Search the Community

This material is the intellectual property of Absoulte Dog and is a dedicated thread posted in the 343industries Community Fan forum. It is not allowed to be redistributed or reproduced in any fashion. This is the fictional story of Johnny a young boy who would later become known the as John 117. It will presented it in installments as time permits me to add to it. Johnny Chapter 1 The First Meeting Long ago a young boy, unaware of the role he would play in the fight to save humanity, was playing in his back yard when his mother called out "Johnny, I brought you home a present. Come inside and see what I got for you". He ran with all the speed he could muster, stopping for only a moment to give his mother a hug and then charged past her into the kitchen. He stopped and stood frozen in place when he saw a box on the table he recognized only too well. He had seen it so many times at the store, had studied every detail of it and it's content so many times before. Now it sat on his kitchen table. It was now his. He walked slowly towards it, as if in disbelief that this cherished prize was finally his. He climbed onto a chair to look at it while a tear filled smile filled his face. There it was! The toy Magnum Pistol, just like the real soldiers used. He could not believe his eyes. He reached out and slowly ran his hands across the surface of the box, it was real, he wasn't dreaming. He looked back over at his mother, beaming a loving smile at her. She said, "Well.....aren't you going to open it?". Turning back, he carefully opened the box, he wanted to keep everything perfect. As he finally pulled the toy Magnum and it's holster from the box he could feel a sense of the power it held over him. He studied his prize, examined every detail with his eyes wide in amazement. It was his, finally his. He strapped the holster around his waist and placed the gun into it. He immediately felt stronger and more confident as he jumped off the chair and quickly drew the pistol and pulled the trigger shooting an imaginary enemy. He returned it to it's holster, turned, ran to his mother and hugged her and ran back out the door into the back yard. Once in the back yard his imagination took over. The landscape of the yard changed into an unknown, alien environment that he needed to explore. The trees and bushes became hiding places for an unknown enemy that he had to find and eliminate. The shed was now his home base and the garage on the other side of the yard, the enemy strong hold. Moving with caution he made his way to the shed and opened the door slowly. It creaked loudly and he looked around searching to see if his enemy had heard it. He was safe. They must have been too far away or too busy to notice. He slipped inside closing the door after him and inspected his new base. His eyes immediately glimpsed a full face motorcycle helmet that had once been his great grand fathers and given to his dad when he passed away. He walked to the shelf where it had collected many years of dust and picked it up to examine it. As he wiped the dust off of it with a rag he found near by, he knew he would need to wear it if he was to survive an encounter with his foe. He lifted it high over his head then pulled it down onto on to it. It wasn't a tight fit, but it would do. He lifted open the visor and continued his search. His eyes spied a box near where he found the helmet and he opened it, exploring it's contents. Inside he found an old leather jacket that had once been his fathers when he was young. He took it out and unfolded it to inspected his new find. The color matched the helmet he now wore, a faded and worn olive drab green. This would be his armor to protect him as he fought to save the world from a fierce enemy that he knew would fight hard to try and conquer him. Pulling his arms through the sleeves and buttoning it tight he caught a glimpse of himself reflected in a window. As he looked at his reflection he could now that he could battle any foe in any environment and survive. He was a soldier, a spartan, like the ones he had read about in the history books at school. Like them, he would stand against a countless enemy and bring victory to each battle. He turned back to the box and removed an old pair of small leather gloves and put them on. He was ready. John moved back to the door and opened it just enough to inspect the battle field. The coast was clear so he moved cautiously from the base and into this new and exciting world. What would it bring, what would he find, how would he survive? It did not take him long to encounter his first sign that an enemy was close. He could hear an eerie noise coming from a cluster of bushes and trees near a long wooden fence that was covered in vines and weeds. The sounds it made were echoing throughout the area and seemed to have an excited rhythm. He moved cautiously towards the sound, placing each step softly to the ground so as not to startle the creature. As he neared the place where the sound was coming from it suddenly stopped. He froze immediately. Had he been seen by this fierce sounding enemy who may be readying an attack on him? His eyes scanned the entire area and suddenly there was a flash of movement in one of the trees directly in front of him. He quickly reached to his side and drew his magnum and pointed it right where the branches were moving. The canopy of the tree was thick with leaves and a tangle of branches making it hard for him to see anything but the rustling of leaves at the edge