V2Ch154 New Hiss

I let out a chuckle.

"What is so funny? Are you going insane, knowing that you are about to die?"

The distant light of the torches and a full moon shadowed my dark mood. A devilish smile belied my tense nature. I've been through so much shit in this world already... I felt like the icing on this fucked up cake was still yet to come.

"Bring it on. I'll even make a deal with ya. If you can kill me, I will fully support your role of leader."

Amur's face brightened up to pure amusement.

"Hah! See that? He is crazy..."

His amusement quickly died into that of an emotionless dredge.

"Kill him."

I stood my ground as my body was riddled with bullets. My hands held steady in my pockets. My clothes were nearly torn to shreds. Most of the beast-people of the village held their ears to shield themselves from the unfamiliar loud bangs that fired off repeatedly.

When the firing stopped and smoke was the final remnants of what had just transpired, I still stood, motionless.

"The fool died standing."

Amur's voice calmly said. While I knew I wasn't about to die and I could heal easily, I still didn't have a reliable method for removing particulates from my body. That is until Fear made a suggestion.

'If you need a hand with removing all of those bullets, I can automate that process while you do your thing.'

"Sure."

Gasps circulated around the pit. I felt a multitude of intrusions in my body. The holes that were starting to heal up were held at bay by the shadows that entered my body to remove the bullets. My body was covered in a black shadow. As the bullets were removed, they fell to the ground outside of my body. Some clinking could be heard where the removals were coming into contact with each other.

"Impossible."

Amur did not sound amused.

"Not impossible. Only improbable. Though, quite easy for me."

My shadows faded, revealing a blood-stained, but otherwise unwounded body.

"Shoot him again! Keep shooting until..."

"Until you run out of ammo and I'm still standing here? That won't do much."

"FINE!"

Amur yelled.

"Don't move a muscle or the exile will die first."

I made sure he saw my face and how deadly serious I became.

"That's a dangerous game you're playing. It didn't end well when the anuran tried that tactic."

"If you know the stakes, then don't move. I've even got a game for you. Let's see just how long you can keep from falling to the ground."

He motioned to the majority of his crew to get into the pit. The ones that came down threw their guns to the ground before they jumped in.

"I'll have my followers try to flatten you out, one by one. Let's see how long you can keep your composure under the weight of a few people."

He turned to Babur and one of his followers that was posted near her.

"When he touches the ground with ANYTHING other than his feet, Kill her. The two of you that are holding her, keep her steady or you die with her."

The two beasts holding Babur's arms nodded in resentment and a rifle barrel was placed to her temple.

"Stop this Amur! What you are doing is wro...OUHG!"

Amur turned around and backhanded Nimer to the ground.

"This is not going to be your day, Amur. I promise."

I whispered.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you. Oh well. Have at him. Make him touch the ground. One at a time. Draw it out."

I gave Babur a look. She knew I was planning something. She was ready.

A beast-man ran up behind me and hopped on my back. I was able to hold steady. One wasn't heavy. Another came up and started punching me in the face. A third was close and about to tackle me.

'I'm ready, Lake.'

Fear's words were the signal that I was waiting for.

I popped the beast in front of me so hard that his jaw smashed into his throat. I grabbed the left leg of the one on my shoulders and swung him around, knocking him into the next closest beast that was charging.

"Kill her!"

*clink*

Her would-be executioner confused, she took the opportunity to kick his gun away and used her supreme beast power to lob the beasts holding her to the other side of the pit. She made quick work of anyone that came at her. Some of the villagers started fighting against the invaders too. Not one shot was fired off.

My shadows did their jobs in covering the hammers of the guns to prevent firing. That wasn't all that my shadows were set up to do.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! KILL BOTH OF THEM!"

The attackers in the pit all came at me at once. At least, they tried. None of them could move. They slowly began to rise off of the ground. The only thing connecting them to the ground was a thin string of my shadow. It looked like an odd museum of shadow engulfed hoodlums hanging just feet off of the ground. I moved toward the edge of the pit before I started the second phase of my plan to deal with the invaders.

"Throw any of the subdued invaders into the pit. I'll take care of them."

The villagers complied with my request and more fell into the pit. Babur threw in three of them before anyone else. Any newcomers were held by my shadow just as the others were.

I hopped up to the top of the pit like the fifteen-foot drop was only a streetside curb. Babur began to go after Amur. I held up a hand and placed it on her shoulder.

"Hold on. I got this."

"That's my cousin. He betrayed the elders. Let me..."

"DON'T EVER CALL ME YOUR COUSIN! Filthy exile! You betrayed the elders long before I made any plans to take over. Becoming an exile is the truest form of betrayal. You are NOT one to talk."

Amur ran to the only gun nearby and picked it up. He pointed it back and forth between Babur and me. He was on his last ropes. I had already recalled all of my shadows from the rifle hammers. He was actually in possession of a deadly weapon.

"Don't come any closer."

He pointed the gun at me.

"Haha. What are you gonna do? Shoot me? You saw what happens when I get shot."

In provoking him, he aimed at Babur. She let out a hostile hiss that I had never heard from her before.

"It's okay, Babur. Stay calm."

She seemed confused. I'm sure she was wondering why I stopped her only moments before, of which, she could have otherwise prevented the current predicament. She heeded my words though. She trusted me.

"Let my men go, or I'll shoot her."

"You don't have to do this. If you just put it down, we can talk things out. No real harm has been done here today. Just, let's try to calm down."

I attempted to dissuade him.

"I'm not here to negotiate. I want what's mine and I WILL get it!"

I shrugged like it didn't matter. I snapped my fingers. The shadows pushed my captives up until they were close to the edges of the pits.

"Now let them free."

"Done."

I said with a smile.

My shadows flung each and every one of them like catapults, reaching distances well beyond the border of Oofo village. My shadows began to gather under me once more. All but one.

"You shouldn't have done that."

He started to lean forward to fire at Babur. I held out a worrisome hand in front of her for her safety.

*Thump*

"AMUR!"

He quickly turned to his right, aiming at Nimer, who had brought his cane down on the wooden floor of the platform.

*BANG*

The gun went off.