New Zion
Chapter 25: Bamboo

Ryan cracked his neck as he looked down at the gang member in front of him. The human’s eyes didn’t leave the sword held by a Terra behind Ryan.

“So,” Ryan started. The Terra didn’t look at Ryan. Ryan sighed and kicked the human in the side. The human cried out as he went down, and looked up at Ryan. “There we go. It’s rude to not look at the person talking to you,” Ryan said. He gestured and the Terra helped the human upright.

“Now, I’m just wanting to confirm something once and for all. Your gang leader, did he visit Don Namhaid before giving the order to come out here?” Ryan asked. The human remained still. Ryan shook his head. “Fine. Bring the bamboo,” Ryan said. A gang member left. Ryan snapped his fingers and a crate was brought forwards. Ryan sat down on it. The gang member returned with a buddy, carrying a potted shoot plant. Ryan gestured them to hurry up.

“Good. Now I need a frame. Would you please…” Ryan trailed off as he saw Phil carrying over two punching bag frames. Ryan smiled. “Thank you Phil,” he said. Phil nodded and raised the human up, latching his feet and hands to the two frames. Ryan set the bamboo underneath the human, the tips of the shoots poking him in the belly.

“This is a fascinating plant. Its earth counterpart grew so quickly, that a group of people would use it to grow into the people they tortured. This method was, of course, outlawed. But lucky for me, those laws don’t exist in this world. Now, this planets version can grow even faster when we add a little something special to it,” Ryan said, pulling out a bag of earthy material. He dumped a little onto one of the shoots that poked out to the side of the human.

The shoot grew rapidly, narrowly missing the human. “Now that you know we can do this at pretty much any pace we want, would you like to talk now?” Ryan asked. The human shook his head. Ryan sighed. “Ok. Leave him up there. Somebody stay here in case he feels like talking,” Ryan said. He walked away, Phil at his side.

“Sir, are you sure you want to torture him in public like this?” he asked. Ryan nodded.

“These bastards have killed innocent people; a number of them family. No one’s going to have any issues with it,” Ryan said as they neared the house. “Oh, and tell Aasim that I want him to avoid the front lines. I need him to stay alive,” Ryan opened the door to the home as Phil nodded and walked away. Ryan entered the house and Harry approached him.

“Ryan, there’s a Berg Leute here calling himself ‘Legion’. He’d like to talk with you,” Ryan smiled.

“I was wondering where he went. Bring him to the smithy. I’ll be right there,” Ryan said. Harry nodded and walked away. He continued through the house to the infirmary. The groans and cries of pain greeted him in a horrible choir as he opened the door. Ryan approached the nearest bed and clasped the hand of the patient, an arrow sticking out of his side and cuts on his arms. Ryan began speaking with him. The man nodded repeatedly, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Ryan continued on to the next bed, and the next, and the next. Once Ryan had gone through all of the patients, he spoke with each of the nurses and doctors before walking to the door. The groans and cries had quieted, and just as he reached the door, he felt a tug on the sleeve of his jacket. He looked behind him to seen a man half out of his bed, barely supporting himself.

“Together we stand, together we fall! The depths of Hell are not our final destination, but merely a staging ground where we regroup!” The patients said in unison as those that could saluted. “Don Avalon, we will follow you to the depths of Hell and deeper; you need only ask,” the man said. Ryan smiled as he helped the man back into the bed.

“I think I’ve already taken you all up on that offer. Now, rest. You have done your part, and I will continue to do mine,” he said as he turned around and closed the door. Summer was waiting for him.

“Have you riled them up?” she asked. Ryan shook his head.

“No; I helped them calm down. We need to talk,” he said. Summer shook her head.

“There is nothing to talk about. You did what you thought was necessary, and as your mate I will support you in all your endeavours but one,” she said.

“And what’s the one?” Ryan asked. Summer looked him square in the eye.

