Afghanistan
Helmand Province
Jahandar Village
August 12, 2011
10:32 PM
" Everyone's on their houses, Mr. Kato. Is there anything else we can do for you?" Says Khan after finish patrolling his village.
" Thanks for your doing, Mr. Khan. Please reserve some of your men to assis us when we need them. Leave the rest to us." Replies Nate.
" From now on, you can call me Jawzeed."
" Of course, thanks for the good work, Jawzeed." Says Nate.
" They haven't come. I hope never." Says Ghalzi.
" No, not at this hour. I hold patrols just to be in case of early infiltration."
" Then.."
" It's twelve to six, when the sun rises, that we have to keep our guard on."
" I'll be back to command post now. There's something need to be done."
" Alright. See you again."
Following Nate's strategy, all residents are gathered at houses around the village square where their command post is to prevent them mixed up in battle. For the first six hours since the sun sets, Khan's volunteers patrol around the village, especially near the outer houses at village bank. But for eleven till six in morning, it's Nate's ninjas.
Afghanistan
Helmand Province
Jahandar Village
Second Wave
August 12, 2011
01:15 PM
Under darkness of windy and cold night, six dark sinister figures carrying short small arms and saif swords intrudes the houses among outer village houses carefully. They notice that they find no villagers or ninjas. Anticipating trap that almost annihilated the first wave, they avoid large roads and choose to proceed through small dark alleys. So far, the only illumination seen is from bon fire set on the village square. When one of the man tries to move toward the empty - looking command post, he is halted by the group leader.
" Farid. Stop. It may be a trap." Whispers the man through his communication device in Persian.
" Yes, Commander."
" No signs of Al - Tous or Arman." Reports one of the man to the commander.
" Accepted."
The leader gestures to Farid to check Ghalzi's house. Suddenly, Nate's voice starts being heard in the air, " Well, as I thought. You all would come at this hour."
His voice surprises all of the assailants. They immediately form a futile defensive position around a round stone well in the middle of the village square. Nate, his ninjas except Shiori and Kim with volunteers appear and aim their weapons at the surrounded attackers from rooftops. Seeing their firing stance, Nate comments, " Don't do anything stupid. Look around. Gasoline has been spread out. Launch one bullet, you all will be burnt. As the assailants look around, they see gasoline and kerosene has been spread out all over the well and soil around it. Such tactic provides advantage to the defenders but also restrains them from firing for fearing risks damage to the village.
" Sir, what's the order? Too dangerous to fire, sir!" Asks one of the assailant through his radio.
" We can't accept failure without fighting. Use your swords." Orders the leader.
" Al - Tous! If you dare, come down and fight us!" Shouts the leader.
" Lion's den to Lion one, respond! Lion's den to lion one! Respond!" A voice in Persian speaks through the leader's communication device. The leader removes it and discards it to ground then unsheates his long curved Saif sword followed by his five subordinates.
" Just like what I've been waiting for." Comments Nate. He then gives his AK74SU to Ghalzi. Nate unsheates his black gripped medium length ninja sword followed by Matthias and Takayama.
" Tell the volunteers, nobody shoots a single fire." Orders Nate to Khan which is followed by Khan's loud order in Pashto.
The three ninjas leap from Ghalzi's rooftop and land in front of the assailants. " Al - Tous.. Brace yourself! Everyone attack!!" Orders the leader loudly in Persian.
Soon the square becomes a sword and unarmed fighting ground. Both sides fight hard. Nate throws himself to ground after evading a slashing attack then throws a mixture of debris and gasoline at one of his attacker's eyes then finally slashes him. Matthias fights with sword and fists against the largest member of the attackers, three times he manages to punch his opponents's face with his right hand that is holding his sword then kicks him bashing him to a house wall. While Takayama is busy with two assailants that he has to parry one then attacks another. One assailant manage to impose a slashing wound at Nate's arm. Seeing that, Matthias enrages then slashes the assailant's back.
" Thanks, Matthias! Go!"
Now both parties step back each other in a distance staring at each other while wielding their blades. The assailants already had two died and heavily wounded. The fighting is overseen by tense audience on the rooftops. " If only they may shoot.." Say them in their minds. They start to charge each other again, this time, after blocking one of the assailant's slash, Nate kicks his stomach hard, punch es his face in his usual fashion, sword in right hand. His opponent quickly regains his focus then tries delivering another slash at Nate's face but misses. Taking his chance, Nate kills him in one slash. Now Nate and the leader face each other. When Matthias succesfully pushes away another assailant, a surviving attacker tries to stab his back. Takayama jumps blocking him, " Sir! Look out!!" He finds himself impaled at his belly. Time feels as it was stopped.
" Cyrus!!" Screams Matthias.
Takayama screams angrily and swings his sword swiftly at his attacker while his sword is still at his belly, slashing him. Both collapses to ground. Nate and Matthias's instinct are to save their friend. But the remaining assailants' relentless attack prevent them from doing so. A wounded attacker draws his sidearm suddenly disobeying his superior then shoots Matthias's belly and left arm. Seeing that, Nate pushes away the leader with his sword then throws his four tipped shuriken at the attacker, hitting his neck. Matthias pulls himself then delivers a deadly slash at the distracted attacker. He then collapses.
After a brief standoff, both remaining fighters charge each other wielding their words while screaming. Soon they involved in violent hand to hand and sword fighting. At the end of the duel, when the leader is charging at Nate again whose sword thrown away, Nate successfuly manage to take his sword then rises slashing the leader. When the leader collapses to ground, suddenly, heavy rain comes as if cheering the single victor who is standing alone with sword and clothes stained by blood. Nate rises his blood stained face greetings the rain who cleanse. Shiori and Kim come out with two shuriken at her hand running towards Nate. Suddenly, Shiori throws them toward Nate. They miss him and hit the leader who rises behind Nate trying to stab Nate's shoulder using his knife, killing him.
Meanwhile, a voice speaking in Persian is heard from the leader's communication device repeatedly, " Lion One, respond! Lion One, respond! Lion One...."
Nate takes it up but then just looks and holds it speechlessly.
" Are you alright?" Asks Shiori.
" I am.." Whispers him. Blood fades away from his face, washed by rain.
Under thunderous rain, several volunteers come out from their houses and fill the village square. " Stay alert! It's possible there are other survivors!" Shouts Khan. Some of them drag wounded Matthias away from the square to Ghazli's basement. Seeing dead Cyrus, Nate becomes frozen, he is sad but has to hide it from others for others' morale.
" I lost another." Thinks Nate.
" Bury him. Make sure we make an honor ceremony." Asks Nate to Kim.
Under night sky, Nate holds a speech near Takayama's grave attended only by Shiori and Kim. The short ceremony is marked with silence. Sadness colors the atmosphere.
" I am sorry to hear that, Mr. Kato. You and your subordinates have done heroic acts for this village." Says Ghazli sadly.
" Thank you for that, Aslan, that's what I need." Replies Nate.
" I know I shouldn't say this now. But I have no choice, what's our next plan?"
" As we have planned, we'll evacuate the civilians to the hill behind this village. But for that we'll need some people to guard our retreat. Once the civilians are all on the hill, we'll retreat there as well." Explains Nate.
" I'll join, so will my brothers and Khan."
To be continued
License: Personal use and read only. Further usage requiring permission from author.
Disclaimer: All contents are fiction.
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