PreviouslyThe three ARKS students defeated some dragons. After that the four group had to run for their life to avoid being caught in a cave-in.
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AP 2XX
Amduscia
Volcanic Caves
1300 Hours
It has been over an hour since the ARKS group fled the collapsing cave, the group found themselves in a new part of the unexplored area. The three students looked around. This section of the cave was wide and the ceiling was high.
The temperature in it was comfortable. Not too high, not too cold. It was not magma that lightened up the cave, but a strange kind of stone.
"Wow!" The three said.
These stones were blue with engravings and a perfectly shaped cube. Some were coloured red. These stones were places on top or next to each other and were almost formed like manmade structures.
Almost all of these of these stones emitted a blue or reddish glow of light.
"I have seen these kind of stones before." Said MultiCore.
"They are made by dragonkin, right." Said Xiphos.
"That's right." Said MultiCore. "But as far as I know the dragons of Ho usually don't make these."
"Maybe it is some special place?" Said Xiphos "Or maybe the entrance of something. I think I read something about that."
"Wooaaah! Look at this place, Moriah!" Said Kanade, as she spun around. "I have never seen something like this." She said.
"Me neither." Said Moriah.
The two girls walked beside each other, looking around at the beautiful lights and structures. "Wow. Look at that one, it is so small and cute!" Kanade ran towards a small cube that emitted both a red and blue glow.
"No! Don't touch it!" Said MultiCore and Xiphos in unison. "It's a trap!"
But Kanade had already picked it up and was about to show the cube to Moriah. "Eeeeh?!" She said.
At the same time, the ground started to shake and pillars of dragon cubes began to glow fiercer. Kanade lost her footing and tripped. The cubes rapidly multiplied until they formed walls. These walls blocked the entrance, from where they came, and the other side completely.
When Kanade got back up her feet she said. “What just happened? What is this?”
“You just triggered a dragonkin trap, you idiot!” Yelled Xiphos.
”How was I supposed to know it was a trap.” Said Kanade.
“Tsk, you could have paid attention in class. “Said Xiphos softly.
Moriah sighed. “So what now?” She leaned against the dragonstone wall. “How do we get out of here?” Asked Moriah.
Kanade pumped her fist. “I know! We just have to break it apart!”
“Ah. Wait Kanade.”Said Xiphos. But she didn’t listen. Kanade put her hand above her katana’s hilt. “Phaton Art NO.6. Hatou Rindou!”
Upon drawing her katana, a purple vertical shockwave emitted from her katana and flew through the air. The shockwave hit the wall, which cause to fling up dirt and dust.
“Was that all?” Said Kanade, waiting for the dust to settle. When the dust settled she saw that there was not even a scratch. “Uugh. Hatou Rindo!” Nothing.
“Uugh again! Hatou Rindo!” Nothing again.
By now Kanade started to panic slightly. “I-It’s not working!”
Meanwhile Moriah had walked towards Xiphos. “Xiphos, was’t the solution to dragontraps fighting their guards?”
“Yea, but it depends on the kind of trap. According to the books there were different kind of traps, with the guards being the most common.” Said Xiphos. “Seeing as there are no dragonkin here, I assume this is the keystone variant.”
“Hmm, I see. But we didn’t have to learn that for our test, right?”
Xiphos scratched his head. “Yea, I kinda borrowed a more advanced book. Hehehe.” Xiphos leaned against a rock. “Then again, I don’t really know that much. We’d have to try out everything. MultiCore do you know how to solve this trap?”
MultiCore crossed his arms. “I’m afraid situations like this still fall within your examination. So I’m not allowed to help in this matter.”
Kanade, who overheard this, ran towards MultiCore. “Hey! But you know how to solve this right? Why won’t you tell! Come on just this time!”
“Like I said, your exam also test the ability to deal with unexpected events such as this. I could tell you, but then you’d fail.”
Kanade looked shocked. “B-but…..then what do we do?”
MultiCore walked towards a nearby rock and sat down. “I’m sure you will figure something out. Meanwhile, I’ll go in ‘stand-by’ mode for a bit to not bother you.”
“W-what? H-hey….you are joking right? You can’t leave us like that!”Kanade panicked and stated pounding her fists on MultiCore. “Hey answer me!”
Xiphos and Moriah laughed at the sight. Then they started to discuss how to deal with the dragontrap.
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AP 2XX
Amduscia
Volcanic Caves
1345 Hours
MultiCore heard a comm static. "Sergeant MultiCore, come in." It was a female voice. “Staff Officer Linda. I copy." Said MultiCore through his internal comms.
"Ah good." Responded Linda.
"Is there anything wrong, for you to contact me during examination?" Said MultiCore.
"Not necessarily, but I wanted to give you a heads-up that the negative photon levels have raised near the edges of the exam grounds. They may expand inwards.
They are already dispatching a number of teams to sweep up the Darkers, but it appears there have also been readings on Vopar. Vopar aside, they could easily miss Darker groups due to Amduscia's tunnel network, so...."
"I'll keep them save. “Said MultiCore.