of it. He began to move very slowly forward, eyes fixated of the twitching branches. Then in a flurry of crashing sounds and a blur of movement the creature jumped though the tree and landed directly in front of him not ten feet away! It stood on it's short hind legs, it's little fat belly had small arms above it with finger tips ending in sharp claws. It had a head that was filled with two large, sharp teeth that drew down from under a protruding, whiskered nose. It's long fuzzy tail twitched angrily as it cried out with a screeching series of short chirps followed by a long drawn out scream. His heart raced as his grip tightened on the pistol and he steadied his aim. He would only have one chance, he thought, to kill this menacing enemy before it lunged at him. ***** His mother was watching him from the kitchen window as she prepared the dinner for the night. She could see Johnny in the back yard playing with his new toy gun and squared of in a confrontation with a squirrel the edge of the back yard. She smiled to herself thinking about how much he had wanted that pistol. He had told so many stories of how he would bravely face any enemy if he had such a powerful weapon. He dreamed all the time about becoming a soldier and protecting the world from anyone or anything that tried to hurt them. He had always been very protective of her, though he knew she was able to take care of herself, his chivalrous nature always was present. Johnny had always had an air of confidence about him, but she had seen something in him when he had first strapped his new toy around his waist. She smiled again thinking, "My little soldier, so brave". She brought her attention back to her dinner preparations as he continued his showdown with the squirrel in the yard. ***** He could feel his finger instinctively tighten on the trigger. In slow motion the hammer of the magnum arced back the suddenly sprang forward making a loud noise. His eyes had blinked out of reflex and when they opened the threatening creature that had been there was gone. Only a rustling of nearby bushes told him it had ran in fear. Had he hit it and it was now running off to die? He searched the area where his enemy stood so menacingly before him, but found no evidence of blood or the dark grey fur that had covered it's entire body. Confident now that his foe feared him, he began to move in the direction of it's strong hold, the enemies base. Moving forward he holstered his trusted weapon and crept into the bushes where the creature had vanished. The small limbs gave way as he pressed through their tangled grasp. Soon he was deep in a jungle like maze of growth that let only small shafts of sunlight penetrate the canopy of the towering trees above. His heart had calmed and his confidence grew as he moved deeper into this darkening environment. His enemy was no match for him and he was certain he would prevail the next time he faced him. In the distance he was able to make out the shape of the structure he was looking for and continued towards it as the light began to fade. Chapter 2 The Gathering Darkness Walking through the grip undergrowth, bushes and vines was no easy task. Johnny had chosen to follow what he believed was the path his enemy had taken to the base he believed it had taken refuge in. As he pushed on he began to tire, but just a little. His victory had given him the resolve that drove him forward to rid this area of their presence. The enemies base was now looming just ahead of him, not twenty feet away. He paused to consider how he would make his approach to their strong hold. It was solidly built with block walls that would be impossible for him to break through. He could see a window in the wall facing him, but it was darkened with dust and dirt and no light shined through from within. It was also to high for him to try a peek into and see what lurked inside waiting to attack. He had seen earlier from the clearing a path which led to a large door behind which he figure his foe kept it's mechanized killing machine. That would not be the way for him to enter, opening a door that would put him face to face with some sinister device intended to drive over it's victims guns blazing the whole time. He would have to find another way to breach this strong hold. Moving forward while bent low to the ground he carefully watched his step so as not to alert them of his arrival. He circled around to the back of their base and saw a door. It looked as if it had not been used in a long time due to the growth that covered the lower part of it. Spiders had even spun webs in the top corners awaiting whatever insect was foolish enough to try their luck and sneak past. He was no insect, he was a spartan soldier who would not be held from his quest. This would be his way in to surprise his enemy from where they would least expect him to arrive. He would carefully sneak in and dispatch his enemies one by one until they were no more. Confident of his plan he inched forward as quietly as he could, only stopping occasionally to see if he had been heard. By the time he reached the door the jungle had grown darker as the sun began to set low. Only slight glimmers illuminated the area, helping to conceal his presence, but it too made it harder for him to see. The moment had come for him to try to open the door and see what lay behind it. Carefully he reached his hand out and grasped the door knob and began to turn it ever so slowly. Initially it resisted his efforts, then creaked as it gave way. He hesitated