The First Battle (1)

"Are you KIDDING me?! What sort of plan is that!" Dan's heavy fist crushed into Lucius' jaw, the impact sending the latter crashing from the stump to the hard, dusty ground. "I DARE YOU TO SUGGEST THAT KIND OF SHIT AGAIN!"

Kent draws his sharp silvery blade by instinct, but Dan pushes him away without a glance. Kent holds onto his weapon but retracts his half-hearted resolve onto the sideline.

The old man returned the attack with a steely resolve of his own, silent but unwavering as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Why the fuck are you defending this crazy coot? Can't you see we're all expendable in his eyes now that the brat can control the titans or whatever?? Stand aside. I'll kill him, and then maybe we can work something out with those people in the trees."

Lucius gave a grim chuckle. "Heh. Good luck with that." He tilted his head back to indicate the trees behind him. "What would you do in their position? The only reason they aren't attacking now is because they're waiting to see to what extent we'll self-destruct."

Dan violently wrapped his two muscular hands around Lucius' collar, one step away from going past the edge, whatever the end result may be. "You... you set us up with all this!"

"Lucius." Kent asked in resignation. "Tell me the truth. Are we all just expendable tools to you at this point?"

The old man looked away from the two. "Listen to him well, Kent. He's right. I stand by what he says. I'm no exception. Everyone here is expendable except for Boro. Call me crazy, but for as long as I can remember, nothing on this land has ever changed. Not until now."

He screams upward into the air as if reaching out a prayer, "THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW. THERE IS A NEW AGE INCOMING!" His expression was frantic, a mile away from his previous calm expression.

The proclamation was met with a heavy fist crashing into his old face, resulting in a large cracking sound. Kent looked away as Sid grabbed his own wrist at the sound of the impact. Boro looked away from the carnage, his eyes captured by the trees surrounding the group.

"You're actually insane... " muttered Dan, using his weight to keep the man in place. "Not everyone wants a place in this new order of yours."

"You just don't know what you want after all this time." Lucius glared back at the large man standing over him, spitting out a chunk of coagulated blood and fragmented teeth. Despite his ruined face, the flame in his eyes was only hotter after his maltreatment. "As you all know, we're in some serious shit with this position. There was never going to be an easy way."

"Hey, old man." Sid said, grabbing tightly onto the middle of his worn cotton shirt, as if to comfort himself, "you said this is the best chance we got, yeah."

Lucius nodded firmly. "Yes, without a doubt, this will be our best chance of success for everyone surviving. Rather, it's the only way."

Sid took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

"Wha-- boss! You can't be serious right now."

"Haha..." Sid laughed nervously. "I wish I wasn't either. I'm calm, rational, and self-preserving. That's the 'Sid' you know. This isn't like me, but... if this works, everything will change." He gripped the sword in his sheath tightly, as if his life depended on it.

"Sid, stop. Just take a step back. We can get out of this, then find some way to return to the..."

"I'm tired, Dan." he replied with a weak smile. His eyes were soft. He had made up his mind.

Quivering just slightly, Dan relaxed his stance.

Sid put his small hand on his teammate's boulderlike shoulder. "Aren't you sick of it all?" he said.

The shaking mass nodded slowly between tears. "Yeah, boss..."

Sid smiled, "Let's change it, yeah?" The large man could only nod.

"A hot meal... that sounds nice." he looked up as a wisp of his frozen breath danced up into the air and vanished.

After a pause, he turned to Kent. "If we stand here any longer they'll get suspicious. Hand it over."

With the beckoning gesture, Kent looked around uneasily, but Kent nodded to assuage his misgivings. He sighed as he handed the dagger over. "I don't know what's happening anymore..."

Holding the dagger, Sid examined the balance, tossing it in the air a few times across his hand before snatching it back. Comparing it to his other weapon, we sheathed the latter and nodded. "It's a bit strange, but it works."

"We have to move soon." said Lucius.

The group was silent. It was as if they were all waiting for something to break in the balance.

"They're coming." said Boro. Fen growled in the direction of the trees. Beyond the rustling leaves, the glint of scavenged blades and artillery lie at the ready to draw blood. His voice was as small and weak as always, but the men could all hear it this time.

As if on command, Sid threw Dan off Lucius. Caught off balance, the giant man rolled roughly on the ground. "Boss, what— "

"AUGHHHHHHHHHH!"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Amidst the ringing of gunshots, the smell of steel and blood filled the air.