Chapter 113: Chapter One Hundred Twelve

Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 153 of 365. Sol standard year]

Days after of Crash landing/ 2

Unknown Island / Run/ Corridor out of Cavern Entrance/ Field of Centipedes / Complex Rooftop

Galactic Standard Time / 0815

As she thundered up the stairs, Je’ndra heard the sounds of firing below her die down. With luck that meant that the others would be right behind her! With everything that was happening, she hoped that together they would be able to handle this. Running out onto the roof, she saw Ro’borlar firing, but not where she expected. Instead, he was firing into the distance towards where they had come from.

“[Report Ro’borlar! What are you firing at]!” Je’ndra asked sternly. She knew the plan, and the plan was that he would help protect the prince. So why, the name of the throne was he firing across the cavern? But that slipped her mind when she turned and looked up at the door. Seeing how far away it was, she cursed the Ancients for their traps.

“[Giant monster boss, flyer coming in from above the bugs! So far I’ve forced it down a bit and the centipedes are firing at it]!” Ro’borlar barked as he fired again.

Je’ndra felt her pulse quicken as she took in what Ro’borlar just said. She couldn’t believe it, just where had it come from? Something he called a giant flying monster had to be a terror to behold, not counting what it could do!

She activated her mask’s far-sight function and found who she was looking for. Olv’xic was leading Kon’gric through waves of chitin-covered bipeds, and he was holding them. They were a good hundred feet away from them, and their enemies coming at them from below. “[Not the worst place we’ve been in. Not the best for sure].”

With a thought, she willed the targeting function of her mask active. Zeroing zeroed in on one of the charging creatures chasing her prince she started to fire at them. “[I’ll handle these things, you target that flyer! Once the others are up, bonding overwatch to the prince then the door]!”

“[Got it, and that thing is fighting them wing to mouth! Come on you big things, take it out]!” Ro’borlar said, a grin in his voice.

Je’ndra just fired at the creatures chasing the others again. But then she heard something nearby, the sounds of something piercing stone. She looked up to see three of the spider centaurs coming up over the wall behind them. She moved her rifle as she fired, and two of the spider centaurs were killed. The third jumped and as it fell at her Je’ndra dropped her rifle. It broke apart into light as she held her open right hand towards the falling spider centaur. As its mouth widened in a grin, a sword appeared in Je’ndra’s hand that impaled the creature. The spider centaur’s eyes widened before they dimmed and Je’ndra turned as her sword fell apart.

She was looking at the front as her rifle rematerialized in her hands. In a moment she had fired three quick shots at the three spider centaurs climbing up onto the roof. A screech came from behind her but before she could turn she heard a shot. She looked towards the chamber down and saw Tar’lroia firing behind Je’ndra.

“[So you’ve handled the problem below]?” Je’ndra asked with a grin.

“[We killed all that came at us then we heard the party up here. Figure since they can climb the walls we should join in here. Not the best, but what can you do]?” Tar’lroia said as she fired again. “[So what’s the Pathfinder’s story]?”

“[Giant monster flying towards us. The prince’s group is running towards the hilt. We need to move now]!”

Ken’tricx came thundering out, his two floating rotary guns still out. In his hands were two war axes and he laughed. “[Where’s the party]?!”

“[There! Ken’tricx goes over there and backs up Olv’xic and Kon’gric. Tar’lroia go with him, watch his back! Ro’borlar we’re moving now! So get to it]? Je’ndra ordered as she listened and heard the sounds of things coming up the walls.

“[Got it! I saw the flyer get bitten in the wing, we might not have to deal with it! But we have to move now]!” Ro’borlar barked as he looked up.

Ken’tricx and Tar’lroiav didn’t wait, they just started to run. Moments later, Je’ndra and Ro’borlar followed behind, Ro’borlar putting his rifle away for a pistol.

All Je’ndra could do was hope that they would be able to make some progress before they had to stop and fight. The Prince and the others were so close, and there was a way out of this hell nearby. Once there, they could close the doors and hopefully buy themselves some time. She didn’t know what was ahead of them, but they would handle it, she wouldn’t accept anything else.

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As he ran and fired, Olv’xic felt his spirits lift. With the others watching over the three, they would survive. As he looked ahead and saw that they were making their way towards the ‘hilt’ of the building, he felt his mouth grin. They would have to deal with some more waves of creatures, but they were almost there.

Ahead of them, ten of the chitin-covered creatures ran at them in two waves, and then the one at the front fell. For a second Olv’xic saw the steam rising from its head before the ones behind it fell over it. With quick shots, they were all dead.

“[That was you Ro’borlar? Or is the rest of the team here]?” Olv’xic asked as they ran past the wave.

