7 CHAPTER 7

"Hey"

Came a low voice

"Hey wake up"

It became now a bit strong

"Hey!"

It was getting louder

"WAKE THE FUCK UP"

He felt a hard kick on his side causing him to open his eyes.

"Jeez you sleep to much

He heard someone speak, his eyes slowly focused

"Rise and shine, fucking sunshine we're moving" spoke the voice.

His eyes focused and saw a young man with short spike black hair while for his skin it was a dark brown tone. He was wearing leather armor as well as spiked Pauldron on both of his arms, his skin was . While for his chest he wore a leather coat that cover his abdomen and a chain mail on top of it.

"Hmmrg" he let out a grunt as he got up from the place he was sleeping.

"Can't you be a little more gentle next time you fucking colored ape bastard." He said

"Oh, Well sorry for waking you up from your fine sleep yo magnificent, glorious, and royal Fjellable." Said sarcastically the short hair young as he did a gesture trying to imitate a royal.

"Hey! tone it down for a bit will you?! am trying to sleep here" said a voice that came across from them. A big muscular figure stood up from the ground he was sleeping. "Aaaaaaaaghr" he let out a yawn. A young man with laid blond hair, he carried a huge war hammer on his back. One swing of that thing an say goodbye to your upper half. He was wearing an armor that resembled that of a bear, he was approaching tours both of them.

The spike hair young man look at him with boredom. "Ah! great what I needed, Another empty head idiot to make my day" he pointed with his hand at the big muscular young man.

"Good morning Bjorn! Did cha sleep well buddy?" He ask. "Ya betcha boss. I sleep like a baby after sucking the left nipple of my mother dry" responded Bjorn with a cheerful tone.

"Alright big buddy!" He patted Bjorn on the side of his shoulder. "Hey Bjorn" he spoke. "Yes! Boss" he firmly spoke. "Gather the horses and I'll send someone to readying them, alright Bud?"

"Count on me boss!" said Bjorn as he quickly move, jogging into the Forrest. "The last time he was order to bring a horse. He had grab it by the neck and dragged it reaching his destination" he said "you sure you want him to gather the horses?"

"He's a bit dumb and reckless nonetheless." He said " he can sometimes be to brusquely with other animals and folks. But he is quite the gentle giant in nature. On battlefield he is a beast to be fear and you best hope he finishes you up with a hammer, but when he is off battlefield, he is gentle, and act's like a kid sometimes"

"In short words he is retarded" spoke the spike hair young man. " I wouldn't call him that" said Ambrose in caring "He's just out of place alright." He move his right hand reaching tours a great sword that was laying on the base of the tree were he was sleeping near.

"You already woke the others up?" He ask as he set the great sword on the leather scabbard that had small metal plates covering it.

*Clonk*

The great sword went in by it self.

"Heh!, It looks like that thing behind your back really work huh?" He said as he starred at the scabbard that was now holding the great sword.

"I don't know? what do you think it did right now."

"Tch whatever." He said in a annoyed voice "And before you can say anything. Yes I did wake everyone up, they are all set to go."

"Good" he said as he look around seeing that all of them were standing up from were they were sleeping.

Some had covered themselves with pine branches as to camouflage, while others had slept on the branches of the pines.

And now they were all up, readying themselves as they pick up their weapons or even fixed their armor.

"Did you count how many are there?"

"Yes I already did and they still the same number as the other day."

"Which it will be what kind of number?."

The spike hair youth rolled his eyes at him out of annoyance.

"That will be seventy five and get that through your thick fucking skull Ambrose" he poke at Ambrose forehead "Or I will shove my fist deep down your ass so you can remember, ALRIGHT!!."

"YOU TWO, SHUT UP!" came a yell above them. Both look up to the branches of the pine and could see a figure jumping down from branch to branch. Leather boots landed on the green ground softly a young woman with short black hair and a long ponytail and a light red skin. now stood right in front of them, she was frowning, not looking to friendly to both of them, she seem to be mad at both of them or she was piss off. "Jeez!, you two just make out already. You make to much noise".