to see if the noise, which had seemed so loud to him, had signaled his presence. Nothing moved, there was complete silence, so he finished turning until it had stopped. Still hearing no sound of the creatures he knew lurked inside, he began to push on the door and was surprised to find how quietly and easy it gave into his effort. He could now peer through the small opening and see a dimly lit room that contained all manner of evil looking weapons. He eyes scanned back and forth across long handled blades, small curved knives and two handled instruments hinged in the middle that must be used to cut off the heads of his enemies prey. He could see from their weapons that they were a dangerous bunch, yet he still knew they where no match for him and his trusted magnum pistol. He took a deep breath and pushed until there was enough room for him to slip inside of this dangerous room. He waited just inside the door until his eyes adjusted completely to the darkened room. Looking around he could see from the items inside that this must be their weapons room, an armory, that contained all manner of devices intended to do harm. There was what looked like a machine to sharpen their menacing blades and numerous cans and bottles that must contain all types of liquids that he could only imagine must be for inflicting pain or death to whomever they touched. Then off to his right he saw another door which must lead into the place where they surely gathered and awaited his arrival. John moved with caution through the room being sure not to trip or knock over anything that might give him away. As he neared the door he could hear faint noises from behind it of movement and what sounded like whispered talk mixed with short screeching sounds. He leaned in pressing his ear to the door to listen closer to the sounds. There was the sound of creatures scurrying about sometimes even bumping into the door from the other side. Did they know he was there? If they did, why did they not just break through and attack him right now? He figured they had not yet heard him and were moving about readying for his attack, having been warned by the first creature he had scared into running away earlier. Stepping back from the door he gathered his confidence and drew his pistol making ready to charge into battle. Standing in the dimly lit room of his enemies home base, Johnny suddenly realized there may be many too many of his them on the other side of the door that he was about to pass through. He remembered that he was standing in the armory of enemy and that it was full of weapons and various items that may help him. Just as he began to recall what he had seen on the way through the room there was a noise behind him. John tensed, it immediately dawned on him that he had left the door open that he had entered through and that now his foe had been able to sneak in behind him. He turned quickly to face the threat and was momentarily shocked to see the what had crept in on him. This was the most fierce and deadly creature he had ever seen. It was standing on four legs, covered in short gray and black hair with a long head that came to a point at the nose. What had taken him by surprise was the menacing rows of teeth that filled it's mouth and were now threatening to tear him to shreds. When the creature opened it mouth wide a menacing hiss escaped it's mouth and, without hesitating any longer, he steadied the magnum that was pointed at the foul creatures head and squeezed the trigger. This time his eyes did not blink and he watched as it recoiled in agony and scurried from the room to die. Quickly turning back to the door Johnny knew his presence was known and he reached out to nearest shelf, removing one of the bottles he had seen earlier. He hoped that it contained a liquid he could throw on his prey as he entered the room giving him the upper hand of surprise that would send his enemy into a chaotic frenzy. This would allow the time him to kill all who stood against him. John moved forward, grabbed the handle of the door and turned it. The bottle in his left hand and the powerful magnum now in his right, he kicked and the door flung open and he stood before more of his enemy than he had expected. This was to be the greatest test of his strength, courage and will to survive. Though his presence had been given away when he fired his pistol just seconds before, it seemed his enemy was in shock to see him standing before them in the door way. He was many times the size of all these small creatures, but they had to out number him at least thirty to one. As they stood frozen, looking at him with their small black eyes that protruded from their head like small marbles, he could see they resembled the first enemy he had encountered. These had a darker hair covering their bodies and their teeth were not as big, but they still looked similar to the other. Even more noticeable was that they had a long tail covered only in skin, unlike the first who's was covered in a long fur. The first encounter must have been with their leader. "Would they scare as easily as he did?" Johnny wondered. First one, then another, then all of them began to slowly creep forward towards him. Johnny used his thumb and forefinger of his left hand to loosen the top of the jar while keeping aim on the nearest foe with the magnum. As the lid came loose and fell to the ground it was like the starting bell at the beginning of a boxing match. They sprang forward, some running, some jumping, as he began a slow arc across