“Harming my children,” she said. “I will be sleeping in Sophie’s room for the next month; or until the gangs stop coming. Whichever comes last,” Summer walked past Ryan into the infirmary. He grabbed her arm.

“Fine. However, you will not disobey me in public, and you will go to her room through the passages,” he said. “Right now, we can’t afford to show disunity; at least not in public,” Summer nodded.

“I know how this all works. My mother and father had to do that during the War of Unification in the Terra Lands when our clan was being tossed around. I wouldn’t dare cause a public problem; I don’t want my daughter to grow up in a town of gangs,” she said as he entered the infirmary.

Ryan walked back out to the backyard. The smithy belched out black smoke as Ryan continued towards it.

“I should figure out a way to use that smoke,” he muttered to himself. He waved a hand and a human ran up to him.

“Sir?” he asked.

“Set up some way of using the smoke coming out of the smithy to make smoke signals. But make sure that the smoke doesn’t get trapped inside the smithy; we don’t want to suffocate our smiths,” he said. The human blinked.

“But sir, we have the intercom, loudspeakers and radios,” the man said.

“And what happens if we want to say something privately, and the enemy has one of our radios?” Ryan asked. The man nodded and walked away, gathering a group of workers. Ryan approached the smithy where Legion stood, a full head higher than the doorway. Ryan smiled.

“It’s good to see you again, Legion,” Ryan said. Legion gave a slight nod.

“You as well, Don,” he said.

“So, did you want to join in on the fight?” Ryan asked. Legion smiled.

“Well, your son did help me win my freedom. I’m here to repay the favour,” he said.

“Good. We can use all the help we can get. Head into the smithy and take whichever weapon you’d like,” Ryan said. Legion nodded and ducked into the Smithy. Ryan heard Zuri yell obscenities someone. The yelling stopped and Ryan peeked in. He saw Legion lifting Zuri up so that she could grab something from a high place on the wall. She came back down with a thick great sword, and handed it to Legion. Legion smiled and patted her head before leaving the building. Ryan quickly went back to leaning against the wall as Legion left the building.

“Well, I suppose it shouldn’t break as quickly,” Ryan said as he inspected the great sword. Legion nodded as he held it up.

“Yes, it should last quite a while, and if it doesn’t I still have these,” Legion said, and metal gauntlets materialized on his hands. Ryan’s eyebrows raised.

“More Avian Tech? You, Cole and the Avians have some nifty weapons,” Ryan said. Legion shrugged.

“They do make for good tools, I suppose. So, where do you need me?” Legion asked. Ryan’s face turned serious as he pulled out a marked map of Central.

“I need you at checkpoint three. That’s where we’re getting hit the hardest,” Ryan said. Legion cocked his head.

“Wouldn’t they try to…” he began, but Ryan held up his hand and pointed towards some metal frames with a clean shoot plant.

“I already got all the information I need right now. Thankfully there wasn’t a mess,” Ryan said. Legion nodded and began jogging away. Ryan smiled.

“I think I’ll go for a walk,” Ryan said.

Ryan walked through the streets, humming into a microphone on his suit that amplified his voice. The deserted streets almost felt like home to him as he looked straight ahead. Windows and doors cracked open as his humming echoed and melded together into a great sound. Ryan walked ahead of a wagon filled with slabs of metal. Ryan didn’t look up as he raised a tower shield above his head, protecting himself. Arrows hit the ground around him and stuck into his shield. Ryan kept walking forwards, still humming the same tune. He began singing under his breath.

“Out by the meadow, where the deer may graze; in the darkness, of the forested maze; the wolf peers out, and howls to the moon. But worry not, my child, for morning will be here soon,” Ryan returned to humming. He continued forwards towards Checkpoint C where his men were returning arrow shots. Ryan got there and one of the Family members gestured for him to move behind cover. Ryan simply moved his Tower Shield so that he could stand behind it. He looked out to both sides. The men wore grim expressions, a number of them bloodied and bruised. Ryan smiled.

