|
|
|
|
Chapter 1
|
It was a regular LCAS meeting. Miyu was playing...Adam was groping...Rory was fighting...et al..
Suddenly, a low rumbling sound could be heard throughout the auditorium. it started soft..barely audible, then grew in volume and intensity. The seats began to shake, the projection screen colapsed, things haven't been this turmoltuous since Dan, Brian and Adam fought for the last box of pocky.
Just as Pam was about to call the meeting , the ceiling disappeared and was replaced by a grey, foggy vortex. One by one the hapless members were sucked up into the vortex. None could escape. None could hide. As they each regained conciousness, they began to realise that they weren't in Lynchburg anymore. As they looked about, everything took on an animated appearance.
"Um, guys..", Pam stammered " something is wrong here.."
Just then Alucard from Hellsing walked by and grined at her showing a little fang.
"VERY wrong", Pam continued nervously.
The members of the LCAS had been transported into the Realm of Anime.
The members stood in the void, confused and completely unsure of what they should do. After pulling Jon away from Alcuard and trying to steal his hat, Pam called everyone together to try to figure somthing out.
"Okay, people! We need to think! Now, does anyone know where we are?"
"In the land of Happiness!" Adam saya as Lum walked by in her tiger striped bikini.
"Adam! Focus here!" Pam exclaimed stamping her foot
"I'd love to!" At this every woman around smacked him.
"She said Focus, Adam!" Said Rae as she hit him.
Dan drank. Heavily. Then he pulled out a Deagle and shot at something. Anything. He then continued to drink.
As Dan drank, Rae ducking out of the way of the firing shots, said, "Dan! Put that away!"
She then pulled out a large mallet and bashed Dan on the head. The mallet made a squeeking noise as it hit.
"Owwww! I'm not drunk enough for this! Damnit! Fuck Whiskey!" Dan screamed out.
"You have Whiskey, you twit!" Rae repiled as she raised the mallet for another blow. Just then Kristen Spoke,
"Hey! Where did you get that? I want one!" She pointed to the mallet in Rae's hands. Rae looked up at it, then back at Kristen.
"I really don't know how I got it. I was just thinking how nice it would be to have something to hit him with and next thing I know I have a mallet. Of course my motto is "I don't ask questions, I just have fun", so I hit him with it." Rae lowered the mallet and shruged. Kristen thought for a moment, and then she too had a mallet.
"Sweeet!" She exclaimed gleefully, untill Adam came and took it from her.
"Hey! Give that back!" Adam tossed the mallet away.
"Kristen, I hate to bust your bubble, but I know very well that it would be dangerous for us for you to have one of those."
"Well, how come Rae still has hers?"
"Umm... well, see I haven't gotten around to take hers from her, yet." Adam looks over at Rae, who has now lifted the mallet high, ready to defend from an attack from anyone.
"Umm...Kevin I think you wanna go over there and get that." Kevin looked from Adam to Rae, then back to Adam.
"Yeah right!" Rae smiled at this, and looked over to the now unhappy Kristen.
"Kristen just think up a new one," and that is was Kristen did. She then clobbered Adam with it.
"Yay! This is fun!" Kristen jumped up and down as she spoke.
Amy, who had been quite this whole timne spoke up.
"Oooo, me want one too!"
"I think Rae started a trend," said Kevin.
"Ahhh I'm not drunk enough for this!" Dan shouted, then took a big drink from the whiskey bottle in his hand.
Adam, now recoved from Kristen's love tap, tapped Brian on the shoulder and asked, "Just where in the fucks name did Dan get whiskey?"
Kevin took the gun from Dan.
"DAMNIT!", Kevin exclaimed "Lets NOT try to piss off the Natives! We do not know how long we are going to be here, so it is in our best interest to try to get along, adapt and fit in."
The tactical training is starting to show...as it a hint of Scary Kevin.
Every one emptys theit pockets. They are stranded with a total of $350, 2 pocket knives, 88 condoms ( thanks Adam), and a miniature Vash the Stampede plushie ( nobody lays claim to it). As the gang was encircled in a strategy session, a traveling duo happens upon them.
"Are you people lost?", the rough female voice says.
All turn to look at the voice's orgin. Its Ihrlie from Ruin Explorers, and behind her is a very timid and cautious Fam.
