The World Of Steam

23

We strolled around the burning and smoking ruins of London, still trying to gather up ideas, but nothing coming to mind. We had to think of something soon. There was no time to waste. Who knew what other problems we might run into? The frightful list was endless and every single possibility would end in disaster. The stress of the civil war was already enough for me. I did not want anything else to deal with. I tried to push the ugly thought to the back of my mind and simply get on with the task at hand, but it still lurked there, trying to break me. It clawed at the inside of my skull like a little demon, trying to get out, trying to have its way. It told me of all the problems and troubles that I might run into, told me that I should give up now. But I was not going to listen to it, this burden was mine and mine alone. There was no one else that could do it and I was responsible for giving the people a better future. This industrial country was going to be the death of us all if I did not do something soon. Jennix may have been my companion now, but I did not want to lead her into any danger. The stresses that this kingdom induced was enough to turn anyone into a quivering and sobbing heap. With a war now terrorising the country, the death rate had increased drastically. I could only imagine what the crematoriums must have looked like and at the same time, I did not want to find out. There was no fame to be won here. Suddenly, there came the sound of marching footsteps and we saw all of the civilians immediately part the streets, making way for someone. Some hid away in alleyways, spooked. Doors were quickly swung closed, locked and bolted. Curtains were drawn shut. One man was about to kill his target, raising a knife into the air, ready to cut his heart out. Hearing the nearing mass of synchronised feet, he stood up and retreated. The lucky man also scrambled up as quickly as he could and disappeared into an alleyway. Turning around, we saw a squad of people coming towards us. They all wore identical black gas masks and matching long black trench coats, looking like German Stormtroopers. Every single one of them had a long rifle slung onto their back, a large metallic gun holstered onto their hip and a longsword strapped to themselves, contained in a shining steel scabbard.

"Who are they?" My companion asked as we stepped away from the road and onto the pavement, allowing them to pass.

"The Black Mark." I replied. "Search and destroy troops. Best to stay clear from them."

The Black Mark marched right by us, not noticing, and went on their way. We were about to continue walking onwards when suddenly, the man at the front lifted his hand up, clenched into a fist. The squad instantly stopped in place, their marching footsteps silenced in unison, and the man turned around, looking straight at us. He suddenly pointed a finger. The rest of the squad turned around and looked at us, their gloved hands going for their rifles. Before they even began to grab their weapons, me and my companion had already begun to flee.

"Get them!" One of The Black Mark soldiers ordered. Even though we had a head start, they already began gaining on us, quickly closing the gap. That was the disadvantage of fighting against soldiers, they were much more superior than the ordinary thief. Years of military training and experience with dealing with their enemies were under their belts, making them the perfect army. Nothing escaped them. Everyone that faced them either ended up dead or off the radar. We ran through the streets and alleyways of London, trying our best to escape. I suddenly grabbed my companion, dragging her behind an alleyway and we hid in the shadows. The Black Mark ran straight past us, but a small handful stopped in the alleyway, searching for us.

"Remind me again why we are searching for these two in particular?" One of them asked.

"Well, our leader seems to think that they are terrorists." Another replied.

"How?"

"He thinks that they both want to prolong the gas and make it even deadlier. Global extinction."

"But why?"

"I don't know and I don't care. I just want to kill them and get this over and done with. We have more pressing matters at hand than having to stop a pair of terrorists."

"True."

Jennix looked at me and I nodded, acknowledging her silent words. I silently drew my sword out, doing my best not to make the metal scrape against the scabbard. My companion reached into her coat and also drew out a gleaming sword. The girl was not so defenceless after all. We stood up and The Black Mark all turned around, seeing us. We engaged in a fight and swung our swords at them, taking away their lives, one by one. Four dropped dead, but more came at us. I soon realised that we were going to be overwhelmed and so shouted a warning.

"Run!" I twisted around and sprinted off. My companion took the order without one hint and ran after me. The survivors pursued after us, jumping over the corpses of their comrades. Suddenly, we found our path blocked by more soldiers of The Black Mark and found ourselves surrounded. We fought on, doing all that we could to survive. I heard my companion cry out and cut down another soldier, just before snapping my head towards her. I saw her slash open the throat of one of them before stabbing the other through the head. There was a long and deep scar going across one of her eyes, blood running down it. Enraged, I stepped over to her and killed every one of the soldiers that surrounded her. Suddenly, there was a shout.

"Stop!"

The Black Mark went to stab at us, went to finish us off when they all stopped in place. Without question, they all sheathed their swords and stepped away from us, but still surrounded us, offering us no way out. A man stepped through the soldiers and stopped, looked at us. He was dressed in a long, startlingly white trench coat, a matching white gas mask on his head. The Black Mark leader looked down at the corpses of his soldiers and cursed quietly. Sighing, he looked up at us.

"Why can't you both just give up?" He asked us. "It will make it easier for the both of you. But no, you had to start a huge fight, taking away the lives of good men. Our job here is to stop the terrorists, not to prolong the terror."

"Sto – stop the terrorists?" I said. "You're here to stop the terrorists?" I suddenly laughed and Jennix looked at me in confusion. "You're insane if you think that I am going to believe that."

The Black Mark leader looked at the soldiers behind us and nodded. Suddenly, bags were put over our heads, and then everything went dark.