms, and all of its teeth were shattered as it attempted to chew.

  Thinking of Khyeryn and the countless others, who’d been mauled by Karnovs, Teshunua retaliated with just cruelty, lowering himself to the beast’s face and digging his clawed feet in. He removed both eyes, and then he got out of his animal pose and stood tall, arms transformed. Tesh dismembered the Karnovs as he waved both arms back and forth.

  Several of the beasts darted into the distance, trying for an escape. As soon as Teshunua killed the last of those in front of him, he went after the others. They were no match for his speed. When he came directly behind one, he reached out and tore its leg away. While this one fell on its back, howling in pain, Teshunua leapt upon it, shot it full of holes, and quickly resumed his pursuit.

  He chased the Karnovs all the way from the edge of the downtown area, back to its center. Upon arrival, he found many of the hostages running about. In a rush to their freedom, some weren’t paying attention and ran directly in the path of the Karnovs. These unwary people were instantly ripped in half, and Teshunua knew he had to put an end to the remaining Karnovs before they took anymore lives.

  Now neck and neck with the beasts, he leapt far ahead, turning to face them. Teshunua annihilated them with three consecutive shots with his pulse cannon and was knocked off balance as the explosions shoved him to an awkward landing. He skid along the earth, digging his claws into the ground in order to stop.

  Teshunua looked up to find the area in chaos. Everywhere about, the escaped hostages scrambled to their freedom, trying to get out of the city. Though the Karnovs were dead, and Bahzee was handling Phyllamon’s remaining infantry, the people remained hysterical, clueless as to whether or not there were more unexpected horrors awaiting them.

  Teshunua scrutinized the area, looking to where Felix had fallen. He was still there, about a dozen yards from where the pile of weaponry had exploded.

  Teshunua went to retrieve him before he was trampled to death. Winded, he casually walked through the chaos, removing his mask, as not to frighten people any further. As Tesh stepped over the burning torso of a Karnov, something flew by him at a death-threatening speed. Whatever it was smashed through the front end of a brick cottage, taking half the house down. Upon inspection, he discovered it was two of Phyllamon’s soldiers, merged together at the torso, as their rib and pelvic bones were stabbed into each other. This hideous contortion of carnal parts had Bahzee’s signature all over it.

  Teshunua looked into the distance and observed the comical event, smirking as he saw bodies flying into the air. God only knew where the corpses were landing and how hard! He felt no pity as he envisioned the carnage at the scene, all of it taking place at Bahzee’s murderous hand. As he went back to get Felix, Teshunua shivered, for he wasn’t at all envious of that Zephranie woman, knowing what was to become of her when she and Bahzee finally met.

  6

  As Teshunua burst from the trees, cutting to the left, Bahzee casually walked out. The beasts went to grab their weapons but were shocked to find them nonexistent. There wasn’t a scrap. In fact, all that remained from the blast was a deep, black gouge in the earth. They’d made a huge error with their overconfidence, leaving their guns laying about and not keeping them on their person.

  Now weaponless, they were further disheartened as they witnessed a brawl in the distance—a fight which wasn’t going well for the Karnovs at all. The largest of them had just had its head removed by a creature that wasn’t a fifth of its size! And adding to these horrors, were the hostages who’d now burst from their houses of imprisonment and were disappearing into the trees faster than the infantry could blink their eyes…

  …And of course, Kruxum, the most powerful and capable of them all, now lay dead with half his body blown away!

  Because they had no guns, the infantry was hesitant to divide their numbers and thought to remain in a single uniform group, letting the prisoners escape. Zephranie, however, had reappeared and managed to kill quite a few of them. Anyone that crossed her path was jabbed with the needle. The poison was so toxic that she didn’t need to push down on the plunger
. All it took was to be nicked with the tip. Those citizens who’d been stuck now lay seizing, foaming at the mouth.

  The infantry now walked to the center of the perimeter, cautiously looking about. They suspected an ambush but were surprised to find their new adversary right in front of them. It was a girl, and she was calm as a predator in the wild before pouncing its prey. Next to her lay a hammer with a head that was almost as large as her body, appearing maybe five times her weight. They wondered what she intended to do with it, for there was no way that she could possibly lift the weapon! Also, they grossly outnumbered her, so what the devil did she think she was doing?

  The girl seemed unfazed by their size or number. She stood cracking her knuckles, waiting for them to make the first move. They obliged.

