Page: << 1 2 3 4 5 >>

When the gate came into view again, he readied his two-handed sword. During the brief skirmish the numbers of the living dead had been reduced to four, but apparently two guards were also down for the count. To Scorpio's great dismay his erstwhile companions were doing their best to lop about and wave their weapons in utter disarray while the remaining skeletons seemed to have something like a concerted offensive action going on.
"Fletcher, Tico, close ranks!" he barked in his best boot camp voice while holding up the sword, ready to strike. "Josh, Rufus! Close ranks, ladies, or do I sense a death-wish there? Fight back, damn you, fight back!"

Astonishingly enough the shouted commands had the desired effect. All of a sudden Fletcher and the heavily-armored Tico were fending off the charging skeletons shoulder-by-shoulder while Rufus hacked at one of the rattling bone men from behind. The thus- assaulted skeleton whirled around with an angry hiss only to receive a stunning blow by Fletcher's sword. With a dry crack the yellowish skull sprang into a multitude of pieces; the headless fiend toppled to the ground as a stack of disjointed bones.
Meanwhile, Scorpio and Josh went to work on another enemy; the instructor's jagged blade bit deep into the skeleton's lichen-encrusted spine. When it turned around with a shriek, it got its backside whacked by Josh the gate guard. Another hit, and the bone man crumbled to an unsightly heap of splinters…
These successes led to renewed vigor on part of those living. Within moments, all the remaining skeletons lay in shambles, and Rufus began to check his downed colleagues for signs of life…

Fletcher - as the guard in charge of the main gate detail - was the first one to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Shit," he said, cautiously stirring a heap of bones with his foot.
Scorpio snorted.
"Is that 'shit' as in 'the living dead do exist' or 'shit' as in 'I forgot how to fight and thus got my men killed'?"
"Now listen," Fletcher started an awkward attempt at appeasing the irate instructor, "we've been on duty for days now, we're tired and edgy and all that-"
"That's no excuse!"
"-and apart from the occasional traitor appearing at the gate asking for a slap in the face nothing really important happened. You can't expect us to fight like the King's Elite!" Fletcher threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "Man, we're not soldiers!"
"That's still no excuse," Scorpio growled when something cold touched the side of his neck.
Fletcher's brows arched while Josh and Rufus tried to look as neutral as possible.
"I would hold still if I was you," Tico's glacial voice said close to his ear, "to make it a little easier for me to cut off your head."
The instructor stiffened, and a steep crease appeared between his eyes.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"There's not much I wouldn't dare to do, my hearty, besides forfeiting the prize on your ugly head."
"Tico, don't be silly." A strand of mousy hair escaped Fletcher's ponytail when he shook his head. "Scorpio may be a persona-you-know-what, but he just helped us."
"To begin with, he's a traitor. Secondly, a thief. Thirdly, his head would make an interesting paperweight." The cool edge of the Heavy Guard's sword nicked Scorpio's skin, drawing blood. "And don't forget that his skeletons killed two of your men, Fletcher."
The guard in charge rolled his eyes. "Come off it. Those weren't his skeletons. I bet he didn't bring them of his own accord!"
"When did you say was the last time you won a bet?" Tico's smile was as false as his voice was icy. "Was that three or four moons ago?"
Fletcher sent the guard - who was still in position behind Scorpio - an unnerved stare. "Oh, just shut up and put that weapon away. That's an order." For a tense moment nothing happened, but then the Heavy sheathed his word, and a relieved Fletcher heaved an inaudible sigh.
"Thank you. And you…" He pointed a pale finger at the instructor. "…get lost."
Scorpio nodded grimly.
"Don't worry; I will-"
Something hit the back of his head with such a force that he saw an explosion of stars. Reeling with the impact of the unexpected blow, Scorpio turned around just in time to get a good - if starry - eyeful of rapidly approaching metal.

Page: << 1 2 3 4 5 >>