Breachers – Path of Steel

21

I

The Hole Truth

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Several minutes had slipped away since Marcus had entered the Sphere, witnessing a world in flux. He glimpsed familiar bits of the junkyard, though most had mutated or broken down beyond recognition. Trees were starting to sprout atop heaps of plastic refuse, the latter having their shapes twisted. The plastics occasionally crumbled as if breaking down into something richer, more capable of sustaining life. He moved at a careful pace, taking in his surroundings as he did so. ‘I only have experience with Spheres when the Orbs suddenly become active, not after they have been so for several days or weeks already,’ he mused as he turned the corner. A row of old refrigerators came into view, enveloped by hefty vines and adorned with peculiar blue flowers at the top rows. He noticed patches of rusted metal displaying curious metal-like bubbles, as if the frame was in the midst of a transformation. ‘No wonder people usually keep lesser Spheres like this for farms to harvest rare resources. But if a light blue Sphere is able to do this over time… what the hell would a red Sphere be able to do? I don’t even want to think about the gold ones.’

As he rounded the corner, an unfamiliar dead end blocked his path, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it hadn't been there before. A massive line of battered cars was now in front of him, partially buried beneath mounds of earth. ‘It almost looks like a fortified nest of sorts,’ he mused, instinctively stepping back. He had done his research regarding this current Sphere and knew that several Breacher parties had already gone inside, slaughtering creatures for Monster-Glass and scavenging rare materials. Apparently, it was designated as a ‘farm’ for the next few months, seeing as its location wasn’t a danger or inconvenience to civilians. ‘The question is, how quickly does this Orb make new monsters—’ he wondered, until a sudden noise behind him caught his attention.

Marcus swiveled around, his steel feet crunching on the debris-strewn ground of the junkyard. He instantly locked onto the grotesque hybrid creature that emerged from a pile of rubble. The abomination stood hunched, its gnarled form a disturbing contrast against the rusted metal and twisted wreckage surrounding it. Its twisted, crow-like beak dipped low to the ground, and its head bobbed rhythmically as it inhaled deeply as if sifting through the cacophony of scents, filtering out potential prey through smell and hearing alone. The creature's scarred hide bore the evidence of past confrontations, with arrow shafts sticking out and bullet holes forming a gruesome mosaic along its flank.

‘It’s blind?’ Marcus wondered, his silence stretching momentarily. He hoped his metallic body didn't betray his presence with any distinctive odors, especially ones that would distinguish him from the surrounding garbage. Kneeling down slowly, he gingerly set the hammer aside before selecting a small rock. He then hurled the stone against a small metal bin positioned behind the monstrous creature, creating a sharp bang. The monster jerked around instantly, fixing its senses on the source of the disturbance. In a swift motion, Marcus then grasped his hammer and closed the distance before lunging at the creature. His destroyed, spear-like arm slid into the monster’s neck, encountering resistance as it struck true while the monster began to thrash around violently. Without hesitation, he hammered the creature’s ribs, each blow shattering bone with a sickening crunch until the monster suddenly started to swell up.

‘What the hell?’ Marcus thought, his hammer striking down again as his camera caught the bizarre sight of tiny feathers slicing through the monster’s skin, as if they’d been hidden within its body. These feathers gleamed with an unsettling sharpness. ‘Shit!’ Marcus reacted, swiftly dropping to the ground and grabbing a nearby metal sheet to shield himself. A cacophony of impacts followed, and he winced internally as he observed several of the rigid feathers partially penetrating the metal piece he had picked up. Marcus released the metal sheet, left hand now gripping the hammer’s handle as he charged at the wounded monster once more. The creature rose sluggishly, emitting a pained clicking sound while bleeding profusely from the hundreds of smaller cuts now on his body. Marcus’s hammer connected with the creature’s face with all the kinetic force his steel frame could force into it, breaking bone and smashing apart flesh. Internally, he roared, ‘Just die, you stupid piece of shit!’ With each hammer blow, new splashes of gore coated his metallic surface. The relentless assault only halted when there was barely a trace of the monster’s head remaining, except for a shard of Monster-Glass protruding amidst the visceral aftermath.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Marcus flipped the hammer and drove the claw end into the monster’s skull to try to remove the Monster-Glass lodged at the back of its head. He could hear his motors and piston’s straining as he tugged at the object, until, in a sudden, forceful breakthrough, the Glass came free. The abrupt release caused Marcus to stumble backward, struggling to regain his footing as he held the bloodied hammer with the Monster-Glass trapped within the claw. Marcus tucked the hammer handle behind his knee, squatting to keep it snug between his metal upper and lower leg, freeing up his left hand. He then yanked out the Monster-Glass after a little pulling and wiggling. Inspecting it closely, he could see the remnants of skull and brain matter still attached to its surface. ‘And that makes one… well, two actually, if I’m going to count the remaining piece of Glass that hadn’t got used up when I tried to wake myself.’

He then shoved the gore-covered Monster-Glass into his makeshift backpack that was strapped to his hip, ensuring it was firmly nestled inside next to the pistol and the other piece of Glass. He then retrieved his hammer, rising slowly and surveying his environment as his HUD flickered back on. ‘93 minutes left,’ he observed, his gaze tracking the timer’s countdown. ‘It drains a lot faster when I push myself during combat.’ He then tightened his grip on the hammer before continuing his journey.

