Ronner

A rain of glowing rocks and embers turned the sky into hell, spreading chaos throughout the night. The earth still shook under Ronner’s knees. He held Brisa tightly between his arms while burning debris hit his back. His shirt had vanished under the intense heat, and red marks spread across his skin.

Ronner whipped the ground with a powerful lightning strike, opening a path among the flames, and carried Brisa away from the hell surrounding them. He eased her over a soft pile of dirt and debris and scanned her body in search of wounds. “Brisa, are you hurt?” he asked, caressing her cheek and removing ashes from her skin.

Brisa squinted at him, fear and fires flickering in her eyes. “I am okay . . . what happened?” she murmured, clearly stunned, and leaned both hands on her abdomen.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ronner replied as he whirled to face the source of such chaos. The front of the mansion was gone. It had crumbled like a sandcastle, leaving flaming ruins behind. Fires devoured every corner, and half of his men were dead, crushed by rocks and burning trees.

One of Balrok’s men lay lifeless on the ground while the younger one crawled away. Ronner lifted his hand and shot a lightning bolt at the kid’s head, blowing up his brain.

“Sir!” Belo called, running toward him. His clothes were ragged, but he seemed to be in good shape. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t ask stupid shit! Who is behind all this?” Ronner roared, standing up, pushing Brisa behind him to shield her.

“We couldn’t locate the source yet, but it must be nearby.” Belo swallowed, sweat rolling down his forehead. “That attack, though . . . It had to be a Deflagrating Missile.”

“Fucking cowards!” Ronner glared at the torn facade of the mansion bitterly. Scanning the disaster, he noticed Sagan hiding behind a mountain of debris. Ronner felt slightly relieved to see his valuable pet alive.

Belo opened his mouth to ask something, but a loud explosion forced him to turn his head. The mansion’s gates glowed in intense orange before exploding into a thousand pieces of molten iron. On the other side, a large group of armed soldiers awaited to break in. Belo grabbed his only weapon from his waist, a plasma pistol.

“Don’t,” Ronner said, grabbing his arm. “I’ll take care of this myself.” His eyes overflowed with hatred and bloodlust while a smirk drew across his face. “You take my girl to safety now. Protect her with your life until I get back to you. Understood?”

Belo nodded and darted to Brisa’s side. “What’s going on, Ronner? Tell me!” Brisa shouted, her voice trembling, but Ronner never looked back at her. Without a single word, Belo rushed to pick her up and sprinted toward the back of the mansion. Sagan staggered out of his hiding spot and followed them.

“Guys!” Ronner yelled at his remaining men, who formed a barrier between him and the intruders. They all raised their weapons. “I don’t need you here! Go with Belo and assist him with everything he needs. Leave the rest to me. Go!”

“Yes, sir!” His men shouted in unison and did as he ordered. They all abandoned the battlefield while a furious horde of soldiers stomped into the mansion’s territory, yelling and cursing, with their weapons aimed at every living thing in sight.

Silence.

The first gunshot rumbled, and the first soldier fell to the ground, both eyes cooked and a hole in the head. His plasma bullets exploded before reaching their target into a scarlet fireball.

A flash of lightning blinded the front lines as Ronner jumped over them, propelled by his own energy. They aimed their weapons at him, but Ronner was faster; multiple bolts of lightning shot from his fingers, hissing as they searched for their victims.

The screams were sharp and short, quickly silenced by intense electric arcs that penetrated their skulls, roasting their brains and causing their eyeballs to implode. The unlucky ones who survived the initial impact shrieked on the ground with their skin burning.

A bullet scratched Ronner’s cheek, but he retaliated with a powerful punch that shattered a young woman’s skull like a pumpkin of flesh and bones. Three soldiers wielding swords surrounded him, trying to slice through his body. Ronner evaded each swing of their blades and answered with a shower of electric cobalt fire. They all collapsed to the ground, contorting and smoking. Ronner counted twenty-two corpses; seventeen men and five women.

Four soldiers shot at him, but he leaped backward, dodging the bullets. Sprinting among the corpses, Ronner snapped an old man’s neck and took his shotgun. He shot three in the head and cut the fourth one in half with his bare hands. A massive man wrapped his arms around Ronner from behind, stopping him, but one lightning struck him in the chest, opening his ribcage and exposing his roasted heart.

