Chapter 10 "The Grim Reality"

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"Killware to Cancer Stick, I have a clear shot, permission to engage?" Matthew looked to his right to see that Killware's driver had put his foot down and was speeding alongside them in the grass, bouncing around because of the terrain.

"Killware clear to engage, weapons hot!" Matthew didn't have to wait more than a few seconds to hear the machine gun on Killware start laying down a hail of bullets.

The cracking of bullets breaking the sound barrier filled the air alongside the rumbling of American armor. Jim, along with the MRAP gunner, took extra care to not aim directly at the wagons or cause a ricochet that would harm or even kill civilians. Lowering himself back into the tank and using the CROWS(Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station) system Matthew watched the battle unfold in front of him. As expected, bullets had no issue tearing through the wooden shields and chainmail armor, leaving the opposing soldiers at a loss as to what to do.

In what looked to be a snap decision, a man in cyan robes poked his head from one of the wagons. Taking out a book it levitated in his hand before he raised his right arm and pointed at Cancer Stick.

"Shit! We got magic in play, I want that mage fuckin' gone!" Matthew shouted over the comms, with Jim snapping the coaxial machine gun at the mage and firing, only for a yellow circle with symbols and runes to appear in front of the mage.

In response, the mage enlarged the magic circle and caused it to turn a deep orange before a fireball shot out of the circle and was sent flying towards the tank.

"Fuck! Brace!" All the crew inside the tank grabbed the bracing bars, praying that modern armor would save them... but nothing happened.

"Did they miss?" Zach looked around inside the tank before peering through his gunnery sight to view the mage who had a shocked expression forming on his face.

"Who cares? Load sabot! I want that fucker to be a red smear on the ground!" Matthew barked as Jim loaded the cannon breach in record time.

"Ready!" Jim yelled while quickly switching back to the coaxial to get a few shots off at the remaining foot soldiers.

"Fire!" Matthew ordered while using the commander's sight to see that the mage had thankfully moved just far enough from the wagons to hopefully not cause collateral damage.

"On the way!" Zach replied, then fired.

With that, the tungsten arrow was sent towards the mage. Once again the yellow circle appeared, however, it was immediately shattered when the sabot round punched through it and absolutely disintegrated the mage before slamming into the ground behind.

"Jesus Christ he was vaporized!" Andrew jolted his head back slightly from his optics half shocked and stunned at what had just happened.

"Stay focused. Jim, get back on your MG and sweep up any stragglers." Matthew ordered while opening his commander hatch. Taking control of his own machine gun he began cutting down anyone else who was even attempting to put up a fight as Killware moved up to the side of the convoy to sweep in between the wagons.

After only about ten minutes of fighting, the few foot soldiers that remained were either running for the hills in terror or had thrown down their swords and shields and surrendered. Taking a quick glance behind him, Matthew watched as American troops in the other MRAPs and cargo trucks fanned out to secure the area and all the prisoners, while the medics and some of the troops saw to aiding the civilians. Parking the tank behind the convoy Matthews got out of Cancer Stick to inspect the vehicle, sure enough, the fireball had hit but left only a black smear across the front.

"Well, that could have certainly gone worse." Mathew mused to himself. Turning his attention back to the wagon convoy he noticed a small boy, maybe no older than seven, stepping or rather stumbling off one of the wagons, landing hard on the dirt road.

"Hey kid, you alright?" Matthew started walking towards him but quickly turned it into a jog when the kid didn't get back up. "Hey kid!" Matthew called out once more, no response.

With care, he rolled the boy onto his back and held two fingers to his neck, finding a very slow and weak pulse.

"I need a medic over here now!" Matthew turned to his convoy then back at the boy. Grabbing his canteen he unscrewed the lid before lifting the boy's head, pouring water into his mouth with extreme care so as not to accidentally drown him.

"Come on kid, stay with me," Matthew muttered. The boy's eyes slowly opened, the pupils seemed to emanate weakness nearing death's door. With what strength he had left the boy slowly opened his mouth.

"T-thank y-yo--" This was all he could say before Matthew watched as what little life remained in the boy's eyes faded away and his body went limp in Matthew's arms.

"No...no no no come on kid hang in there--where the fuck is that medic!" Matthew, with an ever-increasing sense of urgency, turned back to his convoy, finally seeing a medic sprinting from a cargo truck. But, when the medic reached the boy he already knew it was too late.

"I'm sorry sir but... he's gone." The medic watched as Matthew stared at him, then at the lifeless body he was holding.

"B--but he--I... there's got to be something you can do." Seemingly in denial of the situation, Matthew looked at the medic in desperation.

"They were just too far gone before we got here sir." With that the medic left to go treat others, leaving Matthew holding the lifeless body. The world around him seemed to go dark, cold even.

"Unhand me, you savages!" Broken from his trance, Matthew looked up from the boy to see two American soldiers fighting to control what looked to be a knight. "Do you know who I am?" the man shouted at the soldier who responded by kicking the soft spot behind the knee to force him to kneel.

"No, and I don't give a fuck who you are, now shut up before I go find some duct tape." One of the soldiers said before leaving. The knight noticed Matthew looking at the scene.

"You are all purebloods yet you fight to protect these animals? You should be thankful that The Puroiya Church is forgiving to those who repent their sins."

Feeling his heartbeat in his throat, Matthew gently laid the boy down before walking over to the knight. Standing in front of him for a few seconds, Matthew drew his pistol and pointed it at the knight's left lung.

"God will judge you for your sins..." Matthew replied before firing a single round into the knight. Immediately the knight started to cough up blood which spattered as he tried to breathe. He fell backwards and, as Matthew watched, died slowly and in great pain.

"Lieutenant! What the fuck?" A nearby soldier stared dumbfounded at Matthew.

"Bastard had it coming." Was all he said before returning to his tank.   

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