Barry returned to the little lake and found their vehicles were gone, but Druz’ka Lanth stood at the water's edge. The water near her feet effused ever-shifting hues of bioluminescence. He stopped beside her and watched the mesmerizing display of dancing lights. Barry reached down, grabbed a thin rock, and wrapped his thumb and index finger around the edge of the rock. He leaned to the right and cocked his arm back. His arm slung low and rocketed the stone at the water. The rock spun as it rolled off his fingertip, causing a high-pitched whirring sound. The flat side of the rock slapped the water’s surface, and it skipped upward. A piercing whine followed the stone as it blazed through the air and thumped into the sloped bank opposite them.

  “I’m afraid you’ll need a larger body of water for skipping stones,” Druz jested.

  “I believe I was a little overenthusiastic on that one,” Barry replied. “Where are the others?”

  “Cassandra and Doyle are out looking for survivors and supplies. Joel should be back soon. He is out scouting the mountains.”

  “Alone? Is Jaxon with him?” Barry’s concern was evident.

  “He is a remarkable young man. His mind is sharp, and he learns so fast. I’ve already increased his hearing beyond a normal human's abilities. He does not need a babysitter.” Druz informed him.

  “He is only a boy, Druz’ka Lanth. It isn’t safe for him out there!”

  “Things have changed while you were gone. I have given them all augments. I realized it was necessary for their survival.” Druz finally turned away from the water and looked at Barry. “Not to the extent of your augments, but enough to put them on even footing with most drol’ka.”

  “Which way did he go?” Barry asked, not accepting that Joel was capable of wandering alone.

  “I told you he doesn’t need to be babysat. He has a map and supplies. He heads out every morning, and returns every night.”

  Barry took a deep breath and released it slowly.

  “Barry, we do him no service by handholding. Joel is a country kid. He grew up in the woods. He is comfortable out here. I kept him with me…there is nowhere safer.”

  “Thanks for that.” Barry knew she was right and stopped pressing the matter. “Then where is Jaxon?”

  “I’m sure you would agree that Jaxon doesn’t play well with others. He will be specializing in tasks better suited for an individual.” Druz told him.

  “Wait, you said you augmented the others. Even Jaxon?”

  “I am not a fool, Barry.”

  “Good, cus that man is unpredictable.”

  “He has the same failsafe I put in you.” Druz replied.

  “Fuck! You did augment him.” Barry blurted.

  “You are two sides of the same coin. Your compassion and selfless devotion to others make you the perfect protector. You will be a hero to the people. Your deeds will stand in the light and be lauded by those you protect. Jaxon is cold and lacks all compassion and empathy, which makes him perfect for carrying out deeds that your conscience precludes you from undertaking.”

  “Like what, exactly?” Barry eyed the Kai’den.

  “When you walk up carrying the head of a Drolk’a Choth’den, the armor of idolization will protect you from the scrutiny of your peers. To the people, you will be seen as a noble warrior…a paladin protector. You will march headlong into battle, and those around you will bear witness to your selfless bravery. You can toss your bloody trophies at the feet of your people, and they will cheer your name. You are genuine and likable.

  Jaxon will save as many lives, but he must operate in the dark. He will take heads, but he has to leave them in the shadows where they were taken. He is a stone-cold killer. He doesn’t care about the people…anybody who’s ever met him can feel how distant and indifferent he is.

  You are a knight storming the keep, and Jaxon is a drop of poison in a chalice. Both can kill a king, but only one is seen as noble.”

  “Are you certain he will do what you tell him?” Barry was still not convinced she made the right decision.

  “No, I am not. But I’m certain he can only disobey me once,” Druz answered.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  “If you head west, down the mountain, you’ll hit Highway 375. There is a small community there called Jumbo. A small group of lesser drol’ka have set up a blockade on the highway. I need you to take care of them.” Druz’ka Lanth told Barry. “If they have any captives, tell them to stay put. Cassandra and Doyle will be coming through tomorrow. They will grab any survivors and supplies they can.”

