Battles Beyond (Book 1: The Fleeing Saga)

We Reach (8)

The soldiers were confused, not understanding the more Cascachu used randomness, the more unreliable it became.

His contact was broken by the many holes sprinkled throughout his red form. Each round reduced their unease. His already tattered clothes were now next to nudity because of them. They ensured he had no breathing room to do anything else. The third of their Rebounder rounds struck him and it was enough to knock him over.

The impressive structural integrity of the Preed faltered due to severe internal haemorrhaging from a point-blank Rebounder strike. The soldiers lined the edge like witnesses to a crime scene to see his fall.

Part of a building blew up with ease a few blocks from them. They feared his randomness had begun late.

Everyone was still. They read the atmosphere and noticed the usual time for Cascachu's abilities to activate was long gone. The soldiers could now loosen up and celebrate.

"I'm going to get a promotion dawg. You worthless plebs are beneath me now." The soldier who fired the Rebounder failed to entrap his inner voice; their many stares had put him under ice.

"I mean... We all getting promoted!"

Another soldier suggested that he could have survived.

"Who cares? We alive!!!"

A wave of cheers rose as Cascachu's eyelids went shut to obscure his worldview.

Where half the base gone?

Sssssir... sssssir. A recruit called out with weakness. His painful expression peered deep into the mangroves where creatures dwelled.

Damn it youths, where is the rest of your body? He held what was left of his diagonal stabilizers in solace. The scorched stilts of the base were unimportant; the fallen being mattered more.

An injury-free underling scrambled to inform him about the cause of this suffering: an explosive implant embedded within a recruit. Casual conversation preceded the deaths of dozens. Her re-assurances did little to smother his outburst of sadness.

When the being was done, Cascachu made her promise to assist those affected as much as she could. With a "yes sir", she ran off.

Moments later, he caught a medic in his periphery and called him to come provide medical aid.

The organism required some time to get ready, but Cascachu could tell the being didn't have much time left. This infuriated him. Hurry up and help the youth, damn it!

Hooooonk! Hoooooooooooooooooonk!

A characteristic noise reverberated into his auditory holes. Coming towards Leaflet and Cascachu was Zartzs, the Top Commander of the Balmi War Troupe, in her train form.

Her horn signalled her presence. She was a true vehicular construct from the first cabin car in an orange of true radiance to the fourth and fifth that wore coatings of the most marvellous shades of pink, and the last in an untamed green.

"I can see Cascachu." Nem was perched on top of the train whistle watchtower on the front right side of Zartz.

She and Cassadon, the second and third commanders of the Balmi War Troupe, shared traits of the same species as Ippe, the Cardigaul.

Nem had four dots for sight and soft skin even though it looked quite rough.

"It looks like we have to save his dumbass again." Cassadon stood at the train's platform laden with gorgeous engravings on sheets of gold.