《Alpha》Chapter 3
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Elaine was, once again, on Alaska's back as they ran towards Moon Stone's territory line. They were being chased by a small pack of rogues but Elaine didn't want to confront them, seeing as the Alpha of Moon Stone probably won't appreciate if they went in their pack bloodied, dragging dead rogues in. "Everyone, go faster. The territory line is up ahead." Elaine said through the mindlink. They were almost at the border when her ears picked up on a whine and a shout. Quickly telling Gina to get the pack through the border, she told Alaska to turn around. Alaska nodded and turned. While her pack ran for the border, she and Alaska followed the sounds of growling. "Damn it. There must be more than three, a lot more than we expected," Elaine thought. They were almost there when a strong force suddenly hit them from the side. Elaine fell off Alaska. She gasped when the small of her back hit a boulder. Looking up, Alaska was now standing protectively over her, snarling and barking at the rogue who hit them. When the rogue lunged for Alaska, Elaine rolled out of the way and stood, her senses now on full alert. She looked around for her spear that was strapped to the bag she had. Spotting it to her right, she ran for it but when she felt the air around her shift, she ducked. And right in time, too, because the rogue had jumped for her and Alaska followed, knocking the rogue down and on his back. Wasting no time, she shifted and jumped onto its exposed abdomen, latched onto the rogue's neck and twisted its neck. Elaine then turned to get her spear. But when she looked back, a rogue wolf now stood over Alaska who was on her back, clutching at her stomach, blood seeping through her fingers. Enraged, Elaine lunged at the rogue who stood over Alaska's body and raised her spear and stabbed it right through the rogue's head. Taking her spear out, she kneeled next to Alaska. "N-no. Go help Jay," she said, her voice hoarse. Elaine nodded and vowed, "I'll be right back." Then, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a rag and pressed it against Alaska's wound and gave her a long dagger to protect herself. After making sure she was hidden enough, Elaine set off to look for Jay. "Jay, where are you?" She asked through the mindlink. She waited for an answer, but when none came, worry took over her. She looked around, hoping to see any clues that could lead her to Jay. Seeing none, she climbed a tree. When she was high enough, she looked around once again. Her keen ears picked up on the sound of gruff voices. Wrapping her arm on one of the vines, she swung to the next tree and set her feet on one of the branches and balanced herself. Spotting the rogues, one of them dragging Jay by her feet and one other pack member by his arms and from what Elaine could see, his leg had a gash and was still bleeding, and the other holding their bags. Poising her throwing arm, she aimed her spear at the rogue dragging her pack members. Then, she threw it. The spear impaled the rogue and the other was left shocked. But it quickly regained its senses and shifted. Looking around, the rogue sniffed the air, trying to catch a whiff of Elaine's scent. Elaine slowly climbed down the tree and when her feet hit the ground, she started running at the rogue. The rogue, not expecting this, turned around only to be met by Elaine's elbow hitting it between its eyes. The rogue whined and stepped back, dazed, but Elaine was not showing mercy today. Grabbing the rogue's head, she brought her knee up and hit it against its chin, making it bite its tongue. The blood seeped through its mouth and stained her hands, but she couldn't care less. "Never mess with my pack," was the last thing she said before she snapped the rogue's neck. She shook Jay awake and the girl slowly opened her eyes. Adjusting to the sudden brightness, Jay struggled, thinking Elaine was her captor. "Jay! It's me, it's alright. Okay, breathe in... Breathe out." Elaine said, calming down Jay. After a few more breaths, Jay was okay enough to function. Elaine gestured to the bags and told her, "Grab those and help me with him." Jay took the bags and Elaine grabbed her spear from the impaled rogue and together they each took an arm from the injured pack member and pulled him up. They were at the border when two wolves intercepted them. "Move out of our way," Elaine demanded, her voice hard, but the wolves didn't move. Elaine knew that they were part of the Moon Stone pack's warriors, but she didn't have the time for this. Alaska was still injured and in danger out there in the forest. So, she dropped her hold on the pack member and he leaned on Jay, who stepped to the side. Elaine then held her spear tight and ran at the wolves. Hitting one with the body of her spear with enough force, it fell unconscious. And then she twirled and did the same thing to the other. Quickly telling Jay to find Gina, Elaine ran back to Alaska. She made her way to the spot where she left her. Alaska was still breathing, but barely. Her skin had gone pale and she could barely keep her eyes open. Elaine dropped to her knees and shook her awake, saying, "No, no, no, don't fall asleep. Come on, Alaska." Elaine mindlinked Duke and told him, "Get me a medic! I'm losing Alaska. Meet me at the border." Then she pulled Alaska up and put an arm around her waist and had Alaska put an arm on her shoulders. Picking up her spear as well, Elaine walked to the border, her heart pounding. She would not lose a pack member today. "Duke!" Elaine shouted when she spotted him looking around worriedly with a man in his near forties stood next to him. Duke immediately ran to them and picked up Alaska's other arm and held up her weight as well. "What happened?" he asked, then let out a grunt as Alaska fell slack against them. The man, who was next to Duke earlier, was now at their side and had them put Alaska on a stretcher held by two Moon Stone members. Alaska was taken away to be treated, Duke following. Elaine moved to follow when she noticed a wolf, crawling stealthily towards Duke, whose back was turned. Then the wolf pounced. "No!" Elaine shouted and jumped between Duke and the wolf. She and the wolf tumbled onto the ground, the wolf on top of her. Elaine struggled and she felt the wolf bite into her arm and its claws dug into her back. She heard Duke shout but it sounded as if she were underwater. Then muffled growls and flesh hitting flesh were the last thing she heard before she welcomed darkness with open arms.