"Thank you, but don't go too far. If you happen to stumble upon Darkers. Their first real encounter will give them valuable combat experience that might save their lives for another time when they are alone." Said Linda.
"I will notify the remaining examiners now. Oh, and don't forget to relay the co-ordinates at the end of the day or we can't pick you all up. Over."
"Roger that. Over." Said Multicore, ending the comm call. MultiCore activated his eye cameras again and looked around to check if the students made any progress.
Instead he saw Kanade's face right before him. She squat in front of him. "Hey! Moriah, he is active again!" Said Kanade out loud.
After a while Moriah came running towards the two. "MultiCore, we found another one of those special cubes. They are the key to get out right? Right?" Said Moriah.
"Come oooon. Give us a hint already." Whined Kanade, while clinging to MultiCore. "Fine. Since you basically know already. Where is Xiphos?" Said MultiCore, while pulling Kanade of him.
"He is looking out if there are more." Said Moriah.
"I see." Said MultiCore. "There should be at least one more." Said MultiCore. "They usually come in sets of three, five or seven."
"Heeeh...Xiphos said the same thing."Said Kanade.
"Then why did you..."Said MultiCore.
”Moriah and I didn't believe him." Answered Kanade. MultiCore looked at Moriah. She glanced away. MultiCore sighed.
"Found it!" Yelled Xiphos. He waved a cube in the air. Xiphos walked to the three others. When he joined the others, Kanade grabbed the cube from his hands and ran towards the Dragon cube wall.
This time Xiphos signed and followed her. After watching the display Moriah and MultiCore followed too.
Kanade hold out the three cubes to the wall. They slowly glowed up in order. But the wall remained as it was.
"And now?" Said Kanade. "I don't think it is working."
"I guess we need more of them." Said Xiphos.
"No, wait." Said Moriah. "I'm hearing something. It come from the wall."
"Or more like, from behind it." Said Xiphos, who was hearing something too now.
MultiCore amplified his hearing. -hmm, sounds like scratching and hacking in on stone.- Then MultiCore realized what it meant.
"Get away from the wall! Assume battle positions!" Roared MultiCore.
Xiphos pulled his sword upon hearing battle positions, but stood slightly dazed by MultiCore's outburst. Kanade and Moriah looked shocked too. "Move it! This is no time to be slow." He MultiCore pulled Xiphos backwards and walked to Moriah and Kanade to do the same.
"M-MultiCore. What's wrong? This is all so sudden." Asked Moriah. "Something bad." Said MultiCore. Now move it ladies!" He guided both girls with arms wide away from the wall.
Then the wall crumpled apart and collapsed with a loud noise."Kyaa" Both girls screamed from the sudden bang. Bits and pieces were flung around as they ricochet from the uneven ground.
MultiCore now almost embraced both girls to protect them from the ruble. Xiphos was far enough and had pulled out his shield too by now.
"What's happening!?" Said Kanade.
"Darkers!" Said MultiCore. "To have come this far already...."He scanned throughout the dust.
Out of the dust cloud flew some dark photon spikes. They hit MultiCore, but where either deflected by his angled armor or got stuck halfway in the armor's plate.
"pull back and regroup by that slope in the corner." Said MultiCore.
Xiphos, Moriah and Kanade did as they were told to. A hidden container in MultiCore's armor opened up. He grabbed cylindrical object from it and threw it into the dust cloud.
"Stun grenade!" A small flash was seen as the grenade exploded. -That should give us some time.- MultiCore joined the trainees at the slope.
"Seems like you will deal with them much faster than after graduation." Said MultiCore. "Okay everyone get in the following battle positions. Kanade and Xiphos you take....wait a minute."
MultiCore stopped mid-sentence.
"Change of plans. Xiphos take the lead. Treat me like I'm one of you and not your examiner. Let's add another examination component."
Kanade and Moriah looked at Xiphos. "Can he do that?" Asked Xiphos. Kanade shrugged.
"So. What's the plan?" Asked MultiCore,while he grabbed his rifle from his shoulder bay. He looked at Xiphos. "The grenades effect should start to diminish pretty soon."
Xiphos coughed. "Uhm. I think we should position ourselves somewhat higher here and asses their numbers first." Said Xiphos.
"That way, we can tell if we can defend against this Darker wave and counter attack or if we should retreat back into the tunnels. “Continued Xiphos.
”Fighting with a height advantage could certainly help." Confirmed Moriah. "You can hold the Darkers at distance with your shield. While Kanade and I attack those that run past you."
"Hmm." Said Xiphos. "But maybe you attack them from the sides while they focus on us. With your speed that shouldn't be a problem and MultiCore's rifle can take out some from a distance anyway."
Screeches could be heard from within the dust as it settled down.
"I guess the stun has worn off." Said Kanade. "Here they come!"
The first Darkers showed themselves. Four Dagan. Their big dark legs crawled over the ground. Pieces of rock chipped of when their legs touched the ground. They halted a meter away from the collapsed wall. They looked around, screeching when they located the group of ARKS.
