With the broad strokes of adapted hands, Berto glided a few meters over the seabed. His Mariner's eyes pierced the pitch black of the ocean waters, searching for a piece of gleaming steel. "My helmet is the key to victory! Find it and draw the sharkman here! He won't just chase after you.. But if you deal some damage, even Core Guardians will leave their post to hunt you down!" were Nordstrom's words.
Berto scoffed at the memory of their conversation. Apparently a creature like Kotor was considered a "Core Guardian" in the Champion community. The most powerful creature in a rift and responsible for protecting a Mana core of sorts. The core was the thing keeping the Rift open so Champions closed rifts by destroying their cores.
David might have been more experienced than him but he didn't have Mariah. Berto was not strong enough to appraise Kotro Cul and find all of his stats, but.. He could feel the difference in their strength. Just as he felt ths difference between him and David. Whatever buff the Champion gained when wearing his full armor wouldn't be enough. Unless he somehow got a 50% boost to all his stats, when he wore it, then nothing would change. That being said, Berto kept on looking for it. It couldn't help them defeat the Boss but it would serve as a fine distraction for what he had in mind.
It wasn't long until he finally located the item. He secured it around his waist with some rope made of seaweed strands. He must have been submerged for more than 12 minutes at the time, by his estimation and felt he had at least 5 more before he would start getting low on oxygen. He never had a special connection to the sea or swimming but how could he not appreciate the splendor his mutation allowed him to witness. It was like a new world had opened up to him. A world where he was no longer a stranger!
Berto accelerated towards the sunken temple, his heart racing, not from the strain but from fear. His eyes raced all accross his vision trying to locate the Rift's Apex like any prey would. When he saw him, Berto instinctively dove into some seaweed for cover. Kotor Cul was floating around his Core and looking out for any possible threat or challenge. This was it.. Time to get out or die trying.
The young engineer drew out a ceramic cylinder that seemed to house an intricate device. On one end it pulsed with blue energy, the signature color of Mana energy. Crude Sonic Grenade. Berto had managed to create this after completing his upgrade to Level 6. He was still injured and had no chance of surviving an encounter with the sharkman. He had to play dirty if he was going to get his attention. This grenade could float thanks to its design. All he needed was to get close enough to release it and then move far enough to run. Fingers crossed.
* User : Alberto Ferantelli - Level: 6 *
Health: 16/38
Mana: 2/5
Brawn: 13
Agility: 16
Vitality: 14
Intellect: 18
Charisma: 10
Spirit: 14
Skills:
1) Engineering (B) Lv.5
2) Bypass (C) Lv.1
3) Pain Mitigation (B) Lv.3
4) Insight (A) Lv.1
5) Craft (D) Lv.5
6) Tame (C) Lv.8
7) Harvest (C) Lv.3
8) Shield Bash (C) Lv.2
Mutations:
1) Mariner (B) Lv.2
2) Thick Skin (D) Lv.1
* Status update complete *
Without David in the picture the young survivor would have taken his time. Heal up, scout the area, assess the enemy.. For David the Rift was like some race he had to win. He didn't even allow Berto enough time to rest and refused to answer any question he had about the situation outside! He had let slip that there was a crisis. Did he mean the incident at Argos or had something else transpired?
The click of the grenade being armed woke the Mariner from his stupor. Berto gently pushed it away and watched as it began floating upwards. It floated up.. Up? To the surface? Was there a surface in the Rift? Why didn't the thought ever cross his mind up until now? It would appear the pocket dimension would simulate a trial with the limitations it deemed appropriate and Berto was stunned to realise that although buoyancy was a factor, a surface was probably not.
Subconsciously he knew from the very start, that's why his instinct to swim upwards and escape the depths was exchanged with the need to move forward. That was how the Rift could challenge him. He began swimming upwards and away from the floating island, making himself visible. Kotor spotted him almost immediately and bore his razor sharp teeth at the young man. Suddenly a small thing came into his view.
Beeping and flashing, the small tube reached its mark and the sharkman grabbed it, pulling it close for a sniff. The explosion of sound underwater was nothing short of spectacular! A bubble of air was formed and expanded to a 3 meter radius, engulfing the sharkman it its violent burst of energy! By the time the boom had reached his ears, Berto was already swimming towards the dome. He saw the creature's Health Bar through the chaos of the blast and was mortified to see that it had barely lost 1/8th of its total health points!
