RE:volt! Chapter 7: Culling
Ark's heart froze. His mind struggling to process the horror of the chaos unfurling before him. This wasn't the first time he'd been part of a culling, however the fact that the practice of decimation was still in place after all these years jarred Ark.
No wonder Ninety-Nine agreed to my request. Ark sighed to himself, a final act of kindness from the man it seemed.
He knew that the plantation had fallen on bad times after the last few winters, but he didn't realize that it would warrant such draconic behavior.
At first there was hesitation from the children upon being ordered to kill one another, but that hesitation soon evaporated at the crack of a whip.
"GO YOU BOTTOM FEEDERS! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" Bruno barked.
Like starving wolves let loose the oldest of the kids broke ranks, immediately diving for the bundle of weapons placed in front of them as those youngest in the crowd coward in fear.
The oldest of the kids, no older than thirteen and twelve, one red-haired girl and one red-haired boy, possibly siblings were the first to grab weapons. The two flashed each other a knowing look, both coming to an understanding as the other kids attempted to grab weapons, only to be met with daggers from the pair as they turned and targeted the crowd.
Shit.
Immediately Ark moved, using the chaos as a shroud as the two oldest began attacking anyone that neared. Judging from their coordination the pair were no strangers to bloodshed, proving to Ark that they had survived previous cullings and were here to do the dirty work of murder on behalf of the Master.
Ark grit his teeth, he needed time, space to formulate a plan of action as the pair began to chase and cut down the fleeing kids who ran to the adults for help, only to be met with lashings and kicks from the adults that drove the children back toward their assailants.
Why not join in the bloodshed? Ireliex asked, the dragon seemingly confused by Ark's choice of actions.
I'm not going to kill a bunch of kids. Not again. Ark rebuked, visions of his former training creeping up on him as he eyed the armored knight named Bruno who stood amidst his subordinates laughing and taking bets. Suddenly a kid bolted, the skinny child rushing toward the table filled with food only to be intercepted and kicked away by Bruno.
Ark narrowed his eyes.
Judging from how they aren't killing us, they'll probably stop the bloodshed once enough have died. No need to get involved. Ark reasoned, bumping the knight to the top of his shit list.
With his tiny hands he doubted he could break the man's neck, let alone kill him, however if he had one of the daggers then his survival was all but assured, the problem was getting close enough to grab one.
Decimations are all about survival of the fittest. The strongest, smartest, and most tactile survive, that is a fact. Ark reasoned, knowing full well that he'd be painting a target on his back with his next actions. All I need to do is prove that I'm valuable enough to keep alive.
Walking at the edge of the killing field Ark kept his eyes on the prize, moving until he was behind the pair fending off the other children who had come together to counter attack to finally make his move.
Ark approached with the cold grace of a killer, his eyes unblinking as he walked unnoticed, his presence a footnote amidst the chaos unfurling of child killing child. A simple trick, one he'd learn from the Ice Assassin Stya during their assignments together to eliminate sentries, one that brought him close enough to the hyper focused teens who didn't notice him coming.
Reaching down just shy of the red-haired boy, Ark's hand gripped firmly around the wooden handle of the cheap dagger that was more akin to a shortsword in his hands than a knife. He pulled, lifting the blade that was heavier than he remembered, only for it to slightly scrap against another dagger and give off a faint sound.
Shit.
Immediately the teen nearest to him spun, the boy's senses far more acute than Ark gave him credit for.
"Thirty-Four!" The boy yelled, alerting his companion as he slashed at Ark, the latter leaning backwards to dodge the bloodied blade that narrowly missed his throat by mere centimeters.
Ark smiled, admiring the ruthlessness and lack of hesitation in the boy's kill swing. Ark backstepped, twirling the dagger out of habit into a knife fighter's stance, hand out as he gained distance from his assailant.
The boy jolted forward, moving to engage Ark with his dagger yet shrunk back as the girl named Thirty-Four screamed "Back to back!"
Smart kid. Ark thought to himself, making a mental note of a potential lieutenant as the boy let Ark go. While most people caught off guard would overextend when faced with a threat, this boy had the clarity and clout to head orders and retreat, keeping his back to someone he trusted in the face of so many threats. The girl was also a diamond in the rough, smart, deft with her hands, her sense of tactile awareness and focus unbroken despite Ark's accidental ambush. Two children who were ripe for Ark's plans.
Ark broke off, keeping distance to allow the pair to work.
Hmm it looks like you've gotten the attention of some folk. Ireliex commented, the dragon seeming to see what Ark could not.
Knight Bruno.
The man was staring at Ark, a look of focus on the old soldier's face that was no longer jovial.
"Ah shit." Ark muttered, gaze locking onto the knight that was fast approaching.