Thick blood showered the ground, along with deformed corpses and the reek of burnt flesh. Balrok’s warriors hesitated for a second, giving Ronner an opening to kill ten in a row with a single strike.

“Bunch of pussies! Fight, motherfuckers! Fight!” Ronner bellowed, smirking as blood rolled down his hair and skin. His body glowed in blinding cobalt as electric arcs crackled in his hands.

“I yield!” a girl screamed, dropping her weapon and kneeling. Two others followed her.

Ronner didn’t give a shit; his lightning strikes hit them all. The rest tried to flee, but he used the ground as a conductor and shocked their legs. No coward deserved to live.

When he was satisfied, there was no one left. Ronner was panting, his heart beating like crazy, but a twisted smile was plastered all over his bloody face.

“Balrok!” he shouted with all his strength. “Skado!” His voice was a monstrous thunder that made the night shiver. “Viper!” Lightning shot from all his fingers, crashing against the ground, cracking the asphalt from the street in half, and covering the sky in blinding ocean blue. “You’re all dead men! You hear me, motherfuckers? YOU ARE ALL FUCKING DEAD!”

*°*°*

The gelid water from the shower washed the blood away from Ronner’s body. A dark brown pond formed under his bare feet, a thick mix of death, dirt, and soot. Belo stood nearby, holding a towel.

“So, we lost contact with half of our army.” Ronner chuckled bitterly and leaned against the tiled wall. “Anything else?”

“Bruno was the last one to contact me,” Belo said, his voice rasping with tension. “He had solid reasons to believe they found Maria too. Unfortunately, I lost contact with him too, and his location disappeared from the radar.”

Ronner said nothing. He just closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I got no choice . . . I need to end this myself.”

Belo tightened his lips and straightened his back. “Sir, with all due respect, all this seems like part of a bigger plan. They’re trying to lure you away from here.”

Ronner scanned his face, his irritated eyes drilling into his soul. “I’m glad you use your brain, but I already was aware of this.” He walked up to Belo and snatched the towel from his hands. “What do you suggest then? Allowing them to just run away?”

Belo lowered his gaze and mumbled, “It seems like the wisest choice, sir.” Ronner glared at him. “I mean! I’d suggest we gather the remaining armies and strengthen our defenses before going after them.”

Ronner grinned and squeezed Belo’s shoulder. “You got guts, I’ll give you that. Unfortunately, half of my men are dead.”

“What about the other Karx recruits? We could contact them and—”

“No,” Ronner snapped, shooting a glare. “We need money for that, and I already wasted a lot on Balrok’s army, the same one I just turned into a bloody pulp.” Ronner let out a frustrated sigh. “I recruited that stupid fuck because I knew Viper and his brother couldn’t be trusted anymore, but obviously, I made a huge mistake.”

“Why do you think he betrayed you, sir?”

Ronner put his underwear on and combed his moist hair backward in front of the mirror. “I overestimated his intelligence. I believed fear and juicy rewards would be enough to keep him at bay. I never imagined he’d be so stupid as to choose death over it.” Ronner gritted his teeth. “Fucking idiots, they dug their own graves.”

Belo lowered his downcast eyes and furrowed his thick eyebrows. “What’s our next move, sir?”

“First things, first.” Ronner applied cologne around his neck. “Tell my men to prepare my plane. I’ll just take one pilot with me.” Ronner slapped Belo’s back and smirked. “Once you do that, I want you to go activate the underground bunker. Unlock the gates and prepare a safe escape route. You know that place very well.”

“Sir, are you going to . . . “ Belo straightened his back and swallowed his words. “As you command, sir!”

*°*°*

Brisa

Ronner adjusted his Kevlar vest and wrapped its titanium pieces around his chest, providing extra protection for his vital organs. His eyes spat fire as he tightened his belt, held by a silver buckle with the shape of a snake’s head with blue eyes, the sigil he inherited from Karx.

Brisa sat still on his bed, trembling as he paced around his room in search of his weapons. She had never seen him so nervous in her life. After the recent events, she feared the worst. No doubt, he was hiding something from her, yet she didn’t dare to ask.

