Paladin Wood loomed happily above them. He hummed with excitement. There was no fight to be had, none worthy enough for him. However a new comrade was right there. Oh, how he yearned for him to be whole, for him to join the ranks of the legion. Paladin Wood had to make sure he ended up in the right place. No lousy Swords, he’d make him a proper soldier. A proper man of Wands.

  Nate wasn’t expecting him to come back. In his heart he knew he’d been complacent. This guy knew they worked here, of course he could just come back. His hand reached out pulling Mandy behind him.

  “Go get the gun.”

  He spoke quietly for only her to hear. The moment he spoke, Paladin Woods' body fell from the building. A one story fall that could hurt you if you're not careful. He slammed into the ground a small shake passing into the earth.

  “What, you don’t want to see my face? No, you won’t get to see this face. I’m sorry but even on base I can’t go around showing this hideous form. It's the least I can do. For my future comrade."

  Paladin Wood’s words grew angry and jumbled. Like he was having a hard time keeping up an accent or impersonation. This is not what Nate was focused on as the Paladin about 5 foot 8 inches reached out and grabbed his wrist. With a single fluid motion that did not bend his body at all, just his arm, it bent like a pool noodle. The movement sent Nate flying.

  Sailing threw the air it felt like forever before his back made contact with a car. It was probably Mandy’s antique 2020 hatch-back. The wind was knocked from his lungs. He crumpled to the ground. The side of the car was cratered with several jagged pieces of metal splayed out like fangs. Blood dripped from the sharp teeth.

  Other than having the air knocked from his lungs Nate was “Fine”. That was so far that he couldn’t feel the pain. Any interior damage was beyond what he’d be able to tell. He tried to push the gouges in his back out of his mind.

  Mandy tried to escape inside. Only getting as far as touching the door handle. Paladin Wood’s gauntleted hand squeezed around her neck. She squirmed in his arm, unable to move. She was taller than him but he raised her up off the ground.

  “What's this? Did you have a lover? I had one once. She was so kind and yet she never really loved me. Damn, bitch left me because my face was too ugly. Do you think she'll do the same to you?”

  Nate could feel the blood oozing out of the wounds. They were mild, nothing that would be fatal, if any of his prior experiences told him anything. At any moment he could rush the knight but would it do any good? This guy was a monster. The way his arm bent inhumanly.

  “Down for the count already. Well, you're only human. Sadly, she won’t get to see your face become hideous like mine. Now I'm going to slice your girlfriend up and feed her body to you piece by piece. It’ll help I promise.”

  Rage breathed life into his limbs which had felt numb from the slam. The fishy ghost in his body for once spiraled with his rage not against it. All the prior times he realized it’d been a calming motion. Not this time, this time it raged and commanded.

  [FIGHT!]

  As Paladin Wood forced her to her knees his gaze drifted away from Nate. With a wild push Nate cast himself into a tackle, his whole body weight slamming right into the knights side. Some ethereal pressure pushed out of him at the moment of impact knocking his hand loose. That was all it did.

  Disdainfully Paladin Wood gazed at Nate’s shredded back. Beyond the helmet his face pulled into a vicious smile. It was the smile of a predator finding its favorite prey. His knee came up to meet Nate’s chest, launching him once more into the air. This time his body slammed into the top of the car. There was less force this time.

  Was the Paladin toying with him? His mind blurred under the sudden motion. It was probably whip lash or a concussion. Neither would help him in this situation.

  “Oh, yes, give into your anger. I can see it in you. You can be like me, you can feel the passion! You can be one of us!”

  *Slam*

  The door to the Flick-and-Go closed behind Mandy. Nate’s tackle had distracted him long enough for her to get away. The knight paid it no mind he was only after the boy. He stepped forward a hungry gait to him, he’d found his lamb to slaughter.

  “Paladin Wood. Stop right there.”

