Note: Happens simultaneously as link


Death in the Garden

The bullets ricocheted off the purple shield of pulsing power. They bounce off the stone walkway and into the green घास of the perennial garden. Stray projectiles ate away at the stone three-tier फव्वारा and east courtyard wall. The rat-tat-tat of the machine gun should have been heard द्वारा any passing outside the walls of the garden, but the whole city seemed to be hidden away from the deafening noise. There was a click-click. A sudden silence. The young man crouched behind the shield lunged for the quickest route to safety, the round portal of white light mystically shimmering two inches off the ground, but the like a mirage the visage suddenly dissipated from existence. At the same time the shield disappeared, and Aleksander threw himself behind the फव्वारा for cover.
As he moved, a hand suddenly lashed out and gripped his ankle. He yanked free and stumbled to his feet, but when he whirled around, the body on the ground fell still. Its stomach was slashed open from naval to breast, spilling red at the feet of the इंद्रधनुष of tulips. There was a drying spray of blood on Aleksander's कमीज, शर्ट from when he had created that wound in self defense about five मिनटों ago.
A clatter was created द्वारा an empty gun tossed onto the stone pathway. The sound reminded the man there was a fallen machine hun belonging to the corps at his feet, but there was no time to grab it. He instead had to बत्तख, बतख to avoid a fist, then spin away to launch his own kick into his attacker's stomach. The former gunman stumbled back, but he was never one to be twice taken द्वारा surprise. Aleksander dodged another punched and threw up an arm to block a third. He stepped back in surprise at the power in that fist, dulling the reach of another hit. The speed and strength of his opponent was nothing short of a seasoned boxer.
Aleksander chose the moment to sidestep and झूला, स्विंग his own fist, but he felt wind on his back and ducked as a chain flashed over his head. The metal whip instead struck the बॉक्सर in the face and knocked him off his feet. The near-victim whirled to find two और adversaries had arrived. He realized this fight was escalating against him and he कबूतर for the स्रोत of the portal. The एनचांटेड ring rested among the grass, its little yellow diamond glittering in the sunlight. But when Aleksander's fist closed around the small metal band, it seared his hand painfully. There was no time to nurse the burn. The chain came down again and Aleksander rolled aside. He seized a stone beside his head and pitched it at the chain man. The soldier ducked and the stone smashed into his partner's skull.
Aleksander had no time to process the mistaken murder. The chain lashed at him with new fervor fueled द्वारा vengeance. He hardly ducked in time and the metal whip lashed around the चोटी, शीर्ष of the battered fountain, which was yanked down and smashed to rubble. A sudden fear struck Aleksander as he bolted for the single gate to freedom. These men were there to incapacitate him, in the most deadly manner if they were forced. A quintet of shadows suddenly stepped into the gateway. The captive skidded to a stop and stumbled into a वृत्त of star-white lilies. He turned to bolt, possibly over the garden wall, but he was suddenly surrounded द्वारा five men and the furious chain man.
Something in Aleksander's mind clicked. He realized it was very likely he was about to be killed. That was his last thought before the adrenaline took over.
The chain flew at him again, but this time instead of dodging it, Aleksander reached a hand and let the metal snake coil around his arm. His fist closed around the serpent and he yank so hard its master flew across the वृत्त into another opponent.
A चाकू sang through the air, but Aleksander ducked, then snapped up his leg so that the weapon went flying. He lunged and grabbed the dagger out of the air. It original owner leapt for the weapon, but instead it was slashed at his throat. Red sprayed from the burst carotid artery. An furious other sprang on the new चाकू holder, fists out just like the boxer. The dagger slashed again and again at the burly arms until Aleksander found an opportunity to side step, which he used to chuck the blade between the सेकंड boxer's shoulder blades. Another stepped आगे to replace the fallen boxer, but the vicious metal snake suddenly wrapped around Aleksander's throat from behind. He chocked for a breath as he was yanked onto his back. Boots suddenly thundered onto him, pounding at legs and forearms and ribs. The downed adversary rolled onto his stomach and raised his hands to protect his skull- his eyes landed on the weapon of the first man he had killed.
Aleksander seized the machine gun and squeezed the trigger. A hyena's scream rang as two legs were ripped apart द्वारा 100 bullets per second. The chain fell loose around his neck as its master collapsed in a heap. The new gun man flipped onto his back and fired up at his attackers with his own angry scream. The remaining two attackers jerked as the projectiles ripped their clothes and flesh apart. The bodies finally collapsed. They fell to rest on चोटी, शीर्ष of their target.
Aleksander's arms were pinned down द्वारा the bodies. The gun was silent, smoking, and his panting was the only noise in the garden. A numbness overtook his arms, spread to his stomach and legs and chest until finally his head fell back to lay on the pavement.
For a full five मिनटों the young man stared up at the navy blue sky of dusk. All of a sudden he became aware of something warm seeping into his clothes from the holes in the corpses laying on चोटी, शीर्ष of him. Aleksander scrambled out from under them, threw away the hot gun, stumbled to his feet. The sun white lillies were now a hellish pink. The ground was slippery with blood and other grey matter and गुलाबी tissue that should remain within the सुरक्षित confines of a living soul. There was a sudden cry that made his blood run cold and his crystal blue eyes snapped up in terror. Standing at the courtyard gates was a fiery haired girl, eyes wide and a hand over her mouth.
"Brother?" she called to the one she had come to save. The victim stared back at her. From head to toe, coats to socks, he was soaked द्वारा dark red wetness. And none of it was his.