by Dave Hazel
“Damn, I’d hate to get hit with that thing,” Mykal scoffed playfully. “I’m telling ya, you guys are getting yourselves all worked up for nothing,” Mykal said and tried to reassure them. “Seriously, relax and enjoy this little show we’re about to put on.”
“They’re double timing it again Myk,” Finley declared when the enemy started to run toward them. “They are approximately two hundred meters away.”
“Nordad, you and your men, I want you all to know that we could have killed them from this distance,” Mykal pointed.
All six looked at Mykal and back and forth to each other as if he couldn’t be telling the truth.
“Grenadiers,” Captain Diaz shouted to get their attention. “Weapons ready, hold your position. On my command,” he paused. “Target those bunched together for more effect.” Diaz scanned the army looking for those grouped closer together. “They’re spread out more than I would like but make the best of your fire,” he commanded in a loud voice for all to hear and looked to Mykal.
“Captain Diaz, whenever you’re ready,” Mykal nodded and gave him thumbs up.
“Open fire,” Diaz yelled and swatted his arm down.
The eight men armed with M-203 grenade launcher attached to the M-16 rifle, all squeezed the trigger at the same time. The only sound audible was the hallow sound of thupb, thupb, thupb through an open tube. It sounded like someone was trying to blow a hair off the end of their tongue.
Moments later eight loud explosions ripped through the quiet anticipation, throwing bodies and body parts in all directions amid little clouds of smoke. The enemy continued to charge though they were unsure what caused forty to fifty men to be killed or severely injured. The grenadiers did not have to be instructed to reload. They were waiting for the command to fire again.
Mykal watched the expression on Nordad and his men’s faces and was pleasantly amused at their surprise. “That’s nothing,” Mykal said when they looked to him for an explanation. “Just keep watching,” he added and took his rifle from off his shoulder in preparation for his own display of fire power.
“Fire at will and lob two more HE rounds,” Diaz commanded. “Then prepare to fire your rifles.”
*******
After sixteen more devastating explosions resulting in many more dead and seriously injured, the charging army stopped and tried to re-group. It wasn’t the dead and injured that roused their fear, but the loud explosions and the fact that death had been inflicted by seemingly invisible forces. The army stopped in their tracks but didn’t retreat. They held steady and didn’t advance while they tried to determine what just took place. The lower ranked soldiers looked to the leaders for answers. The leaders looked to each other for understanding. When uncertainty was all they had to go on, mass panic and yelling erupted among the ranks of hard hearted, cold blooded killers. The army looked like a well-trained force, uniform in appearance and uniform in their actions as they still tried to determine what had just taken place. They shook their weapons overhead and shouted what seemed to be threats
*******
“Oh my,” Jumbdex gasped with disbelief as he turned to Nordad. “Did you see that one soldier who had been ripped completely apart?” He said and pointed to the opposing force. He had watched a 40mm High Explosive round slam into the midsection of one soldier. The soldier had literally been blown apart. “I have never seen the likes of such power,” he said as if asking Nordad could it be possible.
“See that one rallying the troops?” Mykal pointed to one of the apparent leaders. Mykal couldn’t contain his laughter. Even the Elves looked to be wide eyed in amazement. “I’m talking about that one swinging the sword over his head?” Mykal singled out one target.
“Yes I see him,” Nordad replied. His tone had softened.
“Watch this.” Mykal smiled as he sighted his rifle on his target. “I’m going to kill him right… now,” he said and squeezed the trigger of his rifle. A split second after Mykal spoke the word “now” the leader’s head snapped back with a wild jerk. He dropped to the ground where several of his men gathered to see what happened to him. “He’s dead,” Mykal declared confidently though his target stood more than fifty yards away.
Nordad and his men had been left speechless. They looked at Mykal then looked back to each other and back to Mykal.
“Open fire,” Mykal yelled.
Rifle shots rang out and dropped the enemy with every round fired. The attacking army had been cut down in size and stood confused. When the army appeared over the hill they were nine hundred and eighty-seven strong. They looked in all directions and tried to make sense of the impossibility that just occurred. Terror rolled together with their confusion. There was no enemy directly in front of them to inflict such damage, yet the evidence lay all around them in dead, blood and shrieks of pain.
“Cease fire,” Mykal yelled once he completed a thirty round magazine. “Cease fire,” he repeated and tried to estimate the numbers of the scared and confused enemy. He guessed about half were on the ground dead or injured. “M-60s, open fire and give them something to write home about,” Mykal yelled with a laugh that baffled their new friends. “But don’t waste a lot of ammo on them, cuz they’re not gonna come after us.”
The four machineguns opened fire and after rattling off several burst of rapid fire shooting many of the confused enemy dropped like dominos in different directions. Once it became apparent that less than two hundred remained standing, the survivors all turned and ran. The enemy all dropped their weapons and shields as they fled.
Nordad looked thunderstruck. “How? May I ask? Is it magic?” His facial expression held many questions as well as stunned disbelief.
