Mordred 4.2

The New Realm

The surviving Cohen’s were all shackled to the special designed chairs while neuro-transmitters were inserted into a contraption that reached from their neck to lower spine that will suppress their ability to call on any spells. If the neuro-transmitter detects any variation in their energy levels, it will activate the needed simulation jabs which have been proven to stop them. It could be pain or joy or even moods that will immediately disrupt their concentration. I was never a fan of such techniques but the administration then wanted it to enforce that way.  All of us at New Salem was given one but not myself, as I was the Guardian.

“Arghh!” Yellow screamed out in pain when Daley pressed the remote to activate the neuro-transmitter. I reached out to Daley’s hand and grabbed the remote.

“Daley, we are having a conversation. Don’t do that.” I called out. It also frightens Sparky who was in the adjacent cell.

“The heck with your conversation pieces. I am here to get the truth on the Grand Master.” Daley snapped back. “If you can’t take it, leave us. As I do with your fights.”

“Daley…” I was getting agitated by the remarks and was to lash out when Charlie stopped me.

“Mordred let him be. Both of you don’t shared the same history.” I looked at the war veteran. I was disgusted by his words and then walked away. I could not stop Daley; he had the blessing of the authorities and so was Charlie but I had wished I had the say in who was to be with me. Daley was a good partner when it comes to the battle but he had bad experiences with the creatures and wizards. I could be seated there and Daley will do the same.

“I heard you caught some live ones.” Captain Lovelet was another arsehole to work with in the Section. He was chomping on his chewing gum then which he claimed stopped him from smoking his cigars. He must have my pained expression and then the screams. He then calmed me with his fatherly advice.

“I wouldn’t sanction that but it had been now nearly two years with all these Class D and E popping in our backyards. The top cannot accept any more excuses. We got to be tough. We need to know the Grand Master identity.” Captain Lovelet voiced out in that pleasing manner that only young kids might appreciate but he spoiled it with the clenched fist shown to my face.

“So you sanction that inhuman torture. We are …visitors to your world but in us, most of us are no different from you.” I hit back. “The only difference is that we still know the skilled crafts to be more …”

“Arcane? You are right. Your people are gifted in some ways, but the killings got to stop.” The Captain explained himself. “I got a task to ensure that is happening.”

“Then let someone more humane questioned them. Not Daley. He is sick.” I pleaded but Captain Lovelet does not care.

“Daley is a good officer.  He does not enjoy doing that. He does that because he has to. Not because he hates your kind. He had a reason with his wife being killed by one of your people but he never let his personal interest gets into his way.”

“You do, Guardian. You get involved into those street fights to hit back at us.” Captain Lovelet continued on. “Your psyche analysis revealed that. You want to hurt us like how we hurt your people. Pain for pain.”

“No!” I snapped back. I was to reply when I stopped myself. I looked away and then began to walk away. I was stopped by the Captain.

“You can’t hide from me, Mordred. I knew it all. I knew all of you.” Captain Lovelet. “These pips were not there for show. I am your Captain and for me to be one, I need to know every one of you. Daley is no sicko. He is just a tough but most times reckless. He cared not for his life anymore since his wife died. He wants to be killed at times but when he comes to his senses, he will be the best partner you could ever ask for. He’s good at doing his tasks. Not many could do what he is doing now. He felt their pain but the pains of the victims’ loved ones prevailed more in him. You are good too but you have a weakness. You harbour resentment on us since you arrived. Maybe it’s New Salem or maybe it was always in you. You hunt the so called renegades for us but when captured or maimed, you do the execution. You used our weapon to do it, not your …so called elements.”

“The gun belonged to us. You did not kill the ones we caught. We killed it when you used the gun.” Captain Lovelet hit back. “If you want to stop the killing, then find for us the Grand Master or whoever he may be.”

“Captain, there is no Grand Master. That name was created …” I replied but the Captain stopped me.

“Then prove them wrong.” I was to agree when Daley stepped out. He staggered out with his body bloodied in several parts.

“They are getting away….” Daley collapsed on the flooring. “Sparky helped them.”

Both the Captain and I rushed in but our captives were gone. So was Sparky. There was a large hole in the wall at the detention chamber.

I leaned down to help Daley while the Captain raised the alarm. The Precinct other elite team all went into action. The Storm Troopers rushed for their gears of the protected vests and greaves while arming themselves with the heavy calibre guns including the riot shotguns. They are nineteen of them commanded by Lieutenant Graves. He was a smaller frame guy with his distinguished bald head but he compensate with the belt of his fragment grenades. His motto was if it too higher for your reach then shortened its height.

“Captain, we got the escapees in the yard. They are putting up a great fight.” Lieutenant Graves’ squeaky voice crackled over the communications line. I rushed to the yard with Charlie at my rear. We reached them in time to see the Lieutenant being handed a bruising hit on the left leg. There were five of the RR Team also out of circulation. I saw all of the Cohens’ there and Red looked bad. She was earlier tortured by Daley. There was Sparky in its huge glory form.

