The Time Before

Norral : A job well done

Chapter 2 : A job well done

I love the screams.

With casual ease I gestured downwards and the person I held in the air plummeted to the ground. The head hit the compact earth with a satisfying crunch and disintegrated like an over-ripe melon. The body followed, blood squirting out from the many wounds like mini-geysers coating everything nearby. Movement to my left and I swung round. A claw-like gesture and the would-be attacker's heart exploded in his chest. My favourite death scream ripped from his throat for just a few precious seconds before his lifeless body crumpled to the floor.

Behind me and I saw a line of children running hand in hand away from the town centre towards the gates. A boy of about 15 led the way, shouting encouragement to the younger ones. Laughing manically I swiped my hand through the air and watched as the razor-sharp force sliced his head off creating a cacophony of sweet screams from the panic stricken children. Another swipe and a row of hands are sliced off changing the screams to the beautiful pitch only pain can cause.

They split up, leaderless, and begin to run. Annoyed that they might get away I chopped down with both hands creating two invisible walls in front and behind them. The faster runners hit my force and fell backwards. Seconds later, as I whip my hands together in a clap, the two walls slammed together squashing everything caught between them. More blood filled the street already awash with red.

With no signs of life around me I spared a chance to look around. I could see more of my brothers enjoying the screams; the citizens of the town dying in a multitude of ways. Bruos, standing guard by the gate, was confronted by a squad of horseback militia. They galloped toward him, almost obscured by the dust cloud they kicked up. At about 50 paces away Bruos jumped and threw out a palm. The ground shook in command as he landed, and a ripple spread out in a line toward the fast moving horses. It hit them and exploded, man and horse alike are tossed into the air, landing in a tangled heap of mangled bodies.

An old man further down another street spun violently through the air, bourne by the force of our squadleader, Darak. He continued the torture with a laugh similar to my own, almost shaking the life out of the crippled body. An equally old woman, brandishing a hoe, suicidally stepped out to the old man's aid. Darak merely pointed to a nearby window and the old woman watched in horror as her husband flew headfirst into the top floor of an inn. Glass and blood exploded out from the impact. Before she could even gather the breath to scream he turned his glare to her and performed his specialty. No brother could perform this quite like Darak. Her arms, legs and head immediately contorted in angles clearly not natural. A second passed as the magic battled flesh and bone and then all the limbs flew in different directions. The torso fell to the floor with an unelegant splat.

Looking up Darak noticed me and waved a greeting before turning on a mother protecting a baby. A glint of metal flashed in the sun and I reacted instinctively. As the arrow thundered towards Darak's unprotected back I threw my palm forward. Time seemed to slow as my spell raced to catch up. Just as the arror-tip teased the fabric of his robes it stopped and fell to ash at his feet.

Awareness caught up with Darak and he spuns on his feet, hands held up. He saw the flakes falling to the ground and looked back at me. His face looked distraught and he gave me the sign I was expecting. This town was turning into trouble and we needed to finish the job quickly.

I raised my right arm into the air and sent a large plume of red smoke up into the air. With my left hand I gestured in the direction the arrow came from and I watched with satisfaction as the building the sniper was hiding in exploded under the impact of a massive fireball.

Just a few minutes later I stood surrounded by ten of my brothers, rallied by the signal. Darak joined us and I give the nod to begin the group incantation.

Our voices rose into the smoke-filled air and a tremor was felt in the earth. Our hands all moved in long practiced gestures as we completed the specific runes in perfect co-ordination. Dark clouds gathered over our heads and then quickly spread to cover the entire town.

At exactly the same time we all stabbed our hands into the air. Scores of lightning bolts thundered out of the clouds. Buildings, walls, trees and stray survivors alike, exploded. On and on the lightning continued, searching insatiably for any more life; the boiling clouds overhead dark and terrible.

I continued my part, losing myself in the ritual and paying no attention to anything but Darak. After what seemed like days I saw his left hand come down and immediately we all mimic. The lightning ceased and the clouds disappeared in a silence so sudden it seemed deafening. Moving away from my brothers I looked around the once busy town. Nothing higher than my knee remains standing. In the distance smoke rose from the once mighty gatehouse; the only entrance into the walled town. Now what remained of the wall protects nothing but blood, rubble and corpses.

A job well done.

~

"Have you been told why you have been called here Norral?"

"No" I responded simply.

I'd received the summons only fourty minutes ago, and asking no questions of the messenger I'd hastened to obey. I had spent time racking my brains during the brief journey, for anything I'd done that would deserve punishment. I waited in front of the Elders, nervously looking anywhere but the Leader's dark eyes.

"We heard news of your most recent assignment with some disappointment. Under direction of your squadleader, Darak, you initiated a Doom Cloud event. This choice led to the destruction of every citizen of the town of Frenquath. You know, as well as Darak does, the first directive for any assignment is to always leave at least one survivor to report back. I trust you can explain this... lapse?"

His eyes burned into me and his aura of power seemed so strong I wavered on my feet. Forcing my eyes away didn't help. Equally hard eyes met me from every Elder. I swallowed hard and replied.

"We came under attack sir. They had archers in hidden locations and with Darak's authority I decided to minimise the threat with the actions I took."

"Hmmmm, we've heard of the arrow attack. Never before have they managed to let loose so much as one arrow. How come this time was different?"

The stares still pounded me.

"This town was more than twice the size of anything that's been attacked before Sir. We thought we had it in control but it appears we underestimated them. Given the size, and the circumstances, I felt we had to make an example of them."

Against my wildest expectations the Elders start nodding in agreement, and then the Leader smiled! Before I could think more on this startling change he spoke again.

"Darak has recommended you for promotion."

My heart pounded at this news. I'd been second in command of Darak's Eraser squad for over a year. Could I finally get a promotion? Surely not after our mistake!

"He reports that in your latest assignment you handled yourself admirably, and saved his life from this lucky arrow shot. You then proceeded to finish the task quickly and efficiently. He recommends you for command of your own team."

This was it. I tried hard to control my excitement. The Leader continued.

"Had that arrow succeeded we would have experienced our first ever casualty in this war. I'm sure you can appreciate how damaging the resulting morale boost to our enemies would be. So far we seem invincible and that alone will guarantee far more victories than brute force ever will. We have looked at the rest of your assignment results and after due consideration agree with Darak's recommendation. You will be given a squad of your own to command. Now we shall see just what you are capable of."

"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir," I responded formally.

"It's your choice for this first command. You can choose one from any of these three targets we need to despatch a squad to. You can continue our advancement by taking out the town of Etonreh. You can intercept and destroy a military supply caravan that an advance scouting party has learnt of. Or you can regain control of a bridge that one annoying Captain is holding to the south, preventing our own caravans. What do you choose Eraser Squadleader Norral?"