Atreas
May 3, 2004, 09:33 PM
Note: Here's the link to the main thread:
http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=81663&forum=12&1
-Chapter 2-
The Hunter's saber cut through the Booma with ridged, grim accuracy. Kyan Tilak watched the young Hunter as he turned, dodging a swipe from the forest native and struck again. Just as he landed the second blow, two green bullets slammed into the creature's shoulder. Green blood gushed from the wounds and the Booma roared discontent. It struck again, the Hunter moved to evade.
In the distance, several paces from the heat of the battle, a young female Force whipped her hand in a large circle. "Foie!" she yelled. Instinctively the Hunter dove across the ground, rolling on his shoulder and coming up to face the Booma. Fire flashed through the air and took the beast in its back. It screamed a final time and fell, blood leaking from open gashes, back charred from the Foie blast.
The teams were still together in the second room of the forest. Alkian was yet to split them up. Two more Boomas appeared and were taken down instantly. Then the true test began. A pack of Barbados Wolves leapt from the bushes followed closely by a trio of Boomas. The hum of weapons pulsed through the air and the sharp pecking of bullets against flesh echoed through the forest. Finally the monsters fell.
"Gather," said Alkian, motioning the groups to him. They gathered in the middle of the room and waited. When they were silent, he gave instruction. "Now then," he turned toward the first ivory gate blocking the way to the next room. Pointing, he selected a group, "You three head that way." Selecting the second group, he pointed to the other gate. "You will go that way," he instructed.
"Right!" said a young ranger, and ran off toward the door. His companions followed, yelling for him to wait.
Alkian yelled to the trio, "Remember to work together. If you need help, yell!" He waited until the other group departed before giving instruction to his own unit. "As for us?" he said with a twinkle in his eye, "We're going this way," Alkian said, motioning them forward. Whereas the other students had taken the great ivory doors built by the engineers aboard Pioneer 1, Alkian led them up a small incline and into a forest path.
Kyan started to follow, but decided it best to wait. He trusted Alkian and knew the Hunter would not lead them wrong. In the meantime, he walked through the far door, following the first group Alkian had assigned.
The room was quite large, one of the largest on the first level of the forest. The shallow river to his right, current rushing toward him before bending off into another portion of the woodland held a number of valuable items if one looked closely. He would direct the group to inspect it after they finished off the enemies.
No enemies other than Booma and Wolves had revealed themselves as of yet and they were quickly dispatched. Kyan watched them with an appreciative eye, the Forces blasting away with their Foie techniques and the Rangers blasting the Boomas as the Hunters sliced them with their sabers. The teamwork was flawless and the enemies were quickly dispatched. The group saw him watching and the lead man, a young Hunter, called back to him.
"How did we fair, Instructor?"
"Fine!" Kyan yelled back. "You're coming along nicely, but come here."
The group walked over to him, the Force arriving first and snapping sparks between her fingers playfully. Kyan began his instruction.
"When you clear a room, check the ground for weapons and dropped items. Often times your enemies will have something you might need. Also check your surroundings for unusual items. For instance," he squatted and submerged his hand into the shallow river, turning away the small pebbles and stones in his path. His fingers brushed something hard and with a tug, he pulled out a long rod. The Hunter gasped. Kyan held a full-length Partisan in his hand. Tapping a small button on the side of the weapon, the green blade of energy crackled to life. He smiled at his accomplishment and handed the weapon to the open-mouthed Hunter.
"This weapon was dropped by someone from Pioneer 1," he said. "It's not retractable like our second generation Partisans."
"Wow!" exclaimed the Hunter, swinging the blade in his hand. "It's that old?"
Kyan laughed, "Indeed it is."
Nearby, a cluster of leaves rustled. Kyan noted it but continued talking. He heard a threatening grunt but the other Hunters, captivated in his tale, did not. A maroon foot glimpsed between the trees and the rustling of the trees became slightly louder. The training group discarded it as a passing wind. Kyan, however, glanced up. He knew instantly what it was. Only one maroon-footed beast that tall would walk this forest.
Panic whispered through him as he continued to hold the attention of the group. What is a Hildebear doing here? He asked the question in his mind, camouflaging his alarm behind a smile as the Ranger before him made a joke. It should be deeper in the wood. Kyan suddenly thought of the other groups?especially Alkian?s. He had led his group on an uncharted path through the forest.