Ahead of them was the last room, and from it came ten of the creatures with more coming behind them. For a second he wondered just why they were still after the group. Just how many of these things did the creator have? And they were happy to just let them all die? Just what did that mean, how long did it take to make more of them? All in all, somehow Olv’xic knew that he wouldn’t like any of those answers. But just beyond that room, the buildings merged together. He felt relief that they had made it there, and soon the whole team would be together again!

Ro’borlar’s laughter caused Olv’xic to grin and for a second he forgot his worries. “[Everyone is here and we’re making our best speed to the center ‘blade’ kid! Keep moving, I’ve got my scope on you guys. Just keep moving]!”

Olv’xic fired at the waves of enemies in front as Kon’gric thundered behind him. Another two of the creatures fell and caused the ones behind them to fall over the corpses. This time Olv’xic didn’t fire, he just led the way and turned, he saw the others in the distance. As bolts flew at the waves of enemies, he felt nothing but joy.

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“[Keep moving Olv’xic! We can see you, but keep moving! We’ll meet at the ‘hilt’ of this place]!” Je’ndra’s voice came over the coms and for a second Olv’xic almost replied.

But a roar from below caused him to look down. He paled as he saw three of the large centipede centaur things there, rampaging. But to his relief they were fighting off some of those spider centaurs the team told him about. With a thought, his mask showed him enlarged views of the large creature’s arms. There were scars on most of them just below the elbow on most of them. But one had the scars down the middle of the shoulders! For a second he didn’t understand then he did.

The centipede centaurs had the ability to regrow limbs! These must be the ones that he had disarmed latterly! The one he had freed must have liberated the others!

“[This is Olv’xic to team! Below me on the left are centipede centaurs! They might not be hostile! Repeat they might not be hostile]!” Olv’xic said, his mask broadcasting the message. If there was a chance that they didn’t have to fight some of the things here, they had to take it!

“[Tar’lroia to Oly’xic. Message received and acknowledged! Watch yourselves and keep moving, we can see you]!” Tar’lroia’s message said, and Olv’xic ran faster. He could see the others, and they would soon be in range of their comms. This was the final stretch, he just had to lead the way a bit more.

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As he looked up from the corpse he had created, Zalorix scowled. He thought he heard something in the distance from the complex. That traitor had to have attacked the other heretics by now. If they were lucky, then they would kill enough of each other that the survivors would be easy kills.

“What are those things making now? What horrified abomination are they brewing in this unholy place?” He muttered as he looked down at the building.

“Master, the last of the holdouts here are dead. Do you desire for us to kill the others down there?” A rumbling voice came from a large and bulky figure as it walked over. In its hands was a large long club with spikes on its four sides. The weapon was slick with blood and there was pink matter and hair on it.

Zalorix turned as a frown formed on his face. He had short green hair and jade eyes with two lines of scars down his right cheek. He was dressed in a black cloak over a purple robe. In his right hand was a sword of black steel with a white gemstone on the hilt. “No, we don’t need to just yet. We just have time until we have to leave, and let’s see what we can get for the Grand Sacrifice here.”

With that, he looked around at his forces. There were another ten of the bulky figures, each one holding either a club or a hammer in their hands. Each one wore grey armor that looked like it was made from the skin of beasts. Beyond them, there were five flyers hovering there ready to strike at his orders. Each one wearing a lighter-looking set of green hide armor. But each one had a helmet on their head that had their faces open. Behind them were humanoid figures in plate armor and each held a short-range weapon from swords to axes.

“Come my brothers. Let us go and kill the last of these heretics before the celebration!” Zalorix roared and was met with cheers.

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As he looked through his scope link, Ro’borlar felt a grin form. So far they were almost there, just a bit more and they would connect with the others. The last time he had looked at the flying beast, it was still fighting against the centipedes. It had lost most of its right wing but he thought it was growing back. If that thing had some kind of regeneration, then they might still be in trouble. All he could was hope that the doors would open into this chamber.

“[How’s that big thing doing Ro’borlar? It is coming at us]?” Je’ndra asked from behind him.

Ro’borlar looked up and checked the prince's progress. His party was almost there, they just had to keep pushing for a bit more. The spider centaurs were still climbing up at them but they had lessened in numbers. At first, they had stayed at three at a time, but now it was only one. He had to hope that they had broken the spirits of their foes, and they were content to let them leave. But something told him that this was just a pipe dream.

He spared a second to look towards the field of centipedes and winced. So far the flying thing had killed one of the centipedes and its wing had grown back partly. If he had to guess, within the next hour it would be able to fly again. “[Holding its own and healing, we have to move now]!”

Je’ndra only nodded before she ran ahead, and Ro’borlar turned his gaze to Olv’xic. He saw the kid outlined in red on his HUD and he watched it. Within a moment the outline turned green he smirked as they connected to Olv’xic’s coms.