"Tch" It was all that came from the spike hair young man's mouth as he look to the side avoiding her gaze. For a female she was fit and taller than both of them making her look more intimidating to those who look at her wrong. She wear a complete Pauldron that cover her entire right arm, as a small chest plate that cover her chest, while for her left arm was cover by wrappings made of leather.

But Ambrose on the other hand, didn't avoid her gaze, he stood his ground with a smirk on his face.

"Hmp, it looks like Mrs Oksana has already awaken from her slumber!." Spoke Ambrose with sarcasm. "Shut the fuck up Ambrose" Oksana snapped ,giving him a deadly look that could send chills down to someone's spine. "It's your fault I had to be awake, all night just to make sure nobody sneak's upon us."

"My fault?" Said Ambrose with a right eyebrow raised "You were the one who bet on the game yesterday, that if I won you were patrolling for the night."

"Still!, you should have taken half of the responsibility yourself, you're our commander after all, aren't you?." She said in a questioning tone.

Ambrose was silent for a couple of second's with a neutral tone looking at her . "Adam." Spoke Ambrose with a commanding tone. "Yes sir" spoke the spike hair young man with a firm voice . "Get the horses ready to go, and once they are, get them all moving to our destination. ASAP now."

"On it!" Adam say as he quickly leave Ambrose side

"And take three folks with you so they can help you ready the horses!" He yell as, Adam got further inside the Forrest. were all the other folks were picking their stuff readying themselves.

"Hmp, it sure as shit you acted like commander for a second there huh?" She said. But Ambrose however didn't pay attention to her as he saw all the others folks leave to were Adam went. "Hey Ambrose". He heard Oksana speak, he turn around as to face her.

Two hands quickly grab both of his shoulders and he was brusquely push against the pine tree. The tree shake making small pine needles to fall on top of the.

"You now I am not the kind of person to sit and do nothing from what had happened yesterday." her tone was emotionless as her face was neutral as she didn't show any emotion, except for her eyes as they shot a sharp predatory look at Ambrose.

Ambrose was not affected by any of it as he didn't show any glint of emotion as well.

"And I will make you pay for it" she said as she open her mouth slightly revealing sharp canines, she bring her face close to him. "If I want to I can bite your face off or I can. . ." her left had slowly went to his throat. "rip your throat out and leave you here to root"

Both stood in silence as they starred at each other. But Ambrose broke the moment of silence. "Your not good at intimidation? Are you Oksana?" He spoke in a joking tone. "Agh! Damn it !" she let go of him as she back away a few feet "How the bloody hell are not scared? Do you even have a soul on that dull expression of yours?" She ask.

"Only when the times are right." It was Ambrose only simple response as he started to walk. OnLy wHeN tHE tIMEs Are RiGhT." Oksana imitated him shaking both of her hands like a child. She follow behind him.

"You got something else to say Oksana?" Ambrose in a questioning tone. "Aaaaah" she let out a sight of frustration. Ambrose quickly felt two arms wrapped around him. As Oksana rest her head on top of his. "How much do you have plan to stay like this?" She ask softly.

"Like what?" Ambrose said.

"Like an animal. Throwing your life away in unnecessary battles that we are sent into, never to be expected to comeback alive.". Ambrose let out a breath of air. "Oksana you know why we are doing this?." He felt her head slightly nod. "We are doing this for survival, Our survival. If we don't keep moving or fight we all die. Everyone single one of us will die." He let out a tired breath, He raise his left hand and place it on her right hand. "I want to keep us safe, I want to keep all of us safe. It's the only thing the only thing close as to a family That I got." He whispered the last part as his left leave her right hand.

"I know you do." she softly said as she hugged him tightly " I know you do Ambrose." "I know you do". Both of them now stood there in silence. A silence of tranquility, we're both can enjoy each other's company. But as expected the silence was broken. "But if we keep moving around with no place to live we will loose our people. We are on the very age of the sword ready to fall. Are you willing to keep on going Ambrose? Are you ready to guide them to place were everyone can know peace and tranquillity? And ready to do anything to save them?" She softly spoke.

Ambrose brought his right open hand up and close it tightly making his knuckles go white. "Yes" he softly said "we already have our freedom from our promised freedom.So yes. I am ready for what ever it takes to lead our people to better lands." He gaze to all the former berserker warriors "I will guide them. To a place were war never touch it's soil."

