"Brookhan! Shield us! Krizz, reserve your Heat Arrows!" Fodio barked, stepping into his role as a tactical guide. The two didn't hesitate; Brookhan stood like a wall while Fodio prepared his shots. "Boss! I’m going to empty my quiver!" Fodio yelled, his face unusually grim.

  The two giant Wild Corrupts lunged. One swung a massive, heavy fist toward Brookhan. CLANG! The impact was soul-shaking, forcing Brookhan back several steps, but he held his ground. Meanwhile, Fodio let fly three Heat Arrows in rapid succession. They detonated on the mechanoid's shoulder, blowing its arm clean off, yet the machine continued to fight with terrifying persistence.

  "Fodio! Watch out!" Brendarg shouted, spinning to parry a strike from a Toaddah-cultist who had emerged from the shadows. Denki and Grekknark were already deep in the fray, fending off the rest of the cultists. The cultist leader, wearing a wicked smirk, joined the dance of blades, wielding a strange, jagged dagger.

  "What do you want from us?!" Denki roared at the leader. The cultist’s grin widened. "You're all going to die here! Hehe... ribbit."

  Fodio’s team managed to dismantle the first giant. Without missing a beat, he charged the second one. "Hahaha! You’re next! Come on!" he taunted, shouting at the emotionless machine. "Stop talking to the mechanoids! You look like an idiot!" Brendarg yelled over the din of battle. Fodio just laughed louder. In that moment, he felt the spirit of his old unit, the Medallion Dog Mercenary Corp. He could almost see his former leader and brothers fighting alongside him—fearless, relentless, and unyielding.

  "BOSS DENKI!!!! WATCH THIS!!" he cheered.

  BOOM!

  The last giant Wild Corrupt exploded into scrap metal. Only one enemy remained: the cultist leader. "Am I the one you're after? Come and get me!" Fodio challenged. "Brendarg! Lend me your spare dagger!" Startled, Brendarg reached into her hidden boot holster and hurled the blade toward him.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Fodio, Denki, and Grekknark formed a triangle, trapping the cultist in the center. They struck at once.

  CLANK! CLANK! STING! SLASH!

  The group watched in awe as Fodio fought with a newfound aggression. He moved with a grace they hadn't seen before, weaving through strikes like a ghost.

  STING! SLASH! SLASH! "Grrr... hehehe... Tell me! Who hired you?" Fodio growled, pinning the leader’s dagger with his own while Denki’s sword pressured the other side. "Who?!" Denki demanded.

  BANG!! Grekknark’s heavy weapon shattered the floor as the cultist barely rolled away, suffering a deep gash on his arm.

  Denki and Fodio didn't give him a second to breathe. They lunged in unison.

  SLASH! SLASH! STING!

  The cultist leader took hits to his ribs and throat. "Haha... ha... cough... You're all... still... doomed... heh..." he wheezed before collapsing.

  As the cultist fell, his jagged dagger remained embedded deep in Fodio’s leg.

  "Sss... arrrggg... It's not that deep..." Fodio hissed, gritting his teeth. He pried the dead man's hand off the hilt and tossed the dagger aside.

  "Area clear!" Brookhan signaled. "Thanks for the backup!" Fodio called out to the cyborg.

  With the battle over, they tended to their wounds, wrapping bandages and retreating to the edge of the chamber to recover.

  "Damn it... who is constantly tracking us?" Denki asked, wiping blood from his forehead.

  "It’s the same person who held the leash on the Grimz leader, Boss," Fodio replied darkly. "The Belekturr (Foxes) are masters of deception. Never trust them."

  Denki remembered the Grimz leader’s final words: 'I was just a victim too.' "Why did he say he was a victim?" Denki asked. "Because Milla is holding his son, Grangii, hostage," Fodio said, tightening the bandage on his leg. "He did everything—the raids, the killings—just to keep his son safe in a Belekturr prison."

  Denki’s heart grew heavy. "That’s... that's pure evil." "But why were you the target back then?" Denki asked Fodio. "Because I was the one who told him that Milla took his son," Fodio sighed. "But Milla twisted the truth. She made me the villain. She destroyed my reputation and turned my own friends against me."

  "I'm glad I finally asked," Denki said. "I almost forgot."

  "Sir! There's a path going up over here!" Brookhan shouted from across the room.

  "Alright! Everyone, get ready!" Denki commanded.

  The team began their ascent... but as they climbed, Fodio felt a strange, cold sensation spreading from the wound in his leg.

  To be continued...