Breachers

(OsiriumWrites) Breachers -I- Path of Steel - Chapter 21 (The Hole Truth)

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