  “Sounds easy enough, but are you sure I can take on multiple drol’kas?” Barry worried.

  “I have no doubts. This is your first chance to test your abilities. It will take many battles for you to learn how to use your body’s new capabilities. Consider it training for when you encounter a truly formidable Drol’ka Choth’den,” she explained.

  “Should I go now?”

  “Yes. You should be able to get there within the hour. Once you’ve finished there, it’s another fifteen miles to reach the prison in Stringtown. Travel west toward Highway 69. You will see the prison as you come down the mountain. The prison would make a great location for storing captives. Scout it out. If you encounter drol’ka, take them out. If you find survivors, stick around and protect them. I will send transport to pick them up.”

  Despite his augments, Barry’s anxiety was a strong as ever. He had great doubts about going against groups of drol’la. Druz’ka Lanth could sense his apprehension, and she took his hands in hers. Barry looked up at her.

  “You need to trust me, and trust that you are more than capable of this task. I can do nothing for your worries, but over time…they will fade away.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Barry nodded and pulled his hands free.

  “I guess I’m off, then.” Barry smiled and tried his best to appear at ease and confident.

  Fake it ‘til you make it!

  He turned and started to cross the road, but Druz called for him to wait.

  “I have a few things for you,” she told him, before she strode to a nearby tree and grabbed a large rucksack. She walked it to him and plopped it on the ground. Druz pulled out a massive wad of thick leather and stood up. “Here, hold your arms out to the sides.”

  She unfolded the leather and lifted it over his head. The material draped over his shoulders and covered his torso. She ran a belt around his waist and fastened the apron tight. She began pulling thick steel plates from the sack and passed them to Barry.

  “Hold these.”

  After pulling the last of the plates out, she stood up and began sliding the plates into pockets that were stitched all over the front and back of the apron.

  “What is this for?” Barry asked her.

  “I found these in one of the cabins. Somebody’s homemade plate armor. I made the apron from one of those cowhide rugs. For all your augments, you aren’t bulletproof. Turn around.”

  Barry did as she said and let her insert the plates that protected his back. She finished with his back and crouched to begin working on the flaps of cowhide that hung over the front and back of his thighs. She placed a single plate behind each leg and one over each of his quadriceps. Druz finished by using leather strips to cinch the flaps tight against his legs.

  “Good thinking! I’ve never been shot, but I think I’d prefer to keep it that way.” Barry joked.

  “Almost done.” She returned to the sack and pulled out a small backpack. “This has some snacks, a few MREs, and water. There are three pouches of powdered drink mix. Those are only to be used if you are grievously injured. Mix them in a bottle of water and chug it. They will be thick, and they taste horrible…but they contain the numerous vitamins, minerals, and chemicals your body will need to fuel your rapid healing.”

  “Got it. Thanks.”

  “Oh, and one more thing.” Druz picked up the rucksack and began pulling out what looked like the long shaft of a wooden axe. Instead of an axe head, the handle held what looked like a giant cleaver blade. The handle was over four feet long, and a third of the length was a twelve-inch wide square blade.

  “Where the fuck did you find that?” Barry exclaimed.

  “Same place I found the armor plates. It’s handmade and unwieldy for whoever crafted it. But…it’s perfect for you.”

  “It looks menacing enough!” Barry chuckled. “Thanks, Druz’ka Lanth. Anything else?”

  “Please, call me Druz, and that’s it.”

  “Alrighty. I’ll see you later.”

  “Barry…don’t hesitate. Act first. Act fast.”

  Barry nodded as he turned to leave.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Barry’s heart raced as he looked out at the three drol’ka that were manning the blockade. They

  looked like normal men. He found himself second-guessing himself.

  They aren’t human. Pull yourself together. You know what you came to do. Act first. Act fast!

