Forged Page 4

  “Simon. I am not sorry about earlier.” He said, “But things have changed now, so you should consider us even.”

  Derek clapped a hand over both Douglas and Simon’s shoulders.

  “That’s as close to an apology as we’ll be getting. How’re you feeling, Simon?”

  “That’s fair enough,” He muttered under his breath. Douglas smirked to himself, Simon’s pride wouldn’t let him simply accept an apology, but he would come around.

  To Rachel, he asked. “Tonner, would you be willing to lend us a hand.”

  Rachel simply replied.

  “Heh, sure.”

  Chapter 6 - Confrontation

  30 minutes had passed as the klaxon sounded inside the Marauder’s compound. Men, women, young and old, answered its call. Rumours had spread of a change in leadership, but until there was confirmation, they remained simply that — unsubstantiated rumours.

  Douglas had been the head of the Marauders since its inception, founding and growing the organization from a mere street gang to a respected organization.

  Sophia stood where Douglas normally would stand, flanked by Reuben and Matthias. She had supplanted him, and muttering spread as people began to wonder why.

  Cries of “What’s going on?!!” “Where’s Douglas!” “Is this a coup?!” rang out from the crowd.

  Sophia held up a hand, and the crowd fell into silence.

  “Douglas has betrayed us, he has conceded responsibility of the Marauders over to me. Matthias and Reuben can confirm that. We have dealt with him, but we’re expecting an assault from other individuals. He may try to take advantage of the chaos. I will need you to capture everyone and bring them to me, so they answer for their crimes.”

  The rabble had been quelled. Answers had been provided, and instructions had been delivered. The Marauders knew what they had to do, and they were focused.

  Sentries were set up, and guards patrolled the gates. Some would wonder why Douglas deserted them, and why he would be returning if he did. But others could care less. If they were paid, and the group still functioned, the politics at the top didn’t matter to them.

  Sophia saw all this and was satisfied.

  “Now that’s all done, there’s only one more thing left on my plate,” Her gaze shifted to Zeke, who remained chained up in the chair Douglas had previously bound him in. He stared at her, seemingly unconcerned.

  “Zeke, I’ll be killing you now.” Sophie reached for one of the many knives she wore, “The Marauders won’t care if you die, and this way there wouldn’t even be the hope of saving you.”

  She walked towards him slowly.

  “You’re serious aren’t you,” Zeke strained at his restraints. “Normally, I’d sit tight for whatever deal you wanted to cut. But I’m not leaving my head on the chopping board. Not on your life.”

  The chains began to snap as Zeke strained at his shackles with all his might, pulling away chunks of mortar and concrete as he tore out of his restraints.

  Then he collapsed to his knees, the strain showing on his face.

  “That’s actually pretty impressive,” a stunned Sophia remarked, “It took a lot out of you. You can barely stand as is.”

  She threw a knife at him, then another. Her throwing knives were weighted to sink into their target as if she had simply stood there and stabbed them from up close. Zeke dodged the first, and then deflected the second with his bare hand. Sophia could have sworn she heard it clang.

  She threw another one, and he defected it similarly. It bounced off his hand with a loud sound as if it had hit metal.

  “Your Godspark is a sword,” She muttered, “We’ve confirmed that, so how are you doing that.”

  Then she noticed the small tell-tale glow on his wrist. Rune script materialised on his hands. She couldn’t read it, but she didn’t have to.

  “Runes: Harden,” Zeke whispered to himself to focus his power as another set of Runes snaked down his left hand, wrapping around it.

  “You’re using Runes?” She asked incredulously, “Are you a Rune Knight?”

  “Not for a few years,” He swung at her, but she caught him and tossed him over, her shoulder, using his own momentum against him.

  “That’s different,” she noted. “Maybe the Rune Knights would find something to pay out in exchange for you alive, rather than dead. Just imagining how they would torture you is more than e-”

  She was cut off by a loud bang coming from the outer wall. Shouting followed as Marauders rallied to the source of the noise outside her.

