Quarry
Our three heroes stopped, and Ross tripped over a stick and landed right on Crimebot who in turn knocked over Zero Caspian.
Ross looked apologetic, but said nothing. His face sort of formed that ":s" emoticon no one ever uses because, really, how often does your mouth form an S?
After getting up and dusting themselves off, the three men looked over the nearby ridge, down at another camp, which had a large clearing in it. It looked like a small windstorm had just ravaged the clearing, and it confused Ross and Crimebot
Just then, a twig snapped behind Ross. Turning quickly, he grabbed a rifle's butt as it came down on his head. Slipping both feet onto his assailant's chest, he flipped him over his head and then somehow landed on his feet again. The man went flying over the cliff's edge, tumbling down to his death on the overly-jagged rocks below, firing madly from his assault rifle as he fell. A single bullet hit a giant gas tank that was sitting off to the side of the makeshift camp, which caused it to explode, engulfing the entire valley in flames.
The survivours of the explosion took what meagre cover they could and started firing up at the ridge. Ross immediately took command. "Zero, you're with me! Crimebot, you stay here and draw their fire and try to take them out with lasers and missles," he said in an authoritative voice which he had not used for a long time. Crimebot looked unhappy.
"Why do I have to draw their fire?" he said grumpily, his face contorting into what could only be called a sassy expression.
"Because your titanium shell is pretty much immune to their gunfire from this distance," Ross said hastily.
"Right, I keep forgetting," said Crimebot, who began immediately laying down covering fire.
Zero and Ross flanked out wide and charged down a smoother decline into the valley. "So, what's the plan," asked Zero skeptically.
"Ok, it's a little daring, but it should work," said Ross, which made Zero smile and look worried at the same time, the daringness of it flooding him with conflicting, nonsensical emotions. "We charge at that wall of fire, right there-" he continued, pointing at a massive wall of flame. "Then, you use your frost magic to put out enough of the fire to let us rush through! They'll never see it coming!"
Zero looked angry now, then a little sad, and said "But that'll take us right into their line of fire! We'll be mowed down!"
"But they won't be expecting it! Surprise is 95% of the battle! The other 5% is guts!" replied Ross.
"Fine! We'll use your awful plan!" said Zero, "But don't be surprised when we're dead!"
"That doesn't even make sense, how can I be surprised if I'm dead?" came Ross' retort.
"Don't be surprised right before we die, either, then, you jerk," said Zero, who then ran at the firewall, shooting a stream of ice magic from his hands.
Bursting through the half-opened pathway on fire, Ross and Zero took their enemies totally off guard. One was so scared he practically pooped his pants!! Another threw his rifle to the ground and tried to surrender before he was cut down by some fire from Ross' pistol. Another man who was firing his rifle was so caught off guard he lost control of his gun and shot two of his friends in the back, killing them both. The other three tried to run away, but just then a missle landed on their exact position and blew one guy to pieces and the other guy went flying at least fifty meters in opposite directions, and one of the guys landed on some jagged rocks.
Ross and Crimebot explored the city while Zero put out the flames. After an hour or so, Ross had collected the best assault rifle he could find and some ammo, but nothing else. Crimebot also came up empty. Zero Caspian returned to them, and when they told him they found nothing, Zero offered some advice. "The prescence of that fuel tank and this large clearing leads me to believe they may have landed a hoverchopper here," he explained, "And if that's the case, they're long gone by now. Our best bet would be to hit the nearest cities and ask around for chopper sitings. I know the way back to Darkwinternight, but I son't think we'll find much there: Darkwinternightians aren't very friendly to fancy strangers, and I don't think any of the locals own a chopper," he finished. Crimebot and Ross nodded, and they began to follow him once again.
The trip back to Darkwinternight was relatively smooth, and despite Zero Caspian's constant warnings about tengus, none bothered them on the way back. As they came upon the outskirts of the city, Ross began to wonder where this wild quest would lead. He had set out but weeks ago to find the mysterious artefact that his girifriend, the love of his life, had mentioned the last time he saw her before she was killed by some mysterious criminals. But in those short few weeks, he had travelled halfway around the world and now was heading back again. Alongside his trusty friend Crimebot, the only man he truly trusted, who had joined him at the outset of his journey those few weeks ago to find his purpose, it looked like he was destined to find trouble no matter where he went...
