Ancient Hunter

I checked my gun I had one and a half clips. I loaded my Seven Double ‘M’ with the full one. The sounds grew louder seemly coming from all the corridors. I commed my team knowing they wouldn’t get here in time. I could have fled but the question was where to? It was clear that I couldn’t outrun what was coming and it made sense to stay where I was. I hoped the crystal in the centre would offer me some cover. I’d have none if I retreated down any of the corridors.

“I’ve got trouble incoming,” I told Kelli over my comms. “Will hold as long as I can.”

“Fall back!” Kelli replied her voice sounding breathless.

“Negative, I’ve got no where to run. I will hold here.”

“Gwen?” Kelli pleaded.

I turned off my comms then reactivated it in recording mode. If I was going to die here then at least they would know what they’d be facing. It was the Valkyrie way even if I was only vaihdokas. Freyhilda and her squad were all Valkyrie. A creature burst through a corridor and skidded to a halt. I stared it wasn’t what I suspected. I could have never imagined this in my wildest dreams. It was taller than a Valkyrie and stood on four legs. There were three glowing orbs in its…? Where I assumed the eyes were and below that a hole for a mouth it that was correct? Nothing about this creature made me sure of anything. It had four arms radiating out from its torso. One held a metal tube like those I’d seen the fake Orsini carry. I could see the creature was crystalline in structure and of a dark smoky colour a stark contrast to the crystal in the centre of the room. Where the joints in the arms and legs were was a dark shiny material. Along it’s back were a series of crystal spines.

It seemed to hesitate for a moment as it surveyed the mess I’d made. It was then that it seemed to notice me. As soon as it did it charged with a speed I was hard pressed to dodge. I fired at the creature I might have well be spitting into the wind for all it did.

“Never should have harmed my Clan!” I yelled in defiance. “Or taken my children!” I added with a snarl. I felt myself go full Valkyrie. Kelli and Xenai had warned me that I had the same hair trigger the Valkyrie had my ‘VHT’ as I called it.

The creature charged again. I fired aiming for where I thought was the more vulnerable areas. The arm and leg joints I had to even the playing field in my favour. It was the case of too many targets and too few rounds. I was playing a cat and mouse game of dodge, fire, dodge, fire. I rapidly emptied my clip without a result. The creature lowered his hollow pipe and aimed at me. A purple crystal whizzed past my head as I ducked. I distinctly hear a hiss as the crystal hit something solid I was glad that it wasn’t me. I slammed my last clip into my Seven Double ‘M’. I fired at the pipe using every round I had left. A desperate last gamble. The pipe shattered under my onslaught the creature threw in away with a further hiss. It charged again it’s if I could call the extensions at the end of its arms hands. I dodged its attacked now weaponless. I knew it was only a matter of time before it got me but I was determined to make it pay for the time. I saw the metal staff I’d been using to smash the crystal pipes and went for it jumping to the side as a fist blasted the spot it only just occupied. I rolled and came up in a fighting stance holding the staff like it been trained to. I knew it was a hopeless last ditch effort I sucked at staff fighting but I couldn’t face the creature without some sort of weapon. Even if it was something that I got killed using. I readied myself and stuck out my blows seeming to find its targets. I was surprised my norm as to miss completely earning myself a new bruise as my opponent countered. This time every strike was a hit.

Although I was hitting my targets I could see that I wasn’t causing any damage. I was still alive I was still fighting. Every minute I delayed this creature was a minute closer my team would be here. I just had to hold on. I was rapidly tiring as much I was getting a boost from my enhancements my stamina wasn’t unlimited. A tiny slip on my part brought the creature closer. I was hit by a fist and sent flying and tumbling over the crystal in the centre of the room. I landed badly on my right shoulder. Pain radiated from my shoulder I gritted my teeth and staggered to my feet. My right arm was useless and hung at my side my metal staff nowhere in sight. The creature charged again and I wasn’t able to dodge it. Still in pain and dazed I couldn’t avoid the attack. The creatures fist smashed into my chest. I felt my ribcage shatter as it felt a burning, searing pain burn through my chest. My breath was in short sharp gasps. I screamed in pain as I tried to move and my vision went dark for a moment. The HUD in my helmet told me I’d suffered a severe chest trauma. It told the tail of broken ribs and shards of bone poking into my heart. There was no way for the nanobots to fix the damage in time. I was dying which was what my befuddled mind was informing me. As the light started to fade from my eyes I reflected on my situation. At least I’d freed the Keepers and rescued the last of the Landottir. They were safe. The last thing I saw was the creature looming over me before the darkness took me.

I woke to the awareness that I wasn’t dead but I felt confused. I could feel cold dimpling my body. I seemed to be lying on a hard metal surface. I cracked open my eyes to see a rusted metal ceiling. I was still aboard the Goliath of that much I was certain. I glanced around to find a figure leaning over me. A wreath of blonde hair fell around her face framing her deep blue eyes. An unfamiliar face a Valkyrie but one unknown to me. She could have been from Skerifa’s ship although I wasn’t certain she was. I became aware I’d between stripped to my bra and panties and my armour was anywhere close I couldn’t see it. I tried to move finding myself pinned to the floor.