  Rushing to the window, she was stunned to see the outer wall of the Marauders compound had been collapsed.

  * * *

  Simon’s Godspark, Hephaestus, formed around him. Silver Gauntlets and boots connected to a silver and blue helmet formed the totality of his Godspark. It was incomplete, but Simon had been unable to summon all his Godspark for years now. He had made his peace with that and had become formidable in his own right.

  Hephaestus: Plasma Cannon!

  A powerful plasma beam fired from his gauntlets, blowing a hole in the wall. Concrete, steel, it all shattered and fell apart.

  “Step one, complete,” Simon said. “Now you’re up.”

  The others approached him.

  “Just follow my lead,” Douglas said, and the quartet walked through the Marauders compound. Douglas’ icy gaze was enough to stop anyone from confronting him. Simon had just blown the wall open, and Rachel’s reputation as the Tonner preceded her.

  Sophia stared at them from above.

  “Douglas. You’re back a little earlier than I expected.”

  “Thank you” He replied, “I understand our break up might be a little tough, but I’ll just pick up one or two things, and then I’ll be on my way.”

  Sophia continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “I’m glad to see you’ve brought Simon. Now kill him for me would you, and I’ll let this little incident slide.”

  Simon started forward, but Douglas stopped him. Staring into Sophia’s eyes, he replied, “Don’t misunderstand my intentions here ‘boss’. I still quit the Marauders leadership, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be rolling over and kissing your feet anytime soon.”

  An eyebrow was raised.

  “And what’s that supposed to mean.”

  “It means. Give me 5 minutes to come in and take my things, or I’ll come take them myself.”

  “And why do you think you’ll be any more successful than last time.”

  Sophia let her challenge hang in the air.

  “Well, this time I’ll —” Derek shoved Douglas back roughly, cutting him off.

  “Hey!” Douglas protested, “I wasn’t finished.”

  “No, that’s enough. I’m not interested in internal conflicts. Its none of my business, wouldn’t you guys agree? So, I’ll be making my entrance now Marauders.”

  * * *

  A Year Ago.

  “So, this is very important. Many people name their Godsparks. Either out of personal pride, a way to quickly communicate what they do, or just for branding. With your training done, I want you to tell me what you want yours to be?” West had asked. This was during one of their final training sessions. West had been convinced that Derek had the basics of his power down, and Derek hadn’t any reason to contradict him.

  Derek gave his simple answer.

  “Spider.”

  They had both stared at each other for a short, silent moment. Derek’s face impassive, West’s showing his irritation in full.

  “That’s too uncreative, you little shit. I didn’t give you that presentation just for you to be lazy on me.”

  “You called yours ‘Space’, dumb old man. What kind of clever branding is that?”

  “That’s completely different,” West had replied, “Anyway, this is about you, not me. Try again.”

  “Oh yeah,” Derek had said. “Well, it just so happens I had an idea even before you even thought to come to me about this.”

  “So you were jus
t pulling my leg then? Fine, hit me with it.”

  “It all started with the stories you gave me. One particular series of folk tales stuck with me years ago. I couldn’t help thinking about a god of spiders. I thought that linked very well with how my Godspark worked.”

  “I just want to know what name you picked.” West still appeared irritated, but Derek had known he was drinking in every word. “You don’t need to so long-winded about it.”

  “Shut up geezer, if you get to give a presentation I get to give one too. Now, as I was saying, I like this particular guy. He’s clever, he’s a storyteller, he’s a Spider god, so I thought — why not just take his name?”

  “And so you called it— ?”

  “Anansi.”

  * * *

  With that, he leapt into the air, reaching 20 feet above them. A web line was released, spewing out from his forearm and snagging the ground. Yanking himself forward, he slammed into the ground with the force of a missile.

  Anansi’s Impact!

  The shockwave sent debris flying, stunning a few of the assembled Marauders, and knocking a few who were unprotected out.