Green had taken over command. He saw me approach them.

“Guardian, you crossed the line today.” Green spoke up. “You killed our elders. This will not go down well with us or the others. We are all family. More to it, there is no Grand Master. There are only us, the New People of the Inner Realm.”

Inner Realm was the name of our people then; the gifted ones who were the wizards and witches. All of them were governed by the Council. Since we arrived here, the Council was no more and so were the bond that binds us as the People of the Inner Realm.

“You were a Guardian. We respected that in you. But what you did today, we have removed that. You are now a renegade.”

“How can that be? I was protecting the crafts.” I protested. “All of you were there without authorization.”

“Whose? The Council or theirs?” Green voiced out. “The Council was never there anymore for over twenty years. We formed a new Council, with new members. We were not fighting you. We were looking to go back. We were told to look for the crystal shards. We did not attack you. Your friend was the one who started the fight.”

“There were others who did.” I argued back. “I had fought them for years.”

“Are you sure, Guardian? You were supposed to be our Guardian and yet you protect the others against us.” Green replied. “The New People have questioned your role and from what we had seen, you were judged as guilty of treason against your own kind. That will be the verdict we tell the others. Goodbye Guardian. May we never again meet.”

It was then Green and the other Cohens’ dissipated into the thin air. That left Sparky there to face us. I approached the dragon but the Storm troopers had started their version of a negotiation. They opened fire with their guns at the dragon. Sparky was hurt but the fire power was inadequate to bring down the dragon. Sparky responded with his flames and burned to crisp two of the troopers. It was then Daley stepped in. with his Taurus.

“Hey, Sparky. Look over.” Daley called out. The dragon turned to the voice and saw the new threat. Daley was not alone. He was with a mechanical form. It was a huge figure with the body armour that covered it from head to toe. The extra armour made the figure stood at over seven feet and with the extra guns on its arms, it must have weighted move than half a ton. The twin guns were the rapid firing weapon that utilizes the six barrels in a rotating cluster to provide a sustained rate of fire. It was fed by the ammo belt that was on the rear of the armoured figure. The armoured giant was nicknamed the Dreadnought.

The machine figure released its firepower on Sparky. The dragon fell backwards on the impact of the shots .The armour piercing projectiles tore into the scales of the dragon, and into the flesh beneath. Sparky collapsed dead on the first salvo. I stood there like a stranger in the crowd. I was confused yet angry at myself.

There were many unresolved questions. 

Mordred 4.1

4

The Previous Realm

I held on tight to the rails while Merlin kept the energy field intact. He was assisted then by Fangnir who lent its energy to the former. I wanted to assist but the energy currents then was too strong for me. I could hardly stand lest alone move. I was to try when the craft gave out an eerie sound. I saw it then the change in the craft interior. There were flows of energies around us. It was not from the vortex but within those of us in the crafts. I have seen these forms of energies in my tasks, but never so many variations. It was emitting from those there; some evil which were suppressed by their conscience, some were hidden evils that lurked within but never revealed, some were pure evil like from Fangnir.

“Fangnir!” I called out. “Your energies are corrupting the others.”

Fangnir laughed out at my voice and then turned towards me.

“I am a free spirit of the realm. I cared not what happened here. Merlin invited me to lend my energy and what he desires shall be given.” Fangnir voiced to me. “Good and Evil. Both reside in me.”

The situation was getting bad, and I looked to Merlin. He was himself immersed inside his spell to hold the energy field. I forced myself to move and raised my right arm. I called on the elements of the Wind to pull Fangnir off Arthur but they were stuck. Fangnir saw my approach and reverted to its former form of the dragon. At that time, Merlin screamed out in pain and the craft went into a series of jolts and more shearing noise was heard on the inner hull. That could only mean the outer plates were gone. I was tossed like a broken doll and landed among those seated nearby.

We are losing integrity on the craft protective surface. It was then I felt the evil presence.

“Hello, Guardian.” I looked up and saw a familiar space from my days. It was Stony, the blacksmith. He was not a wizard but had assisted many in their needs for his trade products. There he appeared before me in his energy aura but the vibes were evil.

“Surprise? Don’t be. I have always envied you and them. With our skilled crafts, you were above us in the ranks, but the humble can be also the superior if only they knew how. I knew the method was to learn indirectly. Your kinds assumed the others like me would not learn so there was no concern on us. Well, you are wrong.”

“I learned more than you can ever guess.” Stony reply came with the metal enshrouded energy blasts that threw me off the rails towards the lower deck. They came out of his hands like flying daggers of metal energy. “See not all wizards knew how to blend the spells.”

I was lying among the others whom I had crashed onto. They were not spared the metal daggers which pierced their bodies. The attack was ferocious and there was nothing I could do for the others. It was a call for survival.

