The Spark of the Shield and the Shadow of the Grimz

  THUD!

  Brookhan’s shield met the enemy’s blade with a bone-jarring impact. His arms trembled under the raw force of the strike, but as the enemy pressed closer...BOOM! CLANK! CLANK!

  Metallic bearings erupted from the mechanism of his shield like shrapnel. The attacker collapsed instantly, clutching his eyes where the bearings had struck. The battlefield fell silent for a heartbeat; no one had ever seen technology like Brookhan’s Shield Blast. Brookhan himself stood frozen, his breath hitching...he knew his weapon had limitations, and it was only his sheer panic that had triggered the blast so early.

  "Don't let your guard down!" Denki’s roar broke the silence as he charged toward the fray. Brendarg and the others followed suit, diving back into the chaos.

  Krizz took her first shot. Miss. She notched another arrow with lightning speed and fired again. Miss. On her third attempt, the arrow found its mark, piercing an enemy's foot. The man screamed, his movement halted by the agonizing pain. Grekknark immediately stepped in, swinging his axe to cover Krizz and ensuring no one could get close to their archer.

  Despite the protection, Krizz was spiraling. Why am I missing? she thought frantically. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably...the sight of the first corpse and the suffocating scent of blood were taking their toll.

  Denki, noticing the distress of his new recruits, began to lose his own focus. Fear for his team started to cloud his judgment. "Denki! Focus!" Brendarg’s scream snapped him back to reality just as a blade lunged at his chest.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  He dodged, but the steel grazed his side. "Arrgh!" Denki winced, the sting of the wound fueling a desperate counter-attack. He slashed the enemy’s hip, forcing the man back. As the attacker lunged again, two arrows suddenly whistled through the air in rapid succession...one burying itself in the man's chest, the other in his throat.

  The attacker crumpled. Denki glanced back at Krizz, stunned. Her hands are fast, he thought, his worry easing slightly. She was finding her rhythm through the fear.

  Soon, only the enemy leader and a single guard remained. "Now!" the leader barked.

  BOOM!

  A thick cloud of smoke erupted around the survivors. Krizz, with her keen eyes, caught a glimpse of shadows moving through the haze...frog-like humanoid silhouettes. The Toaddah-cult had intervened. Denki’s crew shielded their eyes from the dust and smoke, and by the time it cleared, the leader and his guard were gone.

  "Grrr... Cowards!" Denki spat, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword.

  As the adrenaline faded, the group began to scavenge what they could from the fallen. "Is everyone okay? Who’s wounded?" Denki asked while wrapping a bandage around his own side.

  "I'm sorry, Sir Denki," Krizz said, her hands still trembling. "My aim was off... I was just so terrified. This is my first real fight. My first real war."

  "It's alright," Denki said gently. "What matters is that we're all alive."

  Brendarg walked over to Brookhan, eyeing his peculiar gear. "That’s some strange weaponry you’ve got there."

  "It’s an heirloom from my family," Brookhan explained, staring at his Shield Blast in a mix of awe and confusion. "It’s different from anything I've seen. Honestly, I don't even know where it truly came from."

  Meanwhile, back at the fortress, Fodio leaned against the terrace of the infirmary, staring out toward Sector A2. "I hope Boss Denki and the others are okay," he muttered to himself. "I just hope they don't run into the Grimz."

  Miles away, hidden in the shadows of the ruins, the leader of the Grimz Outlaw panted as they made their escape. "It’s a good thing we got out of there. We’ll wait for a full-force strike... once they have that dog Fodio back in their sights."