CHAPTER 11
Two Down

I had learned much about my squad in the passing months. They were all very skillful and more capable then I had first thought. What made them efficient was their ability to function as team. Something I truly wished to be a part of.

They had treated me as part of a family that had just been given a new brother. At first I could not understand how I felt about them, but as time passed I grew to them. They were all unique and friendly. I would give my life to save anyone of theirs should the need present itself.

Lorry was the teams 'eyes' from afar as well as our guardian angel. She would often hang back a few kilometers and keep an eye on enemy movement, and when I say a few kilometers I mean around five to seven. And this distance did not hinder her shooting what so ever. This one time Black Light sighted a scout two kilometers ahead of us, and was going to tell his superiors of our location. At the time Lorry was six kilometers behind us making the total distance eight, but she scored a head shot anyway shrugging off the feat like she had done better.

Golem was a hard hitter (as expected for his size). Something that made him unique was how he changed his body. He would equip himself with different equipment or 'Load outs' as he calls them based on what was required for the mission. He took true to his roots as an engineer and often created new weapons and gadgets to test out in the field. He was also a damn good hacker too. He once hacked the enemies computer systems mid battle just to find where their armory was so he could help himself later.

The mysterious young girl 'Little Red' was just a child as I had expected. She was always full of energy and smiling except when Black Light and Lorry where poking fun at her. She was easily angered by those two as I soon found out when Little Red sucker punched Black Light through a wall. From that point on I found she was more versed in combat then I would have liked. She would practically throw herself at the enemy in a bloodied frenzy. It was hard to watch such a young girl take lives when she grinned like a mad women. I wanted to help her but Albracax insisted he do it himself.

Black Light was similar to Lorry in many ways. He was keen to keep himself concealed, he had a vulgar sense of humor, and enjoyed picking on Little Red. Despite all this he was a credit to the team. He only used his will to cloak himself, or to enhance his speed and reflexes. He said he was not very good at using his will and this was all he could do. Albracax often nagged him about training in the will to improve it, but Black Light would always give him the cold shoulder. During missions he acted much like lorry, but in much closer proximity to us or the enemy.

Finally our leader. Albracax was as much a leader to use as he was a father. Everyone including me held nothing but respect for him. He was kind, intelligent, and powerful. There was not a thing about him I could complain about. Before the mission he would always brief on us the importance of each objective, but then tell us nothing was more important then coming back home alive. He held us together like a family. He was also the strongest user of will I have ever seen. Like a wizard strait out of a novel he would weave spells with massive areas of effect. Sometimes glowing ominousness circles with varying symbols with in them. I am glad to be fighting with him instead of against. If I were he could without a doubt end me.

I had just finished yet another mission with my squad. Lorry had not reported in, and I was sent to check on her last known location. Black Light was convinced she was just napping from the easy tasks of this excursion, but Albracax wanted me to check anyway.

I descended upon Lorry's last known location, and retracted my wings when I landed. She did not call out to me so I assumed that either Black Light was right or she had moved. I let out a irritated sigh and began my search.

I had to give it too her though. She was very good at what she does. She left no imprint on where she had lain and no traces on where she had went. At least that would have been the case if I did not spot some broken branches leading into the brush.

I followed the trail of tracks through the foliage.

"This is very sloppy of her. She was never so rushed to leave this much evidence behind."

I reached the end of the trail to witness something I did not expect. There levitating in the air was a creation of metal I had never seen. It's overall shape was the same as mine if not an exact copy. It had the sane taloned hands and feet only instead of being roughly edged they were smooth metal until it came to the slicing end. Like Black Light's armor It had parts where I could clearly see red Will liquid running through them. It also utilized a pair of skeletal wings with red aura surrounding them. It's tail wiped back and forth when it turned it's head to me revealing It's red optics. My eyes drifted from it's to the thing it held high in the air.

In it's right talon was the broken and bloody body of Lorry. What happened next was instinctive.

I launched a spear at her right elbow. It let Lorry fall and with one powerful beat of it's wings it placed itself high above me. I dropped my body as low to the ground as I could catching Lorry before she hit the ground. I fired more spears out of the two slits in my trench coat to seek the enemy, just to keep it away from me for a moment. It did the trick as the metal mass of power dodged from left to right to avoid getting stabbed.

With the nuisance at bay I turned my attention to Lorry. She had seen better days. She had multiple fractures along her left arm as well as her left leg, she was bleeding badly all over, and had 2nd and 3rd degree burns on her right shoulder and back. I laid her down gently and checked for a pulse. There was none. Like the day I woke up after my Will injection a single tear rolled down my crystal cheek.

Not even wiping it away I turned to my enemy with the fire of hatred burning strong. Not a moment to soon either, it had just prepared a bolt of raw Will and set it off destroying my last spear. I spread my wings once more taking to the air.

The metal construction wasted no time. It started launching Will attacks of all sorts at me. I banked from left to right avoiding hot beams of light, balls of energy, and lances of ice all to close the gap between us. Letting out a a cry of rage I swiped my blade arm at it's waist. It dived down to escaped the blade but I was not going to let it get away that easily. With another flap of my wings I sent a hail of spears after it.

