DO OR DIE

We stood in formation, just the six of us. Standing before our stable’s scrutiny. That bastion of Artoo’s rule was a hundred meters to our front. Our backs were at the water's edge. We were ignoring the moat and the chasm in the center of the arena, although the closer I got to it, the more I felt an increasing sense of unease. As if something nightmarish lived within and was regarding us, waiting for a chance to taste us. It had not been so malevolent in the days leading up to this event, or perhaps I was just imagining it. After all, I was all but devoid of magical perceptions. As much as I told myself that, it did not cause the unease to abate and I decided to stop imagining danger behind when I had plenty of danger to my front.

Whatever would be unleashed on us would come from the beast doors at our front. The other newbies, noobs or whatever, were scattered around the arena. Some took up similar positions as we did in front of their respective house seats. Others milled around uncertainly, trying to decide on where to stand. One group even waded a short distance into the water, but when one of them slipped and fell into the murky shallows, they reconsidered and moved out to stand on the edge as we did.

Our time for preparation was up.

There was a nervous tension in the air, a sense of coming doom, it stretched beyond the malevolence I could feel emanating from within the central chasm. The restless crowds could sense it too, and they quietened. The calm before the storm.

Our little cohort set the horn formation, with me in the center front, slightly back from both Selvin and Rashid to either side of me. Both of them slightly forward. Whatever was coming for us would be goaded to me in the center, where we would make quick work of it before another creature could get to us. At least that was our plan.

We could see Artoo and his family of sycophants staring directly back at us from the luxury seating. The crowd began to murmur now, the excitement too intense to contain and then before I could blink they were making so much noise I could hardly hear myself think. Just as suddenly Artoo flicked his hand and a long streamer unfurled on the wall. Unravelling itself.

This was an unspoken command and around the arena trumpets blared above the crowd’s baying. The doors flew open and everyone stopped their squawking, everyone seeming to lean forward on their seats as if they could better see what would come hurtling out. The quiet was perhaps more disconcerting than the noise had been.

Dripping with sweat, I gripped my spear, facing it firmly forward. White knuckles trembling with the effort. My stance strong, and my will like iron. BURT had been deathly quiet the whole time I had been here and I sent a quick mental nudge to see if he was still firing on all cylinders. Whatever help I could get would be like water in a desert. I needed every drop.

"Petros, I cannot see the creatures.” was all that he said, and I assumed he had been soaking in the entire scene. Hopefully if we survived this madness we would be able to debrief each other. I know we were both looking out the same eyes, but hopefully noticing different things.

“Oh-oh!” said BURT, and I had to strain to see beyond the doorway into the gloom beyond. Whatever clue he had picked up had not been good news.

“What do you see?” I enquired. Almost unwittingly taking a step back, almost. I felt Anil’s hand squeezing my shoulder-braces tighter. He was behind me and while it was comforting to be surrounded by flesh other than my own, it was also stifling.

Everything I knew about soldiering screamed at me to find cover and then coldly and calmly put a bullet or two or maybe a few more into whatever the hell was coming downrange. Unfortunately that horse had bolted.

The shadows in the beast recess shifted again, responding to the loud clang as the doors reached their limit and jarred against the walls. Luxman gave a sharp, loud challenge. His voice caught midway, but we all took it up and started shouting too. It was an outlet. It helped.

Then something scuttled. A quick movement in the shadows. Then it chittered, a high pitch retort to our challenge and similar chitters echoed around the stadium as the other creatures released from their respective doorways joined in the chorus. I felt the malevolence levels in the arena go up from a solid three of unease to a drastic 11 on the terror scale. What the fuck was it? Were my eyes deceiving me?

Then the motion gained traction and a speeding creature burst from the dark recess. With four bounding legs it began to pace towards us, flanked on either side by more and more creatures. They were Labrador sized, but instead of fur, they appeared to have armored scales like an armadillo. At least on the front parts of them. The forward shoulders and head were covered with spiky protrusions, obviously used for gouging and tearing flesh from their prey.