I called on a spell to raise myself up and then floated to the upper deck again. It was strenuous with the energy field and the unfamiliar environment created by the vortex. I was to call on my skilled crafts to attack the blacksmith when Fangnir strike out. The later was in its dragon form and had disengaged from the link. I saw Arthur still holding on at Merlin but he was not conscious then. I turned in time to see Fangnir had enveloped the blacksmith with its own energy field. Stony fought to get out of the clutches of Fangnir but it held tight. It was ancient spell of absorbing one’s aura and was forbidden by the Council. It was one of Fangnir deadly spells. Soon Fangnir had swallowed Stony’ aura and then the dragon flee into the other decks. It will need time and a private place to digest the aura.

“My servants will fight for me.” With that Fangnir fled the deck. I was to give chase when Merlin stopped me.

“Mordred, I need you here.” Merlin called out. “Fangnir can wait. The energy field needs your energy too.”

I made my move towards Merlin when the blow hit me from the rear.

Mordred 3.3

The blow threw me back by more than ten feet. It was a hard blow but it was not directed by the six Cohens’. It was from another source.

Or sources.

“You are better, Guardian.” The voice was from the top of the hangar. It was another man seated on the upper beam at the ceiling. “I am named Black.”

“And I am White.” The other was a lady seated on another beam nearby. “We are the Cohens’ elders.”

“I knew you before. You were once wizards of the land.” I asked them weakly. “Were you on the craft with me?”

“Yes. We were Fangnir custodians then, and we learned some new skilled crafts from it.” Black replied. “Something which Merlin may not approved.”

“Fangnir? Is it alive?” I asked again. I could only recalled was the crash and then among the survivals, I could not find Fangnir. I wanted to know then but Black denied me the knowledge.

“Yes, you may join it soon.” Black replied while preparing another energy blast for me. 

Blam! Blam! That was Daley again. The idiot was shooting at the duo on the beam. He missed but the Black one hit him with a black streak at his chest which knocked him back. I was too far to assist him but I used the Colt still in my right hand.

Blam! I aimed at Black but White jumped over to protect the other. The bullet with its modified properties pierced the shield created by White and hit her in the shoulder. She fell off the beam when Black was reaching for her. He lost his balance and fell off too. They landed hard but we were all hurt then. I tried to raise my body but it was not responding at all. I then rolled over to my side to face the duo. They were already on their feet and looking mean. The lady was hurt and she looked pissed.

“Guardian, you are good but even the best can be beaten.” Black taunted me then before raising his hand. I saw the energy build up there and was prepared to face the fate that awaits me. I closed my eyes but it never came.

 Or maybe it was scared by the loud noise which resounded at my ears. I looked over and saw the duo on the flooring.

“You guys ever wished I remained dead?” That voice belonged to Charlie. “What your spells could not do, my gun will pick them off like stool pigeons.”

Charlie was the last member of the team. He was military for twenty years before he got taken off for medical reasons. He was diagnosed as dangerous to continue. He went into retirement but was the first to volunteer. The definition of volunteer was maybe a misconception here. In one of our early tasks, we were caught in an ambush when Charlie stepped in with his gun. His gun was a modified M60 with the backpack containing his ammo named Aunt Litzy. The gun fired at 500 rounds per second with a muzzle velocity at 800 metres per seconds. The gun delivered the killer blow to the creature then. He soon joined us as the backup team. .

Soon the surviving Cohens’ were all in restraint. 

Mordred 3.2

The New Realm

I be damned was my exact words when I viewed the new threat. It was huge; triple my size but the worse end it was not a dragon but a hybrid. It had the upper body of the dragon but the second half was that of a serpent. It body was not scaled but smooth with the red shades. I have not seen such creature before, but in the books of skilled crafts, it was mentioned there. There are different forms of the dragon. It was claimed that this was the process of meta-combined by the two different creatures, or it could be work of some wizards to change the outlook of the creature.

“I heard of twins but this is ridiculous.” Daley cursed at the sight of the creatures that soon came to our vision from the hidden corners. We were faced by seven of these creatures at the location which was a huge hangar. They were in various shades; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The hangar had two of the three crafts which carried us there through the vortex. Three of the creatures were on the first craft while the others were on the second craft. They were in various shades

I stepped forward then to face the craft with the three creatures. The craft was not operable without the workings of Merlin and his shard. Nor was it in any prime condition with part of the sides torn open. The once polished metal plates looked dull with the years of neglect.

“I want to speak to your leader.” I voiced out to the creatures. “I am …”

“Mordred the Guardian.” The red creature lowered itself down from the craft side. When its head touched the flooring, it released the aura of energy seen before in Fangnir. The aura of energy soon flowed downwards to the height of Man before it took form again. Its form was that of a lady with a reddish shade for its complexion.

“That one I could recognize.” Daley voiced out but I ignored him.

“My name is Cohen. We are all Cohen’s.” The reddish shaded lady replied before he waved at the other three. They have also reverted to their human form but they vary from colours. Except for orange and violet, the others were all men. “We have come to seek the crystals.”

I was to reply when Daley went into action. His twin Taurus was adding marks to the dust coated plates. He was aiming at the reddish lady which jumped into action. The lady raised her hands and a shield appeared before her. The bullets still pushed itself into the shield but she was supported by Violet who lent to her their energy. It stopped the bullets but the men were into action.