his body with his left arm. The liquid that poured out of the bottle hit it's mark, covering the lead ranks with a fowl smelling, and seemingly painful, flow of a dark brown fluid. They recoiled in agony, rolling around on the floor and jerking in spasms of pain as he dropped the bottle and began to unleash a flurry of gun fire. Some fell low to the ground while others scampered away, but still more pushed over the injured and continued to advance. These enemy, with their scarred faces and bodies, appeared the be the more battle hardened, showing no fear of his initial attack or his size. Most were coming at him from the floor, but a few, he noticed, were moving in from a shelf to his right. Instinctively he reached out and grabbed the shelf pulling hard on it and sent it crashing to the ground on top of the creatures. It hit with a thunderous crash on the floor, pinning the remaining foe to the ground. There was an ominous silence as a dust cloud arose from the impact. Johnny peered through his gun sight into the cloud, now holding the gun out stretched with both hands. Nothing moved. Had he killed them all in this desperate act? He moved forward slowly. The gun, now part of his body, moved back and forth across the now fallen shelf as the dust settled. He began to see that most had been killed by his sudden defensive act, while other lay shaking in their final moments of life. He was victorious! He had entered the enemies strong hold and defeated them. He was starting to relax a little when he heard the screeching sound that had come through the door earlier. It was coming from above him, somewhere in the ceiling that was over his head. He again tightened his grip on the magnum and began to realize that his victory was not yet complete. John knew that his mission to rid the area of the enemy was not yet over. The screeching he heard was now accompanied but a fluttering sound. It almost sounded as if there were winged creatures flying about the the space above the ceiling. He again moved forward looking up to see where they might attack from when he bumped into a metal rod that had been leaning against the wall next to the shelf that now lay on the floor. It slid down the wall eventually falling into the window with a crash! As the fading light flowed into the room from the broken window there was a flash of movement form a hole in the ceiling that was now able to been seen as the final rays of the sun shone through the opening the metal rod had created. Initially there were only a few dark winged ghouls flying through the now visible hole, but soon they poured into the room, flying this way and that, above his head. He could make out their glowing red eyes and the wings tipped with claws a they swarmed lower and lower until they were so close he could have reached out and touched them. He backed up trying to gather his courage against this new threat when suddenly they began to escape through the broken window and into the darkening jungle outside. As quickly as they had entered the room they had now vanished, leaving young Johnny standing alone in the enemy base. It again grew quiet except for the few dying creatures on the ground that posed no threat to him any more. He began to look around the room in which he now stood. He could make out in the fading light the motorized machine of his prey. It was large green contraption that had two handles coming from the deck, just in front of a well worn seat, that were probably a means to steer this evil device. He moved closer for a better look and could see two large tires on the back of it with protruding knobs that must be meant to grind the enemy into a mush. There where smaller wheels it the front of it that were held in place by swivel mounts that must have allowed it to turn quickly around and finish off any foe that had survived the first crushing blow. Below the seat was a large covered tray made of metal and he reached under it and felt the edge of a sharpened blade. It must have been anchored somehow in the middle and would spin fiercely around, chopping those up who were unfortunate enough to get caught in it's grasp. Johnny was startled back to reality by a familiar sound. It was the same excited series of chirps and long scream he had first encountered out in the clearing. He turned and looked out the broken window to see the enemy leader standing on the branch of a tree just outside. It's fuzzy tail twitched in unison with the repeating chirps and shook like a rattle as it released it's long scream. The creature seemed to be defiantly challenging his presence in the base, but did not move to try and attack him. It gave one last final burst of angry screams then jumped away going from branch to branch in the direction of the fence that bordered the jungle. As it moved off into the darkness Johnny marked the direction into his memory. It had grown too dark for now for him to follow it into the mass of bushes and trees that disappeared into the distance. He would have to wait until tomorrow when he could see better and had a chance to rest. Johnny moved back through the armory and had just left the enemies now conquered base when he heard a familiar voice calling to him. She called out his name summoning him back to safety. As he entered the clearing he could see his mother standing on the back steps waiting for him. He broke into a run and climbed the stairs, hugging her as she asked where he had been. Together they walked into the kitchen as Johnny excitedly told her about his days