11-26-2006, 11:08 PM
?And that was when the mortar round struck the earth around me,? Seventeen said, the ray of light from the flashlight amplifying the shadows of his countenance as he told the story. ?The angel and I were bathed in the atrocious explosions as the heat from the blast began at us like an unholy wave of searing death. As I stared into my oncoming demise, I threw up my energy barrier?saving myself from the oncoming inferno at the last plausible moment in time,? the machine-hybrid smiled as he clicked off the flashlight and set it between his legs.
Above the heads of the small group of soldiers, crickets and other insects chirped melodically. It was the usual midnight chorus that one would expect to hear during a hike through the woods, but Seventeen?s battalion was far from any location that could be considered so placid. In fact, they were marching through the Torvus Bog and it went without saying that the place was an abysmal location. Fortunately for the android and his soldiers, they had all memorized the schematics and maps for the region.
?Then what happened?? On the soldiers seated around the large bonfire inquired. The comment snapped the machine-hybrid from his state of daydreaming and returned him to the task at hand?entertaining his subordinates. After all, if they had to spend a night at the location, the best way to make the situation more enjoyable would be to do something that was fun and engaging. ?You still haven?t told us what happened to Paige and Leo, and what about Vapor? Does that fag make yet another cameo?? The same soldier asked, the last remark laced with sarcasm.
?Fortunately no,? Seventeen chuckled. ?Vapor had abandoned Kala by this point with the Eye to attempt the resurrection of his master, Android Byrk, but that is a story for another night my friends. After I survived the mortar attack, I found myself surrounded by the corpses of my celestial allies. Fueled by my thirst for vengeance, I dove off the hillside and decimated a group of hellions. After I slew the vermin, I became aware of the line of siege weapons amassing on the hillside and took it upon myself to dis?? the cyborg?s tale was cutoff by an epic roar that tore through the bog.
?What was that?? Someone said as the multitude of soldiers camped in the swamp began to arm themselves with the nearest firearm they could locate.
?Calm down!? Seventeen shouted over the shuffling of guns and feet. ?I?ll go investigate that, and I want all of you to just carry on with whatever you may have been up to. This is nothing to worry about, so by all means, refrain from panic, because it will just make matters worse,? once he had gotten his point across, the machine-hybrid made his way into the small patch of trees that bordered the camp.
Pushing aside the bushes that obscured a clear view of the vegetation, Seventeen drew the Power Sword and advanced into the badly lit pocket of trees and shrubbery. The cybernetic warrior began to breathe at a slower pace as he opted for the more stealthy approach to whatever may be concealed. Upon exiting the small patch of flora, he squinted and realized that the disappearance of the sun over the horizon had greatly inhibited his sight.
As if it had been reading his thoughts all along, the Seventeen?s central processing unit initiated a series of commands that switched him to a different optical mode. Shades of greens replaced the blackness of the small clearing as the android?s night-vision activated itself. Once he could see clearly in the darkness, the cyborg immediately noticed the source of the intense roar; however, before he could react, the bipedal monster tackled him to the ground.
Yelping in pain as his skull slammed off the moist, grassy earth, Seventeen threw up his fists to intercept the attacker?s clawed fists. Unable to deal with the beast?s feral assault, the cyborg pulled his knees up and used his superior strength to launch the humanoid creature into the pocket to vegetation behind him. The momentary lapse in action was all that the onyx-haired commander needed to liberate himself from the sickeningly soggy earth and press the assault.
Pivoting sharply upon reaching a standing position, the machine-hybrid hurriedly sheathed his blade and dove at the creature as it reached a standing position. The impact and degree of momentum shattered the bog monster?s equilibrium and sent the two opponents tumbling through the patch of greenery and into the camp. As the pair tumbled and rolled across the ground, Seventeen?s ocular settings reverted to normal?permitting him to see the vaguely human beast.
Landing on the ground underneath the abomination, the cyborg threw up a hand to shield himself from the beast?s strikes as his other hand snaked around inside his coat. After a few seconds, Seventeen produced the Desert Eagle, poked it into his target?s chest, and proceeded to obliterate the swamp monster?s thoracic cavity. Almost as soon as the bullets exploded out of its back, the beast fell dead?its algae-covered form collapsing onto its murderer.
?Fuck,? Seventeen groaned, shoving the corpse off his body and vaulting off the ground a moment later. Once he was standing, the cyborg took a moment to glance at the thing that had attempted to intimidate his men and take his life. Although it could have potentially been a person at some point in its existence, the abomination had been warped by its time in the bog into some type of moist, crusty freak of nature.
?Is it dead?? A soldier inquired, using the tip of his sniper rifle to poke at the creature?s gut. Another gunshot suddenly went off, causing the majority of soldier?s that had gathered near the vicinity to let out gasps of shock. A fresh hole had been blown in the beast?s forehead, and a new column of smoke was drifting up from the tip of their commander?s gun.