“It’s a long story,” Mykal said and couldn’t keep from laughing at their amazement. “But come with me. I want you to see what we did,” he said and walked toward the dead and wounded. “Come on,” he encouraged them as he walked backward and waived them along. The nine seemed hesitant as if the enemy couldn’t possibly be dead and injured. “I really want you to see this so you know it’s not an illusion or a trick.
Nordad, his five warriors and the three Elves followed Mykal to the sight of the massacre. Mykal carried his rifle ready just in case some of the injured would have the ability to throw a knife and or to carry out any kind of an attack. Boris and many others followed with rifles at the ready as well.
“This can not be,” Nordad whispered his gasp, more to himself. “However, I have witnessed this with my own eyes,” the old man shook his head when they came upon the nearest dead body. All the bodies were twisted and posed in many uncomfortable positions as if they had been thrown down violently and died before they could recover. The evidence of much blood lost proved the enemy not to be feigning death.
“Boris,” Mykal called out and nodded to a wounded man who tried to get to his feet. The wounded man picked up his sword and a dagger, possibly to throw it at any who would dare to come near. “Nordad, watch this,” Mykal said.
Boris raised his .44 magnum and squeezed the trigger. The mini cannon erupted with a deafening explosion and ripped half the man’s forehead from his skull before he could launch his knife.
Nordad gasped and looked at his men who looked just as shocked as he. “How? I am truly amazed. I am baffled beyond words,” he said and looked at Mykal differently than when he first laid eyes on him. He stuttered and stammered, unable to formulate a question. “How? I do not understand such power, my new friend. At the risk of sounding foolish for asking again, however, I must. How did you accomplish such a feat?” The old man asked again. His manner and attitude made clear his humility.
“Is it magic?” Jumbdex inquired fearfully.
“It’s not magic,” Mykal answered him.
“They are dead,” Starling said softly and eyed the ghastly wounds. “You killed them from a great distance with such power and accuracy.” Starling looked at the new humans with great interest. He eyed them closely as if he tried to understand what sort of hu
mans these people could be. Like all Elves, Startling rarely had been impressed by humans, but this demonstration of power impressed him greatly.
“Oh my,” Altoff cried out and picked up an arm with a sword still grasped in the hand. “I have never witnessed such might.”
Jumbdex walked to the one he witnessed blown apart by an M-203 40mm round. The body had been blown apart leaving blood, entrails and limbs. “Are you gods?” Jumbdex asked with trepidation.
“You must be gods,” Nordad declared before anyone could answer. He bowed slightly at the waist in preparation for Mykal’s reply.
“No! Stop it,” Mykal laughed out loud. “We’re not gods, and we’re not using magic,” Mykal continued to laugh lightly because he knew he could get these men to worship them if he desired to do so. “We’re men just like you, but our weapons are a little more advanced. We can talk about this later. Let’s get out of here before those others bring more help with them.”
“Let us first take some provisions,” Nordad suggested after eyeing the dead and wounded. “We had to discard our food and supplies when we were being pursued.”
“That’s a great idea,” Diaz agreed. “Let’s take all the food we can carry, because we’re going to need it as well.”
5.
The Elves opened the secret passage entrance within the next two hours. During the time of delay Mykal and the others gave a brief synopsis of what happened to them, where they’re from and where they were trying to go. None of the nine heard of the Land of Labins, the Finger Mountains or the Krackstor Mountains, the proper name where the Pass was located. Sadly they never heard of Towbar, the Great Walled City of Beramus or King Loankore III.
“This is very important to know,” Starling spoke primarily to the new people. “This passage should travel straight through the mountain. We must not stray from the path. There is great danger if one strays from the path.”
“Will it be easy to stray from the path?” Jumbdex asked while gathering up his weapons and supplies.
“We have never traveled through this passage,” Blair answered and his soft voice sounded musical like Starling’s. “Everything we have been told about this passage includes a warning not to stray from the path. One would assume there may be detours.”
“Our journey will be safe provided none stray from the path,” Leeno reiterated. “The dangers are great. All we know is only what has been passed on through tales.”
“What kind of dangers?” Diaz asked. “My men have been at risk for several days and I don’t want to put them in anymore danger.”
“Bear in mind, what I am about to share, we can not confirm this information as factual since we have never been inside this mountain,” Blair began and paused. “We have been told there is an entire world that exists under this mountain.”
“Just like the Dwarves at the Pass,” Mykal whispered to Jake and Boris.
“Those who inhabit this under world are of an evil nature. We must be on our guard at all times and we must not stray from the path,” Starling repeated for emphasis as he finished with the same musical quality to his words as Blair.
“I would add that we have nothing to fear,” Leeno said and looked to Mykal. “None in our world has seen such power that you and your people possess, save the evil one.”
“Do you mean Zizmon-Tarl?” Mykal asked while Diaz and Finley moved to the rear of the men to see all the supplies that had been gathered.
“Shhh,” Nordad quickly put his crooked finger to his lips. “We do not utter his name,” he whispered and instinctively looked around them secretively. “We fear he can hear us if we speak that foul word.”
