Chapter 9
"ARGHHHH!!!! GUH!!!"
"Hey, stop squirming. It's already hard to carve it with a dull knife, it's much harder to do it with you squirming around like a worm."
"YOU...GHN... YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!!!"
The witch without care, carving something in my arms. The pain is unbearable especially since she injected that serum. Even without the serum I would definitely feel it.
"If you just surrender earlier and just let me kill you, I won't need to do this to you but since you rejected my mercy I don't have much of a choice do I."
"YOU WITCH BASTARD, JUST YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET OUT OF HERE, I CUT YOUR HEAD OFF!"
Rio screams inside the humvee as she continues to struggle to break free. But the witch just chuckled at Rio's threat.
"You want to kill me? Now that is a good joke. How are you going to that while stuck in there?"
She then raised her hand towards the humvee as she began to cast an unknown spell. I don't know what kind of spell it is but it can't be good. I need to make her focus on me. I take a deep breath. As someone who is loves being alive first and foremost, I would usually avoid doing this but Rio is my only hope to get out here and I don't want Rio to die.
"As expected of a witch. A bunch of cowards who are only brave fighting a weak person."
The witch's spell that slowly gathers magic began to dissipate.
"Or maybe it's not the witch as a whole is a coward. Maybe it's only you who is the scared little lady."
I can see the witch body beginning to tremble.
"Or maybe it's the Witch of Destruction that is a coward little bitch."
The witch then slowly turned her head around looking at me with face as red as tomato and pulsing vein can be seen visible on her forehead. Her hands then began to glow as magic power gathering and concentrate there.
"Looks like you wish for a horrible and painful death. Well as a generous person that I am, I will gladly fulfill your wish."
Rio I hope this enough to give enough ti—
—POW!!!
What just happened? I remember watching the witch right in front of me but now I'm watching the bush at my side. Not only that I can taste something metallic filled my mouth.
"What? You cannot talk anymore?!"
—POW!!!
"GUH!"
"You've been awfully quiet."
—POW!!!
"PUFT!!!"
"What you don't have anything to say anymore?"
Punches after punches were hurl at me. With her strengthening her fist plus with the serum she injected in me, the pain is unbearable to the point I am unable to even speak. After what feels like an eternity, her relentless attacks finally stop.
"PHUK! GAHK!"
"Hah hah hah huff, you are the one that bring this upon yourself."
The witch raised her hand and began to cast a spell.
"Well I guess this is farewell. Die..."
—TATATATATA!!!
The caught off guard unable to cast her defensive spell fast enough were struck a few times. I turn my head and saw Rio managed to break free. She continuously firing her weapon, forcing the witch to flew away from me.
The witch refuse to give up began to cast ice spears spell and return fire. Rio jump to the side to avoid being hit by her attacks. Rio roll and quickly take a stance to shoot.
—TATATATATA!!!
Multiple shot were fired but the witch manage to cast her defensive spell in time this time blocking all of Rio's attack.
—CLICK!
The witch realizing that Rio's ammunition empty quickly cast her spell. Magic circle forms underneath Rio's feet. Rio quickly jump back and multiple spikes emerge to kill her. But as soon as Rio landed another circle appears. She tried to jump away again but unfortunately the spikes shot up much faster than before impaling one of her arms.
"Tch!"
"Not so powerful now aren't you!"
The witch smile confidently as she cast more of her magic. Rio tries her best to avoid all of the witch's attacks but bit by bit damages accumulated onto her body and finally one of the spikes impale at one of Rio's legs. She fall to the ground immobilized.
"Hah hah hah~ finally I got you, you pig headed doll."
The witch after casting multiple walk slowly towards Rio.
"Now I can finally destroy you, you annoying little puppet. As much as I want to torture you before killing you, it's just going to be a waste of time."
Rio look at me with a wistful smile and I can see her mouth moves.
'I'm sorry'
"NOOOO!!!"
—TATATATATA!!!
