Kozuna
From the darkness came a creature of human-like form, with scorpion-like features. A shiny black carapace, a tail with a sharpened stinger, and loooong pincer-fists that could probably skin us, alive! Something of a bipedal scorpion, straight outta hell!
The three of us were caught COMPLETELY off guard as the monster charged out, its tiger-orange eyes leaving a short-lived trail of sparkles in the wind. It went for Anari before she could pull a trigger, kicking her with such force that she flew back, slammed into the wall, and slid down to the sand. I swore I heard bones crack, but there was no time to check on Anari.
Nikai and I remained standing, glancing toward her wide-eyed, as the situation escalated in a matter of seconds. It was our turn next. The beast twisted in our direction, exchanging glances with Nikai and me. Its chelicerae widened and engaged, dripping with saliva. Not getting eaten quickly became a top priority.
Nikai grunted, yanking his rifle from his back. "The hell IS THAT?"
Agh- damn it! Guess we're doing this now!
"A man-beast!"
Yvira's sudden burst of volume in our headsets left my ears ringing for a few seconds, and I had to remain focused on what was happening right in front of my face! The wind whipped around fiercely, threatening to shred my sleeves apart and slice my caramel skin to a crimson! The man-beast howled as if it wanted to collapse the canyon on our heads! Nikai and I reflexively covered our faces, but the screech nearly left my eardrums in pieces! The wind itselfseemed to move with the man-beast's voice.
That sound earlier!
"Guys, I've read about them! Don't get too close! They can really pack a punch!"
The swipe of a claw-like pincer whistled through the wind and straight for my head. It showed a dark, ridged reflection of my face. I could only narrowly spring away in time. My heart was officially pumping.
"No kidding!" I scoffed, watching as the man-beast changed targets.
In seconds, the creature we had no clue we'd be facing was darting between Nikai and me, taking on two opponents at once with ease. And strangely enough, its attacks were gaining in power. Its body was letting off some odd, silvery-white glow- like steam rising from a kettle.
Firing off several bullets had zero effect. Each one bounced away and ricocheted into a threat for the rest of us. Nikai nearly cornered himself by taking too much of the beast's attention.
"How do we beat this thing? It's fast as hell! And it ain't getting hurt!"
"I-it depends on the type of man-beast! Uhhh-"
"H-how did the Bahsin manage to keep it from attacking them?" Anari groaned in agony, trying to contribute in any way possible. "Is it possible to tame that damn thing? Maybe there's something in one of these barrels!"
Good thing she's not dead, but she won't be any help in this state! And I can't let Nikai get cornered! No way I'm doing this alone!
I fired my pistol into the man-beast's abdomen multiple times, knowing it wouldn't have much positive effect. "Doubt any of us have the SLIGHTEST clue, CAPTAIN ANARI!"
"I could do without your sarcasm, Kozuna!"
My shots managed to get the man-beast's attention, and that only meant my life was actively in danger again. I backpedaled quickly, keeping my eyes glued to the target!
"Too bad, 'Nari! Yvira, come up with something! FAST!" I shot a glance at Nikai before barely ducking an incoming strike. "Nikai, we've gotta keep it busy!"
"I know that!"
Upon my dodge, the man-beast annoyingly switched targets again. It turned and sprang into the air, utilizing gravity to pounce on Nikai and crunch into his arm. Blood gushed out, and Nikai struggled to hold in his shrieks. His mouth gaped wide as his eyes flipped to the sky.
"AGH! SHIT! BITCH! FUCK! Get the fucking hell off me!"
Nikai tried pulling the chelicerae away with his one free hand, but it was no good. No matter how strong he was.
I danced my knuckle knives from my belt and into my hands. Hesitation wasn't the name of the game- I lunged onto the man-beast's back and ran my blades through the side of its armored cheek with all of my might. But I barely got anywhere!
I watched the carapace crack for a second, but got no further! I felt the full force of that man-beast's heavy arm wham into me. The only difference between Anari and me was that I saw it coming and managed to run a blade through the dirt before I could spinal slam into something.
And even then, I still skidded back. But Nikai had managed to get free, gain a little distance, and squeeze his bleeding arm.
Progress was progress, right?
The man-beast touched the crack on its carapace and let out a bone-chilling snarl. It was clear that all of its attention was then on me, and wouldn't go anywhere else anytime soon.
