chapter 8

The operation was unlike any other. Lukas sat near the exit of the truck, allowing him to see the other four trucks behind the convoy filled with the recently sent 666IB soldiers from other Outpost Detachments. Most of them had seen a fair share of Hell and doesn't need any form of watered down instructions unlike with the rookies who were clueless about almost everything.

Lukas thought about the words of the Major yesterday. When he said that they are going to end this, he really is being serious. Otherwise, he wouldn't have requested a large number of personnel and launched a major offensive in this tiny village that probably has little capability to defend itself against a small platoon of 666IB soldiers.

Some of the troopers were loant from the other Outpost Detachments and will return to their original duties after this. It was understandable. The 666IB was the only largest paranormal combat unit, but their numbers are limited. Replenishing it required a long time because only a few are willing enough to sign up and leave their old lives behind.

Recruitment were usually done in military hospitals, where forgery of documents would be easy enough to change the patient's status from alive to KIA or MIA. Due to the required amount of secrecy to hide the esoteric nature of 666IB's mission, the aspirants needed to be "dead" so that no questions pertaining to the status of the trooper himself would be asked.

Funnily enough, when Lukas signed up, he was allowed to witness his own funeral. It was a rainy noon. It was as if Heaven itself wept in his fabricated passing. Because in truth, it felt like he died after seeing his wife and young daughter cried before his closed casket. He wondered what the doctor written on the post-mortem report that they got away with the closing of his coffin. He watched with a tear in his eye before he left for good.

Never to walk back in their lives again.

And he did not make that sacrifice for these assholes to win. He was determined to put an end to this, even if it would cause him his "second" life.

The reflection of the sun bounced against his polarized visor. He never enjoyed sunrise before but after being in dark corridors for too long, the sun became an important commodity in his eyes now and he enjoyed bathing in its glow. His focus to the reality was pulled back when they entered the forestry and the welcoming trees blocked off the rays of the sun until they are submerged completely in the shadows provided by the canopy of trees. He gripped his weapon tight as they neared the village.

It all started with a gunfire from ahead, halting their advance completely. A yell was issued from Francis' throat, urging them into action. Lukas found himself disembarking along with others as gunfires were exchanged far ahead. He moved to the left hand-side of the truck, along with his subordinates before receiving a tap from his left shoulder and prompted him to take the point.

They moved past two more trucks, but its occupants have gone to battle far ahead. The first truck was a burning wreckage with a handful of corpses visible inside, roasted like overcooked meats. He averted his gaze and searched for the others instead.

It was a warzone. Wooden carts, civilian vehicles and perforated sheds constructed from bamboos and abacas were scattered across along with a few dead. Lukas quickly scanned the corpses and noticed the mutilations as well as abnormalities in some parts of their bodies. It immediately told him what they are dealing with--cultists. Ahead stood a tilted dilapidated red pickup truck with flattened tires located on the exposed side. He pressed his back against it, his action mirrored by the soldiers under his command.

He moved towards the hood of the vehicle and peeked. The coast is clear. He propped his weapon above the hood and spotted what appeared to be a humanoid entity with brown wrinkled skin and blackish fur that populated its shin, knees, chest and back. Its red eyes, clawed hands and fangs was an indication of what it was.

An Aswang.

He opened fire at its direction, the short burst made the rifle rattle in his grip but his aim stayed true when the Aswang's forehead bursts apart in a haze of red. Two more appeared from behind the fallen entity, possessing the same exact appearance as the first, and charged. Out of fear, Lukas crouched to take cover. The monsters slammed against the other side of the car. He glanced at his subordinate beside him to issue an order.

"Corporal Lacson, get to the--?!" A claw went through the window behind the addressed soldier, sharp claws appeared from his chest. The impalement came from behind.

Lukas drew his machete and cut the wrist of the monster with a vertical swing. A loud cry could be heard as the hand separated from the bleeding stump. When the impaled soldier fell to the ground face first, PFC Nagar, who was standing behind the dead soldier, took aim at the crying monster through the smashed window and fired at full auto with a scream.

