Chapter twenty two: The great pyramid.
Shane and Osh'ikeille move cautiously on, Osh stops in front of Shane and brings up his left arm and taps on his sat com. A map fizzles into existence showing a red blinking triangle.. A room of sorts with a sarcophagus. They make their way onward. Shane's view slowly looks up and around as they walk on. They reach the room.. The sarcophagus is closed. Osh'ikeille walks up to it and rotates each dial to the correct date.
12 06 20..
The locks on the side spin with a stony grind then the sarcophagus opens. The thin layer of mist inside reveals 3 casters.. Osh takes one of them and pushes down on the other two causing a clicking then thunk.. The sarcophagus closes and there is a rumble as the pyramid comes to life. Shane stows his blades and there is several clicking.. I can't see any weapons so I'm assuming he released his casters. A look to Osh's feed who is behind Shane reveals just that, as his casters fold up and out from his shoulders.
He moves on quietly with hands clenched Shane looks left then right..
"Decision time Osh.. Left or right..?"
"Left.. Kiande amedha approach soon.. Be ready Mei'hswei.."
Shane nods and takes a left. Shane brings up a small disk and holds his arm out at the ready. Shanes map flashes up on his hud.. To see several blips heading in their direction..
Shane tenses.. He hears clawed scratching and thumping above him and below.. "They are above and below Osh."
Shane moves round the corner flicking out the shuriken. He walks on ever so carefully looking up at every small crevice.. Switching view mode.. His view is replaced with a green hue and a noise as it remains. They enter a corridor with steps. They ascend when Osh roars. His feed catches a xeno and Shane spins around and throws the shuriken, it flies with a whistle. The xenomorph pounces but the shuriken hits it in the chest and embeds itself. It shrieks out still in free fall and Osh rams his wrist blades into its head as it lands on him then twists with a growl Shane sees 6 more climbing the walls and ceiling above. We see two sweeping triangles as Shane locks on and fires his view shudders as two blue bolts fire at either side of his view one after the other. Hitting the xenos knocking them off the walls and ceiling. Osh throws his combi stick behind Shane hitting a xeno sneaking behind him. Shane turns around as it shrieks and claws at him Shane swipes wide with his wrist blades and slashes it across the stomach. It's guts fall out and it cries out. Shane fires his pistol at it with the explosive payload. Its head exploded. Shane turns around and aims his pistol at more xenos. His weapons echoes in the corridor and the pyramid begins to change. The stairs fold upward. Osh retrieves his combi stick and folds it. He moves back as Shane fires with lethal precision killing 2 more with head shots.
"Mei'hswei.. Come.."
Osh'ikeille ducks under the sliding door as it closes. Shane runs and slides under. Osh hands him back his shuriken after dislodging the blood..
"How many did Osh kill?" Danny asks
"Wuir" Uz says holding up four fingers.
"So Shane killed how many?"
Uz looks and blinks. "T'ir. Three."
"Come on Shane you can best Osh!"
Shane shakes his head "Please don't Danny.. I'm not sure I'm going to beat a hunter killing machine.. Who's built to kill these things.."
Shane looks left to catch a tail slink to the left.. He brings up his arms and his wrist blades come into view held upward but at an angle. Osh has his stick at the ready.. As he looks around above them. Shane walks on backwards as Osh stops. Shane brushes up against his lower back. Osh looks for a split second to see Shane keeping an eye behind them.
He rumbles a laugh..
"Perssonal sspace.. Mei'hswei.."
"Hey.. You got my back i go-"
He opens fire on a xeno as it leaps from above them exploding its head.. Shane smells the acid as it burns.. Almost an eye watering smell.
"Got yours." Shane finishes.
Shane feels Osh's vibrations as he growls.
He turns around to see xenos rush them from the open corridor. Shane flashes a shuriken as Osh's arm brings up two in one hand. He flicks his wrist and the blades flick out. He throws both they sing as they fly towards their intended targets Shanes throws his own. And fires at them in rapid succession blue bolts glide towards the xenos hitting them.. Several shots miss as 2 xenos jump from the walls to the ceiling Osh's shuriken return to him and he unleashes his blades as they close in on the pair Shane's hand and wrist blade comes into view.. Then looks around as the door behind them closes. Osh points to the stairs forming downward.. They make their way down as the xenos lay dead.. Melting away.
Shane's breathing relaxes..
"Osh you think we have an advantage here? Isn't this a gauntlet for unbloods?"
