Page 57 of Obsidian Dream
“One for me,” Khalida stated.She walked over to the convulsing body and stabbed it through the heart, or what would have been the heart if it was humanoid.“How many can you sense?”
Talik grimaced.“I am picking up at least three.Their heartbeats are erratic.”Assuming the subtle rhythmic beats were heartbeats.“Make that four.”
“So am I.”Khalida twirled her swords, a beautiful, deadly smile on her face.
It shouldn’t have turned him on, but he had already come to terms with the fact that with Khalida, everything did.
“Try to keep up.”She attacked, a blur of speed and silver blades as the creature charged her.Its movements were still sluggish as roots held it in position.
He took one last glance at Khalida and turned his back.He gripped the blasters, bringing them up as he surveyed the area.Metal slicing wood and flesh echoed loudly within the catacombs, but he filtered it out.Khalida could handle herself.
A light shimmered in front of him.The hairs on his neck rose in warning as he glimpsed another creature.This one was different, more humanoid.
He fired.
The creature opened its mouth.Sharp pointy teeth glowed in the light.This thing was moving a lot faster than Khalida’s assailant.And it was gaining ground.
“For fuck’s sake!”He fired again.
In the light, a giant-sized hole stared back at him—large enough that he could put a fist through it, if he was that way inclined.The flesh pieced itself together as tendons and muscles began to grow and attach themselves, closing the hole quickly.
Forty-eight percent for both blasters.
So far, they had only found two of the creatures.That there were more lurking and watching them was unsettling.Especially when his charge would not last much longer.He switched the blasters from their setting on laser to live ammunition.Maybe the iron-coated rounds would be more efficient.
Khalida grunted behind him.Something hit the wall hard.The shrill shrieking stopped.
“Two,” Khalida stated.“Would you like some help?”
“Regrow this!”Talik gritted his teeth as he fired another four shots in succession, ensuring that each round hit its target.Except the creature kept moving, despite the giant holes in it.He moved the blaster for a headshot.Blood exploded everywhere.The creature swayed but didn’t drop.The two halves of its head hung loosely from its shoulders.Teeth clattered to the floor.It took another tedious step as the tendons between the halves of its face searched for each other, like a snake.
“It slows them down.”Khalida moved behind him as she flicked the blood from her swords.“But the rounds must not have enough iron in their composition to be useful.”
“You think you could do better?”Talik taunted as he palmed the knife she had given him.At least Khalida’s swords allowed her to keep some distance from the creatures.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Khalida stepped forward, moving before the creature had a chance to heal.Her swords sliced through the air in an intricate dance as she circled the creature, silver flashing in the darkness at lightning speed, until it looked like a dance-party strobing light.
A thud drew his attention as a head roll toward him.He stopped it with the tip of his black boot, a shudder running through him as a long tongue hit the ground.
Khalida twirled her sword, jumping as she brought it down in the center, splitting it in half.Both sides fell sideways, the creature convulsing.
“Behind you!”Talik yelled as something dropped from the ceiling at her back.
He grabbed Khalida and turned, shielding her with his body a second before something penetrated his thin armor, piercing right through his shoulder.The pain was short and sharp and took his breath away.He spun around and fired Rose, hitting the creature square in the chest before he stepped forward and stabbed it, twisting the knife in deep.It stumbled backward and hit the ground.Its mouth foaming, the creature tried to pull the knife out but couldn’t grasp it.The giant hole in its neck, gushing blood, wasn’t helping it.
The blaster flashed an orange light.He was getting dangerously low on charge.“New plan.Stab the creatures and then shoot and then decapitate them.That way, they can’t heal.”
Khalida was to the left of him, unharmed.She still had her backpack.
He holstered Rose.“Throw me your bag.”
Khalida didn’t hesitate as she threw it to him.It sailed through the air, and he caught it before he quickly rummaged through it.Another creature materialized, this time from the shadows.
He was done with this shit.He had the perfect farewell present for them, and it involved shards of iron-infused metal.
“Keep it busy.”
