Dark Energy by carlsojos

Chapter 21

Etirn seemed the most calm, although I'm not sure whether that should be attributed to his personality, or lack of sleep. Everybody else is waiting. You ready, Marika?

Yeah. I just wanted to get some last-minute equipment. I rub the shoulder I had injured yesterday. A combination of Monomate and my mysterious past ensures that it's already healed, but I know it was just a taste of what's inside now.

Good thinking. Blades will be on point. Let's go. We cautiously make our way inside. I could've sworn that something scampered away when we approached, but nobody else seemed to notice. It was eerily quiet the entire way to the prize, with the lights turning themselves on as we went along. Looking at the machines, Etirn picks out one that doesn't have anything floating inside at the moment. Ackland, help me break this. Etirn and Akkosua starts pushing. At first it looked like the machine would win, but it eventually toppled over, shattering the glass portion and spraying an unknown fluid everywhere.

I hear something approaching. Hey, heads up!

I'm getting started now. I only have one cartridge loaded, so cover me. Etirn pulls out pliers and a pry bar and begins to thouroughly dismantle the remains of the capsule. I extend my claws and step a few inches into the darkness. The next set of lights came on, just as something hits me in the center of my chest.

Whoa! I get launched a couple feet, but I roll back onto my feet. My attacker looks like the Igglanova in the gauntlet, except it's purple, and clearly much stronger. Two blue copies of the Xanafalgue jump out, and the big one fires at Akkosua. She barely managed to block the projectiles with her still sheathed sword, but the hunter quickly snaps into action. He throws what looks like a boomerang, and charges one of the smaller creatures with a pair of knives. I follow suit to attack the other small one, but my target gets struck by Blade's weapon, which spirals into a vortex around it, killing it before I could touch it. I manage a swipe at the big one as I slid past, but I almost went off balance by the change of direction, so it just got angry. I look up and see Ray finish off his attack, just as the big one fires off two more monsters. Ray, focus on the big one! Ray shrugs, then drops his knives to brandish a cutlass, catching the thrown weapon in his offhand to stow it. As I prepare to charge again, I see a finned monster coming towards Akkosua, so I run to protect her.

Thinking I was aiming at her, Akkosua screams and crouches, holding her sword in a defensive gesture. I jump, using the sword as a step, and lunge at the beast, slicing it to ribbons. I get up and wink at her. She looks back for a moment, then rushes to help Ray finish off the bigger monster. Etirn whacks the machine and it releases a small puff of blue smoke. I look in the other direction, and to my dismay, another purple beast is released from a capsule, and in turn releases two more blue ones. How much longer, Etirn?

I need more time!

Shit. Hey, guys! Incoming! With the others busy, Dora pulls a wicked looking battleaxe from her backpack, the distinctive green glint of Motavian Titanium, and joins me to deal with the new threat. I take the lead, diving between the purple and one of the two blues to attract their attention, and Dora cleaves the other in half with a single swing. I unleash a frenzy of blows on the big one's back, and I lose count of my strikes somewhere in the tens. A sudden blow to my back tells me I stayed too long, and I roll to the floor to try to counter.

Instead, both monsters swarm me, pelting away in retaliation. I manage to slash back, but I'm no match on the ground. Further complicating matters, I hear more creatures coming in our direction, so everybody's too busy to help. Desperately trying to escape, I try to remember a trick my professor used to do on sleeping students. How did he execute it...?

Wat! Suddenly, the little blue monster is hit by a burst of pure cold. I take advantage by slashing out its flimsy legs, and I roll away from the other threat. I look up, and see frost on Akkosua's glove. With a renewed sense of purpose, I destroy the purple monster, and even take out a couple of finned monsters before even more swarm in.

These things are getting stronger! I don't know how much longer we can hold on at this rate.

Akkosua is sharing in the stress. Son of a bitch! Why can't we retreat!?

Bang! A monster falls to the ground. I'm done! I think I have the important bits. Etirn pulls a hefty bag onto his shoulder, and reloads his weapon with the other hand.

Ray sheaths the cutlass and pulls out a broadsword. Let's hurry, then. I have rent due today. I wonder how anyone could possibly think of that when more important things need our attention now? Ray and I clear the way back to the entrance, while Dora and Akkosua guard Etirn from further attacks.

Next chapter

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