Hello, readers!
I managed to fix this nonsense so that I was just inserting a new chapter. I almost split this into two and really mucked up the timeline, but I didn't. I decided that what I was originally trying to do just absolutely didn't work and I like this better. Let me know if I like, rushed the end of the chapter at all? Like, I tried to pace it alright and didn't change much from the original chapter except for the whole thing with the...new predator. I mean, that's obvious but. XD
I'm done babbling. More edits coming soon! There are no plans for anymore new chapters, but you never know what might come up during revisions. What can you do.
This chapter has been updated as of 4/30/2017.
~ Crayola
Chapter Fourteen
Serpentine
I realized how it must look to him, me carrying Wolf's weapon. He would think I'd stolen it, maybe even killed him for it. Now I was armed and potentially dangerous. A threat he had to neutralize before things turned sour.
And without Wolf there, I couldn't even properly explain.
"Wah—wait . . . ." I couldn't breathe; my mouth bobbed as the strange humanoid studied me. The cannon on his shoulder whirred to life and I readied myself to spring. "Just-just hold on . . . ."
When I heard the blast of his weapon, I hit the ground. However, it was an unneeded gesture: his shot veered way off target and blasted the ceiling above me instead. I covered my head with my hands as some debris rained down on me, but I was largely unharmed. I was somewhat surprised that I was still in one piece, but alright nonetheless. I scrambled up, trying to ready myself for further attacks.
An argument had broken out, and I recognized one of their voices.
Still, I moved slowly as I rose to my feet, trying not to look threatening. I picked up my phone and put it in my pocket, making a mental note to turn it off when I was next able.
Wolf had arrived at some point—or maybe had always been there—and was probably the reason the shot missed me by such a margin. I kept quiet while they had their discussion, but at some point the other humanoid had decided he wasn't buying what Wolf was selling and he marched down the hall toward me. My first instinct was to raise my weapon in defense, but I lowered it just as fast, afraid I'd make my situation worse.
My companion kept pace and shoved the new guy against the wall. The other one shoved back and before I knew it, they were chest-to-chest, growling and posturing.
All I could do was watch, unsure if I should say anything. "Um . . . ."
After the initial bout, they rough-housed for a moment, pushing and chattering, and then they parted and the new humanoid turned his gaze toward me. Like Wolf, he sported a similar, impassive mask. The color drained from my face: I was not liking the way he clicked thoughtfully.
He faced me in full and I flinched at the sound of wrist blades springing from his gauntlet. I looked from him to Wolf and swallowed. Wolf was at ease, watching and muttering.
Though I waited for an explanation, neither even made an attempt to communicate.
There wasn't much time for me to think. I barely had enough time to bring my weapon up before the other alien swung his at me. The metal clashed and I stumbled back, but couldn't move well on the shallow incline, especially with my oversized boots. They had good traction, though, so I didn't slip, but that was the only grace allotted to me.
Despite the strength behind it, I had seen Wolf move faster and hit harder. There was no malice or ill intent in his attacks. He may have even been telegraphing them on purpose.
Still scared me shitless, being attacked by this big brute.
I parried another half-assed swing with little to no poise, then another, all the while I was backing uphill in an awkward crouched posture.
Again he swung, and this time I found the leverage to dive under his arm and scrambled around him mid-swing, tumbling my way to Wolf's side. He rattled in amusement and lifted his arm so I could duck behind him, but I stayed in front, unwilling to cower like a child.
Wolf growled at his friend and they had a short conversation far beyond my comprehension. My shoulders heaved with each breath, but the worst of it seemed to be over.
The other humanoid—I decided to call him Brutus—sheathed his wrist blade and came to stand a couple feet away. He harrumphed as if he wasn't really satisfied, but he wasn't trying to hurt me anymore so I guessed he'd come to terms that I was Wolf's plus one. He kept his shoulders squared to show his disdain, but said nothing on the matter.
He must have come from a hallway or a room behind Wolf, but they could have met up sometime during my crisis outside the ship. I simply had no way of knowing. Part of me thought it was the former, unless Wolf hadn't had time to mention me.
Or maybe he'd thought I'd run off for good, like I almost had.