Ronner hid his poisonous daggers in the multiple folds of his pants and combat boots. When he was ready, she could feel the gloomy aura emanating from his body. Finally, his hollow eyes landed on her, making her flinch. Ronner strode toward Brisa and halted with his face inches from hers.

The time stopped as his eyes penetrated her soul. Brisa swallowed through the knot in her throat and forced herself to stare back at him.

“I’m leaving,” he said as his fingers caressed her cheek. “Belo and the rest of my men will take care of you and Remnya.”

“Uh-where are you going?” she stuttered.

A long silence.

He smiled. “I’m going to end this.”

Brisa widened her eyes, not knowing how to feel anymore. “Alone?”

“I already lost too many good men, not willing to risk any more.” He sat next to her and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Her heart raced in her chest. Why? Was she worried about him? No way. Impossible. That was the perfect chance for all those monsters to kill each other.

Or was it?

“Do you know anything about Maria?” Brisa asked.

“If what my last man said is true, they found her.”

Those words cut through her like knives. Her blood froze as she clenched her fists, trying to hide the terror traveling through her veins.

Ronner locked his pupils on hers. “Are you worried about her?” Brisa’s lips quivered, unable to articulate words. Ronner wrapped his heavy arms around her and leaned closer until his forehead touched hers. “She made a mistake, you know that.”

“Please . . . “ Brisa mumbled, her eyes filling with tears.

“Don’t.” His voice trembled with restrained anger.

“Ron, please.” She shook her head desperately. “If you find her, don’t hurt her. Save her.”

“Maria went too far.” His voice was ice. “She betrayed me, she’s a traitor. If I find her, she’ll pay for everything.”

“Please, I’m begging you!” Tears trailed down Brisa’s cheeks. “She was scared. All she wanted was saving Magenta.”

“Way more than that.” Ronner narrowed his eyes. “She wanted me dead.”

“No, she—”

“I won’t hear no more!” Ronner roared, his eyes dilating. Brisa’s heart almost popped out of her chest. Once again, he looked like the demon she used to know.

“Please. . .” Her voice weakened, and her body lost all its strength, as if her soul had just abandoned her. Unable to react, she collapsed on her side, numb and dizzy.

Ronner caught her in his arms. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his expression softening as he held her tightly. She heard his voice, but she could not speak; the whole world spun around her. Ronner eased her on his bed and scanned her face and body, concern rising in his eyes. Brisa was pale and still. Her heart wanted to give up.

“Brisa, you can’t save Maria,” Ronner whispered as he rubbed her cold arms, trying to get her blood flowing again.

“If you don’t do it for me,” she murmured, her eyes burning with boiling tears, “do it for him . . . “ Brisa placed her trembling hand on her belly.

Ronner widened his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Brisa covered her face, sobbing uncontrollably, but gathered the courage to mumble the truth. “Yes . . . I’m pregnant.”

The color left Ronner’s face. He froze with his gaze fixed on her abdomen.

A sharp silence embraced the whole room.

“It can’t be,” he murmured. “I can’t have children, I know that.”

“You think so?” Brisa uncovered her face, narrowing her irritated eyes at him. Intense fury built up in her chest.

“I know so. It was caused by a battle wound long ago. I’m sterile.”

Suddenly, Brisa recovered her strength. Her eyes turned into a blaze as she grabbed Ronner by the collar, sitting up and yanking him against her face. “Fucking asshole!” she screamed, her tears a raging stream. “You’re the only person I’ve ever slept with in my fucking life!” Ronner was frozen, his jaw slowly dropping. “You know it’s true!” she yelled in his face, glaring. “Don’t fucking tell me otherwise!”

Ronner pulled her hands away from him gently. He blinked and scanned her eyes in search of lies, lies he never found. “I know . . . I made sure of that.”

Brisa fell back on the bed like a lifeless doll, drained of all energy. She couldn’t even cry anymore. Her mind was a horrible void.

“It’s a miracle,” he mumbled, leaning closer. “I had lost hope long ago.” He caressed her belly with odd tenderness; she could feel his hand trembling against her.

“I’m tired . . . I’m tired of this nightmare,” Brisa murmured, her voice fading. “Why don’t you kill me already?”

Ronner wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. “How can you say that?” He smiled. “Life is giving me another chance.”