adventures. She listened intently as he recounted his heroic battle with an enemy that had outnumbered him so greatly. She smiled as he described every detail as they ate dinner, asking questions and praising his courage. He could see how proud she was of his victory in the fierce battle with his enemy. When he had finished telling his story she offered one bit of advice to him. She said, "Johnny you were lucky that you did not get hurt today. Promise me you will be careful and not get yourself into trouble.". He agreed with a smile then rose to give his mother a big hug, then moved off to take a bath and then to bed for the night. As Johnny lay in bed and began to drift off to sleep he remembered the enemy leader that he had seen again just after his heroic battle for the base. He sensed it had challenged him to continue and try and find him and his remaining forces. The direction it had left in, through the trees and over the fence, was towards the tracks that carried a train long ago. Those tracks, he knew from his grandfathers stories, led to an old building built long ago to turn ore dug from the ground into metal that was used to build machines like he had seen in his foe's strong hold. Had this been the place of the enemies retreat? There was only one way to know and he would find out for himself tomorrow. Darkness overcame Johnny's thoughts, moving in like a fog across the water, as he drifted off to sleep. Chapter 3 A New Day, A New Realization As John slept, in his dreams he felt very distant from his back yard. It was as if he was floating in space far, far away. He had the sensation of being very cold and vivid images flashed through his dreams as if they were from a movie he had seen. The images flashed from scene to scene, sometimes he was traveling through space, other times on some distant planet fighting with other soldiers against creatures he could have never imagined. As his dream continued, one image always returned to the different places he traveled. Though it was not clearly seen, each time it appeared there was always a glowing blue shaft of light that accompanied it's presence. Whenever this light was present, John felt both the sense of his protectiveness and one of safety. Again the dream shifted. He was now running quickly up a spiral ramp as the whole world seemed to fall apart around him in a series of explosive fires that shock the structure he climbed. Then as soon as the whole structure began to fail, the dream ended and all went black. ***** The next morning Johnny awoke early as the sun slowly rose to start the day. His room was still dark as he climbed from his bed and stood looking out his window that faced the back yard. From here in the upstairs of the house he could see the mist that had crept in and settled in his back yard. The trees arose though it in an eerie formation that resembled a dark range of mountains beyond which the yard flowed into the thick mass of trees of a forest. These trees where separated,off in the distance, by a dark line where the tracks for the train ran almost parallel to the fence in his yard. The fence was still obscured by the gray mist that swirled lightly as a gentle breeze stirred the surface. As the sun continued it's morning climb, in the distance he could now see the top of the smelting plant that has long ago closed. There were four towering peaks at it's corners that surrounded a flat roof that was rimmed by a low wall. As he turned from the window, he dressed, then put on his protective armor that he had worn the day before. Strapping the holster around his waist that contained his beloved magnum, he left his room and quietly closed the door behind him. Slowly Johnny crept down the stairs, attempting not to waken his mother, then into the kitchen to eat breakfast. Finishing a blueberry muffin, he grabbed his backpack near the rear door, emptied his school books and replaced them with a small bag containing more of the muffins his mother had baked the previous day. Along with them he grabbed a handful of his favorite beef jerky strips his mother keep for him in a jar on the counter. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed some bottles of water, placing them in an outer compartment of the backpack. Then, placing his right arm into one of the straps, slung it across his back, pulling his left arm through the remaining band and headed for the back door. He stopped short of opening the door and walked back to the counter next to the fridge and wrote his mother a note, placing it on the table. As he opened the rear door he could feel the coolness of the morning mist that still clung low to the ground. Johnny's imagination took over as he closed the door behind him and began to disappear into the swirling cloud. He would have to make good time in order to make the long trek to the structure where he figured his enemy had retreated to. He was not sure what he would find there, but felt confident that whatever lay in wait for him, he would be able to handle. The trees soon loomed high above him as he neared the jungle that his enemy had moved hurriedly into yesterday as they fled to escape his attack. Moving through gaps in the bushes he could feel the heavy dew already beginning to soak through the denim of his jeans as he brushed the small limbs. Drops of water feel from the canopy of the trees onto his helmet and ran down across the clear visor which was starting to fog up from his warm breath. Lifting the visor allowed him to see and breath better, and the