“Come on, then, big boy,” Titus growled and flicked his shield on. “Let’s see what you got!”
A streak of light burst over Kaiden’s shoulder as the Veritas II fired and the ramrunner exploded in a burst of flame and soil.
Ramrunner assisted kill – 2,000 EXP gained!
Uh, sure. ‘Assisted.’ That’s what I did.
Kaiden looked back to see the Veritas II’s front guns trained on the remains of the ramrunner. Through the windshield he could see Acton ready to fire again if necessary.
“Rather a rude way to greet guests,” the first officer said, moving the guns side to side as he searched for more threats. As he did, Kaiden noticed something moving in the jungle.
“There!” he said, pointing at it with his hammer. It wasn’t an animal, though, he realized as he looked closer.
“Is that... a camera?”
Thorne paced up to the trunk of the tree it was perched in.
“Sure is. Looks like it’s on, too.”
“Odditor,” Zelda said. “He’s watching us.” She turned toward the path into the jungle. “How much do you want to bet there’ll be more surprises waiting for us in there?”
“More surprises, and more cameras to record us fighting them. He could be streaming this,” Kaiden said.
Watching his streams is one thing, but I didn’t expect to be in one anytime soon.
“We’re on one of his streams?” Titus asked. “That’s awesome!” He banged his hammer against his shield and cheered. “Let’s do it, then! We’ll give you a show!”
“No, let’s not give them a show,” Zelda scolded. “If Odditor is streaming us then he’s advertising our position to everyone watching. How long until the Warden Corps shows up?”
“Not long,” Thorne said with a shake of her head.
“I’ve been informed that while the cameras are on, they are not streaming,” Acton said from inside the ship. “Though I’ve also been informed that Odditor is looking forward to…” He paused. “‘The show to come.’ Apparently, there are more creatures awaiting you ahead. And in there, you’re on your own.”
Chapter Twenty-One
A frantic ripple of waves exploded out across the surface of Titus’ Improved Barrier as another ramrunner slammed headlong into it.
Titus grunted and shook his head as if in pain.
“Shield is overloading. Can’t take much more of this,” he said.
Thorne darted forward from inside the barrier then swung a glowing hammer into the side of the ramrunner’s head.
Ability: Gravity Sledge
The blow wasn’t enough to launch such a large beast into the air, but it did spin it around and send it crashing to the ground.
Kaiden didn’t waste any time, leaping from the protection of Titus’ Improved Barrier to attack the downed beast.
Critical hit!
+50% damage (Headshot)
Considering the size of the beast’s head and the fact that it was off its feet, it was pretty difficult to miss. He landed a third headshot, then a fourth before the ramrunner got its feet back under it. It shook its head side to side in a flailing attack and Kaiden dodged backward, then as soon as the danger was clear, lashed forward with another hammer strike.
Critical hit!
+50% damage (Headshot)
Critical hit streak (x5)
The ramrunner, its health in the yellow now, lunged toward Kaiden with a stomp attack, but he was already charging Matter Shift.
Been wanting to try this out.
Ability: Matter Shift
You glow with infused charge for one second, then teleport from your current location to another within 20 feet.
Cast time: 1 second.
Cost: 40 charge.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
The ramrunner’s leg, thick as a tree trunk, came stomping down right through Kaiden’s insubstantial body. A moment later his vision flickered and then he reappeared at the spot he’d targeted behind his opponent.
Yeah, this is awesome. I’m going to put this to very good use in future fights.
The ramrunner seemed confused as to where he’d gone. It raised its foot and peered down to inspect the spot of ground it’d stomped.
Kaiden used the advantage of surprise to land a hammer strike on the back of his opponent’s head.
Critical hit!
+50% damage (Headshot)
Onslaught Mode activated.
Current movement speed and damage are doubled for 5 seconds.
“Now we’re talking!” Kaiden shouted. In addition to activating Onslaught Mode, each of his critical strikes had been regaining him charge thanks to the passive ability Slayer. He glanced down to confirm he’d enough to unleash a brutal combo.
Ability: Enfeebling Strike
Kaiden slammed his hammer into the ramrunner’s rib cage. The thick hide hardly budged, but charge from the ability flowed into the monster and it growled in pain. Now, combined with the damage buff from Enfeebling Strike and Onslaught, each of his attacks would deal 250% damage. He laid into the beast.
The others were busy with their own fights. Titus’ Improved Barrier was down and he was being beaten back beneath a barrage of ranged attacks from creatures called hominoids. Standing on far too-human legs, the hominoids looked to be some foul cross between man and ape. They jeered and howled from the tree tops and hurled down handfuls of some sort of seed that detonated in puffs of toxic powder on impact. Zelda had already chased off several groups of them as they’d fought their way down the trail. This bunch didn’t seem likely to run, however. In the face of her attacks they stood firm, howling and tossing more and more toxic seed pods.
Titus Energy Gripped one down from a branch and lit into it with hammer strikes. Meanwhile, Zelda tossed an Improved Kinetic Grenade up into the canopy. It exploded in a plume of fire that left the treetops burning.
Hominoid assisted kill – 1,500 EXP gained!
Hominoid assisted kill – 1,500 EXP gained!
Hominoid assisted kill – 1,500 EXP gained!
“Ha! Take that!” she shouted as several corpses plummeted to the ground.
“Get out of there!” Thorne shouted, and as she did Kaiden realized the problem.
