Blood of the Ancient - The Helix Rebellion saga #1

Chapter 32

Logan suddenly noticed the riflemen organising their lines up on the stone walkway above the main gate, separating the two yards.

"Ezra!" He yelled. "Incoming rifle fire, above the main gate."

Ezra turned and spotted the troops hastily assembling into position on the gate. "Got it kid." He began feeding the chain-belt into the weapon, as it noisily unloaded the high velocity cartridges, round after round into the crumbling stone of the wall, tearing through limbs and shattering bones of the screaming men on top. All ten fell painfully in quick succession, without a single weapon being fired back. Ezra heard a shot from the sniper in the background, as another chunk of wet earth splattered into the air leaving a big pot-hole underneath.

"Mother fucker." He cursed, then swung around again, lining up his M8 with the watchtower behind. The marksman was reloading as the grenade exploded against the structure, sending dust and debris flying out into the air, but the tower still remained. He plunged the remaining shell into the launcher and clunked the barrel shut, taking aim one last time. "Help me out, Lunis..." He saw a sparkle from the snipers telescopic sight through the smoke, before he released his final grenade. He heard the tower crumble and fall before his body was spun around violently from the impacting bullet. He cursed loudly, but took some solace from his new injury as he watched the destroyed tower crash down onto the stone wall below. Smoke and dust and crumbled rock filled the area as a broken rifle clattered down against the rubble, the man in the tower was gone.

"Ezra!" Rhea quickly dispatched her tired opponent and ran to his aid. Helping him roll over and sit up.

"I'm Ok, kid," A wince ran over his craggy face. "Just a scratch." Luckily the bullet had only just grazed his hip. Glistening blood drained from the wound, but with a grunt he was up on his feet. There was some pain from walking, but he decided it was insignificant.

Rhea gave him a triumphant punch in the shoulder. "Good shot Ez." She announced with a smile, then turned to the see the two hyena's at the gate looking much more sheepish than before. Rhea glowered at them and went to go for them.

"Wait," Ezra ordered, grasping her arm to halt her. "Allow me." He limped out from the sheltered gatehouse, watching as Rhea went to assist Logan with the two remaining troopers, then continued along the stony path to the main gate. There was only one other watchtower in the entire complex, and that was on the inside of the inner wall, next to the castle. If a sniper was waiting in that nest, he certainly wouldn't see the big man from there. Ezra halted his unequivocal advance, and lifted the deadly chain-gun to his shoulder, grinning at the petrified troopers as they scrabbled and banged and screamed for the huge wooden gate to be opened. Their short service as Malikan soldiers, he thought, was essentially at the stage of redundancy. The gate shuddered behind them as their internals splattered against the hard wooden surface, covering it in a sloppy red gloss. Ezra lowered the smoking gun in his hand, as Logan slayed the remaining guard with the edge of his great-sword. The man dropped to the floor, his torso almost cut in two.

Samiel was leaning underneath a large split beam from the gallows, which was shielding him from the rain above, planks and boards had splintered and shattered from the battle, leaving it in an inoperable state. He noticed the limp that Ezra's damaged hip was causing him. "I hope you're nicely warmed up for what lies ahead." He gestured at the big man.

Ezra scowled at the ninja. "Barely warmed up, kid," Ezra said, as Logan and Rhea caught up to him. "Even had to let one of 'em get a taste of me just so it felt like a fair fight." He motioned to his bleeding hip.

"Are you Ok, Ezra?" Logan asked with a whisper, out of Samiel's ear shot.

The big man turned to look at him. "I'm hanging in there," He replied with a soft smile. "What with my burning chest, and now with what feels like a broken hip. Anyway, you did good out there, kid. I don't mind admitting it, you ain't half come on." He slapped a big hand onto Logan's shoulder.