Ironblooded [CW: Short Story/Feedback]

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Running. All I knew these days.

I never spent a night in a place more than a single day. I wasn't allowed the luxury. That was for those that hadn't made as many mistakes as me, humans. Peace wasn't something allowed of a monster shaped by his life in this world. I've been told, that none of it was my fault. Multiple times in fact. Yet, I don't think people understood that. They weren't there. They couldn't understand. They didn't know I was cursed. A monster mascaraing as a human. For all they knew I was exactly the monster they saw, that's all that really mattered. That I was that to them. I am a demon, because I wasn't good enough. The looks on those innocent family members faces... the tears in their eyes... and the anger the tears tried to drown. All for me. All for the monster that was responsible for the death of their loved ones.

All of that wasn't even why I was here now. But, maybe it was. It was this pain I held onto that... awakened something within me. Something that lashed out despite my control. A... I don't know what it was really. But, it caused a violent reaction within another man. It caused a blood vessel to burst in his head, a vital one. It killed him. Ever since... I've not had the luxury of peace. The monster I was... it was public. And now... I ran.

I found myself sitting in a sewer yet again. It smelled to high heaven. Waste, of all kinds and descriptions coagulated into the most awful of smells imaginable. Semi-solids squished with a wet sigh underneath my boots as I walked past. I Was grateful for this however, it softened my footsteps to the surface. One would have to be much closer to hear the suction of my boots on the floor than to hear the dull echos of my steps falling on concrete. After all, echos carried in the underground. Vast spaces, were always breeding grounds for sounds that traveled. Nothing down here would stop the sounds. It's why I choose this to begin with. I came here very well knowing I was walking into a cesspit. Luckily, I've smelled worse. Nothing is worse then the smell of burning bodies. So, I kept going. Despite the sting at the corners of my eyes, my mouth... every opening that was uncovered I kept going. I felt like the stench was seeping into every part of me. Clinging on.

I didn't really care. It be fitting to smell as disgusting as I was.

I kept walking until I found a spot that was relatively clean from debris and... human waste. And then sat on the floor. Putting my hands to my head, I dug in to try and relieve some of the world shattering ache. I already had a headache... this smell was only making it worse. However, I didn't really have a choice. A little extra pain... or a lot more chance I'd be dead. I'll take the pain please. I collapsed with a dry thud on the floor as I just let my weight fall from under me as I sat. It was hard enough an impact that some dirt was shaken loose. I saw the particulates flutter lethargically through the light made by the small lantern attached to my belt. It was a small amount of light to work by, but I couldn't afford much more than this without being seen. It had been a few days since I last ate anything. I threw my pack on the ground with even more force... more dust rising to met the light. First, violently quick, then slowing to the lethargic pace of the particles from before.

I tore threw my pack looking for the small morsels I knew it contained. Doggedly I searched stirring the contents, perhaps a bit too fast. I must've missed it a few times in how quickly I was digging. Can you blame a man though? At last I found my saviors. Small, bland, and salty as hell. Some saviors. I fiddled with the packaging best I could but, the bastard didn't want to come open. I tore at it with my teeth while with the other hand I poked around in my pants pocket. I had felt the cold metal of my knife touch my hand right as I had managed to poke a small hole through the sickly white sleeve. I abandoned the knife as I jammed my index finger into the hole and tore. Ah, salvation...

The dry snap of saltines. Normally, no man would be excited about a damn soda cracker. But, today they were heaven on Earth. I'd continue in the explanation but... I'd rather not say how good these crackers were in this moment. It felt good to be eating anything again. Really good... like... way to good. I jammed them in my mouth, not really waiting to finish one before I popped in another. I could feel my mouth drying up solely from trying to work the saltines that were dry as bone in my mouth. So, I chased them with a small swig of water to rehydrate and aid in the process. I still needed to eat quickly. I never knew when I'd find more of the fuzz on me. So, I had to keep my wits up and finish up here. I tore through about half the packet... compelled to just stuff my face. But, I exercised some self-control. Brushing off the bits of cracker on my chest, I stood up with purpose. I wanted to quickly clean my armaments before carrying on. I gave a quick pass over my coachgun. The action seemed fine as well as the rest of it. Nothing out of the ordinary. I placed it back and reached for the military grade rifle I had. Forgot what it was called... all I knew, was it was my friend... the last one I had.

It was in rough shape, though it was more just from use than anything I could fix. I'd be on the run so long... using it so often, it was bound to start getting worn from use. I sighed. "Getting old huh pappy? Been with me since the beginning. Almost getting fond of ya you piece of junk." I know no one could hear me... and yet I said it anyway. Maybe I'm sentimental. Not like anyone else needed to know. I tucked it away, knowing it would be fine for the day if I needed either of my metal preachers to speak gospel.

I breathed heavily, a sigh as I walked forwards. Peace, it wasn't here either. I knew, that I must move. Walk, run... crawl forward. I for a moment didn't want to leave this disgusting burrow. I felt a small piece of respite here. But, I knew like anywhere else. They'd eventually find me. So, I couldn't. I shook the crumbs from my beard and kept moving. Hell... I've not had not even had the time to shave this monstrosity. I even stole a straight razor to do so... Just, never had the time. I'd love to have the time to even do something as simple as keep up my appearances. Get it together... now's not the time Viktor. Now's not the time to lament the loss of the little things. Surviving. That's more important. Living. But... what for?

Who knows... I'll work that later, when I'm still alive. Hard to figure that out otherwise.

************

I winced in pain as I came out of the let off tunnel outside of town. The Sun, a blazing orb of fire in the sky. Thought I planned this well enough into the evening that it wouldn't be directly overhead... but I guess not. Just have to deal with my eyes frying like an egg I suppose. Well, if I didn't have a pair of sunglasses anyway. I Slipped them over my eyes, a dark shield to the light of the great bonfire in the sky. That really didn't help the headache I had. nor did the sound of sirens."Whaaaaat now?"