It was the Force that first noticed the large Hildebear behind them. She screamed and ducked, pointing to the lumbering giant before them. The monster was no fool. Sensing its discovery, it jumped into the room, easily clearing the river and landing near the far wall. It screamed a battle cry and began to trudge toward them. Kyan turned swiftly, the Demolition Comet hooked at his belt suddenly in his hand. The weapon extended, hundreds of tiny shards of light sparking to life at the ends of the gray metal. Suspending themselves in the air, the splinters of velvet light hummed ominously. Kyan stepped forward to meet the foe. As he did so, three additional Hildebears jumped to meet their friend. A cool smiled crossed Kyan?s face. His surprise had withered away and the lust of battle took him.
"Get out of here!" he yelled to the three students behind him. "Go find the other group and stick together. If they are attacked in this way, you will need all the support you can get. Remember your training and stick together. I will try to join you in a bit."
"Aye, Instructor," the Hunter said, deactivating the Partisan blade. Together they ran through the great ivory doors and into the previous room. No sooner had they left than Kyan heard a scream echo through the forest. It was distant, and he knew instantly that the second group must have been ambushed as well. Where was Alkian? The question hit him like a brick?and was answered as another Hildebear jumped clear of the forest, Alkian following it with a saber close at hand. The two students with him followed, faces pale as moonlight.
"Find the other group," Kyan ordered. "They are under heavy attack. There are six of them...plus you three with make nine. The entire group should be accounted for."
Alkian said nothing but the doors behind Kyan slid open and he knew the orders were being executed. At the last minute, he added, "Take them to the Transporter and get them out of here! Something's wrong!"
No answer followed his request, but Kyan's mind gained instant focused on the battle as the words left his lips. Nothing mattered now except his survival. Five Hildebears stood before him now, grunting and beating their chest. The first one, finished with his warning, walked forward, preparing to attack. Its companions watched with eager curiosity. Lifting a large fist, the Hildebear drew down upon him and dropped its hand like a hammer. Kyan sidestepped the blow as it crashed into the ground and hammered the beast's ribs with the Comet. Green and red blood spewed through thousands of sudden gashes as he whipped the double-bladed weapon around and struck the beast in another volley. When he finished his combo, the Hildebear, though standing, was momentarily stunned from the barrage of power.
Unwilling to let the beast recover, Kyan slammed his Comet hard into the ground and propelled himself upward, landing a hard blow on the Hildebear?s small chin. Its neck snapped up and cracked. Kyan twisted with the impact landing and ready to continue. The Hildebear wavered a moment, teetered to both sides wavering slightly...and topped over with a final grunt. Its companions sensed the loss and banded together. Kyan knew he would be fighting more than one Hildebear in the next round. He also knew the fight must end hastily. His students needed his help.
"Come on!" challenged Kyan as three new Hildebears jumped in. Wasting no time, Kyan spun the Comet and rammed it deep into the muscular stomach of the first Hildebear. The sound ripping flesh met his ears and the beast staggered back before collapsing, its stomach skewered with a hundred small holes.
Before he could turn, a Hildebear jumped behind him, swinging its fist hard against his back. Kyan topped forward with the pain and rolled across the ground, recovering from the blow. Angry now, he spun the Comet and rushed forward, laying the splinters of velvet light into the beast on every part of its body. When at last it fell, the blue of its body was streaked with green trickles and open wounds. Two more remained.
Kyan sheathed the Comet and pulled free the Durendal. The yellow blade flickered to life and he took the hilt in both hands. The first beast rushed him only to be struck with seven deep lashes across its back. It screamed once before Kyan jumped and cleaved a scar from its shoulder blades down to the small of its back. "Blasted fiend! Die!" yelled Kyan. And the beast did, topping over an ally and crashing to the ground.
The final Hildebear came at him. Kyan wasted no time, finishing the beast with a clean stab of his blade in and out of the heart of the beast. When it fell, nothing more than a small puncture in its chest showed signs of injury. Kyan sheathed the blade and ran from the room. As he rushed through the ivory doors, he heard screams and curses and yelling. Six students topped through the other door flowed closely by Alkian. His movements were defensive. Kyan instantly saw why. Another Hildebear was beating its way toward the group and he was the only man standing in the way.
Kyan whipped out the thin rod of the Gungir and activated the blade. He ran toward Alkian ducking low on his approached. As the beast swung a mighty fist, Kyan jumped, the Gungir high over his head and slammed it hard against the Hildebear's arm. It sliced through with a clean cut. Alkian finished the job with a bit of quick hacking.
Without waiting for an explanation, Kyan demanded, "Where are the other two?"
Alkian's answer was hesitant, "They're--They didn't make it."
"Are you saying they're dead?" He did not wait for the answer, "Like hell they're dead!" he yelled. "Get them into that Transporter. I'll bring along the others."