"Sei-i.. Usually.. Unbloods come in.. Sometimes.. Others enter for hunt.."
They move ever on towards the lower parts of the pyramid. Shane moves on in front when from nowhere a xeno lunges at him.
Shane's view launches to the side and he is looking into its quivering lips as it hisses then shrieks. Osh aims his caster but Shane rams his blades into its side and kicks it off. It slams into the wall and he unleashes his combi stick as it lurches forward again but impales itself. Shane narrowly misses its tail as it frantically thrashes and squeals trying to claw at Shane, Osh sees Shanes casters unfold and two lasers aim at it. He see the runes form halfway on the sides of his right caster then fires at its face it slumps and Shane quickly drops it to the side careful not to get the blood on him. Shane grabs his combi stick and kicks the xeno. "Try harder next time twat head amedha.."Shane flicks the weapon and blood spits from the stick then folds it up..
His casters fold once again.
They continue on this time with Osh'ikeille in front. He brings up his map again and the pyramid changes once more. A statue to the left slides to the left then back revealing a passageway. They enter to find its a tight squeeze.. Osh's large form takes up most of the space here…
Shane feels a tightening in his chest…
"Tight spaces Osh.. Fuck.." He turns around and crouches to his level and puts a large hand on his left shoulder.
"Focuss on me Mei'hswei.. Not the tight space.. Can do thiss.."
Shane nods slightly.. Trying to ignore the tightening of his nerves. Of all the things he has encountered.. Claustrophobia still scratches at his head.. A fatal flaw.. Not even yautja Shane can shake it.. They move on we can see Shanes view shaking.. His breathing begins to become more pronounced as they move further in.. To the point even Osh has to crouch walk to move further in..
Shane stops..
We can't see but Shanes view shakes left and right.. "Osh.. My chest is so tight.. I.. I have to get out of here.." Shane looks behind his breathing becoming erratic.
"Osh I'm losing it please.. Please i have to get out.." Shane heard something behind him. He turns around to see something closing in he fires his caster at the invisible thing.. We saw nothing.. Osh spins Shane around
"Mo'ke d'tei Shane."
"Nothing there.."
They move on and Shane begins to deteriorate. When they leave Shane rips off his biomask and immediately chokes.. The air here isn't air at all it's more nitrogen than oxygen. Osh growls and pins Shanes mask to his head and re attaches the cables.. They are in a small square room..
Shane's breathing slowly returns to normal as he slowly recovers..
"This god damn phobia! Fatal flaw!" Shane punches the wall near where they emerged. Dust flies from the impact point and Osh clicks. He turns Shane around.
"We all have something to fear Mei'hswei.."
"Oh yeah Osh? Is that meant to make me feel better?"
"Maybe I'm not the fire warrior you all want out of me.. If i can't handle small spaces what use am i?!"
With a roar Osh picks Shane up by the throat and pins him against the wall, "If that is the case.. I have no use for you Shane.. Kill you now.. He brings up his wrist blade and aims it at Shanes mask his growl vibrates into his arm.
"Do it then! Go on! Pauk ell-osdiir!"
Osh lets go and collapses his blades.
"Betterr.. More focused.."
We all try not to laugh.. Osh's little display worked as intended.. Shane holds his throat..
"You were playing with me?!"
Osh turns to Shane..
"Anger is better than despair.. Keeps you focused."
"Oh yeah i forget.. Mind games is Osh'ikeille's domain.. Pauk'n khos'vis.."
Osh turns with a growl.. And walks up to Shane with a clenched fist.. He points to Uzkielle in Shanes feed..
"You.. And i Uzkielle.. Redemption denied.."
Uz barks a laugh. "khos'vis.."
Osh'ikeille lets out a gutteral low growl.
The door opens up before them.
They are now closing in on the praetorian chamber.
"I'm sorry Osh that was low of me to say that.. Let's just.. Focus on killing these spindly fucks.. And hopefully we don't have many tight spaces to traverse or I'll eat my way out of the walls.."
Shane's voice bounces from the walls. Osh simply nods and allows Shane to walk on ahead. They turn right and walk down a large staircase.. This room is massive. There are statues of yautja holding some kind of ceremonial Spear.
There is a bright orange glow coming from the sconces.
They make their way down and enter a very hot area.. Shane looks down and all makes sense to him.. The pyramid is built on an inactive volcano.. And when the chosen enter the pyramid uses the lava as an energy source. Quite the bit of ingenuity on the yautjas part.. They cross the bridge but Osh stops.. He senses something.. Close.. He holds out a large fist to Shane and signs.. Get ready.. Over the dim roar and bubbling of the lava below Shane hears.. Hissing.. Directing below them.. Under them..