Orange was the acrobatic one which went into a series of jumps and somersaults while releasing the energy lances at me. I deflected that with my own rolls and bumps while seeking cover. Blue sprang into action too by releasing bouncing balls of his colours, but these balls explode on contact. That called for some faster on my side where I had to rely on my own skilled crafts. My skilled crafts were the elements around; water, fire, earth and wind. I used the earth element to raise an earthen wall. The flooring gave me more than sands; there were iron and other hard metals inside. The solid wall absorbed the attack and I went into action. I called on the winds to create a dust storm to create a distraction. I rushed into Daley and pushed him behind some cover.

“Have you filed in your dead wish?” I shouted at Daley. He was not chosen by me for the Section and his reckless have landed both of us in dire situations before.

“You know my approach so shut up.” That old man was getting into my nerves but the Supervisors will not let me get him replaced. He then continued on his brash moves. The old man leaned over and released more shots. Some idiot should have told him that shooting in random direction may result in no results.

It was then Indigo came into the attack with an energy sword that he swung hard on the earthen shield. Green was last in the attack when it hit us with the energy that will stick to the surface and then held it in place. My earthen shield had collapsed but it was time for me to hit back.

I got the wind to mix with the water elements to form icicle forms. The pieces projected at a storm rate were as deadly like bullets. It brought down Yellow and Indigo guy who had no defence shields. The others ran for cover behind the ladies. I used the Wind element to raise myself before I called up the fire element by burning the oxygen around them and created a cordon around them. It was working for the Cohens’ were confused then. I lashed out with the water to create a multiple jet flow at the defending Cohen. It further confused them. In that confusion, I swooped down and landed among them. It was time to put into action my Savate fighting techniques.  

First I went in with my torrents of water sprays to blind them before I used my right fist into Green. The punch knocked him out flat and by then, I had turned my body to deliver an instep kick at Red’s left knee, followed by an elbow into her face.

Ouch! That must have hurt for her. When Red went down, I half crouch on my body with m left leg lashed out with the hard toe end into Orange. She went down with sore jaw and I followed through with a down jab with the side of the right hand on the side of the neck. Soon I was facing Blue and Violet. Blue came at me with the energy blasts but in the enclosed area, it was difficult to aim. He ended up hitting his own mates when I called on the earthen element to form the formidable solid metals around my fist. I lashed out with punches at the duo and they were down.

Then it all came down to the hardest part then for me. I took out my Colt Anaconda and aimed it at the Red Lady. In all military strategy, it was to take down the leader first. 

Mordred 3.1

3

The Previous Realm

I held on fast to the two handrails of the craft when we heard the shearing sounds on the outer plates. I looked to the elderly man standing steadfast at the front of the so named bridge. He was seen with both his hands hovering above a crystal shard which was glowing. His frame was tall and slim despite his age, he could still stand upright. He was covered in the read cloak that identified him as the Head Councillor. He was Merlin.

“Mordred, bring forth Fangnir. I need its strength.” Merlin called out. “The vortex is too strong for me to hold the link.”

“No!” I voiced out. “The law forbid us to share our strength with the creatures. Not so with Fangnir.”

Fangnir was an exceptional creature. It pledged itself to Merlin when the later had defeated. Merlin did not destroy it for Fangnir was different from the other dragons. It was not a dragon by origin but a wizard who evolved into it through the deviant spells. Merlin overruled the Council and too Fangnir as a specimen subject. He had kept the creature under chains, and when we were to move here, he requested that Fangnir be send along

“Fools! Those laws were made by those that did not foresee such needs.” Merlin replied. “Get me the dragon or we may all perish.”

I did not move as he had asked. I was not going to break the same laws I had devoted my life to defend. I stood my ground there and looked out of the double layered glass pane. I saw the other three crafts on my side held by the magical link that kept us together. It was striking out like a series of lightning and yet it does not pierce the plates but formed a cocoon with the crafts in the centre. That link was then flickering before it was renewed back to its full flow.

“Arthur, get me Fangnir.” Merlin called out to his apprentice then promoted Wizard Knight. The young man was dressed in the newly minted armour of the Knight Ranking, and held on his waist belt was the sword given by Merlin. He was a dashing man but he had his beauty plagued by the scar that streak across his left cheek. The young knight rushed to the pens to retrieve the powerful dragon.

“I plead with you, Merlin. Fangnir is an evil one.” I voiced out to Merlin. “Do not share its energy onto yours.  It may tempt your darker side.”

Merlin was to reply when he screamed out in pain. His left hand moved from the shard towards his head. The palm of the hand had signs of burn on it. He then heard the other call from the other side.

“Head Councillor, we lost one craft.” The voice was Lancelot who was also a knight like Arthur. “I saw the link severed. We lost craft Five.”

By then Arthur had arrived with the dragon still caged inside the small containment box. It was shrunk smaller than us for easier control. Merlin then instructed Arthur release it. The other was reluctant but Merlin had him overruled. The dragon was released and then brought to Merlin side.

