Millions of In-Worlds

Chapter 28: Last Stand

We ran ta the top of the hill. It was horrible. One lairbeast was out. It looked like sumpin' outta a horror movie. Bumps and warts as big as work horses covered its slime green skin. From its rhino-ish appearin' head, extended two gigantic bat's ears, like viking horns. It's enormous webbed hands and feet had huge, sharp talons. The tail of the thing was about a city block long, and ended with two rows of wicked spikes.

Construction Keepers was frantically attempting' to finish the barrier in the hope of containin' the other two. The rest were rapid-fire shooting electric stunners inta the thick khaki green hide of the brute. It was tryin' ta' pull the stingers out. At the same time, it was grabbin' terrified keepers by the fistfuls, squeezing 'em until blood cascaded ta the ground. The ones it couldn't grab were runnin' away from its thunderin' clawed feet. It used that nasty tail to surround escapee's and push them back toward its monstrous warty body. Thousands of stuns later it seemed like it was havin' an effect. The beast was slowin'. Its grip not as tight. You could see it start ta wobble. Just little at first—then a lot. One final shake, and it crashed onta the ground. Keeper surgeons rushed to its head and proceeded to remove its antennae. Once it was gone it returned to its original Keeper form. It could never shape shift again.

Another dug its way up through the muck under the barrier wall. It looked like a mountain with arms and legs. Its cavernous mouth revealed sharp bone crunching teeth. Each hand ended in gigantic hammer-like fists. The rocky exterior seemed impenetrable. Before it climbed all the ways out, it was crushin' Keepers. Every swing of its boulder sized fists smashed poor Keepers by the dozen. Their ranks had already been thinned in the previous battle. Floaters by the hundreds pullin' transports were constantly landing. Keeper reinforcementens rushed inta battle. They musta been comin' from all the different Kingdoms. Even with more Keepers shooting electric charges, it was still a massacre. The dead and dyin' were piled three levels deep in some places.

We just couldn't stand idly by. Freck and I dove down for our cigam places. I visualized a huge net. Freck enhanced it with enormous stakes bigger than those used for circus tents. Gee got the image. Before you could say Jack Robinson the net trapped it. The stakes drove inta the ground and pulled the net tight. The monster was dragged down. It warn't givin' up. It shifted back to its Keeper size to slip though the nettin'. Keepers anticipated this move, and dispatched the surgeons who sedated it and worked ta remove the shifter's antennae.

Two down. The cost? Keeper bodies were strewn across the battlefield like pickup sticks. The livin' was engaged in carryin' the injured away. There was so many. Was Keeper's hospitals large enough? As soon as places were cleared, fresh troops armed with shooters rushed in. The Keeper army was ready and waitin' for the third assault. I saw no fear, only determination.

The smell of ozone from the release of their stun guns was heavy in the air. I swear I could taste its pungent odor on my tongue. The ground was saturated with blood. Pools of scarlet formed in the indentations made by monstrous feet. The combined smell of warm musty blood and acrid ozone made me want ta puke. I've seen lots of movies and television shows about war. Real war is so much more horrible that no words can describe it. I couldn't even begin ta imagine the agony felt by the wounded.

Gee comforted us by saying, "A great many of the downed have Cigam enough to dull the pain. Wishes you experienced it in the cave. Those without the ability are given pain relieving medications. The important thing is to get them into hospitals without delay. The same transports used to bring troops in take the injured out. Do not worry Keeper's hospitals can accommodate all of the. A hospital without walls expands as needed.

"I am very proud of the two of you. You performed beautifully under pressure. The net was an excellent idea to contain, but not kill the beast."