Gunmage-Chapter 19: Blades and bruises

"You bitch!"

Lieutenant Dain roared, his hand snapped up, poised to strike.

Lugh calculated their odds of winning were a fight were to break out.

Zero.

He was pretty weak—his body fragile from malnourishment, he probably wouldn't be of much help.

Lyra was strong, but against Dain alone, she would struggle. Add the three other men into the equation, and she didn't stand a chance. In this sort of situation, the only logical choice was to endure.

Dain's palm struck Lyra's face with a crisp snap. The force of the blow wrenching her head to the side. The sound of the slap hung in the air, echoing throughout the beach.

Silence followed.

She didn't move her head. Didn't look back at him. Her expression was almost unreadable.

Lugh reminded himself, they couldn't win. It was best to lower their heads and accept the humiliation.

Then he saw the barely surpressed anger raging in her eyes.

'Come to think of it, she still has a knife'

Before Lyra could act, Lugh made his move.

His right hand shot forward, hurling the thick blood of the monster he had slain. It sailed through the air and landed directly into Dain's eyes. The crimson liquid splashed across his face, burning as it seeped into his vision.

"Argh, f***!"

Dain staggered back, momentarily blinded.

Lugh stepped forward without hesitation. His small frame twisted like a tense spring, and his foot slammed into the Lieutenant's crotch with every ounce of strength he could muster.

Dain doubled over in pain.

A deep, agonized grunt tore from his throat as his knees buckled. Before he could even process what had happened, Lugh did the next most logical thing.

He slapped him.

His strength was lacking and his hands were small, but he wasn't aiming to inflict the officer with physical wounds. The loud sound struck like thunder in the minds of the people present.

Everyone was stunned.

It was more than just a hit to the face, it was a deep injury to his pride.

For a moment, the Lieutenant remained crouched over, face contorted in agony. But then, sheer hatred took over.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Dain bellowed.

His fist shot toward Lugh.

'This is gonna hurt'

Lugh had no time to dodge so he braced himself expecting the worst but, the hit never came.

The Lieutenant's arm was caught mid-swing.

A massive, calloused hand wrapped around his wrist like an iron shackle.

"That's enough"

A deep voice rumbled.

Dain's fury twisted into confusion. His bloodshot eyes rolling toward the man who had intervened.

Ozan.

He stood firm, unmoving, his broad frame rigid as stone. His bronze-colored skin gleamed under the dim forest lights, muscles tense beneath the ragged uniform he wore.

Dain spat in annoyance.

"Ozan—are you rebelling against your superior?"

The man's deep-set eyes remained indifferent.

"Whether I'm rebelling or not remains to be seen. And like the sergeant said, ranks don't matter in a place like this"

"How dare you—"

Dain sneered.

"—You're nothing more than a lowly prisoner. An incompetent fool. Don't forget your place—"

BANG.

Ozan's fist smashed into Dain's face, sending him reeling backward.

"Well, that escalated fast"

Lugh thought out loud.

It seemed that this ragtag group had issues of their own.

The first Lieutenant wobbled back, stunned. Blood dripped from his split lip. His composure, his superiority, they were all gone.

A moment of tense silence followed.

Then, slowly, Dain pulled out a knife.

"On accounts of extreme insubordination, under martial law, I am fully authorized to execute you, Ozan."

Lugh exhaled. It just keeps on getting worse.

The Lieutenant turned to his subordinates.

"Restrain them. Now."

The two young soldiers hesitated.

Sergeant Sparky stepped forward, her eyes cold as steel.

The well-built blond hesitated but moved to block her path. Meanwhile, his thin, brown-haired companion took three cautious steps backward.

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"Don't hate me for this,"

The blond muttered.

Lyra's expression didn't change.

Then, without warning, she moved.

The dagger flashed in her hand, blade catching the light.

The blond recruit's confidence shattered. His stance broke as he instinctively raised an arm to block—a mistake.

It was a feint.

Pivoting smoothly, she slammed her knee into his gut.

The impact forced the air from his lungs. He keeled over, gasping for air. She didn't waste time finishing him. She ran past, directly toward the real fight.

Dain wasted no time lunging. He slashed. The blade of his knife whistled through the air, slicing toward Ozan's ribs.

Ozan stepped into him, twisting his torso just enough to let the blade graze past. He closed the gap instead of retreating, smashing his forehead into Dain's nose.

A sickening crack.

Dain recoiled, blood spurting from his nostrils. But he didn't fall. He struck again, this time aiming for Ozan's throat.

Ozan moved in fast, grabbing Dain's wrist with one hand while his other fist drove into the Lieutenant's liver.

Dain choked on air. His knees threatened to buckle, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand. The knife lashed out again, this time aimed at Ozan's thigh.

The prisoner reacted immediately, shifting his weight and letting the blade dig shallowly into his side. He countered quickly, burying his knee into Dain's ribcage.

The Lieutenant gasped. His balance faltered.

Ozan seized the opening. A right hook, straight to the temple. Dain staggered. His footing wavered. Another punch, this one to the gut.

The knife slipped from his grasp.

And that was the end of it.

Dain wasn't a fighter. He was trained, yes. But he had never been in a real battle. Not like Ozan who had known bloodshed his entire life, who fought like someone for whom combat was survival.

Dain staggered. His breaths came in ragged gasps.

Ozan moved in for the finishing blow.

He grabbed the knife and raised it, muscles tightening as he prepared to plunge it into Dain's heart.

Lyra was still running.

The fight had lasted mere seconds, too short for her to interfere, but too long for her to do nothing.

She wasn't going to make it in time.

Ozan brought the blade down.