  Cracking his knuckles, Derek smirked.

  Chapter 7 - Newfound Teamwork

  The debris cleared as Derek stood in front of the others.

  “Sorry I rushed ahead,” He said to Douglas, “You don’t mind, do you?”

  Douglas furrowed his brow. “No, it probably would have come down to this anyway. Sophia’s not going to back down so easily.”

  To the Marauders, however, it was a different story. Douglas had legitimised Sophia the moment he had sided with Derek, and his admitting that he had stepped down from his role had only made her position stronger.

  The former confused warriors now surrounded them. They were armed with knives, spiked clubs, staves, knuckle dusters, and the odd few of them had guns.

  “You’ve made your choice, haven’t you?” She said to Douglas. To everyone else, she nodded. The attack was on. The Marauders swarmed them, attacking from all sides.

  “Now,” Sophia turned around. “Where were we?”

  Zeke braced himself.

  * * *

  Derek and Douglas ploughed through the Marauders in their way, taking them out methodically. They were much too fast to be tagged, and their attacks effectively disabled anyone who was in range.

  “Be careful not to kill anyone!” yelled Douglas, “I still owe them.”

  Rachel’s staff knocked a few out, as she replied, “I’ll do my best.”

  Simon grunted his assent, as he grappled with a few of them.

  “The central tower is our goal,” Douglas said as the quartet fought their way through the compound. “That’s where my map and Zeke are.”

  “We should be there in no time,” Rachel replied, “No offence, but your Marauders aren’t much for guys like us.”

  “Don’t get cocky,” warned Douglas, “Aside from Sophia, there are two more that can put even me down.”

  As if on cue. Matthias and Reuben stepped out in front of them, weapons fully extended.

  Derek ignored them, racing past. Douglas followed their lead, they did not acknowledge him.

  Simon and Rachel made to follow, but they were rebuffed by the pair.

  “We let Douglas and his buddy pass out of a sense of loyalty. It’s not like they can get past Sophia anyway,” said Reuben, “You two on the other hand. We’ll take our time with you. Don’t think we’re being soft.”

  “Hardly. I would have thought you were simply being prudent,” Rachel replied as she adjusted her grip on her staff, “A four on two battle would not have gone in your favour, though that much has not changed.”

  “Don’t think we’re scared of your reputation, ‘Tonner’. Once we take you down, we’ll probably attract even more talent to our little set-up,” Matthias grinned, “I don’t think the other one even has a reputation yet, but he’ll do.”

  “Well, you have us quaking in our boots. Marauder bastards,” Simon leapt, propelled by Hephaestus’s rockets. He swung at Reuben, his fist finding only air where Reuben had been, a swing, and a clang as the other man’s gauntlet blades glanced off his armour.

  Reuben had attempted to cut him, then dodged as Simon retaliated.

  Or rather, as Simon was about to retaliate, jerking sharply away as a javelin whizzed past his head. He had evaded it, but just barely. A scratch had appeared on his nose where he had just been lightly grazed.

  Matthias grinned.

  He seemed to be enjoying himself, but he had left himself unarmed and defenceless by discarding his weapon. A fact Rachel did not let go unnoticed. She charged towards him, her staff trailing through the air. Matthias made a gesture with his hand, and then she saw it mid-run. Some sort of string glistened in the sunlight. She stopped too late as it began to wrap around her. The javelin was yanked forward, attached to the same strand, or another strand of wire, she couldn’t tell, it lanced towards her all the same, seemingly moving by its own power.

  Matthias hadn’t disarmed himself after all, as it turned out, he fought with a visible weapon and an invisible one, the javelin was the visible weapon, the strings were the invisible one. She turned around, deflecting the javelin. As she did so, Reuben raced towards her like a mad dog, he leapt at her, blades extended.

  He thrust, she parried, he slashed, she dodged, she thrust, he leapt over. A slash to the leg. He missed her hamstrings, but he had made a cut, the second cut their team had inflicted that fight.