Commander Ambrose!" Came a yell that echoed around "we're set and ready to go!". Ambrose saw Adam sitting on a horse, waving to him. The other warriors were waiting too as they carry their weapons on their shoulder.

She let go of Ambrose. "Then it's set" Oksana said as she move forward and took his right hand with hers. Making him almost lose his valence as he was pull. "Let's go to that place were war hasn't touch!" She yell as a he gave him a bright warm smile.

"He he" Ambrose chuckle as a small smile appeared appeared on his face. Oksana let out a small laugh. "Ambrose" she said happily "their deaths and their blood is on your hands Ambrose. Ha ha ha". She said happily "Ha ha. It's you'r fault Ambrose."

Ambrose immediately let go of her as she slowly walk backwards with a small smile. "What?". She stop a couple feet away from him. "It's you fault Ambrose" she spoke with a soft tone "You let us die"

"Oksana what are yo-" he try to reach her with his right hand but she was no longer in front of him. But it replaced with a ground littered with dead bodies as well as fire danced all around him. Ash rain down all over the place covering him and the bodies around him.

"What is this place? Where am I?". Ambrose look around confused. "Where is everyone one!?" He yell.

"THEY'RE ALL DEAD!!" Came a raspy voice behind him. He quickly turn around, facing we're the voice had came from.

"A-Adam?!" Ambrose yell. Adam was slowly stumbling tours him. He was missing his left arm as

Wall as a portion of his abdomen.

"YOU. . . got us ALL KILL!" he said as he slowly stumbled tours Ambrose ."You CAUSE this". His hand move in a wave motion as to show Ambrose all the litter bodies.

"B-But I Haven-"

"LOOK AROUND AMBROSE" he scream at him "AND LOOK CLOSELY". After he had finished speaking he dropped to the ground. "A-ADAM!" He was about to take a step forward. "B-Boss?". He turn around, as he saw Bjorn laying on the ground with a stuck sword in his abdomen. "Bjorn!" He quickly move kneeling beside bjorn With both his hands broke the sword in half, only leaving the tip.

"B-Boss *cough*" blood came out his mouth as he tried to speak. Why . . . . Did you . . Leave boss?" He sounded scare *Cough* *COUGH!* " boss am scared, am scared boss. Please don't leave boss" bjorn right hand hand held Ambrose by his right shoulder. "A-Am scared B-Boss" his voice and his breathing was getting weaker as he spoke " Bjorn . . . What happened?" Ambrose said. You . . . Weren't there for us *cough* . . all of us . . . ." Bjorn mouth slowly open and close as his eyelids slowly opened.

"Bjorn?" Ask Ambrose "come on buddy don't play like that . . . this is a joke right" he look around him with open eyes and a small smile " this . . . is surely . . a prank right? . . . . Come on don't play like this?". No reply from Bjorn whatsoever.

"Is not a joke nor a prank Ambrose." Said a feminine voice in front of him. Ambrose raise his head up seeing Oksana standing in front of him. She had a spear cover in blood stuck right on her chest.

"Please. . . Tell that this is a joke please, please, please!, PLEASE!." Ambrose voice started to sound desperate. She didn't reply

He slowly stand up, he slowly raised his red stain shaking hands. He quickly look around scanning with his eyes the littered bodies around him. All of those dead bodies around him were his comrades. They were his people. A chill run up through Ambrose spine. "This . . . this is is —"

"Your fault" she said

*SLQUARCH*

He look down and saw a great sword stuck in his abdomen he look up to see that Oksana was gone and in her place, a white armor knight stood in front of him.

*BLERGH* Ambrose cough out blood. "T-That A-Armor I know I—" he couldn't finish as he felt stabbing pain on his back and it follow by another on his left side. Spears and swords were stuck into him from all sides of him.

Something was burning inside of Ambrose, like a wild roaring fire. His vision was becoming blurry as his body was shaking. All the swords and spears were pull of him

*THUD* An armor boot push Ambrose to the ground. The armor figure's stand over him with their weapons stain with his blood. They quickly leave, leaving him on the ground to die and as he did he noticed that one of the knights had the symbol of an eagle sit what seem to be on a cross envelope in vines.

