Trident Trials: The War for Eden

-4-

AJAX

I could only feel the ground beneath me as I began charging towards the first set of soldiers that I could see. The order of which we were attacking wasn't terribly important, the goal right now was to clear out as many of the soldiers as we could. I could see the other soldiers with me following closely behind me. Guns immediately started going off as soon as we were in range of our attackers.

I approached the first soldier at a dead sprint and pulled my umuri over my head and slashed with all my might. I watched as the first soldier split in half sizzling from both edges where I made the cut. I swung too hard and found my blade several inches deep in the ground. Never having used one of these before I wasn't sure the force that was required to do damage, now I knew it wasn't going to take very much.

Another soldier approached my back and I turned and swung at him, cutting him off at the feet. A cry escaped his throat before I slashed again and took off his head. These weapons were much more powerful than I imagined that they were. Not only that, but the damage that it was inflicting was devastating and a little horrifying.

I turned to see my soldiers taking cover behind a rock that was located very near where I was. At first, I wasn't sure what they were taking cover from, but then I saw the Hydra quickly approaching them. I quickly pressed the button on my weapon to turn it into the whiplike form and began charging at the Hydra. This Hydra's rider had been knocked off and killed already, so I didn't have to worry about both problems at once.

As I approached the front of the Hydra it flapped its wings and inhaled suddenly. I knew what was coming and didn't have anywhere to go. Not knowing what else to do I pulled the whip back and whipped it directly at the Hydras open mouth. With a thunderous boom the whip cracked and let loose a spark that ignited the fire within the Hydra and caused it to glow with the heat of the fire inside of it.

I pulled with whip back again and threw it around the Hydra's neck. After successfully whipping it into place I gave a tug and pulled the Hydra to the ground. The umuri wasn't cutting through the Hydra like it was the soldiers, but I expected that given that they had so much outer protection. It was leaving a singe mark on the neck of the Hydra that I had a hold of, though. It was also successfully keeping it in place, which was extremely helpful.

I turned to see my soldiers charging with weapons raised. "Stop! We need to have at least one alive to study!" My soldiers responded immediately and instead of coming to kill the beast went to work gathering supplies to tie it up and help keep it captive. The first Hydra that I was fighting, and it was one that would be kept for research, that's not a bad way to start out. I watched them finish wrapping it up and then continue to fight.

As I turned to keep pushing forward, I saw a Hydra just outside the barrier firing an electric bolt from its mouth at the barrier. The barrier was glowing and pulsing in response to it. I turned to one of the designated messengers and pointed out the Hydra to him. He immediately began running back down to the bunker to inform them. My hope is that they will find a way to send some of the energy back to it before any serious damage can be sustained.

I raised my umuri once again and began moving forward. My soldiers followed right behind me, creating a protective circle around the front and back of me, picking off incoming enemies from afar as best as they could. A soldier or two would make it through their lines and they would shove him directly at me where I could cut them down quickly and keep moving. Some of the other leaders saw our formation and started to mimic the strategy.

Soon looking around the battlefield you could see orbs of Eden members pushing our way to the gates. I knew once we were there, we would have two choices. We could either set up defenses on the ground that was mostly scorched and regroup, or we could ask the technical department to lower the shield and push them further back to establish a better ground, and eventually more control. A big part of me didn't want to see more people perish but knew that we needed that extra distance to operate the way we want to.