Ross looked apologetic, but said nothing. His face sort of formed that ":s" emoticon no one ever uses because, really, how often does your mouth form an S?
After getting up and dusting themselves off, the three men looked over the nearby ridge, down at another camp, which had a large clearing in it. It looked like a small windstorm had just ravaged the clearing, and it confused Ross and Crimebot
Just then, a twig snapped behind Ross. Turning quickly, he grabbed a rifle's butt as it came down on his head. Slipping both feet onto his assailant's chest, he flipped him over his head and then somehow landed on his feet again. The man went flying over the cliff's edge, tumbling down to his death on the overly-jagged rocks below, firing madly from his assault rifle as he fell. A single bullet hit a giant gas tank that was sitting off to the side of the makeshift camp, which caused it to explode, engulfing the entire valley in flames.
The survivours of the explosion took what meagre cover they could and started firing up at the ridge. Ross immediately took command. "Zero, you're with me! Crimebot, you stay here and draw their fire and try to take them out with lasers and missles," he said in an authoritative voice which he had not used for a long time. Crimebot looked unhappy.
"Why do I have to draw their fire?" he said grumpily, his face contorting into what could only be called a sassy expression.
"Because your titanium shell is pretty much immune to their gunfire from this distance," Ross said hastily.
"Right, I keep forgetting," said Crimebot, who began immediately laying down covering fire.
Zero and Ross flanked out wide and charged down a smoother decline into the valley. "So, what's the plan," asked Zero skeptically.
"Ok, it's a little daring, but it should work," said Ross, which made Zero smile and look worried at the same time, the daringness of it flooding him with conflicting, nonsensical emotions. "We charge at that wall of fire, right there-" he continued, pointing at a massive wall of flame. "Then, you use your frost magic to put out enough of the fire to let us rush through! They'll never see it coming!"
Zero looked angry now, then a little sad, and said "But that'll take us right into their line of fire! We'll be mowed down!"
"But they won't be expecting it! Surprise is 95% of the battle! The other 5% is guts!" replied Ross.
"Fine! We'll use your awful plan!" said Zero, "But don't be surprised when we're dead!"
"That doesn't even make sense, how can I be surprised if I'm dead?" came Ross' retort.
"Don't be surprised right before we die, either, then, you jerk," said Zero, who then ran at the firewall, shooting a stream of ice magic from his hands.
Bursting through the half-opened pathway on fire, Ross and Zero took their enemies totally off guard. One was so scared he practically pooped his pants!! Another threw his rifle to the ground and tried to surrender before he was cut down by some fire from Ross' pistol. Another man who was firing his rifle was so caught off guard he lost control of his gun and shot two of his friends in the back, killing them both. The other three tried to run away, but just then a missle landed on their exact position and blew one guy to pieces and the other guy went flying at least fifty meters in opposite directions, and one of the guys landed on some jagged rocks.
Ross and Crimebot explored the city while Zero put out the flames. After an hour or so, Ross had collected the best assault rifle he could find and some ammo, but nothing else. Crimebot also came up empty. Zero Caspian returned to them, and when they told him they found nothing, Zero offered some advice. "The prescence of that fuel tank and this large clearing leads me to believe they may have landed a hoverchopper here," he explained, "And if that's the case, they're long gone by now. Our best bet would be to hit the nearest cities and ask around for chopper sitings. I know the way back to Darkwinternight, but I son't think we'll find much there: Darkwinternightians aren't very friendly to fancy strangers, and I don't think any of the locals own a chopper," he finished. Crimebot and Ross nodded, and they began to follow him once again.
The trip back to Darkwinternight was relatively smooth, and despite Zero Caspian's constant warnings about tengus, none bothered them on the way back. As they came upon the outskirts of the city, Ross began to wonder where this wild quest would lead. He had set out but weeks ago to find the mysterious artefact that his girifriend, the love of his life, had mentioned the last time he saw her before she was killed by some mysterious criminals. But in those short few weeks, he had travelled halfway around the world and now was heading back again. Alongside his trusty friend Crimebot, the only man he truly trusted, who had joined him at the outset of his journey those few weeks ago to find his purpose, it looked like he was destined to find trouble no matter where he went...
posted by Andrew Spittal at 1:08 AM
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