Think I pissed it off!
The ground quaked when the man-beast burst after me. Time felt as if it had grayed out and slowed- I had to anticipate movements, otherwise I was dead meat! I dove aside and rolled back to my feet before the man-beast even reached my position. Its pincer-fist slammed into the dirt with earth-shattering power that made the entire canyon shake!
Is this just normal for man-beasts!?
At long last, I heard Yvira in my ear. My sigh of relief remained nonexistent, however.
"Guys, I think I've got something! If bullets and blades won't stop him, try to restrain him!"
"And how do we do that?"
"Nikai, Kozuna has the grappling gun and that garrote! Doesn't matter how armored his body is, the man-beast still needs air, right? Restrain first! Then, suffocate him!"
Yvira's the best strategist we've got! I trust her judgment, but-
Nikai and I met eyes, but no other words were spoken. Our gazes then locked with the man-beast's, and despite his injuries, Nikai barreled right back into the fray with a raging battle cry.
"Kozuna, do SOMETHING when you see an opening!"
SOMETHING?
Nikai and the man-beast bolted back and forth, exchanging clearly one-sided blows. All to create an opening for me. I aimed my grappling gun at the man-beast's busted jaw and waited a few moments. I needed Nikai away from the line of fire!
"Nikai, back off!" Yvira shouted, officially calling the shots with Anari decommissioned.
I didn't waste the chance. Once Nikai stepped back and ducked a head-snatching swipe, I let that grappling hook LOOSE! It zoomed across the battlefield and pierced that hardened, external carapace! Enough to dig deep and cause more fractures!
Finally, the man-beast shrieked for once. It wasn't Nikai or Anari or me. Its full, unbridled attention returned to me with a violent pounce. Surprisingly, though?
The man-beast didn't get far, courtesy of fighting two-on-one. It glanced back, realizing that Nikai had hunkered down and held tight to its tail. Nikai struggled to hold the beast back entirely, but inhibiting the creature's movements at all was a huge boon. Especially from someone injured!
My time!
I darted in circles, looping the wire of my grappling hook around the torso and arms as much as possible. I had to hop over the tail a few times and be sure to avoid accidentally getting Nikai caught in there. I kept going until I ran out of wire in the gun, and then I passed it to Nikai.
There was still more to be done. More wire from another place.
I zipped my garrote out from my thick glove. And with the man-beast restrained, choking him out was still difficult, but much easier. He let out gurgling sounds, enraged howls, and overall resisted as much as fucking possible! Even that white mist coming wafting off his body expanded wildly- it touched Nikai and me, burning on contact!
All we could do was endure. If we let go, all the struggle was for nothing!
My skin sizzled, and so did Nikai's. I began to see slight burns forming on my fingertips. However, I clenched my damn teeth, tightened up all around, and continued choking the living hell outta that thing!
It only took a few more minutes before that thing was lying in the sand, unconscious. Thankfully.
Nikai and I fell on our asses, breathing hard as ever. He put pressure on his wounds while I forced myself back up. I wasn't in the worst shape, and Yvira was already headed down to our position. She was the only one with any real medical knowledge and skills.
"Nikai, sit near Anari!" Yvira commanded, just as she arrived. "I can treat you both side-by-side!"
"Alright, alright. Sheesh. Just bleeding the hell out over here-"
"You're not bleeding that bad, Nikai. Knowing you? You could lose limbs and grow 'em back."
"I mean, I am ME," Nikai answered, just as he took a seat beside Anari.
Yvira was already attending to Anari while I kinda meandered around in the background. She switched gears to treating Nikai's crunch wound at Anari's command, though.
"Kozuna, while Yvira's treating us, can you take a peek into the cave? At least confirm this venture was worth the time. And pain."
"Let's just hope another man-beast doesn't jump out at me this time."
I slowly approached the darkness of the cavern as my team conversed in the background.
"Let's see… Nikai, you should take it easy with your arm for a little while. You'll be good in a few days to a week. But Anari? It might be a while before you can walk comfortably. You took a pretty bad hit."
"And how long is a while, Yvira? A week? Two?"
Yvira scoffed and shook her head. "Try longer. Way longer if you actually care about your body."
