(working title)

Drayden

The world burned around Drayden. "How can we outlast something like this?" Drayden turned to Damien looking out over the ravaged city of Boston. Fires sprouted from the rubble of buildings and fissures, overflowing with lava, where buildings once stood. The earth shook beneath him and he cursed dropping to one knee. The building below the two brothers cracked. "Aww hell." Damien cursed jumping from the roof of their house landing clumsily. Drayden followed jumping off and landing in a roll and took off running. Drayden easily outran his brother. Damien had longer legs but not as much skill as Drayden. Drayden slowed to a stop waiting for his brother. As he turned around to see how close he was their house erupted in lava. Figures in dark green and grey robes appeared from behind Damien, running towards him. Drayden saw them pull handguns out of their robes and they aimed at his brother. Drayden grabbed the whip at his waist and started swinging. The whip was made from a metal that was as flexible as a normal whip but stronger than steel. Drayden heard the shot before he saw the flash from the figures. He reacted by flicking his wrist and was rewarded by the satisfying sound of his whip hitting lead. Damien reached for his sidearms, two long barreled 44 magnums, and smiled. Drayden grinned as the figures stopped in place. "Guess you still got it in you old man." A feminine voice,that could only be Shia's, said from behind him. "I'm not that old. I'm only forty." Drayden smirked as Damien found his way to where Drayden stood. "You should really slow down for an old man. Drayden how can you always stick a landing like that?" Damien huffed. "Your not that old uncle." Shia chuckled. The figures slowly advanced staying well out of Draydens reach. He swung a few times testing his reach. "Shia your uncle is only two years younger than I am."

"I know dad but your face is always wrinkled in disgust." Shia smiled stepping up beside Drayden. Her swords were still sheathed. "Damien you take the ones trying to sneak up on our right. Shia you take left. I'll take the middle." Drayden squinted at the small strike squad trying to make out faces. He made out the green clothes draped in front of their mouth concealing them from the nose down. Three shots rang out in the silence. Shia moved with super natural speed and cut the three bullets in half as they streaked towards them. She calmly resheathed her swords and grinned. "You've been practicing I see. How's that prototype working?" Drayden asked. "Well it knocks the bullets away from me, but don't stand to the side of me when it does. They are still deadly after I cut them." The lava flowed towards the figures approaching in the middle. They funneled towards the streets between the houses that still stood, wary of Draydens whip. "On the count of three we charge." Drayden said maneuvering his weapon towards the figures.  Drayden held up his three remaining fingers on his left had and slowly put one down at a time. When his last finger fell the three relatives burst into motion. The sound of gun fire drowned out the sound of the dying world. The smell of gunpowder mixed with the smell of the lava. A soft clink of metal on metal could be heard through the sound of guns firing. Draydens sneer deepened with each soft clink. More dark green and grey figures surged from alleyways and buildings. They all fired at once making it sound like cannon fire. Drayden didn't think as he deflected each individual bullet. He was like a conducter standing in front of an orchestra of clinks and bangs. He slowed as the figures stopped firing. He glanced toward the sky only to see empty space. The stars were driven out of the sky by all the fire. Drayden saw the figures reloading and went on the offensive. The tiny blades on his whip were more precise than a bullet. He sheared through mens arms and legs before moving to the chest for the kill. He liked to remind whoever tried to kill him how powerless they were. Draydens fury grew inside of him as an endless stream of robed figures approached. Drayden snarled angrily as more and more flooded from the surrounding areas. His leg gave out as a bullet ripped through his thigh just below his hip. He landed on one knee supporting himself with one arm as he swung his arm one last time. Men screamed as they were flayed by his deadly whip. Pain flared in his stomach as a bullet lodged in his gut. "Cease fire!" A gruff voice called. The sound of gunfire stopped. Shouldn't he be hearing the sounds of fighting? Surely they couldn't have taken Shia and Damien, could they? The smell of gunpowder mixed with the smell of blood, his blood. He slumped down farther as he heard no sounds of fighting. We failed, again. Drayden let his eyes start drifting closed when a fist hit him in the gut causing him to gasp as the air rushed from his lungs and tears to form in his eyes. "Your gonna regret that you fu--" Drayden was cut off by a feminine scream. All of the hooded figures jumped as the blood curling scream shook them. The man who hit Drayden started speaking in the same gruff voice. "Your little princess is ours. You may have a few words with her before we shear her pretty little head from her shoulders." The mans tone was earily conversational. One of the other robed figures brought a struggling Shia towards Drayden. They unkindly threw her towards him and that was when he saw the bullet hole in her head. Drayden pulled her into an embrace. "It's ok my diamond. I've got you now." Drayden comforted her. Shia looked him straight in the eyes and screamed. "Get away from me freak! Why were you holding me?" "I'm your dad. Dont you remember Shia?" Her scream sounded again with more ferocity as she tried to push away from him. "No you aren't! I'm not Shia!" Her screams were cut off as her head was sheared from her head by one of her own swords. Drayden leaped to his feet in anger ignoring the pain and tears running down his face. He spun in a circle shearing through everyone that was standing near him, making sure he left the gruff voiced man alive. The man with the gruff voice stood shocked at how fast Drayden dispatched of his men. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut into six seperate pieces. Arms, legs, upper and lower torso falling to the bulging earth. "Drayden!!" Damien voice relieved Drayden. At least he is alive. Drayden thought as he collapsed to the ground. Damien reached his brothers side and glanced at Shia's body. "We need to rethink this." Drayden whispered. Damien picked up Shia's swords, one stained with her blood and handed them to Drayden. "We will find her and return these to her then we can try again." Damien whispered. "She doesn't remember me..." Drayden said still clutching her corpse. We will find her. Drayden thought as the whole world erupted in flames.