“Grow, you insolent fool.” Merlin called out to Fangnir. “I know you could.”

True to the words of Merlin, Fangnir grew from the miniaturized frame to full height before us.

“Fangnir, I desire to see your other alter ego. I call on the other who was once Man and friend.” Merlin told the dragon. The creature looked towards the elderly man and then bowed its head. Its body soon flickered and then an aura formed around it. Form the aura a new figure stepped out.

“Welcome, Morgan Faye. I am pleased to see you once again.”  The figure was a lady unclothed but yet her modesty was well covered by the purple shaded energy aura which formed a cloak around her body. She raised her hands towards Merlin who took it gently.

“We need to combine to create the energy required.” Merlin explained to her. “It was that or we will all die here in the vortex. Arthur will be our conduit to link up.”

“You still fear me, Merlin.” Morgan laughed out in gleeful manner. “Surely, you must have missed me.”

“Enough of your words, Morgan. Do as I say or be prepare to die.” Merlin motioned to Arthur stand in between them. 

“You will be the conduit that will channel ….. Fangnir energy.”

Merlin then called up the incantation to merge their energies. Morgan placed her arms on Arthur and he in turn placed his hands on Merlin. The incantation worked for I could see the energies flowing between the three.

“By the glory of Astra, we got the link back.” Merlin called out when both their energy combined and was channelled to the shard. “We can all be one once again.” 

Mordred 2.2

The New Realm

Daley took a bite off his home baked doughnut. He does not buy them from the stores; his complaint was they contained inorganic stuff while his was done with the authentic materials. I would have not complained if he had left out the sugar. That stuff could snuff a nation.

“Mordred, do you think we are getting closer to the Grand Master?” Daley had sugar all over his lips. It was disgusting and he made it worse by licking it with his tongue.

I shook my head before turning my attention to the dragon seated at the corner munching at one of Daley’s doughnuts. It had reduced its frame to the manageable form, and I think the sugar was creating a craving in it. When I first arrived at this dimension then, it was the Year 2000. There were twenty thousands of us then in three crafts. Of those figures, the dragon numbered six thousands.

Not all of us survived the crash.

We lost more than half our numbers.

We landed on three different locations; mine was in a lake among the city’s structure. We were surrounded by water floating ships of all types and rescued. We were similar in looks but like all strangers, we were viewed as possible hostiles. More so when the creatures of the realm were unique to them, and in the chaos of the rescue, there were commotions and emotional conflicts. It only took one incident to trigger the battle. It was a massacre then; most of us were exhausted and with it was our ability to defend. We defended where we could but we lost many. In the end, we admitted defeat and surrender.

The armed men came on board and took us captives. We were heralded like creatures into the barred pens and the orders were to shoot us on the slightest provocations. More died but we strived on. Soon we were moved into the isolated settlement in some far flung area with the fenced wires keeping us safe. It took us eight years to convince the others of our plight and of course our noble intentions. More of us died during the internment.

Despite that we kept on surviving until the day that decision was made to change our lives.

“Those of you who are human in looks may stay with us but the others will be moved to a land we have allocated for them.” The ones who were to be moved were the remaining dragons and some other misfits. I was one of them but my reason was not because I was a misfit; I was needed there in my role as the Guardian. I volunteered myself through then, and soon found myself flying in another enclosed contraption. The new contraption had vast land which was lush greens and flowing rivers like our own world but we have the guards there on the boundaries to ensure we do not stray. It was home then away from our previous ones but we have the freedom to roam with the dragons. We numbered a few thousands then with the flock of dragons, but in the period of another ten years we dwindled to half our numbers.

Then the call came.

It was my true call then.

I was needed as the new Guardian.

“Mordred! Are you listening or are you looking at Sparky?” Daley had a sick sense of humour. He thinks that I was devoid of a life except as a Guardian. I do have a personal life which does not involved dragons.

“I am here, Daley.” I hollered back. “And don’t call it Sparky. It got a name but in your simple tongue, you may not know how to say it. So I would suggest you stick to …”

“Sparky sounds …appropriate.” Daley defended himself.  “So tell me are we any closer to the Grand Master?”

The Grand Master was the name that brought me out of the land to the city. I recalled that day when I saw the landscape of the city once more. There the lake there but the craft had been removed from its surface. The other structures remained the same regardless after two decades. I was brought to a large hangar and it was the surprise for me.

It was a dragon; an adult one but it was dead. It was shaded in bluish green but its body was riddled with wounds caused by those bullets. I did not recognize it but my tears flowed for it. I asked why it was hurt by them and was told the reason.

“The creature caused havoc in the city. It was not the first but the sixth in the list.” The officer then told me. I asked of the others and was told the damning truth.

“Of the other five, three we burned at the stakes and the two well we dropped them into the vast ocean.” It was a sad way for these beautiful creatures to die. It was then I asked why I was brought there.

