He's All I Have Now... (AMITA ROUTE)

VII

Previously...
Before they even got the chance to say something, the man spoke in a deep voice and a thick accent.
"Welcome. I am Longinus."

The man waved for them to come inside. When he looked up, his eyes shined with delight... well, from what Taro could see. "And you!" He gets up, walking to the two. "You are Ajay!"
Taro rolled his eyes a bit. So everyone knows him? How?
"Welcome to my church, away from church!" He sounded so happy.
"That sells guns?" Ajay pointed out.
"Of course! For the meek shall inherit the earth, my friend, all they need are some good guns... Revelation 5.5, it is the most... invigorating read. 'And one of the elders sayeth unto me, weep not!: behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed, to open the book, and loose the seven seals thereof.'"
Taro just blinked at this... guy. O-kay, this guy's got a couple of screws loose.
"Uh—" Ajay was about to speak, until the man continued on.
"It is our Savior! It is our Savior, returned to us as a lion, a warrior! So, I started thinking to myself. When the Son of God is reborn, what gun would he use?"
"Wh—"
"When Christ returns to break the seven seals and bring about the Rapture, he returns as a lion, yes? A lion... needs teeth. What gun would Jesus choose?"
"Stop laughing," Ajay nudged Taro. He had laughed every time Longinus would interrupt him.
"Deuteronomy 32-47? 'For there are no empty words for you..." he picked up a gun, slowly moving it from side to side, "but your very life!'"
Taro jumped and backed up when Longinus held the weapon up to them. He could see Ajay flinch, but he slightly raised an arm in a protective manner.
Longinus put the gun down and went to another, saying, "Or maybe! Revelations... 19-11. 'The discretion of a man... deferreth his anger..." he circled the gun in the two's direction. For once, Ajay got out more than a sound. "I don't know what you're—"
"A soldier! Knows!"
Taro sputtered out a laugh, covering his mouth as Longinus continued. "A soldier, always knows," he comes to the boys, wrapping his arms around their backs and leading them towards the table he once sat at, "for we have seen the Rapture and survived it. You need guns to do righteous work, Ajay... for every gun, is a bible. For every bullet, is a sermon. And for every tower that you free! from Pagan's lies... I will give you something... a reward." He finally looked at Taro. "It is the will of God, young one."
"Um... okay?"
"Here," he grabbed a couple of small weapons. "This... is for the first one." He handed Taro a 'Mr. Sandman' gun, as he called it. Basically a tranquilizer gun. He held a Scorpion in his other hand for Ajay, but his radio buzzed in.
"We are under attack! We need fighters here now!"
"Is that Sabal?" Taro blinked.
"Sabal, what's happening?" Ajay spoke into the radio.
"Banapur is under attack! Stay awa—" He cut out before he could finish what he was saying.
"Shit," Ajay put the radio away, taking the gun from Longinus. The man smiled. "And he said to them, 'Go forth, into all the world, and proclaim the gospel, to the whole of creation!'" Once the boys left, the door slammed shut. Ajay rushes to find a vehicle.
"What happened?" Taro looked up at him.
"Banapur's under attack. That's all I know."
"Oh no..." Taro got worried about all the people there. They found a vehicle and hopped on, driving back to the village.
"I really hope no one's hurt." Taro said, holding onto Ajay so he didn't fall.
"I hope so too." Ajay nodded. They drove as fast as they could until they reached Banapur. "Shit. Too many cars in the way."
"Looks like we'll have to go on foot." Taro said. They hopped off and started running to the village. Taro grabbed Ajay's radio. "We're here, Sabal! What can we do to help?"
"Dammit!" Sabal cursed. "Just keep your head down and rescue whoever you can. I'm not far, I'll be there soon with help."
"Got it!" Taro gave Ajay his radio back. When they ran into the village, they saw tons of Royal Army men. "Alright, just like Hoyt's goons all over again..." Taro mumbled to himself. He looked around and found a sniper rifle, along with an ak-47. "Ajay!" He grabbed the guns, throwing the AK to his friend. He climbed up onto a building's roof and began firing. He saw Ajay helping out others down on the ground. One man almost ran up on him with a knife, but Taro shot the man before he could do so. The fight went on for a while. Taro has a Molotov thrown at him, and he managed to get off the roof unscathed. He used his new tranquilizer on the ground. Ajay and Taro met up down by the fields. They fought off the rest of the reinforcements until Ajay's radio crackled again.
"I see soldiers heading for the Community Pucca!" Amita's voice said.
"That's where we put Bhadra! Ajay, get her out!"
"I'm a little busy!" Ajay was still shooting some of the leftover enemies. Taro started running towards the building. "I'll get her!"
He managed to get to the building, but an explosive barrel connected to the building, exploding and setting the building on fire. As Taro was knocked back from the explosion, he could hear Bhadra scream. He smacked his head against the ground hard. When he turned over, his vision was spinning. "Ugh... never missed that..." he got up, seeing the building burning. "Oh no..." he hurried into the building, jumping through the open window. "Bhadra! Bhadra, where are you?!" He looked around. The smoke was getting too strong. He coughed and tried to cover his nose so he didn't inhale too much of it. "Bhadra!" Taro shouted through his shirt.

Meanwhile, Ajay killed the last of the soldiers, and Sabal arrived just barely after the fight. He saw Ajay and ran to him. "Are you alright? Do you have Bhadra?"
"No, Taro went to get her."
"Then where the hell is he?!" Sabal paced as Amita stormed to the men. "The Pucca's on fire! There was an explosive barrel next to it!"
Ajay looked up towards the building. "He might not even be inside." He ran to the building. "Taro!" He shouted. He could hear faint footsteps, and the front door of the building fell down.
There was a pair smoggy, dirty looking people that had collapsed to the ground. Ajay's eyes widen. "Shit," he was quick to help them up. Taro coughed and looked up. He was smudge-covered. "I-I'm alright." He looked over, seeing Bhadra he helped up by Amita. Sabal came over and smiled. "Good job, brother." He looks to Amita. "The people need to see her, it'll comfort them."
Amita looked cross, snapping, "She's just a child, Sabal, and she's terrified! I'll take her home, and then we'll worry about the people, okay?"

Taro tried to wipe some of the smoke off of his face. His head was bleeding a bit from where it hit the ground from the explosion. Bhadra ran to him and hugged him, crying. "Thank you!"
Taro, a bit startled by her, just hugged her back. "You're okay..."
Ajay was happy neither of them were hurt... well, too badly.
Amita pulled Bhadra away from Taro. She glared at Sabal. "This is what we get for rescuing these two. We hit Paul's house, he slaughters a village!"
"This isn't on Ajay or Taro, it's on me... but we can't worry about that now, they took the outpost... and they have hostages." Sabal was upset and stormed off.
"Fine. The outpost first. Without it, we're cut off from the others." Amita lead Bhadra away from the Pucca. Taro sighed. "Y'know... I'm getting the feeling she doesn't like us."
"Maybe it's just you."
"Hey! I almost died, y'know!" Taro smacked Ajay's arm.
He looked down at the other. "Are you sure you're alright? You're bleeding." He barely touched the scrape on Taro's forehead. He hissed in pain. "Ow, ow, ow!"
"C'mon," Ajay took him back to their home. He patched up Taro. "... you look kinda tough."
"Huh?"
"With the little cuts and bruises on your face. You look tough."
Taro blinked. He laughed a bit. "Thank you?... hey, Ajay?"
"What?"
Taro sighed. "Do you think we'll actually be able to scatter our parents' ashes?"
Ajay pauses. He looks at Taro closely. "... you sure you don't have any more injuries?"