//: BATTLE PROTOCOL READY FOR ACTIVATION: //

//: FIGHT.EXE STARTING UP...://

On the Battlefield, with the Brigands...

Hammerfist roared in pain, cuts and gashes streaking blood like a gory waterfall down his chest as he slashed at the Brigands with his axe; Vinyl and Tavi were doing their best to hold off the horde of armoured foes, but they kept coming, wave after wave of steel flashing in the silvery moonlight. Considering they only had small axes and long silver broadswords, they were doing surprisingly well. Celia was firing arrows into the necks from a Sapwood bow, the string letting off tonnes of poison tipped arrows. But as usual, the brigands kept coming, getting up from their wounds (the poisoned were dying, but you can only shoot so many arrows) as they stomped back into action. Fenrir was comforting a crying Pipsqueak within the carriage as Trixie undid the binding keeping Zero in place as he started up, blue lights blinking into life like those of a metallic metropolis.

Hammerfist grunted suddenly, falling to one knee, just as a voice rang through the clearing. The battle froze in place, the brigands staying with their weapons raised, sharp blades glinting menacingly with the threat of a swift death at the ready. Tavi and Vinyl kept their pistols in place, black metal triggers at the ready. Fenrir continued to calm his sniffling son, while Trixie froze, terror coursing through her veins at the voice.

“Now now, there’s no need for violence here, I assure you.” An oily and nasally voice cut through the crowd as the Brigands stepped aside to reveal an equally greasy looking man; he was dressed in the black robes of the BlackCloaks, with a badge pinned to his chest. He was clearly not a griffin for he had no wings under the fur coat that he wore. “How about we talk like civilized people, hm?”

Hammerfist clenched his jaw, blood streaking from a small cut on his face; the man walked forward, brushing some imaginary dust.
“Now, before we talk, let’s get everyone out of that wreck you call a carriage, shall we?” He chuckled darkly and upon seeing the shivering form of Pipsqueak, laughed a little “A child? Wow, people really are stupid to travel these roads with infants in their care”

He exclaimed the last bit, his laughter reaching a peak as he wiped his eyes with a mouldy handkerchief, stemming his tears.
The brigands remained stoic behind the visors of their steel helmets, wanting loot and most of all, a good tankard of mead to fill their bellies. The man walked through the lines of defeated adventurers, finally coming to Trixie.

“My my, if it isn’t little miss Great and Powerful herself. Warm my bed from now on and I might let these poor souls go” He grinned, showing off yellowing teeth that hadn’t been washed in at least eight moons.

The only reply he received was a Great and Powerful glob of spit hitting his unimpressed face; it landed in his eye as he grunted in annoyance, wiping the spit from his stone cold eyes as he sighed outwardly.

“Y’know, I wish it didn’t have to come to this my dear...” He motioned with one of his hands, as a Brigand passed him a sharp looking dagger, with a snake carved into the hilt. He brought the weapon above his head in a killing blow, only for his hand to be stopped by a shiny metal hand, just coming out of camo.

“What sorcery...?” He stammered, eyes as wide as dinner saucers at the mechanical being in front of him.
“Sup, bitch. Get yours slimy hands off my girlfriend.” Zero landed a punch straight onto the man’s sniffer as he staggered back, blood pouring from his face.
“G-GET THEM!!” The slimy man yelped, yelling out his orders left right and center. The brigands leapt at Zero as he laughed, engaging his weapons. Dynamo blue plasma tore through their armor as the surrounding men cried out in pain, sizzling caustic burns ripping away at their skin as Zero’s plates began to change, going into battle-station mode.

Before long, he stood before them, a hulking behemoth of metal and weaponry; eyes turned from blue to red as a dangerous grin lit up his face; the numbers were 25 to one. These men were from the rear lines; muscles rippled under heavy duty steel armor, cleft jaws lined the rows of faces facing the humongous robot.

“Bitch, please.” Zero boomed a laugh as his plasma cannons turned back into large ham-hock sized fists of lead and tungsten, mixed in with white-gold to colour it. He launched himself forward into the fray, battering in heads and smashing in steel plate as though it was tin foil. The armor of the enemy was further ripped apart by the giant metal fists when he released a burst of white-hot plasma (napalm form) from the palms of the giant destroyers. This sprayed against the faces of the enemy as they screamed in pain, skin slowly melting from the torturous liquid as they fell to their knees. One remained, shaking there, holding an axe. His head was quickly crushed, a little bit of blood splattering onto Zero’s plates.

“Now you’ve gone and got my armor dirty.” He chuckled, shifting back to normal to face the quivering form of the man in the greasy robes. “Now, what’s your name?”

“R-Rendall.” He quickly blurted out, worried for his life at this point in time.

“Alright, Rendall” Zero quietly whispered, his face coming a finger’s width from the evil man’s face “You better run back to your superior fast-like. And tell them Zero’s coming into town.” The man nodded furiously and dashed off of the road, falling into a bunch of ferns before quickly getting up and leaving with all due haste for the capital.

“So” Zero turned and grinned at the others, wiping some blood off of his shoulder plates “What did I miss?” He walked up to the group, going over to Hammerfist “And does anyone know healing magic?”

Trixie shakily walked over, mascara running down her face as she unsteadily healed him. Tavi and Vinyl joined them, sweat glistening on their foreheads; as soon as Hammerfist was healed, he leapt up to crush Zero in a bone-breaking bear hug.

“Dammit! I knew you weren't dead! I damn well knew it!” He grinned, as Zero chuckled, said chuckle muffled by the sweat and blood stained fur of the Minotaur.

After Hammerfist’s bear (or should I say, Minotaur hug) was over, Zero went over to Trixie, who openly wept into his shoulders. He quickly pulled away a little, holding her chin up gently, kissing her lips. Cold metal brushed against warm skin as she blushed brightly; Fenrir let off a wolf whistle, grinning, while Pipsqueak went and said “Ewwwww!!!”

He looked into her eyes after pulling away and smiled, saying;

“Told you I’d come when you needed me.”

Author's Note

Many thanks to all of you for continuing to read my works!!! :D

Seriously though, I can't thank you enough. Lately I've been going through a fair bit at school (what with exams looming to try take a 3 course meal bite out of my grades. Bring it :P ) and home too. I have a pantomime to get ready for on the 18th to 22nd (the latter being my birthday), and exams (as mentioned above). While I would ask you to wish me luck, I can only ask that you keep reading. Once more, ultra sorry for not being able to update much due to revision and shizzle. Any mistakes that you wanna post down below, do feel free! :D

Keep those gears grinding,

~Axton