"Even a week is too long! We've got other missions to do!"
I began to tune the squad out as I stepped into the shadows of the tunnel. The sparkling sight I was greeted with seemed to stretch endlessly into the beyond. I let out a deep breath, feeling some twisted semblance of satisfaction and relief.
"Call for the capture team," I said, my voice echoing greatly. "We've got an abundance of water."
An abundance we're depriving another clan of.
***
Probably half an hour passed after Anari called in for the capture squad. That long wait for our extraction was the most mind-numbing part of the day for me. Nearly dying? That wasn't abnormal at all, really. Even if it was my first time encountering a man-beast.
"So, Yvira- where do these people come from? "Nikai asked, sipping on a glass of water.
"Oh well, man-beasts are believed to be a mutation of humans that existed many years ago. How they actually came about is unknown, and they were hunted by normal humans to near extinction. Those who survived fled and went into hiding. "Yvira paused for a moment, getting noticeably excited. "I've heard rumors of an entire civilization of man-beasts! Can you believe it? If more of them have survived this long, they'd have access to water and maybe even real food! Imagine a discovery like that! All we'd need to do is locate-"
"Yvira, we don't need a history lesson. Not now, anyway. I'd like to relax in peace and quiet. My back's killin' me."
Yvira's lips kinda puffed out at Anari like she was disappointed or something. "You never know when the knowledge will come in handy, Anari. What if one day we meet more man-beasts? What if they can talk? Wouldn't that be amazing-"
A deep tone reverberated throughout the canyon, vibrating against the dirt and rocks. My squad and I turned to see our present man-beast conscious and growling. His eyelids lifted, and his gaze furiously bolted from one person to another. He howled again and again, as if he were calling for help, but no one answered.
I took a few steps back and leaned against a barrel, my hands twitching and gripping my pistol. "This is painful to watch."
"Helluva lot more painful to get chewed on by that thing. The capture squad can decide what to do with it. Let's let it be their problem."
Yvira nodded, watching from a safe distance. "I wonder if we can extract intel from him. I thought man-beasts could speak like regular humans. This one just seems feral."
Anari shook her head and groaned from just that small movement. "Doubtful. He wouldn't willingly tell us anything that would jeopardize his people. He's no different than us. A monster in another shape. Besides, who knows if he even can talk."
"Do you have to be so depressing?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm taking Kozuna's job, aren't I?"
I rubbed my forehead and just let out a long, labored sigh. Apparently, Anari had jokes for once. But that was the last thing we heard before the wind swirled from above. All of us- even the man-beast- gazed above to find numerous helicopters landing in the fort above. A couple more let down a few long ladders for my squad.
Some soldiers slid down ropes, armed to the teeth and ready to secure the perimeter. Not that we hadn't handled the greatest threat in the canyon already. Others carried equipment for transporting injured personnel up and out. The first thing we witnessed was a soldier stabbing the man-beast with a potent tranquilizer.
They weren't about to give him a second to break loose, and I finally got to retrieve my grappling gun. It was the last thing on the agenda before hitching a ride aboard the ladders with my friends.
At long last, it was time to go home.
***
Peace had been restored to the group, albeit with conditions. The flight home with the doors wide open was the best part. Anari relaxed flat on a stretcher, Nikai lounged back in his seat, and Yvira and I sat at the doorway, watching the world go by. We were already above the city.
Some chopper medics tended to Anari and Nikai behind us, leaving Yvira to grab my hand in some sweaty attempt to caress it. My eyes fidgeted as I struggled to ignore it.
"Sooo, Kozuna, when we get back to The Primary, you should lemme thank you properly. For saving my life and all."
I shot a glance her way and raised a single eyebrow without fully turning my head. "Thank me 'properly?'"
"Eh-heh, heh. Yeah. Just me. Thanking you. Properly. "
"You already did."
Yvira's cheeks flushed a bit. Her sweet tone began to shift toward demanding. "LOOK. We're gonna go somewhere, relax a bit, and you will be thanked PROPERLY. That's final!"
Anari, Nikai, and I all silently looked at Yvira with various surprised faces. That small moment caused her to break out of her sudden shift. She glanced around at all of us with a confused expression.
"What? Did I say something inappropriate?"
