The Embers Book II: Rise Of A King

Chapter Nineteen: An Honourable Death

Chapter Nineteen: An Honourable Death

"Fucking, Meinhard! I knew something was off about him; you even gave him the all clear Joseph. Brought him into our home and because of that we've lost it" raged Jamie as he desperately held onto Peter as if he was the most precious thing in the world to him. 

"That's not fair, Jamie. He clearly knew how to guard his mind from me or was able to do something because I read his mind, and if he was a Cyturion I'd have known otherwise" snapped Joseph who was sat on a piece of rubble which had previous tumbled off a building behind him. 

"At least Peter is okay, that's all that matters right? I'd consider it lucky that I got away with just a slight burn" said Kimiko hoping to defuse the situation. 

"That gives me a thought, Taylor is gonna gut the prick once he finds out what happened. I know that I would for certain, Meinhard will get his comeuppance I'm sure of that much" said Jamie with a smirk and led Peter into the temporary medical area out of the way. 

"He's got a point, I can't imagine Taylor will be too pleased to see that"  said Joseph as he gestured to the burn on her neck, it was worse than she thought as she touched it but it wasn't fatal. 

"Not sure if I should be happy or concerned that my boyfriend is going to kill someone over an attempt on my life" said Kimiko taking a seat on another piece of rubble across from Joseph. 

"Boyfriend? Didn't know you kids had defined it yet" chuckled Joseph. 

"Hmm, now that you mention it I didn't realise we had either. I suppose it makes sense in the long run with how things are between us. I just hope that he's safe" she said, fiddling with her thumbs and pictured his face smiling and full of life. 

North Swindon, Taylor's Unit. 

"Reinforce that right side, they need help holding them off!" Taylor's voice was hoarse from screaming out orders while he thought against an opponent of his own. 

They'd come into contact with a unit of fifty Cyturion's not far from a shopping centre, they'd seen dozens of Cyturion's moving in packs all heading toward the shopping centre. They'd expected heavy resistance, but it appeared as though they'd bitten off more than they could chew. He parried a blow from obsidian flail that had shot out, looking to cave in his skull; he'd spent the last couple of minutes fighting with the woman who was wielding it. She proved quite skilled with it and Taylor had initially been caught off guard but now he'd seen how she attack, and how she moved. 

She would take two steps forward, swing then back away another two steps when the attack was unsuccessful. After that she would attempt to attack from all sides and failing in those attempts would carry out the same evasive move. On this occasion she did exactly what Taylor had hoped she would do, and thought gave him all the invitation he needed to come off of the defensive. She began to step back and as she did Taylor materialised out of sight, and appeared first of all to her right slashing wildly tearing a chunk from her arm. 

The attack forced her to roll to her left directing into Taylor who was waiting for her. Both of his swords bit into flesh, and with one swift yank his Gladius' came free from her neck severing her head from her body. The sound of the head hit the pavement with a sickening thud, but his eyes didn't meet the sight as he moved onto his next target. A group of Cyturion's were moving along the roof tops, materialising over the gaps between buildings and were clearly getting into position for a flanking manoeuvre.

"I don't fucking think so. Braius, Cyturion’s are on the roof, you and I are taking them down!" roared Taylor who vanished amongst a whirlwind of fire, leaving Braius to process the order and catch up.