"Nice to meet you, too," I said, feeling far more snarky than I had any right to.
Brutus snorted and shoved past us, Wolf pulling me out of his way before he could knock me down. I glared after the other guy, then glanced up at Wolf. My mouth opened so I could tell him thanks, but I changed my mind and shut it again.
I was lead down the hall, but didn't make it far before I had to skirt around a giant mass in the middle of the path. I stopped short, instantly on edge, but Wolf and Brutus merely wedged around it.
Despite my poor sight, I was able to decide what it was as I neared. It was a massive beast, and I could just make out the features of it when I stopped to look. Massive forearms, elongated head, an extra set of legs . . . . It was the Echo.
Wolf and Brutus had killed it.
For a moment I gawked unabashedly. It was completely lifeless, mouth open and acidic blood oozing from the open gash on its neck. There was only a few thin strands of sinew keeping the head attached to the shoulders.
A clean kill. It must have found Brutus up ahead, and then Wolf came in from behind. The Echo wouldn't have stood a chance against a sneak attack from its back.
Out of nowhere, I felt a pang of—jealously? Envy? I wasn't sure what it was burning in my chest and knotting my stomach. Maybe disappointment, regret. All four, maybe. I had missed it all—the fight, a chance to participate and make up for running with my tail between my legs.
Now it was all over and—
From down the hall came a set of hisses. I forgot my wallowing and squeezed around the Echo, keeping an eye on it just in case it could still snap even when missing its head. Like a snake.
When I squeezeed out on the other side, Brutus and Wolf were side by side, facing into the darkness. From it came a handful of bugs, crawling on the walls and toward us on the floor. All of us tensed for a fight, but the bugs came to a slow halt.
Their cries started, then built up, and I was certain they were going to attack. I steadied my shaking hands.
All at once, they cut off. A second later, another cry rose from the depths. The alien bugs froze, then backed away, hissing all the while. I waited for them to go, or to come back with greater numbers, but the two aliens in front of me seemed to relax, so I did too.
After a few seconds of nothing, the two proceeded forward. Wolf glanced over his shoulder to check on me, but I was chugging along like an obedient puppy.
I was still sour about the Echo, but I'd forgotten about the queen of the hive. She still needed to be killed, as did all of her drones and warriors. I'd have a shot at proving myself again. This time I wasn't going to chicken out and take off running.
At least, that was the plan.
*:・゚✧
The queen's angry and commanding screeches were growing closer and closer, and the halls were beginning to take a different shape. The lights were still out, but Wolf kept near enough that I could see him and travel safely. Occasionally, though, I would become uneasy—restricted sight and a downhill crawl didn't go together—and brace myself against him.
If he minded, he didn't make it obvious.
Brutus walked in front of us, seven or eight paces ahead. He never once looked back in our direction, nor did he attempt to speak with Wolf again.
Let him brood, I thought bitterly. What did I care if he was happy about me being there?
As the ambiance of the ship transformed into a resin-coated hive, I knew we had to be nearing the queen's lair. They had covered every inch of the halls with the stuff, creating intricate biomechanical niches, edges, and narrow folds. It made our trip far more claustrophobic than it had been. I hadn't thought it possible, but it was even more muggy than before. Whatever the aliens used to create the crust, it retained heat and moisture like nothing I knew.
Though the slime was, by nature, slippery, the dry and solid resin as well as the traction of my boots kept me from sliding all over the place. I tried not to rely too heavily on Wolf as a support pillar, but I was also trying to stay close. Those things could be anywhere and I wouldn't be able to see them.
However, we made our final approach down a straight, endless hallway without running into anymore of the parasites since the one group had retreated.
"What's the plan?" I whispered, holding my weapon close to my chest.
Wolf turned, then growled and pulled me by the wrist until I was back in position.
"Stop that!" I groaned, pulling away.
He chittered a sharp reprimand, and then he cuffed my ear with an open palm. It wasn't particularly painful, but entirely irritating.
I grunted and swung my arm into the right position. "Stop hitting me!"
There was another moment while we just stared at each other—well I glared, I had no real idea what he was doing with his face, if he had one—then he nodded his approval and turned away from me. Brutus had stopped to watch, and after a moment, he turned back to the path ahead. Soon as both of their backs were turned, I waved my middle finger at them. One of these times I was going to smack him back, but for the time being I figured it wasn't in my best interest.