She didn’t react.

“I was right. You truly are my lucky charm, Brisa.” He tightened his grasp on her. His body felt warmer than usual.

“Lucky charm, uh?” She smiled bitterly. “What the fuck does that even mean to me? I’m your fucking toy, that’s it. Whatever I feel means shit to you, fucking asshole,” her voice cracked.

“No,” he said sharply. “It took me a while to realize this, but it’s crystal clear now. I used to think I was confused, that it was just animal instinct, that you were just another girl on my list. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t bring myself to break my promise. I had planned to carry experiments on Remnya, testing weapons, but I couldn’t do it.”

Ronner ruffled her hair and wiped Brisa’s last tears drying on her cheeks. “Even that night, when Skado shot at Remnya to force Zeo to speak, I shielded her, causing his attack to explode against his face. It took me all my life to understand these feelings, but this is the last proof I needed.”

Brisa stared at him blankly. Her breath was thin. Everything felt like a dream, a painful dream refusing to turn into a nightmare for some reason.

“I love you, believe me,” he confessed in her ear, sounding more honest than ever.

“Prove it to me, Ronner.” Brisa gazed into his soul, searching for that love he had promised her. Was it even real? Could such a monster have feelings? She didn’t know, but his eyes had changed. There was joy in them, true joy. “Don’t hurt Maria. Forgive her. Show me you can truly change.” Brisa didn’t know why, but she held his face between her cold hands and leaned her forehead against his. For the first time, she saw hope on his face. For the first time, she didn’t see that horrible monster she knew. Brisa used her last bit of strength to speak from the bottom of her heart, “Ronner . . . I believe you can change. Perhaps, this is the proof, as you say. Perhaps, you can still bury the past and become a new man. Perhaps, for the first time in my life . . . I truly believe in you!”

Ronner stared at her for long seconds, his ocean eyes connected with hers in a powerful gaze that made her shiver with fear, hope, and something else. Something different from hatred.

“Perhaps . . .” Ronner murmured, regarding her with a tender smile.

Brisa twisted her lips, trying to return a smile, a genuine one, but all her energy had died out. She closed her eyes and fainted. Ronner didn’t let her fall; he held her in his arms, not daring to move.

A deep silence filled their embrace.

Ronner kissed her cheek, eased Brisa onto his bed, and covered her body with his blankets. He stared at her for a moment. “Now, more than ever,” he began, “I need to do this, but,” Ronner clenched his fists, “I’ll do as you ask, Brisa. I’ll save Maria. No harm will fall on that traitor.” Anger dripped from his words, but they were honest. He leaned closer and kissed her lips. “You have my word.”

Brisa’s eyes twitched at the sound of his promise, and her fingers wrapped around his, thanking him.

A loud knock on the door shattered their moment.

“Sir! Everything is ready to leave!” Belo called from the other side of the door.

“Bring the doctors right now!” Ronner ordered, the softness of his voice turning into a roar. “Tell them to bring all their equipment to my room. Hurry up!”

Belo returned only silence, clearly thrown aback by his order. “Yes, sir!” he replied and bolted away, the slams of his boots fading away.

It didn’t take them longer than five minutes. The door burst open, and Sagan, along with two doctors and nurses, broke into the room, carrying a wide range of equipment.

“Sir, what happened?” Sagan asked, widening his eyes.

Ronner stood up and leaned his heavy hands on his shoulders. “Take care of her.” He narrowed his eyes. “If anything happens to Brisa, your fates will be worse than death.” His eyes swept the faces of every person in the room.

Sagan gulped and nodded. “Yes, sir!”

“Belo!” Ronner called. “You and the rest of my men will take care of Brisa and the Nephilim. Now, listen to me carefully.” He gazed deep into Belo’s eyes. “Take them to the underground bunker as soon as possible. In the worst-case scenario, it’ll be impossible for any of them to find them there. Remain with them until I return.” Ronner held Belo’s face between his hands tightly. There was genuine concern in his ocean eyes. “Protect Brisa, no matter what.”

“Understood, sir!” Belo shouted from the bottom of his soul. “I’ll protect her with my life if necessary.”

Ronner smiled and patted his shoulder. “You better do, my friend, you better do.”

*°*°*