The other fireteam from another Outpost Detachment fired at the last one clawing at the pickup truck. When the scratching noise ceased, Lukas surveyed the area and find it finally clear.

"Forward!" Francis, hiding behind a perforated shed along with his team, ordered. "Now!"

They abandoned their cover and advanced at the open territory. For now, the no-man's land was cleared because of its defenders were either dead or routed. But they noticed movement ahead, a blur, the work of the supernatural. The moving blurs were not in firing range yet and so they have to wait until they get closer enough for them to engage it.

They arrived at the beginning of the settlement, which were populated with bamboo huts that has bundled straws for roofs. Its inhabitants were either evacuated or among the cultist dead. Lukas and his team took cover behind the nearest hut and pressed his back against it as gunfire erupted. He looked at Francis' position to see if they are firing but he noticed a dead 666IB trooper beside him. None of them were returning fire at their assailants.

Lukas peeked around his cover and noticed a quartet of cultists in balaclavas at the opposite side of the dirty beaten path ahead, moving in a column to flank Francis' group. The sounds of battle now erupted in other parts of the village as the loant 666IB soldiers engaged the cultists and monster defender. He aimed at the leading armed cultist and fired.

His target dropped; his blood splattered against the wooden wall beside him. Lukas instantly recoiled back to cover while his companions returned fire. Smoke rose from the wood around when the cultists shot at it. When the firing momentarily stopped, he and Nagar peeked around to deliver more rounds.

They dropped two more, causing the last one to move back but Francis himself stopped him dead with shots to the back.

The blurs finally arrived at nearer range. They paused to reveal themselves, they were Tikbalangs. Tall humanoid monsters with muscular human torsos, arms and biceps but from the neck up were equine in appearance. Their heads were black stallions with red eyes. From the waist down, the legs were bent and hooved in the same manner as horses. The coloration of its fur matches their faces, midnight black.

They moved faster than the eyes could perceive but the display link of their visors allowed them to see the Tikbalangs at normal speed when at close range. The Agency, the manufacturer of most of their gears, made sure that they gain the upper hand against the supernatural.

From their hands, curved blades were gripped. Lukas watched in horror as a small group of Tikbalangs engaged a squad of soldiers and slaughtered them mercilessly with intricate graceful movements and blade works. Their fluid motions were mesmerizing but brutal all at once. The wall of the white house beside them were instantly repainted in red. Lukas took aim at a red eyed horse-man and fired at full auto. If he risked a shot at semi-auto, the bastard would probably just dodge it and engage him instantly in a fight that he has no chance of winning.

The bullets came in a shower, perforating flesh and bones alike. Its dark red blood coated the bright red wall behind it before it falls to the ground. Lukas yelled without looking elsewhere, his finger remained in the trigger, ready to fire at any of the Tikbalang bastards foolish enough to come out from around the corner.

"Nagar, watch my fucking blind side!" He said. "Lopez, keep watch at the other side! Dolores, you watch her six for danger!"

"Yes, sir!" They replied in unison.

Another movement from ahead, Lukas' trigger finger squeezed and the rifle spat a streak of bullets while he swept from left to right, covering the space before him in bullets. Another Tikbalang fell on the top of its dead brethren. Nagar's abrupt gunfire surprised him when the PFC terminated a horse-man who charged from their ten o'clock. He wanted to scream but he prevented himself to avoid demoralizing his team. He may have been through a lot of dangerous situations but he was just a man with emotions.

Another movement, Lukas fired. He only managed to wound the bastard when his rifle clicked empty and his target immediately recoiled back to the alley. He let out a string of curses as he reloaded, Nagar covering for him. Lopez's rifle came firing and she reported with a news that relieved him.

"Target down, sir!" She announced.

"Go, go, go!" Francis ordered, urging them to move further.

They barely took a step forward when a trio of cultist led by an Aswang appeared from the door of the nearest house. Lukas dove, his stomach flat on the floor before he open fire. Nagar was behind him, firing his own rifle at the line of enemies. Their bullets penetrated through the body of the Aswang and hit the two other cultists behind it. The last one was terminated by Francis' team. Lukas turned at their direction to see them stepping over a Tikbalang's corpse. One of Francis' subordinates was carrying a soldier with a missing left arm.