A Dogadillo? My identify skill hadn’t kicked in yet. Whatever they were called, they moved fast. Suddenly Selvin, Our most experienced fighter, shouted “Sieve Formation, double time, run!” and stepped forward and out to the side, opening up a gap between myself and him. Similarly Rashid did the same on the left and behind me, the supporting arms, my comfort and cushion abandoned me as the other three stepped back and away too.

What this formation did was allow fast moving threats to pass through our ranks while we scoured their flanks. I called out the time. “Hut! Hut!” and as one we all surged forwards, the wide spaces between us giving me a serious sense of vulnerability.

I didn’t feel this was the right play, but Selvin was our most experienced fighter on this world, so I had to assume he knew what he was about.

Opening up the formation was a huge gamble in my opinion, especially for little old me. It would allow us to perhaps thread the needle of chance though so maybe it was the right call after all.

The pack of beasts were staggered in their approach, which allowed us to make this manoeuvre. The first almost upon us now had a good ten meters lead on the second and third of its pack. The rattle of its shoulder scales matched the rattle from its throat, like a physical presence pressing forward towards us, at first slow, then faster as they gained in speed,

clack…clack, clack…clack.. clackclackclackclackclkclkclk!

Those formidable spikes sticking out randomly from the shoulders and back rattled in time with their pacing, The spikes were furrowed and seemed to have bits of putrefied flesh hanging from them. If I dodged the snapping jaws, I had to make sure I dodged the spines too. Those might not kill immediately but they would kill with infection. Time seemed to slow and then stand still as I called out “Brace!”.

Puffs of sand exploded from the leading creature's paws with each long stretch of its body. Teeth exposed, lips curled in a hideous snarl, eyes furrowed in predatory glee. It had decided on who it would attack first and didn’t slow as it rushed directly for me in the center. A greyhound at the races catching the hare. I didn’t have any of my team around me close enough to brace me so I was going to have to dodge its charge on my own terms.

Hooyah Mr Navy SEAL.

The adrenaline washed away the fear and trepidation. The waiting was over. This was the time for action. That familiar feeling when every move was a dance along the slice between light and dark; life and death.

Sebastina’s words came to me then, “Brace the spear on the floor during the charge, it is crude, but it works.”. We hadn’t done this in training, but with each of us spread out like we were, there was no way I could count on the others of my team to support me. I was on my own.

Watching the approaching comet of teeth, spikes and scales get closer and closer displaying all its fury, I planted the butt of my spear deep in the sand. Then crouching down I angled it forward. The sharp end waiting for the beast to impale itself. I hoped the wood haft was strong enough to take this charge. The last thing I wanted was a broken spear and my tiny buckler as my only defense while we faced off the rest of them, and there were a lot of them.

Then in the last three meters of the charge, something incredible and totally unexpected happened. The beast, now identified as:

Drillbeast Level 10

Curled up and like a bowling ball tried to skittle me. The armor plates on its body seemed to fuse as it tucked its legs underneath itself and became a spiked ball of death. The spikes splayed out acutely but even more so and more numerous and perilous now that it had changed shape.

My first impulse was to dive completely out of the way, abandon the spear and survive to fight another minute. BURT was blinking the words “Move” in my vision, but I ignored him and doubled down. If our spears weren’t going to work, I had to make sure. I continued to crouch, tension filling my legs, The spiked ball of pain almost upon me as it flew with precision towards me. The spherical shape seemed to give the Drillbeast even more momentum in those last stretched out moments as it came in for a strike. I angled the sharp end of my spear to meet it head on.

If luck was with me, then the sharp point would slide through or between those scales and end the threat. If luck abandoned me, then the spear would glance off and I would get to feel those terrible spikes tear through my flesh.

At the last possible second, the moment I felt the pressure from its charge cascade onto the tip of the spear, I launched myself up and away, leaving the creature and the spear to their fate.

