Chapter 13
The third test of the Sentients
"That was close! Topps you got to cause a chain reaction before you weaken the core! That move you just did almost made us all dead!" I complained..
"Well Sorry! Can't you see that this is very frustrating to do this, and try and save your daughter!?" Topps said.
"Enough! If we are going to be seeing daylight or your daughter again, We got to start working harder!" Altayous shouted. "What I can predict is the 4th challenge."
"And what is it Altayous?" Littlefoot asked.
"Overloading." Altayous answered. "Akaz, I can recall you having the ability to nullify the overcharge effects. If you do, please do not hesitate, the feeling starts rupturing you from the inside."
"Done and done." I answered back.
"This is how you do it. We all kill a couple of souls that recently came to the tower but, dont worry, they are mere duplicates of the actual being. Akaz yours might be your worst nightmare, just hopefully no prime minister comes in and starts razing us with his bullets. Anyways, once we defeat them, you pick up the orb that might be exerting a high example of electricity, and one slot appears green. We all do it at the same time, or at least keep it coming for a while. If we do this correctly, the lightning will begin charging up. We start heading to the middle where its safe and within 10 seconds, the electricity will start gathering to the ceiling, and we should be fine. That is not it though. We got to face them again, and run down to the 4 other slots. This time we can use just our orbs to insert into the slots. One at a time and not on the same one. The middle platform should rise when we step on it, because the systems will shut down once we insert the energy into the four slots." Altayous explained.
"We are all ready. Lets do this!" Littlefoot said.
We risen up into the arena, and it was a bit round for its size. I could see possible locations, and so I went to my side. I cast protection on all of them so that we will not be struggling to carry the key item. I looked back, and saw them enter the rooms where they would face their opponent. I went in mine, and I saw only white and grey. I guess this was the duplicate of Numen. He then appeared and began flinging orbs of darkness at me, but I dodged each one of them. I rammed into him, which he became stuck to my head, and once I rammed him into the wall he put his hands on the sides of my head, and blasted axion darts at me. I became delirious, but I tried to get back on balance. I swept his legs, and tripped him. I stepped onto his head, and he lost his head once I lifted my foot off of him. He laid limp for some time, and the grey scale sight disappeared. He exploded into thin air, causing an orb to appear. I picked it up with my arm, and ran back out to the center and looked for the slot.
Altayous
I went in and witnessed a sight I did not want to ever see again. My opponent became towering over me, with 6 legs, and had his gun pointing to my head. I dreaded the thought of Aksis being in the tower, and SIVA wreaking havoc teaming with the fallen. I got my chaos dogma out, and started shooting at his head, but it seemed to have no effect. I shot at his legs with my devil's dawn, but nothing really happened. I could only see the bullet merely dent it's armor. I got out my Gjallarhorn, and shot it under him. The explosion then sent him in the air, and I grabbed my flaming hammers, and started slamming them into his chest while he was staggering from each blow I inflict. He then stopped staggering from my blows, and I backed up before he could force me back with energy. Aksis started shooting SIVA swarms at me, as each bullet began taking up the battlefield, and immediately transitioned the the extermination sequence. I unloaded several rockets from my Gjallarhorn and he did not come down yet. I desperately pulled out my sniper rifle and quickly pulled the trigger quick and fast, each piercing his head, Until he almost sent the density to kill me. He then became permanently stunned, and he disappeared into the air. I found a light orb, and I grabbed it, feeling energy pulse to me. I felt that Akaz did not send protection though. I ran out of the battlefield and into the center where I saw Akaz already searching for the slot.
"Great job Altayous, We might be running out of time though. I think with this orb the protection is weakening, and I cannot cast it again. They got to hurry up!" Akaz stated. "I fought Numen, or in your words, the Warpriest. Who did you face?"
"Aksis. Hopefully my next opponent will not be Vosik. I do not want to be between a couple thousand of fallen that throws lightweight grenades and a enemy that has a modified scorch cannon." I answered.
Topsy
With pride, I entered the room with a couple piles of ashes and plenty of explosives. It was almost like the desert, except that it still had some life in it. What appeared though sent shivers down my spine. This time he did not have any attachments that made him impervious, just him. He began with a missile coming straight towards me, I ran around him and charged into him from his rear. I found out that my opponent was Sargus Ruk, and last time he had me in chains, I almost did not get out with my life. I swept under his leg, and tripped him with my Tail, and I began crushing him with my foot. He then retaliated knocking me back to the wall. He planted his cannon into the ground and fire began sprouting up from the ground. I saw the ground start getting cracked, and I got back up, running straight into him. He was impaled by my horn. He then disappeared before I could ram him into the wall to ensure that he is finished. I accidentally rammed the wall as a result. The orb appeared, but I could not grab it with my feet, so I held it between my head and my nose-horn which is what I usually do if I am carrying something for Tria or Tricia or Cera. I ran back to the center like Altayous said, when I saw Akaz and Altayous standing there.
"How did you do Threehorn? Who was your enemy?" Akaz asked. "Mine was the Warpriest."
"Sargas Ruk." I answered.