In the field were a few cop cars that suddenly roared to life. The engines revved up and the sirens croaked out static before they finally stopped sputtering and let out a ear piercing cry. "Put your hands up!" and the other usual bullshit. But, I wasn't about to be taken in. They'd want... more than just to arrest me. I knew this with all my heart. They'd want something much more from me than that. For you see... I wasn't normal. I wasn't just a man. Not anymore. I was something more than human. How this happened, I do not know. Maybe the god just wanted to laugh at me one more time as some cruel joke. But, I found the extent of my monsterhood was found in this cruel ability... But, they'd not have my freedom.

"I'm sorry you pulled this lot. But, let me go and you'll live. I don't have to take your lives. I don't have to make your family suffer. I don't need to make your children cry." I was sincere. Whether or not you believe me. I meant those words. I've caused enough heartache in this world, enough suffering. But, it wasn't about to stay that way. One of the officers fired. I recognized him. The brother of the recruitment officer. The brother of the man who I killed by freak accident. Why they let him on this case, I'd never know, but with his bullet peace was dead. In the single pull of a trigger all was undone. All words ceased. Only gunfire spoke now. A tinny cacophony of bullets. I hadn't even fired. I felt as they all hit my skin. They hurt like hell, but bounced back out of whence they came. All they managed was to damage my trench coat. Harmless as flies.

For the sound of his gun was enough warning. It betrayed his hand. I could activate and focus on creating defenses fro the bullets. It wasn't perfect and since I didn't know where he aimed I couldn't harden it in the specific area... I had to spread it out and account for multiple bullets and points of impact. As a result my dermal armour was much thinner than I'd have liked, and the impact of the bullet still stung, but it didn't enter, nor did it cause bruising. After all, I had pooled my own blood already and hardened it to it's max. For, blood listened to my command. It heard some invisible call in me and did as I thought and asked. It was as if all blood was attached to me... as if it were my own. Fitting for how much was split by my own accord... and how much ended up spilled because I wasn't worth what I said I was. The amount of others blood on my hands was so much I was drowning in it. This power... made it a little to literal for my tastes.

But, now was my turn. The shocked gasps that I was still standing were enough to know that their plan had already gone sour for them. I know some would turn to run already, but I couldn't afford for them to call back-up. I pulled out from under my coat a small iron cross. In my hand... the metal melted, but, it had changed from metal, to blood. In my hand floated a small ball fo sanguine liquid. I breathed in and then exhaled as I threw the ball towards one of the officers. It Hardened mid-air elongating into a spear of hardened blood. It landed in his chest with a wet thud. I didn't wait long for I didn't have the time. Instead of letting more blood gather I detonated it instantly. Shards of hardened blood scattered everywhere. Small pieces of glass flying at mach speeds. They cut more and more wounds, killing some officers, only wounding others. I felt as each one began to pour. I knew when they struck. I grabbed my shotgun, for it was time for a bit of preaching. The sermon of war. For, war was all I knew.

It spoke, it's word trembling in the air, fire and smoke lingering in the wake of it's scream. The high speed metal screamed in one of the officers chests, more wounds opened. More blood poured. More pain entered this world and left it when the life that had felt it, waned from this world. Pain. Something I hoped to always avoid creating but... always found myself forced to create.

It hadn't take long, but the officers fell quickly. Almost too quickly. As if, this was meant to be easy for me. And that's when I heard a slow clap off to my right. It broke the silence. It was the louder than a gunshot. Figuratively of course. A strangely clad figure was all that greeted me. Their figure was covered in head to toe with the strangest purple I'd ever seen in my life. Accents of black and white broke up the colour however, hid the form. I couldn't tell anything about them other than their sense of dress... was madness. It was a clash of all sorts of style from all different eras in time. They looked like they had stepped directly out of a set of a movie set in Victorian England. A giant tophat, sitting on their head to boot. The figure bowed taking off their hat when doing so. I just stared at them, not knowing what to do.

The voice of what I figured was a younger woman came from the figure, playful sounding in nature. Almost mocking in tone. "Bravo, bravo.~" she snickered, a tiny giggle came at the end of her statement. "That looked almost too easy for you, but that means I know I have my man. My mark..."

I scowled, her attitude, wasn't something I was fond of. I also didn't like this. It felt like... she was here for a reason. I wasn't sure I'd like that reason. "Who are you?"

"That's not really important. I'm no one. But, if you must have a name, call me... Null." she giggled even more. What the fuck was so funny? We stood over a field of corpses. The bodies of men and women who were just doing their job, serving their city. What was so funny to this... woman?

I did nothing but growl in response. I didn't want to talk right now, and certainly not to... this woman. "Oh, grumpy? Sorry, but I couldn't test you without a little bit of blooshed. I hope you don't mind. But, now that I know it's you Viktor... Viktor Grimes. Murderer... of not only an innocent man, but a failure as a leader of your patrol in the army and later another force. Your squad in the S.W.A.T. Hmmmm, not a great track record if we go off what is written. But, you want to know something... the official records don't matter." she licked her lips, though Viktor could only hear the sound behind the giant unwavering mask that covered her face. The lifeless eyes stared at him... he felt as if it was judging him, his sins right where he stood. Viktor, didn't answer. He only stared at her. "Hmmm, not much of a talker either it would seem. Well, Mr. Grimes... it's because we want you. We know of your skills and what really transpired. We understand, just how important an asset you are Darling~" she walked closer. "And, you won't have to run anymore either~"

***To be continued?***