Well, I'd just have to focus all of that anger on the other aliens on this ship. The ones that we were actively trying to kill.
"Do you even know where we're going?" I demanded instead.
Though he didn't look back at me, he just lifted his hand and motioned for me to keep walking. My shoulders slumped and I sighed. I'd just have to be patient, but that was a commodity I was running low on. I was tired, every single part of my body hurt, and I was emotionally spent.
Just a little bit longer. Kill the queen and her warriors and it'll all be over.
And then what? Go home? Shake hands with the aliens, then walk off and wait for the military to show up and take me away?
There wasn't anything left back home except angry parents and isolation.
Without realizing it, I'd spaced out. It wasn't until I ran into a stationary Wolf that I snapped out of my reverie. I looked up sharply and looked around for the danger, but Wolf was standing stock still, staring down the hall.
"What—" He cut me off with a sharp gesture and I pursed my lips.
After a moment I realized that the screeching had stopped. Silence weighed down upon us, and all I heard was my erratic pulse roaring in my ears.
Apprehension returned and I started to lift the blade up to my chest. When Wolf turned his head a few centimeters, as if to watch me, I blushed and lowered it again. I had to force myself to relax and not close up like fear wanted me to.
Another brief moment and the three of us were moving forward again. Wolf extended his wrist blades and moved with calculated steps, slow and prepared. Brutus was walking closer to us now, his own weapon drawn and stance low as he stalked forward. Wolf pushed me in front so I was between him and Brutus, though I didn't feel safe there, either.
It's the thought that counts, I supposed.
Wolf leaned in close, then indicated to a barely visible opening in the wall. A spot of darkness within darkness—a door. I shifted to see it better, then looked up at Wolf and nodded to let him know I saw it. He turned away again, and this time he completely disappeared from view.
My stomach dropped to my feet and I looked to Brutus for a sign, but he was already hiding in plain sight, invisible to me.
"Where'd you—don't leave me." I was sickened with how pathetic I sounded.
From across the hall I saw a flash of light—like a pair of eyes in the dark.
Not leaving, just out of sight.
I let out my breath in relief and quietly inched toward the opening. The closer I was to it, the more I realized that it wasn't like the others, but a large bay door big enough to drive a car through. It was bent in the middle, one side completely torn out, as if something had broken it. I wondered if the Echo had done it or something else, but the gap was just big enough for it.
It reminded me of the hole I'd crawled out of to get outside. There had to be others like that, and like this one. That was how these things had been escaping the ship.
Mine had been too small, but somewhere on the huge ship had to be some the right size.
Though I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, I inched to the door and peered inside. It was just as dark as the rest of this section of the ship, maybe darker. Their resin seemed to absorb light. Still, I could make out the sounds of movement and a shadow shifted inside.
After a moment of contemplation and hesitation, I pulled out my phone and flipped on the flashlight. Six percent battery. My phone buzzed to remind me and I grimaced at my own thoughtlessness. I should have turned it off earlier, but I'd forgotten during my encounter with Brutus. So long as I had enough to make a call, I was probably okay.
A few seconds of flashlight wouldn't break my battery, so I went ahead with my plan and shone my light into the room. It was too big for the flashlight to penetrate every corner and crevice, but I could see enough, and the room seemed to be a sort of loading bay.
My eyes were drawn to a small scout ship parked on the side, almost completely concealed by the weird crust the aliens made. Movement caught my attention and I swept the light toward the middle of the room. There didn't seem to be much else to look at; the bay had been converted into the perfect nesting ground for the damn things and was otherwise empty.
Dead center in the room sat a huge beast. It looked just like the hologram that Wolf had shown me, with a hide of pitch black. It was so much larger than I had imagined, as was its grotesque egg sack. The sack itself was held up by strong strings of taut gum, and the eggs were deposited in a neat pile. There were three right off the bat, but a drone soon trotted by and shuffled it away before heaving it onto its back so it could carry it off.
