Chapter Four

Jor grabbed the broken door and bent it straight. Hamaf recognized his intent at once.
"Alright, I'll follow you in, just keep him busy."
"For Collin sir?"
"For the Empire."
"For the Empire."

He slid it through the door way at an angle and reoriented it just in time as the weapon's crack was heard again. He charged towards the source, Hamaf close behind. As they approached the target he drew his sword, nine generations of his clan's history gleamed in the dim fluorescent light. He heard his foe's small cry of panic, signaling that they had drawn to close for comfort. He sidestepped the improvised shield and thrust for his target.

A short cry rang out; it was the cry the young soldier had made when he had come to try and stop this fallen creature. Whatever was at the end of his blade had died, and with little struggle. No attempt to rise, no begging, not even a furious stab at dying vengance.
Jor set the barrier aside and the light from behind revealed their enemy. A short, pale man; his legs were crushed under a fallen girder and he wore a one piece cloth jumpsuit. Sweat and blood stained the debris around him, and much of it showed evidence of having been moved.
"This runt killed a soldier of the empire and wounded another?"
"By means of some devilry, yes. We should be careful in case there are more."

They waved to the rest of the men. All three platoons filed into the room, Doc putting some final touches onto Callin's bandages as she followed them.
"Alright, get a good look because this is what we'll be up against. Fundamentally Nieldic, but smaller and more pale; not certain what happened to the weapon, but they've got them, and you've all seen what they can do."
The men nodded in consensus. With dramatic precision Callin whimpered as the Doc applied pressure to the wound.
"Right. Collin, you and the Doc will stay here with your platoon and keep the room secure in case we need a fallback point. Jor, you and half your men will follow me. The rest will head back out to Sharai and the rest of the company. Send for reinforcements, lead them here when they arrive."
Hamaf turned to Collin as the men dashed back to the surface.
"We'll try to stop in every other hour, if we fail to report for more than a day consider us dead. Remain in this position until reinforcements arrive."
He began following Jor towards the next hallway and stopped halfway.
"I don't know what these people are capable of, so just in case my oldest son's name isn't Kain."
"Aye sir, Spirit of the Light guide you."
"I didn't know you were religious Collin."
"You also didn't know I have a sister named Matinsa."
He smiled. "May you know its mercy, and by its power be kept from further harm Sergent."
And with the Light in his heart he ventured further into the darkness.