Bite Sized Story's Chronicles

#75 The Last Hope

"It's a simple scout, like us", he said pulling his Havoc glaive from the creature's head. Copper Ichor spilled from its dark black chitin-covered body onto the cold stone floor. "Take the meat, we won't have a supply forever".

His group of armored giants moved through another tunnel after it was not long after it was carved. Slithering past a corner he checked for any movement with his hyperactive eyes. Nothing, they could continue.

"Are these tunnels getting smaller or larger?" A Slimir voxinian asked behind him. Analyzing from one rock to another he was alert.

"It's hard to tell but this one is opening up," he responded then held his glaive in front of his soldiers. "Movement up ahead".

The pitter-patter of dense armored appendages hitting the rock floor below them echoed past them.

"Sir, from behind too!" He checked over his shoulder at the space afforded to them and if they'd be able to set up a wall.

"Hmm, if you can handle behind us, I'll handle in front of us," he told his soldiers.

Soon enough Interex leaped toward him and were sliced down the middle regardless of their armor. The sound of wet meat and heavy metals hit the floor at the same time.

In a whirlwind, he dashed forward with a lunge striking down another then slashing back at another. Twisting between his fingers a weapon sharp enough and hot enough to slice through solid metal chopped limbs of hungry insects.

Behind him, he could hear the clash of metal and armor. They were handpicked for this, he'd have to trust them.

Stabbing straight through the carapace of another he pulled back to witness a larger form. With multiple more plates of armor and two extra-bladed limbs, it was unique.

Gliding to the side of one of its strikes he jabbed his glaive in between the plates around its neck. Roaring at him as the smell of singed meat filled his nostrils, he pulled his weapon back as another appendage aimed for his chest.

Blocking it in time with his sheer speed he leaped around its arm and coiled his lower body around its arching abdomen. Upper body angling around to behind it he maneuvered the shaft of his Havoc weapon to the front of its neck. Pulling it towards its throat with all his strength the beast struggled forward to his warrior's exposed backs.

If this is to succeed not a single one of us must die. Letting go with one hand his grip was soon replaced by the backside of his arm holding it steady with the same pressure.

Now with his one forearm free he clenched the muscles in his wrist to reveal a blade of bone extending past his hand and out an opening in his light armor. Arching inward the tip of the blade inserted directly into the open wound from before now hammering in as he clenched his bicep. Blood pooling out of the hole as it inched closer to his soldiers he moved all his weight backward in one last effort.

At once the neck and head popped off the creature's body in a shower of gore that covered the walls and ceiling. Collapsing backward with his momentum he quickly hopped off to the side while its body fell motionless in one massive thump.

Prepared to fight on longer he wiped the copper liquids from his face to stare at the smaller forms watching on. With his simple look, the few left scurried away down the corridor ahead.

Wasting little time he pulled himself up by the cave wall and made his way to his group. Seemingly finishing at the same time they turned to check for wounds and gather meat from the monsters. "There is no longer time, they will alert the others so we move now," he ordered.

Proceeding forward faster than before the cave did indeed open up wider. With their specialized eyes, they stared at the dark expansive room angling down to a giant pit below.

Without another thought their footsteps rang around the room soon joined by a water-like pitter-patter. A quick refill of their canteens wouldn't hurt their speed substantially nor was it common to find.

In search of the sound source, he kept his focus on the pit only to notice an opening twice as large as the one they had just come from at the bottom. Quite perfectly not visible from where they entered he examined more and more holes on the backs of rock faces invisible to the eye from all but one direction.

Now surrounded by the echoing sound he stopped to pinpoint it only to realize what he had just walked them into.

Roars blaring on all sides he raised his glaive with a grim expression. "It either ends here, or it is only the beginning!" He yelled as the tide burst from every direction collapsing in on them.