02-13-2016, 03:54 PM
"Virus! How did I know I'd see you again?"
"No need to raise your weapon at me. I believe you were the one that first suggested...an alliance."
"Maybe so, but I don't trust you."
"I have nothing to gain by entering into combat with you at this juncture. After all, we are both...champions. Given our circumstances, it seems this partnership was...inevitable."
Matrix gasped as he lay on the ground, trying to get his bearings back. In all of his travels, he'd encountered very few beings that could out muscle him in a brawl like that one. The Cyberdemon had certainly earned it's place on a very small list.
Reminiscing over how rare such an occasion was didn't make this particular one any better. The Cyberdemon had stomped the sprite's chest so hard that he felt his bones crack and was sure a few organs had ruptured. He became somewhat delerious, yet instead of his life flashing before his eyes he merely recalled the past few hours. He didn't see this friends or family in his visions, but instead his freshly minted teammates.
Slowly, Matrix began to sit up. Just breathing hurt severely, as he could feel his shattered bones moving around in his chest. Each breath was a chore in itself, taking most of his focus just to to complete the basic function he'd never really thought about. Clutching his chest, Matrix made it to his feet.
"Are you a Guardian?"
"No! I claimed these from another. I've been sent here by Tuecer, same as you."
"I didn't mean like these monsters. My programming is identifying you as a Guardian. A real one. You know, mend and defend?"
"I don't know anything about that. I am a soldier navi, but perhaps I serve a similar function to your Guardians."
Matrix saw the others recovering from the battle, just the same as him. He hadn't taken the only damage. The Cyberdemon had left, and though it moved confidently and angrily there was no mistaking that it retreated. That could only mean that it was hurting, too, and did not want to continue the fight. The fact that it hadn't finished them off was a blessing in more ways than one.
"It went that way," Matrix's deep voice sounded much less powerful, given his bashed in chest.
"Can everyone move?" Colonel addressed the more immediate issue. They would be no good in a second fight if they couldn't get to the fight.
"More or less," Ryner's tone wasn't terribly convincing, either.
"It can't be allowed to escape," Smith's tone impressed Matrix, to an extent. He wouldn't admit it, but he wasn't sure how that virus could sound so close.
Then again, maybe this was their opportunity to escape. Matrix coughed, and spat a glob of blood on the ground before him. As nice as it sounded to get out of here, where was he supposed to go? They were committed to prying that sword from the beast's clutches, however difficult that might be.
"What is it?"
"Cyberdemon. Threat level...it's giving a feedback error. Off the charts."
"You sure this is the best idea?"
"We have no choice. We must take that relic...if we ever intend to leave."
Matrix stood up as straight as he could. There was no quick fix to this level of damage. He would only be able to mitigate the pain enough to still function. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd fight like this, but there was little other choice.
He clenched a fist and gritted his teeth. Defeat wasn't a concept Matrix accepted, not after he'd let people down once before. His golden eye emitted a red light as he began to walk in the direction of the Cyberdemon, and even though the monster was nowhere around to hear his words, it didn't stop him from challenging it aloud.
"I'm not done with you, yet."
"No need to raise your weapon at me. I believe you were the one that first suggested...an alliance."
"Maybe so, but I don't trust you."
"I have nothing to gain by entering into combat with you at this juncture. After all, we are both...champions. Given our circumstances, it seems this partnership was...inevitable."
Matrix gasped as he lay on the ground, trying to get his bearings back. In all of his travels, he'd encountered very few beings that could out muscle him in a brawl like that one. The Cyberdemon had certainly earned it's place on a very small list.
Reminiscing over how rare such an occasion was didn't make this particular one any better. The Cyberdemon had stomped the sprite's chest so hard that he felt his bones crack and was sure a few organs had ruptured. He became somewhat delerious, yet instead of his life flashing before his eyes he merely recalled the past few hours. He didn't see this friends or family in his visions, but instead his freshly minted teammates.
Slowly, Matrix began to sit up. Just breathing hurt severely, as he could feel his shattered bones moving around in his chest. Each breath was a chore in itself, taking most of his focus just to to complete the basic function he'd never really thought about. Clutching his chest, Matrix made it to his feet.
"Are you a Guardian?"
"No! I claimed these from another. I've been sent here by Tuecer, same as you."
"I didn't mean like these monsters. My programming is identifying you as a Guardian. A real one. You know, mend and defend?"
"I don't know anything about that. I am a soldier navi, but perhaps I serve a similar function to your Guardians."
Matrix saw the others recovering from the battle, just the same as him. He hadn't taken the only damage. The Cyberdemon had left, and though it moved confidently and angrily there was no mistaking that it retreated. That could only mean that it was hurting, too, and did not want to continue the fight. The fact that it hadn't finished them off was a blessing in more ways than one.
"It went that way," Matrix's deep voice sounded much less powerful, given his bashed in chest.
"Can everyone move?" Colonel addressed the more immediate issue. They would be no good in a second fight if they couldn't get to the fight.
"More or less," Ryner's tone wasn't terribly convincing, either.
"It can't be allowed to escape," Smith's tone impressed Matrix, to an extent. He wouldn't admit it, but he wasn't sure how that virus could sound so close.
Then again, maybe this was their opportunity to escape. Matrix coughed, and spat a glob of blood on the ground before him. As nice as it sounded to get out of here, where was he supposed to go? They were committed to prying that sword from the beast's clutches, however difficult that might be.
"What is it?"
"Cyberdemon. Threat level...it's giving a feedback error. Off the charts."
"You sure this is the best idea?"
"We have no choice. We must take that relic...if we ever intend to leave."
Matrix stood up as straight as he could. There was no quick fix to this level of damage. He would only be able to mitigate the pain enough to still function. He wasn't entirely sure how he'd fight like this, but there was little other choice.
He clenched a fist and gritted his teeth. Defeat wasn't a concept Matrix accepted, not after he'd let people down once before. His golden eye emitted a red light as he began to walk in the direction of the Cyberdemon, and even though the monster was nowhere around to hear his words, it didn't stop him from challenging it aloud.
"I'm not done with you, yet."