Short but action-packed chapter. You guys are gonna hate me at the end, I know you will XD
TGBBF: Hehehe. Do a dance, huh? Fun, but I detest dancing... (shivers) Glad you think the cliffhanger was well-placed XD when it makes people angry, it is a good cliffie in my book.
Ranma Hibiki: I'm actually thinking about putting a Yautja kitchen scene somewhere in the story later, just to show some strange foods. XD Politics suck, but sarcasm lightens it up, some! But with how fast these things are, do you really think I'd have time to talk? Especially with three of 'em?
Bsdisaster: yup, so it is XD
DarkXeno: Limbs... AHHH, They're GONE! (runs around like a headless chicken) oh, wait, i'm typing, so i must have arms... XP Yes, I know I am inasane and all that good stuff.
Raptorchick: oh, you guys know I try to keep the chapters coming at one a day, or one every two days, so don't be so impatient. Even though the next one might be later in coming, since I wanna get ahead on later chapters before I post it, and it still needs to go though extensive review and editing before being put up...
Okay, anyway, thanks for the brave/stupid comment! XD Yes, thank you very much. Knowing me (being me), I do get in over my head a lot. Usually for stupid reasons... oh, and you found the fruit funny, too? Heh, that's neat. Strange, the things I write that people find amusing without my knowledge...
Your sister is reading this, too? Wow, I have other readers out there! Awesome! Remember, reviews make me happy and I answer everybody, no matter what they say! plus, I don't write withoput 'em! (blatent hint)
Updattee!
It was as if a dam had burst its restraints.
The three creatures exploded from the considerably dented and scratched metal containment area with hisses and screeches of fury, the two smaller, darker creatures flanking out to the sides of the largest Xeno I had seen since I had fought the Queen. I heard my own gasp of surprise as I backed up slightly, spear held out before me as I watched the three perform a type of pincer movement with cat-like grace. Only now did I realize exactly how foolish my decision had been to include the Praetorian on our little battle for acceptance, as the thing that approached us through the flying sands was a spectacle of horror that I had not seen in anything but nightmares since my first day of this life.
I could tell instantly that it wasn't like the others, as it slowed before reaching us, regarding the two humans with its eyeless, crested head that was both like and unlike that of the Queen I had seen on the ice, as if was much shorter. The two drones immediately leapt to the attack without wasting even a second thought, screeching as they streamed towards their prey, and I had no more time to concentrate on the largest creature as I evaded a blow from the smallest, most agile of the three. Instantly after it passed, the tail whipped up, connecting with my legs and tripping me. I went down hard, but not without swinging the spear in a wide arc, feeling the metal glance harshly off the armored side of the creature.
It hissed in protest, and a thin line of green appeared on the side of its torso where the point of the weapon had dug in slightly. Taking this slight distraction into account, I leapt to my feet and swung around, catching the tail of the creature in my grip as it tried to whip at my legs again and grunting with effort as I whirled around, using the momentum of my movement to help me lift the creature into the air and then throw it into the sand a few dozen feet away. Before it could recover, I ran forward, plunging my spear into the middle of its tail. The severed extremity twitched and splattered a torrent of acidic blood, and I was forced to move away, looking all around me for signs of another attack.
There was no other attack. The Praetorian seemed to be watching passively, waiting to see if it would be needed in this fight and gathering the measure of the two humans' fighting abilities as it emitted a steady, menacing growl. Lex was busy with her own opponent, dodging and giving attacks in a deadly ballet that was interesting, but I was in no position to stick around and watch.
The drone screamed as it gathered its legs and struck, feinting away at the last second and managing to score a glancing blow on my leg as I scrambled backwards through the dust. I grit my teeth as a sharp pain erupted from my calf, and I could feel the warm trickle of blood seeping from the wound. Without warning I was attacked from behind, knocked forward to land hard in the warm sand, the weight of the Xeno keeping me down.
"Goddam stupid fucking drone!" I snarled, the spear in my right hand gleaming sharply as I flexed my fingers on the handle and twisted around with a quick, powerful movement. My arm swung upwards, the spear perfectly situated to slam through the thick armor and into the drone's chest cavity.
I continued my roll as the anguished scream of the creature rang out, using its impaled body as a prop to propel me into the air. As I flew backward, I ripped my now bloody spear from the body, cursing again as a few droplets of blood flew and landed on my armor. Luckily, it wasn't enough to make me have to take the affected plates off, and I spun around, seeing Lex still busy with her own opponent and the drone I had been fighting lying in the scorched sand, twitching slightly as it began to die.
But the Praetorian was nowhere to be found…
Oh, that ain't good…
Suddenly, there was a black blur from my left, and I was slammed into with the force of a thousand kicks. I gasped as I was sent flying through the air, smashing painfully into the bars that separated me from the Yautja observers. Before I could fall to the ground, though, I managed to get a grip on the metal, climbing up another few feet as I watched the Praetorian below hiss in anger, mouth spread wide and tail lashing as it looked up at me before it was in the air.
