Crimson Heart (III in the Metal Heart series)

Chapter 2

Duncan POV

I awaken to the grip of shackles and the sound of chains. I'm dreadfully thirsty. I sit on hard wood, encased by panels of wood. I was in a horse-drawn wagon. The road was bumpy and horrible, not to mention the shackles that were extremely tight around my wrists. Despite the precipitation falling on my head, I was very dehydrated. Through a dry mouth, I manage to say, "Water... please... water" 

It took some time, but eventually got someone to notice me. "You hear this guy, he says he's thirsty. You want some water?" A soldier said. "Please." I beg. The soldier holds a bucket out to collect rain. When the bucket was full, he threw it back to me, knocking the bucket over. They all laugh as I struggle to tip the bucket back up with my feet. Eventually I get it to my hands, which allowed me to tip it upright. I start collecting rain again. About halfway through, I hear a weird crash and I feel the wagon tip over. This was followed by a jolt forward, I felt myself fly through the air with an explosion of the wagon behind me. I feel my back being repeatedly cut by the metal and wood of the wagon.

I mannage to stand up, my back covered in cuts from the wagon. I expect to see Livid as a dragon, but a was met by a rather tall brunette with bright purple eyes, his mouth covered by a cloth. It was Rythian. As soon as I realize that my hands are not bound anymore, I manage to find a broken katana. The blade was broken, making it the size of a shortsword. I didn't care, any weapon would do. I nod at Rythian, we start to advance on the remaining soldiers. One of them charges at me, his blade above his head. I sidestep, effectively dodging his downward strike. I slice his neck and move forward. I look left to see Rythian, struggling against the captain. He was also approached from behind by another soldier. I take aim and throw my katana. It nearly hits Rythian, however it hits the other soldier in the shoulder, making him fall to the ground. Rythian trips the captain, and sends a blast of magic into his face.

He looks over at me, "DUCK!" He yelled. I quickly dropped down, avoiding a sweeping blade above my head. I tackle the soldier who swung the blade. I repeatedly bang his hand on the ground, making him drop the blade. I quickly pick it up and end his life. I get up quickly to see a soldier charging at me. I dodge his first attack, however his second cuts my shoulder, sending jolts of pain through my arm. We then collide blades, both pushing hard, trying to overpower the other. I sweep with my leg and trip the soldier. I then plunge my blade into his chest.

Seeing as it were the last of the soldiers, I walked over to Rythian. "Were you injured?" I ask, looking him over. "Me!? You were the one that was captured!" He yelled. "I'm fine if that's what your asking," I said. "I was sent by Lewis to check on you," he states. "I kind of assumed that," I said. "Yeah um, I'm going to bring some more people, I'll be back." He states and telepors away before I have a chance to respond. 

He returns about three minutes later with a large group of people. Lewis, Simon, Martyn, Toby, Teep, Zoey and Hannah. "Hannah, what the hell are you doing here!? You're pregnant!" I yell. "Kim is my best friend, I'm not going to let you take all of the credit for saving her." She said playfully. "Okay..." I mutter whilst I walk away from here. 

"Thank you all for being so brave and so strong, we will find Kim, we will rescue her, and we will kill that wretched Khan!" I say to the entire group. I'm glad to see that they all have weapons. Lewis with a laser gun, Simon with a battle axe, Martyn with his elven bow, Toby with his diamond sword, Teep with an explosive crossbow, Zoey with a mining laser, and Hannah with a diamond sword. "Oh, and I found this," Lewis said as hands me my power hand. I slipped the mechanical gauntlet on, it still fit me perfectly. This gauntlet could shoot lasers, shoot pure energy, and break a person's neck by slapping them. I invented it myself, although I had lost it years ago. "Where did you find this?" I asked him. "It was in the chest labeled 'Miscellaneous'" He explained. Of course, I never fixed my sorting system.

***

It took some time, yet we managed to search through all of the wreckage that used to be the Asian forces. We found plenty of food and water to add on to what the others brought with them. Sadly no horses survived the initial explosion that Rythian had caused, so we traveled by foot. I can't imagine what was being done to Kim right now, she's probably-No! She'll be fine, she has to be.

***

We walk through the plains, when Lewis points something out to us. "Um... can't Rythian just teleport us there?" He asks. "Can you Rythian?" I ask. "Well... I don't know. Teleporting to a location I've been to is very easy, teleporting to a person is pretty hard, teleporting to a place on a map is extremely difficult." He explains. "Can you teleport all of us to Kim?" I ask anxiously. "No, we don't want to teleport to Kim directly, we would be surrounded by all of Asia. Even if he could, I wouldn't allow it." Lewis states. "Yeah, I would have to teleport us to the outskirts of Asia. With all of our numbers I don't know if I can get us there in one piece." Rythian states. "Okay, okay, so if you teleport us to the outskirts, we can put on the Chinese clothes that we nicked from the wreckage and go undercover." I suggest. "Can you get us there Ryth?" Simon asks. "It will take everything I have at the moment, I might go unconscious, I will try," Rythian proclaimed.

We wait while Rythian summons his power. I bring up the holographic map, enlarging the outskirts  of Asia. Rythian walks over to the rest of us, "I am ready," he said in a very calm, soothing voice. We all join hands together and within seconds we are gone. 

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A/N I'm sorry that I didn't update yesterday, I had a championship baseball game to play, WE WON!!!! YAY!!!! Anyways, it is back on schedule for next Sunday. By the way, if you watch The Walking Dead, who do you think Negan killed?