?It is now,? Seventeen said nonchalantly, sliding the powerful handgun into the holster strapped to his belt. ?Everyone?s safe now,? he projected, his voice echoing across the clearing. ?Prepare to move out in a few hours though.?
Above the heads of the small group of soldiers, crickets and other insects chirped melodically. It was the usual midnight chorus that one would expect to hear during a hike through the woods, but Seventeen?s battalion was far from any location that could be considered so placid. In fact, they were marching through the Torvus Bog and it went without saying that the place was an abysmal location. Fortunately for the android and his soldiers, they had all memorized the schematics and maps for the region.
?Then what happened?? On the soldiers seated around the large bonfire inquired. The comment snapped the machine-hybrid from his state of daydreaming and returned him to the task at hand?entertaining his subordinates. After all, if they had to spend a night at the location, the best way to make the situation more enjoyable would be to do something that was fun and engaging. ?You still haven?t told us what happened to Paige and Leo, and what about Vapor? Does that fag make yet another cameo?? The same soldier asked, the last remark laced with sarcasm.
?Fortunately no,? Seventeen chuckled. ?Vapor had abandoned Kala by this point with the Eye to attempt the resurrection of his master, Android Byrk, but that is a story for another night my friends. After I survived the mortar attack, I found myself surrounded by the corpses of my celestial allies. Fueled by my thirst for vengeance, I dove off the hillside and decimated a group of hellions. After I slew the vermin, I became aware of the line of siege weapons amassing on the hillside and took it upon myself to dis?? the cyborg?s tale was cutoff by an epic roar that tore through the bog.
?What was that?? Someone said as the multitude of soldiers camped in the swamp began to arm themselves with the nearest firearm they could locate.
?Calm down!? Seventeen shouted over the shuffling of guns and feet. ?I?ll go investigate that, and I want all of you to just carry on with whatever you may have been up to. This is nothing to worry about, so by all means, refrain from panic, because it will just make matters worse,? once he had gotten his point across, the machine-hybrid made his way into the small patch of trees that bordered the camp.
Pushing aside the bushes that obscured a clear view of the vegetation, Seventeen drew the Power Sword and advanced into the badly lit pocket of trees and shrubbery. The cybernetic warrior began to breathe at a slower pace as he opted for the more stealthy approach to whatever may be concealed. Upon exiting the small patch of flora, he squinted and realized that the disappearance of the sun over the horizon had greatly inhibited his sight.
As if it had been reading his thoughts all along, the Seventeen?s central processing unit initiated a series of commands that switched him to a different optical mode. Shades of greens replaced the blackness of the small clearing as the android?s night-vision activated itself. Once he could see clearly in the darkness, the cyborg immediately noticed the source of the intense roar; however, before he could react, the bipedal monster tackled him to the ground.
Yelping in pain as his skull slammed off the moist, grassy earth, Seventeen threw up his fists to intercept the attacker?s clawed fists. Unable to deal with the beast?s feral assault, the cyborg pulled his knees up and used his superior strength to launch the humanoid creature into the pocket to vegetation behind him. The momentary lapse in action was all that the onyx-haired commander needed to liberate himself from the sickeningly soggy earth and press the assault.
Pivoting sharply upon reaching a standing position, the machine-hybrid hurriedly sheathed his blade and dove at the creature as it reached a standing position. The impact and degree of momentum shattered the bog monster?s equilibrium and sent the two opponents tumbling through the patch of greenery and into the camp. As the pair tumbled and rolled across the ground, Seventeen?s ocular settings reverted to normal?permitting him to see the vaguely human beast.
Landing on the ground underneath the abomination, the cyborg threw up a hand to shield himself from the beast?s strikes as his other hand snaked around inside his coat. After a few seconds, Seventeen produced the Desert Eagle, poked it into his target?s chest, and proceeded to obliterate the swamp monster?s thoracic cavity. Almost as soon as the bullets exploded out of its back, the beast fell dead?its algae-covered form collapsing onto its murderer.
?Fuck,? Seventeen groaned, shoving the corpse off his body and vaulting off the ground a moment later. Once he was standing, the cyborg took a moment to glance at the thing that had attempted to intimidate his men and take his life. Although it could have potentially been a person at some point in its existence, the abomination had been warped by its time in the bog into some type of moist, crusty freak of nature.
?Is it dead?? A soldier inquired, using the tip of his sniper rifle to poke at the creature?s gut. Another gunshot suddenly went off, causing the majority of soldier?s that had gathered near the vicinity to let out gasps of shock. A fresh hole had been blown in the beast?s forehead, and a new column of smoke was drifting up from the tip of their commander?s gun.
?It is now,? Seventeen said nonchalantly, sliding the powerful handgun into the holster strapped to his belt. ?Everyone?s safe now,? he projected, his voice echoing across the clearing. ?Prepare to move out in a few hours though.?
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