Chapter Eight – Part Seven

  Narrated by Maria Korobi

  Two men stood before me, clad in medieval armor. I raised a brow and said,

  "Strange... why are you dressed like that?"

  They both bowed.

  "We're sorry, my lady, but we are forbidden from revealing our faces or any part of our bodies—we are the deputies of gods."

  I drew my pistols.

  "Well, that won’t stop you from trying to kill me."

  -"Not at all. We’re quite used to that."

  I smirked.

  "And what should I call you?"

  They bowed again.

  "The one in black is Number One. I, in blue, am Number Two."

  -"So, black serves the God of Darkness, and blue the God of Ice?"

  -"No. Both of us serve the God of Darkness. The other deputies were killed... I don’t know by whom. Every two serve one god."

  -"That’s better. I couldn’t handle a full god anyway. Half a god is more manageable."

  -"Roughly so. Shall we begin? We didn’t come here to make friends."

  -"Your way of talking is annoying... How do you even speak at the same time like that?"

  They didn’t answer. Instead, they began circling me until one of them vanished among the trees. I spun around, firing in all directions.

  Then I felt something above. I leapt away just in time—Number One was midair.

  Suddenly, Number Two appeared behind me. I flipped through the air, landed on his armored shoulders, pressed my pistols to his helmet, and pulled the trigger twice.

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  Number Two dropped dead.

  I reloaded, muttering,

  "Didn’t expect it to be this easy..."

  I turned to Number One. His armor trembled with rage. He charged forward, vengeance in every step.

  I holstered my pistols and reached into the bag on my back, pulling out my twin miniguns—custom-made just for me. I could grip them from the inside, allowing for dual wielding.

  I opened fire before he got too close, but he drew two swords and deflected the bullets with inhuman speed. He advanced, too close—I had to reload.

  He kicked me down, pinned me, and began punching me over and over.

  I couldn’t use my hands, but I slammed the empty minigun into his head until he collapsed beside me.

  I rolled away, unstrapped the weapons, and dropped them.

  He lunged and grabbed my head, trying to crush it between his hands.

  With my last strength, I reached for the pistol on my belt and fired into his stomach.

  He dropped.

  I opened my bag, hands shaking, reaching for ammo to reload the minigun—

  —but just then, pain ripped through my side.

  A knife.

  He had thrown it. I ignored it. Grabbed the minigun.

  Before he could throw another, I whispered,

  "Do svidaniya."

  I fired.

  And fired.

  Until the bullets ran out.

  What remained of Number One looked like mashed potatoes.

  I collapsed, breath shallow, blood soaking through my clothes.

  I knew I was dying.

  The contract was taking effect.

  A deal with the devil: at death’s door, I’d gain strength fivefold for a short time. A cursed gift.

  It had kept me alive through this—but now, it was running out.

  My body was already breaking.

  Then I heard something. Not footsteps. Something... crawling.

  From the forest came Dwayne—dragging himself toward me, legs ruined.

  He rested his head on my thigh and smiled weakly.

  “Sorry I’m late.”

  I smiled back.

  At least I’d spend my final moments with the man I loved.

  We stayed like that for a while.

  Then I asked softly,

  "Stalin?"

  He looked into my eyes, tears brimming.

  "I laid him beside Nikolai’s body. At least he’ll sleep next to his older brother.

  We all will...

  We’ll all sleep tonight."

  Silence.

  Then I said what I had longed to tell him since the day we met.

  "I love you."

  He looked at me and smiled, then his eyes closed.

  And died.

  I looked at his lifeless body—bruised, broken.

  I cradled him, sobbing like a child.

  The man I loved... I finally told him.

  But it was too late.

  Too late for all of us.

  I held him tighter, screaming.

  Until I, too, died—

  While the man I loved rested in my arms.