Urban Dead: The Price of the Oath

[Pcm979]

Punt's eye darted from man to man, and his hand tensed on the handle of his revolver. If worst came to worst, he'd have to choose a side.

[Josh]

He had the urge to strike immediately. He was still wounded, and the only chance he'd have to win against Silver would be to knock him down hard and fast. And the challenge called to him, set his blood to singing. Never back down, never give ground.

But this wasn't a fight he would win with fists, or knives or guns. This was the defining moment of what they were going to be, how far they would fall from civilization.

It was a fight he had to win with words, or not at all.

"I know you'll die for us," he said, keeping his calm. "You went to his lair. You killed his people. You brought his body back. Now we finish it and we move on. And if you're going to put somebody down, you can start with me."

He turned his back on Silver, half-expecting to take it in the back.

[Dark Silver]

You could do it....a solid blow to the back of the head, the metal fist gives you the power....

Shut up. He's my friend, my brother. I will not hit him while his back is turned.

Silver seemed to war with himself for a moment, the gauntlet covered hand pulled back into a fist. But he didn't release. He didn't take the swing. He stared at Petro, to the man's back.

"Your a son of a bitch.." he whispered, softly, before spinning from Petro, and walking to the mall's wall. The first went forward, and the impact of metal on concrete resounded in the canyon that was the near deserted street. The fist remained for several long seconds, as Silver's eyes burned holes in the back of Petro's skull.

His fist fell to his side, still balled up, the wall he just struck had a fresh crater, the cement cracked in a misshapen circle around the imprint of the gauntlet.

"He's mines....you promised him to me....that I would chose how he died..."

[Pcm979]

Punt relaxed and slipped into his customary crouch, elbows bent on his knees with his hands flexing in front of him, overly-sharp nails glinting in the light.

[Josh]

His gut roiled, but he kept his expression blank.

I'm doing this for you too, buddy. I fucked up when I told you that, and I can't fix it now. I can just do what has to be done.

"The situation changed," he said. "Punt," He said, nodding to the other man. "Finish it."

[Pcm979]

Punt looked from man to man, then walked over to Jaycee, took his axe from his belt, and severed the man's head with a sickening squelching crack. He stood up, holding Jaycee's head by his long, black hair.

[Caz]

As quick as she figured it would happen, she couldn't bring herself to throw up. Which rather irritated her, because usually that could make the nausea stop. The voices behind her were a vague blur of noises, like sounds carried through a long tunnel, and she sat on her haunches. Running her fingers through her bangs, she instead took a long sip from her canteen, and that helped.

A little.

She could have been thinking about how she'd apologise to Petro for completely disregarding him. Could have been asking if there were any of the second who'd need any sort of medical attention, as Punt seemed to be covered in gore that couldn't possibly all be Jaycee's.

But instead she hunched there, dizzied and disgusted.

[Dark Silver]

Silver had turned by the time Punt had severed the head. His eyes closed, and the knot in his chest tightened.

He growled, and moved off, the gauntlet creaking with the speed of it opening and closing. The sound of three more fist against the wall followed his walk away.

[Josh]

"Stick the head on a pike at the perimeter," he ordered. "Put the corpse in the trench. It's over."

It wasn't over between him and Silver, but if they were going to punch the shit out of each other it couldn't be done in public. He walked over to Melanie's side, crouching down to put his hand on her back.

[Pcm979]

Punt stuffed the head's hair into his belt and hefted the corpse over his shoulders, walking off with a hollow feeling. The bloodlust had abated for the moment, and although they had succeeded, they had failed as well.

[Caz]

She hadn't heard him coming.

Well, if she had, she disregarded it.

When he touched her, she whirled on her heels, shoving the barrel of her pistol toward him, heart racing.

"Oh," she said. A tiny sound.

[Josh]

He looked down at the pistol. "Everybody's fond of me today," he said with a faux-wryness that fell utterly flat. "You okay?"

[Caz]

She completely ignored that comment, instead slumping onto the ground, sitting akimbo and resting her chin in her palm.

"I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I am," she said.

[Josh]

"Everyone is," he said quietly. "I fucked up, and now I have to go fix things with Darek. But I can't let people call me out in public."

He couldn't stay. The other bride called, his community, and in the end it had to win any argument over who was more important.

"I'm sorry Mel," he said softly. "I have to go. See you at our place when I'm done?"

[Caz]

She nodded absently, as though he'd just asked if she wanted to catch a burger after the game, toots. The bile had risen in her throat, but she thought better of it, standing and brushing herself off.

And she realised that as nice as it was to be lonely and useless, she was neither and trudged off to locate Silver for a report on their wounded.