  Barry crouched just inside the trees that flanked the highway. The blockade was a pile of thick logs and brush that ran from tree line to tree line. The highway was over a hundred feet from where Barry hid. It would be tricky to cover that much open ground and not be spotted. The drol’ka weren’t being overly attentive as they stood around a small fire in the median of the two roadways.

  Act first…act fast…

  Barry took a deep breath and wrung his hands around the smooth shaft of his war cleaver. Two of the drol’ka faced away from him. The third had a direct line of sight of Barry’s approach. They weren’t worried about being quiet, and Barry could hear their conversation.

  “What time is it?”

  “Um…almost dinner time?”

  “Nah, you guys can wait, but I’m eating now.”

  Barry saw the drol’ka that faced him turn around and bend over.

  Act first! Act fast!

  Barry bolted out of the trees in a blur of motion. He was on the opposite side of the blockade, and he crouched low as he sprinted. He covered more than a football field of distance in a few seconds. The blockade was slightly taller than he was, so he had to use the sound of their voices to zero in on their location.

  Act first and act fast.

  Barry vaulted over the line of brush and locked on the nearest drol’ka. He brought the cleaver down with a two-handed downward chop. The heavy blade bit into the drol’ka’s left shoulder. The edge of the blade sliced as the weight of the blow drove downward. Barry felt the crunching as the blade punched through clavicle and scapula, before it parted ribs from spine and came out just above the left hip.

  Barry landed on two feet and let the momentum of the swing carry through. The blade swung out wide of Barry’s left leg, and he pivoted on the ball of his right foot. The cleaver flew around as Barry spun behind it. He completed the spin and planted his right foot. He gripped the handle like a bat as he completed a mighty horizontal swing that cleaved the second drol’ka in half.

  In less than two seconds, Barry had taken out two drol’ka. The second drol’ka’s upper half tumbled forward, and Barry saw the third drol’ka standing over the body of a tied-up woman. The commotion caused the bent drol’ka to look backward. Barry met the eyes of the woman who was tied and gagged. She was hogtied and terified. The drol’ka spun around and threw his hands up. Barry’s heart thumped as pure rage took over. He took a slow step toward the drol’ka, and the drol’ka dropped his hands and sprinted away.

  “I’m here to help,” Barry told the woman before he leaped after the fleeing drol’ka.

  Barry quickly overtook the drol’ka. He ran up and shoved the drol’ka to the ground.

  “Please, man. Leave me alone. I wasn’t going to hurt her.”

  “Dinner?” Barry accused.

  “What? No! Of course not, man!”

  “I know what you are, Drol’ka Choth’den.” Barry lifted the cleaver over his head.

  The drol’ka lifted his hands to protect himself. The war cleaver sliced through fingers, but the blade was turned as it drug down the drol’ka’s forearm. The flat of the blade impacted with the drol’ka’s head and made a loud popping sound as his skull was crushed between the asphalt and the steel blade.

  Barry used the dead dol’ka’s shirt to clean the gore from his war cleaver, and then he returned to the woman. He tore her binding loose and removed her gag. He scooped her up like a child, and she clung to his neck as she sobbed.

  “You’re safe now. I’ve got you and I’m taking you somewhere safe.”

  She heard his words, and her sobbing intensified.

  “I thought I was dead. All the others are dead. They killed them. THEY ATE THEM!”

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Barry stepped to the water’s edge and called for Druz.

  “Why are you back?”

  Barry spun around, and Druz saw the sleeping woman cradled in his arms.

  “She was the only survivor.” Barry’s lips quivered and tears welled in his eyes. “I couldn’t leave her there. Not alone. Five more minutes, and they would have been feasting on her.”

  Druz strode over and carefully took the woman from Barry. Barry wasted no time before he sprinted back toward the woods.

  “Where are you going?” Druz called to him.

  “The prison. If there are survivors, I don’t wanna be five minutes late.”