(no subject)
Part Nine
Just another day in search of paradise, with nothing to show for it. They had made it to an oasis in the Desert of Kha, but it hadn't been too difficult. Micheal had proven himself in the desert, knowing how to dress and where to find water, and he was even able to detect a mild sandstorm before it sprang up. When asked, he replyed that he had read a couple books told from the prospective of a desert wanderer. D figured it was more canine instinct than knowledge, but didn't say anything.
Now, in the oasis, Micheal slept and D thought. D only need a few hours rest, but his companion hadn't gotten used to it yet and needed more than that. A spring provided cool water and the trees bore fruit, but the gunslinger didn't want either. He was on edge, and wasn't sure why. Deciding to search the oasis, which was fairly large and darkly shadowed, even now, in the middle of the day.
He searched with his guns ready not knowing what to expect. An hour passed and he found nothing, so he went back to his sleeping companion. He returned to find that his friend had appearently fallen into a large hole. Upon investigation, he found the soil loose and freshly dug through. He sighed, and not knowing what to expect, he jumped into the hole.
He landed in a large, unlit chamber, deep in the sand and clay. He smelled rotting bodies and stomach acid. He heard something big moving in the chamber, and knew immediately what it was. He reached into a pocked inside his duster and removed a glass rod. Breaking it over his knee, the magic inside burst into a flare of light, illuminating the intire room. He tossed the two haves down, knowing that the light would last a while.
Before him stood a beetle the size of a dragon. When the light flaired it screeched and moved away from Micheal, who was in the corner against the wall. The gunslinger removed his guns and cocked them. He knew this fight wouldn't be easy. He waited and studied the insects first few actions, trying to gauge how fast and intelligent it was. Not getting much, he rolled toward the wall and shot, unloading first one gun, then the other. The beetle just sreeched and rushed towards him. Dodging the beast's madibles, he put his guns away. They didn't do anything to the creature anyway. It was time to see what this ring could do. He held it up and focused on it. He could feel it charge, but at the last moment he felt the energy being absorbed by his body and the ring broke on his finger. Left with no other options, he dodged the bug again and ran to Micheal.
"Micheal? Micheal, are you alright?"
"Yes."
"Good. Transform." D grabbed his companion and threw him out of the way of the insect, then quickly rolled out of the way at the last second, knowing that the barbs on this things legs are not only as sharp and as long as daggers, but also poisoned.
"What? Transform? I couldn't do anything to this thing, and what if I attack you?!"
"You won't." The insect tried unsuccessfully to spear him, who was still on the ground, with it's front two legs. "Trust me. I just need you to disteact it for a short time."
"WHAT?!"
The gunslinger jumped up and ran accross the chamber. "You're faster than this thing in that form. All you need to do is run around and distract it, while I find a way to kill it." The gunslinger ran and dove out of the way of a spray of acid, which the creature uses to kill prey with, and begin digestion before he eats, making it easier to consume. He heard grunts of pain from the back of the still-lit room, which meant his friend was transforming.
The transformation complete, D watched for a moment as the wolf played with the insect, then went deeper into the lair of the bug to figure something out. Lighting a torch, he soon found the very thing his was looking for. He came to a larger chamber, with several tunnels leaving the area. The smell of dead men filled the room, and he found the source - the nest. Around the nest were at least ten bodies, not more than a day or two old. He took note of the pulsating larva-like eggs, and began to search the bodies. He found one, obviously a merchant that passed through on a caravan, that had various weapons on his person. He was very relieved to find a suitable longsword, though it was ill weighted. He figured that this was his only hope in a minute.
He stuck the sword and torch in the ground and removed a gun. He loaded six bullets into it, and lifted the torch. Taking careful aim, he fired a shot into one of the eggs. He heard the giant insect scream. He shot another, and the insect burst into the room, leaping to the nest to protect it. The gunslinger then threw the torch at the nest, causing the eggs to burst into fire, thier mother on top of them. He put the gun away, and watched the giant insect scramble around, not knowing what to do.
Micheal, still in wolf form, came to D's side. D grabbed the sword and the both ran. They weren't sure where they were going, but they didn't want to be around a pissed off, giant mother insect if that fire didn't kill her. Finally, after too many twists and guessed turns, they made it to the surface of the desert, now blanketed in cool night.
D turned to his companion and smiled. When he was a kid, his brother promised that D would have a dog one day.
The ground rumbled slightly, and D decided that it was time for them to continue their journey. D could see the oasis that they had camped in earlier in the day, and knew the horses were still there. Telling Micheal to transform now, he called the horses. The came loyally, though slow enough to not see Micheal change. They continued their journey, each with questions on their mind.
D wondered what had happened with the ring, why it didn't work and why it broke. Micheal wondered how they managed to escape that thing with no injury or difficulty... and why D kept chuckling whenever he looked at me that night.