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Atreas on 2004-05-04 03:00 ]</font>
http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=81663&forum=12&1
-Chapter 2-
The Hunter's saber cut through the Booma with ridged, grim accuracy. Kyan Tilak watched the young Hunter as he turned, dodging a swipe from the forest native and struck again. Just as he landed the second blow, two green bullets slammed into the creature's shoulder. Green blood gushed from the wounds and the Booma roared discontent. It struck again, the Hunter moved to evade.
In the distance, several paces from the heat of the battle, a young female Force whipped her hand in a large circle. "Foie!" she yelled. Instinctively the Hunter dove across the ground, rolling on his shoulder and coming up to face the Booma. Fire flashed through the air and took the beast in its back. It screamed a final time and fell, blood leaking from open gashes, back charred from the Foie blast.
The teams were still together in the second room of the forest. Alkian was yet to split them up. Two more Boomas appeared and were taken down instantly. Then the true test began. A pack of Barbados Wolves leapt from the bushes followed closely by a trio of Boomas. The hum of weapons pulsed through the air and the sharp pecking of bullets against flesh echoed through the forest. Finally the monsters fell.
"Gather," said Alkian, motioning the groups to him. They gathered in the middle of the room and waited. When they were silent, he gave instruction. "Now then," he turned toward the first ivory gate blocking the way to the next room. Pointing, he selected a group, "You three head that way." Selecting the second group, he pointed to the other gate. "You will go that way," he instructed.
"Right!" said a young ranger, and ran off toward the door. His companions followed, yelling for him to wait.
Alkian yelled to the trio, "Remember to work together. If you need help, yell!" He waited until the other group departed before giving instruction to his own unit. "As for us?" he said with a twinkle in his eye, "We're going this way," Alkian said, motioning them forward. Whereas the other students had taken the great ivory doors built by the engineers aboard Pioneer 1, Alkian led them up a small incline and into a forest path.
Kyan started to follow, but decided it best to wait. He trusted Alkian and knew the Hunter would not lead them wrong. In the meantime, he walked through the far door, following the first group Alkian had assigned.
The room was quite large, one of the largest on the first level of the forest. The shallow river to his right, current rushing toward him before bending off into another portion of the woodland held a number of valuable items if one looked closely. He would direct the group to inspect it after they finished off the enemies.
No enemies other than Booma and Wolves had revealed themselves as of yet and they were quickly dispatched. Kyan watched them with an appreciative eye, the Forces blasting away with their Foie techniques and the Rangers blasting the Boomas as the Hunters sliced them with their sabers. The teamwork was flawless and the enemies were quickly dispatched. The group saw him watching and the lead man, a young Hunter, called back to him.
"How did we fair, Instructor?"
"Fine!" Kyan yelled back. "You're coming along nicely, but come here."
The group walked over to him, the Force arriving first and snapping sparks between her fingers playfully. Kyan began his instruction.
"When you clear a room, check the ground for weapons and dropped items. Often times your enemies will have something you might need. Also check your surroundings for unusual items. For instance," he squatted and submerged his hand into the shallow river, turning away the small pebbles and stones in his path. His fingers brushed something hard and with a tug, he pulled out a long rod. The Hunter gasped. Kyan held a full-length Partisan in his hand. Tapping a small button on the side of the weapon, the green blade of energy crackled to life. He smiled at his accomplishment and handed the weapon to the open-mouthed Hunter.
"This weapon was dropped by someone from Pioneer 1," he said. "It's not retractable like our second generation Partisans."
"Wow!" exclaimed the Hunter, swinging the blade in his hand. "It's that old?"
Kyan laughed, "Indeed it is."
Nearby, a cluster of leaves rustled. Kyan noted it but continued talking. He heard a threatening grunt but the other Hunters, captivated in his tale, did not. A maroon foot glimpsed between the trees and the rustling of the trees became slightly louder. The training group discarded it as a passing wind. Kyan, however, glanced up. He knew instantly what it was. Only one maroon-footed beast that tall would walk this forest.
Panic whispered through him as he continued to hold the attention of the group. What is a Hildebear doing here? He asked the question in his mind, camouflaging his alarm behind a smile as the Ranger before him made a joke. It should be deeper in the wood. Kyan suddenly thought of the other groups?especially Alkian?s. He had led his group on an uncharted path through the forest.