“Stop moving about!” the Valkyrie demanded. “I can’t fix you if you’re thrashing about.”

I glanced at her hands on my chest and froze. Her hands weren’t chest they were in them. It was the way Digger healed me but this Valkyrie wasn’t a Keeper. She didn’t have a variation of my face like all Keepers had she was a total stranger. I then noticed a further oddity. This Valkyrie had wings white wings. Kind of like the pictures I’d seen in ancient books. I began to wonder if it was a pain filled hallucination yet I didn’t feel any pain? Then I thought I was dead and this was the afterlife but that didn’t feel right either.

“Am I dead?” I asked myself.

“You were for a moment I brought you back.”

I looked at the Valkyrie in shock I hadn’t said that aloud. My mind was still trying to process my thoughts.

“Who are you?” I ventured it was my first coherent question.

“No one important,” the Valkyrie replied with a shrug.

I didn’t buy that. “Who are you?” I asked more forcefully.

“You’ll find out in due time but now is not that time.”

Warmth spread through my body from where her hands were.

The Valkyrie’s expression was grim. “The damage to your heart is more extensive than I first thought.” She removed her hands and I felt them slide under my rear and under my shoulders. Then she picked me up without effort holding me against her chest. It felt like I was being smothered by two fleshy pillows.

In between one blink and another we were somewhere else. Somewhere cleaner with brighter lights. I was certain I wasn’t on the Goliath any more.

“My team!” I was instantly worried about them. From my position in the Valkyrie’s arm I could see signs in both Galactic and USE. I must be on an Alliance ship. The Valkyrie laid me on the floor as delicately as I had been picked up. I looked around a luxury I didn’t have with my face in her breasts. I became aware I wasn’t on my own with the Valkyrie. It appeared to be all the teams Xenai had sent to the Goliath were here. They all seemed to have stunned expressions on their faces, the ones not wearing helmets that were. I surveyed the faces looking for my team.

“Kelli, Jervic!” I called out.

Kelli and Jervic moved forward Freyhilda and her Valkyrie trailing. I felt my face heat up of all those here I was the less dressed. I wasn’t even wearing a uniform just a bra and panties. I’d have been less worried about that if it had been Jervic or Kelli or even Freyhilda’s squad. Unfortunately there were Humans and T’Arni as well.

“Stand back!” The Valkyrie shouted the wings spreading out behind her like she was an eagle about to fly. “My daughter Gwen’s health is delicate!” She knelt beside me her wings shading me and placed her hands on my chest.

“Gwen!” Jervic called out to me

I tried to raise my hand but I was still feeling weak.

“Stop that!” The Valkyrie snapped at me. “You are making things difficult for me.”

It was then that I noticed that all the other Valkyrie including Freyhilda and her squad were on their knees their heads bowed.

“What’s going on?” I felt as if I was the centre of an unknown drama.

The situation felt surreal as the Winged Valkyrie pulled me to my feet. I felt like my legs were made of jelly and promptly sat down.

The Winged Valkyrie looked down at me.

“I’ve done as much as I can without altering the delicate balance you exist in. To do more would change you irrevocably and you would not be the same.”

I felt even mores confused by that. “Thanks?” was all I could say to that.

“Now don’t die on me daughter.” She turned to regard the kneeling Valkyrie. “I see my children have grown strong.” She sounded like a proud mother. “Protect each other from the darkness.” With that she vanished in a Jennifer sort of way.

I’d suspected I’d been dealing with another First One. I did wonder why she’d taken the form of a winged Valkyrie. Like she’d been released Kelli rushed over to me her medical gauntlet scanning me.

“This is bad,” She stated.

Which didn’t do much for myself confidence. “What?” I asked anxiously.

“How are you still standing?” Kelli seemed genuinely surprised.

I tried a little humour to hide the fear I was feeling. “I’m not!”

“That not what I mean?” Kelli replied.

I really didn’t feel bad I just felt weak, after everything I’d gone through that wasn’t that surprising. I took a quick glance around to find a cordon of Valkyrie all with their backs to me surrounded me. For a moment I thought it a snub but then I realised they were keeping the T’Arni and Humans out.

Freyhilda approached her eyes on me her helmet in her hands. She made the Valkyrie bow with her free hand to her heart. I made the gesture back.

“The Mother of All,” she breathed her eyes widening. “That was the Mother of All?”

I suddenly got what she was saying. The Valkyrie Mother of All?” A name I sometimes invoked even though I wasn’t a full Valkyrie. “Is a First One.”

“We’ve long suspected that the Mother of All was an Ancient.” Freyhilda admitted. She gave me a long thoughtful look. “Now I know I will be sitting at the Mother’s side.”

I gave her a smile and tried to stand. The next thing I knew the floor was coming up to meet me. The last words I heard were Kelli’s shouts of alarm.