Suddenly, Kevin , for the first time in his life, is speechless.
"Uh, Kevin?", Amy whispers as she elbows him in the ribs "Isn't this the moment you have been waiting for?"
"Just because against all odds she is here with me doesn't mean she will instantly like me.", Kevin remarks quietly "She may never even like me at all."
Pam clears her throat snd speaks for the group "Yes, it appears we are quite lost...and somewhat confused."
"Mmmm", Ihrlie grunts "I should have figgured it out as soon as I saw you. You people aren't from here. You must be from that other place."
"Other place?", Kevin asks overcoming his earlier diffuculty.
"Yeah,",Fam answers "The other realm. I thought it was about time for another one! See, Ihrlie! See! I was right!"
"About how often to these things happen?",Rae asks "I have a psyche final in the morning."
"Heh!", Ihrlie chuckles " I think you are going to miss your..'final'. They happen only once every 5 thousand years."
"FIVE THOUSAND YEARS!!!", everyone yells in disbelief
Dan kept drinking. In his drunken state, he neglected to voice how he'd noticed the advancing onslaught of an army made up entirely of...
Blimples!! Thousands and thousands of Blimples were marching towards the lost souls. Horror was struck within the deepest pits of every soul. Well, almost every soul except for........
Dan. Who was still drinking.
Rae looked around and realized she too need to drink, but alas she had nothing to drink. So, she tried to think of something else to save her sanity.
As Rae wondered on how to save her sanity, Amy was thinking something. The same thoughts she always thinks.
"Why the hell am I still coming to these meetings and why the hell is Dan the only person allowed to have any sort of alcohol? Someone should take it away from hiim."
And with that, the bottle of whiskey that was in Dan's hand slowly disappeared.
"AHHHHHH!!!!" screamed Dan, looking at the now empty hand that once held the whiskey. "Where's my whiskey? How the hell am I to get drunk now???"
And with that, two nipley arms grabbed Dan from behind. Dan looked behind to see a giant Blimple holding him. "What the hell?" Dan wondered out loud. The Blimples were beginning to attack the lost souls of the Lynchburg College Anime Society.
"Serves you right for with holding alcohol from us," said Amy in a sarcastic tone.
"What should we do?" asked an even nervous, scared shitless Pam. "How do we help Dan?"
"Ah, let him suffer," replied Amy, in a pissed off mood that she usually is when surrounded by the group.
"NOOOO!!!" screamed Adam and Brian, the so-called lovers of Dan. "We have to rescue him!!"
By that time, Adam started screaming as a Blimple began to grab hold of him and knaw at his head.
"Oh shit," said Amy, "Now we must save Adam, the brains and loot of the club. We must not lose the one who holds Miyu!!!!"
And with that the Vampire Princess appears in front of Adam. Followed by Rheia. "Bitch!" they all scream at the sight of Rheia.
"Help me Miyu!" Adam says as he tries not to drool over her vulumptous body.
Right about this time, Ihrlie , fed up with the attack, summons up her power and makes the annoying little bastards disolve into the sands of time....and turns into a mouse in the process.
Instinctively, Rae our official cat-girl, begins to toy with Ihrlie. Noticing Ihrlie's cries for help and Fam's annoyed look, Rae puts Ihrlie back down on the ground.
"Sorry, instinct I guess."
Ihrlie and Fam understand and offer to assist us in getting coordinated.
Pam decides to take a head-count to be sure we are all still together despite the mayhem.
"Ok, that's everybody but Kevin. Where the hell did Kevin go?"
"Up here!", he replies.
All look up and see Kevin perched in a tree, in full camo with a Dragunov sniper rifle. He had been popping blimples from the tree.
"How the hell...", Scott wonders as he tries to make sense of it all.
"Forget about it.", Dan the Drunken comments "Just go with the flow. I'm sure Belldandy is around here somewhere."
Then everybody notices Adam letching on Miyu (who is about to hit him with her fire attack).
"Adam! She's DEAD!", Kristen yells at him " What's the matter with you? You into Necrophillia?!?"
Just then among the chaos created by blimples and Kevin's military instincts kicking in, Kristen realized that there was something she had always wanted from the anime world. She wanted her Ba dum Da dum's. Just as she thought of it, her puny size B breasts turned in voluptuous, uplifted size Ds.
