Breathing hard, that is never a good sign, especially when so far I had only gone three marks with my opponent. I looked over at him warily, Hectic was only two years older than me yet he was 2 feet taller and weighed a solid 220 pounds. Now was not the time to wear out, I had to score two more marks of paint on him to get the 4 of 6 marks needed to pass the test. I focused on the rapid pulse of adrenaline infused blood, forcing my lungs to take in air slower and slower. I cleared my mind and studied my friend and momentary enemy. He already had his enhancement which was an adrenaline gland enlarger, I had to take him out fast before his heart started to beat fast. I looked back on how I got the first two marks, I had let him swing, and then I got in close and marked him twice over his heart. Thinking to myself I listed the Facts I knew: His is weapon can't be used in close range, my knives are made for deflecting and slashing in close range, I'm smaller, move quicker, and react faster, he has terrible back steps. My mind instantly pieced together a strategy around backing him up. The judge told us to get in stance for the next engagement. I rose slowly, and stood at ready. The shrill whistle went off, slowly I pressed forward, giving a slash opportunity for him on my left side. I knew his back hand swing is clumsy, so I waited for his attack. I have to move fast when it happens; I'll have only seconds to take him out. He stepped forward and swung; my mind working feverishly as I raised my knives and blocked barely an instant before his wooden sword would have hit my head, the sharp crack of wood on wood resonated within my skull. Then I was in his guard, his sword was useless, and he was right where I wanted him. I feinted forward straight at him and he skipped back words awkwardly and hit the root, the very same one that had caught my eye during the break. He fell hard with a dull thud, I pounced on him as he made contact with the ground, and he had no chance. I scored the last marks in quick succession with a slash to the neck, then the heart, and finally the gut. It was over, I won my chance to journey out and kill an alien Krule and take an enhancement. I reached my hand down to hectic and asked “want a hand?” He retorted “No, I'd just like to uncomfortably lay here for the rest of the day.” I struggled to pull his massive frame up to a standing position, but my 5' 11” body managed the task. The judge's loud screechy voice interrupted my revelries saying formally “Lo-Rahamah, you are now a warrior, may your journey bring you an enhancement with which as the first Hunter-warrior you may defend the walls and gates of Tear, standing upon the very ground many of the last of men have spilled their blood in sacrifice for the survival of man. May you be strong and fearless, go and make war on our foreign enemies.” Barely a moment after the judge was done speaking Hectic let out a massive breath of air and said exasperatedly “Dang I was Scared he would speak us through dinner!” we were still laughing as we entered into the main market of Freak, the name me and my friends had so gracefully given our settlement within Tear, because it was where all of the warriors were trained, and they were known as freaks. We headed for the two others who would be coming with us on our “journey”. Right when we entered the market a marvelous hickory smell slammed into our noses and Hectic immediately says “Oh sweet mother. Larum, You're girl is roasting a pure breed Hog” I practically drooled out my reply “I could eat the whole delicious animal!” He looked me up and down with an incredulous eyebrow raised and stated “You? No. Me? Definitely.” We walked up to the two girls who were going to be our partners, Mirada who is 21 is the oldest member of the group and like hectic she already had an enhancement. Her enhancement was one of the craziest; it allowed her to turn invisible for short periods of time, a very formidable foe. The other girl is Akeldama or akayla, she was the one hectic referred to as being my girl. Truth is that she is my girl; we have been courting for 2 years, only one more until we could marry. The older people tell me that men and women used to get married really quickly and if it didn't work they'd divorce. I had always wondered why they would do that; pronounce love with someone they barely even knew. Akayla is my friend and side guard, we have fought side by side for so long that we don't bump but rather slide gracefully around each other, a very deadly dance. She's exactly the same age as me except one hour in my favor of course. I called out to her from the last 10 feet we had between us saying “My love, would you happen to have some spare deliciousness for your handsome partners?” I saw her look up recognizing his voice, her trained eyes immediately locked on to him, and he smiled warmly at her, she smiled back, the same smile that always made his heart beat a little faster. We walked up to the roast she was standing behind and could now see that she had started butchering her side of the animal. She resumed with skill, her sharp blades flashing barely visible through meat and around bones, removing every possible scrap of meat which fell into a bowl that was red hot from being over the fire. She was speaking as she worked; telling me how her day had gone so far. His mind captured every word spoken, but he only cared particularly for one thing. She looked up and saw the question in my eyes, she looked away and my heart ripped open inside my chest. She didn't win. But she and Mirada started laughing hysterically, which only infuriated me. But then I understood what was so funny, she had won! I gave her the angriest look he could muster and grumbled out “Never do that to me again!” But I couldn't hold it and started laughing with them. Hectic cut into the laughter saying “But seriously could we have some of the meat?” This created a fresh round of chuckling, when we all calmed down, akayla gave us some meat and she cleaned her knives and put them into her hip sheathes while we ate, my father had made the sheathes for her. They had the same tribal design on them as my shoulder sheathes where I held my knives. Now we prepare, for we begin our journey as soon as the moon rises.