Anari gave Yvira her classic, slightly pissed-off glare. "What are you so demanding for all of a sudden? Where is all this energy during combat? Normally, all you're interested in is books and ancient nature. If you wanna kiss him, just fucking get it over with already. Damn."
Nikai burst out laughing at Anari's response. Enough to rock the helicopter.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"
I soon stopped paying attention to the conversation. We'd begun our descent toward the landing pad, and our arrival at a small military sector within The Primary.
When we finally landed, several soldiers were waiting for us. One had a wheelchair primed and ready. We all knew who that was for. And the smirky-faced man in charge of them who stood by to greet us was Vice Commander Helix Ozukashi. A lanky bald man with very little facial hair to speak of. A dark, brown goatee, if I could even call it that, plastered to pale brown skin. He dressed in the Ozukashi uniform, same as us, and didn't hesitate to start with his shit the instant we hopped off the helicopter.
"So, heh, what happened to y'all's short lil' squad leader?"
"Nothing! I'm all good!" Anari toned herself to a whisper. "Fuckin' jackass."
"Hah! You don't look so good! Blondie can't even stand on her legs, amirite, Nikai?"
Nikai half-chuckled at best, while I took the wheelchair handles. Anari could only stubbornly fold her arms.
"I'm just playin' witcha. Don't getcha panties in a bunch." Helix motioned for us to follow him. He didn't care for Anari's irate groans for even a moment. "Come on. Y'all need to report to Commander Kaiten."
***
The five of us headed a few buildings down the road, toward the main office. A ruddy structure, and one of the tallest steely spires in the city, holding offices for the most important military members among the top floors. It was where Commander Kaiten and Vice Commander Helix typically operated out of when not in the field. It was also where scout squads made their reports and where special assignments were posted as extra work.
Scout operations weren't like daily military affairs. Usually, scouts had at least a couple of rest days between missions. Assignments could range from a few hours to days or even weeks. And recuperation periods were only longer with injuries.
We stepped into the elevator, greeted by a loooooong stretch of window that granted us a fantastic view of the city as we ascended. Undoubtedly, the best part of an otherwise empty, metal box. The sun had completely set, and the city was illuminated. A more beautiful sight than The Primary during the daytime.
"So. Y'all locate the water source?"
"Yes, sir! It was amazing! Plenty of water for years to come, at least! We also ran into a man-beast and-"
"Yeah, a yes or no would suffice, Yvira."
Yvira sucked her teeth, dropped her smile, and leaned against my side. I'd already folded my arms at Helix's response. Anari and even Nikai had similar demeanors.
"What is it with you people and hating life so much? Is it a crime to feel excitement? Or joy?"
Helix didn't respond. He didn't even acknowledge Yvira. I could only wonder what kind of response he could've mustered. But those few words made the remainder of the elevator ride one of total silence. When we finally reached the top floor, Yvira pressed past Helix and knocked on Commander Kaiten's door before Helix could begin acting smug again. The rest of us followed.
"Come in."
Following behind Yvira and Nikai, I wheeled Anari in. Helix didn't bother joining us, and none of us really wanted him to. The commander was directly ahead, arms folded behind his waist. He stared past a large rectangular window, situated behind his steely desk. A tall man of darker skin with a body well-cared for, even in old age. He also had short, gray hair, a strong facial structure- unlike Helix- and a distinct vertical scar across an eye. Like the rest of us, he wore the standard military getup. And the crossed-blades symbol of the Ozukashi was very visible, printed in the center of the jacket.
"Ah, Anari and Solus Squad." Kaiten slowly and slightly turned his head, showing the right side of his face that still bore its eye. "Welcome. Glad to see you all made it back alive. How did the mission go?"
Been a while since we've seen Commander Kaiten in person. He's usually so busy. Unlike that annoying bastard Helix.
I immediately wheeled Anari up front and stepped back.
"The mission was successful, and our intel was mostly reliable. However, they neglected to mention the presence of a powerful man-beast. This lack of knowledge gravely injured me, as you can plainly see. And, as much as I loathe to admit it, I don't believe I'll be capable of completing assignments for a while."
Kaiten walked around his desk and faced us directly. "Very unfortunate. Your squad is one of our top performers. However, you're scouts. You deal with the unknown more than any military officer ever will, and things happen. For now, I will remove you from our list, Anari, but the remainder of your team will be assigned a substitute for the next upcoming mission. And, of course, excellent work securing the new source of water. Our clan will live longer thanks to the amazing job you four did today."