"Osh.. How many xenos are in this pyramid?"
He barks at Shanes question as he releases his wrist blades, ready and waiting for his next kill.
Shane shifts his gaze to behind them and aims his casters there is a shriek and to Shanes left a black xeno leap from the cavern wall to the bridge.. It doesn't make it as Shanes sweeping triangle locks on and fires a bolt at full power causing his view to shake with a white flash and blue cloud. Osh growls as Shane looks to see 6 more wrap around and prowl the pair. Shane throws both of his shuriken at the aliens. One misses as a xeno dodges and embeds into the cavern wall with a twang. The other flies back to Shanes grip as Osh smashes into the group.
Shane throws his combi stick out and rushes in to help.. His stance changes as a xeno leap into the air and holds out its clawed hands it meets Shane and they both crash to the floor. It claws at Shanes biomask and opens its maw and its inner mouth drools as it snaps towards Shanes view… It's tail whips around and stabs at Shane but he twists while punching its head globs of drool cover Shanes visor and a white flash sweeps across clearing his view there is a bark as Osh kills the 5 other xenos. He aims his combi stick at the xeno ready in case his brother needs help. Although for punishment for his language earlier.. Osh relaxes his arm slightly as Shane reaches up for the xenos inner mouth and rips it out causing it to screech. Then he rams his wrist blade into its throat and kicks it off him. Shane quickly draws the pistol with one hand and fires it on a slight angle. It's head explodes and Shane holstered his pistol with only 5 rounds left. Shanes view looks up at the shuriken and looks at Osh.. He hands Osh the inner mouth of the xeno. "Here's a souvenir.."
With a growl Osh drops it and watches Shane as he looks at the weapon embedded in the wall. Without warning Osh grabs the back of Shanes armour and with a slight grunt throws Shane towards it. "Osh!" his wrist blades slam into the wall level with the weapon Shane dislodges it and holsters it. He drops down and lands with a slight sharp exhale.
Osh'ikeille beckons Shane over.
"Aim at the door Mei'hswei.."
He walks to the switch inserts his wrist blade into the slots and pulls it down.
The large stone door opens up and a praetorian xeno rushes out shrieking. Shane brings up his combi stick and rushes it with a fierce hiss.. I watch as he slides as the large alien swipes down and stabs it in the chest he ends up behind it when Osh'ikeille. Throws both of his shuriken at it. With a roar it whips its tail out and hits Shane with a thud sending him careering over the edge of the bridge. Osh jumps and slams his combi stick into its head and it shrieks clawing at the protruding weapon. Osh dives and grabs Shanes forearm and throws him up with a nod he taps Shanes chest and they return to the screaming xeno..
"Motherfucker" Shane says as he twists his combi stick in two and separates it using them both as spiked batons.
He throws one into its chest and the other one into its stomach but it dislodges Osh's weapon and spins its tail smacking Osh to the floor. It stands on him with its full weight.. And shrieks Shane unclips his pistol and fires the 5 remaining rounds into its back.. Acid blood gushes out as Shane unleashes his Blades and cocks one we see his arm slide over the housing pulling back then his blades begin to glow orange he holds out his arm then fires his wrist blades from his left arm. They embed into the xenos back causing the Blades to explode. It stumbles forward and Osh gets up and smashes it with his shoulder. He ends up on top of it as it claws at his armour when Shane picks up Osh's combi stick and throws it to him. Then with one arm catching it he smashes it into the aliens head and twisting sharply causing the front of its head to slice off. It shrieks and goes limp.. Shane fires a round of plasma into its head for good measure.. Shane retrieves his combi stick and attaches it together. There is distant calling.. More xenos coming from the room Shane aims both casters and fires in rapid succession hitting 4-5-6-7 xenos.
They move into the room and continue fighting.. They are nearing the end of the hunt.. They fire on the last of the xenos.. Once silence falls Shane approaches a xeno and slices its finger off he carefully marks his mask with a xeno kill mark while holding his breath. He reattaches his biomask then Shane is handed a kunai to take off the xenos head.. His trophy for completing the hunt and earning his blooded title. and they approach the sarcophagus.. Osh opens it.. He holds out an arm Shane.
"Retrieve your reward Ze'rei Sain'ja.."
