As I traveled down the cave systems, I noticed that there was a large amount of metal and crystal nodes. I am now planting this place in my memory as a place to get quick and easy metal. And crystal. And those weird mushroom things. Wonder if those are safe to eat? Might be the drug kind of mushrooms, but then I'd feel like I'm in That 70's Show. Wait. Was it the 70's or 60's? Who cares.
I walk down with Oilslick and come to a cross section of sorts, having to look down a few branching paths. I look to Blue on my shoulder. "So lil guy? Any idea where we should head down first?" The otter glanced around before nodding to the right. "Right it is then!" I turn, make sure the giant bug is still behind me, pull out my shotgun, and start walking.
And then I see it, coming down from a small slope, was a small land bridge in a pool of water leading to an island holding… I couldn't really tell what that was. It seemed to be some metallic object made of the same material as what was on top of the volcano. Whatever it was, it was floating on the center of the small island, giving off an extremely strong aura of some sort, one that made me feel… Smarter. More intelligent overall. I was quickly thrown out of my trance of the Artifact before realizing something.
Cave with a bridge over water. Floating Artifact in the center. I'm holding a shotgun.
This was exactly like that dream.
That's when the water exploded from it's calm stance as a giant crocodile beast emerged and climbed onto the bridge. I instantly remembered it both as a Sarcosuchus and the creature that attacked me in my dreams. It growled and glared at me and I stared back. This encounter is a little different than my dream. I look to one side. There are the Arthropleura. I look to the other, there are the snakes and bugs. But then I realize. There were a number of things wrong with the situation. I must end up coming back here a few times and this guy is like a mini boss for the Artifact. Fun.
"Alright," I say to the Sarco raising up my shotgun, "Let's do this shit, you oversized handbag."
That must have pissed him off, because he instantly charged at me. Strangely enough, I wasn't scared by this, quickly whipping up the gun and firing two rounds directly into the reptile's face. I am not an animal behaviorist, but I am more than certain that pissed it off even more as it roared directly into my face.
"Ah. Well fuck," I let out, quickly jumping back as the Sarco starts charging at me. I switch out my shotgun for the pistol Aless gave me and started rapid firing aiming straight for the eyes first. The croc stops and lets out a loud roar as his eyes are completely blown out, rendering it blind and bloody. I at least hope it's blind.
I step back again only to trip down as a hunk of rock on the bridge breaks off into the water. Well, there goes dry shoes. Now I have to dry these before there's any mildew buildup. I should not be thinking about this considering I see giant Piranhas swimming up at me from deeper in the water. I pull my foot up and point my gun down, shooting two in the face and causing the rest to swim away from me.
Right now I'm not too certain if it was the sounds of water splashing, firing my gun, or the fact that this bridge can only go one way, but the Sarco charged towards me once again. I aimed up again and shot a few times decently wildly, getting the majority of hits on it before it finally gets close to me. I must have misjudged how capable it was with eight rounds in it and no eyes, because the damn thing opened his mouth and clamped down hard on my leg.
I let out a loud pained roar before switching back to the shotgun, having to struggle before getting a good shot. This was gonna fuck up my leg, but I was going to take it for my own long term survival. I bit my lip, put the barrel of the gun right on top of the croc's mouth where he had my leg, closed my eyes, and…
The pressure was released. I opened my eyes again to see that Oilslick had spit acid onto the dinosaur! "Hell yeah!" I shout out, pulling out one of the red liquids Alessandra had given me, biting the quark off and downing half of it and pouring the rest onto my wound. The pain started fading and the liquid seeped into the wounds and started closing it up. I stood back up and watched the two prehistoric beasts battle each other.
Considering the fact the it was blinded, had multiple gunshot wounds, and had a poisonous acid in his face, the Sarco was definitely on the losing side of this fight. Oilslick coiled around the crocodile s a snake would, taking huge bites into its body and occasionally even the head. How the bug was positioned also made it impossible for the Sarco to get any type of bite or claw at it.
Eventually, through minimal input from me and continued constrictive attacks, the Sarcosuchus fell limp on the bridge and Oilslick began uncoiling and eating into the felled beast. I sigh and quickly fall on my ass on the bridge, looking around and seeing that all the creatures that had gathered around us had started to disperse. Seems like they just wanted to watch the show. I was now alone with just Blue and Oilslick. And the Artifact.
I grin as I finally stand and come up to the floating item. I reach forward and grab it, sudden getting fueled with a powerful energy, suddenly feeling amazing in every portion of my body. I suddenly felt much more, in a sense, complete. As though I had an entire tribe behind my back. And not just Aless and The Mountaineers, but a full on army of many people and dinosaurs. It took me very quickly to realize what this ability was. It was the active aura of The Artifact of the Pack.
One step closer to getting out of here.
A/N: Aaaaaaaand I am graduated! So expect me being more active, baby!