The rest can be found here.
Just another day in search of paradise, with nothing to show for it. They had made it to an oasis in the Desert of Kha, but it hadn't been too difficult. Micheal had proven himself in the desert, knowing how to dress and where to find water, and he was even able to detect a mild sandstorm before it sprang up. When asked, he replyed that he had read a couple books told from the prospective of a desert wanderer. D figured it was more canine instinct than knowledge, but didn't say anything.
Now, in the oasis, Micheal slept and D thought. D only need a few hours rest, but his companion hadn't gotten used to it yet and needed more than that. A spring provided cool water and the trees bore fruit, but the gunslinger didn't want either. He was on edge, and wasn't sure why. Deciding to search the oasis, which was fairly large and darkly shadowed, even now, in the middle of the day.
He searched with his guns ready not knowing what to expect. An hour passed and he found nothing, so he went back to his sleeping companion. He returned to find that his friend had appearently fallen into a large hole. Upon investigation, he found the soil loose and freshly dug through. He sighed, and not knowing what to expect, he jumped into the hole.
He landed in a large, unlit chamber, deep in the sand and clay. He smelled rotting bodies and stomach acid. He heard something big moving in the chamber, and knew immediately what it was. He reached into a pocked inside his duster and removed a glass rod. Breaking it over his knee, the magic inside burst into a flare of light, illuminating the intire room. He tossed the two haves down, knowing that the light would last a while.
Before him stood a beetle the size of a dragon. When the light flaired it screeched and moved away from Micheal, who was in the corner against the wall. The gunslinger removed his guns and cocked them. He knew this fight wouldn't be easy. He waited and studied the insects first few actions, trying to gauge how fast and intelligent it was. Not getting much, he rolled toward the wall and shot, unloading first one gun, then the other. The beetle just sreeched and rushed towards him. Dodging the beast's madibles, he put his guns away. They didn't do anything to the creature anyway. It was time to see what this ring could do. He held it up and focused on it. He could feel it charge, but at the last moment he felt the energy being absorbed by his body and the ring broke on his finger. Left with no other options, he dodged the bug again and ran to Micheal.
"Micheal? Micheal, are you alright?"
"Yes."
"Good. Transform." D grabbed his companion and threw him out of the way of the insect, then quickly rolled out of the way at the last second, knowing that the barbs on this things legs are not only as sharp and as long as daggers, but also poisoned.
"What? Transform? I couldn't do anything to this thing, and what if I attack you?!"
"You won't." The insect tried unsuccessfully to spear him, who was still on the ground, with it's front two legs. "Trust me. I just need you to disteact it for a short time."
"WHAT?!"
The gunslinger jumped up and ran accross the chamber. "You're faster than this thing in that form. All you need to do is run around and distract it, while I find a way to kill it." The gunslinger ran and dove out of the way of a spray of acid, which the creature uses to kill prey with, and begin digestion before he eats, making it easier to consume. He heard grunts of pain from the back of the still-lit room, which meant his friend was transforming.
The transformation complete, D watched for a moment as the wolf played with the insect, then went deeper into the lair of the bug to figure something out. Lighting a torch, he soon found the very thing his was looking for. He came to a larger chamber, with several tunnels leaving the area. The smell of dead men filled the room, and he found the source - the nest. Around the nest were at least ten bodies, not more than a day or two old. He took note of the pulsating larva-like eggs, and began to search the bodies. He found one, obviously a merchant that passed through on a caravan, that had various weapons on his person. He was very relieved to find a suitable longsword, though it was ill weighted. He figured that this was his only hope in a minute.
He stuck the sword and torch in the ground and removed a gun. He loaded six bullets into it, and lifted the torch. Taking careful aim, he fired a shot into one of the eggs. He heard the giant insect scream. He shot another, and the insect burst into the room, leaping to the nest to protect it. The gunslinger then threw the torch at the nest, causing the eggs to burst into fire, thier mother on top of them. He put the gun away, and watched the giant insect scramble around, not knowing what to do.
Micheal, still in wolf form, came to D's side. D grabbed the sword and the both ran. They weren't sure where they were going, but they didn't want to be around a pissed off, giant mother insect if that fire didn't kill her. Finally, after too many twists and guessed turns, they made it to the surface of the desert, now blanketed in cool night.
D turned to his companion and smiled. When he was a kid, his brother promised that D would have a dog one day.
The ground rumbled slightly, and D decided that it was time for them to continue their journey. D could see the oasis that they had camped in earlier in the day, and knew the horses were still there. Telling Micheal to transform now, he called the horses. The came loyally, though slow enough to not see Micheal change. They continued their journey, each with questions on their mind.
D wondered what had happened with the ring, why it didn't work and why it broke. Micheal wondered how they managed to escape that thing with no injury or difficulty... and why D kept chuckling whenever he looked at me that night.
The rest can be found here.