"As was stated last time... and the three times before that... another few hours, milady," replied INFOS.
"Yes, thank you INFOS," Exalndria moaned "And why is it that we can't take a one of my jets, or even a dragon, all of the way?"
"Because we'd be shot down in an instant," replied Orpos. He glanced round "Maybe you'd find it easier if you weren't carrying that huge backpack. What are you carrying in that, anyway?"
"Oh, what, this?" asked Exalndria, looking genuinely surprised "Just some equipment. And, anyway, it barely weighs anything, thanks to these," she nodded at some, slightly glowing, circles at the bottom of her backpack "Anti-Grav Rings. The same type that I used to make INFOS float, just smaller."
"What equipment have you got, by the way?" asked Fam "It looks like the entire lab!"
"Oh, it's nothing really," Exalndria shrugged "Just a dozen or so weapons, some tools, a few good books etc."
"You got any mead?" asked Gedrick from behind her.
Exalndria thought for a second "Third pocket to the right."
"Thanks," Gedrick reached out to get a drink but Fam put her hand out to stop him
"Not that you're having any, we're on duty."
"Fine," grumbled Gedrick "But you still owe me a drinking contest."
There was silence after that as the team trekked through the bleak landscape of the Berserker Section on their way towards The Hunter's Rock. They were currently walking through the barren wasteland known as Pockmarked Planes (so called because of the thousands of craters that littered the land - as a result of a, particularly harsh battle fought there). The ground was stained crimson - a remnant of blood and fire. The air was still and heavy with the memories of the dead and the sun was a dim red as if hiding from the brutality of the place. When the team reached the edge of a particularly large crater, Orpos stopped and held up a hand. "We'll stop here for a while."
Everyone sat down, solemnly, with even Exalndria and Fam being silent - the atmosphere of the place silencing even their bubbly attitudes. Gedrick pressed his hand down on the ground for a moment before looking at his palm. Crimson. This is not earth, he thought, but blood. How much was spilled here? And who could have done it?
"The League of Hunters did this," said Orpos, as if reading Gedrick's mind.
"Why?" asked Gedrick, soberly.
"It's what they do," replied Orpos, staring into the distance "Hunt."
"Who did they hunt?"
"Us." Orpos went quiet for a while before continuing "They hunted the Berserker Elementals. My father died here. As did my brother, my uncle, mother and aunt. All of them."
Exalndria made to say something but Gedrick silenced her with a stare.
"And that's why we must succeed," replied Gedrick, without emotion and yet comforting "To end this bloodshed and to avenge those already lost. That is the purpose of war, after all. And, yet, we must not pursue it, for it will lead to more bloodshed and more loss than what could ever be avenged. You do understand that, Orpos?"
Orpos nodded, a single tear falling from each of his four eyes "Of course," he shook himself and stood up, "We should get going, we're out in the open here," he started to walk down the side of the crater.
Fam walked over to Gedrick, "Well done, old friend, you always know what to stay and," she glanced at Exalndria who was just ahead of them "When to stay silent. It is a skill that I have yet to master," she smiled "Well, that's enough philosophy for one day, I think. I hope we reach The Hunter's Rock soon, I'm sick of all this walking, I'd quite like to put the purpose of war into action."
"You might not have to wait very long, Fam," replied Gedrick, pointing at the sky with Stonesplitter "Look."
A squadron of five Chevrons (so called because of their iconic shape) were diving towards Orpos, Exalndria and INFOS.
Fam and Gedrick sprinted towards the rest of their team, without hesitation.
"Look out!" cried Fam.
Orpos looked up just as the nearest Chevron opened fire...
"What equipment have you got, by the way?" asked Fam "It looks like the entire lab!"
"Oh, it's nothing really," Exalndria shrugged "Just a dozen or so weapons, some tools, a few good books etc."
"You got any mead?" asked Gedrick from behind her.
Exalndria thought for a second "Third pocket to the right."
"Thanks," Gedrick reached out to get a drink but Fam put her hand out to stop him
"Not that you're having any, we're on duty."
"Fine," grumbled Gedrick "But you still owe me a drinking contest."
There was silence after that as the team trekked through the bleak landscape of the Berserker Section on their way towards The Hunter's Rock. They were currently walking through the barren wasteland known as Pockmarked Planes (so called because of the thousands of craters that littered the land - as a result of a, particularly harsh battle fought there). The ground was stained crimson - a remnant of blood and fire. The air was still and heavy with the memories of the dead and the sun was a dim red as if hiding from the brutality of the place. When the team reached the edge of a particularly large crater, Orpos stopped and held up a hand. "We'll stop here for a while."
Everyone sat down, solemnly, with even Exalndria and Fam being silent - the atmosphere of the place silencing even their bubbly attitudes. Gedrick pressed his hand down on the ground for a moment before looking at his palm. Crimson. This is not earth, he thought, but blood. How much was spilled here? And who could have done it?
"The League of Hunters did this," said Orpos, as if reading Gedrick's mind.
"Why?" asked Gedrick, soberly.
"It's what they do," replied Orpos, staring into the distance "Hunt."
"Who did they hunt?"
"Us." Orpos went quiet for a while before continuing "They hunted the Berserker Elementals. My father died here. As did my brother, my uncle, mother and aunt. All of them."
Exalndria made to say something but Gedrick silenced her with a stare.
"And that's why we must succeed," replied Gedrick, without emotion and yet comforting "To end this bloodshed and to avenge those already lost. That is the purpose of war, after all. And, yet, we must not pursue it, for it will lead to more bloodshed and more loss than what could ever be avenged. You do understand that, Orpos?"
Orpos nodded, a single tear falling from each of his four eyes "Of course," he shook himself and stood up, "We should get going, we're out in the open here," he started to walk down the side of the crater.
Fam walked over to Gedrick, "Well done, old friend, you always know what to stay and," she glanced at Exalndria who was just ahead of them "When to stay silent. It is a skill that I have yet to master," she smiled "Well, that's enough philosophy for one day, I think. I hope we reach The Hunter's Rock soon, I'm sick of all this walking, I'd quite like to put the purpose of war into action."
"You might not have to wait very long, Fam," replied Gedrick, pointing at the sky with Stonesplitter "Look."
A squadron of five Chevrons (so called because of their iconic shape) were diving towards Orpos, Exalndria and INFOS.
Fam and Gedrick sprinted towards the rest of their team, without hesitation.
"Look out!" cried Fam.
Orpos looked up just as the nearest Chevron opened fire...
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