Dead sailors littered the ground as a stripped girl was being nailed above the windows of the lighthouse. Frosty waves broke, the winds too strong to carry shape. Bushcamp neatly fitted a napkin around his neck, tucked into his billed collar. Sampling the wine he curated from virgin blood, letting the aroma arouse his nose. His nipples perked as he placed the glass down. The light caused his shadow to flicker; only chewing when the light was on himself. After the morsel of Valory’s insides, he began to speak: “Delicious. I fear disease, so it shan't affect me. A proverb I came up with just now.” Bushcamp’s bushy brows caused an unnerving itch that made him want to smash something. However, he held in the urge. “Child…you lied to me, I just realized this wine is spoiled. Why…?” Tears of deep sadness caressed his face as he turned over to look at the pale crucifixion behind. “You told me you were a virgin…did you assume I would let you live longer if that were the case? Women! Damn you all! Damn liars even when you bleed! You were going to die either way, filthy meat sack!” Bushcamp released a volley of rubber bullets through Valory’s colon. A long barrel revolver tightly fitted, blood and waste leaked out as each reverberated.

  Valory began to vomit once again, her voice drained of any life. Bushcamp turned back to his seat, sipping the wine once again before throwing it at Valory. The broken shards of glass peppering her face as the alcohol seeped into her wounds, a zesty burning sting that lingered even with all the rest of the pain throughout her body.

  Hold on Valory…stay strong…just keep breathing…just…ju…

  “Damn, she’s fading again,” Bushcamp muttered as he began to load his rifle. “I suppose it’s time to rid you of your womanhood. This will clear that bitter taste in my mouth. Women are truly lovely, however they possess three evils that one must cleanse for them to be truly perfect. First is speech: a woman should not talk, but rather listen; which you seem to be great at. Secondly, a woman should not devolve their elegance, aging into ugliness, or being born ugly; that is a crime, and they should be punished. You’re alright, somewhat. Your figure is not bad, but your face could use some work, all those bruises won’t do. A woman should take better care of herself.

  “And lastly, a woman should never devolve into creating life. We are beings that can evolve into permanence, yet a woman sacrifices her health to create something random. Filthy! Creation is up to the hands of men, not a portrait of beauty and elegance. So I will make you into the most elegant,” Bushcamp said as he shoved the tip of his rifle into Valory’s vagina, pushing it up against the wall of her uterus. Pulling the trigger: a ball of lead broke through, up and out from her back, shattering two lumbar vertebrae. Her body slammed and jumped against the restraints, searing anguish shot throughout every pore, fiber, and cell. Sinking her teeth into her tongue, Valory fell unconscious.

  “I have now made you a better woman, congratulations lovely,” Bushcamp said, blowing a kiss to the puddle of blood beneath her.

  Sweat and dirt mixed into sticky paste that made the two young men want to hurl. For every gash Akli took, Horo would lay a bullet into the adversary, and for every blade that got close to Horo, Akli would send a kick to the adversary’s jaw. The two were like a well oiled machine, smooth and lucid, dipping into each other’s space to counter one another’s weaknesses. Before they knew it the crowd had dwindled, and the only ones left began to back away. Without a word the two run through a small opening, bulldozing any foolish enough to step in their way. Laughing like jolly demons, the two squashed the ants that came burrowing out from their huts. For in this moment they were both the wind and the thunder, forces of nature that caused destruction with every step they took.

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  Down the hill over the edge of the dune dungeon was King Schizo’s camp. Hearing the commotion, the second they could sense the two brothers, a beam of crimson from the open flaps of the tent flew. Piercing Horo’s leg as Akli ducked in anticipation for the invisible wave approaching. In an instance of luck Horo slipped under the severance. Dividing the makeshift castle in two, King Schizo summoned knives that warped with the ever changing crimson arrow blades.

  “Time!!!” Akli shouted as the blades paused. “Now!!!” A bullet ricocheted off King Schizo’s helm as Akli and Horo split. Fighting through the pain, the two hit the sandstorm that appeared in mere seconds.

  “Damn…I fell for it,” King Schizo said, holding his face. How did he know? Perhaps Haza-Ra…could she have grown stronger?

  Akli was right, an escape was sure to happen! Horo thought, grinning through the pain.

  Holy shit! I was right, who knew a sandstorm would randomly appear. Akli followed the arrows guiding him to the border of Ontiganel.

  “Your Majesty, do you wish to have men go after them?” General Kris asked.

  “No, we have everything we need. They were simply hostages as a last resort.”

  “Shit, Horo, where the fuck are we?”

  “I don’t know, but I think I’m bleeding out…”

  “Follow me…” Akli spotted a golden spot, from the passage of a window, he saw her. “Princess!”

  “Huh?” Horo blurted whilst clenching his leg tightly.

  “Hahaha…”

  Entering the motel, Akli saw a half dead Dushyanta and an overly stressed girl.

  “Yo, Dushyanta, help a brother out, and come fix up Horo’s leg.”

  “Haha…always so demanding,” Dushyanta slurred.

  “Dushyanta…are you alright?” Horo asked.

  “Good enough to help a friend,” Dushyanta replied as he stood up to grab some cloth. “We’ll keep it tight. Luckily it’s not very wide, it does go all the way through—hold it in, the pain is temporary—but again, it’s not a big-big wound. You should be somewhat alright. If only Ben didn’t leave, he could help cauterize.”

  “Wait, yeah, how the hell are you guys here?” Akli asked, now realizing the dire straits they were all in. Just like all other times, Haza addressed the issue. After her story, Akli began to vehemently shake with undiluted wrath. A demonic aura compounded the carpet beneath his feet, the building began to rumble, the structure visibly falling under the pressure.

  “Akli! Calm yourself, did you not hear her, Val is alive!” Horo reassured.

  “How can you be so calm, Horo, especially when that piece of shit, Dushyanta, didn’t even fight back?!”

  “It will be alright Akli, I trust you. Now tell me, what are the odds, huh?”

  “Damn you Horo, I can’t believe I’m vibing with you of all people. What is this damn plan you guys cooked up with Ben? It better be fuckin’ perfect.”