“We were told you that you are a Guardian too. Our last one died in the last fight. You might know him. His name was Merlin. He fought the new threat of the Serpents for over five years now.” That name rattled me down. I was never a favourite of Merlin but his demise made me very sad. He was my former Master but we had our difference later which created a rift. I took on the role to replaced Merlin and soon was on my way find the truth.

A role which was to hurt me more than ever.

“I give up.” Daley threw the remaining doughnut to the dragon and got up. “I am not getting through to you at all. I might as well talk to Sparky.”

“The Grand Master is elusive. I can’t see any trail here. The dragon may be …” I paused. “Lost in its journey.”

“Be heck with that.” Daley reached for his twin guns in the holster around his waist. He carried with him a twin set of the 8 ½ inch killer with the eight rounds ammo and with a label like the Taurus, you don’t argue with it. It was then Sparky reacted into its reddish shade before I intervened.

“Hold your action, Daley. The dragon is innocent.” I stood between the two of them.

“Well, tell it to those victims who died in previous attacks.” Daley pulled his hand away from the side holster before leaving the room. I was left alone with Sparky. I looked towards Sparky.

“Grand Master..” I voiced out.

Ironically, the name was not given by the one we seek but by the press who was reporting the news. Soon one day, a member of the panel discussing the cases coined up the theory that a Grand Master was behind it. It got etched onto the minds of the listener and then became the cult name of the so called leader. I laughed at it but Daley being the cynic he was, also believed that there was a Grand Master.

“There is no Grand Master but a couple of villains on the loose.” I defended against the naming.

“Sure, you are a Guardian. It will be your responsibility to prove us wrong.” Daley had challenged me then. Those words were a sting to my ego then. I was not sure why I offered to take over the role after Merlin. The former did a good task of controlling the others. He was revered as the Master of all, but he was dead. The cases involving those so called villains continued on despite his best of effort. The ones that were assimilated to this world was never done so but kept in isolation in a landlocked town named New Salem and was patrolled by guards at the borders. They were also sworn not to indulge in their skilled crafts but that was like keeping candies from the children. So the ones who could not take the strain took out to strain out their frustration at the new world. It took me a while to make it manageable after I took over the role as the Guardian then seven years ago. With my uncanny skilled crafts and experience I subdued or at times forced to destroy them.

Thus it was formed the Occult Section with initially myself on the roster but later Daley and Charley joined in to make it more ‘approachable’ by the other departments as described by them. The occurrence called on my Section and soon we have our own page in the news. The readers called it the ‘freakish’ news but none of us took offence.

“Hey Mordred. We got a real Class E this round.” Charley popped his head by the doorway. He was already dressed up with the protection vest while holding his guns. I had Sparky locked up in the detention block. 

Mordred 2.1

2.

The Previous Realm

 “It was time to call for Project Exodus.”

The Council assembled all the members and with them the creatures which they were devoted. Alongside of it were the ordinary folks who had to be saved. We were a small world with only thousands of us but with the creatures, we added up the numbers to nearly a hundred thousand. We had then built seven huge crafts which will carry the selected ones into the void and into the unknown dimension. The seven crafts were created with the designs provided by Merlin. It covered over a mile each with a radius of over five miles that tapered at both ends. The designer had built in twenty five entrances with the extended ramps. There was no view to the outside but link was created to the pilot as was named to visualise the outside view. It was projected onto the pilot whose concentrations need to be absolute. There was no mention of the view to be seen and it could only be seen on the journey.

“If there were no creatures to pull it, how could we fly?” Some wizards asked. “How would we know it will withstand the vortex?”

It was Merlin who came forth with the idea of the sphere like craft made with the metallic plates bonded with the magical spells.

“The main craft will be handed by me with the main crystal shard.” Merlin held up the powerful artefact which was discovered from a meteor that had crashed on the world years ago. It wiped out all living creatures within the radius of a hundred miles and levelled the landscape. The area was later marked as Meteor End’s. From the meteor, we retrieved seven shards of crystal which emitted energy. After some extensive study, Merlin managed to tap into the energy and channelled it. The success of his work made him ever popular and then Head Councillor. The shards were in possession of several parties but on that day they agreed to share the energies from the shards.

“When the vortex grabbed us, I will channel the main craft into the centre of it while the other crafts will form around it. Each of the crafts will hold the other shards and we will channel the energy around the crafts to form an energy field. The strength of the field will depend on us in link to each other.” Merlin explained. “If we break the link, the energy field may weaken and it will be on the individual shard to maintain its own. I cannot foresee what will happen then.”

“Are you assuming that the vortex will fly us when it sucks up everything?” One of the older wizards asked out loudly. 

“It is madness.”

“Madness it is, my dear Archimedes. But sometimes madness can be the gift of miracles.” Merlin replied.

“The craft is huge but it cannot fill all of us.” Another asked. More heads came to mind that madness may have prevailed then.

“I know. We cannot build larger crafts with our resources and time nor could we build more crafts. So I have designed an alternative.” Merlin replied. “We will all shrink to fit the crafts. After all in this world, we may appear as normal but in another world, we may differ.”