“[…… we just need to keep moving, we’re almost there! Just a bit farther Kon’gric]!” Olv’xic said with a note of anger in his voice.

“[Not almost there, there! Good to be back on coms kid]!” Ro’borlar cried.

He noticed just behind Kon’gric was another wave of the things Olv’xic had described so he didn’t wait. He just aimed his rifle and fired multiple times, killing five of the creatures in moments.

“[Good shooting! Nice to be back under your eyes Ro’borlar]!” Olv’xic called out as they all reached the ‘trident’s hilt’. Without stopping, the group ran up the rooftop towards the door.

“[Once we can rest, I’ll want a report about what you found Olv’xic. And how you knew what those things were],” Je’ndra told Olv’xic with a hard tone.

Ro’borlar didn’t want to be Olv’xic at that moment, but the question did need to be answered. What did he find that even hinted at the Chimera? There were few answers to that question, and none of them were good for anyone. But the kid had helped Ro’borlar out, and he would be damned before he left Olv’xic alone. There was no way in Ro’borlar’s mind that the kid had ever done anything with the Forbidden. He didn't know how, but there had to be another reason.

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Olv’xic kept quiet as they ran up the roof, only looking over his shoulder. So far the waves of creatures were holding back, but they had to be gathering all their forces. But with the chaos the centipede centaurs were causing, there was hope. As bad as it was, those big guys were probably taking all the creature's effort to get them under control. All he could do was hope that they had killed their creator, and his thoughts were all he could give them. Looking ahead, he saw that they had traveled ten of the forty they had to. Soon they would have something to defend, and once the door was closed they would deal with the inner Ruin.

Part of him couldn’t believe that they were actually going to be charging into a Ruin. But that was the only way they had to get to a place of safety. But then there was a chance they would have to make a safe place. something about all of this just bothered him. It was there, at the edge of his mind. He couldn’t see just why he thought this way, but it was there.

“[Keep it together team. Remember, the home stretch is always the most dangerous part of the trip! Keep strong and we’ll find a place to rest],” Je’ndra called out.

Olv’xic looked at her and tried to keep calm. The questions that she would have for him were another problem that he would deal with. He would have to explain where he saw the Chimera process before, and it would be nice to let that go. The weight of everything that had happened back then still bothered him. But then that would surely bring his shame to light once they made it home. But then he could probably disappear into the Federation. A frontier planet being colonized would be the perfect place. Once there, people would need help and no one would expect him there.

But at that moment, a screech from ahead of them caused them to look forward. Hovering in the distance were five strange humanoids. They had leather wings for arms and wore green armor that looked like leather. Below them ten humanoid figures in armor wielding melee weapons. But it was the green-haired human holding a sword that caused Olv’xic to stare. Up until now, they hadn’t humanoid sentient life. But the way that the creatures around him were armed, they weren’t Chimeras. Or this scum had a way to direct them even more so than the Controlled.

“Well! This is interesting! Now where did you all come from!?” The normal man asked and Olv’xic aimed his rifle at the flyers as the others aimed wherever.

When they had started up the roof ramp, Ken’tricx had willed his floating rotary canons away. But now Olv’xic wished they were still out. This human was setting off all his instincts that this man would happily murder a child and then ask what’s for lunch.

“Please tell me where you come from! for my people know that beyond this is nothing but monsters and stone!” The man called out with a smile. Behind him, larger figures with long straight clubs in grey hide armor appeared. They were taller and more bulky than any human had a right to be, and they looked like they wanted to cause pain.

“We’re just a group that only wants to get back into the sun! let us pass and there will be no trouble!” Je’ndra’s answering cry caused Olv’xic to wince. When you talk to these types of personalities, you have to do it in a certain way. You have to make them think that it’s all their idea. and the way the other beings before them were starting to react, they knew it too.

“Oh, you dare to order me around? Me? The right hand of the High Priest?! You dare you pagan!?” The man snarled as he raised his blade.

Olv’xic gripped his rifle. “[That was the wrong way to go about this boss. Get ready to retreat when they charge].”

A loud roar from behind caused them to turn. Suddenly the trident head to the far left exploded as something burst free. They stared as the dust dropped, revealing just what was there. Its head was at least thirty feet wide and tall. It had a torso covered in brown fur and its two arms were covered in chitin and ended in claws. Below the waist was a spider’s body with eight legs that had to be thirty feet long. As it threw its head back, it released a screech that was answered from many throats. As the chitin-covered creatures and spider centaurs towards the door, Olv’xic felt terror. That terror only grew as the giant spider thing screeched again before it moved after them.

“Oh my! Dear Starlsia what have you done to yourself? I so want that potion now!” The man said brightly.

Olv’xic didn’t understand how he could know a name for that thing. Even more so that the others reacted in shock. All he did know, was that this was going to be very bad.