Trials of Beta
Chapter Thirteen: The Price of Glory

Beta slowly moved his head, opening his eyes then shutting them again as the light stung him. "Good, you're awake." Said Alex. He was somewhere to Beta's right, but he couldn't tell exactly until his eyes got used to the light again. He was on his back, and it felt like they were moving, like riding on an elevator.

"It's bright." He said, his voice hoarse.

"Ya don't say? Don't worry your eyes will adjust." Alex said, chuckling.

"Where are we?" He began to regain the sensation in his extremities. Soon he would be able to wiggle his toes and fingers again.

"We're still in the... Whatever this thing is. It's like a huge spaceship, bigger then both Pioneers put together! Uriko healed you, then her and Yuno distracted the monsters while I got you to a safe place." Alex updated the FOmar as he gained his bearings.

"What was that thing that hit me?"

"Some sort of mutant bull, my guess... It just refused to die! Good lord, I nearly wept with joy when it finally went down. Heh! We're on our ways back to Yuno and Uriko now. Can you stand up?"

"I... I think so." Tentatively, Beta pushed himself to his feet, and was nearly knocked back down when Kilala, his Sato mag, rushed him and started nuzzling his neck. "Kilala!" Beta instantly smiled and petted the cat-like Mag affectionately.

"It hasn't left your side since that thing attacked you," the elevator they were on stopped, and the organic like doors slide open, "Floor three, tools, hardware, hostile aliens hell bent on destroying us." Alex joked as he and Beta stepped off. The area was clear of hostiles. "Looks clear. Oh, here's your staff. I snagged it for you."

The rod weapon was strapped to Alex's back. Thusly equipped with both his Mag and Shadow Rod, Beta felt more comfortable and less exposed. "Okay. Where is Uriko and Yuno?"

"Only one way to find out. C'mon," They didn't have to go far before the sound of a Repeater firing filled the air, followed by Yuno screaming curses quite loudly, using obscenities Beta didn't even knew existed. "Sounds like she's in trouble. Beta, step on it!" Alex said as he quickened his pace to a full out run, Beta in tow.

Passing through a hallway and a set of large double doors, Beta and Alex stumbled onto a scene straight out of a war movie. Bodies lay scattered haphazardly across the ground, many of them missing large chucks of flesh, while others were either burnt crispy or frozen into a block of ice. Blood and gore hung from everywhere possible, and on reflex Beta almost lost his lunch, but somehow managed to keep it down. It appeared they were in some sort of reactor room; large cylinder devices lined the walls to either side of the walkway, arcs of electricity jumping from one to the other. Beta estimated it was a good 50 yards from one end to the other, with more then a handful of guardians in the way, and more phasing in every second.

The cause of all this carnage was visible enough, about midway between the two opposing doors stood Yuno, a Repeater in one hand, and a Lockgun pistol in the other. Using a mixture of hand-to-hand combat techniques and dual handed gunplay, she managed to hold her position from the waves of stout defenders constantly assaulting her. Uriko's prone body lay on the ground under Yuno, who appeared to be protecting the FOmarl from the monsters. Did something happen to Uriko?! Beta wondered silently as he tightened his grip on his Shadow Rod and quickened his pace to match Alex's.

"Yuno! We're coming up behind you!" Alex shouted ahead, informing the Ranger of their presence.

"Hurry it up! Uriko's been hurt!" Yuno shouted back, spinning on her heels, bringing both guns to bear on a La Dimension trying to attack her with it's blade arms. Pulling the triggers on both weapons at once, the La Dimension was blasted back by the force of the weapons, the majority of its chest vaporized by the energy bullets.

Calling from within himself a Rafoie spell, Beta extends one hand forward, aiming the wide area fire spell at a tight knit group of La Demenians a bit away from Yuno and Uriko. The victim of his spell suddenly burst into flames, a fiery ball of death expanding outwards from itself, engulfing several others around it, taking all of them down with one fell swoop.

The group surrounding Yuno was light, not a living wall like one might expect, but just a light scattering trying to attack her from all sides at once but failing miserably. Cutting down any in his way, Alex slew a path of death up to Yuno and Uriko. Upon seeing Beta, Yuno immediately pointed at Uriko. "Heal her!" She barked, pushing up her glasses to rest on the bridge of her nose. They kept slipping down, and every so often, she'd pause to push them back up, causing the FOmar to wonder why she just didn't get her eyes fixed.

Kneeling next to Uriko, conscious of the small pool of blood she was lying in, Beta took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the Resta spell flowing from his hands, expanding out to include himself, Alex and Yuno in it's healing effects. But the warm healing light did not pass over Uriko. "Um... I can't heal her! Only the Masters can resurrect the dead!"

Beta cringed. Even with all the noise and the distance he was from her, he could hear Yuno grid her teeth, and he swore he could hear something snap in her head. Guns slipped from hands gone numb, clattering to the alien metal floor. It was as if a great weight was placed on Yuno's shoulders, her knees buckling as she fell to the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes, trailing down her cheeks and falling to the ground. She clenched both her fists, doubling over as she repeatedly punched the floor as hard as she could, bloodying her knuckles.

Cutting the legs out from under a La Demenian whom got too close, Alex looked up just in time to see two La Dimensions close in on either side of Yuno. Beta was in no position to assist, dealing with problems of his own, and he himself couldn't get to Yuno in time to do anything. The only he could do was try to warn her. What the hell is she doing anyways? "YUNO! Watch out!"

Yuno stared at the ground, some of her blood staining it crimson. She was barely aware of anything happening around her. She's dead... No. Uriko can't be dead... I refuse to believe it!

"YUNO! YUNO WAKE UP!" Alex screamed as the two La Demenians closed on either side of her, blocking his view of her.