Luck, it seemed, held, and the spear tip impaled the creature. The point of the spear first slipped along the scales, but then found a gap to slide into the beast. The ball shape now impaled upon the shaft, The spear point had gone in between the joint of its shoulder blades and severed the spine. Its head and body flopped lifeless, body unfurled, head and tongue lolling.

Unfortunately angular momentum also had its say and the shaft snapped off about half way down its length. I didn’t have time to curse though, because the rest of its pack mates had reached us by that time.

I dodged the next two, then dived over as three more simultaneously launched themselves at me. The charge they had was a formidable weapon, but it had serious disadvantages against a nimble foe.

As I came out of my forward roll, I watched as Rashid sidestepped an attacking Drillbeast, literally swatting it away from him as it passed by in mid-air. Then after it landed and lost momentum in the sand, he stood poised with the spear, skewering it as it unfolded from its protective ball. He followed with a quick and ruthless stab below its jaw, deep into the neck. With a twist and a wrench, he turned again to face another.

Similar scenes were happening with my other teammates and it appeared that I was the only one who had lost his spear. Fortunately being in the center, I didn’t have too much to worry about after the initial charge as my teammates took on the horde of Drillbeasts, swatting, jinxing and stabbing.

Selvin yelled “Shell Formation!” and the six of us closed up together again as the Drillbeasts reorganised their attack. There were at least ten of the beasts left, with eleven dead or dying on the floor. That meant everyone but me had killed two. Perhaps I could have done the same if I had known about the beasts and their peculiar attack mode. It sucked being a stranger to these lands.

The Drillbeasts didn’t waste time and even though they didn’t have the running bowling ball charge option anymore, they gathered together to attack us again. This time it was going to be like a boar attack. Even so, being attacked by an enraged boar was not something to be taken lightly.

“Where is your spear Petros?” Shouted Selvin as we closed ranks to face the beasts.

I pointed to where the packleader Drillbeast had died, the broken spear shaft still sticking up from where I had pierced it. The splintered remains in the sand next to it were a testament to my shattered plans.

“You need a weapon!” shouted Anil, “We can’t protect you and fight these beasts at the same time”

“No shit Sherlock.” I intoned ominously and dived out of the formation running for the broken spear shaft that lay useless in the sand a few meters to my front.

This seems to be the trigger, because the Drillbeasts all came for me. I heard Selvin and Rashid yelling something, but my focus was on getting that stick in my hands. Anil was right, I needed a weapon.

I dived forward again and in the process of a forward-roll gathered the stick from the sand. Its splintered end, I noted, was sharp, but besides that it didn’t provide much of a defense. It was something though and I was a Spec Ops soldier after all.

Did that mean something anymore? I was sure as hell going to find out.

By the time I completed my forward roll, the first of the beasts was upon me. Snarling rage and slavering jaws its main attack, with the spikes on the shoulder a sinister follow up. I simply dived away to do another roll. Rolls are a very underrated defense strategy. They are incredibly easy to do and at the same time very quickly give you distance from any threat. All this did was isolate me further and allowed the creatures to cut me off from retreating back to the formation.

Selvin had the group double timing to hit the pack in the rear while their focus was on me. I heard a few yelps but with so many threats I could only focus on dodging and jinxing. A Quarterback waiting for the opening. Whack!, the stick smacked the forehead of the closest Drillbeast. It yelped in surprise. I wanted to jab them with the splintered end, but could not see how that would work out for me. In all likelihood, the stick would get stuck and I would get torn to ribbons by the others.

I jumped to the side as one of the Drillbeasts rushed past me, its spikes nicking and parting my leather armor on the calf muscle, slicing forcefully through. The spike itself almost dragged me off of my feet. The leather had obviously blunted the blow, but the slow burn of a shallow cut made me stumble further.

This brought two more of the creatures rushing towards me. I dived over them again to forward-roll once more. A spray of blood glinting in the air. I had to hold out just a little bit longer while my cohort caught up to me. Agony raced through my same calf as this time, one of the creatures latched on to the bleeding limb with its mouth, the canines gripping and squeezing the leather poleyns or greaves or whatever the hell they were called that protected my leg. Fortunately it protected me from the top canines, but somehow the bottom canines managed to find a gap and slide into the area that had been sliced before. Needless to say, it was excruciating as the two prominent teeth sank into my flesh.

