As the air became saturated with ozone, my eyes and throat grew uncomfortable. I winced, feeling Riya's grip tighten, a clear sign of her concern. Amidst the deep hum of the teleportation starting, her voice broke through.
"Volkner! The arena before was the bare bones of it! This time it will be a nightmare!"
My environment shifted before my eyes. In panicked instinct, I gripped my pistol; racking the first round was a cold comfort. These familiar tremors surged throughout my body; However, I could never get used to the unnerving tension that the adrenaline brought into my body. Even then, my right hand clutched the new saber, gauging the saber's weight, while accommodating my familiar pistol in my left hand. I hesitated. Councilor Sirena Vortexus was an imposing opponent, especially with Elara's haunting words. Yet, retreat is not an option.
I looked at the factory, greeting me with two giant doors. Pistol aimed, I opened the doors with an eerie ease. Met with these repulsive smells, the simulation spared us no detail. The mix of oil, must and rust assaulted my head as my temples throbbed from the horrid air. My heart was pounding as I crept through the hallways, attempting to greet my foes before they can surprise me. I knew my meager ammo amount will not be worth wasting here. My biggest reason was just to hold a comforting reminder in this unusual world that expected too much from strangers. Councilor Vortexus showed her intention to push me to my limit, possibly entailing she'd bring me to a near death state like the last match.
I could hear the screeching of metal and rock colliding from the stairs I was approaching. In response, I flipped my saber with its blade along my forearm. Each step calculated, testing the floorboards. Timing the creeks with the heavy screeching gait of the puppet's walk. I reached the platform of the staircase; now waiting for the puppet ahead. I ignored everything the best I can, leaping into my attack at the last minute. Its arm raised to attack, but with a simple redirect with my saber, it was open to an uppercut. The metal hilt clashed with its head, breaking it into shambles. "UGH" the now dead body was unwieldy, leaning against my body, both heavy and stiff. I was only able to move it off to the side after two full-effort pushes. Once the body hit the floor, the body flashed with a ping, reverberating throughout the arena. The ping was haunting, heavy footsteps ushered towards me. Ear piercing clicks raged closer with the screeching feet running closer.
Adrenaline surged my body, as I charged towards the lone targets. I flipped my saber upright again. Spotting the next puppet. My sword reacted with my emotions, exploding into action as I swung down, electrocuting the puppet. Halting as I slashed it. Just as the ping alarmed the arena again, the footsteps around me deadend. It was a frightening silence that I could no longer trace the surrounding puppets. I kept exploring the arena with a rushed stride. My heavy breathing was betraying my silence.
With the second ping, a wave of apprehension washed over me, as if my fears had suddenly solidified into reality. The signal triggered the puppets to intensify their attack, their movements becoming more aggressive. I pressed my back firmly against the cool, rough texture of the wall, trying to minimize any blind spots that could leave me vulnerable.
Amidst the chaos, a new puppet emerged, its footsteps silent as it sprinted towards me. I swiftly swung my weapon, slicing through its left arm while using the hilt to redirect its right arm away from me. The clash of metal against metal resonated in the air, momentarily overpowering the cacophony of battle.
I Planted my left foot firmly on the ground; launching my right leg forward, striking the puppet with precision in its midsection. The impact threw it off balance, providing me with an opportunity to strike again. With a swift motion, I swung my weapon towards its remaining arm, aiming to disable it.
As the puppet collapsed, defeated, the sound of its fall reverberated throughout the arena, creating another piercing ping that echoed in my ears.
My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I surveyed the aftermath of the encounter. Sweat trickled down my forehead, mingling with the dirt and grime that coated my face. Every muscle in my body screamed with exertion, yet a surge of satisfaction surged through me, knowing that I had triumphed over the puppet.
Then a loud crackling ruckus erupted from behind the crumbling walls, sending shivers down my spine. I braced myself, gripping my hilt tightly as the sound grew closer and closer. Suddenly, the puppet burst through the wall, its monstrous form hurtling towards me with alarming speed. Acting on instinct, I swiftly retaliated, landing a well-timed punch as the puppet materialized before me, its weight threatening to crush me. Desperate to survive, I fired four shots into its head, each one echoing through the air, before it finally collapsed on top of me. The ground beneath us trembled, a resounding "ping" signaling the puppet's demise. As the heavy arm of the puppet pressed down on me, waves of pain surged through my body, causing my focus to waver and panic to set in. The acrid air of the factory burned my lungs, intensifying my discomfort. Despite the overwhelming urge to surrender, I knew that giving up would yield nothing for Sirena. This battle was only the beginning, and I had to persevere.
A wave of inspiration hit me. I holstered my pistol, making my next creation within magic. I came up with the idea of a grenade. This was going to be based on the stun grenade; Yet amidst creating it, I made the mistake of creating aether that was a little too volatile, blowing up in my face. I coughed from the smoke that entered my lungs. Thankfully, it failed before adding too much of the explosive component.
I made my attempt once more. I know there won't be much more time before the next wave arrives. It was then I heard a familiar voice echoing throughout the building.
"Great job Volkner! Now that you're accustomed, let's begin the actual battle!"