The Shadow Man

Sixteen

"Your friends are on their way."
The voices declare.
"Good, I'll have a lot of fun watching them kick your-"
The Dark form whips around and stabs me between my ribs.
I release a low growl.
"Perhaps you can dream about it."
They reply.
"What have you done to me?"
I ask as my body begins to stop responding.
"O'lin neurotoxin. It is not lethal, but I hear it is quite painful."
I feel my nerves being attacking me as pain shoots through me.
I feel my insides being shredded apart.
"The first thing you will feel is your nerves acting up in order to keep themselves awake. After that, your body will begin to shut down."
I loose feeling in my legs.
My waist stings as I feel as though I am being separated from my lower half.
"The last thing you will be left with, is a beating heart."
I feel the Entity lay its claws on my bare chest, pin pointing my heart.
"Oh the kill would be so easy right now."
He drags one of his claws across my chest, cutting me slightly, but I'm too distracted to care.
"But I must spare you, your death will be far more...extreme."
I feel a blow land as my vision fails me and the world fades to black.
"Rest now. Your friends will be here soon."
I have to warn them...Alice...I need...Run...

The guard stands at the walls opening, with his weapon in his hand.
I've seen this before.
When I was training for the imperial army, one of the defensive tactics taught, was to lure your enemy into the strike zone under the rouse of being shorthanded.
When the enemy advances, block off any escape.
The moment we step into those walls, we've already lost.
But if that's the tactic they're using, it's already too late.
From what I've read, and the files available, Captain Rone is known for his skills and ability to improvise his plans when unexpected changes occur.
Without another thought, I take the shot.
A blast of hard light escapes the barrel of the energy rifle given to me by Larson.
The guard is thrown back 6 feet by the shot to the chest.
He didn't see it coming.
I see Rone through the scope, giving me a thumbs up.
He and Kree raise their rifles, and carefully make their way in.
Xander and Judger have taken up positions up top.
"Alright, it's clear, Kal, we're going to clear out the inside, once we're sure that entity isn't here, then you rendezvous with us."
He says.
Smart.
The entity threatened to kill them all if they brought anyone else, having me hang back is a good call.
As a child I was told stories about the Entity.
They called him the ShadowMan.
Stories were told about him to frighten the children of the villages.
Some called him the Other.
I didn't believe he was real, until he made himself known to us.
Our village angered him by trying to move somewhere out of his territory.
And in response, he wiped out all of our warriors.
They were powerless to stop him as he massacred every single one of them.
I have no idea how these people plan to stop him if he comes back, there is nothing they can do.
If they are successful, I will get myself back home.
Once I get home they will cease to be my problem.
"Get down here, nobody seems to be home."
As I approach the massive wall, I see footprints where Rone nor Kree have stepped.
Someone is home.
I extend the blade from my wrist, and spear it into the air.
A hear gravel crunch as if someone has flinched.
"Captain. We are not alone here."
I warn.
"What do you mean? Who else is here?"
He asks.
"Besides the soldiers inside that compound, the Unseen are likely stalking us."
I reply.
Kree staggers back as an invisible fist lands a blow to his cheek.
Rone lifts his gun and takes aim at an opponent he cannot see.
We stand back to back.
"Look for ripples in the air, discoloration and abnormalities in your field of vision. They use gas to reflect their surroundings around them."
I take a swing in the air, forcing one of them to relocate.
I see a leg.
Rone without hesitation takes a shot.
A small spark of electricity drops the bullet harmlessly to the ground.
"Gah I hate that."
He growls.
Kree turns and unloads his rifle at the spot.
Sparks fly but eventually the Nolite misses one, and the bullet glides through his armor knocking him to the ground.
He lifts his staff but before it has a chance to change its shape, Rone stomps his wrist into the ground, knocking the weapon from his hand.
I kick it away as Rone takes over.
With his hand gripping his collar, Rone pulls him to his feet.
"How many are there?"
He asks.
Kree keeps his gun trained on him as Xander and Judger arrive.
The man jerks his head slightly.
Without hesitation, I turn and slip my blade into the assassin behind me.
A form comes out of mid air and tackles me to the ground.
Kree raises his gun to the mans head.
He backhands Kree, knocking him back.
As the man raises his fist with a knife in his hand, Judger counters with a kick to the chest.
The man flies off me, slamming into the wall with a resounding thud.
A blast of energy hits Judger, and he falls limp. 
Kree and I get back up, ready to fight the rest of the Unseen.
Two down, who knows how many more there are.
Rone lunges forward as a kick lands on the back of his head.
An uppercut lifts him into the air.
The gas spills into the air, disorienting all of us.
I hear Xander let out a yelp.
Something heavy slams into my back, knocking me to the ground.
I start to get back up, something hard crashes into my ribs.
I growl and grit my teeth in pain as a crack forms in my ribs.
As I lay there in pain, something grabs the back of my neck and hurls me into the air.
My body hits a tree sending splinters flying out the other side.
I hit the ground, unable to lift myself.
My eyes drift up to meet my attacker.
It's him.
"The Heretic."
The myriad of voices speak in unison.
"You brought them to me. Well done. Now we can begin."