“Aaargh!” I shouted and beat down on its snout, the stick, stunning it. My other hand brought the shield down to prevent any of the spikes in its shoulder from doing me additional damage. It released and retreated. I grunted with effort as it whimpered then yelped with darting movements. These animals reminded me of jackals from Earth.

You have leveled up.

You have leveled up….

“BURT!” I intoned, “make yourself useful and handle that stuff!” The internal notifications went away and I came back to the moment.

Another rushed forward and I swung the buckler attached to my forearm right into its mouth. Teeth and blood sprayed everywhere as the creature tried to get a good bite. This time I brought the stick in under its belly, my stab short and sharp. As the Drillbeast tore away from my grasp, its entrails ripped out of the gash that the splintered stick had made. An umbilical cord of intestines attached to the piece of jagged wood in my hand. I wrenched the ropey entrails and the creature fell. The whimpers subsided as it died.

I was truly angry now and bent to my task. These fucking creatures dared to attack me?

“Come on!” I bellowed, thumping the stick against the buckler and stepped threateningly towards them. Only three remained all focussed on me, as Selvin, Rashid, and Adilla dealt with three more beasts from behind while Anil and Luxman broke formation to dispatch any other distracted or wounded Drillbeasts.

The three canids intent on me weren’t stupid however, and they broke into a run to get past me and away from being caught between our two opposing forces. Their attempt to cut me off had backfired, but they were wiley and perhaps a little stunned to have their numbers cut down so quickly.

I managed to ankle tap one as it juked past me, the stick catching it on the foot supporting its weight, and as it fell, it rolled into a ball. I was upon it in an instant before it could unfurl. I then grabbed it by the shoulder spikes and made myself the fulcrum. I spun and spun and just like those track and field events from school I released it as if throwing the hammer. It flew far out over the water moat towards the central crevasse. The throw wasn’t powerful enough for it to reach the other bank of the moat however, and it hit the water with a resounding splash. It didn’t surface again. Probably a poor swimmer with all that armor plating.

I turned to see Selvin and Anil catching up to the last two Drillbeasts against the wall and with cold efficiency dispatch them. I bent down double, gasping for air. My leg in agony, my breath rasping and my heart pounding.

We had done it!.

The five of them then gravitated toward me as I stood at the moat's edge. I could see the bubbling anger in Selvin’s eyes, but before he could admonish me for leaving the formation I shouted to them all. “What time is it?”

Puzzled they looked at each other, some even shrugging. I laughed and took a wide step to the left, then tried to shuffle back and forth while I shouted out even louder. “It’s hammer time! doo, doo do do!”. Of course the pain in my leg didn’t help, but I gave it my best effort. “Can’t touch this…” I ended lamely.

Their blank expressions didn’t dampen my enthusiasm, even though for some reason they didn’t know the song. At least MC Hammer would have been proud of my impeccable timing.

It was only then that I noticed the noise. Pure unadulterated roaring sprang out from the audience and echoed up and around the volcano chimney. It reverberated back and forth as they crowed, bayed or jeered. It was strange that I hadn’t noticed it before with all the fighting going on.

They were cheering for us. They were cheering for me.

Not only had we done it, but it appeared that we were the last to do it.

Across the arena floor in the other sectors, only the Scalar remained. Some had been injured, some even looked half-dead, but by and large the majority of us Noobs had made it.

Obviously Drillbeasts were a well known entity amongst the Scalar and so they had handled the threat with relative ease. I looked up to see Artoo’s smirking expression as the crowd roared their enthusiasm at us, and in particular my antics, and my jubilation from a moment before was cut short. It made my blood boil that I had gained my freedom from the Absinthe only to end up putting on shows for another race of cutthroat aliens.