The gunshots fly through the sky like fast mosquitos, the soldiers are hiding behind the trenches filled with fear, they don't want to fight, despite what they've learned, the pain they went through and the growth they had. In the end, risking their lives for the country wasn't, at all, the reason they went to the military.
Among the many soldiers, a man stands out from the rest, his name is Rio, aka "Red River", and he's excited to fight, he wishes to kill and to slaughter each enemy on his way, he wants to cut their throats and to be the 'strongest'. His peer Mark, aka "Brave Shield", is excited too, both of them have been dreaming about that day for too long, but both have different goals.
Days before, their campaign's captain told them:
- Embrace yourselves for what you will face, this enemy is too dangerous, powerful, and possesses many legendary fighters, such as "The Metal Man" and "The Soul Killer". You know these soldiers well, since we've been preparing you to fight them, but there is still a final secret to beat them.
- May I ask 'which', my captain? - Mark asks.
- All of you must figure out which secret is and decide for yourselves. No more questions? - not a single soldier wanted to reenforce Mark's question - You can disperse now! - everyone stands up and walk off the room.
Later, Mark discussed with Rio the nature of that secret in Mark's room:
- We've reviewed for the fourth time both plans, we have everything prepared. I don't understand what's lacking...
- I think you are overthinking, the complex part of the plan is reviewed and settled, we don't need to study it again and I'm pretty sure that's not the point here. I think the Captain told us this as a way of awakening our minds to the possibility that there is no secret to defeat them, but to try - told Rio.
- Yeah, but that's too vague. As Captain told us before, we are defending the country from the evil Barbarians from the east, they are the Ultimate Enemy, the world depends on us to defeat these monsters and bring back stability to the region, as well as guaranteeing our families' safety.
- I don't give a shit about the region and my family left me years ago, so I don't really care about that, but I understand it's important for many of us. Listen, have you ever imagined fighting those monsters, how awesome it will be?! I want to slaughter them into pieces, like I did to the barbarians from the north. I even remember the name of the last one, "Thorkell", that was a hell of a fight, so brutal and fascinating, I just hope to do the same to these new ones!
- I don't understand, how can you be so ruthless and insensitive about the motherland and our colleagues, this war is not a trophy and nobody wins - Mark is interrupted by Rio.
- The motherland doesn't need us for nothing, we need her, because we want a house, a family, a life and a State. I don't want that for me, I wish to fight and to kill, this is my life Mark, and nothing but this. I wish to explore new territories, conquer new lands and kill enemies, the motherland offers me other things than just a normal life, such as legendary weapons and means to fight against legendary warriors. If you die, the motherland won't cry.
- So you see our campaign as a mean to your plan? Is that it? - Mark starts to disbelieve his friend.
- Yes. The best way not to care about death is to face it and not give a fuck at all. You must kill everyone, because they are meant to be killed, just like you and me, but I believe that I am not dying soon, so, what about you? You must make the choice Mark, or you will be another death soldier and I guarantee you that the motherland will remain here and new soldiers and forge new realms without you, so you must decide your life's purpose.
Mark starts to think about what he heard from Rio, he knew he wasn't totally wrong. After all, if he dies, nothing will matter to him or to his comrades, they will be so scared that the ego starts making them float like careless balloons through the stars. However, Mark refuses to die and lose the battle, he wants to win and avoid a massacre for his whole campaign and family.
Back to the battlefield, we see Rio grabbing his gun, picking up his shield and starts spreading his craziness and pride.
- GET THE FUCK UP, MARK! DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO DEFEAT THEM?
Mark was excited to fight, but something was off, he felt goosebumps emerging inside and outside his body. Mark's mind started picturing his life until that moment and the future possibility of his death.
- You cannot stand still, Mark, let's go, get up! - Mark couldn't move his body, he was too much scared that he started to be invaded by realistic thoughts of how he was going to die and how Rio was right all the time - I cannot move, I'm too scared, I'm going to die - his face went pale and when he looked to his comrades, they were all pale too, like tiny icebergs leaning against the mountain.
He, then, decides to peek the battlefield to see what's made of Rio, and, for his surprise, he sees nothing but the gunshots that continue to fly non-stop. Suddenly, a great explosion happens, and Mark sees a man flying towards their campaign's direction, after few miles, Mark saw the fate shattering for the first time, Rio was dead and split in halves, flying, or that was Mark's wish and Rio is wrong after all.
In reality, he was seeing one of their strongest enemies, Stahl, aka "The Metal Man", the enemy fell inside their trenches and all the soldiers who saw him started to believe in Rio, maybe it was time to attack.
- COMRADES! LET'S KILL THESE BASTARDS! - up Mark rises and call for his comrades' action after gaining a strong belief, for the first time in his life.
