by Eric S Kim
“Good. This will be very easy for me.”
Artyom swatted his tentacle at Lionel again, but the latter stepped back in time to avoid the direct contact.
Artyom growled. “Go on. Use it. Show your teammates how it’s done.”
The giant’s movements became swifter. He banged his fist so quickly on the floor that Lionel had to roll away from it. The captain stood up again and still didn’t use the Varivorian sword even if he kept it in his firm grip. Artyom let out a fierce roar as he charged right at Lionel, who now had to raise the sword high and strike back. Artyom, however, had enough time to push Lionel and force him to bump his back into a wall. Artyom waited for Lionel to get back up. And this time, the captain struggled to even stand up straight.
Artyom shook his head. “You must have forgotten everything. You really disappoint me.”
He reached out with a tentacle, but Lionel stabbed it with the sword. He finally managed to use it against the enemy.
Artyom groaned in pain, but didn’t fall back. He grabbed Lionel’s leg with his tentacle and hoisted him into the air. He threw the Blackjack onto the wooden table, causing it to crumble when he landed on it. The sword landed next to the black storage box.
Artyom drew closer to him. “It’s almost like a comedy.”
Now defenseless, Lionel tried to get back up again in the center of fractured wood. But Artyom used a different tentacle, the largest of them all, to grab Lionel by the waist. He brought the Blackjack closer to his face and forced him to stare right at him.
“You have become quite pathetic in your new endeavors. What’s the point of moving on with your life? You would have been better off with your old friends when they disappeared.”
Lionel wasn’t strong enough to push away the tentacle that seized his body. “I had no choice.”
“Such a popular answer…and yet such a poor excuse.”
Artyom threw him again. Lionel crashed into an enormous stalagmite, taking a bump on the chest before hitting the floor. Lionel finally winced in pain. He squeezed his eyes shut as his entire body wriggled from the collision.
Artyom turned around. “If you can’t defend yourself, then I’ve won the fight.”
He had now decided to disregard the confrontation. He scurried toward the Blackjacks that still hung on the wall. “I wouldn’t mind having an early breakfast.”
The Blackjacks, including Preston, suddenly made their attempts to escape from the Zatrad that pinned them. But all they could do is writhe in the clutches out of desperation. Preston couldn’t even move his own arms. He and his teammates remained helpless.
Artyom licked his lips with a long pink tongue. “I’m lucky today.”
And then, much to Preston’s shock, Artyom’s inflated belly started to open. A thin gap that stretched all the way to both sides of his waist had widened. His belly had turned into a giant salivating mouth with several rows of sharp teeth form within. Preston tried to look away, but Artyom had partially filled his line of vision.
“Do not deny it.”
He reached out for Preston, but then he stopped. A look of surprise overtook his face. Preston could hear a sound reminiscent of meat being sliced by a machete. Artyom screamed, which caused slight pain in Preston’s ears.
Artyom stepped back and turned around. Preston noticed it right away. Lionel had gotten back on his feet and retrieved the sword. Artyom had received a wound on his back. Lionel didn’t delay his motivation. He swung the sword, and as a result, sliced off one of Artyom’s bottom tentacles. Artyom howled in pain before he swung his fist at Lionel. Lionel rolled away and cut off Artyom’s left arm. Artyom’s motions almost represented a panic owing to Lionel’s recovery. The Blackjack sliced off two more tentacles, causing Artyom to fall to the floor.
Preston had been amazed by this new outcome. Lionel had become a valiant underdog that brought down the beast. He appeared to have carried that sword with dignity. In fact, he was an entirely different person when wielding an outlawed weapon. His solemn expression completed his transition, however brief it would be.
Artyom cursed at the Blackjack that walked away from him. Lionel shifted his attention to his teammates. He stabbed one of the Zatrad that grabbed hold of Jerome’s legs. It bled green as it fell to the floor in a straightforward thump. With both Zatrad dead, Lionel released his son from the clutches and moved on to his other teammates. Jerome helped by using his dual pistols to annihilate the remaining Zatrad. As more Blackjacks became free, Artyom let out another loud roar.
