War Machines

21

     I went through my usual exercise routine and had just been considering a walk to try to help clear my head when it happened. For no discernible reason, a feeling of unease swept over me. My heart rate skyrocketed, my breathing sped up to match, and my muscles tensed. I crouched, drawing my weapon and looking all around. But nothing seemed to have changed. The ground steamed, the rain from earlier evaporating as the skies cleared and the sun warmed the land. It was quiet, but not overly quiet. I could hear birdsong, the hum and buzz of insects. I saw no sign of enemies, no indication of an incoming attack. Not even my rift senses were detecting anything out of the usual, but something was wrong. Something had happened, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

     I idly wondered where Zeke was as I got my armor on to do a quick patrol of the building and its surrounding area. Nothing. And yet, the feeling of unease remained. In fact, the more time passed, the worse it seemed to get. I stopped, puzzled. Then I sank to the ground. I had long ago learned to trust my instincts. Right now, I couldn't pinpoint the source of whatever it was that had disturbed me through any of the usual means. So the best tactical decision now would be to try unusual means. Nothing was more "unusual" than the techniques Zeke had taught me.

     I got myself as comfortable as I could on the somewhat-damp slab of rock I'd chosen to sit on and laid the bladed rifle across my lap, where I could rest my hands on it. Maybe a technique that Zeke had taught me to help relax and meditate could help solve this mystery? The last time I tried it, I'd become hyper-aware of everything around me. Right now, that enhanced level of awareness might be just what I needed. Alright. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Then I let it out, tamping down my draw on rift energy to a point well below what my training had dictated. Once the energy was down to a slight trickle, my senses opened. Now I could concentrate, focusing on that feeling of unease.

     At first, nothing changed. But I gradually began to hear sound, yelling, voices raised in anger. The sound wasn't coming from anything around me. With the exception of the breeze that ruffled the leaves in the trees, it was still relatively quiet. Yet somehow, my ears were being assaulted with violent noise. I could see nothing but darkness, darkness even greater than what I could normally see through my closed eyes in the sunshine. But even in this unnatural darkness, I could sense the presence of others. They were surrounding me, a furious mob that yelled and screamed and cursed and spit. There was pain. My head throbbed. My wrists and ankles hurt as something dug into them. My shoulders ached from my arms being brutally pulled back. The ground was cold. I was being dragged. My armor was off, gravel digging into my skin. All over my body, I could feel a series of dull and sharp pains as blows landed, hands and feet and objects. More pain, something snapping in my right foot as someone stomped on it. Wetness as a bottle smashed over my head.

     My breathing quickened again, my hands tightening on my weapon. Something metallic rattled near me, and something cold brushed against my cheek. Now I felt excruciating pain, coming from behind and above me where no limb I'd ever had was suddenly impaled.

     I gasped, opening my eyes and falling forward onto my hands and knees. I screamed in agony as the pain was repeated on the other side. There was pulling now, a terrible stretching. Something was tearing at delicate membranes and straining joints I'd never had as I was raised into the air. The weight of my body was suddenly suspended in the most unnatural, torturous fashion. I gasped again, finally understanding the source of all this horror. "Zeke!"

     I barely paused long enough to pick up my weapon before I was running as fast as I could. I could still sense him, his pain and humiliation and anger as the assault continued. I could hear loud cracks. With each crack, something lanced across his back, tearing at his flesh, bringing more pain to his already-battered wings. But now this stopped. Dull pains now, multiple places all over his body. Different objects were striking him, bouncing off of his body and leaving cuts and bruises in their wake. I could smell smoke, a fire started nearby. His armor was off. His body was exposed, leaving him open for the abuse he'd already taken and waiting for the pain still to come.