Azrael's cold, unyielding stare bore down on Talin, who could feel the sweat forming on his brow. His heart raced, but he tried to keep his composure. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever Azrael was about to say.
"What's up, Talin?" Azrael asked, his voice low and controlled.
Talin swallowed hard, trying to find his voice. "N-nothing much," he stammered. "Just… trying to settle in."
Azrael's eyes never left his, and the silence stretched out, making Talin squirm. Finally, Azrael spoke again, his tone calm but carrying an edge.
"We need to talk," he said. "But not here. Follow me."
Talin nodded quickly, setting down his bowl of stew and standing up. He followed Azrael out of the barracks. They walked through the quiet corridors, passing by settlers who gave them curious glances but said nothing. After all, the settlers were starting to respect Azrael after what he had done so far for the colony.
Azrael led him to a secluded spot near the edge of the settlement, a small clearing surrounded by trees. Once they were alone, Azrael turned to face Talin, his expression unreadable.
"I need your help," Azrael began. "Steelroot is my home now, and I will do whatever it takes to protect it. There are threats out there, threats that could destroy everything they've built. I need someone behind me who can help me deal with these threats."
Talin listened carefully, trying to gauge Azrael's intentions. "What kind of threats are you talking about?" he asked cautiously.
"Anything that poses a danger to the colony," Azrael replied. "I need someone who can keep an eye out, gather information, and act when necessary."
"Like a sidekick?"
"Yes," Azrael said simply. "You've already proven that you can be resourceful and secretive. You know the stakes, and you know what happens if you betray my trust."
Talin took a deep breath, weighing his options. He had seen firsthand what Azrael was capable of, and he knew that refusing him was not an option. Besides, if he played his cards right, this could be his chance to find a new purpose. He would be able to start over.
"Alright," he said finally. "I'll do it. I'll help you protect Steelroot."
Azrael's eyes softened slightly, a rare hint of approval in his gaze. "Good," he said. "I knew I could count on you.
"You know, for a merciless killer, you have quite a noble cause. I'm guessing these people don't know what you're capable of?" Talin prodded.
"They don't, and you will keep it that way." Azrael stared at him, making sure Talin understands.
For the rest of the day, Azrael gave Talin a tour of the settlement, introducing him to key areas and people. As they walked, Azrael explained the layout of Steelroot, pointing out the locations in the walls.
Talin listened, taking mental notes. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help but be impressed by how organized and determined the settlers were. Steelroot was a far cry from the chaotic, dog-eat-dog world of the cult he used to live in.
Azrael led him to the workshop, where Elena was busy working on a new project. She looked up as they entered, a smile spreading across her face.
"Hey, Azrael," she greeted warmly. "I see you're giving a tour to the new guy?"
"This is Talin," Azrael introduced. "He'll be helping out around the colony. From now on."
Talin shook her hand, feeling a bit more at ease. "Nice to meet you too, Elena."
Elena turned back to her work, and Azrael continued the tour. As they walked, Talin tried to begin a conversation.
"Now I see why you wanted to protect this place. The people here are wonderful." He said. "You would go to great lengths to protect this place, and yet they don't know what you've done for them?"
Azrael was silent for a bit. Of course, the secrets won't be hidden forever, but it would be best for him to not claim everything and declare what he had done. He preferred doing it from the shadows. He was the colony's secret guardian. In his past life, he was always in the spotlight. Azrael wanted a change.
"They don't need to know." Azrael answered. "They wouldn't have to worry about threats that may target the colony. I will bear the burden of worrying for them, and carry out my actions secretly. That way they can live in peace."
Talin didn't ask anything else. It's clear what Azrael's intentions were, and he was starting to see Azrael in a new light. Cooperating with such a noble guy wouldn't be so bad for him. After all, Azrael technically saved him from the cult.
As they walked, Talin fell silent, mulling over Azrael's words. The man's dedication to the colony was undeniable, and his willingness to bear the burden of protection alone spoke volumes about his character. Talin found himself feeling a strange mix of admiration.
As the day drew to a close, Azrael led Talin back to the barracks. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the settlement. Talin felt a sense of contentment that he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"Get some rest," Azrael instructed. He walked right up to his bed and immediately laid down. Talin followed suit and laid on his side. He closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.
