An eruption of screams awoke the knights next to Mike. Orders from the Volunteer Corps members were strung about the cries of those injured by a large explosion that eviscerated the lead wagon at the head of the convoy. As Marco threw off the blanket that covered his face, and Eugene keeping his hands on the hilt of his blade, the three Rangers across from the two had already clambered outside to observe what had happened.
With Mike and Green behind him, Malkovich walked forward several steps as Corps members flooded the muddied roads around him and raced towards the epicenter of the sudden attack. Taking his microphone and bringing it to his mouth, he spoke it a harrowing voice, "Thompson! Corporal! What the hell is going on up there!?"
Nothing ever responded. With no answer, Malkovich led the four behind him to the front. As their boots collided into the ground, and their visions of the pine forest turned into nothing but a green blur, fifteen multi-colored lights flashed.
The world almost slowed as Malkovich breathed heavily. The Corps members that rushed ahead moments ago, three of five; the lights collided into their bodies. It only took a single second, but gaping holes appeared in their bodies.
No blood was ever shed. No bodily parts were ever recognized. All that remained were gaping holes in the once alive bodies of the corpses. Throwing his weight forward, Malkovich's body slammed into the dirt where a nearby crated had been formed by one of the bolts of light. Green let out a shrill scream as he and Mike did the same as another barrage of lights hit the carriages and carts behind them.
"Fuck!" Mike screamed as he tried to crawl further into the piping hot-and wet soil. "Keep your head down!"
"Fucking-A!" Green said sarcastically. He chamber-checked his rifle and made sure his optics still had enough battery life.
Taking his gloved hands and pressing them on the button of his goggles, the view that Malkovich saw the world, flashed a bright green as it equalized into a black-white hue. A flood of information flooded his eyes and his eyes alone. Just peeking above the crater's edge his vision adjusted downrange.
"Pop smoke!" He suddenly ordered.
Green took a smoke grenade from the side of his pack and threw it ten feet ahead of the crater's edge.
"Engage all hostiles! Move to the VIP!"
"C'mon! Let's go! Let's go! Pick it up!" Green shouted as he was the first to climb out of the crater under heavy fire from more beams of light.
The smoke obscured the line-of-sight both the five and the hostiles had on the battlefield. Propagating in the wind, Mike moved under the cover of the smoke as he concealed himself behind one of the wagons with four large crates. Just ahead the sound of gunfire broke the monotonous screaming and pulled his attention to the front.
With Captain Thompson using himself as a shield to cover the princess, and Corporal Richard and Simon right behind him, the four crawled against the ground against the endless bolts of light that collided into the burning wagons around them and the dirt.
"Captain, friendlies approaching from the south! Thirty meters!" Malkovich called over the radio.
"More inbound! Danger close!" Green called out as he shot three bullets into the tree line.
"Focus on them! Let's go!" Mike said as he ran on the left side evading both friendly and hostile fire.
Keeping his weapon in the high ready, Mike sprinted towards the four on the ground with Green tailing behind him. Two more Corps members were cut down by the bolts of light as three figures emerged from the trees with blades in hand.
Their green skin, bulging eyes, and foul smell made them easily identifiable. Goblins. Yet these foes that were commonly depicted as uncontrollable monsters were different. Quick moving, fast minded, and blood thirsty. Covering each other, the three used the trees and burning wagons as cover.
"Captain! Blue! Blue!" Mike said as he approached from behind.
Lifting himself off the princess and forcing her towards the sergeant, Thompson roared in a strong voice, "Get her out of here!"
"Wait-" Before the princess could protest, she was yanked off the ground and dragged behind Mike as he withdrew his pistol.
"We got company!" Green said as he shot one of the goblins dead with five bullets.
"Mike get behind us! Diamond formation, let's move!" Malkovich screamed as he moved to the front.