"YES!! It finally happened after all this time!!" Kristen exclaimed as she jumped up and down at the expense of everbody seeing.
But just as she jumped a scream came from Pam on the other side of the tree near Kevin.
"What's wrong with Pam?" Amy asked after the scream.
"My butt...where did my universal butt go?!"
"Uh oh...Pam, I think your butt went to my boobs!"
"Now what is Jimbo going to say the next time he sees me? He loved that butt!"
"But you got rid of your universal butt and I finally got my boobs...I think its a fair trade, don't you?!"
"Okay, enough of this fooling around, what are we going to do about the Blimples, people?!" exclaimed Brian who seemed to have a voice of reason finally.
"Women problems can be considered a reason for the vice to step in as president, right?"
Seeing that something important is taking place, Kevin begins to shimmy down the tree. Half way down, he begins to feel seriously dizzy and weak.
"Wh..Whoa guys. Something ju..jus..just don't feel righ...", Kevin looses his grip and falls the remaining ten feet to the base of the tree with a resounding thud.
"KEVIN!!" screams everyone as they rush to see if he is indeed ok. Fam and Ihrlie are first there as Fam instinctively cradles his head in her lap.
"You guys have to be VERY careful with your power.", Ihrlie comments as she wipes dirt from his scrapes and cuts.
"What do you mean?", asks Pam of Ihrlie "What happened to him?"
"He used too much of his energy too quickly. When you create things, it takes an enormous amount of energy.", Ihrlie explains "There is only a limited amount of energy in this world. You just can't go around creating things willy nilly. It has a price, and the cost can be very steep indeed. He'll be ok and awake again in a bit."
"If that is so, then why didn't he pass out immeadiately?", asks Andrew.
"I'm not entirely sure.", Ihrlie ponders " I guess the emergency at hand had him so worked up that it took a bit for his body to catch up."
Ihrlie looks over at her partner, Fam, and watches as she brushes Kevin's hair away from his eyes and whispers to him that everything is going to be ok.
"FAM!", exclaims Ihrlie "What are you doing! You don't even know him and yet you are acting like you two are involved or something!"
Fam realises what she has been doing subconciously.
"Uh...well.. he's hurt..uh, and he WAS protecting us.", Fam stammers in explaination "Besides, he seems nice."
Pam calls the group around.
"Ok, we are going to have to be carefull. I guess we are playing under a whole new set of rules here", Pam tells the group. "If we get hurt seriously, there is no telling where of even IF there is a doctor to take care of us here."
"Uhnn...", moans Kevin as he begins to stir.
He opens his eyes to see a smiling yet concerned Fam looking back down at him.
"Fa...Fam..you..", he stammers as his senses return. "Thank you."
Fam smiles back to him sighing a bit of relief, "Just don't scare me like that."
"Jesus,", states Ihrlie "You are acting like an old married couple."
Kevin and Fam suddenly notice that they have an audience.
"Strange..." thinks Fam "why do I have this feeling that we've met somewhere before?"
Meanwhile, at the deep end of the gene pool...
Dan the Angry Spic, Little Mike, Jon the...Jon, Mr. B, and Our Lord and Savior Jesus "Adam" Christ were sitting around mocking Little Mike. Just then, El (re)Tartamudo walked up and attempted to forcefully include himself in the conversation like an unwanted pimple on the hairy ass-crack of life. There was a characteristic awkward silence, before Jesus decided to dry hump Little Mike's head. Again. As usual. Dan drank.
Mr. B then pulled Jon and Dan aside while Jesus and Little Mike distracted the walking nuissance.
"Listen, all fun and games aside, we need to find someway out of here. I miss Zelda..." said Mr. B.
"Yeah," said Jon before returning to his contemplative silence.
"Well, if we can make anything in here can't we just pool all our powers together and make like an interstellar spacecraft and get out of here?" offered Dan between drinks.
"We could," responded B, "but none of us know the schematics of it. Well, except maybe Kev."
The three look over to their stalwart leader (of sorts) and see his head calmly nuzzled in Fam's inviting lap. Kevin opened his eyes then, looking over at the three, and winked before going back to his feigned unconciousness, Fam still cheerfully running her fingers through his hair.
