- Sergeant Murph
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- Noble Legendary Member
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Rocks.
Rocks were everywhere. They were in my mouth, on my arms, pinning down my legs, and anywhere else. I tasted blood in my mouth. The last blow from a stray wood plank had hit me square in the face. I tried to pull myself up, but felt an irritating numbness in my limbs. I howled in pain, but made sure to keep my voice low.
Janerus.
How could he possibly be here, of all places? When I had joined the Honor Guard, I had thought (and hoped) that we would never meet each other again. The Brute that had left so many scars indented on my body was still alive, and he was so close.
My lungs ached. The breath was being ripped away with every passing second. Could I really let it end this way, buried alive under rocks and debris? No. I had survived an alliance with my enemies, an air assault, a lunatic Elite, a crashing Pelican, and a Wraith Mortar. I wouldn’t give up so east.
Hastily, I pushed up with my legs as hard as I could, then did the same with my arms. I felt the rocks rise up, but then rain down on me again. Not a good decision. Now I had bled my nose as well. I needed something to destroy the rocks. The Battle Blade! Lord, did it come in handy sometimes. The rocks were old and weak. I could cut through them easily.
I twisted around and ripped the black handle from my belt. Suddenly, I was aware of the worst.
I had no air.
Buried under fifty rocks would provide no oxygen to infiltrate. My throat felt soar, dry. I activated the Battle Blade and cut through the first stone. It split it half, just as planned. I could feel a sharp, lightheaded pain. I was losing air fast, especially with all the motion. I had to keep moving!
I began swinging the sword back and forth, cutting through anything that stood in my way. If I could just make it to the surface! My face felt numb, now. I could barely see in front of me. My pace was slowing down…
I sliced through the last rocks and gasped for breath, tasting the fresh texture of air on my lips. But where was I? The room was black. I could hear faint voices and gunshots from outside, but they seemed distant. I climbed to my feet, brushing off the dust that had turned my gold armor black. I coughed once, then continued on. There was a dark corridor. Where would it lead to? It didn’t matter. I had to be somewhere.
I continued down the hall, a red light illuminating my path. I turned the corner and pushed open an old wooden door. It creaked and fell over, slamming into the ground. I winced. How would I know if Janerus was on the other side?
I entered yet another dark room. The Battle Blade shone red around me, but there didn’t seem to be anything.
Footsteps.
I whirled around, raising the sword just below my chin. Someone was here. Someone was following me.
I sidestepped, getting as far away from the noise as possible. More footsteps. Yes, someone was definitely in this room with me. I backed up even farther, then turned and ran.
The lights in the room flicked on.
I stopped dead in my tracks. I knew there had been a repulsive aura. Without even turning, I knew who was staring at my back.
“I didn’t think we’d ever meet again, Solonee. Or Sol, as I hear the humans call you now. How about that? I knew you were a traitor, a low life. But I never saw this coming, Sol. I never thought you would resort to joining the humans,” Janerus spoke in a low voice, but it sounded confident, and much like his Uncle, Tartarus.
“I left because I was sick of your stench,” I snapped.
He snorted at that, then laughed, “Why don’t we pick up where we left off eight years ago?”
“Only if you promise to clean up first.”
That put him over the edge. I flung around to see the Chieftain, decorated in maroon armor, a look of hatred flaming in his eyes. A Gravity Hammer was clutched in his hands. This was exactly what I wanted. The angrier he was, the clumsier he would be.
The first strike was aimed for my head. I ducked down, avoiding the massive club, then kicked off with my feet, rolling over and back up. Janerus sneered in disgust.
“Coward!”
I backpedaled, raising the sword even if I didn’t intend to use it. The room was completely blank, with small windows at the top. We were under the base.
He charged again, this time aiming more precise. He slammed the hammer into the ground below me. It rattled and shook me off my feet. A wave of gravity shot from the hammer. I was hoisted up into the air by a zero gravity death machine.
I steered myself over the stupid Brute’s head, landing safely on the other side. I taunted him as I landed gracefully on my feet.
“Is this all you can accomplish with a five foot war hammer? How embarrassing.”
“Shut up!”
He charged again, leaping high into the air. I could just make out the fury raging from his face. He slammed the hammer down with enough force to lift a tank.
I raised into the air, this time higher than before. My feet looked as if they were somehow propelling me into space slowly. I glanced down: Janerus was already waiting for his nest attack. On my journey back down, he would slay me so quickly. I had to do something! I tilted my head up. A long, thick pipe ran across the perimeter. I grabbed for it and pulled myself up, just before the zero gravity went out.
Janerus screeched in discontent. I sat on the pipe and shook my head at him, “You really are pathetic.”
He growled, then stopped. A grim smile perched itself under his nose. He reached down onto his belt and produced a Spike Grenade. Without even aiming, he flung it upwards. I watched as the open mouth of the grenade closed itself around the pipe beside me. It hung there for a moment, then detonated.
I expected spikes to pierce my stomach. Nothing. Or, at least, nothing but the feeling of falling. The pipe was giving way under me. I twisted around and grasped it with my arms. The Spike Grenade had done its job, destroying the pipe. I swung downwards with it, then came to the sudden revelation.
The pipes below the base were a water supply. The base had been abandoned before last month. The water storage must have been inside that pipe, but it had stopped flowing years ago, laying flat in the pipe. Now, the endless supply of underground water shot out of the edge of the pipe. Janerus didn’t cry out as the bolt of water struck him in the chest, sending him toppling backwards. I aimed the pipe directly at him, soaking the Chieftain. I had done my work. He would drown down here.
I climbed up the broken pipe, drew my Battle Blade again, and cut through the ceiling, emerging on the corridor that I had met Burns and his companion. I was alive, Janerus was dead.
I raced down the hall and out into the harsh sun again. A Scarab was waiting for me outside, remaining inactive. No shots were fired. Gunshots were useless now.
Phantoms still detoured through the battlefield, making their way toward Crow’s Nest.
I had one chance.
I sprinted out to the Scarab, blocking out screams of disagreement from my allies. I jumped on the leg, which immediately shook, attempting to cast me away. It was as if the machine had a mind of it’s own.
I climbed up the leg and on to the knee, where I then propelled myself high up in the air and on to thye edge of the machine. Brute’s already made their way towards me, protecting their most useful vehicle.
But the target was not the Scarab.
I leaped out, using the amazing height of the walker to boost me, and up into the underbelly of a passing Phantom, grasping on to a handle.
I needed a ride.
End Transmission