They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

At some point my consciousness is drifting from here and there. I felt my Dad's arms hauled me off my seat. My stomach is still painful. I just want it to end. And drifting off offers the kind of relief I need. 

Yet, not enough. 

There is shuffling next to me. A set of unsettled footprints pacing back and forth to the wooden floor. I heard hissed whispers. A man standing behind the glowing light of crystal orb. 

"Where are the Vojaci? The boss is coming and he needs Five to be sent to him immediately." The gruff voice sounds Lista at the same time not. Lista speak in a soft, gentle voice. Not merciless like him. 

"The Ranker Elders are putting a good fight and left the Boss in slightly damaged state. He's arrival is delayed don't worry. We still have time. You managed to seal Five's blessing?" 

"Yes, I made him drink the blood of that Twylyth woman. He's perfectly under her control now." 

"Hmm, what about Dan, Five's acting father, is the Auf transformation going well? No problem encountered, I presume?" 

From the entrance, the front door burst open and dozen heavy footsteps marched inside. I'm too weak to discern anything. I can't tell who they are, nor see their faces.

"Ah, at last. Don't worry about him. From this day on, Dan is already dead…" 

At the mention of Dad's name, my eyes flutter open. A set of fingers touch my arm. They are strangely hot. I feel my skin burns from the touch. I gasped. Three thin, pale men hovers me, hairless, spotless skulls gleam under the fluorescent light. 

I don't know whether to be shocked or scared.

The men neither have eyes, just empty hollow sockets, cracked white lips and skin so translucent I see the veins underneath. It's like I'm staring eye to eye with undead skull soldiers with hefty armors too big for their bodies with 99% bones, no fat.

Sitting opposite me, is Dad. His face, beyond recognition. I'm feeling nostalgic staring at his inhuman features, it's like Opra all over again. His grey hair stuck up to his scalp like sea urchin. Leaving big red spots on his skull. Some bleeding, others not. 

He no longer possess the kindle light in his eyes, only vicious misty eyeballs. Like he won't hesitate shredding my intestines and marinate it in grilled sticks, before putting over a bonfire. I'm facing another creature. The Father I once knew, is no longer inside of this man who have transformed into an 'Auf'.

A surge of fear breaks over me. Muffling my voice. I held my breath. Tried to withstand the pain in my stomach. Deep down in my heart, I still wish none of this was real. The three skull warriors made a grab of my arms and shoving my head into the table, working together to pin me down. 

I'm already weakened. What's the point of putting up a fight? 

Then I saw Lista's grinning face, the crystal orb I saw he's talking to disappeared. He's looking at me, light illuminating half of his face. Making him look more devilish than he intended to. 

There's no way I'll let them capture me.  I clawed at the arm pinning my head down and dug my teeth as hard as I could to his bony wrist. The skull warrior clamp his bitten wrist and let out a horrible shriek. I blow the other one with my elbow, perfectly hitting his jaw. He staggered backwards. 

But the last one is determined to hold me down. He grabbed my hair and slammed my cheek in the table. My skull ringing at the impact. He growled as I grit my teeth to raise my head. His face three inch closer I can smell his rotten breath. I used the opportunity and bang my chair to his ironclad armor. 

He didn't budge. But the force distract him to loosen his grip on me and I twist my body and delivered a clean punch on his jaw. He staggered. That wasn't enough. I get off the chair and hurled it against his bare spine. He groaned at the impact. And collapsed on my feet.

I caught a glimpse of Lista, no longer smiling. He clapped once and pointed me with his inclined palm. A sign for straight forward, could also taken as 'take him down'. The skull warriors advanced on me. 

The one whom I bit his wrist lunge at me. I planted my hands on the floor and flip, both my feet found it's way on his shoulder and I clamped with all strength I could get to choke him. I leap and twist in mid-air. Bringing with me his vulnerable neck. 

I certainly heard the SNAP of bones and tendons alike. He collapsed, certainly dead on the floor. Another second and he burst into cloud of ashes. I'm quick on my feet. I'm proud of all the acrobats and somersaults I did with the Beasts. My favorite… is to leap against walls as high as possible and clamp my hands on their scalp and chin. Bringing it down with me. Breaking their necks in the process.

And that's what I did to the other incoming three. They're quick on their feet, strength stronger than mine, but they're not agile enough to jump on tables and ceilings to match my speed. My stomach feels like it's ripping my intestines and ribs apart.   

There are others standing guard to the front door. I went up to the kitchen, coming straight to my only chance of escape. The windows. I'm almost at the door but two other skull warriors lie waiting for my coming. 

I grab the nearest thing I could reach. A stool. I whacked one straight to the face. He wobbled. If he possibly had eyes, his eyeballs might have been ringing by now. A piece of wood, with barely sharpen edge is what I use to pierce the two in the neck. 

They pop into dust. My ears caught flapping of wings behind me. I looked over my shoulder. Wood dripping with what seems like skull warrior blood ready. What I didn't expect…is my enemy at the ceiling, hovering above me. 

It was too late. Not because I was too slow to react….It was my Dad.. in his Auf form with leathery wings. I hesitated. And that was my greatest mistake. He smack me with his talons at the cheek, force so strong I was flung right across the kitchen. Head hitting at the nearby wall.

My neck was warm because of my blood. And I collapsed.