Shane shakes his head.. "You delivered the killing blow its yours.."
"It.. Was our hunt.. You fought admirably."
Shane approaches the sarcophagus and takes out the ornate combi stick.. Plasma caster and new wrist blades.
"At least take these Osh.. I'm not stealing all the loot.." he gives him the large wrist Blades and caster.
Osh huffs.. "Fiine."
After the items are taken Osh replaces the borrowed plasma caster in the same sarcophagus and it closes and several sconces fire up leading to a platform. They walk onto it and they ascend. Taking them back to the beginning of the temple a wall opens up and they find themselves at the entrance.. As they go to leave.. Osh stops Shane as he senses a presence..
Several yautja uncloak.. At the entrance.. They approach the pair..
One is an ancient elder and Osh'ikeille is inclined to salute him as does Shane knowing tradition and the code. He speaks in yautja and Shanes cyan text sweeps across translating it into English speech.
"You have proven your worth human, never before have we had your kind enter our hunting grounds and emerge victorious. Your hunt brother has taught you well..
To whom do i have the honour to call those Who Stand before me?"
Shane looks him in the eyes.
With a hand over his chest Shane answers.
"I am Shane.. And this is my Mei'hswei Osh'ikeille. We are clan Nracha Shur'ie.."
He nods.. "Honored.. You have completed the challenge.. May your new weapons serve you in your future hunts.. N'dhi'ja Sain'ja-de you are free to go.." the massive door opens.
Shane looks at Osh'ikeille who nods at him. They take their leave. They see more yautja as they stand in an orderly line with spears watching as Shane and Osh leave. Then Uz brings in the ship and we pick them up. I smile.. I think the elder hadn't expected a human to finish the gauntlet. But Shane has met the xenos before.. Only double and triple the size.. Even if it was the once.
Shane slaps Osh's back.. "That was exhilarating was it not?!"
He rumbles a laugh.. Avamar looks over Shanes armour.. And Osh's who has trophies.
Shane's does not. "Shane.. Why no trophy?"
Shane smiles.. "This is my trophy!" Shane says bringing up the xeno head.
"And this!" He brings up the ornate combi stick. And looks it over. It has two sets of blood red crystals hanging over it at either end of the grips. With markings along both ends of the shaft. It opens up with a shwang and the slim red line along the middle of the shaft glows red. Shane smiles as he takes off his mask.. Nina admires the weapon..
"That's one fine combi stick Shane. Good job.."
"Come with me Shane." Osh says walking past him placing the weapons in an empty space in the armoury.
Danny laughs. "Shanes going to get the mark!"
Osh takes the hot brand and Shane looks..
"That looks like it's going to sting.."
Osh gives him an affirmed snort.
"Come.."
Shane approaches and looks at Osh'ikeille and nods then looks away Osh'ikeille brands Shane above the right brow. He grits his teeth as he feels a pain surge through his skull Osh'ikeille pulls it ways. And bows his head slightly. Shane takes his helmet and marks his helmet with the same mark. Along with his predalien kill mark and xeno mark on the right of the forehead.
He leaves the armoury and we all salute him.
"Guys come on I'm not royalty.."
"Just customary Shane.. You beat the gauntlet hunt with Osh.. Did clan relentless storm proud." Nina says with a smile.
"Wait till a certain someone finds out.. "
I say as i walk up to Shane.
"I need a damn bath.." He says he heads for the scorpion.
We make our way to the lounge as Uz pilots the craft to Asteria, our new home planet.
Author note: So Shane is finally bloodied after spending weeks and months training alongside Osh'ikeille, Uzkielle and his mate Ghardeh. Not the same whelp we saw in the first story that's for sure.. He has come a long way. But it seems he has much to learn.
Yautja words:
Kiande Amedha- Hard meat (Xenomorphs.)
Mei'hswei- Brother.
Wuir- Four. (Non-cannon my own word for the number 'Four'.)
T'ir- Three. (Non-cannon my own word for the number 'Three'.)
Mo'ke- Nothing.
D'tei- There. (Non-cannon my own word for 'There'.)
Khos'vis- D^ckless. (Male insult, Non-cannon my own word for 'D^ckless'.)
Ell-osdiir pauk- F^ck yourself. (Non-cannon my own word for 'Yourself' )
Ze'rei Sain'ja- Fire Warrior
Nracha Shur'ie- Relentless Storm.
Sain'ja-de- Warriors.
N'dhi'ja- Farewell.