Chereads / The Edge of Space / Chapter 5 - First Blood

Chapter 5 - First Blood

O'shae ran without looking back. He realized as he ran that his weak body was considerably slow so he pumped his arms with extra force. He still wasn't comfortable in this body and so his movements were rigid. As he ran he heard another arrow whiz pass his head. It stuck into a tree a couple of feet to his left in front of him. With a quick thought he pivoted to the left and stuck out a hand. He grabbed the arrow with his left arm, the robotic arm, and pulled it out. He then grabbed it with his right hand to hold it more comfortably as he ran.

He kept on running until another arrow whizzed pass him, only a couple feet away this time. They were getting closer now, and he couldn't run forever. With quick action he pivoted his foot and ran to the right.

The creature chasing him knee that he was getting closer, which was why his arrows were almost on target even though it's aim was bad. It saw it's target suddenly take a right and followed on. When it finally made a right though, it's target wasn't there. It swiveled it's head left and right trying to find the pesky thing that had eluded him all of a sudden.

Just behind him, O'shae had circled a tree ever so slightly while listening to the steps of the creature which chased him. As O'shae came around he held out the arrow in his hand. His heart was pumping and he was trying to keep his breathing down. A bead of sweat formed on his forehead as he crept closer to the creature in front of him.

Just a couple of more steps. As he took another step, he all of a sudden stepped on a more grainy leaf, making a scratching sound. His felt as if it dropped and time seemed to stop for a moment. Now was the time to act. Forcing his foot into the ground he dashed forward. He leaned forward, hoping that him falling forward would cover the distance he needed. And so it did he realized seeing that the creature was in arms reach. He forced his other foot forward to keep him from falling and used the momentum to push the arrow in his hand into the creature.

Just as it was turning around it saw an arrow coming from below. Before it could act it felt it's neck be overcome with a surge of pain. Blood spurted from it's neck, covering it's previous target turned killer. It swiped it's claws out, trying to maybe take it's killer with them with it's poison, only to find that the target had fallen back out of his own reach. The creature fell back as it's body convulsed from trying to breath but finding all of the air leaving it's throat. It then started to grasp at the air and ground with strained effort.

O'shae watched the gruesome scene, almost unable to look away. He looked at himself, the blood from the creature covering him. It was red blood. He had expected it be green or something, but apparently not. This didn't distract him from the fact that he had killed some kind of alien. Finally after a couple more moments the creature ceased to breath.

"First blood. Your current location has been revealed. Your bounty has risen. Your points has risen, redeem them as a loot cache." The robotic female voice from the wrist band called out.

"W- My location?" O'shae said, slightly stammering on his words.

"Scan your victims wristband for points." The voice said, not answering O'shae.

O'shae didn't move for a moment. He had to think. He had to know what was going on. Points and loot cache, that must mean he could use it to get more items like from before. He got put his hands on the ground and crawled over to the body. He grabbed the creatures wrist, fumbling with it before he got a good grip. He put the wrist band up to the creatures and after a moment a ding went off.

"Your points have risen, redeem them as a loot cache." The voice said.

He didn't pay much attention to it though. What he needed to find out was what to do next. It said his location was revealed right? His heart felt like it dropped once again.

"F*ck!" He said, quietly this time.

Without hesitation he got up to his feet and ran. He didn't look back, and he didn't stop. As he ran he pumped his arms and legs with full force.

....

A few minutes later a set of people were at the location of the dead creature.

"What species is it?" A seven foot tall man with burgundy skin, ivory tusk and hooves asked the others that accompanied him.

"A Kravic it seems. Looks like he was killed with his own weapon. Pitiful." Said a yellow creature which seemed to be shelled like an insect. It had two intense eyes that were black and the size of a fist. It was only about 5'5.

"These ishesh are still difficult to deal with. Looking at the trail left behind, it's target must have ran quite a distance with him, which means it was likely he already knew about the weak legs and stamina of these creatures. Then it's killer used stealth to deal the finishing blow. Whoever did this is knowledgeable and dangerous. We have to keep a lookout." Said a bronze skinned creature with a single horn sticking from it's head and bulging muscles. It stood at about six feet tall.

About a mile away O'shae nearly collapsed from running so long.

"I'm alive!" He said excitingly.