Chapter 8
Rhiem stirred in the morning glory. He zipped his sleeping bag a bit down, and sat up, basking in the morning sun. The sun was an orange disk, barely cutting through the heavy dust in the air.
He poked Riu's bag.
The bag stirred a bit, and Riu's head soon came out the end.
"Rhiem? Is it morning?" She rubbed her eyes a bit, and sat up.
"Yeah. C'mon, it's a long way to the Apal Settlement." Rhiem slid out of his sleeping bag, and clambered up some rubble to get a better view. The huge, empty Ghost City of Vurms spread all before him. Just at the horizon, were the Apal Cliffs. They stood foreboding, like a prison wall. Rhiem stuffed his sleeping bag into his pack, and started down the crumbling slope…
***
City Boundary: Vurms
Rhiem and Riu reached the boundary of the once thriving city of Vurms. The Flames of War had wiped the city out.
Rhiem pushed the rusted gate, finding the device to float forwards without a hitch. A single step into the gate, and his Radio crackled to life.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"That's my question. What are hunters doing in MY city?" The voice seemed to wheeze a bit.
"This is my territory. You will turn back immediately."
"Your city? Who is this?"
"…You can call me O'Connell"
"Well O'Connell, you can claim this city for yourself, that's fine. Us two need to pass through, so you can just jack off"
"Ha-hee-heh!" The Wheezing cough emanated even through the radio. "Lies! Spies! Ha! You won't make it through my stronghold alive!"
The radio went dead.
Riu pulled up by Rhiem. "Who was that? What does he mean by 'my city?' Could this O'Connell have troops?"
Rhiem gripped the Radio tight, and noticed his feet. One foot was in, one was out…
He leaned forwards, and slammed his outside foot into the boundary of Vurms. The clap of a boot against asphalt echoed into the empty city.
Looking around, Rhiem then stuck both fingers high into the air.
"See this, O'Connell? Suck it!"
A horrid face, illuminated by the glow of a CTV screen, grit its teeth. He slammed his fist against the table. With the other hand, he flipped the first switch.
Rhiem turned to Riu. "Don't worry. We'll show him what-for, and charge right through his so called city."
A shadow, small and imperceptible, erupted from a nearby dumpster. It shot out, and raced to Rhiem. He only managed to turn his head before it was on him. The shadow hit him, and lifted him off his feet.
"Ugh!" A gash formed onto Rhiem's shoulder. He stumbled backwards, as if he was shot with an arrow.
The shadow lingered for a second, and then shot into a darkened alleyway.
"Rhiem! What's wrong?" Riu started to Rhiem.
"Stay back!" Rhiem waved Riu back.
The shadow came from the alleyway again. It shot at Rhiem a second time. But he was ready. Rhiem stepped back, and struck the racing shadow in the face with the battering ram. The shadow tumbled sideways, and skidded onto the followed up swiftly with a tomahawk, which pierced the thing in the neck. It warbled softly, and then died. It was a V-Prey…but the entire model was changed. The mechanics were more streamlined, the edges sharper, and the model was colored a hued black.
The V-Prey Version G.
It's speed was unbelievable. There was no way to hit something that fast.
Rhiem popped open a first aid spray, and quickly covered up his wound.
"Riu, let's move."
***
Inner City
Rhiem silently pushed open the door. He brought his gun up quickly, and canvassed the room. It was empty. He motioned for Riu to come. Riu slipped in, with Rhiem taking up the rear, never lowering his Combat Rifle. They came into an abandoned garage. Old, converted cars loomed ominously in the prevalent darkness.
Rhiem quickly got to the garage door switch. He flipped open the cover, and almost pressed the green button.
Then, a dark wind passed through him.
"Hey Rhiem! I got it going!" Riu had managed to jump-start the double-decker.
Rhiem glanced into the door they came from. It was open.
He had closed that door behind him.
"Rhiem?"
"Riu! Start the engine!"
"Mm!"
Rhiem slammed the green button. Slowly, a crack of light at his feet grew bigger. Rhiem raced over to the double-decker, where Riu sat at the helm. Rhiem pulled himself in, and got by Riu.
"Don't wait! Gun it!"
The Double-Decker lurched forwards, and smashed the garage door. Behind him, Rhiem could hear breaking glass. He twisted around, and shot blindly behind him.
A ghost dodged the shot, and leaped off the end of the bus. It landed, and then squawked for reinforcements.
Immediately, twelve other V-Prey Gs came out of nowhere. They took out, zipping after the bus. Rhiem sprinted to the top, readying his Combat Rifle.
He crouched, and took aim at the first V-Prey G.
The sounding shot punched through the machine like it was paper. The mass then split, criss-cross.
"Shit!" Rhiem turned and barely managed to catch another V-Prey G in mid-flight.
"Rhiem! I can't control it!" Rhiem glanced down, and saw a V-Prey G latching onto the back left wheel, slowing and shredding it.
He raised his Rifle, and blew it to smithereens. It was too late. The tire burst, and Riu lost control.
She slammed into a debilitated factory. The double-decker slid, and crashed into the heart of the building.
"Riu! Are you alright?"
Riu, coughing, rose from the wreakage.
"Y-yes. I'm sorry…" She stopped short at the sight of advancing V-prey Gs.
Rhiem spread his arms, and put himself between Riu and the beast. What could he do? In a matter of moments, they would strike, reducing he and Riu to ribbons.
Rhiem bumped into a canister.
He noted the label…liquid nitrogen.
Rhiem, thinking quick, kicked the canister at the advancing machines. It bounced once, and scattered the advancing V-Prey Gs. He raised his rifle, and blew the canister open.
The icy liquid exploded all over the place, coating the room with nitrogen. The V-Prey Gs were frozen solid. One of them wrestled against it's own frosting joints, before crackling to a stop.
Rhiem systematically blew each one to bits.
KAM, KAM, KAM!
Icy pieces tumbled to the floor.
He sighed with relief, and leaned against a desk.
"You alright, Riu?"
"You're cut! Think more about yourself-"
The dark wind passed over Rhiem again.
Rhiem turned his head to the door.
A huge V-prey G stood in the gaping hole left by the double-decker. A large orange crest denoted it as Leader.
V-Drome G.
It let loose a roar, and leaped at Rhiem. The size slowed it, but it still leaped with impossible speed. Rhiem knocked Riu down, just before the V-Drome G crushed the wall behind them with powerful claws.
"Riu! Deeper in! We need to lose it!"
The two dashed into the assembly line.
Inside, airplanes stood halfway manufactured. Bullet casings littered the floor, and extremely old bloodstains coated the walls. They were only bones left from wars before.
Rhiem spotted more of the Nitro Canisters he used before. He kicked one into the doorway, and with a gunshot, froze the doorway.
"That should keep it back for a while."
The Radio crackled to life again.
"O'Connell! Is this your doing!?!"
"Heh, heh. I see you've met my cute pet, Verdugo. He shall play with you for a bit, but you cannot keep him away forever."
"How are you sending Wyvoids after us? Are you an Archeries?"
"Ha-ha-ha! Archeries? I wish! You shall never take my secret, for the dead never act. I wish you the best, hunter. In the next life, wait for a bit. I'll be back to kill you there, too."
"O'CONNELL!"
-Bzzt- The radio died.
***