Chapter 10 A Civilization in Peril
Character Haggard
The group of scientists were hiding in the forest behind Haggard, Chief, Fenix, and Jackson. Fenix had called a halt of their grueling run to the evac point due to a band of undead and locust that was patrolling the road ahead of them. Haggard looked over to Fenix and waited for the command to engage. Fenix was giving the commands because no one said otherwise and no one wanted to argue it with Delta. The patrol was about 20 feet in front of them now, Fenix raised his hand with three fingers raised, ..two…one, "Now!" Fenix yelled as he began firing into the patrol. Haggard sighted in on the first skeleton he saw and blasted it, the explosion sent bones flying and knocked a few locust to the ground. Then John and Jackson opened up with their sniper rifles, throwing the locust into confusion. The undead, however rallied around a large red skeleton and started for the group's hiding place. Haggard heard Fenix yelling for some one to kill the red skeleton leader, so sent a pyroblast his way. The leader was knocked back but didn't die, that is if you consider undead as being able to "die", instead of just destroyed. Haggard sent a second pyroblast into the leader, knocking it to the ground. It got back up to have two sniper bullets hit it in the head, the head spun around and then re-locked into place with a sickening crunch-snap.
Haggard yelled over to Coal, "give me a grenade."
"What do you need my grenades for use one of your own," Coal replied.
"Your grenades stick to things mine don't," Haggard shot back.
"Well that's your problem… oh I see what you mean here," Coal said throwing a grenade to Haggard, "We'll keep them occupied for you." Haggard sent a pyroblast into the left side of the guards for the leader sending them flying away with some limbs missing. Then he ran toward the opening and straight for the leader. Haggard thought, "I wonder how this thing works," as he was charging the leader, "hope you just pull the pin and stick to target." Three locust ran at him but were shot down by Delta before they could fire. Haggard pulled the pin and stuck the grenade inside the leader's chest cavity, ducking to avoid a swing from an ax. Haggard ran up toward Delta and his three members of DC that were laying down covering fire from the forest line. He tripped and rolled to see a locust revving up its chainsaw and running at him. "O God please don't let me die like this," Haggard thought. Then John was beside him pulling him up with one hand and slicing the locust in half with his sword in the other. The leader exploded as Haggard was placed back on his feet knocking him to the ground again. He got up and fired a pyroblast at the remains of the patrol, either outright killing the monsters or sending them flying away. Gasping for breath he saw Fenix walk up to him.
"That was quick thinking Haggard," he said, "next time don't cut it so close after this I want you guarding my back as well as Delta's."
Haggard just nodded and walked over to the Chief. "Thanks John," he said, "I thought that might be the last explosion I would ever see."
"I've had my fair share of people I couldn't save I wasn't going to let another go if I could help it," John said, "Fenix lets get to the evac point the road is clear."
Character Gen. Fenix
The evac point was already full of refugees that Spyro and Cynder had brought but, the two dragons and their last group had not arrived yet. K was their though and Fenix walked over to him to ask for news of the two dragons. "K where are Spyro and…" Fenix started.
"I don't know I came here as fast as possible to warn you that we have much bigger problems than a few Corpsers."
"What," Fenix almost yelled holding back only to not start a panic among the already frightened scientists.
"There is at least one very large, very hungry, demon about it can hold a Corpser in one hand," K informed.
"Where did you see this demon?" Fenix asked in a lower voice.
"In the tunnels and I only saw its hand big, gray, four fingers, you know of any thing locust or other wise that could fit that description?" K replied, "It came from the side of the tunnel that faces the cliff so I assume it is hiding somewhere in that ravine."
"Then we need to move out now," Fenix said.
"Then you will do so without me," K replied I have some friends to find.
"Since when have we ever let you out of our sight for more than a few hours?" Cynder said as she, Spyro and the last of the scientists arrived in the camp.
"Fenix what is a Brumack?" Spyro asked.
"It is the equivalent of a locust tank," Fenix replied, "why?"
"We had a little run in with four of them, they seem docile once you kill the drivers," Cynder said.
"Wait are you saying that you know where four unguided Brumacks are?" Fenix asked skeptically. "Actually we have them right behind us just across the road," Spyro said looking toward the hill across from the evac point.
"Dom are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Fenix asked.
"Your aren't thinking, oh no not again once was enough for me."
"Come on Delta lets saddle up," Fenix ordered.
"Why did I know you would say that," Dom said with a sigh.
"Haggard, Jackson, John, actually John you might do better uncounted," with me, Fenix said. "Dom show them the ropes of Brumack riding." Dom gave him a look that said here we go again and plodded over to Haggard and Jackson.
"What about the fourth one?" K asked.
"I was thinking that we could strap it to another one and guide both with one lead," Fenix said.
"Sounds like a plan," K said as he jumped over to Spyro and Cynder.
Buzz- Buzz, Fenix opened the communicator channel, "Commander," he said.
"Fenix I need you and your men back here now I'll explain later ignore the evac directive for Invar and get back here." The communicator went silent.
"Ok Delta, DC command wants us back in Jacinto now something big is going down there and we need to be their to stop it."
"Got the Brumacks all ready to go," Dom said.
"Then lets load up and head out men," Fenix said, "K you coming?"
"Of course," K said, "do you think I would miss a battle that promises to be the deciding point of the war on Serra?"
"And what about Spyro and Cynder," Fenix continued.
"We'll be their," Cynder said in response as she and Spyro walked up to K.
Thud, Thud, Thud, "We are mobile Fenix," Dom said from the driver's seat of a Brumack, "what happened to the last one's harness these are barely useable as it is."
"That would be my doing," Cynder said apologetically raising her tail scythe.
Dom just look at her for a moment then said, "Glad that you are using that thing for us instead of against us." Fenix started getting the scientists moving and the group began heading for Jacinto.