Gone Rogue (25 page)

“It’s not that, those idiots needed a good scare, you held those men up like they were paper machete.  I sort of felt proud of it, I wanted to kill them.”  Slade knew that acting like that would only make him agent like, or worse dragon like.

Zach gave him a grunt in agreement as if he read his mind.  Slade stared at Phoenix, only to be stared back at.  Slade then thought of his dream with Phoenix and he figured being like a dragon wasn’t such a bad thing after all.  Phoenix’s eyes were heating him up in different places that the sun couldn’t reach.  “Phoenix you keep staring at me, I will show you my dragon.”  Everyone stopped, “Shit, did I say that our loud.”

       Before he received an answer back, Gargan was in his face, “No you won’t human!”  Gargan had a deep rumble in his chest.

       “I guess I won’t.”  Gargan turned back and lead the group, Zach snickered watching the scene unfurl.  He deserved the laugher from the laughing Slade gave him when Gargan threatened him.  “Gargan, maybe you need decaf.”  Slade suggested to the overgrown lizard, a deep growl was returned.  He heard Phoenix secretly laugh to herself at the comment, and that made the danger of his life worth it.

They reached the small village soon after taking another pain in the ass trail that had more curves in it than the women Zach screwed.  The village was made of sandstone buildings that were small.  As they grew closer to the entrance, Slade noticed guards, dressed in the usual outfits of the decade.  The helmet that covered the nose the chest plate that looked like it needed a good scrubbing, black mixed surely with some blood and a tunic underneath with what looked to be sandals with the wrapping up to his knees that met with his white tunic.  The guard though looked out of place, and then he saw the chest plate, it was the same logo as before.  Slade noticed the town was protected by more guards that were walking around; it almost seemed to be the entire village.

"Sir," Slade said as they drew near to the soldier, feeling the edge of Slade’s anger slowly creeping its way up, the disgust in how the fake the agents were and how much betrayal he felt.  "Is it true that places are appearing where there were none before?"  If these guards were like the ones they worked with before, nothing was going to be easy.

The guard brushed Slade off walking right past him and almost through the dragon as if they didn’t exist.  Gargan had enough of the behavior.  With one hand, he grabbed the guard by the shoulder and spun him around with lighting speed, before the guard could react; Gargan had the guy’s windpipes in position to be yanked out.  "Listen here you stupid pig.  He asked you a question.  Either now you can respond nicely or I will rip your throat out so you can stare at it while you slowly drain of your blood.  Got it?”  The guard tried to say something but nothing came out.  He nodded his head, kicking his feet but he only struck the air until Gargan let him down. 

In between some harsh wheezes, the soldier said, “Sir, you will die for what you have done.  I will...”  The guard was abruptly silenced in mid threat as Gargan rapped him hard in the temple through his helmet.  The soldier’s gaze widen before his eyes crossed and drifted shut as his consciousness left him.  Forming nothing, more than a pile of human flesh as he collapsed to the ground, Gargan calmly stepped over the man. 

"Maybe next time you will show respect to your superior," the dragon muttered. 

Slade just stared at the how easy the man fell, how no other soldier seemed to notice the action for the group surrounded the man on instinct to hide the action.  Zach without a word grabbed the soldier, dragged him to nearby bush, and came out brushing his hands together. 

“I am getting sick of your old employer,” Zach sighed.

With a sense of defeat dogging Slade’s heels, Gargan found the trail that led through the village and they started to follow it, still hoping to find answers about what was happening. 

They walked through the city trying to find any information; they agreed to separate so they didn't get unnecessary attention.  Slade headed to what he thought might be the market district in this smaller village.  The shops were run by the soldier’s wives he figured.  Gargan and Phoenix went to the housing district; Slade was still being sore about Gargan not letting his sister go along with him.  It was only the queen, what, they had a fling in a dream; really what is the worst that could happen.  Zach and Gabrielle went around the walls where the farmers were, they agreed to meet up on a hill that was just outside of the village around sunset. 