"Y'know, I don't think he wants to go," said Jon, "besides, I don't think we can pool our powers together. Like, if I know how to make a hilt and you know how to make a blade, we can't make them together. Oh, and I think it's temporary."
"Well," said Jesus, having walked over and finished abusing Little Mike's spikey head, "shit."
"Ok, fine," said B, "well then maybe we can find something that can send us back? Like an ancient hidden relic or talisman?"
"How so?" asked Little Mike, his spikey head having finished with it's Jesus-prone abuse (author's note: "I'm gonna burn in Hell for this"). To this B responded,
"Well, it's how it would work in an RPG, and I figure we're pretty much in an RPG. See, Little Mike's the generic annoying small thing, Jon's the large quiet guy, Kevin's the mercenary-type character with awesome weapons, Jesus is the in-tune-with-nature and stereotypically horny guy, Pam is the comical yet willing leader-type-character, Kristen's the scantily clad nymphomaniac elf, Rae is the obligatory cat-girl, and Dan's the stereotypically drunken ethnic guy."
"What about you?" asked Little Mike.
"Well, I'm obviously the heroic punk who wins the girl and ends up being the most powerful hero ever."
"I hate you."
Ihrie walked over the the group, having given up on lecturing Fam (who was still idly and happily playing with Kevin's hair), and addressed them.
"Look, it'll be dark soon. Maybe you should set up camp or something. Come on, get everyone together and let's get going. There's a clearing to the North."
The group went forth, then. Andrew was especially proud when asked to take point and scout ahead while carrying the Sacred Bear Pheromones. Ihrie followed, making sure Andrew didn't wander off or hurt himself or something equally asinine. Scott and Pam followed, conversing about how to properly draw Sailor Mercury. Next walked Kristen and Lindsey, with Amy, Rae, and Stacy following close behind. Dan drunk-walked a little farther back, Mr. B laughing as Dan would stumble and Little Mike would gripe about not being able to drink anything. Jon and Jesus walked alongside The Bob, arguing about which color is better in Magic (white or black...damn racists). Rory brought up the rear (a frightening thought), trying to carry Kevin before Fam finally felt sorry for him and used her magic (right, for once) to carry him on a floating matress of air.
Once at the clearing, Kevin began to regain conciousness more and helped to build the fire. That night , the travelers began to exchange scary ghost stories.
Adam, virtually peeing himself like at the viewing of The Ring, clings like a schoolgirl to Kristin . Fam, seeing this, gets an idea and does the same to Kevin. Ihrlie looks on in disgust. Andrew, watching Ihrlie, makes his move and ends up with a knot on his head and a punch to the face to show for it. The knot was for touching her without permission...the punch was for the tasteless lesbian joke afterwards. As the night draws on, the time to turn in arrives. Ihrlie preempts Fam's plan to watch over Kevin to be sure he is ok.
"He'll be ok. I just don't know why you are so all over this guy like that!"
"Spoil sport!", retorts a frustrated Fam.
Kristin suddenly gets a thought..
"Fam?"
"Hmm?"
"I thought you and Lyle were an item?"
"Lyle? Well......ever since he started rebuilding his kingdom, he has no time for me. I guess we now know what was first in his heart"
Hearing this had a strange effect on Kevin. He was happy to know that Fam was available, but , yet, very saddened to know how much that had to hurt her at the time. He knew the pain of watching a relationship slowly die all too well. If it were up to him, he'd shelter her from such pain. But, he knew he couldn't realistically do that no matter how hard he tried.
"He was a fool...", Kevin said lying down his back to them.
Fam and Kristin both leapt in suprise to his statement. They both had thought he was asleep.
"Huh?", asked Fam.
"I mean no disrespect to your old aquaintence, but if he just threw away something so beautiful and rare without a second thought, that is the epitome of foolishness. He'll probably look back in his old age and realise what he had squandered so stupidly.", remarked Kevin in a gentle whisper, his back still to them.
Fam and Kristin were both speechless to his remarks. Fam, for his sympathy and understanding, Kristin, that she never thought Kevin capable of such emotional clarity.
"Good night, ladies", mumbled Kevin as he drifted off to sleep.
Fam crawled over to him and kisses him softly on the cheek.
As Fam draws back from him, she notices a blush washing over Kevin's face. It was the best 'Thank you' either have ever recieved.