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Several minutes had gone by, and Marcus now sat huddled behind a rust covered washing machine precariously positioned atop an old bus. He peered through the rusty exterior, tracking the movements of two monsters on the path below. The creatures resembled the one he had killed earlier, but with slight differences. One had large, featherless wings with claws at the tips, while the other was more rounded, boasting multiple beaks on its head and a thick, feather-coated body. ‘They look like someone threw a crow and mole into a blender and stitched the parts back together afterwards,’ he thought as he heard the unsettling hisses and clicks that accompanied their approach.

‘This is a dumb idea. I shouldn’t take on two at once,’ Marcus reasoned. Despite the odds, he knew he would do it anyway, either out of pride or desperation. The timer on his waning Mana was a constant reminder, and his need for more pieces of Glass was slowly getting to him. After a brief pause, he heard the pair approaching his position, prompting him to spring into action. Straining pistons worked tirelessly as he slowly raised the washing machine and then sent it plummeting down the ledge. The ensuing impact produced a deafening bang and an unsettling orchestra of snapping sounds. A torrent of blood gushed from what remained of the rounded monster. ‘Take that!’ Marcus thought as he took in the damage he had inflicted. That moment of relief shattered as he spotted the other creature suddenly shifted its gaze upward, as though locking onto him. ‘This one can see?’ he thought as he backed off quickly.

The sharp clang of something colliding with metal reached Marcus’s auditory sensors just before his camera settled on the monster’s ascent up the weathered bus, utilizing its featherless wings for support like long arms. Studying the creature, Marcus couldn’t help but take note of its less-developed limbs beneath its body, executing menacing slashing motions while its twisted head unleashed a series of ear-piercing screeches. Up close, the monster looked far larger and dangerous. ‘What’s the plan now, idiot?’ Marcus deliberated, assessing his diminishing options. The monster approached methodically, its pointed wings impacting the bus’s surface with each calculated move. Knowing he needed to act, Marcus lunged forward, his robotic frame propelling him as fast as he could while wielding his hammer. He managed to cover a mere six paces before one of the monster’s wings struck him, piercing his torso and tearing through metal and protective plastics.

The impact left Marcus pinned atop the bus while his mind struggled to process the sudden turn of events. He had barely registered it all when another wing lunged toward him. With a quick, instinctual motion, he tilted his head to the side, narrowly escaping a potentially fatal blow. Gripping the hammer, he swung it at the wing, but it felt as solid as steel. ‘What the hell is that thing made of!’ he screamed inside his mind as he watched the monster retract its wing, preparing for another deadly strike. ‘Hell no!’ Marcus thought as he hurled the hammer with all his might at the monster’s throat, hearing it hiss and trembled afterwards. ‘Go for the body!’

Marcus’s left hand clamped onto the monster’s wing as he suddenly pulled himself upwards, the hole in his chest sliding awkwardly along the length of the wing. Meanwhile, the monster shook its head, seemingly regaining its composure, only to realize that Marcus was now within striking distance. It lunged its other wing at him once more, but faltered when Marcus thrust the remains of his robotic right arm into the monster’s chest. The sharp metal edges tore through flesh and punctured vital organs. Marcus pulled back and continued to stab relentlessly, each thrust causing a gruesome cascade of blood and organ fragments, most of it splattering down onto him before leaking down on the roof of the bus. During it all, Marcus hung suspended halfway up the monster’s limb, unrelenting in his assault, until the monster finally collapsed before falling down the side of the bus and taking him along for the ride as the two of them slammed into the dirt.

Marcus’s camera adjusted to the abrupt shift in position and direction as he shot a glance at the lifeless creature below. One of its wings remained embedded in the side of his torso, as if not wanting to let go of him even in death. ‘Taking on two at once... what could possibly go wrong?’ he mused sarcastically while he realized just how badly this could have gone. Carefully, he gripped the wing while pushing its length out from his torso until he finally managed to free himself and assess the damage. Awkwardly peering at the hole, he could see a faint light blue light coming from it. Bending over, he spotted the Sphere just slightly off to the side of it. ‘I’m not sure if this will buff out,’ he quipped. Running a steel finger along the edge of the puncture hole, he shook his head before he inched closer to the monster. With a few stabs and cuts, he extracted the Monster-Glass from the back of its head as it came free with a sickening pop. ‘That one was for Bumper,’ he thought, recalling the junkyard dog he had briefly met.

Marcus dropped to the ground and turned onto his back, shifting his gaze up at the sky, or what little of it he could see through the distorting Sphere all around him. Although he didn’t feel physically tired, a wave of mental exhaustion washed over him, prompting him to take a moment to rest and process just how narrowly he had escaped death. ‘What the hell would have happened to ‘hospital me’ if three quarters of my consciousness just kicked the bucket here?’ He mulled over the gravity of the situation before shifting his gaze to the countdown on his HUD. ‘68 minutes left,’ he mentally groaned as he forced himself to sit upright, his attention drawn to the bloody Monster-Glass in his hand. ‘And that makes three...’ His eyes then shifted to the crushed monster a short distance away. ‘…and four. Only sixteen more to go. Piece of cake,’ he thought as he gradually rose to his feet and made his way to retrieve the fourth piece of Monster-Glass.

‘Now, where the heck did it drop my hammer?’

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Copyright: OsiriumWrites