“Sorry,” Mykal regretted speaking the name. Suddenly Mykal snapped his fingers. “Maybe he’s right,” Mykal gawked and turned to his friends. “Do you remember we said his name to the Sosos just before we got transported to this side of the world? It wasn’t just a coincidence, because we were threatened in the green fog. Damn it,” he sighed and slapped his leg. “That may be why we’re here right now. Just cuz we said that friggin jerk’s name.”
“Why don’t we stop and think about this before we go traipsing into the mountain with them,” William said. Clearly he wanted to object. “I don’t like this at all, especially after their remarks about straying from the path.”
“What?” Mykal sighed and knew it was too good to be true. Captain William Roberts had been quiet for most of the day. Mykal knew if anyone was going to whine and complain, if anyone would throw a monkey wrench into the works, it would be William.
Several others were surprised that there was a lone voice of opposition. They weren’t surprised that the lone voice holding everyone back would be Captain Roberts. If anyone would be difficult it would be him.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to follow them into a mountain where we have no idea of the dangers we may face or where we will end up.”
“Stop,” Mykal raised his hand to silence him. “They told us their home is three days from the other side of the mountain and they may have others who can help us get back to the other side of the world.”
“I just don’t think it would be a good idea.”
“Screw you chrome dome,” Boris raised his voice. “You always gotta be the one to piss in someone’s cheerios.”
“No! Screw you too,” William fired back to Boris and jumped into a fighting stance. “I’m not taking any more shit from you.”
“Yeah, come on mo-fo,” Boris snarled and pulled his .44 magnum out. “Bring your chop chop shit, cuz I’ve had it with you.”
“Stop it right now,” Mykal barked at both of them. “Put that away,” he pointed to Boris. “And you stop it too,” he turned his finger to William.
“You’ll get yours,” William threatened quietly.
“Come on baldy. Let’s do it now and get it over with once and for all,” Boris challenged him since he had the upper hand.
“I said to stop!” Mykal said between clenched teeth and was glad that Captain Diaz and Lieutenant Finley weren’t present. “I got too much on my mind to deal with you two. Don’t piss me off.”
The nine looked at each other as if they had missed something. The sudden eruption took them all by surprise. “Was it something we said?” Nordad asked to break the tension.
“No, and I apologize for this,” Mykal sighed. “These two have a problem with each other and they need to grow up,” he said for the benefit of William and Boris.
“I just don’t think it is a good idea to put ourselves in more danger,” William voiced his opinion.
“Then just stay here, go your own friggin way,” Mykal snarled flatly. “I’m not gonna deal with this. Here, better yet, hold it.” Mykal said with an idea. “Captain Diaz and Lieutenant Finley, could you guys come up here real quick.”
The men parted so Diaz and Finley could rush to the opening of the mountain. “What’s going on Myk?” Diaz asked. He clearly saw the expression of frustration Mykal gave.
“Well, we have a problem once again.”
“With what?” Finley asked.
“Who do you think?” Mykal snarled sarcastically and no names had to be mentioned.
“I just don’t think we should rush right in there if there is danger involved,” William said to state his case.
“Stop!” Mykal barked and held his hand up to cut William off. “I’m seriously not playing this shit anymore. You don’t have to come. Who else wants to stay here with Captain Roberts? Raise your hands.”
The silence, though brief, seemed to drag on.
“Myk, I just think we need to seriously discuss our options first.”
“Stop! We’re discussing it now. Who wants to go with Captain Roberts cuz he don’t wanna go with us. Captain Roberts can go his own friggin way. Believe me, I’m beyond fed up with his shit. Who wants to go with him?” Mykal snapped and it was clear his frustration was beyond compromise.
“No one would be stupid enough to stay with his dumb ass,” Boris forced a laugh
and walked away.
“I’m not going to take much more of you,” William warned Boris.
“William, you don’t have to take any of his stuff cuz you can go your own way and do what you friggin wanna do.”
“No one is leaving,” Captain Diaz declared loudly. “Obviously I’m not going to order Captain Roberts to do anything.”
“William, do what you gotta do. You’re a captain and you’re a grown man. You’re on your own as far as I’m concerned,” Mykal said and then turned away. “Captain Diaz, let’s get going.”
“Myk, don’t you think we should just hear him out?” Diaz asked. “I didn’t realize there was a problem.”
“No! He ain’t gonna stay,” Mykal answered Diaz sharply, but his anger was directed at William. “He’s too much of a coward to stay on his own and I’m too fed up to deal with him. I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let his crybaby attitude dictate what we do or don’t do.”
“I don’t understand what happened,” Finley said for both him and Diaz and looked at the faces of those gathered.
“Starling told us to be careful not to stray from the path,” Mykal explained. “Okay fine, but now William got spooked and doesn’t wanna go. He’d rather we just wander around and try to go a different way. We finally make contact with someone who could possibly help us, people who actually know this area and he gets spooked and wants to run away. Hell with that, he can go on his own. He’s stood on the opposite side of everything we’ve tried to do. Let him stay cuz I’m not gonna beg him to come and I sure as hell ain’t gonna split up with these guys when their home is just three days from here. I’m going. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Whoever wants to stay with William, you’re more than welcome to.”