  The unfeeling, monotone voice of Squire Lillie echoed around the two men. A sloppy wet squelching sound came to their ears. As what at first appeared to be a snake slithered into the parking lot. On closer inspection it was not a snake.

  The slithering object writhed on the ground in the fresh morning air. It was a long pink tube that continued on out where the eye could not see. It was ridged and at the very front was a mouth. Not a snake but the Pale red lips of a person.

  The esophagus tubing slurped onto the hood of the vehicle. It curled around the body of Nate not touching him. Fleshy tubing which is only found in a human neck wiggled next to his head.

  “You have broken parameters. Return for a new comms device now.”

  “I almost have him. Look at the fresh meat, there has to be something special about this one. Look at him go even after I crushed him.”

  “You don’t understand. This territory is controlled by the Necromantic Council. If you get spotted then they will be here in no time.”

  Paladin Wood chuckled at the woman who was currently all throats. They surely already knew. They were just too much of cowards to come and fight him. The most great and marvelous helios of death. Yes, that is why he stood uncontested.

  “They have known since the Transcendence of my presence. They clearly lost me during the day. I am beyond mere necromancers.”

  “Then you are hereby ordered to leave. If they feel your spiritual energy then they will…”

  Her words were cut off as a large object descended from the sky crushing the squishy throat at the edge of the parking lot. Meat and blood splashed into the air. The pale lips grew quiet. The energy within cut off from the host.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. A real fight!”

  Nate turned his head to see a humanoid figure. Rusted metal parts stuck out of a human shape. On the end of either arms where hands should be were two large spinning blades. The blades weren’t sharp, they were crude and made for chopping.

  The head had a metal cage like a glassless old diving helmet. Soulless grew eyes stared out from its sunken face. The body was a mess of brown as the rust flaked whenever it moved. The sound of metal scraping against metal squeaked.

  From the twinkling dawn a man stepped out from behind the machine. A black three piece suit which was once a rich black snuggly wrapped his frame. Age had taken its toll on the outfit's fading color. The gaunt pale face of the man smiled weekly at Paladin Wood.

  “Excuse me, sir. It seems you have forgotten where you are.”

  “I think I’m exactly where I should be.”

  Paladin Wood responded with his energy frenetic.

  “You come here. Damage the experiment and you think you can justify yourself. An outside variable like you? How do you think this is going to look when the Grandmaster finds out? He's going to squander the research funds on rebuilding.”

  His voice was one filled with frustration and absolute terror. There was no fear of the knight but that of this Grandmaster. Who was this man that could cause fear in his own subordinate?

  “Oh, so this boy was your experiment? Sorry, but I really want him.”

  “What? No. Do you think any individual is special enough in this town for that?”

  “What? Are you saying I won’t be special to you?”

  Paladin Wood was relaxed even with his muscles tensed and adrenaline in his veins he wasn’t going to fight like an idiot. He began to prepare an attack, his hand starting to morph.

  *WAM* *BANG!!*

  The back door flung open with a kick and Mandy unloaded straight into the back of Paladin Woods head. Smoke filled her vision for only a moment, hope left with its remnants.

  The helm was knocked to the ground in front of his body. His fresh face exposed to the air, Paladin Wood howled like a wild beast. She could tell that he was unharmed.

  *AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH*

  “Don’t look at my hideous face. No, don’t look. I can’t bear you to see it.”

  His face was square jawed, soft featured, with sharp blue eyes. Black silky locks were tied into a man bun. If he was placed on the run way he’d be indistinguishable from a model. That is if not for some white strips at the corners of his mouth. The purpose of which was unknown.

  The contradiction of his handsomeness and declaration of his hideousness went by with nary a thought for Mandy and Nate. Instead they were scared. He had taken a 12 gauge shotgun to the head. The shot had done nothing but knock the helmet off. How does one fight a monster like that?

  Nate had slid down to his knees from atop the car. His bag was sitting just in front of him. His mind shook and blurred but the spirit within swam fiercely pushing waves of power into his form.

