My cybernetic legs were pushed to their limits as I sped through the forest leaving deep pits where I stepped, the trees blurring in my vision as I ran.
I had a bad feeling.
That smoke could not have been caused by any fireplace present in the village and its proximity to the river meant that any accidental fire could have been easily isolated and snuffed out.
‘What could have happened?’ The thought stuck in my mind. ‘Although I barely know the villagers, I don’t want anything terrible happening to them.’
As I got closer I could smell the smoke in the air and when I reached the treeline near the village, I saw utter devastation.
The village was in shambles. Many of the houses had had been scorched and were now nothing more than smouldering rubble.
Humans in heavy armor reminiscent to the late period medieval knights patrolled the village, the few without helmets showing expressions of joy and eagerness.
Among them were a few in lighter armor consisting of a chestplate and a long brightly colored robe, the most popular color being blue. They carried around staffs with crystals at the tip.
The elves were all grouped together in front of the largest house which still seemed intact, closely guarded by the humans. On their necks were black metal collars.
The elves looked to be in terrible shape with despair and hopelessness painting their tear stricken faces. The remaining elves numbered less than half what populated the village before, so many of their dead were littered throughout the village, a large majority children.
I then noticed someone coming out from the large house, one of the humans with robes. He had a flushed face and an expression of lingering ecstasy as if he had just been relieved of a great burden. He buckled his lose robe and called over one of the other robed humans who had an excited expression.
After having a slight chat, that excited human entered into the house with glee, the surrounding human knights showing expressions of blind jealousy.
Rage entered my heart as I understood the implications, gritting my teeth I uttered with venom in my voice.
“Those animals...”
Eleanor appeared in my vision and sighed. “Suffering is such a daily affair, this is why flesh is such a pain.” Her eyes sparkled. “Master, when you have time you should fully convert into a cyborg! That way there will be no more pain.”
Ignoring Eleanors comment, my eyes narrowed as the seething fury in my heart somewhat cooled.
“How many humans are there Eleanor?”
“There seem to be around 7 patrolling the outside area of the village, 20 camped in tents beside the riverside, 12 guarding the elves and an unknown number inside the remaining building.” Eleanor answered as I used my optics to scan the area.
‘There’s so many..’ I look at my pitiful 6 round revolver and sigh. ‘Looks like I have to upgrade my arsenal as this won’t cut it.’
My eyes focus on the tent area, magnifying by 4 times. ‘These knights are tightly grouped together...perhaps some concentrated fire on that area could sort them out? Yes, though the gun has to be low tech as anything too advanced would sap away what remains of my lifespan. Something simple, easy to use and reliable..’
Images of many guns appear in my mind and flash by like pages in a book until one in particular caught my my attention. It was the M2 Browning machine gun, a weapon made popular in the second world war.
Firing the terrifying 50 BMG round, it could shred light armor like paper. It was so well designed that it still found use well into the 22nd century.
I nod my head. ‘That should deal with them easily but that leaves the patrollers and those guarding the elves. I won’t risk hitting the elves with the M2 so I’ll have to create something more accurate to deal with them and the surrounding patrollers.’
Another gun appears in my mind, an M110 fitted with a suppressor and a 20 round magazine, it's a perfect choice for the situation. Firing the lethal 7.62x51 NATO round, it's a modern semi-automatic precision rifle.
‘This should do well. With its accuracy and power along with my ocular implants targeting software, I should be able to reliably hit those targets.’
With a slight nervousness in my heart, I created the M2 browning first though when I didn’t feel the same weakness as when I created my cybernetics, I couldn’t help but breathe out in relief.
I didn’t want to lose any more of my fragile life and this creation ability of mine has too many unknowns to use it carelessly.
I browse the information in my mind and set up the M2’s tripod, next I load the ammo belt into the feed and rack the first round in.
With that set up, I pre aimed the M2 at the tented area.
Then the next weapon, the suppressed M110 appears in my hands. It doesn’t have its scope as I can just use my ocular implants as a better replacement.
