Chapter 9: Resolve

In the windy meadow, blood was shed for no reason other than senseless violence. A child was so innocent yet they could also be most cruel. These abominations, they did not fight for their needs nor an ideology. No, such a thing was outside their own comprehension, these creature, they killed with the ignorance of children.

A slip up was all it took. Two of the knights were torn apart as an abomination managed to phase onto them. These things, they did not understand suffering, they did not even realize those in front of them were deathly afraid. That innocence made them most dangerous.

But there were adults on this battlefield.

The Warden needed to act quick and decisive. He knocked his opponent away with a sudden gust of wind. Then with the same flow, Claudia and Carina were dragged closer to the Warden. A part of the ground was raised to separate them from the enemies.

“You are a mage!” Claudia exclaimed.

“Get up and patch her up.” Jaren yelled, pointing at the young scout. “I need you fighting, fast. That guy, he is the same as you.”

“What does that mean?” The girl could not imagine the ghost had anything to do with her.

“He’s also a gunslinger.” The Warden replied.

A part of the wall was broken opened as the metal abomination, the iron-child, broke through. Brushing his hand fists together, sending out sparks, he hunched down like an animal waiting for an opening.

“Hurry up!” The Warden readied himself.

Luckily, the iron-child did not create a direct line of sight to the ghost. But it would not stop the outlaw from repositioning himself for a shot. That meant Jaren had to be quick, there was no time to hold. This Mutant, this raider might have special power, but this should not take long at all for someone with his talent.

Static formed around the stick in the Warden’s hand. It sent out a bolt of electricity coiling like a whip swinging right at the iron-child. The abomination’s primitive instinct kicked in and he held up his metal plated fists to block the lighting.

A move that proved effective, the iron-child made a surprise groan seeing that he was unharmed. The metal on him did not conduct electricity.

But it was only a diversion, the Warden was already on top. He pointed his baton and thrust it straight into the iron-child unprotected. The force of such a hit would collapse anyone’s chest, crushing their heart and lungs. But that was not all, through the baton a jolt of electricity surged through. Whoever survived the initial hit would have their innards fried.

The blow sent the iron-child flying but he quickly regained his footing.

‘What the!’

How could someone possibly survived that? The Warden then saw, at the point of impact, metal spreading out over the child’s skin. It soon retracted back into his bloodstream. Was that calculated or did it activated by itself. Jaren tried to find the answer but his time was up.

Atop the wall stood a figure whose head was covered with white cloth. The ghost stood, a hand on his hip at the edge of the coat.

“Curious condition, isn’t it.” He said with a voice deep as the abyss. “From the look on your face, I could tell you don’t know what that is either.”

“And you are going to feign ignorant.” The Warden retorted as he blocked the iron-child animalistic swipes.

“That’s up to you.” The ghost replied and observed.

With its simplistic moves, the iron-child could not keep up with the Warden. He struck the abominations numerous times with his electricity charged stick and baton. But every single hit was blocked by metal manifesting on his skin. Jaren could see it moving as the iron-child’s veins turned dark. He had the upper hand in both skill and experience, but that would not matter as this was a battle of endurance. And in that, how a man could possibly matched an animal.

Then there was also the ghost. Occupied, the Warden was sure he would not be able to defend himself against two opponents.

Claudia Reid saw that Jaren was in a perilous situation. She tried to bandage the young scout but, tying the knot clumsily, her hand shaking with anxiety. The girl then noticed that Carina was having trouble breathing, he had tied up the wound too tight. She had to undo the knot with great difficulty and tie it back again. A time consuming process to say the least.

But, the Warden did not die, he was still struggling with the iron-child.

Then what of the ghost? He did not bother with Jaren at all, oh no he did not. When Claudia looked up, worryingly, she saw a white cloth right in front. How could this man approached her undetected that easily! The girl expected an attack, normally she would maybe jump back to dodge or fired defensively.

But she was not the Kid, but Claudia Reid. Her hands were still struggling with the knots to tie up the bandage. All she could do was to watch.

“What are you doing!” The Warden yelled out but his voice could not reach her.

“Just take your time, it would be a shame if she dies because of an infection or something like that.” Kneeling down slowly, the ghost said.

Around the chaotic battlefield, young knights were fighting for their lives. Two villains, the shadow and the killer clashed steel, looking not just to kill but to torment the other. The Warden being pushed back and slowly drained by a seemingly indestructible child that only knew violence.

In this bowel of chaos, there was a place of uneasy quiet. Where the girl bandaged Claudia’s wound, her nerve on the edge.

“What are you even doing, hurry up and kill her already!” Doll was getting anxious, it was clear that the shadow was getting the upper hand.

The ghost did not care for her plea. He simply sat there and waited patiently. The girl finished patching up in more than just a minute. But it seemingly lasted forever. Constantly on the verge of death had drained her adrenaline. But Claudia could not relax just yet, now she was face to face with one that was known as ‘the ghost’.

“You done?” He asked.

“What do you want?” The girl asked.

Sighing, the ghost did not reply. Instead, he stood up and slowly walked away, taking deliberate step after deliberate step. Then, the man stopped at the perfect distance that he wanted. Turning around, he pulled his coat to the side to reveal the iron in his holster.

The girl understood him all too well, there was no need for words. Why this stranger wanted this she did not know but now, all that matter was who was faster and who would perish. Warden Jaren, X and Doll all took a glance with surprise. Why the ghost would challenged this girl in the middle of nowhere. Gathering her courage, Claudia rose up, placing her hand on the revolver.

Around them, the knights’ spears pierced through an abomination. With a mournful wailing, he fell over and perished, that was their second kills.

The ghost took out a coin and flipped it. The piece of steel flew high, peaking before falling down again. Claudia watched it nervously, a sense of dread filled the girl’s heart. She concentrated to the best of her ability, pushing all her sense to the limit.

The girl could hear the sound of struggles. The knights, despite their lack of power, fought back valiantly. Even when many of them were felled, they still fought on. She could also hear a rhythm slow and steady.

It was the sound of breathing, the sound of life. Carina had thrown herself into to block the blow meant for Claudia with her own body. The young scout would live, but she did not know that. No, Carina was willing to sacrifice her life. Even though she was weak, powerless but the young scout still did it anyway.

Taking a deep breath, the Kid opened her eyes as the coin slowly reached the ground.

Ding.

The sound of steel touching the ground was instantly followed up by a thunderous sound. Not two, only one could be heard.

“What a shame.”

The ghost muttered as the tiny frame was flung back, crashing her back onto the ground. Only the edge of the coin touched the ground. Before it could even flatten for the first time the ghost already fired.

“Ahhhhhh.” Clutching her wound, the kid screamed out.

It only hit her in the most non-vital part of the stomach. But from the intense burning pain spreading like wildfire, the girl knew he did not miss. The bullet in her was not one the Kid was used to. This was something more sinister. The soft tip broke apart inside, cutting into her guts, the girls’ innards bled profusely.

That was not a kill shot, no, that was not its purpose.

“What a disappointment.” The ghost sighed and left the battlefield just like that.

The Kid was left lying on the ground, to be torn apart inside out. The intense pain, the blood loss, the lack of adrenaline, they slowly dragged her away into the deep abyss. Curling up, the girl could feel her consciousness fading away.

What awaited her was the empty void of death.