A loud shots of a machine gun fill my ears.
—WHOOOOSHH!!!
Strong air currents filled the area and dust blown everywhere as a silhouette of an aircraft covering the dark skies view. As the silhouette slowly approaching the ground I can finally see clearly. Our evac.
The witch continuously fired upon with the .50 cal machine gun make a more safe call of retreating. The Federation's finest transport, Eagle Assault Carrier quickly land and multiple soldiers can be seen exiting the aircraft.
"Hah~ finally."
The soldier quickly came to me and began to stabilize my wounds. They quickly put me on a stretcher and bring me and Rio on the Eagle.
"Eagle-4, the soldiers has been extracted."
"Roger that, taking off now."
As the soldiers put both me and Rio down I can see all of my squad members surrounded both of us. Since they were all androids, they can't really shed tears but if they can they would definitely do it now. They then quickly hug both of us tightly.
Finally safe at last.
***
It's been a week since that live training exercise with Valkyries. Most of the injuries on my body has healed up nicely but the pain serum that witch injected inside are still slowly being flush out. Even with futuristic medical tech there are still something that can't be heal instantly.
"How do you feel Sarge?"
"Like shit. But I'll live."
Rio on my bedside, help nursing me while I'm hospitalized.
"Sir, open your mouth. Ahhh~"
And on my other side is Yuina feeding me some neatly cut apples. Yuina emotionless face looks satisfied as she feed more and more apples.
"Sarge, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"When the witch attack us I can't even protect you, even after I promise that it will never happen again."
"Rio, don't blame yourself. We have a bad match up. Two soldiers fight against a witch, it's a miracle that we are still alive. After all, this is war, we just need to do our best to survive."
The mouth slowly curve into a smile to reassure Rio and in return Rio also give me with a warm smile. All of a sudden I was pulled into an embrace.
"Rio, since you fail in you duty to protect Sir Sergeant, how about you let me do it this time instead?"
Rio's face that smiling warmly a few moments ago quickly evaporates, replace by a neutral face full of contempt.
"You think that you have what it takes to be Sergeant's adjutant?"
Rio then grab one of my hands, trying her best to pulled me away from Yuina. But Yuina quickly increase the strength of her hug making it almost impossible for Rio to pulled me away.
Rio with a face that slowly contorted into an annoyed face, look straight into Yuina's eyes. If this is an anime they would definitely have some kind of electrical sparks.
I just resigned my fate to the two androids that are currently having a tug of war with my body.
***
"I hear that you let those Valkyries escape."
"I'm sorry Master."
The red hooded witch bow her to the ground as the oppressive mana gathered around pressing her down. Cold sweat glow down from her forehead as she currently waiting for her Master's next words.
"I have a huge expectations for you. That you will not disappoint me. Looks like I was wrong."
"Master please give me a chance. I won't disappoint you."
—TAK. TAK. TAK.
"Raise your head."
A cold emotionless voice reach the witch's ear. She slowly raised her head and were greeted by an equally emotionless face. Dark purple long hair flow down to her hips. White pale skin and a beautiful face that can make people fall in love at first sight.
The witch can feel her heart beating at extremely fast rate not because of the woman's beauty. The woman then snap her fingers, conjuring multiple magic circle in the air and hundreds of steel chains shot out wrapping around the red hooded witch. Her limbs and neck were tightly wrapped as the chains slowly pulled her into different directions.
"Ack! Please Master...give me a chance..."
"You are quite shameless, asking for more chance."
"Ghk... Kuhk..."
The woman just look at the red hooded witch as she was struggling to breathe but when her face start to becoming pale, the woman finally release the chains choking her.
"Uhuk... Uhuk... Hah..."
"Well it is unfortunate we lost the Valkyries but that was just a side objectives. It's not really a problem."
The woman turn around looking at the window with the view of a large fortress. Thousands of soldiers walking around as they preparing for their next operation.
"Maria, prepare for the next operation. Do not fail me this time."
"Yes Master!"