“Eleanor, how is my targeting software?”
“I have made some micro adjustments best suited to your M110 master.” Eleanor replied.
“Thanks.” I say as I flicked the M110's safety.
Although I felt that my preparations were ready, I still felt like I needed something else in case of an emergency. It was better to have all bases covered so I needed something with serious firepower!
After a moment of thought, a long metal tube appears in my hand. I strap it to my shoulder securely.
'Let's get this done.'
I take a deep breath and bring up my rifle.
‘First I’ll deal with those patrolling knights.’ My brow tenses as I bring the iron sights to my line of sight.
My ocular implants magnify by 6, locking onto the first target who was furtherest away from the village.
An orange reticule appears on the knight’s head and when it flashed red, I fired my rifle. The sound though audible, was like a sudden wheeze.
In the next moment, a spray of red mist bursts forth from the knight's head.
Quickly, I turn my gun towards the next target. Same as before, with my ocular cybernetics targeting software the bullet finds its way to its new home, the knight’s head.
5 rounds later and all the patrolling knights were sent to their graves.
Reloading my gun, I turn my attention to the elf guards with a cold expression, my eyes emotionless as a machine.
...
Agis shivered, tears filling her amber eyes.
The cradled embrace of her father that once felt so safe and secure before did not ease her worries. She was deeply afraid of the surrounding humans.
“Papa, why did they take mama? Are they hurting her?” Agis whispered with a weak voice.
Paeris grit his teeth so hard that cracking could be heard, the fury and despair in his eyes multiplying as time passed. He shook his head and held his daughter tightly.
With a hoarse whimper, he replied. “Mother is gone child, pray that she meets Elesyndir.”
Agis began to silently sob, her little nose sniffling.
Paeris looked at the humans who were laughing to each other and talking with vengeful eyes.
He didn’t understand what they were talking about, only elder Fulven knew how to speak caltec, the common human language and he perished in the initial attack, but he knew what they were excited about.
The amount of gold that starlight elves sold for was astronomical and it was likely that they would be all set for life after selling him and the remaining villagers. His people were the highest grade of slave, breathtakingly beautiful and long lived with no ability to utilize magic or warrior force due to their cursed nature.
They were like helpless sheep, ready for the taking. A prize for all the domanant races.
Paeris felt a deep pain in his soul. ‘Why after all this time are we still being tormented? When will it end?’
One of humans seemed to notice his glare, he chuckled and took a whip from his belt.
Frightened, Paeris held his daughter closer to his chest in order to protect her. Seeing the human come closer, Agis began sobbing.
As the human knight raised his whip, something shocking happened.
Paeris’s eyes almost popped out when he saw that the human’s hand disappeared in a spray of blood. There were audible gasps from the other elves and even a few human knights who saw.
The human knight seemed to be in shock as he brought his mangled hand to his face in disbelief, in the next moment, the side of his head caved in while the other side exploded in a shower of brain and skull painting booth Paeris and Agis in red.
“Ah!” A nearby knight screamed in shock, the others swiftly took out their swords.
Paeris watched intently as what he saw was forever burned into his memory.
Another human had half his head blown away splattering a nearby knight in red. They all began screaming and shouting as those who had shields raised them up, but it was no use.
One by one, it was as if these humans were being struck by divine might, the shields offered no protection as large holes appeared killing the knights ruthlessly and it was glorious!
Even the venerable mage, who was chanting a spell in panic had his head shattered in an explosion of blood.
Paeris felt himself silently chanting Elesyndir’s name, so too the other dazed elves who seemed mesmerized.
Finally the last human who screamed and escaped succumbed to the inevitable, no matter how fast he ran he could not outrun his fate. His chest seemed to open like a blood red flower, he then groaned and collapsed in silence.
Unconsciously, tears began fall down Paeris’s cheeks. These were not tears of hatred, nor sadness or relief.
His tears were born from the beauty of this bloodshed, the unstoppable death and despair.
Something deep and unspeakable was born from his heart in that moment.