I saw Akaz start having a worried expression, as if like Sargus Ruk scared him or something.
"Mine was Aksis. I am not wanting to face him again, but if SIVA rises one more time, I will take them all down, even if I have to split each and every nanite in half." Altayous stated. "Now what about Littlefoot? He is taking a long time."
I see the gears under the ground beneath us start moving. I could hear the gears start grinding and making horrible noise.
"Cmon Littlefoot, Hurry... We do not have much time!" I thought to myself.
"Topps. Remember you got to insert the orb. If you have to use your mouth, do it but whatever you do, do not miss it." Akaz suggested.
I took his advice and put down the orb, and with my mouth, I carried it. I prayed to god that Littlefoot was okay.
Littlefoot
I saw that when I went into the room, that there was multiple skulls of other longnecks. This really did frighten me, but I continued on. I saw a cave in front of me, and what came out was a old enemy. The sharptooth. Not Red claw nor fastbiter, but just that sharptooth. He lunged at me in the air with his giant mouth and teeth that were impatient and so eager to start tearing my flesh limb from limb. It then tried to knock me over, but I hung my neck low and rammed his stomach to knock him over. I tried to look for something to defeat him with, but everything was gone, except for a sharp horn from one of the three horns. I grabbed it with my top left foot, and stabbed it into his chest, causing him to struggle to get up. He slowly stopped moving each and every second, until He completely did not move. He vanished into the air, and a light orb similar to the bright circle appeared. I grabbed it with my top right foot and hurried out. I saw almost everything moving, and a light started to flash. I was told to hurry to the center, and I did. I looked for a slot to put the orb in, and I spotted it. I called it out and I ran towards it with my friends, and slammed the orb into it. They all did it in succession and We all made it back. Akaz then tripped on the way back, and he was forced to crawl, so he did and did it well. He then slid into the center the second the lightning started to connect to the ceiling. I sighed in relief.
At center
"Littlefoot. This was a close call. We cannot afford to waste any more time on this. Hopefully you had a hard opponent?" Akaz said while catching his breath.
"Yes, A sharptooth." Littlefoot answered.
"Enough. We can talk about this later, but in a minute or so, this electricity is going to stop, and we got to get in there and defeat the next opponent, and we got to do it fast, or we may not live to see another sun." Altayous yelled. "One more thing guys, You can see if someone inserted a orb into the slots on the ground if it lights up as a laser. Topps, you can use your horn again."
Topsy then silently rejoiced. The others however did not hesitate to get ready to slice someone's throat. Topps could see Altayous reloading all his guns, and refilling his rocket launcher with a synthesis. Akaz was seeing if breathing fire could actually work for him. Littlefoot and Topps did nothing because they had to beat their opponents with all they got. Themselves. The lightning slowly shut down, as it lowered its level, until it was nonexistent. All four of them ran into the rooms with no lagging behind.
Akaz
I went into there with knowing that If I could do anything to help, was to hurry up, do the best I can and insert it. I saw a familiar room that did not scare me that much, but then the walls turned into flames, and the ceiling became sharp. The atmosphere was strangely cold, and I know this was not the end. Who I faced this time, might be the prime minister or Vreaze. The opponent came in with his hammer and his ugly head, looking like a squid on steroids. He slammed it onto the ground and then I realized, It was Lieutenant Lech Kril.
I remembered how I did it, but I was not human now. I was a dragon facing a lieutenant who has a very sharp hammer and he was good at using it. He began slamming the ground to start trying to get me off my feet. He then pulled out his gorgon and started shooting. Each bullet however did not penetrate at all, thanks to my scales. I walked up to him and grabbed him but he released a explosion that froze my hand. I spewed fire and thawed it out quick before he almost knocked me over with his hammer. He thought he could catch me, but I jumped out of the way. I then spewed my fire all over him, and he began igniting, slowly his weapon faded, and dark energy started going to the air. His body faded away as well, and I thought it would be a lot harder for a moment. An orb did not appear. I was wondering where it was, and I looked around the field, until I saw it behind a grineer crate. I broke the crate, and light exploded out of the broken crate, as I turned my eyes away. I then looked at the orb and gnashed it with my mouth, as I ran back to deliver the payload. I dropped it into one of the slots, as it shot a red pillar, and I ran to center.
Altayous
I cautiously approached the door as I punched a dangling body from a ceiling. This created a sunspot, which then gave me extra protection. It was so dark, but then I pulled out my ghost to send a light to the room. The only senses here that was useful was my hearing, and smell. Everything else I have to set up for it to work. I heard rumbling footsteps, and the floor rumbled too, but at a 1 second interval. I could hear chitin scraping across the floor and his breathing was ominous. I knew it in a few seconds, that it was Hive, but I couldn't see him. I know that he could be a Darkblade. The ghost finally set up the light, and when I saw him, I instantly knew that I was going to face Alak Hul, the Darkblade.
