RATATATATATA!
RATATATATATA!
Rifle shots echoed from inside the building as well as down the road. The building riddled with bullet holes, its floor collapsed and walls shattered.
Cars were smoking, corpses were laying, hanging and bits of flesh everywhere.
BANG! BOOM!
The deafening shot from the tank tore through the building, the ground shook as the AFP soldiers hid behind cover.
The U.S. Army pressed further down the road towards the building, with the tank leading the push.
Stray bullets striking the tank only bounced off its force field.
"We're screwed! We don't have any weapon to take down the shield and the tank!" A soldier shouted in terror.
"Hold the line!" The leader shouted.
The situation was not in their favor, as corpses of their allies were lying beside them-- proof that the battle was not in their favor.
"We have to fall back!" A soldier shouted, after he took a brief glance at his teammate's corpse.
"No don't--!" He shouted.
But before the leader could finish.
BANG!
The tank roared and fired once again, this time directly at him.
He flinched in fear, closed his eyes as he braced himself, accepting death.
Oddly enough, he felt himself still breathing--alive--so he looked forward once again.
"Lacson!" His fellow soldier called to him, yet he was puzzled by what was before him.
The outside had suddenly become black.
What the hell? What is this? Maji?
He thought to himself.
From wh-
Suddenly, the black matter that was just outside his window, collapsed into the shadow below him.
"Where...? The tank shell...?" He muttered in disbelief.
The tank shell fired directly at him was gone, as if it was not shot in the first place.
"I'll take over from here." Ayro's cold, deep voice crept up behind the soldier.
The soldier gasped in fright as he turned left, where Ayro walked past by.
"W-who--?"
"Captain Lagaw!" His teammate approached him from behind getting his attention.
"You alright? Who's this guy?" The soldier asked as they both turned to look at Ayro from behind.
Outside the building...
It was silent outside, the black matter that absorbed the shell of the Tank crept inside the building and vanished.
"What the hell-?" A soldier asked-- before he could finish he was cut off.
"That's an enemy Maji! Be careful!" A loud, muffled voice blared from the Tank's speaker.
The one inside had informed everyone about what they are about to face. Danger.
Everyone then held their rifles up and aimed at the building, prepared to shoot whoever shows up.
Behind one of the soldiers, his shadow resonated, as if a tap of water had dropped to a pool of water.
AGHHH!!
SCHPLAK!
Blood splattered down the ground as a black spike pierced through his chest, the pointed tip reached down to his shadow.
Everyone turned to face where the scream was, to their surprise, one of them was pierced.
"Wha!? Where's the wielder!?!" One of them shouted amidst the confusion.
Everyone, check the buildings!
Everyone hurried into the buildings, checking every corner and perimeter.
"Not here!"
"Not here either!"
"Nor here!"
Inside the tank...
"What the hell? Where is this guy exactly attacking?" The one in charge asked himself.
He thought of countless possibilities to come up with an answer. His face completely tensed. Yet no idea came to mind.
"Boo," Ayro said from behind the man.
Inside the wrecked building...
"Where are the AFP? They're not here." One of them asked, checking each corner of the room.
Corpses of the AFP, collapsed floor, debris and ruins were only found.
"They must've fled and sent this maji wielder." His ally answered, walking beside him.
Their rifles drooped toward the ground as they lowered their guard.
"Sir, the enemy must have fled, do we push forward?" The soldier asked as he held his earpiece.
....
No answer.
"Sir? Come in." The soldier asked once again.
Slowly, the rest of the group inside the room gathered around.
"What's the matter?" One of them asked.
"Captain's not responding."
"Oh come on, this guy has been inside the tank this whole operation! He's a total jackass just because he was appointed as our platoon's leader!" One of the soldiers around the group vented out.
"Calm down Jackson, he's still our superior."
"Oh come on Elly! Admit it y'all this guy just kept ordering us around! He's not even actually handling out proper orders except 'push forward' and sh**"
The others, each one nodded in agreement.
Stomp.
Everyone turned to look at the sound of footstep, rifles aimed at... Ayro.
"Who are you!?" Jackson asked.
"He's the guy behind the attack from before!" Elly shouted.
"Just look at him! A coat in this hot ass country!? Wearing a mask!? No way he's not the enemy!"
Despite Elly's shout, no one dared to shoot.
They knew they are no match for him.
Ayro stared at them with his Tamao mask. Stood silent.
"What happened to the rest of our platoon?" Jackson asked.
"Eliminated." Ayro answered with one word.
The others were unsettled by his answer. Each stared at each other.
"You..-!!"
Elly attempted to pull the trigger, Jackson, noticing this, tried to order him.
"El don't!"
WHOOSH!
WHIP!
"What the!?!"
A tentacle whipped and pulled Elly's rifle to the shadow.
"Warning."
Ayro stated, giving no hint of mercy if they attempt to fire again.
Everyone kept their rifles pointed at Ayro, much more tense than before.
"Captain, what do we do?" The soldier beside Jackson asked, awaiting further instruction.
Jackson, looked at Ayro's mask through the lenses of his scope. Thinking thoroughly what he'd order.
"Lay down your arms everyone." He calmly ordered.
Everyone turned to their sides, processing what Jackson had just said.
Slowly, everyone lowered their weapons.
"Now what?" Jackson asked, uncertain whether what he did was right.
The shadowy room fell silent.
Suddenly, they fell through the shadows.
WHOAAAAAA
SH**
MOTHERFU-
TRAITOR!
Each of them shouted as they were swallowed by the darkness.
The room fell to silence once again, with Ayro, the only one standing in the room. His mask staring where the U.S. group were last.