Slade continued along on the path, looking at all the different types of stores, taverns, and even several carts.  He looked back at the tavern, the soldiers moving along shoving the outsiders out of their way as they entered this place.  He sighed knowing where he had to go, “Must be from the Sanctum.” 

Without hesitation, he approached the tavern, his hands shifted to his weapons that lay open in sight, not making much noise, but enough to hear him coming.  The blades were weighing him down a little.  His hands rested at his side as the agents stared at him as if he was fresh dog meat.

He walked inside what seemed to be the bar.  The agents or soldiers whatever they wanted to be called eventually carried on their communication, he tried to listen intently, but most of the conversation was how the weather was, or how bored they were.  Then the two doors swung open and a man dressed as a captain with a hard face entered.  All the soldiers stood.  The few non-soldiers remained seated but the bar was silenced.  Slade tried to stay looking at his drink but his eyes shifted over the crowed.

“Hear this, hear this, a direct order from the all powerful, there has been a sighting of five intruders from the ancient kingdom, they are to be hunted down, brought back alive or dead.  They did not enter through a known portal, but peasants have seen five of them.  One is a tall fellow with a black cloak and hood he has dark eyes and incredible strength, he carries an axe as a weapon.  A female with a crown is portraying a queen but we know that she is not.  She is carrying two whips.  Another female that is more clumsy but with big,” he was interrupted with laughs.

“Are we allowed to have our ways with the women first,” a big fat men echoed over the laughs.

“I don’t see why not.  Another male smaller in size with a black cloak carries a bow and sword.  Then a male dressed the same but a giant, this man is the most dangerous.”  Slade had to look up now, how nice of them to call him the most dangerous.  “He is a rogue agent that is still believed to have the powers of ours.  He is from the other side as well, the sun will shine off his head.”  The captain stopped and Slade could hear him get closer to him, and he knew if he went for a weapon, the whole agency village would be destroyed by the rogue agent.  “Sir stand, so I can show my men what this rogue looks like.”  Slade rose as the captain said, and then sat back down.  “Stay standing boy, we are your protectors not the mercenaries of savages like the men and beast we hunt.”  Slade stood again, his hand close to his weapons, “Men, this rogue agent, looks like him, dressed alike, weapons similar to his, and even the same bald head.  The built and height of him as well, sir if this wasn’t a protected city by my soldiers I would say this man was you.”  Slade wanted to laugh at how stupid the captain was being.  The soldiers laughed and then one spoke up as the captain walked to the other side of the room.

“Captain, who says this is not the man, how would the guards have seen him if you have just informed us.”  I wanted to knock that man on his ass, Slade was enjoying the show.

“Well soldier, they would of, should have,” his speech slowing down as he started to study Slade from the boots to his head, as Slade stood ready to attack or run if need be.  The captain’s eyes bulged in and out putting it all together.  “Sir are you the rogue that I have said?”  Slade had to hide a grin on his face not knowing if he should tell the truth or lie.

       Slade sighed to himself, as he knew he couldn’t avoid the fun of a good fight.  “Ah hell,” Slade said, his hand going to his weapons.  “Let's see I could take one, two, yeah that should work.”  They all waited for an answer, “I see that the Secret Sanctum didn’t bring the smartest agents over here did they?” 

The captain dropped his cup of ale, the liquid coating the ground.  His mouth opening, almost looking like slow motion, before he barked out, “Get him.”  Slade was about to throw himself at the group as they attacked, but figured they probably knew how to fight for they had no weapons he could see.  Slade took off plowing anyone in his way; he hit the dirt street at full speed the soldiers keeping pace.  Every corner and escape route seemed to have guards waiting, he could hear a horn going off behind him from the tower and soldiers appeared from every building.  One jumped in front of him, with a swift movement, he grabbed two blades from his waist, one for each hand, and the soldier swung, and with his left hand, he blocked it, and his right cleaving the soldier’s arm off, causing him enough pain to drop out of his way.

He continued his sprint hoping soon that he would run into the dragons for some support.  For once, he was glad he listened to himself and ran for he couldn’t fight that many soldiers.  He saw the two bigger people in the middle of the road, but they weren’t waiting for him they were fighting.  He saw the queen whip at a man about six paces away with her whips, slicing him, his skin and blood shedding to the ground, the soldier screamed and fell to the ground split in half by Gargan’s axe. 

