March City: Rebellion of the Gifted [Book 2 | Complete | Fantasy/Sci-fi]

Chapter 18: Outpost

Exhaustion poured off Ari in waves. Another creature leapt from the top of one of the buildings, slamming onto the ground, barely missing Fris by a hair. Before she could escape, it'd thrown itself over her, crushing her to the rubble beneath. For the umpteenth time that day, Ari wiped sweat from her brows and touched the supercharger at her neck. Energy poured into her body, making her skin tingle all over. She kept the stored energy for a few more seconds than before, feeling it build up further, and released it as a blast of fine-tuned electromagnetic radiation. The wave of light blasted at the creature, searing a hole in its shoulder. It screeched, leaping off Fris, its limbs clacking against each other where the dorsal aspect had melted into knife-like blades. Fris was unscathed, but shaken.

"You need to hit it in the vitals, Ari!" came Shon's strained voice in her ear piece.

"Easier said than done!" she hissed, crouching behind half a wall. Dust showered her when the ground rumbled. "These guys move like lightning! I don't have perfect shot!"

Fris scrambled up and blasted the creature with electricity at close range. The nose-curling scent of burnt hairs made Ari scrunch up her face. The creature lit up, the hairs sizzling and emanating smoke. Its eyes rolled into the back of its head before it crashed onto the floor, long limbs twitching. It was humanoid, but the weapons seemed directly fused to its body. Ari picked her way over, not taking her eyes off the dead creature. They started coming in droves within half a day of them leaving Candra and had not relented since. Even with their virtual maps pointing them in the right direction, it felt like they'd made no progress. The sun had passed its highest point and Ari found herself covered in body bits and blood — and with zero appetite.

"More incoming!" Shon said. Fula pulled a face, helping Daae onto his feet. Her other hand juggled the titanium projectiles: small, deadly sharp, and lethal with good aim. The sound of Shon's gunshots bounced off the walls around them. A long-limbed creature leapt over the double-deckered cars, only to jerk in mid-air and crash to the ground, blood trickling out of a hole in its head. Heavy metal sheets covered it from head to toe. Shon had somehow managed to strike the small exposed area where the skull plate slid over the jaw plate.

At least ten more soared over their fallen companion, oblivious to their fates. One of them had limbs that seemed to be made of some crystalline material. Shon's bullet pinged off its surface, ricocheting into its companion. Ari touched the necklace and transformed the energy into vibrational kinetic. Dashing over the rubble and cluster of dead monsters, she threw herself at the crystalline creature. It had startling blue eyes and a mouth stretching from ear to ear, baring sharp teeth. They reminded Ari of Kena's mindless creatures that moved in groups, but those had no brains or abilities. These grouped together and came in waves and some of their alterations mimicked March City Users. Perhaps those she killed were previous March City graduates. Her own brethren. Her heart tightened at the thought. Nobody in Candra appeared to have abilities like them. It would make sense.

The creature swiped at her. She brought her arms up. The nails raked across the material of her uniform and tears sprang to her eyes, but neither her skin nor the uniform sleeve tore. The creature spun, swinging its other arm as if it were about to launch it. Ari's reflection flew at her face in slow motion. She raised her arms. The crystalline surface slammed into the palms of her hands and she unleashed the full brunt of vibrational energy. Even her teeth clattered together and her brain rattled in her skull. The creature screeched. Cracks appeared beneath Ari's hands, spidering up its forearm and across its body, turning the aquamarine body opaque — and shattered.

The pieces fell to the ground with a tinkle. Ari landed on her back and bounced across the ground, coughing and her world spinning.

"You okay?" said Shon, out of breath.