I have taken the liberty of writing a small piece of fiction with our cabal's members as protagonists.
I would appreciate constructive criticism. I'm not a native English speaker and I don't know a thing about proper punctuation (I intend to learn... Eventually...) so please let me know of ANY mistakes I might have made. Doesn't matter if it's about grammar, punctuation or an unnatural usage of words together - please let me know.
And please, let me know what you think about the story itself. I hope you like it.
Lupus Magnus. A Nine Swords tale. - Chapter one and possibly the only one
The trees rustled ominously overhead as the group slowly advanced deeper into the woods, a thick layer of fallen leaves barely audible under their careful steps. The moon was full, its light reached the ground in irregular patches, obstructed by thick clouds – harbingers of an incoming storm. The squad hid in the shadows, avoiding the silver luminescence. They did not want to be seen.
The group was led by a woman holding a shotgun. She was dressed in a dark uniform with a circle of nine swords, blades pointing inwards, prominent on her left shoulder. The other four members of her squad wore similar outfits, the Latin phrase „Gladius Malorum” embroidered in white letters under the crest of the Nine Swords. The group was well armed. All of them had guns, some brandished cold steel. Yet there was something odd about their weapons. A careful observer would notice strange symbols engraved into the blades and barrels. Some signs resembled Nordic runes, other - Egyptian hieroglyphs. A few markings brought ancient Sumerian cuneiform script to mind. And a number of them emanated a faint glow pulsating regularly as if each weapon was connected to the heartbeat of its user.
An indistinct sound reached them from the gloom ahead. It seemed to have come from behind a small promontory they were about to climb. The leader raised her clenched fist and the squad immediately stopped scanning their vicinity in tensed anticipation. Her gaze met the eyes of the man standing to her right. He nodded knowingly and moved forwards with careful haste.
“Are you certain about his, Kate?” she heard a whisper from her left. “If you’re right, the five of us may not be enough to stop them.” The man’s voice was not nervous. It was as light-hearted and relaxed as always, with a tinge of “whatthehellism” to it. “I really hope I’m wrong, Floryn. I really do. But if I’m right we don’t have time to wait for reinforcements. Plus, when have you shied away from a good old-style shootout?” she added, a distinct note of humour in her voice. “I’m just teasing” he said with a grin “Just checking if you still have “it”, old gal’” he winked at her. She couldn’t see it, though. Her eyes were fixed upon a shadowy silhouette quickly returning from the semidarkness in front of her.
“You were right, Kate” Chaosetor spoke quickly as he emerged from the shadows. “They have at least five werewolves caged in there. And they’ve just started loading the cages on a truck. We don’t have much time.” “Those damn Phoenicians!” snarled Floryn with anger. “Always sticking their slimy tentacles where they’re not wanted!”
“Good work, Chaos” said Kate turning to face the others. “Ok, listen up, Swords!” she spoke quickly “It’s as we’ve feared. The Phoenicians are at it again.” None of her comrades’ faces showed any surprise. “I’m not saying that I believe what Dr Kavescu told us but if the Phoenicians are involved, it can’t be good.” Nods and murmurs of agreement from the group followed. “What are we facing, Chaos?” Kate addressed the bearer of the not-so-good news. “About ten guards on the road behind that hill. They’re all armed but most of them are busy loading the wolves. I’ve noticed only one or two patrolling. They shouldn’t be difficult to take down stealthily”.
“Alright” Katelyn paused for a moment. “Chaos, go with Mel take down those patrolling guards quietly. Mel, when you’re done, find a good spot and cover us”. “You got it, Kate” Mellified patted her sniper rifle with confidence. “They won’t know what hit them”. “Chaos, you get back to us fast. We’ve got the advantage of surprise but we’re still going to be outnumbered”. “What about the werewolves? What if we created a distraction and let them out to take care of the bastards for us?” the words came from the last member of the group, a tall and powerfully-built man with an automatic shotgun in his hands and a formidable-looking battle-axe slung on his back. “Too unpredictable, Abe” responded Kate “There’s no guarantee they won’t turn on us the moment they’re free and I really don’t want to be shot AND clawed at simultaneously”. “I think we should try to avoid any contact with them until we have the situation under control” added Mellified. “Agreed” Kate nodded. “But keep an eye on them. The Phoenicians could come up with the same idea and werewolves are a force to be reckoned with”. “You don’t have to remind me.” Aberlour rubbed his cheek. It was marked with an ugly-looking scar disappearing under the collar of his jacket. “Come on, Abe!” smirked Floryn. “It’s not like you could get any uglier!” he finished with a mischievous smile. “Says the man wearing shades at night” Aberlour returned the smile. “They’re my lucky pair! I took them off a berserk-mummy in Egypt!” responded Floryn with an innocent expression on his face. “A berserk-mummy wearing sunglasses?” asked Mellified incredulously. “Ancient Egyptians were very fashion-conscious” quipped Floryn. Mel laughed under her breath.