Some how by morning Fam ended up curled against Kevin's back, much to Ihrlie's annoyance. breakfasst was roast ...well better that we leave the name of the small furry creatures that sacrificed them selves to sustain the party unnamed, however Rory assured the party that they had died instantly and painlessly. Sautéed with wine and spices from Ihrlie's travel pack breakfast was delicious. However well the day started it was shortly appearent that things were going to go down hill. Adam and Andrew both had more knots on their heads than when thay had turned in for the night, and it started to rain. "FUCK..." Dan started, only to be interruped by everyone shouting,"Whiskey!" He glared arround and took a long pull at the bottle...which seemed to mysteriously remain full. Kevin got scary again shortly thereafter, saying only, "somethings comming." Kevin moved to the front of the group. shortly after what felt like 11 the rain stoped, and the party headed farther North (to civilization according to Fam and Ihrlie) At noon noon kevin's body, not compleatly recovered to begin with, failed him under the strain of keeping alert for any possible dangers. Fam was instanctly at his side, helping him to sit through his swoon. Just at that moment an evil laugh rang out
through the jungle like terrain. Kenyo rose up from the deep shadows, 12 of them. Jesus cryied out for Miyu, but she did not appear, Andrew was yelling something about it not being right to attack people, kevin struggled to stand, but Fam put and end to that and took up possition gaurding him Ihrlie drew her sword and took possition to the west, Dan once again held the Desert Eaglebut his whiskey bottle was starting to fade out of being. The kenyo wasted no time in closing, their speed demonic, 2 fron the west, 5 from the south, 2 from the north, and 3 from the east. Rory sighed and said, this is going to hurt from his possition at the south east of the party, with a flach of light and a rush of shadow two Nodachi appeared in his hands.
Masamune in his left gleaming brightly and Murasame in his right writhed in shadows. Dan's first shot rang out and with it came a battle cry course and gutteral,
"May the rivers run Red!" ringing out from the place Rory was standing an instant before. The sweet ring of steel in motion sang out as Masamune took off a claw
the size of a scythe, Murasame sliced cleanly through 3 of the 5 southern kenyowith a lazy backhanded cut. Four gunshots rang out and both of the northern kenyo tumbled to the ground.the girls summoned larger, less friendly versions of the mallets they had used the previous day, and lept to help Ihrlie. Rory shifted
Masamune into a reverse grip and spun twice toward the group, arms extended, bringing each 6' steel fang down apon the neck of two kenyo that were rushing past him toward easier prey, he then turned and sprang to the only undefinded side, only to see 3 dead kenyo and a familure face, stace, and uniform... Motoko sheathing her blade. There was silence once again. Masamune and Murasame vanished time uncoiled itself again.
"So it is done?" asked Rory, then collapsed in a heap, out of breath. Motoko saw the confusion in his eyes and voiced what he was struggling to figure out.
"I was hunting an evil presence and saw your party under attack. Your kenjitsu is effective, brutal and and wasteful, but effective."
"Lady, coming from you I take that as high praise," replyed Rory. " I beleive I went overboard in summoning both blades though, perhaps if I had known help was near I could have done something a bit less drastic, you wouldn't happen to have an extra Katana or Nodochi? summoning is nice but I feel like sharpening my blades now, and don't have any."
Ihrie finally decides to confront Fam on her bahaviour towards Kevin.
"What has gotten into you lately?", quiried Ihrie. "You never got this way over Lyle."
"It's hard to explain.", replied Fam uncomfortably. "I just feel realy safe when I'm near him."
"Oh, please. Spare me the sordid details.", Ihrie moaned sarcasticly as the troupe topped the hill. "All he has done so far is pass out."
"He defended us against the blimples and helped set up camp before he had completely healed. I think that is someting worth noting!", Fam loudly stated.. the debate had gotten a bit personal.
"Fam, I think we should part ways with this group once we reach the town. It seems to me that it is causing us a bit of baggage", stated Ihrie coldly.
"Ihrie, you are my best friend. I would do anything for you ... AND YOU KNOW IT.", Fam stated in a restrained manner "But, do not make me choose right now...you may not like what I decide."
"Fam...", Ihrie said in disbelief.
"It seems like a year ago since it all started.", Fam said almost as if to no one in particular. "The people, the events, everything. It's like a premonition. I've even dreampt of him."