There was no more debate on it and all was accepted. We then began boarding the crafts for our new destiny. We had the inside of the crafts laid out for its passengers. Considering with our shrinking spell, we managed well to fit almost all who were willing to go. Inside the crafts we had wooden benches and tables with make shift cubicles for the scales creatures. Well, we couldn’t leave them there. They were still living creatures.  

Soon we were all lined up like parade balloons waiting for the vortex. It was not a long wait considering the vortex was three times its original size when we detected it. It had swallowed over half of the world when we were boarding.  For a length of time, it there was ever any to be referred to those in wait for the vortex, we stood frozen inside the crafts. Then without any warning, we felt the lift and then the shearing sound as if the plates on the crafts were being ripped off, and then the pressure built up.

Mordred 1.3

“There is a Class D pervert out there. Get that sorted out.” Captain Lovelet has an uncanny way of calling the demons by another name. He once told me that by not referring to them as demons, does not give him nightmares. In his dreams, he hunts down the perverts and buried them in a wooden casket but before he plastered them with enough holes for the rats to run as a maze.

Class D was the definition for Deviant Demons aka violent ones. The Class A was the gentler ones while E was the mega show stopper.

“Why didn’t you get Charley here?” Daley asked for we were normally called for Class E and above.

“Charley was here. He lost the challenge and nursing at the van.” The Captain explained. “The pervert has also downed four of the recruits for your section.”

“Geez, that’s Class E” I replied while passing by the Captain.

“Mordred, I know my ABCD. That’s a Class D and your mates are all dunce with a capital D in their works.”

I ignore the Captain on his outburst. I drew out my gun and stepped towards the Square. The gun of mine was no ordinary gun. It looked like a Magnum 44 Colt Anaconda with the six bullets cylinder but the exception was my bullets were handcrafted with demon dust. When it impact onto the demon it will explode within its soul and extinguish it. It was made by the Wizards Council headed by one elderly wizard named Merlin.

“Darn!” I saw then the demon. It was not huge but a midge in dimension. It looked like a small dragon with green scales but its body was human in design minus the head which had a fin on it and that side dorsal ears. It stood at less than two feet and should not weigh more than twenty pounds. Honestly, I disliked small demons. They are always misleading in the cover look. The puny sized demon saw me and then snarled.

“Class D? Darned thing should be in Class A. It’s like a Teddy bear.” Daley laughed. Then he looked at it and made more remarks. “Don’t they get any larger ones there? This guy is small.”

“Don’t judge the book by its cover.” I replied and just then, the puny dragon snorted off its flame at us. In comparison the streak of flame was larger and it was hot. I had then turned my face to avoid the searing heat but Daley took it on at full force. If not the force field spell that Daley had on, he would be crisp fried by then. I needed no spell for my natural body defence had built a cocoon of energy field around me. I turned towards the demon and raise up my hand to motion a ‘no’ towards the dragon.

“Now will you shut up on your mouth piece. That’s a Class D category.” I retorted Daley.

“It was his comment.” The dragon replied. “Same as the other guy. They think alike. I am no male.” The dragon replied and displayed its identification towards me. “I disliked generalization.”

“Okay.” I replied. “No offence needed here. Daley is ….too old to recognized one anyway. He isn’t seen one for some years now.”

“Maybe he likes me to his height.” The dragon then heaved in its breath and the frame grew from two feet to a height of twice that of Man while its scales turned crimson red. ”Now can he see the difference.”

I nodded and then jolted Daley at it. He in turn did the same. The demon was double my dimension and at eight feet, it did look intimidating. The mistaken identity of its gender was not in any doubt then.

 “So what’s with the drama here?” I asked the dragon. “Some wizard got your tail tangled?”

“I don’t know. One moment I was in the New Salem and next I was here.” The dragon replied. “It was unusual. I tried to move back but I was not sure. Then the people here started hurting me and I hit back. Even your other friend was unkind.”

I then shook my head. We all lived in a strange world. 

Mordred 1.2

The New Realm

The human eye is an organ that reacts to light and has several purposes. As a sense organ, the mammalian eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including colour differentiation and the perception of depth. The human eye can distinguish about 10 million colours. In my case, it was no different.

When I stepped from the lighted eatery into the darker zone of the street, I was momentarily blinded then. It was also the body was given a series of hits. I was to retaliate but the guy was fast with his moves on the punches. He got me down on my knees in seconds and then lashed out a knee onto my face. I fell backwards onto the dark dirty flooring. The murky water there splashed into my face while my elbows prevented me landing flat. I rolled to the side in time to avoid the stomp of the feet. That roll was not a favourable move but it allowed me to half crouched. It was a reprieve but the iron toe capped shoe was aimed at my face. I rolled aside but then I had lashed out with my right leg towards him. It was a hasty counter attack but it did knock him off his lunging leg. He lost his balance and fell next to me.

I knew then the fight was mine to finish.

