Read Online Dawn of the Mad by Brandon Huckabay - Free Book Online
Authors: Brandon Huckabay
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through countless battles, and he would be damned if he would lose him now.
“I need five volunteers,” Matthias said. Five troopers immediately stepped forward. “The rest of you maintain your position here. If I am not back with the colonel, you will report to Corporal Scotts.” The remaining troopers nodded in unison.
Matthias broke into a run toward the LZ, with the five troopers hot on his heels. He could have sworn the jungle was alive, the strange plants widening the path, letting him and troopers proceed with ease.
The colonel was covered from head to toe in what he could only guess was purple blood. Several vines had snaked toward him, trying to wrap themselves around his ankles. But he was faster, slicing the vines, causing the plants to retreat. He slowly made a small circle, looking in all directions, his sword humming steadily in both hands.
The colonel saw a fleeting shadow move at the edge of the jungle before feeling two small impacts on his shoulder. Looking down, he saw two thorn-like objects embedded in his armor. No doubt poisonous , he thought. He looked up, and in an instant two beasts descended upon him with fury from within the confines of the jungle. Never had he seen such creatures. Standing almost seven feet tall, they were humanoid in appearance, but that’s where the similarities stopped. A thick layer of yellow quills covered their heavily muscled, hairless bodies. Their heads were elongated, and as they hissed, rows of razor sharp teeth dripped saliva.
The first one jumped almost ten feet from a standstill, hurling itself at the colonel. It swiped at him with two long clawed hands. The colonel deftly sidestepped as the beast flew past. As it turned around, the colonel’s massive blade stuck home, slicing the beast in half at the torso. The upper body slid to the ground; the legs remained standing for a few seconds longer before following suit.
The colonel spun around as fast as he could, but it wasn’t enough. The remaining beast flew into him full force, knocking him backward against the hull of the drop ship. His helmet was knocked off his head, and his sword flew out of his grasp. As he lay on the ground stunned, he looked at the beast as it moved closer. He noticed tattered remains of what looked like military fatigues around its waist, its muscled body long having ripped them apart.
The beast now seemed to smile at him, as if it knew it had captured its quarry. The colonel regained his feet, but the beast launched a powerful right hand strike, hitting the colonel square in the jaw and sending him right back onto the ground. He slowly steadied himself against the hull of the drop ship, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his lip with his hand. The colonel waited for the next attack, but it did not come.
The beast shrieked out in pain as the colonel saw several green energy trails pierce its body in several places. Captain Cruwell stormed forward, blazing away, driving the beast into the ground, its limbs and torso evaporating into red mist. It finally ceased its cries and died. The colonel walked over to his sword and picked it up.
“I owe you one,” the colonel said as he stared at the corpse.
“Don’t worry about it. We should get back though. This place is starting to get on my nerves.”
The captain helped steady the colonel, and as they began to make their way toward the bunker when they heard the jungle hissing in front of them. They could sense something big was moving toward them, and fast.
“You have got to be kidding me,” the colonel said. He readied his sword, and the captain dropped to one knee, inserting a fresh magazine into his EMR.
After a few tense moments, they both relaxed, seeing Matthias and several troopers burst through the jungle. Matthias walked up to the colonel and said flatly, “You pull a stunt like that again, wandering off on your own, and I’ll kill you myself.”
CHAPTER 5
Colonel Chuikova, followed by Sergeant Matthias and
“I need five volunteers,” Matthias said. Five troopers immediately stepped forward. “The rest of you maintain your position here. If I am not back with the colonel, you will report to Corporal Scotts.” The remaining troopers nodded in unison.
Matthias broke into a run toward the LZ, with the five troopers hot on his heels. He could have sworn the jungle was alive, the strange plants widening the path, letting him and troopers proceed with ease.
The colonel was covered from head to toe in what he could only guess was purple blood. Several vines had snaked toward him, trying to wrap themselves around his ankles. But he was faster, slicing the vines, causing the plants to retreat. He slowly made a small circle, looking in all directions, his sword humming steadily in both hands.
The colonel saw a fleeting shadow move at the edge of the jungle before feeling two small impacts on his shoulder. Looking down, he saw two thorn-like objects embedded in his armor. No doubt poisonous , he thought. He looked up, and in an instant two beasts descended upon him with fury from within the confines of the jungle. Never had he seen such creatures. Standing almost seven feet tall, they were humanoid in appearance, but that’s where the similarities stopped. A thick layer of yellow quills covered their heavily muscled, hairless bodies. Their heads were elongated, and as they hissed, rows of razor sharp teeth dripped saliva.
The first one jumped almost ten feet from a standstill, hurling itself at the colonel. It swiped at him with two long clawed hands. The colonel deftly sidestepped as the beast flew past. As it turned around, the colonel’s massive blade stuck home, slicing the beast in half at the torso. The upper body slid to the ground; the legs remained standing for a few seconds longer before following suit.
The colonel spun around as fast as he could, but it wasn’t enough. The remaining beast flew into him full force, knocking him backward against the hull of the drop ship. His helmet was knocked off his head, and his sword flew out of his grasp. As he lay on the ground stunned, he looked at the beast as it moved closer. He noticed tattered remains of what looked like military fatigues around its waist, its muscled body long having ripped them apart.
The beast now seemed to smile at him, as if it knew it had captured its quarry. The colonel regained his feet, but the beast launched a powerful right hand strike, hitting the colonel square in the jaw and sending him right back onto the ground. He slowly steadied himself against the hull of the drop ship, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his lip with his hand. The colonel waited for the next attack, but it did not come.
The beast shrieked out in pain as the colonel saw several green energy trails pierce its body in several places. Captain Cruwell stormed forward, blazing away, driving the beast into the ground, its limbs and torso evaporating into red mist. It finally ceased its cries and died. The colonel walked over to his sword and picked it up.
“I owe you one,” the colonel said as he stared at the corpse.
“Don’t worry about it. We should get back though. This place is starting to get on my nerves.”
The captain helped steady the colonel, and as they began to make their way toward the bunker when they heard the jungle hissing in front of them. They could sense something big was moving toward them, and fast.
“You have got to be kidding me,” the colonel said. He readied his sword, and the captain dropped to one knee, inserting a fresh magazine into his EMR.
After a few tense moments, they both relaxed, seeing Matthias and several troopers burst through the jungle. Matthias walked up to the colonel and said flatly, “You pull a stunt like that again, wandering off on your own, and I’ll kill you myself.”
CHAPTER 5
Colonel Chuikova, followed by Sergeant Matthias and
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