Chapter 5: Into The Wolf's Den
Alex and Zero warped out of Maverick Hunter HQ to find themselves staring down a deep, black pit, it's blackness only interrupted by the occasional glint of a worker bot's tools. "I guess it's all downhill from here" commented Zero as he and Alex commenced the long climb downwards.
Not five minutes into their climb, a Blast Hornet burst through the side of the wall Alex was gripping, sending him dazed into Zero. The two managed to grab the wall before any serious damage could occur. However, they were forced to move almost as quickly as their quest for the wall as the Hornet rained automatic fire down upon them. It's incredible it can move down here, let alone maneuver, thought Zero as he dodged more fire, how am I going to get at this thing with only a Beam Sabre? As if reading his mind, Alex leapt from the wall onto the Hornets back in one graceful leap. Slicing it's back open with his Beam Sabre, Alex shoved his X-Buster into the newly made hole and fired a charged-shot at point blank range. The Hornet bucked under the shot and fell downwards in a sea of parts as Alex leapt clear of the burning wreck, landing neatly on the wall beside Zero. "Not bad for a trainee huh?" commented Alex as they continued their decent into the unknown depths of the enemy's lair.
They made good progress from that point on, stopped only occasionally by the Blast Hornets. Alex took every one down with his prominent new move of slice and shoot. They had both managed to grab heart pieces and were feeling cocky. This is never a good idea in the midst of battle. Out of nowhere, a kamikaze Metool threw itself into Alex, knocking the new Hunter into an unforeseen passage. Zero watched in horror as Alex rolled down the diagonal wall, lost to sight from the veteran Hunter long before he hit the bottom. Alex had the wind knocked out of him as he hit the bottom of the pit with a wump, and lay there for a few minutes wheezing. When he finally did look up, it was only to stare into the eyes of Sigma's second general, White Wolf…
Without a second thought of the mission in Zero's mind, he threw himself down the pit after the cadet-turned-Hunter. As he fell through space, he was blasted to the side as yet another Blast Hornet made itself known. I don't have time for this! thought Zero as he dodged the automatic fire of the Hornet. But the Hornet had no intentions of slowing down, forcing Zero to destroy if he was too save Alex. Zero attacked with a rage that can be only brought on to him when fearing for the life of a friend. Zero whipped out his Beam Sabre in one fluid motion as he launched himself at the Hornet. Zero sliced it in half, and the explosion of the mechanical beast threw him into the nearest wall. Checking his systems for damage, the anxious Hunter continued in his search.
.
Meanwhile, Alex was having the fight of his life. And he was losing. Alex was thrown to the side as pain seared through his body. Alex was paralyzed by the intensity of it, and he sunk to the floor as his body processed this new pain. However, the paralysis was not to last as White Wolf picked Alex up in his jaws and threw him into the air. Shooting a white beam of energy at the still flying Hunter, it hit him straight on. Alex found himself instantly frozen as his body below the neck was covered in liquid ice. There was nothing Alex could do to stop his fall as the ground eagerly rushed up to meet him. The ice was instantly shattered and the impact knocked the already weak Hunter into the bliss of unconsciousness. White Wolf prepared for the killing blow as he placed the unconscious Hunter's head into his jaws…
But the kill was not to be had as White Wolf was knocked sideways away from the comatose Hunter by a pair of exploding ears. Zero was just in time and White Wolf was still reeling from the first attack as Zero launched another two. Zero attacked mercilessly from that point on, and soon it was the Wolf's turn to feel unconsciousness sneak up on him. Gripping the Wolf's head in one hand, Zero shoved his X-Buster down his prey's throat, firing off three more ears as he did so. The Wolf's body was instantly destroyed and all that remained was the head that was still being held in the hands of Zero. Zero quickly acquired the Freeze Blaster, and immediately switched to it. He threw the head high into the air and fired off a shot, which hit him dead on. Zero just watched as the head hit the ground, splintering as it did so. Zero quickly noted that the structural integrity of the base would not hold much longer and quickly warped to sick bay with Alex in his arms as the base started to collapse around them.
Battle has a way of attracting fame, even when it is not wanted. Such was the case of the still recovering Alex as he found himself receiving visitors who only days before had ridiculed him in front of his peers, many of whom were also visitors. It didn't matter, Alex knew, they were just here to be cool. Zero and Cain were the only ones who cared and they were the ones he spent most of his time with. Zero deeply hoped the next mission wouldn't be too hard on the new Hunter because, even though he had learned a lot during the mission, he had almost bought it. And Zero wouldn't always be there to save him…