“Phoenix,” he yelled running to her, Gargan turned and saw the men chasing Slade.

“Human,” Gargan demanded, “what did you do?”

I couldn’t tell if it was the heat of the battle or if it was just his imagination, but Slade swore, Gargan was smiling.  “What did I do?” he yelled back, “What did you do?” he said dodging a sword from another, and cutting his gut open.  Slade saw a head roll by from Gargan’s direction.  Slade thought he heard him humming a song, like this was a joke to him.

“Keep on rolling and rolling,” Gargan song as another head came bouncing by.

“Brother that is not a battle cry.”  Phoenix said whipping the next guy, slicing his neck with her weapon.  Another man rolled in mid air being unwrapped by the whip. 

“Phoenix we found Slade, can I burn the village now,” Gargan yelled too his sister blocking the sword and pushing the man to Slade.  “Human start killing more,” For the heck of it he threw one of his blades hitting the guys face right before Gargan was about to take a swing.  He eyed Slade as he broke the soldier’s neck that landed below him from Slade grabbing the man and tossing him to Gargan’s feet.  “Keep the men to yourself,” he now grabbed a soldier and threw him to Slade only to be caught by one of Slade’s kukris

Gargan blew flames out of his mouth engulfing everything around them buildings, soldiers, women, children that couldn’t escape fast enough burned with the rest.  Slade barely ducked in time as flames shot over his head.  The flames blew high, burning buildings, trees, and human flesh.  The city glowed in the red flames, screams could be heard, and there was pain and the suffering.  Gargan faced away and just hearing the suffering seemed to make him grin.  Slade could feel the heat from the burning victims and the town was destroyed to nothing as they walked peacefully out of the town.

It made he remember the biker’s bar.   How the building burned evenly, how no screams could escape.  It was a matter of seconds to burn the village from Gargan.  So fast, so large, that it would of took the clean-up crew at least half an hour to get the flames to start.  To destroy the entire buildings to nothing but ashes, it would take hours. 

Slade looked at Phoenix, who stood there the flames reflecting off her eyes.  Her body relaxed almost like it was absorbing the flames, the deaths.  Something stirred in Slade, he almost felt bad for the agents for they just were following orders.  They were agents like him coursed in and never released to be free.  This was why he was here though, he would make it right, and the agency would pay for these deaths like so many before him.

As he stared at the flames, he couldn’t help but to start making out the country outside of the village were started to burn.  Flames spread on the dry grass to the country side, the country side that Zach and Gabrielle.  

“We need to find Zach.”  Slade wanted to run through the flames of the city.

Phoenix grabbed his arm like a boy running from his mother in a mall.  Without much effort she stopped him.  He tried to twist from her hold but he was unsuccessful.  “Let me go bitch!”  His eyes burned not from the flames but from the pure hatred he now felt for the queen that held him at bay.

“You will burn, the flames are even to hot for some dragons.”

Slade stopped fighting, “What am I suppose to do?”

“We go to the hill!”  Gargan said without care.  A care that made Slade rethink of fighting side of him.

***

They reached the meadow at the top of hill and, after a quick search of the surrounding area; they figured that would be a perfect place to camp.  They sat next to a dead tree that was on top of the hill to wait for Zach and Gabrielle to appear.

“I should go to the town’s edge and find them; surely they saw the flames,” Slade wondered maybe that they were part of the screams, “Gargan if you have even singed their hairs I will…”

Gargan shot up on his feet to the challenge, “You will what, human?” Gargan came within an arm’s length.

“Boys enough,” Phoenix ordered.  “Gargan wouldn’t have burned the village if he knew they were in it.”  Gathering his wits, Gargan tried to ignore his warrior within, his body shaking in anger, Slade’s body as hot as the fire Gargan blew.  He didn’t give a fuck if he was a dragon and the queen’s brother.  If Zach was burned, Gargan was good as dead.