The next morning, Talin was awakened by the sounds of the colony coming to life. He got up, eager to start his day and prove himself. Azrael was already awake, putting on his clothes.
"You're early. Did you sleep okay?" Talin asked.
"I actually don't need sleep." Azrael answered, his face indifferent.
Talin was flabbergasted. "Huh? You don't need sleep? What the hell are you?"
Azrael made a gesture where he put his index finger to his lips, and stared down on Talin. He squirmed and didn't say a word anymore.
"Our morning routine is given to us by Zara and Darius near the security outpost. I usually get the patrol routine every morning." Azrael explained. They walked out of the barracks, and the settlement was already bustling with life.
They walked to the security outpost. By the time they arrived, quite a lot of people were there.
"Ah, good morning Azrael. I see you have the new guy with you too." Darius chimed in.
Azrael nodded. "Morning Darius. What's my task for this morning?"
Darius examined the notepad for a little while before looking back at the two guys. "As usual, patrol duty. Take the new guy with you. Show him around."
Azrael nodded and a settler besides Darius gave him a standard rifle to them both. Not like Azrael needed it anyway. He felt he was more efficient with his hands rather than using a rifle. He still took it to not raise suspicion. He and Talin went out of the gates and started taking rounds of the settlement.
Talin observed the outskirts of the settlement, and saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"I'm guessing you have a reason to take patrol duty every morning?" Talin asked.
Azrael simply gave him a little nod. "I would be the first line of defense if anything comes. Not that anything would happen anyway, but it's still better to be safe. I can detect any threat from a few miles away. By the time they realize I was chasing them, they're already dead."
Talin felt a cold sweat run down his forehead.
"You're really dedicated to protecting this place," Talin said, trying to break the tension. "It's admirable."
Azrael glanced at him. "This colony is my home now. I'll do whatever it takes to keep it safe."
Talin nodded, understanding the depth of Azrael's commitment. As they walked, he took note of the various defensive measures in place: watchtowers strategically positioned around the perimeter and traps hidden in the underbrush.
"Everything here is so well-organized," Talin remarked. "It's clear that a lot of thought has gone into the colony's security."
Azrael smiled faintly. "They've had to learn quickly. This planet isn't always kind to settlers, and they've had their fair share of challenges."
As they rounded a bend, Azrael suddenly stopped, holding up a hand to signal Talin to do the same. Talin's heart pounded as he followed Azrael's gaze, scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.
"What's wrong? You're freaking me out dude." Talin asked.
"Something new just came inside my range." Azrael muttered, his eyes narrowing as he focused on a distant point in the forest.
Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through the air, aimed directly at Talin. In a split second, Azrael moved with inhuman speed. He caught the arrow inches from Talin's chest, his hand closing around the shaft with a resounding snap.
Talin's eyes widened in shock. "Holy—what the—"
Azrael did not wait for Talin to finish. He dropped the arrow and dashed toward where it came from, quicker than Talin imagined possible. The rogue native who had shot the arrow was barely visible through the dense forest, but Azrael had little trouble locating him.
The native, realizing he'd been spotted, turned to flee. But Azrael was already upon him, tackling him to the ground. The native struggled fiercely, but Azrael's strength was overwhelming.
"There you are you little shit."
Talin caught up a moment later, panting heavily. "What the hell, man?"
Azrael held the native down, his grip unyielding. "This one came for revenge," he said, his voice calm and measured. "He's probably part of the group that I attacked recently."
The native glared up at them, his eyes filled with fury. "You… you destroyed my camp! Killed my people!"
Azrael's expression remained unreadable. "Your camp was a threat to our colony. I had to finish you off after you attacked us."
Talin watched the exchange. "What do we do with him? Are you going to kill him?"
Azrael took his knife from the sheathe and handed it to Talin. "You do it."
"What?! No- hell no!" Talin pushed Azrael's hand away, but he was insistent.
"Talin, this is necessary for you. If you can't do it then you won't be of much help to me."
Talin shook his head, his face pale. "I can't… I can't just kill someone in cold blood!"