Chapter Two

Under the Tree



I walked up to the gate of the city just as darkness was falling, I cursed nervously when I saw that the others were going to be late. 15 minutes went by until I heard a very faint sound of crushing leaves and smiled. I whispered “Hello love.” She giggled which was rare for her and replied with a tinge of playful disappointment “Your ears beat me every time.” I turned to her and searched her eyes for split second before lightly kissing her soft lips. I heard it first, a massive crash of leaves at a steady pace, I shook my head and chuckled out “We have to be quiet while that announces us to every living creature outside these walls!” Then she heard it and answered “Well we are looking for a fight, so let’s let him invite them to us.” we were waiting for Hectic as a voice came down from above us saying “Well you guys are cute aren’t you?” I almost laughed as Akayla threw her knife amazingly fast into the trunk showing between the feet of Mirada. She had been cloaked up in the tree but had silently climbed down, I was amazed that she knew where Mirada was, because I had no clue she had even moved. Mirada pulled the knife out and stated “You guys are lucky that the ghosts are louder than me.” My brain pieced the metaphor together, it was simple really she was just referring to the third rank of the Krule army, the kind that she got her enhancement from. So ghosts are the Krules that can turn invisible, interesting metaphor. I looked over to Hectic or by his real name Hector, who was finally trudging into the area under the tree where we had collected. Mirada announced sarcastically “well then, time to go on an adventure!” So we walked to the gate and once we were within 6 feet of it the guard raised it, we walked out and it fell heavily back into place.

Chapter Three

The Second Encounter



We have been gone for 3 days. The second day Akayla spotted a small group of brutes and got the first mission, I can still see it as she walked into the camp of five brutes. She danced from brute to brute moving so fast that her arms were blurs and her knives flashes of lightning, the black thick blood flowing from the wounds she gave the brutes. It was a beautiful display of a gruesome art. I walked around the base of a large tree, something tickled my mind. I stopped dead, willing myself not to move. The others were around 15 feet back and stopped when I stopped; I emptied my mind and searched for what had made me uneasy. It was oppressive now, getting stronger and stronger; Then I knew, there was a Krule General very near him. The Generals were said to be 7 feet tall and weighing in the 300 pound range, they were never faced alone. But it was too late, I searched the ground and found my warning only 5 feet away a large indentation appeared in the dirt. My mind was screaming to move, but I knew somehow that that was what this warrior wanted; I stayed and waited, making my move when I saw the next step only 2 feet from me, I span to my right and heard the warrior scream. My ears were ringing but I knew where its leg was and threw my spare knife where its knee should be, I heard a sickening thud and knew I hit exactly where I aimed. Then the two noises I knew would follow a loud pop announced that the Krule had put pressure on its leg and the knife severed all of the muscles in the knee nocking it inwards, then the deep roar followed and told me exactly where it’s head was. The scream was cut short as my knife severed its head from its body, then the body appeared. It was a Ghost General easily 7’ 11”, but my relief and admiration was cut short when I remembered that a General travels with 5 soldiers. The soldiers walked into the clearing and in the moment it took them to realize their champion was dead, I had already cut two of their hamstrings which immobilized those legs and cut into the hearts of the other two. But as I turned to defend myself from the last undamaged one, it fell over with Akayla’s knife deep in its forehead and when I looked at the other two Hector beheaded both with one swing of his two hand sword.



What none of them knew was that the enhancement he would take from the Krule General would make him into a warrior and leader that is going to turn the tide against Krule invaders. He must believe in himself, and the last of men must trust in him. Will mankind make the right choice and stand together? Or will we fight and die separated and alone.

To be Continued