“Men and Women, Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters!” Ryan called out. “This fight is not one we may lose! No, it is not one we can lose!” Ryan said. “I know you all are tired, and many of you are injured. But I call out to you now, and I command you to win! You all know me to be a reasonable man, so know that I would not expect you to do something that you can’t. So I tell you now, that you can win, and you will win, for this is our home!” Ryan called out.

The Family members roared out a thunderous cry and charged forwards. Shield Bearers made up the first and every second row as well as the sides, their tower shields protecting the front and above, while spearmen made up the third line, their spears poking in between the shields. Ryan picked up his shield and climbed to the top of a makeshift tower and watched them fight.

The shield crashed through the defenses put up by the gang members. Ryan smiled as they broke through and crushed the garrison of gang members. Ryan looked up just in time to see an arrow fly towards him. He caught it. It was poorly made and slow moving. He looked in the direction of the shot and saw a very surprised human. Ryan smiled and held out his hand. An archer in the tower gave him an arrow and Ryan hurled it at the human. The arrow sheathed itself in the man’s chest. Ryan looked down at the Archer.

“I wanted your bow,” He said. The Archer blinked.

“Sorry, sir. It’s just that I thought you were going to throw the arrow back at him, but it was a bad arrow, so…” The archer trailed off as the Family members broke through the rest of the gang members. Once the fighting had stopped, Ryan’s smile broadened. He raised his arms, and spoke.

“Now, I want the injured to return home or go to the hospital and receive treatment. The rest of you that can still move, if you aren’t helping someone get home or to the hospital, I want you to help hunt down the rest of the gang members. Good job, brothers and sisters. I’m proud of all of you!” The echoes of Ryan voice were drowned out by the cheer. Ryan made his back into the tower, and staggered against the frame of the door. He looked down at his side and snapped an arrow sticking out of him, leaving the arrowhead inside. He looked up at the Archer and held a finger to his lips. The archer nodded and Ryan continued on out of the tower, picking up his shield and continuing back home.

Ryan lay on the floor of his bedroom while Archimedes stitched him up.

“You’re lucky that I was patrolling in your area,” Archimedes said. Ryan grunted. “Done,” he said. Archimedes looked at his handy work. “This should hold you together, but only if you don’t move around too much. Your mate could do a much better job,” Archimedes said. Ryan shook his head.

“She already has a lot of other people she’s taking care of,” He said.

“Then one of the nurses or doctors…” Archimedes began, but Ryan shook his head.

“Nurses gossip like old ladies around tea, and the doctors report to Summer, not me,” Ryan said as he stood up slowly, putting on his shirt. He picked up the tools and took them into the bathroom, washing them off. “Return these to the infirmary,” Ryan said. “Oh and Archimedes?”

“Yes Ryan?” he replied.

“Two things. First, not a word of this to anyone. Second, I need you to fly out to all of the other Mafia’s and tell them that I expect their support after we come out of this. After all, we’ll have cleaned up their streets. And tell them that I will provide a more detailed speech as well, defining what I want, and am willing to give,” Ryan said with a smile. Archimedes smiled back, nodding. Ryan left the room as Archimedes entered the secret passageways. Ryan looked up to see Summer standing in the hallway. She sniffed the air and squinted her eyes at him.

“I smell blood,” She said. Ryan nodded.

“I was at Checkpoint C and got some blood on me, so I came back here to clean off and change,” Ryan said. “Can’t have the Family thinking I got hurt,” Summer looked at him more closely. “Anyways, what do you need?” He asked.

“We have to move the patients to the hospital,” Summer said. Ryan nodded.

“Ok, do it. Use the vehicles for the most injured, and the rest will be helped out,” Ryan said. Summer nodded.

“Thank you. And don’t damage this family any more than you already have. Sophie still needs her father,” Summer said as she began walking away. Once she was out of earshot she whispered “as do I,”

©2017

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