Azrael's gaze hardened. "If you don't, he'll come back. Maybe with more people next time. This isn't just about you or me—it's about protecting everyone."
The native watched them both, his eyes flicking between Azrael and Talin. Despite his dire situation, he managed to smirk. "Do it. You don't have the guts to do it!"
Azrael ignored the native's taunt and focused on Talin. "This is your choice. But remember, every decision has its consequences."
Talin's hands trembled as he gazed at the knife, then the native. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, making it difficult to breathe. He knew Azrael was correct: they couldn't afford to let threats linger. However, he was not prepared to take someone's life.
"I can't do it," Talin said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not like you."
Azrael sighed, taking the knife back. Without another word, Azrael turned and plunged the knife into the native's chest. The native's eyes widened in shock, then slowly closed as the life drained out of him. Talin watched in horror, unable to look away.
Azrael wiped the knife on the grass and sheathed it. "Let's go. We need to report this to Zara."
Talin followed in a daze, his mind reeling from what he'd just witnessed. He knew things were different, but he hadn't fully grasped the brutal reality until now. When they reached the gates, Zara was there to greet them, her eyes widening at the sight of the blood on Azrael's hands. "What happened?"
Azrael explained the situation, and manipulated his story here and there. Every time Zara asked Talin if it was true, he nodded.
"This native must've had a relative in the camp that was annihilated. That's probably why he came here, assuming that we were the ones behind all of it." He said.
Zara's face hardened as she listened. "We'll need to be more vigilant. If there's one, there could be more." She sighed a bit and looked Azrael in the eyes,
"You did well out there," Zara said, her voice gentle.
As they walked back into the colony, he couldn't shake the image of the native's dying eyes from his mind. He knew he had to toughen up if he was going to survive here, but he wasn't sure if he could ever become like Azrael.
The next few days were a blur of training and patrols. Azrael and Darius pushed Talin hard, testing his limits. Slowly, Talin began to change. He became more confident, more aware of his surroundings, and more determined. Days turned to weeks, and the colony was safe and in peace from threats for quite some time. Azrael was also contempt with the current state. He would go on duo scouting missions with Talin, teaching him how to survive and trek the harsh terrain.
Every time they go, Talin would create a mental note of the locations they noted down on the map on Azrael's orders. He soon realized that Azrael wanted him to train his memory. For the past three weeks, they did not find anything out of the ordinary.
Even after the harsh start to his new life, Talin noticed that he was becoming more and more attached to Azrael. He began to appreciate the man's brutality and began to grasp his techniques. They had to make sacrifices as they were fighting for something greater than themselves.
One evening, as they were on their last day of a scouting mission, Azrael picked up a new noise on his sensors. He had never heard that noise before on this planet. It was the noise of heavy machinery.
"You hear that Talin?" said Azrael.
"I do." Talin replied.
They went to the source of the sound without being detected. They climbed a hill and saw what was creating the noise.
Even Azrael, who was usually emotionless, were a little shocked to what he saw here.
"Is that a fucking monster?!" Talin whispered.
Not exactly. What they saw was only a replica of a monster in the form of a machine. It was towering over the trees, and every step it took made the ground shake. It walked on four legs, and had a tall neck that reached even further above. On it's back were armed men, scanning for any targets below them.
"This must be Stellaxis." Azrael stated. "Zara mentioned about them, but I didn't expect for them to have this much tech."
"Stellaxis, the mining corp? Who hasn't heard of them on this planet? Even Seraphina herself despised these people." Talin said, shock apparent in his voice.
Azrael's eyes narrowed as he observed the machine. "They're not just here to mine. That thing is a weapon."
Talin looked at Azrael, fear and uncertainty in his eyes. "No shit! What do we do now? We can't let that thing get anywhere near the colony."
Azrael nodded. "We need to find out what they're doing here."
They watched the machine for a while longer, noting its movements and the behavior of the men on its back. It was clear that the machine was equipped for more than just a means of transportation; it was a mobile fortress, designed to intimidate and destroy.
[Scanning weakpoints]
[Eight possible weakpoints detected]
Talin waited for Azrael to say something, but it never came. He looked at Azrael and he was shocked at what he had seen.
Azrael was grinning.