  Bahzee quickly picked up her hammer and knocked the first one dead with one blow. His chest caved in as the hammer struck, crushing his heart and sending blood seeping from his mouth. Another stepped forward in defense of his slain comrade. She neutered the beast, kicking him in the groin area. His testicles were sent into the pit of his stomach, and as he knelt over, wailing, she swung with all her might, sending the hammer through his back. The soldier was knocked flat to the earth, lifeless as could be. More ran at her, and she slew one after the other. Finally, wanting to prove that she wasn’t being unfair, she tossed her blood-drenched hammer aside.

  Bahzee then skipped back and threw up her guard. This, she learned from practicing with Seth, the oldest Dickery boy, who’d been a boxing champion in the military. Knowing that he couldn’t spar with Bahzee (because her strength would’ve killed him), he just taught her how to move and swing effectively as she knocked one towering iceberg to pieces after another. Additionally, Samuel, the youngest Dickery boy, gave her wrestling and grappling lessons, because he’d been held with high esteem, receiving medals for both in the army. Bahzee had been practicing hand-to-hand combat for nearly a month now, several hours a day. Therefore, the remaining soldiers had made a mistake in believing that she was now helpless simply because she’d put her hammer down.

  “I don’t need it,” she said. “Come on!”

  One ventured in and swung, meaning to pierce her neck with ivory spikes that grew from his knuckles. Bahzee blocked the attack with her left arm and gave an upward body shot that sent the creature high into the air. He was impaled upon the spikes of a steel gate that circled one of the houses.

  Two more came. Like the others, they were grand in size and strength, and they were at an advantage, for they’d positioned themselves on opposite sides of her. However, Bahzee was a quick thinker and stayed between them, moving only enough so that she wouldn’t be crushed. When their bodies collided, she took the opportunity to mash them together like a sandwich, hearing ribs crack as their bones stabbed into each other. Bahzee then shoved them aside with all her might and didn’t bother to see where they went, clueless of the fact that she’d almost bowled Teshunua over!

  Next, Bahzee turned to find a giant fist about to collide with her face. She caught it and squeezed so tightly that she forced the bones in two of his fingers backwards, popping out the knuckles! The beast roared in agony, kneeling as he inspected his now-useless hand. Before he could let out another cry, Bahzee walked around his backside and turned his head sharply to the right, breaking the creature’s neck.

  Knowing there was another coming for her, Bahzee shoved the corpse aside and spun around, crouching with her fist aimed low. As the claws of a Maugrimm-sized beast just missed slicing her into pieces when they passed over her head, Bahzee’s fist tore away its right leg. The crippled beast went crashing down, and Bahzee climbed atop of it, issuing a drop-strike that forced it nearly a foot into the earth.

  Frustrated, they began attacking in packs, several at once. However, this did nothing but raise Bahzee’s emotions, thereby making her all the more powerful. Each beast died with one blow of her fist, and their bodies took flight, soaring through the air. Finally, as she struck the last in the chest and sent his corpse sailing into the trees, Bahzee looked about for her next kill. She found her with a hostage at the edge of the forest, slowly tiptoeing into the trees, as to disappear.

  The boy could’ve been no more than eleven or twelve, and his face was ragged with sadness. Tears fell as he looked upon Bahzee.

  “If you don’t want me to inject him with this poison, you’ll let me walk out of here, girl!” Zephranie said, holding the needle to the child’s neck.

  Ignoring her, Bahzee was frank with the boy. “I’m sorry, little one…I’m not fast enough to get at the needle before…” She couldn’t finish, heartbroken at what was about to happen.

  “It’s all right. The sooner I die, the better. I’ll get to see me mum and dad again. This woman killed them earlier today,” the boy said wearily, as Zephranie yanked him closer.

  “What’s your name?” Bahzee asked.

  “Marion,” he whispered.

  “I’m Bahzee. Marion, you have good heart and are exceedingly brave. God will take care of you in the afterlife. In a moment, when you meet Her, I want you to make sure that She, your parents, and everyone else that has died here today, has a perfectly clear view as to observe what I’m about to do to this woman!”

  “Bless you, Bahzee.”