  Mandy racked the shotgun ready to deal another blow. She didn’t know if it would help but it was all she could do. The knight's left hand stretched back to slap her. His right hand still clinging to his face attempting in vain to hide his “Shame”. Vision obscured that he didn't see Nate coming.

  The box with the bloody bayonet was in his bag. Jeb hadn't wanted it back in his truck and there was no way he’d leave it at home for Teddy to find. Now for once this cursed relic of war was coming in handy.

  Blood gushed out of the tip as he thrust it straight toward Paladin Wood’s exposed face. Nate could feel rumbling steps approaching as he did so. With a simple turn of his head Paladin Wood seemingly dodged the Strike. He had yet to notice the scratch as faint as it was to his left cheek. His attention was pulled elsewhere as he looked past Nate.

  Paladin Woods' right hand pushed Nate out of the way as a large spinning blade came crashing down. It would have crushed Nate's body and then slammed into the Paladin. The rusted golem had closed the distance and engaged in close combat. He took the blow on a raised left arm. The armor was surely tough but it crumpled under the spinning blades.

  His arm was ground up like it was put through an industrial meat slicer. His face grimaced but he retaliated in kind. His right hand on the back swing from slapping Nate away transformed. The popping of bones could be heard as the armor in the hand formed into the head of a mace. Four low profile prongs pushed out in each direction.

  *Wham*

  A powerful punch caught the scrap beast's head knocking it back five steps. Mandy used the brawl as cover to grab Nate’s broken body. She pulled him inside the Flick-and-Go. Paladin Woods left arm flapped around like an accordion.

  The next blow came from the scrap beast. Its two hands came down in a sweeping motion. The spinning blades kicked up the air as they descended. Looking over at the undefended necromancer Paladin Wood jumped to the left. Rolling on his broken limb. Stopping, he kicked off against the wall.

  The wall shook from the force of his feet. Flying through the air he formed his right hand into a 3 feet long and 4 inches wide spear head. When he was half way to the man his smile widened. A laugh coming to his lips.

  Paladin Wood could smell death in the air. The death of a dirty scourge to society. The consorters with the dead. Finally, a worthy opponent.

  “Did you think a Necromancer would really be on the battlefield, alone?”

  It was too late for Paladin wood. A hand the size and form of the front of a car slammed down from the air. His body crashed into the ground sending sparks all over the ground as he skidded to a stop. His back was misshapen, only now did he notice the cut to his face.

  Between the two his body writhed in discomfort over his face. A cut, a cut to his hideous face, how could this be? He seemed to turn into a puddle of armor and bone. With a bounce he coalesced and launched himself into the sky.

  The giant golem which toward amongst the back trees swatted down escaping Paladin. Its large palm filled the sky once more. It only had the one arm due lack of parts on Wayne’s end.

  *Wham*

  The hand made contact pushing Paladin Wood back toward the ground. There the spinning blades of the first golem stood at the ready. He would be turned into paste in only a moment.

  *Squelch*

  A messy sound came as tens of fully formed long necks stretched out from the forest. They wrapped around and grappled the largest golem, securing its lone arm. Two others rushed down the Mower golem. One shot into the blades grinding up but at the same time stopping the turning. The other tangled the legs.

  The necromancer watched him for a moment. He was dissatisfied with the Mower MRK.1 and Car MRK.2’s performances. He’d spent the better part of a day and night making them. How could they let him down like this?

  Paladin Wood body slammed into the Mower MRK.1. Crushing it into the ground. His body still pliable he bounced again now heading further away. The necromancer let him take his leave. The necks burst open spreading blood and viscera across the ground.

  The necromancer could only shake his head at the awful performance of his creations. Stopped by something like that. He knew he should have brought something better with him. The data was at least useale. He headed home.

  If there were multiple Paladins then the killer might be one of them. It would be for the best to track their movements. Once he had their hideout he’d scrap them and recycle them for parts.

  “Back to the drawing board.”

  He spoke lightly, in the warm morning air.