Ihrie smiled, noticing that this is the first her partner has been this happy ever since leaving Lyle's kingdom, Rheabard. She resolves herself that if this guy makes Fam this content, then so be it.
"Don't get so worked up,",Ihrie says faking a smile,"I was just kidding anyway."
It was now high noon. Too hot to keep on walking, so the troupe settle down under a large tree to wait until evening. Rory is happily sharpening his new blades with his new friend. Dan is drinking and laughing it up with his comrades Brian, Jesus, Mike and Jon. Pam and Scott were STILL comparing artstyles. Rae and Amy we're about to shoot the shit.
Andrew was the shit.
Kristin was just lazing about under the tree's cool shade.
Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes. Kevin reaches for his weapon quickly, inadvertantly disturbing Fam who was resting comfortably next to him. Rory readies his blades; Dan... his projectile vomitting. From out of the bushes stepped a very scared and nervous Meryl ( of Escaflone fame ).
"FURRY!", cried Mike just as all the other travelers piledrove him into the ground with a simultaneous 'SHE'S 10!!!'
As Little Mike rushed the fur-covered youthful female (who towered over him at an impressive five-foot even), Adam Christ suddenly turned very serious, despite having seen yet another anime character appear before him.
"What is it?" asked Dan the Angry Spic, caution suddenly a cloak engulfing him, replacing the drunken haze that had been there moments before.
Adam was silent for a moment, his gaze locked, anger and fear dancing in his eyes. "She's bleeding."
Sure enough, The poor girl's fur was stained and matted with her own flowing blood. She walked as if in a daze, and her eyes seemed dead. Little Mike, too late, noticed. He sped up to catch her, sexual release no longer at the forefront of his mind. He reached her and she fell into his arms. "Run," she whispered into his ear, tears streaking her face.
A scream filled the air, coupled with the sound of flesh and bone being torn asunder. A creature of living shadow, with glowing red eyes and long fingers that ended in ferocious black claws. One claw was dripping blood and chunks of flesh. Mike slumped to the ground in shock, the dead girl still in his arms.
Suddenly, more of the fierce creatures appeared. "He is one we need," spoke the first, "Take him."
The beasts surrounded Mike and began to close in. Immediately, Kevin sprang into action, an M-16 materialized in his hands and spewed short spurts into the evil crowd of creatures. The beasts shrieked in pain and began to back down. "He's in shock! Go get him!" yelled out Kevin between shots. Dan and Adam rushed in to get their friend away from the mass of living darkness, protected by Kevin's semi-automatic fire.
Within yards of reaching their fallen comrade, Adam heard a shreik from behind. He turned just in time to see Kevin falling into Fam's arms. One of the creatures was standing over him, one claw covered in blood.
"Kevin!" called out Adam, just as Fam began a healing spell while trying to drag the wounded soldier away. Just as the creature reached out to strike her, a familiar battle cry filled the air. Rory appeared with Muramasa in his hands and tore the beasts hand off. He then put his blade through the beasts chest and watched it go down, flames eating away from the wounds. Rory stood there in awe at the gruesome spectacle before rushing towards Dan and Adam, who were slowly being surrounded by more of the creatures.
"Stay back!" called out Dan, "Help the others!"
"But..." Rory began to protest.
"You've had your fun!" replied Dan as he spun towards his opponents, rage in his eyes and a powerful two-handed broadsword in his hands. He screamed as his blade tore through the enemy's ranks. He felt a rush of wind as something flew behind his head and an audible "WHACK!" sounded from off to the side.
Adam twirled the bo staff he had just materialized and struck the creature twice more before turning to the next. "We have to get to Mike, Dan!"
The Colombian nodded before rushing the enemy once more, his blade dancing in his hands as the enemy fell before him. But with each creature that fell, two more took its place.
Adam was having no better luck. No matter how many beasts fell to his spinning bo, more kept pouring in, seemingly from nowhere. And worse, both combatants were being pushed back.
"We're getting nowhere, Adam!" yelled Dan, "There's too many of them!"
