Word had already spread around camp that I was secretly a lunatic that had tried to kill Brody and Hylla.
That wasn't entirely untrue either.
And sadly, since I was still new at the camp having only spent two days here, only a handful had known me before the incident. So my first impression for the rest of camp was me being a psycho killer.
I doubt they'd ever get to know me anyway, seeing as I was probably about to be executed.
After a healthy meal of grilled chicken salad bowl and some rice, Meg filled me in on everything that had happened after I passed out from Macy's unnecessary, unhelpful and extremely painful electrocution. Yes, I was still pissed off about that.
Apparently I'd been unconscious for three days and during that time, news about my incident had spread to all of END branches.
But what had transpired on the battlefield with me being possessed and all apparently wasn't all that unusual…as of recent. Incidents of violent possessed soldiers who had attacked, maimed and even killed their colleagues right in the middle of battle had been popping up more than a few times in the past month. I was actually just the first in this camp.
But not all cases were tragic like that too…
Meg, Hylla and the members of Bravo Null that were present there had to do a bunch of paperwork and sit through interviews concerning my actions.
Brody was recovering well, thank God. He'd broken a few ribs when I'd hit him but he was doing alot better now. Hylla had only spent a day in the sickbay cause she didn't sustain any major injuries from me or the monsters. Thankfully there were also no loss of lives.
I'd also still retained the Abilities I had gained since the battle. Strength and agility to rival the likes of Brody and Hylla.
I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Since this was definitely not the way I wanted to gain my Abilities.
Commander Bloodfang and Captain Korvak were here to put me through some "trials" before deciding whether or not I'd be executed.
"It's not…entirely an execution." Meg said, trying to reassure me as we were making our way to the training field. A lot of soldiers did a double take when they saw Bloodfang escorting us.
Apparently he was a big name among END high ranking officials. He was walking right behind me, his head down, typing furiously on an iPad which looked tiny compared to his massive hands.
"This is an execution." I muttered to Meg, "I can't fight the rumored strongest soldier in the entire force in the name of testing-if-I-can-control-myself. I'm going to die."
"It's not an execution if you don't die trying to prove you are our ally. Besides…" Meg turned to stare at Bloodfang who was still typing and muttering to himself, "He's so hot, I doubt he'll actually kill you."
I sneered furiously.
We reached the training field and the redhead, Captain Korvak, was already waiting there, dressed in full combat uniform.
"No way I'm fighting two high ranking officers." I complained. "It's not even nearly fair. Even with this newly acquired strength…"
Bloodfang finally put his phone away very reluctantly and took off his square glasses showing his unnerving gray eyes.
"Please go stand in the middle of the training field." He had a low deep voice, almost like a hum. "Your trial is about to begin. I will be personally taking you in combat."
He was being so curt and professional considering he was about to bash my head in with his big mallet fists.
Meg squeezed my shoulder and whispered, "You'll be fine, trust me. He doesn't want to kill you."
I frowned. How did she —-
Oh, telepathy. Of course.
That helped my nerves a little. Now I was just expecting to be roughed up a little inside of being brutally murdered.
I couldn't complain.
"So why is Captain Korvak here?" I asked.
"To keep you from running away." Bloodfang said, his voice flat. "I hope it won't get to that though. Korvak sometimes gets a little…carried away. We were the only ones sent here cause END is currently facing a massive crisis. And even I, can't afford to spend much time here either."
He muttered something about incompetence under his breath.
I looked over at Captain Korvak who was screaming into his phone, in a heated argument with someone he was on call with. Anytime he yelled, his hair flickered with tongues of flames making him look like a cartoon character.
He was a flame user.
Delightful.
I might as well still be in a death trial.
I dragged my feet to the middle of the field. I just wanted to get this over with.
Couldn't be worse than what I faced against Hylla.
Bloodfang stood at the edge of the training field. He'd already taken off his suit jacket leaving a white button up white shirt, tight with biceps and chest muscles.
"Are you ready?" He called from where he stood.
I wondered why he chose to stand that far away if he was going to engage me in close combat. He was about fifty yards away.
"Yeah!" I yelled back, taking a fighting stance.
Sweat trickled down the side of my face. He's not going to kill me, it's just sparring.
Then Captain Korvak blew his whistle.
And it began.