I had my right leg lashed again out onto his face. He fell backwards onto the flooring where he tasted the murky water. He was a tough one and was soon getting up on his feet. He had one knee up and then the other before he was half crouched like a footballer. I have seen those moves before. It was called putting your weight behind your body slam. He came rushing at me just then when I was to stand up. I took the body slam by taking some steps backwards while bending my body along with it. In the same movement of the body I had my left fist extended out to hit at the right ribs of the guy.  

Wham!

I heard the bones cracked and he slowed down. I used the same momentum to turn my body to the right with the left leg. I moved into position in an angle where I could follow on with the right fist to move towards the left ribs.

Oomph!

There go two broken ribs on the poor guy. He went down clutching the chest where his ribs were broken. I stepped away from the body and use the left leg with a tight swing towards his face. The guy went down sideways and the fight was over. The crowd did not cheer then. I was not expecting that for they were not my fans but the fallen guy’s. I shrugged my shoulders then and looked towards them.

“Anyone wish to take his place?” I spoke before spitting out the blood in my mouth. I pushed my shoulders upright and heaved in a deep breath but my eyes did not take off those cunning bastards there. In the dimly lit alley, the single bulb shone like a beacon to all. It was then for none came forth to show their pugilistic skills. They proceeded to seek their way back to the eatery.

I stepped over my fallen opponent and reached for the large curved tooth that the guy wore around his neck. I pulled hard at it and held the tooth in my left hand. It resembled a large tooth of the dragon but that one was a fake. One made by the sweat shops to be bought by the idiots like my fallen foe. They think the tooth will make them stronger but in actual fact, it made them brash and most times ended up beaten if not dead. I seek the shining beacon of the eatery. I made my way to the front where I left my jacket. Old Man Daley was still on his seat holding my gun with the holster. I took that before slipping it on past my shoulders.

“Ouch!” I cried out. The darned guy gave me some good punches at my ribs, and it could be more than bruised.

“Mordred, we got to move. They called in for backup at the Square.” I heard my partner then and pushed the smile on my face. Both of us then moved to leave the eatery when the fans took in their champion brawler. I stopped at the doorway and faced those few fans.

“When he wakes up, tell him to leave my turf.” I cautioned them. “Hell Gates have only room for one demon hunter, and that is me. They called me Mordred but you can call me the Guardian.”

I then threw the curved tooth at them.

“When he wakes up, tell him that was a replicate from some sweat shop. It isn’t the dragon tooth but that of manmade ceramic piece.” I then staggered out to join Daley in the corvette that served as our patrol car. Daley was my partner, and we were both detectives of the Occult Squad. Street alley brawls was my other pastime besides investigating paranormal events.

Soon we reached the Square and the uniformed have cordoned off the area. It was past midnight but the crowd there hardly sleeps at those hours. Daley stopped the car after the cordoned line when he flagged his badge. The uniformed sneered at us before he lifted the tape for us to drive through. It was not us but Daley’s dark red corvette Stingray was the envy of the Precinct. It would had not matter much but Daley was squat and obese in his forties. That combination does not rhyme with the usual owner profile of a corvette. Poor Daley had to struggle in and out of the corvette most times. I was better off with my slimmer look but I don’t own the car or any with four wheels. My transport was the public trains and dirty cabs that ply the streets.

I stepped out of the corvette before latching on my own badge.

Lieutenant James Mordred aka the Guardian.

Fuck that rank ought to get me the lays among the ranks but with my usual selection, I may end classified as Necrophilia. In fact I have an obsession with them but I drew the line on the laid option.

“Mordred, you took your damned time to get here.” Captain Lovelet voice came out across the tarmac covered area like a resounding boom when the plane hits pass the sound level. The man was huge and with his uniform, he ought to be on the recruitment poster but his smile would have tarnished the image.  He looked like the Drill Master I saw in the Army Camp; everything that comes of his mouth was curses and more curses. If he was a wizard, his spell book would have made a good reading for the teenagers to learn new words. If his large frame does not impressed then looked at his sawn shotgun, there aren’t many who will comment on his look in the face after they saw the gun. The twelve gauge double barrel shot gun will wipe any smile of the face.

“I can see you were in one of your fights.” Nothing escaped the Captain’s observation. “You must have cost me one less vigilante on the demon hunt list.”

I was not there for the usual repertoire of ‘do not scare my members’ inspection. I shrugged my shoulders to ease the pressure of the holster on it. I felt the pain coursed through my body when I did that. Damned guy sure gave me a beating then until I floored him. Daley was trying to cover for me but he got shut up.

“Shut up, Daley.” Captain Lovelet lowered down the shot gun he carried every time. “I don’t need you telling me lies about Mordred.”

The Captain then looked towards me. He motioned with his shot gun to the rear of him by laying it on his right shoulder. There was the Square which we all knew. A slab of concrete measuring in equal length on all four sides at fifty feet and right in the middle was the flag pole. What was unique on the Square was the list of names casted into the flooring to show the forefathers of the city. Ironically, each day the pedestrian on the area just stepped over those names without a thought of it.