The Guardsmen

Chapter 39: One to Go

"Don't just stand there!" she shouts

The surrounding goons quickly draw their swords. Black flames cover his hands as he places one onto his wound. His gloves manifest as he grips the blade in his shoulder and yanks it free. The gash almost instantaneously closes.

"No way..." Roxie mutters to herself

She turns around to see Acacius' father approaching from behind her.

"You didn't tell us any of this, Kane!" she shouts

"I told you I made him to be a monster. Whatever you assumed from that is your own fault" Kane says in a deep and stern voice.

Acacius glares at Kane from a distance as he spits out the chunk of flesh in his mouth. Roxie scoffs in frustration. The goons closest to Acacius scream at the top of their lungs as they rush Acacius. Acacius easily dodges and counters each slash. One by one the goons drop to the ground as blood seeps out of them. Roxie's breathing becomes erratic. Her grip on Akahito's scythe tightens.

"Shoot him!" she screams

The rest of her goons quickly draw their firearms and aim. Their arms shake with both fear and anticipation.

"I don't have time for this," says Acacius

He begins to walk forward to the surrounding gun line. Before a single trigger is pulled, a burst of red lightning shoots into the sky; flinging dirt into the air. Dabria steps out from the sudden dirt cloud. His bright red eyes glow from the holes in the mask. The feeling of death and dread creep down Roxie's spine. The bloodlust alone taints the atmosphere. Roxie clutches her chest as she can hardly breathe from the overwhelming energy. Dabria roars at the top of his lungs as he slams his hands onto the ground beneath his feet.

"Fire!" Roxie screams

The rest of the goons scream as well as they create a barrage of bullets. Black willpower surges into the earth. Some bullets whiz past Dabria. Some manage to chip his mask. Some even manage to puncture him in various spots. Suddenly, a large burst of black flames explodes from the ground below. The footing beneath them crumbles apart. Several shots fly into the air. Pillars of flames erupt out of the ground immediately afterward. Roxie stares speechlessly at the horrors in front of her. Several men and women wail in agony as the flames engulf their bodies. Roxie gasps in fear as Dabria bursts out from one of the flame pillars. Dabria frantically swings the short blade at Roxie. She manages to deflect with the scythe in her hands. Dabria laughs maniacally as he furiously swings his blade over and over; quickly overwhelming Roxie. As she deflects one of the swipes, Roxie desperately reaches to her waist and points a small sidearm in between Dabria's eyes. With a quick pull of the trigger, the gunshot echoes throughout the property. Dabria stumbles back as a large chunk of his mask crumbles onto the ground. He looks at Roxie with a maniacal expression. Acacius' black eyes pierce through her soul. A small stream of blood drops down the center of his face. Dabria's maniacal laughter resonates even louder. Tears well up in Roxie's eyes as her legs begin to shake. Dabria leaps forward and unleashes an even more intense flurry of slashes. Roxie desperately gasps for air from Dabria's overwhelming presence. Dabria suddenly swings his blade horizontally and slashes Roxie down her arm. She winces in pain. The scythe falls from her grasp and stabs into the ground. Roxie's eyes remain petrified in fear. Her whole body begins to shake; frozen in terror.

"Move...move...move!" she thinks to herself as Dabria slowly closes in.

Dabria ominously chuckles as he extends his flaming wings. His shadow quickly engulfs past Roxie. This last motion of dominance allows Roxie to suddenly sprint away. She desperately gasps for air as her legs move as fast as they can. Dabria continues to chuckle as he slowly draws Akahito's scythe. Black flames spread throughout the weapon and engulf the blade.