I started running towards Bloodfang, already feeling that foreign supernatural strength coarse through my body. And I felt more confident.
However, Bloodfang closed the distance between us with a few long strides in what might have been less than a second.
Before I knew what was going on, I was already within range of his giant fists. I tried to stagger to a stop but he came at me.
Swinging. Swinging. Swinging.
I managed to shield my head from the worst of his attack but it barely meant anything. He gave me a painful déjà vu of my fight with Hylla.
His first punch knocked my blocking arm to the side, leaving my defense open. Then, he followed up with a three piece combo to my chest and face. Each hit, however already very damaging, also came with an electric jolt.
Literally.
Turned out he was not just gifted in physical prowess but with a sliver of electricity too.
He packed a hint of electric current into each of his punches making defense useless. And I'll tell you, after small and reckless Macy's useless electrocution (yeah, I said it again), I wasn't thrilled to be at the mercy of another electric user.
I couldn't fight him.
I had to find a way out. I needed to think of something.
A strategy?
An escape?
Or just plain begging?
Yeah, I was that desperate.
I jumped backwards in retreat. My arms were sore and already covered in bruises which again gave me a feeling of déjà vu with Hylla from the other day. But these weren't just bruises, they were burns.
Commander Bloodfang…
This explained why he was so popular among the officers of END. He was not one to be toyed with.
My nerves were high and rioting. My chest racing a little quickly from the electric shocks I'd suffered.
I spotted Meg at the sidelines, watching and waving, showing her support. From that distance she would think it was just mere punches being exchanged here.
Oh, to be a carefree Megan.
Bloodfang was watching me, waiting for me to catch my breath but also wary about what I might do.
I couldn't blame him. I was the monster he was sent here to tame more or less and I wasn't putting up much of a fight.
Yeah.
That's right.
I didn't really need to hold back anymore. This wasn't just a trial. It was a test too. To see how useful I could be to END. To humanity.
If there was any time I should let loose, it's here. Against an opponent like this.
"Need a minute?" Bloodfang asked, his grey eyes fixed on me looking genuinely concerned, his arms still raised in a fighting stance, his knuckles throwing off small blue sparks.
"I'm fine." I managed. I needed to fight back or I was actually going to get executed.
For the first time, I let that power take control, but not fully. Like trying to rein a wild horse for the first time. Harness the power without getting trampled.
It's my body. Not yours. I told the dark presence.
Almost reflexively I launched at Bloodfang with so much speed, I saw the shock on his face. I closed my fist, power surging through my body and I swung at him with a blinding speed…but he somehow caught my fist in his hand, sending a mini shockwave outward, blowing across the field.
We strained in that position for a second–him trying to push my fist back–but my left hand was still free and I followed with another hit, square on his chest before he could even react, sending him skidding all the way to the edge of the field.
No.
Had I killed him? Did I lose control again?
I rushed over to him but instead of being very dead, he was grinning for the first time.
"Wha—?" I asked.
He clapped my shoulder hard, "You've got spunk, kid. And I daresay, you've impressed me. I've not gotten hit like that since…that one time." his voice faltered, his stormy eyes dreamy in some distant memory of his.
Meg rushed over, grinning, "what'd I say?"
I didn't answer.
Bloodfang pulled himself up from the grass and retrieved his suit jacket.
"We are done here. You passed the trial." He said, a little amusement in his voice. "And bonus for not losing control over your mind. You're useful to the Extinction Neutralisation Department. We'll call…"
"Commander." Captain Korvak interrupted, looking grim while staring at the screen of his tablet phone. "This is bad —no, this is the worst."
Bloodfang's mouth went slack, "Don't tell me it's…"
"Yeah." Captain Korvak said grimly, "Right about now. It's time."
"What?" I asked, terrified by their expressions, "what's going on?"
Before he even answered I already felt something off in the very atmosphere.
A faint scent of sulphuric gas.
Bloodfang looked at me, his white hair and beards for the first time making him look ancient, "I thought there was still time but —the end of the world…it's starting now."
And as if on cue, the ground started shaking violently, throwing us off balance.
Meg gripped my shoulder tight.
Right here? In camp?
No.
Something told me it wasn't just here.
It was the entire world under attack. Literally
I felt that dark presence inside me chuckling, delighted by the chaos that was about to unfold.