It was the Force that first noticed the large Hildebear behind them. She screamed and ducked, pointing to the lumbering giant before them. The monster was no fool. Sensing its discovery, it jumped into the room, easily clearing the river and landing near the far wall. It screamed a battle cry and began to trudge toward them. Kyan turned swiftly, the Demolition Comet hooked at his belt suddenly in his hand. The weapon extended, hundreds of tiny shards of light sparking to life at the ends of the gray metal. Suspending themselves in the air, the splinters of velvet light hummed ominously. Kyan stepped forward to meet the foe. As he did so, three additional Hildebears jumped to meet their friend. A cool smiled crossed Kyan?s face. His surprise had withered away and the lust of battle took him.
"Get out of here!" he yelled to the three students behind him. "Go find the other group and stick together. If they are attacked in this way, you will need all the support you can get. Remember your training and stick together. I will try to join you in a bit."
"Aye, Instructor," the Hunter said, deactivating the Partisan blade. Together they ran through the great ivory doors and into the previous room. No sooner had they left than Kyan heard a scream echo through the forest. It was distant, and he knew instantly that the second group must have been ambushed as well. Where was Alkian? The question hit him like a brick?and was answered as another Hildebear jumped clear of the forest, Alkian following it with a saber close at hand. The two students with him followed, faces pale as moonlight.
"Find the other group," Kyan ordered. "They are under heavy attack. There are six of them...plus you three with make nine. The entire group should be accounted for."
Alkian said nothing but the doors behind Kyan slid open and he knew the orders were being executed. At the last minute, he added, "Take them to the Transporter and get them out of here! Something's wrong!"
No answer followed his request, but Kyan's mind gained instant focused on the battle as the words left his lips. Nothing mattered now except his survival. Five Hildebears stood before him now, grunting and beating their chest. The first one, finished with his warning, walked forward, preparing to attack. Its companions watched with eager curiosity. Lifting a large fist, the Hildebear drew down upon him and dropped its hand like a hammer. Kyan sidestepped the blow as it crashed into the ground and hammered the beast's ribs with the Comet. Green and red blood spewed through thousands of sudden gashes as he whipped the double-bladed weapon around and struck the beast in another volley. When he finished his combo, the Hildebear, though standing, was momentarily stunned from the barrage of power.
Unwilling to let the beast recover, Kyan slammed his Comet hard into the ground and propelled himself upward, landing a hard blow on the Hildebear?s small chin. Its neck snapped up and cracked. Kyan twisted with the impact landing and ready to continue. The Hildebear wavered a moment, teetered to both sides wavering slightly...and topped over with a final grunt. Its companions sensed the loss and banded together. Kyan knew he would be fighting more than one Hildebear in the next round. He also knew the fight must end hastily. His students needed his help.
"Come on!" challenged Kyan as three new Hildebears jumped in. Wasting no time, Kyan spun the Comet and rammed it deep into the muscular stomach of the first Hildebear. The sound ripping flesh met his ears and the beast staggered back before collapsing, its stomach skewered with a hundred small holes.
Before he could turn, a Hildebear jumped behind him, swinging its fist hard against his back. Kyan topped forward with the pain and rolled across the ground, recovering from the blow. Angry now, he spun the Comet and rushed forward, laying the splinters of velvet light into the beast on every part of its body. When at last it fell, the blue of its body was streaked with green trickles and open wounds. Two more remained.
Kyan sheathed the Comet and pulled free the Durendal. The yellow blade flickered to life and he took the hilt in both hands. The first beast rushed him only to be struck with seven deep lashes across its back. It screamed once before Kyan jumped and cleaved a scar from its shoulder blades down to the small of its back. "Blasted fiend! Die!" yelled Kyan. And the beast did, topping over an ally and crashing to the ground.
The final Hildebear came at him. Kyan wasted no time, finishing the beast with a clean stab of his blade in and out of the heart of the beast. When it fell, nothing more than a small puncture in its chest showed signs of injury. Kyan sheathed the blade and ran from the room. As he rushed through the ivory doors, he heard screams and curses and yelling. Six students topped through the other door flowed closely by Alkian. His movements were defensive. Kyan instantly saw why. Another Hildebear was beating its way toward the group and he was the only man standing in the way.
Kyan whipped out the thin rod of the Gungir and activated the blade. He ran toward Alkian ducking low on his approached. As the beast swung a mighty fist, Kyan jumped, the Gungir high over his head and slammed it hard against the Hildebear's arm. It sliced through with a clean cut. Alkian finished the job with a bit of quick hacking.
Without waiting for an explanation, Kyan demanded, "Where are the other two?"
Alkian's answer was hesitant, "They're--They didn't make it."
"Are you saying they're dead?" He did not wait for the answer, "Like hell they're dead!" he yelled. "Get them into that Transporter. I'll bring along the others."
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Atreas on 2004-05-04 03:00 ]</font>