Katelyn didn’t mind letting them fool around a bit. They may have been joking but she knew that none of them lost the awareness of their surroundings and if any danger appeared they would ready to face it with the full might of their enchanted lead and steel in an instant. “As soon as Mel is set up and Chaos is back we’ll make our move” she continued as if the banter hadn’t happened. “Mel, give us a few minutes and shoot the truck’s tyres so they can’t escape and then start eliminating those of them farthest from us” Mellified nodded with a focused countenance. “Chaos and I will charge at the truck and make sure the cages stay closed. Abe will cover us.” Aberlour raised his gun in agreement. “And you, Floryn…” started Kate but her companion interrupted her with a devilish grin “Floryn smash!” They whole group chuckled. “Yes” the leader smiled “You, Floryn, as you have so eloquently put it, smash”.
“Any questions?” she asked. The squad was silent. “Alright, then. Let’s do this. In crux veritas!” she recited solemnly. “In gladius potestas!” they responded in the same manner. Quickly but quietly they started up the promontory. Chaosetor and Mellified went first, both unsheathing their combat knives as they went. The wind started growing in strength, the rustling of the foliage concealing any sounds their approach might make. Katelyn, Floryn and Aberlour crouched as they reached the top. The road before them lay in a depression between two hills and they could clearly see their enemy hurrying about below them. They had managed to load two cages already. The werewolves seemed asleep, probably drugged. Katelyn knew however, how deceptive they could be. They were preternatural, intelligent creatures and she wouldn’t put simulating a drug-induced slumber past them. There were few non-magical beasts that could equal their physical prowess and ferocity. Having even one of those killing machines decide they were not so sleepy after all during the battle with the Phoenicians was not something she was looking forward to.
“Fools” whispered Abe gazing down. The Phoenicians were moving the werewolves from what seemed an old run-down shed to the truck using a primitive cart. “Look at the way they’re handling them. One good push from the inside and these pathetic cages will burst open. I’ll never stop wondering how it is possible that the Phoenicians haven’t obliterated themselves yet”. They saw Chaosetor coming to them carefully. “It’s done. Mel is ready.” he told them. “Good” said Katelyn. “Prepare yourselves”.
A few moments later one the truck’s tyres exploded with a flat noise. The four Swords dashed down the slope, their weapons at the ready. Their enemy were taken completely by surprise and before they understood what was going on, the head of one of the guards exploded in a thick cloud of red mist. “Two” Mellified said in a cold, unemotional whisper. Kate and Chaos reached the back of the truck a second later facing two startled men. She pulverised the head of the first one with a point-blank shot from her shotgun. He drove his blade right through the second one’s neck, severing the spinal cord and slashing the arteries.
Kate saw in the corner of her eye as Floryn rushed at the third foe. He raised his long sword above his head and then dropped it with devastating effect. Floryn’s opponent was literally cleaved in half as the blade shattered his right collarbone and didn’t stop until it reached his left hip. Floryn was just about to put his foot against the corpse to pull his sword free when he noticed another guard aiming at him with his machine rifle. He was going to toss himself back and reach for his twin machine pistols when the guard was thrown off his feet by Mellified’s shot. Floryn smiled and sent a kiss in the direction from which his deliverance had come. Mel raised the corner of her mouth slightly and calmly said “Three”.
In the meantime Aberlour was circumventing the truck’s cabin. He looked into the cabin to check it when a Phoenician leaned out through the window to see what was going on. Abe’s hand darted towards the man’s neck and grabbed his throat. The man was holding a gun but was too astonished to react. He simply stared at the Sword with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Aberlour didn’t lift his shotgun, nor did he reach for the battle-axe he was carrying. He simply clenched his fist and crushed the driver’s throat with a wet crunch. The man dropped his gun and instinctively reached to his neck. Unable to breathe, he fell back into the cabin and filled it with sounds of choking. They quickly stopped.
Abe went around the truck and re-joined Katelyn and Chaosetor without meeting any resistance. “How many have you got?” asked Kate. “One” he answered. “That leaves us two more, but where are they?” she muttered looking at the shed. A moment later a ferocious roar came from within followed by a piercing shriek. The shed’s doors flew off their hinges and a part of a Phoenician guard was lobbed from the inside. An upper part, Kate concluded after a mutilated torso landed a few metres from her. A low growl reverberated through the air.