Lukas stood up and moved on. The sound of battle around them gradually decreased in volume, an indication that they are winning in the offensive. Ahead stood a large house that appeared to be undisturbed by any. Lukas held a fist upward and pointed at an alley between two houses beyond and took cover. Francis also did the same--he must have felt it too.

"Lukas, what do you think?" Francis called over the comms.

"I felt like I'm being checked out." Lukas replied. "Never had this feeling before since that night in the KTV."

"Yeah," Francis replied. "Look over there!"

He saw a squad of 666IB soldiers approached the door of the house. The moment they ascended the steps leading to the door, a half naked giant descended from the roof and crushed the leading soldier. Lukas wondered how he missed the bastard. He was muscular and fat--the word 'burly' was an understatement. A long cigarette was hung from his mouth. A huge club was gripped in his long stubby fingers.

The giant swatted the second soldier away with a horizontal swing. Lukas watched in horror as the trooper collided with the ground, the impact sent his bones and organs out of his body and onto the dusty ground. The other 666IB soldiers retreated and fired at the monster, but upon hearing the gunfire, two more of the giants appeared.

"I seldom encountered Kapres before." Francis said. "Ever killed one?"

"I haven't," he grinned. "But there's first time in everything."

"They were tough sons of bitches." Francis said as he took aim at the easiest target. "The craniums were their weaknesses."

"Acknowledged." Lukas said as he aimed over the corner. After a short command, his team gathered around him and they focused their aim at their targeted Kapre.

They opened fire as one. Their bullets were like a hail of steel rain that split the skull of the Kapre apart. His tobacco flew from his mouth before he fell to the side with a pulverized head. The other Kapre turned and charged at Lukas and his group but they kept their aim steady and fired another wave of bullets that stopped the attacker dead on his tracks.

The last one was killed by Francis and his team. The coast was clear and the surviving 666IB troopers ahead had retreated back to safety. They approached the house beyond, praying that no more Kapres were hiding in wait.

"Tejero, open that door for us!" Francis ordered. The soldier broke formation and approached the steps leading to the door. He swallowed when he walked towards the door. He reached for it slowly and touched the knob carefully as if it was hot. He let out a sigh of relief that no Kapre descended to kill him.

He turned the knob open, only to be blown away by shotgun pellets to the chest. Lukas watched in awe as the soldier landed on the ground, blood spraying from his chest wounds. He raised his weapon and returned fire at the cultist, who recently pumped his shotgun for another shot. However, Lukas' gunfire dropped him dead.

They ascended the steps and entered the house. As usual, Lukas and his team were the first one to enter. He came through the door first, followed closely by Nagar. Both soldiers aimed to the left while the next two aimed to the right, covering all angles. The interior of the house was like a huge empty warehouse, not a single furniture were seen in immediate sight but they uncovered a handful of cots at the far corner, five rectangular tables lining up the wall and a circular wooden table in the middle with cigarette butts and an empty Emperador Lights bottle left on the surface.

Lukas, Nagar and Lopez approached the table and lifted one of the cigarette butts. There was no smoulder could be seen. It was put out a long time ago. He tossed it aside and glanced at the tables lining the wall. He noticed broken electronic equipments, but noticeably, a Nokia with a missing back case and battery were seen among the mix.

He approached it and examined the cellular phone.

"This one looked functional, if we only had a battery." He said as he glanced at Francis.

"Take that." The superior officer said. "It appears that they left in a hurry." He added. "And even failed to erase their completely trails."

They left the house. The gunfire finally stopped. The offensive has reached its bloody conclusion. For sure, the casualties on their side was high but the blood of their dead paved way for the victory they needed.

They failed to locate the Mambabarang, but they managed to capture the stronghold of their enemies. It reminded Lukas of the Battle of Camp Abubakar, of which he was also a participant. Both were major offensives and both were just as bloody. However, the previous conflict was much more horrifying; men are capable of more violence than monsters.

He shook his head and banished the thought from his mind. There was nothing much to do so he followed Francis with the rest of his team back to the truck.