The appearance of the drone surprised me. I moved my flashlight around the room and spotted a little less than a dozen of the things flitting around underneath the queen, like ants without order. She was perched on her ovipositor like it was some sort of throne, and her busy bee workers were swarming around to keep her safe.
For a moment I thought that maybe they knew we were coming, but upon closer inspection I realized there were two or three corpses among the throne room, as I decided to call it.
More of Wolf's kind, thinking they could take out the queen by themselves?
At first I didn't think she was awake, but then her large head swung and she snarled out something like a command. She sat high up on the egg sack, her crown nearly touching the ceiling despite how tall it looked from where I was. The group of drones ceased their aimless wandering and halted underneath their queen.
And they turned their heads toward the door—where I was standing.
I pulled away from the opening and pressed myself up against the wall, my eyes wide. Seconds later, a few drones squealed and hissed. However, I soon caught the sound of them pacing again. I hadn't yet been discovered.
Not only was the Queen huge, larger even than the Echo, but she had summoned so many things to protect her. She'd tired of Wolf's friends coming to kill her and had rallied the troops. How were we going to do it now? It had taken both Brutus and Wolf to kill an already-injured Echo, and now she had so many warriors at her beck and call.
There were three of us—two and a half, really—but maybe if we thought it through, maybe if we came up with some sort of plan, we'd be okay. Brutus hadn't looked too injured, but I hadn't really studied him that closely. Not that I would have been able to see much in the absolute dark.
"What are we going to do?"
Wolf offered no answer or insight, and when I glanced around to gauge his response, I remembered he was invisible so I wouldn't be able to.
Sighing, I turned on my flashlight to try to get one more look inside, but just as I did the doors slid open with a metallic grinding sound. The bits of bent metal scraped against the floor and I pulled my head away, gasping. I winced and recoiled away from the horrendous sound and flinched when sparks flew in my direction.
"A little warning would have been nice," I mumbled through clenched teeth.
The creatures inside responded to the noise with an uproar of screeches.
Still, Wolf felt no inclination to reveal himself and I wondered if I was supposed to be the bait again. I waited a few more seconds, then quickly dipped my head to take a quick peak with a single flash of light into the room. It was done and over with in a split second, leaving me with not much of a picture. However, I wasn't bombarded with angry cries, so I leaned in for a longer look.
Everything was turned to face the now-open door, but didn't seem particularly perturbed by my light. I froze in place, mouth slightly open, and there were a few moments where we were all just staring at each other.
I flit away from the doorway when things started to move.
My dying battery was not completely forgotten. I took a step back and turned my head slightly to the side, to where I thought Wolf was, and said, "I won't be able to see anything soon."
A disturbance drew my attention and I looked inside again. The Queen's lips pulled back into a silent snarl. The muscles in my legs tensed and my fingers tightened their grip on my weapon's hilt. I started to back away, but something shoved me hard enough to make me stumble away from the wall and into the room. My shoes scuffed the ground and I winched at the sound.
My eyes widened and I turned toward the source, even though he was invisible. "You son of a bitch, why—"
Brutus? Wolf? Who cared who did it, I was pissed.
Anything else I wanted to say was cut off by an outraged screech. It startled me and I jumped about ten feet in the air before I crouched down and held my weapon out. Apparently, all of those times getting smacked upside the head had the effect Wolf had desired, because I fell almost instinctively into the correct pose.
So, I've been demoted back to bait again. Or maybe I'd never lost that title.
The drones swarmed, forming a barricade in front of their queen. They screeched and squealed, but didn't make an immediate move, just waited for a command. My phone buzzed in my hand again to tell me I was losing battery fast. I swallowed and lowered it a fraction of an inch.
"Please," I whimpered, deciding to stow my dying phone in my pocket. I needed that last bit of battery. "I need a new source of light. I can't—I can't see."
Under different circumstances I would have run for it. Every instinct I had was telling me to turn tail, but the dark was keeping my rooted. Besides, I wasn't alone. At the very most I'd be dealing with maybe two of these things, right? No way he'd make me fight them all off on my own.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins and sent my heart racing. Blood roared in my ears and I lifted my weapon just a little bit, preparing for them.