“How dare you!”
The freed Blackjacks grabbed their weapons off of the ground while Cliff and Kurt checked the Varivorian Artillery in the storage box.
Just as he retrieved his FAMAS, Preston gave a warning to his teammates. “Watch out! We got company!”
The hundreds of Zatrad had returned to seek their revenge. They marched forward, but the Blackjacks had enough time to grab their LMGs and assault rifles. They opened fire and furnished a healthier balance to their fight. Several of the Zatrad had been riddled with bullets as they collapsed to the floor. Those that crawled down on the walls became Cliff and Oswald’s new victims, their LMGs being the main culprit to their newfound success. Oswald laughed like a manic as he sprayed his bullets at anything that had six legs.
Lionel put his Varivorian sword back in its scabbard. He and Hector finished placing the rest of the artillery in the storage box and closed the lid. Preston stayed alongside Jerome as the two of them repelled the plants with the FAMAS and the dual pistols respectively. Green blood became the most rampant type of liquid in the caves.
Artyom, fuming at the destruction of his little ones, yelled, “You will regret this!”
The mutation now included a rebirth of certain limbs. The tentacles that he had lost began to regrow. Brand new parts were cultivated from every amputated section. Patches of green slime stuck to the skins.
Lionel called out to his teammates, “We’re out of here! Let’s go!”
Hector, Woodrow, and Victoria paved a clear path between piles of dead Zatrad. Everyone else followed them from behind. Cliff and Kurt carried the locked storage box by the handles on the sides. One Zatrad jumped up and lunged at Kurt, who just used his fist to punch at it and have it fall to the floor as an unconscious lump. Lionel would be the last to leave this area to ensure that no one would be left behind. And by the time they left, all Preston could see behind him was Artyom standing tall with regrown tentacles and ordering the Zatrad to kill the intruders.
FIFTEEN
5:10 AM
All the Blackjack Troopers had to do was never surrender, and they stayed true to their motives. As they ran across the caverns, they opened fire at every Zatrad that posed a threat. All that perished by gunfire lay dead in a matter of seconds. Those that clung to the walls and the ceiling dropped down and landed on the floor as a messy splat. Cliff and Kurt didn’t have any trouble carrying the big storage box. In addition to their muscular strength, they also dealt with the Zatrad in different ways. Cliff would use a standard pistol, while Kurt used his fist to punch anything that attacked him.
The Zatrad, which must have totaled at least several thousand in one place, moved in without any uncertainty. They followed Artyom’s command and nothing else. The Blackjacks followed a vicious cycle of pulling their triggers and reloading their magazines. Preston had already used half of his ammo for his FAMAS. Feeling exhausted had become more common, especially during the early morning. He followed his teammates despite his feet becoming sore once again. He could even feel a drop of sweat on his forehead.
Hector, Woodrow, and Victoria had to stop the squad from continuing on. All of them stopped beside the roots of a Devidlow Tree.
Hector called out to his captain. “There’s more in front of us!”
Lionel spotted the massive group of Zatrad sprinting toward them. Preston reloaded his FAMAS just as Lionel looked up at the roots of the Devidlow Tree.
He shouted, “Everyone climb
up now!”
Nobody questioned his new decision. They ran up to the roots and climbed up. Lionel informed Victoria to use Lanzira’s Diamond when they reached the top. Preston joined Jerome and Victoria as they made their quick ascent up the roots. Other Blackjacks, including Lionel, had to stay on the floor and open fire as their teammates moved further upwards. Preston kept his eyes on the top of the Devidlow roots as he continued his steady climb. Kurt had to climb first and carry the storage box while Cliff kept himself at the bottom to lift it up. Lionel was the last to make his ascent once again. The Zatrad surrounded the Devidlow roots. Artyom, who slid his way toward the roots with his tentacles, finally realized the situation that his enemies had just pulled off.
“You bastards will not go far!”