They started to get up and jump through the trenches with their weapons and shields, they were running towards the main objective, some died in the midst, due to the fast mosquitos flying around the battlefield, and others used their shields trusting on the country's military captains not to shot their own soldiers in the back. When they reached out their peer, they saw him bleeding and lacking his left arm, fighting for his life against Kroz, aka "The Soul Killer". Rio was resisting, while bleeding too much, with all his strength:
- COME ON, MOTHERFUCKER! ARE YOU AFRAID, WEAK BASTARD? - Kroz shouted, while smiling, strucking Rio with a heavy punch, so painful that the "River Man" lost his smile and pride, he knew he was on the verge of dying.
Mark started running, with all the soldiers, against Kroz. They started striking him with all their strength and will, with everything they had and hadn't. It seems to be useless, Kroz only sees Rio, he just wants to kill him.
Mark, then, realized that the enemy saw on Rio his greatest fear, being defied by someone else's soul, a soul like his. On that moment, Mark thought about the secret and found the solution!
- Yes, this is it! The secret of having a powerful weapon, the ultimate fighter that defies the fate itself, the craziness of a soul that can defy another crazy soul - he understood, finally - COMRADES, AIM TO HIS HEAD, HE'S FRIGHTENED WITH RIO, KILL HIM!
Kroz was so focus on defeating Rio that he couldn't care less about little rats, so they started to struck him in the eyes and succeeded, now the enemy was partially blind, but he didn't stop striking Rio and each soldier who put his life on the trajectory of each punch.
- Mark... - Rio tries to talk to Mark while their comrades were trying to protect both, but his voice and shape were horrible - MARK... - he caught.
- RIO! WHAT IS IT?
- Grab this weapon... And kill him - Rio grabbed a secret weapon, the great Prison Blade, a big and heavy sword from the Captain's inventory, the mythical sword used by their ancestors to destroy Denmark and Germany. Mark didn't have time to understand why that blade was with Rio, or why wasn't the Captain helping them, he must fight, now!
In the hilt of the sword was written 'where souls rest', Mark knew the responsibility he had in his hands. The "Brave Shield" jumped right into action and started cutting Kroz left arm, which was a difficult task, since he doesn't know how to handle such a heavy weapon like that, but he was so focused on the battle, that he didn't noticed his body trembling while trying to cut the arm, it was so strong and rigid, he couldn't just cut it like that, so he used his whole body weight to put pressure on his feet and load the blade to, finally, cut it.
Kroz felt the strike and looked at Mark, he was raging, but... not in pain... He started running like a demon towards the enemy, the soldier wasn't faster than the monster, so he couldn't run.
- I cannot win this time, but I hope they can, FOR BRITAIN!
Mark starts balancing the blade and almost cut the right arm of the monster, when he looked up, and receives a punch in his head, so hard, that he died instantly, in glory, with his blade.
The soldiers saw that and started to rage too, against "The Soul Killer". They ran and started splitting in four groups, Rio was the captain of the third group, now with one man down. He recovered the Prison Blade with the help of a comrade:
- LET'S KILL HIM, LET'S CUT HIS HEAD. NOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT A TRUE WARRIOR IS, A SACRIFICE, A CRAZY SOUL!
Rio, with only one arm and lots of bandages, asked his comrades to distract the enemy until he could have a breach to strike again.
- There is something you misunderstood Mark, I was asking for you to save yourself, if that was your wish, now that you're dead, I will be the one to save your soul.
All the soldiers were screaming and Rio was running, with all his strengths, towards Kroz, when he stumbled on the irregular ground:
- MY SOLDIERS, LET'S END THIS ONE! MARK DIED FOR US, NOW WE DESTROY EVERYTHING FOR HIM AND FOR THE OTHERS! - the Captain appears.
He helped Rio standing up and distracted Kroz from killing him. The great soldier continued to run and looked at his sword:
- You and I are going to make the world a brutal paradise to live in, and Mark will live in you to see our journey! - Rio recovered his smile and pride again - I am seeing an opening, this may be the last one. COMRADES, LAUGH! LAUGH, BECAUSE THIS IS THE END! THIS IS THE LAST SWING!
- I DON'T THINK SO, PIECE OF SHIT! - Kroz closes the opening and strikes again.
Rio parried it with the blade, by putting his head against the sword motion and pressuring it with his forehead, while smiling. As soon as Kroz tried another strike, Rio was fast enough to dodge and starts dancing, spinning around and laughing while it cuts Kroz head, Rio's life, finally, started, without an arm, almost killed, and with his craziness above the world and the others. With the head off, Kroz died and fell on his knees, until his face touched the ground with no expression, his eyes reflected the celebration of all the soldiers:
- GLORY TO BRITAIN! - they shouted.
Rio was smiling again and again, he was dreaming, dreaming with a new world!
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10 years later...
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Rio is now 34 years old, he helped Britain destroy so many nations and received prizes and medals for that. He continues to have the Prison Blade that is all crossed out, due to the brutal battles and killings. His left arm continues to lack and his face has some scars, one of them cutting his forehead completely. Now, Rio is just a vigilante through the city of London and the year is 1800, 1800 years after the Great Reset, where the first ever humanity's filter happened. We know little about that era or what happened, concretely.