A blue light flashed by my head. Its heat brushed my cheek and its wake disturbed stray hairs on my head. I gasped and stumbled to the side, ducking down instinctively. The scouting ship off to the side exploded in a spray of sparks and blue flames, lighting up the room. What remained of the ship flickered with fire.
My light source.
Another bolt hit a drone, splattering it all over, and then one more fell to the same fate as they all reacted in kind, rushing toward us. It still left about seven, and they were now too close to make them explode without dousing us in acid.
Then they were on us.
Wolf had already dispelled his cloak and was next to me, his wrist blades extended. I tried to match his confident posture, but I was trembling. Brutus had rushed forward and was knee-deep in a handful of drones by that time, slashing and cutting through any and all that dared come close to him with a fury I hadn't yet witnessed from Wolf.
If there had been any doubt in my mind that he'd been pulling his punches earlier, when he'd tested me, they were all gone now.
The first drone reached me and I swung, just how Wolf had shown me. I didn't have enough force being it to do much besides lodge my blade into the drone's hardened skull. Its momentum carried it to slam directly into my side, driving the air from my lungs, and I was thrown across the floor with enough force to wrench my blade free of its head.
I couldn't maneuver into a slashing position, and I didn't want to stab it again, not after the last time. Instead, I twisted myself around to slam the hilt of my blade against the creature's head. The hard chitin remained strong, but adrenaline had mustered enough strength to send it reeling.
With its weight sort of lifted off of me, I was able to move my legs up to kick the monster off me with both feet. It screeched and tumbled away, already off-balance from the blow to the head.
Before I could stand, I spotted another drone bearing down on me. I let out a frustrated sound and struck blindly, in terrible technique, and caught the drone across the chest with my blade. It staggered back, tail lashing and acid blood sloshing from the wound. It gave me just enough time to shift into a crouch, but only barely.
Both drones were already recovered. They screeched and advanced on me, driving me back a couple of steps. One lunged through the air while the other was slinking toward me on the ground. I tried to time the first drone's landing, then started swinging.
Something else hit it, driving it sideways through the air. It squealed in surprise as it flew out of my line of sight. I backpedaled along the wall, collecting a sense of security by having it at my back, and searched for the second drone. When I couldn't immediately find it, I started to panic. Another quick scan revealed that Wolf had a hold of it by the tail. He swung it around, slammed it into a drone in mid-leap, then killed both with one shot from his shoulder-mounted cannon.
So then what happened to—
A snapping sound caught my attention and I looked over sharply. A few yards away, there was a broken net and a bleeding alien. A grid-patterned wound was etched across its hard head, shaped oddly like the net. I assumed it was made of something like razor wire, and it obviously hadn't been made to use on the aliens. Not like our acid-proof blades.
I turned to check on Wolf, but he was locked in combat with the last two. As much I wanted to watch his fight, the checkered drone was coming for me. I widened my stance and waited for it to come, but it stopped short when a shrill cry pierced the room.
Startled, I pressed myself against the wall and stared at the drone as it backed away, lips drawn back and tail lashing. I didn't tear my eyes off of it until it slunk away behind the agitated queen. When I was certain it wasn't going to attack, I searched for my two allies.
They were trying to keep their enemies from regrouping, and Wolf used his spear as a projectile to kill the last of his group as it retreated.
There was only a few drones left, including the one I had let fall back to the queen. The last two were with Brutus, who had a pile of alien corpses at his feet. Before they could regroup with the queen, he ended them with his shoulder-mounted cannon, then discarded it.
Out of ammo.
The queen tossed her head and roared, a sound that struck me to my core and set my limbs to trembling. It seemed the very ground vibrated. If I hadn't already had my back against the wall, I would have tried to retreat.
Brutus backed to Wolf's side. They'd tried to use their numbers, but the two aliens on my side had proved that to be useless. With her army dwindled, she was left with no choice.
Squealing, she used her powerful back legs to shove herself away from her egg sack. It squelched and spilled copious amounts of slime across the ground. She landed heavily in front of it, standing straight and baring her fangs at us. Her tail swung in a wide arch, knocking over a piece of equipment.
She stood erect, like a t-rex. Solid and lithe.
After a pause where we sized each other up, she roared an angry challenge and charged.
