Blood Oath of the Shadow

Chapter 8

Gunflashes lit up the rain soaked alley and sent dozens of deadly rounds tearing through the air. They were not aimed at the shadow witch. Every single one flew straight for Axel’s heart. He watched the red dots streak fast toward him like eyes of death that never missed.

Axel spun his silver spear as fast as he could until it blurred into a whirl of light before him. The ring of metal striking hot lead filled the narrow passage and wove a wall of wind that deflected most of the fire. But there were too many coming. He felt one slip through the gaps and bury itself in his left thigh. White hot pain spread through him like the sting of a giant hornet.

"Axel get down!" Rena screamed.

Before he could shift his weight the cleanup squad hurled a high voltage wire net. It coiled around him in an instant tightening across his chest and arms before he could dodge. Thousands of volts surged through his frame scorching his leather coat until the sharp stench of burning cloth filled the air. His muscles locked up tight. Every nerve screamed as if pierced by a thousand needles driven from inside out. He dropped to his knees teeth clamped hard to keep from crying out as agony threatened to pull him under.

It was clear the Order had no intention of taking him alive. They leveled their sights straight for his vital points without a flicker of hesitation.

"You know I am not contaminated" Axel growled between convulsions that still racked his body. Every word felt heavy on his tongue but he forced them out. "You only want to silence me because of that badge. Because I am finally seeing what you have hidden."

The squad commander said nothing. He only gave a short sharp hand signal and the next round was readied. Behind the steel mask there was no sign of recognition. No admission that Axel had fought beside them for years that they had stood back to back or even saved each other’s lives more than once.

The hurt in his body was nothing compared to the hollow tear in his soul. Men he had once called brother now stood ready to erase him simply because he had opened his eyes. He remembered three years ago after that bloody mission at Pasar Senen. Galang had clapped him on the shoulder and laughed loud and proud. You are something Axel. The Order is lucky to have you. And now Galang stood silent in their ranks not moving not speaking a single word in his defense.

Rena meanwhile sliced through her own bindings with one sharp sweep of shadow. She was free. She could have leaped for the rooftops and vanished leaving Axel to whatever fate waited. But she did not run. She looked down at him and in her pale glowing eyes Axel saw something that squeezed his chest. A deep quiet understanding. She knew exactly how it felt to be abandoned by the people you trusted most. She had walked that road herself.

"I will not leave you again" Rena whispered more to herself than to him a vow she would not break.

She threw herself forward stepping right between Axel and the commander’s gun just as the silver round fired. The bullet slammed hard into her left shoulder. Fresh blood sprayed out and mixed with the rain washing over the wet asphalt. Rena gasped and staggered before collapsing onto the flooded alley ground.

Her blood seeped through the puddles and Axel saw something strange. Wherever it touched the murky rainwater cleared instantly as if some hidden power washed away every trace of filth. He had no time to wonder though. His gaze stayed locked on her small trembling form broken and bleeding for him.

The sight of her falling broke every last hold on his restraint. Rage he had kept buried for years roared to life. His eyes burned bright and for the first time he did not care about rules oaths or loyalty. All he saw was the woman who had stood with him who had shown him the truth and who now lay hurt because she chose to protect him.

"You should never have touched her" Axel hissed. His voice was low but thick with cold killing fury. He felt a power long trapped inside him rise up and overflow. His spear began to glow with a light he had never seen before not pure silver but pale laced through with deep living shadow.

The commander felt the shift. His eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Finish him now!" he shouted and for the first time his mechanical tone frayed with panic.

He squeezed the trigger of the mini rocket launcher mounted to his shoulder. The high explosive round tore through the air with a deadly shriek and raced straight for them. Axel did not stop to think. He pulled Rena tight against his chest covering her as best he could with the tattered remains of his coat. He felt her cold rain soaked weight in his arms and for a heartbeat he knew a strange quiet peace he had never found anywhere else.

𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘮! 

The blast shattered the brick wall beside them. Chunks of concrete and rebar crashed down burying their spot in a ground shaking roar. Axel took the full force of the impact on his back and the world went dark. Thick dust choked the space making him cough and gasp. Yet his arms never loosened around Rena even as pain shot through every bone.

The alley was gone now buried under tons of rubble. Through the barrier Axel heard the commander barking orders but the voice sounded distant like it came from the end of a long tunnel.

"Rena" he rasped dust scratching his throat. He felt her small hand stir weakly against his chest. "You are still here."

Rena coughed softly. "You... you shielded me" she breathed barely loud enough to hear. "I did not think you would."

"Neither did I" Axel said and it was the truest thing he had ever spoken. He felt blood trickle from his thigh wound but it no longer mattered. He scanned the dim cracks between stones searching for any way out.

Outside heavy footsteps drew closer splashing through puddles. The commander was coming to make sure nothing survived this grave.

Axel’s heart hammered fast. In his arms Rena’s breathing grew thinner fainter by the second. If he did not act now they would stay here forgotten forever.

But beside him his silver spear still glowed bright in the dark. And deep in his chest something new was born. The will to live. The will to protect. The will to take back every truth they had stolen from him.

He looked down at her pale face and made his choice. He would not die here. He would not let her die here. And he would not rest until every lie the Order had woven was dragged out into the light.

"I am getting us out" he whispered soft and steady. He felt her cold fingers curl tight around his own.

To be continued