"D-Damn you *COUGH* *COUGH!*" Ambrose tried to get up but couldn't as his body had totally given up. His vision was no longer working as it's slowly fade away. All his senses were fading away except his hearing.

"The leader of the of the rebels has been eliminated sir." Came a voice

"Good, good" came an elder voice " These . . . Things have already been taken care off. If we have let them live, they would have been a problem"

"But sir aren't we violating a treaty they had with the nobles. Isn't that here-"

"IT IS NOT HERESY! We are doing all of them a favor. We are getting rid of the beasts that could sooner or later bite of our throat's or they would have allied with the enemy"

"And"

"Don't think of them as human. They are beast of war who know war and they DON'T have any humanity in them."

It was the last thing Ambrose heard as he slowly sunk down into that roaring fire that burn violently inside of him.

———————————————————————————

"Do you think he will be all right? I mean those burns that he came in with, were brutal." Ask a woman dress like a nun. She was softly passing a wet clean mop now stain by some blood of the burn scar she was cleaning off a young man laying on the bed.

"Of course he's going to get better ." Replied a woman dress like her's while she clean the dry blood off the bandages. "He's a tough one. Just look at that well lean body of his your touching. Tell me how does it feel?" she gave the other nun a smug look.

A small blush slowly show on her white cheeks. "W-what are you t-talking about s-sister." She ask as she try to regain her composure.

"Fu fu" she let out a giggle. "Ok now let's wrap this bandage and get it over with". The other nun move away from the young man as the other approach with the clean bandages as to warp the slowly healing scar. She slowly wrapped the scar making sure she was gentle with wrapping the scar.

"Is it ok if I leave?" Ask the woman behind her.

"Yeah of course" she said as she bandage the young man's left arm "but take the small pot that I use to clean the bandages". The woman nodded and did what she had said, leaving behind the two of them in the room.

She finish wrapping the arm off and was about to leave. But something call her attention and that was the young man's equipment. A leather bag rested on top of the medium size wooden table that was on the corner opposite we're the bed was were she had put the small pot to wash the bandages

Something like a curve handle was poking out of it. She try not to meddle with things that we're not her's but curiosity got the best of her. As she got near the table she saw some type of symbol's engraved on the handle.

It was a weird writing something she never seen before in the books she read on her free time.

While she was distracted looking at the weird engraving on the handle. The young behind had open his eyes.

———

Ambrose got up in brusquely his heart was beating fast. His first instinct was to scream, not out of fright but rage. A boiling rage from that nightmarish memory.

His right ent quickly to his forehead and rubbed it softly.

"Fuck" Ambrose whispered

"It's just a fucking nightmare and that is it. Just a damn nightmare and nothing more." He felt a stinging sensation on his arms as well as his forearms. This weirded out Ambrose for a second, until he realize what had happened.

He heard a shuffle tours his left he turn his head just to see a woman dress as a nun fiddling with a leather bag. He move who his head to his hip and saw he still had his black pants but was missing his holster and his leather bag.

'Tch what have I gotten myself into' he thought to himself. He slowly lifted his legs off the bed and placed them softly on the floor. He move as slowly as he can as to not make any possible sound.

Slowly but surely he move himself of the bed, the pain on his body was aggravating as he slow creep behind her. In Ambrose instincts cause him to be aware as he heard talking behind the door next to him to his right.

In the many years he had been in war his five senses were refined. So he has no problem to spot out an ambush or track someone.

He was a perfect weapon for war and battle. He tried not to make a sound of pain, as he raise his left hand slowly.

"This thing is weird never seen one of these" the woman said as she held a weird device. Two metal barrels were attached to a slightly curve wooden handle, with a small curve lever. "Hmm I wonder what this little lever do-"

"Don't mess with my boom stick"

Came a voice behind her she drop the device immediately on top of the table. She quickly try to turn around. But fail to do so as she immediately drop. The cause of this was that Ambrose had hit her on the weak spot on her neck with a open hand knocking her out.

