Hero's Conundrum/Chapter 11

This time I woke up as usual, covered in blood, I think I had a heart attack, so I continue the routine and when I went to clean myself. I saw myself in the reflection of the river that I was the Marduk I remember. I’m full of energy but I need to find out when I am. The only way to do that is to look for the camps we have been. If I knew where Sarah’s village is I could go, I need to talk to her, she needs to know that I know. I don’t know why they were keeping this from me. Ok I remember the last camp but is like forty kilometers from here. This is frustrating, knowing that I have all this abilities and that I can only use them instinctively. I hate it. I started running towards the camp and even though I’ve been running for an hour I don’t feel tired. I need to concentrate, try to trigger that speed, that strength. Then it happened, I start running extremely fast and I arrived in less than ten minutes, which would have taken hours. Impressive.

I arrived and I’m right on time, I arrived at the moment when Sarah is taking me and Bansao to their village. I need to follow them. There are like twenty soldiers and they have a truck. I can take them now but I’m not going to mess with the events that already happened. I need to wait until Bansao stabs the other me in the heart. Wait I remember that Sammael told me that he followed them, but I don’t see him anywhere. It doesn’t matter I might find him there. I followed them to the village and waited for them to take the other me and Bansao to the room. This is strange . . . this village is mostly destroyed and only a couple of houses are in good condition. I scouted the place and noticed that there are only the twenty soldiers that went to take us at our camp. She doesn’t have an army, she was bluffing, well it was good and I fell for it. Maybe she is the leader and there is no general.

I need to get close to that room and wait until Bansao kills the other me. I took out some of the guards but I didn’t kill them, now I know the truth, I don’t need to kill them. I heard a commotion and Bansao shouting that he is John, it is time. I still don’t understand that, I need to keep an eye on John. I busted the door and grabbed Bansao, he has lost a lot of blood so he is weak. Sarah was going to attack me and I told her;

“Stop Sarah, it’s me”

“What? How?”

“I’ll explain later, I need to take Bansao, please let me go.”

“No, I don’t believe you. You are not Marduk, who are you?”

Then Sammael entered the room wearing the same uniform Sarah is wearing and said:

“Yes Sarah that is Marduk”

“General! I wasn’t expecting you here today”

General? Sammael? What the fuck?

“Sammael what the fuck is going on?”

“Relax Marduk, you are safe” Then he pulled a gun and killed Bansao

“Why did you do that, I needed him”

“Don’t worry you will find them again, now let’s talk. Sarah please close the door and tell the guards not to interrupt us.”

Well after Sammael showed me what he showed, me I trust him and I need him by my side. I can trust Sarah too, but she needs to trust me and I think that is Sammael’s purpose.

“Marduk, remember when I showed you the village and the explosion?”

“Of course! For me it was yesterday”

“Well this is that village and the girl I saved is Sarah. After the explosion I stayed here and helped them rebuild, I created a small army with all able men of the village. This uniforms are the police of the village uniforms. They made me their general and as Sarah grew up I gave her the mission to bring Bansao here and to protect you. I told you that I don’t know if it is you or Bansao that I need to take back to where I’m from.”

This makes sense but that means that Bansao came from this village he was a lieutenant. Then he continued;

“Sarah I did not order you to capture Marduk and for that I am now in his debt. Prepare the men, we are going to join Marduk and his people in the fight against Bansao.”

“Yes sir.” She left but when she reached the door she stopped and said:

“Permission to speak freely sir”

“Speak”

“I’m sorry for my insubordination”

“Don’t worry Sarah, after tomorrow everything will change.”

She left and Sammael started talking again:

“Please, don’t tell her what you saw, she only remembers me protecting her from the explosion but she didn’t see what you saw.”

“You mean the wings?”

“Exactly and Bansao has never been a soldier here, I needed to tell her that so she can see him as an enemy that can be convinced to come back.”

“Marduk you will confront Bansao today and I can’t intervene. Like I told Sarah everything will change after today, no matter what decision you make. I really hope you make the right one for your own sake.”

“I can beat him Sammael”

“I know you can, but please consider a truce if possible”

“I will I promise, but I still have so many questions”

“You’ll get your answers, let’s go”

We headed to the camp, they have plenty of vehicles and they didn’t say anything. We reached the camp and there was John guarding the entrance, Sammael told him something and he let us in. Before we could go in, Bansao arrived, but he was alone.

“Marduk let’s talk”

I went down there and my men followed me.

“Oh yes an audience, we deed an audience”

“Why do you need an audience?”

“Come closer and I’ll tell you” I’m not afraid so went closer and he told me;

“Today you become a Hero and I need everyone to see”

“Wait let’s talk about joining forces”

“Are you sure about that?” then john threw us a grenade. I tried to throw it away, but, he took me by surprise and no matter how fast I moved I got hit by grenade shrapnel. As soon as I was recovering from the explosion, Bansao was beside me and punched me in the ribs. He is too strong and too fast, I need to be smarter, think faster. For every punch I land he lands four on me, I need to concentrate and try to be faster. He started attacking my men and I’m on the floor, catching my breath, he is too much for me and them I underestimated him. Then I saw what I needed to do, I ran to Sarah and asked her to distract Bansao, by forming a perimeter shooting him from all angles. They did it, he is hurt now and he is bleeding too much, he is getting slow and tries to run, this is my chance. I went running, slammed him into one of the vehicles, started punching him, and he stabbed me with his knife.

I hold him as I ask my men to shoot, they hesitate, knowing that I will also get hit by the bullets. “Shoot” I yelled. Time slowed down again as the bullets where coming our way, Bansao smiled and told me,

“I don’t know what will happen to me after this, but, this is your time to shine Hero”

“Stop, let’s talk”

“Too late” and he showed me the three safety pins left of the grenades, I pushed him but we couldn’t get away on time and the grenades exploded right between us.