The Last Elite (Book One).

Chapter 1: Survival

Run, faster, you can't let them catch you, don't stop. A million thoughts ran through my mind as I sliced through the forest at full speed. I slid behind a tree slightly winded, my heart beating as if it was trying to escape my chest and run away. I quickly flicked my wrists and both my daggers shot into my hands. the black blade melted into the darkness that engulfed me only the red striped was visible, in times like these I always cursed having the stripe on these daggers and prayed that they wouldn't see the color from a mile away and find me before I could formulate a plan to survive. My hands, which had the daggers in a grip of steel. Seemed to shake slightly from all the adrenaline and worry that coursed through me making my senses heighten to where I could hear the slightest movement in the brush.

In the dark, a normal person wouldn't have been able to see. But to an elite a Raknash was ten feet and closing fast. I waited for a few seconds getting ready to strike, and then I pushed off from the tree launching myself. Quickly I spun around facing what was behind me and swinging my blade in a wide arch. I heard a muffled gurgle as my blade went through the Raknashs' neck, ripping through the flesh and scales like it was nothing then hooking him and yanking him with me like he was on a meat hook in a butcher shop.

As my feet touched the ground I slashed down with my dagger and the dead Raknash fell on the ground with a loud thud. Slowly I took out my blade that was now covered in Raknash blood, which was a green color and felt like slime. I cleaned off my blade and put them back in my gauntlets. I then dashed back into the night dodging bushes, trees, and roots when they blocked my path. As I ran past all the brush and trees, I spotted an abandoned elite outpost looming silently in the darkness.

I quickly changed course and ran into the building. I looked around and in a few short minutes found the outposts armory. Claymore's and landmines filled the armory, I grabbed all the Claymore's and ran back outside. I set the Claymore's so they covered all the entrances to the outpost and made a perimeter with the rest that had been laid out long before this night came to pass. After setting all the Claymore's I ran back into the armory and grabbed all the landmines.

As I got back outside, I could hear the Raknash in the distance, I figured I had about ten minutes before they got to the outpost. It took me about three minutes to cover the rest of the perimeter with the landmines. After that I ran back into the outpost and dimmed my visor light so the Raknash couldn't see me. Even though I had dimmed my visor lights I could still see perfectly, my suit was one of five made with visor light settings. They only went to the elite of the elite's and I was lucky enough to have one. When you toggle the light settings, it shows you a bar and a diagram of how dimness will look coming out of your visor and then toggle number is there so those of us elites that have these settings can memorize the number and just go to it more fluidly during appropriate situations. I got the light to where I wanted it, I waited for them to come, I wasn't going to die here or ever for that matter. As the night dragged on, I listened and waited for any sign that the Raknash had found the outpost but none came. as midnight cam I was jerked awake by the Claymore's going off one after another. I quickly scolded myself in my mind for having fallen asleep and leaving myself open to a potential ambush. "This is what brought the downfall of the others Maximus, Complacency" I gritted in my mind.

As the Raknash came out of the darkness they were met by the explosions of my traps. I don't know how many Raknash died trying to get to the outpost but three of the last managed to get in after the others set off all my traps. Their species was known for not caring about strategy and just threw bodies at the enemy until some broke through or they ran out of soldiers to throw at them. The soldiers never questioned the leadership and seemed eager to do such things and die my only guess would be honorably. As I backed away from where I was watching I flicked my wrists and gripped my daggers again, the fun was about to begin.

I began to silently stalk the halls of the outpost, like a ghost wandering around trying to cross over to the other side. I slithered from room to room making sure they were clear of Raknash. As I entered the mess hall, I saw two of the Raknash rummaging through the M.R.E.s that were left behind. The perfect opportunity was there in front of me, I silently stepped into the room and stalked towards the Raknash who were completely oblivious to me sneaking up on them. I got within five feet of my targets when I was launched to the side and almost through a wall.

The third Raknash had seen me enter the mess hall to butcher his comrades. So, he decided to sneak up behind me without my knowledge and swung his massive tail right into my ribs with enough force to dent a steel wall which now had my body imprinted on it. The other two Raknash spun around surprised and enraged by the dishonor I would have caused them. They drew their long cutlass like swords and quickly surrounded me, eager to kill the last elite. My daggers lay a few feet away just behind the three advancing Raknash.

I slowly got to my feet and turned my visor light up, no need for stealth now. "So, came to finally wipe out the last elite?" I chuckled.

"Let's just say you won't be seeing tomorrow human" the first Raknash growled.

"We shall see about that" I countered as I sprang forward slamming my fist into the first Raknashs' jaw sending him reeling across the room and over some tables that overturned with a loud crash. Quickly I turned to face the others and barely had enough time to dodge the cutlass that swung at me. I dodged another swing and slid next to the third Raknash who had been looking through the M.R.E.s and punched him in the throat. As he doubled over, I jammed my knee into his stomach and then snapped his neck in one vicious jerk. As he dropped to the ground in a lifeless slump, I felt the fist of the second Raknash who had been looking through things with his comrade I just killed, connect to my shoulder denting in my armor and launch me into another wall. Which now had yet, another dent in it. As I picked myself up, I noticed the first one regaining consciousness from the sucker punch to his jaw and starting to get up behind the overturned tables I had launched him over.

I quickly sprang into action at that moment locating the Second Raknash who was now charging me obviously thinking he had the upper hand since he had dented my armor and launched me into yet another wall. I ran straight for him at full speed and at the last moment before we collided, I dropped into a slide and slid right between his legs. I slid right past my daggers and I picked them up in one fluid movement as I passed by. Then I pushed myself up against the wall opposite from where I had come from. Used my legs as a spring and shot myself back at the Raknash. As I slid by him again before he could regain his composure and turn to swing at me, I slashed at his ankles with my daggers. He roared in pain as the deep cuts began to immediately swell with the green slime like blood. He fell to his knees repeatedly trying to get up but couldn't. When I stopped sliding, I rolled onto my feet and eyed the first Raknash that by now had staggered to his feet and glared at me maliciously. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed one of his comrade's dead and the other about to die.

"So close yet so far, I won't be dying today" I said putting one of my daggers back in its appropriate gauntlet. But as for you all, I shall show you no mercy" I hissed as I marched over to his bleeding comrade turned him to face the first Raknash punched him in the face pulling his head back exposing his throat and slowly dragged my dagger across his neck making a curved line where the blade cut through his skin and jugular vein. Blood gushed from the wounds and the Raknash made a gurgling sound as he choked to death. I held him there making his comrade watch every second of it, as soon as his eyes rolled back into his head, I let his body drop dead to the floor twitching still from nerves in the brain firing off from blood loss.

"Human, you will pay for this, I'm going to kill you!" the Raknash roared as he sprang from the wall dropping his cutlass and drawing a long-curved dagger. He slashed at me and I ducked under it slashing his ribs open with ease. He winced and slashed for my throat, I side stepped the blade and ripped his shoulder open. Finally, I sent him into a blind rage and he lunged straight for my chest I dropped to my knee and grabbed his arm throwing it up and tearing his throat wide open. He sank to his knees and I kneeled next to him and looked him in his eyes and watched the life fade from them as he choked on his own blood. Soon his lifeless body fell back with a dull thump and his green blood pooled around him.

I cleaned off my dagger and went into the repair room and took off my helmet and armor. As I ran my fingers through my black hair that now fell into small curls on my head. I felt my chin which now began to sprout a little bit of stubble, "I have let myself go haven't I. Hopefully they have shaving kit around here somewhere" I said to myself as I looked for repair tools to fix my armor.