The Blackjacks didn’t listen. They reached the top of the roots while many of the Zatrad pursued them from the bottom. Victoria, Jerome, and Preston were the first to make it to the ceiling. Victoria held up Lanzira’s Diamond and repeated the foreign phrase that Lionel had said to her. The orange diamond produced a radiant glow. She pointed the diamond at the ceiling. A large circular section of the ceiling disappeared. A more transparent image gave way from above. An upward view of pine trees and the sky became clear. This part of the cave was not too far underground, only a few feet below the surface.
Victoria shouted, “Let’s go!”
Preston and Jerome jumped up and grabbed hold of the visible edges. They pulled their way up and made a quick return to Green Brigalvic. Preston and Jerome had to act as assistants when their teammates exited the cave. Victoria stayed behind to keep Lanzira’s Diamond activated until everyone else would leave. Preston could still hear distant gunfire from below. He helped Elliott and Sabrina by pulling them out of the hole. Jerome and Nick had to help Kurt pull the storage box to safety.
Soon, Lionel was the last to leave. All fourteen troopers escaped from Artyom and his minions. Victoria said a different phrase which caused the transparent hole to disappear and return to normal. Lionel quickly counted everyone in the squad.
“Does anyone need medical attention?”
Nobody answered.
Victoria had to check on her captain for any possible injuries. “Are you still hurt?”
Lionel lightly pushed her hands away. “I’ll be fine.”
Dawn had approached when the Blackjacks returned to the outside world. A faint shade of blue and orange emerged from the eastern horizon. Preston activated the flashlight on his FAMAS and pointed it upwards. None of the trees above the squad had straightened tentacles on their barks. Everyone inspected the darkness, and so far, nothing that would be classified as an enemy in Green Brigalvic had been spotted.
Lionel had pulled out the red button from his pocket. The red light beneath the button was already on, flashing in a straightforward pattern.
Jerome asked, “When did you press it?”
Lionel put the button back in his pocket. “When the Zatrad took us in.”
Elliott breathed a sigh of relief. “So they already know that we’re in trouble? That’s good.”
Sabrina reloaded her assault rifle. “So who’s gonna come and get us? A bunch of Mystic Knights or something?”
Before Lionel could even answer that question, the dirt floor started to rumble. Everyone looked around for a cautionary sign. In an instant, pieces of dirt flew in the air when a piece of the ground opened up. The Devidlow tree that the Blackjacks had climbed exploded at the bottom. Artyom emerged from the thin mist from the explosion. The furious Russian slid out of the newly made hole and pointed at the fleeing Blackjacks.
“Don’t you run away from me, Lionel! You and I are not through!”
Lionel gave a direct order to his teammates. “Woodrow, lead everyone out of here. Make sure that the artillery is safe.”
Jerome asked, “Wait, what about you?”
“Just do as I say.”
Oswald had an idea. “Here you go, captain!”
He threw his backpack at Lionel. The captain unzipped it and looked inside. He gave Oswald a look of mild annoyance. Nevertheless, he took the backpack with him.
He turned to Artyom and yelled, “Come and get me!”
With a fury unseen by many, Artyom underwent an immediate acceleration. Lionel separated from his squad and ran in the opposite direction with his rifle. He ordered the other Blackjacks to run. Artyom chased after him in the dark. His newly grown tentacles slid across the grass and left behind a trail of yellow slime. Both he and Lionel confirmed their next confrontation.
Meanwhile, more of the Zatrad had risen from Artyom’s new entrance. They stayed together as an endless swam.
Woodrow yelled, “Let’s go!”
Everyone had to continue with their escape. Cliff and Kurt carried the black storage box by the handles as Woodrow, the second in command, led his squad away from the Zatrad.
5:18 AM
The Blackjacks had to make a quick dash down the hillside. They couldn’t turn around. Their only focus would be the Varivorian Artillery and how they would escape from the six-legged plants that pursued them. With minimal lighting in the forest, they remained careful with whatever they would run into. Preston could hear the footsteps of the Zatrad growing louder. There must have been thousands of them willing to risk their lives to defeat their enemies as an unstoppable swarm. Preston had to take quicker breaths. His exhaustion exceeded his expectations. He fought through the pain in his feet as he and the others reached a different section of the forest. One that had no trees at all.