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Chasing Experience
Alex Hunter lived a life of missed opportunities, fear of what may be giving way to what might have been. Just when he thought he was getting a second chance, it turned out he was one of a small fraction of humanity immune to the complex gene therapy that was providing his peers with eternal youth. At 82 he's informed that he has weeks to live in a rapidly failing body, while those around him turn towards an eternity amidst the stars. Alex chooses to cut what life he has left short. He wakes to find a strange dragon offering him a second chance in truth - a new body of his own design, and fantastic new abilities, all for helping out a few gods in need. Alex finds himself on a planet populated by the incredible, where even children have the strength kill him. Still bound to complete the tasks sent directly to his mind, Alex struggles to wring what he can from his second life, all the while trying to stay alive and Chasing Experience.
8 149Flawsome
>> Featured Staff Pick on Tapas.io! “Imagine someone who likes you so much, they make you like yourself.” Looking at sixteen-year-old Neo Favre, there isn't anything to point out that would explain him being heavily bullied. He has loving parents, a healthy amount of sibling rivalry to overcome every day. He can be funny, he is nice, he isn't an annoying know-it-all nerd. He's just like any other teenager attending Haven Highschool. Except one thing; Neo suffers from OCD, and his irky habits are solely the reason for his classmates to make fun of him. But as much as he tries to hide his annoying habits of counting literally everything, entering a class without touching the floor right in front of the first desk, tapping light button's to the beat of "we will rock you" and any other small tic, his fellow students know, and they use it to bully him endlessly. Neo just wants it all to end, but right when he worked up the guts to put his actions where his mouth is, Calo show's up to save the day, and maybe his week. And who knows, maybe even his life.
8 209Making a Living: A Necromancer's Journal
Bernadette Vitale is a recent graduate of Latimer University. With a degree in Necromancy, a pile of debt, and no prospects - she has to find work and figure out how to adult. Updates every Wednesday
8 227A little bit of Villainy
Our world has become an apocalyptic wasteland where the only law is that of the strongest. In this nightmare, a band heroes rise up to save the remnants of humanity from itself.They build a great city to shelter the weak, only for the city (and all its inhabitants) to get blown to pieces by what many would call a villain. All the heroes die in the explosion but the goddesses of light and order transport their souls to a fantasy universe where they need to vanquish the demons and save humanity. The heroes succeed and 'peace' returns. These acts left the goddess of Chaos dying and as you all know desperate times call for desperate measures. "The only thing that can defeat a hero is a villain and luckily I know where to find one, one that has already killed them once." , -The goddess of chaos The Villain that once bested the heroes gets revived as a Dracolich, an undead dragon of great power, and brings with him a storm a Chaos and Fun. "I can't really say I won against them in our last life since we all ended dying in that explosion, but this time I'm gonna win our fun little rematch."- Villain This story is about a Villain who just wants to have a good time and maybe create a little mayhem. Note: I know I tagged this story with an anti-hero lead tag, but that is only because there is no tag called villain lead.
8 135I AM ABSOLUTE
They tell me I'm a god, I'm lost in the facadeSix-feet off the ground at all times, I think I'm feelin' oddNo matter what I make, they never see mistakesMakin' so much bread, I don't care that they're just being fakeThey tell me they're below me, I act like I'm aboveWARNING:LIKE I SAID THIS IS A GODLIKE AU,AND I MEAN GODLIKE ,HE WILL HAVE NO EQUAL IN TERMS OF POWER AND SKILL .HE WILL HAVE GOOD FIGHTS BUT he will not lose. This is be rated M it will also contain lemons ,buy will get to know them before. violence, language and sexual themselves
8 97Prospect: Paradigm
A young archeologist is launched on the adventure of her life when she joins a mixed crew of humans and aliens on a mission to atone for the failings of Earth.***The Terra Prospect Mission offered humanity a chance at space travel, technological advancement, and enlightenment courtesy of its alien benefactors who made first contact thirty years ago. Daran Chree brought that mission to a fiery end when he crashed the Terra Prospect spaceship into Gate Delta Eleven. Now, it's humanity's second and final chance to prove they're ready to journey into the stars. Nineteen-year-old studying archeologist Sofeta Prenares finds herself not only drawn to the mission, but on a collision course with the fate of the galaxy.2019 Watty Awards Winner For Sci-Fi!Content warning: This story contains reference to self harm and intense combat scenes.
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