“How about it, Abe? Second time’s a charm?” asked Floryn staring at the dark entrance to the shed. “You know, Floryn. One of these you will really hurt my feelings” said Abe slinging his shotgun onto his back and firmly grasping the handle of his battle-axe. “I would never!” gasped Floryn in roguish indignation. Abe smiled but then his face hardened again. He knew what was going to come out. And he was not looking forward to meeting it.
The last of the Phoenicians appeared in the doorway. He tried to crawl out but his mangled body wouldn’t allow it. “Help… me…” he moaned. The Swords stood still. The man looked at them in desperation. A moment later he was pulled into the shed. A short, vicious snarl was the only sound that followed.
“No more Phoenicians” said Chaos reaching for his rifle. “No, but they left us a present” responded Katelyn. A second later a werewolf burst through the entrance, his bloodied claws leaving a crimson trail on the ground. It was massive, bigger than any of them had ever seen. Kate and Chaosetor fired at it with all they had. The beast stumbled and slowed down but it seemed more surprised than actually wounded. Its hesitation gave the two remaining Swords a chance to advance. Abe and Floryn, each wielding his weapon tightly in both hands, ran at the creature from two opposite directions. After a momentary indecision, the werewolf turned towards Aberlour – the bigger and therefore more dangerous opponent. It slashed its claws at Abe but he was able to parry the blow. Sparks were struck as the monster’s claws brushed the surface of the axe’s blade. The beast’s preoccupation with his fellow Templar gave Floryn the opportunity he needed. He thrust the tip of his blade right under the werewolf’s arm, hoping to dig deep into its chest or at least damage an important artery. But to his amazement the blade slid down the creature’s side barely cutting its skin. The behemoth reeled at him snapping its giant jaws in fury. Floryn jumped away but slipped on the puddle of blood that had oozed from the mauled remains of one of their human enemies. Aberlour raised his axe to plunge it into the beasts back when he was flung into the air by a blow of its giant arm.
Floryn desperately tried to crawl away from the bloodied animal but he knew his chances of survival were slim at best. Kate and Chaos continued to fire at the wolf whenever they could do so without the risk of injuring their brothers in arms. Now they were quickly coming near the beast, frantically reloading their guns. The werewolf paid them no mind. Nothing was going to take its prey away from it. With a crushing strike of its paw it pinned Floryn to the ground, its claws going right through his thigh. The giant werewolf opened its enormous maw slowly, as if savouring the moment, when a veil of blood and tissue bloomed at the back of its skull. The creature froze for a moment and then came crashing down on its prey-to-become.
“Oooo… You’ve got to be kidding me!” moaned Floryn, suffocating under the beast’s weight. Kate and Chaos rushed to free him. A second later they were joined by Abe who had recovered from his unfortunate flight. “Well, Floryn” he laughed laudly “It’s incredible but it seems that you have finally found somebody who didn’t mind being near you. But it was too good to last, I suppose”. “Oh hardy, har, harr…” responded Floryn with a painful expression. But he smiled and shook Aberlour’s hand.
Mellified observed the entire fight from afar. There was no point in joining her friends. She saw that Kate and Chaos’ weapons had little effect and the werewolf moved to fast to risk a shot. The other Swords were too close. So she waited. She saw Floryn fall to the ground and Aberlour being hurled into the air. All she wanted to do was stand up, pick up her sword and sprint to help her fellow Templars. But she knew that would be pointless. So she waited. And it paid off. When the beast immobilised Floryn, it also had to remain still thus becoming an ideal target. Mellified carefully adjusted her aim. She could not miss. She held her breath, aimed and pulled the trigger sending a round from her high-powered sniper rifle right inside the creature’s snout. “Four” – her lips formed the word but no sound came out.
Katelyn scanned the surrounding area. She had sent Abe and Mel to check if there weren’t any other hostiles in the vicinity. She was not in the mood for surprises right now. She took a quick glance at Floryn. He was doing alright, all things considered. The remaining werewolves were still sound asleep. Chaos made sure of that by injecting them with a dose of tranquiliser they had found on one of the Phoenicians. Kate took out her phone and dialled a number. The call was answered immediately.
“Hello, Durendal?” she didn’t have to ask. Nobody else had access to this number “Yes. Yes. I’m fine. We’re all fine… for the most part” she answered a series of quick questions. “Yes, but that’s not important right now. We’ve got a problem. A big one”
Thunder rumbled from afar. A storm was coming.
The end.
well done!!
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