"They are bigger than they look in the simulator lessons." Said Moriah. Behind the Dagans appeared three Krahda and one El Arda. The Krahdas scattered around and moved very nimble. The El Arda flew slowly above the Dagan. Its wings moved so fast, that they were hard to see.
The Dagan and the El Arda were the first to attack. The El Arda prepared to charge, it hovered still in the air.
"MultiCore, can you intercept the big one." Said Xiphos.
"Of course." Said MultiCore. He aimed his rifle and waited for the right moment. The El Arda looped in the air and made short dive before flying low over the ground. Its bladed arms held crossed in front.
Ready to unleash its attack and rip his enemy in half. The Darker closed the lost distance from the Dagans rapidly. When the El Arda almost flew over the Dagans, MultiCore said.
“Fire in the hole!" MultiCore fired his grenade launcher.
The shell hit the El Arda's back and exploded. The shockwave ripped of one of its wings and knocked the darker into the ground. The Dagan beneath the flying Darker got caught up in the blast too. It died instantly.
The force knocked it away, leaving only half a body on the ground. By now the remaining two Dagan reached Xiphos. The first Dagan raised a leg to stab at Xiphos. The second Dagan flanked Xiphos. This is where it met Kanade's katana. She cut the Darker. Causing it to screech.
Moriah flanked the Dagan and cut its hind legs before rushing to the half crippled El Arda. The three Krahda blocked Moriah's path towards the El Arda. MultiCore shot a few bursts towards them. Suppressing the tiny Darkers and killing one of them. With a gap in her blockade, Moriah ran between the two remaining Krahda.
One Darker recovered from the suppression and lunged towards Moriah.
It only grazed her thigh with its short reach and tiny claws. Due to the adrenaline Moriah didn't feel the cut and completely ignored it.
She reached the El Arda. Its attempts to fly with one wing, caused it to fall on its back. Moriah aimed to strike the exposed core on its belly. The Darker still made an attempt to defend itself, it swung its bladed arm at the ARKS girl. Moriah dodged it and attacked the Darker's core.
With two hands she stabbed her ninjato in the core. The Darker flung its arms and stabbed wildly around in the air with its needle. Moriah, who sat on the Darker was out of range of these poor and uncoordinated attempts.
She lend on blade, putting more pressure on it, which caused the blade to pierce even deeper and twisted the blade when it was on its deepest.
With the full blade of Moriah's weapon in the Darker's core, the El Arda slowly died. When it was dead, Moriah pulled out her weapon and swiftly whipped of the sweat on her forehead. MultiCore shot down another Krahda.
The burst of bullets ripped through its tiny limps severing them while other bullets pierced its head. Then MultiCore turned to help Xiphos and Kanade, trusting Moriah to kill the last Krahda.
Xiphos had blocked the Darker's first initiation. But he had some trouble dealing with Dagan. Even though the Darker's attacks where slow, were heavy and strong.
The Dagan's sharp pointy legs made that even more dangerous.
Xiphos' heavy armor made it hard for him to move freely and attack the Dagan's weak points.
It turned into a duel of stamina and the first mistakes to decide the outcome. Kanade had it easier. Her first strike and Moriah's flanking had damaged the Dagan good enough to limit its movement and power.
The Dagan used its sturdy carapace to its fullest and was completely on defense. Kanade's slashes were swift and clean.
It only took a Kanade moment to realize the Darkers weakness. She fainted a wide and long slash to its foremost leg. The Dagan fell for it and defended with a broad, but low angled stance.
Kanade shortened her swinging curve and redirected it to the opposite leg and stepped past the Darker's defenses.
The katana cut straight through the Darker's leg, just above the knee joint. Now with only three legs left the Dagan had no chance in moving and defending at the same time.
It did not take long before Kanade had stabbed the Darker's core with her katana, killing it.
At the same time Xiphos was still trading blows with the other Dagan. Until the Darker made a full body tackle, knocking Xiphos of his feet. As Xiphos hit the ground he instantly curled up and raised his shield. Being curled up, his shield protected more than just his torso.
The Dagan had no choice other than hack away on the shield. While it did, Xiphos made short stabs upwards hoping to make a good hit.
He didn't, but the Darker did. His shield got knocked out of his hand, leaving Xiphos wide open. The Darker followed up with a hack at his torso. Xiphos' armor protected him, but it cracked upon impact.
"Shit." Said Xiphos. The Dagan raised its leg again. Ready to give the ARKS boy the killing blow.
Kanade pulled out her katana of the dead Dagan. She looked around. She saw Moriah killing the last Krahda. In the distance she also saw the dead El Arda and other Krahda corpses. Kanade turned to Xiphos, expecting the same result.
But she saw Xiphos on the ground and the Dagan on top of him. When Xiphos' shield was knocked away, she broke out in a cold sweat.
She ran towards him. She saw the Dagan strike. She heard Xiphos grunt as the leg hit him.
"No!" Screamed Kanade.
As if one hit was not enough from her perspective, she saw the Dagan raised its leg again and brought it down.
"Nooooooo! Xiphos!"
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Originally Posted by AIDA
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