[Josh]

And as it happened, he was trudging in the same direction, also looking for Silver.

This was probably going to get ugly. He stopped to pick up a piece of rubble and dump it in his pocket.

Silver had his gauntlet. Well, he had a fucking rock. They'd handle this like men.

[Dark Silver]

He had disappeared around the corner of the Mall while Petro and Melanie were talking. His walk was quick, but erratic, as he moved, he dropped peices of equipment, first to go was the shotgun, followed by the backpack of consumables. the canteen was next, each left a few hundred feet after the other.

It was like a trail into desolation, until he was left with only his axe and gaunlet, even the pouches he kept on his hip was left behind.

When they would finally catch up to him, they would find him, swinging the battle axe in the air. Each swing was quick, deadly, and fluid. He big man wasted no extra energy in his slices, but each lead into the other.

There wasn't a clue that he had mastered the weapon after a few minutes of watching him. As they would draw closer, the voices could be heard Darek's, and then another, which sounded like his, but at the same time wasn't.

"It was your right! His life was promised to you. When denied, you should have taken it"

"I am not a animal, I will not attack him. He is my friend, we helped each other through the hard times"

"He left you during the hard times! We were there...we took you in....you are our brother"

the arguement kept on, even as he switched hands with the axe, his gauntleted fist punching a invisible foe in the solar plexus, and the axe blade came down in a power stroke.

[Josh]

Okay, maybe the rock wasn't the best option. His hand drifted toward his pistol.

Maybe a fucking bullet to the head was the answer here. Because Petro wasn't a pshrink, but holding conversations like this with oneself was not particularly the sign of a individual verging on any form of sanity.

[Caz]

Melanie had followed meekly, intent on only inquiring about the wounded men and continuing onward, but when she saw Petro's hand go fot his gun coupled with Silver's grumbling, she marched right between the two of them and cast each a glance askant.

"Stop it, both of you," she snarled. It was the first time she'd openly argued with either of them, usually being the quiet mediator as opposed to the coil of manic energy that was showing itself now. "Now before you proceed to fuck one another's shit up, give me five fucking minutes, will you?"

She looked to Silver.

"Is there anyone from the raid that needs medical attention?"

[Josh]

He kept his hand near his pistol. If Silver went gonzo toward Mel, he'd drop him. His gaze bore into his old friend.

Man, or monster?

[Dark Silver]

With the last blow, came Petro, and right behind him Melanie. By that time, the arguement he carried with himself, had faded, his face still filled with rage, though it was human intellegence behind his eyes.

He axe came down, resting next to his side, his face covered in a sheen of perspiration, his breathing though was untroubled. He looked at Melanie, then to Petro, then back to Melanie as she stood between them.

"We slaughtered them....no one was hurt except for one Jaycee killed."

Silver's stance was relaxing, slowly, he wasn't tensed yet. But anyone who had seen Silver's fighting style, knew that's when he was most dangerous.

The blue eyes, laced with the silver tint, flicked over Petro, to the hand hovering over the pistol. "Intend to shoot me? Here, let me make it easier."

With that, Silver turned his back on Petro, the his arms spread out, the axe hanging from a strap at his wrist.

[Josh]

Quietly, he unhooked the pistol holster and laid it on the ground. Nobody who had real experience with guns, even just his schooling with FM on the operation of firearms, tossed them around casually.

"I'm not going to shoot you. But if you want to see who's bigger, I'm here." he said softly.

He angled slightly, rock in his hand, out of sight.

[Caz]

Melanie looked from one to the other, and she suddenly had a moment of insight, an epiphany that seemed to be Heaven-sent.

Oh who was she kidding.

Common sense.

"Would both of you just knock it the fuck off?!" she yelled. "Or at least remind me when our primary objective changed from survival to locker-room bullshit?"

[Dark Silver]

Silver remained as he was, he didn't let the axe slip from from wrist. His eyes were closed, his body relaxed in that T position. Melanie yelled at them to cut it out.

Cut it out....no...we'll deal with this...

"What's the matter Petro? Just can't cut it anymore? Afraid I'm going to show you up?" The voice which came was the second voice, laced with a seething venom, "Afraid Melanie will find out how much of a pussy you are....did you tell her why both of your wives left you.....old friend?"

A slow smile, devoid of emotion crossed his lips, as Silver's face turned into profile, ltting them see the humorless grin, "Don't even try it Petro....you know you can't beat me in the shape your in....."

[Josh]

Again, he was ready to rise to the challenge. And again, he had to rise above it.

"What's left in there, Darek?" he asked. With his hand, he gestured Melanie back.

Never show fear to an animal. But inside, he had to admit he was about as scared as he'd ever been in his life. He didn't let it show, though.