cool damp air felt good against face. He continued working his way through the bushes and vines that wove across the ground like a spiders web trying to slow him. When he finally reached the fence he could see a tree had grown so close to it that it's roots had lifted and loosened some of the boards. Johnny was able to squeeze though the loose boards after he had removed his pack and was now standing in front of the forest he had seen from his window. The mass of trees, bushes and vines looked impenetrable and had the same mist gripping it that was in his yard, so he decided to walk along its edge hunting for an easier way through. After walking a few minutes he found a path that led right into the heart of the forest and in the direction of his enemies new home. The path was mostly clear from the fog due to the gentle breeze that funneled through it and, except for the occasional branch that had fallen across it forcing him to either climb over the obstacle he made good time. When he neared the paths end at the tracks, he could see the sun had risen high enough for him to see clearly the forest that continued beyond the tracks. The railroad tracks themselves were grown over by weeds and had rusted in the many years since they had been used. Johnny looked both left and right, scanning the open area for any sign of the enemy, nothing moved. He decided to sprint across the tracks and took cover just inside some bushes at the tree line. Certain that he was not seen, he removed a bottle from his pack and took a sip of water. His supply would have to last him all day so he decided that he would drink it only when was really thirsty. He again skirted the edge of the forest until he found another path through it's dense growth. This path still held the mist and he moved cautiously along climbing over or around fallen branches and vines that dangled from the branches above. Johnny had continued to make good time, he felt, despite the limited vision due to the fog and obstacles he occasionally encountered. The deeper he traveled into the woods the darker it became. The sun struggled to send it's rays through the dense canopy of the trees, but was rarely successful. The small amount of light that made it's way through was not enough to bring much life to the floor of the forest and all that remained was a dead tangle of old growth that had long ago given up it's fight to survive. Occasionally he thought he saw movement and would crouch low looking for any sign he had been noticed. Each time, certain he was alone, he continued down the path that was to lead him into an encounter he would never forget. As Johnny walked through the forest he began to notice more bushes and smaller trees had started to fill in between the bases of the larger trees. There was more sunlight able to make its way through the tops of the trees which now grew further apart from each other. Some areas where even covered with colorful flowers and high grasses that moved gently in an light breeze that drifted through the woods. He could here insects buzzing around him and would occasionally see bees darting from flower to flower in the small clearings. He soon came upon a large meadow covered with the same flowers and grasses that flowed out before him like a deep carpet of greens, yellows and reds and moved like the waves on a lake in the light wind. He looked all around the area and sensing there was no immediate threat, he began walking through the high grass, his arms stretched out and down to his sides, letting his finger tips glide across the flowing waves. He closed his eyes as he walked and he could smell the sweet warm aroma of the flowers and here the gentle breeze gently rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. Near the middle of the field he stopped and open his eyes. He was completely relaxed, but soon his gaze caught a glimpse of the reason he was on this journey looming in the distance above the tree tops. Johnny could see the ominous towers that arose high above the two front corners of structure that had once been the production facility which had created the menacing machines like me had seen the day before after routing his enemy from it’s base. He continued ahead until he had reentered the woods and could now he the sound of water nearby. Soon he found a nearby creek that lazily flowed away from the direction of the plant. He found a large tree root that grew right into the passing water. It’s flat top made a perfect place for him to sit and he looked up the narrow creek to where it turned off into the dense woods. The building was still a ways off and he decided this was a good time for a break and to have one of the muffins he had brought along. He took sips of water in between bites of the tasty treat and began thinking about the battle from the day before. He remembered the different types of creatures he had encountered and figured on different ways to deal with each one. Johnny thought about how he had left the door open behind him allowing one of them to sneak in behind him, he would not make that mistake again. After finishing his snack he took on last big swig of water and tightened the cap back onto the bottle and slid it into the front of the back pack. He was just beginning to stand up when he noticed a dark figure at the creeks edge near where it bent out of site. He crouched behind the large root watching as the well armored creature dug into the soft bank with it’s long claws. It too had a long pointed nose that it would occasionally bury