I heard his footsteps making me tremble, I pulled out my sniper, and with the ghost's light I found his head, and I started shooting it. He somehow gets staggered so easily so I knew that they have not changed the 'opponent is way weaker than the actual being' part. He disappeared as I saw parts of him fly off like usual. He then appeared right behind me, and I heard late. He almost did cut off my arm, but his axe missed by probably a centimeter. I was flung back by the impact of his axe, and I tried to grasp the ground, but I was going to fast. I flipped back and regained my balance, and sniped him multiple times. My super was ready, so knowing that this may be it, I pulled out my hammers and threw it at him while he was getting flabbergasted by my hammers and fire. I could see the results as he fell the opposite way my hammers were going. He also disappeared with no orb. I then remembered it was a puzzle. It was placed somewhere you wouldn't expect it. I heard a chain rattle above me, and light returned to the room. I looked at it, and grabbed the lantern. I examined it and opened the lantern, and grabbed the orb. I held it one hand, and I ran to the center where Akaz was surprisingly first again. I looked for the slot on the ground and found it near four gears. I then placed it into the slot and it emitted the light that I explained about. I looked around and saw the other pillar. I went to center immediately.
Littlefoot
I peeked my head into the room, when I see life living all around. I was in front of a cave, where I was being lead into. When I entered the cave, the space inside, seemed unreal. Everything was black and light was only available from the strange object in the sky, and it was green as well with some kind of eye. I began wondering what that was. Four pillars were there, and I stood on them, crossing the gap. I saw a dark crystal, sputtering green energy as well. I heard a rumble at the front, realizing he is coming. A face appeared, but he looked like one of those ghosts from my sleep stories. It then disappeared, but then it reappeared in physical form. He then was granted a sword of his size, and held it to his torso. He was about my size, but just 2 legged and looked skeletal. I could not catch a grasp on who I am encountering, but the other day, I saw Altayous grumbling about something. He then told me the reason why Oryx came to corrupt the great valley. His son Crota. It may of been Crota who I am facing right now.
I do not know how to now do this, but I guess I could try my best now. Crota then began firing blue blasts of energy at me, and I dodged as each of them got faster. I wanted to at least get into range, so I tried and dodged more towards him, and soon I got to him. I rammed him with my head, and he was sent back unto the pillars where I once stood. He got back up fast, and shot the energy at me with precision. He got me some times, letting me feel his power, but it harms me a lot. I was hit in the is face with the projectile, and I could not move for some time. Crota then charged at me while I was on the front, and I slowly gained back some feeling. He gone his fastest and stabbed me in the middle of my chest. His sword gone through me as I started to lose grip on my life. At the same time, I threw him over the edge, hoping that will make the orb appear. It did, and It shown on a rock. I exited the cave, and hurried to get out, but by each second one of my limbs just give up. I got into the circle but not to center. I tried to drop in the orb into the slot but I blacked out before I could ensure that it actually got in. Before I did though, I saw Altayous and Akaz running out to help me.
Topsy
I hurried in to try and face my opponent, but then I saw the great meeting circle, which was odd. For a minute I thought I was going to face a ferocious sharptooth. I began seeing pillars of fire , and I lost my sense of comfort. I hopped back to dodge the fire raining from the sky. When it finally intersected into one point, I began to see something really familiar, and everything turned to a cold land, snow everywhere, A blizzard started. He then appeared like Altayous, but now he looked like someone murdered him and now he looked like an undead guardian.
"A-altayous? Is that you" I stuttered.
He had unusual breathing for a second, and then he stopped, and pulled out his sword. The raze lighter he had still had edges, being covered in intense heat and fire. I did not charge due to the last time I did that almost ended me. He ran at me with his sword, trying to slice me in half. He then shot me with his guns, and it hurt, but not enough to take me down or stagger me. I caught him off guard by charging him while he was shooting. I knew to do this because he usually takes much time to switch his weapons. I pinned him down while he almost grabbed his sword, and also pinned his arms down so he could not get his weapon. I started shivering and seeing his face, I looked away, and hoped it was not him. I stabbed his chest with my horn, and he disappeared. This began making me start hoping that Altayous is in the challenge, or at least at center. I did not see the orb for a second, but then I saw the orb go brighter than the great circle ever was. I held it with my head and horn, and ran out seeing Littlefoot writhing in pain while gears were turning and everything was beginning to go dark. Altayous and Akaz were trying to lift him and pull Littlefoot into the center, but they were struggling to even budge him I decided to help. I started pushing him by his stomach, and he began turning, I looked down as the gears spun faster, and lightning started covering the surface. I then gave one final push and he was sent to the center, and us three jumped to the middle as we were rising on the platform. We managed to get all of our bodies onto the center platform, but the top shaft was not opening. I looked for the 4 pillars of light, but there were only 3. Then Akaz saw the thing, and breathed fire so fast that it reached over there, and it pushed the orb over enough for it to drop into the slot. The door opened above us, and the platform cleared the hole.
"What the heck happened to Littlefoot!? None of us had trouble with our targets!" Akaz said.
"Wait one second. He should get back into perfect shape in a few minutes before our next task." Altayous suggested.
"How could this happen?" Topsy asked.
"I do not know, but At least this is the last combat section until the final floor." Altayous explained.
"Well at least that is a good thing." Topsy remarked.