Rio really loves London's night landscape: small houses, cars, clock towers (references to the era before the reset) and, specially, the Big Bridge connecting the whole Britain's empire.
Suddenly, he hears a huge explosion, the first in many months, which means there is someone to kill. He, then, mount on his bike and goes towards the site. When he arrives, he sees a cave, and a light coming from it.
- This is super dark, I need my lantern - he pull off his oil lantern - I know all the city's path and I never saw this cave here, I need my blade - he, pull his blade off and uses his mouth to handle the lantern.
- Hello, Rio - after reaching a dead end he hears a strong voice, which he recognizes.
The soldier turns back and sees a huge person in front of him, it was Stahl, "The Metal Man".
- How are you here, and alive?! - Rio pointed his blade and backed off two steps, dropping the lantern on the ground.
Stahl attacked Rio with some iron belts, so fast and so strong that he was projected to the wall full of rocks. The enemy has returned to avenge his friend, Kroz and his death comrades.
- You are the last one of that campaign, one more fight and I'm free - Stahl starts smiling.
Rio started running to divert the tall warrior, he passed through his right side and, in a blink of an eye, he strikes Stahl with the Prison Blade two times, to cut his arms.
- THAT'S NOT ENOUGH! - Rio sees something unthinkable and unpredictable.
The Iron Belts were floating and attacking according to the user's will, Stahl gains a gray aura based on his power level, and it was huge! The "Red River" needed to run and alert every military force, he couldn't win above his own knowledge. He, then, thinks about Mark, without knowing why, but felt the blade more than ever.
- Mark, I killed him 10 years ago, why is he back? That doesn't matter, I am strong, I was the strongest, once! I must fight, beyond my limits, right Mark? I AM GOING TO KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER. MARK PRESENCE THIS! - Rio was different, his mind changed over the past 10 years, and his confidence wasn't so strong as it was before.
Rio cut Stahl's chest, but not enough to kill him, so, while receiving too much attacks from the belts, he continued to run towards the enemy. Stahl recovers from the cut and starts healing his arms, like a reptile, it was something never seen before, by any other human. Rio jumped to cut the enemy's head, like he did to Kroz, but was too slow, Stahl struck and captured him with the belts, the soldier couldn't move, the iron belts were floating and blocking his arms and legs from moving, squeezing them.
- What can I do, now? Motherfucker! This guy is using dark magic? What the fuck is this? - Rio was expressing a distorted face and a thought came across his mind - What is this feeling? Fear? No... I never felt fear in my life, I think it's disgust and hatred, how this people came back? The natural order of life is to die or to kill, there isn't a limbo, I must kill him! I cannot die! I WON'T DIE! I AM THE SOUL KILLER!
- NOW, DIE, FOR EVERY PERSON YOU'VE KILLED! - Stahl shouted while, squeezing Rio's body and preparing to punch him in the head.
- PRISON BLADE, COME HERE! - he couldn't reach the blade, however, the blade started to levitate and flies towards Rio's hand, he was controlling the same power as Stahl. A new power surges and a new era is beginning, the Red River's emotions were to much strong, he never felt so much power before, something was changing and both warriors were changing the Humanity's future.
The blade arrived and the soldier tried to throw it towards Stahl, when the monster smash it into pieces. His face lifted to see Rio's despair, and, yet, the enemy was expressing a stronger emotion than his. The soldier started to rage, destroying the Iron Belts and freeing himself so that he could recreate a new Prison Blade out of despair and hatred, a blade that emanate fire and was so hot that no one could touch, the sword was a mental recreation with all the details of the original one, but with much more power.
- MARK, SEE THIS, I AM GOING TO REBRON, ONE MORE TIME! - he just impulsively throw the brand new Prison Blade and shatter Stahl's soul into pieces, ripping him and destroying his body into ashes, the balde was so fast, Stahl couldn't see it trajectory or escape.
After the complete annihilation of his enemy, the cave was burning inside with a red fire, an imortal fire, Rio was tired and had a bad feeling about the situation.
- Wait, why am I falling too? Why am I feeling I'm dying? No... NO, NOOO! I CANNOT DIE! I SAVED MYSELF AGAIN! I CANNOT DIE! IS THIS PUNISHMENT? GOD! NO!
Rio couldn't stand the great power he possessed, so he fell and died just like his enemy. This was his fate, "the natural order of things", like he said, he couldn't escape death. The Prison Blade was the only thing that survived and was so alive, maybe Rio's soul rested in it, forever, lying in that cave, burning partially alive and agonizing with the heat.
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500 years later...
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- Why is the blade always warm, dad?
- It's a mystery, my son, it came from our ancestors 500 years ago, it says the legend - said Jacob Ouroboros.
Jacob left his house for a bit to contemplate the sun and the landscape with his son, Britain now is the Down Land, where everyone uses Sen, Rio and Stahl's power.
To be continued in "Angry World - World of Hate"