Gee, this seems a bit too familiar for my liking…
I leapt to the side, legs and arms wrenching horribly from the effort to propel myself sideways from such a strange perch, and the creature's head crashed into the bars at my side. With an angry growl I lashed out with my spear, managing to score a fairly effective blow to the neck that made the large, horrifying beast screech in anger before I lost my grip and fell to the floor below. I landed with a sharp intake of breath, my hair flying around me as I quickly glanced back to find that the Praetorian was already leaping at me, the blood spraying out of the gash in its neck preceding it in a promise of burning agony.
"Oh, no you don't!" I screamed, rolling out of the way just before a spurt of sand flew up beside me from the crushing impact of the incredibly heavy and powerful creature. I smirked slightly as I realized that this Xeno was a lot slower than the others had been. Perhaps that could be used to my advantage?
I scrambled backwards as the ebony form of the second drone was slammed into the bars to my left, seeing green and red blood fly as Lex grappled with the flailing creature. Through the dust I could see the stump of what used to be a tail, and the bloody flash of weapons as my friend carved up the creature with the precision of a sushi cook. There was a horrible scream, and Lex jumped away, ornate dagger returning to her belt as the guts of the drone spewed forth onto the sand of the arena.
"Jess, watch it!" she yelled, and I turned just in time to see the claw of the giant Praetorian flying at me from the sandy shroud that had been kicked up. I swung my spear forward, feeling the end connect with the claw first, and the pained scream of the Xeno rang out before I was flung into the bars, the spear ripped from my hands before I could tighten my grip.
"Fucking dammit!" I yelled, grimacing as I fell to the ground and crumpled, my limbs temporarily too weak to keep me up as the pain from the collision with the wall flared. Lex gave a primal war cry, distracting the largest and last of the Xenos enough to give me time to recover slightly, but without a weapon I was helpless.
Gods, this'll be the end! One part of my mind screamed hysterically, The end! THE END!
But that was before my common sense kicked in.
Get up, you dumbass, I told myself, Get up and get that spear back!
So I forced myself to stand, feeling my legs tremble only slightly as I looked for an opening to be able to get that spear back from the claws of the Praetorian without getting myself killed in the process.
There really wasn't one I could see.
"Great, just fucking great," I growled, seeing Lex take a hit from the tail of the large Xeno and fall back. I couldn't just stand here like an idiot! I'd done more than enough of that in Antarctica to last my whole lifetime. A low snarl escaped me as I charged forward, but that eyeless head snapped up from where it had been watching Lex, locking onto me with a disturbing familiarity. I had seen that before, long ago, and there was a silent promise in that gaze that the creature wouldn't let me survive this time.
Death has many faces.
Suddenly, both our attentions were distracted by something to the right, and I looked over with growing awe and dread as a chill draft blew across the closed area, ruffling my barred hair. The entire room was plunged into darkness, even despite the orange lights above that were still trying to shine brightly, and the only perceivable light came from that small, glowing orb that drifted about four feet off the ground. I could see the astonished faces of the Yautja illuminated by that green and purple glow, and the smooth sheen of the Praetorian's exoskeleton. Everything else was lost in the darkness that engulfed the room.
"No… no, oh, no…" I whispered, backing away.
There was an enraged scream as the crested Xeno disregarded the light and charged, the thick armor on its body turned into a work of art due to the drastic and beautiful colors of shadows and highlights caused by the bright orb that was gently floating towards me. I yelped and leapt out of the way in the only direction I could, towards the light, and managed to avoid touching it by only the narrowest of margins. Abruptly, though, it changed direction and sped towards me, and I found myself backed up against the cold metal bars, preventing my escape.
"NO!" I screamed.
"Jess!" I heard several voices yell over the sound of my own screams, and I reached desperately back through the bars, eyes widening as I saw the orb touch me and the light grow into an engulfing monster that was both beautiful and terrible just as the silver, shining teeth of the Praetorian came into sight. The crested creature was flying through the clear air with maw agape and saliva dripping from those wicked jaws. With a snap the second maw shot out towards me, and I stared blankly into the terrifying visage of those lethal teeth just as I felt something brush my hand. Without warning the ground had opened up below me and I screamed.
My gut rose to my throat, choking any sound I had been making, and with an abrupt shock the light disappeared. I whimpered slightly as I curled my legs to my chest, not caring anymore that I was falling or that I had no idea where I was going. My friends were gone; my life was ruined! And I had nothing left…
Not again… I thought dejectedly, Not again…
Short, to the point, but hopefully entertaining. More humor will surface later, I swear!
