Flesh Wounds

Chapter Nineteen "Mettle Within"

Nick Pov

5000 ran ahead, being stormed with enough plasma to destroy that warthog in seconds. Luckily he is not the same size as one or he'd be soaking up a lot more damage. I was slinking in behind, much smaller of a target but much more in danger without a helmet.

Shields holding, 5000 unleashes two blades worth of plasma from his hands. He makes the first charge into battle and I jump up, kicking off of the barrier, following suit. Landing on the first enemy to smash the grunt into the ground with my weight, then rolling with the momentum to swiftly turn to another. 

I have decided since 5000 would be using deadlier weapons I would focus on smaller targets momentarily.

 I filled the unggoy with copious amounts of lead and leave him dead within a second. Just as quickly as I began firing I had poised as a threat, firing back was my whole half of the holdoff. I sidestep and then hastily lunge into the closest enemy; an unlucky jackal takes my full weight and force onto them. Merely shoved to the ground I unload the SMG into their skull from aside.

With speed as I recover I nimbly grip their weapon and place it upon my back, a needler for when things get hectic as if the situation wasn't already.

My shields take only a few hits from pistols of plasma, but the damage compared to my fragmenting suit is immense and my shield is ruined. Sensing I'm in danger something awakens within me, once again I had not felt this dangerous except for when I thought I would die on.. 'Right, side tracked.'

I feel my senses take hold, my real training asists me to get through this. Hearing the approaching enemy I swing a solid fist to my left, catching the grunt by the head and blunting him to the ground.

I focus on my breath as one elite slips by 5000, running my direction. I pull the trigger, feeling the recoil and I compensate as they only get closer. Suddenly for the first time since my augmentation I feel the real effects; None of the plasma seemed to hit me anymore.

The elite lunged forward, a motion intending to grapple, and I fell flat to my back hearing the final rounds being chambered and shot out. As my weapon ran out and the elite flew just above me I used my legs to further launch him past me.

We both stand and I draw my needler, firing what seemed few in number but the small impacts broke into the shield of the elite, causing an explosive result. Supercombining the elite into their death.

Falling in front of me was their storm rifle. I took the weapon in replacement of having nothing left and searched for everyone else.

Suddenly the warthog nearly runs me over as it swerved by with all the personnel riding it. Though there's no turret the sheer concentrated gunfire was ripping through the covenant resistance. 5000 was just ahead with his swords both flashing, the amount of aliens he had cut down was disturbing. He was glowing red from the armor overclocking and followed by a trail of bodies.

The final push was commencing, we'd make it out at this rate. I pushed as hard as my legs would take me, though they were trying to give up I refused. I couldn't feel a thing but my own weakness growing, finally the crash was catching up. Something I didn't need now.

34 Pov

The feeling of recoil as I held the trigger was destroying my arm. Through pained vision I still managed to see my targets, most of my shots hitting but with the combined efforts of the marines we were making an impact.

With the sight of the large ship in my vision, I grit my teeth and threw in my last magazine and fired. If I let the pain stop me, I might never get off this forsaken hell hole.