It performed a series of barrel rolls and flips trying it's best to avoid the spears intent on impaling it. I dived after my spears to close the gap once more. The metal body had to use it's Will to destroy the last two spears making a cloud of shards. I dived through the cloud causing the murderer to shift backwards. It was to late for it however.

I grabbed hold of it's right wrist and with my right arm brought down the blade on it's neck. It ducked down just in time to avoid the edge, but that did not stop it from connecting with it's right shoulder. The blade sliced through it with little resistance severing the arm from it's body.

"AHHHHHHH!" cried a feminine voice as red Will fluid burst forth from the open tubes.

I was about to deliver the final blow when I noticed the many blue circles that surrounded us. Dropping the machine arm I snapped out of my furious stated and made a mad dash down to the earth below. I could see Albracax with his hands outstretched in the sky surrounded by a light blue aura. I narrowly escaped the area when he threw his hands down.

I could see the the enemy operative be engulfed in a flurry of blue beams. I landed on the ground and Albracax ran over to me.

"Shard are you alright?!" I nodded averting my eyes from him. "Where's Lorry?" I shook my head and pointed to the corpse laying twelve meters away.

Before he could run over to Lorry I jumped in front of him forming a very compact shield on my arm making my body very rough. A red beam collided with my new shield and almost destroyed it. WE both let out a gasp and looked up to see her floating down from the sky.

The red field of Will that surrounded her dissipated when she touched down on the ground. We both starred in disbelief at the arm that I had severed. It had been replaced with one entirely composed of Will. It was at this time that Golem, Red, and Black Light showed up.

Before anyone could say anything I lunged at her. She raised her hand charging up some Will until a force made contact with my side. I was tossed onto my back with something on top of me. I opened my eyes to see a large dog composed of fire. It sunk it's blazing fangs into my throat.

I quickly clasped my hands over both sides of it's jaw and forced it open. It realized to my strength and somersaulted of landing next to the other enemy.

"What are you doing here Hell Hound?" She asked glancing at him.

"You appeared to be having trouble with these inferior creatures." It replied in a monotone voice that echoed without even opening it's mouth. "You need to fall back I will deal with them."

She nodded and began to back away.

"Your not going anywhere!" I charged after her. I only got two steps before the one known as 'Hell Hound' covered me in a torrent of flames. When I dived out of the inferno I could see my beloved trench coat had taken significant damage.

The female disappeared behind Hell Hound who smirked at me "No your not going anywhere."

"Shard When I tell you too make a run after the other one." Said Red lowering her hood. She revealed for the first time her silk brown hair that hanged above her shoulders. The right side was slightly longer and sharp looking reaching her shoulder. Atop her head were two noticeably elongated tufts of what appeared to be a result of hat hair.

"Oh how intriguing. The little girl things she can best me." Mocked Hell Hound

"I don't think so," Retorted Red with a cocky tune. "I know so. I will so you who the top dog is!"

With that Little Red howled to the moon. Her arms and legs grew fur all over them while her fingers crackled as they twisted and turned. Long menacing talons erupted replacing her nails and a tail wiggled under her skirt until it had freed itself. That one fang I saw on the first day was joined by many others. Red adopted a crouched position placing her front paws on the ground looking red to pounce.

"Ha! you think you can beat me like that?" Scoffed Hell Hound. "Your not even in a complete form. You are just as useless as you were bef-"

Before he could finish Red was already in front of him in a crouched position. I could see Hell Hounds eyes widen with surprise when she drove a clawed uppercut into his chin. Hell Hound rocket upward and attempted to do an aerial recovery but received one of Red powerful legs in the side sending him in another direction.

"Shard!"

I was in awe of her speed that it took me a seconded to start running. Unfortunately this almost costed me. Hell Hound almost recovered and covered me in a blaze once more. If it weren't for Golem who planted his metal fist into the side of his jaw sending him spiraling through the air once again. I gave him a nod before running into the tree line.

As I left in pursuit of the other I could here the sound of gunfire, Will abilities and fire behind me. I trusted that between the four of them they would have no trouble handling him.

I made haste to take to the sky again and search for Lorry's murderer. I flew frantically about scanning for her and eventually found her. She was flying low and at a relativity slow pace. I began a slow decent till I was directly over her. I judged and dived at a steep angle. Like a hawk on a mouse I was one her. I drove my blade deep through her back.

She let out a cry as I twisted the blade causing the crimson Will to gush. We both plummeted back down to the earth. With a loud crash a small crater was formed. I rose drawing my arm from her back and kicking her in the stomach launching her into a near by tree. She groaned as the red fluid left her body.

I took two steps towards her before she clutched her head an started screaming. The liquid on the ground and my arm started to vibrated violently. It quickly amassed in a ball that floated the air. Without warning The sphere gave of a blinding bright light.

"ALEX NO!" was the last thing I heard her scream before she disappeared into thin air.

I cursed under my breath and walked away. This thing had disappeared which disappointed me, but I felt disturbed more then anything. "How did she know my name?" I tried to reason that it was a mere coincidence but something felt wrong. Very wrong.

I returned to the location where the rest of my squad waited. I spotted the bloody body of Hell Hound out of the corner of my eye. But not far from that I saw the three members of my squad Black Light, Red, and Albracax with their heads down. They stood over the two bodies of Lorry and Golem.

Author's Note

Many thanks once again to 'Dagon M Dragoon' an 'Bk201z' for editing