Chapter 10 – Chase of Slaves (4)

All he could hear was his heart beating. The noise of metal clanging; gunfire was firing; people shouting; whether in despair or in pain; the blood curling shouts were something he could not hear. All he could hear was the beating of his heart. He was heavily breathing. His ears were ringing as he was oblivious to the battle happening.

Where am I? Ah, that’s right. A foreign world; got slaved; chased, then got blown away by some explosion that flipped over this sand gator. How absurd. This world is really fucked up. I don’t know why I am still alive after that explosion. I wonder where Kioko is. Where is Shig? Where’s Leiko?

His vision was tunneled red. Red veins appeared on his vision as his flickering-blurry vision made it hard for him to see what’s happening. He tried to lift his head up. But he didn’t find any strength in him. Suddenly, he saw a floating word in front of him. It was not some virtual words that you’d find in any program. It was like he was just seeing floating words.

>Stand up

>Surrender

Then, the ticking of clock happened. All the noise vanished as he could only hear the tick and tock of a clock. What was this? What is this thing? Was this a choice for him? It was obvious what he was going to choose.

>>Stand up

He chooses to stand up. Then, the words floated in front of him. In the middle of his vision, this word shone. He heard his breathing back. He heard the clangs of metal. He heard his own heartbeat thumping loudly. Pain assaulted Joshua. He was weak. He could not stand. But as he focuses his mind staring at the floating word, he felt something pump his heart. Like a defibrillator charging his heart back up. Thump. Thump. Thump. He felt his heart loudly beating as Joshua finally regains air that his lungs craved

He saw a man with a rifle. This man turned the barrel of his rifle at Joshua’s head. He was about to pull the trigger. Joshua didn’t have the strength. But suddenly words floated again.

>RESIST

But this time there was no other option. He focused his mind on that word and suddenly without his will. Joshua grabbed the barrel. He pulled it then let go as the man who was aiming at him fell down. Rolling backward, Joshua stood up weakly. He thought that such words would appear again but he was wrong. He was struck by the butt of the rifle. He felt his cheeks ache in pain. He looked at the rifleman. He was making a sneering face as he was about to execute Joshua.

>RESIST

The same words floated again. Joshua didn’t hesitate to focus his mind on that word. Then, his body moves again without his own will. He kicked the rifleman right in the knee. The rifleman staggered. This allowed Joshua to tackle the rifleman and grab the dagger hung on his belt. Joshua hesitated. But suddenly, the word “KILL” appeared before his eyes.

Joshua paused. Joshua hesitated but heard the sound of Kioko shouting.

When can a man be brave?

When can he stand up for himself?

ROAR!

DO IT!

Joshua shouted!

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

As he plunges the dagger into the rifleman’s throat. Then, the word ‘Kill’ vanished from his sight.

I did. I killed someone! Damn it!

Joshua was not pleased by this. Killing someone was something he was not okay with. He was normal human being. He was not a psychopath who feels nothing about killing someone. But what can he do? What could he do? Offer his life to someone? Joshua had many flaws. He had many troublesome things. But going out on someone’s term? Fuck that!

He could now allow anyone that. That’s why he bit his lip. He truly wanted to cry for the sin of killing. But what mattered was right now. He had to run. And he did! He ran towards where Kioko was and found her being dragged by the hair. It angered him, which made him draw the flintlock pistol on his belt and shoot it at the man’s chest. The man who dragged Kioko looked at Joshua with widened eyes before throwing his head back with his eyes rolled.

Joshua ran to Kioko. But a bullet whiz passes him. He did not see any words that floated. It only meant that the floating words he could see are only available when he is on the brink of death. Indeed, he could feel his body ached. His was still seeing transparent red yet he ran towards Kioko. He pulled her up and piggybacks her.

In the distance, he could see Shig fighting the others in his bull form. He was extremely wounded and he had slashes and bullet wounds on him. Leiko who was on her werecat form fought the others. She saw Joshua carrying Kioko. And seeing her sister safe, Leiko had this look of relief as she then swipes her claws in mid-air and slashes the throat of a rider. The rider fell down and rolled down the sand. Not wasting any time. Leiko mounted the frilled-lizard mount and gallop towards them. She stops before Joshua. Joshua didn’t think of anything and just handed Kioko to her. Then, Leiko pulled the flint-lock pistol from Joshua’s holster and shot another rider near Shig.

Shig saw that the mount and climbed on that lizard. Then, with a swing of his axe, he killed the riders and trot towards them. Without waiting for Joshua’s approval, he grabs him and then Shig dropped something to the ground. Joshua saw that it was a small barrel and seeing the light on it fizzling. Joshua covered his ears as the small barrel explodes.

“GO! I’ve disabled most of their rides! Go now!”

Whipping the lizard, Shig and Leiko rode far from the battle while Joshua clings to the frilled lizard's saddlebag. He looked at the distraught riders. Some of them tried to give chase but they considered their comrades and stopped. Joshua felt relief but then he suddenly feels his head go blank. He lost consciousness.