The Blackjacks finally managed to discover a massive field of grass in their path. Without any trees standing in their way, they no longer had to worry about the Kreto Vetril searching for a meal. Instead, the Zatrad became a worthy substitute.
The Blackjacks ran as fast they could through the field. But they didn’t go very far. More of the Zatrad had been spotted on the other side of the field. They appeared from the trees in front of the squad. The Blackjacks had to make a full stop. They surveyed their current surroundings. The Zatrad, just like the mountain lions from before, had them surrounded. The endless horde grew in numbers. At this rate, several thousand of them must have surrounded the Blackjacks.
The Blackjacks stood their ground. They never separated from each other. They stayed as a single group without any cowardice affecting their movements and mindsets.
Woodrow had only three words to say. “Fire at will!”
The thunderous gunfire had returned. This time, the sounds were not enhanced by an echo in the caves. The Blackjacks did everything they could to fight back against the Zatrad. Preston stayed with Bryce and Elliot. Bryce emptied his grenade launcher into the barbaric hordes. A long row of explosions rattled the Zatrad, some of which flew in the air just as the fiery eruptions kicked in. Elliott emptied the entire magazine for his FN P90 before he took his time reloading. More of the Zatrad were annihilated by the bullets and grenades.
Preston could hear Elliott murmur, “God, I hope this mission was worth it.”
Preston felt the same way. He and his teammates had to fight back against the plants that roamed this forest. All the while, a big mutated blob with tentacles chased after his captain in a different location. Squad A-X-9 protected themselves with their modernized weaponry. Every LMG and assault rifle filled the air with their high volumes. Gunfire was a common racket in the field. Right when some of the Zatrad ran toward them, the Blackjacks made absolutely certain that all of their bullets didn’t go to waste. They stayed together as a group. They reached the peak of their performance. Their fight against the Zatrad would never seem to end.
Just as Preston reloaded his FAMAS, Rebecca pointed at something in the distance. “There they are!”
Far away from the confrontation, Artyom pushed away three small trees from his path just as Lionel made his exit from the claustrophobic darkness. The two of them had reached the open field, with the raging mutation continuing the pursuit. Artyom used his tentacles to strike ba
ck at Lionel. Judging by his demeanor, he had no intention of resigning from his conflict.
Preston had a good and clear view of the fight between Lionel and Artyom despite the lack of sunshine in the early morning. Lionel’s weapon of choice had caught Preston’s attention the most. His captain didn’t use his assault rifle. Instead, he used the sword that he decided to keep.
Every time Artyom swung his tentacles at Lionel, the latter moved back and swung his sword in return. Artyom managed to evade the blade at all times. He roared at Lionel as he attempted to reach out to him with more of his tentacles. Lionel either rolled away from them or hit them hard with the sword. This time, he couldn’t slice them off.
Preston had never seen anything like this. Lionel would usually rely on modern weapons to defend against those on the wrong side of the world. But the fact that he used a blade that belonged in a medieval period was so unfamiliar. This new side of Lionel had never existed before. Furthermore, Lionel seemed to know how to use it like an expert, though he did demonstrate a rusty presentation when he couldn’t strike the sword properly against Artyom’s arms or tentacles. Preston turned his head to the right. He caught sight of Jerome observing the same confrontation. He didn’t pull the trigger on his EMR, and instead viewed his own father demonstrating a lost and forbidden art.
Lionel and Artyom strayed further from the forest and moved closer to the skirmish that unfolded between humans and plants. Lionel was about to strike again with the sword, but Artyom recovered from the last attack and, with the back of his hand, swatted Lionel away. Lionel jumped back and lost his grip of the sword. He was about to get up, but Artyom grabbed him by the foot and hurled him away in an even longer distance. Lionel still didn’t attempt to use his own assault rifle. Preston was confused by the deviation. The captain could have ended it with a few bullets to Artyom’s head, but his only focus was an old-fashioned approach to their fight.