Yvira crept beside Anari, asking, "Soooo, what's our next mission going to be anyway?"
Kaiten's gaze shifted elsewhere. He gripped one of the swords at his waist. "You'll be investigating a massacre on a town within our territory. It seems the people residing there were wiped out overnight. No survivors. You'll have to canvas around for clues. Currently, we believe another clan may be at work."
I folded my arms as I leaned against the wall. "Was this before or after we took the water source of another clan?"
"Before. Two days ago, to be precise."
Two days?
"Why wait so long to launch an investigation? How much do we know about the situation?"
Kaiten turned and stared back out the window, his restless expression visible in the reflection. "I waited because there were no survivors. I've chosen to tighten security around every other location to prevent more slaughters. We don't know who or what attacked the people living there. Not one body was left at the scene. Just a few bloodstains and broken windows. Signs of a struggle."
Yvira cleared her throat almost nervously. "W-which town was attacked?"
"Jigen. A manufacturing town to the northeast. About a twenty-minute drive from The Primary. Thing is, they were well-defended. It puzzles me."
I pondered silently for a moment. The obvious assumption was that another clan had attacked, but none would give up the opportunity to stake their flag down. Furthermore, why would an enemy clan attack a town so close to The Primary? Several possible aggressors crossed my mind as possible assailants.
Enemy clans, traitors, exiles, man-beasts, terrorists. The list just doesn't end.
I shook my head, briefly shutting my eyelids. "When do we start?"
"You guys will have two days to rest. Your upcoming mission will likely take multiple days at minimum. Nikai, Yvira, and Kozuna, you three will be called back to my office along with your substitute squad leader. Anari, you are to take it easy. Stay at the hospital, and focus on getting better. "Kaiten waved us off with the back of his hand. "That is all for now. Dismissed. You four always do good work, and I appreciate it. I'll ensure you all receive a sizable bonus for your efforts."
The three of us who could stand bowed before we took Anari and left. But we barely got out the door before someone else got started with their shit. And it wasn't Helix that time.
"Alriiight! First things first, I'm gonna take Anari to the hospital. Yvira, I'll give you some alone time to properly thank Kozuna. "Nikai winked and swiftly dragged a moaning and groaning Anari into the elevator, winking at us even more as the doors shut.
Oh, goody.
Yvira grew nervous the moment we were officially alone. "So, what can I do to, um, properly thank you? Kozuna?"
I rapidly pressed the elevator button, knowing full well that I'd have to wait. All I could do was entertain Yvira, but that meant I was doing it my way.
"How much do you know about Jigen, Yvira?"
"Jigen? You gotta answer my question first!"
"If you wanna properly thank me, just give me the info I need. I don't plan on sitting around, waiting for another place to get butchered overnight. If you know anything about the town, tell me."
Yvira's smile vanished entirely. "Well, like the commander stated, it's a manufacturing town. Their main export is weaponry. It's supposed to be well-defended. They're one of the primary three supply lines for the Ozukashi. That's about all I know."
I nodded in response as the two of us entered the elevator when the door finally opened. "Level with me. If someone were to attack a weapons manufacturing plant, what do you think would be the best way?"
"Well, logically speaking, from the inside, right? I mean, trying to break in would be a disaster."
"That's what I was thinking. Needs to be someone from the inside. I hate to even suggest it, but an Ozukashi."
Yvira, catching on quickly, gasped like she was a bad actor in a movie. "You think there's a traitor in our clan?"
"Just a hunch. But whoever they are, they're not to be taken lightly. Massacred an entire town without a single body being left behind. And barely any mess."
Don't even wanna consider the possibility that it's a curse-related problem. I've never dealt with one. Only ever heard mention and rumors.
"Alright, you've convinced me. I'm coming along." Yvira grabbed my hand again, but warmly, that time. "But first, you're gonna get some rest and a warm meal in your stomach. That's not up for debate. Maybe we can watch a movie or something while we eat."
"That's… agreeable, I guess."
Yvira grinned from ear to ear. "Great!"
Nothing wrong with resting for the night, right? I'll get started on this mystery first thing in the morning.