The first thing Raster noticed was the silence. The animals all around him were watching him. Waiting for him to move as the large animal ground the spear deeper into his mech's shell. The searing heat from the point of the spear was uncomfortable at this range but Raster had been through worse.
If only he had his gun here, this would have been over in the blink of an eye. But now he knew he would have to do it the old fashioned way. He put a hand on the face of the animal that was now slobbering against his face shield and pushed. Next, he got his leg on the torso of the huge man and shoved him off his mech. The spear went with the man and Raster was looking at the fallen form of the beast staring murder at him.
He should have stepped on his head and ended it right there. But sometimes, you have to make an example. He snatched the spear from the man's hand and grabbed the shaft in his hands. The servos in the joints of his suit whirred and the wood splintered like it was made of clay. A collective gasp went up from the crowd of tribals gathered around them.
Then the animal was on him again. His big fists punched into the shell of the mech, his fingers reaching in and pulling at the plates of the shell, his animal growls of hatred and anger fueling his efforts to dismantle the mech with his bare hands. Raster tried to grab the moving shape of the animal but he was all over the mech, almost as if he had a sixth sense to pulls and dismantle the mech in places that might be the weakest. And the bastard was fast.
Raster grit his teeth and a sliver of pain from his injury reached him. The suit compensated by adding more painkillers to the mix of chemicals in his veins. He heard the beginning of a slow chant going up in the crowd gathered around him. They were slowly moaning in their animal tongue and the chant was picking up speed. It was an uncomfortable and grating sound to hear and for a moment, Raster got confused. He took a step sideways and slipped in the gore of two animals that he had pulverized through his jets when he had jumped here.
The mech started to fall. The gyros in his suit worked to stabilize him. Raster didn't panic. He moved his sword hand, slamming the steel point first to act as a crutch to stop his falling form. He knew that once he was on the ground, it might get a little difficult to get back up again. And he did not plan to get on the ground.
He tracked the animal clambering all over him, pulling and punching his mech. So far, he had not been able to do any damage, and his punches to the shell were only irritating. There was no pattern to his movements, only guided by some inner compass, he kept the attack going on.
Then Raster activated the jets in his boots and his mech shot forward into the crowd of tribals that went down like bowling pins. The sword in his hand cleaved many in half, blood splattered his suit like pouring rain. The suit stabilized itself and then the animal on his back slipped. Raster's hand shot out to grab the man by his leg. He lifted the man high and slammed him face down into the ground. His sword fell in another swoop, taking off the man's hand from his wrist with a meaty crunch.
Raster flipped the man over with his foot and raised his sword high to take off his head. Still, there was defiance in those dead eyes and grin to shame the devil on that face. Raster felt his anger solidify like a block of fire in his belly. He grinned back and his sword hand moved on its own.
"Stop." Tiberius' voice halted his hand with the blade an inch from the animal's neck.
"Boss?"
"Leave him. Kill the rest of them."
Inside his suit's dented shell Raster grinned.
He would get to make an example after all.
Chapter 9 - The Killer Awoke Before Dawn
If only he had his gun here, this would have been over in the blink of an eye. But now he knew he would have to do it the old fashioned way. He put a hand on the face of the animal that was now slobbering against his face shield and pushed. Next, he got his leg on the torso of the huge man and shoved him off his mech. The spear went with the man and Raster was looking at the fallen form of the beast staring murder at him.
He should have stepped on his head and ended it right there. But sometimes, you have to make an example. He snatched the spear from the man's hand and grabbed the shaft in his hands. The servos in the joints of his suit whirred and the wood splintered like it was made of clay. A collective gasp went up from the crowd of tribals gathered around them.
Then the animal was on him again. His big fists punched into the shell of the mech, his fingers reaching in and pulling at the plates of the shell, his animal growls of hatred and anger fueling his efforts to dismantle the mech with his bare hands. Raster tried to grab the moving shape of the animal but he was all over the mech, almost as if he had a sixth sense to pulls and dismantle the mech in places that might be the weakest. And the bastard was fast.
Raster grit his teeth and a sliver of pain from his injury reached him. The suit compensated by adding more painkillers to the mix of chemicals in his veins. He heard the beginning of a slow chant going up in the crowd gathered around him. They were slowly moaning in their animal tongue and the chant was picking up speed. It was an uncomfortable and grating sound to hear and for a moment, Raster got confused. He took a step sideways and slipped in the gore of two animals that he had pulverized through his jets when he had jumped here.
The mech started to fall. The gyros in his suit worked to stabilize him. Raster didn't panic. He moved his sword hand, slamming the steel point first to act as a crutch to stop his falling form. He knew that once he was on the ground, it might get a little difficult to get back up again. And he did not plan to get on the ground.
He tracked the animal clambering all over him, pulling and punching his mech. So far, he had not been able to do any damage, and his punches to the shell were only irritating. There was no pattern to his movements, only guided by some inner compass, he kept the attack going on.
Then Raster activated the jets in his boots and his mech shot forward into the crowd of tribals that went down like bowling pins. The sword in his hand cleaved many in half, blood splattered his suit like pouring rain. The suit stabilized itself and then the animal on his back slipped. Raster's hand shot out to grab the man by his leg. He lifted the man high and slammed him face down into the ground. His sword fell in another swoop, taking off the man's hand from his wrist with a meaty crunch.
Raster flipped the man over with his foot and raised his sword high to take off his head. Still, there was defiance in those dead eyes and grin to shame the devil on that face. Raster felt his anger solidify like a block of fire in his belly. He grinned back and his sword hand moved on its own.
"Stop." Tiberius' voice halted his hand with the blade an inch from the animal's neck.
"Boss?"
"Leave him. Kill the rest of them."
Inside his suit's dented shell Raster grinned.
He would get to make an example after all.
Chapter 9 - The Killer Awoke Before Dawn
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