  With this said, Marion grabbed hold of Zephranie’s hand and jabbed the needle in his neck, pushing down on the plunger. He fell down and was now in seizure. However, his agony didn’t last for more than a few seconds, because the moment he injected himself, Bahzee lunged for him and crushed his neck, mercifully putting him out of his misery.

  When she looked up, Bahzee found Zephranie had raised the needle like a dagger, ready to bring it down upon her skull. However, being so incredibly phobic of drugs, Bahzee reacted all the quicker. She caught Zephranie’s arm and snapped her wrist like it was a piece of straw. The shattered bones prodded the surface of her pale, translucent skin. She hit the ground, wailing in pain that she’d never felt. Not even withdrawal was this bad!

  Bahzee grabbed the poison container from around Zephranie’s neck and threw it at the stone wall of one of the cottages, destroying it. Seeing this done, she then took the needle and crushed it with the heel of her boot. Bahzee tuned out Zephranie’s torturous yowling and observed the surroundings, surprised that she hadn’t noticed where she was standing before.

  “Hey…hey…shut up a minute! I want to show you something,” Bahzee said, grabbing Zephranie by her collar and throwing her some twenty feet into the distance. She landed face down, sliding and scraping some of the skin off the right side. Bahzee walked to Zephranie and sat her up, so she could have a better view of what she was going to show.

  Grimacing in pain, Zephranie looked up and discovered that she had landed near a large, steel garbage bin.

  “My mother has brought me here many times over the last fourteen years. She found me in this very bin. I’m surprised it’s still in the same spot, after all these years.”

  She paused, making sure Zephranie was listening. Though still cringing in pain, Bahzee had somehow captured her attention. Bahzee knelt down, peering into Zephranie’s eyes.

  “My mother suffered a horrific spell of depression for six years, brought on by the death of her husband and unborn child. She never gave me all the details, but from the bit of eavesdropping I’ve done on her conversations with Papa Zynnie, I’ve learned that it was Phyllamon and your husband, who are to blame for her grief. I now understand why she went to Rhylix today…to set things right with Vlajdimir!”

  Zephranie’s eyes went wide. Until now, she knew nothing of recent events, because she hadn’t been in contact with Phyllamon or Vlajdimir since they parted ways at dawn. Bahzee rose from her kneeling position and began pacing, continuing her tale.

  “Anyway, the night she found me, there was a snowstorm. Mom had a way of wandering on nights like this…when she came to this dumpster, she was smacked in the face by a dress soaked in blood. Apparently, the dress was meant to get someon
e’s attention, and that’s how my mother found me. She took me home that night, and I’ve been with her ever since.”

  Bahzee suddenly whirled around and grabbed Zephranie up by her collar.

  “How is it that a person can appreciate life so, and then another, like you, takes it without conscience?” Bahzee asked, shaking her violently. She got no answer.

  “Two weeks later, a body was found…right over there, at the foot of the forest,” Bahzee pointed, turning Zephranie’s head so she could see. “The woman was frozen solid and upon inspection, they discovered that she’d been stabbed repeatedly. Obviously someone tried to kill her, and my mother thinks this kind woman used all her remaining energy to keep me safe and give me shelter. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be standing here now.

  “Perhaps God spared me, so that I could be here to protect the innocent from the likes of you. As I think of that kind woman, stabbed repeatedly, I can’t help but imagine the murderer as someone just like you, Zephranie. I don’t think that’s an unfair comparison…after all you’ve spent the entire day poisoning people!”

  Zephranie still had no reply. Except for the occasional grimace of pain, she did nothing but dangle in the air, listening to the girl’s tale. Bahzee had momentarily gone quiet, gazing into the forest. Finally, a tear fell from her eye, and she trembled with fury. Now, with her other hand, she cuffed Zephranie by the chin and brought her down to eye level. Bahzee spoke in a murderous whisper.

  “What I do now, I do on behalf of those, past and present, who’ve died at the hands of bullies and tyrants like you! This is for those who lost their lives today…for my best friend, Nhad…and for the dead midwife, who saved me...SUMI!”

  Shocked, Zephranie looked upon the girl throttling her, amazed at the likeness of their features. She couldn’t see how she’d missed it in the first place, because looking at Bahzee was like looking in a mirror! For the first time in her life, Zephranie was taken with guilt. It was a feeling that she wasn’t accustomed to, and the emotions hit her like a high-speed collision, consuming her. Eyes pleading for mercy, she glared at Bahzee…knowing.