  It was at that point Rachel realised what they were. Godspark users were often the primary combatants of military and paramilitary organisations across the world. However, some organisations would also train users who could fight against godsparks without having any of their own. They would devote themselves to mastering close quarters combat, the only reliable weapons against Godspark users. They would learn how to adapt to a Godspark and move near human limits. They were called anti-Godspark human weapons —AGHWs. Reuben and Matthias were the Marauders’ trump cards, their AGHWs.

  Reuben danced forward again, only to stop as the air burned.

  Simon fired, interrupting his charge.

  The Marauder barely looked like he has been attacked, rolling under the beam near effortlessly. Then he saw Simon’s other hand moving just under his line of sight.

  Hephaestus: Plasma Cutter!

  He barely dodged the other plasma beam as it burned through the air, then the trees and the walls of the Marauders’ quarters.

  Donning a maniacal grin, he then dashed towards Simon. The latter was good at fighting from a distance and keeping his opponents at bay with his beams, but if he was to be met in close range, Reuben reasoned he could severely diminish his battle capacity.

  His bladed arm flashed forward. Simon parried with his armoured arm, grabbing Reuben’s forearms. Unfortunately for Simon, his armour didn’t protect his stomach, an advantage that was exploited with a kick in his midsection. The blow left him winded. He rolled to escape the slash that followed, then leapt backwards as another javelin blew through the air. Matthias had acquired another, and the razor wire that attached to it was visible to Simon this time.

  Reuben dashed towards him again, but Rachel intervened, forcing him backwards.

  Reuben and Matthias now circled Rachel and Simon, who stood back to back.

  “Tonner, we’re getting our asses kicked out here,” Simon muttered, “Do you have a plan?”

  “I thought manly passion was enough for you?” She replied, “Isn’t that why you burst in here without one?”

  He started to speak, but she cut him off. “I have a plan Simon, just follow my lead.”

  He smiled. “Sure thing.”

  “Are you two done?” Matthias said, “Surrendering now would make the next few moments considerably less painful.”

  “We’ll make it quick,” Reuben laughed.

  “I have no intention of surrendering to you two,” Rachel replied.

  The duo frowne
d. “Death it is then.” Matthias declared.

  “Not planning on that either.”

  “That’s too bad,” Matthias threw his javelin at Rachel, as he expected, she avoided it, sweeping Simon off his feet with a kick in the same movement. Reuben’s lunge carried him harmlessly over the fallen duo. He caught himself, and spun around, slashing his blades towards them and forcing them apart.

  Matthias grabbed another javelin and threw it, and then another. He was targeting Rachel, who simply avoided them over, and over.

  The real threat here — she had decided — was Reuben, who was now dancing around too close to either of them for them to stay on the offensive. Matthias’ attacks appeared to simply be decoys to leave them open to an attack from Reuben. But that was in appearances only. Rachel froze in place as she caught sight of the criss-cross maze strings which were around her, a product of Matthias’ seemingly aimless javelin throwing. She turned towards him and he smiled.

  Simon found himself in the same predicament, as he struggled to get free.

  It was a trap. The duo had lured Simon and Rachel apart, so they could be surrounded by piano wire, trapping them in place, and then killed. Simon cursed under his breath.

  Matthias yanked on the wires, pulling them together with the heavily gloved hand as they began to cut into his captives skin, and armour. Simon’s hands were bound so as they now faced towards him, so he couldn’t even fire a plasma beam to free himself.

  “I told you,” Matthias gloated. “Don’t bother struggling, when set up like this, even a raging bull would emerge as the finest cuts on the market.”

  Reuben laughed to himself. “Finish them off now.” Matthias yanked the wires together, pulling them even tauter.

  Garotte Slicer!

  Simon gritted his teeth as the strings began to cut into his muscle, blood coating his arms and legs.

  “And I told you—” Rachel grabbed the strings around her, “—I don’t intend to lose, or die to you two.” To Simon, she said, “Get ready to move!”