The more compact Sonic Grenade was definitely weaker than its older counterpart, trading quality for quantity and ease of use. However, it still must have packed a significant punch. This was simply a testament to the Core Guardian's strength.
Berto flew in and out of the pressurisation chamber like a fish jumping up a small waterfall. Kotor was right behind him and as soon as he hit the floor, Berto rolled out of the way of the incoming Guardian.
Kotor landed with a wet thud. His skin baring a few fresh, shallow wounds. His trident gleamed under the laboratory's lights and he squinted until his eyes could adjust. Just before that could happen David rushed the creature with a series of slashes and bashes from his sword and shield. With his trap sprung the Champion planned to deal as much damage to the Guardian as possible. After that he could don his full set of armor and tank whatever the monster had to throw at him!
Caught off guard and almost blinded, Kotor could only flail and defend by raising his weapon. David was smirking with confidence but his sword left mere scratches on the beast! Berto was now certain of his estimation and was sadly proven right moments later.
Nordstrom executed another well practice combo, pushing back the creature when Kotor suddenly grasped the blade of his sword in his free hand.. and snapped it in two! Nordstrom became ghostly pale and turned to Berto. As if he could help.. as if this was somehow his fault.. as if he hadn't warned him. "What are you waiting for you little freak?! Give me my helmet!" he shouted desperately. Berto took his time unfastening the thing from his waist, giving Kotor just enough time to loome over the Champion.
"What are you doing!! THROW THE DAMN THING!!". And Berto obliged. With a gentle toss, the young survivor gave the Champion the lifeline he so desperately needed. He caught the helmet by dropping his, now useless, blade and went to don it with a practiced motion. He stayed his hand however and his eyes bulged as he realised that the accessory was already filled up with something! It housed a tube he was sure the younger man had crafted previously. A bomb... "What.." was all he had time to say, as he lifted his eyes to meet Berto's.
*BrrrrrrrrBOOOOM* went the device as monster and champion were flung about wildely! Both alive.. One of them angered beyond reason. The other doomed to perish at the hands of an enraged beast. David yelled and screamed in horror as webbed hands grasped and crushed his body. He pleaded, he begged but it was too late. Berto was already swimming. Swimming past the ocean's darkness. Past the floating island. Past the glowing orb. Into the Rift and back home..
• • •
The young survivor walked through a storm of crackling energy before being eventually flung unto a hard surface. He felt the surface around him and was shocked at the revelation that followed. Dirt.. dry dirt! He opened his eyes to see a starry sky and smiled and hot tears streamed down his eyes. He sat up and realised he was near a beach on Santa Barbara. He could make out the Rift on the shore and was baffled by how far from it he had appeared. Was this always the case? A couple of *Pings* startled him to his feet, a reminder that Mariah was still there.
The adrenaline in him subsided and the tears increased. What had he done? He had left David Nordstrom to die a horrible death by himself.. the exact same thing he feared would have happened to him in there! He was so preoccupied with escaping he didn't even bother trying to destroy the Core! He started running towards the beach. Maybe it wasn't to late! Maybe if he managed to close the Rift even David would be brought out! Maybe he was still alive!
Lights shone towards Berto's direction! There were people down at the beach and around the Rift. It was like they had the thing in quarantine. Berto froze.. they must have seen him coming and were now checking to see who it was. What would he tell them? He had condemned another person to death! And what about the incident? If they thought he was somehow responsible then there must not have been any evidence to support otherwise! Berto started hyperventilating.
Mariah: User Berto what are you doing?!
"I.. I can't.." Berto stuttered as he tripped backwards and fell to the ground. What if they found out about the horn? About Mariah? The Evergreen!? He would end up a guinea pig! They would torture him in the name of science and progress! All while being branded a criminal and a murderer!
Mariah: User Berto you need to stop whatever this is! How are you even doing this?
Berto had no idea what she was talking about and suddenly.. she wasn't even there anymore. A flash of golden light passed over him and he collapsed on the ground. His limbs suddenly felt as if they weighed thrice as much. His body ached allover and he felt his stomach had swolen in size even though he hadn't eaten for some time. He felt people surrounding him, shining flashlights on his body and probing him with questions and medical instruments. He wanted to rise.. to speak.. but his body would not respond. The creek in his neck was back. His arms were flabby and untrained. There was no Mariner or warrior here. Only Alberto Ferantelli the loner.. the slob.. the murderer..