He immediately carry the nun and placed her on top of the bed. He grab his holster and adjust it to his waist. He grab the leather bag and open it seeing a medium size box. He quickly grab it and set it on top of the table, he open it revealing ten small black cylinders with a metal base.

His left hand slowly went to the device the woman was holding before. " I promise myself to not hold this thing ever again." Ambrose softly spoke " I promise to change my ways and to be civilized." His left hand lay on top of the handle.

"But I went and did the worst crime of all" he whispered has he slowly lifted the device "I got civilized." He held the device in front of him. I become weak and more vulnerable we're I came from."

"So now we zero the clock. We start at new"

He grab five of the cylinders and put them on the small holes on the right side of the holster. He press a small lever on the top that held the two barrels to the handle. It open and reveal the base of the barrel's. He took two shells from the box and shove them inside the end of the barrels.

In a quick up ward movement from his hand. *Clock* With a sound The barrels were connected to the handle again.

"Welcome old friend"

He put the medium size box on the leather bag but noticed two shiny amulets. One was color red with a fire symbol on the middle as for the other one was a yellow color with a diamond shaped on the middle.

Right now he had no time to check what it was now so he thigh the leather bag to the left side of his holster. He slowly walk to the door and press his right ear on the door and listen.

'Two guards one at each side of the door and one more at the far left'.

He took a step back with his right foot. With the same foot he kick the door hard making it swing to the left.

The guard on the left wasn't prepared for the door that hit his head hard. It Knocked him out as he slumped back and fell to the ground.

The guard on the right try to turn to his left but his face meet a solid close back fist causing the guard to shut his eyes from the hit as he took a step back.

Ambrose in a quick movement spin around the guard and position is right arm on the neck of the armor guard, it was a one arm choke.

He quickly put pressure to his right arm making it a tight hold so that the knight could move as he had become a human shield. Ambrose pointed his steel barrel sword in front of him aiming at the guard down the corridor who was ready to charge at him with his spear.

"Drop your weapon" Ambrose order "Or I'll snap open your friend's neck." He said as he put more pressure to knight's neck, in response he hard the knight cough and let out a wheeze as his hands tried to claw Ambrose arm off.

The knight in front of him stood his ground as he kept his spear in front ready to attack. "Let him go!" Yell the guard "Or you'll regret it".

"Tch" Ambrose let out an annoyed sound.

"For I!. A knight of favonius!. Has been given an strict order and th-"

*KBLAAM!*

The knight flew backwards hitting his back on the ground. The steel barrel sword had a smoke coming out off one off the holes of the barrels.

He pushed the knight he was holding away from him. The knight instinctively reach for his neck but couldn't do so as a hard steel hit the side of his head, he dropped to the ground knock out.

Ambrose without a word move slowly but fast reaching the end of the medium size hallway. He peek his head to his right and saw a knight quickly move from the corner of the pillar he was standing and was now approaching .

With no time to waste Ambrose step out with his head raise up, surprising the knight who took him a few seconds to move and in that time Ambrose brought his head down Head butting the knight. He quickly followed it up with a punch to the gut making the knight to slump forward and fell to the ground.

He move quickly we're the knight was standing but jump back as he heard a yell, a sword almost sliced his head into two. A knight had brought down his sword attempting to attack Ambrose, but miserably fail. As Ambrose response aim at the chest of the knight with his steel barrel sword and pull the trigger.

Blood splatter to the ground and on Ambrose as the knight in front of him had big gap on his chest exposing his torn lungs. His body dropped to the front staining the brown carpet.

"Hey! Who made that sound. Whoever you are show your self"

"Damn it!" He quickly move forward leaving behind the dead body. But noticed to his right a stair leading upwards. Ambrose had deducted that this was an underground as there were no glass windows around the room nor the hallway he had pass.

"SOMEONE CALL FOR REINFORCEMENTS!" He heard a yell.

He quickly moved up the stairs that were taking him up. Whatever these stairs are taking him better be the exist as he could heard the guards yelling above calling for reinforcements.

If Ambrose successfully scapes. He will finish with that contract he had made with the adventurers Guild. At this rate he didn't care if the whole city comes after him from what he had Done.

All he cares is to get this shit done. Doesn't matter how questionable his methods are.

He will get it done.