As he spoke, an anxious and worried Jon the Jon watched in horror as one of the creatures put a claw around Mike's still-comatose form and began to drag him away. His fear lasted only a moment, though, as he exploded into a rage to rival the stuff of legends and sprang across the field. He spun a massive chain about his head as he charged his foes. Without loosing momentum he tore into the beasts, felling them a half dozen at a time. This was just the edge the would-be rescuers needed. Without missing a beat, Adam and Dan broke in behind the charging warrior. The sounds of battle surrounded them as Robert the Bob and Mr. B joined in the battle. Robert flung his opponents like rag dolls while Brian swung twin scimitars with expertise.
"Bob! What're you doing?" called Dan.
"Someone needs to carry Mike out!" replied Robert as he flung one of his assailants over his shoulder and moved on to the next.
Jon's chain swept through the enemy and he caught sight of his friend still being dragged away. Reinvigorated and ignoring his blood flowing from multiple wounds, he charged with renewed determination.
"B!" called out Dan as his blade tore another creature apart and he moved to the next, "Flank left! Clear a way to get to Mike! Adam, make sure none of these sons of bitches come from the front! Jon, make sure there's still a way for us to get out!"
The group sprang into action. Brian, a decapitating machine with his scimitars spinning in his hands, went through the creatures almost like they weren't there. Adam stayed close behind, his bo staff knocking back and finishing off any stragglers. Jon, having closed the gap on Mike and his assailant, sent his chain flying to tear the creature holding his friend apart. He had no chance to help Mike up, however, as keeping the creatures at bay took all his effort. The strain from the sustained battle and from his wounds was beginning to show, and he was beginning to falter.
"Hurry up, troops!" called out Dan, doing his best Patton imitation in hopes of renewing his friends' spirits, "War is hell, motherfuckers!" The group fought with newfound strength, but the action cost Dan. One of the beasts found an opening in his defense and found his chest. The claws left red streaks on his chest, and caused Dan to lose his concentration enough to make his sword fade away. With no time to regain his composure, he swung away at the enemy with bare fists. An all too familiar rage consumed him as he struck over and over again while roaring like a beast. This was the kind of combat he lived for.
As the group surrounded Mike and kept their opponents at bay, Robert went down and put wounded, strained arms around his friend.
"She died in my arms," whispered Mike, still in shock.
"You have to let her go!" screamed Robert. He stumbled, however, as he looked into Mike's eyes. Hatred burned there. In the moments that the girl had died, Mike had grown. He had lost what innocence had once delved within him and instead was full to the brink with hatred.
Little Mike exploded in a flash of light. Thunder without sound exploded from him as the light expanded from him and consumed the shadow beasts. The sounds of the creatures dying were drowned out by the nigh-inhuman shreik of pain and hatred and fear and loss that tore out from Mike. Angels would have wept had they heard such a sound.
As quickly as it had began, the battle was over. Not one of the creatures remained, only ashes where they had once stood. Exhausted and in shock, the fighters stood around Mike, who had collapsed into a deep sleep from the release of such energy. Weapons dissappeared slowly and the friends made their way back to the main group.
"How's Kevin?" asked Brian when they reached the rest.
"He'll be fine," said Kristen, "Fam managed to patch the wound up nicely."
"What the fuck happened?" asked Lindsey, still in shock as she made her way to her friends, "Is Mike alright?"
"Passion," replied Ihrlie from off to the side. She and Rory had both stood their ground against those creatures that broke through, and both showed the weariness from it.
"It was the intensity of his emotions that allowed so much power to explode from him," she continued, "It was the energy that allows you to be akin to gods in this place. It was the energy in it's purest form. But such a release has taken it's toll."
"Will he be alright?" asked Lindsey, concerned.
"Yes. He just needs rest."
Lindsey and Pam made their way towards the other who had been wounded. The wounds were not too serious, and Dan's whiskey helped to dull some of the pain.
"I'll be fine," said Jon as Rae tried to help him, "I just need to lie down..."
He collapsed then, exhausted. Dan and Robert, who had also incurred wounds, faltered and then fell. Their wounds began to turn black and slowly spread out.
"What's happening?!" screamed Lindsey as she rushed to Dan's side.
"It is the poison," said Ihrlie as she sheathed her sword, "We must go north, quickly."
"What's to the north?" asked Lindsey.
"Crystannia."
Go Back :: Chapter 2
This site © The Lynchburg College Anime Society, Clover Petals.com ©Tasia Chiba
|
|
