Globe Tracers 3: Heritage of Triad

Chapter 19: TAKE IT DOWN!

A few minutes earlier...

Kyle:

I pulled Bart by the hand, tearing through the trees, passing by Xao, his pulse cannon humming gently as I rushed past.

I pulled Bart with me behind a tree, hiding us from the camp. "Bart..." I said. "You're gonna have to trust me. There are these big black things... like humans with no eyes or noses and-"

"Creepy as hell?" Bartholomew interrupted.

"So you know," I said with a nod. "The mimics and leprechauns are in that camp, but those things, hunters, are in these woods. Our friends can easily deal with a bunch of ambling creatures like those mimics."

"That what those freaks were?" Bart asked. I nodded. "I tried to attack one, they're not weak."

"Hunters are way stronger. Indirect fire won't do much to them. Mimics will be tossed around like dolls, but hunters would be able to stand their ground. I think they can see and hear, but not the same ways as humans, which means the same tricks may not work on them."

"Your new friend uses illusions doesn't she?"

"How'd you know she was new?"

"New to me," Bart said frankly.

"Right. I need you to keep an eye out for hunters. If you see one, throw something at it, get its attention."

"Are you crazy?"

I gave a half-smile. "Maybe a little, but the point is, I can kill them. I just need them to focus on us instead of our friends." I looked over my shoulder. "There's a cliff overlooking the camp, up there," I pointed to it, risking disrupting the tree's silhouette that was hiding us. I pulled my hand down. "We have to work our way to it."

"Where's the funny girl... I mean Jessica. Did you get your deal?"

"We have to get a ship from those monsters for the deal. I have to find a weakness on it when it comes down. I don't have Jessie's ability to just blast it. You'll have to help me with the monsters... course... I guess you could just run away. None of this is your concern, I wouldn't blame you." I hung my head. I hadn't thought of that, but Bart had no reason to stay with us to fight. "You're scared right?" He nodded. I sighed. "Fine, run, I'll cover you. We'll figure this out on our own."

I waved Bart off. The boy ran a few feet away from me, then leaned down. My eyebrow went up watching him as he then got back up, pulled his hand back, and threw a rock- hitting a tree about ten meters away. The tree turned- he had a good eye.

The hunter moved towards us. "Well kill it!" Bart shouted.

I yanked out my sword Rita, the lightning blade, and pointed it at the incoming black monstrosity. CRACK! Electricity flew off the blade and impacted the creature, tearing off one of its arms the monster falling to the ground, a crunch being the first sound it had made as it hit the ground and laid down prone.

Black ooze came out of its wound. Bart ran over to the fallen monster. He folded his arms. "If I can save Jess, I'm doing it."

I smiled. It had been only a few days ago, but it seemed like forever. I remembered when Jessica got injured, this kid had actually been eager to help her. Should I really have been surprised he was still willing?

"You're my eyes!" I shouted. I jumped from the tree.

Bart and I cut through the trees, the noise of the camp resounding through the trees. Bright lights, sirens, explosions- seemed Xao and Jay were doing their job well.