Survivors of Alterna: Final Run

Chapter 24: New Powers, New Plan

With Akikta gaining newfound power, hope was restored to the once desolate situation.

He wasted no time in testing out what his arm could do... To say the results were satisfactory would be a lie.

His arm constantly shifted back and forth between a liquid and solid state with little conscious effort, so he didn't have to worry about his attacks harmlessly passing through a threat. And yes, it could take the form of any weapon he imagined, but it wasn't as good as it sounded on paper.

Ranged weapons were a no-go, since every time he turned his arm into a gun, the projectiles came out as a stream of liquid. It was like firing a water gun, and whenever he shot, he felt himself losing strength.

So basically, he was limited to melee weapons.

Akikta was disappointed in his capabilities since he expected to do things on the same level as Subject 7. Then again, it wasn't all bad. The parasites were gone, he felt better than ever, and he finally had a viable way to fight back.

Besides, he only just got this power. Maybe it'd be like those movies where the hero grows stronger and unlocks more skills as time passes. At least, that's what he hoped.

"Now then." He faced the others. "How are we gonna do this?"

"What do you mean?" Callie questioned.

"I mean, how are we gonna save Marie and Inka?"

Marina turned to Akikta. "You're still on about that?"

"You damn skippy I am!" He extended his arms out to either side of him. "Look at me! I'm fine. Better than fine, actually! I'm no longer a hindrance to you guys. I can help fight!"

"You might be doing better, but look around," Marina pointed out.

While Akikta was back at full strength, the others were still battered and weakened from their previous fights. "Ok. Fair point. But come on! They're somewhere in this very tower right now! We have to save them."

"And how do you expect we do that? We don't have the numbers or the firepower to fight through those salmonid hordes. Three of us don't even have weapons!"

"We won't need 'em." Akikta's black arm changed into a mace. "I'll be your weapon!"

Marina squinted. "I don't mean any disrespect when I say this, Aki, but do you even know how to fight?"

The mace shifted back into an arm. "I beat Eight twice, didn't I?"

Marina shook her head. "First of all, Nakji helped you the first time. Second of all, she wasn't trying to hurt you. Trust me, if Eight wanted you dead, you would've already been."

Ouch, Akikta knew Marina was only speaking the truth, but it still stung.

"Besides..." Marina sighed. "Eosalmo is most likely guarding those two right now. We barely held our own against him, and that was when all of us fought together. Even with your new abilities, I don't think the five of us will come close to beating him."

Ricky moved forward. "Actually, the usurper has vacated the premises."

"What? Why?" Akikta said, baffled.

"I do not know. He stormed off angrily, leaving Clod to guard them."

"Who's Clod?"

"His strategic lieutenant."

"And he's the only one guarding them?"

"As far as I know."

"What happened to his children? Wouldn't he be sticking them on guard duty?"