The Legends of Mathio
By Bob Burlestein
Copyright (c) 2001 Bob Burlestein
Chapter 2
Meanwhile
the war continued. Mathio’s army had put up a stubborn resistance, but
Zrak’s army started to take things under control. More tactical nukes
and grenades exploded, which resulted in more of Mathio’s deaths. When
ammo began to become scarce, everyone was engaged in hand-to-hand
combat. Daggers, swords and switchblades were used. The war became more
savage as Zrak’s forces started to bombard the enemy with nukes and
repeating plasma gattling guns. Zrak was on a hill overlooking the
merciless slaughter taking place. He grinned triumphantly. He pulled out
2 semi-repeating plasma rifles and rode down the hill in a flame-powered
buggy. He started shooting away at Mathio’s forces, knocking out much
chance of victory for Mathio and his warriors. Zrak expected the foes to
give up and flee, but when they did not, Zrak became discouraged. He
finally realized that Mathio’s forces had come to fight, not retreat.
He figured out a plan. He ordered all of his men that could get to the
top of the hill to do so. One of his lieutenants asked, “What about
those who are fighting and cannot hear you?” Zrak turned slowly and
dangerously. “Oh. Them. Forget them.” The lieutenant looked at his
leader unbelievingly. Not wait for our fellow soldiers? Madness. Insane.
He went to his leader again. “Are you sure that we sh-” Zrak drew a
sword and jammed it into the lieutenant. He fell backward, dead. “The
same thing will happen to anyone else who questions my authority. Now
listen.” He told his scheme to his men as they prepared for action.
Mathio woke up groggily. He rubbed his eyes, and then remembered where
he was. He sat upright instantly and flicked out his dagger. He was
breathing hard. He rolled out of the bushes. He looked around, but saw
no one. He saw only flames and smoke rising into the air. He walked
around, finding ashes of bodies. His face hardened as he realized what
had happened. Zrak had launched rockets and had killed everyone. Even
his own men. He searched trough the bodies. He started to get angry at
himself. He had fallen asleep while his friends and his soldiers had
died fiercely and bravely in battle. He went to the top of the hill to
where Zrak was standing earlier. He searched and found a hovercraft. He
cranked the nuclear generator and waited for it to start up. He looked
over the horizon. His land had once been peaceful. Teeming with life.
But when Zrak came and started doing things his way, people left
hurriedly, fearing for their lives. The nuclear generator started
humming. Mathio got on the hovercraft, and pressed the throttle. He flew
away, speeding down the landscape at 256 mph. He didn’t know where he
was going to go. He wasn’t that much in hurry to get home and tell
everyone the whole army was killed. He turned left and headed toward the
mountains.
