Chereads / Odyssey of lone rankers / Chapter 12 - Conundrum

Chapter 12 - Conundrum

{Burns's POV}

"Come on guys, we're getting closer" I beckoned, agitated by the turn of events as I trotted forward, ahead of the rest of the team.

I made a very big mistake, one I couldn't come back from. Not listening to the concerns of one of my teammates had put the entire team in jeopardy. I clearly underestimated the negrons, basing off my decisions on the fact that they had no ability and we're incapable of thinking. If only we had moved in one big group, the causalities would have been minimal and we wouldn't have experienced this intense drawback.

I looked backwards, trying to monitor the actions of my team. I was becoming more cautious and was not going to let any slip ups occur. We slowly made our way to the point where the rest of the team was and the disheartening sight we faced caused my heart to skip another beat. OD was dead, Kate had gone missing, and the rest of the team were in no shape to counter another attack. 

Jace quickly made his way towards me immediately he sighted us in order to give me status report on their current situation. But I could already make out most of what had happened, so I simply just waved as if to tell him that I could already grasp our current state.

"I'm sorry cap, I couldn't fully contain the situation" He apologized, disheartened by the results of his mission.

His head dropped as he spoke, his beefy frame shivering as if caught by a cold and I could tell that he would keep on blaming himself if I didn't own up to my mistakes. I walked towards him before patting him on the shoulders, smiling as if to reassure him.

"It's not your fault Jace, I too am to blame. Because of my complacency we lost two party members and words cannot express how ashamed I feel as your leader. You all deserve better and I promise that I will get you all out of this even if it's the last thing I do".

Their gazes met mine, bewilderment written all over their faces as they wouldn't have expected someone like me to actually own up to his mistake. I couldn't blame them, I might have surely come off as an arrogant and less interested person but all that was going to change due to my encounter today.

"Did no one really see Kate leaving this vicinity?". I inquired mildly, taking note of how crucial her disappearance was.

Something was definitely odd about her disappearance, and although at the moment the most reasonable explanation would be that she was killed and her corpse possibly dragged off by the negrons, I still wanted to believe otherwise.

Kate was resilient and I could tell by just the few times we spent together. I just hoped for the best and focused on a way to get the rest of the team away from this mess we were all in. 

"Listen up guys, we will be leaving this spot very soon due to the amount of unpredictable dangers it possesses, and in order to do that I would have loved to make use of Four's ability but I'm guessing he hasn't perfected the relocation of multiple person's yet". I concluded, staring at Four.

"So we'll have to make our way back on foot?". Cross enquired, groaning as she held her gut.

"On foot???" Another remarked, as a few disapproved.

"That would take a day If we were to not encounter any negrons along the journey and even longer in the case of an encounter, not to mention that we would have to move at night also".

Everyone was tensed, I could tell. The lack of rest coupled with the sanguineous sights they had seen today was enough to make them troubled. And although most of the team comprised of mercenaries and lawless civilians, they were still not accustomed to the sight of monsters tearing a human to shreds.

"We don't have any other choice" I barked, pressing on my forehead in stress.

I was doing it again, ignoring the suggestions of my team and I knew I was going to pay heavily for it but as of the moment, getting out of this desolate planet was our top priority and only option at survival.

"If we could get close enough, I could teleport us to the safe point".

I was glad Four had spoken, at least it would lift the hearts of the rest of the team. Teleportation was a very tricky ability and it was hard to pull off but luckily for us, Four had been improving his ability in the short amount of time he had and although he wasn't very good at it, it was definitely worth the shot.

"Really?, Couldn't you just teleport us there right now?" Nelly's voice was marked by sarcasm and it was hard to tell if she was actually asking him or mocking his progress. Before I could step in Four had already replied her, his eyes twitching in mild rage.

"Well, dematerializing ones atoms and rearranging them in a different location sure isn't a simple feat". He retorted, quivering in mild anger.

Tempers soon cooled off as the chuckling of the rest of the team proved so. I signaled them that it was time to move out and went ahead, guiding the team as we made our way through the open field of nothing but sand and cracked soil. 

Night time was fast approaching and I wasn't going to risk being out at night. According to John, the negrons were nocturnal amongst many things and It definitely wouldn't be a nice thing to be hunted with a disadvantage.

I looked left and right as we moved and was shocked as to how silent the entire area had become all of a sudden. 

I had this strong feeling that something was off, so I quickly signaled my team to stop. "Everyone, get ready for impact!" I took a deep breath, clearing my lungs to sharpen my senses and stay alert.

 If we were going to face negrons, I knew I had to be prepared to take them on without relying too much on my team. They had already done so much in fighting off the negrons, and I felt like I hadn't contributed enough.

Then, I heard it. The approaching footsteps of the negrons grew louder and closer. I gripped my blade tightly, adjusting my stance to find my balance. 

As soon as the negrons attacked, I swiftly beheaded two of them, their head rolling on the ground. My reflexes were razor-sharp, and my confidence soared. It was going to be a tough fight, but I was ready for the challenge.

"Step back all of you, this is my fight" I beckoned, freeing my fingertips a little then tightening my grip back.

There were a total of seven negrons left and at first glance, it was beyond the capabilities of any ordinary human.

But as I had proven countless times, I wasn't just 'any' human.

BOOM!

The wave of my cosmic blast carried a horrendous amount of heat and a gust of wind as it eliminated three negrons in one fell swoop, thoroughly disorienting the rest and leaving an opening for me to prance on.

I hopped on the opportunity gleefully, dismembering the first stray negron I caught, then proceeding to the next.

In a matter of seconds, we had swiftly switched roles of the predator and prey and just like any normal predator, I was going to make my prey suffer in agony before bringing an end to its existence.

As I dropped down from the body of the negron, two hostiles banded together for a quick ambush, extending both claws rapidly to deprive me of a quick reaction.

'How gusty'

I swung my body to one side, missing the first claw then extended my symbiote almost immediately, ridding the next of it's.

The negron wailed in pain beating the floor and rocks around itself.

The other didn't hesitate to launch a counter as it descended on me with a blow.

I caught it's arm, clenching my teeth till it grinded then pushed it's weight till it was directly opposite the remaining negrons already running towards me.

"Let's end this!" I screamed, channeling every bit of my remaining force into one powerful attack. My fist charged up as the energy it exuded sparkled like lightning and with it, I touched the body of the negron I held, releasing an overdose of energy till everything in the linear part was completely wiped without a trace.

BZZZZZ

BOOOOMM!!

Trails of magma erupting from the ground where the negrons had stood ran deep into the soil. I felt a rush of pain envelope my body, but I steadily held my breath, calming my nerves as I proceeded to the last negron that was still writhing in pain.

Plunging my symbiote into its head I felt the reawakening of an emotion that had been buried deep within me for the past three years.

The thrill of taking another life.

Although the negrons could not fully be classified as a life form, it didn't help to relinquish the fact that I had awakened an ugly part of my being.