deep into the freshly dug hole. The thick armored skin had a series of overlapping sections that covered it from just behind the head and all the way to it’s short tail. He moved back around the tree and moved forward through the bushes to get a closer look at this new threat. By the time he reached an area he could spy on it, the armored creature was already disappearing into the dense growth on the other side of the creek and soon passed out of site. The young Spartan waited for many minutes until he was sure it would be far enough away that it could not hear him, then began to walk along the winding edge of the creek. The trek along the bank was a nice change of pace from the darkened desolate path through the woods. Here the rays of the sun warmed him and the air that drifted across the water as it swirled around small rocks and tree roots at it's edge. The sun reflected dancing surface creating miniature prisms of light that shifted back and forth as the water moved around each obstacle in it's path. His mind drifted back to the moment in the kitchen when he had first seen the magnum sitting for him on the table. Johnny could feel it's presence on his waist as he remembered how he had first felt when he pulled the pistol from the box. It was unlike any feeling he had felt in his entire young life. It was as if the magnum had become part of him, had always been part of him. His young mind could not fully grasp the why he knew this, just that his connection with it was so strong he never had to even think about drawing it out in time of danger. The day dream continued as the young warrior made his way along the winding creek that had begun to fall down a series drops and around larger rocks that rose up before him as the water rolled over the top of a small hill in front of him. How long had he been walking lot in thought? He looked back to see the tops larger trees of the forest. Johnny could see off in the distance the meadow that he walked though what seemed like minute ago, but it was apparent he had traveled a great distance while his mind had wandered. The climb up through the bushes along the perimeter of the creek took little time and soon he was at the top. Here he could see the water followed an almost straight path through a tall grass that grew nearly a foot over the top of his head. It spread out to his left and right as far as he could see and before him it ended some 100 yards away into a single row of trees that stretched the length of the horizon. He paused to listen for a moment before he continued the now easy walk along the soft dirt bank that now bordered the edge of the creek. He reached the line of trees in just a few minutes and could now see a dense tangled hedge grew tight around the base of the trees and there appeared to e no way through the mass of thick, dark growth. Looking up at the sun he remembered the direction of the structure from when he had entered the meadow at the edge of the forest. The sun had been off to his left and ahead of him. He squinted and he gazed upward to get his bearings. Figuring he would need to move off to his right, Johnny turned and made the way through the tall lengths of grass, using his hands to part the sea of green and light brown growth that tickled his arms as he slipped through. The sensation of the soft grasses against his hands and arms was quickly replaced by a sudden sense of alarm when the familiar chirps and long scream of his enemy was heard off in the distance. Crouching low to the ground Johnny listened as the screeching cry carried across the wide expanse of the grass field. It was to far away, he thought, to have seen him in the tall grass, but it may have noticed the tops of the green carpet being parted as he made his way along the treeline. Briefly unsure of how to proceed he decided to slowly stand up and scout his surroundings better. Ahead to his left and less than twenty feet away there was a narrow gap in between the trees. Slowly the young spartan crept forward, doing his best not to give his position or the direction he moved away. As he neared the gap he could see the tight growth of the bushes was also interrupted by what appeared to be an old path that had provided access the field. Wasting no time he slipped through the gap and found himself standing at the edge of a wide gravel road that he could see led directly the the enemies new stronghold. It's size was immense! Still some quarter of a mile up the road it walls rose over a hundred feet into the bright blue sky. The brown stone exterior seemed to glimmer in the mid day sun and he could clearly see the narrow, tall windows that ran the length of high wall. The top of the wall had narrow gaps that were evenly spaced between window. Dark stains flowed down from the gaps almost to the ground. He moved quickly up the roads edge until he was standing full view of the massive structure. Johnny in all of his years had never seen such a large building. It stretched of so far in each direction that it appeared to get smaller in the distance. This is where his enemy had chosen to retreat to and he could now see how daunting a task it would be for him to search the entire fortress. The must be hundreds if not thousands of rooms, he thought, that would take such a long time to clear his enemy from. Still knowing he had to rid his foe of it's hiding place, Johnny began to devise a plan that would root his enemy from the safety of this immense base and send the to their death. To be continued................